Tamils Must Emulate African Americans for a Political Solution and Power Sharing
Posted on October 21st, 2012
Dilrook Kannangara
It is unfortunate the whole debate about political solutions has been dominated by Tamils, Tamil grievances and Tamil aspirations. If political solutions are only about Tamils, there is no reason why Sinhalese and Muslims should support them. If political solutions donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t make the life of Sinhalese and Muslims any better, they should not be supporting them. TNA position on political solutions collapses due to these reasons. Inability to coexist is the main problem with the TNA and it has to be fixed first.
Internationalising local problems cannot do justice to the people either. It is Sri Lankan voters, not the international community, who must make decisions. Appealing to past and new colonial powers, neighbouring countries and to various UN agencies cannot and should not be allowed to bypass the decision making right of Sri Lankan voters.
TNA must also learn to be satisfied with what they get. If TNA leaders arenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t happy about what is offered, they lack a basic survival tool every human being must have. There is nothing the government can do to correct this serious lack of social skills. TNA and government cannot agree on a secret political solution before the Parliamentary Select Committee can decide on anything. That defeats the whole purpose of the Parliamentary Select Committee and democracy.
No Bypassing the Democratic Process
Ample evidence can be found in history how secret political pacts made behind closed doors failed. In 1958 the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayagam Pact (B-C Pact) was signed behind closed doors. People were not consulted; the Cabinet was not consulted, the parliament was not consulted; other political parties were not consulted, and, the Maha Sangha was not consulted. As a result the B-C Pact had no legitimacy or moral or democratic right to stand. It rightfully collapsed.
Many similar illegitimate and illegal pacts followed including the Dudley-Chelva Pact, Indian imposed pacts, secret understanding between President Kumaratunga and TULF, the MoU between UNF and LTTE/TNA and the secret UNP-LTTE pact which came to the open as the CFA (Ceasefire Agreement). All these failed because they bypassed the democratic process.
Equity Must be the Cornerstone of Any Political Solution
The Northern Province is 14% of the island nationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s landmass. However, only 5% of the national population live there almost all of them Tamils. There is no justification for any scheme that empowers 5% of the population over 14% of its landmass. Such a crooked scheme severely discriminates other ethnic groups.
TNA and Tamil claims to the Eastern Province are totally unjustified. The Eastern Province has an elected Provincial Council. TNA or Tamils have no right to overrule it. Instead they must accept the verdict of the people. Had TNA followed a more conciliatory approach accommodating the interests of others, it would be in the apex decision making body of the council. TNAƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s self exile from being relevant is unfortunate and shows total lack of statesmanship and due regard for others. Had Tamils shed their racist bias of voting only for Tamil or Dravidian parties, they would be in the driving seat in the Eastern provincial council.
African Americans and President Obama Point to the Right Political Solution for Tamils
Black or African American population percentage of USA is at 12.6%; the exact percentage of Sri Lankan Tamils in 1981.
But why has one group followed coexistence while the other followed self destruction through self isolation?
African Americans claim discrimination in the hands of white Americans over the years. If Tamil claims of discrimination are to be accepted as true, Tamils in Sri Lanka become equal to African Americans in USA in their grievances and aspirations. Did African Americans demand territorial rights? Did African Americans create their own African ethnicity based parties? Did African Americans demand their language rights? Did African Americans get any specific political solution to their grievances and aspirations? The answer is no.
Even if Tamils were actually discriminated, the maximum they can get is equal treatment as African Americans in USA. Nothing more.
However, unlike Tamils in Sri Lanka, African Americans followed a path of conciliation, coalition and unity within one American nation. They never formed or voted African American political parties. They never demanded Sudanese, Kenyan, etc. to be made national or official languages. They accepted the majorityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s language ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” English ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” as their language. Unfortunately for the caste ridden Tamil society, their leaders always followed a confrontational approach and maintained distance from the majority. They have driven Tamils to doom.
African Americans on the other hand joined the two national political parties and rose to their top positions. President Obama is likely to win a second term too. It is high time Tamils in Sri Lanka should be made to understand the futility of following Tamil tribal parties. The lead from the eastern province is a good start. TNA won almost all Tamil votes in the eastern province. It won nearly 100% of Tamil votes in Trincomalee and Digamadulla districts. But the Eastern Province is without any Tamil Chief Minister, minister or secretary. Had Tamils followed national political parties as in 2008, they would have kept the post of Chief Minister and secretary to themselves.
Sri Lankan Leaders Must Tell Tamils to Follow African Americans
Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s political solution is AmericaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s unwritten political solution. It must be stated boldly by our leaders to Tamils, Tamil political parties, to USA, UNHRC and to India. There is no way they can object to it. The success of the African American solution is there for all to see. It also bypasses the homeland theory. USA does not entertain homeland theories in both USA and Sri Lanka.
The African American solution should be the LLRC solution to be implemented.
White only churches, black only churches and schools became multiethnic in USA. Similarly Tamil only schools and Sinhala only schools should become multiethnic in Sri Lanka as needed by the community. There should be no special language or political rights to anyone as the national majority should select one language to unite the nation. Had USA two national languages, it would have collapsed into pieces like the Soviet Union which had so many national languages and ethnicity based republics.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
As the government has launched a campaign to win hearts and minds of Tamils, they (Tamils) should also do their utmost to win the hearts and minds of the Sinhalese and Muslims. African Americans were very successful in this. Today the whites, Hispanics, Asians and even indigenous Americans have complete faith in President Obama. He doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t work for African American interests, grievances or aspirations. Other high powered African Americans include Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice.
Tamils must work hard to win the support, hearts and minds of others to elect a Tamil as the president of this country one day. TNA, TULF and other Tamil racist parties have failed even to have a Chief Minister for the past 24 years and there is no hope they will ever have anyone worthy of national importance ever. As African Americans did, Tamils must join the two national political parties for peace, prosperity and power sharing.
October 21st, 2012 at 8:09 pm
dilrook,
what you are telling is what exactly western spies are asking from sl. you can’t compare american or European history sl. sl have different history with tamil and do not not need beg tamil. All estate tamil should be removed to tamil nadu legally and it is sl right and rest should be semi autonomous only in jaffna and rest of the country provincial system should be abolished
india was only created in 1948 and tamil was independent country until then. some sinhaleses are right who said that indian were hostile to sl since they joined Tamil nadu. Indian tricked sl not to take estate tamil from the beginning to the end. indian love to have tamil to use them against sl and so do the westerners
and brits diid not bring tamil back on purpose.
Brtitish diid make tamil nudu joined indian in order to stop singhalese sending back tamil to Tamil nadu
in 1986, indian used military power to force jayawaderdena bringing in provincial system and stole citizenship for estate tamil. but there were a western country who engineered the indian paripu drop and getting citizenship for tamil
October 21st, 2012 at 8:31 pm
Tamils must work hard to get rid of bad habits and hatred towards Sinhala people, particularly overseas resideing Kotiyas.
That is all required for peace and prosperity.
October 21st, 2012 at 9:52 pm
those jaffna tamil loyality can be tested. one way is ask to release the information of western spies who have been working with them over the years mainly bombing in sl. Second, Tamil cut off any connection any NGos spies from Europe or anywhere in the world. western spies came to sl under banner “Help Tamil”. when tamil expels all These NGOs and church spies then they can be sri lankan however do not forget Tamil have to supply information of western spies names and what each western country did in relation to bombing when tamil supply info, we know if it is true or untrue
October 22nd, 2012 at 5:28 am
I know how the West uses the Tamil-Sinhala issue to their benefit. They have an aim to get a “permanant”foot hold in Sri Lanka. The West have to fight the obstacles from India in having a military base. That is what Tamil Tigers simply turned against India with the support of UNP Sinhalese. Catholic Church is a strong partner of the West in creating EELAM. Now the same Catholic Church is licking the feet of Mahinda Rajapakse and the anti-Indian sentiments started to come out from Mahinda & Co as well.
Pakistan failed to make troubles to India for a long time. USA-UK tried to form an ESAT-TIMOR in Sri Lanka to do the same by LTTE and Catholic Church. That also failed because of India.
JAYT:
Sinhalese have more pro-western spies than the Tamils. Sinhala Catholic/Christian Churches are the main spies and they are now very close to Rajapakses and Ranils. Check them.
October 22nd, 2012 at 8:59 pm
it is not right to accuse anybody but yes through general evidence. In any criminal case when police look for evidence
they look into everything including rumours. but hunting foreign and local spies can be done more easily if sl had a independent military intelligent agency similar structured to Pakistan but are more improved system.
Japan copied down all western technology in 1950s and improved on them and today west cannot beat japan’s technology.
same sl military can copped down basic structure of pakistan intilligent agency and event can get help from pakistan
to launch basic regional and international structure and work towards to improve it’s network that’s suits for sl needs
After sl improved their net work and be equal to western agencies, that mean no western agencies cannot operate free anywhere in the world without any knowledge to sl agency, sl can share some of it info with pakistan when pakistan is threaten by same elements who are threatening sl
Israeli system far more sophisticated it is because they do not have religious barriers also, Israelis are an integrated part of western spies system because it is part of their broader defence according to their experience in europe.
However Israelis need be careful with sl, if they want to be a friend. that mean that they cannot stay quiet when they know that somebody from american, british or other European embassy or org. is operating against sl.
I do know that some agency employed singhalese spies who mainly came from a caste and especially catholic back
ground operating in sl and outside.
And there was a foreign agency which was offended by sl military killing of tigers and prez rajapakse’s brother involvement against tigers and singhalese joy over it and decided to send a message to singhalese how their spies are managed to infiltrated to rajapakse familly to avenge and insult on sl military, singhalese joy and president his brothers who were not listening to western tigers supporters
the criminal tactic that this agency employed is very barbaric and sl military and singhalese should avenge them with most equal barbarianism by first building a most sophisticated Indian subcontinent network
This is the foundation for a global war. investigation is not complete yet
October 22nd, 2012 at 9:06 pm
need to get the facts straights and i am hoping sl military follow my suggestion and get connected to the world
October 22nd, 2012 at 9:18 pm
this way, singhalese public knows whether sl politicians are cheating or pretending once sl build an agency which keep eye on sl politicians, their families, friends and foreigners who approaches and what ‘”influence” they insert.