Fownhope’s Heart of Oak Society traces its roots to the age of friendly societies, when communities provided their own safety net. Its anniversary celebrations reveal a tradition still very much alive, says MARK SEDDON
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Vairamuttu Varadakumar: 1949-2019
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IT WAS one of the most iconic anti-deportation protests of the last century. A dozen Tamil men stood on the tarmac at Heathrow and stripped down to their underwear, as stunned police and journalists looked on.
The bold and defiant demonstration on February 17 1987 secured their struggle a slot on the evening news, and delayed the flight long enough to win a High Court injunction halting their deportation to Sri Lanka, where they had fled a British-backed genocide.
One of the planners behind this brave action was Vairamuttu Varadakumar, director of the Tamil Information Centre, who has recently passed away aged 69. Throughout his decades of distinguished service to the Tamil community he saved countless compatriots from deportation, often working closely with staff in Jeremy Corbyn’s office.
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