Neelan Thiruchelvam Memorial Defaced
The sadness and shame, photo via Daily Mirror.
One of my favorite spots in Colombo is the top of Rosmead Place, where Kynsey Road has been painted with doves and flowers in memory of the slain Neelan Thiruchelvam. Neelan worked for peace within a united Sri Lanka and he was killed in an LTTE bomb right there. Now some horrible people have tarred over the memorial. What an offense to his widow and all peace-loving Sri Lankans. She lives down the street.
I wrote about this spot as early as 2004. Then I said “I like it a lot. It’s peaceful. I feel like it’s the right reaction to terror – love”. That people would want to and get away with tarring over a symbol of peace, a memorial to someone’s death, it’s horrifying to me.
Over three nights commencing on August 2, unidentified persons who had reportedly cordoned the area had defaced the mural, and today all that remains over what used to be a symbol of peace are slick coats of tar. It is a disconcerting sight for all those who desire genuine political reconciliation in this deeply divided society.
Mrs. Sithie Tiruchelvam, widow of Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam, explained that the road painting began 13 years ago, soon after her husband’s assassination. It was not an initiative of any particular institution but a collective effort undertaken by a group of individuals who wanted to find a way of dealing with his death. Most of the people who were involved in the initial stages of the road painting had known him personally, and it was a peaceful way of expressing their grief and honouring him.Mrs. Tiruchelvam pointed out that for 13 years, even at the height of the armed conflict, the initiative never encountered any opposition. The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) was regularly informed before the painting took place, and written authorisation had been obtained from the Police when the painting was re-touched prior to his birth and death anniversaries each year. Furthermore, it was done either late at night or very early in the morning to ensure that there would be no disruption to the flow of traffic…
Jayantha Dhanapala was equally perturbed. The former diplomat noted, “The painting of the road at the intersection of Rosmead Place and Kynsey Road has become a traditional commemoration honouring Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam who was assassinated by the LTTE 13 years ago. To my knowledge it does not contravene any laws of the country or by-laws of the Colombo Municipality unlike election campaign slogans. That unidentified individuals under cover of darkness could deface this painting upholding peace and non-violence with impunity is a sad reflection on the authorities especially the Police. The deafening silence of both the Government and the Mayor of Colombo over this incident adds to the Kafkaesque atmosphere prevailing in our land and the widespread concerns over the rule of law. (Daily Mirror)
Coming after corrupted monks stealing Hindu statues and chasing Muslim mosques out of Dambulla, this is just depressing and wrong. Nobody in charge seems to care, but they should. This is a national shame, that other religions and symbols of peace and hope can be abused with such impunity. I used to always feel such peace passing that spot on Kynsey Road. That someone could give their life for peace, and that his family and friends would continue to give hope out of grieving. It must be repainted, but for now I feel just sad.
Posted on Thursday, August 9th, 2012 in death, Reconciliation, Sri Lanka.
Mohsin Hamid, author of How To Get Filthy Rich In Rising Asia, has a nice 
I’m happy to be featured in Echelon magazine’s 40 Under 40 feature, profiling young people who contribute to the economy in some way, mainly in business but also in terms of innovation and thought leadership. It’s an interesting article not just in that I’m in it (mainly for work on indi.ca and 
I won’t add too much commentary, but just read I guess. The youngest Rajapaksa, Rohitha (Chi Chi) has given an amazing interview to the 
In 2009 this strange character appeared on the Sri Lankan Internet scene, getting angry, flaming, trolling whatever. Then he started naming anonymous bloggers, posting comments as people’s kids, nasty stuff, for which I removed him from 
I noticed it several times and I thought they’d tarred it to redo it or something. Had no clue that it was done on purpose. Should’ve realised that though, because I saw them repainting it one night, and it’s obvious they wouldn’t redo it again so soon no?
Fundamental question is why are Sri Lankans mostly apathetic? They allow politicians and monks to get away with corruption, thuggery, rape, stealing or just about anything.
If this sorta thing happened in India, you can expect all hell to break loose. I guess the media being vocal, vibrant and independent makes a big difference there.
Yes, that’s why we hear so much from the Indian media about Kashmir.
[...] museum. But who actually does that? Seriously. What on earth is going on these days? People are defacing peace memorials, stealing Hindu statues, and now stealing lion, jaguar and cheetah heads from the zoo? Three heads [...]
Its not official mate.
Next time the road needs to be carpeted/repaired, its history.
Only statues/memorials etc are officially recognized by govt./CMC
Just because a majority reveres it, does not make it legit as it is on state property.
If so have to petition govt to declare it official.
Right ?
Even if that is the case, it doesn’t make it right for thugs to cordon off the area and deface it. Don’t miss the wood for the trees.
It was approved by the CMC and police.
Nobody official tarred the road, it was just malicious.
so thugs=state?
hahahaha dude you’re shooting yourself in the foot xD
Surely a monument would be a better memorial than a painted road?
I think so too. Who would want to drive over someone’s memorial? Kind of an insult.
But it’s still very silly to deface something as harmless as this. Sad, the amount of mistrust and fear that still exists.
Perhaps….. but it’s kinda silly to have a “memorial” that consists of a painting on a busy road. If someone needs to be commemorated why not build a monument or fund a scholarship, instead of basically ‘vandalizing’ public property. Why not have a plaque on the side of the road or something.
It was simply a private tribute by a few individuals. I think it’s very sweet, not harmful or anything to be classified a vandalism in my book.
That’s what Graffiti artists say.
I like good graffiti. It can be awesome. Trans forms a drab space. We’ve been doing it since the 7th century or so.
if some body can defend the painting on a busy road, then how come it is wrong to for some body else to draw or do what ever over it…what is the difference for one who draw some thing thing to show his private opinion on a public property and some body else who doesnt agree with it deletes or show his own private opinion about it in the same way.
It’s not the rightness or wrongness of it. It’s just sad when anyone should feel the need to feel and show opposition to a few harmless birds and flowers painted on a road surface. More than the act, it’s the thinking behind the act that saddens me.
thats ur personal opinion, same as the person draw the thing on the road and the one who painted over it…public road is not the place to express it.
Yes, it’s only my personal opinion, but you didn’t get my point either.
because the state gave permission for the “some body”s to paint the thing on the road. by your logic and all the iffing you’re doing, all the laws in the country would be null and void, seeing as how one could go “well, if he came and hit my car, how is it wrong for me to burn his house down?”
It looks like someone in power decided to rescind permission that was granted previously. It is the message that this sends that is the issue. Is there something that can be learned from Nelson Mandela’s approach?
http://jestforkicks.blogspot.com/2012/08/mandelas-approach-to-reconciliation.html
Just cannot believe one could do this. I would also not believe that the government in power would do it. It is not fair to blame the government for any thing and everything. Why not support the investigators to find the culprit?
[...] Studies (ICES) whose offices are at that particular corner, via Kynsey Terrace which leads off that spot. This was, so to speak, Neelan’s second home. And Neelan was a man, I stress, many, including [...]
[...] Studies (ICES) whose offices are at that particular corner, via Kynsey Terrace which leads off that spot. This was, so to speak, Neelan’s second home. And Neelan was a man, I stress, many, including [...]
I interned at the Law and Society Trust (On Kynsey Terrace, Founded by Neelan T) this summer and this beautiful mural was something I looked forward to seeing every day I woke up to go to work. Its defacement is supremely disheartening. What is worse as you noted is the complete lack of media attention given to the incident.
An update – the mural has been repainted. It was done a couple of weeks back, I think.