Nadarajah Raviraj
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Nadarajah Raviraj (Tamil: நடராஜா ரவிராஜ், naṭarājā ravirāj, IPA: [nəɖəˈɾɑːɟɑ ˈɾəviˌɾɑːɟ] [?] June 25, 1962 – November 10, 2006) was a prominent Sri Lankan Tamil politician and human rights lawyer. Born in the Jaffna district in the North of Sri Lanka, he served as a Member of Parliament for the Tamil National Alliance until he was shot dead by gunmen in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on November 10, 2006. The Sri Lankan government denied responsibility and strongly condemned his killing.[1]
On November 9, 2006, one day before his assassination, he led a protest demonstration in front of the UNICEF office in Colombo regarding the Vaharai bombing by the Sri Lankan Army of a school that led to the death of 45 civilians.
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[edit] Biography
Born in Chavakachcheri, Raviraj attended Chavakachcheri Drieberg College and St. John’s College, Jaffna. He was enrolled as an Attorney of Law in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in November 1988 and appeared in the Sri Lankan Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and in the High Courts of Ampara, Batticaloa, Vavuniya, Trincomalee, Jaffna and elsewhere in the south. His law firm, Raviraj & Associates, specialized in cases under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and Emergency Regulations. Raviraj also worked as a human rights lawyer for Home for Human Rights in Colombo, from 1984 to 1990 and again from 1993 until 1999.
[edit] Political career
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| Background |
| Origins of the Civil War |
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• Origins of the Civil War |
| LTTE |
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• LTTE • Attributed Terrorist attacks • Child Soldiers |
| Major figures |
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• Mahinda Rajapakse |
| Indian Involvement |
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• Operation Poomalai |
| See also |
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• Military of Sri Lanka |
He joined the Tamil United Liberation Front in 1987 and became a Central Committee Member of the TULF in 1990, the party's legal adviser in 1998 and a member of political bureau in 2000. He was also appointed as administrative secretary of the party.[2] Raviraj was elected mayor of Jaffna in 1998, a position in which he served until his election to Parliament from Jaffna District in December 2001 as a candidate of the newly formed TNA.[3] He was reelected to parliament in 2004.
During the last few months Raviraj participated in the Civil Monitoring Committee (CMC), working with Mano Ganesan MP (Colombo District), Vasudeva Nanayakara MMC, Dr.Vickramabahu Karunaratne, and Appapillai Vinayagamoorthy to monitor extra judicial killings, abductions and disappearances. Raviraj MP has participated in conflict resolution workshops hosted by the Institute of Federalism in Switzerland, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Germany and the Peace Institute in Austria among others.[2]
Throughout his career, Raviraj was admired by all communities in Sri Lanka at large, for his moderate views. He was severely critical of the Sri Lankan Government, particularly in the weeks leading up to his murder, highlighting, amongst many things, forced disappearances of many civilians and the food and medicinal blockade imposed by the Sri Lankan Government on Jaffna, starving the people. Although Raviraj spoke in favour of the LTTE, and his party, the TNA is believed to be supportive of the rebel group, he also was critical of them.
Yet recently, just before his death, Raviraj publicly criticised the LTTE leadership for sending their children abroad to be educated in luxury while poor Tamil children were suffering in their homeland.[4] In an interview given to the Asia Tribune on October 14 2006 he reportedly said of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran "LTTE leader Prabhakaran's children live a comfortable life abroad, poor Tamil children have to wait in long queues all day without even going to school to get a piece of bread"[1].
[edit] Assassination
Raviraj was shot in Colombo, Sri Lanka by 2 assailants riding a motorbike on November 10, 2006 when he was leaving his home. He had just left his home after returning from an interview between 7:00 am to 8:00 a.m on the Derana TV Channel. He was rushed to the General Hospital in Colombo where he succumbed to his injuries at 9:20am. His bodyguard, PC Lakshman Lokuwella of the Jaffna Police, was also killed in the shooting.
The shooting occurred around 8.45am as he was proceeding to the Elvitigala Road from Martha Road (a sub route entering the main road) in his vehicle numbered KE 1279.[5] The assailants escaped leaving behind a T-56 rifle and a few rounds of ammunition in a bag.[6] The site of the attack was within the Manning Town Complex and was opposite the Sri Lankan Military Police headquarters.[7]
Upon a request by the Sri Lankan government, the Metropolitan Police Service (from Scotland Yard) agreed to send a team of forensic experts to assist the investigation into the killing.[8] The investigations have not yet concluded.
[edit] Reaction to his assassination
The Sri Lankan government strongly condemned his killing and extended its unreserved sympathies to his next of kin.[1] The President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapakse issued a statement in which he said he "unequivocally condemned the brutal killing of Mr. Nadaraja Raviraj, Member of Parliament of the Tamil National Alliance and his Police bodyguard Lakshman". It also stated that he viewed the killing "as one more reprehensible act by those opposed to dissent and political pluralism in a democratic society". President Rajapakse also extended his deepest condolences to the families of Mr. Nadarajah Raviraj and his security officer Lakshman.[9]
R. Sampanthan, leader of the TNA, a political party widely believed to be a proxy of the LTTE,[10] blamed the government for the murder and claimed "It is government forces or forces aligned to the government, there can be no question " and argued "This is an attempt to stifle... and silence those who can justifiably espouse the Tamil cause."[11] Selvam Adaikalanathan, a fellow TNA MP said "A democratic voice of Tamils has been silenced in Sri Lanka's capital today," and charged that resourceful Tamil politicians, journalists and activists (see State terrorism in Sri Lanka) are being systematically killed in Sri Lanka. "Raviraj tirelessly worked to improve the conditions of the people living under economic embargo to relieve the humanitarian catastrophe. He had a convincing way of dealing with even the crude bureaucracy of this failed state," Mr. Adaikalanathan said.[2]
The chief spokesman of the LTTE condemned the killing and blamed the government of Sri Lanka for the assassination.[12] The LTTE released a statement mentioning "As a parliamentarian he worked tirelessly for the Tamil nation. He spoke loudly to the world about the Sinhala Buddhist chauvinistic state terror. He shattered the false propaganda of the Sinhala state infusing his arguments with his legal expertise."[13][14] The LTTE's eulogy to Raviraj added "Death never destroys the great souls who lived their life for truth. They will live for ever in our nation’s soul as heroes of our history."[13]
Nimalka Fernando, a leading human rights activist in Sri Lanka remarked "We are fast becoming a country of widows". "These killers and the mighty terror of the state are making us a killing field." and the "gunmen got away after stopping traffic in front of a military installation, without fear of being arrested."[15]
United National Party organizer S.B. Dissanayake, member of the main opposition to President Rajapakse's Sri Lanka Freedom Party blamed the Sri Lankan government for the killing, claiming the blame cannot be passed onto the Karuna group or any other organization. Dissanayake remarked "It was impossible for such assassinations to take place in broad daylight in the city (Colombo) without the knowledge of the state."[16]
The Asian Human Rights Commission expressed shock at the killing of N. Raviraj and remarked that in Sri Lanka, "the rule of law machinery has been in a state of collapse now for a long time it is no surprise that things have gone out of control" and observed "these deaths are just part of a continuous situation of assassinations done by all parties to the conflict" and "the parties to the conflict claim justification for the deaths they cause and there is no regret in any quarter about what is taking place."[17]
The US State Department deplored the murder of the Tamil MP and urged the Sri Lankan government to promptly investigate, arrest and prosecute those responsible, claiming "It is critical that crimes such as the murder of Nadarajah Raviraj do not go unpunished." and the "The people of Sri Lanka have been unjustly robbed of his energy and talent."[18]
The Colombo-based International Center for Strategic Defense (ICSD) in its analaysis has pointed the finger at the LTTE as the prime source for the assassination [2].
The Criminal investigations Department has announced that three suspects have been held with regard to the assassination and investigations are proceeding [3].
EPDP Leader and Minister Douglas Devanananda categorically dismissed all allegations leveled against the EPDP regarding the killing of TNA MP Nadarajah Raviraj [4].
[edit] Controversy
Asian Tribune reports the police investigating calls made to Raviraj's mobile phone have found that he received several threatening phone calls originating from the LTTE controlled Vanni region. The mobile phone trail led to several mobile telephone numbers which had a monthly bill in excess of a million rupees, but was undesignated and was not being charged to any particular person or company[5].
[edit] See also
- Human Rights in Sri Lanka
- Origins of the Sri Lankan civil war
- Black July
- Sri Lankan civil war
- Sri Lankan Tamils
- LTTE
- Sri Lankan Army
[edit] References
- ^ a b "Government strongly condemns killing of TNA MP", Ministry of Defence, 10 November 2006.
- ^ a b c "Tamil Parliamentarian Raviraj assassinated in Colombo", Tamilnet, 10 November 2006.
- ^ "2002 interview with Raviraj", SAMS, February 04, 2002.
- ^ "Peace suffers as Tamil politicians killed", BBC, 16 November 2006.
- ^ "MP Raviraj Assassinated", Department of Government Information, 10 November 2006.
- ^ "TNA Parliamentarian Raviraj Gunned Down", Media Center for National Security, 10 November 2006.
- ^ "TNA Parliamentarian Nadarajah Raviraj shot dead near Military Police HQ", LankaeNews, 10 November 2006.
- ^ "Scotland Yard to arrive in Sri Lanka next week to assist investigations on Tamil MP's killing", Lankapage, 26 December 2006.
- ^ "Unequivocal condemnation of killings - President", Department of Government Information, 10 November 2006.
- ^ "Tamil member of Parliament killed in Sri Lankan capital", AP, 10 November 2006.
- ^ "Sri Lankan MP killed in Colombo", BBC World Service, 10 November 2006.
- ^ "LTTE Political Head condemns Raviraj assassination in Colombo", Tamilnet, 10 November 2006.
- ^ a b "Pirapaharan confers Maamanithar award to Raviraj", Tamilnet, 11 November 2006.
- ^ "LTTE bestow highest honour on slain Sri Lanka MP", Hindu, 11 November 2006.
- ^ "Funeral row, strike planned over slain Sri Lankan legislator", AFP, 11 November 2006.
- ^ "Ranil Demands Independent Probe", Daily Mirror, 11 November 2006.
- ^ "SRI LANKA: Will it be too late for the arrival of international assistance to monitor gross violations of human rights?", Asian Human Rights Commission, 11 November 2006.
- ^ "US seeks urgent probe into Lankan MP's killing", HindustanTimes, 10 November 2006.
