Thiyaka Theepam
[1] Lt. Colonel Thileepan | |
---|---|
திலீபன் | |
Born | R. Parthipan 27 November 1963 |
Died | 26 September 1987
Nallur, Sri Lanka | (aged 23)
Other names | Amirthalingam Thileepan |
Years active | 1983 –1987 |
Organization | Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam |
Rasaiah Parthipan ( Tamil: இராசையா பார்த்திபன்; 29 November 1963 – 26 September 1987; commonly known by the nom de guerre Thileepan) was a Tamil Eelam revolutionary and member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist Tamil militant organisation in Sri Lanka. He died while on hunger strike. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Parthipan was born on 27 November 1963. [7] [a] He was from Urelu near Urumpirai in northern Ceylon. [10] His father was a Tamil teacher and he had three older brothers. [10] His mother died when Parthipan was three months old. [10] After his father died of diabetes he was brought up by his brothers. [10] He was educated at Jaffna Hindu College. [8] [9] [10] After school he enrolled in the University of Jaffna. [8] [10]
Parthipan joined the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) prior to the 1983 Black July anti-Tamil riots. [9] He was given the nom de guerre Thileepan. Injured in the stomach in May 1987 during the Vadamarachchi Operation (Operation Liberation), he became the LTTE's political leader for Jaffna peninsula. [11] [12]
As hostilities increased in northern Sri Lanka, the LTTE handed over a letter to the Indian High Commissioner on 13 September 1987 making five demands: the release of all political prisoners held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and emergency regulations; cessation of Sinhalese colonisation of Tamil areas under the guise of "rehabilitation"; cessation of all "rehabilitation" activities until the establishment of the Interim Administrative Council; cessation of construction of police stations in the Northern and Eastern provinces; and the disarmament of Home Guards and withdrawal of the army/police from schools and colleges. [13] [14] [15] [b] The demands were aimed at the Indian rather than the Sri Lankan government because the LTTE believed that Indians could force the Sri Lankans to comply. [15] The LTTE gave the Indians 24 hours to respond but no response, or even an acknowledgement, was received. [13]
Determined to make the Indians meet the demands, Thileepan began a hunger strike on 15 September 1987 in front of Nallur Kandaswamy Temple. [14] [18] [19] Thileepan gave speeches which were broadcast on Nidharshanam, the LTTE's TV stations. [11] [12] People from all over Jaffna peninsula came to observe and participate in the hunger strike. [11] [12] On 22 September 1987 Indian High Commissioner J. N. Dixit arrived at Palaly Airport and was met by LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran who wanted Dixit to go and see Thileepan. [12] Dixit wanted a written guarantee from Prabhakaran that Thileepan would end his hunger strike if Dixit met with him but Prabhakaran couldn't give the guarantee. [12] As his condition deteriorated, Thileepan stopped giving speeches. [11] After refusing food or water for 12 days, Thileepan died on 26 September 1987. [14] [20] [21] [22] After a "martyr's funeral" in Jaffna, Thileepan's body was handed over to the University of Jaffna's medical faculty. [11]
LTTE leader Prabhakaran accused India of betraying the Tamils after vowing to protect them. [23] Thileepan's death resulted in large anti-government and anti-Indian protests in northern Sri Lanka. [14] [20] [15]
A statue of Thileepan was built behind Nallur Kandaswamy Temple in 1988. [24] [25] After the Sri Lankan military re-captured the Valikamam region in 1996 they destroyed the statue. [24] [25] The statue was re-built in 2003 during the Norwegian mediated Cease Fire Agreement. [26] After war resumed, Thileepan's photograph and decorative lamps at the statue were damaged by the army on 26 October 2006. [24] [25] Thileepan's statue was attacked and destroyed by armed men on 18 November 2007. [24] The remnants of Thileepan's memorial, the pillar, was destroyed by the army on 21 March 2010. [25]
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Thiyaka Theepam
[1] Lt. Colonel Thileepan | |
---|---|
திலீபன் | |
Born | R. Parthipan 27 November 1963 |
Died | 26 September 1987
Nallur, Sri Lanka | (aged 23)
Other names | Amirthalingam Thileepan |
Years active | 1983 –1987 |
Organization | Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam |
Rasaiah Parthipan ( Tamil: இராசையா பார்த்திபன்; 29 November 1963 – 26 September 1987; commonly known by the nom de guerre Thileepan) was a Tamil Eelam revolutionary and member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist Tamil militant organisation in Sri Lanka. He died while on hunger strike. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Parthipan was born on 27 November 1963. [7] [a] He was from Urelu near Urumpirai in northern Ceylon. [10] His father was a Tamil teacher and he had three older brothers. [10] His mother died when Parthipan was three months old. [10] After his father died of diabetes he was brought up by his brothers. [10] He was educated at Jaffna Hindu College. [8] [9] [10] After school he enrolled in the University of Jaffna. [8] [10]
Parthipan joined the militant Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) prior to the 1983 Black July anti-Tamil riots. [9] He was given the nom de guerre Thileepan. Injured in the stomach in May 1987 during the Vadamarachchi Operation (Operation Liberation), he became the LTTE's political leader for Jaffna peninsula. [11] [12]
As hostilities increased in northern Sri Lanka, the LTTE handed over a letter to the Indian High Commissioner on 13 September 1987 making five demands: the release of all political prisoners held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and emergency regulations; cessation of Sinhalese colonisation of Tamil areas under the guise of "rehabilitation"; cessation of all "rehabilitation" activities until the establishment of the Interim Administrative Council; cessation of construction of police stations in the Northern and Eastern provinces; and the disarmament of Home Guards and withdrawal of the army/police from schools and colleges. [13] [14] [15] [b] The demands were aimed at the Indian rather than the Sri Lankan government because the LTTE believed that Indians could force the Sri Lankans to comply. [15] The LTTE gave the Indians 24 hours to respond but no response, or even an acknowledgement, was received. [13]
Determined to make the Indians meet the demands, Thileepan began a hunger strike on 15 September 1987 in front of Nallur Kandaswamy Temple. [14] [18] [19] Thileepan gave speeches which were broadcast on Nidharshanam, the LTTE's TV stations. [11] [12] People from all over Jaffna peninsula came to observe and participate in the hunger strike. [11] [12] On 22 September 1987 Indian High Commissioner J. N. Dixit arrived at Palaly Airport and was met by LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran who wanted Dixit to go and see Thileepan. [12] Dixit wanted a written guarantee from Prabhakaran that Thileepan would end his hunger strike if Dixit met with him but Prabhakaran couldn't give the guarantee. [12] As his condition deteriorated, Thileepan stopped giving speeches. [11] After refusing food or water for 12 days, Thileepan died on 26 September 1987. [14] [20] [21] [22] After a "martyr's funeral" in Jaffna, Thileepan's body was handed over to the University of Jaffna's medical faculty. [11]
LTTE leader Prabhakaran accused India of betraying the Tamils after vowing to protect them. [23] Thileepan's death resulted in large anti-government and anti-Indian protests in northern Sri Lanka. [14] [20] [15]
A statue of Thileepan was built behind Nallur Kandaswamy Temple in 1988. [24] [25] After the Sri Lankan military re-captured the Valikamam region in 1996 they destroyed the statue. [24] [25] The statue was re-built in 2003 during the Norwegian mediated Cease Fire Agreement. [26] After war resumed, Thileepan's photograph and decorative lamps at the statue were damaged by the army on 26 October 2006. [24] [25] Thileepan's statue was attacked and destroyed by armed men on 18 November 2007. [24] The remnants of Thileepan's memorial, the pillar, was destroyed by the army on 21 March 2010. [25]
{{
cite book}}
: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
link)