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By Charles.S.Perera

The International Community, the UN, local and foreign politicians, the Tamil Intelligentsia, and the local anti-war groups, speak about the political solution to the ethnic problem without trying to understand that there is more to it than meets the eye. No body has really defined the ethnic problem. Is it, that the Tamil language has not been given the same official status as the Sinhala Language ? Or, is it the question of devolution of political power from a centralised system to a provisional system ?

What is not openly said, but made to understand, by demanding a Federal System, or a Tamil Eelam, may have the answer to the real ethnic problem. Therefore, trying to find a political solution to the ethnic problem is like treating the symptoms of a patient, without curing the disease itself. Hence, it is necessary to find out the real cause of the ethnic problem, and remove it for good, so that peace and harmony will prevail for a longer period , than with a political solution which would only be superficial remedy that will not last long. The terrorism, the demand for a devolution of political power, the numerous articles by the Tamil journalist, and intellectuals, disparaging the government, and the Sinhala supremacism are only the signs of a more deep seated cause in the minds of the Tamil people.

Unless the cause itself is cured, the canker will continue to grow. An effective way to treat a long lasting illness, is to recognise the illness from the symptoms, and provide medication for the illness itself, so that the symptoms will disappear along with the illness. Similarly, the solution to the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka, is to understand the real cause of it, from the signals so far received, and remove the cause.

Even though, in speaking about the ethnic problem, all communities are taken in to consideration , the principal Communities concerned are the Tamil and the Sinhala. Once the problem between them is solved, the problems affecting the other Communities will fall into place as pieces in a jigsaw puzzle.

If one were to go to various websites of the Sri Lanka Tamil Community, such as the Tamil Sangam, Tamil Week, or Sri Lanka Guardian etc., and read the articles by some of the Tamil contributors, you will see the seething hatred and animosity towards the Sinhala people, their history, culture, and religion.

The Government though democratically elected by the people of the country, at lease some of the Tamil people, perhaps, voting for the UPFA, President Mahinda Rajapakse, and the Government are the centre of attack by the Tamil writers. It is indeed rare to find at least one Tamil contributor to these websites who makes a single word of appreciation, of the President, if not the government itself.

Here lies the cause of the ethnic problem. The ethnic problem in Sri Lanka is nothing but the racism of a greater majority of the Tamil people against the Sinhala people. This hatred is more restricted to the Tamil intelligentsia. However, it becomes evident when speaking to an ordinary common Tamil man, even though he may be sentimentally attachment to the Tamil cause, that his hatred towards the Sinhala race is not as much virulent, as it is of those Tamil intelligentsia represented by the likes of those contributors to the Tamil Websites.

In that situation the political solution will not stop the inherent racial hatred. The solution is therefore, to make the Tamil people understand that the racial problem has been caused by themselves, seeking to be differentiated from the Sinhala people, by the mere fact of their being the majority race.

Undoubtedly, there are elements within the Sinhala community, who shamelessly try to treat the Tamil people differently. An instance that comes to mind is the Tamil Student refused admission to a well known school in Colombo, because she was Tamil. Or, two Tamil girl students who were not allowed admission to a National Library, because they did not have the identity cards. In the latter case, an identity card is a necessary document in any country to enter a National Library, but some times a kind word without being very official would help to establish understanding.

Lot of ink had flowed on the episode of the police rounding up the Tamils from Colombo lodgings for security check. But this is normal as it happens quite often in France, or UK at underground railway stations, and in the lodgings of the immigrant residents of African, Pakistani, or Arab origin. It is done for the safety of every one. The Tamil terrorist carry bombs to Colombo. Unfortunately the Police cannot differentiate a Tamil carrying a bomb, from another innocent Tamil unless there is a security check. Here again the criticism comes from the belief , that the majority Sinhala government is carrying out these checks, to put into inconvenience the Tamil people because the Sinhala government is racists.

To remedy this unfortunate situation and bring the Sinhala and Tamil Communities together, all Sinhala and Tamil political and religious leaders, professionals, intellectuals, and the media should work together to prepare the ground for a better understanding between the Sinhala and Tamil Community. The political parties with Communal distinctions should be disbanded. This task of building bridges of friendship between the Sinhala , and the Tamils should begin in schools, emphasising the need for respect to all individuals without distinction of race.

The Tamils should be made to understand that people in authority if they are Sinhala are only doing their job, and that any interrogation or body checks should not be taken as personal racial affront because he or she is a Tamil. And those persons in authority if Sinhala should take special care to do their job but with due respect to the person and always with a word of kindness, which would make a difference.

This racial hatred had been going on for a long time, and it would be difficult to overcome in a short time. But one has to make a drive for psychological cleansing of racism embedded in the minds. This is more important than the envisaged political solution. Therefore, the President and the Government should take note of this and set up a working group in parallel with the APRC to integrate the Tamil, and Sinhala Communities without the bias of being in the majority or the minority.

Therefore, the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka has nothing to do with politics, it is pure and simple racist hatered towards the Sinhala because they are in the Majority. The terrorism is a result of this minority complex, and the desire to be independent of the majority. The influx of political parties with the "Tamil" label is also the result of these same racial hatred towards the Sinhala majority, and the desire to compete with the Sinhala, to assert their place in par with the majority-not to be second to them.

And the call for a Federal System is also to be independent from the Sinhala majority as far as possible.

The International Community, and the Foreigners will not understand this racism, as they are racists by difference of colour, names, and accent of the spoken language. Therefore, they think that the Sinhala by being the Majority race, wants to dominate the Tamils who are the minority. Hence their call for a political solution, not understanding that the political solution the Tamils demand is only a symptom of a deeper problem they do not want to speak out –which is the racial hatred towards the Sinhala.

Though much has been written about Sinhala Supremasism, and Sinhala Chauvinists, the Sinhala people are least concerned with their majority status. They loved late Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar, and Jeyraj Fernandopulle, without concerning themselves of their Tamilness. If there were to be a Tamil President in Sri Lanka the Sinhala people will love him, and respect him as well.

Other countries in the world have, to a great extent, over come racial problem by well organised political parties. An example is the Presidential elections in America, in which there is a chance for a black American to be the President of America. Let us, therefore,work for real unity, forgetting our " Sinhalaness" or the " Tamilness ", without spitting at each other, first by having an appropriate non-racial Political Party System, so that one day we may also have a Tamil President of Sri Lanka.

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