Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah
“…it is a question that needs to be litigated because, the (Sri Lankan) government certainly behaved as though its intention was to wipe out at least a part of the Tamil community and to produce conditions in the North which made it difficult for them and their culture to survive” – Geoffrey Robertson QC
There are two related issues currently of critical consequence to Tamils:
- The deferment of the release of the OISL report (the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka report) initially fixed for March 25, 2015
- and the question of whether or not it was Genocide and the Dire need for it to be litigated.
These questions encapsulate the critical debate that is raging among the protagonists in the Sinhala Tamil ethnic conflict with so called arbitrators on the side. The debate has moved since 2009 from the battle field which according to the UN’s final admission of sorts culminated in 70,000 Tamil civilians left dead[1] ; to triumphalism at its worst displayed by the Rajapaksa government side.
Gradually then it advanced to the political and diplomatic arena with expectations rife that it could possibly finally shift to high gear to the legal arena. But lately what with the Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera of the new regime in Sri Lanka making the rounds, crisscrossing the world and writing to the OHCHR Chief, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein to postpone the release of the OISL with the assurance that Sri Lanka is ready to conduct its own investigation, there is no end to speculation, uncertainty and a feeling of another betrayal for the Tamils.
All this going on whilst major international players like US and India, it is thought, is involved in steering things by, the developments that is. The only redeeming feature of this development on “deferral”, which is a cause for comfort is the High Commissioner’s undertaking[2] that it would only be a “one time deferral” and that report won’t be “shelved” with a subtle hint, “the request was made [3] (Mangala Samaraweera to him) based on the ‘changing context in Sri Lanka’ and the possibility of new information becoming available for the report..” Which makes one speculate whether it means the High Commissioner is expecting OISL investigators to be permitted in to Sri Lanka or if it means Sri Lanka’s proposed domestic mechanism, that is still to be commissioned would shed more light on the truth of what happened in Mullivaikkal.
The article on the question of ‘Deferment of the OISL report and where is the justice in that Deferment’ will be a sequel to this article, here the focus would primarily be on the second question:
Genocide : “It’s A Question That Certainly Needs To Be Litigated”
What’s this about the ‘G’ word in Sri Lanka, some would say light heartedly, sadly for those who haven’t made the long and arduous journey with Tamils, walking in their shoes; in their desire for equal treatment and fundamental political and human rights, this word would have no meaning, for they would not have a clue how this word ‘Genocide’ best represents the slow but systematic destruction of the Tamil race in the island that culminated in the elimination of a part of them in 2009.
The Tamil Diaspora would not be deterred from seeking the truth
To those who want to cover-up the injustices inflicted on Tamils, the injustices that was and is focused intently on the systematic destruction of their national identity, possessions, land, security and lives, ‘Genocide‘ is to be dismissed as just false propaganda, viewed by them as a mere ranting of an insignificant lot in the Diaspora far removed from their “non-existent ” homeland in the Northeast; and because it matters not what they think. The Diaspora has proved that this kind of rejection of the Diaspora would not deter them from coming to the ultimate truth and/or seeking remedial justice for the victims of genocide.
Truth cannot be bartered for special interests
Are Tamils and the mass atrocity crimes that were committed against them, now to be investigated by the perpetrators themselves and their kinsmen, so insignificant, that it can be left in the very hands that sought to destroy them; that the truth can be bartered for the geo-political self interests of some major powers.
1. NPC charges genocide
Having been in denial ever since, Sri Lanka has never come to terms with the hard truth. As a result the Northern Provincial Council’s (NPC) very brave and courageous stand in passing a resolution [4] on, “Sri Lanka’s Genocide Against Tamils,” calling on the “ongoing” OISL investigation on Sri Lanka to investigate the claim of genocide and recommend prosecutions,” didn’t sit well with the new regime – because the NPC’s move would be seen as undermining the new regime’s plans to win a majority in the parliamentary elections set for April in order to remain in power and the major international powers’ desire to keep them there.
I salute the NPC for taking this most crucial initiative that most certainly sets the bar for any domestic investigation contemplated. The NPC resolution didn’t mince words; it was pointed, it retraced the history of, “successive Sri Lankan governments’ genocide against Tamils and rightly so”:
“This resolution provides an overview of the evidence demonstrating successive Sri Lankan governments’ genocide against Tamils, and respectfully requests the ongoing United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL) to investigate the claim of genocide and recommend appropriate investigations and prosecutions by the International Criminal Court.”
A direct ‘challenge to the moral integrity of the Sinhalese majority’
That, “it should challenge the moral integrity of the Sinhalese majority,”[5] words uttered by the NPC Chief Minister following the passage of the resolution may or may not prick the conscience of the Sinhalese majority but he probably was making a pointed reference to the importance of owning up to truth.
The NPC’s resolution “did not go well with the Colombo leadership with the Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne calling the NPC resolution an “extremist position”.
Wigneswaran had earlier declined the use of the word ‘Genocide’ in a previous resolution introduced by M K Shivajilingam, in January 2014, “observing it had a very specific meaning legally and hence had to be used with caution.” But this time The Chief Minister, “had decided to move it after carefully studying various incidents over the years,” TheHindu reported.
The NPC in its 11page resolution makes a strong and convincing case for genocide, The Hindu reporting in its headline that the, “‘Tamil Province Charges Colombo with Genocide.” [6]
This resolution articulates the thoughts, feelings and conclusions of the Tamil people and should be treated as coming from the horse’s mouth. The NPC an institution that represents overwhelmingly the Tamil people from the Northern Province who have lived, breathed and suffered at the hands of successive chauvinistic Sinhala Buddhist dominated governments who have failed to put the Tamil people’s interests at par with their Sinhalese counterparts.
The Genocide Deniers
Like in most other genocides and the holocaust, there’s no doubt the NPC resolution has created an uproar among those genocide deniers in Sri Lanka; those who seek a cruel pleasure in denying that we are a nation, that we are entitled to rights, that we deserve to share power; although we have all the attributes of a nation, where other countries like the UK and Canada have evolved and adapted to power sharing, Sri Lanka still insists on a unitary formation.
For example the vociferous ones like Dayan Jayatilleka [7] in his usual audaciously, chauvinistic style and in a bid to muzzle the Tamils, has condemned the NPC action as going further than its ambit as a Provincial Council – for Dayan NPC had dropped a bombshell; Wigneswaran and Northern Council Detonate ‘Genocide’ resolution he balks.
In a later article[8] he makes the observation that he sees this as the “writing on the wall” and that this development was going to lead to the “dismantling of the Sri Lanka state”. And what was laughable was the analogy he used which didn’t quite fit his argument – the parallels he drew was about a woman subject to “conjugal rape” who would not want to live with the perpetrator any more. Now I would say a woman repeatedly raped has every right to seek justice in the courts and most certainly should be able to file for divorce. I thought Dayan didn’t help his cause with that argument because he was himself admitting to the commission of a serious criminal offence here and what the natural consequence of that would be. In any court of law a marriage that has the wife complaining of repeated rape by the husband would be given a divorce outright and more than that the husband would have to most certainly stand trial on the very serious charge of rape with a fitting rigorous punishment.
Then there’s Shenali Vaduge, the mouth piece of Gotabaya Rajapaksa who used to have her articles posted on the Sri Lanka Defence Ministry web site when Gota prevailed. Shenali who was made to eat her words, with one of her articles having to be withdrawn from the ministry site when she made a libellous statement about the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. In response to the NPC resolution she has called on President Sirisena to dissolve the NPC with immediate effect and wanted the 13th amendment abolished as well in her article now appearing no more in the Defence Ministry site but somewhere, where they’ll have her rhetoric, headlined: President Should Dissolve Northern Provincial Council on Genocide claim.” [9]
Genocide it is
The Genocide perpetrated against the Tamils has been taken up, debated, analysed and agreed upon not just by the Tamil Diaspora or the Northern provincial Council but also by many authors, by the former Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, the Permanent People’s Tribunal and an eminent lawyer, Geoffrey Robertson among other:
2. The Permanent People’s Tribunal delivered a guilty verdict on the charge of genocide
The Permanent People’s Tribunal in its second sessions specifically addressed the crime of genocide and after examining 30 eye witnesses, laying down the acts committed by the Sri Lankan government and found that, “genocide against the Ealam Tamil Group had not reached total destruction of their identity, that however…the process was ongoing.”
“The tribunal found that genocide against the Eelam Tamil group has not yet reached the total destruction of their identity; however, the genocide is a process and the process is ongoing. The military killings of May 2009 have been transformed into other forms of conduct causing serious bodily and mental harm to members of the group. The tribunal considered that the proof established beyond any reasonable doubt that the following acts were committed by the government of Sri Lanka:
“Killing members of the group, which includes massacres, indiscriminate shelling, the strategy of herding civilians into so-called ”no fire zones” for the purpose of killings, targeted assassinations of outspoken Eelam Tamil civil leaders who were capable of articulating the Sri Lankan genocide project to the outside world.”
“Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group, including acts of torture, inhumane or degrading treatment, sexual violence including rape, interrogations combined with beatings, threats of death, and harm that damages health or causes disfigurement or injury.
Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or part, including expulsion of the victims from their homes; and seizures of private lands; declaring vast areas as military high security zones to facilitate the military acquisition of Tamil land….”
3. UN workers in an Independent Report speak of the genocidal acts that were committed
In an article titled “Independent Report on Sri Lanka and United Nations Human Rights Violations” Julian Vigo the author interviews UN workers who were posted in Sri Lanka before they were expelled by the Sri Lankan government who give damming testimonies against Sri Lanka and their United Nations Senior officials and its hierarchy – and on how the two colluded and were silent on acts of genocide that were committed.
4. Sri Lanka’s Secrets: How the Rajapaksa Regime Gets Away With Murder – “chronicle of genocide”
Bruce Haigh a political commentator and a retired diplomat, who served in Sri Lanka and a former member of the refugee review tribunal, who reviewed, Trevor Grant’s book, Sri Lanka’s Secrets: How the Rajapaksa Regime Gets Away With Murder, has no doubt the book is a “chronicle of genocide” [10]
“The author, Trevor Grant, details the final cruel days of the thirty-year civil war in Sri Lanka during which the Sinhalese armed forces murdered tens of thousands of innocent Tamil men, women and children. The tightly written and moving text is supported by graphic photographs conveying their own reality of the horror…. At the end of the book Grant quotes the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, “Rwanda’s lessons were not implemented in Sri Lanka”.
The Tamils of Sri Lanka continue to undergo a process of genocide, a fact frequently noted by Grant. At a full session of the Rome based Permanent Peoples Tribunal held in Bremen, 7/10 December 2013, to consider evidence gained over three years found, “… that the State of Sri Lanka is guilty of the crime of genocide against Eelam Tamils.”
5. Sri Lanka Hiding the Elephant – The Doctrine of ‘Double Effect’
Prof, Ramu Manivannan, Chair of the Politics and Public Administration Department of the University of Madras in his book, Sri Lanka: Hiding The Elephant – Documenting Genocide, War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity , explains the ‘Doctrine of Double Effect’ to make his case “for Sri Lanka’s twin genocidal strategy” which Vinoj Kumar mentions in his review of the book , which I quote in my perspective on the author, Prof. Ramu Manivannan [11] :
“In recognition of the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the Sri Lankan government and its authorities, we need to ask whether there is a unique case or a distinct crime here? The answer is yes. …The genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka has taken place over a period of time involving several steps and strategies, and this includes continuous dismantling and destruction of the essential foundations of human life of the Tamils in Sri Lanka…To be precise, the Sri Lankan government has employed the ‘doctrine of double effect’, the brutal military resolution of the ethnic conflict combined with the long term strategy of ethnic cleansing… This ‘doctrine of double effect’ has been the most unmistakable exhibition of the genocidal intent of the State and its Sinhala nationalism… The genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka has taken place over a period of time involving several premeditated steps and concealed strategies. This includes organized attacks and destruction of essential foundations of human life common to all civilized human societies.. Interestingly, the book reveals that Gotabaya Rajapaksa was a student of the very same University that has now named him as a war criminal,” says Vinoj Kumar highlighting sections of the book.”
In his interview to the Editor of Tamil Mirror published in Canada Prof. Manivannan in response to a question: what kind of impact do you want to make through this book, said, “his primary commitment and interest in writing this book is documenting history,” calling the genocide in Sri Lanka “politically constructed..and that it’s a structural genocide combined with a cultural process.”
“My primary commitment and interest in writing this book, as I said before, is documenting the history. Then it’s not simply the documentation that lies in the Library. What I advocate in the book is that it is a politically constructive Genocide. The Genocide in Sri Lanka is politically constructed and it’s a structural Genocide, combined with the cultural process. Therefore the Tamil question deserves a political solution. So, to take this forward, the message of the book is that the people of Tamil Nadu, the people in North East Sri Lanka and the Diaspora Tamils will have to believe in the political path and this is the time to engage in politics. Be engaged with politics is the message of the book.” [12]
6. Lee Kuan Yew who has said the 2009 action against Tamils was “Ethnic Cleansing”[13] :
Calling Mahinda Rajapaksa “a Sinhala extremist” Lee Kuan Yew, also described what happened in Sri Lanka in 2009, during the end of the civil war, “as ethnic cleansing”, the FMT News report said “:
Plate, who wrote the book ‘Citizen Singapore: How to Build a Nation – Conversations with Lee Kuan Yew:
Lee described Sri Lanka as an “unhappy country” as it was disunited between the Sinhalese and Jaffna Tamils for decades.
“Yes, they have beaten the Tamil Tigers this time, but the Sinhalese who are less capable are putting down a minority of Jaffna Tamils who are more capable. They were squeezing them out.
“That’s why the Tamils rebelled. But I do not see them getting rid of all two million-plus Jaffna Tamils. The Jaffna Tamils have been in Sri Lanka as long as the Sinhalese.”
7. Geoffrey Robertson recommends that Sri Lanka be taken to the International Court of Justice for genocide through the help of a “good Samaritan state”
Geoffrey Robertson QC an eminent human rights lawyer, retained by the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) just before the US sponsored resolution was passed, in delivering his expert legal opinion, [14] whilst examining the options available to the Tamil people on bringing a case against Sri Lanka, agreed that Sri Lanka had a case to answer for genocide and did recommend, in his address to the TGTE parliament that under the Convention on the Prevention and Prosecution of Genocide, the Tamil people required a “good Samaritan state” to bring Sri Lanka to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for genocide. Sri Lanka he said had signed the Genocide Convention in 1950 (whereas it was not a signatory to the Rome Statue that created the International Criminal Courts – ICC). The Tamil people have no access to the court as they were not a state and cannot by themselves bring a case against Sri Lanka because of sovereignty and the lack of it being an issue, “as international law is based, although they’re trying to limit it, on the idea of sovereignty, only states have sovereignty, only constituted states were part of the world community.” he said.
Quoting article 9 of the Genocide Convention, Geoffrey Robertson says any disputes..including responsibility of the state for genocide could be submitted to the ICJ. The Tamil people need to, “find a friendly country” from one of the “other 140 signatories of the Genocide Convention to take Sri Lanka to the ICJ,” he said.
It must be noted that Geoffrey Robertson, also wrote the report on the “unlawful” and “wrongful” impeachment of Sri Lanka’s Chief Justice, conducted for the BHRC – Bar Human Rights Committee. Geoffrey Robertson condemning the regime for destroying the independence of the judiciary congratulated CJ Shirani Bandaranayake for, “coming to a correct and courageous decision in relation to the Constitution and the protection it gives the 9th Tamil Province.” This relates to the Devineguma Bill introduced by Basil Rajapaksa where he was seeking the transfer of some provincial powers to his ministry – the CJ had to rule on the question of whether those powers could indeed be transferred. The CJ ruled that such action needed the approval of all Provincial Councils including the Northern Province which had no Provincial Council at that time.
Geoffrey Robertson expressing how honoured he was to address the TGTE parliament spoke of the “barbaric events in 2009” and stressed the need for accountability:
“You have suffered the most barbaric events in 2009 where 40,000 – 70,000 of your civilians were bombed. were cut to pieces, were raped, were tortured – and that is something the world cannot forget of forgive – at least until due accountability is made.”
“Genocide was not ruled out by the Panel of Experts, the question needs to be litigated” : Geoffrey Robertson
Geoffrey Robertson also believed the UN Expert Panel on Accountability although specifically mentioning “war crime and crimes against humanity, and emphasizing that the, “the conduct of the war represented a grave assault on the entire regime of international law, designed to protect individual dignity during war and peace…did not rule out genocide”, in other words, “it didn’t make a finding of genocide, it didn’t determine the question, it is a question that needs to be litigated because, the government certainly behaved as though its intention was to wipe out at least a part of the Tamil Community and to produce conditions in the North which made it difficult for them and their culture to survive” – That implied there was a window of opportunity to pursue the case of genocide as well in addition to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
8. No Fire Zone Movie and Still Counting The Dead provide the evidence among other
The Killing Fields [15] and The No Fire Zone Movie[16] provide hard and definitive evidence of the horrific crimes that took place in the last stages of the war. Frances Harrison’s book, Still Counting the Dead [17] contains the harrowing tales of witnesses to war crimes. Although both do not state it was genocide, it would in my view provide documentary evidence for the crime of genocide. [18]
There is no excuse to investigate and prosecute those who committed genocide against Tamils.
The Turks continue to deny [19] the Armenian genocide, giving several reasons why America should not pursue it: The Turks argued that the, “Armenian massacre did not meet the definition of genocide… The Armenian Genocide is only an issue for Armenian Americans… not for Armenians living in Armenia…The Turks are showing new flexibility on the Armenian issue…We shouldn’t upset a reliable ally.. this would lead to Turkish backlash…it would hurt American interests.” These are very similar excuses that are given by Sri Lanka – that it killed 70,000 Tamil civilians to eradicate “terrorism” and that it would not demilitarise the North East to prevent the re-emergence of “terrorism”.
Recent developments offer little comfort
As the recent developments show the question for concern is whether the international community especially the US is slowly shifting from a previous hard line approach to softening its stand toward Sri Lanka under the new regime, a regime looked upon as an ally and willing to cooperate, helpful to its strategic and geo-political interests; a regime that has to be propped up and helped to win the parliamentary elections so it would continue to remain in power.
Despite the fact that it’s now the Tamil people represented by the Northern Provincial Council that is requesting, “the OISL to investigate the claim of genocide and recommend appropriate investigations and prosecutions…..” and not the Tamil Diaspora; shouldn’t the Tamil people’s voice be heard!
[1] http://www.tamilcanadian.com/article/6279
[2] https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/unhrc-chief-grants-one-time-only-deferral-of-sri-lanka-war-report/
[3] https://www.colombotelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/hclettertocouncilpres-13feb.pdf
[4] thehindu.com/news/international/south-asia/tamil-province-charges-colombo-with-genocide/article6879400.ece
[5] http://www.tamilguardian.com/article.asp?articleid=13729
[6] https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/wigneswaran-northern-council-detonate-genocide-resolution/
[7] https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/wigneswaran-northern-council-detonate-genocide-resolution/
[8] https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/the-writing-is-on-the-wall-how-sri-lanka-is-to-be-dismantled/
[9] http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2015/02/12/president-should-dissolve-northern-provincial-council-on-genocide-claim/
[10] http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/book-review-sri-lankas-secrets-by-trevor-grant-is-chronicle-of-genocide-20141201-11shqn.html#ixzz3RoVNXfQU
[11] https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/sri-lanka-hiding-the-elephant/
[12] http://www.thetamilmirror.com/genocide-in-sri-lanka-is-politically-constructed-its-a-structural-genocide-combined-with-cultural-process/
[13] http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2013/08/13/lee-rajapakse-a-sinhalese-extremist/
[14] Part 1- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKy6ZcvUOQU – Part 2 -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZuzaCoiH04
[15] http://www.channel4.com/programmes/sri-lankas-killing-fields/on-demand
[16] http://nofirezone.org/watch
[17] http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/oct/26/sri-lanka-civil-war-review
[18] http://jdsrilanka.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/channel-4-documentary-sri-lankas.html
[19] http://www.anca.org/genocide_resource/denial_attacks_responses.pdf
Vibhushana / February 19, 2015
I don’t this anyone realises how stupid these Tamils are. I just cannot even fathom the gravity of what they have done.
.
So this is what started the ball rolling. The riots, Indian interventions, scores of people killed, economy devastated and precious time lost forever.
These Gon demalas did not do their homework. The following map from Dutch archives prove these Tamils were nothing but the laborers who were shippped here by the British.
http://jaffnahistory.com/Northern_Province/Sinhala_Villages_of_Jaffna_1695.html
http://jaffnahistory.com/Eastern_Province/Sinhala_Villages_of_Eastern_Lanka_1695.html
What do they mean “genocide” ? It means the Tamil speakers are dwindling in Ceylon. Referring to the demographics here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Sri_Lanka
There is almost a 20% drop in Tamil numbers during British colonial period. Since then their numbers are going down.
So the reason their numbers are reducing is because its a feral culture that was imported to Ceylon. Its natural attrition. Just as the brood of Jianadasa who migrates to London will eventually become English, these Tamils will eventually become Sinhalalised.
They can run, they can hide but eventually a Sinhalaese is going to hump them. So all what these Gon Demalas have done is incredibly futile and stupid. Had they listened to monk Ven. Mahanama this could have been prevented.
/
Amarasiri / February 19, 2015
Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah –
“I don’t this anyone realises how stupid these Tamils are.”
There are Two types of Sri Lankan Tamils.
a) Tamils with common sense, who voted for Mr. Maitrplala sirisena, and who were suppressed by LTTE and the Other Tamil mootals,முட்டல்ல்ஸ்
b) Tamils with less common sense, called Tamil Mootals,முட்டல்ல்ஸ் who voted supported Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa on the orders of Tamil Madu Mootalமுட்டல்ல்ஸ் Veeran Velupillai Prabaharan and his cronies to boycott the elections and let Mahinda rajapaksa win.
Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah , which is a worst crime? Genocide or Ethnic Cleansing after an initial small scale genocide?
/
shan / February 19, 2015
5 countries including the U.S. have agreed to the proposal to conduct a domestic investigation into war crimes allegedly to have taken place during the final stage of the war.
This was revealed during the media conference convened to inform Cabinet decisions held at the Department of Information today.
Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Rajitha Senarathna further explained regarding Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera’s recent official visit to the US.
He said that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka during this year
/
Subramaniam Thiagarajah / February 20, 2015
Shan: Yes,USA thinks that the present Govt. will support America against China and so want to give a chance to Sri Lanka .It will never work.This report will deny everything that happened and will end up without finding fault with sinhalese.
/
shan / February 20, 2015
@Subramaniam Thiagarajah
‘without finding fault with sinhalese’
You just summed the TRUE NATURE of the Report. A revenge Report for defeating the most deadly Terrorist Group in the world. Today the star secret witness of this report are Ex LTTE terrorist who have blood on their hands, All bribed with better economic and citizenship life in the west.
This report was never going to be equal and just
/
Javi. / February 22, 2015
In the west they say 90% of the refugees who get status are not real and the ones who deserve dont get it- because it is big business for solicitors/barristers who are not capable of finding clients otherwise.
Why else have they cut legal aid?
One does not need documents of authority in the first place & if necessary there are high profile refugees to provide the authoritative document for a very small sum at cost.
I teach that All men lie.
Mine are algebraic lies (from topography)
/
Donald J Gnanakone / March 23, 2015
Every country has the right to conduct their own inquiry, credible or not many times over. However the US has assured me as Tamils For Justice and a US citizen that the US resolution will be presented in 5 months @ Geneva UNHRC.
There is be no substitute independent credible investigations by the UNHRC or US. We should also keep pushing the US and the congress for full investigations.
The Senator should tell us all how the TGTE is going to litigate the war criminals and waste time/money trying to go the Hague. Bad advise. I have said it for 7 years.
Good Luck and Best Wishes to TGTE, GTF, BTF, TAPI, USTPAC, CTC et al
Donald Gnanakone
Tamils For Justice.
/
Eelam or Bust / February 19, 2015
Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah
GENOCIDE…Taht pold Joke. Sin these poor meek LTTE. they were Victims all innocent, No Guns, navy, Special Forces nothing Just Innocent peaceful Protesters of eelam.. Lets see shall we
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpZRfnzePzk
LTTE Carders in peaceful action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kr3xx1x48Rs
POWER OF LTTE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aup7hko9-k0
/
Javi. / February 19, 2015
Truth is Authority not one egg or 50 chickens paid as servants to dish out holes.
BTW do you have holes in your underwear?? just confirming.
Across the straits within the Hindian Ocean where you are Our Royal Seepage and never had a kingdom but chieftains who licked sole- hyena `saffron coloured ones`
the IIT within Nadu is `Autonomous` of Madras Uni and centrally funded as with them all, like AIMS New Delhi-
From the days of Walt Whitman (from trans to real)the Boston Brahmins Hindian `Magnificent Idler` have had Autonomy respected by Anglo Saxons of New England.
Lets see if its Jeb or Hillary but that is after we carve out.
You were governed from VOC days from Madras presidency where 90% of invoices are still in tact and preserved close to the Gen Hague while the rest are as relevant London Treaties at different locations of the Crown for Colony’s.
Live in your yellow submarine dream the orbit is closer to being the 30th state- we can take it from there as proved at Sikkim, Nagaland.-
What goes round must come round. \(^_^)/
/
Ajith / February 19, 2015
Vibushana,
Do you know that there was no Sinhalese or Sinhalese govt in this island before 1948? It is the British rulers who invented Sinhalese and Sinhalese language in the jungles of Guyarat in India and brought them here to work as slaves.
/
Ranjan / February 19, 2015
Vibushana,
When will moda Sinhalese like you learn? Let’s be scientific and factual shall we? Faith in fairy tales helps nobody. DNA analysis won’t lie will it, here you go enough evidence to prove that Sinhalese are of Bengali origin.
wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_studies_on_Sinhalese
Also Australians who are direct descendants of English convicts are a nation with distinct culture and traditions. Funny isn’t!
/
ABCD / February 20, 2015
Actually what you said is not entirely correct. The Sinhalese are not entirely of bengali origin.
First of all sri lanka was inhabited by different native tribes collectively known as the hela tribes.
Then there was the migration of 700 individuals from bengal. I repeat just 700.
These 700 individuals were collectively known as the sinha clan. Eventually the sinha clan merged with the hela tribes to form what is known sinhala. Sinhala=sinha+hela.
So the early sinhalese were probably a mix between the aboriginals and migrants from eastern india.
However there was continous migration from eastern india. Then finally there was much lager mass migration from south india. Eventually these migrants from east and south india became sinhalese.
So as of today most sinhalese today are probably of south indian tamil origin not bengali.
Finally even bengalis are predominantly of mongoloid and dravidian stock but with some indo aryan. Most bengalis are not of indo aryan stock contrary to claims by sinhalese scholars
/
Russell / February 21, 2015
Dear Mr. Vibushana,
I think Ms. Usha brings here a very good point that now the focus seems to be on the other minority, the Muslims. Since Independence, the Sri Lankan state has played significant role in the ethnic violence directed against Tamils or Muslims.
State is responsible for creating a violent society, sorrowfully includes some Buddhist monks.
Sri Lanka is very different to many countries.
/
Real Peace / February 21, 2015
Hi Ms Gorgeous
I wont believe you even if you said milk is white because of your affiliation to the most ruthless and barbaric LTTE.
This is how the LTTE assassinated Mr Thangathurai MP in Trincomalee:
After attending a prize giving event as chief guest at a girls’ school in Trinco, Mr Thangathurai stepped out of the school gate. As he stepped out, LTTE gunman fired at him, having wounded he fell to the ground, but he tried to sit up. The gunman went close to him and buried the pistol into his head and shot him again. The gunman also shot and killed the school head teacher who pleaded with gunman not to shoot him. This barbarism took place right in front of hundredreds of school girls.
Usha, you are now collaborating with these LTTE crooks. How on earth you can talk about genocide and HR?
/
Native Vedda / February 21, 2015
Real Peace
Don’t forget those murderers who killed Amir and Yogeswaran. LTTE supporters were very proud of gunmen’s clever deception how the killers entered the house where both victims were living at the time of their assassination.
I am told Sabalingam who provided Prabaharan safe house in the early 1970 was gun down by LTTE hit squad in Paris in front of his wife and relatives in 1994.
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Waran / February 27, 2015
You Vibhushana you never can understand. get out of the well and look around and stop croaking.
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Park / February 19, 2015
The hallmark of Genocide is : The ulterior intent provision of the international crime of genocide is the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group as such. Yes under this definition one can say that there was Genocide during the last war. At the same time a fair minded person would also consider the LTTE attacks on innocent Sinhala villagers and the attack on Central Bank which are not defence forces or defence location can also be considered as Genocide of the Sinhalese by LTTE. Both sides committed Genocide. But what is more important is to think from the point where we are today. Just because we take some one to the international courts and punish, those who were affected, Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims are not going to be happy or satisfied. Their lost ones are not going to come back or their standard of living is not going to improve by this act. What is necessary today is for all Sri Lankans to face an open independent local investigation monitored by International Observers and find out actually what atrocities were committed by the armed forces and LTTE, identify the culprits and bring about an equitable solution to all Sri Lankans, not just for the Tamils in the North who do not want to recognize that LTTE Tamils also committed Genocide. At the end of the day what we all want is to live in peace as one country and one people. It is also important to bring to the inquiry all the LTTE seniors to this investigation with the assistance of interpol from overseas where they are living comfortably after committing Genocide of the Sinhalese.
One thing we all must accept that is NPC is a thankless bunch. For them to pass a Genocide resolution at this point of time when Maithripala has bent over backwards to accommodate their requests shows clearly that Justice Wigneswaran has been turned into UNJUST Wigneswaran. Further those who stand in front of Tiger Flags and profess solution should be ignored both by the Tamils in the NOrth and East and the international community. Is is clearly evident by UN action of postponing the presentation of the report, UN, USA, UK and European Union have clearly snubbed these remnants of Tigers who stand in front of Tiger Flag. Hoorah!
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Ranjan / February 19, 2015
Are you stupid? Terrorist cannot be accused of genocide.Interestingly I noted you ferociously commented against MaRa and the rally in Nugegoda. What fascinates me is that, you stand against his corruption and nepotism but not a war which had all the elements of genocide. This sums up the mentality of majority of Sinhalese. You want to use Tamils like some robots during elections to keep anti-West MaRa out but not want the Tamils to enjoy the benefit of the election outcome.
Tamils have learnt their lesson, this time my friend it will different in April elections.
/
Burning Issue / February 19, 2015
“Tamils have learnt their lesson, this time my friend it will different in April elections.”
How will it be different? Please leave your egotism at home and see the things practically. We need lots of Parks among the Sinhala community. He may not agree that there was Genocide; I do not blame him as it has not been established yet. I am all for a credible investigation for establishing the truth that includes the alleged antics of the LTTE.
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Park / February 20, 2015
You are wrong. I was not against the war, the war had to be fought as Prabaharan was a maniac. He put his own people through unnecessary difficulties, took children away as child soldiers from their parents, killed civilians and was a ruthless person. God punished him at the end. I supported the war, but I do not support the killing of civilians by the armed forces. You say the terrorist cannot be accused of genocide, what a stupid argument that is. Here too we have to think carefully, its Prabaharan who held the civilians as hostages for his own protection, hence LTTE has an equal share in the killing of Tamil and Muslim civilians. No one can deny this. LTTE even shot at the civilians who were trying to escape.
For your information I am not a Sinhalese!
/
Subramaniam Thiagarajah / February 20, 2015
Mr.Park : How can Genocide committed by both sides is correct.When Tamils were killed it was planned out and killed in ten thousands.Like the Jews Tamils were put in a No Fire Zone and killed as happened to jews who were taken to a place where Gas Chambers were used to kill them.This is Genocide not as you say.Again the NPC Resolution was framed after studying the pattern of killings of Tamils by the Sinhalese from 1950s.Not only killings,Govt. taking away of the Tamils lands and made them as refugees in their own place.Then women were not safe,they were raped in a free for all way and no one to save them.The International Community is also helpless.
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Park / February 20, 2015
Why didn’t TNA study how LTTE killed innocent Sinhalese and Muslim civilians? Who did not allow the civilians to escape when the bombing started, it was LTTE, they even shot at those civilians who were trying to leave. This was clearly stated by those who are living today in the North. We have to be balanced. All I am saying is at a time when the Sinhala majority are willing and eager to extend the hand of friendship, passing the one sided genocide resolution is a big error on the part of TNA, that too by Unjust(ice) Wigneswaran.
For your info I am not a Sinhalese!
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Subramaniam Thiagarajah / February 21, 2015
Mr.Park, They could not get out because the sinhalese armed forces did not give way.They were attacking the people and LTT soldiers..So how can anyone escape when the Govt. announced a No Fire Zone.They trusted the Govt. and went into the No Fire Zone to save their lives,not knowing it was a trap to kill.It was similar to JEWS ,they did not know they were being taken to be killed.This is what is called Genocide,not your killings by LTT.LTT did not kill to erase the Sinhalese race.Now regarding the NPC Resolution as I said earlier the sinhalese started their annihilation of the Tamils from 1950s.It was a slow Genocide to escape from the World.It was similar to the killing of the wife of the famous cricketer Sathasivam.She was given a poison to kill her slowly.Here we have to tell the World and Tamils have to aask them to save them.But the Govt. can go on to give whatever it want to give the Tamils.The Resolution will not block that.
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Park / February 21, 2015
Why should some of those who escaped, Tamils told that they were shot at by LTTE?
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Subramaniam Thiagarajah / February 23, 2015
Mr.Park : You have to tell me who told and when and to whom and then I can go through.It is a definite Genocide and the remedy is to get back the Kingdom of Jaffna taken over by the Sinhalese.
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Off the Cuff / February 23, 2015
Dear Subramaniam Thiagarajah,
Re You have to tell me who told and when and to whom”
The UN, among many others, including Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF). “……enforced this control by killing persons who attempted to leave that area”.
Mr. Marzuki Darusman, Ms. Yasmin Sooka and Mr. Steven Ratner.
Re “It is a definite Genocide”
You can say that but you have to prove it. There is one MONO ETHNIC region in Lanka and that is in the North. That was achieved by Genocide of the Muslims and the Sinhalese.
Re “and the remedy is to get back the Kingdom of Jaffna taken over by the Sinhalese.”
Kingdom of Jaffna stopped where the Kingdom of Kandy started and that was at Elephant Pass. A record at Dutch Archives proves that.
http://www.atlasofmutualheritage.nl/en/location/?id=813
.
At onetime Jaffna under the Sinhalese before Colonials arrived but after that Jaffna was a Tamil Vellala run SLAVE camp till the war started.
Until the Prevention of Social Disabilities Act was enacted in 1957 the slaves could not attend school, drink water from public wells, had to sit on the floor in buses even when there were vacant seats, could not wear shoes, could not cut their hair, could not go to a Hindu Temple, could not employee drummers, was locked in to their villages, was locked in to their assigned jobs by birth without any hope of advancement (a scavenger’s progeny will be scavengers and their progeny also scavengers), had to work for the slave drivers either for free or a pittance, some of them were prohibited to come out during daylight. women could not wear a blouse to cover their breasts, could not wear jewelery, Any transgression would bring swift retribution by beatings, killings and rape and setting fire to their abodes (dog houses with a thatched roof), with complete impunity. This caused several Tamil Tamil riots
“When I moved to Hatton and later to Colombo, I found a very different world. It was a transforming experience for me and my wife to find that our workmates, mostly Sinhalese would actually sit with us and share a cup of tea. We found that we could go to night school and study without being threatened, beaten up, or go and borrow books, and do things that would bring swift retribution ‘back in the North’; our dwellings would have been torched and our women raped with impunity” says Sebastian Rasalingam, who is a Low Cast Jaffna Tamil married to an Indian origin Tamil lady from Hatton.
The above is an extract from a what he wrote on 28 November 2012. on DBS Jayaraj’s blog http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/12770
This went on despite the PSDA and 14 years later, in 1971, it was amended giving the police the power to prosecute the offenders.
It was the Enactment of the PSDA in 1957 that made the Tamil political leaders (all Vellala) to start their protests under the guise of the Language Act.
Thomas Johnpulle another Tamil says
“Contrary what some observers propagate, the ethnic problem didn’t start in 1956. The concept of Tamil Elam was inaugurated by Sir Ponnambalam Arunchalam as far back in 1923. In 1931 a highly disproportionate 50:50 representation was sought to represent people on an ethnic basis which was actually 70:30. Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kachchi (Lanka Tamil Kingdom Party) was formed in 1949. It has changed its English name from Federal Party to Tamil National Alliance over the years; however, the Tamil meaning remains same.
After a resounding political mandate, the Official Language Act was passed in 1956 making Sinhala the only official language while allowing reasonable use of the Tamil language. It was a very peaceful transition. There were no violent acts, no satyagrahas, no large demonstrations and no serious protests apart from a small protest near the parliament without mass participation. Though it was seen as discriminatory and a great inconvenience, Tamils started to learn the Sinhala language. By then only less than 4.9% of Ceylon Tamil men and less than 1% of Ceylon Tamil women were fluent in English. In the case of Upcountry Tamils it was near 0%.
(http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2011/10/tamil-caste-discrimination.html)
Don’t try to cover your sins by passing the buck.
Kind Regards,
OTC
/
Afzal / February 19, 2015
Ms. Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah is keeping the struggle alive in a increasingly diminishing space. What CM Vigneswaran did was also giving a push to the dying struggle by dropping a genocide bomb. The battle is lost in Sri Lanka, it was lost in 2009 and in 2015 it was taken out of the system by the voters of North and East who were victimized by power hungry and greedy Terrorist leaders followed by equally power hungry politicos. The voters will get further opportunity cleanse it in June Elections.
In the wider world the west can no longer point fingers at the government of Sri Lanka. The present Gov will engage with world bodies, a local solution will be found. The boogeyman has been sent home.
The biggest problem facing the Tamil Diashora is not the plight of the Tamils of Sri Lanka or the destruction the war brought on their brothers and sisters, no they don’t give rats ass about them. It’s about their asylum status/claims, continuation of their life style in their adapted homelands. This is what they are worried about. So time to time a loosing battle is waged in the only forum available to them now. They can no longer organize protest in London,Paris or New York. People of the world has had enough of the lies of Tamil Diashora.
I think Ms. Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah lives in a fantasy world who keep writing fantasy.
Just would like to point out only read comment form “Vibhushana” rest is pretty clear.
/
Javi. / February 19, 2015
B.O. y Oh – you are the `wonder on this forum` so we all wonder when you are going to wash.- ablution!!
tradition – you never had any toilet and neither did Xi who lived in caves give one to you.
start living in your yellow submarine dream 30th state.
that is the closest call to stupidity.
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Ranjan / February 19, 2015
Oh Afzal how much you care of Tamils, reading your comments gave me goosebumps… End of sarcasm..
If possible counter the content of the article with relevant facts and references not the person who wrote it..
/
Afzal / February 20, 2015
Ranjan,
in order to counter I will have to read this garbage, then I will have to write equally unimpressive fantasy. Somehow I think Dr DJ and this Usha ….. will make a good couple.
/
Javi. / February 20, 2015
you are paramilitary garbage.
don’t contaminate the water.
Whom do you know at Hindia but lick arse with douglas type??
/
burning Issue / February 19, 2015
Afzal,
The Muslims never miss an opportunity to mention that the LTTE ejected them from Jaffna; rightly so. IT was a callous act of cruelty beyond imagination.
“What CM Vigneswaran did was also giving a push to the dying struggle by dropping a genocide bomb.”
Though in principle I agree with you that the timing of his approach is ill thought out. But his intention was to educate the Sinhala masses about the predicament of the Tamils since independence. Genocide is an extremely contentious term. The immediate and spontaneous response from the people to whom it was aimed at is one of total rejection. However, I for one who agree that there should be thorough investigation of what went on at the last stages of the war. The truth must be established and the dead should be accounted for. This should be fundamental to Reconciliation. As for the mechanism for investigation, I am prepared accept an internal body as long as it is qualified with international standards and being participated by the UN mechanism. Justice Wiggs is the best opportunity for reconciliation and moving forward.
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Subramaniam Thiagarajah / February 20, 2015
Burning Issue : Sending out Muslims is not correct but cannot be called a callous act of cruelty beyond imagination like stripping the flesh of children.I appreciate that you want a detailed investigation but I do not agree that it should be done by Sinhalese people. One reason is not a single sinhalese was punished from 1950s up to today for their killings and other crimes.So how can anyone trust them.
/
Javi. / February 20, 2015
when the sihala and tamil quarrel t- Badaudin took advantage- english only to muslim & chetty boat people . today everyone wants english to speak to the outside world.
You are mookan rearing to tap toddy.
thoppi has to be kept in place but not hurt- they just buy and sell your mother to survive- nothing wrong but you are puli muttai ramasawmy raj_kudi pissu.
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Burning Issue / February 20, 2015
Subramaniam Thiagarajah,
“Sending out Muslims is not correct but cannot be called a callous act of cruelty beyond imagination like stripping the flesh of children.”
I am sorry that LTTE without warning and consideration, inhumanely demanded that all Muslims to leave Jaffna and Mannar within 24 hours. Families with women, children, and elderly were unceremoniously ordered out without exception! The LTTE did this because they deemed that the North belonged to the Tamils and Tamils alone. You can come with many rational for their action, but, it was the catalyst that the land belonged to the Tamils. Isn’t this preposterous that we call the Sinhalese bigots, racists and murderers? The paradox is that, the Sinhala chauvinists claim that the entire Sri Lanka belongs to them and they regard the Tamils as invaders! Hence, in my humble opinion I deem such an act as callous act of cruelty beyond imagination.
“I appreciate that you want a detailed investigation but I do not agree that it should be done by Sinhalese people.”
The overwhelming reality is that the Sinhala constitute 75% of the Sri Lankan population. Any agreement on the subject of constitutional accommodation of the Tamils’ rights is directly contingent on the Sinhala concurrence. The other option is for the international community to enforce a solution on Sri Lanka. We have experience on this front with the 13A; no agreement that is forced on SL will not work without the cooperation of the Sinhala! This is the reality. Hence, if an UN panel were to investigate and subject Sinhala culprits to international litigation, it would be extremely inimical to the Tamil wellbeing in SL. On the other hand, if A Sri Lankan panel with UN direct participation were to openly and fairly deliberate the investigations, there will be more chance of concurrence and acceptance from the Sinhala public. This is why I said what I said. Whatever we do and advocate, we must place the wellbeing of the Tamils as paramount thus Sri Lanka as a whole. I cannot let my sense of anger or egotism to obscure my senses.
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Subramaniam Thiagarajah / February 21, 2015
Burning Issue.: You say sinhalese are 75% ,that is out of the Sri Lanka population.In the case of Tamils unlike Muslims,Tamils are not minorities.As the great Alli Jinnah told the Islamic studentds,Muslims in the joined India and Pakista,are a NATION,not minorities.The same with Tamils ,they are a Nation.not minorities.It was the British who made the mistake of handing over the Northern Province and Eastern Province to the sinhalese.We are a Nation.So no one need to get angry,it is proper for the Sinhalese to hand over the Tamil Nation to the Tamils.Then there will be eternal peace and happiness to all.
/
Burning Issue / February 21, 2015
Subramaniam Thiagarajah,
I have said many a time that Sri Lanka became as a nation as a result of the British amelgamating three kingdoms. Nevertheless, in 1948 the tamil leadership endorsed a unitary state with 3 tamils in the first ever cabinet. What happened since is history; we have to recognise the present situation with reality in mind. We cannot contemplate as to what might have been had there been unity among the tamils and did a Jinnah at that time. We have a situation on our hands and we need to make the best of it. The Sinhalese have been programmed and instilled with chronic insecurity. They feel that they are endangered spices that the world is against them and conspiring to wipe them out of this earth.
You may say that it is not our problem; why should we worry about it. But on the contrary, as you indicated that it is the Sinhala who need to hand over the nation to the Tamils! I for one who is not in favour of separatism; I think it is an outdated idea and impractical to sustain amids constrains prevailing in the Indian sub-continent. The Tamils do not need a separate state but we need a federal form governance within a United Sri Lanka. I am not bothered as to how it is termed as long as the Tamils have their due rights that are preserved within that structure, it would suffice.
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Subramaniam Thiagarajah / February 23, 2015
Burning Issue: If Tamils live with you all,there will be no Tamil left in Sri Lanka in two or three years.You all will swallow them.It was the same with Muslims in India.That is why the great Alli Jinnah fought for Pakistan.The British were wrong at that time,they have to correct their mistake now.The right thing is to hand over the colonies in the way they took over.So it is the responsibility of Gt.Britain to take it from Sinhalese and hand it over to the Tamils.The Tamil leaders at that time may be mezmerised by the Sinhalese leaders and got their signtures.That is not valid,they cannot do that without a referendum.That is why we are asking for a referendum.
/
Off the Cuff / February 21, 2015
Dear Subramaniam Thiagarajah,
Re “It was the British who made the mistake of handing over the Northern Province and Eastern Province to the sinhalese.”
Please take a cold shower to douse your anger!
The Eastern Province was a British creation and NOT a part of the Tamil Kingdom.
We have this 17 century Dutch record which says, that they built a fort to protect the Dutch held Jaffna Kingdom from cross border attacks by the Armies of the Kandyan King (Sinhala Kingdom) at Elephant Pass. As you know very well Elephant Pass is where Peninsular Jaffna joins the Mainland of Lanka. Thus it is clear that the Sinhala Kingdom extended up to Elephant Pass an encompassed the whole of the Eastern Seaboard of the Mainland.
http://www.atlasofmutualheritage.nl/en/location/?id=813
.
Therefore the EAST was OUTSIDE the Tamil Kingdom.
The Northern Province is also a British Creation. It amalgamates areas of the Sinhala Kingdom with that of the Jaffna Tamil Kingdom.
Looking at this from your own angle, it was the British who made the mistake of amalgamating parts of the Sinhala Kingdom with the Tamil kingdom and the Sinhalese would not agree to pay for that mistake IF you want to live separately.
What would you like to do? Live as equals in Lanka sharing the Land and her resources as equals or withdraw to the Jaffna Peninsular and live separately?
Kind Regards,
OTC
/
Burning Issue / February 21, 2015
OTC,
Steady on; the Dutch document proves nothing! It might have been a vantage point to build a fort at Elephant Pass for obvious reasons. So it is extremely disingenuous of you to state that the Kandian kingdom stretched as far as that. Remember, the Kandians who first demanded federal constitution and they did not include the East in consideration. I am not denying that East was part of the kandian kingdom but enjoyed autonomous position.
The British trusted the Sinhala leadership that they will keep their word! In retrospect, Lord Saulsbery regretted not establishing a federal constitution. You need to face the facts that since the independence, the Sinhala alone bastardised the constitution to suit their whim and fancy. This is why we are in this situation. You can accuse the Tamils for insubordination! This is the arrogant position that the Sinhala collectively have taken by using and subverting the democratic principles. It is indeed a sad, sad state of affairs. Even at this hour, when conducive conditions prevail, there are signs that elements connected to MR including the self-proclaimed political scientist DR DJ are trying to derail the opportunity. If you really want to keep the country United, you should spend all your energy challenging those elements and not the like of Thiyagarajah.
/
Javi. / February 22, 2015
Their idea of Dutch document is on the Flanders concept of rule then but it was a bit more complex- VOC was a multinational company not the Republic of the Dutch- Flanders (Belgium) was Spanish Netherlands Carlos 1 Roman Emperor and his Flemish Mistress because his wife was Queen of Spain living in Spain.That is the time of arrival of the Dutch with Golden Balls passing the the East of the Island and setting up 19 post in the east of India (Indonesia was their East India company and South Africa was West India company) from Patna to Kanya Kumari therefore comes the fort at Jaffna to continue the chain of posts.(its business not miltary might rule) they kicked the portugese because the fight was with them in Europe (Virgin Queen Liz put the Portuguese bastard slave masters in their place)
What lanka is backing on is the woman with a french passport like Valli writin g erotic stories (backed by Rajapassa to the Netherlands Uni to change paperwork) The documents invoices at Kerala & Colombo were destroyed by nationalist and mercenaries while almost all documents at Madras Presidency are intact.
The Dutchman PhD scholar rebuked both romantic dutch woman and lankan Nira while researching the post at Madras.
Nira- Nira Konjit Wickramasinghe is Professor of Modern South Asian Studies at Leiden University [1] in the Netherlands and a well known international academic (perhaps like the hotel girl with world bank president) Macnamera.
She got stiched trying to find how the hatte came to India and Ceylon- the sewing machine is more of an english invention as much as the vacuum cleaner.- When you cheat thinking others are fools you stumble – that is where Lanka is heading. The time is lost because of stupid ltte fishermen now with immense corner shop funds with previous brown with history of guns that kill all and sundry.
/
Off the Cuff / February 22, 2015
Dear Burning Issue,
On the contrary the Dutch document proves quite a lot. It is independent of any Lankan chronicle and hence cannot be challenged on the grounds of Bias like the Vamsa texts are challenged.
The Dutch say “There was a narrow tongue of land at Elephant Pass a fort was built to guard the border with the king’s territory.”
The Border between the Dutch controlled Tamil Kingdom and the Kandyan Kingdom’s territory is specifically mentioned as Elephant Pass. Hence the WHOLE Eastern Seaboard was within the Kandyan Kingdom.
You say it could have been a vantage point and not the border. There is no point in arguing this as the Dutch are very specific. A vantage point would also mean a line of sight to the border.
It dates back to the 17th Century and hence shows the border BEFORE the British arrived here and hence BEFORE the Northern and Eastern Provinces were BORN.
Since the borders of the Jaffna Kingdom did not change during Portuguese and Dutch rule there is continuity from the last king of the Tamil Kingdom, Cankili II to that of the Dutch.
Hence what the Dutch says about the Border reaches back to the point of time when Cankili II reigned over the Tamil Kingdom and was defeated by the Portuguese.
Thus Cankili II’s Tamil Kingdom also met the Territory of the Kandyan Kingdom at Elephant Pass.
That Cankili II was at peace with the Kandyan King is seen from the fact that the Kandyan King’s Elephants had unhindered passage through Jaffna on their way for sale in India.
Here is a quote from Dr Pradeep Jeganathan, a Tamil gentleman of repute.
“Not every legitimate ruler of southern Lanka was a Buddhist in early modern times. Yet also it is not historically accurate to say that the Kings of Jaffna ruled the east, certainly even a cursory glance at Dutch records and the doings of Rajasinha the 2nd will tell you, that the Kings of the Kanda Uda Pas Rate, (the five countries on top of the mountains) were also the overlords of Batticoloa and Trincomalee”.
I will respond to the rest of your comment in my next comment
Kind Regards,
OTC
/
Javi. / February 22, 2015
“On the contrary the Dutch document proves quite a lot.”
you can proved to idiots but your document is corrupt to the core and above all it does not carry `authority`.
You are making use of jaguar tiger corruption of Dal`its like VP who dont commit sucide like you and your master Douglas because terrorism is profitable. You scum and fishermen scum are you fishing in the northern waters??
The best is the island can only be ruled from outside and ofcourse then all toddy tapper fishermen in the west too would be canned- then peace will prevail.
It was all an accident by war criminals Churchill & Roosevelt.
/
Off the Cuff / February 22, 2015
Dear Burning Issue,
Re “Even at this hour, when conducive conditions prevail, there are signs that elements connected to MR including the self-proclaimed political scientist DR DJ are trying to derail the opportunity”
DJ cannot do anything to derail the Sinhala forces behind Maithree that came together to depose Corruption, authoritarianism and the brazen prostitution of the Judiciary and the Law. If DJ could have achieved such a feat he could have done so BEFORE the election, when he had the FULL backing of State Power and State Media.
There are two groups that voted this govt in. The Minorities and the Minority of the Majority. Take away anyone of them and this govt will lose the next election.
The antics of CM Wigneswaran and his short sighted TNA led Northern Provincial govt will surely antogonise the Minority of the Majority and ensure MR’s victory.
The Myopic Wigs and arrogant ITAK has done more damage to the opportunity for reconciliation that even a thousand DJ’s, Weerawansa’s, Vasudeva’s etc (who had their day and failed) could have done. If you are really interested in making good use of this opportunity it would be best if you speak to Wigs and the TNA and reign them in.
Maithree as President will be powerless to stop a govt led by MR as Prime Minister. It will be MR and his cabinet that will have the executive power that is divested from the current Presidency.
It is not the Sinhalese that is arrogant but the Lanka Tamils. It’s not all of them but about 40% of them who have been programmed for Centuries to believe that they are chosen by “Manu” to rule over the rest of humanity. It is their voice that was heard even in to the 1970s.
It is their arrogance and greed for Land which prevented them from recognising the plight of the Hill Country peasantry that were reduced to penury by the British who used draconian laws such as the Waste Lands Act etc to grab their Lands. Lands where complete Alien Indian Tamils were domiciled. Today that Tamil population is about 1 million. Most of these Hill Country Peasants still remain poor and landless.
What has stood in the way of a collective Sri Lankan identity is this Greed for Land and Power, of this minority grouping of High Cast Lanka Tamils. 67 years on and still greed for Land and power is causing grief for all Lankans.
BTW, can you give a reference to the following statement “In retrospect, Lord Saulsbery regretted not establishing a federal constitution”
Kind Regards,
OTC
/
Ram / February 19, 2015
Usha SSR’s struggle is to keep the LTTE alive and relevant. The Eelaam fantasy will always remain a fantasy howevermuch the ‘Eelamites’ scream and shout and attempt to rewrite history. As we know now Wiggie has joined that crowd after living a lifetime amongst the Sinhala.
/
Subramaniam Thiagarajah / February 20, 2015
Afzal : This Maitripala’s Govt. is not going to be there eternally ,so we cannot look at this and forget all happened for many years from 1950s.Right from the time of independence Tamils are being murdered using various techniques by the Sinhalese.This is a well designed Genocide of Tamils.So how can we keep quite.It is unreasonable to ask us to keep quite.So we have to make it known to the World.That is what the NPC Resolution is.We are not stopping Hon.Maitripala’s Govt. to give whatever he can to the Tamils.We are greatful fo that.The Western countries,USA and others have gone through this suffering during the two World Wars and hence they will not act like Sri Lanka or India. So we have faith in them.
/
Ranjan / February 19, 2015
It is a waste of time to make Sinhalese understand the horrible conditions and suffering imposed on Tamils by the racist Gota. For they only see Lamboghinis, golden horses, corruption and nepotism by Gota and MaRa as it was detrimental to them economically, any suffering from the Tamils side simply does not exist. Yet somehow these Sinhalese want Tamils to vote and out MaRa for their benefit, for them Tamils are just machines active only during elections.
From my interaction with people in N/E, they have learnt their lesson. April elections are going to be interesting indeed.
/
Ram / February 19, 2015
Gota saved us from the racist Tamil terrorists and their supporters (both vocal and silent).
/
Native Vedda / February 20, 2015
Ram
“Gota saved us from the racist Tamil terrorists and their supporters (both vocal and silent).”
Nopes it was Hindia which saved you from racist LTTE and from racist JVP (since 1971).
Hindia needed a mass murderer, Gota fit in well for the job, Matale, etc. Don’t forget Gota studied for his masters in Tamilnadu, best place to recruit future agents of influence, or mercenaries.
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Off The Wall / February 19, 2015
The latest buzz is that The Oxford English Dictionary is going to litigate the underpants off Usha and her linguistically challenged TGTE (Talking Gibberish for Tamil Eelam) for redefining the word “genocide” without their permission. The chief editor of the dictionary has pointed out that in a situation where the purported targets of genocide continue to live more numerically among the alleged killers than in their own ‘homeland’ – using the word ‘genocide’ is totally bizarre and therefore misleading and insulting to the victims of the Holocaust. The chief editor has also informed that the dictionary is going to launch a new word in its forthcoming edition to designate such unethical use of language to perpetrate lies and indignity. The word is: TRUTHICIDE.
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Native Vedda / February 20, 2015
Off The Wall
For the benefit of CT readers could you define and explain what genocide means to you.
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Ahmed Navavi / February 20, 2015
G.G.Ponnambalam and S.J.V. Chelvanayagam were the fathers of racism in the country, also, those two initiated the on going conflicts. For Tamils, there is already a state which is called Tamilnadu(the
original), so there is no need for a duplicate.
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Native Vedda / February 20, 2015
Ahmed Navavi
Can you expand on racism of G.G.Ponnambalam and S.J.V. Chelvanayagam?
“For Tamils, there is already a state which is called Tamilnadu(the original), so there is no need for a duplicate.”
Well said.
What do you want rest of the descendants of Demelas who converted to Sinhala/Buddhism and now speak Sinhala, they too belong to South India and Bihar.
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Ponkoh Sivakumaran / February 20, 2015
Well said Native. Send all the fishermen, cinnamon peelers and sundry others who make up the Sinhalese back to where they came from.
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Zenith Appu / February 20, 2015
And you too Brute, row the boat for them and sail unto the oblivion.
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Rodney / February 20, 2015
Then the coolies
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Sengodan. M / February 20, 2015
The new regime has to be given a fair chance to deliver. It is too early to judge it. It’s very first pronouncement are very refreshing and encouraging. It has faced threats from Day 1 and still has many teething problems. So, we, the Tamils have to be patient and extend a full co-operation to the new regime.
None of the international forums or courts are going to help us in the long run.
Sengodan. M
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Subramaniam Thiagarajah / February 20, 2015
This repoprt is a well designed and well researched report on Genocide,The writer Usha Sriskandarajah has given evidences to support the Genocide.She has sighted Permanent Peoples Tribunal.book Sri Lanka’s Secrets by Trevor Grant,Geoffrey Robetson,QC and others who stated as Genocide.She says it had to be debated.
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Javi. / February 20, 2015
terrorism is profitable- start playing book crock_et
Anbe Va va va ??
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Off the Cuff / February 21, 2015
Geoffrey Robetson, QC is Usha’s PAID SERVANT!!!!
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Javi. / February 22, 2015
You have never been to the Inner Temple.
Geoffrey Robertson, QC is too rich to be a paid servant
its just that you are from that very servant class.
“”If the Great Way perishes there will morality and duty. When cleverness and knowledge arise great lies will flourish. When relatives fall out with one another there will be filial duty and love. When states are in confusion there will be faithful servants.””
-Lao Tzu of Longman Grottos & Shaoling 604 BCE- 531 BC, China
Where/when did Gautama book come from and for whom??
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Jim softy / February 20, 2015
Tamil genocide ?
So when will Tamils to be finished in Sinhale ?
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Billa / February 20, 2015
Agree with Sengodan, but the new regime should be open, sincere and genuine unlike the other previous regimes of all colors. They were all cheating the minorities whole sale, time and again. That’s why no one is prepared to trust them. The same breed is in power now with the minority support.
Suddenly they will come out or even set up a Mahanayake, a bunch of saffron robed thugs or a Weeravansa to organize a protest and use it as an excuse to delay or completely stop doing anything. It has been happening all the time since 1948. That’s why people are not trusting these rascal politicians.
These guys, lock stock and barrel, are not even accepting that their forces killed people, let alone genocide or any other stuff.
Now the Tamils may have no choice other than giving some time for the present regime. They absolutely have concerns, enormous grievances, pain and suffering, the majority just doesn’t want to understand. But the fact is Tamils can hardly do anything better at this juncture, unfortunately.
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Tilak de Silva / February 20, 2015
Ms Usha Sri Skanda-Rajah is either living in cuckoo land in the bosom of Rudrakumaran or she is deluded and rapidly becoming a mentally unwell. She fails to highlight that genocide was started by Thamils, her own bosom colleague Velupune Prabahkaran, whom she idiolised gave all material and intellectual support to carry out the genocide, as she like other Thamil politicians vehemently believe by creating yet another racist war in Sri Lanka, India and other powers will intervene dictate solution to SL government. This is the very reason why Sinhala Buddhist should vote for a credible leader in A[pril elections, than the ‘Simple Simon’ who is the president. He goes to India signs a nuclear pact, where the hell is he going to locate the nuclear installation, I hope in Polonnaruwa to protect him against nuclear outbreak. Let us be warned nuclear installation in a racist war will not be safe. Usha Sri Skanda-Rajah can promote a genocidal war in comfort of overseas, she will be the last among Rudrakumaran and other LTTE cronies who will even come to defend their own kith and kin.
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Pot Shot / February 20, 2015
The “Sinhala Tamil”problem has been the cause and responsibility of both races. The Sinhalese started it and the Tamils (through the LTTE) aggravated it. Both have blood on their hands and it is pitiful to see my community wash their hands off it and it is equally pitiful to see people like Usha continue to propagate this. There is no prosecutor in this trial as both parties stand accused of untold crimes against humanity.
In this day and age let us be practical in our thinking and call this a truce or we will continue to accumulate more hatred and never allow the younger generation to reconcile with the communities. Its unfortunate that thousands of lives on both sides of the divide have immeasurably suffered losses. As much as we can strive to find justice it will also bring forth more hatred. The people who laid there lives down irrespective of whether they were the armed forces or the LTTE or for that matter civilians Sinhalese or Tamils they were all human beings born to live a life of dignity. Lets forgive and forget and proceed to make a meaningful journey of reconciliation and leave bitter people like Usha & DJ to fight their insecure battles. Our country will be a better place without them.
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ABCD / February 20, 2015
Actually what you said is not entirely correct. The Sinhalese are not entirely of bengali origin.
First of all sri lanka was inhabited by different native tribes collectively known as the hela tribes.
Then there was the migration of 700 individuals from bengal. I repeat just 700.
These 700 individuals were collectively known as the sinha clan. Eventually the sinha clan merged with the hela tribes to form what is known sinhala. Sinhala=sinha+hela.
So the early sinhalese were probably a mix between the aboriginals and migrants from eastern india.
However there was continous migration from eastern india. Then finally there was much lager mass migration from south india. Eventually these migrants from east and south india became sinhalese.
So as of today most sinhalese today are probably of south indian tamil origin not bengali.
Finally even bengalis are predominantly of mongoloid and dravidian stock but with some indo aryan. Most bengalis are not of indo aryan stock contrary to claims by sinhalese scholars
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Burning Issue / February 20, 2015
ABCD,
You need some lessons from Native Vedda!
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Javi. / February 21, 2015
Kindergarten needs more than lessons.
I welcomed him to become a cannibal.
Less is more.
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Anpu / February 20, 2015
Tamil Presence on the Island Deliberately Suppressed Prof C.Manoharan
Sinhalese historians are unwilling to acknowledge, even with the available evidence from inscriptions and epigraphic records, that prove them otherwise, that the Island was called Illam(Eelam) during the Sangam period,(3rd century B.C to 1st century A.D).and was originally settled by Dravidian-speaking people who had migrated from South India from pre-historic times. In the beginning, THE Islands’ society comprised primarily Tamil-speaking Hindus, but with introduction of Buddhism, the Island was transformed to multi-linguistic and multi-religious society. South India however, remained dominantly a Tamil-Hindu society, even after Buddhism was introduce in 250 B.C., although Tamil language was becoming more refined and its script, the Vatteluttu, was assuming the angular form.
In Sri lanka.They Prakrit language and the rounded form of the early Brahmi script, replaced for Tamil language and the angular shape of Vatteluttu script, respectively, due to the influence of Pali .The differences that existed between the evolving languages and their respective scripts ware sufficiently large enough by the 5TH A.D for the Buddhist clergy to introduce the concept of Sinhalese-Buddhist society and to proclaim that Sinhalese people are the original inhabitants of the Island. The term Sinhalese or Simhala, however does not appear in any of the Brahmi inscriptions that were engraved between the 3rd century B.C. and 2nd century A.D., because the concept a of Sinhalese kingdom or society was only generated by the Buddhist clergy after the 4th century A.D.
Professor Paranavitana, however, explains that the absence of any reference to Sinhalese in these Early Brahmi inscriptions is due to the fact that almost everyone in the land was Sinhalese….. But when the donor named in the inscription belonged to any ethnic group other than Sinhalese, we find the ethnic name associated with his personal name. Paranavitana also states:
An inquiry that is likely to yield results is the examination of proper names in the earliest Brahmi inscriptions, particularly with the view to ascertaining if an epithet of ethnic significance attached to any of them suggest that the region from which the ancestors of those who bore such names originally came from. The name Simhala itself does not occur in these records, for the very good reason that there was no need to distinguish any person by referring to him such, when the—people as whole were entitled to that name .But the few people who were not Sinhalese figuring in these records have words of significance prefixed to their name; for instance, we find a merchant and gahapatis who were Demedas (Tamils) mentioned in three inscriptions as Milaka (Mleccha) in two records. These do not come to our aid in determining the original home of Sinhalese. It is, however, legitimate to surmise that when the ancient Sinhalese left their original homeland, some persons of contiguous also came in their company
The words Dameda, however, may refer to Tamil-speaking Buddhist immigrants from South India, who left their original homeland because they concerned about the future of Buddhism there. South Indian Tamils, Dameda or Demilos or Malabars, were not viewed as enemies of Sinhalese-Buddhist state, at least, between the 3rd century B.C to 2nd century A.D., when these early Brahmi inscriptions were engraved. The content and distribution of early inscriptions also reveal that Tamils have lived throughout the Island since historic times, and played a vital role in the social and political affairs f Sri lank before the advent of Buddhism. Indeed ————– the historical analysis of the development of Vatteluttu and the Sinhalese alphabets, the discussion on Sri lanka’s early inscriptions with the reference to Sri lankan Tamils, and the historical analysis of Nagas and their contribution to both Buddhism and Hinduism suggest that Sri Lankans Tamils have been present in all parts of Island, including the city of Anuradhapura, since ancient times. They contributed to the envelopment of Buddhism and the Sinhalese language, built Savia temples, fostered the development of the Tamil language and literature, and maintained commercial and cultural contacts with the Tamils of South India.
The concept of Sinhalese-Buddhist society. The 4th century A.D., can be considered as a watershed in the history of Srilanka, since the Mahavamsa and other Pali chronicles begin to caste Tamils, irrespective of whether they were living within or without the Island, as the enemies of Srilanka state. Even though, the concept of state did not originate until the nineteenth century, it will be used in the place of kingdom or society in the monograph in keeping with the of Sinhalese historians. The revival of Hinduism, especially Sivas, in South India had threatened the survival of Buddhism, both in South and Srilanka, and it was the desire of the author Mahavamsa, to bring the order to the Buddhist sangha,that created the Tamil monster. Professor Ludowyk, commenting on the legends in the Mahavamsaand ‘s anti-Tamil scheme states, that:
Whatever the earlier form of the legends might have been ,the political and social situation of the—Ceylon of Mahavamsa, the poet of the Mahavamsa hammered by its ultimate shape. In it will be felt the hopes and fears of the bikkhus of the Mahavira at the moment engaged in war with sectarian bikkhus :its wish for a strong king who would at the sometime be a champion of the orthodoxy anas amenable to their controls; the rememberance of civil war and invasions only to be withstood by the hero.
The Buddhist clergy incorporated legends and myths in historical accounts to inculcate the nation that the very existence of the Srilanka Sinhalese-Buddhist society is under the constant threat of radical and cultural assimilation from Dravidian South India.
The Mahavamsa also appealed to the Sinhalese people’s nation sentiments by glorifying King Dutagammani, as the greatest Sinhalese hero of all times, for rescuing Buddhism by defeating Ellalan, the Chola general from South India, who ruled the Kingdom of Rajarata for forty-four years in the second century. The Mahavamsa also portrays Ellalan as a benevolent king who extended patronage to Budhism, like many other Tamil rulers, and had a support of a large number of Sinhalese, including a few generals, in his encounter with the Dutagammani . Eventually, ethnicity was not an important factor at the time of Dutagammani-Ellalan conflict, especially when most of the people who were able to communicatewith each other in Tamil or in Prakrit, long before it evolved into Sinhalese. Yet, racial motives are attributed to his conflict, and some——– Sinhalese Scholars even regarded the defeat of Ellalan by Dutagammani as the beginning of the Sinhalese nationalism .IT is unreasonable to believe that ethnic nationalism could have emerged at a time, in the history of the Island, when all its inhabitants traced their racial and linguistic origin in the proto-Dravidian ancestors from South India. Professor Ludowyk, expressing these very sentiments ,states,
Episodes in history made the term Damila synonymous with the hereditary enemies of the Sinhalese. What is overlooked, and what must have been general in the seven hundred years before the establishments of the Buddhism in the country and the the writing of the Mahavamsa, was that over large tracts of northern plain Tamils and Sinhalese must have been indistinguishable from each other. In these years there were Tamil rulers who ha been patrons of ]Buddhism, then flourishing in South India. Brahmins were officials in the court of Sinhalese kings, and the goals of Hindu pantheon were respected by Hindus and Buddhists alike.
The authors of the Pali Chronicles have minimized the presence of Tamils on the Island and mak minimum reference in their positive contributions to both the state or to Buddhism because there were determined to project an image that the Island comprised a society exclusively of Sinhalese –Buddhist.—It is also possible that non-Sinhalese Buddhist, who continued to live outside northern and eastern parts of Island, were forcibly integrated or discounted ,in order to maintain the Sinhale-Buddhist character of the Island’s society. James Brow, commenting on this aspects of Sinhalese nationalism ,states that Sinhalese nationalism does not encompass every social group located in Srilanka. It is essentially the ideology of Sinhalese Budhism, and it tends to repudiate groups who’s member do not speak Sinhala language or do not practice Buddhism. Professor Stanly Tambiah aptly indicates that the differences among those who are included in the Sinhala nation are submerged and obscured. Tennent also states, that notwithstanding their numbers are their power, it is remarkable that the Malabars were never identified with any plan for promoting the prosperity and embellishment if Ceylon.
Tamil words and Phrases were used in the Sinhalese Inscriptions from 10th to 13th Century A.D., Tamils continued to live throughout the Island , even after the transfer of the capital from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruva from the eighth century A.., contributing to the social ,cultural, and economic development of the Sinhalese kingdom. The period.,–between the fourth century and ninth century A.D.,have yielded a samall number of inscriptions, and a very little information is discernible from these and other sources about Tamils,Most of the information about Tamil, recorded in inscriptions are dated feom late century A.D, with the Chola invasions of the Island. Epigraphic sources of the 10th century A.D., indicated the Tamil words and phrases were even used within Sinhalese inscriptions, as if both languages were blended. Sinhalese rulers even incorporated certain Tamil words in Sinhalese phrases and sentiments in inscriptions from the 10th century A.D.
Even King Kassayapa V ordered the engravings of Atavirogollava Pillar and Ramalingawa Inscriptions which was contained Tamils words and names. In another inscriptions King Mahinda iv of the 10th century A.D., included Tamil words for paddy, farm, and other institutions. The same king also decreed that the irrigated water from the particular tank can be used exclusively by one specific Vihara, in accordance with the customs prevalent during the previous period of Tamil rule. It is not clear whether the above mentioned Vihara was built by Tamils, but is evident that Tamil customs were observe by the Sinhalese rulers in ancient times.
There are many instances of Tamil Hindus and Sinhalese-Buddhist making extensive donations to each other .K.Inrepala indicates that , both Sinhalese and Tamils inscriptions of the tenth and eleventh centuries reference to Sinhalese rulers of the City of Anuradhapura, who replied on Tamil settlements of nearby village to supply labor for performing certain tasks. Hindu deities also appear in—non-Brahmi inscriptions that use entirely the Sinhalese script; indival Tamils, as well as mercantile guilds, promoted Buddhism by making donations to Buddhist temples.
A Tamil inscription in Anuradhapura, probably dated tenth century A.D., contains a verse entirely transcribed in the Tamil that praises a Tamil Nankunattar mercantile guild for having made a donation to a Buddhist temple named Makkothai Pillai. Some of these Tamil inscriptions were engraved in refined Tamil grammar ,suggesting that Tamil language and literature flourished under Sinhalese rulers of the 10th and 11th centuries A.D.Three other Tamil inscriptions found in the ruins of Anuradhapura used grammatical Tamil to refer to the donations made to Hindu that Tamil language was used widely by the Tamil populations of ancient Sri lanka because two Tamil inscriptions in Grantha script referring to the donation made to the shrine by Nerendra Ratna Jayawallabha Rayar, a Pallava, were discovered in the famous Buddhist shrine, the Jetavanaramaya, dated between ninth and tenth centuries A.D. Theva Rajan also refers to the Dellagama Dewala inscription in the North Central Provinces in which a blend of Tamil and Sinhalese is used
The Rajavaliya , which was written in the seventeenth century .accuses Chola rulers and Tamil population of plundering Buddhist shrines, forcefully converting Buddhists. – to Hindusim, and of burning down virtually everything in the country ,forcing the Sinhalese population to abandon the Dry Zone and move to the Southwestern parts of the Isalnd. Countrary to the claim that Tamils forced the Sinhalese population to relocate to the South India, there are convincing suggestions that the decline and fall of Sinhalese civilization was ue, among others factory, to the rivalries within the royal households, civil wars, internal dissensions, prolonged drought, soil exhaustion, siltation of tanks, malaria epidemics, etc. Indeed, the information engraved in ancient rock and cave inscriptions suggest that Sinhalese and Tamils lived amicably throughout the Island and that Tamil words, phrases and verses were include in Sinhalese inscriptions, long after the Chola invasions of the 10th century A.D.
Most of the information of the eleventh century onward is obtained from A.Veluppillai’s two volumes on Ceylone Tamil Inscriptions. Some of the inscriptions discussed in the two volumes are fragmented, while other well preserved, and provided valuable information on the nature and extent that Tamils was used in various parts of the Island since the eleventh century. Many of the inscriptions suggest that Sinhalese rulers mae extensive donations to Tamil temples and Tamil Hindu communities. In this context, Veluppillai refers to a Tamil inscriptions of the eleventh or twelfth century A.D. in the Atakada Vihara, situated at Kadava Korale in the North Central Province ,which describes a grant made by Sinhalese ruler to the Uttama Chola Iswara Sivan temple. A twelfth century A.D. Tamil inscription ,found in the village of Kirindigama, Amparai District, mentions the steps taken by Jayabahu I, to restore the paddy lands,which the B rahmins lost,and to guarantee periodic employment to Brahmins of a village. No mention is made as how to show the Brahmins lost their land in the first place, but the inscriptions extols the performance of such meritorious deeds and the heavenly benefits that would accure from them.
Velupillai also analyses a number of Tamil inscriptions found in the Padaviya century, the most important of which, consists of twelfth century A.D. Tamil verse referring the worship of the FOOT Mark transcribed in the Siva Devale no.3.This verse, referring to worship of the foot-mark of the Siva temple at the Paaviya, can be regarded as the first poem found in the Island that praises Lord Siva amd mentions that those who chant the name of Lord siva, and make offerings flowers at his foot on aily basis, will accumulate wealth and salvation. What is most significant now is that Padaviya, which had been the major site of Tamil settlements and places of Hindu worship in the 11th and 12th centuries A.D., has been transformed into an exclusively Sinhalese area by the 1980’s.Veluppillai refers to another twelfth or thirteenth century A.D. ROYAL INSCRIPTION IN Tamil, found in the vicinity of a agoda, located in the village of Detiyamulla of the Kurunegala District ,that escrbes the construction of a Buddhist Temple, a monastery for monks, an alms Hall, a —- catiya ,and a college called Parakrma Atikari Previna by Sri Nissankamalla .Both Sinhalese and Tamil are used in the Lankatilake inscription, found in the village of Rabbegomuuva of the Kandy District,to refer to the lands, granted by King Bhuvaneka Bahu IV and King Vickrema Bahu III for the maintenance of Buddhist Viharas and Hindu temples.
In addition donations and grants to both Buddhist and Hindu temples,and heroic exploits of Tamil kings of the Jaffna Kingdom,were also engraved in the Kegalle District’s Kotagama inscription of the fourteenth century A.D.The Tamil verse celebrating the victory of Singai Aryan,Ariya , Chakravarti of the Jaffna Kingdom engraved in this inscriptions can be regarded as a literary masterpiece .This valiates Tamil claims that a Tamil Kingdom exist in Northern Srilanka since 13th century A.D. A Tamil engraving, associated with the Galle Trilingual inscription, dated as late as fifteenth century A.D., was also discovered in the extreme South of the Island. This engraving containing Tamil, Chinese and Persian texts, were inscribed, on the orders of fifteenth century Chinese Emperor ,to honor Tenavari Nayanar and Tenavari Alvar for making donations to Sivan and Vishu temples; this inscription was later destroyed by the Portuguese.
The reality that Tami inscription are found throughout the country denotes that the Island’s rulers and their subjects—were not only familiar with the use of Tamil language, but were also willing to use outside the present day Northern and Eastern provinces. This also implies that, Srilankan Tamils, who are presently concentrated in the Northern and Eastern provinces, lived throughout the Island until the 13tn century A.D., because Sinhalese speakers were familiar with the use of Tamil, which had a tremendous impact on the evolution of Sinhala.
The Modern Sinhalese language did not come into use until the eighth or ninth century A.D. and according to S.Natesan, the influence of Tamils on Sinhalese language continued into twelfth to the fifteenth centuries. S. Natesan states:
The author of the old commentary of the ‘Sidatsangara”, the only extent ancient grammar of the Sinhalese language, says that the interpretation of one of the rules has to be made by the application of a method recognized in the “Virasoliyam”, a treatise on Tamil grammar which is ascribed to the eleventh century…..We find that the study of the Tamil formed a feature of Pirivina education from the twelfth to the fifteenth centuries. Sri Rahula of Totaggamuwa (fifteenth century) was an acknowledged master of the Tamil language. Tamil influence was strong in the courts of Parakramabahu VI(1421-1468) ,and later in the courts of the last four kings of Kandy.. In Sinhalese works on astrology and medicine, Tamil influence is most clearly discernable.
The information engraved in caves, rocks, slabs, and pillars suggests that Sri lanka’s Tamil inhabited parts of the Island until the 13th century A.D., when they were compelled by political and climate factors to live predominantly in the northern and eastern parts of the Island. 13 th century A.D. also coincide with the formation of three feuding kingdoms, the Tamil kingdom, comprising of the northern and eastern parts of the Island, while the two Sinhalese kingdoms embraced the Southern and western parts of the Island
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Off the Cuff / February 21, 2015
Dear Anpu,
Please see my reply to ABCD above.
Can you explain logically, how the Sinhala population has been about 5 times the indigenous Tamil population IF Lanka Tamils were here before them?
Why would the first to come choose an arid dessert area to settle instead of the fertile rain fed area?
Any logical explanation?
Then we have this 17 century Dutch record which says, that they built a fort to protect the Dutch held Jaffna Kingdom from cross border attacks by the Armies of the Kandyan King (Sinhala Kingdom) at Elephant Pass. As you know very well Elephant Pass is where Peninsular Jaffna joins the Mainland of Lanka. Thus it is clear that the Sinhala Kingdom extended up to Elephant Pass an encompassed the whole of the Eastern Seaboard of the Mainland.
http://www.atlasofmutualheritage.nl/en/location/?id=813
.
Therefore the EAST was OUTSIDE the Tamil Kingdom.
Religion is not a Monopoly of any race. As much as their were Tamil Buddhists, their could have been Sinhala Hindus.
Hence arguments based on religion does not prove anything about ethnic habitation.
However much you try to show that there was a Tamil majority outside of the Tamil Kingdom in order to use it to dispossess the rest of Lanka’s population of Land and other resources which is their Birth Right you will have a hard time proving it as Physical factors such as Population and the extent of Land claimed will show how improbable such claims are.
Going back in history ONLY as far as 1792 we find the Tamil population to be 75,000 to 80,000. The border of this claimed Eelam or Historical Tamil Homeland is about 2000 km. The Land area is 26,000 sq km.
Thus it is PHYSICALLY impossible for a small population of 80,000 to populate this vast land of 26,000 sq km, produce their food and defended a POROUS boundary of nearly 2000 km, against a population more than 5 times their size. This claim defies all reason and is obviously FALSE and is a Greedy Land Grab.
What would be the situation if we go back another 100 years?
The CORE ISSUE to this problem has always been Land and the inability of Tamils to share this Land as Equals with the other inhabitants.
Here is a quote from someone you know very well.
“Lands, Sir, is a fundamental issue. It has enormous influence on vital aspects of human activity and it is crucial, particularly from the point of view of the affected people, like persons displaced during the war and so on. There are private lands. Large extents of private lands are to be acquired by the Government in both the North and the East. The owners are opposed to such acquisition. These are lands on which these people have lived for generations and centuries.
Parliamentary speech by TNA Leader, R. Sampanthan on December 14, 2013
Note what he says about private lands.
The Hill Country Lands were used or owned by the Sinhalese before the British govt acquired them
1. The British enacted the Crown Land Enforcement Ordinance in 1840 to claim the unoccupied and uncultivated land in the Kandyan kingdom (Farmer 1957:90- 91). As a result of this ordinance, 90% of the land in the Kandyan highlands was designated as land belonging to the British Crown (Herath et al, 1995:77).
2. The Waste Land Ordinance Act of 1897 (and the Crown Land Encroachment Ordinance in 1840), annexed more lands as crown lands where villagers could no longer claim them according to the new British imposed rules (Roberts 1979:233, Obeysekara 1967: 98-100).
3. The majority of the Sinhalese villages effectively lost the structural prerequisite of land tenure systems (Obeysekara 1967:101).
4. The ‘Land Settlement Ordinance of 1889’ allowed the colonial authorities to sell these STOLEN lands at will. “Many villagers in the Kandyan area were deprived of their high lands formally used for chena cultivation or grazing the cattle” (Mendis 1951:85).
“According to the 1946 census on population in the agricultural sector of the island, 40% of the agricultural peasant families found in the former Kandyan Kingdom were landless while there were 26% landless agricultural families recorded in the wet zone” (Herath 1995: 79).
The inability of the Tamil leadership (like Sampanthan etc) to recognise what the Sinhalese underwent which was many fold what Sampanthan is crying about in Parliament is at the root of the ethnic problems in Lanka.
What you need to do is to share this Land of ours as equals not seek to make greedy claims to disproportionate Land and other resources unequally.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Anpu / February 21, 2015
OTC,
“Can you explain logically, how the Sinhala population has been about 5 times the indigenous Tamil population IF Lanka Tamils were here before them?”
Part of the explanation –
http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2010/12/63118_space.html
TAMIL FROM PUTTALAM TO GALLE:
It is interesting to note that Tamil was taught from Puttalam to Galle. The foregoing is taken from page 131, vol: iii of CCD. ` Some country schoolmasters and the `tomboy register of births & deaths) holders reported that the following Church members had gone over to the Roman Catholic church and had their marriages solemnized by Roman Catholic priest, ie., Joseph Pieris `PATTANGATTYN` namely Joan Fernando, Simon Fernando,
Lourenz Fernando, Anthony Pieris, Julian Fernando, Johanna Fernando, Manuel Zoysa (all of Negombo), Francisco Pieris, and Don Diego (both of Hunupitiya), Sattabigey Saloman Fernando(former assistant master of Maggona), and Angela Fernando`.
The above persons are all KARAVA TAMILS who hailed from the fishery-coast of KAYALPATTINAM of TAMIL NADU and migrated from time to time by the ingenuity of the Portuguese to propagate Tamils of Catholic persuasion in the western coastal regions of Ceylon.
The Dutch by a special order dated 9th April 1774 of Colombo, made the Catholic priests by a deed of allegiance to the Dutch Company, before the Commander or the Chief of their respective districts or before the `dessave` in Colombo and this declaration was preserved in at the Colombo secretariat.(CCD, pp 302,303 vol: III).
Thirty nine Catholic priests of Jaffna and Kalpitiya down the coast to Galle made the declaration in Tamil. On 5th October 1767, on a complaint lodged by Joan de Silva, the Tamil Roman Catholic schoolmaster at Colombo said that he was obstructed in his teaching duties by those of the Reformed religion.(CCD, p 328,vol:III).
By a `Plakkaat, the Dutch published in the 1778 in Tamil, conditions under which persons could marry whether they belonged to the Catholic church or the Reformed Church and attaching certain penalties for failure to abide by the order. This was a general restriction for marriages and birth of persons in so far as the issue of a certificate was concerned at baptism, and solemnization of weddings as stipulated in the order.
CUNNING SINHALIZATION OF TAMIL CATHOLICS OF CHILAW- `TAMIL SPEAKING SINHALESE:
It is a historical fact that Tamil Catholics have been comparatively reluctant to emphasise their `Tamilness` in earlier years. On the contrary some politicised Sinhala clergymen have not been hesitant to push the Snhala line. The most famous or notorious case being that of Bishop Edmund Peiris . When the Chilaw Diocese was carved out of the Northern diocese a substantial concentration of Catholics along the Western seaboard were Tamil Bharathas or `Parathavar`.
Peiris came out with the nomenclature `Tamil Speaking Sinhalese` in relation to the Bharatha community and projected the line that their medium of instruction should be Sinhala. So 48 Tamil medium schools and Tamil streams in schools became Sinhala overnight. It was cultural genocide. The grandchildren began speaking Sinhala while the grandparents spoke Tamil. The parents were caught in between. Former Arch Bishop Nicholas Marcus Fernando`s mother from Mundal was LITERATE IN TAMIL ONLY. The son used to correspond in Tamil with the mother.
SINHALIZATION OF COASTAL TAMIL TOWNS FROM NEGOMBO – (THEY ARE THE ARDENT DEFENDERS OF SINHALA BUDDHIST CHAUVINISM NOW. ):
The transformation of Bharatha identity from Sinhala to Tamil through education is a phenomenal example of a majority assimilating a minority. Mercifully the Bharathas of Vankalai and Pesalai coming under the Northern diocese were free of this `Sinhalaisation` and REMAIN FIERCELY PROUD TAMILS. The tragic aspect of this identity conversion was the silent acceptance of this perversion of justice by Tamil Catholics in the name of religion.
Catholics of a later era blame former Jaffna Bishop Emilianuspillai for this lapse. During colonial times the Catholic church in Sri Lanka comprised only two Dioceses – The Northern and Southern. The Northern diocese consisted of the Northern and Eastern Provinces along with areas extending downwards to Negombo , Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. Though Tamils are only one – sixth of the Sinhala population the Sinhala – Tamil ratio in the Catholic church was six to five.
ACCEPTING SINHALA IDENTITY IS THE PERVERSION OF JUSTICE BY TAMIL CATHOLICS IN THE NAME OF RELIGION:
If the Tamil Catholics were vigilant they could have sought and obtained a separate Arch Diocese for the North – East. This is both administratively convenient and culturally homogeneous. There is nothing wrong in this arrangement. In India for instance the state of Tamil Nadu though uniformly Tamil speaking has two Arch dioceses headquartered in Madurai and Chennai. Just as the political leadership of the Tamils at dawn of Independence from Britain failed to articulate and demand a federal set up the Tamil Catholic hierarchy too failed to get a separate Archdiocese.
Years later the history conscious Jaffna Bishop Rt. Rev Deogupillai felt the necessity for a demarcation. He wrote to Vatican in 1976 seeking a separate Arch Diocese. There was immense merit in this request. Yet the Sinhala Catholics came down on him like a ton of bricks. Even a progressive like Bishop Leo Nanayakkara condemned Deogupillai for raising the demand. This was linked to the 1976 Vaddukkoddai resolution for Tamil Eelam and depicted as a separatist threat. Deogupillai backed down against his better judgement.
SEPARATE NORTH-EASTERN ARCH DIOCESE:
The question of a separate North – Eastern Arch diocese loomed large again in the early eighties. The arrest of Tamil Catholic priests under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act brought out sharply the ethnic divide in the Catholic Church. Sinhala and Tamil Catholics perceived the same phenomena through different prisms. The Papal nuncio in Colombo Nicolo Rotunno was broadly sympathetic. The Vatican was concerned about the arrested priests plight. The Popes representative also took up the issue with Jayewardene. There was much speculation that a separate North – Eastern Archdiocese was in the offing. Colombo acted hastily and firmly. The papal nuncio was unceremoniously expelled.
Thereafter Vatican did not pursue the `separate` Arch diocese proposal. Pope John Paul Two preferred and backed Catholic unity. The 1983 violence could have seen the emergence of a North – Eastern arch diocese but for one factor. Jayewardene cleverly blamed it on Communists, Trotkyites, Marxists and Maoists. This was anathema to Pope John Paul whose greatest accomplishment is precipitating the dismantling of the Soviet Communist `Empire`.
Pope John Paul two was fully conversant with the SriLankan Tamil predicament. He was briefed on this regularly by Cardinal Loudesamy of Bangalore later stationed in the Vatican. Archbishop Aarolliyasamy of Madurai who was once manhandled at Madhu by Sinhala Catholics for preaching in Tamil also had the Popes ear on this. Though sympathetic the Pope wanted the Catholic church to remain united. At one stage when Sinhala and Tamil Bishops were dangerously drifting apart Pope John Paul summoned all ten Bishops for a special meeting to Vatican and persuaded them to forge unity in diversity.
One of the things the Pope mentioned then was remarkably prophetic. He pointed out that once the Catholic church was divided on ethnic lines fresh tensions will ensue between Catholics and the Buddhist and Hindu majorities respectively. He warned of rising anti – Christian feelings on both sides of the ethnic divide and wanted the Church to remain united and strong to meet this challenge. Pope John Paul has passed away ,Those prophetic words of his are now coming true.
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Off the Cuff / February 21, 2015
Dear Anpu,
I thought I asked you to LOGICALLY explain,
1. How the Sinhala population is about 5 times the indigenous Tamil population in Lanka IF the Lanka Tamils came here BEFORE the Sinhalese EVOLVED in Lanka.
2. Why would the first to come choose an arid dessert area to settle instead of the fertile rain fed area?
If you claim that the Lanka Tamils were Sinhalised and that’s why the Sinhala population is FIVE times more than the Lanka Tamils, you are trying to climb a mountain without ever reaching the top.
If the situation was reversed and we had a Lanka Tamil majority of 80 Lanka Tamils to 20 Sinhalese, to arrive at the current situation 60 Lanka Tamils would have to assimilate and become Sinhala, a highly improbable eventuality.
The worst possible assimilation was attempted by the Portuguese who used torture and death to convert Hindus to Catholics. Yet Hindu’s are still the MAJORITY amongst the Tamils. That assimilation did not work with the Lanka Tamils.
Then came the Dutch who tried to assimilate the indigenous population to their religion by prohibiting inheritance of wealth and land unless a person died as a Baptized person. That did not work either as all they got was a nominal Christian with a “Thombu”. They enforced many disabilities on persons who were not Baptized that was equally unsuccessful.
Then came the British they too tried to assimilate to Christianity the natives using the power of govt but failed.
Hence your argument is a failure on physical factors alone.
You have not even addressed the second point that I raised, as to why the people who claim to have come first selected an ARID area instead of the Fertile Area with plentiful fresh water.
You have not explained how a small population of 80,000 Lanka Tamils populate a vast land of 26,000 sq km, produce their food and defended a POROUS boundary of nearly 2000 km, against a population more than 5 times their size.
You cannot explain why the position taken by TNA Leader, R. Sampanthan in his Parliamentary speech on December 14, 2013 cannot apply equally (or more) to the Sinhalese whose Lands, habitat and livelihood were stolen by force by the Govt of the day in a brutal manner.
BTW Anpu, Thivya whose arguments you duplicate, is a Rabid, self proclaimed “PURE DRAVIDIAN” separatist who long ago, on Groundviews, failed to establish her viewpoint with these self same arguments.
As the TNA Leader, R. Sampanthan has pointed out Lands is the fundamental issue.
Lanka Tamil claim to a disparate Land area IS the Fundamental problem to the ethnic issue.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Off the Cuff / February 21, 2015
Dear ABCD,
Geographically, Lanka and India would have been joined by a land bridge between Mannar and Rameswaram as the Sea would have been much lower two millennia ago, than what it is today. The remnants of this land bridge is visible even today on Satellite imagery (please refer Google Earth)
Hence there is a distinct possibility of humans using the land bridge to come to Lanka rather than by sea (or may be both). These migrants could be anyone or more of the many races inhabiting the Indian subcontinent (not just South India).
Balangoda Man dates back to 38,000 BP to 30,000 BP (BP zero is 1 January 1950). Hence this country has been inhabited for at least that long. Unless those people became extinct by the time the migrants arrived via the land route, SOME of today’s inhabitant’s ancestors would be them.
The Sinhalese is a mixed race and did not migrate to Lanka, they EVOLVED in Lanka. SOME ancestors of the Sinhalese were immigrants while OTHER ancestors of the Sinhalese were the indigenes who lived in Lanka when the emigrants arrived. Sinhalese cannot be found anywhere else in the world as an endemic species.
This is from the latest scientific study on the subject. It was published on the Internet on 7 November 2013. Unfortunately you have to pay to access it now.
Rent: $4.99, Purchase: $9.99
The report is accessible online at http://www.nature.com/jhg/journal/v59/n1/full/jhg2013112a.html
.
Mitochondrial DNA history of Sri Lankan ethnic people: their relations within the island and with the Indian subcontinental populations.
By Lanka Ranaweera, Supannee Kaewsutthi, Aung Win Tun, Hathaichanoke Boonyarit, Samerchai Poolsuwan and Patcharee Lertrit
1. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
2. Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University, PraChan, Bangkok, Thailand
Quote
The PCA is extended further to include various other ethnic populations from the Indian subcontinent (Supplementary Table S2) Figure 4. The result shown in Figure 5 accounted for 52.59% of the total variation. All the Sinhalese and Tamil subgroups intermingle well with the majority of the Indian subcontinental populations, forming a large genetic matrix.
Unquote
PCA = “Principal component analysis”
Quote
However, Indian Tamils were separated from the rest of the Sri Lankan subgroups, except SU-Bam and SL-Ban, on the first PC axis. This is further strengthening of the hypothesis that Indian Tamils are genetically distinct from the rest of the Sri Lankan ethnic groups.
Unquote
(SU – Bam is Sinhalese from Bambarabedda, SL – Ban is Sinhalese from Bandaraduwa)
Thus the following scientific inferences can be made
1. Indian Tamils of Lanka, Lanka Tamils and the Sinhalese have genetic connections to those from the Indian Subcontinent.
2. Indian Tamils of Lanka do not have a Genetic connection to Lanka Tamils
3. Sinhalese intermarry with Indian Tamils of Lanka
4. Lanka Tamils SHUN intermarriage with Indian Tamils of Lanka
Inference “2” is surprising because we know for certain that the Indian Origin Tamils of Lanka are from South India (or Tamil Nadu) and the Lanka Tamils claim that they too come from Tamil Nadu.
Where does the Lanka Tamils come from if they are not from Tamil Nadu? Science says they are not from Tamil Nadu.
Lanka Tamils could not have originated from South India. South Indian Tamils are not the Parent population of the Lanka Tamils.
Quote
“Interestingly, highest number of haplotype sharing was found between Vedda with Up-country Sinhalese and with Low-country Sinhalese. On the other hand, there was no haplotype sharing between the Vedda people with any of the Tamils”
Unquote
It must be noted that due to the isolation of the Veddha community, sampling done today will yeild only a small percentage of Veddha genetic material within the Sinhalese.
These inferences follow
5. Neither the Lanka Tamils or the Indian Origin Tamils have any direct genetic connection with the Veddha.
6. The Sinhalese have a direct genetic connection with the Veddha.
Thus we can see that the Veddha is ONE of the parent populations of the Sinhalese.
There is an older study done in 1995, twenty years ago, by Dr Kshatriya. It’s available in the wiki.
Dr Kshatriya says
The Bengalis, the Tamils, and the Veddahs are considered parental populations for the Sinhalese. The Bengali contribution is 25.41%, the Tamil (India) contribution is 69.86%, and the Veddah contribution is only 4.73%. Thus the Sinhalese have a predominantly Tamil (India) contribution followed by the Bengalis and the Veddahs.
By studying the Sri Lankan Tamils, one can see that the Sinhalese, the Bengalis, and the Indian Tamils can be considered ancestral populations. The contribution of the Sinhalese to the Sri Lankan Tamils is 55.20%. Similarly, the Bengali contribution is 28.17% and that of the Indian Tamils is 16.63%. The results indicate a predominant influence of the Sinhalese (who already have a high contribution from the Indian Tamils) and the Bengalis to a lesser extent.
Thus the Lanka Tamils may well be descendants of the Sinhalese who over time has adopted the Tamil Language due to the close contact with South Indian Tamils.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Javi. / February 21, 2015
OTC: Obnoxious Transvestite Chuffe/Chuff
“”Please see my reply to ABCD above.”
“Make the lie big,
make it simple,
keep saying it,
and eventually they will believe it.“
Be like Me the Poop, —Adolf Hitler
Try this rhyme kindergarten idiot,
bluff, buff, chough, cuff, duff, fluff, gruff, guff, huff, luff, muff, puff, rough, ruff, scruff, scuff, slough, snuff, sough, stuff, tough, tuff..
when you are capable of mastering that you become hip hop stuff with a fizzy pop that would put OTC to shame.
/
Manicka Vasagar / February 20, 2015
Dear Usha,
I hope your article informs and educate the majority Singhalese and Tamils to think carefully, that truth and justice will prevail.
Some of these racist low lives would never want to accept the truth that human rights abuses, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide took place, and that structural genocide is still continuing.
Their conscience will eat them alive eventually.
The photo speaks and explains what actually happened, and can these racists’ low lives explain where these unarmed Tamil civilians are now?
There are thousands of photos, witnesses, victims, satellite images, and of course credible reports, recording and documents are available to support and justify what actually took place. More is yet to be release. Coming soon from the international media, Ch 4 and NFZ.
The independent international investigation report by the UNHRC due in September should explain it all, that the intent and purpose of the Mullivaikkal war, which was planned and initiated by the GoSL, was genocide.
The army and the government (past and present) need to explain to the IC on how, why, where and by whom, more than 100 000 were killed, including women, children, elderly, disable people, which resulted in 89 000 widows, 60 000 orphans and disabled, 300 000 displaced from their homes and lands. There are still 146 000 still unaccounted for, either dead, missing or in custody.
Why were the government declared “no-fire-zones”, schools, and hospitals bombed and by whom? Why was women and girls forced into sterilisation, massive gang rapes by army, those surrender killed, many in custody disappeared without trace. Why were lands confiscated from civilians, and why are they not retuned.
If not genocide, what is it?
Why is the new regime, claims to want good governance, law and order, separation of powers, corruption free, rehabilitation and reconciliation, for clean and fair administration, cannot accept international norms and standards, and allow the international media and accept the UN HRC to visit and derive the truth, before moving forward for the good of the peoples and the two nations.
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ravi / February 21, 2015
Yes it’s clear genocide. Tamils wants justice. Referendum for Eelam
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Off the Cuff / February 21, 2015
Usha starts her essay with a quote from Geoffrey Robertson QC.
But who is Geoffrey Robertson QC
A man singing for his supper!
According to Usha this guy is her employee!!!
“Geoffrey Robertson QC an eminent human rights lawyer, retained by the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE)”
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Anpu / February 21, 2015
OTC,
“A man singing for his supper!”
Are you singing for breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, ….
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Off the Cuff / February 21, 2015
Dear Anpu,
So you have also realised that Geoffrey Robertson QC is a PAID SERVANT of USHA’S TGTE. Thank you for agreeing though you did so without thinking.
Foolish USHA is trying to peddle her PAID SERVANT’s biased statements as that of an independent an EMINENT HUMAN RIGHTS lawyer. What a laugh!!!
The TGTE has BOUGHT Geoffrey Robertson QC the same way the TGTE and their comrades BOUGHT Ms. Yasmin SOOKA, Marzuki Darusman and Steven Ratner to Exonerate the LTTE and their financiers of War Crimes that they committed.
The answer to your question is obviously No. I enjoy exposing racist idiots who write to the web.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Anpu / February 21, 2015
OTC,
“Thank you for agreeing though you did so without thinking.”
Where did I say I agree with you?
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Off the Cuff / February 21, 2015
By not contesting what I said about Geoffrey Robertson QC being a PAID SERVANT of USHA’S TGTE.
You AVOIDED it because USHA has already said that he is an EMPLOYEE of the TGTE.
An Employee is a PAID SERVANT.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Eusense / February 21, 2015
USSR,
You are hanging on to “genocide” by a thread. Wish you luck!
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Javi. / February 21, 2015
where is the hand put and take Putin??
You have no understanding lankan traditional culture now that you are a minority in the american dream glued on to Screen unable to travel and enjoy for fear of KKK.
She can chain stitch you up as a douchbag.
/
Off the Cuff / February 21, 2015
Usha says
“The Genocide perpetrated against the Tamils has been taken up, debated, analysed and agreed upon not just by the Tamil Diaspora or the Northern provincial Council but also by many authors, by the former Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew, the Permanent People’s Tribunal and an eminent lawyer, Geoffrey Robertson among other:”
At least a 100,000 Tamil children were sent to their deaths Financed by Usha’s TGTE, the BTF and the other similar Tamil Diaspora organisations world wide.
Geoffrey Robertson (the TGTE Employee) expressing how honoured he was to address the “TGTE parliament” (sic) spoke of the “barbaric events in 2009″ and stressed the need for accountability: but remained silent on the 100,000 plus Children sent to war by the TGTE and the other financiers because THAT did not need accounting!!!!
During the last stages at least 200 children a month were abducted (some as young as 9 years) and used as sand bags by the LTTE financed by the TGTE and these separatist Diaspora organisations.
The TGTE employee, QC, is crying foul but is silent on this issue.
Usha has been thumping her chest writing article after article with the milk of human kindness oozing from her breast but she too is silent on this issue.
Father Ryappu Joseph remains silent.
Father Emanuel of the BTF is silent.
Tamil Diaspora world wide is silent.
Wigneswaran and the TNA lead NP govt is silent on the issue.
The parents and siblings of these young victims are also silent (or silenced??).
All the while the woman who delivered these Tamil Children to the next world is living in comfort right under the noses of these hypocrites in the UK and the ICC.
Maybe Mr Lee Kuan Yew, overlooked their plight.
Since Ms Usha thinks very highly of Mr Lee Kuan Yew, she would agree to implement the Highly Successful “Ethnic Integration Policy” of Singapore that Mr Lee Kuan Yew and his govt implemented and still is in force in that country.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Tilak de Silva / February 21, 2015
Usha Sri Skandarajah you quote so much of extracts of LTTE propaganda from Channel 4, Geoffrey Robertson (puppet employee of TGTE), Mr Lee Kuan Yue past prime Minister of Singapore.. Let me draw your attention to your desciples and quotes. The world knows Channel 4 propaganda was financed by LTTE and goons with inside connections, someone did that for a cheap profit, that has been discredited by respected journalists. Mr Lee Kuan Yue was a great leader for Singapore, if Thamils had this struggle in Singapore, generations would have been deported, he made the country for Chinese Singaporeans with positive discrimination and some crumbs on the edges for other ethnicities.
Mr Geoffrey Robertson an Australian, hardly has a place in legal process of Australia, he will defend terrorists, overseas criminals, child abusers and similar luminaries. Kindly engage some persons that has an ownership to the alleged claim of ‘Thamil genocide’ that was started by Velupunde Prabahkaran. Sri Lankan government is an equal victim of this miserable period created by Thamils for international sympathy, that will never win. If Sri Lankan government decides to dismantle so called Thamil land, de facto partition created by pre independence British, the government has a right, Jaffna is not a sovereign state.
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Burning Issue / February 21, 2015
” The world knows Channel 4 propaganda was financed by LTTE and goons with inside connections, someone did that for a cheap profit, that has been discredited by respected journalists”
Anyone can make such a statement! You have accused one of the British broadcasting corporations as dishonest and they put profit before ethics of journalism. You now need to show on this forum with deeds and evidence to support your statement. Can you do that?
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Off the Cuff / February 21, 2015
Burning Issue,
Here is the evidence that CH4 fabricated news and put profit before ethics of journalism.
They showed the PTK hospital which was the ONLY hospital under the control of the LTTE as filled with CIVILIAN casualties in civilian dress. There was not a SINGLE LTTE casualty present (either dead or injured) during the height of the war.
Being British does not translate to being honest.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Tishen / February 21, 2015
Excellent article. I hope Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah’s articles will reach just people who can act rather than just comment.
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K Chevvez / February 21, 2015
This is another good reference point for charging Sri Lanka with genocide. Can you bring out few of the known evidences.
In you next article you can explain what is terrorism, what is war crime, what is genocide, what is human rights violations, etc..,
Sinhalese should know that this is not going to go away. The protests inside and outside are going to get steamed up. So please look to find a solution, a political solution otherwise things are going to get mad in diplomatic fronts.
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Sabapathy / February 22, 2015
Hi Usha:
I find your article amply researched and well written to bring forth the salient arguments to prove your point, and you have done it well indeed. I congratulate you on your efforts. Permit me to make four short comments that strike my mind.
New evidence on Genocide.
Added to the available evidence of Genocide on the Tamils, I would have wished you touched on the emerging evidence of exterminating the Tamils by using a secret tool to pollute (poison) their Wells in Chunnakam. This is spreading far and wide in the Peninsula. There is credible and growing new evidence from activists and residents in the area that the government had a planned pogrom of genocidal intent by deliberately dumping very large quantities of waste oil (high fuel type normally used in ships) loaded with high concentration of Arsenic and other deadly poisonous chemicals in three abandoned wells close by the Chunnakan Power Plant. When residents in the neighborhood complained of oil floating in their wells the authorities covered up those wells beyond recognition to the extent that those abandoned wells never existed there. By 2005 when new contractors undertook the supply of electricity they continued to get rid of 54,000 liters of waste oil once in six months by digging tube wells in the premises of the power plant and forcefully pumped the waste oil down the tube.
Tamils will have to find their own Solution
I look at the deferment of the OISL report as a betrayal against the fallen victims, very disappointing and humiliating. Soon after I read your article, I watched Jessica Jude sing the very touching song உரிமை இழந்தோம் உடமை இழந்தோம் dedicated to the Tamils in “the Super Singer Junior show”. This was watched by millions of Tamils the world over. She stood as a lone voice of reason lamenting the sad plight of the Tamils. The audience was stunned and in remorse and the judges almost tear eyed. There is one lesson that emerges from both your article and the song – Our pathetic plight has been falling on deaf ears. The UN is as blind as it was when the world clamored for action when the atrocities were perpetrated on the Tamils and continues to refuse to acknowledge the Genocide that is visible and very convincing from the numerous physical evidences, presentations of videos, photos and reports on the massacre, bombing, rape and killings, because, the UN and the major powers were a party to it.
Get ready, we are in for another bout of trickery
President Sirisena’s election Speech says it all that he will protect Mahinda Rajapakse from prosecution for war crimes and Government’s current delay tactics all the more endorsed by the UN will put the Tamil issue in the back burner.
We have to look for Alternative Routes to Justice
We cannot discount the Paper No. 5870 in South Asia Analysis Group by Dr. Parasaran Rangarajan on Alternative Routes to Justice for War Crimes in Sri Lanka dated 12-Feb-2015, given the situation we are left with- a weak UN and treacherous Sinhalese Government.
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Sri / February 22, 2015
It can be seen from the comments such as the one from Vibushana that in fact there is a need for an external body to look at the genocide charge. Having abused Tamils & Muslims systematically since independence, there is the tendency by the Sinhalese to absolve themselves by saying LTTE killed too. Who had the power to control?
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Nimalan / March 21, 2015
http://www.tgte-icc.org/
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Subramaniam Thiagarajah / December 29, 2015
Usha: No doubt it is a beautiful article,It is well presented with facts and figures.It has quotations from learned professors on the subject.The problem is these are needed only for debates. Sri Lankan Govt. people are not interested in these.They want to continue the treatment of Tamils as before,a set of people who should serve them and not behave as equals.In other words as a form of slaves.This brings down the whole structure built by Tamils.They are Kings,rulers,what are we,we are destitutes,beggars.We don’t have a Govt.,Army,Navy,Airforce,Rockets,Atom bombs,Ambassadors,Consulates,then how can we approach this as equals.It is a waste of time.The The Tamil leaders did not do anything to the Tamils.They were doing everything to their sinhalese friends.For example “Ponnambalam Ramanathan just before his death admitted that he worked all throughout his life for the sinhalese and Buddhism.He did not do anything for the future of Tamils”.It is same with all theother leaders and organizations.At least now Tamil Leaders must go meet Ministers and others of other countries and get close as much as possible with US and the West and TamilNadu.Keep India out.They are set of rouges.Then something good can happen.
/