The Hon. Ramalingam Chandrasekar - Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I begin by conveying deep condolences to the family of the late Hon. Mavai S. Senathirajah.

¶ 02 Though I did not know him long, I called him “elder brother” because from my entry to Parliament in 2001, amid conflicts and tensions, he would calmly and constructively exchange views with us even when we differed, articulating positions positively and non-violently. He rose from a humble volunteer in Tamil politics to leadership, enduring hardships and over seven years of imprisonment across Magazine, Bogambara and other prisons between 1969 and 1983 due to his participation in non-violent struggles.

¶ 03 He told us that the oppression of Tamils pushed youth towards armed struggle, a view he discussed with contemporaries who later chose militancy. He engaged with leaders like Prabhakaran, Uma Maheswaran and Siri Sabaratnam, while also working with TULF stalwarts—Thanthai Selva, Amirthalingam, Neelan Tiruchelvam, Yogeswaran, Sivasithamparam, and Sampanthan—despite our criticisms and disagreements. He used parliamentary representation effectively to voice Tamil issues and delivered forceful, substantive speeches grounded in grassroots realities.

¶ 04 He loved his native Maviddapuram so much he prefixed “Mavai” to his name. Gentle, smiling and approachable, he learned from long associations with leaders across Tamil and Sinhala spheres. A week before his passing, I invited him to meet our leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Jaffna; though that did not occur in time, the President attended his funeral. Despite ideological differences, he loved and respected the people and listened to others. On behalf of the NPP, we thank him for his service and convey deep condolences to his family.