In the mid-1960s, a major social upheaval was simmering beneath the surface of the seemingly peaceful landscape of northern Sri Lanka. Behind the curtain of Jaffna, praised as the ‘land of the educated’, the cruel, toxic tree of untouchability had taken deep root.

A large section of a community that spoke one language and worshipped one God was segregated as ‘depressed castes’ solely in the name of birth, living as slaves denied of their basic human rights. The 1960s marked the historical intersection when a generation broke its silence and stood tall against this long-standing injustice.

A cruel social structure dominated the region;  entry into temples was barred, drawing water from public wells was forbidden, sitting together in restaurants was denied, and discrimination prevailed in school admissions. Even the right to wear decent clothes or footwear was denied. The high-caste supremacist mindset viewed caste oppression as its natural right.

However, the rage of the downtrodden people, seething against this violence and humiliation, was waiting for a spark. Around 1966, guided by leftist movements and fueled by the self-awareness of the oppressed people themselves, that spark was finally lit.

With the rise of the Mass Movement for the Eradication  of Untouchability, the streets and temple entrances of the North turned into battlegrounds for social justice. Struggles  such as tea-shop and temple entry movements served as historic turning points.

Carrying determination in their hearts and chanting, “We too are human beings,” the oppressed people marched toward the gates of temples and restaurants, only to be met with unleashed violence by dominant forces. Though blood and tears were shed, the struggle to shatter the chains of slavery did not retreat. That resilience remains its defining legacy.

That uprising was not merely a social protest;  it marked the beginning of a revolutionary journey that set out to turn the political and cultural map of the Northern Sri Lankan Tamil community upside down. Shaking the very foundations of caste hegemony, the movement taught the oppressed people the courage and self-respect to fight for their rights.

The blood spilled six decades ago and the voices of freedom raised back then remain today as indelible historical footprints of awareness against caste atrocities in the North.

As Jaffna University academic Ahilan Kadirgamar noted in an article titled ‘Caste Oppression and Struggles in Jaffna’ written recently for a Colombo English daily, “The 1966 struggle against caste oppression was the first armed struggle in Sri Lanka’s post-colonial history.” 

“Although the two armed uprisings in southern Sri Lanka in 1971 and 1988, as well as the armed struggle of the Tamil militant movements that transformed into a civil war in the North and East, led to massive loss of life and destruction, the struggle for social justice in the late 1960s ended with a decisive outcome that largely eradicated the atrocity of untouchability.”

The sixtieth anniversary of the struggle against caste oppression (the October Uprising) which marked a crucial turning point in the social history of Sri Lankan Tamils was not commemorated in the North with the significance it deserved. Examining its historical background and the current state of caste discrimination in Northern Tamil society is an imperative of the times.

While left-wing movements generally showed solidarity and support for struggles against  untouchability, the Ceylon Communist Party (Peking wing), led by the late N. Shanmugathasan, provided the decisive guidance and leadership. The Mass Movement for the Eradication of Untouchability, which encompassed numerous organizations fighting caste oppression, was under the control of that Communist Party.

Although resistance against social injustices erupted during various periods, it was only after the Peking-wing Communist Party took up the struggle that it gained a Marxist ideological direction and organizational strength. Under the leadership of Shanmugathasan, his party’s northern comrades formulated a clear political vision;  caste oppression was not merely an isolated issue of the oppressed, but a matter concerning the democratic rights of society as a whole.

Despite facing suppression and arrests by the police, who openly acted in support of the dominant castes, Shanmugathasan sowed the revolutionary consciousness among marginalized people, that they must voice their rights and fight without fear.

Under the guidance of the Communist Party and the Mass Movement for the Eradication of Untouchability, a massive anti-caste rally was staged from Chunnakam to Jaffna town on October 21, 1966. That uprising rally, attended by diverse groups including workers, farmers, youth, women, political and social activists, and members and supporters of left-wing movements, stood as a milestone in the social history of Northern Tamils. Naturally, it faced police crackdowns.

Following this uprising, the North witnessed several struggles, including the temple entry movement launched in 1968 to assert the right to worship at the Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple. Progressive writers like the late K. Daniel portrayed the lived experiences of oppressed people in their literary works, broadening discussions on caste oppression within society and the literary space while raising awareness.

At the same time, it is an unforgettable historical fact that the moderate leaders and their parties, who dominated Sri Lankan Tamil politics for a long time, showed little interest in social justice struggles, apart from a few symbolic actions like inter-caste dining (samapanthi bhosanam).

They remained silent, turning a blind eye to the severe caste discrimination and human rights violations prevalent in Jaffna society. It must be said that Tamil leaders largely ignored the legitimate voices raised for the basic rights of marginalized communities. 

Attempting to preserve their political power and influence within their own class and caste structures, the moderate leaders failed to support  struggles against untouchability and never prioritized the social liberation of marginalized people on their political platform.

The Tamil armed militant organizations that emerged later, placed Tamil national liberation as their primary objective. Most of these movements viewed the issue of caste discrimination superficially or set it aside as a secondary problem to be resolved after achieving national liberation.

Although certain armed movements harbored progressive tendencies aimed at social change, the overall structure of these organizations lacked sufficient depth or planned strategies to eradicate caste oppression from its roots. Amid the crises of the national liberation struggle, many caste contradictions were temporarily pushed into the background, but no serious interest was shown in finding permanent solutions for them.

Therefore, the October 1966 Uprising is not merely a memory of the past. Under the guidance of leaders like Shanmugathasan, it stands as a call for social liberation that remains unfulfilled to this day. The truth — that a community fighting for its national rights must also fight against the oppression within itself — has still not been properly realized.

Demanding equality externally while preserving deep internal divisions is a contradictory proposition. Arguing that talking about caste discrimination is unnecessary, claiming it is no longer an issue in Tamil society, or attempting to conceal it will never create unity among the Tamils. On the contrary, taking a resolute stand against these divisions is the only path toward true unity.

Having endured immense loss of life and destruction over three decades of civil war, a crucial question arises regarding Sri Lankan Tamil society and its politics today; to what extent does a genuine concern for social justice exist?

Because priority has historically been given to issues such as the national ethnic problem and political settlements, internal social justice issues within the community—such as caste hegemony, class disparities, gender inequality, and regional imbalances—continue to be sidelined.

However, while some positive changes can be observed due to past social justice struggles and the realities of post-war life, caste-based thinking remains deeply entrenched within social hierarchies. Traditional caste restrictions and explicit forms of untouchability (such as bans on entering temples or public spaces) have significantly diminished. Furthermore, the greater emphasis on education among oppressed communities has led to notable improvements in their living conditions.

Nevertheless, caste-based thinking remains deeply rooted in matters of marriage and land ownership. Caste backgrounds still play a role when political parties select candidates and calculate vote banks. A political commitment to creating a healthy social structure beyond caste boundaries is still not visible to the extent required.

Tamil political parties focus predominantly on discourses surrounding the national ethnic problem, constitutional reform, and devolution of power. Issues related to the everyday economic struggles of the grassroots population are still treated as secondary in mainstream Tamil politics. Consequently, building unity based on social justice among Tamils remains a major challenge. The National People’s Power (NPP) is utilizing this situation to its advantage to build its influence in the North.

Although the social justice struggles of the 1960s eradicated the overt forms of caste atrocities, Tamil society still has many steps to cross to achieve complete eradication of untouchability. While raising its voice against external oppression, courageously confronting and eradicating the internal caste restrictions and contradictions embedded within the community is the only way to achieve true democratic equality. 

Rather than merely celebrating the memories of past uprisings, building a new political culture that prioritizes the economic and social self-respect of marginalized people is the true tribute we can pay to those historical struggles and the leaders who led them.