Amid surveillance, intimidation and threats, Arumugarasa Sabeswaran, widely known as Sabesh, remained committed to journalism and the Tamils. His death is a significant loss to Eelam Tamil journalism and Tamils. Beyond the newsroom, he was deeply committed to the safety, rights and professional dignity of Tamil journalists. Current Tamil Guardian Editor-in-Chief Thusiyan Nandakumar said Sabesh played a pivotal role in ensuring Tamil journalism continued in the years after the Mullivaikkal genocide. His passing is a profound loss to Tamil journalism.