RANJITH SOYSA

Yet again, after the comprehensive defeat of the armed struggle in Nandikadal, in 2009    to create a separate racist enclave, seven Tamil leaders and their political parties have written to the Prime Minister of India that the Tamils do not enjoy equal rights , they are discriminated and marginalized and therefore India should intervene practically to restore the traditional homeland of Tamils in the North and the East”.

Their claims to the North and the East have been discussed many a times and the history and the archaeological evidence have proved beyond any doubt that the North and the East had been an integral part of the land of Sri Lanka and the indigenous people of Sri Lanka – Yakkas, Nagas , Devas and Rakkahs -were living in the hill country and in the southern plains from about 45,000 BC as per archaeological evidenced discovered in Fa Hein and Bata-dombe caves, There is archaeological and historical evidence of Sinhala people living in the whole island for more than 2500 years while it is believed as per strong evidence that Yakkas and Nagas  were assimilated into the Sinhala who wielded the political power of the Island. It is also a well- known fact that the Tamil people too were living in the North for about 2000 years, first as a few invaders from South India and then as migrants from about 16^th century, But, they were originally restricted to the North  and there is hardly any evidence that they have contributed any appreciable input to the island’s civilization other than adopting South Indian value systems.. Therefore, the erroneous fact mentioned in the Tamil parties’ letter that ‘ the Tamil  antiquity from pre -Buddhist times  has to be recognized’  should be treated with a pinch of salt as there is no historical evidence to prove such a proposition.

But, as Sri Lankans today. Sinhalese, Tamils , Muslims and other minorities are recognized as citizens of Sri Lanka with equal rights, They have to share the land they live and enjoy the benefits as well as vicissitudes they encounter, as a community, To go with a begging bowl to seek rights from another country is a traitorous act against the country one lives, especially begging interference to create division and balkanizing the country as proposed by the Tamil leaders.

The letter outlines various discussions , concept papers and proposals submitted and discussed with the political leaders to satisfy the demands of some of the Tamil leaders from 1944 to 2010 and had purposely omitted the demands finalized through discussions. Among the matters finalized were the Tamil being recognized as an official language, recognition of Tamil ethnicity in the national flag.  Further, one can recognize the following to show that the Tamils as a community enjoys equal  an equal opportunity to live and progress themselves.

More than half of the Tamil population live outside of the north and east and among the Sinhalese (why would they live if they are discriminated)

• Sinhala and Tamil are official language (this is for just less than 10% of the population)
• Tamils enjoy right to study in their language up to university with Tamil medium schools in all 25 districts of Sri Lanka. There are 3000 Tamil medium schools
• Tamils enjoy health facilities (health and education are free services by the State)
• All Government documents, circulars, emblems, logos, forms etc are in Sinhala & Tamil including passports, currency and notes, postal stamps, road signboards (street names).
• Tamils are elected to parliament and local government institutions
• Tamils can register political parties and there are nearly 15 are Tamil political parties.
• Tamils have a right to live anywhere in Sri Lanka, to do business and own property and work anywhere in Sri Lanka (however Tamil parliamentarians continue to deny the right of Sinhalese to own property, live and claim that these are Tamil areas. (In the Tamil leaders letter to the Indian PM they have outlined their exclusive racist demand under the section on Demography, Land Grabbing, Delimitation and Gerrymandering” The narrow minded  racist approach of the Tamil leaders have expressed their views by rejecting the principles of demarcating the electorates based on the Constitution. the principle of preserving the places of importance to the archaeology and the history of the country and the utilization of the land for the development of the country and the nation. For Tamil leaders any attempts to build the nation and the nation’s history will have to be brought to a stand sill ‘if it affects the myth of traditional homelands of Tamils. The Indian policy makers should attempt to recognized this mythical dreams of the racist Tamil leaders and venture to educate them of their reactionary attitude as in India too there are similar groups who are creating barriers to the wholesome development”  (from an article by Shenali Waduge)

The demands outlined in the letter reminds one of the Battakotte -Vadukoddai -Resolution which legitimized the violence of Vellalar claims and dreams of disguising same as Tamil claims to continue their domination and ride into power. Unfortunately , it was Prabhakaran that came out of the Vellalar gun” (HLD Mahindapala)

In the letter of the Tamil Leaders, following controversial and factually absurd matters too have been included, may be to twist the addressee’s finger. Here , the Tamil leaders invite that attention to the a) Citizenship and equality b) Prisoners under PTA Act c) Electoral reform and One Country one Law concept.

While under the Citizenship and Equality of Tamils of Indian origin the facts mentioned are false , if at all if there are issues relating to this community, there are recognized representatives who will continue their discussions with the Sri Lankan governments democratically without dragging this subject with the political leader of another country.

PTA is being reviewed from a long time. But, the LTTE war and the Easter bomb incident are reminders to that fact that a blood thirsty group can create havoc among the unarmed civilians and the state should have the power to meet such challenges. How can one demand that PTA should be repealed and all suspects should be released UNCONDITINALLY. Can the Tamil leaders assure the Sri Lankan public that the terrorism will not raise its head and kill and cause bodily injuries to the unarmed civilians.?

The electoral reforms should continue based on the population growth and the land development as accepted under the constitution and its’ provision for delimitation. How can a group of political leaders appeal to a foreign leader to intervene in such a procedure to protect two ethnic groups?    

Tamil political leaders as usually continue their claims by including demand for more meaningful power sharing, Tamil’s legitimate aspirations and their majority in the North and the Eastern provinces. The rights the Tamils enjoy under a nation state constituting only 11.9% of the total population have to be assessed in comparatively  to the rights of the other minority groups in most of the other countries and as an issue how to prevent the balkanization of the sovereign territory of this small country, if the racist aspirations of a minority group has to be given recognition. The solutions” to the issue offered and discussed as mentioned in the Tamil political leaders’ letters from 13^th A proposed in 1987, Mangala Munasinghe report,  Oslo recommendations, APRC etc which were rejected by the majority Sri Lankans as they were of the view that it will only lead to the establishment of two countries.

Another issue pointed out in the letter is their concerns about the one law , one country” and they are of the view that such a proposition will prevent practising their customary laws preserving their culture, …and will do away with their distinct identity” If all who live in this Island are called Sri Lankans and their rights are upheld under the Constitution of the country, isn’t it unreasonable to evaluate special laws applicable to different ethnic and religious groups to enable adoption of some laws which are found to be fair under the general legislation and on the other hand if some set of laws are unfair and provide special treatment to a given group to take out such laws from the accepted legislation. Their point of view again favours separatist concept instead living under one flag.

While the Tamil leaders clamour for more and more ‘powers’ to Tamil people the stark reality of the ridiculous behaviour of the Vellalars ,  vis a vis the so called low caste Tamils proves that their demands are only a pretext to protect their privileges in a divided land.

The suffering of the Panchama’s is vividly depicted. The details are well researched. What was the impact of Vellarism on the post-independent political landscape? Out of the 700 years of Vellalarism, the elected democratic state ruled only for 74 years. Even out of that, Vellupillai Prabhakaran ruled his quasi state for 33 years – (1976 – 2009). Nevertheless, isn’t the 74 years, with all its infirmities, the best years that gave dignity, equality and justice to all the citizens?

Compare that period to the taboos that ruled Jaffna. Thiruchandran gives a sample of the taboos:

* Taboo on wearing a shirt or covering the upper part of their bodies, the shawl having to be lowered in the presence of Vellalar.

* Taboos on tying the tali, and having a wedding procession or musical accompaniment during weddings.

* Taboo on naming their children with high caste names and using common ponds and common wells.

* Taboo on cremating dead bodies. (They have to be buried, but in their special cemeteries not in the Vellalar cemeteries.)

* Taboo on equal seating and equal dining in schools and churches.

* Taboo on temple entry and on worshipping Gods of the high caste.

* Taboo on entry into cafes, restaurants and equal seating in public transport.

* Taboo on wearing slippers or any kind of foot-wear and holding umbrellas. (pp. 57 -58 – Ibid)

 So, in what period of the 700 years of Vellalarism did the Tamils get any dignity, equality and justice? The Panchamars had to leave Jaffna and come down South to get a fair ride in a bus! On balance, won’t a fair and objective assessment of the two periods lead to the conclusion that Tamil who could get a ride in a bus without being forced to sit on the floor boards had a better deal among the Sinhalese than their arrogant and nasty fellow-Tamils? (HLD Mahindapala)

Our request to the policy makers of Sri Lanka is to IGNORE the letter of Tamil Leaders and to advise the Indian PM and their foreign office that the majority Sri Lankans do not agree with the ‘Tamil’ leaders’ proposition, expose the dubious Vellalar racist plot and also point out the benefits of Sri Lanka remaining as a unitary sovereign state  in the region amidst new developments in and around the Indian ocean. Further, the fact that nearly 75% of the Sri Lankans do not agree with the gerrymandering of  the local administration. Another, important fact which should be remembered by all is that any further nourishing of Tamil” demands can only reignite the separatist cry in the country and in India

RANJITH SOYSA