Tamil Grievances – how real are they?
Posted on March 31st, 2012
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Shenali Waduge
In a country as small as Sri Lanka where over 14.8m of the 20m population are Sinhalese and possibly less than 10% are Sri Lankan Tamils, a question never answered is what are these grievances that the Sri Lankan Tamils finds exclusively to be theirs and how much of these grievances are relevant to the present.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We need to first identify how many of these oft-quoted Tamil grievances are now non-existent though quoted for convenience, how many of these grievances are being quoted by those living overseas who have no understanding of what the Tamils in Sri Lanka need, how many of these Tamil grievances resulted from injustices imposed by the Tamil elite upon their own and how many of these Tamil grievances are exclusively suffered by Tamils alone which Sinhalese & Muslims enjoy. Unless we are able to answer these simple questions there is no point drafting ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-political solutionsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The reality of political solutions is that all political solutions are meant to suit the politicians and their cohorts in power. Are Tamil politicians not guilty of living comfortably in Colombo guarded by the State and preferring to only seek land and police powers when all that the people of the north are asking for is education for their children, employment and the means to live in peace? Were all these not denied by the LTTE and not the Government? Could parents of the north send their children to school and not fear that they would have been kidnapped and made into child soldiers. Did the LTTE not issue an order that every Tamil family had to forsake at least 1 child to the LTTE ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” how ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-equalƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ was this ruling since invariably it was the poor and low caste Tamils that ended up sacrificing their children to the LTTE while the upper class Tamil children were excluded?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What a tragedy it would be if it were to emerge that for 30 years Tamils had been denying Tamils whilst pointing blame at the Sinhalese to hide this truth. It appears there is a segment of truth in this. If not for the LTTE, 1m Tamils would not be living overseas today. So who made up these 30,000 LTTE cadres ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” were they from the elite Tamils or just downtrodden low caste Tamils whom the rest of the Tamils didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t care about anyway. It was these cadres that enabled Tamils to use ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ethnicƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ issue and push for benefits for themselves which excluded ordinary Tamils. It was not hard to distinguish how fed the Mahavir families were as against other Tamils pleading for food, water & medical assistance. Then there were also the issue of the unexplainable number of refugees. This number demands an investigation because it is impossible that the Wanni had so many Sri Lankan Tamils unless over the years LTTE had been encouraging illegal immigrants from Tamil Nadu. Was this a bigger conspiracy to infuse North with Indian Tamils while encouraging Sri Lankan Tamils to go overseas.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If so, these were some home truths that the UN Colombo office & many NGOs/INGOs knew about but chose to purposely ignore. The UN Colombo office including its former heads also need to be investigated for their links to the LTTE & the Government should not hesitate to make this request.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When over 11,000 former LTTE cadres have been rehabilitated and reintroduced to society and a policy is taken not to prosecute any of the child cadres of the LTTE does it not show ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-accountabilityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ of the Government? When these cadres are given vocational training, allowed to sit for competitive exams, given away in marriage whilst women who were taught nothing other than to shoot appear on the fashion ramp modeling bridal wear shouldnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t the Government be given a few accolades at least?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When Tamils are not denied purchase of property in any part of Sri Lanka, are able to live in any mode of housing throughout Sri Lanka, when they can work in private or public sectors, when they hold key portfolios in these sectors, when they can travel on any mode of transport, apply for any position where is there discrimination. Do we have queues separated for Tamils? Do we not allow Tamils to sit on any seat in a bus? Are Tamils denied going to Kovils or holding Kovil processions every now & then? Can Tamils deny that the heart of ColomboƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s business is owned & run by Tamils? These were all discriminations that existed in the US, Africa & in parts of India where Dalits are still treated as untouchables.
Are Sinhalese treated better ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” does the postman deliver their letters first, do the Sinhalese enjoy privileges that the other ethnic groups are deniedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦if so let us know what these are.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦.. for any foreign reader it is important to note that all public documents (marriage certificates, death certificates, passport forms etc) all are in Sinhalese & Tamils, all road signs are in Sinhalese & Tamil, all currencies & notes are in Sinhalese & Tamil, all public events have presenters speaking in Sinhala, Tamil & English, even lottery ticket results presented over tv has presenters speaking in Sinhala & TamilƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦.this privilege has been given to less than 1.5m Tamils in Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦not even India can match this.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is time that Tamils themselves weigh the odds. Are they to continue thinking about some elusive Eelaam which has been turned into a bargaining tool to advance the interests of Tamil politicians? Would the other Tamils who have made good of the domino effect of the LTTE still want to deny their own people some relief at least now after 3 decades? IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s role in this is primarily to keep Sri Lanka unstable and secondly to avoid separatist chants in Tamil Nadu as well as to economically engulf us to make us a paralyzed nation. What is true is that the LTTE would have remained no different than the JVP if not for the fact that India took LTTE under its wing to train them and to use them to destabilize Sri Lanka.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ A country that stoops to this type of ugly practice does not deserve to be welcomed on our shores and we need to tell the Government out loud that no amount of diplomatic chivalry will divert IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s policy to subvert our sovereignty. Are we not going to take the threat of India seriously? Now this question is being put to our President, his Ministers and especially his advisors ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” do we have a counter plan to protect our sovereignty from India?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Every opportunity India gets, India continues to push for the 13a and devolution using the excuse of the rights of Sri Lankan Tamils. All of IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s paid locals subtly or directly are pushing for the reality of this objective. What is stopping anyone from asking India or any other nation what these grievances of Tamils are? Let us also remind everyone in Sri Lanka that by 1953 there were 974,100 Indian Tamils whilst there were just over 880,000 Sri Lankan Tamils!
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The colonial rulers mastered the art of divide & rule. They merged education with religion to create a dual effect ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” indoctrinate the peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s minds as well as to convert the locals. From zero Christians before arrival of colonial rulers by independence there were over 650,000 Christians. The elite that emerged were a combination of Sinhalese & Tamils who cared little for the rest of the masses except indulge in caste competition against each other. What they didnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t achieve when they could should not be repeated by present day leaders of the government & opposition simply because they too prefer to not look at the larger picture which entails that they act in the interest of the country first.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In many ways the positive of the UNHRC ruling is that Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s leaders have had to face the facts and face it with embarrassment. It gives us the masses a better say in matters of governance for we now can insist that the delays on account of diplomatic niceties for former favors are now null & void for the countries that have betrayed us.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We again question how countries that voted for the Resolution could have voted for clauses requesting the implementation of the LLR when none of these countries were officially given a copy of the LLRC. Moreover, would it have made a difference had we conveyed hard enough amongst these member countries that the Resolution was the first instance of a country been held accountable for a terrorist conflict that is now over when the UNHRC did little to get involved to stop terrorism that was raging for 30 years by a terrorist movement that was far more lethal than the Al Qaeda. Would it matter to any of these member nations that precedence was created whatever excuse India gave about tweaking its language?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ These questions reveal that world bodies are certainly not functioning as unbiased entities and certainly not championing the motto for world peace. If we cannot have faith in these bodies at least we need to ensure our own house is in order.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ For starters we need to reiterate the importance of law and order. Irrespective of ethnic issues it is disheartening to read any of the local newspapers and their cover stories.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The US invaded Iraq to give peace to the Iraqi people by getting rid of Saddam its dictator ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” can Iraqi people please tell us are they happy today. The US/NATO invaded Afghanistan accusing it of being responsible for 9/11 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”then they promised the people that they would get rid of Taliban ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” can the Afghan people please tell us if they are happy today. The US/NATO created an independent Kosovo ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” can these people tell us if they are better off than they were. The US got rid of Hosni Mubarak a long time friend ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Can the Egyptian people please tell us how great Egypt is today. The US/NATO took 7 months to get rid of Gaddafi ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” can the Libyan people please tell us if Libya is now free? Can even Sudan say that it is better off now?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What we first need to do is to clean up the distorted lies ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” we had a terrorist problem & not an ethnic problem needs to be first rectified. India has to either acknowledge or we need to publicly make aware that the LTTE was first trained & supported by India which nullifies most arguments. We need to place every effort the Governments have taken insisted by the West & India for a negotiated settlement when these very nations did not really intend for such a settlement to occur. It was only to buy time for all stakeholders. We need to reiterate that no one can deny the desire of any citizen to live in any part of the island therefore the efforts to say Sinhala colonization must stop. If Tamils can live outside of their so-called Tamil areas what is stopping a Sinhalese or a Muslim from purchasing property & living in the North? Besides thousands of Sinhalese & Muslims were living in the North prior to be ethnically cleansed. Historical architecture also proves the existence of Sinhalese in these ancient areas as well.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ If we are to open a new chapter in our history we need to bury the lies and nurture the truth. We also need to discard all interventions that have manifested itself into our lives and that first step is the 13a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” we do not need it and the provincial council system ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” we do not need that either. Whilst the Government needs to realize that its own performance needs a boost and public service needs to realign itself to serving the people with administrative changes that need to take off the ground without delays.
March 31st, 2012 at 6:36 pm
There are some grievances for tamils in Sri Lanka.
1. Tamils want to merge Sri Lanka as a part of Tamil Country (tamil nadu in South India)
2. After merge Sri Lanka or first at least North and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka to tamil country (tamil nadu) to create Tamil Desam.
3. Invade Sri Lanka after create tamil desam and merge upcountry first and they whole of Sri Lanka.
4. Eliminate or wipe out Sinhala nation from there own country Sri Lanka and from the world map after invade it with tamil nadu terrorists.
5. Allow U.S.A and western powers to lease Trincomalee harbor to control South Asian sea routes.
6. Though they are 10% of the population they want 90% employment ratio in Sri Lanka.
7. Tamils want 90% of the professional jobs and high profile jobs.
8. Administration, Foreign Service and Financial jobs only to tamils
9. Tamils want 90% of University entrances.
10. Tamils want almost all the business in Sri Lanka.
11. Tamils want to rule the country though they are 10% of the population. This was first asked from British by tamil politicians before 1933. Later they changed the demand as 50%-50%.
I note down few tamil grievances. These grievances are common agenda of tamils in Tamil Country (Tamil Nadu) in South India, tamil refugee so-called diaspora and world tamil forum.
March 31st, 2012 at 7:50 pm
Let us first do away with the Provincial Governments outside North and East and finally move to do away with those in the North and East. If we have the heart and the mind the first step should be easy and painless. It is widely recognized within Sri Lanka that this system of governance has not made things any better for the people at grass root level. except for the parasites who live on this system and the political system that uses these useless institutions as a means of placating their henchmen.
Sri Lanka must begin to assert itself and stamping its identity on the international arena. Sri Lanka may have to go through a hard time but eventually the world will turn around. One of the reasons for the international meddling in our country is because it sees Sri Lanka as an unstable political entity. Once the island is stabilized internally – politically and militarily the economic stability will come later.
As for the Tamil grievances which have now conveniently changed into aspirations, the Sinhalese should put in their own aspirations too.
1.We must have the gall to say that we will never allow the likes of last 30 years of terrorist repression ever to happen again with out grave repercussions to the perpetrators and their running dogs. For this we will not withdraw our military from strategic placements around the island. In fact our military strength should be increased to prevent any foreign power setting foot in the hallowed land of our ancestors. India should remember how they ran with the tail between their legs in front of a rag tag guerilla force.
2. The status of the North and East cannot be decided by the recent migrant population there.( The present populations comprises of mainly agricultural labor brought in to tend tobacco plantations during the last 500 years and recent illicit immigrants from India during LTTE times) . It should decided with the concurrence of the whole nation after a widely discussed referendum.
3. We have been a geographical and political entity with clear cut territorial borders – the Indian Ocean – for several millennia and as such any form of secessionism should not be entertained in politics.
4. The Sinhalese must lay down their historical claims to North and East in clear cut terms and must agitate for it. It is this lack of assertion for ones rights that has given the Racist Tamils a one sided story of grievances and aspirations founded on their deranged minds.
5. It is mainly a Sinhala Buddhist armed force that finally subjugated the Terrorist menace. The Sinhala Buddhist nation must have the final say in the future of Sri Lanka. The Sinhala Christians mostly ran with the hares and hunted with the hounds. Christian Church did the fund raising and influencing the foreign powers in favor of the LTTE and Tamil Racists.
6. The so called border villages must get the same benefits as those being given to the North and East now. These are the real patriots who defended Sri Lanka’s integrity for the last 30 years – sleeping in the jungle at night and defending the villages by day. Where is the Wasanthaya for them? Where is the gratitude for these patriotic people?
Head in the sand attitude is not the solution to Sri Lanka’s problems.
April 1st, 2012 at 5:01 am
My tears for,
“These are the real patriots who defended Sri Lanka’s integrity for the last 30 years – sleeping in the jungle at night and defending the villages by day. Where is the Wasanthaya for them? Where is the gratitude for these patriotic people?”
Maharaja kissed the ground and paid the last gratitude.
Now he frogot about them. He is talking about 13 +. They slept at jungle to give 13+ for maharaja to live propourosly ever after ?
April 1st, 2012 at 7:11 am
Go to the Tamilnadu official website. They acknowledge that they use tribalism to political gains. See, they use the word Tamil every where yet they speak a Tamil-English mixed dialect. Forget the fact that they are governed by malayaalis or North Indian descending Brahmins.
It is the same in Sri Lanka. Tamils are governed by Colombo-living Tamil elite and the overseas living Tamils. Their demand list is simply unbelievable. On the other hand, Tamilnadu govt reports say only 23% are without toilets. But, other reports say only 23% have toilets.
If Tamils have real problems in Sri Lanka why don’t they go back to Tamilnadu. But, they don’t. Instead, During the velu’s Tamileelam’s Time, more Indian Tamils had come to Sri Lanka and had settled.
April 1st, 2012 at 9:03 pm
Ratanapal is right but who will move to change. Sinhalese in the west can lead to change certain area like promoting world Sinhalese economy with Sinhalese business empire and fund global intelligent unit etc but asking sRi lanka politician to change political system to suit global conspirators will be a jock but have to do it right now. One way to do is ask Sri lanka military headship to push govt to bring back original parliament system with minister as head and first thing to do is expell foreign NGOs and dismantle ban local NGOs
Also, They still can keep president like now but dismantle provincial system. Of foreign spies will come to show up and will send messages to Sinhalese saying ” still we are here no matter what you do we will be control the world and you cannot destroy our plan in SRi lanka and we are number one enemy of yours”
April 2nd, 2012 at 5:19 am
Bravo Shenali! Thank you! You have asked the question which no one is daring to ask… All the politicians and other Pundiths are parroting phrases like ‘Tamil Grievances’, ‘Ethnic Problem’, ‘Tamil Question’, ‘Discrimination of Tamils” etc etc., but not dared to ask what they are..
Every time when you ask Tamils to list down their problems, issues, grievances, etc., you get nothing. They run away..
Now, as it seems from what TNA asks (they being the mouth piece and the front of the LTTE lobby), their only two grievances/problems are ‘Land’ and ‘Police’ powers to the provinces. But, they are not telling what problems those two would solve. There is a reason for it. These two powers have no legitimate role in solving any specific problem or issue. But, it is the entry point to Tamil EELAM or ‘Tamil State’ by separating North and the East of Sri Lanka and join it with Tamil Nadu of India.
13A is the next step of Tamil EELAM project. That is why they push everyone to pressure Sri Lankan government to implement 13A. 13A paves the way to the EELAM project. That’s the only big hurdle they have to overcome. Once the 13A is given, the rest would be plain sailing for them. Let us not forget that.
If Ranil was in power, by now 13A would have been implemented. That was for sure, as he made many cases in favor of it.
Now, also the pressure is so much, the government is shaken and poking around what the majority would think about giving that.. It is the most dangerous point. Perhaps Billions of Rs (millions of $$) are being spent on changing psyche of Sinhalese about 13A (by NGOs and through Media organisations) and to pressure the GOSL by the LTTE and NGO machines. However, no single Cent being spent against 13A, and only the patriots who understand the sheer danger of it raise the voice.
Thank you Lankaweb for upholding these patriotic value. Shenali, thank you for raising the question, asking the Tamils to list down their grievances.
Patriots of Sri Lanka should unite and raise their voice against 13A. Thousands of people and soldiers gave their lives to maintain integrity of this country. We must not let them down!
April 2nd, 2012 at 6:59 am
Thank you, Shenali, for exposing the truth once more.
This says it all : ” What we first need to do is to clean up the distorted lies – we had a terrorist problem & not an ethnic problem needs to be first rectified”.
Let’s implement the SOLUTIONS to the REAL problems in our society here, as specified by Shenali. That is the only way to honor those who died over the many years to protect this land and its people.
April 2nd, 2012 at 1:56 pm
In summary what the writer says is, SL Tamils are better off than Tamil Nadu Tamils.
Absolutely!
That IS the problem!
IF Tamil Nadu Tamils were better off than SL Tamils, they will demand aspirations from TN not from SL.
e.g. A stray dog is kicked and abused by Mr A.
The same stray dog is loved by Mr B.
Where will the stray dog go begging or demanding grievances and aspirations? To Mr A or Mr B?
Mr B of course. That is what is happening in SL.
The MORE we give, the MORE they beg and demand.
When Tamils demand from India, Malaysia or Maldives, they get abused, assaulted, sent to prison and killed.
Ever heard the saying, “DON’T feed the pigeons”? Because if you do, they become aggressive!!
When will we learn? Or will we EVER learn?