Asada M Erpini

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka can never expect fair treatment and justice from the so-called international community and the supposedly friendly neighbour India.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The UNHRC sessions that are in progress at present in Geneva are awash with allegations spearheaded by – who else ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the clean as a whistle US of war crimes committed by Sri Lanka. Not to be outdone, according to a media report dated 08 March under the headline ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚Indian PM says worried about Tamil population in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, the pandit wants ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the Sri Lankan government to give them (Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Tamils) a chance to live with dignity and self-respectƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is pathetic to see someone who is supposed to be educated uttering statements of the calibre referred to above. Over 40% of the population in Colombo is Tamil, and these people live with enviable dignity and self respect. The majority ethnic group of Sri Lanka ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” the ever-maligned Sinhalas ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” that amounts to 75% of the national population is estimated to total not more than 4% in the capital city. Many of them will be glad to exchange places with the Tamils who own prime real estate in Kollupitiya, Bambalapitiya or Wellawatte (for the benefit of the Indian PM, these suburbs are Colombo 1, Colombo 3 and Colombo 5, respectively) or own most profitable business establishments in Colombo.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A point that the Indian PM has conveniently ignored is that it is the current President of Sri Lanka, the Secretary of Defence – who thankfully happens to be his brother – and the armed forces of the country that gave the Tamils of the North the chance to live with some degree of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-dignity and self-respectƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. Until Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s men and women in uniform vanquished the military arm of the LTTE on 19 May 2009, the Tamil civilians were forced to move from the North and the North West of the island to the North East where they were ultimately corralled by the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”liberatorƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of the Tamils for use as a human shield. The Tamils who have been given a chance to live as average civilians today may not have all the five-star facilities that the Indian PM craves for, but at least there is no forced conscription to the LTTE killing machine and their children can get about, going to school and doing other past times that the young do, without running the risk of being abducted to be cannon fodder in the macabre pursuit of the LTTE.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If the Indian PM is so concerned about a group od citizens of Sri Lanka, which is an independent sovereign nation, and if he thinks that the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”poor Tamil soulsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ are being ill treated, discriminated and not getting their dues, the solution is simpleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚: invite the whole lot to get back to where their ancestors came from – Tamil Nadu. However, the good doctor (learned man) may find it difficult to get many to choose that option as the life of the average Tamil in Sri Lanka is far superior to that of his counterpart in the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Country of TamilsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”Tamil Nadu.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Politics is often referred to as a dirty game. It is sad that the Indian PM is ready to descend to such despicable low levels to appease the boisterous and ignorant Tamil Nadu politicians.