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Sri Lankan rebel (1960–1987) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
Thiyaka Theepam [1] Lt. Colonel Thileepan | |
|---|---|
திலீபன் | |
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| Born | R. Parthipan 27 November 1963 |
| Died | 26 September 1987 (aged 23) Nallur, Sri Lanka |
| Other names | Amirthalingam Thileepan |
| Years active | 1983 –1987 |
| Organization | Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam |
Parthipan was born on 27 November 1963.[7][lower-alpha 1] 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][lower-alpha 2] 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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