Swastika Arulingam, a human rights activist and lawyer, encountered significant opposition at the University of Jaffna, thwarting her from engaging in a planned event there. The root of this discord was her
critique of the LTTE, which she has publicly labelled as a fascist entity.
During the ceasefire period from 2000 to 2006, the University of Jaffna served as a de facto epicenter for
LTTE sympathizers, perpetuating the group’s ideological influence. Selvarajah Kajendran, once the student union leader and now a member of parliament for the Tamil National People’s Front, had been a staunch advocate for the LTTE. His ascent to student leadership and his continued political trajectory, commencing with his MP role for the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in 2004 amid accusations of electoral improprieties, reflect the deep intertwining of LTTE politics within the university’s governance.
The experience of Swasthika Arulingam highlights a broader issue: while individual perspectives on her actions and intentions may differ, her fundamental right to express her opinions freely and without fear or obstruction remains indisputable. This right carries immense weight given the history of the University of Jaffna, where, in the past, students paid the ultimate price for challenging the LTTE’s oppressive ideology in pursuit of intellectual liberty. Despite the LTTE’s military defeat, the continued influence of its ideology within the university demonstrates the complexities involved in eradicating its entrenched academic and cultural foothold. The situation at the university is emblematic of the difficulties faced by advocates of free expression and democratic principles in environments that have long been under the shadow of tyranny.
Remembering Vijitharan: A Chapter of Courage and Consequence
The years 1985 and 1986 marked a defining period in Jaffna’s history. During this era, Tamil militant groups, despite their ideological differences, united to defend the city of Jaffna against the Sri Lankan army’s incursion. However, the triumph was fleeting as the LTTE decimated TELO, another militant faction. Militants from the Eastern Province, unfamiliar with Jaffna’s labyrinthine streets, were tragically ensnared and massacred. This starkly contrasted with the local TELO fighters who, knowing the terrain, often escaped. Some narratives suggest this was not mere happenstance but an intentional purge by the LTTE, fueled by a sense of regional supremacy, which led to mercilessly targeting Eastern militants while sparing
their northern counterparts with warnings. The violence against the Eastern militants culminated in their brutal executions and the desecration of their bodies.
During tumultuous times, students from the Highlands and Eastern Provinces at Jaffna University were subjected to harsh persecution by the LTTE, often without proper investigation, driven by mere suspicion. Rumors circulated that some of this persecution was due to personal vendettas. One such rumor involved the LTTE’s Jaffna regional commander, Kittu, who reportedly took retaliatory actions because university students ragged someone believed to be his girlfriend, Cynthia. This situation put the safety of students from the affected regions in jeopardy, prompting them to consider transferring to the relatively safer southern campuses.
Amidst the turmoil, there arose a resolute belief that students from the Highlands and Eastern Provinces should not be deprived of their academic opportunities in Jaffna. Advocates voiced that these students had an inalienable right to education and should be able to progress in their studies at Jaffna University without the shadow of fear looming over them.
Amid the LTTE’s pervasive intimidation, the Jaffna University student council often failed to stand up for these vulnerable students. It was during this critical time that Arunagirinathan Vijitharan, a resolute commerce student from Batticaloa, emerged as a leader, rallying his peers and leading protests, often circumventing the passive official student council.
The firm resolve of Vijitharan to champion advocacy and resist oppression came at a steep, personal cost. One day, without warning, he vanished as if into thin air, an event that sent shockwaves through his community. Although no one officially claimed responsibility for his disappearance, it was an open secret that the LTTE’s high-ranking leaders were behind this grim act. “Colonel” Kittu, the military overseer, alongside Thileepan, the LTTE’s political leader in Jaffna at the time, were both rumored to have
played a part in orchestrating his sudden abduction. As a vocal advocate for student rights, Vijitharan was a thorn in the side of those who wished to silence dissent. His subsequent disappearance remains one of the many unsolved mysteries of the conflict.
The abduction triggered one of the last significant public protests against the LTTE by the Tamil community. This series of demonstrations, marches, and pickets represented a peak of public frustration with the LTTE’s autocratic actions, which had long suppressed democratic processes and perpetrated abductions and assassinations. Students from schools joined the outcry, signaling a united front against not only the LTTE but also other militant groups involved in the struggle for Eelam. The protests transcended Vijitharan’s case, representing a broader indictment of years of societal transgressions that had eroded democratic
freedoms.
At Jaffna University, students, led by Vimaleswaran, embarked on a hunger strike, resolved to continue until
their demands were met or until death. This act of defiance, however, ended in tragedy when Vimaleswaran was brutally killed by the LTTE.
Today, the atmosphere at Jaffna University has shifted. Many current students, perhaps oblivious to their institution’s turbulent past, have taken actions like preventing Swastika Arulingam from attending an event.
Ironically, their forerunners once courageously confronted the LTTE’s tyranny and suffered greatly for it. The current generation might be uninformed or possibly wishes to distance themselves from such distressing histories. Regrettably, the university itself appears to have neglected to honor the memory of brave individuals like Vijitharan, Vimaleswaran, and lecturer Rajini Thiranagama, whose voices were silenced by the LTTE. This serves as a somber reminder of the critical importance of remembering our past to honor the sacrifices made by those who stood for liberty and justice.
