T. Sivasithamparam
Encyclopedia
Thamotharampillai Sivasithamparam was a Sri Lankan Tamil politician and Member of Parliament
.
in northern British Ceylon
. He was educated at Trincomalee Hindu College. He later became a Village Cultivation Officer (VCO).
Sivasithamparam married Nagambi. They had three sons (Sugumaran, Srikanthan and Sivakumar) and two daughters (Vanetha and Kanchana).
candidate for Vavuniya
at the March 1960 parliamentary election. He won the election and entered Parliament
. He was re-elected at the July 1960 parliamentary election. He later joined the All Ceylon Tamil Congress
(ACTC). He contested the 1965 parliamentary election as an ACTC candidate and was re-elected. He lost his seat at the 1970 parliamentary election.
In 1972 the ACTC, Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
and others formed the Tamil United Front (later renamed Tamil United Liberation Front
). Sivasithamparam was the TULF's candidate in Vavuniya at the 1977 parliamentary election
which he won. Sivasithamparam and all other TULF MPs boycotted Parliament from the middle of 1983 for a number of reasons: they were under pressure from Sri Lankan Tamil militants
not to stay in Parliament beyond their normal six-year term; the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka
required them to swear an oath unconditionally renouncing support for a separate state
; and the Black July
riots in which up to 3,000 Tamils were murdered by Sinhalese
mobs. After three months of absence, Sivasithamparam forfeited his seat in Parliament on 5 October 1983.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
.
Early life
Sivasithamparam was born on 26 March 1926. He was the son of Thamotharampillai, a village headman from MullaitivuMullaitivu
Mullaitivu is a small town on the north-eastern coast of Sri Lanka. It is the capital of Mullaitivu District in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. A largely fishing settlement, the town in the early 20th century grew as an anchoring harbour of the small sailing vessels transporting goods between...
in northern British Ceylon
British Ceylon
British Ceylon refers to British rule prior to 1948 of the island territory now known as Sri Lanka.-From the Dutch to the British:Before the beginning of the Dutch governance, the island of Ceylon was divided between the Portuguese Empire and the Kingdom of Kandy, who were in the midst of a war for...
. He was educated at Trincomalee Hindu College. He later became a Village Cultivation Officer (VCO).
Sivasithamparam married Nagambi. They had three sons (Sugumaran, Srikanthan and Sivakumar) and two daughters (Vanetha and Kanchana).
Political career
Sivasithamparam stood as an independentIndependent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate for Vavuniya
Vavuniya Electoral District
Vavuniya Electoral District was an electoral district of Sri Lanka between August 1947 and February 1989. The district was named after the town of Vavuniya in Vavuniya District, Northern Province. The 1978 Constitution of Sri Lanka introduced the proportional representation electoral system for...
at the March 1960 parliamentary election. He won the election and entered Parliament
Parliament of Ceylon
The Parliament of Ceylon was the legislative body of Ceylon established in 1947 by the Soulbury Constitution, prior to independence on 4 February 1948...
. He was re-elected at the July 1960 parliamentary election. He later joined the All Ceylon Tamil Congress
All Ceylon Tamil Congress
All Ceylon Tamil Congress , is the oldest Tamil political party in Sri Lanka.-History:The ACTC was founded in 1944 by G.G. Ponnambalam. Ponnambalam asked for a 50-50 representation in parliament...
(ACTC). He contested the 1965 parliamentary election as an ACTC candidate and was re-elected. He lost his seat at the 1970 parliamentary election.
In 1972 the ACTC, Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi
Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi is a Sri Lankan political party which represents the Sri Lankan Tamil ethnic minority in the country. It was originally formed in 1949 as breakaway faction of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress...
and others formed the Tamil United Front (later renamed Tamil United Liberation Front
Tamil United Liberation Front
The Tamil United Liberation Front is a political party in Sri Lanka which seeks independence for the Tamil-populated areas of Sri Lanka.-Formation:...
). Sivasithamparam was the TULF's candidate in Vavuniya at the 1977 parliamentary election
Sri Lankan parliamentary election, 1977
The 1977 Sri Lankan election heralded the beginning of a new period of Sri Lanka's history - a period of unprecedented violence.-Background:Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike had become extraordinarily unpopular. Her economic policies had led to industrial growth and self-reliance, but was...
which he won. Sivasithamparam and all other TULF MPs boycotted Parliament from the middle of 1983 for a number of reasons: they were under pressure from Sri Lankan Tamil militants
Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups
Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups rose to prominence in the 1970s to fight the state of Sri Lanka in order to create an independent Tamil Eelam in the north of Sri Lanka. They rose in response to the perception amongst minority Sri Lankan Tamils that the state was preferring the majority Sinhalese...
not to stay in Parliament beyond their normal six-year term; the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka
Constitution of Sri Lanka
The Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka has been the constitution of the island nation of Sri Lanka since its original promulgation by the National State Assembly on 7 September 1978. It is Sri Lanka's second republican constitution, and its third constitution since the...
required them to swear an oath unconditionally renouncing support for a separate state
Tamil Eelam
Tamil Eelam , is the name given by certain Tamils in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora to the independent state which they aspire to create in the north and east of Sri Lanka. Tamil Eelam has no official status or recognition by any other state or authority...
; and the Black July
Black July
Black July is the commonly used name for the anti-Tamil pogrom and attacks carried out by mobs in Sri Lanka which began on July 23, 1983. The riots occurred following a deadly ambush by a Tamil militant organization known as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam which killed 13 Sri Lanka Army soldiers...
riots in which up to 3,000 Tamils were murdered by Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
mobs. After three months of absence, Sivasithamparam forfeited his seat in Parliament on 5 October 1983.