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| Sunday, 21 August 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Welcome to the Tiger Despatch House Light Refractions by Lucien Rajakarunanayake As they welcomed Lakshman Kadirgamar to their midst he was offered a towel to dry himself, as he had just left the swimming pool.
"They used the same strategy of the sniper to get at you", said Robert. "They got me when I was doing my exercises on the rooftop. You were struck when exercising in your pool." "Like all other freedoms, they don't seem to like the freedom to exercise one's body too," he said with a laugh. "At first, I didn't know what hit me, but it did not take me long to realise who had struck me", said a Lakshman Kadirgamar quite frankly. "We always wondered when you will be sent here," said Neelan Tiruchelvam. "It took them some time, to get at who we all knew to be Prabhakaran's prize victim. We did miss your company, but didn't want you here any sooner. We were glad of your work down there, to save those who are left behind from the Vanni horror that stalks them." "I was good at athletics, and hurdling was my favourite event. I was scaling many a hurdle all the time. It was a case of being one leap ahead of them all these years. But they need only one opportunity. With hindsight, there was that yawning gap in my security. I thought they had everything under control." "So you never asked them not to search the house from where they struck you?", asked Mrs. Yogeswaran, who was dispatched when she was Mayor of Jaffna. "What nonsense. I must have told them to be polite with those people when doing a search. I'm no expert on security. It was their duty to advise me, and I'm not the type to reject good advice. They never even warned me about the danger of sniper fire from where it came, although the pool was clearly visible from there. Anyway, it looks like coming home to see all of you. So here I am too," said Lakshman. "You must be tired; although quick at the end, it was a very long journey for you", said Rajini Thiranagama, showing a quiet place of rest. "There will be many things to talk about in the morning," she said as he settled down in his room in the Sri Lankan House of Despatch. As they gathered the next morning Amirthalingam said, "as usual the statements are coming in. There's nothing new about them. All messages of condolence, with the hope that your brutal exit won't lead to a breakdown of the peace process and the Cease fire should be observed by both sides." "Has Norway sent a message?", asked Lakshman. "Oh yes, they have rushed. They fear for the future of the fragile Ceasefire Agreement," said Mr. Yogeswaran, the former MP for Jaffna. "That doesn't surprise me. I fear for it too. But surely after such a gross violation it can't be the same Cease fire again. I was the Foreign Minister of the Government they seek to have talks with. How can it be done? This is a virtual abrogation of the MoU. Damn it, they can't expect to fool us all the while. I'm glad I told them where they had to get off while I was able to", said Lakshman. "All these statements from foreign ministers and other leaders who knew you so well want your killers brought to justice, but no one says whether or how they will help to get that done," said Sam Thambimuttu. "Those bloody Norwegians," said Lakshman. "I told them about the plan to get at me this month. Not that I believed them but I was told they will prevent it. This is what all their facilitation means. It is only they who can help bring the real killers, the conspirators to justice. The man who pulled the trigger is not the real criminal. It's those who pass the death sentence at the Vanni". "There is a message from the UN Security Council, too. You've made it real great with your exit," said Padmanabha, the first leader of the EPRLF, despatched from Madras. "What does it say?" "The same old thing; it was a senseless killing, and the perpetrators must be brought to justice. They keep hoping for peace," said Thangathurai from Trincomalee. "Instead of wasting their time with such tripe, they should get about adopting the resolution to impose sanctions against those who engage in terrorism, and recruit child soldiers. I was trying my best through every diplomatic channel to get that endorsed unanimously, when the sniper struck." All at the huge House of Despatch were moved to tears as they saw how the Sri Lankans wept for Lakshman. |
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"Earlier today we welcomed Relangi Selvarajah and her husband Senathurai,
her fault was producing Rupavahini programmes critical of that Sun God and
his armed followers," said Alfred Duraippah, the earliest arrival to the
House of Despatch. 
