Kumar Ponnambalam: Whose 'Traitor'
?
Kumar Ponnambalam, Tamil politician, (a "student of politics" as he preferred to call himself), human rights lawyer, an unrepentant supporter of the UTE and advocate of 'Tamil Eelarn" was killed on 5th January, 2000 in typical execution style in the heart of Colombo city. The perpetrators clearly felt safe. A previously unknown 'AntiTigers National Front Tigers' claimed responsibility. It may be recalled that Neelan Tiruchelvam, a Tamil politician who explored alternatives to 'Tamil Eelarn', human rights advocate, humanist and scholar of interna

tional standing was killed by a LTTE suicide bomber in July last year.

Kumar Ponnambalam and Neelan Tiruchelvarn made a striking study in. contrast in more ways than one in terms of world-view, philosophy of life and death, politics and personality profiles. To Neelan a democratic Peace was the overarching value and priority. An honourable compromise in its pursuit was possible and even, necessary. To Kumar, "Peace" meant only one thing - dignity and self respect in the context of Tamil nationalism. Accordingly, compromise on this score Was not in his political vocabulary.
But, one thing bound them together. The perpetrators of these two dastardly crimes, carried out in markedly different ways and modus operandi, branded, both, Neelan and Kumar as 'traitors'. The perpetrators may be different but the motive was the same - both, Neelan and Kumar were killed because they were 'traitors'. One was deemed a traitor to the struggle to create a mono-ethnic state of 'Tamil Eelarn' - the other, was branded a traitor to the exclusivist and hegemonic Sri Lankan State. In' this context, we carry an excerpt from the second lecture in the Neelan Tiruchelvam Millennium Lecture Series delivered by Dr.Michael Ignatieff, well known historian, writer and broadcaster, on 19' March, 2000 at the BMICH, Colombo. Although the section cited below, on the perverse notion of a 'traitor' and how it consumes polity and society, was presented by Michael Ignatieff in reference to the assassination of Neelan Tiruchelvam, it is, in our opinion, equally applicable to the killing of Kumar Ponnambalam., Over to Dr.Michael Ignatieff: "The word 'traitor' is a very interesting one. It is one that should be mentioned and talked about frankly because it makes very important assumptions. The word 'traitor' assumes that someone has the right to speak for a community and someone else doesn't have the right to speak for a community; So certain claims have been made here. One of them is that he who is not with us is against us, and we have the right to define what a community must stand for, and once we have defined what it is, those who don't stand with us stand against us ;. And that idea, the very idea that there can traitors amongst us, is one of the most divisive principles, it's one of the bases, in fact, of nationalist ideology and identity;." ensued later that night between the LTTE fugitives, who had sought refuge in,a section of the flats, and the security forces. The Rajagiriya incident came as a major blow to peace initiatives. To the 'hawks'
and Sinhala extremists it was time for yet another clarion call for a military solution. As the National Peace Council noted in a press release: "The LTTE attack in Colombo at a time when the peace process is gathering momentum has cast a cloud over it..,..It is likely that calls, such as those made by Sinhala organizations, will also be made by others that a more resolute effort be made to deal ilitarily with the LTTE."
