By Colombo Telegraph –
“The most recent census revealed that out of the 954,000 residents in the North 900,000 are Tamils and 23,000 Sinhalese, so what is the Defence Secretary trying to say? Almost all the census carried out by the governments, have revealed this demographic pattern. Is he saying that this is not true?” TNA MP Suresh Premachandran told media.
Suresh Premachandran
TNA MP Suresh Premachandran refuting recent remarks made by Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that the statement was a prelude to changing the demographic patterns of the North, Daily Mirror reports.
In an interview with BBC, Defence secretary Rajapaksa has said it is not appropriate to view the north of the country, over which a separatist war was fought, as a predominantly Tamil area.
Premachandran went on to state that that the acts of the government are clearly set on an agenda. “ The growing number of Buddhist temples in the area, the militarization of the north and the fact that there are new Sinhalese settlements in many areas of the North shows what the Defence Secretary wants to do is to change the demographic patterns of the Northern province” he said
Vasu / May 29, 2012
This was not an ethnic war, always a cultural war with ethnic elements
The colonization was well planned and changing the history was the hidden main part of the agenda.
There are “archeologists” who discovers some strange new facts, some “scientists” who invents something new in our history
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kris / May 30, 2012
If hundred of thousands of tamils living in colombo then what wrong with sighalese living in north, this is one country anyone can live anywhere, hey Suresh did that new cences includes the sinhalese and muslims lived in north before the war, what you are trying to say still you are dreaming of elam
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Senguttuan / May 30, 2012
In a country of 20 million where Sinhalese form over 75% and Tamils around 10-12% (physically, that is) Tamils don’t offer any demographic threat to the Sinhalese in the South, including Colombo – where the Sinhalese continue to be the largest community.
The conspiracy to reduce the Tamil numbers in their own areas – acting on the the 60 year old delusional fear of a Tamilnadu takeover – is a mental aberration. This fear has seen the Colonisation of the Tamil-majority Batticoloa District from old DS’s days under the guise of agricultural development. Today Tamils in the EP are almost the 3rd large community reduced to that position aided by Sinhala coloniation and a planned population explosion of other communities. Tbe Rajapakses foolishly calculate if the Sinhala population in the North is substantially increased at least to a 3:2 ratio the fear of a Tamilnadu takeover can be managed. So the army camps are increased, Buddhist schools and temples spring up, Sinhala shops/restaurants come up, the more attractive fishing opportunities given to fishermen from the South at the expense of Tamil/Muslim fishermen. The commanding heights of the Northern economy is ear-marked for Sinhala enterprenauers. Any Tamil who dare to go against this – like Anthonypillai Mahendrarajah from Canada – will be suitably dealt with. Gota foolishly let the cat out of the bag in the BBC interview and now TNA will go to town on this.
Sinhala-Tamil reconciliation, in the circumstances, is a pipe-dream.
The international community must inervene with the obstinate regime and ensure justice prevails – without further delay and additional bloodshed. Although the backbone of the LTTE is crushed, injustice against the Tamils is now so high and in such frequency militancy can re-emerge. It is reported on May 22 on the occasion of the 1st Anniversary of the death of VPs mother a group of 40 youth had gathered at the Orani Crematorium in Valvettiturai – and in the presence of heavily armed SLA personnel, they have burnt a copy of the 1972 Republican Constitution. This in protest also to the Army desecrating the old lady’s burial site last year dirtying the site with the corpse of 3 slain dogs. The place was, thereafter, over-run by a bulldozer – all by men supposed to be practising Buddhists.
What crime did those innocent dogs commit to receive such a brutal fate?
Senguttuvan
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Ranjan Walpola / May 30, 2012
Senga
It is a well known secret that TNA has been the mouth piece of LTTE. The way they acted in last 20 odd year during the civil war reflects what these TNA racists are up to. This how TNA racisits make their living.
The sad thing what we see now is the so-called moderator V Anandasangaree also join these TNA hoons for fasting and other useless activities. This moderator Anadasangaree was no where to be seen at that time when the blood sucking LTTE ran a muck for last 20 odd years. Beacuse he was hiding with his tail between his legs. Al of a sudden hs is in full swing again.
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Bruno Umbato / May 30, 2012
Gota clearly said that any Srilankan could settle any part of Sri Lanka on his own will … Sinhalese were majority in Colombo just few years back now they are the minority and Tamils are the majority … If any body says it is wrong, I throughly disagree provided they will not say that Colombo is their traditionsl land …… Same way, I completely disagree with this b.s. talk about ‘changing demography’ crap … Preserving ethnic enclaves in a small country like Sri Lanka is the major reason for division among communities … For that matter, Colombo and the EAST are setting very very good examples and all other parts should try to emaluate that success of ethnic integration …. Only, eeellamists will protest that kind of integration and these crap protests by them should be ignored outright ….
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Jack / May 30, 2012
Dear Kris, Why this baby talk again and again. We have reached 21st century. World will not buy these stories now. Tamils and Muslims are not grabbing state or private lands in south. They pay better price and buy in an open market. Southern policy is not buying northern lands but forcibly grabbing and occupying using various names such as HSZ etc. We cannot afford another big conflict. Please think positively.
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / May 30, 2012
The residual effects of an ideology based on ethnic cleansing and mono-cultural preponderance, as practiced by Velupillai Prabhakaran and evident in Eelamist ideology, does not seem consistent with the demographic distribution of ethnic groups in Sri Lanka from colonial times.
On the contrary, chracteristics of a unitary state are that any person or family of any ethnic group can establish themselves in any part of the country without reservation or without earmarked sections solely for the use of one group. However, it excludes deliberate social engineering where ‘colonies’ are established by moving masses of one ethnicity and transplanting them with state sponsorship.
Concentrations of ethnic groupings must remain naturally contoured, and as results of economic, religious, cultural, geographical, industrial bases not specifically engineered towards hegemony by one group. The ethnic cleansing of the Eastern province, of Muslims was a clear example of an attempt to do so.
The regional statutory laws that prevailed specifically to exclude anyone outside the designated ethnic / caste group must be dismantled, in order to be consistent with more liberal statutes of an inclusive, secular and modern unitary state.
In that context, it would be wise for any political party that purports to represent the interests of one ethnic or language group to accede to these precepts rather than canvass for re-establishment of a flawed status quo that was both impractical and unfair, and which set dangerous preconditions for civil war in the first place.
At the same time, equality of status, access, usage and universal practice must be ensured for all common languages in Sri Lanka.
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Ben Hurling / May 30, 2012
TNA MP Suresh Premachandran is a hate preacher.
He is so worried the extreme racist, ethno-tamil nationalist dream will be defeated.
Quit segregating Sri Lanka into Sinhalese or Tamil areas.
Any Sri Lankan can live anywhere in his won country. North or south. East or west.
Nothern Tamil brothers and sisters are most welcome to live among us in the south, if they so wish. In fact, a lot of them have already done so. Just look at Colombo.
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Davina / June 8, 2012
It is not about segregation at all. Its about being ‘sensitive’ to the scenarios surrounding the people who have lived in the north. We must never forget that it was only a small minority (for various reasons) that supported the LTTE (who also started out as ‘freedom fighters’ rather than as a terror outfit). The rest chose to stay on in the war torn north, only because it was home to their families and a place of refuge amongst their own community which had been subjected to years of discrimination (this is a fact, whether we choose to like it or not) as a minority. These people have been through more than our eyes will ever see or our ears will ever hear. They have lost homes, limbs, loved ones, lives. Should our intentions to help ‘our brothers and sisters’ in ‘our own land’ be ‘sincere’, then post-war reconstruction and resettling will be done ‘with a little respect for their pace of healing’.
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bo / May 30, 2012
Premachandran, clear off. It is not your country. Go and solve your problems in Tamil Nadu, Kashmir, West Bengal, Naga Land etc etc. In Sri Lanka everybody should have equal right to live wherever they want according to their capability; that is democracy, freedom and human right.
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Gowrie / May 30, 2012
I think the Gota interview was hilarious!No one can talk more non sense than he can and he proved he is a typical example of a dictatorship by telling the reporter ” you don’t listen to anyone but me.”. An arrant fool!! By talking about under world thugs and drugs dealing, is he refering to himself? Gotabaya is a sick individual. calling himself a vegetarian. He probably prefers human meat rather than other animals. A cannibal!
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raymond / May 30, 2012
Your comment is excellent Gowrie. I concur all what you have said. This guy should have given his interview in the Sinhalese language with an interpreter.
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Ranjan Walpola / May 31, 2012
Dear A-Gowrie
You know what this sick individual Gota got rid off the pest -your sun goat VP and his blood sucking maonkey army terrorists. Can be that wrong with his sickness? heh?
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Kodage / June 2, 2012
Ranjan,
This Gota whom you admire fled to USA leaving the Army as he could not face VP’s men.
He worked in a 7-11 gas station and returned to this land when
his brother came to power, bribing VP to get Tamils boycott
elections and even then winning by a narrow margin.
He showd his colours when he broke the ceasefire, and due to
revenge by some neighbouring country, who was held in high esteem
by the west went to war with VP.
If not for the 29 odd powerful countries do you think Gota could have won?
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Senguttuan / May 30, 2012
Bruno Umbato – Rest assured Sinhalese are the majority in Cbo and will remain so. Your perception is formed in that false propaganda by the JHU and the Sinhala supremacist cabal who have no other platform than spread communal disharmony.
This deception will be brought to the fore when the next pogrom is let loose – this time both against the Tamils and the Sinhalese. The reality is if you take Tamils and the Muslims together that forms a larger number than the Sinhalese. The 3 communities taken separately the Sinhalese remain No.1. That is how it should be.
Senguttuvan
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Ranjan Walpola / May 31, 2012
Senga
Have you done grade 6 maths? It does not look like the way you interpret the ratios!!!!!!!!!!
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Appuhamy / May 31, 2012
First step toward ethnic reconciliation – remove the infamous racist “Thesawalami” law that prevents other Ethnic groups other than Tamils from acquiring land in Jaffna.
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Basil / May 31, 2012
Asking the Tamil man to deny their Tamilness is like asking us to deny and subjugate our Sinhalaness, IMPOSSIBLE !!
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Hade Sheriff / June 2, 2012
Sinhala Buddhist chauvinist are now trying to make Muslims & Tamils submissive to fullfil their cunning agendas to manipulate trade & businesses in the Island, many areas have become out of bounds for Tamils & Muslims, some racists are advertising in facebook & other blogs not to buy from Muslim & Tamil shops, discrimination in Govt Depts are galore specially customs waiting like hawks to pounce on Muslim & Tamil businessmen when they import, the same import is sailed easily by Sinhalese. Schools are another problem faced by minorities.
WHERE DOES THESE ACTS GOING TO LEAD.
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Senguttuvan / June 2, 2012
Hade Sheriff mmentions Tamils and Muslims 5 times in his 9-line.
For the past 30 years Tamils carried on their struggle ALONE – with the support of the region and international community coming in now and then. They lost over, arguablly, 300,000 lives in the process.
None other of the communities spoke on their behalf. In fairness to liberal Sinhalese it must be said they raised their voices for them
fearlessly – Wickramabahu, Vasu, Shelton Ranarajah, Gamini Navaratne, Dr. Brian Seneviratne, Adrian Wijemanne et al being in the forefront.
And yet today Tamils lend their voices and support to other communities under attack. That is socio-political consistency- an area were opportunism eventually fails is the lesson here.
Senguttuvan
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