Kumarathasan Rasingam
Tamils have little interest in reconciliation without resolution of the political issues. Proper reconciliation can come only after a political solution is found…
With successive Governments refusing to acknowledge, let alone address the political issues that lie at the core of the conflict, the alienation of Tamils will remain high. In the circumstances, reconciliation remains a distant dream.
An internationally supervised interim period, a fear-free period, set for the independence of Eelam Tamils would bring in a lot of desired results in genuine development, participation of people and it will alleviate if there are any fears about new leadership emerging from Eelam Tamils. Considering long-term interests, Colombo on its own, should involve in such a process and India could be given with a special role if it has any fear in international solutions coming to its backyard.
War crimes investigation and delivery of justice are duties of humanity and its institutions, whatever time it may take. The victims pressing for justice and providing evidence are their duty, not only for the sake of themselves but also for the sake of human civilization, to stop for ever anti-people establishments trying what they did to Eelam Tamils with others.
As ten years passed since the end of the war, which lasted almost three decades, and though nearly seven decades have lapsed since the commencement of exclusionary policies targeting the Tamil people, various pledges made by the Government of Sri Lanka with regard to human rights, accountability and evolving a political settlement have not been fulfilled. The post-independence history of Sri Lanka contains stark reminders of the disturbing ramifications of broken promises and recurring violence.
The government’s callous disregard for fulfilling its own promises applies equally to the government’s assurances on human rights. In 2006, the Udalagama Commission of Inquiry [CoI] was mandated with the power to investigate a number of grave human rights abuses including the killing of five Tamil students in Trincomalee and the massacre of 17 aid workers in Muttur. On 13 May 2008, Mr. Yasantha Kodagoda, a senior officer of the Attorney General’s Department and a member of the Sri Lankan delegation at the UNHRC made the following assurances to the Council:
“Mr. President, let me assure you that all cases involving human rights violations will continue to be impartially and comprehensively investigated and inquired into by the several agencies entrusted with that task including the CoI, and their findings made public and perpetrators prosecuted in court.”
The CoI was designed to fail. Four of the Commissioners resigned during the course of its sittings. Moreover, there were major conflicts of interest involving the office of the Attorney General. On the one hand, officers of the Attorney General’s Department led evidence of the victims at the CoI. On the other, these same officers advised and defended the government at international forum despite the fact that the government’s security forces were accused of those crimes. The absence of victim and witness protection laws also posed serious challenges to the credibility of the CoI.
In light of the fact that most key witnesses had sought refuge overseas, the CoI commenced recording their evidence, including that of Dr. Manoharan, the father of one of the five students executed in Trincomalee, through video conferencing. This was arbitrarily discontinued and brought to an abrupt end. Thereafter, the government tabled a weak Victim and Witness Protection Bill in Parliament, which was not proceeded with and subsequently abandoned. The lack of witness and victim protection mechanisms has severely undermined the work of Commissions of Inquiry in Sri Lanka, including the Udalagama CoI and the LLRC.
An International Independent Group of Eminent Persons [IIGEP] chaired by former Chief Justice of India, J. N Bhagwati, was charged with observing the proceedings of the Udalagama CoI, to offer suggestions, and to assess the conduct of the proceedings against international norms and standards. In March 2008, however, the IIGEP terminated their involvement with the CoI, stating:
“… the IIGEP concludes that the proceedings of inquiry and investigation have fallen far short of the transparency and compliance with basic international norms and standards pertaining to investigations and inquiries. The IIGEP has time and again pointed out the major flaws of the process: first and foremost, the conflict of interest at all levels, in particular with regard to the role of the Attorney General’s Department. Additional flaws include the restrictions on the operation of the Commission through lack of proper funding and independent support staff; poor organization of the hearings and lines of questioning; refusal of the State authorities at the highest level to fully cooperate with the investigations and inquiries; and the absence of an effective and comprehensive system of witness protection … These inherent and fundamental impediments inevitably lead to the conclusion that there has been and continues to be a lack of political and institutional will to investigate and inquire into the cases before the Commission. The IIGEP is therefore terminating its role in the process not only because of the shortcomings in the Commission’s work but primarily because the IIGEP identifies an institutional lack of support for the work of the Commission.” [IIGEP Public Statement, 6 March 2008].
United Nations And UNHRC’s Responsibilities
As the opportunities for post war peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka gradually slip away, the members of the UNHRC must act urgently to prevent an ominous slide towards a recurrence of the tragedies of the past.
The Council must ensure that the Sri Lankan government immediately takes steps to offer a political solution to the Tamil people to resolve the long-festering and deep-seated national problem and also address serious concerns about human rights and governance.
The Council must also urgently address questions of truth and justice relating to grave violations of international human rights and humanitarian law, in order to transform the culture of impunity prevailing in the country to one of accountability.
The Sri Lankan government has persistently claimed that, if provided time and space, it will evolve homegrown processes that will address the need for a political solution, improvement in human rights and accountability. This claim must be evaluated against the chronic unwillingness of the government to honour its own commitments to the people of Sri Lanka and the international community. Some of these commitments have been repeated for many years, with no progress made on the ground.
Moreover, the trajectory of the government’s conduct indicates that, if given time and space, that time and space will be utilized to pursue the agenda that the government has brazenly undertaken despite assurances to the contrary. That agenda entails the silencing of the democratic voice of the Tamil people, the entrenching of power at the centre and the transformation of the linguistic, cultural and religious composition of the North and East so as to negate the need for a political solution.
Sri Lanka’s failure to make good on its own assurances requires that the Council act now. The principle of complementarily in international law requires that where a state is unwilling or unable to institute credible measures to advance justice in keeping with its commitments, international mechanisms must be activated.
The failure of the Council to act will enable governments, which in fact demonstrate no commitment to change, to escape their obligations by merely making empty promises of reform. This will entrench a dangerous and harmful precedent of Council sanctioned impunity.
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / June 23, 2019
I have been saying for sometime that something drastic is going to happen which will lead the way for Tamils to get their rights to live in dignity and safety. From what is happening, this bombing episode appears to be that drastic event. India has realized that non settlement of Tamil problem will give way to Islamic terrorism gaining ground. It is clear to all that successive governments since 1985 have been promoting Islamic terrorism by funding and arming to harass Tamils. This present government is no exception though they promised Tamils several things to get their votes. NTJ which carried out the bombings were funded by Mahinda regime and controlled by planting agents, probably Pakistanis who have been active in the east promoting hatred between Muslims and Tamils. It is through these agents that Rajapakse brothers with Sirisena conniving (all Buddhists) that the bombing was carried out. This is why no Buddhist temples were touched and not a single Buddhist killed. All top Sinhala politicians of both sides knew about it, but they turned a blind eye as the plan was to bomb churches and hotels in eastern province where the group was active, resulting in deaths of Tamils and foreigners. But bombers had other ideas and blasted churches and hotels in Colombo resulting in deaths of Sinhala Catholics, hurting the economy and killing three policemen. This has put pressure on those who planned it and who ignored it. (Contd).
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Nadesan / June 25, 2019
If the bombers wanted to kill Sinhala Catholics, why did they blow themselves up during the Tamil Language sermon? They clearly targeted the Tamil people.
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JD / June 23, 2019
when minorities are promoted as separate groups country will never amount to anything. It is the Sinhala people who lose their country and have already lost their culture. the problem is the sinhala politicians who are listening to the Western demands and not ashamed of to live on Minority groups political donations. So, thun sinhale, sivu Hele, Sinhale and sinhala people should be the norm. but, we treat minorities as equal people. Replace the Sinhala politicians and get completely new ones. all those who promote separate political rights, should be arrested on the grounds of HIGH “TREASON.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / June 23, 2019
You could see that all top Sinhala politicians of both sides who have received funds from supporters of Muslim terrorism, are woefully silent and are trying to sweep the whole thing under saying that it is the work of only a few. They are now saying that all those who are behind this terror outfit are either dead or are in custody. From the media reports it is noted that Sinhalese people, Buddhist priests and even low ranked Sinhala politicians are not willing to swallow it. India knows that Sinhala politicians of both sides want them to carry on as long as they keep their activity to north and east to terrorize Tamils, which on the long run will be a launching pad to attack India. They now feel that only way to control Islamic terrorism is to empower Tamils to take control of the terrain. I will not be surprised that the present agitation in Kalmunai where Tamils are joined by Buddhist priests, has a foreign hand behind. Previously when Batticaloa Buddhist priest wanted to intervene to bring justice to Tamils from appropriation of lands by Muslims, he was prevented by both present government as well as agents of Mahinda. It is due to the presence of Buddhist priests in the agitation that the government has been pushed to a corner. Tamils have got a golden god sent opportunity in the name of sympathetic Buddhist priests, with whom they should work to regain their lost rights and lands taken away from them. (Contd)
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / June 23, 2019
Before leaving Sri Lanka after his recent visit, Indian PM Modi told that Tamil problem has to be settled by going beyond the 13th amendment. Sinhala politicians on both sides know that unlike congress government, they cannot fool BJP. This is why there had not been a single attack on Modi for this statement by Sinhala politicians on both sides. Chances to settle Tamil problem were given to both past government (6 years) and this government (5 years), and nothing seem to have happened. Present government has conveniently put off that exercise under the excuse of Muslim terrorism, which makes one believe that they knew about the bombing though they are feigning ignorance. Very soon you could hear India putting the foot down, as they want all forms of Islamic extremism eradicated from the soil. Please remember that Indo-Lanka accord signed in 1987 is an international agreement, and if Sri Lanka fails to abide by it, India can intervene first diplomatically and if that fails militarily. With lands given to China in Hambantota and Colombo on 99 year lease, the clause that land will not be made available to any country which is hostile to the interests of India has been violated. India also has come to know that though Mahinda regime brought China in by mortgaging the country, this government has played a double game of leasing out land to China, which will be used for military purposes against India. Similarly non implementation of the clause on devolution is another factor. All these years India turned a blind eye to it, but now the situation has changed as allowing Islamic terrorism to take control of any part of Sri Lanka is not in the security interests of India. We have to wait and see what action that they are going to take.
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soma / June 23, 2019
In view of the demographic distribution of Tamis ( all Tamil speaking people irrespective of their religion, caste or the date of arrival) across the island there is no conceivable political solution which can satisfy at least a minimum of 50% of them.
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Soma
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / June 23, 2019
Soma, despite being explained to you several times, you have a mulish mind due to your hatred against Tamils. In Sri Lanka Tamil speakers can be divided into three groups according to various factors. Even if you do a DNA study, it will be evident. Of them only Indigenous Tamils who are demanding the restoration of their lost sovereignty which was taken away by Portuguese and not returned by British. Other two groups of Muslims and Tamils of recent Indian origin had never exercised sovereignty over any piece of land, though last king of Kandy was a Tamil/Telugu person. If you hold a referendum among indigenous Tamils for independence, you will see that at least 90% of them will vote for it. Though there are no backers for an independent Tamil state in the land, there is widespread support for autonomy to Tamils to share power and land in a fair manner with Sinhalese. Both past and present governments have dodged the issue, but this deception will not be allowed to go on for long especially by India which is at risk of Islamic terror spilling over. Whoever becomes the next president will have to settle the problem and will face the ignominy of another parippu drop if he fails to comply.
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K.Anaga / June 23, 2019
Dr.Gna!
I remember reading somewhere that Britain should be asked to intervene if the agitation in Hong Kong fails to bring the desired results against extradition of its citizens to China over court cases
Similarly, Britain should be called to intervene in Srilanka to ensure the status quo of the Tamils are restored prior to their Take over of the Tamil Kingdom to be merged with the rest of the country.
Even the little safeguards given to the Tamils under section 29 of the constitution drafted by them ( Sir. Ivor Jemnnings) too has been violated in the new constitutions, ‘periodically’ introduced by the Sinhala governments.
As if to add insult to injury, Britain supported the assaults and genocide of the Tamils in the war against LTTE by supplying arms and ammunition to the government. The west in general and Britain in particular is known to ‘Pinch the Baby and Rock the cradle’. (Pillaiyayum Killi Thottilaium Attuwathu Pol) thinking that the others are fools. They may be right?
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Palasanthiran / June 25, 2019
You must be kidding. May be we have to go from Sri lanka and help them to sort out their Brexit problems, and their diffoculties with the Saria law. Don’t forget that one of the Rich Mulsim Kids who became a terrorist had become radicalized when he went to England. Even the global tamil Forum is now full of Muslim moles.
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soma / June 23, 2019
Question for the Tamil political masters:
The Caliphate will be incorporated within a Greater Ealam or alongside a cutdown Ealam?
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Soma
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / June 23, 2019
Soma, Tamils have accepted that Muslim demand of a non contiguous unit like Pondichery model within a merged north east is fair. If you put this to Muslims in north and east, majority of them will accept it, as they know that it is very difficult for Muslims to exist there antagonizing Tamils. It is the extremists among the Muslims who are against it, and all governments have used them to deny Tamils their right for a united homeland, where they have been living with archaeological proof. I have explained how to effect this, which will be a win-win situation for all. Problem is that whatever governments that come to power are racist, either overtly or covertly. With Tamils reaching out for a solution without division of the country, the failure of Sinhalese for the last ten years, shows that they are intransigent to any fair outcome. There is only one way out and that is foreign intervention.
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shankar / June 25, 2019
“With Tamils reaching out for a solution without division of the country, the failure of Sinhalese for the last ten years, shows that they are intransigent to any fair outcome.”
The fair outcome that you mention should have been got by prabhaharan.This is what happens when you ask for more than a fair outcome when you are in a strong position.Now with out prabha tamils are in a weak position.You can’t win a poker game however clever you are when you have been dealt with weak cards.I cannot blame sampu and suman for the lack of a political solution for the last 11 years you mention because they have no cards to play the game.You can write copiously and copiously but the sinhalese will just yawn just as soma does to you because they know you have no decent cards to play the game and win it.
“There is only one way out and that is foreign intervention.”
that also the sinhalese and soma in particular will just yawn at you.Unlike during rajivs time now you can keep on saying it and they will keep on yawning like the lion does.Now they know that china has taken an extraordinary interest in sri lanka to secure their oil supplies from the middle east and if india will not push them too much because then then they will end up with a defence agreement between china and sri lanka.You saw the body language between modi and ranil.Modi seemed to be all over ranil.it was not the body language of emperor modi and small country PM ranil.Also forget about any western pressure on sri lanka if a government favourable to them is in power.You saw how they were howling for blood for human rights violations etc during the 6 years you mention of rajapakshe and how disinterested they are of that violation of human rights when ranil is in power for the last 5 years that you mention.
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Sugandh Thomas / June 23, 2019
Mr. Kumarathasan Rasingham has laid it out fair and square.
The biggest hurdle in Sri Lanka is that facts and truth, no matter how shockingly horrendous, evil and criminal those evidence presented are, have little weight to overcome the bigotry long afflicting the country. That’s not surprising given that those horrendous, evil, and criminal acts resulted from bigoted Sinhalese/Buddhist nationalism.
The lies, the denials, the propaganda, and the diversionary tactics that the Sinhalese/Buddhist Nationalists and the perpetrators themselves persistently put out appears to cater to the long living “insecure majority” syndrome in much of the Sinhalese demography.
Clearly the vast majority of the folks who persistently put out the lies, the denials, and the propaganda have never had real exposure nor were witness to the violence of the war and the unspeakable human rights abuses and crimes against humanity inflicted upon the Eelam Tamils.
Is Sri Lanka capable of ensuring justice when the successive Governments are formed of too many representatives elected on bigoted platforms pleasing to the masses and the Buddhist clergy?
Is Sri Lanka capable of upholding justice without International supervision?
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Estate Labourer / June 23, 2019
When Ceylon was handed Independence in 1948, the notion of a ‘Sinhala-Buddhist Country’ was entirely non-existent. This was why the Tamil leaders of the day agreed to a unified Ceylon, with the idea of sorting out amicably any issues that may arise later, with the Sinhala majority. Soon after independence D.S. Senanayake passed legislation disenfranchising one million estate Tamils and rendering them stateless. Then in 1956, Bandaranaike made Sinhala the only official language in 24 hours. In 1972 a new Constitution was drafted, which replaced the former secular Constitution, and granted the foremost place to Buddhism. It also changed the name of the country to Sri Lanka, which is the Sinhala name. Now all sorts of characters are claiming that Sri Lanka is a Sinhala Buddhist country. The Sinhala-Buddhists have been behaving just like the camel that put its head inside the tent and there is no doubt they will continue to do so in future as well. These issues cannot be resolved without some kind of foreign intervention.
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Taraki / June 23, 2019
Before Ceylon was invaded by the British in 1815, the notion of a ‘Sinhala-Buddhist Country’ was entirely prevalent.
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Estate Labourer / June 23, 2019
Taraki: Maybe as a Sinhala-Buddhist territory but not as one that encompassed the whole country.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / June 23, 2019
Before Ceylon was invaded by the kallathoni gang of criminals 2500 years ago, the notion of a “Tamil- Hindu Country” was entirely prevalent.
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Taraki / June 23, 2019
Before Ceylon was invaded by the Tamils and Native Veddahs, the notion of a Balangoda Man country was entirely prevalent.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / June 24, 2019
Taraki a stupid bigot, no one questions about the presence of humans in Sri Lanka for over 60,000 years. Iron and stone tools discovered in Balangoda man excavation are similar to those found in Africa, suggesting that African man migrated to Sri Lanka whose remains were found in Balangoda. DNA studies of Balangoda man was found to be similar to those of Veddhas, suggesting that Veddhas are the descendants of Balangoda man. DNA studies on Veddhas has revealed that DNA of Sinhalese are different to those of Veddhas, suggesting that Sinhalese are migrants and not descendants of Balangoda man. To say that all Sinhalese are indigenous (Veddha DNA input of 9%) and all Tamils are immigrants (Veddha DNA input of 6%) is rank racism. Prof Raj Somadeva the racist archaeologist is putting out a theory that Sinhalese descended from Balangoda man, when the evidence is to the contrary. It is now proved by scientific methods of archaeology, geology and linguistics that the immigrants spoke Tamil or some form of Tamil and practiced Saivaism. Balangoda man is the first immigrant from Africa and Dravidian Saivaite is the second from Asia. Portrayal of mythical Ravana in Ramayana as a Dravidian Saivaite is corroborative of this. Even Veddhas worshiped Murugan, the god of Tamils
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Eagle Eye / June 23, 2019
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam
Tamil Hindu country prevailed in the other side of Palk Strait. This side it was Sinhale. Prof. Raj Somadeva says there is a stone inscription in Tamil Nadu where ‘Seehala Deepa’ is mentioned in Tamil. Go and read that without talking BS.
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / June 23, 2019
Before the British invaded and united the island. 1833 , that was no country called Ceylon/Sri Lanka. It was divided into Sinhalese Buddhist9 2/3) and Tamil Hindu(1/3). So where is your so called Sinhalese Buddhist land, when 1/3 of the island has always been Tamil Hindu and ruled by Tamil Hindu kings and chieftains. Even the vast majority of your Sinhalese kings are of Tamil ancestry and spoke Tamil and Hinduism , whilst fostering Buddhism. This is why your great king Parakramabahu built a statue to honour the Tamil sage and father of the Tamil language , Saint Agathiar, as he was an ethnic Tamil. The King who converted to Buddhism was a Tamil Naga. Sinhalese Buddhist land indeed! A concept that only came after 1948 thanks to the British who united the Sinhalese and Tamil parts of the island for their own convenience and made the Sinhalese who until then were confined to the southern parts of the island , and had no control of the Tamil North East until 1948 , a majority in the whole island and the Eelam Tamils who were a 100% majority in the north and east , a minority in the whole island and made them to suffer since 1948. Talk about the British favouring the Tamils. They never favoured the Tamils but only used them for their hard work but always favoured the Sinhalese , as unlike the Dravidian Tamils, they mistakenly considered them a low form of fellow brown Aryans , related to them, as this was the time when this so called Aryan myth and prejudice was at its zenith.
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K.Anaga / June 24, 2019
King Dutugemunu who was a Tamil though portrayed as a Sinhalese never ruled beyond Anuradhapura to the North and beyond Polonaruwa to the east. The fight between Dutugemunu and Ellalan was a war between two Tamil kings similar to fights between Cheran Cholan and Pandiyan , periodically.
The Sinhalese due to lack of proper kings to rule them referred to Dutugemunu as a Sinhalese, very similar to the take over of lord Murugan of Kathirkamam where they subsequently planted a statue of lord Buddha and Sinhalised the area. So much so that Murugan do not seem to understand Tamil now. I hear so many Tamil devotes Complain that Murugan does not grant their request as in the past, probably due to lack of understanding of the Tamil Language . It is unfortunate that the Sinhal Buddhists are in the habit of taking over popular Hindu Temples and Plant Buddha statues and calling it as theirs. Given half a chance they will take over Thirukethesewarm, Thirukoneswaram, nallur Kandasmy temple and all the other famous Hindu temples and may Be Madhu church too and call it theirs. Instead, they should pass a no confidence motion against lord Buddha and commence worshiping the Hindu Gods in total. After all Buddha was not a god, but he analysed and dissected Hindu principles and gave it to all to act accordingly. But much to the dislike of Buddha all his teachings have been misinterpreted and gone haywire in Srilanka. Pity.
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Uthungan / June 23, 2019
Taraki
Despite your repeated bleats that Ceylon was a ‘Sinhala- Buddhist country before the British came, Tamils or any others will never accept your distortion of historical facts.
Ceylon was never notionally known to the British as Sinhala Buddhist when they took over the island from the Dutch before 1815.
When the Tamil Kandyan king signed the Kandyan Convention in 1815 the Tamil homelands in the NE of the island had come under British administration and there was
no mention any part of the island as being Sinhala-Buddhist. So your repeated propaganda bleats about a Sinhala- Buddhist county from that period of time then be of no avail.
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Punchi Point / June 25, 2019
There were no Tamil kings in Kandy. For that matter there were never ever any legitimate Tamil kings in the island. Tamil invaders cannot be counted as real kings. The last 4 kings in Kandy were Telugus who became Sinhalese kings. They were not Tamils. They spoke Sinhalese, they converted to Buddhism and ruled as any other Sinhalese king. Sinhalese called them “Andara Demala”, “Demala” or “Vaduga” (a Tamil loanword meaning notherners). Demala is a blanket term used for all south Indians and sometimes used to denote any foreigner – even today many Sinhalese don’t differentiate between the different south Indians in common speech. The last king Sri Vikrama Rajasinghe was called a “demalaa” who was destroying the Sinhalese, only after he got unpopular, but prior to that he was given all the praise and high descriptions of a good Sinhalese king.
The Tamils who claim that the Nayakas who ruled the Sinhalese kingdom of Kandy were Tamil, should watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weYLhPE9Wfc
As the video clearly shows the Tamils never considered the Nayakas as Tamils and the Nayakas never considered themselves Tamils. The video is full of lies constructed by Nam Tamilar’s Seeman, who is accusing the Nayakas and Telegus of various crimes and trying to involve the Sinhalese also in his allegations, but the point is that it shows the relationship between Tamils and the Nayakas and clearly proves that the Tamils always considered the Nayakas as foreigners. So how come the Nayakas suddenly became Tamils when they came to the Sinhalese city of Kandy? Another thing that this video proves is that there is no distinction between Tamils in this island and the Tamils of Tamilnadu, in other words, Tamils here are a relatively recent diaspora of Tamilnadu.
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Punchi Point / June 25, 2019
You have no idea what the Kandyan convention is even, but you want to claim that Kandy was ruled by Tamils?!! Shows how much Kandy and this island means to you Tamils. FYI the king never signed the convention – the whole thing was done to get rid of him. He was unjustly treated by the power hungry treacherous chiefs. That’s another part of this tragic story and the end of Sinhalese independence.
This island has always been the island of the Sinhalese. Nobody, including the Tamils of that time ever challenged that. Read the Yalpana Vaipava Malai and learn what the prevalent idea among the Tamils was – in the Yalpana Vaipava Malai it is said that the Tamils got their kingdom as a gift from the Sinhalese king, which goes without saying that the Tamils acknowledged the fact that they are occupying the land which belongs to the Sinhalese. The Tamil word Eelam means Sinhala country in ancient Tamil lexicons. The word Ceylon/Silon itself is derived from the Chinese rendering of Sinhala-dvipa through Arabic. In the Kandyan convention the Kandyan territory, which was the remaining territory under Sinhalese rule, is referred to as “Sinhale” in Sinhalese and Ceylon in English meaning Sinhalese country. The 5th condition in the convention is: “The Religion of Boodhoo professed by the chiefs and inhabitants of these provinces is declared inviolable, and its Rites, Ministers and places of worship are to be maintained and protected.”
Tamils were not even called Ceylonese, but Malabars for many decades. Now 200 years after the loss of Sinhalese independence the Tamil immigrants have added Ceylon in front of Tamil and are calling themselves Ceylon Tamils and claiming that this was not a Buddhist or Sinhala country!!!
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Bodin / June 25, 2019
The Sinhala Buddhist country was already written in the 1815 Kandyan convention. When the British took over Sri lanka (from 1802 to 1815) Captain Percival lived in Jaffna and recorded that the majority of residents there were Moors, and then the Sinhales and Malabars (Tamils). Read captain Percival’s detailed account.
So, at independence, Jaffna should have gone back to the Moors. Instead, a bunch of lawyers living in Colombo who claimed to be “Tamil”, but didn’t even speak good Tamil came forward as Tamil leaders, and they have continued to hoodwink the Tamils. They are in fact nothing but absentee upper caste landlords who live in Colombo and continue to protect their turf, with NO LOVE for the actual Jaffna Tamils (who they regard as some uncouth poeple). They got the poor tamils to fight against a majority that is 7 times itself.
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JD / June 23, 2019
Malaysia has the Bhoomiputhra concept and that should be brought to Sri lanka. In Japan, there are no foreign last names. all Japanese and that should be brought to Sri lanka. In the USA every one rally around the Flag. that should be brought to Srilanka.
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Uthungan / June 23, 2019
JD
Malaysia is a foreign country. It’s Bhoomiputra is therefore is a foreign concept. The USA is a foreign county.
When foreign judges and foreign troops are taboo for SL as that would affect us islander’s sovereignty deleteriously, why go for foreign Bhoomiputra concept or rally under US flag?
Wouldn’t that be a come down for Sinhala Buddhism?
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Punchi Point / June 24, 2019
Aiyooo, old new, old news…. war crimes, genocide, discrimination, etc etc. When will this ever stop!!!???? With or without war crimes, genocide, 1983, 1958 etc. etc the Tamil homeland is in Tamilnadu. NOTHING can change that. Tamils keep whining and crying to carve out countries in other peoples countries, while its just to take the boat back to their homeland Tamilnadu and live with their Tamil brethren, without bothering the innocent Sinhalese people like this. Tamils have no real attachment to this island at all. Ask them for their ancient history, they have absolutely NOTHING here, and will start pouring nonsense about the number of Tamil loanwords in Sinhala, or how Tamils shifted their language and identity into being Sinhalese and all sorts of rubbish. The UN, IC and India must please help the Sinhalese and the Tamils by formally declaring Tamilnadu the internationally acknowledged Tamil homeland and give the Tamils the possibility to assert their right to return to their homeland. India denied even the Plantation Tamils the right to return and it is we who have been accused of making those Tamils stateless. Giving all Tamils the right to return to their homeland is the only fair and just political solution to the problem. There is absolutely no need to carve out a separate state for Tamils in the Sinhalese island when the original Tamil state is just across the Palk Strait.
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OMG / June 24, 2019
There is no Tamil problem. The problem is the Tamil politicoes and their supporters. Load them all in the illegal fishing boats coming from their motherland India and send them all back there. Problem solved !
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Jey / June 24, 2019
Reading the above post by intelligent (not intellectuals) speak about the mindset of Sri Lankans (past & present). We need to get away from the history, who came first and who inhabited the now separated (from India) island. This will get the Sri Lankan nowhere, as Sri Lankan history is awash with fallacy. It depends on who is writing the book, most probably the one with the gun.
Sri Lanka is currently in a deep shit (pardon my language), politically and otherwise. People depends too much on the politician who are corrupt. Shift will only occur when the people start think, Sri Lanka First. Again this requires mindset change of colossal proportions.
Over to you, Sri Lankans.
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Colombo man / June 24, 2019
Why not go for a federal solution.
based on mutual respect and trust?
What I mean is Sinhalese/Muslims in the north will not be bullied by the Tamils
Tamils / Muslims in the south are not bullied by the Sinhalese
For this we Sri Lankan’s should be more civilized and demonstrate that we are a mature
democracy forging ahead as a strong united country into the future.
We should realise that developing Sri Lanka is ultimately in the hands of Sri Lankans.
There are many foreign interests that are very keen to see a weak Sri Lanka so that their interests will be realised.
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Buramphisincho / June 24, 2019
Colombo Man,
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I too questioned the way you do, knowing that the word ferderal is not negative in Switzerland, Germany; France or anywhere I have been travelling for my job and the activities.
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However, over 90% superstition based society, lankens in general feel ” Federalism” is a not devolution of power but SEPARATION of the country/land.
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The mythos being established by LANKEN kind media giants and sinister politicians of Rajaakshe nature made constrast the picture for their own political surivival. This reminds me of the DDT (insectiside) and its effectiveness to THIRD world countries and developed world.
Already back in early 70ties DDT was banned in Europe knowing its cancerogenity.
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However going back to my memory in SL and india they had been continuing to use it to irradicate the malaria mosquitoes. All because DDT ma nufaturing companies continued to collect their earning through that.
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Like wise lanken politicians of Rajaakshe nature would never see it right….. so long people s knowlege would be rotten in that way… PEOPLE s innociece and unawareness are their politicial survival.
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MsMaralathoni / June 24, 2019
Lankens would REMAIN as animals so long abusive media institutions make no effort to change the paradigm shift of the people s conditioned mind.
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We call it “buddhaagama” but many define it continue their harms to their fellow people. The words being abused by so called buddhagama followers (they are not real buddhists though their IDs would say them being buddhists), are like weapons…
Asgiriya monks themselves make it public that they are more pro violent nature than the otherway around. Pethi kapanawa.. is a job of a butcher is being droped down of the mouth pieces of Asgiriya chapter.. he should better leave sangahood and join malukaraya of the day, so that he can continue his thoughts and minds better then being a malukaraya..
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Velupillai Jegendirabose / July 1, 2019
Hi Punchi
Your ancestors are said to come from India- Vijayan and his 700 gangsters . You should take the boat and go back to where you came from and not the tamils who are original inhabitants of Ilankai -the present Srilanka.
Until you all start thinking that we the sinhalese and tamils are one ( several DNA tests have proved) the country will never grow. It will be taken over by China soon.
Jegen
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Punchi Point / July 1, 2019
Why are you telling this to me? Look at what the Tamils are saying. It is the Tamils who want to have a separate state not the Sinhalese. Don’t come back and start on all those imaginary discrimination, genocide etc etc. Tamils must take your part of the responsibility for the state of affairs here.
Ancestors of everyone came from Africa. Don’t get hung up on a myth about a lion-man from northIndia. No DNA study has ever proven “sinhalese and tamils are one”. If you know of any such studies post the references, otherwise it will be one of those DNA studies in the Tamil imagination. We don’t need DNA studies to find out where the Tamils came from.
If you are the original inhabitants of Ilankai why are you speaking the exact same language as in Tamilnadu? Why have the ancient Tamils never included Ilankai in Tamilakam? Why isn’t there any archaeological or literary evidence? According all respected scholars, Tamils are not the original inhabitants of even south-India. Tamils being indigenous to anywhere other than Tamilnadu is simply not possible. If Tamils had been here for any extended time prior to Tamils being able to hold territory with military power in an island without any natural barriers, then you would not be speaking the same language as in Tamilnadu, but would have had your own language, and it would have shown at least some convergence with Sinhalese and Vaedda languages. What is the actual situation – you speak the same language as Tamilnadu, and there’s not more than 3-4 Sinhala loanwords in your language, and there’s absolutely no linguistic borrowings from the Vaedda language. Is it even possible to pass the imaginary Tamil history as believable to the logical mind?
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