Annamalai Varadaraja Perumal

Annamalai Varadaraja Perumal
1st Chief Minister of North Eastern Province
In office
10 December 1988 – 10 March 1990
Preceded by Office Created
Succeeded by None
Direct rule from Colombo
Personal details
Born Sri Lanka
Political party Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
Residence India
Alma mater University of Jaffna
Religion Hindu

Annamalai Varadaraja Perumal is a politician from Sri Lanka. He was the 1st and only Chief minister of the North Eastern Province, Sri Lanka.[1] He is the founder of Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (Varathar faction).[2]

Life

Varadaraja Perumal was born in Sri Lanka. His father, Annamalai was an Indian Tamil. He graduated from University of Jaffna in economics. After graduation, he worked in the same University as a lecturer. He was a student activist in Tamil United Liberation Front. In 1979, he co-founded Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF). Initially EPRLF was a radical outfit that had the People's Liberation Army as its military wing, and was headed by Douglas Devananda.[3] He was arrested for his association with the outfit but he escaped from jail during 1983 Batticaloa Jailbreak, along with other inmates.[4] In an attempt to end Sri Lankan civil war, the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord was signed. Therefore, Northern and the Eastern provinces merged into the North Eastern Province. EPRLF and some other radical groups entered into mainstream politics and the elections were conducted for the newly created provincial council. EPRLF and its allies won the election with the help of Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF). Perumal became chief minister on 10 December 1988.[5]

As the Chief Minister, Perumal created the Citizen Volunteer Force (CVF) which later known as Tamil National Army[3] to enforce law and order in the province. CVF consisted of ex cadres of PLOTE and TELO, trained by Indian government.[1] Perumal said that the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) would not be needed in the province.[6] On 1 March 1990, when India was ready to withdraw their forces, Perumal passed a resolution in the council to declare independence for Eelam.[1] After his declaration, Sri Lankan government dissolved the provincial council and imposed the direct rule on it.[7] After the failed attempt, Perumal self-exiled to India.[1] Perumal opposed LTTE and its leader V. Prabhakaran.[8] LTTE called him as a traitor and tried to kill him.[9]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 S. H. Hasbullah; Barrie M. Morrison (30 August 2004). Sri Lankan Society in an Era of Globalization: Struggling To Create A New Social Order. SAGE Publications. pp. 47–. ISBN 978-0-7619-3221-5. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  2. ↑ D. B. S. Jeyaraj (5 July 2003). "The killing spree". Frontline. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Remembering the sacrifices made to protect 13A". Ceylon Today. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  4. ↑ Christina S. Furtado (2007). Inter-rebel Group Dynamics: Cooperation Or Competition. The Case of South Asia. ProQuest. pp. 84–. ISBN 978-0-549-34002-7.
  5. ↑ S. H. Hasbullah; Barrie M. Morrison (30 August 2004). Sri Lankan Society in an Era of Globalization: Struggling To Create A New Social Order. SAGE Publications. pp. 47–. ISBN 978-0-7619-3221-5.
  6. ↑ "An unparalleled folly". The Island. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  7. ↑ "Voting in the Northern Provincial Council Tomorrow: A historic Occasion". Asian Tribune. 20 September 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  8. ↑ "Prabhakaran has left behind a fragmented society". Business Standard. 19 May 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "LTTE was trying to kidnap Lankan Tamil leader". Rediff. 18 January 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2014.


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