Inevitable Assimilation Will Extinct the Tamil Diaspora in another Fifty Years
Posted on June 10th, 2012
Dilrook Kannangara
Tamil Diaspora put up another rowdy and third class show of Tamil culture in London. Inability of sane sections of the Tamil community to counter these moves inevitably lands them into the same lot. It is this silence of good people that encourage the bad lot to carry on. Unfortunately for them, they and their culture are judged by fellow Londoners by their public conduct which is despicable to say the least. No other London community displays such dastardly behaviour in public with flags of a banned terrorist organisation, disruption of roads, inconvenience to commuters, occupation of airports and other public places and inability to show respect to visiting dignitaries. This is in addition to widespread criminal activity the word Tamil is associated with in western countries including human smuggling, terrorism, weapons procurement, street fighting, drug dealings, credit card scams, robberies, extortion, prostitution, gang warfare, extremism, illegal migration, money laundering, stock marker related crimes, piracy and many other spectacular felonies.
However, there is a bigger movement of which they are a part of. Unknown to them they are going extinct. In another fifty years time, the entire Tamil Diaspora will go extinct without much of a trace. A few Tamil Nadu cultural leftovers and places of worship will remain as monuments to what was once a boisterous group of people displaced from their Asian habitats over the years. From generation to generation, Tamil cultural and traditional values erode drastically. Second generation Tamils are less fluent, literate and conversant in Tamil than the first generation. The third generation is even less acquainted than the second generation. Tamil nationalism is also dying in the second and third generations. First generation Tamils struggle hard to sustain their hate campaign alive with lukewarm support from the second generation. For the second generation the driving forces of getting into Tamil activities are to get popular within the community and to resist the various forms of discrimination including colour discrimination they face in western nations. At this rate the Tamil identity will be dead in another fifty yearsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ time at most.
Over the past few decades there was a steady flow of Tamils into western countries that always renewed the Tamil communities in these countries. That is the reason for the vociferous conduct of Tamils. When the influx reduces, so does the Tamilness of the community. Following the end of the war, Tamil migration has collapsed depriving worldwide Tamil communities any new impetus from the influx of additional South Indian culture.
In UK, Canada, Australia or any other greener pasture, Tamils are a smaller minority than many Asian minorities. Various Indian ethnic groups, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Vietnamese, Arabs, Chinese and many others outnumber Tamils, individually. African and Latin American minorities are also higher in number. In this context, there is absolutely nothing special about the Tamil minority in western nations. As each ethnic groupƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s success is measured by its rate of integration, the Tamil community has two options ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” to integrate which will eventually bury the Tamil identity or be left behind.
Unlike Sri Lanka, UK, Canada, USA, Australia, Germany or any other country where Tamils are in large numbers donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t recognise the Tamil language as an official or national language; Tamil cultural or religious holidays are not recognized at all; Tamil grievances and aspirations are not given any regard and Tamil enclaves are not allowed. They work to accelerate the demise of the Tamil identity. In another fifty yearsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ time, melting pots in western countries would have swallowed the Tamil community into it. It has a lesson for Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When other countries force Tamils into assimilation into their language, culture, majority values and laws, Sri Lanka goes in the reverse gear in pandering into Tamils. Other countries will be peaceful as a result whereas Sri Lanka will continue to haggle with Tamil demands and enclaves.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Instead of pandering into language and other demands, had Sri Lanka stood firm, Tamils would have peacefully integrated into the majority community in Lanka as well. Myopic leaders prioritised short term convenience over long term assimilation in the island whereas in western nations Tamils are forced to assimilate. Certain Tamil groups call it ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”structural genocideƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of Tamils. So be it.
Comparison with older Diaspora communities makes no sense. These communities were in Europe for thousands of years. At the time they arrived in Europe, there were no larger migrant communities in these nations. They had a close connection with places of ChristƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s birth and life which was important for Europeans. Western countries, USA in particular, recognize cultural and religious holidays and events of these communities with state sponsorship. Tamil community can never hope to have any of this. It is better to recognize the Chinese, Arabic, Hindi or Sudanese community interests than Tamil interests as the former group commands a larger number of people in their respective communities.
Best approach to the Tamil Diaspora is to ignore its antics (except for criminal acts). As the saying goes, crabs ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”danceƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in a cooking pot only until the water boils. This is the inevitable fate of the Tamil Diaspora in western melting pots that don’t recognize the Tamil language or culture let alone grievances and aspirations.
June 10th, 2012 at 3:30 pm
Shhhhhhhhhhhh. Let these megalomanics make fools of themselves… Canada has finally realized who these ‘innocent refugees’ are: terrorists in sheeps’ clothing, receiving their sympathy and tax money, while continuing to fabricate stories to protect their refugee status.
Western politicians who cuddled these terrorists in the UK will realize soon, that they cannot fool the British public for much longer.
June 10th, 2012 at 4:18 pm
LOW CASTE TAMIL TERRORISTS MEN AND WOMEN OF DIASPORA FAME, ARE PORTRAYING THEIR INNATE TRUE INSTINTCS AND CHARACTER AS GLOBAL HOOLIGANS. THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRIES, HOSTING THIS TAMIL SCUM, ARE GRADUALLY COMING TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE. IT WILL BE THY KINGDOM COME SOONER OR LATER.
June 10th, 2012 at 5:37 pm
Diaspora’s current breadwinners are the original immigrant population. These are people who grew up in Sri Lanka, who have shared memories and relationships with the remaining Tamil population. Relationships are the ties that bind. Much of the upcoming Diaspora generation has had no direct contact with Sri Lanka’s Tamil population. A large portion of this generation does not speak Tamil and would be unable to have anything but the most basic of conversations with their Sri Lankan counterparts. For others, their connection to Sri Lanka is romantic and genetic – the way many Americans refer to their long-forgotten German or English ancestry.Tamil Diaspora risks losing itself within their host country identities. If Diaspora parents do not bring their children to visit, connection to Sri Lanka will be further diluted as upcoming generations settle deeper into their host nations.With the possibility of Tamil Eelam gone, much of the Tamil Diaspora has lost all desire to return to Sri Lanka.
June 10th, 2012 at 6:18 pm
Dilrook !
By 2025 85% will be settled deeper into their host nation. By 2035, 98%will be settled too deep into their host nation.
June 10th, 2012 at 6:22 pm
How about Diaspora Sinhalas. Much the same and even worse.
June 10th, 2012 at 6:27 pm
I would like to disagree a bit.They seems to be introverted by nature will not assimilate easily with the host community there for likelihood of they being together is great and that goes to the new generation as well.But there’s a bit of hope with the third generation.but this hope of they fading away will be diminished by a new crop of young people who will be smuggled or travel to the west in a legitimate route thus keep the diaspora active.Only way to stop this is to bring good governance and economic prosperity in the country just as in Singapore and equal rights and privileges to the minorities must be paramount.Politicians must not get involved in religious affairs as it sends a wrong message to the minorities that would alienate them further.Bias towards one religion is highly divisive and even impede well being of the communities in SL.We must get our house in order that would prevent the diaspora staying active.
June 10th, 2012 at 8:34 pm
Shared vision, equal opportunity, economic prosperity etc are the ingredients that will make the discussion regarding minorities and majorities largely irrelevant. The problem now is that we have too many self-appointed, conservative factions steeped in historical logic trying to preserve something that is not controllable in a meaninful manner. A successful economic agenda is possibly the only way to create common ground. An economic agenda has the ability to lift itself above all of the other issues to provide a framework for gradual and meaningful tolerance of various cultural/historical issues
June 10th, 2012 at 10:47 pm
Nimal,
I too agree with you.
Reaseach done in Austrlia shows it is the Sinhalese who marry ourside teir race more than any other migrant race.
While the stupid Sinhalas first to give up even Buddhism to become fasionable Athiest, Tamils hang on to their language and so on. Look at Ben Silva for example. Look at the nonsence he wrote in Lanka Web. I hople he is well and has realised the insluts he made to Buddhism.
June 10th, 2012 at 10:54 pm
Much the same for the Sinhala Diaspora too. However, it has little impact on Sri Lanka because the Sinhala Diaspora (about 2% of the Sinhala population) is very much smaller than the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora (more than 20%). Tamils from South India in the Diaspora are not really active against Lankan leaders. So the impact is astronomically high for the Tamil Diaspora and immaterial for the Sinhala Diaspora.
Agree with Nalliah Thayabharan. However, I took a more conservative estimation.
Disagree with Nimal. This ‘introvertness’ of Tamils could be sustained in Sri Lanka because of Tamil gaining national and official language status and many other concessions not there for minorities elsewhere (public holidays and state patronage). This is not there in foreign countries. Tamils who migrated soon after 1972 are now dormant. They have grown old and their children take very little interest. Technically Tamils in Sri Lanka are also part of the Tamil Diaspora. They still depend on Tamil Nadu for their entire (emphasised) cultural survival. As a result there is no need to retain Tamils in Sri Lanka. Tamil Nadu may want to retain them for its continued cultural productions and Tamil cultural hub sustenance but not Sri Lanka.
The whole point is the Tamil Diaspora is totally (emphasised) irrelevant to Sri Lankan decision making and its little voice or noise will also die down in a maximum 50 years’ time.
If the close to a million Tamil Diaspora remained in Sri Lanka, TNA would be getting many times more votes and many more seats than now. This is the stark reality. Depletion of the Tamil population in the north and east has given a golden opportunity to the government to create a multi ethnic north through settling people other than Tamils there. This opportunity must not be missed. It is the other side of the coin.
June 10th, 2012 at 11:02 pm
Tamil assimilation is very fast that from 2009 to 2012 there is a remarkable reduction in their support for the ‘Tamil struggle’.
During the last stages of the war, there was a very large number of them protesting, etc. It fell down after the war when the Vadukoddai resolution series were held.
It further reduced thereafter when the TGTE elections were held.
Now it is very smaller than any of the above.
Actually 50 years may be stretching it too far.
Today Tamil children are more into western music than Tamil music; western drama than Tamil drama and western way of life than Tamil way of life. Good on them to assimilate as they have little choice in the west. Sri Lanka must follow suit.
June 11th, 2012 at 1:13 am
There are studies here that immigrant never feel truly home here but the first generation is well adapted. On the other hand, when it’s come to the next generation they will look for their roots.
June 11th, 2012 at 2:00 am
“Depletion of the Tamil population in the north and east has given a golden opportunity to the government to create a multi ethnic north through settling people other than Tamils there. This opportunity must not be missed.”
Exactly! We have been harping on this for a long time.
What needs to happen is what DS Senanayake (Father of the nation) did – colonization. People will make their own relationships at their own pace. Thanks to colonization, we are now able to weaken Tamil racist political parties. I hope the government will do the same as Father of the nation did.
June 11th, 2012 at 3:29 am
Nimal/ Dham – too agree with you
We must get our house in order that would prevent the diaspora staying active- If We done it , We will be better than Singapore over night !!!
June 11th, 2012 at 3:47 am
Our first prime minister Late DS Senanayake (Father of the nation, who had experience working with racist people like GGP etc) did – colonization knowing what is going to happened established separate Land Development Department to colonize North & East. But unfortunately subsequent Governments dissolved LDD and abandon the whole idea. If LDD continued to developed and more people from south were settled in those areas people would have their own relationships at their own new settlements. Today SL is faced Tamil racist political parties Home Land concept because of this grave mistake.
June 11th, 2012 at 4:35 am
dhane
LDD and abandon the whole idea- Not agrred they did not abandon but they went for sort cut ???
kicked out Tamil from south to NEP ( 1952 to 1983) & to out side world ! now We all paying for this mistake!
June 11th, 2012 at 8:46 am
In reply to Dhane, I have to say what many may consider a stupid remark. In my travelsin the dry zone, I have yet to see real prosperity among the folks occupying the irrigated dry zone lands- Polonnaruwa Anuradhapura, Padaviya etc despite the greener look. Accepting that Some change has taken place in the last 5 years the rural economy is still too fragile diseases, under norishment, attacks by wild beasts, a hard struggle to earn the basic necessities of lifeis still a factof life. Perhaps the rest of the population do not understand the problems of absence of infrastructure and social services and are not ready to make the sort of subsidies that make agriculture an attractive investment.
Why do we still import apples and grapes .
June 11th, 2012 at 11:27 am
[Why do we still import apples and grapes . ]
All the journalists and those who scream loud are in cities. so the “development” is for urbanized voters.
We can not write those things here. Posts will hold for moderation.
June 11th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
Tamil Economic Refugees (TERs) is a better term than “Diaspora” which was a word to describe the Jewish people scattered throughout the world. Dilrook’s article is probably correct : TERs will settle down abroad and learn foreign languages and life styles. In looking for Roots, they will likely look to a more progressive Tamil Nadu as their main homeland, rather than Lanka.
However, in the present and also future years, Sri Lankans will have to be vigilante for illegal migrants especially from Tamil Nadu. Tamil peoples’ Caste/poverty problems come mainly from Tamil Nadu. That problem must be solved in Tamil Nadu but it will take quite a while (we reckon about 20-50 yrs) before it is completely sorted out in a peaceful manner. Till then, Lanka be aware ! Do not allow illegal migrants.
The other troubled spot is the tea sector. The Tamil workers earlier brought in by the British still live in poor and secluded conditions. Line rooms are still in existence with repetitive type of hard labor with poor pay. Sri Lanka authorities must resolve this problem before it becomes yet another international HR issue. Mechanisation with small tea plucking machines which can operate even on slopes and larger machines for flat areas should be used. Modernisation of accommodation with quarters outside of the tea estates would be much more suitable to enable this community to integrate into mainstream society.
June 11th, 2012 at 9:57 pm
Naram
That is because governments didn’t invest enough.
For the past 3 years alone government spent 1 million rupees each for every person living in the north in investments. If such investments were made in the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa areas, there will be as prosperous like Jaffna.
In addition, look at the education and hospital (non military) allocation for Jaffna. At least 10 times that of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. Why can’t they make that investment in NCP and not NP?
Infrastructure development must happen with colonization. Both should go hand in hand.
June 11th, 2012 at 10:03 pm
“Our first prime minister Late DS Senanayake (Father of the nation, who had experience working with racist people like GGP etc) did – colonization knowing what is going to happened established separate Land Development Department to colonize North & East. But unfortunately subsequent Governments dissolved LDD and abandon the whole idea. If LDD continued to developed and more people from south were settled in those areas people would have their own relationships at their own new settlements. Today SL is faced Tamil racist political parties Home Land concept because of this grave mistake.”
This is 100% true. This is the main root cause.
DSS knew extremely well the likes of GGP and Chelva. And what they were planning to do. More importantly he did something about it.
SWRDB stopped colonization schemes after the 1956 Gal Oya riot. Gal Oya riot was started by ITAK to disrupt the colonization scheme. It worked very well as SWRDB feared violence and foolishly stopped the good work. He should have pushed on.
Similarly he did nothing to stop Chelva putting tar on Sinhala letters allowing it to become a national riot.
General Janaka Perera also identified the importance of colonization and thanks to his vision, Weli Oya was created which separated the north from the east.
Prioritise infrastructure development, education and hospital allocation to these areas and do colonization again. We won’t be talking about TNA thereafter.
June 14th, 2012 at 6:41 am
Curiously, some writers NEVER use the words “Sinhala Diaspora” when referring to Sinhala people abroad, or the words “Tamil Colonization” of the South when referring to Tamil people coming to settle in South of Lanka and other parts of Lanka. Instead, they say “Tamil Diaspora” & “Sinhala Colonisation” much to the advantage of Tamil Separatists !
For Sinhala people, who needs enemies when we have friends among us doing the needful, quite inadvertently, to discredit us,
June 14th, 2012 at 8:37 pm
Naturalization of Tamils is urgent now. Tamils are ours. We should organise naturalization ceremonies sialnd wide to assimilate them. In the cerenmony videos shold be played to prove the bad behaviour of Tamil politicans and what happened, followed by singing of national anthem in Sinhala and then taking an oath.
Lingam Ayya what do you think ?