“……from my boyhood, the struggle that attracted me most was the Indian freedom struggle. The role of Netaji attracted me very much. I was brought up in an environment of strict discipline from childhood. I was not permitted to mingle freely with outsiders. I used to feel shy of girls. Great store was laid by personal rectitude and discipline. My father set an example through his own personal conduct: He would not even chew betel leaves. A very straightforward man. Even while criticizing me, they marvel at the fact that such a son was born to such a father! In my own case, he reasoned rather than regimented and his attitude was that of a friend.... As I said, I grew up as a shy boy.....especially in the matter or mingling with girls.
I used to read books on the rise of Napoleon and his exploits..... This kind of history held special appeal.....in the Mahabharata, the roles of Bhima and Karna were especially attractive to me..... The spirit of sacrifice appeared crucial. People respond to characters in the Mahabharata in various ways. I value the character and role of Karna the most, on account of his readiness to make the ultimate sacrifice ….. ”
These are not excerpts from a politician’s biography, its neither glimpse from life story of any social reformer. It’s an excerpt from interview with Velupillai Prabhakaran, infamous for founding L.T.T.E and introducing “suicide-bombers”.
It was early 1970s. It was the time Ceylon was just renamed Sri Lanka. The little beautiful island country was popular for tourism. The rich flora and fauna, a great sacred history and strong cultural background, it had everything.
And it happened.
Jaffna, the cultural capital of Sri Lanka was observing a discussion amongst local Tamilian clan. This particular discussion was aimed at claiming political freedom, financial status for local repressed Tamil speaking people, and suddenly a mob of Sinhalese (The majority in Sri Lanka) attacked and later which lead to death of prominent persons.
Thileepan, a Tamil activist who was traumatized by incident, succumbed to death by following fasting as a way to oppose the then Sri Lankan Govt.
This incident really moved Velupillai Prabhakaran.!
He joined TNT (Tamil New Tigers), and the rest what followed was total massacre. To start with, Mayor of Jaffna Alfred Duraiappah was shot dead. Several bombs explosion while attempting to kill then Prime Minister Bhandara Naike marred many.
But, Prabhakaran was not in terms to settle. He established his own outfit which went on to rule Northern Lanka for 30 years, LTTE..! This rebellion group had its own Army, Navy and air force, the group chanted just one mantra, Tamil Ealam (Tamil country).People who opposed were gunned down, by hook or crook he got his enemy strangled to death. Guerilla warfare, suicide bombing, AK 47s, Strategy warfare, whatever let it be, he and his team excelled. Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, Sri Lankan President Rajasinghe Premadasa in 1993, he cared for none. Media feared him, Tamil Diaspora worshipped him …
But the point is, he too had a family, he even had simhalese friends; a loving wife; two sons and a daughter. He never tied killer-belt to his daughter’s waist and let her kill a VIP. Everyday he prayed and did the normal stuff.
Where he went wrong?
Nobody had ever imagined in a country where political majority was with whites, that a non-white black would be President. But it has materialized as Obama becoming 44th President of US of A.
“I have a dream”
The public spoke the same language. Ate same food, enjoyed same drink. They got educated, got married but there was only one line of separation. The complexion. It was the time when blacks were tabooed to join whites, restaurants, educational institutions, or any theatres. But none dared oppose “White Monopoly”over them until one of the blacks came forward, boosted the oppressed blacks, retorted back at rulers in white. It was none other than Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther received a B.A. degree from Morehouse College, which was a college for Negroes then. After 3 years of theological study at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania he became the president where majority were whites, he received a B.D. in 1951. This boosted his spirits to fight for blacks and their rights.
MLK as he was called, never settled for the treatment he and his men received from the whites. He, in order to serve his purpose joined various committees, demonstrations as act of his protest against the unfairness for his men. He believed firmly on principles of Christianity and practicality of Gandhian way of passive resistance. He was elected president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference which aimed at restoring civil rights . He traveled for 11 years, conducted several thousands of speeches, and made people aware of their rights. He wrote many books and articles, led campaigns against injustice towards his men and strongly supported equality amongst citizens of USA.
His Birmingham, Alabama campaigns got attention from all over the world and this revolutionized US history. He was arrested at least twenty five times and was wounded various times. His house was bombed, he was mocked at. But he never let his spirits down. He was given five honorary degrees, was named man of the year by Time in 1963 and not just that he was then youngest one to receive to Nobel Prize.
He never believed in vehemence, civil disobedience and non violence were his weapons to fight. When Michael Jackson dances, Jordan scores a 3 pointer one can see what MLK had dreamt for his men.
How contradictory?
Political life I believe is like playing chess, where the repressed or rebellion is just a pawn. And he has to face the mighty troop of ministers, knights and bishops. You will move according to the rules of majority and you don’t have power. That’s why you are repressed. And remember when pawn reaches its final destination, it becomes powerful.
Only if Prabhakaran had realized this….!
