Santasilan Kadirgamar Papers 1975-20101979-1988

International Institute of Social History Cruquiusweg 31 1019 AT Amsterdam The Netherlands

hdl:10622/ARCH04529

Table of contents

Santasilan Kadirgamar Papers...... 3 Context...... 3 Content and Structure...... 3 Access and Use...... 5 Allied Material...... 5 List...... 5 Accrual 2019...... 5

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Santasilan Kadirgamar Papers

Collection ID ARCH04529 Creator Kadirgamar, Santasilan Other Creator(s) Movement for Inter-Racial Justice and Equality. Northern (Jaffna) Branch Period 1975-20101979-1988 Period (bulk) 1979-1988 Extent 0.62 m. Language list English Language of Material English, Sinhalese, Tamil Abstract Silan Kadirgamar was together with Fr. Paul Caspersz one of the co-founders of the Movement for Inter-Racial Justice and Equality (MIRJE), a NGO fighting for peace and justice.

Context

Biographical note Santasilan, known as Silan, Kadirgamar (சசசசசசசசசச சசசசசசசசசச; born in Chavakachcheri near Jaffna, northern Ceylon 11 April 1934, died in Sri Lanka 25 July 2015; Tamil background; primary education in Seremban, Malaysia 1941-1945; returned to Ceylon 1946; graduated University of Ceylon (சசசசசச சசசசசசசசசசசசச )1959; taught modern history, politics and international relations at Jaffna College 1959-1969, University of Colombo (சசசசசசசச சசசசசசசசசசசசச) 1970-1978 and University of Jaffna (சசசசசசசசசசச சசசசசசசசசசசசச) 1979-1983; fellow and research associate at various universities in Tokyo, Japan, teaching on nationalism, ethnic conflict and peace-making in South Asia with special reference to Sri Lanka 1983-2000; returned to Sri Lanka in June 2000. The Movement for Inter-Racial Justice and Equality (சசசசசசசசசசசசசசசசசச சசசச சசசசசசச சசசசசசசசசசசசசசசச சசசசசசச )(MIRJE) was founded in 1979 by a.o. Fr. Paul Caspersz(சசசச சசசசசசசசச), a Roman Catholic priest, and Santasilan Kadirgamar((சசசசசசசசசச சசசசசசசசசச); Kadirgamar was active in the Northern (Jaffna) Branch of the MIRJE 1979-1983; president of the Northern Branch was Rev. Fr. J.E. Jayaseelan(சசசசசசசச); the MIRJE can be seen as a NGO initially fighting for peace and later developing into an organization specialized in human rights education at schools, in communities and within the armed forces; today, in 2018, the MIRJE is no longer active.

Custodial History Santasilan Kadirgamar (சசசசசசசசசச சசசசசசசசசச ) left Sri Lanka in 1983 and did not return until the year 2000. Almost all of the documents in this archive are from the years between; there is an indication that (a part) of these papers earlier belonged to Mr. S.B. Arumainayagam, ( சசசசசசசசசசச) vice-president of the Jaffna Citizens Committee(சசசசசசசசச சசசசசசசசசச சசசச).

Acquisition Gift to the IISH 2017

Content and Structure

Content Minutes of the meetings of the National Committee of the Movement for Inter-Racial Justice and Equality (சசசசசசசசசசசசசசசசசச சசசச சசசசசசச சசசசசசசசசசசசசசசச சசசசசசசசசசச சசசசச சசசச )

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(MIRJE) and of its Northern (Jaffna) Branch 1979-1988; correspondence by and between and other documents relating to the National Committee of the MIRJE and its Northern (Jaffna) Branch 1980-1988; lists of deceased, injured and arrested people, lists of burnt places and other damages, descriptions of massacres, torturing, incidents and operations of the Indian Peace Keeping Forces (சசசசசச சசசசச சசசசசசசச சசசசசச), and official statements under oath by victims and witnesses 1983-1988; declarations by the MIRJE and other documents on Tamil political prisoners, detention camps and prisons, legal assistance for detainees under the prevention of terrorism act and emergency and campaigns for release of political prisoners and general amnesty 1981-1988; documents on discussions on the MIRJA program and a round table conference on peace 1984-1986; documents on the financial administration of the MIRJE 1979-1988; correspondence of the Jaffna Citizens Committee 1985-1986; documents of Amnesty International 1985-1988; press clippings and other documentation 1979-2005. Accrual 2019: correspondence, statements and speeches, lists of deceased, injured and arrested people, files on violation of human rights and Human Rights Day, files on NOVIB and Pax Christi, and other documents 1975, 1979-1991, 2010.

Arrangement There is only a rough arrangement: box 1: correspondence, minutes and declarations; box 2: lists of deceased, injured and arrested people, and of burnt places and other damages; box 3: various documents and ephemera. Accrual 2019: box 4: correspondence, lists of deceased, injured and arrested people, files on violation of human rights and Human Rights Day; box 5: statements and speeches and other documents.

Processing Information This EAD-record, including rough list, has been edited by Bouwe Hijma, IISH, 2018-2019.

Subjects

Geographic Names Sri Lanka India

Persons Arumainayagam, S.B. Caspersz, Father Paul Jayaseelan, Rev. Fr. J.E. Kadirgamar, Ahilan

Organizations Jaffna Citizens’ Committee Movement for Inter-Racial Justice and Equality (MIRJE) NOVIB Pax Christi

Themes

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Military conflicts and activities Occupation/ Resistance movements Pacifism/Peace movements Human rights organizations

Material Type Archival material

Access and Use

Access Not restricted

Preferred Citation Santasilan Kadirgamar Papers, inventory number ..., International Institute of Social History, Amsterdam

Allied Material

Separated Material Two posters are separated from the archive and described as individual items. See IISG BG D90/764 and IISG BG D90/765.

List

1 Correspondence, minutes and declarations. 1979-1988. 1 box 2 Lists of deceased, injured and arrested people, and of burnt places and other damages. 1979-1988. 1 box 3 Various documents and ephemera. 1979-2005. 1 box

Accrual 2019

4 Correspondence, lists of deceased, injured and arrested people, files on violation of human rights and Human Rights Day, files on NOVIB and Pax Christi, and other documents. 1975, 1979-1988, 2010. 1 box 5 Statements and speeches, and other documents. 1979-1991. 1 box

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