Vile Vellahla violence stamped on the Tiger flag
Posted on September 24th, 2011
H. L. D. Mahindapala
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Over and above all other factors there is only one single over-determining character that defines the culture of Jaffna in all its dimensions ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” and that is caste. Jaffna without caste does not exist. Nor is there a peninsular culture outside the rigid caste system. Focusing on the “caste character” embedded in Tamil society, Sebastian Rasalingam, Toronto, Canada asked: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Can there ever be a “historic Tamil village” without its caste system?ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (Lanka Guardian ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” July 4, 2011)
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Indeed, no!
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Jaffna without caste is inconceivable like Romeo without Juliet. Or the peninsula without panamkottay. The caste culture of Jaffna is identified primarily with the greatest cult figure of orthodox Hindus ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Arumuga Pillai (1822 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” 1879) who was later lionized as Arumuga Navalar (the Orator). He created and consolidated a new caste architecture by restructuring the hierarchy according to the prevailing ground realities of Jaffna society.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Jaffna, of course, inherited the Indian caste system without a substantial layer of Brahmins. The classical caste hierarchy demanded a divinely ordained layer at the top. The absence of Brahmins ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” they preferred to stay in India ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” created a vacuum in the caste system of the peninsula. It was Arumuga Navalar who stepped in to fill the vacuum. But he did it his way. He too was a Vellahla and he took the short cut by breaking away from the Indian model to create a new caste hierarchy according to the prevailing dynamics and local needs of Jaffna. With one arbitrary stroke he redefined the caste architecture by elevating the Vellahlas to the topmost level in the hierarchy.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This was a radical move that went against the orthodox Hindu caste hierarchy in which only the Brahmins ranked first, according to the sacred Hindu texts. But the absence of Brahmins forced Arumuga Navalar to finding a substitute to the Brahmins and he picked the dominant majority as the worthy successors to the Brahmins: the land-owning koviyars (goviyas). It was a pragmatic and realistic approach to restructuring the caste system in Jaffna. This bold and daring move made him the cult hero of the orthodox Vellahla Hindus.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The change of status from the lowest to the highest had a lasting ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” and also a devastating — impact on the political culture of Jaffna. Prof. S. Ratnajeevan Hoole in his semi-autobiographical study of the Vellahlas wrote: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Vellahlahs of Jaffna had one problem. As field workers they were Sudra (the menial workers who came from the feet of Brahma)ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦(The Vellahlas) being land-owning cultivators, were in the habit of ignoring this one aspect of Brahmanical teaching. They would say that that is the Indian caste-system and what mattered was what Jaffna society recognized. Indeed, it was late in the nineteenth century that Arumugam Pillai, a Karkatta Vellahlahla from Jaffna, gave Vellahlas this new status in Hinduism as Vaisyas in Jaffna. Until then, they had been known as Sudras.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ P.5 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” The Exile Returned: A Self-portrait of he Tamil Vellahlahs of Jaffna, Sri Lanka).
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The impact of this new caste/class reverberated down the 20the century. Most of all, this new higher status implanted in the Vellahlas a sense of superiority which was unwarranted either by classical casteist traditions or by any standards of decent human values. In a footnote Hoole comments: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Typical descriptions of Jaffna are not simply Vellahlah-centric but also self-adulating and upper-class Vellahlah centric.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (P. xvii ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Ibid) .Emerson Tennent refers to the Jaffna Tamils as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-this haughty and exclusive race.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (Ibid – quoted on p.19).
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Even among the Vellahlas the English-educated was in a class by themselves mainly because it gave them opportunities to rise to positions of power and privilege in the public service and professions. The English education was opening up Jaffna to the modern world but the ruling Vellahla caste/class saw to it that the doors were not opened too much for the forces of modernity to flood the plains of Jaffna. Jaffna remained a closed society resisting pressures of modernity till the seventies and eighties. Jaffna was the last to open its doors to the irresistible market forces, invasive ideologies of Marxism, liberalism, multiculturalism etc., sweeping the south, The Vellahlas saw to it that the asangha ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the outsiders ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” were kept at a safe distance just in case their intrusions would not only pollute their casteist purity but also undermine their feudal and colonial grip on the peninsula.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However, what has to be recognized is that it was the Vellahlas who made Jaffna a power house of politics. They virtually transformed a minority into a majority. They acquired their power through education in English ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” a medium that opened up avenues for the Vellahlas to occupy strategic places in the legislature, executive and the judiciary, not to mention the prestigious professions. It made them feel that they were born to rule and though they paid lip service to the Tamil language ever since Arumuga Navalar led the revival of the Tamil language, they relied essentially on the language of the colonial masters as the primary source that protected their power, privileges and positions that placed them in the commanding heights of and the colonial and post-colonial administrations.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In economic, political and social terms English was more valuable to them than Tamil and any attempt to displace English was taken as a frontal attack on their livelihood, their prestige, their power and their future. It was the same with the Sinhala elite who held power through their proficiency in the English language ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” a relic of the colonial past. Predictably, they reacted to the Sinhala Only Act which replaced English as if S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike had sentenced them to face a firing squad. Fifty five years later it is quite clear that the racist scare-mongering about the death of the Tamil language and culture is totally unwarranted and unfounded.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Vellahla Tamils who gave leadership to peninsular politics distorted the language issue as if the Sinhala Only Act was designed to displace Tamil from the statue books. Bandaranaike was quite clear that it was meant to dethrone only English and empower the vast masses by recognizing the languages of the peoples. His ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-1956ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ manifesto was quite clear: it said Sinhala only and Tamil also. And true to his word he passed the Sinhala Only Act in 1956 and the Tamil Language (Special Provisions) Act No. 28 in 1958. But what his uncharitable critics deliberately failed to highlight was that though the Sinhala Only Act was passed in 1956 its operations were suspended until December 31, 1960.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In the meantime he passed the Tamil Language Act accommodating both languages at the state level. The tragedy of communal politics is that the Tamils who accuse Bandaranaike of being racist never gave him credit for recognizing and elevating the Tamil language to the highest level in the state for the first time ever. No other ruler in Sri Lanka except Bandaranaike ever placed Tamil as a language of the state in the statue books. And yet Bandaranaike who elevated the Tamil language to its highest level for the first time was branded as an anti-Tamil communalist.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ At the elitist level the upper class of all communities ganged up against Bandaranaike because their hegemonic rule through their command of the English language was dethroned. It was not an issue confined to the Jaffna Tamils alone. Language was an issue that affected the ruling upper class of all communities. The vast masses conducted business and maintained inter-personal relations at the lower levels in their native tongues without any hassles. Language was never an issue at the lower levels. It was politicized and raised as a divisive issue only at the top. It was in essence a class issue though it was distorted as an ethnic issue.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ For instance, the Tamil jewelers of Sea Street, a monopoly run exclusively by Tamil traders, had no language problem in transacting business with the Sinhala customers who were their main stay. The Tamil barbers, Tamil shopkeepers in southern cities and villages, Tamil rickshawman, Tamil bothalkarayas, the Tamil neighbours, schoolmates, workmates, to name only a few, were quite comfortable in dealing with the majority Sinhalese in the Sinhala language in addition to the English. So did the Sinhala bakers and fishermen in the north. The Muslim thorombalkarays, butchers and the peripatetic peddlers became common and friendly figures in the Sinhala villages and cities.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Clearly, at the grassroot level where the masses co-existed in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi–religious environment there was no friction, tension or aggression on language issues. The confrontation and aggression came only from the Vellahla class who took up arms against the Sinhalese on the pretext of denying their language rights and harming their culture. Language, therefore, was essentially a class issue where the Vellahla priviligentsia fought fiercely to retain their colonial ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” and to some extent even their feudal ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” powers, prestige and privileges.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The class solidarity against BandaranaikeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s language policy was evinced when the Sinhala, Burgher, Muslim upper class joined hands with the Jaffna Tamil Vellahla upper caste/class. The class character of the language issue was further demonstrated by the fact that the Indian estate workers did not join in the Vellahla-driven campaigns. Nor did the Tamils of the east who were not preponderant in the public service and the professions join in the opposition to the language issue the way the Vellahla class did.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The confrontations, aggression and violence came only from the Vellahla caste/class, who exploited the issue to drag Jaffna deeper into mono-ethnic extremism. They succeeded in disguising their economic/class interests and promoting it as an act of discrimination against the Tamil-speaking communities. But history records that the language issue was driven aggressively only by the Vellahla caste/class and not by the Tamil-speaking Indians, Muslims or the non-Vellahla Tamils of the east.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Through all socio-political waves that were sweeping the nation from colonial times the Vellahla caste/class alone resisted changes to their established hegemonic role inside and outside Jaffna. At the time of independence they had risen to be the most powerful elite holding a disproportionate share in the public administration in particular. They were not far behind in business and professions either. They formed a closely knit (nambaday ahl) class that ganged up against the asangha inside and outside Jaffna. The common sword they wielded was the English language. They perceived any threat to the English language as a personal and political threat to their hegemonic role.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Armed with a competency in the English language they moved in early, from colonial days, to occupy strategic places in legislature, judiciary and the executive. Consequently, the Vellahlas constituted the most advantaged priviligentsia. They overcame their numerical weakness either by posing as the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-majorityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, a political posture accepted naively by Governor William Manning in the twenties, according to Prof. K.M. de Silva, or by grabbing a disproportionate share of jobs and power wherever and whenever possible.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Their calculated manipulations from colonial times enabled them to emerge as a formidable force to challenge in the post-independence period ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the Sinhala-stateƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. It was the English education that opened the doors for the Vellahlas to fan out into various parts of the globe and occupy, once again, key strategic places in professions and public services. It is the upper-class Vellahlas who rose as the driving force of peninsular politics both abroad and at home.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The aggression and violence of the Vellahla upper-class proved the Marxian thesis that the ruling class will not give up power without a struggle. And true to the upper-class character of the Vellahlas they declared war on the rest of the nation by passing the Vadukoddai Resolution in 1976 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the period when Vellahla supremacy was in its last legs.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka faced two major revolts in the post-seventies period.. In the south it was the disadvantaged that took up arms against the state on purely class basis. They also took up the language (English) issue not on an ethnic basis but on economic grounds. In the north it was the upper class Vellahlas ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the most privileged community in Sri Lanka ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” that decided to take up arms against the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Sinhala stateƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ abandoning the non-violent, democratic mainstream politics.. They too took up the language (Sinhala) issue but on an ethnic basis disguising the politico-economic factors that threatened the Vellahla ruling class holding sway through the English language.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Of the two it was the Vellahla challenge that posed a serious threat to the nation. They were the founders of the fascist culture in Jaffna. Despite the civilized veneer presented to the outside world the Vellahlas ran a fascistic regime reducing the depressed Tamils to slaves. Their cruel caste system has no other parallel in any other part of Sri Lanka. They virtually had a free run of the peninsula because the colonial rulers turned a blind eye to the subhuman Vellahla culture of violence. Thesavalamai legitimized slavery and the Vellahla slave-owners ruled the land with an iron fist, with the colonial administrators often refusing to interfere in the laws and customs of the ruling caste/class.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Thesa (land) walamai (laws and customs) legitimized the land-owning Vellahlas as the slave-masters of Jaffna. From feudal and colonial times until May 18, 2009 when the Vellahla cult of violence sank in Nandikadal, Jaffna was under the jackboot of, first, Vellahla fascism followed, second, by their equally brutal fascists in the LTTE. Both groups oppressed and subjugated their own people and denied their victims the fundamental right to live with even a modicum of dignity and self-respect. The LTTE took over from where the Vellahlas left and perpetuated the cult of fascist violence which reduced the Jaffna Tamils to subhumans.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ For instance, under the Vellahlas, the caste known as Turumbas, dhobis to the Pariahs, were not allowed to walk in daytime just in case their sighting would pollute the pure eyes of the Vellahlas. The Turumbas had to drag a branch behind to wipe the footsteps they leave when they walk at midnight so that the feet of the Vellahlas would not be polluted next day by treading on low-caste footprints. Schools attended by low-caste children were burnt and low-caste students physically assaulted.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Velupillai Prabhakaran perfected the fascistic culture of Vellahla violence with his cult of violence that was not restrained by basic values of humanity. Torture, murder, incarceration, kangaroo courts, feeding Tamil dissidents to crocodiles in the Iranamadu tank, plucking under aged children from the care of their parents and throwing them as sacrificial lambs to a war he could not win were all a part of his cult of violence which was glorified by the Vellahla expatriates. The Tamils expatriates wallowed lustily in his violence. The sadism of the Tamil expatriates was demonstrated by the increase in the collection of funds abroad each time Prabhakaran went on a killing spree. Their heroism was expressed in filling the war chests of Prabhakaran. Each time the Tamil expatriates oiled the killing machine of Prabhakaran it was the Tamils left behind who had to pay with their lives. The Jaffna Tamil culture gave no choice to the Tamils: it was either Vellahla fascism or Tiger fascism.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Jaffna Tamil leadership failed the Tamil people under both regimes. They never qualified to be just and fair leaders/rulers of the Tamil people. The violence directed against their own people has condemned the Jaffna Tamil leadership as the most unbearable, unacceptable Pol Pots of our time. With all its infirmities there was democracy and liberal space in the south. In the north, fascism and violence became a common existential experience of daily life.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The evil in the Vellahla culture, which was transmitted to Prabhakaran, is represented precisely and accurately in the Tamil Tiger flag flown by the Jaffna Tamil expatriates as their symbol of pride and glory. It is the most obscene flag under the sun. There isnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t a single redeeming feature in it to project the Jaffna Tamils as members of a civilized race. Its violent symbols ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” a snarling tiger putting his carnivorous head out of a ring of thirty-three bullets placed against two crossed guns fixed with bayonets ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” represent only a barbaric, blood-thirsty culture inherited from the Vellahlas. Every inch of the Tiger flag questions the values of the Jaffna Tamils and their capacity to co-exist with non-Tamil communities in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, multi-religious world.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The misguided Jaffna Tamils might read it as a sign of their power. But where have their tigers, bullets, guns and bayonets taken them? It is a flag that is comparable only to the skull and cross-bones of the marauding pirates. It is a flag that can only lead the Tamils to further deaths and destruction under another fascist leadership. And yet the Vellahlas spread out in the globe continue to hero worship Prabhakaran, the designer of the hideous flag. They seem to be possessed by the fascist DNA of their Vellahla forefathers who despised their own people and kicked them around as if they were pariah dogs. In a sense, it is fitting that they should fly this flag because it not only exhibits their vile past but guarantees that the future will be no different.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When I met my friend Fr. S. J. Emmanuel, the former Vicar of Jaffna and teacher of many Catholics, including Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, in the lobby of UNHRC in Geneva recently I asked him whether he would go to meet his Maker draped in this un-Christian, anti-Christ flag. I asked him what would be the reaction of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, who ordered his disciple to put his sword in his sheath when he waves the Tiger flag. He looked down silently with a guilty smile. Perhaps, it was an apologetic smile.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Yes, the Tamil leaders have a lot to apologize at least to their own people for raising this flag that makes them look like inhuman beasts in the eyes of the world. How on earth can the Tamil leaders come to UNHRC waving this flag to demand human rights? At least the stylized Sinhala Lion, like the British lion, wields a sword within a framework guarded by bo-leaves, indicating that the sword is for the protection of all peace-loving communities.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But the cheap, Hollywoodian MGM tiger snarling out of a ring of bullets should make the Jaffna Tamils wonder whether they are going to be outside the ring or inside the belly of the beast. Surely their own experiences under Prabhakaran must be good enough to convince them that those who ride the tiger end up in its belly.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Tamils, by and large, have better values and civilized norms than those represented in the Tiger flag. Those Tamils who still believe that Prabhakaran is alive and is waiting for the appropriate time to stage a come back will, no doubt, hang on to this flag. But the Tamils who know better have no option but to reject the brutality represented in the Tiger flag that is not even fit to be cut into squares and rolled up as toilet paper.
September 24th, 2011 at 5:04 pm
“Jaffna without caste is inconceivable like Romeo without Juliet.”
Jaffna without caste DISCRIMINATION is inconceivable like an eatery without “parippu”.
Well said.
This is what is happening.
Unfortunately some people don’t understand this.
It is not about racism but about REALITY.
We should NOT hate or dislike Jaffna Tamils for their caste/racism. We should UNCONDITIONALLY ACCEPT this fact and move on.
That is why we need a solution BYPASSING them (by way of diluting their political power) to defend UNITARY SL.
September 24th, 2011 at 5:09 pm
Vesa-walamei law is the most racist thing in the country but the government is not doing anything about it!
HLDM,
Never trust this Emmanual terrorist.
Anyway he will not meet his Maker (God), so don’t worry about that. Instead he will meet the devil in hell. And guess what devil LOVES the Tamil Elam flag! He will be immediately appointed the Grand Vicar of hell and his uniform will be the Tamil Elam flag!!
September 24th, 2011 at 8:38 pm
HLDM,
You are absolutely right about the language issue. The fear of the native by both the southern and northern English speaking colonized brown sahibs made them to gang up against language rights of the majority. English speaking class of both Sinhala and the Tamils joined hands to battle against the native purely based on the language issue knowing very well that if the native language gets its due place, their colonially inherited privileges will be in jeopardy. So the language issue supplied the cover for their actual desire of safeguarding their undeserved colonial privileges. Even today, most of the front runners of NGOs fighting for 13th amendment and sub-division of the nation are coming from this English speaking class. Therefore none can deny the fact that hegemony of English has taken the whole nation into historical disasters twice. Two wars, south and the north have never taught any lesson to our ruling class.
Your entire article reminds us once again that colonialism is the root cause of all political problems in post-colonial SL. But why president Rajapaksa’s government doesn’t want to correct most of these colonial injustices? Instead of doing so, why he wants to embrace colonialists and to have commonwealth summit in SL? Why he need to waste our poor country’s limited resources for this madness of having commonwealth games? Why he doesn’t want to touch the untouchables in Colombo?
Sinhalese is a unique language spoken only by a small group of people among world community.
Now I am asking a difficult question many of us may find difficult to answer honestly. Are we really proud of our language? I am sure our leaders are not. Repeatedly they have proved it. How can we respect our leaders if they seemed to be ashamed of using their native tongue ‘Sinhalese’ to address the world body of UNO? Isn’t that the due respect that Sinhalese language deserves? Marginalizing Sinhalese language in the highest level such as in the UNO tantamount to wholesale marginalization of a nation? Do we need colonial powers to marginalize the native when our own leaders do the job even better? All our modern heroes, except Anagarika Dharmapala, despite all their colorful histories of heroism, have displayed cowardice in front of English. None of them have demonstrated fearlessness; instead, have shown their timidity and inferiority complex. If a man ashamed of his own language, such man is no-man. Period.
September 25th, 2011 at 12:42 am
This comment is regarding what Geeth said, According to Chinese they also had problems with the Colonial master. But, they were not colonized the way that we were colonized. We were totally subjugated. So, even our thinking was influenced by them. We are afraid to make a mistake when we talk english and we want to talk grammetical english. . We think those speak english are a class on their own, some form of elite. We speak Sinhala and we don’t know whether we speak grammetical sinhala or not. Some times, if we don’t know proper Sinhala that is something to be proud.
In here, I have seen many immigrants do not know english. World leaders come and they come with a translater. That is true even for the countries like jourmany, Franch or western Europe too.
But, we, only us, are shamed if we can not speak english.
I mean here the day to day activities and not any english usage as some professionals do or international trades need.
September 25th, 2011 at 12:19 pm
Tamils followed Buddhism in the North according to the History. Only Hindu colonism brought
cast system among Tamils. If the whole Sri Lanka under Buddhism there will be no Hindu high cast and
the Eelam voice in the north. Why the Hindu high cast Tamils accept a brahmin do pooja in Sanskrit
without rejecting and the same time they hate Buddhism and sinhala language. Do high cast Hindus belongs realy to Tamil community?
September 26th, 2011 at 4:36 am
Ref: Do high cast Hindus belongs realy to Tamil community?
Thurai, excellant thinking, Yes I agreed these high caste can not be Tamils ( Sorry including me) , because they not worring about Tamils.
eg: How many containers of foods sent to IDP camps from these Western Tamils ? NON.
We have to thanks SL forces who cooked one millon foods ( 290 x 3 time a day) a day for these IDP camp people.
We Tamil must be very sham of it…………
You Hela nation We Srilankan Tamils hats off to you !
September 26th, 2011 at 7:03 am
Our thanks to HLD for revealing the facts that ruled Jaffna politics. We have long suspected these truths, but it is essential that scholars & journalists bring out more details and put the salient facts in articles that will educated us all so that the real problems are understood by not only us, but also the leaders of the rest of the world, and solutions found for all to live together in peace, understanding & reasonable prosperity. More than half the problem was not understanding the problem as the main Jaffna Problem was hidden for centuries and kept hidden till present times !
Where do we go from here ? I personally agree with Lorenzo that we should just keep moving forward in our Development Program, Education, Job Creation, Inner growth & Development, both material & spiritual, over riding the Jaffna Caste problems. Since a vast number of people in Sri Lanka would desire this, given time, the Caste Issues of Jaffna will be forced out of our lives, at least in Sri Lanka.
Whilst the Colonists brought in some good ideas to Sri Lanka, they have done damage to our society here too, particularly with their policy of ‘Divide & Rule’. There were certain sectors of society in Sri Lanka, both from the Vellalah Tamils (to a larger extent), and the Sinhale leading families (mostly Colombo) who embraced the English language without reserve to gain acceptance by the Colonists. A great deal of good came out of the Sinhala leaders and a few honorable Tamil leaders such as Mr Lakshman Kadirgama being able to communicate in English prior to and during Independence, or else we would have been tar brushed out of existence by now, and probably under Vellalah rule in Lanka by now !.
I also think that it was wise of Pres. Rajapakse to speak in English at the UN. He was understood by the west for his sincerity, strength & courage to state facts with simple dignity. The photo of our President with Pres.Obama speaks volumes. The power to communicate in a world language is a great asset, and having the words come direct from Pres. MR in English and not through a translator, was very effective. He did speak in Sinhala at the earlier UN meeting, and was not well received. Let’s not mix up the English language too much with the British colonists. English is the world language and we are no longer a Brit colony. That time is finished. It is time Sri Lanka reached out to all countries and not tend toward isolation. That would be construed as though there were wrong doings on our part, and would be a large scale imitation of Jaffna’s isolated, fascist Vellalah rule – the very thing we dislike ! The political Opposition here must have been aghast that Pres.MR went right into the sacred holy of holies of speaking in English – after all what most the Opposition here believes is : it is their sacred right to communicate with the west in English, and theirs alone ! Isn’t this a fact ?
September 26th, 2011 at 8:02 am
Fran Diaz /Lorenzo
Please do not misse up with Srilankan Tamils ( only -according to Lorenzo ) Problem with Vellalah Caste jaffna Tamil problem or VP’s problem.
to moving forward in our Development We need strong Goverment & Policy than All We live in western coutries can contribute !
Yes We have strong Govt but we need a Policy ……… One Contry One Nation !!!!!!!
September 26th, 2011 at 8:02 am
thurai,
Even all the hindus convert to Buddhism, they won’t eradicate caste system.
Fascist Vellaala group will list the newly converted Buddhists under many categories. That is Vellaala groups’ blood stained mentality.
Even a learned so called upper caste tamil do not know what the Brahmin says in Sankrit. Sometimes, even the Brahmin does not know what he says himself.
After all, many Hindu scriptures were not translated to other languages and lower caste Tamils were prohibited to learn or read the Hindu scriptures.
Pirabhakaran was a lower caste beast who kidnapped the upper class Madhivadany and married by force. Pirabha killed most of the Hindu priests, but he never touched any Christian priest to die in order to satisfy his western godfathers.
In reality, none of the Vellaala group liked the Sun God, but they supported and used him as a scapegoat.
September 26th, 2011 at 9:01 am
ranjith
Ref: they (Vellaala group )supported and used him (VP) as a scapegoat.
& Sometimes, even the Brahmin does not know what he says himself
I fully agreed ! Vellaala groups’ blood stained mentality !
At present Anandasangaree, Sampanthan , Mevai S, Suresh P even Doucles D all these Vellala group doing their part of the jop !
But all these people will fail with Mahinda Rajapaksa ! as VP.
September 26th, 2011 at 11:40 am
Dear Fran Dias,
In my comment I intended to refer a longstanding tendency of our leadership of marginalizing Sinhala language in highest level. Yes I know Pres. MR addressed the UNO in Sinhala once before. He used Tamil too. That’s a very good move. Somehow some of his advisers may have advised him to switch into English.
UNO is a world body of entire world community. It is a location where we recognize and respect similarities and differences among nations. In an era like today when all less powerful and weak cultures are struggling to safeguard their identities, addressing UNO in Sinhala language has enormous symbolic value. A statesman does not have to speak in English to put his point across world community, because it is not the only way of communication between nations. In UN, very leader’s speech will be in records and will be translated while the speech is delivered. By addressing UN assembly in Sinhalese necessarily will not stop our leadership to deal with other foreign leaders and have dialogue with them in English.
Addressing UN in Sinhala language has much significance because our leader is the representative of the nation, whose language, culture and entire national identity. Under such circumstance, addressing in Sinhala acquires very essential symbolic value. That is my point.
I am a supporter of Pres. MR and his government, but I may come up with constructive criticism time to time. Isn’t that what we need to do after all rather than saying ‘yes’ for everything every time?
September 26th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
Andy,
OK I agree.
Now we can narrow down the problem to Vile Vellahla from northern Tamils.
How can we save good Tamils (non Vellahla) from Vellahla Tamils? That is the next question.
September 26th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
If Pirabhakaran was an upper caste Tamil or a Brahmin, he wouldn’t have killed Rajiv Ghandi and India wouldn’t have helped Sri Lanka to crush Tamil terrorism.
September 26th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
Dea Geeth:
I do understand your point of view. In think, it is just that this particular occasion at the UN Gen.Ass. mtg. demanded that Pres.MR speaks in English.
September 27th, 2011 at 3:23 am
Lorenzo
Ref:How can we save good Tamils (non Vellahla) from Vellahla Tamils? That is the next question
Yes, We can save, but We both need to change our basic attitute first !
step no one …..
You do not say or believe yourself that you have given $1.5B solution at Nanthi kaddal for Tamil (only ) problme.
& I have to change my beleive that I (We) will get Tamil Eelam tommorow ( Naalai Pirakku Thamil Eelam).
awaiting for your comments ….
September 27th, 2011 at 5:03 am
Nanthikadal was the start.
We should set non-vellahlas against vellahlas like TMVP (non vellahla leadership, TOTALLY non vellahla support) against LTTE (mostly vellahla leadership, mostly vellahla support). Give more to low caste Tamils AT THE EXPENSE of vellahla Tamils. We should maintain these divisions without letting them join together. Divide and rule is the key. Always support the weaker group against the other.
This way even if vellahlas vote for TNA, low caste Tamils will still vote for UPFA/UNP. If low caste Tamils are powerful, they will get even vellahlas to support them or else face unpleasant consequences.
As HLDM has shown in the article, totally peaceful methods don’t work with vellahlas. A mix of peaceful methods and calculated “not so peaceful” methods are needed.
I’m not scared of your dream to achieve TE. I know how to bust that! We did it once and WILL do it again with pleasure.
That is not a negotiation/bargaining tool. Don’t tell me you will compromise something you DON’T have. It has no value.
e.g. I can’t tell you to give me all your money and I will give you $10 million if I win the lottery.
September 27th, 2011 at 6:45 am
Lorenzo
Ref:Don’t tell me you will compromise something you DON’T have. It has no value.
Agreed ! what else can I say……………
These vellahla caste have ruled us last 1000 years & will rules because We think We both us are clever as We both us know very well We both us are moddaya (muddalkall)
if not How come We both us (last 33 years) losted 1000 of 1000 of our own Brothers & Sisters but these ruling class childern are in Western word & Colombo 6?( chinonan garden) & India (very high class places).
I am not ask you to compromise anythink Lorenzo & I will not compromise anythink either.but
My way of thinking was shall We (only you & me) find out real true about our problme before come to solution !
thats all…….
Nanthikadal was a step stone for Tamil Eelam ! Because Eelamist want to VP to go …………. ( like Arafat gone from Plastenian)
September 27th, 2011 at 11:09 am
There is cast discrimination among Diaspora Tamils also. The western Government treat all citizen same as their own people. Because all tamils join in the Demonstration again SL without considering the truth of the persons behind the organisations. There are many Hindu Temples under controll of High cast tamils
and LTTE supporters. The Temple owners achived highest income and richest people around the world among Tamils. They make donations to the peoples affected by the war in Sri Lanka. Which actions may assist moneylaundering and Terrorism High cast Tamils and Brahmins maintain there monopoly in westren countries also.
These group of Tamils have close contacts with Tamil politicians in Tamilnadu under covering them as Tamils.
at the same time they have contacts with northern Indian politicians saying as Hindus. They cheat the western countries as politic asylumseekers. To cheat the western politicians World Tamils Forum has Catholic President
Rev.Father.Immanuel even tamils has Hindu Majority in Sri Lanka. Well done they are educated generation.
September 27th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
So called high caste Vellaala Idiots talk Eelam when they are in Jaffna.
They prefer to be called Sri Lankans when they are in Colombo.
They say, we are Tamils when they reach in Tamilnadu.
When they are with saffron groups in Delhi, they say, Hindus we are!
What a nasty mentality!
A well known rationalist from Tamilnadu said,” If you have to choose between killing a Brahmin or a snake, spare the snake.”
September 27th, 2011 at 2:14 pm
Not true.
After Nanthikadal, they are losing all the way. It is the start of the dismantling process of ANY possibility of a Tamil nation or a Tamil federal unit. Look what has happened to TNA. They won the most seats in the north but cannot do anything. EPDP still rules! Army has more power on ground than TNA!! That’s how it should be. If LTTE was around we would never have been able to do that.
You might agree with me that LTTE tried REALLY HARD to reduce caste problems. They did it better than anyone before. If LTTE had succeeded we would never be able to divide and rule. That made the LTTE a real enemy.
Tamil caste problem is NOT our enemy. It is a given. We cannot change that. We should MAKE USE OF IT to screw the vellahlas.
September 27th, 2011 at 3:28 pm
Not only Tamil terrorists, anyone could try to reduce caste menace among Tamils with gun point.
Those tamil terrorists got lot of pressures from Indian brahmins. Thereafter, they stopped pressurising Vellahla groups.
Divide and rule never and ever work well. Colonialists now seem to be failing worldwide, even if they achieve temporary victories.
Like Colonialists, we too will fail very soon, if we develop our mentality of divide and rule.
September 27th, 2011 at 3:52 pm
andy,
Vaddulottai resolution was once the stepping stone for eelam.
TULF’s main opposition in Parliament in 1977 too was a stepping stone for eelam.
1983 riots was also a stepping stone for eelam.
Alas, now Nanthikadal was a stepping stone.
The time you reach the last stepping stone, your Sinhala brothers will be already reached as majority in N & E.
So, no more Eelam even a dream!
It’s so pathetic. Isn’t it?
September 28th, 2011 at 2:32 am
ranjith
Ok, If Tamil Eelam is pathetic, than please tell me Our ( ( (I)Lanka(i) Tamilar ) problme & Solution .
September 28th, 2011 at 5:09 am
Cast system is a discrimination among Tamil Community. Hidu High Cast are responsible for the
discrimination and untold difficulties suffered by low cast Tamil in North and some other Parts.
We can realise from situation in south India. Hindu high cast mentality is enjoying their life from suffering of others. It is better to ask Hindu Land than Tamil Eelam. For the political benefit they call themself as Tamils.
They have no Interest of people of Sri Lanka Tamils,Muslims or Sinhalese.
One poorman from Tamil or Sinhala community can go to north or to south to find a Job. There were more educated
Tamils immigrated in the south than Sinhalese in the North. That was a mistake happned in the History.
If Jaffna like colombo with all communities we had no racial conflict.
We all must try to solve this situation without fueling the burnnig fire.
September 28th, 2011 at 6:08 am
thurai
Is that Tamils fault Sinhalese did not intergrate with Tamil in North .
You may argue before 1983 few Sinhala bakeries & (Gunasena ) book dept etc… were in Jaffna , but they did not return back ( offcause LTTE thearet) as We returned back to South after riots with in 3 month (we also had similar threat).
September 28th, 2011 at 9:24 am
Andy
Tamil terrorism was over. No more Tamil problems exist in Sri Lanka.
If there are no problems, why do we need solution?
Asking solution is a nonsensical theme.
September 28th, 2011 at 10:05 am
Dear Ranjith,
There is no place in the world without problems. Sri Lanka has also problems which includes all communities.
When we all get together work for our prospectus we can bring unity among us.
September 28th, 2011 at 1:52 pm
Thurai,
“There were more educated
Tamils immigrated in the south than Sinhalese in the North. That was a mistake happned in the History.
If Jaffna like colombo with all communities we had no racial conflict.”
Agree.
Government should covert Jaffna to another multi ethnic Colombo by settling Sinhala and Muslim people.
Like Tamil only Jaffna we should not allow Muslim only enclaves in Kalmunai, etc. That will lead to a similar problem.
September 28th, 2011 at 2:31 pm
Thurai,
Of course, humans were/are born to this world with problems. Humans cannot escape without problems. Sri Lanka comprises multi-ethnic, religious communities. We should help overcome the problems of communities irrespective of ethnicity or religion.
If a particular community’s needs/problems pose detrimental to other communities or our country, it should be overruled unitedly.
All the communities of Sri Lanka worked hard to eradicate the terror menace which engulfed for more than
30 years.
Now, peace prevails all over the island.
Please understand my dear friend Thurai.
September 28th, 2011 at 3:16 pm
Ref:If there are no problems, why do we need solution?
Thanks ranjith
Dear thurai
No point argue with our Eelamist people for these Sinhala brothers ( eg: Ranjith/Lorenzo ) .
September 28th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
andy,
I am not angry with you.
Please feel free and elaborate the problems, so we could discuss them amicably.
September 28th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
We thank HLDM for this very popular write up as usual.
Keep them coming Mr HLDM.
September 28th, 2011 at 11:59 pm
ranjith /Lorenzo
Sorry Ranjith I am so angry with myself !
I always arugue with these pro Eelamist & pro LTTE as We are fighting for usless war as if We can not solve our problme with these Bhuddis Sinhalase than their is no way We can solve with any one else in this world so on………………
but They alway say Andy …
Appapillai Amirthalingam tried ( in his way – bend his nee to JRJ feet),
Vellupillai Pirabaharan tried (in his way- Bend CBK nee to his feet)
Do you thing these Sinhalese will understand our problme? NO
looks like I was wrong all the way !!!!!
Thurai….. Please comments …..
September 29th, 2011 at 1:24 am
Ranjith //“There were more educated
Tamils immigrated in the south than Sinhalese in the North. That was a mistake happned in the History.
If Jaffna like colombo with all communities we had no racial conflict//
Ranjith Your comment is excellent I agree with you.
After Independece of Sri Lanka started these problem. Tamil´s (Hindu High Cast)monoply in Sri Lanka faced difficulties to maintain their status they called them Tamils and misguided Tamils from North and east.
The problems which I mentioned are Social& economic not language or religious problem.
In the south All Sri Lankans are maintaining Peace during the last 30 yeras even LTTE murdred Sinhala
soldiers in the North. That showed the understanding between the communities. We have to strenth
the friendship . We are in the position to win a war against politicians who mislead our people.
My opinion Tamil are not mentally fit for asking a Homeland. The Tamil politicians cheat them.
Myself and the whole world willnever understand what the so called Tamils really want. A land to discriminate themself? The language is worth more than a human life? or only Hindusm and cast system are valuable for Tamils?.