The Legacy Of Lakshman Wickremesinghe, Thirty Years After
By Rajiva Wijesinha -October 28, 2013 |
Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP
Late Bishop of Kurunegala, Revd. Lakshman Wickremesinghe
Lakshman Wickremesinghe, Bishop of Kurunagala from 1962 to 1983, died 30 years ago, on October 23rd. He was undoubtedly the most impressive Anglican Bishop Sri Lanka has produced, and with every year that passes his stature seems to grow.
Much has been written about him recently, most notably in Rajan Hoole’s detailed assessment of what happened in July 1983. Hoole shows how those events contributed to his premature death for, though he had a heart condition and had been advised to take things slow, he threw himself into trying to assuage the hurt felt by Tamils who had suffered in the state sponsored attacked on them.This Is Not The Time For Religions To Be Self-Centric
Late Bishop of Kurunegala, Revd. Lakshman Wickremesinghe
Rev. Dr S.J. Emmanuel
In Memory Of Late Bishop Lakshman Wickremesinghe
Thirty years ago on the 23rd of October 1983, Sri Lanka lost one of the ablest Sinhala Christian Leader – Bishop Lakshman Wickremesinghe,- a loss not only for his church but also for the whole country. I am informed that after the massacre of 1983 Black July, the bishop was very heart-broken at the tragedy that overtook the people of this country and the unwillingness of the rulers to be ashamed and guilty on behalf of the majority people and their rulers. Now after a prolonged war and destruction, when some attempts are being made for reconciliation among the various ethnic and religious communities of the island, it is right and fitting that we recall to mind the exemplary leadership given by the late Bishop to his people. Though he was bishop only of a diocese and that too only for about two decades, he reached out to all ethnic communities and religions and their leaders with a sincere love for a peaceful country.
1. Government’s Efforts counterproductive for Reconciliation?
