The Poet - Tribute to Richard de Zoysa’s 20th death anniversary

Richard Manik de Zoysa, an unbiased journalist, poet, playwright, actor, human rights activist and a broadcaster was born in Colombo 18th March 1958, abducted and killed on 17/18th February 1990, by the UNP government under the late president Mr.Ranasinghe Premadasa.

At the time of his death, he was 32 years old and the Colombo correspondent for IPS (Inter Press Service) based in Rome. He was promoted to be the Bureau chief at the then newly opened Lisbon Bureau before he was abducted and killed.

The man who ordered death to Richard and the man who carried out the order, Ronnie Gunasinghe Senior Security Officer of the late president R.Premadasa were among those who died in the explosion that killed the president on 01st May 1990 in Colombo and some saw this as a divine Justice!

It is believed that Richard has written the poem given below around 1989:-

The Poet

I am the eye of the camera
Can only reflect, never reject
Never deflect.

I am the eye of the Camera
Silent recorder of life and death
Eye that can only reflect
Never conjure up images
Probe the reality
Never reject.

I am the eye of the Camera
I reflect nothing, but the truth
The external reality
Can not deflect
The mind of the viewer
From the picture to passion.

I let them all fashion
Their truths through my magic
I can not reject, the external reality
That passes for truth

And what is rejected
By natural selection
Has nothing to do with me
When I am impotent
Robbed of my power
My eyes in the dark at the moment of crisis
See nothing, but well favoured men of the hour.

I am the storm’s eye
Ceaselessly turning around me
The burning the death the destruction
The clichés that govern the world of the words
Of the prophets and preachers, and may be the savior
Are lost to my peering
Blind eye in the dark.

It is believed that Richard has written this poem around 1989.Richard Manik de Zoysa, an unbiased journalist, poet, playwright, actor, human rights activist and a broadcaster was born in Colombo 18th March 1958, abducted and killed on 17/18th February 1990 by the UNP government under the late president Mr.Ranasinghe Premadasa.

At the time of his death, he was 32 years old and the Colombo correspondent for IPS (Inter Press Service) based in Rome. He was promoted to be the Bureau chief at the then newly opened Lisbon Bureau before he was abducted and killed.

The man who ordered death to Richard and the man who carried out the order, Ronnie Gunasinghe Senior Security Officer of the late president R.Premadasa were among those who died in the explosion that killed the president on 01st May 1990 in Colombo and some saw this as a divine Justice!

Editors Note:

Richard de zoysa was my colleague in the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. I joined the news division of the SLBC in 1971. .Richard at that time was an announcer and he reads English language news bulletins. He used to come to the news room to collect news bulletin on time to read and rehearse before the bulletin goes on the air.

Gradually, we became close friends. But the news of his death was a great shock to me. I missed a good friend. I pay that Rihard’s soul rest in peace. - K.T.Rajasingham.

- Asian Tribune -