Rajavarothayam Sampanthan: Leader of Sri Lankan Tamils from 2010 to 2024

Sri Lanka’s premier political party representing the Tamils of the Northern and Eastern Provinces is the Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi (ITAK) known in English as the Federal Party (FP). The ITAK is currently the third largest party in Parliament with eight seats. The 75-year-old party lost two of its senior most leaders within a span of eight months.

Former Trincomalee district MP Rajavarothayam Sampanthan passed away on 30 June 2024 at the age of 91. Former Jaffna district MP Somasundaram “Maavai” Senathirajah died on 29 January 2025 at the age of 82. The loss of these two veterans with over six decades of political experience has created a vacuum that would be hard to fill.

Senathirajah was not an MP at the time of his death. Sampanthan however was serving as an MP when he breathed his last. The nonagenarian Rajavarothayam Sampanthan was the oldest MP in the previous Parliament. Furthermore Sampanthan who entered Parliament first in 1977 had been for long regarded as the doyen of Sri Lankan Tamil politicians. Sampanthan’s 92nd birth anniversary was commemorated on 5 February by his family, followers and friends. It is against this backdrop therefore that this column focuses on Sampanthan with the aid of earlier writings. 

An illustrative aspect of Sri Lankan Tamil political history is the phenomena of influential leaders emerging and dominating at different times. The Ponnambalam brothers Ramanathan and Arunachalam, A. Mahadeva, G.G. Ponnambalam, S.J.V. Chelvanayagam and Appaipillai Amirthalingam are democratic leaders who held sway at different periods of time. The rise of armed Tamil militancy along with Veluppillai Prabhakaran’s enforced leadership is a different kettle of fish altogether.

By the yardstick mentioned above, the post-war years from 2010 to 2024 could be regarded as the period of Rajavarothayam Sampanthan’s leadership. Even though his grip had slackened in the last few years, Sampanthan remained the undisputed Sri Lankan Tamil leader in stature as well as in symbolic terms. He was the ITAK leader until 2014 and the leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentary group for many years until his demise. 

Even though Sampanthan held no official party position during his last days and was greatly dysfunctional due to ill-health, his leadership status was always acknowledged and recognised. Diplomats representing powerful countries as well as Sinhala political leaders would visit him at home. Moreover Tamil media and politicians would refer to him as “Perunthalaiver” or great leader. 

Born in Trincomalee

Rajavarothayam Sampanthan was born in Trincomalee as the eldest of seven children on 5 February 1933. His father A. Rajavarothayam was in Government service during British colonial rule. He retired after independence as Superintendent of stores at the Gal Oya Dam and Reservoir Construction scheme. 

Sampanthan was educated at four Christian institutions. They were St. Joseph’s College Trincomalee, St. Patrick’s College, Jaffna, St. Anne’s College, Kurunegala and St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa. Sampanthan was to say in a media interview later that he had to study in several schools because of his father being transferred from place to place. 

After completing his secondary education at St. Sebastians, Moratuwa Sampanthan known as “Sam” to his friends entered the then Ceylon Law College. In those pre-Attorney-at-law days, Sampanthan passed out as a proctor in 1958. After a period of apprenticeship at the reputed FJ and G de Saram law firm in Colombo, Sampanthan returned to his hometown Trincomalee to practise law. 

The young lawyer devoted his time and energy to build up a solid legal practice. He resisted the lure of politics to a great extent though two of his close relatives were politicians. S. Sivapalan elected from the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) as Trincomalee MP in 1947 was an uncle. The then sitting MP for Trincomalee N.R. Rajavarothayam was a cousin. NRR as he was generally known served as the ITAK/FP Trincomalee MP from 1952 to 1963.

Though Sampanthan was somewhat lukewarm about politics, he was compelled to engage in political propaganda for his cousin the ITAK candidate Rajavarothayam at the March and July 1960 elections. He also became an ITAK party member and was active in the youth front. 

Satyagraha

In 1961 February, the ITAK/FP launched a massive civil disobedience campaign to protest the imposition of Sinhala as the sole official language in administration. Thousands of volunteers observed “Satysgraha” in front of all the Kachcheris in the Northern and Eastern Provinces thereby paralysing day to day administration. 

Sampanthan too participated in the Trinco Satyagraha campaign led by N.R. Rajavarothayam. The Government led by Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike cracked down hard after the April new year. The Police and Armed Forces used brute force to disperse the unarmed peaceful Satyagrahis. People suspected of giving leadership to the Satyagraha movement were arrested under emergency regulations and detained without trial at the Panagoda Army cantonment. 

Among those placed under house arrest from Trincomalee was Sampanthan. The young lawyer had a problem. He was due to sit for the UK solicitors exam. Sampanthan sought the advice of ITAK Leader Chelvanayagam who was a leading lawyer and eminent Queen’s Counsel (QC). Chelvanayakam gave Sampanthan the green light to sit for the exam. So Sampanthan submitted an apology of sorts and exited the Panagoda cantonment. 

N.R. Rajavarothayam died at the age of 55 in 1963. There was a by-election. Chelvanayagam who encouraged young persons to come forward in politics asked Sampanthan to be the ITAK candidate at the by election. Sampanthan declined the offer. S.M. Manickarajah contested as ITAK candidate and won. 

In 1970 Manickrajah retired from politics. Chelvanayagam again invited Sampanthan to be the ITAK Trinco candidate at the 1970 elections. Again Sampanthan respectfully turned down the offer. B. Neminathan contested polls as the Trincomalee ITAK candidate and won in 1970. Neminathan’s lacklustre performance as MP disappointed Trincomalee residents. As a result there was much pressure on the ITAK leadership to replace Neminathan.

The seventies of the 20th century was a period of crucial importance in the history of Sri Lankan Tamil politics. In a significant turn of events, the chief Tamil political parties closed ranks and formed the Tamil United Front (TUF) in 1972. It was re-structured in 1976 as the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF). Elections were scheduled for 1977. 

TULF candidate

Chelvanayagam resolved that Sampanthan should be the TULF candidate to contest Trincomalee. Meanwhile Sampanthan had diligently built up a lucrative legal practice in Trincomalee. His clients ranged from the high and mighty to the poor and low. 

Sampanthan was to admit candidly to me in a conversation many years ago at his apartment in Manthaively, Chennai that he tried to evade “Periyavar” (Chelvanayakam) as much as possible. “The situation facing Tamils in Trinco was dire and I could not say no to him” he said (I write from memory). 

Chelvanayagam who was to die in April 1977 due to a fall in the bathroom may have had a premonition of his death. Some months before his demise, Chelvanayagam had a meeting with his political heir apparent Appapillai Amirthalingam and his nominee for Trincomalee candidacy Rajavarothayam Sampanthan. 

On the one hand Chelva got Sampanthan to re-affirm his commitment to contest in Trincomalee. On the other hand Chelvanayagam wanted Amirthalingam’s commitment to field Sampanthan as the TULF Trincomalee candidate. After Amirthalingam agreed, Chelva told Amir, whatever happens and whatever the problems you must ensure that Sampanthan contests as the TULF Trinco candidate. 

Chelvanayakam passed away in April 1977. Amirthalingam held the reins when elections were announced for July 1977.

Electorates

As nomination day drew near there arose two problems for Sampanthan’s candidacy. Previously, Trincomalee district had two electorates namely Trincomalee and Mutur. While Trincomalee was a single member Tamil majority seat, the Muslim majority Mutur was a double member constituency electing a Muslim and Tamil MP. 

In May 1970, B. Neminathan from the Ilankai Thamil Arasukatchi (ITAK) known as the Federal Party in English was elected Trincomalee MP. Mutur elected A.L. Abdul Majeed from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) as first MP and A. Thangathurai of the ITAK/FP as second MP.

In 1976, the ITAK had become the chief constituent of the new configuration called TULF. Trincomalee district as re-demarcated into electorates of Trincomalee, Mutur and Seruwila for the July 1977 elections. The new Seruwila electorate had been carved out to elect a Sinhala MP. Trincomalee and Mutur were Tamil and Muslim majority electorates.

Mutur was no longer a double member seat. Thus the number of Tamil MPs in Trinco district had been halved from two to one. The incumbent Mutur 2nd MP Thangathurai had no electorate to contest.

In such a situation the supporters of Thangathurai wanted the Mutur MP to be nominated as the TULF candidate for Trincomalee. Some TULF supporters in Trinco also wanted Thangathurai. This resulted in some sections of the TULF objecting to Sampanthan being nominated as the party candidate. Many pro-Thangathurai demonstrations were held. But Amirthalingam remained firm. Though criticised strongly by Thangathurai’s supporters, Amirthalingam stood by the assurance he had given to late leader Chelvanayakam. 

V.R. Navaratnarajah

Sampanthan was nominated as the Trinco candidate. The internal problem was over for Sampanthan but there was another external problem facing him. Trincomalee electorate in 1977 had roughly 56% Tamils, 23% Sinhalese and 18 % Muslims. The UNP was fielding well known lawyer V.R. Navaratnarajah as the Trincomalee candidate. Navaratnarajah had considerable support among the Tamils and Sinhalese of Trinco.

Nevertheless the Tamil nationalist vote bank in Trincomalee would have ensured the TULF candidate Sampanthan’s victory over Navaratnarajah but for the potential entry of a strong third Tamil candidate. Chelliah Kodeeswaran was a legendary figure in Tamil politics. It was Kodeeswaran as a member of the clerical service who challenged the legality of the ‘Sinhala Only Act’ in a landmark case. He went all the way up to the Privy Council and obtained a favourable verdict.

Kodeeswaran had become a lawyer after early retirement and was practising in Trinco. He was also an activist of the Tamil self-rule party founded by former Kayts MP V. Navaratnam. The popular Kodeeswaran also planned to contest in Trinco as an independent candidate in 1977. Had there been a triangular contest among Sampanthan, Kodeeswaran and Navaratnarajah, the Tamil Nationalist vote would have got fragmented between Sampanthan and Kodeeswaran. This could have resulted in the UNP’s Navaratnarajah winning.

Sampanthan however enlisted a number of notables from the Tamil community in Trinco including members of the Koneshwaram temple management committee to persuade Kodeeswaran to refrain from contesting. The pro-Sampanthan lobby was successful and Kodeeswaran did not throw his hat into the ring in the interests of Tamil unity. When elections were held Sampanthan beat his close rival Navaratnarajah with a small majority of 3,321. Sampanthan polled 15,144 to Navaratnarajah’s 11,823. If Kodeeswaran had contested, Sampanthan would have lost.

Ended legal career

As stated earlier Sampanthan was a successful lawyer with a lucrative practice in Trincomalee when he contested parliamentary elections. Sampanthan himself said in an interview that he was handling close upon 700 briefs at the time of his election. Once he was elected as MP, Sampanthan ended his legal career. He transferred his cases and clients to his brother and other lawyers; thereafter, lawyer Sampanthan became a full-time politician.

The TULF won 18 seats in 1977 and Amirthalingam became leader of the Opposition. Apart from the senior stalwart MPs, three “freshers” captured the attention of their peers, public and press through their parliamentary performances. They were Mannar MP Soosaithasan, Jaffna MP Yogeswaran and Trincomalee MP Sampanthan.

In 1982, President J.R. Jayewardene contested Presidential elections again. The SLFP candidate was Hector Kobbekaduwe. The other candidates were Dr. Colvin R. de Silva (LSSP), Rohana Wijeweera (JVP) Kumar Ponnambalam (ACTC) and Vasudeva Nanayakkara (NLSSP). The TULF officially declared itself to be neutral in the elections. However Soosaithasan and Sampanthan backed Jayewardene quietly while Dharmalingam, Yogeswaran and Aalaalasuntharam covertly supported Kobbekaduwe. As is well known, JR Jayewardene won.

Within months of that victory erupted “Black July”. An anti-Tamil pogrom was launched with the support of prominent UNP ministers. Tamils were killed and injured in large numbers. Their properties were looted or destroyed. Hundreds of thousands were displaced. Many Tamils began leaving the country.

Sixth Amendment

After unleashing violence, the UNP Government passed the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution. This amendment disavowed separatism and decreed that all MPs had to take an oath to be eligible to attend Parliament. The TULF took up a principled stand and refused to take the oath as stipulated by the 6th Amendment. The TULF parliamentarians forfeited their seats by not attending Parliament for more than three months without leave. The first TULF MP to lose his seat was Sampanthan in September 1983.

Tamil “Trinity”

Many of the TULF ex-parliamentarians relocated to Tamil Nadu in India. Among these were A. Amirthalingam, M. Sivasithamparam and R. Sampanthan. This self-exiled TULF trio played a valuable and constructive role by participating in political negotiations using the good offices of India. There were various discussions including the famous Thimphu talks. Amir, Siva and Sam were regarded as the Trinity of democratic Tamil leaders then.

The 13th Amendment to the Constitution was enacted as a result of the Indo-Lanka accord. The Provincial Councils were set up. The TULF did not contest the merged North-Eastern provincial council elections in 1988. The TULF contested the Parliamentary poll of 1989. This election was not held under the earlier first past the post winner system. Elections were held under the proportional representation voting system on a district basis. Sampanthan contested on the TULF ticket in the Trincomalee electoral district and polled only 6,048 votes. He was not elected.

Sampanthan contested again in 1994. The TULF won a seat in Trincomalee this time but Sampanthan was not elected MP. It was former Mutur MP and ex-Trinco DDC Chairman Arunasalam Thangathurai who became MP. Thangathurai got 22,409 preference votes, while Sampanthan garnered 19,525 preferences. Sadly, Thangathurai was assassinated by the LTTE in Trincomalee on 5 July 1997. Sampanthan succeeded Thangathurai as MP.

In the 2000 elections, Sampanthan did not contest in Trincomalee. Instead he was placed on the TULF’s national MP list. The TULF won a few seats in the North and East but was not entitled to a national list MP. Furthermore no Tamil MP was elected from the Trincomalee district. The 2000 election was a serious setback for the Tamil Nationalist parties. The splitting of votes among Tamil Nationalist parties enabled candidates from the UNP, SLFP and pro-Government parties to gain more seats.

Tamil National Alliance

The 2000 poll debacle led to the formation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in 2001. The TNA was set up with the tacit consent and backing of the LTTE. Four parties namely the TULF, ACTC, TELO and EPRLF were the four pioneering constituents of the TNA. Sampanthan in his capacity as TULF General Secretary signed the TNA agreement in 2001. The TNA contested the 2001 elections. Sampanthan contested in Trincomalee and was elected with 40,110 preference votes.

In an election that was condemned as not being “free or fair” in the North and East by the EU, the TNA won 22 seats. Sampanthan himself won in Trincomalee again with 47,735 preferences. Sampanthan with the blessings of the LTTE became the leader of the TNA Parliamentary group.

In 2005, the LTTE declared a boycott of the Presidential elections. This was announced to the world by Sampanthan himself as a “joint decision” of the LTTE and TNA. The Tigers enforced the boycott in the North and East through direct violence and indirect intimidation. At the same time the Tigers entered into a deal with Mahinda Rajapaksa. Deprived of potential Tamil votes, Ranil Wickremesinghe lost and Mahinda Rajapaksa won. The war escalated and ultimately the LTTE was militarily defeated in May 2009.

The post-war situation provided a fresh lease of political life to the TNA. Free of the LTTE, Sampanthan continued to be the undisputed leader of the TNA. The TNA contested the 2010, 2015 and 2020 elections and won 14, 16 and 10 seats respectively. Sampanthan won in Trincomalee in all three elections. His preference votes were 24,488 in 2010, 33,834 in 2015 and 21,422 in 2020.

The TNA also supported Sarath Fonseka, Maithripala Sirisena and Sajith Premadasa in the Presidential elections of 2010, 2015 and 2019 respectively. The TNA succeeded in mobilising the bulk of Tamil votes in the North and East for these candidates but only Sirisena was elected president in 2015. Sampanthan was also appointed leader of the opposition in 2015 and served in that position till the end of 2018.

“Perunthalaiver” (Great Leader)

Sampanthan’s physical condition began deteriorating due to age and illness. His mobility had become restricted due to being confined to a wheelchair. His parliamentary attendance was strikingly low. He was unable to visit his constituency Trincomalee for many years. Sampanthan, however was in full control of his mental faculties until the end. Sampanthan in the twilight years of his life was hailed as “Perunthalaiver” – (Great Leader). Rajavarothayam Sampanthan breathed his last at the Lanka Hospital in Colombo on 30 June 2024. 

The veteran leader’s mortal remains were kept at the AF Raymonds Funeral Parlour at Borella for viewing on 2 and 3 July and 2024. Thereafter the senior MP’s body lay in state in Parliament in the afternoon of 3rd. Sampanthan’s body was taken to Jaffna by air on 4 July where it was honoured by ITAK members and supporters at the Party headquarters on Martin Street, Jaffna. Subsequently the coffin was taken in a procession and kept at the “SJV Chelvanayagam memorial auditorium” for the public in Jaffna to pay their respects. 

Sampanthan’s body was transported by air from Jaffna to Trincomalee on 5 July. The Trincomalee veteran’s body was kept on 5 and 6 July at his residence on Post Office Road, Trinco for the people of Trincomalee to pay their respects. The observance of last rites and funeral was on Sunday 7 July 2024.

(The writer can be reached at [email protected].)