Kumar Ponnambalam
Encyclopedia
Kumar Ponnambalam was a prominent defence lawyer and a controversial minority
Tamil nationalist
politician from Sri Lanka
. He was shot dead by unknown gunmen immediately after a suspected LTTE suicide bomb attack against the then president Chandrika Kumaratunga
.
to an affluent and politically influential minority
Sri Lankan Tamil family. His father G. G. Ponnambalam
was a prominent defense attorney and the leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress
, a party that was at times an ally of the ruling majority Sinhalese
dominated United National Party
in clear opposition to the Tamil Nationalistic
tone of other Tamil political parties.
Kumar Ponnambalam joined his father's Tamil Congress Party as a young politician, and eventually rose to its senior leadership. After the demise of founder G. G. Ponnambalam however, the party became moribund and had little or no electoral support.
Kumar was noted for his appearances on behalf of youths apprehended by the state under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. He would work pro bono
for both Tamil and Sinhalese clients. He was a Tamil Christian
.
Later on, Kumar came to be known for his ardent press statements in support of the separatist militant
group LTTE during the civil war
, in contrast to the moderate Tamil United Liberation Front
party line of supporting the then ruling People's Alliance
front.
His son Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam
is a former parliamentarian.
"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."
man, known only as Shantha, who had become acquainted with him recently. He was shot twice in his car. His body was later found in the car on Ramakrishna Lane in the suburb of Wellawatte
. Shantha was never apprehended. A previously unknown group, the National Front Against Terrorism, has claimed responsibility.
His wife and the rebel group LTTE accused the government of ordering the murder. International groups such as the International Commission of Jurists
demanded an immediate impartial investigation.
Subsequent to the assassination, Tamil prisoners in the Kalutara prison
rioted as a protest and two were killed in the process of quelling it.
Mahen Ratwatte, the controversial son of the then deputy defence minister http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=8003 and maternal uncle of the then serving president, General
Anuruddha Ratwatte
, was alleged to have ordered the killing. Moratu Saman was subsequently murdered.http://www.lankalibrary.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=3007&view=previous&sid=87ac501e362b24f9b67abf7e89668fa7.
It was alleged by the Sunday Leader http://www.tamilcanadian.com/page.php?cat=131&id=1812 that he was shot in an attempt to prevent him from testifying against Mahen Ratwatte.
The Attorney General ruled that there was insufficient evidence to bring charges for the murder against Mahen Ratwatte, as the sole evidence that was available was Sugath Ranasinghe's taped telephone conversation, which could not be used for prosecution since he remained an accused.
Subsequent to allegations made by SSP Bandula Wickremasinghe in an article captioned "Startling Revelations of President Chandrika Kumaratunga's Efforts to Shield Murderers of Kumar Ponnambalam and 'Satana' Editor Rohana Kumara Have Been Bared" in the prominent weekly magazine Sunday Leaderhttp://www.sundayobserver.lk/2002/01/13/new14.html, the Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga
denied any involvement and directed the inspector general of police to hold an impartial investigation into the matter. There are no further developments regarding this murder investigation.
Minority group
A minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
Tamil nationalist
Tamil nationalism
Tamil nationalism in India is an aspiration by some Tamils to establish, at minimum, self determination or at maximum secession from India to establish an Independent Tamil State of which would consist of today's Tamil nadu, Puducherry and Tamil Eelam of Sri Lanka...
politician from Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. He was shot dead by unknown gunmen immediately after a suspected LTTE suicide bomb attack against the then president Chandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga born June 29, 1945) was the 4th Executive president of Sri Lanka, serving from November 12, 1994 to November 19, 2005. The daughter of two former Prime Ministers, she was also the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party until end of 2005...
.
Biography
Kumar Ponnambalam was born in the capital city of ColomboColombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
to an affluent and politically influential minority
Minority group
A minority is a sociological group within a demographic. The demographic could be based on many factors from ethnicity, gender, wealth, power, etc. The term extends to numerous situations, and civilizations within history, despite the misnomer of minorities associated with a numerical statistic...
Sri Lankan Tamil family. His father G. G. Ponnambalam
G. G. Ponnambalam
Ganapathipillai Gangaser Ponnambalam , known as G.G. Ponnambalam, was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician in British Ceylon, and then after independence, in Ceylon. He founded the first Sri Lankan Tamil political party, the All Ceylon Tamil Congress. Ponnambalam stood for the principle of minority...
was a prominent defense attorney and the leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress
All Ceylon Tamil Congress
All Ceylon Tamil Congress , is the oldest Tamil political party in Sri Lanka.-History:The ACTC was founded in 1944 by G.G. Ponnambalam. Ponnambalam asked for a 50-50 representation in parliament...
, a party that was at times an ally of the ruling majority Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
dominated United National Party
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
in clear opposition to the Tamil Nationalistic
Tamil nationalism
Tamil nationalism in India is an aspiration by some Tamils to establish, at minimum, self determination or at maximum secession from India to establish an Independent Tamil State of which would consist of today's Tamil nadu, Puducherry and Tamil Eelam of Sri Lanka...
tone of other Tamil political parties.
Kumar Ponnambalam joined his father's Tamil Congress Party as a young politician, and eventually rose to its senior leadership. After the demise of founder G. G. Ponnambalam however, the party became moribund and had little or no electoral support.
Kumar was noted for his appearances on behalf of youths apprehended by the state under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. He would work pro bono
Pro bono
Pro bono publico is a Latin phrase generally used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment or at a reduced fee as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms...
for both Tamil and Sinhalese clients. He was a Tamil Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
.
Later on, Kumar came to be known for his ardent press statements in support of the separatist militant
Militant
The word militant, which is both an adjective and a noun, usually is used to mean vigorously active, combative and aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in 'militant reformers'. It comes from the 15th century Latin "militare" meaning "to serve as a soldier"...
group LTTE during the civil war
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
, in contrast to the moderate Tamil United Liberation Front
Tamil United Liberation Front
The Tamil United Liberation Front is a political party in Sri Lanka which seeks independence for the Tamil-populated areas of Sri Lanka.-Formation:...
party line of supporting the then ruling People's Alliance
People's Alliance (Sri Lanka)
The People's Alliance is a front of political parties in Sri Lanka, formed in 1994.It comprises the following parties:* Sri Lanka Freedom Party* Lanka Sama Samaja Party* Communist Party of Sri Lanka* Sri Lanka Mahajana Party...
front.
His son Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam
Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam
Gajendrakumar Gangaser Ponnambalam, is a Sri Lankan Tamil politician, former Member of Parliament and lawyer. He is the current leader of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, a member of the Tamil National People's Front ....
is a former parliamentarian.
Letter
Many Tamils regard the open letter that he wrote to Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga a few days before he was murdered as an enduring epitaph to his steadfast commitment to the struggle of his people for equality and freedom. The letter addressed to the Sri Lankan President was titled "Your Speech Reflects Your Hatred" and read:"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."
Assassination
On the day of his assassination, Mr Ponnambalam had been accompanied in his car from home by a SinhaleseSinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
man, known only as Shantha, who had become acquainted with him recently. He was shot twice in his car. His body was later found in the car on Ramakrishna Lane in the suburb of Wellawatte
Wellawatte
Wellawatte, a suburb in Colombo, lies immediately south of Bambalapitiya and is classified as zone 6 within the Colombo Municipal region. The town begins at the old Dutch canal just before the Savoy Cinema and extends all the way south to the same canal that spills into the sea just before the...
. Shantha was never apprehended. A previously unknown group, the National Front Against Terrorism, has claimed responsibility.
His wife and the rebel group LTTE accused the government of ordering the murder. International groups such as the International Commission of Jurists
International Commission of Jurists
The International Commission of Jurists is an international human rights non-governmental organization. The Commission itself is a standing group of 60 eminent jurists , including members of the senior judiciary in Australia, Canada, and South Africa and the former UN High Commissioner for Human...
demanded an immediate impartial investigation.
Subsequent to the assassination, Tamil prisoners in the Kalutara prison
Prison massacres in Sri Lanka
Prison massacres in Sri Lanka have occurred in regular intervals since the inception of the civil conflict from 1983.-Notable prison massacres:...
rioted as a protest and two were killed in the process of quelling it.
Investigations
After his shooting in January 2000, a former reserve police constable named Sugath Ranasinghe had telephoned the Crimes Detection Bureau(CDB) headquarters and informed them that he was responsible for contracting two underworld gunmen, Moratuwa Saman and Sujeewa, to kill Mr. Ponnambalam. Reserve police constable Ranasinghe had had his enlistment in the police cancelled, as he had not reported for work for several months http://lankalibrary.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=656.Mahen Ratwatte, the controversial son of the then deputy defence minister http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=8003 and maternal uncle of the then serving president, General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Anuruddha Ratwatte
Anuruddha Ratwatte
General Anuruddha Leuke Ratwatte was a Sri Lankan politician and Cabinet Minister. He had also served as the Acting Diyawadana Nilame of the Temple of the Tooth Kandy and was educated at Trinity College, Kandy. He was a cousin of the Sirimavo Bandaranaike...
, was alleged to have ordered the killing. Moratu Saman was subsequently murdered.http://www.lankalibrary.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=3007&view=previous&sid=87ac501e362b24f9b67abf7e89668fa7.
It was alleged by the Sunday Leader http://www.tamilcanadian.com/page.php?cat=131&id=1812 that he was shot in an attempt to prevent him from testifying against Mahen Ratwatte.
The Attorney General ruled that there was insufficient evidence to bring charges for the murder against Mahen Ratwatte, as the sole evidence that was available was Sugath Ranasinghe's taped telephone conversation, which could not be used for prosecution since he remained an accused.
Subsequent to allegations made by SSP Bandula Wickremasinghe in an article captioned "Startling Revelations of President Chandrika Kumaratunga's Efforts to Shield Murderers of Kumar Ponnambalam and 'Satana' Editor Rohana Kumara Have Been Bared" in the prominent weekly magazine Sunday Leaderhttp://www.sundayobserver.lk/2002/01/13/new14.html, the Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Kumaratunga
Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga born June 29, 1945) was the 4th Executive president of Sri Lanka, serving from November 12, 1994 to November 19, 2005. The daughter of two former Prime Ministers, she was also the leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party until end of 2005...
denied any involvement and directed the inspector general of police to hold an impartial investigation into the matter. There are no further developments regarding this murder investigation.