Ontario MPP Logan Kanapathi Condemns Removal of Thileepan Statue

05-Oct-2026

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Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament Logan Kanapathi has strongly condemned the removal of the statue of Thileepan in Jaffna, saying it was regrettable that the Sri Lankan and Indian governments continued to disregard the sacrifice made by the Tamil activist.

In a statement concerning the removal of the statue from Nallur, Jaffna, on October 27, Kanapathi said the incident deserved strong condemnation.

Following the signing of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord in 1987, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) surrendered their weapons. However, the assurances given regarding the security and fundamental rights of Eelam Tamils were not fulfilled.

In response, Rasiah Parthipan, popularly known as Thileepan, who was the LTTE’s political wing leader for the Jaffna district, decided to launch a non-violent protest to demand that the promises made to the Tamil people be honoured.

On September 13, 1987, Thileepan presented five demands to the Indian government and began a hunger strike unto death at a makeshift shelter on Nallur Kandaswamy Temple Road. He refused even to consume liquids.

Kanapathi said that neither the Indian government nor the Tamil Nadu government adequately recognised Thileepan’s demands or the significance of his sacrifice, and that his appeal was ignored.

Thileepan ultimately gave his life for the Tamil people through his non-violent struggle, Kanapathi said.

He added that the continued disregard shown by the Sri Lankan and Indian governments towards Thileepan’s sacrifice was condemnable. He also strongly denounced the forcible removal by the police of the statue erected in Nallur, Jaffna.