Suntharalingam’s Signature: A Turning Point in Tamil Destiny
On February 4, 1948, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) officially gained independence from British rule. Amidst the ceremonies and formal transfer of power, a single act by a Tamil Cabinet Minister—C. Suntharalingam—marked a critical turning point in the history of Tamil self-determination.
As documented by Tamil historian and politician V. N. Navaratnam in his book The Fall and Rise of the Tamil Nation (1995), Suntharalingam gave his consent to the Ceylon Independence Bill, providing the symbolic and political Tamil approval for a new state structure in which Tamil rights and autonomy were neither protected nor guaranteed.
According to Navaratnam, Suntharalingam later expressed deep remorse. He confided that if he had withheld his approval, the betrayal of the Tamil people might have been delayed or even avoided. In his own words, “By that single act, the Tamil image was changed.” His later regret, however heartfelt, could not undo the constitutional damage nor the cascading political consequences that followed.
A Missed Opportunity for Tamil Sovereignty
Suntharalingam’s signature helped validate a unitary Sinhala-majority state—without a federal framework, minority protections, or power-sharing mechanisms. Though he resigned from the Cabinet not long after, the foundational moment for Tamil political future had already passed.
Navaratnam’s documentation of this episode is one of the most detailed historical accounts of Tamil post-independence disillusionment. His writings remain a critical source of truth for the diaspora and future generations. Navaratnam, author of Ceylon Faces Crisis (1956) and The Fall and Rise of the Tamil Nation (1995), passed away in 2006 and was posthumously honored with the title Naattu Patralar (Patriot) by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
A Call for Historical Awareness
The Tamil Diaspora urges Tamil leaders and activists to learn from this pivotal moment: constitutional power must never be conceded without structural guarantees. The lessons of 1948 remind us that unity must be anchored in justice—and that remorse, no matter how sincere, cannot replace accountability.
Source: V. N. Navaratnam, The Fall and Rise of the Tamil Nation (1995)
