After a brief illness, Chief of the Chakma tribe and citizen par excellence of Pakistan Raja Tridiv Roy passed away on Monday morning. While many friends will mourn his passing, the ambassador of Argentina, Rodolfo Martin-Saravia has also paid tribute to his friend.

“It is with great sorrow that I write these lines in memory of Raja Tridiv Roy, Pakistan’s longest serving ambassador in Argentina (1981 to 1995) but more importantly a true gentleman and friend. He was witness to many great events and changes in my country and all of Latin America, since he was also non-resident Ambassador to Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Uruguay.

“A learned scholar in Buddhism, he gave luster to the Federal Cabinet of the government that invited him to serve in the portfolio of Minorities. As an ambassador he represented Pakistan as a country but as a politician he also embodied the idea of Pakistan as put forward by Jinnah. He was a patriot and a dedicated leader to his people in the Chittagong Hills Tract of the former East Pakistan. He defended the country in which his kingdom was included with great zeal even in the most difficult of times and he paid a terrible personal cost of not being able ever return to the land of his ancestry. His nostalgia for the beautiful jungles of Rangamati is present in his memoirs “The Departed Melody” and he longed for his people from the distance of his retreat in Islamabad.

“During his time in Latin America, he became a popular member of the diplomatic corps and a social figure of relevance that cultivated many friendships. Indeed it was more than 20 years ago when I was a junior diplomat that I met him for the first time. He was in Buenos Aires during the transition to democracy and was instrumental in the signing of one of the most important agreement between our countries.

“He was the strongest friend that Argentina had in Islamabad, not only because of his long posting but because of his permanent family connections — his grandchildren were born in Buenos Aires and some are still living there. I will remember him as the always cheerful friend in diplomatic gatherings or in private evenings playing bridge. His conversation was always interesting and his demeanour, a tribute to his lineage. He was a veritable example of the greatness of the people of the subcontinent and perhaps the last of the giants walking tall and proud with Jinnah and other Pakistani greats because of his belief in the idea of Pakistan — a homeland that protected its citizens regardless of ethnicity, origin or faith.”