by Father S.J. Emmanuel; originally published January 5, 2004
Kumar’s calling to Tamil Intellectuals and Professionals
On the 4th anniversary of the death of our beloved Kumar Ponnambalam, when the Tamils in and out of Sri Lanka, salute him as a Great Man – Maamanithar –, as a courageous Prophet, who stood up and spoke out in defence of Truth and Justice for the Tamils, I would like to make a humble invitation to my fellow Tamil intellectuals and professionals to contribute to an unfinished task left behind by Kumar.
I vividly remember Kumar participating in an International Conference in Canberra in 1995. presided over by another Maamnithar, the late Prof. C.J.Eliezer. Kumar stepped onto the political stage in the traditional style of his father, in Tamil national dress. He opened his speech with the words “Here is a Tiger coming out of the Lions’ den.” Such was his style in dress, tone and speech encouraging all of us to stand up for our convictions. He stood out courageously for his convictions in the midst of hostile critics. So he stood till the forces of evil and cowardice of the Capital gunned him down.
Today we have reached a stage of maturity in our long walk to Freedom. We have walked over the bodies of thousands of fallen men and women. We have the responsibility of serving the cause for which they died. We have dared the worst of suffering in a prolonged war of weapons and denial of basic needs for life. We have gone through exodus, displacements, death, destruction, starvation rape….
The Tamil struggle, in spite of bans against the Tamil leadership in some countries, has come today to the international stage with a consensus in our aspirations and demands, with a consensus of the leadership.
We are open for a dialogue not only with a Sri Lankan government that has to return from its disarrayed leadership, but also with the international community for a reasonable and just solution without any Big-Brother threat to force an unreasonable solution upon us.
This is a time in which the intellectuals and the professionals around the world must take upon themselves the spirit of Kumar in explaining the Tamil stance to the majority in Sri Lanka and to the international community. Our talents for reasoning and arguments must serve the cause of Truth and Justice without hurting others.
Knowing Kumar for his convictions, for his courageous stance in defence of the cause of the Tamils for justice, I invite my fellow Tamil intellectuals and professionals the world over to think of Kumar and to step out even at this late hour, out of our chambers of silence (or from behind those cadjan fences) to contribute our share at this late stage of the Tamil Struggle.
S.J.Emmanuel
Germany, 4th.January 2004
N.B. The Sangam salutes Father Emmanuel on attaining seven decades! His wisdom is a benefit to us all.