A. Thangathurai facts for kids

Arunasalam Thangathurai (அருணாசலம் தங்கத்துரை; born January 17, 1936 – died July 5, 1997) was a Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer and politician. He served as a Member of Parliament in Sri Lanka, working to represent the people of his home area.

Quick facts for kids Hon. A. Thangathurai MP
அ. தங்கத்துரை
Member of the Ceylonese Parliament for Mutur
In office 1970–1977
Preceded by	M. E. H. Mohamed Ali
Succeeded by	M. E. H. Maharoof
Member of Parliament for Trincomalee District
In office 1994–1997
Succeeded by	R. Sampanthan
Personal details
Born	(1936-01-17)17 January 1936
Died	5 July 1997(1997-07-05) (aged 61)
Political party	Tamil United Liberation Front
Profession	Lawyer
Ethnicity	Sri Lankan Tamil

Early Life and Family

Arunasalam Thangathurai was born on January 17, 1936. His family lived in Killiveddy, a village near Mutur in the Trincomalee District. This area is located along the bank of the Allai tank.

His father worked as a rural register, which meant he kept official records for the local community. He was also a farmer who owned land. In the 1950s, more Sinhalese families moved into the Allai area. This led to some tensions between communities. However, Thangathurai's family had good relationships with their Sinhalese neighbors. Many Sinhalese villagers would visit Killiveddy to buy curd and register with his father.

Thangathurai received his education in Mutur. He also studied at Government College, Batticaloa, and Stanley College, Ariyalai. He later married Sathyashri. Together, they had two daughters, named Dharmini, and one son, named Ahilan.

Becoming a Public Servant

Thangathurai's family's financial situation meant he didn't go to university right away. Instead, he joined the clerical service, which involves office work. He worked for the Department of Irrigation. This department manages water resources for farming.

He was an active member of the Government Clerical Services Union. This union worked to improve the working conditions and lives of government clerks. Thangathurai also worked hard to help the people in his village, Killiveddy, and the nearby areas.

His family's farming business grew over time. They bought and leased more land. They also farmed land belonging to Hindu temples. This helped his family become quite successful. Thangathurai then passed exams to become a Divisional Revenue Officer. This job involved managing local government affairs.

Entering Politics

People in the Killiveddy area were worried about new settlements being created by the government. These settlements sometimes affected their traditional lands. The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), also known as the Federal Party, spoke out against these settlement plans. Because of this, Thangathurai decided to join the ITAK.

He became a leader in the ITAK's Youth League. He and his younger brother, Kumarathurai, worked to establish Tamil settlements in areas that needed protection.

In the 1970 parliamentary election, Thangathurai ran as the ITAK candidate for the Mutur area. He won the election and became a Member of Parliament. During the 1970s, he became known as a strong voice for his community within the ITAK.

In 1972, several Tamil political parties, including ITAK, formed the Tamil United Front. This group later changed its name to the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF). Before the 1977 election, the Mutur area was changed. It became a single-member area instead of a two-member area. Because of this change, Thangathurai did not run in the 1977 election.

After Parliament and Becoming a Lawyer

Before the 1977 election, a bo tree was cut down in Killiveddy. This caused some local unrest. Thangathurai was questioned about it but, as an MP, he was not arrested. His brother, Kumarathurai, was arrested for the incident. After the election, more unrest occurred. This time, both Thangathurai and Kumarathurai were arrested. They were later released. After 1977, Thangathurai decided to study law and became a lawyer.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, new Sinhalese settlements began to appear on Tamil lands in Trincomalee District. Thangathurai led efforts to organize Tamils to protect their traditional homeland.

After the Black July events, many TULF leaders left the country. However, Thangathurai chose to stay in Trincomalee District. In 1984, his brother Kumarathurai was arrested and held in prison. He faced difficult conditions but was never formally charged. In 1985, a tragic event occurred in Killiveddy where many civilians were killed. Thangathurai spoke to The Times newspaper about it, bringing international attention to the incident.

After this, a government minister ordered Thangathurai's arrest for "spreading false rumors." Thangathurai and his family then went to Madras, India, for safety. His brother Kumarathurai was released in 1986 and later moved to Denmark.

Return to Politics and Legacy

While in India, Thangathurai had contact with various Tamil groups. He returned to Sri Lanka in 1988 to help the people of Trincomalee District during a difficult time.

In the 1994 parliamentary election, Thangathurai ran again as a TULF candidate for the Trincomalee District. He was elected and returned to Parliament. In 1996, after a tragic event where many civilians were killed in Kumarapuram, Thangathurai spoke out. He blamed the army for the killings and asked for an independent investigation. He received important information from Sinhalese villagers about the incident.

On July 5, 1997, Thangathurai was attending an event at Sri Shanmuga Hindu Ladies College in Trincomalee. As he was leaving, a grenade was thrown and shots were fired. Thangathurai and six other people were killed. Many people, including school children, witnessed this sad event. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was blamed for his death. However, other TULF leaders expressed doubts, suggesting that other groups might have been involved.

Police quickly arrested several people in connection with the incident. These individuals were later charged with the murder of Thangathurai and the six others.

Electoral History

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  A. Thangathurai

See Also

• List of assassinations during the Sri Lankan Civil War