“I had the most amazing relationship with my dad; he was one of my best friends and he was one of the few people I trusted completely. Losing him, in such a violent manner, has been the most painful and traumatic experience in my life; what also hurts is that I can no longer confide in my dad who supported me in all my decisions, dreams, ambitions and desires……..”Ahimsa Wickrematunge
Ahimsa, the only daughter of the slain Editor of the Sunday Leader Lasantha Wickrematunge, is finally starting to pick up the pieces of her traumatised young life, five years after her precious father was snatched from her, by cruel and heartless hands.
Lasantha and Ahimsa
Ahimsa Wickrematunge is on a laudable mission- Help Cambodia’s Street Kids- one which her father Lasantha, would have been proud of, had he still been with us.
Following is Ahimsa’s message-
“In 2012, I searched for those that needed aid the most, and was led to Cambodia. While there are people in need in every country, what I witnessed
in Cambodia, was shockingly overwhelming, and has troubled me greatly.
I want to start by raising awareness, for this one particular organization-
Les Restaurant des Enfants (LRDE). It is a place, where over 300 children who range from ages 3-16, can take refuge in, every day. These children are either homeless, or live in the rural slums of Phnom Penh.
What I witnessed firsthand at the slums, was a gut punch. I still remember one volunteer telling me, how he bashed his head on a wall, and the whole house shaking over the river.
These children live under the most horrific circumstances.
Lal and Ahimsa
This is weighing very heavily on my conscience, as it should for all of us. I think and worry about these kids almost every day, but I take comfort in knowing, they are being taken care of, the best they could be, through the work of the LRDE.
These kids are forced into either prostitution or employment, as young as 7 years. The LRDE helps these children everyday by providing them with meals, education and healthcare, by a doctor who treats all the children every month, and provides them with all their basic needs, which they consider a luxury.
These children are led from prostitution and employment, into having real childhoods, and are being given a future through education; giving their families hope.
A lot of children in Phnom Penh, who can’t make it to the LRDE, are given transportation. This organization also helps their families monthly, with ration bags and rice. I can’t begin to express the amazing and admirable work the LRDE does on a daily basis.
Please help me help these children. I know it sounds so cliché, but trust me when I say, every single dollar counts, and goes SUCH a long way.
I am so grateful, to have been led to this amazing organization, that works so tirelessly, to better the lives of these kids.
Thanks and God Bless everyone for their generosity.”
Ahimsa Wickrematunge
http://www.gofundme.com/6l1o2o
Yohan / February 4, 2014
Lasantha Wickrematunge’s daughter has inherited her fathers conscience of the suffering of others.How wonderful it is to see someone so young doing something for those in need.
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Anticonversion / February 9, 2014
It appears poor little Ahimsa is being exploited by the Evangelicals. She may be unaware that Cambodia also happens to be one of the countries relentlessly targeted by the American Evangelical movement, due to lax religious conversion laws in that country.
The Wickramatunga family needs to be reminded by those close to them that they are Sri Lankans and they should not fall prey to foreign conspiracues. They should consder acknowledging their involvement with the evangelicals, and best readopt Buddhism.
This is the best advice a practicing Buddhist can give people who have adopted “false values” mistakenly, or for monetary and other advantages.
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N.Vaas / February 10, 2014
Anticonversion you fool lasantha wickrematunga and the wickrematungas are all evangalical christians, and why sri lankans cant be christians?
Lasantha Wickrematunga always wrote about his beliefs and was very anti buddhist and I praise him for that.
As a christian and a believer I have sympathy for you.
I also am thankful one of our countries finest was a staunch believer and rebuked buddhism and knew the truth and his children are following what their father believed.
Lasantha Wickrematunga wrote against buddhism and if my memory is well I remember it was one of his newspapers the morning leader I think or the sunday leader that put a picture of a corrupted monk yelling as the logo.
Lasantha Wickrematunga always condemned buddhism and reading his old pieces or watching his old shows you can see his comments thrown about the religon.
Take a nice look at you so called sri lankan buddhists in the mirror all killing and always judging and putting down everyone else.
Im yet to meet a decent buddhist who has given the religion a good name
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Lanka Voice / February 11, 2014
he spoke for all including the singhalese.
I doubt our country and the world would hail and award someone who looked down on religions specially the largest religion in our country,not to mention the fact that he himself was a singhalese even a christian singhalese.
“If you remember nothing else, remember this: The Leader is there for you, be you Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, low-caste, homosexual, dissident or disabled. Its staff will fight on, unbowed and unafraid, with the courage to which you have become accustomed. Do not take that commitment for granted. Let there be no doubt that whatever sacrifices we journalists make, they are not made for our own glory or enrichment: they are made for you”
words by
Lasantha Wickrematunge
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Hindu / February 10, 2014
anticonversion as a proud hindu tamil i will say without having any bias that i have studied and read very avidly on both religious figures and your budha does not even have the worth to even wipe the back of jesus chris sandel
jesus is love cant say the same for budha or budhism
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Sara / February 10, 2014
oh leave religion out of this a persons religion is something personal and sacred dont make this into attacking a persons religion like a lot of you do
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Angie Krester / February 10, 2014
in case you were born yesterday the wickrematunges and lasantha were and are born again christians
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John / February 11, 2014
Lasantha [Edited out]
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Sowden Edward Asange / February 10, 2014
I agree and disagree, why would she choose Cambodian STREET children instead of SL street children?
Charity Begins At Home…..
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Rajapaksa / February 4, 2014
President Rajapaksa is writing a cheque dipped in blood
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Henry / February 4, 2014
She is most certainly LW’s daughter
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Udaya / February 4, 2014
Lasantha Wickrematunga is loved and respected by millions of sri lankans and others worldwide and ofcourse we will support his only daughter
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Sowden Edward Asange / February 10, 2014
not blindly… show me the cause and I will think on my own before I support… Supporting MR blindly after the ending of war… is what has gotten SL into deep S***
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Udaya / February 4, 2014
Lasantha Wickrematunga is loved and respected by millions of sri lankans and others worldwide ofcourse we will support his daughter
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Sharmini Serasinghe / February 5, 2014
Dearest Ahimsa,
Your Thaththi would have been so proud of what you are doing, I know your Ammi is :-)
Wish you all the best, in your laudable endeavour!
Sharmini
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HALAL &THAYAB / February 5, 2014
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Bandula Perera / February 5, 2014
Ahimsha,
Your father is my hero and he would have been proud of you
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Aman Faris / February 5, 2014
Dear Ahimsa, God bless your work with all the success it deserves. You are a chip of the old block. Yes, your father would have been proud of you. Let me also tell you that to this day we grieve his horrible death. A lump forms in my throat whenever I think of you father.
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Mitthraseeeeeeeeli / February 5, 2014
Dearest Ahinsa,
all the best for you in this golden project.
May yours be exemplary to all other youth !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Sowden Edward Asange / February 10, 2014
why the International flavor? Charity is what he Right hand does without the knowledge of the Left hand….
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HATE LTTE / February 11, 2014
why does everything the wickramatunges do become public?
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Janaka / February 11, 2014
iv never heard a more stupid question
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pearl thevanayagam / February 28, 2014
I met Ahimsa when she was five years old. She has her mother’s kindness and her father’s intellect. But what I noticed about her then was she listened and observed. Congratulations Ahimsa although you do not know me.
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