HOW AND WHY THE BANDA-CHELVA PACT WAS SIGNED BY BANDARANAIKE AND CHELVANAYAGAM

Today, the 26th of April, is the 48th death anniversary of respected Tamil political leader Samuel James Veluppillai (SJV) Chelvanayagam. Chelvanayagam known as SJV and Chelva was the co-founder and long time leader of the Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi (ITAK) known in English as the Federal Party (FP).

- By D.B.S. Jeyaraj

The ITAK/FP launched in December 1949 is currently celebrating its diamond jubilee year. The ITAK/FP is regarded as the premier political party of the Sri Lankan Tamils in the Northern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka.

SJV Chelvanayagam spearheaded Tamil political resistance to perceived Sinhala majoritarian hegemony formany years. Headopted anagitation cum negotiation strategy in his political approach. The ITAK/FP engaged in several non-Violent protest campaigns while opting to negotiate with the governments in power whenever the time was opportune.

Among the many attempts by the Chelvanayagam -led ITAK to resolve the prickly Tamil national question was the signing of an agreement known generally as the Banda-Chelva pact or B-C pact. This was an agreement based on power sharing principles between the then Prime minister Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike and Chelvanayagam. It was a historic pact possessing great potential. Unfortunately The B-C pact was Not allowed to work and was short-lived. It is against this backdrop that this column -- with the aid of previous writings - focuses this week on how and why the BandaChelva pact was signed 68 years ago.

Deep Polarisation

The historic 1956 General elections brought about a deep polarisation between the Sinhala and Tamil communities. The Mahajana Eksath Peramuna joint front headed by Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) leader S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike swept the polls in the Seven Sinhala majority southem provinces. The Tlankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi(ITAK) known in English as the Federal Party(FP) led by S.J-V. Chelvanayagam won six out of nine seats in the northern Province and four out of seven in the eastern Province.