19 March, 2024

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‘He Came From Kankasanthurai’ – On Sinhala Hooliganism’s Partners In Crime

By Rasika Jayakody

Rasika Jayakody

Talking of the post-Black July history is something that earns the ire of Separatists.

The reason is clear. Atrocities committed by Velupillai Prabhakaran in the post-Black July history do not warrant any opportunity for separatists to justify or trivialize the conduct of the LTTE. The concept of ‘Eelam’ is inherently flawed in the first place. Adding to its in-built flaws, the LTTE took the political concept of “Eelam” towards a new level i.e., Barbarianism.

Whenever one speaks of the Sinhalese factor in the aftermath of ‘Black July’ and the way the Sinhalese acted with great self-restraint in the face of chillingly brutal attacks by the LTTE against civilians for more than three decades, separatists, blind to the post-Black July developments, fancy talking about 1958, 1966, 1977 and 1981 as they consider that as their comfort zone.

The mastermind behind the anti-Tamil riots in 1958, 1966, 1977 and 1981 was none other than the late S.J.V. Chelvanayagam, founder of the ITAK. The concept of Eelam first gained ground not in the soil of Jaffna, but in the mind of Chelvanayagam, to be utilized as a vote-catching device. And the genesis of the Eelamist concept had nothing to do with any of the anti-Tamil riots that started after 1958 or any attack against Tamil civilians.

Chelvanayagam, after breaking away from the All Ceylon Tamil Congress led by G.G. Ponnambalam, took a more radical path, vis-a-vis the relatively mild stance taken by the ACTC on matters concerning Tamils. Chelvanayagam left the Tamil Congress as the result of a dispute over citizenship rights of Indian Tamils who were working as labourers in ‘Ceylon’. After the split occured, Chelvanayagam realized that the citizenship rights of Indian Tamils could not be sold to the northern Tamils. Astute politician, he shifted his focus to the Tamils in the North. Making mountains out of molehills was the only way forward for him. And that was exactly what he did at the expense of his own people.

The first direct step towards secession was taken upon the establishment of the ITAK in 1949. The principle resolution passed by the party upon its establishment says, “we believe that the only means ensuring that the Tamils are guaranteed their freedom and self-respect by law, and of solving their problems in a just and democratic manner is to permit them to have their own autonomous state guaranteeing self-government and self-determination for the Tamil nation in the country: and to work indefatigably to the attainment of this objective.”

And it is important to note that this resolution towards secession was passed, way before Sinhala was made the official language, way before the introduction of language-based standardization, way before the anti-Tamil riots in 1958,1966,1977 and 1983!Moreover, the party’s annual convention in 1951, which was held in Trincomalee also passed a similar resolution that went along same lines. This is the truth to which Separatists who come up with hair-splitting arguments on anti-Tamil violence are very much blind.

In 1952, the ITAK, led by Chelvanayagam suffered a landslide defeat at the parliamentary election.  One option was doing away with the separatist approach and reinventing his strategy. The second option was intensifying it and taking it to a more intense level. Chelvanayagam chose the latter.

Making Sinhala the national language was a contentious decision. But it is important to note that the Sinhalese language was known to more than 85% of the country when Sinhala was made the national language. But as a result of the conversion, a section of the Tamil community, who only knew their language, faced certain practical issues. For instance, some received birth certificates in Sinhala of which they could not understand a single word.  But the solution for that was not making Tamil, which was known only to less than 15% of the country, a national language, but providing facilities to get certified translations of such important documents. Other similar issues arising from the language policy should have been addressed in the same manner. But Chelvanayagam was not interested in pushing the government towards addressing problems. He was busy eliciting anti-Tamil violence, overtly and covertly. This resulted in his rise in the domain of communal politics. Gradually he overtook Ponnambalam and the ITAK became the most powerful political party in the North. Economic issues, unemployment, infrastructural problems and other similar matters were never on Chelvanayagam’s agenda. Everything converged at the notion of “autonomous state guaranteeing self-government and self-determination for the Tamil nation”.

Chelvanayagam knew that provoking Sinhala hooliganism was an important strategy in his game-plan. That was what he did in 1958 and 1966. It took two to Tango and Chelvanagayam did his part right. As much as one condemns Sinhala hooliganism that swooped on Tamils during anti-Tamil riots, he or she should also admit that Chelvanayagam and his politics played an equally crucial role in it, creating the base for the infamous black July which resulted in the loss of thousands of  innocent lives. It was, as some said, a well-orchestrated plan and the maestro of the orchestration was not J.R. Jayewardena or his government, but Chelvanayagam and his politics. Unfortunately, Chelvnayagam did not live long enough to see the culmination of the politics he engendered.

Tamil militancy and its inherent brutality did not fall from the sky. It was artfully developed, directly and indirectly, over a period of three decades by Chelvanayagam and his party. Although Amirthalingam ran the last hundred meters after Chelvanayagam’s death (and was shot dead at the finish), it was certainly the latter’s race. In that sense, there would not have been a Velupillai Prabhakaran, if not for Chelvanayagam.

Those who wax eloquent about pre-1983 history, those who want the Sinhalese to say “sorry” for 1983, and those who castigate the savagery of the Sinhalese should realise that the Sinhala hooliganism had an indispensable partner in crime who came from Kankasanthurai.

*Rasika Jayakody is a Sri Lankan journalist who may be contacted at rasikajayakody2@gmail.com

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    Did this person just justify the Sinhala-Only Act?

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      This guy is a class “A” racist. What else did you expect. Don’t waste your time on the venom he spills.

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        Do you know the meaning of ‘racist’, dumbass?

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          Thanks for signing your name. But, signature should be placed after the question mark.

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    The author just proved that the Sinhalese politicians fell hook line and sinker to the sucker who saw the weakness.

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    WTF????????????????

    Quote”
    The mastermind behind the anti-Tamil riots in 1958, 1966, 1977 and 1981 was none other than the late S.J.V. Chelvanayagam, founder of the ITAK. The concept of Eelam first gained ground not in the soil of Jaffna, but in the mind of Chelvanayagam, to be utilized as a vote-catching device. And the genesis of the Eelamist concept had nothing to do with any of the anti-Tamil riots that started after 1958 or any attack against Tamil civilians”

    “Those who wax eloquent about pre-1983 history, those who want the Sinhalese to say “sorry” for 1983, and those who castigate the savagery of the Sinhalese should realise that the Sinhala hooliganism had an indispensable partner in crime who came from Kankasanthurai.”

    You racist-chauvinist-extremist Singhala Terrorist supporters and cheer leaders, You have some thing else coming.
    What goes around will come around, not only in the next world but in this world as well. Don’t try to blame the non violent Tamil leader, Thanthai S J V Chelva for the Singhala Terrorist UNSPEAKABLE CRIMES over 5 decades from 1956, 1958, 1961, 1977, 1983 RACE RIOTS perpetrated on innocent Tamil civilians who were unarmed, stole their properties, buildings and vehicles/jewellery but forced them to sell cheap to Muslims and Sinhalese. They burnt, looted, not only property but murdered and burnt Tamils alive, You FREAKING B…………………s.

    Remember, Karma is a BITCH.

    66 Million Tamils in Tamil Nadu, 1 Million Tamil diaspora from OUR Island as well as other Tamils around the world from different countries have not forgotten the INHUMANITY of SINHALA TERRORISM from 1958….

    Tamils are not afraid of any more Sinhala Race Riots, thanks to the LTTE and the Tamil diaspora and Tamil Nadu Tamils…. There will be HELL TO PAY you thieves and RACIST. So be warned…

    Donald Gnanakone
    Tamils For Justice-USA.
    Founder.

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      Hello there Donald,

      /*
      Remember, Karma is a BITCH.
      */

      Karma indeed is a bitch. The bitch that lands the thundering sledge hammer strike on a skull collectively on Tamils . The author precisely points out what angers the bitch. While licking those wounds on the ground understand a few things.

      A flutter of a dung-fly in one continent can create a hurricane in another. A thug breaks into your house beats you up and destroys your property. Understand that the thug was the hurricane at the tail end of long sequence of events begin with the dung-fly that is your “Thanthai”.

      Your rambling lunatic reaction is typical of your ilk though. This is what keeps destroying your kind. When did a penis worshipper have a sophistication to understand such machinations? Understand when a Buddhist gives you the clarity that keeps deluding you. Perhaps when you do the severe karmic bitch slaps will cease.

      Start from the 1958 riot buddy. I suppose it had anything to do with 1956 “Sinhala only” did it? Why the F then did your :”Thanthai” begin to run-amok in 1958 ?

      cheers

      Rajitha ‘Vibhushana’ Wijayaratne

      http://www.colomboherald.com/world-politics/tamil-caste-discrimination

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      Gnanakone is very silent on crimes commited by IPKF due to his racist attitude against the Sinhalese.

      Details of Indian IPKF war crimes/genocide

      14 August 1989
      Velvettiturai, 64 Sri Lankan Tamil civilians including children killed by IPKF.
      10th Oct 1987
      IPKF entered Jaffna town, arrested journalists of “Eezha Murasu” and “Murasoli” and destroys printing machinery and blasts office building. IPKF also enters LTTE television service “Nidharsanam” in Kokkuvil and takes transmission equipment. The building is also destroyed.

      12 October 1987
      IPKF attacks village of Kokuvil killing over 40 civilians’ in retaliation for loosing 29 Indian commandoes at the Jaffna University raid.

      21 October 1987
      Deepavali Day, 68 innocent Tamils shot and killed by IPKF inside Jaffna Hospital including hospital doctors, nurses, staff and patients. Bodies are burnt. Dr. Sivapathasuntharan who entered the hospital the next day was also killed by the IPKF. Orders and executions said to be under supervision by Capt Bisht from Jaffna Fort military camp. These allegations need to be investigated as post mortems were not held. Cutting off the electrical supply meant the deaths of many including a child under a ventilator in the ICU. 3 days of mayhem by IPKF who also forced shut a government run hospital in Nellippallai and a private hospital “Green Meermorian” in Manippai. Isnt shelling of hospitals a war crime?
      18 days after the Jaffna hospital massacre Rajiv Gandhi says “The Indian Army ….outstanding discipline and courage ….protecting Tamil civilians (Lok Sabha 9 Nov 1987)

      Refer for details.
      https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/he-came-from-kankasanthurai-on-sinhala-hooliganisms-partners-in-crime/

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      You just affirmed what I wrote, brother.

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        For Gnanakone :-)

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          Rasika, you try to apportion blame to the Tamils and SJV Chelvanayagam to have provoked the Sinhalese to commit mayhem and exonerate the Sinhalese. It is a poor show, where successive Sinhala Govts reneged on assurances given to the Tamils. Beside you know that you can not clap with one hand. The only thing you can do with one hand is the masturbation you have done above.

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        Rasika Jayakody

        “You just affirmed what I wrote, brother.”

        You have just confirmed that the Tamils and Sinhalese are closely related to each other.

        Both can’t live with each other and both can’t live without each other. However, there is an underlying commonality among both of your people. Your common stupidity by accident may inadvertently help you to unite in the future.

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      Donald seeye, your time is over! :D

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      Hah..hah..haaa gnanakoonta… mala panala!

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    What a load of rubbish this idiot writing, who cares typical bloody fool…

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      J.muthu

      How was your mission?

      “What a load of rubbish this idiot writing”

      Why don’t you write your side of the story?

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        HE does not have a story to write,

        but he must and should write,
        how the LIBRATORS, CHELVA AND THMBI PIRAPAHARAN cheated and lead the once proud sri Lankan Tamils to destruction,
        and stripped their dignity.

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    Considering that the Island was called Hela, the language Elu, Elam is no flawed concept, Tamil-Only Elam is.

    The Sinhala-Only, Theravada Buddhist Only (as opposed to Mahayana, etc) is no Bodhisatva innocence.

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    Endia plans to DIVIDE Tamil Nadu into 3 parts – Tamil Nadu, Kongu Nadu and Tondai Nadu

    EXCELLENT!! Divide them and rule them.

    LTTE Seeman and Ramadoss have already praised the idea.

    A divided Tamil Nadu will be weak and we can manage it better.

    Endia has realized the DANGER power devolution to LARGE units. Yesterday Endia created Telagana out of Andra Pradesh breaking the big state into 2 smaller states.

    Endia plans to create 22 NEW small states to DIVIVE AND RULE.

    So Endia IS BREAKING UP and they are doing something about it.

    SL should divide northern province into 3 parts – Jaffna, Vanni -west and Vanni – east.

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      MULLI

      Man you have definitely run out of ideas so what do you do.

      COPY AND PASTE

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    Who is this revisionist of history? Does he think anybody is going to buy his twisted history lesson. Wasted space on the CT site.

    • 0
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      So,why don’t you write the’straight history’ so that Rasika can correct himself?

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    All that the Tamils want is to continue to live as Tamils or in other words to preserve their identity for generations to come and what is wrong in that? All that the successive Sri lankan governments have done is to take measure after measure to erase that identity. This started with the de-franchisation of Tamils who struggled to build up the money earning plantations for at least two generations, then the Sinhala only act with emphasis on only, state aided colonisation of the North and East with Sinhalese with intent of changing the demography, media-wise standardisation of marks for entry to universities, lack of recruitment of Tamils to the armed forces and Police and so many other measures. So does the author expect that the Tamils should happily accept a position of subjugation as their destiny?

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    Rasika Jayakody

    “Whenever one speaks of the Sinhalese factor in the aftermath of ‘Black July’ and the way the Sinhalese acted with great self-restraint in the face of chillingly brutal attacks by the LTTE”

    There is no denying of LTTE brand of barbarism, brutality and atrocities.

    Could we now discuss about the Sinhala/Buddhist state barbarism, brutality and its atrocities pre (1971) and post (1987 – 1991) July 1983. Or for that matter could we also discuss the Sinhala/Buddhist JVP’s barbarism, brutality and its atrocities during that period.

    Was it S J V Chalva who masterminded Sinhala/Buddhist atrocities against their own Sinhala/Buddhists in 1971 and between 1987 and 1991?

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      ‘Yanne koheda-malle pol’ type of a question.

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      Do you think you could educate this man? Good luck… you need it….

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      Hey Jungle boy,

      Rasika doesn’t need to write about what you are asking him to write. You and so many others write about it. CT and many sites provide much larger space for it. Rasika writes about what many do not want to discuss and hide.

      This time I would like to thank CT for at least showing a bit of balance.

      One way discussion and propaganda never resolve issues. It would just sooth some egos like that of Tamil racist Donald Gnanakone.

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    Well Rasika!. It’s your opinion, whether we like it or not you have a right to your opinion.
    What you shouldn’t forget young man is that an one eyed person is the King of a blind nation. I agree some of our people are blind (also deaf),but most of them are not, they see with both eyes. Grow beyond the current racial divide and the blame game, don’t write to please yourself because you get some satisfaction out of it or for that matter to please the group of racially motivated section of our society.
    Try and see things beyond your self – The need now is for reconciliation, the need is to think beyond your petti kingdoms. People have suffered and suffered enough. Try and understand that.
    Blaming the other has always been in our culture (part and parcel –seems a kind of inferiority complex), currently it is way of life in many of the so called leaders ,sound like you’re in it too.
    Don’t you agree there was something wrong from the start of independence ? , who was responsible ? Tamils or the Sinhalese!! (without the Tamils it would been a hard call to get independence, until we got we were united after we got what happened ) The problem, if you don’t mind my telling you, was our so called leaders. Never thought long term, always short term fixes , personal interest above country interest and never took hard ethical decision instead always a popular decisions to favour the immediate majority or to win votes( Never did they learn the aftermath of divide and rule -even though they were subjected to, I suppose the history didn’t have any effect on the elite ). And what have we inherited is a massive racial/ethnic issue showing signs of beyond repair. You young man , I suppose are a decent journalist and in the name of journalism sadly are contributing to this ongoing divide, without showing any signs of bringing people together for a resolution. Thought you would have some sense at least that of common.
    What you sow is what you reap , careful what you sow – you may not end up getting a harvest –instead a hatred society for generations .

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      Watching With Patience

      “I agree some of our people are blind (also deaf),but most of them are not, they see with both eyes.”

      I beg to differ.

      All 20 million of them are plain stupid.

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      We have enough Tisaranee Gunasekeras! What we need is more Rasika Jayakodys. Way to go Rasika!

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    Rasika putha
    Do you know what you are talking about:

    ”The mastermind behind the anti-Tamil riots in 1958, 1966, 1977 and 1981 was none other than the late S.J.V. Chelvanayagam, founder of the ITAK”

    So who mastwrminded the shooting of SWRD Bandaranaike in 1959??

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      Davidson Panabokke

      “So who mastwrminded the shooting of SWRD Bandaranaike in 1959??”

      Was it S.J.V. Chelvanayagam?

      I am sorry I am beginning to believe that all those riots against from 1915 to 1983 were organised by S.J.V. Chelvanayagam.

      He burnt down Jaffna library.

      He was an active participant of 1971 and between 1987 and 1991 in JVP terrorism.

      He trained and armed LTTE.

      He single handedly planted mine, killed Lasantha, Kumaratunge, Amir, and hordes of others, had a swipe at Rajiv,……….

      Its beginning to make sense.

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      Again koheda yanne malle pol……

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    But the solution for that was not making Tamil, which was known only to less than 15% of the country, a national language.

    This is a very backward statement. Like Sarath Fonseka’s infamous statement about minorities.

    I’m not sure about the 85:15% ratios you provide since the island’s population ratios then were not the same as they are today.

    Irrespective of how many spoke Tamil, Tamil should have being given the same status as Sinhala. In fact Sinhala, Tamil and English, all 3
    languages should have being made national languages.

    The 1949 ITAK resolution you cite is important. However a more thorough analysis is needed to justify that Chelvanayagam’s politics led to subsequent escalation of ethnic tensions. I hope you would write more on this subject in future but with conclusive evidence.

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      Navin

      “In fact Sinhala, Tamil and English, all 3 languages should have being made national languages.”

      Now you are beginning to talk sense.

      Why have you omitted Veddah language?

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        Yes. Veddha language or native language(s) too should be recognized as national languages. If by “national language” we mean languages spoken by people of Sri Lanka I don’t see any reason why not to. Should Veddha people want birth/death certificates they should by all means provided that in language they understand and facilities made available in government institutions for people to work in their language at least in areas where such activity is frequent if possible.

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          Navin

          Thanks

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            Problem is what purpose would it serve? Vannielatto never needed birth certificates, marriage certificates or death certificates….

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              Hela

              “Vannielatto never needed birth certificates, marriage certificates or death certificates….”

              I hate to agree with you city slicker,
              however we need our land, habitat, livelihood, therefore we need our ancestral island back.

              You should go back to your ancestral homeland Tamilnadu and claim your land back from those North Indian migrants.

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              Uruwarige Vannielatto,

              Dambana would be more than enough for your hunting purposes. There are enough caves for you to sleep and have fun with a gatissi.

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        Good point NV. What is the language of Aborigines? Or Australoids?

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          Thilina Kiringoda

          Please pay regular visit to this project where you might find interesting information. This project is in its early stages.

          Vedda Language Project

          Endangered Languages Archive

          http://elar.soas.ac.uk/deposit/vedda-140948

          Brief introduction to this project:

          Short Vedda wordlists were collected by anthropologists from ca.1890, but only one linguist has previously carried out fieldwork, using a single informant. Modern Vedda includes many words and some grammatical features from Sinhala but the non-Sinhala vocabulary relates to the traditional Vedda way of life and is assumed to have survived from their original language. No genetic links have yet been established between the Vedda people/language and any other population group/language of South or South-East Asia.

          The materials in this collection will include: a Vedda lexicon and grammar and an analysis of factors responsible for the declining numbers of speakers. Findings related to the gathered materials will be publicized in order to benefit the Vedda people.

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            Uruwarige atto,

            There are three sources that have been found linking vedda language.

            1. Early/original vedda language on the basis that those words cannot be found in Sinhala

            2. Early Sinhala when Vedda were communicating with Sinhala people during ancient times just before they went further into the central jungles and lost contact with civilisation. Those early Sinhala words are still in use in Vedda language

            3. More modern Sinhala when vedda re-connected with civilisation.

            It is Sinhala that nutured vedda language most. Yet this vedda is so angry with Sinhala people.

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    Rasika Jayakody. One cannot compare the pre-1983 attacks on Tamils and the Black July riots and the LTTE attacks which came later. The former were definitely genocidal, the latter absolutely indiscriminate. All the attacks were equally vicious and have to be condemned by any civilised society. 30 years on and we are still talking and arguing about the past. The blame-game has to stop. Its important to remember of course, if only to make sure that we dont repeat mistakes. We have to move on.

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    A very immature analysis

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    What a waste of time reading this article

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      Yeah, go and read Tamilnet instead.

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    Sinhala Only Act (1956) Justified by S.W.A.R.D.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlTy–rxGfY

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    This is the Mervin Silva defence for 83. The Tamils masterminded the pogrom themselves.It is just as ridiculous as the public servant who tied himself to the tree.

    The author is nothing but a child trying to grapple with adult matter. In any case Colombo Telegraph should not publish content that does not live up to the standards of this Forum. If not this site would be a blog to every wanna me ‘analyst.’ That is a great disservice to the faithful CT readers who expect mature material on any side of the debate.

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    This Rasika Jayakody analysis is like this – If person A murders person B. Both are partners in crime!!

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    So “Thanthi” was the real God father?.

    Perhaps Sambandan was the Step.

    Thanks mate.

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      hahahah thanthai man not thanthi! well who cares if he was the godfather and sambandan the step
      all we readers of CT know is that K A Sumansekera is a gutless vermin who licks the boots of the govt in power and has a chequered history of cheating the innocent inhabitants of SL via housing scams like Lee Potter!

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        Atlaest he writes under his name!

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    I just could not understand the nature of this racism where if people want to follow their own identity that is violently repressed. The people of Sri Lanka are not civilised enough to consider living as equals or living as two nations. Genocide by the majority is the civilisation as it stands. There are countries that value and uphold better civilisation. Sri Lanka ranks at bottom as barbarians at present. Untill action is taken against historic and continuing genocide by Sinhalese, the country will continue to be a barbaric nation at the bottom of the heap in the world.

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    This piece was written to camouflage this:
    http://groundviews.org/2013/07/31/forgetting-black-july/

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    Jayantha Dhanapala to LLRC, 25 August 2010:
    ‘’Each and every Government which held office from 1948 till the present bear culpability for the failure to achieve good governance, national unity and a framework of peace, stability and economic development in which all ethnic, religious and other groups could live in security and equality. Our inability to manage our own internal affairs has led to foreign intervention but more seriously has led to the taking of arms by a desperate group of our citizens.’’

    War or Peace in Sri Lanka – TDSA Dissanayake(2004):
    ‘’The plantation labour from South India had lived in Ceylon for 75 years or more. However all except those whose parents were born in Ceylon were disenfranchised in terms of The Ceylon Citizenship Act of 1948. The seven Members of Parliament from the Ceylon Indian Congress suddenly lost their right to re-contest their seats in the next parliament.”

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    Rasika must have touched the Tiger nerve of old Gnanakoon.

    Don’t worry Mr Gnanakoon , you are reiterating what our inhabitants already know well.

    Why would the Vellalas want their own Police and titles to Wanni jungles and kick the Military out, before feeding, sheltering and educating the low caste un educated ( sorry to plagiarize Professor Hoole) ex captives?.

    Even our new General Daya’s first item in his acceptance speech was the looming threat of Terrorism from the Diaspora allies.

    Gotabaya, Jagath and Daya ,being the battle hardened brave soldiers with brains they are,the inhabitants are safe from terror,until Rajapaksa is around.

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      KAS
      Gotabaya, Jagath, Daya with brains?
      and…until Rajapaksa is around.?
      Why until Rajapaksa is around?

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      Mr Sampanthan, talking in and out of Parliament for the TNA, unambiguously said Tamils have no objection to the presence in reasonable numbers of the Army in the NEP. This, after all, is the right of the Centre in any Govt in the modern world. There are units of the Indian and US Army in all the States – while law and order is maintained by the local Police force. So I am afraid, Sir, your chosen description “kick the army out” is mischief and sheer falsehood calculated to deceive readers in these pages.

      As to Mr. Sumanasekera’s other comment the new Army Chief supposedly talking of the “dangers from the diaspora” you possibly could not have expected anything else, could you. How else can he justify such a monstrous Budget for the army – that should be not more than a 50,000 in any case -in a country that is at peace within. The only enemies appear to be people asking for uncontaminated drinking water, protesting University students/teachers and prisoners held at Welikade whose sin to warrant death is they belong to underworld gangs other than those favoured by Govt-sources now controlling the drug-traffick trade, extortion, Contract killing etc.,

      Senguttuvan

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        @Senguttavan. While I agree with you that Indian and American army is stationed in every state, what everyone forgets are following.

        1. Those military are not raping, harassing and intimidating the civilians.

        2. That military does not interfere with the daily life of the civilians, nor do they run the civilian authorities.

        3. There are no military governors, and retired officials in every position. Those military are not corrupt.

        4. That military does not get involved in “Racial profiling” and there is racial bias. They all speak the same lanhuage unlike in the North, where both parties do not speak each other’s language nor do they understand.

        5. That military is not politicized unlike the Sinhala-Buddhist military in the North..

        So it is all unfair and inappropriate comparisons.
        Responses are welcomed!!!!

        Donald Gnanakone.

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          When one talks of an Army today one has in mind that lead ideally by Officers and Gentlemen conducting themselves to all forms of laid down behaviour in the civilised world. The days of Genghis Khan are gone. Those that violated these, more recently in Yugoslavia that was artififically kept together – splintered into several States. The offenders ended up in International HR and War Crimes Courts. And that is how it should be.

          Senguttuvan

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          DonalD:

          Read about military corruption;

          “The US destroys millions of dollars’ worth of equipment as it prepares to withdraw troops from Afghanistan saying bringing it back is too expensive. But economist Lew Rockwell tells RT it is because of a corruption scheme by the “US military junta”.

          The US military has already destroyed more than 77,000 metric tons of military equipment. More of it to be destroyed as the US military is expected to engage in an unprecedented “massive disposal effort.”

          The US says that leaving the equipment and vehicles to Afghan security forces, which after the US pullout in 2014 are supposed to keep peace on their own, is “challenging because of complicated rules governing equipment donations to other countries.” There is concern that Afghan troops will end up shooting themselves.

          However, Lew Rockwell, chairman of the Ludwig von Mises Institute, says the reasons have nothing to do with that. “

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    This Guy Rasika calls himself a Journalist! What a disgrace!
    What has SL descended to, having had journalists of the calibre of Tarzie Vittachchi and Nevile De Silva, now to have chaps like this man who has absolutely no logic, no clarity of thought or analytical skills to view a subject from all angles, gets to write a column.
    Leave alone all his rubbish about Chelvanayagam, who was one of the most respected politician of his era who believed in Parliamentary democracy.
    He has the temerity to say that a language spoken by 15% of a population has no status! Has he even heard of modern states like Singapore?
    He implies, a population of one million, because they worked as “labour force” on the plantation, being made stateless is fair game, they being there for over hundred years has no relevance whatsoever.
    CT, please don’t waste our time giving space on your valued journal to such Puppies who are apologists for Sinhala Racism.

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    Raiska is entitled to his opinion. But there are many other opinions.
    Here is one about 1983 Black July.
    ‘Sri Lanka- A Mounting Tragedy of Errors’ authored by Paul Seighart and published by the International Commission of Jurists on the 1983 anti-Tamil violence noted, “Communal riots in which Tamils are killed, maimed, robbed and rendered homeless are no longer isolated episodes; they are beginning to become a pernicious habit……One of the most striking features of the episodes of communal violence, for instance has been the lack of retaliation by Tamils against the Sinhalese in their midst, with the result that virtually all the victims on each of these occasions have been Tamils’ ISBN 0907247040 P.15

    But later, the disgruntled Tamil youth; just like the Sinhala youth, Menachi Begin of Israel and Nelson Mandela of South Africa did respond in kind.

    One opinion said ‘It is often overlooked that Tamil militarism was, in the first place, spawned by the deliberate demonization of Tamils (both Hindu and Muslim) in the early years of Sri Lanka’s independence from Britain’. Howard Debenham, Former Australian high commissioner to Sri Lanka from 1992 to 1994.

    Chelva did engage with the majority government. This is one opinion of these negotiations. ‘One of the essential elements that must be kept in mind in understanding the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict is that, since 1958 at least, every time Tamil politicians negotiated some sort of power-sharing deal with a Sinhalese government – regardless of which party was in power – the opposition Sinhalese party always claimed that the party in power had negotiated away too much. In almost every case – sometimes within days – the party in power backed down on the agreement.” – (Professor Marshall Singer, at US Congress Committee on International Relations Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific Hearing on Sri Lanka November 14,1995)

    One last opinion (study) about the main cause of the conflict:
    “This study argues that political Buddhism and Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism have contributed to a nationalist ideology that has been used to expand and perpetuate Sinhalese Buddhist supremacy within a unitary Sri Lankan state; create laws, rules, and structures that institutionalize such supremacy; and attack those who disagree with this agenda as enemies of the state.

    “The nationalist ideology is influenced by Sinhalese Buddhist mytho-history that was deployed by monks and politicians in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries to assert that Sri Lanka is the designated sanctuary for Theravada Buddhism, belongs to Sinhalese Buddhists, and Tamils and others live there only due to Sinhalese Buddhist sufferance. This ideology has enabled majority super-ordination, minority subordination and a separatist war waged by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).” http://www.eastwestcenter.org/fileadmin/stored/pdfs/ps040.pdf

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    I am beginning to wonder whether Rasika Jayakody writes these pieces ‘tongue in cheek’, hoping to see what kind of responses he provokes. Either that or he really believes what he says. If the former, he is mischievous considering the climate of distrust we now live in; If the latter he is naive and ill-informed. It would be better if more mature readers ignore what he has to say!

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      AAAh….the most enlightened one preaching to others….

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    Can any one justify 5% of country ask for 50% represenation of Parliament? Was “Sinhala only Act” a reaction for the demand?

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      50/50 means equal rights.

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        50% representation to all minorities not just to tamils.

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          To all minorities including Sinhala Christians

          Senguttuvan

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            B……s……

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    Young man Rasika needs to brush up and a little more credible research on historical and political events post independence.
    Needless to say we cannot blame him for being “wet behind his ears”.

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      Chandra……when one continuously read one sided propaganda….one’s brain stops working……one just become a mouthpiece of the propagandists.

      Luckily, people of this country were more learned and intelligent than many other nations who lost their identity and soul to invaders. People of this country made it a point to record their history so no one could distort it.

      If not for that this country would have been called Eelam in 1948.

      That independant thinking allows people like Rasika to fearlessly write certain truths at the risk of being called by many names.

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        Hela

        “when one continuously read one sided propaganda….one’s brain stops working”

        In your case it is absolutely correct. The question you should be asking is whether the other side is in working condition.

        “Luckily, people of this country were more learned and intelligent than many other nations “

        Of course they are who do not miss a single opportunity to self destruct or create one when opportunity is not present.

        ” People of this country made it a point to record their history so no one could distort it.”

        One that is being written by bigots, revisionists, liers, propagandists, racists, politicians, physicist, dramatists, ………and other stupids.

        “If not for that this country would have been called Eelam in 1948”

        Historically one time or another the whole of this island was known as Eelam. What is your problem, both sides not working.

        “That independant thinking allows people like Rasika to fearlessly write certain truths at the risk of being called by many names.”

        Well, well, well …………

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          Uruwarige atto,

          Though your clan could not read and write, we are proud to be the first to record Buddhist scriptures in writing and record our history in a written form, again an unique achievement in world history.

          You can call us any name. You cannot erase our heritage (like occured/done in many African, Asian & Latin American countries).

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    Donald D may lack the culture and restraint expected of a decent blogger. But in this case he is right. It will only be a hopeful
    student of history who will blame the respected SJVC for all the
    ills that befell the Tamils. This student-journalist must learn
    of Tamil politics of the late 1960s and will then educate himself
    Thanthai Chelva stood against (Navaratnam?) who was for Separation
    at that time.

    Jayakody, if he has the necessary courtesy and common sense, will then learn it was Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism and the total denial of political space for the Tamils that eventually brought in the politics of post-1976 discourse the Separate State call earnestness. Jayakody better be advised of the age old dictum to learn before you try to
    preach or teach.

    Thamilthambi

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      Truth has many shades. Jayakody is writing about one of those shades.

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    Rasika Jayakody highlights the fact that the ITAK resolution in 1948 was the catalyst for the demand for secession by the Tamil people. Perhaps. The main reason however is that for several hundred years before the invasions by Portuguese, Dutch and British, the Northern Tamils had a form of self rule and they did not fancy being a minority without autonomy. Fact. By blaming Chelvanagayam Jayakody has lost credibility as an impartial observer of history. If we follow his line of thinking all the violence from 1948 to 2009 is due to Chelvanayagam. If he wants to be taken seriously he must delve deeper in to the motives and inherent aspirations of the people concerned. The blame for the subsequent antagonism between the two races must be shared between both races, but the prime cause is not the ITAK resolution, but the inability of the Sinhala people to agree to share power. This is borne out by the failure of the Banda/Chelva and the Dudley/Chelva pacts. Why were these pacts signed? Why did they fail? The Vadukottai resolution of 1976 also contributed to the widening gap.

    Whilst it is easy to blame only the Tamil people, the enormous difficulty they still face due to the intransigence of the Sinhala government even now, at the conclusion of a devastating and debilitating war is proof of where the blame should lie. Establishing trust between the two races is not difficult. It is the political will that is lacking. It is easier to get the Tamil people to extend their hand of friendship than to get the Sinhala government to reciprocate. I make a distinction between the Sinhala people and the government. In my view the present government does not represent a majority Sinhala view. My advice to the government is not to subordinate peace and wellbeing of the people for political gain. Writers like Rasika Jayakody do not help by their slanted view of history. What does he hope to gain by this piece?

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      But you fail to explain the need for the 1948 resolution.

      True, Sinhalase should also bear their share of the blame but not just for the violence but for their stupidity in falling in to the trap.
      Even at the time Doraiappa was murdered seperatism was not a popular demand in the north. The two main stream partys were popular in the north.
      The Tamil politicians in the main stream parties were murdered in order to force seperatism down the throat of the peaceful people.
      Stupid Sinhala politicians failed as Rasika said to ‘Allow the people the use of their language’ both Sinhalase and Tamils paid a heavy price for that.

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