Is there a ‘National Question’ that must be addressed as a prerequisite for social advancement in Sri Lanka?
Posted on January 14th, 2012

R Chandrasoma

Peoples of all nations on Planet Earth live precariously and face many challenges. The rising cost of energy amd the alarming depletion of natural resources endanger all and in this sense are ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”National QuestionsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ for peoples across the world. The ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”national questionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ raised by a section of the Tamil Intelligentsia and their bourgeois counterparts among the denationalized Sinhalese is in an altogether different class. It is the belief that the leading minority (The Tamils) have been deeply wounded in their amour proper after their recent defeats and setbacks and that a reconciliation of some kind is a sine qua non for the advancement of the Sri Lankan nation.

That most upper-class Tamils viewed the battle to exterminate Prabhakaran and his goons as a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”national battleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of an epic kind that symbolized the indomitable will of the Tamils to be free is unquestionably true. However, this anguish about their champion dying in the mud-flats off theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Nandikulal Lagoon is a reactionary parochialism that is not not shared by the bulk of the ordinary Tamil people who view with great relief the removal of the blight of Terrorism from the regions in which they live. The wounded minority ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” who dominate the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-English Print MediaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and are beloved by the agents of Western Imperialism ensconced in our carefree Island ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” are shouting out loud that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”the war may be over but the victors face a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”national problemƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ that if allowed to remain unresolved will spell ruin for the majority (Sinhala) race and its overweening ambition to make Lanka great.

Let us ask how these professed believers in democracy and fairplay envisage a satisfactory resolution of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”National QuestionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ that bothers them so much. They speak of the Rights of the Tamils which encompasses such things as the right to manage their own affairs in their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Traditional HomelandsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, the right to govern settlements and land use, the right to police their territories without interference, the amalgamation of Tamil-speaking territories and the expulsion of the Sinhala Armed forces from their homelands.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Stated in such a bare-boned fashion, one can be excused for thinking that this is ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”bowdlerizedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ version of PrabhakaranƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s agenda. He used weapons while the well-heeled Tamils of today want to achieve the same goal by seduction and artful use of words ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” of the kind that will charm the foolish Sinhala leadership into submission.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Let us take just one of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”demandsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ made by those (among the disaffected minorities) who feel aggrieved by the turn of events after the defeat of Prabhakaran, The removal of the armed forces and their basesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  from the North-East is at the very heart of their proposals. If this is done, Prabhakaran will will not ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”turn in his graveƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ but ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”danceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in it. The critical step for a resurgence of separatist violence will be made if the armed might of the Sri Lankan State is withdrawn from the North and East. A new Prabhakaran will win this ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”second warƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ because the European powers will give direct military help to the Tamil insurrectionists. They will destroy Sri Lanka in the way they have done in a swathe of territories extending from Somalia to Afganistan. Our great neighbor in the North will not be uneasily neutral in this new Eelam War ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” egged on by a naliciously chauvinistic Tamil Nadu, India will compete with the Western Powers to finish off every vestige of Sinhala nationalism. It is this disastrous ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”worst case scenarioƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ we must contemplate when listening to the smooth talk of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Tamil IntellectualsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and their Ex-LTTE friends in the Tamil National Alliance. Let us end on an historical note ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” The Late Preident Ranasinghe Premadasa befriended the LTTE and was beguiled by their promises and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”peace dealsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. Troops were withdrawn and the hand of friendship extended to the erstwhile enemy. The disaster that followed need not be recounted here. He paid for his ill-conceived plans with his life. The lesson to be learnt is that one must be forearmed aginst a separatism that parades as the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”right to lifeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of the minorities but is, in reality a nasty power-play of forces that have little interest in the true well-being of the ordinary Tamil people.

5 Responses to “Is there a ‘National Question’ that must be addressed as a prerequisite for social advancement in Sri Lanka?”

  1. Dham Says:

    100% true ( although this writer want the reader to refer dictionary – why can’t this man write simple English ? I wonder).
    This is exactly the situation now and the dangers we a facing.
    We did not take the golden opportunity from day 1 after the war. Ponseka was the national betrayer who joined the waiting UnPier (Kalusuddas). Even Kalusuddas rejoiced with the masses but thought it is the time to float their agendas.
    UK is leading the big conpiracy.

  2. Dham Says:

    The main National Question to the fool “Gon Silva” is the inherited Sinhala weakness of believing the “Indian Myth” Nibbana , the Third Noble Truth of Buddhism.
    Should Sinhala Buddhist tolerate this fool any more with courtesy ?

  3. Lorenzo Says:

    “That most upper-class Tamils viewed the battle to exterminate Prabhakaran and his goons as a ‘national battle’ of an epic kind that symbolized the indomitable will of the Tamils to be free is unquestionably true. However, this anguish about their champion dying in the mud-flats off the Nandikulal Lagoon is a reactionary parochialism that is not not shared by the bulk of the ordinary Tamil people who view with great relief the removal of the blight of Terrorism from the regions in which they live. The wounded minority – who dominate the “English Print Media’”

    NOT TRUE.

    MOST Sri Lankan Tamils are Vellahlas (upper caste). Upper class is upper caste in Tamil tradition which continues to this date. So by definition the the bulk of the Tamil people DO share the anguish.

    This can be clearly seen in election results.

    Upper-class Tamils represented by TNA was voted OVERWHELMINGLY by Tamil people (the LARGEST TAMIL PARTY IN THE ISLAND). Other Tamils represented by EPDP was defeated.

    Interestingly, Tamil people who live in the regions where terrorism was most active are the BIGGEST SUPPORTERS OF Tamil Nationalism even today!

    Why don’t we accept this fact?

    I urge everyone to read ANY or ALL POPULAR Tamil newspapers and see for themselves the ENORMOUS support for TNA, LTTE, Tamil Nationalism that is read and enjoyed DAILY by MOST Tamils in the island. You will be amazed at the sheer amount of RACISM bombarded on the people by the people (journalists are people) and the CRAVING for more racism.

    (In a way it is better not to read them! For any human! Tamilnet is a bit more civilised and nowhere near them. What else do you expect from voters who read this EVERY DAY?)

  4. M.S.MUdali Says:

    But this Lorenzo do not tell why the so called Catholic Church of Jaffna is still behind the LTTE.

    Jaffna Catholic Church claims they are all HIGH caste vellaala while their history tell us their NEGRO connections through Portugeuse.

    I find not a single TNA parlimetarian belong to Vellaala caste. Can any Sinhala pandit tell us who and who are Vellala?

  5. Lorenzo Says:

    Mu Dalit

    They are “that people” you mentioned. Kapiri in local language.

    Just look at GG Ponnambalam. His son GK Ponnambalam. Sambandan. Sumanthiran. Mano Gonason. Most other TNA MPs. LTTE Nadesen, Kapirikalan aka Karikalan, Tamilchelvan, Emmanuel, Rudrakumaran, Seeman, Nedumaran, even Douglas.

    All the Vellahlas are same.
    They are all “that people” you mentioned.

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