Appreciations

A few days after Minister D. M. Dassanayake was assassinated, I heard Jeyaraj Fernandopulle over the radio, commenting that the deadly LTTE claymore bomb was not targeted at him but at Mr. Dassanayake. I immediately telephoned Jeyaraj. He was at a meeting and I gave my contact number to his security officer. A few minutes later Jeyaraj rang and asked , “Why Professor?"
I told him that I was certain that he was the target of the claymore bomb and asked why he was denying it.

"I know Professor, it was for me. But if I admit that, my family will be worried," he said. "But you have to be careful. They will try again," I said. 'Yes, I know I have to be careful," he admitted. But was he?

As a politician who moved closely with the common man, he perhaps did not take the advice of his security personnel to take necessary precautions. As a prominent minister of the government who was highly critical of the LTTE, his security personnel must have known that he was a prime target. Although I knew Jeyaraj for many years, my closest encounter with him was during the 2001 General Election.

A few days before the elections, I had the opportunity to participate in a live TV discussion programme with Jeyaraj. As I became an active politician the day before nomination day, I expected Jeyaraj, an experienced politician and a skilled debater, to tear my political argument into pieces in front of my voters. But he was polite and gentle during the programme and never criticised or ridiculed me. Even his criticism of the UNP and its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was mild.

After his death, Jeyaraj was referred to as a 'hero', 'martyr' and a 'patriot'. Yes, he was all these without doubt. But I would like to see these 'heroes' 'martyrs' and 'patriots' among us 'alive and well' and serving the nation, rather than dead.

How many more Jeyarajs, Premadasas, Kadirgamars, Ranjans, Gaminis, Laliths and CVs would be assassinated before we see the dawn of peace?

How many more widows like my colleague Dr. (Mrs.) Sudharshini Fernandopulle and fatherless youngsters like Jeyaraj's children are we going to produce before we have our heroes alive and well?

Jeyaraj was a politician who listened to his supporters. A few years ago, he was thinking of joining the UNP. He decided not to leave the SLFP because, unlike some party defectors today, he considered the views of his voters rather than perks and positions.

We need ‘heroes’ and ‘patriots’ to be alive not dead