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{{Short description|Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer and politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable|Hon.]]
|name = Alfred Duraiappah
|native_name = அல்பிரட் துரையப்பா
|native_name_lang = ta
|honorific-suffix =
|image = Alfred Duraiappah.jpg
|imagesize =
|constituency_MP1 = [[Jaffna Electoral District (1947–1989)|Jaffna]]
|parliament1 = Ceylonese
|majority1 =
|term_start1 = 1960
|term_end1 = 1965
|predecessor1 = [[G. G. Ponnambalam]]
|successor1 = [[G. G. Ponnambalam]]
|order2 = [[List of Mayors of Jaffna|12th]]
|office2 = Mayor of Jaffna
|term_start2 = 15 February 1970
|term_end2 = 27 July 1975
|predecessor2 = [[S. Nagarajah]]
|successor2 = R.Viswanathan
|birth_date = {{Birth date|1926|06|15|df=yes}}
|birth_place =
|death_date = {{Death date and age|1975|07|27|1926|06|15|df=yes}}
|death_place = [[Jaffna]], [[Sri Lanka]]
|citizenship =
|nationality =
|party = [[Sri Lanka Freedom Party]]
|otherparty =
|spouse =
|partner =
|relations =
|children =
|residence =
|alma_mater = [[Ceylon Law College]]
|occupation =
|profession = Lawyer
|website =
|footnotes =
|blank1 = Ethnicity
|data1 = [[Sri Lankan Tamil people|Sri Lankan Tamil]]
}}
'''Alfred Thangarajah Duraiappah''' (15 June 1926 – 27 July 1975) was a [[Sri Lankan Tamil people|Sri Lankan Tamil]] lawyer, politician, [[Mayor of Jaffna]] and [[Member of Parliament]].

==Early life and family==
Duraiappah was born on 15 June 1926.<ref name=Arumugam>{{cite book|last=Arumugam|first=S.|title=Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon|url=http://www.noolaham.org/wiki/index.php?title=Dictionary_of_Biography_of_the_Tamils_of_Ceylon|year=1997|pages=50–51|author-link=S. Arumugam}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Directory of Past Members: Durayappah, Alfred Thangarajah|url=http://www.parliament.lk/en/members-of-parliament/directory-of-past-members/viewMember/2209|publisher=[[Parliament of Sri Lanka]]}}</ref> He was the son of an ice and aerated water manufacturer from [[Vannarpannai]] in northern [[British Ceylon|Ceylon]].<ref name=Arumugam/> He was educated at [[St. John's College, Jaffna]].<ref name=Arumugam/><ref name=DN260509>{{cite news|title=Masked gunmen kill Jaffna Mayor Shot dead outside temple |url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/05/26/fea06.asp |newspaper=[[Daily News (Sri Lanka)]] |date=26 May 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604223828/http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/05/26/fea06.asp |archive-date=4 June 2011 }}</ref> After school he joined [[Ceylon Law College]], graduating as a [[proctor]].<ref name=Arumugam/><ref name=DN260509/>

Duraiappah married Parameswary, daughter of Cumaraswamy.<ref name=Arumugam/> They had a daughter Rochana (Eesha).<ref name=Arumugam/> Duraiappah was a Christian.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Palakidnar |first1=Ananth |title=Varatharaja Perumal Kovil robbed |url=http://www.ceylontoday.lk/16-44130-news-detail-varatharaja-perumal-kovil-robbed.html |work=[[Ceylon Today]] |date=4 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216194914/http://www.ceylontoday.lk/16-44130-news-detail-varatharaja-perumal-kovil-robbed.html |archive-date=16 February 2015 }}</ref>

Duraiappah's nephew Nishan Duraiappah is the [[Chief of police|chief]] of [[Peel Regional Police]] in Ontario, Canada.<ref>{{cite web |title=Deputy Chief of Police of Halton Regional Police Service, Canada |url=http://www.ticonline.org/newsdetails.php?id=614 |publisher=Tamil Information Centre |access-date=12 August 2019 |location=Kingston Upon Thames, U.K. |date=11 October 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Halton Police Deputy Chief Nishan Duraiappah Receives Order of Merit |url=https://www.timeslanka.com/2018/01/17/flashback-halton-police-deputy-chief-nishan-duraiappah-receives-order-of-merit/ |access-date=12 August 2019 |work=The Times of Sri Lanka |date=17 January 2018 |location=Toronto, Canada}}</ref>

==Career==
Duraiappah was elected to [[Jaffna Municipal Council]] and became its deputy mayor at the age of 23.<ref name=Arumugam/> He served as mayor from 1970 to 1975.<ref>{{cite web|title=Past Mayors|url=http://www.jaffnamc.lk/english/municipal_council_past_mayors.php|publisher=[[Jaffna Municipal Council]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018074128/http://www.jaffnamc.lk/english/municipal_council_past_mayors.php|archive-date=18 October 2013}}</ref>

Duraiappah stood as an [[Independent politician|independent]] candidate in [[Jaffna Electoral District (1947–1989)|Jaffna]] at the [[March 1960 Ceylonese parliamentary election|March 1960 parliamentary election]]. He won the election and entered [[Parliament of Ceylon|Parliament]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1960_03_19%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091209231748/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1960_03_19%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 December 2009 |title=Result of Parliamentary General Election 1960-03-19 |publisher=Department of Elections, Sri Lanka }}</ref> He was re-elected at the [[July 1960 Ceylonese parliamentary election|July 1960 parliamentary election]] but lost out to the [[All Ceylon Tamil Congress]] candidate [[G. G. Ponnambalam]] at the [[1965 Ceylonese parliamentary election|1965 parliamentary election]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1960_07_20%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091209232020/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1960_07_20%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 December 2009 |title=Result of Parliamentary General Election 1960-07-20 |publisher=Department of Elections, Sri Lanka }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1965%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091209231813/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1965%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 December 2009 |title=Result of Parliamentary General Election 1965 |publisher=Department of Elections, Sri Lanka }}</ref> He tried to re-gain his seat at the [[1970 Ceylonese parliamentary election|1970 parliamentary election]] but was defeated by the [[Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi]] candidate [[C. X. Martyn]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1970%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091209231958/http://www.slelections.gov.lk/pdf/Results_1970%20GENERAL%20ELECTION.PDF |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 December 2009 |title=Result of Parliamentary General Election 1970 |publisher=Department of Elections, Sri Lanka }}</ref>

Duraiappah was a member of the governing [[Sri Lanka Freedom Party]] and its chief organiser in [[Jaffna District]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Acrimony at inaugural JMC meeting|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=1341|work=[[TamilNet]]|date=24 April 1998}}</ref><ref name=Sabaratnam3>{{cite book|last1=Sabaratnam|first1=T.|title=Pirapaharan|publisher=Ilankai Tamil Sangam|url=http://www.sangam.org/Sabaratnam/SabaratnamChap3.htm|chapter=Chapter 3: The Unexpected Explosion}}</ref><ref name=Rajasingham24>{{cite book|last=Rajasingham|first=K. T.|title=Sri Lanka: The Untold Story|url=http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DA26Df04.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020213090010/http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DA26Df04.html|url-status=unfit|archive-date=2002-02-13|chapter=Chapter 24: Tamil militancy - a manifestation}}</ref> [[Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups|Tamil militants]] considered Duraiappah to be a traitor and government collaborator.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Feith|first1=David|editor1-last=Cabestan|editor1-first=Jean-Pierre|editor2-last=Pavković|editor2-first=Aleksandar|title=Secessionism and Separatism in Europe and Asia: To Have a State of One's Own|date=2013|publisher=[[Routledge]]|isbn=978-0-415-66774-6|page=169|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WoFIdvobh4EC|chapter=Chapter 10: Separatism in Sri Lanka}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Coomaraswamy|first1=Radhika|last2=Perera-Rajasingham|first2=Nimanthi|author-link1=Radhika Coomaraswamy|editor1-last=Cheran|editor1-first=R.|title=Pathways of Dissent: Tamil Nationalism in Sri Lanka|date=2009|publisher=[[Sage Publications]]|isbn=978-81-321-0222-9|page=121|chapter=Chapter 6 - Being Tamil in a Different Way: A Feminist Critique of the Tamil Nation}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Colombo remembers Alfred Duraiappa, setting hands of the clock backwards|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=29894|work=[[TamilNet]]|date=30 July 2009}}</ref> In February 1971 Tamil militant [[Pon Sivakumaran]] tried to assassinate Duraiappah by throwing a hand grenade on to Duraiappah's car which was parked on Second Cross Road in Jaffna.<ref name=Sabaratnam3/><ref name=Rajasingham24/> Duraiappah was not inside the car at the time.<ref name=Sabaratnam3/>

Duraiappah was criticised for his handling of the [[1974 Tamil conference incident]] in which 11 people were killed.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=29894 | title=Colombo remembers Alfred Duraiappa, setting hands of the clock backwards | publisher=Tamilnet | date=30 June 2009 | accessdate=3 April 2022}}</ref>

===Assassination===
On 27 July 1975 Duraiappah and his daughter Eesha went to the Varadaraja Perumal Temple (Maha Vishnu Temple) in Ponnalai for their weekly worship in the [[Peugeot 404]] which had been given to Duraiappah by his supporters.<ref>{{cite news|title=Now Daya Master in Alfi's party! |url=http://www.ceylontoday.lk/69-35902-news-detail-now-daya-master-in-alfis-party.html |work=[[Ceylon Today]] |date=25 June 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216193116/http://www.ceylontoday.lk/69-35902-news-detail-now-daya-master-in-alfis-party.html |archive-date=16 February 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Nakkawita|first1=Wijitha|title=Prabhakaran's victims: From Alfred Duraiappah to babes at Visuamadu|url=http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2009/02/15/rev07.asp|work=[[Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka)]]|date=15 February 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216193151/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2009/02/15/rev07.asp|archive-date=16 February 2015}}</ref> As they arrived at the temple, Duraiappah was shot dead by masked men.<ref name=Arumugam/><ref>{{cite news|last1=Ferdinando|first1=Shamindra|title=Who could have shot Duraiappah at Varadaraja Perumal temple, Ponnalai?|url=http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=8845|work=[[The Island (Sri Lanka)]]|date=13 October 2010}}</ref> Some members of his family believed that Posts and Telecommunications Minister [[Chelliah Kumarasuriar]], Duraiappah's political rival, was behind the assassination.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Perera|first1=Janaka|author-link1=Janaka Perera|title=Mayor's murder at Vishnu temple|url=http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/12404|work=[[Asian Tribune]]|date=26 July 2008}}</ref> However, his assassination was widely blamed on the rebel [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam]] (LTTE) and its leader [[V. Prabhakaran]].<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hoole|first1=Rajan|author-link1=Rajan Hoole|last2=Thiranagama|first2=Rajini|author-link2=Rajini Thiranagama|title=Sri Lanka: the arrogance of power : myths, decadence & murder|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3i1uAAAAMAAJ|date=January 2001|publisher=[[University Teachers for Human Rights]]|isbn=978-955-9447-04-7|pages=11, 46|chapter=Chapter 2 – Antecedents of July 1983 and the Foundations of Impunity}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Sabaratnam|first1=T.|title=Pirapaharan|publisher=Ilankai Tamil Sangam|url=http://sangam.org/Sabaratnam/PirapaharanChap8.htm|chapter=Chpaper 8: First Military Operation}}</ref> On 25 April 1978 the LTTE issued an [[open letter]], which was published in the ''[[Virakesari]]'', claiming responsibility for the assassination of eleven people including Duraiappah.<ref>{{cite web|title=27 July 1975|url=http://pact.lk/27-july-1975/|publisher=Peace and Conflict Timeline|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216194934/http://pact.lk/27-july-1975/|archive-date=16 February 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Athas|first1=Iqbal|author-link1=Iqbal Athas|title=The Situation Report|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/990801/sitrep.html|work=[[The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)]]|date=1 August 1999}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Rajasingham|first=K. T.|title=Sri Lanka: The Untold Story|url=http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DB02Df03.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020416074026/http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DB02Df03.html|url-status=unfit|archive-date=2002-04-16|chapter=Chapter 25: War or peace?}}</ref>

The Duraiappah Stadium in Jaffna was named after him.<ref>{{cite news|title=Renovated Jaffna Stadium opened|url=http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=1035|work=[[TamilNet]]|date=2 March 1998}}</ref>

==Further reading==
*{{Cite news|title=Duraiappah, the first political victim of militants in North|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/Duraiappah-the-first-political-victim-of-militants-in-North/article14431856.ece|date=18 June 2016|author=T. Ramakrishnan|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]}}
*{{Cite book|title=Sri Lanka: The Arrogance of Power - Myths, Decadence & Murder|url=https://books.google.com/books/about/Sri_Lanka.html?id=3i1uAAAAMAAJ|year=2008|first=Rajan|last=Hoole|authorlink=Rajan Hoole|publisher=[[University Teachers for Human Rights]]}}

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
*{{Cite web|title=Murdered by LTTE Prabhakaran, feted by PM Modi: Story of Jaffna’s Alfred Duraiappah|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/murdered-ltte-prabhakaran-feted-pm-modi-story-jaffna-s-alfred-duraiappah-45074|date=June 18, 2016|author=|website=[[The News Minute]]}}

{{Members of the 4th Parliament of Ceylon}}
{{Members of the 5th Parliament of Ceylon}}
{{Sri Lankan Civil War}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duraiappah, Alfred}}
[[Category:1926 births]]
[[Category:1975 deaths]]
[[Category:Alumni of Ceylon Law College]]
[[Category:Alumni of St. John's College, Jaffna]]
[[Category:Assassinated mayors]]
[[Category:Assassinated Sri Lankan politicians]]
[[Category:Ceylonese proctors]]
[[Category:Mayors of Jaffna]]
[[Category:Members of the 4th Parliament of Ceylon]]
[[Category:Members of the 5th Parliament of Ceylon]]
[[Category:People of British Ceylon]]
[[Category:Sri Lanka Freedom Party politicians]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Christians]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Tamil lawyers]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Tamil politicians]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan terrorism victims]]
[[Category:Terrorism deaths in Sri Lanka]]

Alfred Duraiappah - Revision history

UpdateBot at 15:24, 2 May 2022