President Sirisena’s Broken Promises: Start With Ensuring Justice To Wasim Thajudeen
By Hilmy Ahamed –October 4, 2015
Hilmy Ahamed
Wasim Thajudeen’s death and lackluster investigations took center stage during the run up to the August 2015 general elections. His body was exhumed, and after further examination was reburied a few days ago. I was a witness to the exhumation at the Dehiwela Mohiyadeen Jummah masjid. The media and civil society who were very vocal about Wasim’s death inquiry have now joined the political vultures and are forgetting Wasim. Was this part of the election agenda of a vested few. Muslim families usually are reluctant to agree to an autopsy, and exhuming a buried person is a whole lot worse. Islam lays down strict directives on the treatment of a dead person. Extreme care needs to be exercised even when the dead body is washed prior to burial. Yet the entire Muslim community was supportive of the exhumation of Wasim Thajudeen because they wanted to see justice.
Rumors and social media implicate many (wheeler-dealers) who were attempting, prior to the general elections to get Wasim’s family to issue statements implying that they did not suspect foul play. Whether this was for political advantage at the elections or an attempt of a cover-up is difficult to judge. Further, various stories have been leaked to imply that Thajudeen was drunk and his drunken state caused the motor accident. This is the worst form of intimidation that one could cause the family, as Islam forbids the consumption of alcohol and the family would not want any discussion leading to this stigma. Whether, Thajudeen consumed alcohol or not is between him and his creator. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala is the greatest forgiver and the family should not worry about the embarrassment that is attached to this accusation.
Whatever the cause of Wasim’s death, his family, friends and the general public in Sri Lanka need to know what happened to this lovable father of an infant and rugger-rite of repute. Even though I did not know Wasim Thajudeen personally, I was a great fan of him in the field of rugby at St. Thomas’s Collage and Havelocks sports club. People who know him well enough swear by his kindness and sincerity.
