If Indian fishermen did not poach on Sri Lanka’s territorial waters during LTTE terror rule, why now?
Posted on October 4th, 2013
Shenali D Waduge
There is something more than fishy about the sudden surge in Indian fishermen poaching on Sri Lankan territorial waters leading to a diplomatic debacle between India and Sri Lanka. Given that the culprits are fishermen and fishing is their livelihood what no one seems to answer is, did the LTTE face similar incursions by Indian fishermen and if so how did India, Tamil Nadu and the LTTE deal with the matter? It is pretty obvious that if Indian fishermen did not intrude into Sri Lankan waters during LTTE defacto rule or if they did it would have been with some explicit mutual understanding and explains why Tamil Nadu or India did not send its External Affairs Minister to demand why Indian fishermen were being illtreated by the LTTE as India is currently doing against the GOSL. If we wondered where some of LTTE-â„¢s arms and other logistics came from we should now know the answer including mercenary forces replenished when cadres were in scarcity. Now what would India-â„¢s External Affairs Minister have to say about this!
Let us first look at who these Indian fishermen are. For starters they do not have Bachelors or Masters Degrees to know where or how to differentiate international maritime boundary. There are 396,000 of them too and Tamil Nadu is the 3rd largest fish exporting state. The fishing fleet consists of about 46,000 crafts. Therefore, it is natural that any fishermen would stray into waters that fish abound more so since there is no marine wealth in the Indian side and fish abound in Sri Lankan waters. If more than 1000 Indian boats stray into Sri Lankan waters daily -” did such a number arrive during LTTE rule?
Next we come to the issue of fishermen and smuggling and LTTE would know better than any how that combination works given that Prabakran himself was a very versatile smuggler for both guns and drug trafficking. Notice the surge in drug trafficking from India to Sri Lanka of late and the number of arrests made. Prudent to also note is the rise in human smuggling and number of smugglers and the story is much more than going to a western country for better living. 400 or more Indian trawlers penetrating the Indian Coast guards can equate to smuggling far more than drugs, humans and when there is a chorus for the Sri Lankan military to depart from the North coming from the Indian Government, Tamil Nadu down to the TNA politicians we smell not fish but rats as well!
The LTTE-Tamil Nadu ties is nothing we need to return to and nothing India or Tamil Nadu can take offence against or challenge. Ample evidence prevails as to how Tamil Nadu became the second home to the LTTE and its leaders at one time using Chennai as one of their bases. Therefore, Indian fishermen roped into LTTE and making a living other than just fishing is something we need to now accept. Thus Indian fishermen being supporters of LTTE should not come as any shock even in diplomatic circles.
If LTTE and Indian fishermen were partners in crime is it possible that the relationship continues given that LTTE entire ground force has not been eliminated and the masterminds that ran the show still remain at large. We then come to the contentious issue of who these fishermen are. Virtually all of the Indian fishermen are Catholic (born or converted). It is no understatement to say that virtually the entire Southern belt of India has now been successfully converted and explains why there is an undercurrent in linking LTTE eelam project to the Church and many in India have not minced words to say that the entire LTTE Eelam project is funded by the Church and has nothing to do with creating an eelam for Hindu Tamils and this certainly is and should be open for debate. The Church maintains stoic silence on both Emmanuel and whether fishermen issue is choreographed by them but used conveniently by the Indian Government to coerce Sri Lanka-â„¢s knowing that Sri Lanka-â„¢s foreign ministry lacks the courage to defend the nation other than issuing half-hearted statements to gain distinction in English eloquence!
This aspect of the argument and the fishermen issue itself generates interest for the parties spearheading the international Tamil diaspora movement are all linked to Western Christian states and the LTTE-fronts come under Father S J V Emmanuel and his Global Tamil Forum and the Church has taken absolutely no action against Father Emmanuel or numerous other priests who had been associated with the LTTE over the years and continue to have links with the remnants.
Given this scenario we can maybe wonder whether there is a remote possibility that the fishermen incursions are perhaps directed and choreographed to create tension between the Indians and the Sri Lankan military and Government. But, surely India known to have first trained and launched Tamil militancy covertly would be well aware if such conniving was taking place and would apprise Sri Lanka-â„¢s counterparts of the devious plans by external forces and at least provide GPS tracking systems for the Indian vessels. Well, India-â„¢s diplomats would do that if they ran diplomacy with sincerity but a nation that put Kao plan clandestinely without any provocation from Sri Lanka cannot expect Sri Lanka to be too trusting of India-â„¢s sincerity especially when India without batting an eyelid endorsed not once but twice the US resolutions against Sri Lanka in Geneva.
In this context it is important for us to realize that India under Congress looks to be steadily moving towards a Divided States of India under the new found friend in US and it is looking towards the new opposition contender for the Indian Premier stake that may bring India to where it should stand -” in Asia and among Asian nations. Though Sri Lankan media following the psyche of western-influenced and dominated media would not give Narendra Modi the air time he deserves and now commands, Mr. Modi speaking recently in Tiruchirappali, Tamil Nadu to a crowd of more than 300,000 criticized the Manmohan Singh Government for the fishermen issue and not Sri Lanka. We reiterate again that with India under Congress influence and the foreign connection that steers decision making the likelihood of an Eelam being carved out like Kosovo is more probable than under BJP which clearly realizes that breaking Sri Lanka would mean eventually breaking up India. The danger for India lies unfortunately in those they have chosen to lead India and calls to wake up the Indian think tanks who would not wish to balkanize India whatever odds.
What is interesting at this juncture is to know what TNA and Chief Minister Wigneswaran has to say on the matter of Indian fishermen poaching into Sri Lankan waters and confiscating the fish that belongs to the Sri Lankan Tamil fishermen most of whom also happen to be non-Hindus.
The fact remains that during LTTE rule, no Tamil Nadu Chief Minister went ranting as they currently do, Tamil Nadu fishermen did not confiscate Sri Lanka-â„¢s fish though they did enter Sri Lankan territorial waters for different reasons and no TNA politician cited the North either. Today, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister is more concerned about what happens in Sri Lanka than in her own state, Tamil Nadu fishermen are getting away with Rs.64billion worth of fish that belongs rightfully to Sri Lanka and these fish should belong to Sri Lankan fishermen and TNA and Chief Minister Wigneswaran must be concerned about bringing revenue to Sri Lanka before going after an utopian self-determination bid. It may be convenient for TNA and the Chief Minister to join the anti-Sri Lankan publicity horse that conveniently side-tracks the real issue of Indian fishermen stealing fish from Sri Lankan waters and making a living and that livelihood rightfully belongs to the fishermen in the Northern seas and this is what the TNA needs to address as a priority.
What is definitely obvious is that there is more to the issue than just fishing and the Indian Government and Tamil Nadu are well aware of this and so too are the external factors who are watching from the balcony the production of their own drama.
October 4th, 2013 at 4:39 pm
Illegal fishing, heroin smuggling, weapons smuggling, people smuggling, etc. go hand in hand.
Endia and TN WANT it that way.
We cannot man the waters always. It is not possible.
So the best thing is to BUST the fish resource on the SL side. It has NO benefit to Sinhalese and Muslims. Only Tamils benefit from it. BUST IT!
Then the TN fishermen will not come. ONLY the few smugglers will come. Easy to grill them.
Justice should be served on them IN THE SEA ON THE SPOT. NO TRACE.
October 4th, 2013 at 5:32 pm
Lorenzo !! There was BIG TALK by the Minister to confiscate the Indian Boats.He dare not. He is a coward to act. I fully agree with your concept of justice.
October 4th, 2013 at 6:45 pm
We think these illegal fishermen are like PIRATES. They come for some sort of booty (fish), or to sell off illegal goods, illicit drugs, smuggle people into Lanka etc.
They also go religion hopping, sort of embrace the Religion of the Day (like Soup of the Day) – whatever is most lucrative or offers some future Plan, is the order of the day – never mind loyalties, faith, worship etc. Some Mosques in the East are now Hindu Temples !
These troubles from the sea fronts are not confined to Lanka. The British still have problems with French fishermen encroaching to fish in the English Channel.
October 4th, 2013 at 6:53 pm
We need to have radar coverage all round the Island so that all illegals are monitored. It will be cheaper than having a lot of navy craft patrolling the seas. We also need very fast patrol boats to pick up any one detected by radar very quickly.
October 4th, 2013 at 8:21 pm
MOST illegal immigrants come by PLANE not BOAT and OVERSTAY they visa. Then they get a letter from the GS for a national ID. They get the national ID and they are SL citizens!!!
The BEST way to stop ALL illegal immigrants to have SINHALA ONLY as official and national language.
English can be the link language.
Hindi MAY BE another national language to please Endia NOT Tamils.
October 4th, 2013 at 8:26 pm
This FISH resource in Mannar is a CURSE. It attracts TN fishermen, kallathonis, drug dealers, weapons dealers.
It has also cursed SL with WELL NOURISHED TAMILS. Omega-3 in this tropical fish has given them brains which they use for Tamil racism and terrorism.
During Premathasa time there was an embargo. Jaffna Tamils ate FISH ( A LOT) and some rice and survived. VERY NUTRITIOUS.
FISH is VERY VERY cheap there because of LARGE fish resource VERY close. NOWHERE else in SL you get such a LARGE POOL (or schools) of fish SO CLOSE to land.
We MUST BUST it. That will also collapse TN. They earn big money from SL fish and our fools are cowards.
Look what the court did AFTER a visit of one Endian politician. ALL TN illegal prisoners were released with their boats!!
Rajitha (fish minister) is a Tamil sympathizer anyway.
October 5th, 2013 at 2:44 am
There was an article by an Indian (I suppose) journalist which said as the Sri Lankan side of the Sea was very shallow, there were lot of FISH and that made TN – fishermen straightly sail to Sri Lankan waters by passing their own side of the sea.
SL – Navy is doing the right thing.
October 5th, 2013 at 4:21 am
Illigalimmigrants,and Smuggling between Tamilnadu and Northern part of Sri Lanka has more than 100 years of History. During the LTTE period all trade activities by Tamils were controlled. Noone allowed to earn more than
LTTE supporters. Now LTTE (Terrorist) have enough Million in hands. LTTE have contacts with politicians and Businessmen in Tamilnadu and in North India . They don´t care about the small fishes now.
October 5th, 2013 at 6:11 am
Current situation : Seems to boil down to Money (from fishing) > Bribes > feeds Separatist politics.
* Sri Lanka cannot afford a Fisheries Minister who appears to be IN with the Separatists.
* Sri Lanka cannot afford the 13-A which encourages Separatism.
* Can Sri Lanka afford to the be in the Commonwealth ?
October 5th, 2013 at 6:34 am
Lorenzo,
It’s not just fish oil that nourishes the North, it is Fish & Oil Futures !
You have exposed the other nerve centre for Separatism : How IDs are issued in Sri Lanka and how easy it is to get a Sri Lanka Passport. We have gone through this problem earlier and we did say then (and say it again now) that IDs and Passports ought to come under the Ministry of Defence. And IDs & P’port ought to carry bio-data such as finger prints etc. This what India is doing now (bio-data in IDs etc). There is no other way.
———–
Illegal Migrants form bases for Separatists. They must be stopped.
October 5th, 2013 at 8:04 am
SHENALI !! You have very succinctly reflected the true situation, and it is quite true that we smell a rat here, and see it floating in the air. Your perception of coming events casting their shadows is a reality to the detriment of Sri Lanka.
Indians are drawing a red herring across the trail, to intimidate Sri Lanka and frighten Sri Lanka on the issue of robbing our natural resources of Fishing and stealing the Nothern fishermens income. It is billion dollar business. The TNA has never mentioned how this could be stopped, in their manifesto. Probably they will come to an arrangement to get million dollar commissions on being deaf and blind to the sordid issue.
Remember, the CM Wignaraja said before the elections, that if they do not get what they want, they will have to take up arms again ? So about 400 trawlers coming into the North of Sri Lanka daily is a blessing in disguise, for illegal trans-shipment of ordnance. That is why these hypocrites want the Army to move away, from the north.
It will also help illicit immigration in a big way. They will be given IDs, then Passports, and they are a very big vote base. They can also be trained to handle guns.
I fully agree with Fran that Ids and Passports should come under the Ministry of Defence.
The planting of an Indian Consulate in the North was the beginning of the hidden plot.
Do you see how Ministers and MPs and other politicians are silent about this ?
Lorenzo !! Rajith went silent suddenly, about confiscation Indian fishing trawlers. Make a threat and commissions flow into the pockets. Thereafter, their tongues get short, and they are dumb, literally and metaphorically.
October 5th, 2013 at 12:43 pm
The article addressing a pressing issue and to that I commend it. As far as I can recall during the civil war the LITE not only controlled a large section of Sri Lanka but they militarized the waters around Jaffna and even further. The LITE naval force could not take chances as to the purpose of Indian or Sri Lankan fishermen in boats that they patrolled.
More than likely these fishermen would face death had they wondered into these waters. One must keep in mind that the abundance of fish in Sri Lanka’s oceans is partly due to the lack of fishing for 30 years. No one dared. But the political support from Tamil Nadu has not abetted. It has only changed tactics.
Unlike the Sri Lankan fishermen the Indian Tamil fishermen are given a trawler by the state government and tracking devices that pinpoint exactly where Indian maritime waters end and where Sri Lankan maritime waters begin. They also use nets that are banned due to their devastating effect on the marine life when it dredges the oceans. Since they are supported with the equipment from Chennai they are most like motivated by Chennai to violate the Sri Lankan maritime boundaries.
This should be an issue that New Delhi needs to address and not Chennai. Since it involves the invasion of another nations sovereign waters New Delhi should have her navy stop the regular incursions of the Indian Tamil fishermen. Failing which would put the onus on Colombo to arrest and destroy their equipment, confiscate their haul and imprison them for a longer period of time till it starts becoming a financial impediment not only for the fishermen but also for Chennai.
October 5th, 2013 at 1:14 pm
During LTTE rule our security forces would shoot any boats violating our maritime boundary; hence they dared to come. Now the security forces are in singing mode, and have become lazy. Kallathony arrive in Colombo in large numbers, get training in various skills and new identities and even go on to other countries using it as a base. When we have lost Colombo how can we safeguard maritime boundary which is at such a long distance away.
October 5th, 2013 at 1:23 pm
aloy,
It is more than likely that due to HR issues negatively advertised all over the world by various Tamil, Diaspora, church, NGO groups etc. that our armed forces have been told to be ‘nice’ to and careful with all and sundry !
How many people were made doubtful about the quick end brought to the Weliweriya later riot group ? The focus was on the 3 dead people (a great pity) but one died due to injuries from ‘missiles’ from rioters. Media reported that army bullets killed all 3. And now a possible Court Martial too ?
Army was confined to barracks many times during ltte rule too. Over 1,000 soldiers died of dehydration at Elephant Pass during ltte time as ltte cut off the water supply.
Our armed forces have been exceptional, very much so.
Lax laws via SAARC etc have played a part in illegal migrants.
———
Who defends the defenders ?
October 5th, 2013 at 4:10 pm
Furthermore, if we recall the recent past, most numbers of Tamil illegal migrants came in many tens of thousands from Tamil Nadu during the ltte rule of the N&E. When the army estimated the ‘human shield’ numbers of the ltte during the last war, they reckoned that there were about 100,000 people from those sparsely populated areas but it turned out that over 300,000 Tamils were held there as a ‘human shield’. How did this come about if not for illegal migrants from Tamil Nadu during the ltte rule times ? Rev. Reyappu Joseph (Mannar being the main cross over route), may know a great deal about this. There were some 100 Catholic churches in those areas and some 27 Catholic priests emerged with the ‘human shield’ and no other priests from other religions. However, at present, a number of questionable items are swept under the carpets in the name of Reconciliation.
Again, over a million Tamil people migrated to the west as refugees after the trumped up 1983 Riots. The 2012 Census shows that the number of Tamil people in Sri Lanka has remained more or less the same. This can only be due to Tamil illegal migrants coming in during ltte rule, and cannot be due to natural increase in Lanka Tamils as the numbers are too high.
Furthermore, proper garrisons to prevent entry of illegal migrants of the defence forces were properly established in the sea fronts of the North & NE only after the last war and not before. Pres JRJ established the TAFFAI forces of the Army to stop illegal migrants from Tamil Nadu, but that group was disbanded. It was definitely during the ltte rule of the N&E that illegal migrants swarmed into Lanka.
The present problem is how to deport all those Tamil illegal migrants.
October 5th, 2013 at 5:07 pm
“Current situation : Seems to boil down to Money (from fishing) > Bribes > feeds Separatist politics.”
Hit the nail on its head!
Absolutely. This is what happens. SL pays for SL’s destruction! In the process Tamilians get rich and get political power.
That is why this fish resource must be DESTROYED. It is a curse not a blessing.
Then there is PEARL MISHING in Mannar. That too attracts THOUSANDS of TN Tamilians ILLEGALY into SL. BUST it too.
The BENEFIT of busting these is HIGHER than the environmental and VERY SMALL economic impact to SL (only to Tamils).
October 5th, 2013 at 5:09 pm
“When we have lost Colombo how can we safeguard maritime boundary which is at such a long distance away.”
WELL SAID!
In international news, SL is referred to as Colombo.
e.g. Colombo decided, Colombo rejected, Colombo agreed
BUT Colombo is NO LONGER SL like. It is CHENNAI-2!
What a bloody disgrace is this. Right or wrong JR and Premathasa ACHIEVED things to keep the REAL CAPITAL REAL SL.
October 5th, 2013 at 5:40 pm
Colonisation and the Cold War have played havoc in Sri Lanka. It is in the Cold War times that the ltte rode on the back of the conflict, empowering itself and fooling the caste bound Tamil masses.
The trumped up 1983 Riots were the worst event that happened to post-Indpendent Sri Lanka. The Tamil refugees who went abroad funded the ltte and did the media howling. The aftermath of it continues to this day.
Rioting (unrestrained disturbance, with loss of life and property) is not a feature allowed in the Constitution or Laws of any Democratic country.
We feel the most sympathy for the ordinary Sinhala & Tamil people who got caught up in other peoples geopolitical games. We hope sanity prevails in the future for peace and reasonable prosperity for all in Lanka.
October 5th, 2013 at 7:49 pm
Fran,
Some are NOT TRUE.
90%+ Tamils living outside SL and Endia were already funding the LTTE.
Tamils HAD ALREADY built a media empire by 1983.
The west did NOT support Tamils thanks to Cold War. Russians and Endians did. The west supported SL DESPITE some fools blaming the govt. for the riot.
West started supporting Tamils NOT because of their media or vote. It is because of COLD WAR with China this time.
Right or wrong, Tamil-Tamil riot in 1983 WEAKENED Tamilization of SL particularly Colombo. It had nothing to do with Sinhalese or the govt. It was a Tamil-Tamil affair. IF the govt. managed to stop it in 1983, it must have happened in 1984, etc. It was something waiting to happen due to INTERNAL TAMIL DISPUTES.
Stop blaming the govt. or the Sinhala people for the 1983 riot. If you do, you are playing into the hands of the LTTE.
October 5th, 2013 at 7:56 pm
“Tamils HAD ALREADY built a media empire by 1983.”
e.g. India’s MOST INFLUENTIAL newspaper (established in 1878) is THE HINDU which is OWNED and EDITED by Tamils.
It is also internationally influential.
This is still larger than Tamilnut or any other BS Tamil media.
During the time of G Kasturi (1965 to 1991) a very strong Tamil nationalist stance was followed by the Hindu.
October 5th, 2013 at 8:07 pm
MOD mandarins think they are very clever. When our own Bikkus were being bashed they gave contracts to Channai contractors. Please leave this thread and scroll down this site, you will still see pictures of this bashing. Few days ago Sinhala students were bashed by extremists in Eastern uni, and now they give Colombo properties on 99 year lease to the country where these extremists come from.
There is need to change the MOD set up asap by appointing patriotic group ( who are not interested in politics) to handle the affairs particularly that of Colombo, taking into account our long term strategic interests.
October 5th, 2013 at 9:32 pm
I agree.
MOD+UDA is building 20,000 housing units in Colombo city. ALMOST ALL are earmarked for Muslims and Tamils. After their construction Colombo will be worse off.
GR understands some threats but he is not strategic. Now he is ONLY a STATEMENT MAKER.
Time to time he makes patriotic statements to keep us HOOKED-UP but nothing happens. Tamilization and Arabization of SL and ALL strategic places continue.
October 6th, 2013 at 7:22 am
Although there was a Separatist movement by Tamil leaders before the Cold War, the whole movement enhanced its activities during the COLD WAR. Tamil leaders portrayed themselves as ‘pro-west’, whereas the JVP then went with the communist bloc (first Soviet and later Peking wing per Rohana Wijeweera’s whims). Now the JVP is with the Jnt Opposition. They seem not to be principle based ? Advice to JVP : be loyal to the Needs of the country, and you will not lose.
Back to The Hindu : In the 1980s, when the Cold War was at its worst (thus the increase of problems in Lanka), the WorldPress defined The Hindu as a Left leaning newspaper. Therefore, we can surmise that The Hindu was counter west then and not an influence with the west.
No, it was the then left leanings of the JVP that gave the edge to the Tamil separatists of Lanka. That is why Norway stepped in as the Peacekeeper and P’karan rose by leaps and bounds to power.
I still maintain that whatever happens in Sri Lanka, ILLEGAL MIGRANTS form the bulk of the problems here. They must be deported.
If we analyse the NPC elections from the point of view of the Law of the Land, it is reeking with ILLEGALITY on a number of counts, not the least being that illegal migrants were allowed to vote on a hurriedly got together temporary ID. These illegal migrants have the temerity to protest that they want permanent IDs. Deport the whole lot – Sri Lanka cannot afford them as they pad up the vote bloc for separatist Tamil leaders.
We wonder why Africans end up in Lanka as illegal migrants overstaying their visa. Lanka authorities ought to take a hard look at how Britain & other European countries manage this problem and emulate them.
Lorenzo,
Thanks for the information on The Hindu. The Hindu today is the third most widely read English daily in India. and a progressive newspaper catering mainly to needs in Tamil Nadu and some parts of South India only. Here is more information :
The Hindu
The 16 March 2005 front page of The Hindu
Type Daily newspaper
Format Broadsheet
Owner Kasturi and Sons Limited
Publisher The Hindu Group
Editor Siddharth Varadarajan
Founded 20 September 1878
Political alignment Left-leaning, Independent
Language English
Headquarters Kasturi Buildings, 859 & 860, Anna Salai, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600002
Circulation 1,466,304 daily[
ISSN 0971-751X
OCLC number 13119119
Official website
The Hindu is an English-language Indian daily newspaper. Headquartered at Chennai (formerly called Madras), The Hindu was published weekly when it was launched in 1878, and started publishing daily in 1889. According to the Indian Readership Survey in 2012, it was the third most widely read English newspaper in India (after the Times of India and Hindustan Times), with a readership of 2.2 million people. The Hindu has its largest base of circulation in southern India, especially in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and it is also the most widely read English daily in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, The Hindu had a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009.
The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and annual turnover reached almost $200 million in 2010. Subscription and advertisement are major sources of income. The Hindu became, in 1995, the first Indian newspaper to offer an online edition. It is printed at 20 locations across eight states—Chennai, Coimbatore, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Madurai, Noida, Visakhapatnam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Vijayawada, Mangaluru, Tiruchirapalli, Kolkata, Hubli, Mohali, Allahabad, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Anantpur and Nellore.
The Hindu was founded in Madras on 20 September 1878 as a weekly by four law students (T. T. Rangachariar, P. V. Rangachariar, D. Kesava Rao Pantulu and N. Subba Rao Pantulu) led by G. Subramania Iyer, a school teacher from Tanjore district and M. Veeraraghavachariar, a lecturer at Pachaiyappa’s College. The Hindu was started to support the campaign of Sir T. Muthuswamy Iyer for a judgeship at the Madras High Court and to counterbalance the propaganda against him carried out by the Anglo-Indian press. The Hindu was one of the many newspapers of the period established to protest against the discriminatory policies of the British government in India. About 80 copies of the inaugural issue were printed at Srinidhi Press, Georgetown on one rupee and twelves annas of borrowed money. Subramania Iyer became the first editor and Veeraraghavachariar, the first managing director of the newspaper.
The paper was initially liberal in its outlook and supported the continuation of British rule in India. The paper initially printed from Srinidhi Press but later moved on Scottish Press, then, The Hindu Press, Mylapore, and finally to the National Press on Mount Road. Started as a weekly newspaper, the paper became a tri-weekly in 1883 and an evening daily in 1889. A single copy of the newspaper was priced at four annas.
The offices moved to rented premises at 100 Mount Road on 3 December 1883. The newspaper started printing at its own press there, named “The National Press,” which was established on borrowed capital as public subscriptions were not forthcoming. The building itself became The Hindu’s in 1892, after the Maharaja of Vizianagaram, Pusapati Ananda Gajapati Raju, gave The National Press a loan both for the building and to carry out needed expansion.
Its editorial stances have earned The Hindu the nickname, the Maha Vishnu of Mount Road. “From the new address, 100 Mount Road, which to remain The Hindu’s home till 1939, there issued a quarto-size paper with a front-page full of advertisements—a practice that came to an end only in 1958 when it followed the lead of its idol, the pre-Thomson Times—and three back pages also at the service of the advertiser. In between, there were more views than news.” After 1887, when the annual session of Indian National Congress was held in Madras, the paper’s coverage of national news increased significantly, and led to the paper becoming an evening daily starting 1 April 1889.
The partnership between Veeraraghavachariar and Subramania Aiyer was dissolved in October 1898. Aiyer quit the paper and Veeraraghavachariar became the sole owner and appointed C. Karunakara Menon as editor. However, The Hindu’s adventurousness began to decline in the 1900s and so did its circulation, which was down to 800 copies when the sole proprietor decided to sell out. The purchaser was The Hindu’s Legal Adviser from 1895, S. Kasturi Ranga Iyengar, a politically ambitious lawyer who had migrated from a Kumbakonam village to practise in Coimbatore and from thence to Madras. Kasturi Ranga Iyengar’s ancestors had served the courts of Vijayanagar and Mahratta Tanjore. He traded law, in which his success was middling but his interest minimal, for journalism, pursuing his penchant for politics honed in Coimbatore and by his association with the `Egmore Group’ led by C. Sankaran Nair and Dr T.M. Nair.
Modern history[edit]
In the late 1980s when its ownership passed into the hands of the family’s younger members, a change[citation needed] in political leaning was observed. Worldpress.org lists The Hindu as a left-leaning independent newspaper. Joint managing director N. Murali said in July 2003, “It is true that our readers have been complaining that some of our reports are partial and lack objectivity. But it also depends on reader beliefs.”N. Ram was appointed on 27 June 2003 as its editor-in-chief with a mandate to “improve the structures and other mechanisms to uphold and strengthen quality and objectivity in news reports and opinion pieces”, authorised to “restructure the editorial framework and functions in line with the competitive environment”.[ On 3 and 23 September 2003, the reader’s letters column carried responses from readers saying the editorial was biased. An editorial in August 2003 observed that the newspaper was affected by the ‘editorialising as news reporting’ virus, and expressed a determination to buck the trend, restore the professionally sound lines of demarcation, and strengthen objectivity and factuality in its coverage.
In 1987–88 The Hindu’s coverage of the Bofors arms deal scandal, a series of document-backed exclusives set the terms of the national political discourse on this subject. The Bofors scandal broke in April 1987 with Swedish Radio alleging that bribes had been paid to top Indian political leaders, officials and Army officers in return for the Swedish arms manufacturing company winning a hefty contract with the Government of India for the purchase of 155 mm howitzers. During a six-month period the newspaper published scores of copies of original papers that documented the secret payments, amounting to $50 million, into Swiss bank accounts, the agreements behind the payments, communications relating to the payments and the crisis response, and other material. The investigation was led by part-time correspondent of The Hindu, Chitra Subramaniam reporting from Geneva, and was supported by Ram in Chennai. The scandal was a major embarrassment to the party in power at the centre, the Indian National Congress, and its leader Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The paper’s editorial accused the Prime Minister of being party to massive fraud and cover up.[17]
In 1991, Deputy Editor N. Ravi, Ram’s younger brother replaced G. Kasturi as Editor. Nirmala Lakshman, Kasturi Srinivasan’s granddaughter, became Joint Editor of The Hindu and her sister, Malini Parthasarathy, Executive Editor.
In 2003, the Jayalalitha Government of the state of Tamil Nadu, of which Chennai is the capital, filed cases against the paper for “breach of privilege” of the state legislative body. The move was widely perceived as a government’s assault on freedom of the press. However, The Hindu emerged unscathed from the ordeal, scoring both political and legal victories, as it instantly commanded the support of the journalistic community throughout the country.[18]
The younger generation of The Hindu’s editors have also contributed much to its commercial success. They built a modern infrastructure for news-gathering, printing and distribution. On the look of the newspaper, editor-in-chief Ram writes, “The Hindu has been through many evolutionary changes in layout and design, for instance, moving news to the front page that used to be an ad kingdom; adopting modular layout and make-up; using large photographs; introducing colour; transforming the format of the editorial page to make it a purely ‘views’ page; avoiding carry-over of news stories from one page to another; and introducing boxes, panels, highlights, and briefs.” Major layout changes appeared (redesign by Edwin Taylor) and starting 14 April 2005 (redesign by Mario Garcia and Jan Kny). The focus of Garcia’s redesign was on “giving pre-eminence to text, including (where appropriate and necessary) long text, but also by enabling photographs, other graphics, and white space to have an enhanced role on the pages; by giving the reader more legible typography, an efficient indexing or ‘navigation’ system, a clear hierarchy of stories, a new and sophisticated colour palette; and by offering the advertiser better value and new opportunities.”
On April 2, 2013 The Hindu started “The Hindu in School” with S.Shivakumar as its editior.The Hindu in school an all-new edition for young readers which will be distributed through schools as part of The Hindu’s Newspaper in Education programme.The eight-page broadsheet will have a good mix of the day’s important news developments, features, sports, and regional news,The Hindu school edition will strength students to improve their knowledge in various fields, including sports and world affairs,science and technology. On 16 september, 2013 The Hindu group launches its Tamil edition with K. Ashokan as its editior. The daily will engage readers of all age groups with extensive regional, national and international news coverage in tamil language.
The newspaper has also established foreign bureaus in eleven locations – Islamabad, Colombo, Dhaka, Kathmandu, Beijing, Moscow, Paris, Dubai, Washington, D.C., London, and most recently Addis Ababa.
In 2013 September 16, The Hindu has launched its’ Tamil newspaper”.
October 6th, 2013 at 7:45 am
Lorenzo,
Re what you have written above under address to ‘Fran’, : “West started supporting Tamils NOT because of their media or vote. It is because of COLD WAR with China this time.
Right or wrong, Tamil-Tamil riot in 1983 WEAKENED Tamilization of SL particularly Colombo. It had nothing to do with Sinhalese or the govt. It was a Tamil-Tamil affair. IF the govt. managed to stop it in 1983, it must have happened in 1984, etc. It was something waiting to happen due to INTERNAL TAMIL DISPUTES.
Stop blaming the govt. or the Sinhala people for the 1983 riot. If you do, you are playing into the hands of the LTTE”.
Whatever the 1983 Riot was (Tamil-Tamil), looting of shops and homes later on (2-3 day of riot) was done mainly by Sinhela shanty dwellers. Lorenzo, who did the actual killing and burning ?
It was the 1983 Riot that enabled Tamils to go abroad as REFUGEES. This Tamil Diaspora forms the bulk of $$s for Separatist Tamil leaders of today, plus support from western countries.
I have ALWAYS maintained that Tamil Separatist leaders rode on the back of the COLD WAR.
That is why ANTI Separatism Laws in Lanka ought to be ACTED ON. That is why clueless, uneducated, easily misled, illegal migrants ought to be DEPORTED.
October 6th, 2013 at 7:48 am
Lorenzo,
NO RIOTING ought to be allowed in Lanka. JRJ was FORCED NOT to take action against Riots 1983. The Army was RIGHT in taking tough action to stop the Weliweriya trumped up LATER rioters who had another agenda, not water.
October 6th, 2013 at 9:01 am
We can conclude that COLD WARS and various RELIGIOUS BOIDES influence the developing countries (both Sri Lanka & India), to a great extent, almost controlling events within a country, using confused masses and cornered governments ?
Keep cool. ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is WITHIN you’ ‘Truth is WITHIN you’, not outside !
October 6th, 2013 at 3:18 pm
Fran,
You keep harping on Weliveriya incident to say that it was a conspiracy. What proof you have?. However there is proof to say that three innocent bystanders were killed.
As for Colombo and Kallathonies, it appears to me that it is a big project of TN people. Couple of days ago some tamil workers were installing fiber optic cables in my apartment. Some said they are from Mannar, but did not know a word of Sinhala. I am sure someone who grew up in Manar will know at least few words. An what about all these boat loads still going to Australia. Why do they try to go there risking their life unless there is some assurance?. So, I feel this a big project of TN and the west. Perhaps they still want the tamils to work for an empire which will be pitted against the Chinese. However I do not have anything against the poor souls, as long as they do not interfere on affairs affecting our country and do not overstay in SL.
October 7th, 2013 at 5:52 am
Fran,
No one can stop an ethnic community rioting against ITSELF!
That is what happened in 1983. The army was VERY BUSY in the north. We had a VERY VERY SMALL army. After Tamils BRUTALLIY killed policemen, the army HAD to step in and take charge in the north. So they could not be deployed to the south. It was a GOOD thing they were NOT deployed to the south. This was the plan of Tamils. Do a Tamil-Tamil riot and get the army to the south so that Tigers can kill all policemen, etc., etc. and destroy Palali. Didn’t work.
Your Weliweiya logic is WRONG. Just a week after the Weliweriya shooting, a RIOT broke out in Grandpass. NO ONE WAS SHOT despite large violence!! That was more similar to the 1983 riot than Weliweriya <= French Revolution!!
Please don’t blame ANY Sinhalese for the 1983 riot. If you do, you are helping the LTTE.
1983 riot was a Tamil-Tamil riot. Even MOST police top guys in Colombo were Tamils!! They ensured Tamils got enough sympathy.
October 7th, 2013 at 7:01 am
aloy,
I am saying (in fact emphasizing – you call it harping – on the fact) that Weliweriya second Riot was a conspiracy to imitate the 1983 Riots because the 1983 Riots enabled Tamil Separatism TS) to gain ground. When something ‘smells like a rat, looks like a rat, and acts like a rat’ we have to assume it is a rat !
Here’s the proof. I have given it before and I shall give it again, with additions. Aloy, please print it out and keep it. :
(1) Why did some 5,000 plus people arrive at the scene of protest AFTER a settlement had been reached with the govt. by the genuine protestors who had spoilt well water ?
(2) These latter rioters arrived in the dark – obviously so as not to be recognised. Otherwise, they would have joined in the first lot of protestors.
(3) These latter rioters had ‘missiles’ of petrol filled fire bottles and sand filled bottles. These missiles killed one of the three people who died in the riots. Some media deliberately ignores the medical proof of that fact.
(4) Shots were heard fired from among the rioters.
(5) Rioters tried to wrest the guns from the army soldiers.
(6) Re Riots : Having lived through the events of 1983 Riots, we now know that Riots are a way to bring down the country and divide it. If the Weliweriya riot was not stopped and it spread, it may have surely served Tamil Separatist cause further. The Riots of 1915 also spelt doom for the Sinhela Buddhists, both for Sinhela leaders as well as rural folk. Riots have been used as a means to diminish the Sinhela Buddhist community for two centuries. Some are using riots, copying from Colonists to ‘divide & rule’.
Lorenzo states that the 1983 Riots were a Tamil-Tamil affair (good or bad). This is a fact. However, no one highlights this fact. Why ?
(7) The Weliweriya Riot was also used to discredit the Army. The Army was called in as the Police could not cope with such a huge number of rioters. The IGP rang the Army Commander and requested the presence of the Army. That is the reason for the presence of the Army. It took the Army to quell the riots.
Similar acts are done by Police & Army in the west, to protect larger numbers of people.
(8) We can also bet that if new wells are dug at Rathupaswella, then there is a great possibility of clean water. Therefore, we propose that the wells of Rathupaswella were most probably tampered with and has nothing to do with the waste water from the glove factory which has existed there for some 15 yrs. with no problems. In fact, it has been scientifically proved that this is the case.
(9) The REAL problems with water is in the three Provinces adjacent to the Central Province with rampant kidney disease going on. Why have no Riots happened there ? Around 6,000 people die each from CKD there. Why weren’t those Weliweriya rioters concerned about them ?
(10) The Indian Fishermen poaching in Lanka sea waters is part and parcel of the drama. It has transpired that the fishing boats are property of the Tamil Nadu local govt. and the boats carry GPS which enables fishermen to AVOID crossing into Lanka waters. This means TN govt. is part of what is going on. All this is conspiracy between various parties, is it not ?
GoSL ought to destroy all the boats caught in Lanka waters and take the catch off the TN fishermen too. In the future, we need a patriotic National Govt. that acts in unison, unlike the present system which works at cross purposes.
There is a saying that ‘there is always a BETTER WAY to do things’, and we hope Sri Lankans are headed in that direction, or else pay a heavy price for acting on the lunatic fringe. (Einstein’s definition of lunacy says : ‘keep repeating the same experiment and expect a different result’).
October 7th, 2013 at 7:17 am
Dear Lorenzo,
Please specify what you mean by Tamil-Tamil. Which two (or more) Tamil groups were involved ?
I have NEVER blamed Sinhala people for the 1983 Riots. Wherever did you get such an idea ? Please let me know how you came to make such an assumption. I have been bending backwards to prove that the 1983 Riots were another Conspiracy to enable a Tamil EXODUS to the west during the Cold War times, and this was achieved via India (JN Dixit) gagging JRJ from acting with a Curfew to stop the Riots on the very first day. How come you assume otherwise ?
Sinhela shanty dwellers (poor), looted on days 2&3 of Riots. Those are the facts.
In fact, I am very sure that Sinhela people are not to be blamed for the 1983 Riots. I was there, right in the thick of it all and bore witness to the events which are still vivid in my memory. We ourselves helped a Tamil girl from Jaffna who told us that she was told in Jaffna that Sinhela people in the south had marble floors and lived in luxury and that she was surprised at the simplicity with which we lived. We also protected the property of a Jaffna Tamil household in the neighborhood. Lorenzo ! I am very sure that Sinhela people are not to be blamed for the 1983 Riots, but the media abroad assume so. We are keen to stop that perception perpetrated by the Tamil Diaspora and TNA, Tamil Nadu politicos. Do you know how to do so ?
Truth of matters is pouring out !
October 7th, 2013 at 7:24 am
PS: However, re Sinhela participation : I do assume that the then Minister of Labor, Cyril Mathew, had a part to play in all that happened in the 1983 Riots. I cannot put my finger on exactly how it was done. May be it was at a personal level that he acted, using govt. offices. I am not sure. But he had the personnel at his disposal and the personality to participate. This is my personal view of matters. Comments are welcome.
October 7th, 2013 at 8:43 am
correction : Cyril Mathew was Minister of Industries, not Labor.
October 7th, 2013 at 10:54 am
India, which INITIATED and FOSTERED Tamil Eelamist terrorism in Sri Lanka, then INVADED and FORCED the 13th Amendment down UNWILLING Sri Lanka’s throat, NOW PUSHES to Complete the JOB of DISINTEGRATING Sri Lanka into a patchwork Communal Fiefdoms, even as India itself unravels piece by piece!
If President Mahinda Rajapaksa thought the PC Elections was going to REDUCE the PRESSURE …. he will be severely disappointed.
The PC Elections has only ENCOURAGED Sri Lanka’s Tormentors into thinking that Sri Lanka is NOW SUSCEPTIBLE to MORE BLACKMAIL … and the PRESSURE will GROW into a veritable STORM!
The GOSL has forgotten the ancient DICTUM that WEAKNESS BEGETS AGGRESSION!
AT LEAST NOW, Dear Mr. President …. REVOKE the 13th Amendment & DISMANTLE the Provincial Councils! Summon the Courage to Stand Fast on your native wit, or our Motherland will eventually belong to foreigners!
…………………….
India calls for a political solution in Sri Lanka based on full implementation of 13th Amendment
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Oct 07, Colombo: India today said that it looks forward to an early resumption of the dialogue process to reach a political settlement in Sri Lanka based on the full implementation of 13th Amendment to the Constitution in a timely manner.
Issuing a media statement following a meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart Prof. G.L. Peiris, the visiting External Affairs Minister of India, Salman Khurshid said India is committed to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and ready to offer its assistance to take the process forward.
“It is our hope that the vision and leadership that resulted in an end to armed conflict and holding of elections to the Northern Province, will now be employed to work for genuine reconciliation,” Khurshid said.
“We will continue to work with the Government of Sri Lanka, and help in whatever way we can, to take this process forward, in a spirit of partnership and cooperation.”
The Indian Minister, who arrived in Colombo this morning on a two-day official visit, held discussions with Minister Peiris this afternoon on all issues of bilateral, regional and international concern and reviewed the progress in various areas, including trade, investment, development cooperation, culture and education.
The two ministers have reviewed the progress made in implementation of the Indian assisted projects for IDPs, particularly the Housing Project, as well as projects relating to the development of railway infrastructure in the North and the South.
They also have discussed the fishermen’s issue and agreed on the need to deal with it in a humane manner without resorting to violence under any circumstances.
The two ministers have agreed to encourage fishermen’s associations on both sides, which had met in the past and reached some understandings, to meet again to work on resolving the issue.
Minister Khurshid said the India-funded development cooperation projects, including the housing and railway projects are progressing well and are expected to be completed on schedule.
The two sides are to ink 8 agreements related to the Sampur Thermal Power Project and a MoU for Technical Assistance in support of the 10-year National Plan for a Trilingual Sri Lanka later today at the Presidential Secretariat.
With the signing of the agreements, the work on the power plant will commence promptly and will be sped up to complete the project by 2016, Khurshid said.
The visiting Minister said he is hopeful that, through the MoU for implementation of the Trilingual Plan, India will be able to contribute to this important initiative to aid national reconciliation and promote harmony among the various linguistic communities in Sri Lanka.
Khurshid said he was pleased with the significant expansion of bilateral trade in goods which is aimed at reaching US$ 5 billion mark.
Noting India’s significant contribution in the area of investments and tourist arrivals, Minister Khurshid pointed out the need to finalize a more comprehensive framework of economic cooperation to sustain the positive momentum in the bilateral trade and economic relations.
The visiting Minister is scheduled to meet the President Mahinda Rajapaksa tomorrow. He will also visit Jaffna to review India-funded development assistance projects and will meet the Governor and the Chief Minister of Northern Provincial Council.
He expressed hope that “successful culmination of elections to the Northern Province will usher a new beginning towards a better future for the people in the North.”
“India has been consistent in calling for an early political settlement and national reconciliation through meaningful devolution of powers, so to ensure that all citizens of Sri Lanka, including the Sri Lankan Tamil community, would lead a life marked by equality, justice, dignity and self-respect,” Khurshid said.
October 7th, 2013 at 11:23 am
In effect, these Tamil Lawyers are disputing the UNITARY status of Sri Lanka and the authority of the Central Government over the Provinces.
That is, they are advocating SECESSION.
Bloody TRAITORS …. PROSECUTE them & FLING them into Prison to contemplate their follies and their navels!
…………………..
Tamil lawyers condemn Wigneswaran’s decision
By Dinasena Rathugamage
Island.lk
October 6, 2013, 9:44 pm
The TNA’s Norther Province Chief Minister elect, C.V. Wigneswaran, opting to be sworn in before President Mahinda Rajapaksa was an unjust decision, Tamil lawyers said yesterday.
Secretary to the Sri Lanka Tamil Lawyers’ Association R. Ratnavel said the Wigneswaran’s decision to take oath before President Rajapaksa would be detrimental to the cause of Tamils in Sri Lanka. The association issued a statement on Saturday (05) taking exception to the former Supreme Court Justice cum TNA chief minister elect, Wigneswaran’s swearing in scheduled for today (07).
When contacted for comment, Ratnavel said that Tamils had complained to the UN Human Rights Council against President Rajapaksa over atrocities against civilians during the war.
Ratnavel said the TNA had no moral right to take oaths before the President. The Tamils of the country had given a mandate to the TNA and the TNA should not go behind the government, he stressed.
The TNA, on the one hand, demanded for a federal solution and, on the other, struck deals with the President, Ratnavel said.
October 7th, 2013 at 11:29 am
Don’t give NORWAY any ACCESS to INTERFERE in Sri Lanka again!
Have we already forgotten their support for the creation of an Eelam in Sri Lanka?
These are the vipers helping to orchestrate the UN assault on Sri Lanka. Don’t bless them with official sanction to revive their Eelamist activities in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province.
Kick them OUT, and keep them OUT! … PERMANENTLY!
………………………
Norway to continue assistance for Northern development
By Nadira Gunatilleke
DailyNews.lk
October 7, 2013
Norwegian Ambassador Grete Lochen and Second Secretary Marte Torskenaes met Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva recently.
Norwegian government is happy about the peace achieved by Sri Lanka and it will continue to assist the development process taking place in the North, Norwegian Ambassador Grete Lochen said.
She expressed these views when she met Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva recently.
She inquired about the continuation of development process in the Northern Province after TNA’s PC election victory.
Minister de Silva explained her that the government considers Northern PC as a part of the unitary state, Sri Lanka and continue to carry out all development work as usual without any difference. Same treatment will be given to both the South and the North.
It is the responsibility of the TNA to work with the government.
Minister de Silva pointed out that the International community has already accepted that the Northern PC election was a free and fair one.
He requested the support of the Norwegian government to carry out development work in the North.
October 7th, 2013 at 11:34 am
Sri Lanka to show evidence to Indian Minister on extensive poaching by Indian fishermen
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Oct 07, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government says that it would show evidence of extensive poaching by Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan waters to visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid.
External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunatilaka Amunugama said that the Indian Minister would be shown evidence of the extensive poaching by thousands of Indian boats in Sri Lankan waters.
He noted that the issue of Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters is nothing new, but it remains a matter to be discussed again.
Amunugama has explained that Sri Lanka would look at getting a reduction in the number of boats poaching in Sri Lankan waters.
Sri Lankan naval officials annually arrest hundreds of Indian fishermen who poach in Sri Lankan waters.
Sri Lanka recently changed its policy on the Indian fishermen invading country’s waters. Instead of the earlier method of ‘catch and release’ now the poaching fishermen will be detained and produced in court. The fishermen will be released after they plead guilty and their boats will be confiscated.
October 7th, 2013 at 12:11 pm
Add : The Tamils of lower caste which greatly outnumber the higher caste Vellala Tamil folk, fear that the Caste structure will be re-imposed on them if Eelam ever happens. Also, Eelam (North) will be an appendage of Tamil Nadu.
October 7th, 2013 at 12:36 pm
Fran,
Cyril Matthew was a Sinhalese and so was JR. They were NOT involved in RIOTING.
The riot was between a group of Tamil rioters hired by Colombo Tamils against all Tamils in Tamil majority ghettos.
e.g. Because the Sinhalese were NOT involved, there were NO riots in areas like Gampaha where thousands of Tamils lived scattered.
Looting was done by Tamil, Muslim, Sinhala, etc. people from poor backgrounds peacefully among them.
Comparing the Weliweriya incident to the 1983 Tamil-Tamil riot also discredits the Sinhalese. In the Weliweriya incident innocent Sinhalese bystanders (NOT rioters as such) were killed. Anyway the wrongdoers are suspended for their excess by the government already!! SO the matter has been sorted out (except the root cause).
October 7th, 2013 at 12:43 pm
Fran,
This is also NOT true.
“The Tamils of lower caste which greatly outnumber the higher caste Vellala Tamil folk, fear that the Caste structure will be re-imposed on them if Eelam ever happens.”
MOST Tamils in the north are Valla-alla-la high caste!! About 75% are Valla-alla-la AND GROWING.
“Kallar, Maravar, ganathor Agamudaiyar mella mella velaalar anargal.”
Any caste’s rich end up as Valla-alla-la.
They are the MAIN voters of TNA, TULF, ITAK.
You can see this happening in Kites island. It was a low caste fishing, etc. place. But with massive development, a large number of them have become rich. Now they are as good as Valla-alla-la and THINK like Valla-alla-la caste (vote for TNA).
October 7th, 2013 at 12:45 pm
“The GOSL has forgotten the ancient DICTUM that WEAKNESS BEGETS AGGRESSION!”
“Hitha honda gani emathaama budding”
This is what is always happening in SL.
Everything is the fault of Sinhalese. Tamils do every criminal act and get away by blaming them.
And Sinhala people blame Sinhalese for nothing!!
October 7th, 2013 at 2:14 pm
Lorenzo,
Thurai said otherwise. He agreed with what I had to say. Caste is in the MINDS of people – does not happen by owning bits of property. How about the Tamil illegal migrants (who have no property as such at present) who have been allowed to vote ?
Do they feel like Vellala ?
How about that Tamil-Tamil 1983 Riot ?
October 7th, 2013 at 3:13 pm
Fran,
NOT TRUE.
Over 75% Tamils in the north are Valla-alla-la. You cannot disaprove a well established Tamil proverb (Kallar, etc. is one of the LOWEST castes but even they end up Valla-allala with money) and the truth behind it!!
This was how tobacco slaves ended up as Valla-alla-la.
Tamil illegal immigrants as explained above follow the SAME cycle. They have a bad starting point but eventually get there.
Batticaloa Tamils are a higher percentage low caste. That is why UPFA and UNP get more votes from there.
Upcountry Tamils are MOSTLY low caste. That is why UPFA and UNP get more votes from there and TNA still couldn’t penetrate. But with rich Tamils growing (= assumed high castes), upcountry will be racist too unless busted.
The riot was between a group of Tamil rioters hired by Colombo Tamils against all Tamils in Tamil majority ghettos.
e.g. Because the Sinhalese were NOT involved, there were NO riots in areas like Gampaha where thousands of Tamils lived scattered.
Looting was done by Tamil, Muslim, Sinhala, etc. people from poor backgrounds peacefully among them.
October 7th, 2013 at 6:37 pm
Lorenzo,
It is the Northern Jaffna mentality to be Separatists, irrespective of caste. The Upcountry Tamils have received land from the tea estates (from the govt of Sri Lanka) and they are also Vellala now, by your definition. So Caste is not a great issue, by what you are saying. Those Tamils outside of Jaffna have integrated more into Sri Lanka and are willing to vote outside the TNA. That is my understanding of the matter.
* What we want now is for ALL illegal migrants (Tamils and others) to be deported.
* What we want is for the 13-A to be removed.
* What we want is enactment of the 6-A (punishment to all Separatist).
* What we want is for TNA to amend it’s Manifesto.
* What we want is removal of illegal fishing from TN fishermen for good.
October 7th, 2013 at 9:05 pm
Fran,
“The Upcountry Tamils have received land from the tea estates (from the govt of Sri Lanka) and they are also Vellala now, by your definition.”
I didn’t say that.
SOME are. Most are not (that is why they don’t vote for TNA yet).
What you want is what I want too. On TN fishermen, UNLESS SL Tamils stop being separatists, I want TN fishermen to BUST their fish resource. Starving separatists is a good punishment.
October 8th, 2013 at 6:18 am
Lorenzo,
Thanks for your input here.
(1) Sorry to carp on minor points, but Vellala means ‘land owner’, isn’t it ? By that definition, Upcountry Tamils are Vellala. I think Upcountry Tamils are loyal to India (not to Jaffna leaders), and will stay that way. There may be quite a few illegal migrant Tamils in the Upcountry area too.
(2) You say : “Cyril Matthew was a Sinhalese and so was JR. They were NOT involved in RIOTING”. Of course JRJ was not involved in Rioting. JRJ was FORCED to clamp down and ignore the Riots for THREE WHOLE DAYS and no Curfew was declared for three days. Even Cyril Mathew, if involved in some ways, took part with tacit approval from India (JN Dixit) as India ran Colombo at that time (still does, more or less !). He may have seen some personal gain from it all. I am assuming things here from what I witnessed, no proof available.
(3) Sinhela poor were among the gangs that roamed and looted. I saw fellows who appeared Sinhela looking, dressed up in white Jatawas & tucked up white sarongs, obviously DRUGGED (staring eyes, swaying too and fro), and carrying long wooden poles. We later realised that this was for filming purposes – films to be sent to the west and shown by three prominent Tamil Ambassadors in London, Paris & Bonn (Germany).
(4) Re what you say : “The riot was between a group of Tamil rioters hired by Colombo Tamils against all Tamils in Tamil majority ghettos”.
Lorenzo, who are these Colombo Tamils, do you know ? Who are the Colombo Tamils responsible in part for the 1983
Riots ?
October 8th, 2013 at 6:27 am
I would also like to clarify what I meant when I stated earlier that : “In the future, we need a patriotic National Govt. that acts in unison, unlike the present system which works at cross purposes”.
I am saying that our Democratic system works at cross purposes after Colonisation & Cold War times, and serves various groups only. We have had al our governments held hostage by Tamil Separatists and foreign governments. Under such a scenario, a National Government may suit Sri Lanka much better.
October 8th, 2013 at 1:11 pm
Fran,
1. Valla-alla-la means land owning farming caste. It is NOT just anyone who owns a small plot of land. The means are also important. It takes some generations to be socially recognized as Valla-alla-la.
2. Cyril was not involved. It is only rumors. It was a Tamil-Tamil riot. Stop associating Sinhalese in anyway in the riot. It helps the LTTE/TNA.
3. Tamil poor and Muslim poor also looted.
4. Colombo Tamils are Endian illegal immigrants, Jaffna internal immigrants, Batticaloa internal immigrants, etc, who wanted to GET OUT of SL. They learnt from Lebanon how riots, etc. can be used to seek asylum in greener pastures.
October 8th, 2013 at 1:12 pm
We already have a national govt. made up of SLFP, JVP, UNP, TNA, CWC, SLMC, EPDP, etc. But it hasn’t worked.
They get together and destroy the country.
October 8th, 2013 at 2:10 pm
Fran Diaz Says:
October 8th, 2013 at 2:07 pm
Lorenzo,
Aha ! So merely owning land does not a Vellala make ! It takes a few generations to create a Vellala. So there we are, back to square one : there is a Caste problem among Tamil folk.
Re 1983 : I am after the truth of matters, in order to learn from the past, or else we will get caught to the same traps again and again, with same or similar players. I do hope you understand my intent. The truth has to be published. Anyone will know that the story is incomplete if unpleasant events and personalities are swept under the carpets.
Re the present GoSL : I am going on the strict definition of Government vs Parliament. Lanka GoSL is not made up of all those political parties you mention. The PARLIAMENT (which means GoSL plus Opposition) has a National flavor, but not the GoSL by itself. For example, the JVP & TNA have not joined the GoSL.
Also we have to have an educated PARLIAMENT. That is how Singapore (mainly Buddhist country) manages together with strong Laws in place. I guess that will happen some time in the future.
Let’s close this chapter. Thanks for input.
October 8th, 2013 at 3:32 pm
Fran,
Of course there is a caste problem among Tamils!! But FACTS are.
1. Over 75% Tamils in the north are Valla-alla-la
2. ANY upward mobile Tamils econoically (including the LOWEST CASTES) end up Valla-alla-la
July 1983 riot was done by Tamils on Tamils to go to Canada. NEVER blame Sinhalese for it. IF you do, you are playing into the hands of the LTTE=TNA.
It WILL repeat again. After the war foreign countries DON’T take in Tamils. They say SL is safe for Tamils now (which was ALWAYS the case). This is a HUGE problem for Tamils. Imgaine the HATE of comparatively poor Valla-alla-la Tamils still in SL when they see comparatively RICH low caste Tamils from Toronto visiting them in Jaffna wearing expensive jewellery, driving jeeps, lavishing in luxury, staying at 5 star hotels in Jaffna? You can’t imagine that HATE! You have to be a Valla-alla-la Tamil living in Jaffna or Colombo to truely FEEL it.
So what they will do? TRY to go to Canada, etc. But they can’t meet the criteria. Not everyone can go. So the only option is REFUGEE VISA. But that goes to Syrians, Afghans, etc. now. Then they look at creating a situation to win back sympathy. That is why ANOTHER Tamil-Tamil July 1983 riot is just around the corner.
This is why I want Tamils to be allowed and encouraged to LEAVE SL as many as possible PEACEFULLY. Send them in boat loads. That is good for SL than keeping them. If they can’t peacefully get out, they will use violence to get out. As you know they don’t belong to SL and they NEVER see SL as their destination. They come from Tamil Nadu, make use of SL to go to rich countries. IF you disrupt this, they turn violent.
October 8th, 2013 at 6:01 pm
Lorenzo,
My intent was to CLEAR Sinhela people of the 1983 Riot. If you knew how troubled we were with the 1983 Riots and the aftermath during travels abroad because of it, you will understand why it is that I set about the task.
I don’t think encouraging Tamils to go abroad will work because after they go there, they spin horrible FALSE stories about Sri Lanka to win sympathy and get favors. They have to have conditions right in Tamil Nadu to go back there.
However, let us drop the topic.
October 8th, 2013 at 7:33 pm
Fran,
Don’t be scared of propaganda. That’s the most the losers can do. The sky is NOT falling. Don’t run to the FOX’S cave like chicken fearing the sky is falling.
Tamils will NEVER let Sinhalese be at peace.
Read history. Since BC times they were bugging the Sinhalese. This will continue forever.
Actually it is few EDUCATED Tamils who migrated through PROPER CHANNELS who spin stories against SL.
NOT so much the refugee Tamils. Keeping them in SL is WORSE. There too they create stories and EXPORT them. It is like trying to keep a wife who wants a divorce. YOU CAN’T. You must know better, lady!! :)
SL MUST help Tamils LEAVE SL peacefully and encourage them to do so. Arrange a few boats for them too.
At least now the Sinhalese should STOP feeling guilty for July 1983. It is NOT AT ALL the Sinhalese fault. It is the fault of Tamils. But they GAINED and they have forgiven their Tamil brothers who plotted and did the riot. They will do it again unless they are going to Canada, etc. in plane loads or boat loads.
October 9th, 2013 at 4:47 am
Lorenzo,
Let’s stay cool. The whole world is confused, putting Money before People in an overcrowded world – let’s not add to it.
It is the duty of Tamil Nadu to help Tamil people, not the duty of Sri Lanka.
October 9th, 2013 at 5:46 am
The more Tamils leave SL, it is better for SL.
The more Tamils come to SL, the worse it is for SL.