Stop encouraging the separatist ideology
Posted on January 31st, 2013

Ranjith Soysa

We understand that Sri Lanka Association for Advancement of Science (SLAAS)is considering to to grant provincial autonomy to its branches which deserves the attention of the the broader community.

When it is a known fact that some members of the academia as well as the professionals attempt to justify the concept of traditional homeland of Tamils -the separatist ideology- the responsible organizations should reconsider the tendency to create autonomous bodies based on the provinces. There are many examples of intellectual dishonesty displayed by a number of persons in the field of social sciences compelling the organizations such as SLAAS not to open doors for the theoreticians of the separatist ideology.

One such myth perpetrated by the communal minded ‘scholars’ was the existence of a separate Tamil country and a Tamil nation in Sri Lanka.It was picked up as expected by the Federal Party and later by Prabakaran and the LTTE. In fact the minutes of Cleghorn became the basis and integral part of the separatist ideology.A political myth ..”is a tale told about the past to legitimize or discredit a regime ” (Leonard Thompson in The Political Mythology) Even in the recent past there had been incidences of wrong interpretations and willful neglect of archeological sites and findings to buttress this political myth as recorded by Royal Asiatic Society’s proceedings.

While opportunities should be made available for research on regions on subjects such as archeology and other social sciences the final outcome should be reviewed at an apex body before release to the public. The way forward is to encourage more and more scientific research and not to pave way for isolationist points of view as desired by committed political professionals.

One hopes that critical and wiser counsel will prevail in rehashing the SLAAS’ plans regarding its provincial branches especially when the Nation is rebuilding its strengths after the defeat of the separatism at Nandikadal

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