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Mrs. Ponnambalam Receives Her Husband's Maamanithar Award
(Ltte Peace Secretariat)
Mr. Kumar Ponnambalam, the assassinated Tamil political leader, was bestowed with the Most Eminent Person (Maamanithar) award in January 2000, by the LTTE leadership for his dedicated patriotism and for his outstanding contribution to the cause of Tamil liberation. Today, Mrs. Ponnambalam and her children were honoured by the LTTE leader Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan at a special function. Mrs. Ponnambalam received the award (which included the medal and the original certificate) on behalf of her late husband.
Mr. Ponnambalam was a revolutionary political leader who fought for human justice with sincere determination and commitment. Living in the heart of the Sri Lankan capital and disregarding the dangers that threatened his life, he challenged the evils of Sinhala chauvinism. He championed the cause of the Tamil detainees in the Sri Lankan jails under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act. Mr. Kumar Ponnambalam internationalized the plight of these detainees and defended them vigorously in the Sri Lankan courts.
Mr. Ponnambalam was not an active participant in the Tamil liberation struggle in its early days. However, he was a keen observer and a student of the evolving Tamil struggle for self determination and was captivated by the ingenuity and leadership of the LTTE. He became convinced that the LTTE and the armed revolutionary struggle as the authentic political mode for the emancipation of the Tamils. At a crucial juncture he immersed himself in the struggle and without fear for his life, openly and courageously supported the LTTE and its political ideology. He defended the cause of the liberation movement in the international arena. He supported the formation of an independent Tamil state based on the right to self-determination of the Tamil people.
This most eminent Tamil patriot firmly believed that liberation of the Tamil people would be achieved during the lifetime of the LTTE leader Mr. Pirapaharan and sacrificed his life in the crusade for justice for his fellow Tamils. His unwavering dedication in the pursuit of justice for his people will never be forgotten. [/face]
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