 |
 |
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Ariyanayagam Chandranehru was the latest unfortunate casualty caught in the
crossfire of a dirty war between the LTTE and its former Eastern commander. The
former MP from Amparai district who was gunned down along with the LTTE's
Kausalyan and others on the Batticaloa - Polonnaruwa road on Feb 7th happened to
be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Nehru or Chandra as he was generally known was a colourful character with a
flamboyant personality. He was an old "sea dog" with about 30 years service as a
mariner. Of these at least 20 were as captain of a mercantile vessel. Years of sea
going however did not diminish the patriotism of this Eastern son of the soil whose
family was steeped in Tamil nationalist politics. He returned home a few years ago to
put down roots in his motherland and took to politics in a big way.
Hailing from Thirukkovil in the south of Amparai district Chandranehru was the son of
a well - known pedagogue KAW Ariyanayagam who made a name for himself in the
Gandhiyan way of Tamil national struggle some decades ago. Ariyanayagam was a
founder member of the Federal Party led by the "Gandhi of Eelam" SJV
Chelvanayagam.
Like Chelva he too was a protestant Christian. If the North was a preserve of the
American Missionaries the East has been a Methodist stronghold from the time of
William Ault who came along to Ceylon with the pioneering seven methodist
missionaries led by Thomas Coke. Thirkkovil was one place that took to Methodism in
large numbers. This Christianisation however did not prevent Tamil nationalism
entrenching itself there.
Ariyanayagam senior participated in all the non - violent struggles of the fifties and
sixties that the Tamils engaged in to win back their lost rights. He was the uncrowned
king of the Amparai district Tamils and fostered principles of non - violence in them.
As a result he was called "Arappor" (Ahimsa struggle) Ariyanayagam. He also wrote
the Tamil national anthem of yesteryear "Engal Eelath Thamil Thiru Naadu" modelled
on Tamil Nadu poet Bharatidasan's "Thiraavida Ponnadu".
Young Chandranehru also participated in many such demonstrations during his
student and early youth including the 1956 and 1961 Satyagrahas. LIke many Tamils
he became disillusioned with non - violent struggle and in later years an ardent
devotee of the armed struggle and the LTTE.
Entering government service first as a fisheries department employee he worked in
Kalpitiya. The lure of the ocean was irresistible and he quit government service and
joined a Maldivian ship as second officer. In six years he was captain of his own ship.
He worked for many years in Maldivian ships. He also got married to a Sinhalese lady
from Komari during this period.
If life on the high seas took Chandranehru's mind off Tamil politics a nasty experience
in the mid - eighties brought him back to reality. Coming home on a vacation he was
arrested under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act and incarcerated in Boosa
for more than a year. The experience made him a determined Tamil nationalist
espousing separation through armed struggle.
He bade adieu to shipping at the end of the last century and returned home to
Thirikkovil. He bought a complex of shops and became a businessman. Politics was
in his blood. Soon came the 2001 elections. Nehru contested on the TULF ticket in
Amparai district where Tamils were only 19%. Though a newcomer and being away
from the Country for decades Nehru was able to win a seat.
One thing that helped him was the family background. His father Ariyanayagam would
have been an MP in 1960 when Amparai district was carved out of Batticaloa but for
the fact that the Tamils willingly "sacrificed" the seat due to them to let the Muslims
get additional representation during electoral demarcation. Such was the amity that
prevailed between both communities them. In 1977 when Pottuvil was made a multi -
member constituency Ariyanayagam would have been the first choice had he been
living. He passed away in 1972 and so entered M. Canagaretnam.
Apart from this, one of Nehru's brothers Ruban was a popular methodist pastor. The
Christian community rallied strongly behind Nehru because of this. Another factor that
helped him was the fact that the Thambiluvil - Thirukkovil people mobilised strongly in
his favour because Nehru was a man from that area.
Nehru's Parliamentary baptism was funny. He came wearing a batik bush shirt and the
speaker refused to let him take his seat as he was improperly attired. So Nehru had
to borrow the shirt of a Parliamentary staffer and take his seat. He was a firebrand
and often made controversial pronouncements. He took no effort to disguise his
unbridled admiration of the LTTE.
When the Tamil Nadu assembly passed a resolution calling for Pirapakaran's arrest
and deportation to India Nehru lost his temper. He described India not as
"Thainadu"(Mother Country) of the Tamils but a "Pei Nadu" (Devilish Country). He
also threatened to bring Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalitha Jayaram to trial under
the Tamil Eelam penal code.
The irony in all this was that his father Ariyanayagam was a great admirer of India. He
himself was named after two great sons of India. The Chandra was for Subash
Chandrabose and the Nehru obviously for Jawarhalal Nehru.
When the Karuna revolt occurred Chandranehru was in a quandary. He took no sides
initially and urged unity saying Praba and Karuna were the right and left eye of the
Tamils. Later he was compelled to throw in his lot with Karuna and spoke at a rally
where Prabakaran's picture was burnt publicly.
Despite this Nehru was not trusted by Karuna who had brought in Pathmanathan to
contest on the TNA ticket along with Nehru. Pathmanathan was from Karaitheevu and
married in Thambiluvil. Thus he dented Nehru's Thirukkovil - Thambiluvil vote bank
while garnering Karaitheevu votes too.
Another factor was the "religious" card being raised. The support of all Hindu temple
trustees was obtained to mobilise Hindu voters and keep the "Vedakkaran"
(Bibleperson) out. Despite this Nehru lost only by a narrow margin to
Pathmanathan.The Eastern situation changed within a week of the 2004 election.
Karuna left Batticaloa and Praba gained the upper hand. Nehru appealed that he
should be given a national list nomination but did not succeed.
As time progressed Nehru reestablished better relations with the tigers in the East as
well as Wanni. He was made Amparai district representative of the North - Eastern
Organization for Human Rights. Regarded as an LTTE affiliate the center is headed
by Rev. Karunairatnam.
There was a lot of tragedy in the family. Nehru had lost two brothers in the past two
years. Both died due to illness. The recent Tsunami disaster hit Thirukkovil hard and
according to a close relative 26 of Chandranehru's relations were killed. Now
Chandranehru himself is no more. He leaves behind his wife, son, octogenarian
mother and seven siblings.
Chandranehru Ariyanayagam got caught up in the internecine intra - tiger strife by
going to help Kausalyan of the LTTE. The LTTE recognized this service and first
conferred the posthumous honour "Naatruppatraalar" or "Patriotic citizen" om him.
Even without that title Chandranehru Ariyanayagam was certainly a Tamil nationalist
patriot. Subsequently the LTTE honorary title "Maamanithan" (Great person) was
posthumously bestowed on him by tiger leader Velupillai Pirapakaran. This was
formally awarded at a ceremony in Paavattai by the Eastern military commander Ram
to Nehru's wife and son. [Sunday Leader]
slain TNA MP [Tamilnet]
