A Mother’s Call for the Re-awakening
Photo credit: Sangam
Mrs. B. Thilagamani began her non-violent resistant activism when she was 18 years old and played a key role during the 1961 Satyagraha Campaign. During the Satyagraha Campaign, Sri Lankan Armed Forces (SLAF) brutally retaliated against non-violent campaigners. In their terror campaign of 18 April 1961, Thilagamani was sprayed with SLAF tear gas and her sari was partly burnt. Today, 18 April 2011, marks her 50 symbolic years in non-violent activism.
She still retains her moral spirit, but deeply worries about the current developments in the Tamil national struggle. Almost a month ago, I tried to record her significant experience in the 1961 Satyagraha Campaign and her remarks on the current Tamil polity. Two days after a brief discussion on the topic, her health condition became more critical, but has since recalled her memories as much as she can and hopes to record her comprehensive experiences once her health condition has returned to normal.
“Since coming to power in July 1960, the new government – led by Srimavo Bandaranaike – failed to honor its pre-poll pledges made to Ilan kai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK)[1], known in English as the Federal Party (FP). Moreover, the government began to take steps to implement the Sinhala Act from 1 January 1961, in the day-to-day activities of the government. Hence, the ITAK decided to oppose the implementation of Sinhala as the official language in Tamil areas using the nonviolent civil disobedience campaign of Satyagraha. Their non-violent struggle, which was mainly comprised of sit-ins, leaflet distribution, fasting-unto-death and mourning ceased all functions of government structures in the Northeast for three months, beginning on 20 February 1961. This became the first massive resistance against the government which was suppressed by force. As a volunteer of the ITAK and a women activist, Thilagamani was in the forefront among the protesters during this historic assault.
The SLAF unleashed a violent crackdown- attacking with tear gas, rifle butts, batons and firearms against the unarmed, non-violent protestors. As a symbol of unity, she and some other women launched a fast-until-death campaign. After fifty years, she recollects the following memories of that period :
About 75 of us, all women, went in two minibuses and a number of cars from our area to Jaffna town, where the Satyagrha took place. Ms. Mankyarkarasi led the women’s wing. Gradually, the protests became strong. Armed men threw meal packets and used tear gas on us. My sari got partly burnt by their tear gas fired at us, but they could not expel us from the protest site. We shouted, “We want freedom, not meal packets”, and “In the path of freedom gallows is a cotton bed”. The protest was needful and meaningful. It gave a lot of enthusiasm to carry out our future activities through non-violent means. Yet there was an unfortunate incident: due to the armed men’s attack, we lost a friend of mine from our neighboring village, who was a pro-active member of our wing.
I know now I am like a living corpse. I know I am in my last days of my life. I want to die in my soil, where I born. I want to breathe the air which I have since my childhood. I to die, while our temple bell rings.
On the current Tamil polity, she offers:
The current situation is regrettable and unbearable. We had solidarity from likeminded Sinahal and Muslim people in the East during the Satyagrah period. The young generation during our period was so passionate about our struggle, and their high-level caliber to fight against injustice was marvelous. What we had was moral obligation, fighting spirit, mind of scarification, determination to achieve our rights and hope for the better future, but unfortunately, I cannot see or hear any of the above mentioned at present. Those are fundaments for any struggle. As long as we hold those, the struggle cannot be destroyed forever. Therefore, we have to keep up those attitudes and confidence, until our day comes or we create that day.
Our younger generation has to realize what we had, what we should have, what happened for us and why and how it happened for us, and what the overcoming strategies are in order to regain our rights.
We fought against oppression, but it could not succeed yet. It does not mean that we are completely defeated. If we are confident enough, our roots will lead for the re-emergence. To regain our rights, we learn from the challenges. These learnings should guide our younger generation to fight against oppression. I do not want to hear anymore our people’s solemn cries. I do not want to see any of my people suffering. I think I cannot lead again, but I still am ready to be in the forefront of the struggle. Maybe before you complete this record, I may die, but note down clearly – if we live, we have to live with dignity and freedom. All other means of life do not have any meaning. There is no worth for the life without meaningful existence.
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I don’t want to be rude but the truth is unmissable.
The non-violent campaign was nevertheless racist. That’s the problem.
“She still retains her moral spirit, but deeply worries about the current developments in the Tamil national struggle.”
Why Tamil national? Why can’t it be for people of all races?
No matter how you look at it, the Tamil national struggle or the Sinhala national struggle are racist. National struggles should be for the people of all races.
Some call it the Gandhian movement which is an insult to Gandhi who NEVER campaigned for racist demands.
For peace in Sri Lanka, Tamil/Sinhala national struggles should be defeated. Only Sri Lankan multi-ethnic national struggles should be allowed. Use of force is acceptable to diffuse racist agitations. Had the 1970-77 government used force to violently crush the Tamil national armed struggle, less people would have died. But after killing tens of thousands of Sinhalese terrorists, the then government didn’t want to kill tens of thousands of Tamil terrorists.
You mean the oppressed should take up the causes of the oppressors and fight for them? Slaves should fight for their masters right to enslave them more!
Don’t you know how Tamils lost even the meagre protection they had constitutionally at independence, step by step in the rewritten constitutions of the 70’s, or were you too young to know all about it?
Grow up TT.
Velu,
“Don’t you know how Tamils lost even the meagre protection they had constitutionally at independence, step by step in the rewritten constitutions of the 70’s, or were you too young to know all about it?”
I know!
Tamil protested the 1931 constitution. They also protested the 1972 and 1978 constitutions.
So the only one they accepted or least protested was the 1947 constitution. I tell you, SL will not have a more democratic constitution than the 1947 one.
But what happened under the 1947 constitution, DEMOCRATICALLY?
1. Citizenship act – 1948
2. Official Language Act – 1956
3. The act to introduce Sinhala in government services – 1960??
So what you say is absurd! Where is the so called constitutional protection against racist aspirations even in the third party made, MOST democratic constitution?
There is no protection of racist aspirations in any good constitution. People of all races must assimilate and integrate. That is the only solution. A good constitution must ensure that those who refuse to do so are punished. The 1947 constitution did just that.
In my view SL should stop this constitution writing business as they have done a lousy job than the British. They should resort back to the 1947 constitution which is by far the best we had and we will not have a better democratic constitution.
It also means Tamil (racist) aspirations (Tamil homelands, Tamil right of self determination, Tamil nationality, Tamil Elam) are not only unattainable under a good constitution, but also will be ridiculed and destroyed.
TT,
“Why Tamil national? Why can’t it be for people of all races?”
I think you had missed this part:
“We had solidarity from likeminded Sinahal and Muslim people in the East during the Satyagrah period.”
Wijayapala,
But that too for the racist Tamil national movement!!!
True . Sirimavo Bandaranaike government was instrumental in implementing hegemonic policies even more than her somewhat liberal husband.
But all Tamils should take note LTTE , the supposed “Freedom Fighters” proved to be fratricidal starting with the democratic Tamil leadership and moving on to pregnant women and unweaned children among ethnic Sinhala and Muslim people.But none of the Tamils questioned racist murderous policies of LTTE and were happy to support with fund raising events. It was only when the defeat was looming that they could remember human rights.
While the war was raging back in 2008 and the SLA victory was uncertain. a certain Tamil professional ( he was old enough to be my father ) told me ” You reap what you sow”
Sadly this is what I have to tell Tamil people today.
”moving on to pregnant women and unweaned children among ethnic Sinhala and Muslim peopl” was retaliation to massacres of whole villages by the army.
But that form of retaliation is unacceptable. Just because one commits horrendous crime another cannot do similar horrendous acts. LTTE should have stuck to attacking the Sinhala troops that massacred the Tamil villagers.
If only the Tamils continued the non-violent satyagraha for much longer ………
Luxmy,
….they would not achieve anything.
I don’t mean to say violence would achieve anything. No.
The problem is in these racist aspirations. Drop them and Tamils and non-Tamils will be in peace.
1. peaceful means to get Tamil-only aspirations FAILED.
2. violent means to get Tamil-only aspirations also FAILED.
The problem is NOT in the method, but in the aspirations themselves.
How long will it take for some people to understand this? Not that it matters to me, but it certainly matters to them. These racist Tamil-only aspirations put Tamils against other Sri Lankans, the SL army and even the Indian authorities and the Indian army. They are unwinnable.
Tamil Diaspora will say they are still winnable but Tamils in SL have mostly given up. Their aspiration is to go to Canada more than Tamil aspirations.