Sampanthan’s death surfaces appreciation across the language divide

Event: On June 30, former opposition leader and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader, Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) MP Rajavarothiam Sampanthan passed away at the age of 91.[1][2] Analysis Following the passing of Sampanthan, the Sinhala media – including print, TV and social media posts – reflected on his life and legacy (please see Exhibit 1). The print media was largely appreciative and respectful of Sampanthan. In contrast, according to the findings from CrowdTangle, a social media monitoring tool, reactions on social media were mixed. Some expressed condolences, while others displayedsentiments of…