The Bleeding Island: Scars and Wounds

By Stephen Heynes

Now you know

Veluppillai Prabhakaran and his LTTE, who held sway in the modern Srilanka are the products of certain unfortunate sociopolitical conditions which every sensible state should fight to avoid their germination . If we do not learn from history, the history teaches us in a cruel way.
This is the story of the enchanting South Asian Island Srilanka; Of the intelligent, enterprising, and proud Tamils of the Island; Of their sociopolitical equation with the Sinhalese partners ; Of the formidable LTTE ; and of their fearsome, leader Prabhakaran who was also fearful for his life all the time. This book also tells the inside stories of LTTEs birth, growth and death. Their violence, assassinations, and why and how they killed Padmanabha, Rajiv Gandhi, Amirthalingam, Premadasa and Mahataya among many others. The tale of their fund raising ; their affluence; their Air Tigers; their Sea Tigers; their Black Tigers and their ultimate downfall. Not the fall of the LTTE but of Srilankan Tamils hopes. This is also the story of brave fighters and unscrupulous leaders. Story of heroism and treachery.
History of mankind would not forgive us if we allow this to happen again, in any form, anywhere in earth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing India
• Release date: May 24, 2016
• ISBN: 9781482874785

Stephen Heynes

Stephen Heynes, is the son of Rangoon born WWII veteran Victor Samuel Heynes, a POW who escaped execution because Japan surrendered. Stephen Heynes served Indian Air Force and saw action in the IPKF operation in Srilanka that gave him his ‘feel’ of the Island. Later he served C.B.I. that gave him the ‘know’ of the Tigers.

Book preview

BOOK - I

THE DREAM ISLAND

Chapter 1

My Visit to Srilanka

I t was a warm afternoon in the month of July 1988, when the Russian made Antonov 12 of the Indian Air Force we had boarded, took off from Trivandrum for the Island of Srilanka. It was one of the number of sorties of the Indian Peace Keeping Force to the Island carrying ration and medicines to the Srilankan Tamils and also ration and equipment to the AF Elements (over seas posts) at Jaffna, Trincomalee, Batticoloa and Vavuniya. I was escorting certain weapons and carrying some letters to the AF Elements there. I had actually volunteered for this assignment. I wanted to see the former Ceylon where my grandfather had been trading scrap iron and old machines in the forties of 20 th century, when the Island and India were under same crown, ruled by the British. I had heard stories of the rich green island, its salubrious climate, peaceful life among friendly and non competitive Sinhalese people. The land of ‘Lotos Eaters’ of A.L.Tennyson! I had wanted to see the island.

I looked around at the force members. Mostly from Northern India. All were wearing ear mufflers. The sound from the twin engines will not be a music. None looked too happy. There had been routine messages about the confrontation with the deadly fighters of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam who had the advantage of the knowledge of the battle field. They knew the lay of the land like the back of their hands. Indian Peace Keeping Force had the advantage of numbers and supplies. At that time, after waging a direct confrontation battle with the numerically superior IPKF and heavy loss of precious fighters, LTTE had started going underground. Most of the IPKF losses were due to land mines that had so widely been planted by the Tigers. Tigers trapping hunters!

The turbo prop aircraft maintained just enough altitude, may be around 8000ft, to cross the Western Ghats. It flew over Nazareth in Tirunelveli District, over Rameshwaram, gave a panoramic view of Rameshwaram Island that stretched like a human foot, crossed the small stretch of sea called Sethu Samudhram, dotted with tiny flat isles, and was over the northern tip of Srilanka. After about 90 minutes, we abruptly lost altitude as we approached the Palali airfield near Kankesanthurai in Jaffna (Yaalpaanam) and made a sharp landing. The instructions had been clear. Fly keeping an altitude above 6000ft until you reach the safety of Air Force runway. The LTTE were having shoulder-fired Bazookas, those could reach up to 6000ft overhead. This is a small airfield built by the British, used by the RAF squadrons and air-sea rescue units during the Second World War. A Detachment of Srilanka Air Force moved in on to the site in 1976. Air Traffic Control facilities were modified for use by civil aviation for domestic and international flights. When militancy raised it’s ugly head in the island and Jaffna became the hub center for militancy by Tigers, all civil aviation were discontinued. Since January 1982, Palali airfield had become an Air Field Unit of Srilanka.

I was thrilled to see the same red sandy soil and Palmyra trees as I have seen in my native Tirunelveli Dist in Tamil Nadu. The Jaffna railway terminus was in disuse. I could see cattle grazing in the station. Why, it had been build in the fashion of Madras Egmore.

It was almost night and I completed the formalities and handed over the equipment and letters meant for Jaffna Detachment There was one mess for all the ‘Other Rank’s of Army and Air force. After eating the uninviting dinner, consisting mostly roti, rice and tinned mince meat made into a gravy, I occupied a camp cot and tried to sleep. There was no power supply outside our camp. Lighting were sparse and insufficient as we were running diesel generators. Those soldiers detailed for night operations filed out for combing duties, after shouting Jai Hind as if they were fighting for India. They would return only in the small hours of next morning, some in stretchers.

There was no contact with Srilankan Tami civilians, which I desired most, since I had to hop in another Russian made MI 8 Helicopter to go to AF Element of Trincomalee, at the Eastern flank of Srilanka. The pilot kept the course along the eastern shoreline. The shoreline was broken here and there to connect with lagoons. I also saw the Nandhikkadal Lagoon, that was to become infamous 20 years later. It was a 45 minutes flight. I treasured the sight of China Bay airfield of Trincomalee, so beautiful, so secure among mountains and strategically safe from attack from air and from sea. It reminded me of some scenes from the movie ‘Guns of Navarone’. The British, who have a sharp eye for such locations had built this airfield in 1920. During the W.W.II, in March 1942, The Royal Air Force occupied this airfield, made suitable modifications and stationed a number of RAF squadrons, consisting mostly of British made single seat fighters Hawker Hurricanes and Supermarine Spitfires and even American made, twin engine, multirole, flying boats PBY Catalinas. The airfield was bombed by the Imperial Japanese Air Force on 9th April 1942, but the damages were minimal. Subsequently, towards the end of WWII, the air filed played a major role in the allied attempt to retake Malaya. Boeing made, 4 engines, Super Fortress B29 Bombers were stationed in the comforts of this airfield and made many successful sorties. In fact Trincomalee was a major bastion of the British Military, housing Army units and a Naval base, while the China Bay airfield was only a part of the large naval base. After independence, in November 1957, the China Bay base became Royal Ceylon Air Force base and later in May 1972, following the change of name from Ceylon to Srilanka, and the Srilanka becoming a Republic, the base became a Srilankan Air force Base. For 11 years, between 1976 and 1987 this SLAF base served as their Air Force Academy. But it had recently been reverted into an Air Force base since January 1987, to combat militancy in the North and the East.

The IAF element shared the same runway as the Srilankan Air Force. I was surprised to see very young officers in responsible posts in the Srilankan Air Force. The SLAF was in fact young. The men almost acted like those action heroes in American war movies. They will jump out of the jeep, drive unnecessarily fast and spoke American English. Their aircraft were American too. In fact I saw with amusement an American Bell helicopter of SLAF standing close to the Russian made Mil Mi 8 helicopter of IAF in the runway, and cannot help imagining they start fighting each other, Rambo III style. I was surprised to know that the Srilankan military men get week ends and are usually air dropped while going on leave. All the full moon days are Government Holidays. Clearly, the government was treating their military well, if not actually pampering them. We could interact with civilian shop keepers, buy things from them, many of whom spoke Tamil. Commodities and services were comparatively cheap. One could hire a taxi for as little as 5 Srilankan rupees, that is actually Rs.2.40 in Indian currency. While they were friendly with us, the Tamils in the IPKF, there were always one or two poker faced men who asked us ‘when will be we leaving’. LTTE feelers?

I was amazed at the respect and reverence the Buddhist Monks, or ‘Theruve’ enjoyed in public. The front seats on all public road transports were reserved for the monks. No one can occupy them, even if they remain vacant. Any Buddhist monk can show his hand anywhere and board the transport. In that case, the driver will raise from his seat, pay obeisance to the monk, calling something like oma theruvane and will settle in his drivers seat only after the monk or monks were seated. And of course, no ticket fare for the monks.

Although my work was over in an hour, I had to spend two days in Trincomalee since there was no flight planned for Vavuniya. Not complained. I could have stayed there all my remaining service, that horrible tinned minced meat for the dinners not withstanding! After two days I was airlifted to Air Force Element of Vavuniya.

Like Palali and China Bay airfields, Vavuniya Airport had also been built by the British during the WWII and taken over by the Srilankan Air Force in 1978. It was smaller, secluded and less used. There was a broad gauge railway line running by the airfield, but I could see only freight trains. The single line track connected Killinochi in the north and Anuradhapura in the south. I bought few cakes of those famed Rani Chandana soap, which I have heard since childhood, advertised as ‘the queen of soaps’ in Radio Ceylon (later ‘Srilanka Broadcasting Corporation’). After two days I boarded an AN32 bound for Trivandrum and reached back my AF Station. IAF was sharing the same runway and the same Air Traffic Control tower of Trivandrum International Airport, on the Shankumogam beach. I felt holy that I had visited the world where my maternal grandfather, like many more grandfathers of my village, had made his fortune, had been drawn to Pandit Nehru when he visited Ceylon, had joined the freedom movement, and returned to India when she became free.

Chapter 2

They Faught Divided or Each Other!

T he rise of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam in the island country of Srilanka, in the third quarter of 20 th century and their tragic fall in the first decade of 21 st century is awe inspiring to say the least.

The phenomenon of other similarly motivated Tamil bodies, who also were formed and struggled for the rights of Srilankan Tamils, such as TELO, EROS, PLOTE, EPRLF etc. pale into insignificance when compared by the single mindedness, dedication, ferocity and sacrifices of cadres of LTTE.

Here is a brief list of the Tamil groups founded at various times, evolved and morphed, according to exigencies of time and the whims of the leaders, many of which hardly exist now

1. Ceylon Indian Congress, founded by Indian born Savumiamoorthy Thondaman in 1939. For obvious reasons, in 1950 they dropped the ‘India’ and adopted ‘Ceylon’ and named the party as Ceylon Workers Congress.

2. All Ceylon Tamil Congress founded by G.G.Ponnambalam in 1944. When G.G.Ponnambalam allied with Sinhalese UNP, a section of Tamils led by Selvanayakam left ACTC and formed Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (Federal Party, in English) in 1949.

3. When the Tamils decided to raise their voices together for their rights, all the three Tamils oriented Parties, Ceylon Workers Congress, All Ceylon Tamil congress and Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi merged together to form, Tamil United Front (TUF) in 1972. Subsequent experience taught them that they cannot expect fair deal from Sinhalese and had decided to fight for a separate Tamil state. TUF was then renamed as Tamil United Liberation Front in 1976. TULF Performed well in 21st July 1977 General Elections. Of 168 seats, TULF won 18 seats,(14 out of 18 in the North and East Provinces) to become second largest, and the main opposition party. An alarmed Sinhalese started violence against Tamils. After much upheavals, bloodshed and Indian intervention, TULF finally metamorphosed to an umbrella organization called Tamil National Alliance in 2001, which also included formerly insurgent members of EPRLF and TELO. When they wanted also include former LTTE insurgents, TULF left TNA. (TULF had had a ‘blow hot blow cold’ relationship with LTTE. TULF leader Amirthalingam was finally shot down by LTTE). TNA won 2013 Provincial Election for North Province and has formed Government led by C.V.Vigneshwaran, on 7th October 2013.

4. Tamil Students League founded by Ponnuthurai Sivakumaran in 1970. Disintegrated after the suicide of Sivakumaran in 1977.

5. Tamil Youths League born in 1973 which was the progenitor of Tamil militancy.

6. Eelam Liberation Organization founded by K. Padmanabha (Pictures 14 & 22) and few others in year 1974-75. After the cadres robbed Puloly Multipurpose Co.Opt Society Bank on 10th May 1976, Srilankan police cracked down the outfit. Padmanabha moved to London, to study Accountancy. Met other Ceylon Tamils there and established General Union of Eelam Students (GUES) and Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students (EROS) in 1976. Underwent training with PLO in Lebanon. Moved to India and based GUES and EROS in Madras, in 1978. Then he left for Ceylon.

7. Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF)again founded by the same K. Padmanabha in 1981, along with Varadharaja Perumal (as leader), Douglas Devananda (Picture 55) and Suresh Premachandran. In December 1986, EPRLF was crushed by LTTE and the living cadres scattered. During IPKF they emerged and supported the peace process. V. Perumal became the Chief Minister of North and Eastern Tamil Province in 1987. Again they were driven out by LTTE in 1990 after the departure of IPKF. V. Perumal escaped to Bhuvaneshwar in India in an IAF aircraft. In 2001, EPRLF became part of T.N.A. and is sharing power now.

8. Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) founded in 1979, led by Kutimani and Sabaratnam, Cadres ruthlessly decimated by LTTE. Whatever remained, later became part of TNA.

9. People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam,(PLOTE) founded in 1980, by former LTTE leader Uma Maheshwaran(Picture 13), after he fell out of V. Prabhakaran. Engaged in a shoot out with Prabhakaran on 19/05/1982 in Pondibazar, Madras, but escaped. Arrested by Madras Police. Released on bail on 05/08/82. Engaged in a coup to take over of Maldives on 02/01/1988. Coup failed due to Indian intervention. Was abducted and executed by enemies on 16/07/1989 at Colombo. Party cadres were hunted and killed by LTTE. Remnants joined TNA after the fall of LTTE.

10. Eelam People’s Democratic party, a political party formed November 1987 by Douglas Devananda who broke away from EPRLF.

11. Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF) led by Paranthan Rajan, formed with the help of IPKF. Destroyed by LTTE on the departure of IPKF

12. Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students (EROS) was the mother of all Tamil Eelam organizations. EROS was founded on January 3, 1975, at Wandsworth, London, in the residence of Eliyathamby Ratnasabapathy. It was led by a unified command of three persons: Ratnasabapathy, Shankar Rajee and Velupillai Balakumar, all steeped in Marxism. Using their contacts with PLO, they sent many Eelam fighters to be trained in guerrilla tactics in Lebanon. They had their roots in Batticaloa and Ampara of Eastern Ceylon. They also embraced Tamil Moslems into their fold. Most of the later day leaders of LTTE, TELO, PLOTE and EPRLF were once members of EROS. Then came into contact with one Abu Jihad of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) their leaders and cadres were trained by the PLO. Leaders of EROS also imparted training to many cadres at Ceylon including Prabhakaran and other leaders. However, since their HQ was in London they could not effectively organize struggle here and gradually their cadres entered into other Eelam Tamil organizations. The students wing, General Union of Eelam Students, left enmasse to join EPRLF in 1980. During IPKF period in Srilanka (1987-89), EROS was the only organization to support LTTE. In the General election in 1989 following the departure of IPKF and the crash of Tamil government in Jaffna and Trincomalee provinces, EROS leaders contested as Independents (with the connivance of LTTE) and won 13 seats in Tamil provinces out of 225. Then LTTE took control of the Tamil Provinces. In 1990, Most of the EROS Cadres left, under the leadership of Balakumaran, and joined the LTTE. EROS almost disintegrated.

13. Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal, founded by Karuna Amman after he broke away from LTTE in 2004. A Political party since 2007.

14. Indo Ceylon Merger Movement ICMM (India Ilankai Inaippu Iyakkam) existed between 1971 and 1980.

15. Tamil New Tigers TNT (Puthia Tamil Pulikal) which was the predecessor of LTTE existed between 1972 and 1976. Chetti Thanabalasingham was the founder, Leader and Velupillai Prabhakaran was the co founder. The name was suggested by Prabhakaran because it also meant an explosive compound Trinitrotoluene. Chetti was, like many earlier Eelam Fighters, a known robber and criminal and died in police action. After leading TNT for some time, Prabhakaran dissolved it to form LTTE.

16. Tamil Liberation Organization TLO that existed between 1974 and 1978.

Besides, LTTE had several front organizations, prominent among them were, Ellalan Padai and Ravanan Padai. Karuna Amman’s splinter LTTE, Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal also had front organizations called Senan Padai and Seerum Padai, although publicly disowned by them.

Chapter 3

Beginning of the End

T he end came slowly but surely. The Tamil speaking people living in Ceylon were of different genesis. Geologists agree that the sub continent of India and the Island of Ceylon were once of same land mass called Lemuria or Kumari continent. They, however differ as to the time when the island Ceylon got separated from the mainland of Indian sub continent and the little shallow sea swallowed the remaining causeway between Danushkodi in Tamil Nadu and Thalai Mannar in Ceylon, called Adam’s Bridge or Ram Sethu. Before it happened, Ceylon was connected to the main sub continent, at a point, which was a Tamil Kingdom. According to Caldwell, there was a civilization in Ceylon dating back to 28,500 years. Ceylon has a known history of 3000 years. It is an island of 25,000 Sq. Miles and a population of 18,000,000. When Prince Vijaya from Kalinga, together with 700 soldiers, supposedly the first batch of Sinhalese, landed on the shores of Ceylon, there was already a flourishing Tamil civilization. The Sinhalese language, as it is spoken today has a vocabulary of words derived from Sanskrit and Bali in good numbers. It also has 4000 Tamil words. In 300 BC there was a full fledged Tamil Kingdom having their Head Quarters at Anuradhapura. Then there were those Tamils who arrived at the Island of Ceylon during 200 BC, or, during the reign of Pandya and Chola kings or their Governors between 9 th and 13 th Century AD. Tamil King Raja Raja Chola landed in Ceylon in 992 AD and founded his kingdom. His son Rajendra Chola arrived in 1017 and brought the entire island under his rule. The island remained so, for 70 years. Many Tamils had made Ceylon their home. These Tamils had a pride of place and called themselves Tamils of Eelam. They were masters of the North Western, Northern and Eastern Ceylon. Subsequently Sinhalese king Vijaya Bahu revived the Sinhalese kingdom. Later the Sinhalese kingdom grew stronger and larger. Ultimately, there were two Sinhalese kingdoms having their capitals at Kottai and Kandy. A Tamil kingdom survived, having their capital at Nallar.

Then the white men arrived. First it was the Portugese who arrived in 1505. They devoured the Sinhalese Kingdom at Kottai in 1518. Then they captured the Tamil kingdom at Nallar in 1591. The Sinhalese kingdom of Kandy survived. Then the men of Dutch East India Company arrived, who vanquished the Portugese and took over the Tamil and Sinhalese kingdoms in 1658. The Dutch found that the soil and climate best suited for tea and started tea plantations in the island. As the wheel of fortune turned, The men of a much stronger British East India Company followed the Dutch in 1777 and took over the reins from the Dutch, of their forts and of their business. They took over the Tea plantations established by the Dutch, as well. They also grew rubber, coconut and later coffee plantations. In 1815 the British also conquered the remaining Sinhalese kingdom at Kandy and brought the whole island under their control. By some clever ploy they also divested the numerous Sinhalese land owners of the plantations, of their rights and made them work in the plantations. The Sinhalese grew bitter and there were frequent revolts. The plantation managers realized that they cannot rely on Sinhalese workers.

In 1827, a pioneering planter George Bird requested the then Governor Sir Edward Barner to look for alternate workers. He even suggested to look in India, 2/3 of which was under British East India Company. In the year 1830, there was a famine in South India. According to Prof. Bertram Bastianpillai, the East India Company recruited workers from Tirunelveli, Madurai, Tiruchi and Thanjavur of the Tamil speaking South India. Those who were recruited were brought from various small harbours in Coramandel Coast to Mannar in Ceylon. From there they were taken to Matale through Kurunegala. There the recruits were quarantined for a week, or a little longer. Medical examination of the recruits was carried out by physicians, for diseases like Smallpox, Cholera and Typhoid and all were vaccinated. Then they were sent to the former capital town of Kandy. The leisure and bonhomie ended there. From Kandy the recruits were sent to various locations to work in the plantations, or to make newer plantations, in the central high lands. Many died within the first few months. Those who survived lived in the ‘workers lines’ in the estate, away from the Manager’s bungalow and estate offices. These Tamils were mostly Hindus and cherished their faith, castes and customs in the new world. They built their first temple in Ceylon in the year 1856, at Matale, where they first worshipped their popular deity ‘Mariamma’. Their living conditions were pathetic comparing to the rest of the Island. They were the ‘Plantation’ Tamils of Ceylon, who were also called as ‘hill country Tamils’ or ‘upcountry Tamils’ in contrast to ‘Eelam Tamils’. Although there were few inter marriages within Tamils, the Eelam Tamils maintained their distance and superiority, and held their noses up.

And again there were those who arrived to do business or to provide essential services at Ceylon even much later. They filled into the niches of a growing economy. For most, their families and hearts were in Indian main land, however.

Tamils are, by nature, a hardy and hard working people and succeeded to different degrees, in securing a living. The Eelam Tamils, and few descendants of plantation Tamils, having a bright head to match, had acquired wealth, accepted and mastered British imparted education and settled in respectable Government Offices. In administrative services and in Judiciary. More ambitious among them even spread to Singapore and Malaysia and secured a niche for themselves. (Even among Eelam Tamils there were differences between Jaffna Tamils and Trincomalee Tamils.) They looked down upon the Plantation Tamils who were slaving under plantation masters. They ignored the Indian Tamils, who were coming and going between Tamil Nadu and Ceylon, crisscrossing Gulf of Mannar in unauthorized boats, derisively called ‘Kalla Thoni’ or ‘stealth boats’. These Tamils had left their families and interests at the Tamil Nadu shores. They were an embarrassment to those uppish ‘ethnic’ Tamils. But for one thing, most of the Tamils were Hindus.

Whereas the Sinhalese population of Ceylon have their origin slightly farther at Orissa and Bengal (of the same Indian sub continent) who arrived at the Island during 500 BC with King Vijaya. They maintained link with their native land of Kalinga, and when Kalinga embraced Buddhism, Ceylon Sinhalese also embraced Buddhism The island provided enough for their needs. The life style and interests were different and both the communities coexisted peacefully, or at least without any trouble.

There were several varied cultures co existing in the island. The Eelam Tamils, mostly educated and occupying top administrative and police posts went to their ancient temples. They spoke a Tamil much different from Indian Tamil. Their staple food was red rice, the grains larger and sweeter than white rice. Their break fast would consist of Aappam or Puttu made of the red rice eaten with coconut milk, grated coconut and banana and a liberal share of tapioca. Milk and mutton were in short supply. Milkmaid tins were a common household item. Their meat would come from bulls, pigs or poultry. Plantation Tamils dressed poorly. They ate white rice as staple food. Iddaly, Dosai with chutney and sambhar were their popular breakfast. They had small temples dedicated to specialized deities of their locality in India. They cherished and relived lives of the places of their origin at India. The Indian Tamils who run shops and provided services identified themselves with plantation Tamils and were Hindus and Christians in equal numbers. Some were very rich. The Moslems, although mostly from Tamil regions of India maintained a separate identity. They spoke Tamil, Sinhalese and Urdhu. The Sinhalese looked not any different from Tamils. They ate like Eelam Tamils. But they dressed like the fishermen and women folks at Kerala in India. It is said that the Dutch, who had a strong presence in Cochin, had taught the Sinhalese to wear sarees or ‘mundu’. While the Jaffna region was rich with Palmyra palms, the broader south was dotted with Coconut palms. The Portugese in the short span of their influence in Ceylon had founded a Roman Catholic seminary in Kandy, had set up several churches and educational institutions and many Sinhalese in the cities had converted to Christianity. But Buddhism had retained their place of pride, with several monasteries and Vihars. Buddhism was brought to Ceylon by Sanghamitta, the daughter of Emperor Ashoka, she herself having become a ‘bhikkhuni’(Bhuddhist Nun). She was followed by her brother, Mahinda Bhikku. One of the teeth of Lord Gautam Buddha is preserved in the Famous Vihara of Kandy. A Beebpul tree in the Vihara of Anuradhapura is said to have been grafted by a little branch of the Beepul tree of Saranath (India) under which Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment or ‘nirvana’. Buddhism survived the onslaughts of Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. American soldier & lawyer Colonel Henry Steel Olcott, who had established Theosophical Society in Adayar, Madras, arrived at Ceylon in 1880 and revived Buddhism 70 % of Srilankans now are Buddhists, their faith sustained by 15,000 monks (Bhikkhus) in 6000 monasteries (Sanghas). Boys are to enter the monastery by the age of six to become a Bhikku

The British established a Legislative Council of Ceylon as early as on 13-03-1833 and an Executive Council on 19-03-1833, all members being appointed by the Governor. It was actually a rule by the elite. The era of Knights and ‘Sir’s. There was no question of ‘majority’ then and Tamils got appointed in equal numbers as Sinhalese, if not more. Then in order to give representation to the common public, as recommended by Donoughmore Commission, the Legislative Council and Executive Council were abolished on 17-04-1931. A new State Council of Ceylon was established in their place, to advise the Governor, Sir Edward Barnes. The Council had 8 members appointed by Governor and 50 members elected by Universal Adult Suffrage. In the elections held in 1931 and in 1936, there were no polarization of voters on race basis. Many Tamil leaders entered the Council, disproportionate to the strength of Tamil voters. Some notable winners in the 1936 election were:-

K. Natesa Iyer (Hatton, Central Province),

Arunachalam Mahadeva (Jaffna, Northern Province),

S. Natesan (Kankesanthurai (Northern Province),

Sinnakutty Udayar Canagarathnam (Batticoloa, South Eastern Province),

N. Savarimuthu (Colombo North, Western Province),

Waithilingam Duraisamy (Kayts, Northern Province),

G.G.Ponnambalam (Point Pedro (Northern Province)

Sidamparapillai (Talawakele, Central province)

Thambimuthu (Trincomalee, Eastern Province)

SWRD Bandaranaik (Veyangoda, Western Province), who became Prime Minister, later.

Many of the winners won unopposed. The election was fought on their personal charisma.

The Tamils should have realized the importance of numbers, at least when the universal suffrage was granted. Apparently, they did not. They did not foresee the inevitable emergence of Sinhalese as a majority and Tamils becoming a minority. The common public had left the politics with the elite and the leaders. Most of the elitists in power disfavored this ‘power to the classless mass in the street’. They feared that they may create a ‘mob rule’. Unfortunately for the Tamils in Ceylon, the Eelam Tamils, so sure of themselves, opposed franchise to Upland Tamils. Then, there was this element of Communists, although minuscule in number, were becoming increasingly louder and stronger. The ruling elite were afraid of their becoming powerful in the government. They abhorred sharing power with working class communists. And most of the communist base was among Plantation Tamils. The Sinhalese majority regaled at this opportunity to over power the minority Tamils, who were strong otherwise. According to 1931 census, the Upcountry Tamils or, the Indian Tamils constituted 15.2 % of the Ceylon population and the Ceylon Tamils or, the Eelam Tamils 11.3 %. Together, the Tamils comprised 26.5% of Ceylon population. May be due to the conditions of the war, many Upland Tamils and businessmen and workers left for India (and did not return!) and by 1946, the percentage of Indian Tamils considerably fell to 11.7 % and they approximately numbered 7,80,000. The percentage of Eelam Tamils remained almost the same at 11%.

When the time came to fight for freedom from British Raj, it was mostly the Tamil elite who had borrowed the spirit from India, who led the freedom struggle. They were supported by educated and elite Colombo Sinhalese leaders. While the Ceylon National Congress formed by the Sinhalese elite in 1919 was demanding more representation, the call for ‘total independence’ or ‘poorna swaraj’ came from Students Youth Congress of Jaffna, formed in 1924. In one of the strikes by the workers, V. Kandasamy of Govt Clerical Service Union was shot dead by a British policeman in June 1947. During the World War II, Japan had occupied Singapore, had overran Burma and Japanese warships were freely moving in Ceylon waters, that made the British rulers to lose face among Ceylonese subjects. A Japanese destroyer even bombarded Colombo on 5th April 1942.

As the War has ended in victory for the Allied and the Independence of Ceylon was around the corner, the parliament of Ceylon underwent another change in 1947, before the election in August. Based on the recommendation of Soulbury Constitution, a bicameral, West Minister model parliament was set up, consisting a House of Representatives and a Senate. The House of Representatives will have 95 elected members and 6 appointed members. The Senate will have 15 elected members and 15 appointed members. The British wanted to conduct the elections, establish a local government, so that the change over will be smooth.

Election for the House of Representatives was conducted between 23rd August and 20th September 1947. The rightist United Nationalist Party founded and headed by Don Stephen Senanayake(Picture 2), a devout Buddhist was the chief contender. However, the popularity of DS Senanayake, who was called ‘the father of the nation’ notwithstanding, UNP could get only 42 seats out of 95 seats and fell short of majority. The Tamils champion G.G.Ponnambalam offered the support of his All Ceylon Tamil Congress who had won 7 seats. That was a monumental mistake as the history proved later. A Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister D.S.Senanayake came to power. For the services rendered, G.G.Ponnambalam was given a berth in the cabinet as Minister for Industries, Industrial Research and Fisheries. Even the lone winner from Ceylon Labour Party A.E.Goonesinha was also given a minister ship without portfolio. The notable ministers in the cabinet were, Dudley Senanayke (son of D.S.Senanayke), SWRD Bandaranaike (Picture 5) and JR Jayawardene, who all became Prime Ministers later.

Then Ceylon was granted freedom on 4th February, 1948, and, that was the beginning of the end of Tamil’s comforts.

At the time of Independence, Sinhalese formed 66% of the population of Ceylon, where, Tamils, all counted together, constituted 24 %, Muslims constituted 7 % and the remaining were Burghers (Dutch Ceylonese). Now that the British overlordship has gone, the Sinhalese leaders began to reveal their perfidy and gnarled their teeth.

Shortly after the independence on 4 February 1948, the new Sinhalese dominated government of Ceylon introduced the ‘Ceylon Citizenship Bill’ before Parliament. The Bill stipulated that anyone wishing to obtain citizenship had to prove that their father was born in Ceylon i.e. that they were at least third generation immigrants.

This was an impossible task for many Indian Tamils. Although most were third generation immigrants, because they tended to return to India to bear the children and many were born in India. Those who were born in Ceylon rarely had the necessary documents, because they rarely registered births. Therefore, they could not prove the requirements for citizenship. And, the law makers knew that.

The Bill was opposed fiercely in Parliament by the Ceylon Indian Congress led by Peri Sundaram which represented the Upland and Plantation Tamils, and the Sinhalese Leftist parties Lanka Sama Samaja Party and Bolshevik Leninist Party. The bill was also opposed by the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, which represented the Eelam Tamils, including its leader G.G.Ponnambalam, a Cabinet Minister.

Nonetheless, the Bill was passed by Parliament on 20 August 1948 and became law on 15th November 1948. Fewer than 5,000 of the Upland and Plantation Tamils qualified for citizenship. More than 7,00,000 people, about 11% of the Ceylon population, were denied citizenship and made ‘stateless’ at one stroke.

In order to appear caring and reasonable, in 1949 the Ceylon Parliament passed another act called ‘Indian and Pakistani Residents (Citizenship) Act No.3 of 1949. The Act granted citizenship to anyone who had 10 years of uninterrupted residence in Ceylon (7 years for married persons) and whose income was above the stipulated level. Again, this was an impossible task for most Indian Tamils. Although they had been living in the Island for more than the stipulated period, they had the habit of returning to India for brief periods, for festivals and family occasions, and most could not meet or prove the income criteria. Nonetheless, about 1,00,000 Indian Tamils qualified for citizenship under this Act.

The Ceylon Parliament went further ahead and in 1949 passed the ‘Ceylon (Parliamentary Elections) Amendment Act which stripped the Upland and Plantation Tamils of their franchise, or voting rights. In the present government, there were seven MsP who were Indian Tamils. Tamils votes had determined the out come of election in another 20 constituencies. But all were lost in the next 1952 general elections brought about by the sudden death of DS Senanayake. He was a national hero. He had introduced ‘midday meals’ for the poor students in Ceylon schools, whereby all poor students were given a bun, 2 bananas and a glass of milk. He was fondly called by the children as ‘the Bun Uncle’. He died a hero’s death. He fell down from his horse and died on 22nd March 1952, having broken his neck. In the election that followed, riding the sympathy wave, the UNP led by Dudley Senanayake, son of DS Senanayake swept the polls. (The effect of the two legislation can be seen by the fact that in the next 1952 election, there was no single Plantation Tamil among the all 95 MsP).

The indifference of Eelam Tamils to the plight of Plantation Tamils can be seen from the fact, the All Ceylon Tamil Congress continued to support UNP. ACTC leader G.G.Ponnambalam continued in the cabinet, in the same Industries and Fisheries portfolio. However, many Tamils resented his betrayal of Tamil cause. It will be amusing to see A.E.Goonesinha from Ceylon Labour Party also continued as a ministership without portfolio. The days of coalition without principles had already started. However, there was one silver lining that could be seen over the dark clouds of betrayal was that,