Appreciations
View(s):Admired not only for his erudition and intellect, but also for his humanity and empathy
Sena Wijewardane
With the passing of Sena Wijewardane on August 26, in Vienna, Austria, Sri Lanka and the world lost a great international lawyer and one of the most skilled legal advisers who ever served the international organizations of the UN system. I have worked with many international lawyers and legal advisers to international organizations during my long career in the UN system (almost 45 years), but very few of them had the legal skills, knowledge, wisdom and intellectual acumen of Sena Wijewardane.When I first met Sena, whom we affectionately called Wiji, he was the General Counsel of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). He succeeded Suri Sinha as Legal Adviser, and was later made General Counsel. This is the Agency that the UN created in 1947 to assist the Palestinian refugees inside and outside Palestine. It is an Agency that had 23,000 staff members when he served as its Director of Personnel and an organization with some of the most intricate legal problems relating to staff matters, relations with host States, relations with the occupying power, relations with the UN and with the Palestinian refugees and displaced populations themselves. He dealt with the legal aspects of the worldwide operations of UNWRA for over 26 years (1971-1997) and represented it before the UN Tribunal and other UN organs.
However, the most delicate task he had to perform on behalf of UNRWA was the management of its relations with the occupying power, Israel, throughout that period. Although those relations were not at the time as controversial as they are today, they were always contentious, particularly regarding the application of the Geneva Convention and other humanitarian law instruments in the occupied Palestinian territories. The resolution of the often-thorny legal issues arising from the operations of the Agency in the occupied territories required great legal dexterity and tact as well as creativity in identifying legal solutions. Sena Wijewardane was the right man for the situation.
The fact that he was recalled by UNRWA as General Counsel two and a half years after his official retirement in 1997 testifies to the indispensable role he played in the fulfilment of the mandate of the organization throughout the Middle East and beyond it.
His career at the United Nations and its Specialized Agencies did not, however, end with UNRWA. In view of his well-known qualities as an international lawyer, and his reputation as an ingenious legal adviser, his services were widely sought even after his retirement. Thus, from 1999 to mid-2000, he served as the Legal Adviser to the United Nations Mission to Kosovo (UNMIK), which was one of the most difficult peace-keeping missions undertaken by the United Nations after the end of the cold war in Europe.
Later, in 2003, Sena was elected as a Judge to the United Nations Administrative Tribunal, which adjudicates disputes between the UN administration and the employees of the Organization. He served as a Judge and as President of the Tribunal for almost seven years at the level of UN Under-Secretary General, after which he was invited by the Director-General of UNESCO to act as the Legal Adviser of the Organization and to guide its Executive Board in the preparations for the election of a successor. As he was already at the UN Administrative Tribunal and had to attend its sessions, he could not stay very long with UNESCO and resigned after eight months of tenure.
Sena was by then 76 years old, but his knowledge and skills as counsel to international organizations were so much appreciated that he kept receiving all kinds of invitations to undertake short assignments and advisory missions by intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations. For example, in 2016 his services were solicited by the Chairman of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Xinsheng Zhang of China, to advise the congress of the Union in Hawaii. This major international gathering, sometimes called “the Olympics of conservation” brought together thousands of leaders from governments, NGOs, businesses, and communities to set global conservation priorities and make commitments to address environmental and development challenges.
Similarly, in 2019 the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague sought his advice on a very delicate case which was brought by some Judges against the Conference of Parties to the Statute of Rome. He reluctantly accepted such short missions but always tried to associate young international lawyers in his work so that they could learn from him, thus passing the baton to a new generation that could serve world peace and justice through the application of the rule of law.
Sena was appreciated in international circles not only for his erudition and impressive intellect, but also for his humanity, empathy, and his ability to move in different worlds. He was proud of his Sri Lankan heritage, and always spoke about it, but he was equally steeped in western culture, history and literature. He was an impressive conversationalist and raconteur, who engaged easily with people. A very good observer of the human condition, he was always humble and authentic, but warm and humorous.
Sena Wijewardane received his legal education at Oxford University in the United Kingdom (1954-1958). He was the third member of his family to study at Oxford where he was awarded The Welson Prize in Law by Jesus College. After obtaining an MA and BCL at Oxford, he was elected in 1962/63 by Cambridge University as the Humanitarian Trust Scholar, and he used his time there to write a scholarly article on “The Status of Armed Forces in Foreign Territory” which was published in the British Yearbook of International Law.
In Sri Lanka, Sena studied at Royal College School, Colombo, from 1947 to 1954. He was born in Colombo on April 29, 1935. He is survived by his wife Janaki, their two children Nishantha and Manisha, and four grandchildren. Sena was from a very prominent family in Sri Lanka, but he never talked about his roots or about the role of his family in Sri Lanka. His modesty and humility did not allow him to do that. His very rich life experience and his contributions to the work of the United Nations were more than enough material for learned conversation and fond memories.
Suad and I shall miss him enormously. We had known each other for over 40 years. Although we were born almost 4000 km apart on the shores of the Indian Ocean, we always felt as members of the same family.
May he attain Nibbana.
-Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf
(Judge and Former President of the International Court of Justice, The Hague, Netherlands)
He walks within us
Timothy Wickremasinghe
Timothy was more than a son. He was a confidant, a source of joy, and a gentle presence whose kindness touched everyone around him. From a young age, he had a quiet strength about him – a calm in the storm, a steady hand when others faltered. He didn’t seek the spotlight, but somehow, he always became the centre of warmth in any room.
He had a way of making people feel seen. Whether it was a friend going through a tough time or a stranger in need of a smile, Timothy offered compassion without hesitation. His empathy wasn’t performative, it was instinctive. He listened deeply, spoke thoughtfully and gave generously of himself.
Timothy’s passions were as vibrant as his personality. He loved music, often losing himself in melodies that seemed to mirror his soul. He had an ear for harmony and a heart that resonated with lyrics about love, hope, and resilience. Whether strumming a guitar or curating playlists for friends, music was his way of connecting, expressing, and healing.
He also had a curious mind. Timothy was always asking questions, not just about the world, but about people. He wanted to understand what made others tick, what they dreamed of, what they feared. That curiosity made him an exceptional friend and a deeply thoughtful son. Conversations with him were never shallow; they were journeys into meaning.
Family meant everything to Timothy. He cherished traditions, remembered birthdays without reminders, and always made time for those he loved. He had a special bond with his only sister, built on shared jokes, late-night talks, and unconditional support. And as a son, he was devoted, never too busy to call, always ready to help, and constantly reminding us, in his own quiet way, how much he cared.
Losing Timothy has left a void that words can’t fill. Grief is a strange companion, it arrives uninvited, lingers without warning, and reshapes the contours of everyday life. But in the midst of sorrow, there is also gratitude. Gratitude for the years we had with him, for the memories etched into our hearts, and for the love that continues to bind us to him.
We remember Timothy not just in moments of sadness, but in the everyday beauty he appreciated. In the laughter of friends, the kindness of strangers, we see echoes of his spirit. His legacy isn’t defined by the years he lived, but by the way he lived them: with grace, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to love.
As we move forward, we carry Timothy with us. In stories shared around the dinner table, in quiet reflections, in the choices we make to be a little kinder, a little more present. His life reminds us that impact isn’t measured in time, but in connection. And Timothy connected deeply – with his family, his friends, and the world around him.
He may no longer walk beside us, but he walks within us. And in that way, Timothy lives on – not just as a memory, but as a guiding light.
Farewell! Sweet Prince, till we meet on that beautiful shore!
Your ever-loving Dadda
Cherished memories
Nimal Anthony Wijetunge
This is a short note in loving memory of my dear husband, who passed away three months ago. I just couldn’t resist penning few words about him, when marking three months since his demise.
Nimal, it’s so painful to realise that you are no longer here with me. You have ended the journey with me and now settled peacefully. Our journey of 44 years together was a great adventure.
Your incredible generosity and colossal contributions to all walks of life were significant and highly impressive.
The most traumatic period in my life was to see your health declining day by day during the last three months, mostly spent in hospitals. From the time you fell sick, there wasn’t a single day I left you alone; I took care of you with my own hands. Although it was very exhausting, I saw it as a blessing to be with you, attending to all your needs, when you were in your last stage of your life.
All in all we both had a very successful and lovable happy journey together and I cherish all the fond memories with you.
Mangalika Wijetunge
Searching for an ideal partner? Find your soul mate on Hitad.lk, Sri Lanka's favourite marriage proposals page. With Hitad.lk matrimonial advertisements you have access to thousands of ads from potential suitors who are looking for someone just like you.