Viraj Mendis (1956-2024): a trIbute to a great anti-deportation fighter
I am very saddened to hear that Viraj Mendis, the fellow fighter against Deportation in 1980’s Britain has passed away. He died on 16 August 2024 in the city of Bremen in Germany. He was given a hero’s send off by comrades who gathered from all over Europe, at his funeral on Saturday 31 August at St.Pauli church in Bremen.
I would have attended his funeral service had I known it earlier, unfortunately I heard the news only yesterday.
I knew Viraj during his fight against Deportation which started in Manchester in1984. I was fighting against my own Deportation at the time in Birmingham.we were fellow travelers on the hard path of Margaret Thatcher's England, we gave her a good run for her money. We stood tall.
I won at the end of 1985 and immediately got involved in the WestMidlands Anti-Deportation campaign . In Manchester “ Viraj Mendis will Stay” Campaign continued till 1989. We had regularly taken part in many of their campaign activities.
When they organised a long March from Manchester to London, we took responsibility for the Midlands leg of the March, met them in Wolverhampton and March through Birmingham to Coventry.The Indian workers Association organised their accommodation, restaurants in Soho Road provided free food.
When he lost his final appeal , father John Methuen offered sanctuary to Viraj in the Church of Ascension in Hulme,Manchester. Viraj spent 760 days in a 15x9 feet room. During this period Heather and I visited Viraj and his comrades many times.we discussed campaign strategies and politics in general , we did not always agree, however I found him to be a very pleasant, calm and determined person. He spoke with a stutter with a smile on his face.
Viraj was born in Sri Lanka in 1956 . He was a mathematics genius. In 1973 he was sent to England at the age of 17, to study Engineering at the University of Manchester institute of science and technology. He got involved in left wing politics. Although himself a Sinhalese , he supported the Tamil nationalist movement in Sri Lanka, his life was in danger there so he claimed asylum in the U.K. it was refused and he was given a Deportation Order.
In early hours of 18 January 1989, Manchester police broke into the Church of Ascension and dragged Viraj out of his Sanctuary and took him to Pentonville prison in London, 52 hours later he was Deported to Sri Lanka. Father Methuen and six members of the campaign traveled with Viraj and protected him from personal harm.
A year later the government of Bremen granted asylum to Viraj. A campaigning comrade from Manchester, Ms Karen Roberts joined him in Bremen , they got married and set up home there.
In Bremen Viraj continued to be active in support of the Refugees and Asylum seekers. He set up the International human rights association in Bremen. Towards the end of his life he was still attending campaign meetings with an Oxygen cylinder in tow. He was 68 at the time of his death.
In England, as in the rest of Europe, the ruling class use Deportation as a deterrent. We see it as an attack on our rights and liberty. Battle line is clearly drawn. Fight goes on.
The determination and the fearless dedication of Viraj Mendis has given courage to many others to stand up and fight against Deportations , Racism and discrimination . Respect to you Viraj.
