Tuesday, 29 November 2011, 21:52

Two attached files – Word & PDF

TAMIL CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS – TCHR/CTDH

CENTRE TAMOUL POUR LES DROITS DE L’HOMME

(Established in 1990)

(UN accredited NGO to the World Summit on Information Society and the Warsaw Conference)

www.tchr.net

Ref : SS027/PR/2011 29 November 2011

1st death anniversary of

Courageous popular journalist

Mr Subramaniam Sivanayagam – 29th November 2011

“It was very hard for all of us. It’s still very hard. The anniversary of his death just passed, and every single one of his family members and friends, still, after all these years… it’s unbelievable”.

It was a year ago today, 29th November 2011 that Mr Subramaniam Sivanayagam known fondly to the diaspora as “Iyah”, editor of “Saturday Review”, “Tamil Nation” and “Hot Spring” passed away.

Mr Sivanayagam worked for the ‘Ceylon Daily News’, the ‘Daily Mirror’, J. Walter Thompson and the Ceylon Tourist Board. In 1981 he worked as the founder editor of the “Saturday Review”, a newspaper started by Tamil intellectuals, the first Jaffna English newspaper. As the ‘Saturday Review’ was banned by the government and they troubled Mr. Sivanayagam, he went to India and worked there for the “Tamil Information Centre” for a few years. Then along with his friends, he started an English fortnightly newspaper, “Tamil Nation”. While he was working for Tamil Nation, he was arrested by the Indian authorities under TADA and detained for a few years in India.

As soon as he was released from prison, he came to France, sought political asylum and lived in Paris for some years. While in Paris, he started publishing the monthly magazine “Hot Spring”. During his stay there, he had a heart attack and underwent an operation. As he was also suffering from diabetes, his friends in the United Kingdom encouraged him to move to London, where he could live closer to them and some of his relatives as well. In London, he continued to publish the popular “Hot Spring” magazine.

In London, UK he published two books, “Pen and the Gun” & “Sri Lanka – Witness to History” – A journalist’s Memoirs 1930 – 200) which contain his popular articles and writings, expressing his experiences as a journalist and the effects of politics in Sri Lanka. Also in 1987 he published “Sri Lanka : 10 years of Jayewardene Rule”.

As his illness got worse, he decided to live with his family and moved to Colombo in 2005. Mr Sivanayagam passed away on 29 November 2010, leaving his wife, two daughters, grandchildren and his son-in-law.

May this courageous popular journalist who contributed his life to his people, rest in peace.

On the 1st death anniversary of Mr Sivanayagam, we, the Tamil Centre for Human Rights – TCHR, along with many other International Human Rights organisations renew our expressions of sympathy to his wife, daughters and other family members.

* * * * * * * *

For Iyah (Mr) Sivanayagam

A Lovely soul has passed today

from Earth to the next place.

Full of humour, light and

Mischievous love

of life, of laughter – of people in

the broadest sense – humanity –

and His people.

Tireless journalist – writer of truth

I feel limp with sorrow

like a leaf without water

but salt water flows from my eyes

in a wellspring of grief.

This history – this path of an

oppressed people – trod by

many – drew all of us together

attempting to speak out and

expose the injustice.

What a herculean task

He did

Over the decades.

History will recognise his feat.

– Deirdre McConnell, 30 November 2010

* * * * * * * *

The Sunday Leader

The Sunday Leader 20 February 2005 – Subramaniam Sivanayagam, born in Jaffna, Ceylon in 1930 during British colonial rule in Jaffna had his secondary education at Kokuvil Hindu College and Jaffna College, Vaddukoddai. In Colombo, he had worked on the editorial staff of the Ceylon Daily News and the Ceylon Daily Mirror. He was founder editor of the Jaffna based Saturday Review. While in India in 1986, he edited the fortnightly Tamil Nation. In Paris in 1994 he edited the newly launched monthly journal, Hot Spring which later shifted base to London (Excerpt)

* * * * * * * *

HEAD OFFICE:

Tamil Centre for Human Rights – TCHR/CTDH, 9, rue des Peupliers – 95140 Garge les Gonesse – FRANCE

Contact person : S. V. Kirubaharan – General Secretary, Tel/Fax: + 33 1 42 67 54 36 – Email: tchrgs@hotmail.com / tchgs@tchr.net

TCHR-UK

Tamil Centre for Human Rights – TCHR/CTDH, PO Box 182, Manchester M16 8ED, UNITED KINGDOM

Contact person : Deirdre McConnell – Director International Programme, Fax: + 44 161 860 4609 – Email: tchrdip@hotmail.com / tchrdip@tchr.net

TCHR-SWITZERLAND

Tamilen Zentrum fur Mensenrechten – TCHR, P. o. Box : 319, 8172 – Niederglatt, SWITZERLAND

Contact person : Thambirajah Genegatharan, Email : tchrswitzerland@hotmail.com