RECALLING ‘NABHA’
Walter Keller, Journalist, West Germany
I was just reading the ‘Broken Palmyrah’ which was published by some very courageous people from Jaffna, including Rajani Tiranagama, the slain activist of the University Teachers for human rights as the news came in about ‘Nabha’s death. The ‘Broken Palmyrah ‘ gives an account of the political fratricide , gives an insight into the brutal killings of the ‘Tigers’ with Nabha and his other comrades, yet more members of another Tamil organisation have perished . As an out sider of the struggle, but at the same time as a permanent observer for the last 15 years I have first met Pathmanabha a few years ago. when he was staying in India. Though, poetically very often not agreeing with his organisation, the EPRLF, I had very high
esteem for him as an honest and sincere man, fighting for a cause without attaching that quantum of Tamil Nationalism or even Chauvinism to his activities. In fact, ‘Nabha’ and the EPRLF were one of the first from the Tamil movements to extend solidarity and friendship to progressive Sinhalese organisations in the South of Sri Lanka. And the EPRLF is probably the only militant Tamil group without a record of atrocities in the form of killing Sinhalese civilians in retaliation for Tamil killings by the forces. ‘Nabha’ was a humble man - a man, who seldom whished to come to the forefront. And yet, his leaderhsip was accepted by his followers. If not for him, EPRLF would have broken up some time back: ‘Nabha’ held it together. I shall remember him, the friend of mine, and wish to extent my deepest sympathies to his wife and all his family members.
