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Tamils in Independent Ceylon
by S. Makenthiran
CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Ceylon Independence
The dawn of Independence
Paradise gained and lost
Ceylon Tamils, the original inhabitants
Immigrants to Ceylon
Chapter 2: Ceylon on the eve of colonialism
Childhood recollections
My recollections of early politics
Second World War recollections
Teenage recollections
Recollections as an undergraduate
Chapter 3: Political developments up to independence
Ceylon as a British colony
Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan
G.G. Ponnambalam
Sinhala Muslim riot of 1915
Sinhaleses prior to independence
Muslims in Ceylon
The Upcountry Tamils
The Ceylon Tamils
Chapter 4: Political developments after independence
The Sinhalese dominated UNP comes to power
The great betrayal of Upcountry Tamils
Tamil agitation
Sinhala colonisation of Tamil homeland
Sinhala Only act
Sinhala violence against the Tamils in 1956
The Bandaranayake-Chelvanayagam Pact dishonoured
Sinhalese massacre Tamils in 1958
Chapter 5: Events leading to Tamil Eelam demand
Srimavo continues the anti-Tamil policies
Attempted coup
Srimavo-Shastri Pact
Senanayake-Chelvanayagam Past dishonored
Ceylon renamed Sri Lanka
Tamil students discriminated
The JVP insurrection of 1971
The War of Bangladesh Liberation
Police violence against the Tamils
The formation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Vaddukkoddai Resolution for Tamil Eelam
Anti-Tamil racial riot of 1977
Tamil youth answer the call of Thanthai Chelva
Chapter 6: The Father of the Tamil Nation
Early years
S.J.V.’s family
Entry into politics
Federal Party
Peaceful protests under Thanthai Chelva
Tamil United Liberation Front
Demise of the great leader
Chapter 7: Vaddukoddai Resolution
Chapter 8 Tamil youth react to Sinhala terror
Tamil militancy
Another constitution introduced
Burning of the Jaffna library by the police
Anti-Tamil hostility
Sporadic attacks by Tamil youth intensified
Arbitrary arrests of Tamils
Chapter 9: The 1983 genocide of Tamils by Sinhalese
The ambush at Tinnevely
The Sinhalese massacre Tamils
Chapter 10: Aftermath of the holocaust
Sixth Amendment to the Constitution
Unitary and federal constitution
Jayawardena government further alienates Tamils
Tamil militancy gathers strength
Sinhala ‘Veerayas’
Plan to separate Northern and Eastern Provinces
The Tamil exodus
Chapter 11: The Eelam War I
Beginning of the Eelam Wars
Guerrilla attacks
Sinhala atrocities
Cease-fire and Thimpu Talks
Sinhala state terrorism continues
Women in LTTE
Lieut. Colonel Ponnamman and Yogaratnam Yogi
Vijaya Kumaratunga
Appapillai Amirthalingam
The Black Tigers
Chapter 12: The Patriarch of Upcountry Tamils
Early life
Entry into politics
Upcountry Tamils deprived of citizenship and franchise
Jaffna Tamils fail Upcountry brethren
Agitation against Sinhala racism
Renaming to Ceylon Workers Congress
Srimao-Shastri Pact
The champion of orphaned people
Eviction of estate Tamils
Common suffering of Northeast and Upcountry Tamils
Triumvirate of TULF leaders
Re-entry into Parliament
Thondaman extracts concessions
Northeast rebellion helps Upcountry Tamils
State funeral
Chapter 13: The IPKF War
Operation Liberation
Air drop and talks
Indo-Sri Lankan Accord
The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution
Death fast by Dileepan
Death of twelve LTTE commanders
Operation Pawan
Northeast Provincial Council
LTTE fights back
The second JVP revolt
President Ranasinghe, cease-fire and talks
Deparure of the IPKF
Chapter 14: Eelam War 2
President Premadasa requests IPKF withdrawal
Cease-fire and talks
Talks fail
Hostilities break out
Tamils massacred by army and Muslims in the East
Battle for Jaffna Fort
Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi
The Battle for Elephant Pass
Assassinations
Assassination of Premadasa
Mathaya (Mahendraraja)
War continues
Chandrika Kumaratunga takes over
Chapter 15: Eelam War 3 begins
Chandrika assumes power
Peace talks
Gamini Dissanayake assassinated
Eelam War 3 breaks out
Operation Leap Forward
Proposal for devolution
Bomb attacks in Colombo
Operation Riviresa (Sun Rays)
Unceasing Waves 1
Operation Jayasikuru (Victory Assured)
Unceasing Waves 2 and 3
Chapter 16: The liberation of Mullaitivu
Tamil ancestral district of Mullaitivu
The rape of Mullaitivu
Operation Unceasing waves
Mullaitivu liberated
Casualties
The prize of war
Inexorable LTTE advance
Chapter 17: The liberation of Vanni and Elephant Pass
Prabaharan prepares for the counter offensive
Unceasing Waves 2
Unceasing Waves 3
The liberation of Vanni
The capture of Elephant Pass
Tigers advance on Jaffna Town
Anton Balasingam’s illness
Massacre of Tamil children by Sinhalese mobs
Killing of Tamil journalist Nimalarajan
Prabaharan declares cease-fire
Chapter 18: The Hero of Tamil Liberation
The son of the people
The legendary hero
Early years
Marriage and family
Consolidation by Prabararan
The Indian factor
Retreat to Vanni and counter attack
Road to victory
Battle hardened veteran
Prabaharan offers peace
Chapter 19: The Agni Keela and Katunayaka debacles
Debacles in 2001
Agni Keela
Surprise offensive
Tamil women repulse Sinhalese army
Katunayaka debacle
Anniversary of 1983 Black July
The attack
Colossal damage
Sinhalese propaganda
Chapter 20: Leaders of Tamil speaking people
Tamil leadership developments
Collaborators
Muslim leadership
‘Mamanithar’ Kumar Ponnamblam
Murugesu Sivasithambaram
Rajavarothayam Sambandan
Anton Balasingam
Chapter 21: Cease-fire
Cease-fire
Peace talks
Suspension of Talks
Reactions to suspension
Efforts to resume talks
SL Government’s proposals for NE Interim Administration
LTTE Paris meeting
LTTE proposals for Interim Self-Governing Authority
Chapter 22 Interim Self-Governing Authority
Chapter 23 Coup by President Chandrika
Reactions to the LTTE proposals
President Chandrika seizes ministries
Chandrika checkmated
Reactions to Chandrila’s power grab.
Political stalemate
Budhist violence against Christians and Muslims
United Peoples Freedom alliance
Tamil reaction to new alliance
Chapter 24: Betrayal of the LTTE by Col. Karuna
The rise of Karuna
The revolt
The fall of Karuna
The causes of Karuna’s debacle
Chapter 25: The future of Ceylon Tamils
President Chandrika appeals to the Norwegians
Changes in the Indian political scenario
Tamil hopes for the future
Mahaveeran Pandara Vanniyan
The Last Tamil King of Vanni (1777 – 1811)
PREFACE
Living in retirement, I thought that it would be a good idea to record my impression of our people’s history during my lifetime. Though I am an accountant by profession, history has been my passion. I believe Tamils, particularly the younger generation, will be interested in their roots and our kith and kin, whom we have left behind in mother Eelam.
This book is a revised version of the series of articles I wrote for Ceylon Times. I am narrating the history of Tamils in independent Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), including the Upcountry Tamils who arrived in the 19th century, and are ethnically the same. I am also including the Tamil-speaking Muslims, as they speak the same language and are therefore, strongly bound to the Tamils, but are culturally different and follow a different religion. As far as the Tamil Christians (Catholics and Protestants) are concerned, they are no different from Hindu Tamils, except that they follow the Christian religion.
The history of Lanka has been distorted and many facts suppressed by interested parties. I have written using my knowledge and experience, and the information from the meagre sources available to me. I have briefly touched on the history of Ceylon Tamils from the time Lanka was connected to India by land, and the Great Tamil Hindu King Ravanan, who ruled over all Lanka thousands of years ago. I have covered the struggle of the Tamils after independence up to the cease-fire and peace talks.
S. Makenthiran, October 2004
Mississauga
Canada
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| POSTED NOVEMBER 30, 2004 | The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Ilankai Tamil Sangam, USA, Inc., its members, or its affiliates. |
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