Posts Tagged ‘struggle’


Remembering Thangathurai’s Speech from the Courthouse Dock

By Editor - March 1st, 2015

Remembering Thangathurai's Speech from the Courthouse Dock

March 1, 2015 marks the 32nd anniversary of the impassioned speech made by Nadarajah Thangathurai from the dock of a courthouse. Thangathurai was arrested in 1982, along with Selvarajah Yogachandran, a.k.a. Kuttimani – both remain important figures in the struggle for Tamil Eelam.

Thangathurai and Kuttimani were among the second batch of Tamil youth who were tried under Sri Lanka’s draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). Modelled after Apartheid South Africa’s Terrorism Act and used by the Apartheid Government to arrest Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid militants and activists, the PTA was brought into law by President Jayewardene, with the intention to subdue the strengthening Tamil resistance movement. The PTA still remains in existence today and is now used to arrest anyone who dares to speak out against Sri Lankan state oppression.