Rajavarothiam Sampanthan, one of Sri Lanka’s most prominent politicians and a steadfast advocate for the Tamil minority, passed away late Sunday at the age of 91 in the capital city of Colombo. His death marks the end of an era for the Tamil community, who saw him as a relentless champion for their rights and equality.
Sampanthan, a lawyer by profession, was one of the longest-serving Members of Parliament in Sri Lanka. Over his extensive political career, he emerged as a pivotal figure in the fight for Tamil rights and representation. For the past 23 years, Sampanthan led the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), a diverse coalition that has been the principal political group representing Tamils from the north and east of Sri Lanka.
Born in 1931, Sampanthan’s political journey began in the 1970s when he first entered parliament. Throughout his career, he was known for his unwavering commitment to advocating for the Tamil community, particularly during times of great strife and conflict. His leadership was instrumental in voicing the concerns and aspirations of the Tamil people on both national and international stages.
The Tamil National Alliance, under Sampanthan’s leadership, became a crucial platform for addressing the grievances of Tamils, especially after the brutal civil war that devastated the country. Despite the defeat of the Tamil Tiger separatists in 2009, Sampanthan continued to push for equal rights and justice for the Tamil community, who remained marginalized and often faced systemic discrimination.
Sampanthan’s approach to Tamil rights was markedly peaceful and democratic. He believed in achieving equality and justice through dialogue, negotiation, and political means. This stood in contrast to the violent methods of the Tamil Tigers, and it won him respect not only among Tamils but also from many in the broader Sri Lankan society and international community.
He was a vocal advocate for federalism as a solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. His proposals often emphasized the need for genuine power-sharing arrangements that would allow Tamils to exercise a degree of self-governance within a united Sri Lanka.
