Posts Categorized: Biography

Pirapaharan: Vol., Chap. 31 The Death of the First Hero

by T. Sabaratnam, February 25, 2004 Volume 1, Chapter 30 Original index of series Shooting of Shankar Rajani, who was on the verandah of the main house, saw the army jeep entering their compound. She ran through the house to the back door and shouted, “Nirmala Akka, army jeep is coming.” She warned her elder… Read more »

Pirapaharan, Chapter 30 LTTE Guerrillas in Action

by T. Sabaratnam, February 11, 2004 Volume 1, Chapter 29 Original index of series Nelliady Ambush Pirapaharan’s wish to raise an LTTE army on the lines of Subash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army was natural because he had already gathered a group of active and committed cadres. He had trained over 25 youths and a… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chapter 29 The Indian Interest

by T. Sabaratnam, February 4, 2004 Volume 1, Chapter 28 Original index of series| Trincomalee Problem The interest RAW officials showed in the Trincomalee harbour helped Pirapaharan to figure out the puzzle. He knew that New Delhi was concerned about its security and its aspiration to become the regional power. Its interest in the Sri… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap.28 RAW Meets Pirapaharan

by T. Sabaratnam, January 28, 2004 Volume 1, Chapter 27 Original index of series Pondy Bazaar Shootout With unbridled power concentrated in his hands, President Jayewardene set out to stifle the fledgling Tamil militancy. But the tools he used- state terrorism and weakening of the moderate leadership – were counterproductive. Police and army atrocities, in… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 27 Amirthalingam Taken for a Ride

by T. Sabaratnam, January 22, 2004 Volume 1, Chapter 26 Original index of series Tamil Votes Amirthlingam was perplexed when President Jayewardene told him that he would need the Tamil votes to win the presidential election. “You have two more years. Why are you talking about the election now?” Amirthalingam queried. Jayewardene then made his… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap.26 The First Attack on the Army

by T. Sabaratnam, January 16, 2004 Volume 1, Chapter 25 Original index of series Seelan’s Saga When the news of the attack on the army by a group of LTTE cadres led by Seelan reached the Jaffna University Campus its vice chancellor Prof. K. Kailasapathy remarked: “They have crossed the border.” Before that, Tamil militant… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol., Chap. 25 Parliament Discusses Ways to Kill Amir

by T. Sabaratnam, January 7, 2004 Volume 1, Chapter 24 Original index of series| The Unnoticed Messages Tamils, through the DDC election, gave two clear messages to the Sinhala leaders, Sinhala people and the world. The Tamils told them unambiguously, that the Tamils were for a separate state which would restore their racial rights, dignity,… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 24 Tamils Still Back Moderates

by T. Sabaratnam, December 31, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 23 Original index of series| DDC Elections President Jayewardene wanted to show the world, through the District Development Council election of 4 June 1981, that the majority of the Tamils did not approve the separate state which the TULF was demanding. He succeeded in showing just… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap.23 Who Gave the Order?

by T. Sabaratnam, December  17, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 22 Original index of series| Who Gave the Order? Who set the fire? Three questions arise about the burning of the Jaffna Public Library. Who burnt it? How was it burnt? Who gave the order? Pirapaharan watched with defiant, angry eyes the leaping flames that consumed… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap.22 The Burning of the Jaffna Library

by  T. Sabaratnam, December 11, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 21 Original index of series| President Jayewardene thought that Brigadier Weeratunga’s Operation Round Up had sufficiently weakened Tamil militants and decided to consolidate his position .”through political process by implementing the proposals of the Presidential Commission on District Development Councils, which he had appointed on 8… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 21 The Split of the LTTE

by T. Sabaratnam, December 3, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 20 Original index of series| The Uma – Urmila Affair Pirapaharan could not believe his ears when his colleagues told him that Uma Maheswaran was having sex with Urmila. When convinced, he thundered: The chairman is flouting the code of conduct he is expected to strictly… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 20 Jaffna Turned Torture Chamber

by T. Sabaratnam, November 24, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 19 Original index of series| State Terrorism in Action Jaffna tasted state terror on a gruesome scale for the first time on the night of 13 July 1979. Around midnight that dark night two vehicles without number plates left the Jaffna Residency, which had been hurriedly taken… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 19 Balasingam Enters the Scene

by T. Sabaratnam, November 17, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 18 Original index of series| Chat Session #217 November 2003 Dear Readers, I think we have struck the correct wavelength. I received three mails, on 28, 29 and 30. In the second, A. Mylvaganam from Toronto, Canada pointed out the slip I made about the author of… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 18 Tamils Lose Faith in Commissions

by T. Sabaratnam, November 12, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 17 Original index of series| Lost Faith in Judiciary Police Inspector Gurusamy was killed by TELO as punishment for the role he played in the police cover game of the events connected to the August 1977 anti- Tamil riots. His assassination was the signal of the loss… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 17 Sinhala-Tamil Tension Mounts

by T. Sabaratnam, November 4, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 16 Original index of series Hate Campaign The Tinnaveli Bank robbery angered Jayewardene and annoyed the police and the army. Jayewardene and his backers stepped up their campaign against the TULF and the Tamils, and the police and the army increased their attacks on the Tamils. The… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 16 Wresting Weapons from the Enemy

by T. Sabaratnam, October 27, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 15 Original index of series| Original Vol. 1, Chapter 16 Chat Session Now that we have progressed to some extent we must start talking. Talking to the readers is one of the facilities the internet offers; we can talk as we progress. The purpose of this session… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1 Chap. 15: The Ban, J.R.’s Gift

by T. Sabaratnam, October 20, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 14 Original index of series| Typed in Amir’s Typewriter The group that killed Bastiampillai traveled in his Peugeot 404 to Kilinochchi where they burnt the vehicle in the midst of the thick jungle. They then split into small groups and went to their Vavuniya camp, Poonthoddam…. Read more »

Piraparaharan: Vol.1, Chap.14 The LTTE Comes into the Open

by T. Sabaratnam, October 13, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 13 Original index of series| Destroying the Police Network The Sirimavo Bandaranaike government took Alfred Duraiappah’s murder as a challenge. It ordered the arrest of the killers before his funeral. The task was given to the police party headed by Inspectors Bastiampillai and Pathmanathan. Both had… Read more »

Piraparaharan: Vol.1, Chap.13 Militants Come to the Fore

by T. Sabaratnam, October 19, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 12 Original index of series| Chapter 13: Militants come to the Fore Jayewardene’s media attack on Amirthalingam, the police rampage in Jaffna and the 1977 riots had the combined effect of pushing the Tamil moderates aside and brought the militants to the fore. Jayewardene’s expectation that… Read more »

Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap.12 Moderates Ignore Mandate

by T. Sabaratnam, September 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 11 Original index of series| Original Chapter 12 Opposition Leader Tamils of the north and east of Sri Lanka had declared “their will to exist as a separate entity ruling themselves in their own territory” since the Kankesanthurai by-election held on 6 February 1975. As Thanthai Chelva declared… Read more »