28 March, 2024

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Killing The Thirteenth Amendment: Redesigning Racism?

By D. Hoole

The Hon. R. Sampanthan is a man I respect as a Tamil Elder. He is working with the national unity government to solve the problems of the Tamils – lands occupied by the military, being administered in a language we do not understand, being arrested and tortured arbitrarily on mere suspicion using the Prevention of Terrorism Act, using that PTA to arrest Tamils on supposed suspicion and then exacting bribes to free us and in the alternative exacting confessions under torture  and using that confession to lock us up for decades without trial, etc.

Recently we were promised good news within two weeks on the release of occupied Tamil lands. Then to ruin that possibility, policemen were cut with swords and the army deployed in search operations, making the release of lands unlikely any time soon. That the army was running former militants including LTTE-ers to do its dirty work has been well known. After people in Chunnakam were recently sword-slashed while the police watched, I certainly believe this as a strong indication that the recent attack on the police was orchestrated by a group within the forces to delay the release of lands. It is a group that was running restaurants and making a lot of money and needs its interests safeguarded as these restaurants and businesses are forced to close one after the other.

Mr. Sampanthan deserves, it is widely believed among Tamils, Tamil support for all that he is doing. He has generally voted with the government on most matters to give it the majority it needs for the constitutional resolution of Tamil problems. However, is the government really committed to solving Tamil problems?

The ongoing Central Bank controversy seriously questions the government’s commitment to honesty, to uphold which we elected it. The ability of a minister seemingly to have the backing of the Prime Minister after accepting a multimillion apartment as a gift while saying it was accepted by his wife and daughter from a businessman. Incredibly, that Minister maintains that it did not occur to him to ask his wife and daughter from where they got that much money!

This government has, albeit slowly, been thankfully addressing Tamil problems. It is being thwarted at every turn as in the return of lands. When minority rights come up against votes for it, the government sadly goes for the votes. This is clear in the matter of whether we should have a secular state where all are equal – against Buddhism as a state religion sponsored by the state and Buddhists (who have the largest share of votes) are privileged.

However, many Tamil problems can be solved without a constitutional change and yet the government seems to do nothing. In the North traffic tickets are issued by policemen speaking only Sinhalese. The ticket is written in Sinhalese. The Tamil translation of the temporary licence is wrong and misleading while only the English version speaks of a Spot Fine. Just to find out the offence and the police station to which the driver needs to go, he or she needs to ask a Sinhalese to read it for him. Courts in the North and East are in Sinhalese. Policemen, even Tamil policemen, prosecute in Sinhalese and issue orders in Sinhalese to those in court. They simply assume that it is our duty to know Sinhalese and get angry when we do not understand. We are reduced to behaving like cattle – the court sergeant bellows in Sinhalese, a few understand and follow his orders, and the rest of us like cattle follow those who do what the sergeant demanded. I have found little dignity for a Tamil speaker in our judicial system.

The problem of language, the release of our lands and those held without trial for years, police brutality, etc. – these are problems that can be solved quickly by this government under existing law, especially the 13th amendment. The government not doing it is an indication that its heart is not in the right place and substantive changes to the constitution are unlikely.

This brings me to the 13th Amendment. It gave us article 24 of our constitution which makes Tamil the language of administration the North and East. It is being violated openly. We were given Provincial Councils under Chapter XVII A of our constitution to run our own affairs. The Northern and Eastern Provinces which were put together as the North-East Province, are now separate again while India seems not to care about upholding her word to Tamils after getting Tamil militants to disarm on the strength of the 13th Amendment.

And now the 20th Amendment. It is a sneaky piece. The Bill seems to have been made ready some time ago but suddenly published on 03.08.2017 on the orders of the Prime Minister. Ostensibly, it is to make all Provincial Council Elections be held together on the same day. Effectively it will postpone PC Elections due on 26 Sept., and shortly thereafter to three PCs. The sneakier part is that after article 154E shall be inserted a new article 154EE. Under this 20th Amendment, provincial councils may be abolished early and run by Parliament up to the common date of elections for all councils!

There goes our 13th amendment touted by India as the panacea for Tamil problems. Under this, powers of the PCs may be usurped and arrogated by Parliament! It is a matter involving Tamil rights against the strong possibility of electoral humiliation for the government if elections to the three PCs are held on the due dates. As now to be expected, the government fails to stand up for minorities and decides based on its petty interests. I have seen no discussion among Tamils as this amendment so important to us comes up. What does India say? The JVP is supportive. Will the TNA also support it?

A more fundamental question is this. Will a government that does the reverse of what it claims to do – that is reduce the powers to Provincial Councils rather than enhance them – ever solve the problems of Tamils?

Michelle Alexander states in her New York Times Best Seller, The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Color Blindness, the US has “not ended racial caste in America. [Americans] have merely redesigned it.”

Our government, in claiming to solve Tamil problems, seems only to redesign the politically inferior status of Tamils. For example, Tamils were put on some independent Commissions as if to show that Tamils now have a chance to contribute to governance. But the reality, as my batch-mate, the Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya said after the postponement of elections, “We are like snake charming gypsies who have lost their snakes.”

The Tamil house is burning. The TNA (technically ITAK) MPs complain there is no party democracy. TNA Batticaloa District MP Yogeswaran loudly draws up phlegm from his chest and spits in front of my priest every time they pass and says Tamil Christians are not Tamils. C.V. Wigneswaran says Arumuga Navalar taught the Bible to the Missionaries. To stand credibly against Sinhalese communalism, we first need to address Tamil communalism in our midst decisively.

Mr. Sampanthar, Sir: this is not the time to play the fiddle like Emperor Nero. Your supporters say it is time for decisive action. Many suggest that sacking from the Federal Party (ITAK) is the way to remove some of the trouble-makers from office. They argue that if they are removed from the ITAK, they automatically lose their seats.

The Prime Minister, these supporters say, needs to be told that your vote cannot be taken for granted in parliament and the government should be put on notice. It really is a matter of our life and death as Sri Lankan Tamils.

It is said that one can fool some of the people some of the time, but not all the people all the time. I hope it is not the case that Tamils can be fooled all the time.

As I write under the hospitality of Sinhalese villagers in the South, I find their intrinsic generosity of spirit as they visit me with young coconut and such simple gifts, missing in the upper classes from schools like Royal College that I see in government who take rather than give.

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Latest comments

  • 13
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    D. Hoole.YOu are a top class racist. YOur great grand parents come fro South India. While in India, they did not want to learn Hindi instead talk in english and english mixed Tamil. Now, in Sri lanka, you did the ame thing. while in Sri lanka, you can not talk sinhala, you enjoy sinhala hospitality and you admit here. but, how did you english and how do your job in english. why don’t you think you feel infeior to sinhala people. Because, you christians want to over power buddhism, you want to be secular. where you lived which sect of christianity you practised ?. I suppose, you are an educated person. How do you imagine, that the area you used to live did not have problem because of extreme caste affiliation and now you people lived as terrorists for 30 years, those terrorists are in your society and they are not making problems. It is all sinhala people. Don’;t you have respectability for you while admitting to sinhala hospitality, you blame sinhala people. Read this; ————————–As I write under the hospitality of Sinhalese villagers in the South, I find their intrinsic generosity of spirit as they visit me with young coconut and such simple gifts.

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      Only thing racist here is you . Constantly posting Sinhalese racist extremist crap. Any one claiming or posting about just Tamil rights is a racist to you and most of the Sinhalese, as in your racist pea brains , Tamils do not deserve anything.as this is what your Mahavamsa comic book stated. ” The island’s Tamils are outsiders as they did not accept Buddhism and even if they did they did not corrupt their Tamil, like the rest of the population that converted to Buddhism did , to create a new language and identity called Sinhala from old Tamil Chingkalam. Eelam/Eezham became Hela and Chingkalam became Sinhala.. Now Eezham Elu/Tamil Chingkalam and Saivaism became reviled outsiders and Buddhism Hela Sinhala belongs and is acceptable. Anyone not accepting the new order but staying loyal to the old order became a reviled outsider. Just like the Jews in Christian west or Jews and Christians in the Middle East. People practising the old religions like Druidism or nature worshipping and healing in Christian Britain and Europe became witches, wizards reviled and burnt. Later in Catholic majority areas it was done to Protestants and vice versa. The Mahavamsa comic book also preaches this same hatred and recently Sinhalised South Indian Dalit immigrants who make up most the present day Sinhalese also believe in this comics , and want Tamil blood, forgetting their own recent South Indian origin Tamil Dalit origin.

    • 8
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      Stop calling others racist when you are one of the worst racist. Everyone in Srilanka, including you, bar Burghers, Malays, Sindhis and Borahs came from South India. as the core genetic material of all of them are South Indian. Why should Tamils in India learn Hindi, when Tamil is the original language of India and Hindi is only a poor derivative of Sanskrit, a foreign language brought by invading Aryans. It is the same in Srilanka as it is now established that Tamil was used in communication and administration in Srilanka, several years before Sinhala language had evolved. As for hospitality, it is not something special to Sinhalese as Tamils also have the same quality, which you could verify from Sinhala friends who have dealing with Tamils.. As for religion, the original religion of Srilanka is Saivaism as evidenced by the presence of pre-Buddhist Siva temples in all parts of Srilanka. Even the Veddhas who are the original people of Srilanka worshipped Murugan a Saiva god of Tamils. It is Buddhists who have over powered Saivaism and who are continuing to do so by building Vihares in Tamil territory where there are no Buddhists.

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      This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/

    • 2
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      Jim Shitty: D. Hoole.YOu are a top class racist.

      TFN: hahahahaha……….if I define you then I have defined racism. Bloody joker, you are one to call others racists eh?

  • 4
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    “Incredibly, that Minister maintains that it did not occur to him to ask his wife and daughter from where they got that much money!”

    That is the way his family is. They do not know what each other is doing!
    Do you know the wife and daughter does not know that their husband/father were summoned for inquiry and the results of which he had to resign his post.

    The husband / daughter are so busy they still think he is still a minister.

    The funniest thing is this idiot Ravi Karunanayake thinks he resigned with dignity and he things what he did /or accused of doing is something of pride an honourable. I would have certainly hung my head in shame.

    Even the PM has gone on record to say what RK did was honorable. There was really nothing honourable to steal public money or been accused of. If that is something honorable he should not have resigned. He got is thinking mixed up and got himself confused of what is shameful and what is honourable. I think PM too has to go.

    I will not be surprised if SwissKumar, the mastermind of the rape and murder of the school girl Vithya, at his conviction declares in open court he is going to jail with pride and honour and by doing so will safeguard the dignity of the community he belongs to!

  • 10
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    Yogeswaran clears the phelgm and spits it , at hoole’s Priest….While Hoole is walking with the Priest…….That is bad……..Who is the Yogi?……. Is he a Vellala from the North ?…..Wonder whether Wiggy’s Priest . who reads the Bible to Missionaries is a Vellala too?……..Only good news is our Sinhala Buddhists serve young Coconuts to Hoole……..hope he tips them , well unlike the Tourists from Vaiko/Modi Land…

    • 6
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      KASmaalam K A Sumanasekera

      Where is Ambassador Bandula Jeyasekere? I haven’t seen him on TV recently. Please say hello to him from me.

      How come he was given diplomatic postings and you were not?

    • 6
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      KASmaalam K A Sumanasekera

      “well unlike the Tourists from Vaiko/Modi Land”

      Those Indian tourists visit here looking for sex tourism. It was USA which made Thailand what it is now and the Hindians are trying their best to once again convert this Sinhala/Buddhist ghetto into sex paradise.

      The growth prospect for Sex Trade/Industry looks bright. I think you should invest in brothels, Casinos, bars, ………………. if you haven’t done so in the past. I think you can use Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) to import fresh male/female prostitutes from India.

      A word of caution, make sure you don’t pay the slave traders to supply sex workers. It is illegal outside this island.
      Wish you well.

      • 9
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        Dear Native……..Now you are talking mate ………. Never crossed my mind that Bombay Escorts can migrate to Srilanka under Dr Ranil’s ETCA…….WOW Soooo exciting………..Must be expensive for a gig and a dig………What do you reckon mate?……….Sex Tourists from India though will never happen……Those Uncles are so tight , their missus come to Breakkie at Kinsbury with extra large hand bags………..By the time they leave for sight seeing, the hand bags are bulging with Malu Paan……Cheese and even bananas……….You think they are going to pay LKR 4000 upwards even for a Sidharata Rub with a happy ending in Marine Drive………..Just imagine a Full Service………Unless the uncles come to Wellala Gardens after 9 PM and get a quickie in one of those dark lanes…………

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          KASmaalam K A Sumanasekera

          “Never crossed my mind that Bombay Escorts can migrate to Srilanka under Dr Ranil’s ETCA”

          Once in a while you must attempt get out of MR’s Amude and visit the real world. There are up market IT specialists and other professionals do this as their second job for personal reasons, to have control over men, pleasure (?), …………………. to have good laugh at the size of the Sri Lankan manhood and duration.

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            NV: KASmaalam K A Sumanasekera

            TFN: NV what does that mean? I am not sure whether this means something in Sinhala? KASmaalam?

            Please explain as I do not speak Sinhala, though I wish I did. Sinhala is a beautiful language and I love listening to my friends speak in Sinhala. Too bad I did not spend a few years in the south to learn this wonderful language.

            • 3
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              Tamil from the north

              Kasmaalam

              Meaning in context- Synonymous with idiot(the idiot being a litote).

              Origin, usage – Possibly from Sanskrit kash malam (black hair) or kash mailam (black dirt). Comparing someone with hair is considered rude in Tamil culture. Maalam is also a slang word for shit. Some say ‘ kasmalam’ (one word) in Sanskrit means a dirty thing worthy of discarding.

              Madras Tamil
              https://gokkamakka.wordpress.com/madras-tamil/


              Definition
              slang for garbage. used as a cuss word on the streets of tamilnadu liberally. to be used on a naansense person who exhibits behaviour of low or no commonsense
              Usage
              to someone running across a ped xing on red as your car screeches to a halt narrowly missing the stupid fellow: Ay kasmalam! veet la solitu vuntiya? (means hey naansense fellow, did you say bye to everyone at home and come?)

              http://www.samosapedia.com/entries/2090/kasmalam

              from pages of
              Samosapedia – the definitive guide to South Asian lingo

              I love Sinhala, Tamil and English each language for different reasons. When you see me attacking/criticizing Sinhala/Buddhist fascists and Tamil Saivaite fascists it does mean I hate Sinhalese, Buddhists, Tamils, Hindus, ……
              _
              Hope I have fully explained your query.

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                NV, thanks for this description.

                Now I understand why you refer to this fool KA Sumanaya this way. He is an interesting fellow.

                • 2
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                  Dear Native, That Kasmaalan in Scarborough thought it was Sinhalese …….HaHaHaHaaaaaaaaa………… Hey, is Punda Sanskrit or Tamill….. A refuge in Toronto nearly punched me sometimes back…………..Don’t know whether it was your mate TFN?………

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                    KA Sumanaya, I am not a violent person. If I have met you, I would have admitted you to the mental institution for mental disorder. Then again, the issues you have cannot be repaired.

            • 2
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              Dear Native……….tell that Vellala Fella in Scarborough not to get too excited………..Sinhala Women are not like the Tamil Aunties he must have seen on Desi Tube…. Neither they wear Manipoori Sarees and walk behind the hubbies., like they do in my suburb in Wellala Gardens…….Do your women at least have a Beer Shandy ?………

          • 8
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            Dear Native,………. You disappointed me mate,………… I thought they would be those yellow skinned Bombay chicks like Sonny…… Not Hijras and Geeks …..You can have them or share with Mangalan……. Samere needs a break too..

  • 2
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    Lot of people assume, when the colonials came, Sri Lanka was one entity. Same goes to india. Sri Lanka was ruled by 3-4 kings or chiefs, India was ruled by 100 of nawabs. British were able to devide and rule because they had invented the machine gun. Which was the weapon which opened up Africa to them. Make English the link language, all must learn English, every thing will be solved.

    • 2
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      How come you compare a nation which is 60 times the size of sri lanka and declare just because India was devided Sri Lanka was too.

      Then why didn’t British use the same tactic they had used in India which was to negotiate seperate treaties with seperate kingdoms?

  • 1
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    Mr. Sampanthan as quoted in today’s (Saturday) Island reflecting the author’s position that the govt consistently chooses Sinhalese supremacy over minority rights:
    :

    Briefing on the progress of the framing of new Constitution Sampanthan alleged there was undue delay in this process as both the UNP and SLFP held on to their political future than looking at the interest of the country. Further, he said that after obtaining the majority in Parliament the new Constitution must be approved by the people at a referendum.

    • 9
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      Sinhala supremacy? In the current set up the Sinhala people have been disenfranchised in the parliament. Majority of Sinhala people voted for UPFA and their votes were hijacked by Maithree supported by minority racists. UPFA should have 95 seats in parliament. More than 50 seats were hijacked by minority appointed Maithree by coercion.
      So Sinhalese have no one in the parliament except the few JO members irrespective of being 75%. That is exactly why disastrous OMP bill is passed in parliament. After doing everything to disenfranchise Sinhalese, now talking about Sinhala supremacy. LOL

  • 8
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    LOL Mr.Hoole I understand your predicament. But it is your own doing.

    Everyone can understand this government is bringing 20th Amendment because both Maithree’s SLFP and UNP fears to hold elections in the Provincial councils. This government is very UNPOPULAR among the common mass and they know if any election is held, the ruling clan will be defeated. They have successfully postponed the local gov elections by 2 years but needs constitutional amendment to do the same for PCs. This is nothing but ‘good governance’ gov trying to undermine peoples’ democratic power.And laughably it was only JO that is speaking against the 20 and suing against it. This 20th Amend has nothing to do with depriving tamils’ so called rights but depriving rights of all the people because dictator RW does not want to.

    This gov is in power and your TNA helps them, because India and America wants them to help RW keep power. So like in 80s you are being used as a tool.

    Independent commissions are a joke and nothing but pure waste of peoples’ money. There is nothing independent about it.

  • 4
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    Jehan,

    The Sinhalese island has a natural border, namely the ocean, unlike India. The legitimate rule of the island has always been Sinhalese. Historically there have been several Sinhalese kingdoms, and sections of the royalty have been fighting for power, but political power was centralised at Anuradhapura, for centuries. Even in India, there were powerful Hindu dynasties (Mayuras, Nandas, Pandyas, Cholas, Cheras, Pallvas, Satavahanas, Ikshvakus, Nandas, Kalabrahs, the powerful Guptas etc ) controlled large areas. It was only after the Muslim invasion the Hindu kingdoms started disintegrating and the Mughal empire ruled through their governors/chiefs, the Nawabs. When it comes to South India, it was never under the Mughal empire. After the fall of the ancient powerful Tamil kingdom of the Pandyans, the Vijayanagar empire ruled the south through their governors the Nayakas, and the Nayakas declared themselves as independent rulers after the fall of Vijayanagar empire in the mid 17th century, the Nayakas too fell finally in 1735.


    The way the Sinhalese society, which was a Buddhist society, was organised and ruled was different from India. Also, after the arrival of the tooth relic, the Sinhalese kingship was legitimized with the possession of the tooth relic. So, the ruling power was automatically centralized around the possession of the tooth relic. Any rulers would be secondary and chiefs would be just that, chiefs and not kings.

    What never ever exited was a legitimate and indigenous Tamil kingdom in Sri Lanka. The socalled kingdom in Jaffna was a Pandyan occupation, which turned into a vassal state which came under the Pandyans or the Vijayanagar empire or the Sinhalese. The whole area is dotted with ruins and inscriptions left by the Sinhalese, who were ethnically cleansed by the Tamils as late as of the 16th century.

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      There are Hindu temples from ancient days in Kandy, testifying to a high concentration of Hindus in the Central part of Lanka. The temple for Nath (Siva), according to H.W. Codrington, is over 600 years old. The other temples, being for Murukan, Vishnu and Goddess Pattini. Robert Knox was of the view that Maha Esala Perahera in Kandy was celebrated from ancient times exclusively in honor of the Hindu deities. The Elephant and other procession in Dalada Perahera is similar to the Hindu Pooram Festival in South India. The Tooth Relic was taken in the Perahera for the first time during the reign of King Kirthi Sri Raja Singha at the request of the Siamese Monk Upali, to give a Buddhist touch to the festival. That practice was later stopped. These days only the empty casket is mounted on the elephant.
      ………………………
      It may not be incorrect to assume that in the hoary past, Lanka was, from North to South, East to West and the Central highlands the homeland of Tamils of the Hindu faith. With the arrival of Arahat Mahinda, thousands of Tamils of the Hindu faith embraced Buddhism. With the mixture of Tamil, Pali and Sanskrit languages, evolved the Sinhala language during 8 A.D. Though more than 80 generations have rolled by, these converts have not given up their Tamil Hindu culture and practices. They still indulge in Hindu prayers and rituals.

      • 3
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        LOL get a history lesson

        • 3
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          “LOL get a history lesson”

          From the historical fiction Mahavamsa LOL!

          • 2
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            Do you take Mahavamsa literally? We don’t.

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              Shenali
              _
              “Do you take Mahavamsa literally? We don’t.”

              Yes your “eminent” historians do.
              What is the difference between you and a knife?

    • 4
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      Punchi brain

      you seemed to be equating the Tamil Buddhist ruins to the existence of Sinhalese in the Northern part of Eelam ? Tamils were Buddhist at one time that is how Buddhist cultural ruins in Some parts of Tamil Eelam came about.

      Sinhalese are not the original people of Eelam as they have come from various parts of the world i.e. South India, east India , Malaya , Portugal etc

      Tamils are Indigenous to Southern India which in the ancient times included Eelam as well . Look up on the NASA map for the geological contiguity of South India and ceylon ( Eelam )

    • 2
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      Stupid Punchi Point

      “Sinhalese, who were ethnically cleansed by the Tamils as late as of the 16th century.”

      Your brain seems to be very Punchi.

      Chempaha Perumal aka Sapumal Kumaraya the adopted son of Parakrama Bahu VI captured the Jaffna Kingdom in 1450. During his rule in Jaffna, he built the Hindu Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil (not any Buddhist temple) for the people of Jaffna. The Tamils of Jaffna are still invoking his name in the Nallur Temple before the temple procession of Lord Murukan.

      As per your argument, if the people of Jaffna before 16th Century AD were Sinhalese, then Sapumal Kumaraya should have built a Buddhist temple and NOT a Hindu temple in the heart of Jaffna. Why did he build the Hindu Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil in the 13th Century AD for the Sinhalese of Jaffna?

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    As for sharing of power and territory with Tamils, except for a handful of Sinhalese, rest are not in favour of it. Therefore whatever government that comes into power is not going to grant it. Mahinda government blatantly refused to do it, but this government is cunningly dragging on saying that they will do it, but the end result will be the same. I have expressed in these columns that the final outcome of this deliberation of constitution making will be much less than in the 13th amendment. The main purpose of this action is to get rid of 13th amendment from the present constitution and nothing else. If the government was honest, they should have implemented provisions of the 13th amendment of the constitution including police and land powers and non interference by centre either through governor or security forces. Government is faltering on its promises to Tamils and international community to settle Tamil demand by arriving at a fair solution amicably, and is trying to find an escape route placing the blame on Tamils. Recent arrests of over 250 Tamils under PTA, for a crime most of them are not involved in, and that does not fall into the ambit of national security goes to prove it. Government is resorting to these measures to give reasons for them not reducing troop levels and returning occupied lands through these incidents, when it is well known that these acts are committed by those who are working with military intelligence to cause fear among Tamils in order to distract their struggle for justice and equality to live as first class citizens.

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      Dr GS
      We don’t have to be overly concerned over political demands of less than 50% of Tamils(Tamil speaking people). Any solution must necessarily involve the +50% Tamils(Tamil speaking people) outside NE. A separate Tamil Homeland in the North and East must accomodate all Tamils (Tamil speaking people) in the island irrespective of their religion or the date of arrival.
      Soma

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        Soma, it is no point telling you with a low IQ about Tamils in Srilanka repeatedly. Tamil homeland is the area where 90% of Indigenous Tamils live, and if you hold a referendum for independence among them, it is a foregone conclusion. Only 10% of indigenous Tamils live outside north and east.Tamils of recent Indian origin do not have any connection with those areas and it is they who form 90% of Tamils living in areas outside northern and eastern provinces. Quite correctly a section of their populace were deported to India under Srima-Shastri pact and not sent to north or east. Please do not involve them into this, because if they vote for independence, then you will lose parts of Central and Uva provinces as well.

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          Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam: You Tamils have South INdia to live. It Is Sinhala – LSSP politicians and sinhzala leaders who wanted to stay in power that destroyed Sinhale. YOu Tamils established in the North after colonial invasion. It is our responsibility change those changes viz; country’s name is Sinhale and not Sri lanka. there are minorities. but, they should not have been represented in the sinhala flag. Only language should be Sinhala. Learn sinhala and work. IF not leave the country. Just tell us what your religion and what got you have faith is. then we can tell why you don’t like to go to your motherland and scream for a country in Sinhale.

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            I feel sorry for your ignorance, coming out with racist propaganda. Geologically Srilanka and Tamil Nadu were a contiguous land mass 5,000 years ago, which had got separated by upheaval of the sea. Therefore it is one and the same people who lived on both sides of the divide, which is proved archaeologically by discovery of urn burial sites and similar ancient pottery on both sides. Genetically people on both sides have the same core genetic material. The earliest stone inscription in Sinhala found is only after 8th century AD, while several 2000 year old stone inscription in Tamil have been unearthed, even in eastern province. These facts clearly show that ancestors of the present day Tamils lived in Srilanka before the Sinhala race was evolved. Sinhala racist claims about Tamil antiquity will not be accepted in an intelligent impartial forum. Recently a whole city buried, resembling Indus valley civilisation was unearthed in Madurai. If proper archaeological survey is done such evidence of Dravidian civilisation will be found in Srilanka too. Problem is that Sinhalese and their government do not want this to happen which will blow to pieces the current entrenched racist views about Sinhala sole ownership of Srilanka. For your information Tamils are not going to leave the country, but stay back and fight Sinhala racists, now that world is gradually coming to realise about the true position due to the intransigence of Sinhala racists like you. Why should Tamils go to live in South India, when it has been proved that genetic material of Tamils in Srilanka is different from that of Indian Tamils denoting that they are indigenous to Srilanka though they speak the same language. Please update your knowledge and do not display your bigoted and imbecilic thinking.

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            Dim wit

            Stop talking through your rear end. Sinhalese are 85% south Indians and 10% Bengali/Orissa mixure with burger, Malay, portugese etc 5%. you are not the original people of Eelam. you sinhalese can go back to Tamilnadu ( if you are Karava or durawa) to Kerala if you are salagama , Govi also to Tamil nadu , rodyia etc to Orissa and the Silvas and pereras to portugal etc,

            We Tamils belong to Eela mandalam which includes the inseparable territory of south India + Eelam.

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          Dr GS
          All right now those who arrived during the British are excluded from the definition of ‘indigenous Tamil’ what about those who practise Christianity and Islam?
          Soma

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      Power sharing should be done. But not on provincial levels. Rather in district and village levels. Do you people agree with it? Are you ready to abolish the Provincial system?

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        Shenali

        “Power sharing should be done. But not on provincial levels. Rather in district and village levels. “

        Did you learn this from Waduge the most unhappy female this island ever has produced.

        What are the differences of devolution between District and Provincial levels? Please ask Waduge.

  • 3
    3

    Yes,
    ” lands occupied by the military, being administered in a language we do not understand, being arrested and tortured arbitrarily on mere suspicion using the Prevention of Terrorism Act, using that PTA to arrest Tamils on supposed suspicion and then exacting bribes to free us and in the alternative exacting confessions under torture and using that confession to lock us up for decades without trial, etc.”.

    Some Muslim businessmen are used by military as intermediary to squeeze as much as possible from victims’ relatives or friends in order to release them from custody.

  • 4
    3

    Dr Hoole or anyone on his behalf please tell me that if the category often referred to as ‘indigenous Tamils’ include those who practise Christianity too. Are they considered as low caste in Tamil society in Sri Lanka as in India?
    Soma

    • 1
      5

      somass ji

      “Are they considered as low caste in Tamil society in Sri Lanka as in India?”

      It is like your ancestors converting from Hindus to Christians to Sinhala/Buddhists because they thought the conversions would have allowed them the equal status that they desperately seeking among the Early Sinhala speaking people and access to equal power, wealth, …. respect.

  • 1
    3

    “. To stand credibly against Sinhalese communalism, we first need to address Tamil communalism in our midst decisively.”.
    True. The fear is real. TNA leadership cannot turn a blind eye. Hindu fundamentalism and fanaticism, though presently in embryonic form, need to be addressed and aborted, lest it would destroy the very fabric of Tamil nationalist struggle. Any challenge to the secular credentials of the Tamils must be resisted and defeated. Unity is our strength.

    • 3
      1

      Tamils are Hindus and others are just talmil speaking people. Because, there are tamil speaking sinhala , muslim and even malayali and thelugu or indians. It looks Tamil christians want to destroy Real tamils and make those with half tamil names, following christianity, muslims excluded, the tamils. I don’t think, shiva sena will aloow that.

  • 2
    6

    D. Hoole states the continuing saga of the seventy odd year old Tamil grievance caused by the language/religion divide. Some elements continue to profit from this “divide”.
    D.Hoole’s seems to use the article to propagate a Christian/Hindu Hoolean-divide which is considered significant by the Hoole family.
    For example D.Hoole says “TNA Batticaloa District MP Yogeswaran loudly draws up phlegm from his chest and spits in front of my priest every time they pass and says Tamil Christians are not Tamils…………”. If Yogeswaran does what he does it is wrong – Yogeswaran will lose support.
    D.Hoole goes on “C.V. Wigneswaran says Arumuga Navalar taught the Bible to the Missionaries…………”
    Arumuga Navalar’s talent was recognized by the missionaries and credit him with the translation of the Bible into Tamil. C V Wigneswaran would never have claimed that Navalar taught the Bible to the missionaries – plainly absurd. By the way D.Hoole thinks only Hoole missionary – whatever it is.
    D.Hoole quite rightly says “Mr. Sampanthar, Sir: this is not the time to play the fiddle like Emperor Nero………………”.
    But D.Hoole is playing the Nero fiddle with “To stand credibly against Sinhalese communalism, we first need to address Tamil communalism in our midst decisively………………….”.

  • 3
    4

    What is wrong with speaking Sinhalese? Just because a Tamil policeman speaks Sinhalese, does it mean the Tamils lose their dignity? Something is terribly wrong with the Tamil mentality and attitude. Look at the appalling conspiration theories about the army attacking the police with swords, that too is supposedly done using ex-LTTE’ers! Really!!? This was supposedly done to postpone handing over land. Why would the army need to do that, especially if the rest of the story is true? Namely that the army and the govt is all powerful and can do what they wish.

    ~

    And how can people who are of exactly the same racial stock, even speak of racism? How is it that the situation is compared to the Black American vs White American situation, in the USA? How sick is this? Seriously the Tamils need to try to solve the problems in a rational and realistic way. Tamils should stop taking social issues which each and every human-being faces and make them into exclusively Tamil problems, showing total disregard to the well-being of the country, and on top of all that start adding and elaborating these exclusive “Tamil problems” using all sorts of manipulations to fabricate accusations of discrimination to genocide.

    ~

    The crimes Tamils are accusing the Sinhalese are damaging the Sinhalese people. Amendments and new constitutions cannot protect the Sinhalese people against these accusations. The best thing is to get the help of the UN to establish a separate Tamil state, and relocate all the Tamil people in that state. Lets see how the Tamils solve their problems. Most probably Tamils being a very small minority will have trouble protecting their language and cultural values against corruption and degeneration because Tamils will not have the buffer the Sinhalese have provided to ward off foreign influences.

    • 2
      7

      Speaking only in Sinhalese and conducting business only in Sinhalese in Tamil areas where Tamil Hindus Christians and Muslims reside , in their own lands and do not understand a word of Sinhalese ,is the height of state sponsored racist arrogance , especially when Tamil and not Sinhalese is the official language in these regions and the Sri Lankan goes around the world and to the UN falesely stating, we have given equal status to Tamil in par with Sinhalese and now it is also the official language of the country and the island’s Tamil speaking population can deal with the government courts and the police in Tamil , especially in the Tamil north and east. How would you and the rest of the Sinhalese feel if government officials the police and armed forces address and deal with you only in Tamil. Shows what an arrogant racist animal you and most Sinhalese are just like most whites were in apartheid South Africa. The indigenous Tamils are living in their own land in the north and east and this is not Sinhalese land. They do not have to locate anywhere. If anyone has to relocate to South India it will the vast majority of the present day Sinhalese , as most of them are descended from recently migrated low caste/Dalit slave labour , who were imported into the island by the Portuguese and Dutch colonials a few centuries ago and have now taken a Sinhalese identity and beating the anti Tamil drum against the indigenous Tamils who have lived in the island for over 2500 years or more

    • 2
      6

      Punchi willy brain and Point.

      “What is wrong with speaking Sinhalese? Just because a Tamil policeman speaks Sinhalese, does it mean the Tamils lose their dignity?”

      Great typing which helps our fellow readers to gauge the size of your willi, brain, point and life.
      What do your grandchildren think about you?

  • 5
    4

    Any sane person knows that there are no indigenous Tamils outside the Tamil homeland, namely Tamilakam, i.e present day Tamil Nadu.

    Tamils are Tamils, whether they are of recent Indian origin or old Indian origin. Making a distinction between the Tamils in the plantations and Tamils outside the plantations was only done in 1911. The only distinction between these two groups are that some came earlier from Tamilnadu, while others came later. It goes without saying that the same people can’t be indigenous and not indigenous at the same time.

    For a population to be indigenous to a place, the defining factors of that population must have been formed in that place. When it comes to Tamils, the defining factor is the Tamil language and the Tamil language was formed in south India. All its history and literature is from Tamilnadu.

    Do the Tamils really have any chance of convincing anyone that a section of Tamils are indigenous to this island, while another section is not? The only logical conclusion any sane person would draw is that, all Tamils came from the Tamil homeland in Tamilnadu.

    Tamils always want to compete with the Sinhalese about everything, but when it comes historical claims and history, the Tamils have nothing to come up with – the fight is over even before it has begun.

    • 3
      5

      “When it comes to Tamils, the defining factor is the Tamil language”

      This fellow Punchi Point’s logic is only good for those Sinhalayas who gobble kavum, the Portuguse called them Modayass, they cannot see beyond their nose.

      How can language be a defining factor for a group of people who have occupied a certain land area or country? A Language can be newly introduced, a language can be replaced. If an indigenous Sri Lankan adopts Tamil language (due to Chola influence) s/he becomes a recent immigrant whereas if a recent South Indian immigrant converts to Sinhala-Buddhist and speaks the Sinhala language, s/he becomes an indigenous Sri Lankan, a descendent of DutuGemunu (or even Siddhartha Gautama). What a logic, LOL!

      The Dravidians who moved to the Southern parts of the sub-continent would have easily occupied both South India and Sri Lanka (just a walking distance on the Adams/RamaSethu Bridge). The South Indian Tamil (Chola, Chera, Pandya, Pallava), Telugu (Vijayanagara) and Orissa (Kalinga) are Dravidians. Kalinga was one of the earliest Dravidian countries to be Aryanised/Prakritised in speech. It is important to note that though Aryanised/Prakritised in speech they are Dravidian people.

      Similarly, Tambapanni (presently Sri Lanka) was also inhabited by the Dravidian tribes Nagas and Yakkas. (As per historians, Nagas were also moving back and forth between Sri Lanka and South India).

      Continued…

    • 1
      4

      Continuation…

      Everything changed in Sri Lanka only after the arrival of Emperor Asoka’s missionary monks lead by Arahat Mahinda who converted King Muta Siva’s son Prince Thissa to Buddhism. A large number of the Dravidian tribes in the island embraced Asoka’s Buddhism, Aryanised/Prakritised their speech, learned to write using Asoka Bhrami script, adopted Asoka’s Lion symbol (Indian Lion) and the Dhamma Chakra (also called the Asoka Chakra), accepted the Asoka Buddhist culture and implemented Asoka’s technology to build Stupas, Chaitya, Viharas, Sangharama, and so on. Later, those who moved towards the South of Anuradapura/Rajarata created their own language Sinhala (because they were isolated from others) whereas those who moved towards the North of Anuradapura closer to the Tamil mainland continued to use the Tamil language due to the influence from across the palk strait with free movement due to the Rama Setu bridge.

      The Sinhalese still worshipping the Dravidian (Hindu) Gods/deities while calling themselves Buddhists indicates their original Dravidian roots. It is important to note that both Sinhalese and Tamils are Dravidian from the same tribes/stock but the language was changed to either Indo-Aryan (Sinhala) or remained Dravidian (Tamil).

      • 2
        0

        So if Sinhalese developed there language only when they moved South, then why do we find proto Sinhalese inscription even in 6th century in Anuradhapura kingdom?

        • 2
          6

          Shenali

          “So if Sinhalese developed there language only when they moved South,”

          Did Sinhalese got together one day and decide to develop “there” language?
          When and where did they get together to develop “there” language?
          Why did they decide to get together and develop “there” language?

          Do you know a new language “Esperanto” was developed as an international auxiliary languagewas in 1887 by L. L. Zamenhof. The purpose was three pronged as follows:

          “To render the study of the language so easy as to make its acquisition mere play to the learner.”[9]

          “To enable the learner to make direct use of his knowledge with persons of any nationality, whether the language be universally accepted or not; in other words, the language is to be directly a means of international communication.”

          “To find some means of overcoming the natural indifference of mankind, and disposing them, in the quickest manner possible, and en masse, to learn and use the proposed language as a living one, and not only in last extremities, and with the key at hand.”[10]

          When they developed their language did the Sinhalese have specific objective? Did the Sinhalese ever wanted to develop Sinhalese into an international auxiliary language?

          However, Zheng He, the Chinese Admiral didn’t think so on 15 February 1409 when he erected a stone tablet (stele) inscription in Galle in three languages, Chinese, Tamil and Persian.

          Why would a Chinese admiral carried this stele all the way from Nanjing to Galle? Did Tamils, Persians and Chinese rule Southern part of this isl;and?
          .

    • 1
      4

      When it comes historical claims and history, what does the Sinhalese have as evidence to prove?

      The ONLY kingdom that existed in Sri Lanka for Several centuries was the Northern Kingdom of Anuradapura (and later the Cholas moved it to the East, Polanaruwa) ruled from time to time by either a Sinhala king or a Tamil king where both Sinhalese and Tamil people lived. The very first Tamil kings who ruled the Anuradapura kingdom were known as Shena and Kuttika. Neither the Deepawamsa nor the Mahavamsa calls Shena and Kuttika as invaders/outsiders (they were Sri Lankan Tamil horse businessman’s sons). Neither the Deepawamsa nor the Mahavamsa or any stone inscriptions or any other historical artefacts calls the Anuradapura kingdom as Sinhala kingdom or Tamil kingdom. Only when the Chola king Elara ruled Anuradapura, there was another kingdom in the South called Rohana at Kelanaya from where Dutugemunu came but even that was never known as a Sinhala kingdom.

      Not only the Jaffna kingdom but even the Kotte and Kandy kingdoms were created only after Anuradapura/Polonurawa was abandoned. Separate Tamil and Sinhala kingdoms came into existence only after the 12th century AD (after the Cholas left), before that there were neither Sinhala kingdoms nor Tamil kingdoms in Sri Lanka but of course Buddhism (including the worship of Hindu Gods) was the main religion for both Sinhalese and Tamils. Dutugemunu killing sixty thousand Tamils (as per Mahavamsa) proves that a huge number of Tamils had been living in and around the Anuradapura kingdom.

      Continued…

      • 2
        1

        If Anuradhapura and Pollonnaruwa kingdoms were Tamil, then why your people only ask for the independence of the Jaffna and the Eastern areas. Why haven’t you people included Anuradhapura and Pollonnaruwa kingdoms to your Tamil map?

        • 2
          6

          Shenali

          “If Anuradhapura and Pollonnaruwa kingdoms were Tamil, then why your people only ask for the independence of the Jaffna and the Eastern areas.”

          What is the difference between you, bloody Nuisance, assache, somass, Jimy the dimwit, Waduge, …… and a knife?

        • 3
          5

          Shenal the stupid,

          The Sri Lankan Tamils had been living in all parts of Sri Lanka (not just Anuradhapura & Polonnaruwa) for many centuries. It was only after the Jaffna kingdom was formed in the 13th century AD, the Tamils were confined to the North and East. However, the Sri Lankan Tamils do not claim Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa (a capital built by the Cholas), Padaviya, Kurunegala, Kandy, Kotte or the Dondra Head (the southernmost point in the island), citing the presence of Saiva (Hindu) sites there like the Sinhalese claiming the North & East citing the presence of Buddhist sites.

          In the 9th century AD, under Rajaraja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola, Sri Lanka became one of the nine provinces of the Chola Empire. This Chola rule was the longest and the most far-reaching in terms of surface area by the Tamil power. Sri Lanka remained a Chola colony under the rule of Rajaraja Chola and later his son Rajendra Chola. After the Chola rule of Anuradhapura and then Polonawara (a kingdom created by Rajendra Chola) kingdoms ended, the people who spoke Sinhala and/or practiced Buddhism moved to the South and created their Kingdoms in Kandy, Kotte, and many other places in the South. On the other hand, the people who spoke Tamil and/or practiced Hinduism moved to the North & East and created their Kingdom in Jaffna. A separate Jaffna kingdom (1215-1624 CE) was established for the Tamils. This is the very first time in the history of Sri Lanka, separate Sinhala and Tamil Kingdoms in the South and North began only after the Anuradapura/Polonurawa kingdoms were abandoned. Unfortunately, the Jaffna kingdom came under Portuguese domination in 1624 after the last Tamil king of Jaffna Cankli Kumaran was defeated in the battle. This was how the Tamils lost their sovereignty, independence and their traditional homeland.

    • 2
      5

      Continuation…

      What makes you believe that the Anuradapura kingdom where both Sinhalese and Tamils lived and both Sinhala and Tamil kings ruled (even if they were from the Chola/Pandya dynasty) as a Sinhala Kingdom? Is it due of Buddhism because today only Sinhalese are Buddhists? Is it due of the Prakrit stone inscriptions in Brahmi? Is it because time to time it was ruled by the Sinhala kings? Is it because today the Sinhala-Buddhists are the majority and therefore it must have been the Sinhala kingdom? The Mahavamsa calls the Tamil kings of Anuradapura as Damila Kings but it does not call the other (non-Tamil) kings as Sinhala Kings.

      For your information, there is no evidence to prove that the Anuradapura kingdom was a Sinhala kingdom. The Mahawamsa, Deepawamsa, Chulawamsa and even Visuddhimagga were all written in a language called Pali that a Sinhalese can neither read nor understand (only the monks learned Pali). What makes you think that it belongs to Sinhalese when they cannot even read or understand them?

      • 3
        2

        First off, if the Anuradhapura kingdom was overwhelmingly Tamil then the Mahawamsa, Deepawamsa, Chulawamsa and even Visuddhimagga would have clearly mentioned that it was so.Moreover, there are no such mention of anything in the local scriptures nor in foreign contemporaries which indicated Tamils dominated the Northern part of Sri Lanka back 2000 years or so ago. Not even the Cholas say anything about your mythical Tamil homeland in North and East. So, stop spill bullshit and accept the plain reality.

        • 3
          1

          SHENAL: Even there are Tamil acedmics who say, Tamils came only 12th century. Tamils can write, in blogs, the whole human history saying that Tamils were the first on earth but, Tamil is just a language out of other dravidean languages. Tamils who didnot have anywhere to go, grabbed the white academic, rsearchers said and are fooling the Southern politicians. It is LSSP who because of their ideology destroyed Sinhale. I think thr most hurt are the christian Tamils who lost their sungod, who lost their investment and now they are homelss and are coolies some where inthe world.

        • 0
          3

          Shenal,

          First off, if the Anuradhapura kingdom was overwhelmingly Sinhala then the Mahawamsa, Deepawamsa, Chulawamsa and even Visuddhimagga would have clearly mentioned that it was so. Moreover, there are no such mention of anything in the local scriptures nor in foreign contemporaries which indicated Sinhalese dominated the Northern part of Sri Lanka back 2000 years or so ago. So, stop spill bullshit and accept the plain reality.

        • 2
          4

          Shenali

          “Mahawamsa, Deepawamsa, Chulawamsa and even Visuddhimagga would have clearly mentioned that it was so”

          Good to hear you are familiar with Mahawamsa, Deepawamsa, Chulawamsa and even Visuddhimagga.

          Have you ever had the good fortune of reading the entire collection that you have just mentioned?

          I have difficulty in understanding some sections of Visuddhimagga. Is it alright if I ask you to clarify the ones that I do find difficult for it is too high level intellectual discourse?

  • 5
    3

    This D. Hoole why di dnot you feel bad writing, speaking english and becoming subservient to english speaking white Folks when you are working oversea. . Why do you get that bad feeling only when a police officer talks to you in sinhal ?. It looks almost all the Hooles are Racists.——————–If Yapanaya, who are the Tamils would treat you friendly and show hospitality by offering you an opned young cocnut and simple gifts. Don’t you think you are very self-centered, selfish raicst. If that people find you they should never offer you anything as you are a racist.

  • 5
    4

    I think, D. Hoole doe snot have this arrogance in the west where he lives as an immigrent. when he comes to Sinhale, they are racists who want to establish a christian Tamil race. I am pretty sure, even though you people christians whte folks did not give you an edge because the skin color is different.

  • 1
    0

    Jaffna is being patrolled, under a dubious pretext, by government soldiers, against what is required in the last UNHRC resolution, after Buddangala Buddhist priest visited Jaffna and met a Judge, who went on his knees to worship the priest, in a slave posture.

    The priest however cynically laughed at the judge, evidenced by a photo published in “Island” daily newspaper, during the second week of August 2017.

    Neither the judge nor the Buddhist priest appear serious in their acts. For me, it looked like a fake drama, staged with a hidden agenda.

    The priest, a retired army general, later went to Palaly military camp to meet soldiers, thereafter, the patrolling by the soldiers started in Jaffna.

    Buddangala, started and named by this retired army general, who opted to be a priest, in this area 50 years ago, then occupied predominantly by indigenous Tamils for many centuries.

    The priest terrorised, murdered many Tamils and chased away the rest in an act of Tamil genocide, to make it a “Sinhala land”.

    The UNHRC should open a public investigation leading to an International Inquiry to ascertain the truth, and grant justice, not only in Buddangala but in all such areas in the North East, where there is and had been ethnic cleansing or Tamil genocide; if the GSL, UNHRC and the world are serious about Democracy, rule of Law, Human Rights constitution and reconciliation in SL.

  • 1
    0

    Sirisena-Ranil govt. and their civil and military agencies have employed all sorts of stunts, subterfuge, trickery and theatrics to convince the UNHRC and international community that reconciliation is a reality and everything is hunky dory in Sri Lanka vis a vis the Tamil issues /concerns – land grabs, militarization, Buddhitization, Sinhalization etc. Sadly, wittingly or unwittingly, some Tamil officials have been serving as cogs in the wheel..

  • 1
    0

    This article seeks to deal with the postponement of elections to three Provincial Councils that were due to be held on the 26th of September 2017 – in just over a month from now, and it has reference to the 13th and 20th Amendments to the Constitution.

    .

    Having been written by somebody from Jaffna, it also deals with some of the problems NOW being faced by people in the North, relating to unnecessary harassment of average means who have only modest eductional achievement by imposing on them a need to know Sinhala. This seems to be how we keep creating totally unwanted problems.

    `.

    It also questions the the credibility of the government because of the “on-going” Bond Scandal – to me it seems endless. However, basically it focusses on real problems that we face tody.

    .

    That being the case, why is it that so many of the comments hark back to what happened in the country since the first humans are supposed to have set foot on this island. There is something very sick about such an attitude that will prevent the most obvious and pressing problems. I say this, but I foresee a few people responding to my “common sense” by saying that I’m naive and don’t know all sorts of ramifications seen by them, but to which I’m blind.

    .

    So predictable, reactions are! Can we please have more thoughtful comments!
    .

  • 0
    0

    There is no point going in circles. The Sinhala elites are slaves to the countries who have interest in the sea routes. Please see the film Viceroys’ House a production from England. After 70 yrs of independence Winston Churchhills’ reason for partioning India has been revealed. The late Ali Jinnah a Cambridge scholar played into the hands of the British Raj and now one can see the troubles that is going on with India and its’ neighbours.
    Similarly the elite Sinhalese are colluding with the countries who want to serve their own economic interest in the expense of the Sinhalese and Tamils. The rural Sinhalese have been cheated by the elite Sinhalese and the Tamils sufferings are untold.
    The only way out is to get at the Sinhala elites and this is the task of the Sinhalese themselves otherwise they too shall be doomed in the coming years. Living under one roof is over and thanks to SWRD Bandaranaike and it is history now.
    The Tamils and Sinhalese cannot live together anymore and the country has to implement a federal system. This solution shall serve the interest of the Tamils and the Sinhalese. The Tamils and Sinhalese have to dictate their progress and not by any great powers. Land independence alone is not sufficient but self independence is needed. The Sinhale elites have become coolies to the great powers to enjoy wealth and power in the expence of the country.

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