Sri Lankan actor-politician who met MGR and Tamil groups on a political mission

The Hindu

4 days ago

The recent death of Sinhala actor Malini Fonseka prompted the media in Tamil Nadu to recall her association with the Tamil cinema and her playing the female lead in the Tamil film Pilot Premnath (1978), starring thespian 'Sivaji' Ganesan. There was another film personality from Sri Lanka, Vijaya Kumaratunga, who had political links with Tamil Nadu. He ventured to find a solution to the protracted and bitter problem of Sri Lankan Tamils. He visited Madras in June 1986 and met Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), a key player in the whole issue, and leaders of Tamil groups, including the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Kumaratunga was so impressed with his trip that he not only expressed the hope for an early resolution of the problem but also declared, in an interaction with the press on June 23, 1986, that to achieve the solution, 'I will shuttle between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka a hundred times'. Unfortunately, the actor-turned politician was shot dead by two gunmen outside his home in Colombo on February 16, 1988. He was in his early 40s.
Forming his own party
Kumaratunga, who had acted in well over 100 films since 1969, left the Sri Lanka Freedom Party in January 1984, along with his wife Chandrika (who was later known as Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and became the Sri Lankan President in 1994). After establishing the Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya (SLMP), regarded as a Leftist organisation, he formed the United Socialist Alliance, comprising the Communist Party, the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, and the Nava Sama Samaja Party. The assassination took place when he was about to be declared the Alliance's candidate in the presidential election that took place 10 months later. His visit to Madras took place when leaders of all the important political groups, fighting for the Tamil cause, were operating from the city after the Black July of 1983. Kumaratunga, in an interview to veteran journalist-Sri Lanka expert N. Ram in December 1985 (published in The Hindu on June 19, 1986 at the time of his visit), called for a political solution, involving the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and the militants, and a genuine devolution of power to the Tamils. Ahead of their political mission, Kumaratunga and Ms. Chandrika met J.N. Dixit, India's High Commissioner to Sri Lanka during 1985-89. In his book, Assignment Colombo, the diplomat said their objective was to see whether some compromise could be evolved on the basis of various proposals under discussion since 1983.
According to a report in this newspaper on June 24, 1986, the SLMP delegation, which included the party's vice-president Ossie Abeyagoonasekara, held an hour-long meeting with MGR at his residence. The Chief Minister had appreciated the Sri Lankan leaders for their 'bold decision' of coming to the city on a peace mission. Offering his assistance in working out a solution, MGR suggested that the delegation meet Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, too, on its next visit to India.
A 'broad-minded' leader
Panruti S. Ramachandran, the number three in the MGR Cabinet and the point person of the Tamil Nadu government on matters concerning Sri Lanka, was present when the delegation met the Chief Minister. Later, the visitors met Mr. Panruti Ramachandran at his residence. Describing both Kumaratunga and Ms. Chandrika as 'very accommodative, sincere, and liberal', besides being 'modern in outlook', the former Electricity Minister says he found the SLMP founder a 'broad-minded man'. He points out, 'Ms. Chandrika reflected his [Kumaratunga's] opinion while in power as the President during 1994-2005. She had offered the maximum autonomy to the Tamils, but that was not utilised by the LTTE.'
The SLMP delegation met representatives of the Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS), the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), and the LTTE. Mr. Ram observes that the visiting leaders did not meet LTTE chief V. Prabhakaran. The LTTE's best-known international face, Anton S. Balasingham, in his book, War and Peace, referred to the visit by the SLMP leaders to the political headquarters of the rebel group in Indira Nagar, a quiet residential locality in south Chennai. The book carries a picture of the meeting too. In fact, for Balasingham, that was the only occasion he met Ms. Chandrika. In the book, he hailed the SLMP founder as a 'radical politician with a sympathetic understanding of the freedom struggle' of the LTTE.
While wrapping up its visit, the delegation issued a statement, saying it 'firmly' believed that the Sinhalese and Tamils who had both lived in Sri Lanka for over 2,000 years and contributed towards its political, social and cultural progress 'can continue to do so in equality, friendship and cooperation'. It also believed in the right of 'all communities to maintain their cultural and political identities within the framework of a united Sri Lanka', The Hindu reported on June 22, 1986. Mr. Ram, who hails Kumaratunga as one 'who was completely non-chauvinistic and who had exhibited a refreshing attitude' towards the Tamil question, recalls that the visit had created a 'very good feeling'. (The veteran journalist had covered Kumaratunga's funeral, which took place in Colombo in February 1988 and which was attended by two senior Left leaders of India: Harkishan Singh Surjeet of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and M. Farooqi of the CPI.)
The Chennai visit had bridged the gap between the SLMP founder and the LTTE. Months later, Kumaratunga made efforts, though unsuccessfully, to secure the release of two soldiers from the LTTE. He was given a rousing reception in Jaffna and allowed to visit a camp and meet the soldiers, who, he later told a press conference in Colombo, were in 'good health', The Hindu reported on October 23, 1986. He also held discussions with Kittu, Jaffna area 'commander' of the LTTE. He made one more trip to Jaffna. Eventually, the LTTE struck a deal with the Sri Lankan government on swapping prisoners. Though Dixit said the SLMP leaders were, on their return to Sri Lanka, subjected to 'vilification by the Sri Lankan media and certain political elements', the Kumaratungas' mission had demonstrated the efficacy of dialogue as an option to solve any complex problem.