Ben Silva UK

I consider our present day Tamils as our brothers and sisters. They are valuable Sri Lankan citizens and I treat them with respect , dignity and affection. We all belong to the human family and this is what should be stressed and not tribalism. Tamils should give up their tribalism and treat all Sri Lankans as memers of the same family. I have to acknowledge the valuable contribution to Sri Lanka made by Late Mr Kadirgamar and late Mr Fernandopulley and many Tamil Professionals and law abiding citizens. We ought to erect statues in memory of Mr Kadirgamar and Mr Fernandopulley to remind future generations of examples of good humans.

Rather sadly, we also faced destruction by Prabakaran and there may be many Prabakarans about in Sri Lanka and in India. We also have to bear in mind that it is the Cholas that destroyed our irrigation system and our civilisation. We have to bear in mind, the Chola mind set and the threats to Sri Lanka by Indian Tamil politicians including Karunanidi and Jayalalitha. We could face grave danger if we ignore their threats. Unless we are prepared to defend ourselves from Prabakarans of this world, we would be in trouble. This is where self reliance in defence and development in Home guards become essential. It is absolutely essential to have strong central control with Tamils and other ethnic groups in the Government. Elimination of poverty and inclusion of all groups is essential, rather than devolve power on ethnic basis. If power is devolved on ethnic basis, without a shadow of doubt, politicians will play the race card, to win votes and we will have endless problems.

Any race based solution is a display of racism. Race based devolution would create many Prabakarans and it would lay the foundation for the funeral of the Sinhalese. If the Sinhalese do nothing and allow, race based devolution, then they are asking for their own funeral. For 2500 years, we have been moving in the reverse gear, until MR stopped the rot and have very little to show in the form of achievement. At least I had my say!. Any one with even a tiny bit of common sense should not allow race based devolution, as it will invite Eelam through the back door. If foreigners want some thing badly, we should engage our head and ask why they want it. Neo colonialist Western Governments wanted to save Prabakaran. We should not commit suicide after the sacrifice made by many of our poor. As for Prof. Witharana I do not think he has any common sense. We have seen many idiots holding the post of Professor before.

When there is talk of Sphinx-like regeneration. of LTTE and also threats by Tamil Nadu politicians to use the Indian Army, to create an Elam, it is absolute lunacy to devolve power on ethnic basis. If the Sri Lankans are to avoid future wars, then they have to be militarily and economically strong. The weakness of the Sinhalese is unfortunately shown by the fact that they have very little to show, in the form of achievement in 2500 years.

Homeland of the Sinhalese

It has to be reminded that the whole of Sri Lanka was the traditional homeland of the Sinhalese

Tamils talk of equality. I wish to know how many Sinhalese are in Tamil Nadu ? Are they treated well ? I have a feeling that majority of Tamils are good and it is the tiny minority we have to be concerned about.

In my view, the assertion that Tamils are being disadvantaged is a fabrication. Tamils are represented in professions and in business more per thousand than their ethnic proportion.. This achievement by minorities, better than the majority community, is also observed in other countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Bolivia and so on. In South Africa, the minority whites were in control of South Africa. It is wrong to assume that a minority group is automatically a disadvantaged group. If we devolve power, on the basis of ethnicity, we will be second class citizens in our own country. In Bolivia, until recently, the natives were second class citizens in their own country.

We should be working towards the inclusion of all Sri Lankans irrespective of the ethnicity. At the same time, there should be a mechanism to protect the Sinhalese from racist global Tamils and racist South Indian Tamils. Correct understanding of the problem and realisation of the threats faced by the Sinhalese is vital, before a solution is formulated.

Tamils talk of equality. How many Sinhalese are living in Tamil Nadu ? Are the Sinhalese treated well in Tamil Nadu ? Remember what happened to our film producer and the Police officials that went to Tamil Nadu for training. The poor peasants of NCP, who do not even have clean drinking water should ask for equal rights as Tamils .The Siinhalese should ask Western countries to treat them the same way as they treat Tamils. The Tamils have got preferential treatment from Western countries, related to residency. Sinalese should ask Western countries to treat them equal to the Tamils. Tamils have relatives of nearly one million bogus refugees residing in Western countries helping them. In addition various NGOƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Tamils Diaspora and also the Sinhalese help the Tamils. The poor voiceless Sinhala peasants have nobody to help them and are dying in thousands in NCP, having no clean drinking water or proper food. It is time that the poor Sinhalese also

received some attention. At least clean drinking water and food that has been denied to them, should be provided..The Tamils are in general enterprising and intelligent. Per thousand of the population, their representation in the Professions and in business are better than the Sinhalese. It is misrepresentation to say that Tamils have been discriminated. In fact, if the trend before the liberation continued, the Sinhalese would have been left without a home land and would have been second class citizens in their own country. It is time the Sinhalese, analyse, what is going on and rectify the situation.

The muddled thinking of Prof. Witharana and some other Sinhalese will lead us to disaster. In any problem solving situation, it is essential to understand the root cause of the problem. It is also beneficial to carry out a risk analysis and a SWOT analysis. The root cause of various race based invasions is our inability to defend ourselves from foreign invasions and local terrorism. It is the weakness of the Sinhalese that enabled foreigners such as the Cholas to grab our homeland. Injustice and poverty also has been associated with rebellions. Injustice, poverty and our weakness are issues that have to be addressed, rather than devolve power on ethnic basis. As majority of Tamils now live amongst the Sinhalese, devolving power on ethnic basis is meaningless. This issue has to be addressed if we are to prevent future invasions and destruction. Appeasing the aggressor has never helped the victim. The Sinhalese have been the victims of Tamil racist aggression and they were well on their way to extinction. Our civilisation was destroyed by Chola invaders. It is time to wake up and stand on our own feet.

There are many Sinalese living under extreme poverty. They are living under worse condition than the displaced Tamils. For example, some in NCP do not have clean drinking water or proper food and shelter. Thousands are dying due to kidney decease. These people are voiceless and powerless. They do not have rich relatives like the Tamils have to support them. Rather sadly, these people even do not have the support of the Sinhalese.

LTTE developed and manufactured bombs, weapons, submarines, aircraft using their own know how and with foreign help. Did our Science and Technology minister initiate any development in our defence field ? Even a fire cracker ? Science and Technology should be under innovative engineers and technologists and not under clueless idiots. India and China developed Technology within a short span of 50 years. What have we got to show ? We are far too dependent on foreigners and it is not surprising that they want to bully us. It is time to go for self reliance and partnerships with foreign friends.

The Tamils have rich Tamils to help them, where as the poor Sinhalese have nobody.

We have to realise that Sri Lanka is our only home and we have no other place. It would be utterly reckless if we ignore its defence and allow measures that will form the foundation for Elam. We should not follow blindly on solutions forced upon us, without carrying out a hazard identification and a risk analysis. Just as Prof. McLean suggested we should not have mono ethnic enclaves anywhere in Sri Lanka.

In order to understand the present conflict, we need to look at our own history. The Sinhalese developed a unique hydraulic civilisation, based at Anuradhapura. The Sinhala civilisation was non violent and peaceful. The Sinhalese suffered regular Tamil invasions from South India. They were forced to move from Anuradhapura to Pollonnaruwa and so on to Kandy. Now the Sinhalese cannot escape Tamil violence by hiding in Kandy or Colombo. In the past civilisations that were weak have been wiped out. A simple analysis would indicate that the Sinalese were on their way to being eliminated.

There is a fallacy to believe that Tamils wanted a separate state because they were discriminated. In Bolivia, the descendants from Europe wanted devolution, so that they would get the better part of the country and they did not want to share their success with the rest. .

Prabakaran had links with Tamil Nadu politicians such as Vaiko and so on. LTTE flag was based on a Chola emblem. A simple but careful analysis would indicate that Prabakaran was on a Tamil racist empire building mission. I doubt if Prof. Witharana understood the vision and mission of LTTE. The information related to the vision and mission of LTTE has to be conveyed to Western countries, who may not be aware of South Indian Tamil links with LTTE and the threat to Sri Lanka.

What is needed is strong central Government that can deal wit Tamil Nadu threats. Now Jaya and Kasru have openly said they support Elam. These threats cannot be taken lightly.

It is our responsibility to behave in a civilised manner and protect Sri Lankan Tamils. It is indeed good that our Sri Lankan Soldiers protected Tamil women, old people and young people even though LTTE smashed the heads of Sinhala babies and removed the bowels of Sinhala pregnant women. .

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What is needed in Sri Lanka is strong central Government that would not allow racist Tamils to form a racist provisional councils .Race based devolution will give Elam on a plate and will be te start of the endof Sri Lanka for the Sinalese. What may be more beneficial is racial integration and caring and sharing by all. If we want to avoid future race wars, we need to develop defence capabilities and improve the economic strength of Lanka.

We must not forget that EU and Western countries indirectly funded the terror war.

Some Western politicians may be hell bent on destroying the Sinhalese.. That is why some of them favoured Tamils and discriminated against the Sinhhalese. We must not give in to their plans to give Elam through the back door. If we do not want future wars, we have to get rid of frogs in a well attitude and be militarily strong.

Rather sadly, Prof. Witharana has demonstrated muddled thinking by promoting ethnic based devolution.