by T. Sabaratnam, May 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 3 Original index of series Original Volume 1, Chapter 4 Chapter 4: Tamil Mood Toughens The Federal Party Working Committee met on 11 July, 1970 at Vavuniya to consider Dr. de Silva’s message. Thanthai Chelva told the meeting the government had indicated many positive features in the… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Sabaratnam
Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 3 The Unexpected Explosion
by T. Sabaratanam, May 1, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 2 Original Index of Series Original Volume 1, Chapter 3 Karikalan Thangathurai, known as mama, uncle, was in charge of the secret group. There were about 25 youths, most of them from Valvettithurai and relatives. In early 1970, Thangathurai bought two revolvers, of .22 and .38 calibre…. Read more »
Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 2, Going in for a Revolver
by T. Sabaratnam, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 1 Original index of series Original Chapter 2 Conviction Reinforced Venugobal master’s arguments that parliamentary democratic methods would yield no result reinforced Pirapaharan’s childhood conviction that hitting back is the only option available to the Tamils. The 14–year boy placed his trust on armed struggle and the separate state…. Read more »
Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 1, Why Did He Not Hit Back?
By T. Sabaratnam, 2003 Volume 1, Introduction, Part 2 Original Chapter 1 Why didn’t he hit back? “Why didn’t he hit back,” was Pirapaharan’s reaction when he heard from his father, Thiruvenkadam Velupillai, about the burning of the Panadura Pillayar Kovil priest. His father, an admirer of the Federal Party Leader Samuel James Velupillai Chelvanayakam, had… Read more »
Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Intro., Part 2
by T. Sabaratnam, 2003 Volume 1, Introduction, Part 1 Original Vol.1, Intro, Part 2 The Language Tamil youths had been radicalized by the late 1960s. Language is a matter that touches the heart of every Tamil. They are proud of the antiquity and richness of their language, and linguistic nationalism is part of the psyche of every… Read more »
T. Sabaratnam: Pirapaharan, Vol. 1, Introduction
From the Editor Mr. T. Sabaratnam wrote a history of V. Pirapaharan from 2003-2005 that was posted on the Sangam website. This history is of the period BEFORE the war began and its early stages. The history dwells on the root causes and the background of those involved. As most of this material is not… Read more »
Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 10: Indira’s Double Track Policy
By T. Sabaratnam, July 19, 2004 (Volume 2) 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 into action during these two weeks her… Read more »
Sri Lanka Scene: War Fear Returns to Sri Lanka
By: T. Sabaratnam, July 14, 2004 Weekly Review Around noon on Tuesday traffic braked to a sudden halt along busy Dickman’s Road in Bambalapitiya when someone said that there was a parcel bomb on the pavement. Crowd gathered at both ends of the road and prevented even pedestrians walking along it. Police was called as… Read more »
Sri Lanka Scene: The Kollupitiya Blast and its Message
by T. Sabaratnam, July 11, 2004 Weekly Review Wednesday noon suicide bomb blast in the heart of Colombo has sent shock waves among Sri Lanka’s business men and has made the common man worry about the country’s fragile peace process. “We hope that it is only an isolated incident,” was the common prayer of the… Read more »
Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 9: The Indira Doctrine
By: T. Sabaratnam, July 6, 2004 (Volume 2) 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 results had a profound effect on… Read more »
Sri Lanka Scene: Sinhala Chauvinism Raises its Head
By: T. Sabaratnam, July 3, 2004 Norwegian special envoy Erik Solheim returned to Colombo this (Wednesday) afternoon with the difficult task of saving the 2-year-old ceasefire agreement which the new government had put under severe strain. Tiger political chief S. P. Thamilchelvan told Solheim and Colombo-based Norwegian envoy Hans Brattskar who met him at Kilinochchi… Read more »
Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 8: The Cover Up
By: T. Sabaratnam, June 25, 2004 (Volume 2) 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 to summon his confidants, Gamini, Lalith,… Read more »
Sri Lanka Scene: Truce will Hold but Prospect of Peace Talks Recedes
By: T. Sabaratnam, June 23, 2004 The situation in Sri Lanka today is that the 2-year-old truce will continue to hold despite the incidents in the east, but the prospect of the resumption of peace talks will recede. Analysts rule out another war unless an unexpected explosive situation occurs. Colombo’s respected defence analyst Iqbal Athas… Read more »
Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 7: JR Seeks Arms
By: T. Sabaratnam (Volume 2) 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. Secondly, the riots had provided India a chance to… Read more »
More Reader Participation on 1983 Riots
by Rajkumar Sivapatham, June 18, 2004 Dear Mr. Sabaratnam, I am a regular visitor to Sangam website to learn about the Tamil history on “Pirapaharan story.” I was encouraged by Mr. Bala’s e-mail and wish to contribute my part as well. From 1979 to December 1983, I was working at Browns Group at Darley Road,… Read more »
Feedback to Mr. Sabaratnam re July 1983
Pathirana Group helps Tamil Students Dear Mr. Sabaratnam, Thank you for writing Tamils History. As you have mentioned in your introduction I feel you are writing this biography without any bias. I also think you are the right person to write this biography. It is very important to write everything for our future generations. You… Read more »
Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 6: Indira’s Telephone Call
By: T. Sabaratnam, June 18, 2004 (from Volume 2) 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 the Jayewardene government and demanding Prime… Read more »
Sri Lanka Scene: Parliamentary Terrorism
by T. Sabaranam, June 9, 2004 Weekly Review Parliamentary Terrorism sounds somewhat funny and confusing. I did not coin it. I t was coined by a Buddhist monk legislator, the Venerable Ellawel Thera. He coined it to encapsulate Tuesday’s uproar and the recent events in the Sri Lankan parliament, where the ruling United People’s Freedom… Read more »
Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 5: The Second Massacre
by T. Sabaratnam; published June 4, 2004 (Volume 2) 5. The Second Massacre The prison massacre on Monday, July 25, 1983 that killed 35 of their colleagues made the 28 prisoners in C3 feel insecure. They felt that they would be the next target. Three of them – Panagoda Maheswaran, Paranthan Rajan and Douglas Devananda –… Read more »
Sri Lanka Scene: Killings Unite Tamils
by T. Sabaratnam; published June 2, 2004 Weekly Review Killings Unites Tamils; India’s Policy Changes The foul Murder Iyathurai Nadesan is dead. The cause he espoused, Tamil Nationalism, has received fresh vigour. The entire northeast ground to a halt in unity today (Wednesday); not merely to mourn the death of a 49 year-old Tamil journalist who… Read more »