It was like yesterday, but 3 long years have vanished since assassins cowardly pumped bullets into the body of Kumar Ponnambalam on the fateful day 5th of January 2000 when he was driving his Mercedes along Ramakrishna Terrace, Wellawatte, Colombo. Tragically one of the would be assassins who had earlier lured Kumar out of his house was seated in the back of his car. His bullet-riddled body was discovered less than an hour later still at the wheel of his Mercedes.

The news of his assassination in such cowardly circumstances reverberated around the globe provoking uncontrollable anger, anguish and sorrow among Thamil Diaspora.

Out of dozens of political murders that took place during President Chandrika’s Kumaratunga's presidency; the most foul was arguably that of Kumar Ponnambalam. He was the General Secretary of the All Ceylon Thamil Congress founded by his father G.G. Ponnambalam, Q.C.

It took full two days for President Kumaratunga to convey her condolence message to the bereaved family though she was living close by and knew Kumar Ponnambalam quite well.

President Chandrika Kumaratunga expressed shock and grief, but she lied through her teeth as subsequent events revealed. Ironically though the condolence letter was delivered to Mrs. Kumar Ponnambalam’s residence on January 07, 2000 it was actually dated May 06,1999! She was hard-put to explain the glaring and ominous discrepancy in the date!

Kumar Ponnambalam was an eminent human rights defender to whom victims or their relatives turned in great numbers when there is arrest, detention, torture, rape and extra-judicial killings to secure justice. According to the Attorney General’s Department Kumar Ponnambalam appeared in 98% of the cases under the notorious PTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act). This Act enacted to target Thamil militants was widely used or misused by the armed forces to arrest, torture and murder ordinary civilians with impunity. After arresting Thamils on flimsy grounds, the authorities kept them locked up in jails for years on end without charges or trial. Hundreds of such political detainees are still languishing in prisons. Confessions were extracted from Thamil detainees under torture and almost all the suspects who were lucky to be charged under the PTA in courts got acquitted by the presiding judges.

In the eighties Kumar Ponnambalam used to appear in cases involving Sinhala youths who were arrested under the PTA for suspected involvement with the JVP.

As a Thamil politician he was the first to articulate the Thimpu principles of Nation, Homeland and Self-determination not merely as basic rights but as the “aspirations" of the Thamil People. He was also steadfast in his belief that the mandate obtained by the TULF in 1977 “while being members of the National State Assembly of Ceylon, will also form themselves into the National Assembly of Thamil Eelam which will draft a constitution for the state of Thamil Eelam and establish the independence of Thamil Eelam by bringing that constitution into operation either by peaceful means or by direct action or struggle" is sacrosanct and the TULF is duty bound to honour it.

In 1977 Thamil people voted to return 17 TULF Members throughout the north and east. They voted for them primarily as their representatives to the proposed National Assembly of Thamil Eelam, which would draft a constitution and establish the independence of the Thamil Eelam.

Therefore, Kumar Ponnambalam came hard on those TULF members of parliament, who ignored or wanted to set aside the 1977 mandate given by the people and the principles articulated by all Thamil parties at Thimpu. He poured scorn on those cooperating with the government led by President Chandrika Kumaratunga and were ready to barter the Thamil nations right to self-determination to earn favours while the Thamil youths were sacrificing their dear lives for the very same rights. To him the TULF M.PP were a set of “Quislings” and he lost no opportunity to berate them right royally in his writings and speeches.

Kumar Ponnambalam’s open support to the cause of Thamil Eelam in the “den of the lions” often invoked the wrath of Sinhala hardliners, but he was unrepentant. In real life he was a pacifist who counted among his closest friends many Sinhalese opposed to his views. It was said he was one of the greatest admirers of the Sri Lankan cricket team.

The year 1997 was a turning point in Kumar Ponnambalam’s political career. For over a decade he has been championing the cause of Thamils, but he never found a popular platform to air his views. He lost every election he contested.

In November 1997 he came to Canada on a private visit, but I decided to ask him to address the Maveerar Vizha held by the World Thamil Movement. I was then the Vice President of the WTM and President of FACT and that gave me a lot of muscle to brush aside opposition from a few well meaning but politically green friends.

On November 29, Kumar Ponnambalam addressed an overflowing North Albion Collegiate Hall in Toronto and on the following day at Woburn Collegiate at Scarborough. In both these commemorative meetings he spoke his heart out without mincing words. He heaped praise on all those martyrs who sacrificed their dear lives for the cause of Thamil Eelam. He said the best tribute the Thamils could pay to the memory of the fallen heroes was to translate their dreams into reality. His speech was punctuated with thunderous applause by an appreciative audience.

On December 01, he spoke at a largely attended FACT dinner where he was the chief guest speaker. This time he spoke in English to the benefit of Members of both Federal and Provincial Parliament who were present on the occasion. A Minister of the Ontario Provincial Parliament who followed him confessed that it is difficult for him to speak after Kumar Ponnambalam's powerful oratory!

It was after his appearance at the Maveerar Vizha in Canada; Kumar Ponnambalam began exposing the human rights violations of President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s government with added vigour and ferocity. He used his skills of advocacy to present the plight of the Thamils who day in and day out were subjected to heavy aerial bombardment, artillery shelling, severe economic embargo, arrest, detention, torture and extra-judicial killings in international forums. In short the systematic and pervasive violations of their civil and political rights. He addressed the European Parliament (Brussels), the Council of Europe (Strasbourg) and the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (Geneva). He also spoke at seminars and conferences in Australia, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands, UK and USA. Whenever he returned to the island after his sojourn abroad there were always rumours circulating in the pro-Sinhala press of his imminent arrest and detention!

Though 3 long years have passed the assassins of Kumar Ponnambalam have not been arraigned before the courts. On December 23, 2001 The Sunday Leader dropped a bombshell when it published a report dated September 7, 2000, addressed to President Kumaratunga by Bandula 'Show' Wickramasinghe, Senior Superintendent of Police and (then) Director of the Colombo Crime Detective Bureau who was in charge of Kumar Ponnambalam’s murder investigation. The Sunday Leader article was appropriately captioned “CBK's 'bloody' secrets in the house of conspiracy.” Among other things the Police officer stated in his report-

“Few weeks prior to the assassination of Ponnambalam, Mahen Ratwatte had told Moratuwa Saman and RPC Ranasinghe in Sinhalese ayi yakko sinhala minissu marannay, puluwannam ara Kumar Ponnambalam jathi wadi wagay thadi demelek marapanko. As per the instigations of Mahen Ratwatte, RPC Ranasinghe master planned the assassination and got friendly with Kumar Ponnambalam, posing as one 'Shantha.'

On January 5, 2000 'Shantha' personally went to the house of Kumar Ponnambalam's revealed that “On January 5, 2000 'Shantha' personally went to the house of Kumar Ponnambalam's around 8.30 in the morning and lured him……….. As arranged, Moratuwa Saman and Sujeewa waited for the arrival of Ponnambalam, and the both of them fired five rounds from their pistol. Ponnambalam succumbed to his gunshot injuries. After the assassination, the RPC immediately informed Mahen Ratwatte about the killing. But however, he was prevented from surrendering by Mahen Ratwatte. I contacted Mahen Ratwatte and spoke to him requesting from him to surrender RPC Ranasinghe, but Mahen Ratwatte prevented his appearance and told me 'why are you worried, all the top people know about the assassination.'

Besides the information provided by RPC Ranasinghe, my private informants have brought to my notice that Ranasinghe had been harboured by Lohan Ratwatte and Mahen Ratwatte and at present Dhammika is being kept at his mothers home on top of a hill close to Mahiyawwa cemetery, Kandy. It is also common knowledge amongst Kandy residents that Dhammika Perera travels along with Lohan Ratwatte in a tinted four-wheel drive vehicle. “ (Emphasis mine)

Apparently Chandrika knew the persons who committed the murder and those who abetted the crime at least as early as September 2000, but she kept mum and chose to do nothing. She deliberately shielded the culprits from the long arm of the law by sitting on the report she received from the Police Officer for close to 4 months!

Her complicity in the commitment of the crime goes without saying. She is what in legal jargon “an accessory after the fact” viz one who, knowing that a person (s) has been a party to the offence, receives, comforts or assists that person for the purpose of enabling that person to escape.

Today we miss Kumar Ponnambalam when his skills as a distinguished lawyer and his advocacy as a human rights activist are badly in need.

The Tamils in this island known as Sri Lanka have been at the receiving end of, firstly, Sinhala terrorism and next, state terrorism. Today the Tamils have tasted Buddhist terrorism for the first time.

The National Movement against Terrorism (NMAT) and the Sinhala Veera Vidhanaya (SVV) held a joint demonstration on June 2, 1999 (Wednesday). This demonstration took the form of a procession starting from the Mahaweli Centre to Temple Trees and back. At Temple Trees they were to hand over a memorandum of sorts.

The procession went to an entrance (?)/exit of Temple Trees on Galle Road not knowing that has been, for years, the backdoor of Temple Trees! So, naturally, there was none to accept the all-important memorandum.

On the way back to Mahaweli Centre, the procession, headed by Sobitha Thero, piqued at not having been able to hand over the memorandum to the authorities, entered the Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC) headquarters' prem- ises, pulled down the CWC party flag, burnt it and hoisted, instead, the flag of either the NMAT or the SVV. All this was done under the leadership of Sobitha Thero and in the presence of DIG T.N. de Silva and a number of armed policemen. The procession included many other Buddhist priests. This incident has surely heralded the advent of Buddhist terrorism.

As everyone knows, the CWC is a workers' organisation exclusively comprising hill-country Tamils.

It is significant, sinister, surprising and sordid that the national media, electronic and print, English and vernacular, have chosento soft-pedal and play down this incident. The daily newspapers had hardly anything on this incident. The Sunday newspaperscompletely sidelined this issue. Some of the weekend newspapers are usually full of the NMAT, the SVV, the National JointCommittee, the Sinhala Commission, etc. Why have they all been silent on this matter when they are always so full of the LTTE and its artocities?

Have all these people been silent because Sobitha Thero and other members of the Sangha Ratna are involved? Is it because they recognise the advent of Buddhist terrorism? Is it the `apey man' syndrome and let us not let down our side? Is it plain discrimination - if it concerns Tamils, let us bash them up; if it concerns the Sinhalese, let us keep quiet? Is it simply, that the Sinhala quarter is shy and want to hang its head in shame? Or is it that might is right? Where are all the right thinking persons who write to the papers regularly about the unreasonableness of the Tamils?

Anyway, let the international community, at least who are unaccountably mesmerised today by some of the things that are done in this island and also by some personalities in this country, take serious note of this incident if they are to be taken seriously by us.

A few years ago, the ultra Sinhala nationalists and the upholders of the Buddhist faith created a din and hullabaloo that Dr. Stanley J. Tambiah should have written a book about Buddhism Betrayed and should have had on the cover of the book, a picture of Sobitha Thero flexing his muscles. Has not the recent incident vindicated Tambiah hundred per cent, both about the book and about its cover picture? How prophetic Stanley Tambiah has been. Three hearty cheers for Tambiah!

Sobitha Thero and his band of followers who are Buddhist monks have now entered the political arena in a big way. From now onwards, such Buddhist monks cannot expect to be treated with reverence or in any special way. They must be treated like any ordinary politician who receives brickbats and I, for one, will look upon them just like that.

Where did law and order go on this occasion? All what was done was under the very nose of the DIG. Did this DIG act impotent because of what happened to SSP Pujitha Jayasundera? Facts reveal offences not only under the Penal Come but also under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

If Kumar Ponnambalam say or does, something there is a public outcry for his flesh and blood by Buddhist Sinhalese. But if Sobitha Thero they goes against the law, there is stony silence. One law for Ponnambalam and another for Sobitha Thero? In the face of such crass discrimination, can the Sinhalese and Tamils live together?

What are these organisations - the National Movement Against Terrorism and the National Joint Committee? To call themselves `national', can these organisations point out to one Tamil or Moor or Burgher in these organisations? Can they say that these organisations are `national' in that they are nationwide? If not, why this dishonesty? Would it not be more honest to call these organisations simply the Sinhala Movement Against Terrorism and the Sinhala Joint Committee?

Actually, it will be more appropriate to call the NMAT the Sinhala Movement Against Terrorism because in its "National Plan of Action Against Terrorism which they put out six months ago, they refer to `Tamil terrorism' in its very first line. All this while, vociferous Sinhalese would refer to `Tiger terrorism'. But now, `Tamil terrorism'.

Many Tamils have discussed the NMAT and SVV with me in the very recent past with special reference to what these two organisations, in particular, stand for. I have told them thank God for such organisations because it is such organisations that justify the necessity for the separate state of Tamil Eelam.

The foolish NMAT, while time and again referring to `Tamil Terrorism', also says that there is a "need to distinguish between the Tamil community and the Tamil Tiger movement". What muddle-headness!

Let me put the record straight, here and now. The Tamils have long since ceased to look upon themselves either as a `community' or as a `minority'. They Tamils of the north and east are a ` nation' and that must be understood finally and by all and sundry.

I was amused to read the assertion in NMAT's high-faluting national plan where it meekly says "the fact that the Sinhalese as whole are not a racist community have (sic) been amply proved since 1983" and proceeds to mention events which have not provoked the Sinhalese.

This proves a number of points. Firstly, that the Sinhalese were racists before 1983. Secondly, for the new brand of Sinhalese nationalists, the history of this island starts only at 1983 because it is only after that date that they have been on their best behaviour, and thirdly, if the Sinhalese have remained good boys after 1983 it has been due to the fact that the LTTE have also come to Colombo. Remember Black Friday (Tiger Friday) in late July 1983, when the whole of Colombo was running helter-skelter?

What is equally amusing is that the NMAT also refers to "innocent Tamils". No Tamil is going to be taken in by these crocodile tears. What is this SVV that was formed only a couple of months ago? One of the positions of this organisation is that this blessed island is Sinhala land and Buddhist country! Naturally there is a fight to rescue Tamil Eelam before it, too, is dragged into the moire.

All these various Sinhalese organisations take the position that there is no Tamil problem but only a terrorist problem and that once terrorism is wiped out by military action everything is tickety-boo and nothing further needs be done. So it was hilarious to me to see the representatives of these Sinhalese organisations accepting some draft proposals for either a new constitution or for amendment of the present constitution prepared by the Sinhala Commission.

More than a new constitution or other amendments to the present constitution is the need to have the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution, which makes it an offence to espouse separation, repealed immediately. This draconian piece of unheard-of legislation was passed in 1983 when no Tamil member of Parliament was present either during its debate or at voting time. It was made law when one party had a five-sixths majority of members in parliament.

After it came on to the statute book, there was an outcry from all sections of the Tamils that it must be removed. There is no country in the world that has any legislation such as this. The Sixth Amendment violates basic fundamental and human rights. It violates the freedoms of speech, association, assembly and expression.

A provision such as the Sixth Amendment will not prevent the break-up of a country if that country has to break up. There is no sanctity in seeing that a country does not break up. Massive countries have broken up during the past decade. The order of the day is for countries to break up. There is no sanctity in clinging on to one another if we Sinhalese and Tamils cannot live together. People live together only on the basis of equality. Master and slave never could live together.

It is my position that if the Tamils are to live with self-respect and dignity, they can do so only in the separate state of Tamil Eelam. This is my fervent opinion and I must be allowed to freely express my opinion without the threat of imprisonment. For one's physical body can be subject to imprisonment, but one's mind cannot be tampered with. Only a third grade and barbaric country would want to muzzle an individual's free expression of his belief.

(G. G. Ponnambalam is the General Secretary, All-Ceylon Tamil Congress)
Courtesy :Sunday Leader - June 20th,1999.

Kumar Ponnambalam's Eighth Death Anniversary

You have sent a clarion call to all your "Tamil brothers and sisters" with outstretched hands of friendship. This shows your stark insincerity if one only recalls your speech made many moons ago, when you inaugurated the Sama Tawalama at Anuradhapura, with the unacceptable posture that this island is a Sinhala land and Buddhist country.

A 1998 TV interview with ex-President Chandrika Kumaratunge in South Africa given to Sangam by Kumar Ponnambalam in which she asserts that the Tamils are not the original inhabitants of the island.

Chandrika Kumaratunge in South Africa - A Video Clip

[requires Real Audio Player or Windows Media Player]

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Your Speech Reveals Your Hatred

(last public letter of Kumar Ponnambalam, written after Chandrika's re-election in 1999)

I refer to your Victory Speech of 22-12-99 on your election, once again, as President.

I write as a Tamil Eelavan. But more importantly, I write as an unalloyed, unrepentant supporter of the political philosophy of the LTTE and as one who, with that conviction, lives in the South. I write as one who has publicly stated this position of mine not only within this island but also without, and both verbally and in writing. I write as one whom you have recognized in your speech. And, I write as one who refuses to be deterred by the naked threats that dot your speech.Permit me to tell you that your speech reflects the hatred that you have, only too readily, recognized in others.

Your speech is nauseatingly replete with one word - "peace". But the tenor of your speech is anything but one that is, in any way, conciliatory or given to peace.

You have sent a clarion call to all your "Tamil brothers and sisters" with outstretched hands of friendship. This shows your stark insincerity if one only recalls your speech made many moons ago, when you inaugurated the Sama Tawalama at Anuradhapura, with the unacceptable posture that this island is a Sinhala land and Buddhist country.

You refer to 18 December 1999 as "the night that will go down in history as the night this land was touched by the hand of darkness one too many times".

You indulge in this rhetoric because it happens to concern you. Do you not realize that there are thousands of widows in Tamil Eelam to whom certain nights have gone down, in their own lives, as nights that have been touched by the hand of darkness which is yours, as Commander-in-Chief of your armed forces?

You have challenged "those who doubt (your) resolve to lift the curse of hatred and death that has fallen upon (this) land" to look you in the face now and voice our doubts about the sincerity of the desire to forge permanent peace. I hasten, with this letter, to say just that to you with all the vehemence I command. I am fortified in this statement by your victory speech itself.

You want to finish the LTTE. Please do so, if you can. With that will go, for all times, any prospect of permanent peace in this island. Your election results shows ruthlessly that all Tamils, not only Tamil Eelavar but also the Upcountry Tamils, not only do not want you because they do not trust you anymore, but also do not want a political solution from you. This is an indictment on all your postulations of wanting to forge permanent peace.

Just take your peace packages. There were three in as many years, during the first three years after the commencement of your tenure. For the next two years, there was not a murmur about those packages. Even those three packages were diluted with each subsequent appearance! Surely, anyone who has a genuine desire to bring about a political solution will not trifle with packages every summer? One stands or falls with just one.

You say that you see very clearly "the enemy that walks so freely" in this island, and you identify that enemy as "hatred". No, the enemy you see are the Tamils in this island. Thank God this is reciprocated by every Tamil worth his salt. This has also been evidenced by the election results.

You boast that "the entire LTTE terrorist enterprise will fail" against you but, in the same breath, you contradict yourself pathetically by wanting the Tamils to bring Pirabaharan to the negotiating table. You have played ducks and drakes for far too long about whether you want to talk to the LTTE or not. Political maturity demands that you and your Government finally state whether you want to talk to the LTTE, unconditionally, or not. It is only when this is known definitely will anybody move in this matter.

If talking to the LTTE at the negotiating table is your honest position, then your outburst about "cowards of the LTTE" and "terrorist cowards" or your urge to wipe out the LTTE, must surely be counter productive.
By all means "clear away the culture of terror and death", which has become the way of life in this island thanks to the Sinhalese who first showed everybody the way in June 1956. But you will realize immediately, as everybody in this island realizes, that you will have to start doing so at your very own doorstep in the first instance, before you decide to go anywhere near the LTTE!

May I close by referring to your constant refrain about bringing about peace. If you are hoping to bring about peace through any one of your packages, please forget it. The Tamils have shown unmistakably that they are not interested in you or in your peace packages.

In fact, if the Tamils are worth their salt, they will not want anything dished out by you, or for that matter, by your adversary. Why should we? We Tamils were not born to depend on the "benevolence" of the Sinhalese or on what they choose to dish out to us. A part of this island rightfully belongs to the Tamils, in as much as the other part rightfully belongs to the Sinhalese. This must be appreciated by the Sinhalese.

As far as the Tamils are concerned, they in turn, must appreciate that if their aspirations hold that as a Nation they have the right to self-determination and that right is inalienable in that it is born with them, then they must have the political wisdom, strength and sagacity to exercise that right and decide their own political future themselves. They have, for far too long, looked to peace packages, negotiating tables and anything offered or dished out by the Sinhalese.

This beggarly attitude must go. The sooner it goes, the better it is for the Tamils.

The Tamil Nation has, through the Delegation of the Tamil People, solemnly informed the world about its aspirations in August 1985 at Thimpu. To go back on that position will be tantamount to compromising future generations of Tamils yet unborn. The present generation does not have the right to compromise future generations. Any signal that would give the Sinhalese the idea that the Tamils are not serious about their aspirations, or that they are climbing down, will be an act of treachery. The present generation does not seem to tolerate such treachery or to take kindly to traitors.

May I end by saying that, on the basis of what I have just stated I, personally, have got disgusted and tired of talks, third party intervention, etc. My considered conviction is that a political solution to the Tamil Problem is in the hands of the Tamils themselves and only in their hands and that the Sinhalese and Tamils can continue to live in this island and in peace only if they live in two definite and distinct compartments each minding their own business unfettered by the other. Only such an arrangement will prove relevant that great quotation on peace you have used in your speech:

"Peace is a battle. Peace is never given freely, never acquired. Its conquest is the result of courage and of respect for others. It demands awareness and commitment from everyone. Peace is not the law imposed by the mighty, but that which is founded on equality and dignity of all peoples."

Published: January 5, 2008

Kumar Ponnambalam:”Tireless advocate of the legitimate cause of Tamils in Sri Lanka”

January 3, 2008 at 6:21 pm · ~ Tribute (From: Tamilweek.com)

8th anniversary of his untimely passing away falls on Jan 5, 2008:

by Dr Kumaraguruparan [General Secretary of ACTC after late Kumar Ponnambalam]

A rich black rose in style but a vociferous voice of Tamils of the bygone decade has been snatched from us at the dawn of this decade on the 5th January 2000. It is no one but most courageous defender of the human rights of Tamils and an eminent criminal lawyer Kumar Ponnambalam, the General Secretary of All Ceylon Tamil Congress.

“Kumar” well known as “G.G.Ponnambalam Junior”, the only son of a Queen’s Counsel, Statesman and erudite scholar G.G.Ponnambalam an accepted Tamil leader whose name has been engraved in the history of Sri Lanka from the time of State Council’s era.

Bill Pascrell (Jr), member of the Congress of the United States House of Representatives on condolences has described as “I appreciate Kumar Ponnambalam’s contribution to the protection of the human and political rights of Tamil people. Throughout his career, Mr Ponnambalam was a tireless advocate of freedom of speech, advocating the legitimate cause of Tamils in Sri Lanka.”

“Kumar Ponnambalam who worked closely with the Tamils and spoke out of his belief”, said Ms Nita Lowey another member of the Congress of the US.

European Parliamentarian Hon. Robert Evans who was closely associated with the late Kumar Ponnambalam commented Mr Ponnambalam was never afraid to speak out and was always conscious of the safety of other people. He pointed a finger of blame for atrocities at the Sri Lankan military and the then Sri Lankan government.

As a human rights lawyer Kumar Ponnambalam spoke of the situation in Sri Lanka at forums around the world. In Brussels meeting, he drew attention to the amazing lack of coverage of the Sri Lankan civil war in the European and world press.

It is unique that “Kumar’” being not an elected member of the people dominated an active role in the Tamil politics but a genuine voice. His assassination, eight years ago was considered a devastating blow to the whole Tamil community.

He advocated Thimpu Principles as a basis for a political formula. The reason for his insistence on the recognition of “Thimpu” first was twofold. Firstly he felt that if the South was genuine in recognising the legitimate aspirations of the Tamils’ of the North East, before embarking on the technicalities of such a solution.

He addressed the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva in 1997 and the European Parliament in the Brussels in 1998.

A product of Cambridge bath, Barrister and old Royalist Colombo “Kumar” was considered among the elite Colombo crowd as a good friend. God give us men the time demands strong minds great hearts, true faith and willing hands.

=============================

Kumar Ponnambalam remembered on eighth anniversary

[TamilNet, Saturday, 05 January 2008, 13:33 GMT]

Eighth year anniversary of Kumar Ponnambalam, president of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at Wellawatte, a Tamil suburb of the capital Colombo around 11.15 a.m. 5 January 2000, was commemorated in U.K. and in Vanni in simple ceremonies.

The LTTE bestowing the Most Eminent Person (Maamanithar) award in January 2000 said the award was for Mr. Ponnambalam's "dedicated patriotism and for his outstanding contribution to the cause of Tamil liberation".

"Conferring this highest national award for extra-ordinary services on Mr. Ponnambalam, the LTTE leader Mr. Pirapaharan praised him as a great patriot who courageously championed the freedom of the Tamil nation."

In a special statement issued announcing the award Mr. Pirapaharan categorised Mr. Ponnambalam as "a revolutionary political leader who fought for human justice with sincere determination and commitment," the LTTE said.

"Freedom of expression is a basic tenet of a vibrant democracy. If Mr.Kumar Ponnambalam's assassination is attributable to the exercise of this fundamental right it would indeed be a dangerous trend, and would seriously erode the right of a citizen to think and express himself with independence," TULF said in a statement issued following death.

Mr Kumar Ponnambalam was an outspoken critic of then President Chandrika Kumaratunge, and it was widely believed that the murder was carried out under the direction of Kumaratunge.

Sunday Leader in its 11 November 2001 edition identified Baddegana Sanjeewa, a member of Sri Lanka's Presidential Security Division, as the architect of the murder. Sanjeeva was found dead with gunshot wounds on 2 November 2001.

Mr. Kumar Ponnambalam was the only son of the founder leader of the ACTC, Mr. G.G.Ponnambalam. Kumar Ponnambalam was married to surgeon Dr.Mrs.yogalakshmi Ponnambalam, and has two children, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, and Mirnalini, medical doctor currently living in the U.S.

Chronology:

05.01.08 Kumar Ponnambalam remembered on eighth anniversary

07.01.04 Pro-Peace, United Sinhala leadership unlikely to e..

04.01.04 Kumar Ponnambalam to be remembered

12.05.03 Pirapaharan felicitates Kumar's family

09.03.03 Tamil leader Kumar Ponnambalam remembered

09.02.03 Jaffna remembers late Tamil leader G.G.Ponnambalam

11.11.01 Presidential guard organised Ponnambalam murder - ..

20.07.00 Ponnambalam case officer "partial"

26.01.00 CID arrests Ponnambalam suspect

18.01.00 Ponnambalam aide identifies 'Shantha'

14.01.00 Presidential condolence note 'predates assassinati..