R. Sampanthan, the face of the Tamil minority’s autonomy campaign after the civil war in Sri Lanka, has died

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Rajavarothiyam Sampanthan, an ethnic Tamil leader and lawmaker who became the face of the Tamil minority’s campaign for autonomy in Sri Lanka after the end of a brutal quarter-century civil war, has died. He was 91.

A lawyer by profession, Sampanthan first entered Parliament in 1977. He was part of a coalition that won the election after campaigning for a promise to create an independent state for the Tamils ​​and accusing them of continuing to marginalise successive governments, whose ethnic majority is controlled by Sinhalese.

But in 1983, the government banned advocacy of separatism and required all MPs to take an oath promising to uphold the unity of the country and not to demand a separate state. MPs from Sampanthan’s party refused to take the oath and boycotted parliament. They lost their seats because of their absence.

The loss of their representation in parliament strengthened the Tamil radicals and a civil war broke out between separatists and the government.

Sampanthan rose to prominence after 2001, when he was elected to parliament as the democratic voice of the Tamil National Alliance, founded by the Tamil Tigers rebel group, after agreeing to a Norwegian-mediated peace process.

But peace talks failed and the rebels were crushed by government forces in 2009. Sampanthan became a leader of the Tamil community and was at the forefront of campaigning for justice for the government’s alleged war crimes and for greater autonomy and recognition for the Tamil majority in the north and east, while reaching out to the Sinhalese community.

In 2015, he became only the second ethnic Tamil to be appointed Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, a position he held until 2018.

Although his goal of autonomy remained unfulfilled until his death, Sampanthan played a key role in raising international awareness of the post-war plight of the Tamil community and the need for a just resolution to the long conflict.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on Sampanthan’s death.

“I will always cherish the memories of meeting him. He tirelessly strived for a life of peace, security, equality, justice and dignity for the Tamil citizens of Sri Lanka,” Modi said on the social media platform X.

US Ambassador Julie Chung said Sampanthan’s advocacy for equal rights for minorities helped advance broader human rights for all Sri Lankans and promote unity.

His death was announced on X by the Tamil National Alliance. The cause of death was not disclosed, but it was said that the funeral arrangements were being made.

Sampanthan leaves behind his wife and three children.