By Dayan Jayatilleka –
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
“Sinhala communalism fed on Tamil communalism and vice versa…” – N. Sanmugathasan (1972)
SWRD Bandaranaike famously used Mathew Arnold’s phrase “a time of transition” which he said contained “a problem within a problem”. SWRD defined this “problem within a problem” as “transforming a colonial economy to a national economy against the backdrop of a changing world”.
Since that brilliant definition, Sri Lanka/Ceylon has experienced not merely a problem within a problem, but has been living a tragedy within a tragedy. What is that twin tragedy and what lies at its root?
45 years ago, a Ceylonese Communist and trained historian of Tamil ethnic origin, the only Ceylonese to have shared the podium at Tiananmen Square as a guest of Chairman Mao, wrote this from jail, as a political prisoner of Madam Bandaranaike’s regime:
“Sinhala communalism fed on Tamil communalism and vice versa…The names of GG Ponnambalam and his later day disciple SJV Chelvanayakam, would go down in history as two men who misled the Tamils into political wilderness where they are still groping. This is not to absolve the communal leaders among the Sinhalese. But being a minority, and having more to lose, the Tamil leadership should have been more responsible and far-seeing.” (N. Sanmugathasan, A Marxist Looks At the History of Ceylon, 1972, pp. 49-51)
The TNA leaders in parliament and worse still the Northern Provincial Council politicians led by C.V. Wigneswaran and his allies outside it, Gajan Ponnambalam and Suresh Premachandran, are following in the disastrous footsteps of G.G. Ponnambalam and S.J.V. Chelvanayakam. In the case of Wigneswaran, Gajan and my old comrade Suresh, there’s a bit of Prabhakaran and Balasingham in the mix.
Let’s start with the ‘moderate’ TNA in parliament. What the TNA leaders actually said in the extended debate of the Constitutional Assembly on the Steering Committee’s Interim Report was that they were willing to live in a ‘united, undivided, indivisible’ country. That’s the oh-so-generous and gracious acceptance of “one country” and the renunciation of a separate state, having been fellow-travelers of a militia that fought for separation and was crushed, and with the Sri Lankan military and Mahinda Rajapaksa having removed separatist option from the agenda! It is NOT the acceptance of the unitary character of the Sri Lankan state; NOT the acceptance of Sri Lanka as a unitary state—contrary to the Government’s dishonest, deceitful claim in the august Assembly itself. That explicit acceptance is the existential Sinhala bottom-line and red line.
That is why the political and sociocultural representatives of the majority of the island are bringing irresistible pressure on the Members of Parliament to stop the Constitutional process from reaching a point that requires a referendum. It is unlikely that President Sirisena will cross that public opinion redline, especially since he had pledged not to do so in his winning Presidential election manifesto of January 2015 (which was repeatedly quoted by his wing of the SLFP during the ongoing Constitutional Assembly debate).
Sadly but inevitably, in Sri Lanka, Populism, which in all cases worldwide, is majoritarian, degenerates into a darker Ethno-populism. One must recall that those ghastly legislative and policy measures, Sinhala Only in 1956 and District-wise and Media-wise Standardization in 1970-72 were majoritarian populist backlashes against the founding of the Federal Party/ITAK on the basis of Tamil national self-determination in 1949-51, and the UNP-Federal Party-Tamil Congress axis of the 1965-1970 ‘Hath Havula’. And it is happening again, as we speak.
Even so, it was of no little value and consequence that Mahinda Rajapaksa who is leading from the front, the battle against the new Constitution, commended Dr. Sarath Amunugama’s speech on the 13th amendment and 13 Plus. The former President did not, even in his hard-hitting majoritarian-populist speech to the Constitutional Assembly, back away from what he had said on the record after the victory in 2009. What does the record show?
The cable from US Charge d’Affairs, Colombo, to Washington DC, reporting on Ambassador Robert Blake’s farewell call on President Rajapaksa, May 26th 2009 read, inter alia:
“The President [Rajapaksa] said the basis of his devolution plan would be the “13th amendment plus 1”– meaning implementation of the existing constitutional provisions for provincial councils, but adding an upper house to Parliament, modeled on the U.S. Senate…The President thought that giving police powers to the provinces, as the TNA and others were demanding, would cause problems.” (Source: WikiLeaks).
Anyone with experience in successful diplomatic negotiations would read between the lines and see ex-President Rajapaksa’s reference to the Amunugama speech for what it is: a subtle signal, and a slight opening.
The question is, will the allegedly moderate Tamil political mainstream use this narrow window of opportunity which is itself closing in slow motion?
Such realism would go against the grain of Tamil nationalist politics. Sanmugathasan, writing about the unravelling of the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam pact in 1957, noted that:
“Instead of coming to his [Bandaranaike’s] help, the leaders of the Federal Party chose this very moment to launch the silly anti-Sri campaign. The Pact was torn up. The anti-Sri campaign of the Federal Party was countered by the tar brush campaign led by Sinhala ‘warrior’ KMP Rajaratna in the south, in the course of which Tamil words on public places were all obliterated by a liberal application of tar. Tension mounted on both sides, till it led to the worst communal blood bath in Ceylon’s history…” (A Marxist looks at the History of Ceylon, 1972, p 77)
So if there are any Sri Lankan (Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher, Malay; men and women; clergy and laity) liberals, pluralists and progressives who genuinely strive for reconciliation, equality and autonomy, they must not waste their time targeting Mahinda Rajapaksa and the JO as hate symbols, but must instead focus their efforts on persuading the TNA in parliament, Wigneswaran and the NPC outside it, and Gajan and Suresh in the Tamil “street”, not to do to through dogmatic demands and Satyagraha campaigns, international agitation etc., to President Sirisena, that which their forefathers did to SWRD Bandaranaike in 1957, sixty years ago, with tragic consequences for Tamils and Sinhalese.
But who is the onus on? If I may be pardoned for repeating the words of N. Sanmugathasan, “This is not to absolve the communal leaders among the Sinhalese. But being a minority, and having more to lose, the Tamil leadership should have been more responsible and far-seeing.”
One hopes that the historian was not also a prophet, and that his diagnostic conclusion will not prove to be the unsurpassable last word on the Tamil tragedy at the heart of the larger Sri Lankan tragedy.
Ratnam Nadarajah / November 5, 2017
Keep up the rhetoric DJ . But please don’t drop political and historical clangers over and over again . This in very becoming of you as an ex -diplomat, and still aspiring to be one at that. I dare say. It is bad for the soul. Our own local Charles Dickens!!.
“There is nothing a man can do better than to do die for some one else”- Tale of Two cities
“Man is fuelled by the cheapest fuel to motor his engine” Bala Thumpu CMU Conference in 1954
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Amarasiri / November 5, 2017
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka,
RE: A Tale Of Twin Tragedies: The Tamil Tragedy Within The Lankan Tragedy
The title should have been
A Tale Of Twin Para Tragedies: The Para-Tamil Tragedy Within the Para-Sinhala Tragedy in the Land of Native Veddah Aethho.
“Since that brilliant definition, Sri Lanka/Ceylon has experienced not merely a problem within a problem, but has been living a tragedy within a tragedy. What is that twin tragedy and what lies at its root?”
The Para-Sinhala and thenPara-Tamils from their Homeland India, who have the same Indian genetics, and dot want to accept the facts, just like the Catholic Church did, by not accepting the fact that it was the Earth that moves, spins on its axis, and orbits the Sun.
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, did MaRa increase your stipend from his stolen loot? Just curious.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258335458_Mitochondrial_DNA_history_of_Sri_Lankan_ethnic_people_Their_relations_within_the_island_and_with_the_Indian_subcontinental_populations
Mitochondrial DNA history of Sri Lankan ethnic people: Their relations within the island and with the Indian subcontinental populations
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Silva / November 6, 2017
As long as his sponsors, the Rajapakshes and the JO are concerned, Dayan is a useful idiot, somewhat similar to a condom, use it when necessary and throw away later. This idiot with a good for nothing PhD has already experienced being discarded like a used condom after being used at Geneva. He will experience the same again in the future.
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Kumar / November 6, 2017
“But being a minority, and having more to lose,”
“that which their forefathers did to SWRD Bandaranaike in 1957”
Tamils may be a minority in the country but they are a majority in their Tamil territory (North & East) and have realized that they have nothing to lose.
Dayan is talking about a different era when it was considered a domestic Tamil issue where the government unleashed violence (using police and Sinhalese thugs) on peaceful Satyagraha campaigns and the Tamils were always at the receiving end (beaten up) and considered losers.
Today, after the 30 years’ war (irrespective of win or lose) the tables are turned, the Tamils have globalized/internationalized the issue, the entire world knows that there is an unsolved Tamil issue in Sri Lanka. The powerful World Tamil Diaspora cannot be taken for granted, 20 years ago they were refugees but today they have become only second to the Jews. They have become an important partner in the development and progress of their host countries in the west and are capable of lobbying/influencing the Western world to interfere in Sri Lanka.
If the Sinhalese think that the Tamil struggle ended at Nandikaddal, they are worse than the worst fools in this world. Just like the Palestine-Jew conflict continues with the Western World supporting the Jews, the Sinhala-Tamil conflict will also continue with the World supporting the Tamils until they achieve their due rights.
The future non-violent campaigns will not be similar to the past, it will involve almost every Tamil in the North & East, mass campaigns involving tens of thousands, let the government unleash violence on them for the entire world to see, let there be anti-Tamil riots, history may repeat (if the Sinhalese act foolishly), but this time it will be in favor of the Tamils. And the Sinhala leaders should understand that they cannot expect the Tamil leadership to come for any negotiations in the future without involving a western mediator like USA.
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Hela / November 6, 2017
Kumar, understand it is a long game. Underestimate Sinhala resolve to safeguard their country at your peril. Sinhalese have been fighting to safeguard their heritage for 2,500 years. That should tell you something. If you think by getting outsider help you Tamils can achieve Eelam, Sinhalese will let history teach you another lesson.
Sinhalese are not against Tamils….But will not cow down to threats either.
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Native Vedda / November 6, 2017
Hela
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“Underestimate Sinhala resolve to safeguard their country at your peril. Sinhalese have been fighting to safeguard their heritage for 2,500 years.”
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What is your heritage? Please define. Is it Sunday Sil Monday Kill?
Aren’t Sinhalese fighting to safeguard their Indian Heritage?
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“If you think by getting outsider help you Tamils can achieve Eelam, Sinhalese will let history teach you another lesson.”
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History will reconfirm how Sinhala/Buddhist armed forces would hide behind their women folks and next time around inside Sambandan’s amude as VP’s big bum is no longer available.
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Park / November 5, 2017
What is the difference between the Northern Tamil separatist politicians and Southern Racist politicians? Nothing! These two groups act and behave same. They do not think they are Sri Lankans first but they think they are Sinhalese or Tamils first. The bottom line, these two groups are basically trying to stay relevant for their own personal benefit, they do not care about the masses who vote for them or the country. In their hate for each other they indirectly show they are Sri Lankans.
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Native Vedda / November 5, 2017
Park
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“What is the difference between the Northern Tamil separatist politicians and Southern Racist politicians? Nothing!”
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Maybe, they are stupids in their own way.
Sinhala/Buddhist fascists want to convert the entire island into Sinhala/Buddhist fascism and exclude the majority from the polity for being little wiser than the usual Sinhala/Buddhist fascists.
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Ajith / November 6, 2017
There are number of differences between Northern Tamil politicians and Southern Sinhalese politicians. Tamil politicians are not separatists or opportunists or racists whereas Sinhalese politicians are separatists, opportunists and racists. Tamils never wanted to govern areas where Sinhalese are living in majority. Sinhalese are Tamils never wanted to migrate voluntarily where they did not live traditionally before 1948. Always the recent Sinhalese political leadership try to hide this fact. British brought Tamils from India developmental purpose and that is nothing to do with Srilankan Tamil political leadership. British merged all kingdoms (Jaffna, Kandy & Kotee) and made Colombo as Capital and they employed employees from all over the island to run the administration and Tamils from North East came for employment and this is nothing to do with Tamil political leadership. Sinhala only separation was brought by Sinhalese leadership, Language based education was brought by Sinhalese leadership. Massacres against innocent Tamils were carried out by Sinhalese leadership. No one asked for Buddhism to be given special place in politics. This was brought by Sinhalese leadership. Now tell us who are speratists, who are racists, who are opportunistis?
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Laksiri Fernando / November 5, 2017
The difference is that N. Sanmugathasan was not saying what he said from the position of Sinhala supremacism or majoritarianism.
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Jimsofty / November 5, 2017
Christians are upset now.
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Sri-Krish / November 5, 2017
Mr Shanmugathsan was a principled Marxist unlike some others who are seasonal Marxists,
Shan was an repentant Marxist after all the Marxist were thunderstruck and stunned after the collapse of Soviet Union.
This is the centenary year of Russian revolution that changed the world and we fondly salute all revolutionaries throughout the world including Comrade Shan.
Remember the long polemics between two Marxists on Stalinism Vs Trotskyism in the Press- Shan Vs Karlo.
Shan may be a failure in the traditional sense of the world. Both of them had Tamil names, but internationalists.
Both were revolutionaries in words and action were insightful even on current affairs.
Dayan , If you read the “Way out for Tamils” by V.Karalasingam you will endlessly quate from the book, of course as usual for wrong causes.
What both of them said about the national question is relevant today as it was yesterday?
History repeats itself again and again in circles providing endless opportunities again and again for antagonists to learn.
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nalmen / November 5, 2017
what is he so excited about
there will never be a new constitution not now or in the near future
its only a pipe dream of a motley set of politicos who want to double their numbers
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Mallaiyuran / November 6, 2017
Let’s put it little bit dressed up. The new constitution will not be enacted to solve problems. Thero predict the Banda-Chelva enactment by Sinhala Majority force by New King to abandon referendum. But he is not ruling out another 18A, 19A, or 20A – all are illegal & problem addition-ers. .
Thero well see a new turn and new problems added into the existing ones as “Problem within Problem”. He feels, in this and last one of his series, resting his case assessing the situation of any path wouldn’t open up on the majority side, though energizing him to double the effort to disturb, if anything Tamils would get.
Some Sinhalese are nervous if the Yasmin Sooka syndrome would go that long way to extract any source out of the Sinhala dodging Appa Diplomacy. Thero, as the one who handled the May 2009, sees if there is a small fissure redundant technique to patch it, at UN-UNRC level. So he is not nervous like, especially the New King Side, who openly active in protection procedures.
This secret Solution will be, in my assessment, be last internally tried patch up between Sinhalese and Tamils. This is a serious quinine treatment, though most of the Tamils had abandoned the hope even before this treatment started. If no other external ones are successful, this is probably the “Uttara Kandam” and the end of the epic, internally and externally.
Old King used China as only a milking cow. He financed even Susan Rice’s defeat with that kind of proceeds, only hoping John Kerry accommodating him and survives on the job for ever. . But Ranil has made China as Mexican wall from any International Entrance into the problem. This is nullifying the Ben Emerson and others threat of referring Lankawe to UN SC. Thero has carefully studied all planets, even the asteroids flying up in the sky.
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Agnos / November 5, 2017
Would Shamugathasan, the unrepentant Marxist, have foreseen that the rise of China as an economic power would happen by adopting a crony version of Western capitalism, not by staying wedded to Marxism?
Likewise, India rose by discarding Nehruvian socialism and looking to aspects of the Western model.
And for someone who picks on other people’s grammatical mistakes, DJ has a howler:of his own: “But who is the onus on? “
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K.Pillai / November 5, 2017
Dayan has this ability to project himself as a ‘thinker’. The man is on his last lap writing what certain circles want to hear.
The man accepts that the present predicament of SL is a ‘tragedy’ but “It is all due to Tamils” he implies.
DJ says ~ “………SWRD defined this “problem within a problem” as “transforming a colonial economy to a national economy against the backdrop of a changing world”……”.
SWRD B meant “…….colonial economy into a Sinhala economy………”. He spoke “Sinhala Only in 24 hours’ and harvested the PMship. This was the tragedy. DJ is not able to see the tragedy within the tragedy is the corruption, nepotism and culture of impunity which took hold. WE will never let go of this bane.
DJ is exploiting this secondary tragedy. Poor devil.
DJ quotes Sanmugathasan (1972) ~ “Sinhala communalism fed on Tamil communalism and vice versa…”.
Did Shan utter this? Tamil communalism was and still is the reaction to Sinhala communalism.
DJ was in a Tamil liberation movement at one stage. What the hell did he learn?
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Eagle Eye / November 5, 2017
For the past 2000 years Tamils encountered tragedy. South Hindusthani Dravidians would have thought conquering Sinhale or as they called it Ela Nadu (Land of Hela) is a piece of cake. According to history books there have been 17 invasions and they ended up as tragedies. The 18th Tamil invasion that was launched by Prabhakaran was also ended as a tragedy at Nandikadal. Having used violent means and failed, now Vigneshwaran, Sampanthan and the gang has launched the 19th one using the new constitution and asking for a Federal State. That will also bound to end as a tragedy because if this Government is stupid enough to give a Federal State, the Sinhalese will chase all the Tamils in the South amounting to 52% of the Northern and Eastern Tamils to Northern Province. If the SL Navy allow Tamil Nadu fishermen to porch, Tamil fishermen in the North will have to starve or commit suicide.
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Somapala Appuchamy / November 6, 2017
Eagle Eye,
“give a Federal State, the Sinhalese will chase all the Tamils in the South amounting to 52% of the Northern and Eastern”
Did you eat a lot of Kavum today???
No wonder the Portuguese did not take much time to identify the Sinhalese as fools only good for gobbling kavum.
Nobody is going to chase out anybody in a federal state. In a federal state, anybody and everybody can move/settle from one state to another without any restrictions.No Tamils in the South are going to move to the NE and no Sinhalese in the NE are going to move to the South by having a federal state. A federal Southern province means the people of the South are given freedom to look after their own affairs and a federal Northern Province means the people of the North are allowed to look after our own affairs.
First of all, the government should educate these ignorant fools like Eagle Eye, I am sure there are many of them.
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Independent / November 6, 2017
Not so fast Somapala Appu. For example, In federal India and Canada, while Tamil and French languages are working languages in Tamil Nadu and Quebec, they are not in rest of India and Canada. For example, no Tamil and French medium schools outside TN and Quebec. In a federal Sri Lanka, what do we do with Tamil schools outside North and East when “people of North and South are given freedom to look after their own affairs”?
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Somapala Appuchamy / November 6, 2017
Independent, another Kavum gobbling Modaya like Eagle eye,
“no Tamil and French medium schools outside TN and Quebec”
Who told you that there are no Tamil medium schools outside the state of Tamil Nadu? There are Tamil medium schools in the Indian state of Kerala, in Bangalore in the Indian state of Karnataka, Bombay in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
Who told you that there are no French medium schools outside Quebec? There are French medium schools in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and in several other provinces in Canada.
The Tamil schools outside North and East is required for the Muslims who live in all parts of Sri Lanka and for the upcountry Tamils who do not have any connection with North & East.
Get a bucket full of kavum and keep gobbling.
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Shenal / November 6, 2017
Will the federal state end the dreaded Thesawalamei law?
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Native Vedda / November 6, 2017
Shenali
_
“Will the federal state end the dreaded Thesawalamei law?”
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Could you define federal state and Thesawalamei.
What is the theoretical link between the two?
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / November 7, 2017
What is so dreadful regarding Thesawalamai ? More dreadful than Kandyan Law? Everything is dreadful to recently Sinhalisesed low caste immigrant South Indians like you.
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Eagle Eye / November 6, 2017
Somapala,
Vigneshwaran has told that Sinhalese are not welcomed in the North. So why should Sinhalese welcome Tamils in the South? Eye for an Eye. That is the game. Yo can’t have a Federal State in the North while 52% of the Tamils live outside.
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Somapala Appuchamy / November 6, 2017
Eagle Eye,
I thought you are only a kavum gobbling Modaya but you also seem to be blatant liar. Please tell us exactly when and where did the Chief Minister of Northern province Wigneswaran ever said “Sinhalese are not welcomed in the North”?
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Native Vedda / November 7, 2017
Eagle blind Eye
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“Vigneshwaran has told that Sinhalese are not welcomed in the North. “
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I am sure he meant Sinhala/Buddhist fascists. Whats wrong keeping the fascists away from people?
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All Sinhala/Buddhist fascists should be rounded up and deported to their ancestral homeland in South India.
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soma / November 6, 2017
Crafty Tamil politicians and racist donkeys on this column are not prepared to offer any solution to our problem: Majority Tamils(Tamil speaking people) living in Sinhala areas. Tamil desire to have a Homeland in the North East should be dealt in parallel with the Sinhala desire to own areas outside North East for themselves.
Soma
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Native Vedda / November 6, 2017
somass
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“Crafty Tamil politicians and racist donkeys on this column are not prepared to offer any solution to our problem:”
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somass the problem lies with the Sinhala/Buddhist fascist who spread fear among the ordinary mostly stupid people. Along with others, …….Dayan and yourself are the key fear mongers in this forum.
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By the way are you one of the merchant of death, selling unnecessary weapons to the state? Before you sell arms you need to sell fear.
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Jimsofty / November 7, 2017
SOMA It is democracy and not dictatorship or 10% Tamils dictating to 63% Sinhala people. So, use the strength of your vote. Ask Tamils to go back to Tamilnadu. they are just migrents in Sinhale.
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sinhala_voice / November 6, 2017
There are so many opinions presented BUT people don’t want to see the reality:
First , we got to understand and ask the minority Sri Lankan national namely,
Tamil-(Hindu & Christian) , Muslims (following various versions of Islam), Christians(Tamil,Sinhala and Eurasian) whether they would like to like in a UNITARY system of government with devolution and decentralisation of some power to the representatives from those defined units.
If the answer is NO, WE don’t want UNITARY. Then , we have to deal with the biggest supporters of NON-UNITARY system, that would be the Tamils and Tamil speakers.
Then , we have to UNDERSTAND that this solution is to SOLVE AN ETHNIC problem.
If there is a requirement to JOIN the Northern and Eastern Province to make a contiguous (adjacent) ETHNICALLY common UNIT or combined province from NOW on we will CALL this a REGION.
Similarly the Sinhala areas will have to be JOINED forming ETHNICALLY COMMON HISTORICAL HOMELAND for the Sinhala people CALLED the Sinhale.
Thus , there is ONLY a requirement of FORMING either 2 or 3 (if a separate Sri Lanka CAPITAL TERRITORY) is created. Probably a good idea.
If there is a NON-UNITARY SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT THEN THIS IS THE MOST EQUITABLE SOLUTION FOR Sinhala and Tamil people.
ALL OTHER ARGUMENTS ARE SILLY and DESIGNED to FOOOOOOL the MASSES……..
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Park / November 6, 2017
Its politicians for their own convenience have made Muslims a separate group. In actual fact they speak Tamil and should be included as Tamil. Islam is a religion and not a language and Tamil and Sinhalese are languages. A Tamil can be a Hindu, Christian, Muslim or even a Buddhist (I know Buddhist Tamils). If we are to treat Muslim as a separate group then we have to forget Sinhala and Tamil as groups and have to divide the population based on religions. Choose one.
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Harishchandra / November 6, 2017
We should first ensure that this country is run by an efficient and honest set of politicians before trying to solve this problem. Not only the minorities, anyone in his right mind would like to move away from scoundrels who are only interested in augmenting their foothold on power to go on swindling this country. Let’s first be honest about our dealings before trying to win over disgruntled elements in this country.
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Jimsofty / November 6, 2017
NOw where minorities work as minorities. In Sri lanka, it is the indian system. That is the problem. Sri lankan politicians are not visionaries. they are doing as their employment, they are not educated and just family business is the politics. That old boys club need to be changed. See how many families are in politics. See, how many children are in line. they all looks there to destroy the country and live their play boy lives.
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Spring Koha / November 6, 2017
Dr DJ
Looks like something has been lost in translation. WE ALL lost, and the majority community lost the most. Even before the gokkola faded in Independence square, our craftiest politicians had taken up their positions (Anglican became Buddhist, and Arya-Sinhala for Oxford bags!) and set out to excite the Bauddha-Sinhala voter, and the minorities were fair game. Our Tamil brethren took the brunt. All who remember the fifties will recall the one question on the thinking persons lips after May ’58; “How much more of this can the Tamils take?” Well, we found the unpalatable answer. AND now DJ, you and your ilk are once again working towards a reprise. Surely, a little less subjugation and a little more trust must be worth trying.
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Native Vedda / November 6, 2017
Spring Koha
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“Surely, a little less subjugation and a little more trust must be worth trying.”
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Dayan the public racist thrives on preaching “doom and gloom”.
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Those who have no hope pass their old age shrouded with an inward gloom.
– Wilfred Owen
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Jimsofty / November 6, 2017
Spring Koha> when you say Tamils took the brunt. that is stupid analysis. If only Tamils were hurt why JVP was there since 1971. How many thousands of sinhala youth died violently. No foreigners came against that as it was a communists against the govt.
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Mallaiyuran / November 6, 2017
Thero had powerfully argued, in his last essay, why the Universal Franchise is dangerous to Sinhalese. Though the right to vote for Sinhalese must be denied, but he is satisfied here as it will be inflicted by them by pressing Yahapalanaya and no additional effort needed. Though, again, it was not decided with a poll or voting, Sinhalese knows what they would be voting of, so they will have New King cancelled the voting. Let me warn the reader here, by misunderstanding any part of my comment, evaluating Thero’s intelligence below from it level would be disastrous. He has written his essay on very broard –wide focus. He is not shooting a bird or two with a magical bullet. He is aiming his Ashtra to bring down all flying birds without killing even one. Have you not seen a cat playing with a mouse not eating it? Suppressing the voting right of Sinhalese, from the perspective of Thero, if you would not mind to permit me using SJV’s terminology here, it is God saving the Sinhalese from the draconic Universal Franchising.
He says Sinhalese will fix the miss-given universal franchising by they force New King and Yahapalanaya to suppress it. Suppressing their Universal Franchising in support of the self-serving political leaders’ victory is Win-Win for Sinhalese. New King is in support of Secret Solution to thaw OISL report’s effect where on the withdrawn one on March 2015, his name is inscripted there. Old King, whose name too is there, and whose marvels Thero uphold for living, is demanding for the referendum and election with Thero’s supports. Don’t ask me to resolve the contradictions here. It may not be that important either as all Thero’s theories is only about how to approach a snake and beat it after its death.
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Mallaiyuran / November 6, 2017
It is the same cases with wiped out Shanmugathasan’s China communism from North or the party-less Old King’s call for referendum and elections, either the snake is not there or dead. Some of the contradictions may get cleared when I mention Thero’s next advice, that is he had reminded that, starting from Devinugmba & 18A, how the 19A and 20A, which all needed referendum, (at least as per Supreme Courts interpretations and decisions) were passed in the parliament’s 2/3. (Please don’t interpret it as I told that Thero said Yahapalanaya is going to grant back Tamils rights bypassing referendum need like passing 18A). By now, readers should understand why the Universal Franchise was impediment and lose- lose for Sinhalese and how Old King made it win-win by passing the 18A.(Because SJV, like he did it to SWRD, has defeated the purpose of Old King’s 18A, so the Sinhalese are still facing the referendums and elections the lose-lose, and the Old King is asking for election and referendum to fix the left over lose-lose, with another 21A) These are some of Thero’s advices to Old King and New King, if they could figure out anything out of these, to steer away from lose-lose to win-win. For the last Essay, Thero had had picked up his point on Universal Franchising from 1930s Tamil leaders like Sir Pon-Brothers.
In this essay he is sighting Shanmuganathan, whose Communism, which attempted to wedge between the Tamils’ castes as per the order of his mistress Sirimavo, never picked up momentum as the Tamils castes, with their below 79 IQ scores, never figured out Thero’s Majoritarianism or Minoritarianism maxims.
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Mallaiyuran / November 6, 2017
Though in Thero’s opinion Shanmugathasan had told something to quote, still is he a Pariah Demelo and so his is still a subservient to the Chauvinist leaders. Thero’s contention is, as Shanmuganathan is not beyond a political prisoner of Sirimavo and would not have uttered otherwise instructed so by his Sinhala Masters, a worth one to quote from. So, now Thero’s accusation is SJV did not have the foresightedness of a subservient and did not act to prevent the Sinhalese lose –lose referendum or even have had caused it by enlightening Tamils on freedom, other than the Sirimavo’s prisoner Shanmugathasan.
Anything Sinhalese does for others is what would to be lose-lose for them. So, anything Sinhalese does is Pilimatalawwe – Ehelepola deals or Don Juvan deals or Colombo Pong Cing deals; i.e destroying their country and destroying anybody around them. (Of cause these all are confusing like an Iddi Appa string tanglings, but this is what the technology Thero used to save the Sinhala Mahajan and their King in 2009 by fooling the Western Modayas in UNHRC, Geneva.) That is what SWRD’s revolution in 1950s created –“Lose – Lose”. As in Shanmugathasan’s words quoted by Thero indicates, Majoritarianism was used through the universal Franchise was superimposed over the minoritarianism. So what the minority minded majority expected was to extract minority’s open oath of surrender to majority, under name Shanmugathasan’s “democratic communism”. Please don’t ask me if that is what Shanmugathasan was teaching in front of Mavittapuram temple to the oppressed to show before the oppressing castes. In reality all what is the Cuban Communism and China Communisms saying as per Thero and Shanmugathasan – that is be obedient to the barrel of the gun of the rulers, whether they are Cuban army or Majority Sinhalese or Pretoria Whites or Taiwanese Chinese or even the ordinary Chinese in Tiananmen Square.
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Mallaiyuran / November 6, 2017
So they two are proposing that SWRD using Chauvinism to step on UNP and capturing the power should have been welcome by ITAK. The failure of SJV has caused the end of SWRD’s revolution by ending SWRD by two Sinhala Buddhist bald heads. So Shanmugathasan, as per Thero, criticized SJV that in order to save the Tamils from the barbaric Majority, who does not respect democracy or human civilization, but count only on their numbers like wild Hyenas, he must have foresighted Tiananmen square and should have proposed in 1950 to sell the Colombo Pong Cing and Hangbangtota, subjecting to loan threat in line with the Chitanta and Yahapalanaya Principle
SWRD, a man who never came out of his capitalistic birth attributes, luxury life, attachment to the plutocratic principles and man of all his fore-generation and later generations’ ostensible Royal life styles, used his anti-Tamils feeling to misdirect the nation for his short gain. But unlike the Chinese government’s success in suppressing Tiananmen Square, SWRD was success only in producing his demise as the first political Murder in South East Asia and created Sinhala Buddhist rowdy nation which has no political rudder. From Far East- the China to the far west the America, Lankawe is wagging its tail like a bitch in front of a dog, but has not gained a sincere friendship. So Thero is saying Shanmuganathan censured SJV for not committing his murder and closing his freedom fight like SWRD revolution ended then there, but stayed alive for going beyond a Democratic protest against Sinhala Only, an armed struggle to Standardization ad even it going beyond Secret Solution to an International Investigation, Referendum, Self-Determination.
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Chandra / November 6, 2017
It is sad to note a person claiming to be the know all among the social scientists, describes the legislative measures such as the Sinhala Only and ‘Standardization’ as ghastly. Sinhala Only was to replace English as the Official Language which was the alien language spoken and understood by less than even 2% of the total population( Sinhala and Tamil speaking). Numerically it affected a minute section of the Tamil community; only those employed in the Government Service. He should not forget that the Official Language Act provided for the reasonable use of Tamil. As for ‘ Standardization’, being a socialist measure it has fulfilled the objective of redressing the students (Sinhala and Tamil) studying in areas with poor resources.
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Native Vedda / November 6, 2017
Chandra
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“Numerically it affected a minute section of the Tamil community; only those employed in the Government Service. “
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Could you let us have the percentage of Tamils who were affected by the change of official language policy.
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” being a socialist measure it has fulfilled the objective of redressing the students (Sinhala and Tamil) studying in areas with poor resources.”
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So the socialism you support make the dumb kids to go to uni and the cream of the society sacrifice their places so that socialism could triumph. It is a measure to demotivate the hard working kids make them dump while lazy kids were given inappropriate opportunity to jump queue.
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The weeping widow’s dump policy failed failed miserably. on all count.
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“He should not forget that the Official Language Act provided for the reasonable use of Tamil.”
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Why are you lying?
Remember F R Jayasurya
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Then the Hindians had to catch JR by his b***s and got him change the official language policy.
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Burning Issue / November 6, 2017
“Sadly but inevitably, in Sri Lanka, Populism, which in all cases worldwide, is majoritarian, degenerates into a darker Ethno-populism.”
It is this same populism that DJ has been endeavouring to whip-up! The JO that is being lead by MR is doing exactly that! This man writes ostensibly purporting a moderate disposition but in fact driven by communal and personal vendetta. No matter how hard he tries to mask his despicable position on the national question, people can see-through his flimsy platform.
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Champa / November 7, 2017
Seriously, Dayan, Mahinda Rajapaksa is leading from the front, the battle ‘AGAINST’ the new Constitution”??? Then how could he commend Amunugama’s speech on 13-A/13-plus which also lead to a Federal State??
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I dare say MR’s words and actions are not the same with regard to new Constitution. If he is against the new Constitution, he would never have let JO taken part in the Constitutional Assembly legitimizing Ranil’s Federal Constitution. MR proposed 13-plus to TNA in 2014. He will support Ranil even anything beyond 13-plus to appease TNA as Rajapaksa’s political future will be revolved around TNA/LTTE diaspora at the next major election. It might sound absurd right now, but that is where they are heading. MR now wants to be in good books of Tamils to garner their votes. Disgusting.
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MR&JO’s initial plan was to allow Ranil to pass the Interim Report at the end of the 3rd Day “without a Vote”. They did the same thing to OMP. Mahinda went out of the country taking Wimal too with him to block all opposition to OMP. However, this time with regard to Interim Report, it didn’t materialize due to President’s unexpected offer to hold three conferences. I strongly believe President to keep his word so that there won’t be any Vote. TNA, I am sure, is disappointed with the President who turns out to be the Guardian Angel for Sinhalese whenever there is crisis. In the light of that, TNA might consider MR as a better ‘cow’ to take home, than Sirisena. Anyways, what will happen is MR will lose Sinhalese Buddhist votes further. He has forgotten that all those who were against 13-Plus too, voted in August-2015 in favour of him as, at the time people thought it was the right thing to do.
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K.Anaga / November 7, 2017
The same matters are talked over and over again in different language without bringing the desired results.
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Thanga / November 7, 2017
I find like a dud coin the claim “Sinhalese have been fighting to safeguard their heritage for 2,500 years” is being repeated ad nauseam. The fact is there was no Sinhalese identity till the 9th century AD. There was NO Sinhala race/tribe in Sri Lanka until the Maha Vihara monks created it in the 5th century AD. The Maha Vihara monks of Anuradhapura including Ven. Mahanama, the author of the Pali chronicle Mahavamsa was a close relative of the Buddhist Naga king Dhatusena. The kingdoms of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa were NEVER known as Sinhala kingdoms and the Naga and Tamil kings who ruled these kingdoms never called themselves ‘Hela’, ‘Sihala’, or ‘Sinhala’. There is no evidence to prove that the Nagas were Sinhalese or they became Sinhalese. The term ‘Sinhale’, appeared only in the 13th Century AD in Chulavamsa and NOT in Deepavamsa/Mahavamsa. The Sinhalese became a majority through a process of assimilation. In the 16th century, the Portuguese and in the 18th century, the Dutch who occupied the island brought in tens of thousands of people from South India (presently Kerala, Kannada, Tamil Nadu, Andara) and settled them in the Southern parts of the island as menial labourers (for growing/peeling cinnamon, fishing/pearl diving, coconut planting/plucking, toddy tapping, and for many other jobs).
These migrants constitute the present day Karava, Salagama and Durawa castes. The Sinhala Karava western maritime belts of Puttalam, Chilaw, Wennapuwa, Negombo, Ja-Ela, Wattala, North Colombo, Moratuwa and to a lesser extent Panadura were one time Tamils. When Chilaw Bishop Edmund Peiris changed the medium of education in schools under his diocese Tamil Catholics in Chilaw, Negombo became Sinhalese. The older generation still speak colloquial Tamil. 3/1
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Thanga / November 7, 2017
Originally they were from Tamil Nadu and belonged to the Paravar caste. They were converts and Portuguese brought them to Ceylon for their security. The south was ruled by the colonial powers after the first arrival of the Portuguese in 2005 AD.
The Kingdom of Kotte was ceded to the Portuguese in 1597 AD after the death of its last ruler Don Juan Dharmapala. The Jaffna Kingdom was captured by the Portuguese when they defeated in battle the Jaffna last king Sankili in 1619. The Kandyan Kingdom was ceded by the Kandyan Chiefs in 1815. So the claim “Sinhalese have been fighting to safeguard their heritage for 2,500 years” is a myth perpetuated by Sinhala – Buddhist zealots.
Like the devil quoting the scripture, Dayan is quoting comrade Shunmugathasan. He is a non-entity as far as Tamils were considered. He or his party didn’t contest and won even a village council seat. If Dayan wants to quote he should quote the statement by SJV in 1972 in parliament after resigning his seat in protest against the 1972 constitution.
“We started the federal movement at one time to obtain the lost rights of the Tamil speaking people and now we have found that through federalism we cannot achieve our objective. In view of this experience we have come to the conclusion that we must separate and if we do not do that, the Tamil speaking people will never be able to get back their lost rights.
Our ancient people were wise. They had their own kingdom. In the history of Ceylon we had a place. We are not asking for a division of the country by our movement, but we are only trying to regain what we lost.
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Thanga / November 7, 2017
3/3 Our party is today moving with the idea of establishing a separate state. It is not an easy matter to get a separate state. It is a difficult matter. We know that it is difficult. But either we get out of the power of the Sinhala masses or we perish. That is certain. Therefore we will try and get this separation. We have abandoned the demand for a federal constitution. Our movement will be all non-violent.”
Mark the words “We are not asking for a division of the country by our movement, but we are only trying to REGAIN WHAT WE LOST.” (Emphasis mine)
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