By C.V. Wigneswaran –
C.V. Wigneswaran
Someone asked: Do you think the Tamil Ethnic question would ever be solved and all Sri Lankans could travel along a common path to peace and prosperity?
My response was: Yes of course! The time is ripe now for the resolving of the so called ethnic question. A mystic in Jaffna told me in the 1980s that the Bandaranaike name after SWRD Bandaranaike would last only for 50 years from 1956. By 2006 I believe the name lost its political significance. Chandrika is not Bandaranaike. She is Mrs.Kumaratunga. Similarly I believe the ethnic question is nearing resolution. It has had a 100 years’ run from 1919.
When the British Government was prepared to give self government to the Ceylonese in 1919 the Sinhala Leaders then conspired to take over political power into their hands for certain reasons. The reasons that seemed to have prompted them to do so could be identified as follows –
1. Ceylon is the only Country for the Sinhalese in this world. Therefore we must take control of political power unto ourselves and keep all other communities under our control. They should be made to depend on us.
2. The Tamils have received disproportionate share in the Governmental Machinery due to the partiality of the British. We must now take the strangle hold unto our hands. The Tamils must be made powerless.
3. Unless we destabilize the Tamils in every possible way from now on we would not be able to take back the Country into our hands.
From then on the Sinhalese Political Leaders worked their conspiratorial scheme to perfection. Pan Sinhalese Cabinet, the dis-enfranchisement of Upcountry Tamils, State Colonisation of traditional Tamil areas with Sinhalese from elsewhere, Standardisation in education, planned pogroms and riots intermittently, description of Tamil freedom fighters as Terrorists and destroying them with International help and driving wedges between Tamil and other minority groups specially in the Eastern Province were all symptomatic of the basic thought processes that drove the minds of Sinhala Political Leaders so far. We could identify that hatred, fear, jealousy and many other negative feelings have got saturated in the minds of the Sinhala Political leaders in years gone by due to false and distorted history of Sinhalese being purveyed. When J.R said as Executive President he could do anything except to make a man a woman and vice versa my relative Justice V.Manicavasagar said “I beat JR at Royal in Studies, Cricket and other games but he has become all powerful today”. 1983 pogrom was during JR’s tenure of office.
Until now Sinhala Political and Social leaders have been thinking only along the lines their conspiratorial predecessors thought 100 years ago. I believe JR was the live wire in keeping this process alive.
But the situation changed for the worse during the past few years. What started as a reaction to Tamil influence during British times have gone beyond limits. Not only have Tamils been chased out of the South and many from the Island itself except the Greater Colombo area, their businesses destroyed and their influence in the State Services negated and lands of the Tamils in the South expropriated but the vengeance and venom of Sinhala Leaders have now set up ethnic cleansing as their final goal. Colonisation and expropriation of traditionally Tamil homelands in the North and East are taking place at a brisk pace with State patronage with the help of the armed forces and with the help of the Mahaweli Authority, Forest Department, Archaeology Department, Wild Life Department, Mines and Minerals Department, Fisheries Department and so on. What started as a reaction to the Tamils influence has gone beyond its limits now.
The influence that Tamils weilded during British times was not due to any favouritism or partiality towards the Tamils practiced by the British. On the contrary the Tamils were hard working and trust worthy. The Up Country Tamils were hardy and dependable. The Sri Lankan Tamils were studious getting good results in Public Examinations. The British practiced meritocracy and we Tamils did better. Even today the world over the Sri Lankan Tamils have done extremely well. Given opportunity they are capable of doing wonders like the Jews. Having got rid of the Tamils from the South now the idea has got into the heads of the Sinhala Politicians that Northern and Eastern Provinces must soon be made Sinhala majority. Just like how Tamil Brahmins from Madurai who came for the Coronation of King Dharmapala about four hundred years ago were given lands in Ambalangoda – Balapitiya area and their descendants came to be identified as Sinhalese the idea behind continued presence of the Armed forces 10 years after the war, intensive Colonisation of the buffer area between Northern and Eastern Provinces, sending of large scale Sinhala Officers to the North and East, continuing to have Sinhalese officers manning the Police Stations all over the North and East, building of Buddhist places of worship in the North and East where no Buddhists live, complete distortion of history to suit Sinhala political hegemony, attempted annexing of certain areas in the Vavuniya District to the Sinhala Districts in the vicinity, forcible taking over of fishing in the seas of the North and East by Sinhalese fisherman from the South are all directed towards Sinhalisation of the North and East and ultimate negation of the presence of the Tamils in their own traditional homelands. Already Sri Lankan Tamils are referred to as illegal immigrants during Chola times (10 Century AD) whereas strong archaeological and other evidence point to the fact Tamils lived here from pre Buddhistic times and the Sinhala Language came into being almost 9 Centuries after the introduction of Buddhism to Ceylon. That is why we say “Genocide” is being practiced. A scion of a powerful Sinhalese family sometime ago is credited to have stated to some friends with glee as follows –
“I have done a three in one! I got these Tamils in the Vanni area to dispose of their hereditary lands to us to find money to pay for the transportation of them to Australia. Now they have lost their lands and money and the Australian Government has caught them and jailed them. They have lost their properties, money and their freedom”. How far this is true I do not know. But we are told many families who disposed of their lands and paid high prices to travel to Australia illegally were helped by elements close at that time to then governmental sources. These families are facing extradition from Australia. But if they came back they would have no lands nor money here in Sri Lanka. They would carry the stigma of illegal emigrants from here transported forcibly back.
Let me come to your question now. Even though everything looks helpless and gloomy from the Tamilian point of view there are streaks of sunshine emerging from the perspective of reconciliation. The economy of the Sri Lankan government is in dire straits. Spending 20% of the Budget on the Armed Forces for a small Country like ours looks ridiculous. Hitherto the security was directed against attacks by Tamil Militants. Now there seems to be possible Muslim attacks which can be more deadly and unforeseen specially among Sinhala areas. The Government is soon coming to realize they cannot continue to fight a two pronged war against its main minorities.
The need to solve the Tamil ethnic question has now become urgent. Sri Lankan Forces being recalled by UN is the first of the negatives which the Country is now facing. Soon the spectre of war crimes will loom large. Bribery and corruption have reached prohibitive levels. Many other realizations have made the Sinhala Politicians review their modus operandi so far. Could we continue to hurt and hound out the Tamils they ask. What if we make peace with them? After all they are only asking for rights which they lost to us since the British gave self government to us. The British expected fair treatment of the minorities when they gave full control to us. Self government to the Tamils in their areas would make this Country reverse its journey towards becoming a failed Country.
I therefore expect the so called ethnic problem to be solved soon to enable all communities to travel together in the path of peace and prosperity.
*Justice C.V. Wigneswaran – Former Chief Minister
Lester / October 16, 2019
Readers have not found a solution to Hon. Wigneswaran’s profound question, so I will answer it: the Tamil question will be resolved through demographics. This is not my opinion. The Muslim population is growing at a rate greater than the Sinhalese and Tamil populations combined. The Muslims have already overtaken the Tamils (demographically) in the East. If they move to the North, you will see a similar phenomenon. Surprisingly, Tamils do not realize the scope of this demographic time-bomb, they are still fixated on Sinhalese “racism.” In fact, if the government removed all the Army camps in the North, who would buy the empty land? Not the Sinhalese, but the Muslims.
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Siva Sankaran Sharma / October 16, 2019
Tamils are still the largest community in the east and being indigenous own most of the lands. The fake Arab Dravidian Tamil converted Muslim refugee immigrants from South India , who only arrived in the east a few centuries ago , are not far behind them , due to their very high birth rate( the Sri Lankan Tamil birth rate is very low) and also due to large scale ethnic cleansing of Tamils both by all Sinhalese led Sri Lankan governments , from independence and by Muslim home guards during the war. Thousands of Tamils were deliberately ethnically cleansed from the east . Many of the Tamil refuses living in Indian and even parts of the north are from the east. The Muslims and Sinhalese do not want them to return . However Muslims are confined to coastal Amparai area South of Kalmunai city and to overpopulated Ghettoes , like Kattankudi and Mutur , This is why they are aggressively trying to steal lands from the native Tamils , with the help of their unscrupulous politicians and the Sri Lankan government. They have also obtained lots of funds from certain Islamic nations and are trying to aggressively purchase lands from the Tamils , using these funds. Please do not cry crocodile tears , as it was the Sinhalese establishment and racists like you , who made the Muslims powerful in the east and even encouraged their Arabisation and radicalisation, as a tool to marginalise the eastern Tamils . Now this is backfiring against the Sinhalese too. This is what happens when you plan and execute evil. Both the Sinhalese and the Muslims are using each other in the east, to steal the land from its rightful Tamil owners.
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Hamlet / October 16, 2019
“The Muslim population is growing at a rate greater than the Sinhalese and Tamil populations combined”
How True! My taxi Driver in the Course of Conversation Boasted that he Had 14 Children!
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Thappu / October 17, 2019
Don’t be jealous. Did you ask him how many wives he has? That makes it about 3-4 children per head. Let them enjoy their consummation.
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Dilkie / October 17, 2019
Hamlet.
Can we all STOP referring to citizens of Sri Lanka as Tamil,Muslim Sinhalese, Botha, Malay Vedda , Burger, Catholic, etc etc.
The compartmentalism Of people does not happen in any other Country. We are All Sri Lankan’s. Why oh why do we want to segregate and speak about homelands, territory, language and rights. We enjoy the same rights. We sing songs saying ‘we are one’.
This is ultimate hypocrisy to taunt citizens. Wiggy’s daughters married Sinhalese.
Today’s young marry without prejudice ignoring cast, creed and religion. Wonderful. Let the old and senile continue in their worthless cry.
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Bawa / October 18, 2019
‘Young’ Dilkie are you drawing a pension? You are right of course but there are racist bigots among the young too.
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Hamlet / October 18, 2019
Dilkie;-
I agree with you that we are all Sri Lankans, whether we speak any other Languages, or follow any other Religions!
I was quoting, (within Inverted Commas), from an earlier Post by Lester, in which he stated the above sentence.
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Modaya / October 17, 2019
Lester could you please provide the source for your population growth rate by ethnicity.
We would all like to to be educated with facts.
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chiv / October 16, 2019
Lester, agree with your reply.In my opinion, as long Tamils are concerned they are their own enemy (which includes ego , know it all attitude, looking down on others, shadow boxing, “crabs in boiling water attitude”, swollen heads with narrow thinking and last but not least their big mouth talk all promoted by Race Card ). Fortunately Muslims seems to have less of this problem among them but have their own share of gross ignorance and extremism promoted by religion
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Rohan / October 16, 2019
Describing your self and your relatives? The discrimination and marginalisation of the island’s Tamils is real and they deserve the same rights as the Sinhalese. It is their land as well as the Sinhalese , especially the north and east. You will find lots of Sinhalese and many other people belonging to other races and communities also with these traits, you and Lester are good examples of this. Do not generalise. Only an idiot does this. Does this mean all these people and their communities all deserve to be discriminated, killed raped , ethnically cleansed, marginalised and war crimes committed on them by the state , just because certain sections amongst them are arrogant? Please stop generalising and posting stupid comments Indian
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Stanley / October 17, 2019
You mistake the Sinhalese for your enemy, when we all share a common enemy. WAKE UP.
NOTHING PRACTICAL OR VISIONARY.
All 225 + 1 have demonstrated their complete lack of any brains, vision or patriotism. Just like the others, this press conference shows that the SLPP are just Indian bootlickers, tired old men and morons. This country could be like Singapore. These buffoons sing “India is my brother” from the rooftops.
Only thing that can save this country is getting the BASICS right. Only a candidate who promises something like these 16 things should be voted for if we want to save the country rather than political clans (the two are not equal):
1. ABOLISH 13th amendment (and Provincial Councils)
2. ABOLISH Indo Lanka Accord (no self respecting country would agree to such a a thing which strips us of our independence). No point talking against other countries and yet silent on India
3. Foster economic relationships with China, the US and ASEAN to counter India (the country which sponsored decades of terrorism here killing Sinhalese, Tamils, Moors, Burghers, Malays etc in our country)
4. SCRAP all wasteful layers of unnecessary bureaucracy and “jobs for the boys” and any political appointments. All public sector officials should be appointed and promoted naturally by merit within the service and the number of civil servants should be kept to a minimum.
5. Institute proper labour laws like in Singapore
6. BAN all Indian buses and trains from being imported
7. INVEST in electrified railways from Japan, China or Europe and a bullet train from the North (ALL THESE THINGS CAN BE PAID FOR INSTEAD OF WASTING ALL THE NATION’S MONEY ON POLITICAL PARASITES AND THEIR VEHICLES AND PERKS)
8. Set English medium as the language of instruction for ALL children in ONE school system. Each child can learn either Sinhala or Tamil as their mother tongue (One or the other), but are in one classroom to learn all other subjects together in English
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KA / October 18, 2019
Whilst thsese will not stop from discrimnintion to the structural genocide of Tamils that is now in full swing, it might help to take the heat off from Sinhalam.
Yet, you omitted the most important – removal of fore most place for Buddism.
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KA / October 16, 2019
What you describe is individual or some sub group level traits or behavior.
Who promoted and still promote race card?
If your answer is Tamils, then all your reasonableness is at the best is a veil.
How Tamils tried to minimize the effect (Selva, GG, Amir), and not challenged race card is history.
The sense and confidence of inalienable rights and belonging to the soil arises out of ones’ history and umbilical chord level antiquity, indigenous heart-and-mind connection to the soil. Even this description does not capture how, as an Eezham Tamil, feel about my homeland in which my ancestors thrived before or even after Kalathoni Vijayan and that local stooge called Thevanai Nambiya Theesan (this name is still in use among Tamils) coverted to Buddism.
The Muslims does not have this attachment or bonding to the soil, and even their relationship to the soil is not at hearts-and-mind bonding and that’s why they take materialistic view of soil as property with value. Same for modern Chingalam, who are an immigrant community apparently assimilated to original Chingalam, yet original Chingalam keep them (modern Chingalam) at arm length.
These are same reason for Eezham Tamils do not claim soil of original Chingalam because we know how dear the soil to original Chingalam and we do not have umbilical chord level heart-and-mind attachment and bonding to soil of original Chingalam.
Deep down Muslims know all these this very well as recent immigrant community, and that is why when challenged in their stealthy attempt claiming soil, they do not have resenting guts to oppose it.
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Thambapanni Man / October 18, 2019
The Dravidians were the original people of South Asia who later occupied Southern India and Sri Lanka. This island was originally a Siva Boomi (sacred land of Saivate/Hindu Dravidians). The Dravidians were occupying this island (and South India) from time immemorial and the language of this (South India-Sri Lanka) region was also Dravidian from the very beginning. They were devotees of Lord Siva (Saivaism is a sect of Hinduism/Brahmanism prevalent in South India – Sri Lanka region before Buddhism). The numerous occurrences of the personal name Siva in the Pali chronicles and in the early Brahmi stone inscriptions and the recent discoveries of Siva temples and Saivate Dravidian villages buried in the Anuradapura area are further proof that the island was originally occupied by Saivate/Hindu Dravidians in the ancient past.
Everything changed in Sri Lanka due to the North Indian Emperor Asoka who sent Buddhist missionary monks led by his son Mahinda Thero to the island and converted the Saivaite Dravidian King Muta Siva’s second son Tissa (brother of Maha Siva) to Buddhism in the 2nd century BC (Tissa/Tisa is his Buddhist name, his real Saiva Dravidian name is not known). Emperor Asoka gave Tissa a title Devanampiya for accepting Buddhism. In fact, Buddhism in Sri Lanka was actually a North Indian conspiracy organized by the North Indian Emperor Asoka with the support from the local stooge Tissa who seized the Anuradapura throne (with Asoka’s support) which rightly belonged to his elder brother.
Following the king Devanampiya Tisa, a large number of Saivaite/Hindu Dravidian (Eela) tribes in the island embraced Asoka’s Buddhism, Aryanised/Prakritised their speech, learned to write using Asoka Bhrami script, adopted the North Indian Lion symbol (National flag, Sri Lanka never ever had any Lions), accepted the Asoka Buddhist culture and implemented Asoka’s technology to build Stupas, Chaityas, Viharas, Sangharama, and so on. The people who call themselves Sinhala-Buddhists today are converts, they were originally Saivate/Hindu Dravidians.
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chiv / October 16, 2019
Rohan, please read my statement again. It is not just my opinion and quite a few Tamils will agree that “Lankan Tamils are their own enemy”. Truth is bitter and difficult to digest. Yes these traits may be seen in other communities too, but mind you none are currently in such pathetic and helpless situation as in Lankan Tamils. My statement dosent anywhere endorse the atrocities and suffering , inflicted on them.You are reading my statement as in “all or none ” concept. NO community should be discriminated, killed, cleansed or marginalized for what ever may be the reasons. PERIOD. Your last sentence “please stop generalizing and posting stupid comments”, I readily accept, your difference in opinion, but what Indian means ?????You mean, because right now I am living in India, I sure must be an Indian decent ???or are all Indians stupid??? Buddy who is generalizing here ?????
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Stanley Gunaratne / October 17, 2019
USE YOUR BRAIN AND THINK. More politicians and perks is more “jobs for the boys”. You do realise that the TNA and UNP and SLFP and SLPP and JVP and SLMC etc are all having a good laugh at the taxpayer’s expense. It is the politicians who attack people with thugs, who
murder, who steal and who waste the nation’s potential.
Only thing that can save this country is getting the BASICS right. Only a candidate who promises something like these 16 things should be voted for if we want to save the country rather than political clans and parties (the two are not equal):
1. ABOLISH 13th amendment (and Provincial Councils)
2. ABOLISH Indo Lanka Accord (no self respecting country would agree to such a a thing which strips us of our independence). No point talking against other countries and yet silent on India which keeps us from interacting with the West, China, Japan, Australia and rest of Asia
3. Foster economic relationships with China, the US and ASEAN to counter India (the country which sponsored decades of terrorism here killing Sinhalese, Tamils, Moors, Burghers, Malays etc in our country and kept people poor)
4. SCRAP all wasteful layers of unnecessary bureaucracy and “jobs for the boys” and any political appointments. All public sector officials should be appointed and promoted naturally by merit within the service and the number of civil servants should be kept to a minimum.
5. Institute proper labour laws like in Singapore so that foreign investment will shower the country with money and EVERYONE will get a good job (look how many clever Sri Lankans you have abroad both Sinhalese and Tamil etc, there are 22 million honest people in the country who yearn for a good job)
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Nimal Tissa Wijethunga / October 17, 2019
Wignesharan,
There is no ethnic problem in Sri Lanka as all the problems are common to all Sri Lankans and economic empowerment is the answer.
That is all howsoever loudly you bark.
Please note that 13A will also discarded following Presidential Elections on the 16th November 2019.
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Concerned citizen / October 18, 2019
Nimal,
International agreements between two countries cannot be discarded by one country without the consent of the other country. From 1987, many leaders ruled SL but none of them could discard the 13A, Rajapakshes even talked about 13A+ so what you are saying can be considered as a JOKE.
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Nimal Tissa Wijethunga / October 18, 2019
Let us see how it is going to be discarded and simply because it is being forced up on us.
We will call for a referendum and discard it. Besides, 13A produced more number of corrupted politicians and it is a huge Admin cost to Sri Lanka without any benefits.
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Stanley / October 23, 2019
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT Nimal.
Let the entire nation decide. No one in their right mind will vote to keep the 13A. Sri Lankan citizens of all ethnicities don’t need it. It is an Indian system designed to keep this country backward, divided and to promote corruption. We must abolish this entire wretched system of governance which only benefits idiot politicians who plunder the nation’s money and ruin us all.
Wake up Sri Lankans. All 225+1 from ALL parties are useless and Indian bootlickers. All the money wasted on Provincial Councils should be spent on building world class hospitals, schools, roads and trains. And at least one proper airport (we have none right now).
Why the hell are we wasting money on bloody corrupt politicians and their perks? Enough is enough. Sri Lanka should be like Singapore, not a mini Indian hellhole.
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Stanley / October 23, 2019
Concerned citizen
There is no ethnic problem in Sri Lanka. The problem in this country is total CORRUPTION, mismanagement and incompetence by a ruling class who are Indian bootlickers.
Whether they are Rajapaksas, Wickeremesinghes or Sambandans etc they are all bloody useless. Sri Lanka doesn’t need the 13A, Provincial Council parasites or useless inept morons and endless “jobs for the boys.” At independence we had just 95 MPs and a lean civil service and were fine. Sri Lanka needs the rule of law that’s all.
The 13A was never approved by referendum making it illegal. But a simple referendum or election can end this atrocious thing once and for all. No right minded sane Sri Lankan wants it. In a third world country without schools, hospitals, roads, rail etc why the hell would we pay over $1.5 billion a year (over 270 Trillion Rupees) annually for these parasites full of political goons and thugs? They do nothing for the country. To hell with them.
And India forced it on us. No international court will uphold an agreement forced on a nation. The Munich Pact forced on the Czechs is no longer valid. The Indians also broke their deal since they never disarmed the Tigers hence the Indo Lanka Accord is invalid. Once it is gone, other countries, be it China, Britain, Australia, Singapore can also invest here. We shouldn’t ask India’s permission to do anything because we are NOT Indian thank god.
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Vanguard / October 19, 2019
The root cause of all this is the competition for resiurces: jobs, economic progress. It is very disappointing that a former judge could be so narrow minded as to insist on more political power to one region of.the country as the cure all. . Fair treatment means developing areas of.the country.
Why talk aboit the problems of the Tamils. We all have problems and we all need them to be solved. When will the Sri Lankan problem be solved is the right question.
We cannot solve the problem alone but we need proposals that will appeal to the good hearted side of the Sinhalese without antagonizing them.
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Mano / October 18, 2019
Yes. The last nail on the coffin has been driven and for Wigineswaran there is no ethnic problem from the day his children found their life Partners among the Majority Sinhalese.
What the Tamils now need is a place to bury their dead ones. Finding a place to bury is the new ethic problem for the Sinhalese to solve.
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bhumiputhra bandaara / October 18, 2019
[Edited out]I will tell who these TAMIL bastard are in this country- Tamil Nadu is one of the 29 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai (formerly known as Madras). Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the States of Puducherry, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. It is the eleventh largest state in India and the seventh most-populous state.
As of 2001 census, Tamil is spoken as the first language by 88.43% of the population followed by Telugu by 5.65 percent, Kannada by 2.68 percent, Urdu by 1.51 per cent, Hindi by 0.64 percent, Malayalam by 0.89 percent, Marathi by 0.1 percent and Saurashtra by 0.1 percent.
The Tamils are an ethno-linguistic group of Dravidian family. Tamilians are living in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka, South-East Asia (Malaysia, Singapore etc.), Canada, UK and the USA. According to the 2001 census, they number 100 million.[1]
Tamils are native to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in South India, and northern and eastern Sri Lanka.
Native speakers of Tamil make up 88.43% of the total population of Tamil Nadu and 6.32% of the total population of India making it the fifth-most spoken language in the country. The Tamils are an ethnolinguistic group of [[Tamil people |Dravidian]] family. Tamilians are living in Tamil Nadu, Sri Lanka,IN THE begining were pirates and thereafter r as illegal immigrantsand in South-East Asia (Malaysia, Singapore etc.)as British subjects, and in Canada, UK and the USA as REFUGEES. According to the 2001 census, they number 100 million.
Tamils are native to [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Puducherry]] in [[South India]],
Native speakers of Tamil make up 88.43% of the total population of Tamil Nadu and 6.32% of the total population of India making it the fifth-most spoken language in the country.
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Thambapanni Man / October 18, 2019
bhumiputhra bandaara,
I will tell who these Bandaara bastards are in this country. The last king of the Kandyan kingdom Kannasamy Nayakar aka Sri Vikrama Rajasinha did not have any children to his official Dravidian wife (Queen) Rajammal Venkatamma. However he (King) had hundreds of children to his Sinhalese anthapura wives (as a king, it was his privilege to have any woman he found attractive as his anthapura wife). The children of the king born to the anthapura wives were called Pandaram (males) and Manikam (females) who later became Banda and Menika. Today there are an awful lot of Bandas and Menikas in the upcountry. They all have Kannasamy Nayakar’s blood running in their veins.
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Concerned citizen / October 18, 2019
The so called “divide-and-rule policy of the British” did not favour any Tamils. It only favoured the Sinhalese who were collaborating with the British (known as Kalu Suddo). You do not need any education and research capability to understand the behaviours and cultural differences of two different races in a country. Just by living with both of them for a certain amount of period (few years) and some intelligence/common sense is more than enough. For example, it did not take mush time for the Colonial rulers to identify the Sinhalese as foolish and lazy people only good at gobbling Kavum. They did not say the same to Tamils or Muslims because the Tamils were clever, ready to learn, industrious, honest, pious, law abiding, and hardworking (the Tamil work ethics – work is worship). The Tamil speaking Muslims were also honest and very good at business and trading. On the other hand, the Sinhala race was very lazy, violent, racist, hateful, jealous and mean spirited. This is the reason why, when it came to white collar jobs in the Ceylon Civil Service the colonials gave preference to the native Ceylon Tamils of North and East. The Tamils were holding top positions in the government service whereas the Sinhalese were working as peons and drivers. Like what Soulbury said, the English were jealous of the Scots, the lazy Sinhalese were jealous of the hardworking Tamils and Muslims. The so called Sinhala leaders (the Kalu Suddas) such as Senanayakes, Jayawardanes, Bandaranakakes, Wijayawardenas, Kothalawelas and many others licked the bottoms of the British Suddas and got the whole country including the Tamil homeland as one unit (on a platter) without sheding any blood, sweat or tears. In 1948, the British handed over the entire country to the Sinhalese with the second highest GNP per capita in Asia and where is Sri Lanka today? It is like giving a beautiful flower garland to a group of monkeys.
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Udesh / October 18, 2019
What a fairytale. Is that why the so call clever leader died like a pig in the mud in vellamulluvaikal? Why dont you pack your bags and get out of our mother land. Are’nt you feel shame living in the land of sinhalese and using their genorasity and ask for a piece of their land. Well try and see the result when we deliver it to your door stop.
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Thambapanni Man / October 18, 2019
Udesh,
During the colonial rule (in 16th century the Portuguese & in 18th century the Dutch), lots of Dalit (untouchables) South Indians (low caste) were brought to Sri Lanka as slaves and settled in the Southern parts of Sri Lanka as menial laborers/coolies (for growing/peeling cinnamon – today known as Salagama caste, for fishing/pearl diving – today known as Karawa caste, coconut planting/plucking and toddy tapping – today known as Durawa caste, and for many other jobs). Within a few centuries, the Sinhala population in the South increased exponentially when these people changed their religion to Buddhism and Christianity to hide their caste and eventually assimilated with the local Sinhala population (Sinhalized) by adopting the Sinhala language/culture and getting converted to Sinhala Buddhists and Sinhala Catholics. Some of them even adopted the Portuguese surnames to hide their original South Indian (low caste) identity.
Today their descendants are not only claiming the ancient Sri Lankan civilization as their own ‘Sinhala’ heritage but have also become the patriots and champions of Sinhala-Buddhist chauvinism. They have become distinct, ‘North Indian Sinhabahu’s Lion-blooded Sinhala Aryans’, the Nationalist Patriots and guardians of the country and its Religion (Buddhism) and call themselves the blood relatives of Dutugemunu. If the forefathers of these so called “Sinhaputhra/Boomiputhra of Heladiva” had remained as South Indians (without assimilating with the Sinhalese) today the Tamils would have been the majority in Sri Lanka or if they had assimilated with the Veddas instead of Sinhalese, today the Veddas would have been considerably a large population in Sri Lanka.
So Udesh, can you please tell us from which South Indian tribal area your ancestors (Dalit/untouchables) came to Sri Lanka and got converted into Sinhala-Buddhists? What is their surname now, Perera, De Silva, Fernando? What was their names then, Parama Cutti, Nila Cutti?
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Udesh / October 18, 2019
Wow what a fairytale again by the very people who were broght down to clean our toilets. I’m sure your ancestors cleaned our toilets. Why dont you pack your bags and getout of sri lanka.
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Stanley / October 23, 2019
The Senanayake’s and Kotewalas and Kannagaras and Ramanathans and Sir Ivor Jennings and Goppawalas of this world were hard working honest and patriotic leaders who did not think about ethnicity, but saw themselves as Ceylonese/Sri Lankans.
The PROBLEM in this country has been Indian bootlickers like the Bandaranaikes who ruined us all. These inept politicians use ethnicity to gain power, and keep people (ALL OF US) enslaved and keep us poor and use us to fund their own Western lifestyle – whilst lambasting the West or China constantly as the cause of our ills.
Singapore modelled itself on the Ceylon pre 1956 and boomed into a first world country despite having no water within 30 years. We can achieve the same in no more than 10 if you eject all 225+1 and this corrupt system they have designed (post 1972) which politicises everything and makes us like India. Get rid of the Indian influence and systems here and Ceylon/Sri Lanka will blossom.
As you said, Britain handed over Ceylon as a country that was number one or two in all of Asia and all set to become like the modern day Korea, Japan, Singapore within a generation. Sadly our useless leaders have led our people on a path to nowhere. We can regain that esteemed status and realise our potential only if we all work together against our common enemy – Indian bootlicking politicians which includes the UNP, SLPP, SLFP, JVP, TNA, SLMC etc.
Save Ceylon, save the dream. One nation, one people, one law!
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Bawa / October 18, 2019
The CWC has agreed to support the SLPP candidate GR at the upcoming Presidential elections. This is how a few Tamil leaders help their people.
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Udesh / October 18, 2019
Wiggy should write this article to website in Tamilnadu not here. Now he is trying get tamils emotional and get their votes. Ofcourse after winning he can celebtrate it with his friends in colombo. The usual. Thats why they say NEVER LET YOUR HEART RULE YOUR HEAD.
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chiv / October 18, 2019
CVW, today after the failed talks with TNA, your in law Vasu claimed ” TNA demands are same as LTTE demands”. During the meeting with TNA, when asked about SLPP proposals to address North and East issues, your other in law MR , interrupted Gotha and snapped, stating “people in South have more issues”. That was the end of talks and TNA left the meeting, knowing well Rajapaksas , never had concerns or genuine commitment to the Tamil Community.
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Vanguard / October 19, 2019
It makes sense to make reasonable demands for more opportunities for youth for example, as a first step, at least. The Sinhalese are bound to agree to this. When all provinces are devloped you can decide.if federalism.is.necessay.I think it.won`t be.
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KA / October 19, 2019
Ideal plan for completing painless genocide of Tamils and Sinhala ghetto project.
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soam / October 19, 2019
CV will be last man on earth to seek to resolve the ethnic problems. Five long years as CM – NP, what the heck did he achieve , except for passing in excess of 500 resolutions though NPC. This guy is utter imbecile and Sambhantan of TNA made a blunder by appointing him. Do not go there again.
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Gemini Cricket ? / October 19, 2019
The way I see it is that, as a people, we are very eager to swallow negative ideas and hold on to them with out any logical or rational basis.
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Our reasoning is based on emotions and we choose to believe any rubbish just like children.
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No matter how try to reason with an average Sri Lankan he will not drop his idiotic views.
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The Buddha taught us that ignorance is the root of all suffering, and one of the main negative effects of ignorance, is greed.
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When one is so greedy that he is not ready to let go of anything, including his pre conceived notions or ideas in his head, it can be argued that it is a form of extreme greed. We are said to be stuck in Sansara.
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We cannot move forward at all. We will continue to behave like savages. No respite for ourselves or others.
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My simple answer would be, the day politicians stop weaponizing religion, and allow Buddhism in it true form to flourish we should not expect anything good.
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The day Sri Lankans learn to look at life from a broad perspective and learn to reason like civilised human beings, follow the esense of buddhas teaching we can start expecting positive change.
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K.Pillai / October 19, 2019
Our pre-independence leaders created the “Us & Them” syndrome. The ‘Us’ were Sinhala Speakers and ‘Them’ the ‘Others’. Immediately after independence this created the two tier citizens. One saw ‘Law & Order’ deteriorating and the onset of ‘Culture’ of corruption/nepotism/impunity.
We have reached the stage where SLPP openly proclaims ‘Reconciliation with ‘Others’ is No-no-no’.
The stage of business domination is round the corner. Mafia rule will set in.
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The ‘Law & Order’ governance must emerge. It WILL one day.
Wiggy’s angst will go away.
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Stanley / October 23, 2019
K. Pillai,
Our Independence leaders were honest people like DS Senanayake, Sir Oliver, Sir John etc were all honest far thinking people. They saw us all as us. They wanted a prosperous first world Ceylon. We were all set till Indian bootlicking morons took this country backward to make us a hellhole like India. What has happened is the country is divided into:
1. We the honest people who want to advance and think of each other as equals
2. Moron politicians who are Indianised and cannot comprehend the concept that politicians are meant to be SERVANTS of the people.
Group 2 keep this country backward, waste taxpayer’s money and employ double standards where you or I (whether Sinhalese, Tamil, Moor, Burgher, Malay, Veddah etc) must cling on to a CRAP Indian train for dear life, pay bribes and struggle in life. Whereas the glorious idiot politician uses OUR tax payer money to ride around in Western cars. Whilst they lambast the West in speeches.
The SLPP, UNP, SLFP, JVP, TNA, SLMC etc are all the same. Need all 225+1 to go. Scrap Provincial Councils and useless system.
Get a lean system like at Independence and get honest governance again with futuristic ideas. We need any one of the clever 22 million Sri Lankans to lead us. Not these useless buffoons ruining us!
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Udesh / October 19, 2019
Wiggy has blown a fuse. He forgot what happened in vellamullivaikal. The answer was given there. The murderes pig who took arms for this corse died in the mud naked. The boys had to find a uniform for this bastard who was hiding in the lagoon nakedly. One can see the very answer from his face, looking at the sky begging for his life.
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