Viraj Mendis
Encyclopedia
Viraj Mendis is a Sri Lanka
n national who claimed the right of sanctuary at the Church of the Ascension in Hulme
, Manchester
, England
during the 1980s. He was an active supporter of the Tamil
s and the UK Revolutionary Communist Group and claimed danger of death if he was sent back to Sri Lanka. He arrived in the UK in October 1973 on a twelve month student visa but overstayed his visa. Following a march to protest against his deportation on December 20, 1986 he ran into the church and claimed the right of sanctuary. He stayed in the church for the next two years with the help of the rector John Methuen
. The church became the focus of the "Viraj Mendis Defence Campaign" against his deportation. On 18 January 1989 police raided the church and arrested Mr Mendis, which led to a large demonstration and questions in the House of Commons. He was later deported back to Sri Lanka and his fears did not materialize. Viraj claimed his case received so much publicity that the Sri Lankan government did not dare to harm him . He later moved to Germany and became chair-person of the International Human Rights Association in Bremen
, Germany
and worked defending refugees facing deportation, and on Tamil liberation.
In 2010 he was still refused permission to return to Britain for the funeral service of John Methuen
.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n national who claimed the right of sanctuary at the Church of the Ascension in Hulme
Hulme
Hulme is an inner city area and electoral ward of Manchester, England. Located immediately south of Manchester city centre, it is an area with significant industrial heritage....
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
during the 1980s. He was an active supporter of the Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
s and the UK Revolutionary Communist Group and claimed danger of death if he was sent back to Sri Lanka. He arrived in the UK in October 1973 on a twelve month student visa but overstayed his visa. Following a march to protest against his deportation on December 20, 1986 he ran into the church and claimed the right of sanctuary. He stayed in the church for the next two years with the help of the rector John Methuen
John Methuen
The Very Reverend John Alan Robert Methuen was an Anglican priest who was eminent in the latter part of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st. He was born on 14 August 1947 and educated at Eton and Brasenose College, Oxford...
. The church became the focus of the "Viraj Mendis Defence Campaign" against his deportation. On 18 January 1989 police raided the church and arrested Mr Mendis, which led to a large demonstration and questions in the House of Commons. He was later deported back to Sri Lanka and his fears did not materialize. Viraj claimed his case received so much publicity that the Sri Lankan government did not dare to harm him . He later moved to Germany and became chair-person of the International Human Rights Association in Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and worked defending refugees facing deportation, and on Tamil liberation.
In 2010 he was still refused permission to return to Britain for the funeral service of John Methuen
John Methuen
The Very Reverend John Alan Robert Methuen was an Anglican priest who was eminent in the latter part of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st. He was born on 14 August 1947 and educated at Eton and Brasenose College, Oxford...
.