Rajavarothiam Sampanthan
Encyclopedia
Rajavarothiam Sampanthan is a leading Sri Lankan Tamil politician, Member of Parliament
and leader of the Tamil National Alliance
and Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
.
. He later studied at Ceylon Law College. After graduation he joined the legal profession, becoming an attorney at law
.
Sampanthan married Leeladevi, daughter of P. K. Rudra. They have two sons (Sanjeevan and Senthuran) and one daughter (Krishanthini).
's candidate for Trincomalee at the 1977 parliamentary election
. He won the election and entered Parliament
. Sampanthan and all other TULF MPs boycotted Parliament from the middle of 1983 for a number of reasons: they were under pressure from Sri Lankan Tamil militants
not to stay in Parliament beyond their normal six-year term; the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka
required them to swear an oath unconditionally renouncing support for a separate state
; and the Black July riots in which up to 3,000 Tamils were murdered by Sinhalese
mobs. After three months of absence, Sampanthan forfeited his seat in Parliament on 7 September 1983.
In 2001 the TULF, All Ceylon Tamil Congress
, Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
and Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization
formed the Tamil National Alliance
(TNA). Sampanthan became the leader of the TNA. Sampanthan was one of the TNA's candidates in Trincomalee
at the 2001 parliamentary election
. He was elected and re-entered Parliament after an absence of 18 years.
Soon after its formation the TNA began to make a more pro-Tamil Tiger stance, recognising the Tigers as the sole representative of the Sri Lankan Tamils. This caused a split within the TULF. Some members of the TULF, led by its president V. Anandasangaree
, were opposed to the Tigers. Anandasangaree refused to allow the TNA to use the TULF name during the 2004 parliamentary election. This caused the members of TULF who wished to remain with the TNA, led by Sampanthan, to resurrect the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
political party. Sampanthan became the leader of ITAK.
Sampanthan was re-elected at the 2004
and 2010
parliamentary elections.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and leader of the Tamil National Alliance
Tamil National Alliance
The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
and Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi is a Sri Lankan political party which represents the Sri Lankan Tamil ethnic minority in the country. It was originally formed in 1949 as breakaway faction of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress...
.
Early life
Sampanthan was born 5 February 1933. He was the son of A. Rajavarothiam, Superintendent of Stores at the Gal Oya Project. He was educated at St. Patrick's College, Jaffna and St. Sebastian's College, MoratuwaMoratuwa
Moratuwa is a city on the southwestern coast of Sri Lanka, near Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia. It is situated on the Galle–Colombo main highway, 18 km south of the capital, Colombo. Moratuwa is surrounded on three sides by water, except in the north of the city, by the Indian Ocean on the west...
. He later studied at Ceylon Law College. After graduation he joined the legal profession, becoming an attorney at law
Attorney at law
An attorney at law in the United States is a practitioner in a court of law who is legally qualified to prosecute and defend actions in such court on the retainer of clients. Alternative terms include counselor and lawyer...
.
Sampanthan married Leeladevi, daughter of P. K. Rudra. They have two sons (Sanjeevan and Senthuran) and one daughter (Krishanthini).
Political career
Sampanthan was the Tamil United Liberation FrontTamil United Liberation Front
The Tamil United Liberation Front is a political party in Sri Lanka which seeks independence for the Tamil-populated areas of Sri Lanka.-Formation:...
's candidate for Trincomalee at the 1977 parliamentary election
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 1977
The 1977 Sri Lankan election heralded the beginning of a new period of Sri Lanka's history - a period of unprecedented violence.-Background:Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike had become extraordinarily unpopular. Her economic policies had led to industrial growth and self-reliance, but was...
. He won the election and entered Parliament
Parliament of Sri Lanka
The Parliament of Sri Lanka is the 225-member unicameral legislature of Sri Lanka. The members of Parliament are elected by proportional representation for six-year terms, with universal suffrage. Parliament reserves the power to make all laws...
. Sampanthan and all other TULF MPs boycotted Parliament from the middle of 1983 for a number of reasons: they were under pressure from Sri Lankan Tamil militants
Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups
Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups rose to prominence in the 1970s to fight the state of Sri Lanka in order to create an independent Tamil Eelam in the north of Sri Lanka. They rose in response to the perception amongst minority Sri Lankan Tamils that the state was preferring the majority Sinhalese...
not to stay in Parliament beyond their normal six-year term; the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka
Constitution of Sri Lanka
The Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka has been the constitution of the island nation of Sri Lanka since its original promulgation by the National State Assembly on 7 September 1978. It is Sri Lanka's second republican constitution, and its third constitution since the...
required them to swear an oath unconditionally renouncing support for a separate state
Tamil Eelam
Tamil Eelam , is the name given by certain Tamils in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora to the independent state which they aspire to create in the north and east of Sri Lanka. Tamil Eelam has no official status or recognition by any other state or authority...
; and the Black July riots in which up to 3,000 Tamils were murdered by Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
mobs. After three months of absence, Sampanthan forfeited his seat in Parliament on 7 September 1983.
In 2001 the TULF, All Ceylon Tamil Congress
All Ceylon Tamil Congress
All Ceylon Tamil Congress , is the oldest Tamil political party in Sri Lanka.-History:The ACTC was founded in 1944 by G.G. Ponnambalam. Ponnambalam asked for a 50-50 representation in parliament...
, Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front is a Sri Lankan political party and a former militant separatist group.-Militant separatists:The EPRLF was formed in 1980 by K...
and Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization
Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization
The Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization is an Eelam Tamil organisation campaigning for the establishment of an independent Tamil Eelam in the northeast of Sri Lanka. The TELO was originally created as a militant group, and functioned as such until 1986, when most of its membership was killed in a...
formed the Tamil National Alliance
Tamil National Alliance
The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
(TNA). Sampanthan became the leader of the TNA. Sampanthan was one of the TNA's candidates in Trincomalee
Trincomalee Electoral District
Trincomalee Electoral District is one of the 22 multi-member electoral districts of Sri Lanka created by the 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka. The district is conterminous with the administrative district of Trincomalee in the Eastern province...
at the 2001 parliamentary election
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2001
Parliamentary elections were held in Sri Lanka on December 6, 2001, just a little over a year after the last elections in October 2000.-Background:The People's Alliance government faced a blow when most of the SLMC MPs left the coalition...
. He was elected and re-entered Parliament after an absence of 18 years.
Soon after its formation the TNA began to make a more pro-Tamil Tiger stance, recognising the Tigers as the sole representative of the Sri Lankan Tamils. This caused a split within the TULF. Some members of the TULF, led by its president V. Anandasangaree
V. Anandasangaree
Veerasingham Anandasangaree is a leading Sri Lankan Tamil politician, former Member of Parliament and leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front. He is commonly known as Sangaree...
, were opposed to the Tigers. Anandasangaree refused to allow the TNA to use the TULF name during the 2004 parliamentary election. This caused the members of TULF who wished to remain with the TNA, led by Sampanthan, to resurrect the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi is a Sri Lankan political party which represents the Sri Lankan Tamil ethnic minority in the country. It was originally formed in 1949 as breakaway faction of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress...
political party. Sampanthan became the leader of ITAK.
Sampanthan was re-elected at the 2004
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2004
Parliamentary elections were held in Sri Lanka on 2 April 2004. The ruling United National Party of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was defeated, winning only eighty two seats in the 225-member Sri Lankan parliament. The opposition United People's Freedom Alliance won 105 seats...
and 2010
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 2010
The 2010 Sri Lankan parliamentary election was held on April 8 and April 20, 2010, to elect 225 members to Sri Lanka's 14th Parliament. 14,088,500 Sri Lankans were eligible to vote in the election at 11,102 polling stations...
parliamentary elections.