Monthly Archives: January 2021

by T. Sabaratnam, November 19, 2004 Chapter 24 Original index to series Original Chapter 25 Dear Editor, This is my personal experience with Lalith Athulathmudali regarding the Jaffna violence in reference to the ongoing articles by Mr. Sabaratnam.  It was 1986 and I was the vice-president of the Government Medical Officer’s Association (GMOA).  Dr. Stanmore… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, November 15, 2004 Chapter 23 Original index to series Original Chapter 24 Bus Massacre  I traced in Chapter 21 the events that led Pirapaharan to switch the mode of struggle from hit and run guerrilla warfare to sustained guerrilla combat and the manner in which the country slipped into the First Eelam… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, November 5, 2004 Chapter 22 Original index to series Original Chapter 23 On the Sly The Yan Oya settlement that would break the territorial contiguity of Tamil Eelam between Trincomalee and Mullaitivu districts was started on the sly.  The planners of the project wanted to settle Sinhalese along the Yan Oya (river)… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, October 29, 2004 Chapter 21 Original index to series Original Chapter 22 Smashing the Basis Home Minister K. W. Devanayagam’s coordinating secretary K. G. John telephoned me in the morning of 8 September 1983 and said the minister wanted to meet me on an urgent matter.  I met him in his ministry…. Read more »

A reader sent the following information to add to this series on the life and times of Pirapaharan. We encourage all readers to send us their understanding of this history of us all. It is no exaggeration Pirabakaran’s life is also the history of the heroic Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.  Pirabakaran joined the Tamil Students Forum… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, October 15, 2004 Chapter 19 Original index to series Original Chapter 20 Shift in Allegiance 1984 is a milestone in the Tamil freedom struggle.  In that year, Tamils finally abandoned their faith in non-violence and peace talks.  In that year, they shifted their allegiance from the ‘non-violent leaders’ to the ‘violent boys.’ And… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, October 8, 2004 Chapter 18 Original index to series Original Chapter 19 In Lake House, there was jubilation when the story of the TULF satyagraha held in Jaffna on 25 July spread. The joy infected the Sinhala people as radio and television broadcast the news. I was at the weekly press briefing at the… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, October 1, 2004 Chapter 17 Original index to series Original Chapter 18 Three Lessons Tamil people drew three important lessons from the All Party Conference (APC) of 1984.  They were: the Sinhala leadership and the Buddhist clergy are unwilling to accommodate Tamil aspirations; Sinhala leaders are not interested in a political settlement; the… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, September 24, 2021 Chapter 16 Original index to series Original Chapter 17 JR’s Mischief Until the invitation for the All Party Conference (APC) reached the TULF, everything looked fair and fine.  Jayewardene met the leaders of all recognized political parties, except the JVP and NSSP which were under proscription, and briefed them… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, September 19, 2004 Chapter 15 Original index to series Original Chapter 16 Endless Talking Curiously, Indira Gandhi’s Track One fitted perfectly into Jayewardene’s Track Two.  Indira Gandhi utilized her Second Track of arming Tamil militants to achieve the objectives of her First Track: to obtain for the Tamils a self-governing unit within… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, September 10, 2004 Chapter 14 Original index to series Original Chapter 15 The Chunnakam Massacre Trade and Shipping Minister Lalith Athulathmudali was appointed Minister of National Security and Deputy Defence Minister on 23 March 1984. An Oxford educated lawyer-politician with an unbridled ambition to succeed Jayewardene as the president of Sri Lanka,… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, September 3, 2004 Chapter 13 Original index to series Original Chapter 14 Building a Military Machine President Jayewardene, his fans and critics readily admit, was a grandmaster in political chess. He schemed three moves ahead when his opponent planned only two. He played the same game with Indira Gandhi. He countered her double… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, August 28, 2004 Chapter 12 Original index to series Original Chapter 13 Adele’s Influence The third and fourth matters on which Pirapaharan’s attention was focused during the closing months of 1983 were interestingly intertwined.  They involved the theoretical issue of the role of women in the freedom struggle and Pirapaharan’s personal life…. Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, August 20, 2004 Chapter 11 Original index to series Original Chapter 12 The Training In September, 1983 Chennai was full of Sri Lankan Tamil boys.  They were taken to Delhi in batches in luxury buses by RAW officers. “It was a tiring, long journey,” Nirupan (not his real name), a youth from… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, August 2004 Chapter 10 Original index to series Original Chapter 11 Training Militants  Indira Gandhi always called President Jayewardene ‘the old fox.’  Her assessment of him was that he could not be trusted.  Her opinion of Jayewardene was based on the information given to her by her friend Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the lady… Read more »

By T. Sabaratnam, July 19, 2004 Chapter 9 Original index to series Original Chapter 10 The Overt Track The second fortnight of August 1983 is as important to the Tamil freedom struggle and the history of Sri Lanka as the last ten days of July and the first 17 days of August.  Indira Gandhi put… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, June 2004 Chapter 8 Original index to series Original Chapter 9 India’s Solution The Sixth Amendment produced two immediate results. Firstly, Indira Gandhi made her second telephone call within 12 hours of its passage. Secondly, the TULF decided the next day, 6 August, to quit parliament and take refuge in India. These… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, June 2004 Chapter 7 Original index to series Original Chapter 8 Finding Scapegoats  Jayewardene was disturbed by the criticism of the attacks on Tamils by many Western countries and international human rights watchers. Indira Gandhi’s telephone call on Thursday, 28 July evening upset him more. As mentioned earlier he, asked Ranil Wickremesinghe… Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, June 2004 Chapter 6 Original index to series Original Chapter 7 Indian Factor President Jayewardene realized on Wednesday evening, after answering Indira Gandhi’s telephone call, that the riots had spawned unintended results. Firstly, it had, while weakening the Tamils, also weakened him and the Sinhala people, mainly by damaging their international image…. Read more »

by T. Sabaratnam, June 11, 2004 Chapter 5 Original index to series Original Chapter 6 Tamil Nadu Erupts Tamil Nadu erupted in anger on Tuesday, 26 July 1983, when news spread that atrocities had been committed on Tamils in Sri Lanka. Thousands of Tamils poured onto the streets in Chennai, Madurai and other cities denouncing… Read more »