By Ahimsa Wickrematunge –
“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. Not a day goes by that I do not think of him. It breaks my heart that my little brother will grow up without a father. But I believe he is watching over us.They say it gets better with time but it has not got any easier.”
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.
These past few years I have had time to think about my father’s passing and try my best to deal with it. I find it so hard to move on and accept what happened. As an adult, I have realised now that nothing in life is permanent nor is it how you want it to be. Instead, I try to look for meaning and lessons behind all these experiences.
I believe that death is not the end of life; it is merely the end of the body we inhabit in this life, but our spirit will remain.
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 even if they were not always what he agreed with or wanted for me. That alone shows how unconditional his love was.
I have friends who unfortunately are not close to their fathers and that saddens me because I would give an arm to have a few moments more with my dad. Usually children grow up with the notion that their dad is their hero. I feel so proud to know that my dad is literally a hero and that he is not only a hero and role model to me but also to so many others who have been inspired by him.
Growing up I did not have the same liberal political, philosophical and ideological views and beliefs I now have, but I have learnt through, mostly my father’s wisdom, that all beings on earth deserve the same rights and respect and no one should have the authority to condemn or frown upon another, based on class, creed, gender or sexual orientation.
It breaks my heart that my little brother will grow up without a father. But I believe he is watching over us.
Despite my father’s personal faith, what impressed me most was that he never blindly agreed with everything and impartially stood up for what was right and took a stand against discrimination in all forms. He was always a voice for those who were oppressed.
It pains me every time I think my father will not be there to walk me down the aisle or be there when I need advice or rejoice with me when I succeed in something. That is something I find hardest to accept. I believe my father could have achieved and done so much more if only his life had not been so cruelly taken. I have so many unanswered questions. Not a day goes by that I do not think of him. It breaks my heart that my little brother will grow up without a father. But I believe he is watching over us.
They say it gets better with time but it has not got any easier. I miss him everyday, and today especially, I share the pain of loss with my mother and my two brothers who loved him so much.
Sunday Leader
Geoffrey Moreira / January 7, 2012
beautifuuly said..I commend you for your thoughtfullness
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Peter Casie Chetty / January 7, 2012
I knew Lasantha as a child. He was fearless no doubt but did he not go too far? I think he did because he made a lot of enemies hoping that his stars would guide him as he went along. Only they did not. People from our little town Kotahena are brash, outspoken and fearless but there comes a time when the hand of a coward will strike in the dark. Lasantha knew that, Lal knows that and I know that. The people who push them on are not always those who have the interests of the public in their mind. The News of the World has collapsed the entire Murdock regime and what they did do was not in the name of good journalism.. and they are paying the price.
In my time I have always wanted proof of some nature before I went into a story that was questionable of libelous. Something that Lasantha and Fredrika Jansz never thought of. They ruffled a lot of feathers and then sold out. Fredrika is still alive thanks to the regime she was trying to topple. She is not nor, is Lal with pro LTTE ideas fanned by a spineless opposition, change anythings as long as the poor man hears what he wants to hear and sees the development in the land. Lasantha died for a cause. Unfortunately it was the wrong one. The media has always been free, depending with what glasses you are wearing. Citizen or villager. Colombo and the other cities will vote Rail in but for Lasantha’s prayers to be answered the opposition will have to play to the villages… but that have never been able to do.
May his soul rest in Peace and may his death not be in vain.
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Ching Chog cong Rajapaksa / January 8, 2012
WTF are you talking? where is the press freedom in Sri Lanka? then why Lasantha was killed?
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raymond / January 8, 2012
Good question. You are right “WTF is Peter talking about?”
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Pandukabaya de Silva / January 14, 2012
I only saw this silly comment much later. This character talks as if he was something in journalism. He got kicked out of every newspaper office because of his dirty tricks. Imagine that in a background where journalism is not anyway the cleanest of stuff!! Lasantha was as far removed from him as the palm trees from the mud. And what does he mean by saying Lasantha ‘sold out’? Lasantha was killed, you moron. And still the killers are not caught. Don’t you have anything to say regarding that to your beloved Prez whom you defend so well while living abroad??
And who the hell are you to say that a cause is the ‘right’ one or the ‘wrong’ one. For you, a right cause may be living out of the country and trying to post blogs and comments that reveal a racist mindset tht bumsucks the current political regime for the sake of a few favours tnat they can throw you. For Lasantha and others, the ’cause’ may have been different, however much a politician Lasantha may have been as much as he was a journalist. He had the gits to lve and work here whereas he might have gone abroad easily enough for the greenbacks which you did, starting at singing at underground railway stations to eke out a living!
What a contrast. And this moron dares to comment on Lasantha. This is the world we live in! What idiocy.
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Linda P / January 8, 2012
The fact that Lasantha was first and foremost a loving father is amply demonstrated by this article.
The greatest tribute that can be payed is for his daughter to follow in his noble footsteps.
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Mystic / January 8, 2012
Please follow the footsteps of your father.. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. Believe in the cause..
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Dr. Maverick / January 8, 2012
නුඹත් වෙයන් ස්පාටකස් කෙනෙක් නමුත් මැරෙන්න එපා ඒ වගේ
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Bodinayaka / January 8, 2012
Is it true this guy leaked about SL undercover agents? Just curious
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Fonseka / January 8, 2012
One of Sri Lanka’s most powerful voices silenced.
R.I.P
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raymond / January 8, 2012
…..”oluwatathe wadduney?” Who said to whom, when, where and why? Keep guessing folks!!
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Dr. Maverick / January 8, 2012
I’ve heard similar cries from Iraqis during Saddam’s era, Egyptians during Mubarak’s era but I couldn’t meet any Libyans but I am sure that it would be the same. Sister. every beginning shall meet it’s end. Good with good and evil with humiliation and horrific ends. Iraq, Egypt and Libya are different countries and thousands of miles away from Sri Lanka. We knew what late Pramadasa did using Lawrence’s mafia and didn’t we witness his end? Although that incident was a lesson to many power mongers. Yet they are not believing in what their religions have preached on how to live. Patience is great weapon – there will be light at the end of a tunnel.
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Psharmindra Samuel / January 8, 2012
Don’t worry some day the truth will be out. All we have to do is to honorably carry our part in line with the Truth that sets us free, and then will that life of fullness dawn upon us.
I believe that Lasantha believed in it and it added fearlessness to say what he had to say.The truth.
And the Truth that liberates us will win its cause for all who love it, and the day of Victory will come some day soon.
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Esther / January 9, 2012
A DAD is the hero to a son and the FIRST LOVE to a daughter………….You are a great dad’s daughter and I am sure you will shine like a star with all the confidence your dad gave you…….Be assured of our prayers dear..
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Vocal Man / January 9, 2012
Lasantha was like the Nelson Mandela of Africa
The Maryin Luther King of America
The Gandi of India
Like that Lasantha was like them to Sri Lanka.
The most inspiring voice.
What a lot he could have done indeed.
Easily could have become Future President or leader of Unp
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Ifham Nizam / January 9, 2012
Needless to say…none can fulfill a father’s role. A person of especially Lasantha’s calibre ….no way. After my father’s, grandfather’s death…it was Lasanth’s which made me really disturbed…It was more like family burial.
No worries truth will be out…one day…being a firm believer in mother nature…the culprits will suffer…. Be proud your father is a man of class – he had won the hearts of millions- and trained hundreds..
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Chrissy Abeysekera / January 10, 2012
I do sympathise with this writer. Lasantha was perhaps as much a politican as a journalist but no one deserved to die like this.
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