Lakshman Kadirgamar fought a relentless battle against terrorism - C J

Wasantha Ramanayake

COLOMBO: Late Lakshman Kadirgamar PC had fought the battle against terrorism virtually single handed by relentlessly pursuing the imposition of the sanctions on the terrorists, observed Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva PC, making reference to the memory of the former Foreign Minister at a Ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court yesterday.

Before a distinguished gathering of the Bench and Bar, the Chief Justice observed that Kadirgamar went on the offensive and exposed the double standards of some European Countries who had masked the true face of the terrorism within this country.

"He was largely successful in this endeavour and sanctions now imposed by the developed countries is the result of the sincere national endeavour on his part," the Chief Justice said. He regarded late Minister Kadirgamar had transcended the ethnic divide and was a nationalist to the core.

"He had a deep and abiding concern for the people of Jaffna, who may be described as the worst affected in the conflict that has ravaged that part of the country for nearly two decades.

He identified the burning of the Jaffna Library which was undoubtedly the richest literary heritage of the People of Jaffna as the point where immediate reconstruction effort should be started."

The CJ observed that Mr. Kadirgamar was appointed as the Co-Chairman to reconstruct the Jaffana Library and the entire reconstruction programme was monitored by a Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs but deliberately avoided the publicity.

Attorney General K. C. Kamalasabeysan PC observed that Lakshman Kadirgamar was a household name in Sri Lanka and the name would never be forgotten for generations to come.

The AG regarded late Kadirgamar as one of the most illustrious sons of the soil, a national hero and one of the finest advocates of peace who never had a harsh word for his opponents both in court and in the political arena.

"By his loss the Country has been robbed of a brilliant personality," he noted. In his reference to the memory of the Late Minister Kadirgamar, Bar Association President Nihal Jayamanne PC said that the country had been immensely benefitted by his decision to accept the most important portfolio of the Minister of Foreign Affairs at the invitation of the Late Sirimavo Bandaranaike in 1994.

"What he did for the image of our country in the international arena from the time he took office until his life was suddenly taken away will perhaps be fully understood and appreciated only when the sad clouds of hatred have cleared and the rotten stench of war has given way to the sweet, sweet scent of peace," he declared.