Thileepan
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Thileepan also known as Lt. Col. Thileepan(1962 – 7 Sep 1987), was a LTTE political wing member who died during a hunger strike during the IPKF operation of Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
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[edit] Early life
His real name was Rasaiah Parthipan and was born into a middle class minority Tamil family in Jaffna, Sri Lanka. His father Rasaiah was a school teacher. His mother passed away during his childhood and he was brought up by his single father. He was a popular student in Jaffna Hindu College, a prominent high school in Jaffna, before joining the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam prior to the 1983 Black July pogrom. He received injuries in a military operations with the Tigers and was the Tigers political wing's leader in the Jaffna peninsula.
[edit] Reasons for fast
On the 15th of August 1987 at 9.30 a.m at the Nallur Murugan Temple, Thileepan began his fast. His main objective was to bring awareness and action to a list of of public demands made by himself and the Tamil Tigers. .
The publicly stated goals of his fast were
- All Tamils detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act should be released.
- The colonisation of Sinhalese in Tamil areas under the guise of rehabilitation should be stopped.
- All such rehabilitation should be stopped until an interim government is formed.
- The Sri Lankan government should stop opening new Police stations and camps in the Northeastern province.
- The Sri Lankan Army and Police should withdraw from schools in Tamil villages and the weapons given by the Sri Lankan government to 'homeguards' should be withdrawn under the supervision of the Indian army.
Just prior to his fast the relationship between the LTTE and the IPKF administration was its lowest point
[edit] Death
Although several groups requested Thileepan as well as the local IPKF administration to intervene and stop the fast, Thileepan died on the 26th of September 1987.
There was widespread grief in Tamil areas. Thousands of people from the North and East flooded Jaffna as news of his death spread[citation needed].
His death created an anti-Indian mood in Jaffna that was pro-India till then.
[edit] Resumption of hostilities
Several days later the LTTE began hostilities against the Indian Peace Keeping Force. The death of Thileepan was hence seen as a pivotal moment in Sri Lankan History and Sri Lankan - Indian relations for years to come[citation needed].
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ SRI LANKA: THE UNTOLD STORY Chapter 35: Accord turns to discord By K.T.Rajasingham
