“The High Priests of Malwatte and Asgiriya are personifications of contrary characteristics. I am sure Mahinda would find himself closer in spirit to Asgiriya rather than Malwatte,” says Northern Province Chief Minister, Justice C. V. Wigneswaran.
Referring to a meeting he had with both Mahanayakes a few days ago, he said, the Malwatte Mahanayake welcomed them cordially and the Asgiriya Mahanayake was officious. “One is not sure whether the Karaka Sabha constricts the Venerable Asgiriya Prelate’s freedom,” he said.
Chief Minister CV Wigneswaran
Delivering the guest speaker’s remarks at a book launching ceremony in Colombo the Chief Minister said: “The Malwatte Priest was humane and interested in alleviating the sufferings of the people. The Asgiriya Karaka Sabha members who would not allow me personal audience with the High Priest but made sure all of them sat at a higher pedestal while I and my group sat at cushions placed in lower positions, were interested in projecting their Sinhala Buddhist sentiments. They appeared conceited and almost offensively self assertive”
“They had made up their mind that federalism is separation. I did point out to them that a recent Supreme Court judgment had confirmed that federalism is not separation and it is a way to bring disparate units together. I pointed out it was the Kandyan elite who first opted for federalism before the British Commissioners in 1930-1940. The Kandyans had said that they wished to protect their individuality by opting for federalism. The Asgiriya Priest did not appear convinced. If we could get past the veil of hardline arrogance of the Asgiriya Priests I am sure we could solve the political problems of this country soon. They seem to be a very powerful section among the Sinhala Buddhists. To that extent ours was a useful fact finding visit.
“I have always said that I like to meet the so called hardliners among the Sinhala Buddhists. In the Members of the Karaka Sabha I found some of them. I have confidence that we could if given time, wean them from their hardline stance to transform them to become humanes like the Matwatte Priest,
“After all their arrogance is artificial. It is based on false beliefs, wrong presumptions and distorted perceptions. Once the truth is stated or is recognized they would return to their real fundamental Buddhistic base which is understanding and love, not hatred and suspiration.”
We publish below the speech in full:
Launch of the Book “Rajapakse the Sinhala Selfie” authored by Kusal Perera along with Sinhala Collections of Essays by him “83 Daruwo” edited by Krishan Siriwardene at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute Colombo at 4 pm on 12th September 2017
Guru Brahma……
Mr. Kusal Perera, Mr. Krishan Siriwardene and my dear brothers and sisters!
It gives be immense pleasure to be involved in this book launch. Apart from Kusal being a friend of ours who was kind enough to accompany us to meet the Mahanayake Theros last weekend, the book launched by him is also about a friend of his who is Rajapaksa the Sinhala Selfie. A selfie takes our own photograph. When Mahinda Rajapaksa takes one he sees not Rajapaksa
a but a Sinhala man. What sort of Sinhala man is he, is what Kusal talks about in his book.
In his Preface Kusal says as follows about Mahinda – “In Mahinda I thus found a very easy friend who agreed often and rarely disagreed. In fact he never disagreed possibly for its own convenience”
That is an apt description of Mahinda Rajapaksa. Despite a lot of objections from my own quarters, I had taken Oaths before him on the 7th of October 2013 as Chief Minister of Northern Province. He was so friendly. Then on 2nd of January 2014, I went and met him at his official residence. He was full of charm. I had about ten requests including the replacement of the Military Governor whose term was coming to an end. I said there was no necessity for a Military person to be the Governor and wanted him to replace the incumbent Governor with a Civilian. Mahinda was quite impressive. “Of course we must change” he said. “But let him wait till July this year when his period of office comes to an end. Thereafter I will appoint a Civilian” he said. In fact he had asked for the names of possible suitable replacements and I had given some names too.
When July came he gave a further extension to the selfsame Governor with the Military background conveniently forgetting his undertaking to me. I believe none of the ten requests made by me were fulfilled even though he studiously undertook to look into them favorably. Such is the Sinhala Selfie. He says something having another idea in his mind. Prevarication is his forte.
There is another important observation Kusal makes in his Preface, That is that the Tamil Diaspora never read right and failed to understand the political implications of the word “Terrorism”. There has been a serious shift in global politics after New York’s 9/11 tragedy during the time of George Bush Junior which made US Intelligence and State Officials to classify and label all armed politics as terrorism or equivalents of “Al Qaeda”. Rajapaksa had capitalized on that calling the Tamil Militants as Terrorists equivalent to Al Qaeda. Incidentally yesterday was the 16th anniversary of the 2001 event.
Even now I find certain sections of the media refer to the Tamil Militants as Extremists and Terrorists. In the Global arena all acts of Militancy on the part of the Tamil youth are referred to as Terrorist activities. To that extent Mahinda had transformed a local political military agitation into a global phenomenon.
It is about this Mahinda the Sinhala Selfie that today’s Book is all about. There are questions being asked why Wigneswaran should lend his support to the launching of a Book on Mahinda Rajapaksa. There is also a whispering conversation thus – “ Sambanthan is courting Mahinda – Is Wigneswaran providing the flowers?”
Frankly I first accepted the invitation of my friend Kusal Perera to be present at his Book Launch. It was thereafter that I tried to find out what the Book was about.
Having seen a paragraph at the tail end of the Book I thought why not.
Let me quote that paragraph verbatim –
“The brutality with which this whole war was waged by the Rajapaksa regime can never be underscored and can never be justified. Its brutality was not limited to the North –East only. Was never limited to persecuting the Tamil people only, though they were the most ruthlessly hounded. This war waged by the Rajapaksa regime dismantled the long standing democratic structures of the whole society and has overturned social values. It has totally violated democratic and human rights of the people. Has throttled media freedom and coerced all media to obey its dictates. It has paved the way for a politico military regime that no longer represents the elected government and is not responsible to the people. It has eroded the sovereignty of the people with an intimidating social psyche, in the name of eliminating Tamil “terrorism”.
With the contents of that paragraph one cannot disagree. Under the guise of eliminating Tamil terrorism Mahinda Rajapaksa paved the way for a politico Military regime. While Mahinda was politically elected a petrol bunk worker in the US was called in to provide and lead the Military regime which was not responsible to the people. No doubt such action eroded the sovereignty of the people.
Far from providing the flowers to Mr. Sambanthan to woo Mahinda, I am trying to arm myself with the brickbats needed at the appropriate time. It is a trite saying that the villain gains popularity sooner than the hero. But it is not popularity; it is notoriousness.
It is the notoriety of Mahinda that is for sale today authored by Kusal Perera not an eulogy. Hence I am not on the same wave length as Mr. Sambanthan.
One of the positive observations about the LTTE mentioned by Kusal in his book should not go unreported. This was something that used to perplex me. He gives his remarks which make sense. Let me refer to the relevant paragraph.
“The story that made rounds and the UNP stalwarts kept saying is that former Parliamentarian Tiran Alles negotiated a deal on behalf of Rajapaksa for the boycott of elections. One Emil Kanthan of the LTTE, it is said, was the contact. I tend to believe that, that may have been a different business deal Tiran Alles negotiated with Kanthan that was for political reasons tinkered into the LTTE boycott”.
He goes on to say this – “Personally I don’t believe a person like Emil Kanthan can be profiled as a capable and a valid “contact” to play middleman for any “agreement” with Prabhakaran and the LTTE leadership on an election boycott. There were better and more capable men if need be, who frequented Colombo meeting diverse people to solicit support for their own relief and livelihood projects. The LTTE political wing and peace secretariat head Pulidevan was one among such few. He could have been a more trustworthy contact for a political compromise with the LTTE if the Rajapakses wanted any. Yet I doubt very much, Prabhakaran would have gambled on his politico military future, on bundles of money sent from Colombo by one whose fate depended on how people vote”.
Kusal states elsewhere that “Tamil Diaspora’s stubborn incapacity to read global politics after 9/11, allowed them to assume, their international campaign could have UN intervention in establishing an autonomous “Thamil State” in the North-East. For which they thought, they needed a hard line Sinhala Buddhist leader as President in Colombo, who would not agree to anything more than the presently dwarfed 13th Amendment. That was the reason why the LTTE went on a boycott. The popular reading even before the presidential election was declared said the Tamil people, at least the larger majority of them would vote for Wickremesinghe, at least to continue with the cease fire”.
In other words the LTTE wanted Mahinda Rajapaksa at the helm of affairs for what might have been to their benefit.
Kusal was close to the Rajapaksa family. More so to Mahinda himself. Yet he wrote an open letter on the eve of the election on 13th November 2015 to Mahinda concluding “I therefore will not vote for you as that would amount to hanging the fate of this country by a shawl”
He observes “Huge corruption amounting to plunder, nepotism and constitutional authoritarianism with the war winning military projected as “War Heroes” was the hallmark of his rule”. He said “I have thus called his rule a kleptocracy”. What that meant was Mahinda used his power to steal our Country’s resources.
Kusal’s book which I had little time to read in full has a few plus points. He knew personally the central character of his book. He was and is in the midst of the growth of Sinhala populism around this man Mahinda Rajapaksa whom he knew so well. But what he regrets in this book is that Mahinda’s populism extended into extreme and violent ethno religious presence in Sri Lankan politics.
In this book Kusal traces Mahinda’s ancestry, his absorption into the orbit of Sinhala Nationalism, his entry into SLFP politics and so on. Then he discusses the steps already taken before Mahinda took over the reigns of power to discriminate against the Tamils more specially the Tamil students in the form of standardization to neutralize the superior performance of Tamil medium students in Science Subjects.
He goes on to state “Thus the consolidation of the Sinhala Buddhist State was achieved through numerous, complex and politically manipulated means over almost 03 decades. Every such intervention in turn strengthened the Sinhala social psyche and made the two leading political parties compete for Sinhala votes in gaining political power at every election. (Unquote) This is a major reason why the Tamil problem has not been solved by any party so far. Actually it is so simple to solve the problems of the Northern Province and Eastern Province Tamil speaking people. Recognize their individuality and draft constitutional provisions accordingly and this country could immediately take off towards peace, reconciliation and economic regeneration.
Then he refers to a statement by my colleague at Royal College and friend Dr. Nihal Jayawickreme in a speech by him at the birth centenary of Dr. Colvin R de Silva on 1/3/2008 which is enlightening regarding the 1972 and 1978 constitutions, which were constitutions that the then political parties wanted for their politics and not constitutions which looked into the problems and grievances of the people. It runs thus “If I may sum up, I do not think there was any philosophy underlying either of the republican constitutions. They merely reflected the policies of the political parties under whose auspices they were drafted; or perhaps more accurately, the imperatives of the two leaders whose personalities dominated the drafting processes. Dr Colvin R. de Silva and the Lanka Sama Samaja Party probably saw in the overwhelming majority which the United Front received in the 1970 general election, the opportunity to introduce and implement his and its long held political beliefs, and wished to do so without obstruction from any quarter, whether it be the public service, the judiciary, or the more moderate-minded prime minister. The tragedy was that in doing so, the constituent assembly failed to hear or recognize the voice of the North, expressed so clearly at the same general election”. (unquote) The other drafter Nihal mentioned was Dr. H.W.Jayewardena who was responsible for the 1978 constitution.
Refering to the 1972 constitution Dr. Jayawickreme was quoted as saying “the basic Resolutions upon which the 1972 Constitution was drafted, rested “completely in accord with the United Front and Government policy”, and not on public accord, as acceded by Dr. Colvin R de Silva, the architect of that constitution”. Thus Dr. Jayawickrama says, it took away (1) the second chamber, which was intended to serve the minorities (2) independent Public Service Commission, intended to guarantee strict impartiality in all matters affecting public service appointments (3) Judicial Service Commission, intended to guarantee the independence and integrity of the judiciary (4) nominated members in the legislature, intended to represent unrepresented interests (5) judicial review of legislation and (6) prohibition on discriminatory legislation contained in section 29, which the Privy Council had described as representing “the solemn balance of rights between the citizens of Ceylon: the fundamental conditions on which inter se the Tamil leaders accepted the Constitution”, and are therefore politically unalterable under the Constitution”.
I like to refer to a four point note submitted by the Federal Party to the Constituent Assembly which is referred to by the author next. It runs thus “A four point note submitted to the Constituent Assembly by the FP led Tamil representation requesting the new constitution to (1) provide equal constitutional status for Tamil language as Sinhala language (2) establish a secular State (3) decentralise governing structures and (4) grant citizenship without discrimination to all Tamil plantation sector workers, was also rejected by the UF representation in the Constituent Assembly including LSSP and CP leaderships. Therefore, the new Constitution that turned Ceylon into a “sovereign and independent Republic” called Sri Lanka, firmly centralised the State as a unitary Sinhala Buddhist State, beneath the words, “sovereign and independent”. And, far worse was their negation of ethnic identities and that by a leading Leftist minister, a one time Marxist scholar who stood for “two languages and a single country”, to lump every one together as Sri Lankan “citizens”. Politics of this UF government therefore laid the basis for the radicalising of Tamil youth, but also made the most democratic, decent and peace loving of all Tamil leaders loved by the Tamil people to seek an alternative to his most cherished dream of living in a single united country. He, “Thanthai” Chelva sought political refuge in a separate “Thamil State” and resigned from his parliamentary seat, Kankasanthurai (KKS) in 1972 October. Chelvanayakam, “SJV” in popular politics, said he would challenge the ’72 Republican Constitution at a by election to prove the Tamil people did not accept it. The UF government led by Madam Bandaranayake kept postponing the bye -election. This led to more frustration among Tamil people and for the first time in 1973 at ITAK’s 12th convention held in Mallakam, serious discussions ensued on the feasibility of a “Separate Thamil State”.
“The UF leadership finally decided to have the KKS by election in February 1974. Chelvanayakam romped home with a massive voter support that topped 72.55 per cent of the total polled. Highest ever in post independent parliamentary elections to date. The UF government fielded the CP leader in Jaffna, V. Ponnambalam and he polled 26.46 per cent only. This election was just 02 years before Thanthai Chelva, the “father figure” in Tamil Nationalist politics bade farewell to the world after 33 years of very active, democratic politics. Three years before that and 30 years after active and hectic but democratic Tamil politics, he was compelled by the Sinhala leaders to accept a “Separate Thamil State” as the only answer to the political grievances of the Tamil people to live with dignity”.
“I wish to announce to my people and to the country that I consider the verdict at this election as a mandate that the Tamil Eelam nation should exercise the sovereignty already vested in the Tamil people and become free” he said in a public statement accepting victory at the bye – election.
This clearly explains what happened. Coming from a Sinhalese Journalist though he does not consider himself a Sinhalese but a humane being, the reference to what took place in an impartial manner should be taken note of by our die hard Sinhala so called nationalists. Many matters which I would have wanted to bring to your notice, Kusal has referred to in his book. If I refer to them I might be called an extremist or a rabble rouser. I doubt such epithets being used against Kusal. But what both of us are trying to say is the truth and nothing but the truth.
It is not my intention to take you through the whole book which I have not finished reading. But it is useful for the general public to remember the political antics of the past which gave rise to the present impasse in this country which matters I have cursorily referred to from Kusal’s Book.
It is a timely publication. Though it refers to Mahinda the Sinhala Selfie, the book is full of historical facts of the recent past which traces the steps that led to the armed rebellion. The call for a free Tamil Nation came not from Prabakaran but Chevanayakam first.
In this scenario Mahinda’s part is aptly referred to in the last paragraph of the Book.
Thus two and a half years without Mahinda remains as much ‘Rajapaksa’ as it was before. And that for me is the most that can be written here on how the Sinhala factor with Mahinda remains unchallenged yet. And it would remain so with no alternatives discussed for a plural and a secular society, democracy remaining procedural and not functional.
Eric Metaxas,the American Author, Speaker and Radio Host said “With the tools of democracy, democracy was murdered and lawlessness made ‘legal’. Raw power ruled, and its only real goal was to destroy all other powers besides itself.”
Most appropriate quote by Kusal to what happened during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s reign.
Before I conclude let me refer to the meetings with the High Priests of Malwatte and Asgiriya last weekend. The two High Priests are personifications of contrary characteristics. I am sure Mahinda would find himself closer in spirit to Asgiriya rather than Malwatte.
The latter welcomed us cordially. The former was officious. One is not sure whether the Karaka Sabha constricts the Venerable Asgiriya Prelate’s freedom.
The Malwatte Priest was humane and interested in alleviating the sufferings of the people. The Asgiriya Karaka Sabha members who would not allow me personal audience with the High Priest but made sure all of them sat at a higher pedestal while I and my group sat at cushions placed in lower positions, were interested in projecting their Sinhala Buddhist sentiments. They appeared conceited and almost offensively self assertive.
They had made up their mind that federalism is separation. I did point out to them that a recent Supreme Court judgment had confirmed that federalism is not separation and it is a way to bring disparate units together. I pointed out it was the Kandyan elite who first opted for federalism before the British Commissioners in 1930-1940. The Kandyans had said that they wished to protect their individuality by opting for federalism. The Asgiriya Priest did not appear convinced. If we could get past the veil of hardline arrogance of the Asgiriya Priests I am sure we could solve the political problems of this Country soon. They seem to be a very powerful section among the Sinhala Buddhists. To that extent ours was a useful fact finding visit.
I have always said that I like to meet the so called hardliners among the Sinhala Buddhists. In the Members of the Karaka Sabha I found some of them. I have confidence that we could if given time, wean them from their hardline stance to transform them to become humanes like the Matwatte Priest,
After all their arrogance is artificial. It is based on false beliefs, wrong presumptions and distorted perceptions. Once the truth is stated or is recognized they would return to their real fundamental Buddhistic base which is understanding and love, not hatred and suspiration.
I thank you for your patient hearing. I thank Kusal for inviting me to be with all of you today. Thanks.
K.Pillai / September 14, 2017
Federalism is a successful form of governance. Several countries have stayed in one piece because they adopted this form eg. India. UK is strengthening this form to stay in one piece.
TNA has eschewed separate state concept. Wignes (from TNA) tried to explain to the Mahanayakas that federalism is not separation. They disagree but there is evidence to suggest that they are being manipulated.
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SJ / September 14, 2017
KP
I agree that Mahanayakes are set in their thinking. But so is the CM, NPC is in his.
If the Mahanayakes can be said to be manipulated, cannot one say that the CM is manipulated as well.
There is need for dialogue: To expect a long chat with the Mahanayakes will change things is not clever. There is political spadework to do at various levels.
*
The most important section to reach out is the Sinhala public. To this day, the Tamil leaders have not only neglected that task but also consciously acted to destroy every possible bridge, except to hail a handful who almost unconditionally endorse their line.
It is time that we learned to look at problems from the other’s perspective.
We are a people who are still unable say sorry to a people whom we expelled from our midst at very short notice. What is worse is that we curse the victims.
What is the difference between us and our oppressors?
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Sinhala_Man / September 16, 2017
How very true, SJ!
There is little purpose in agitation unless you are also willing to listen to other sides.
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Shenal / September 15, 2017
Federalism implies that federal state has a historic population. Which in Sri Lanka’s case is not true. Tamils from Jaffna and East have very recent origins. They are not historic people.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 16, 2017
Really! Go and tell these fibs to your racist Lankaweb morons and they will swallow all these garbage posted by you hook line and sinker but not others. The Sri Lankan Tamils from the north and east have been in the island for more than 2300 years or even more. Even your Mahavamsa fairy tale by trying to discredit them, did only the opposite, it confirmed their existence and their lands in the north and east from ancient time. It is the ancestors of the vast majority of the present day so called Sinhalese including your own Karawa ancestors who are recent day imports from what in now modern day Tamil Nadu and Kerala in South India. DNA also proves this Sinhalese DNA is 70% Indian Tamils whereas only 17% of Sri Lankan DNA is Indian Tamil. Even the so called Bengali origin of the Sinhalese is now proven to be false as the Sri Lankan Tamils marginally share a far higher proportion of Bengali DNA that the Sinhalese.30% compared to the 25% of the Sinhalese. You are indeed a nasty venomous lying evil woman, who, just like many of the Lankaweb reading patrons, has a recent South Indian Tamil origin but has so much hatred for the Tamils
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Shenal / September 16, 2017
If all the Sinhalese have Tamil origin and Tamils have been living in Sri Lanka for 2300 years. Why not ask for Tamil right for the entire island. Why limiting only for the North and East.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 16, 2017
We Tamils are very generous and love to give the rest of the island other than the north and east to recent South Indian imports , like you , now pretending to be ardent Sinhalese Buddhist and beating the anti Tamil drum . Especially at Lankaweb. Just look at all the names of the anti Tamil Lankaweb patrons a who is who of recently Sinhalised South Indian imports. Now calling the indigenous Tamils outsiders and them truly indigenous. Have you gone to visit your relatives in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They are eagerly waiting for you Shenal oops Shenali
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Native Vedda / September 16, 2017
Real Siva Sankaran Sharma
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“We Tamils are very generous”
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Oh please.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 16, 2017
LOL only generous to Shenal/Shenali
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Kumar / September 16, 2017
Shenal
*****Why not ask for Tamil right for the entire island. Why limiting only for the North and East.*****
From very early times, both Hinduism and Buddhism appeared to have flourished in Sri Lanka. The Buddhist archaeological sites in the Tamil North & East, or the Hindu archaeological sites in the Sinhala South are not strange phenomena in the island. The Sri Lankan Tamils had been living in all parts of Sri Lanka for many centuries. It was only after the Jaffna kingdom was formed in the 13th century, the Tamils were confined to the North and East. However, the Sri Lankan Tamils do not go and demographically claim Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa (a capital built by the Cholas), Padaviya, Kurunegala, Kandy, Kotte (Colombo), Tissamaharama (where Tamil Brahmi potsherd inscription were found), 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.
On the other hand, after the Portuguese arrived, the Sinhala population underwent a mass expansion and became a majority after tens of thousands of Dalit coolie/slaves brought from South India (for cinnamon and coconut plantation) got converted to Buddhism to hide their caste and eventually became Sinhalese.
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Native Vedda / September 16, 2017
Shenali
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“Why not ask for Tamil right for the entire island. Why limiting only for the North and East.”
–
Good idea. Where will all the Sinhala/Buddhist fascists go? South India perhaps. Or a ghetto in the deep south.
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Elango / September 16, 2017
But according to the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord under which limited autonomy was provided under the 13th Amendment clearly, refers to ” Northern and the Eastern Provinces have been areas of historical habitation of Sri Lankan Tamil speaking peoples” . and all previous agreed /torn /proposed plans were based on this understanding-this particular argument cannot be sustained. Think of something else! or accept the reality.
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old codger / September 16, 2017
Shemal,
“Federalism implies that federal state has a historic population. “
The US is a federal state. Could you in your wisdom explain what historic populations existed in ,for example, Nevada or Oregon? Please.
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Native Vedda / September 16, 2017
Shenali
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“Tamils from Jaffna and East have very recent origins. “
–
May be true. However on the other hand most Tamils of the South had already converted to Sinhala/Buddhism hence they too are not historic people.
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So why don’t you stop indulging in history lessons which you have no clue of just like your Shenali Unhappy Waduge, Ganampilla, Wimal Sangili, …………….. and others in this forum.
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Bigotry, shameless public racism, stupidity, ……………….. lies and myths are no substitute for history.
/
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / September 16, 2017
Do not display your racist mind set. Original people of Srilanka are Veddhas, who are genetically different from Sinhalese or Tamils, but similar to Adivasis of Tamil Nadu. The first settlers of Srilanka are Dravidians as evidenced by urn burial sites in various parts of the island including the latest one discovered in Galewela. Ancient pottery discovered in northern mainland similar to those discovered in Tamil Nadu shows that the same people lived on both sides of the divide. Present day Tamils are the descendants of these people intermixed with Malayalees, Kalingas and Bengalis. The recent genetic studies prove this. In fact Sinhalese have a greater genetic affinity than Ceylon Tamils to Indian Tamils. From stone inscriptions, Tamil language had been used for communication and administration several hundred years before Sinhala language evolved in 8th century AD. If the government permits extensive archaeology studies using modern equipment, it will disprove all your racist propaganda about the antiquity of Tamils in Srilanka. Even the myth classic Ramayana portrays Ravana as a Dravidian Saivaite.
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Kumar / September 16, 2017
Shemal,
“Federalism implies that federal state has a historic population.“
Which International/local law says that the criteria for the right to Federalism is to live as a separate historic population? It is not a criteria even for a separate state.
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James / September 16, 2017
The Tamil speaking people of Sri Lanka have a clearly defined (Tamil speaking) territory, their historic habitat (formally Jaffna kingdom) in the North & East of Sri Lanka as their traditional homeland where they lived for several centuries with their own language, religion and culture. Nobody can change the demography of North & East of Sri Lanka (Tamil speaking). The North & East of Sri Lanka was Tamil, is Tamil and will be Tamil forever. The Tamils of Sri Lanka are not just a minority, they are a minority with a separate territory (N&E) and they are the majority in their territory. As the citizens of a specific Tamil speaking territory (traditional land area), the Tamils of Sri Lanka have all the rights to decide what is good for them. Sharing the power & wealth (Devolution/Federalism) is the rights of SL Tamils. Only its denial will force the Tamils to seek separation. Tamils may have lost the war but they have not lost their rights to federalism or autonomy. Federalism is NOT separation and it is the rights of North & East Tamils who live as a majority in a separate Tamil speaking territory.
When the government in power proposes a solution, either the opposition rejects it to gain cheap political advantage or some minor Nationalist/chauvinist party along with the Buddhist monks opposes it making the government in power to go back on its promises. This has happened for the past 60 years and it is still happening today. Even after the war ended, the Sinhalese are not willing to give the Tamils their due rights. If one race (Sinhalese) grabs all the political and economic power for itself just because it is a majority, there will definitely be strong antagonism from the Tamils, which will continue to cause political instability, shrinking economy, and international intervention in Sri Lanka as we have seen in the last 60 years.
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Native Vedda / September 16, 2017
James
–
You got the wrong end of the stick.
–
Solutions are sought for problems, not because some donkey killed people and ruled a certain area some hundreds of years ago.
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The Sinhala/Buddhist fascists took control of the state and its institutions in an democratically inspired (Pancha Maha Balavegeya) coup in 1956. Since then the nation building process was being focused on centralizing state powers in particular person or institution.
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Patriotism, bigotry, shameless racism, periodic riots, state brutality, discrimination, denying equal rights, war crimes, ……………. impunity, free rice, ………….. have been used in various combination to stay in power. The stupid Sinhala/Buddhists think the state as it is the best form of governance.
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What the stupid masses do not realise is that it is the best form of governance for the crooks, murderers, rapists, war criminals, ……………………….
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Those who vociferously oppose devolution and federal form of government are those who misuse the centralised powers and personally profit from it.
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The population of this island in 1946 was 6,657,339 and 2011 was 20,359,439. Therefore the issues, conflicts, problems, …. needs are four times more than in 1946. Mode of production have changed, resource allocation is skewed, …. majority of the people have been cheated, their attention has been diverted from real problems to artificially generated and sustained mass paranoia, paranoia about the minorities, ………….. which is more than sufficient to steal state coffers, people’s entitlements, their liberty, …………………
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Kings, rulers, asses, borders, historical imagined areas, ……………….. have nothing to do with federalism, devolution and decentralisation. Its all about grabbing powers away from a few and distributing legitimately among many, the people.
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MirakRajBanda / September 14, 2017
Indeed The Cheap Prelates are very arrogant and all others including the their own devotees and minor ranking monks are treated like slaves. It’s a disgusting scene to watch how they behave in public. I witnessed a monk been seated on business class on a Sri Lankan Air flight to New Delhi refused to move on calling it’s his privilege and priority!!!
What a shame they bring to Lord Buddha!!!!!!
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James / September 14, 2017
“They had made up their mind that federalism is separation based on false beliefs, wrong presumptions and distorted perceptions”
Wigneswaran is 100% correct.
It is very unfortunate that the Sinhalese have never understood the meaning of federalism. They think a federal state means a separate country where the Sinhalese will be sent out. Federal is not a separate state/country. Having federal states in a country does not mean dividing the country into many separate countries. Anybody and everybody can move from one state to another without any restrictions.
Take some examples of countries with federal states like the USA, India, tiny Switzerland, etc. If an American citizen wants to go from Texas and settle in New York or an Indian wants to go from New Delhi and settle in Tamil Nadu or, a Swiss wants to go from Zurich and settle in Sion, he/she does not need any visa/passport or change in citizenship. Similarly, in a federal Sri Lanka, if a Sinhalese from Matara wants to settle in the NE or a Tamil from Jaffna wants to settle in the South, he/she does not need any passport or change in citizenship. Nobody is going to chase them out. No Tamils in the South are going to move to the NE and no Sinhalese in the NE are going to move to the South by having a federal system. A federal Southern province means the people of the South are given freedom to look after their own affairs and a federal Northern Province means the people of the North are allowed to look after our own affairs. It is a process of decentralization and sharing. The inability to learn from others has been the BIGGEST drawback among the Sinhala-Buddhists.
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W.Milton / September 15, 2017
The simple facts about civilization gap between Tamil Terrorism of separatism—by Federalism and democratizes of forces in South are fighting against division of an Island. The issues has change is not that ‘Sinhalese discrimination’ against Tamils are invalid reasons, but by the TNA political road map has shifted into New agitation Federalism .
Its playing ground work for legitimated rights with the democratic framework –Eealm-regime by that is a contemporary political tactics of TNA.
The Federalism of Tamil saga has extended to Buddhist Temples and Buddhist priest on the one hand , on the other hand UNP leadership of Sarath Fonseks well place critrizating has started against Security Forces on so-called war Crimes of Tamils during last lap of War 2009 May?
In deed TNA, Tamil diaspora +LTTE in globally which that join hand with US ambitions of Indian Ocean that WANT new regime change by so-called Federalism in North?
TNA that seek vital interest by New Tamil Capitalist Classes. came into being during war launch by Tamil Terror outfits many decades.
The aim that newly proposed Tamil Federalism in world ,but it will served for non other purposed ,than only for the Hegemony of US expansion in Indian Ocean?
The forces of democracy versus Terrorism struggle in Lankan soil in the New democratic height in ongoing century ?
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Spring Koha / September 15, 2017
The problem is that the Ayatollahs of Asgiriya have elevated themselves to protectors of the great Sinhala tribe and the Noble Message entrusted to them. Never mind Federalism and its great benefits; the Ayatollahs of Asgiriya, and their island-wide adherents, are against anything that is seen as giving to the Tamils (and the other minorities). Till this mental block is exorcised, all Sri Lankans are doomed.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 16, 2017
We need a federal state as otherwise , both the Sinhalese and the Muslims will keep on stealing Tamil lands and Tamils will ultimately left without any of their ancient lands. Sinhalese will use government resources and their armed forces and the Muslims cunningly use the ancient Sinhalese/Tamil hatred and funds from the Salafist Arabian Gulf and Porkistan
SL Mahaweli Ministry, which is led by SL President Maithiripala Sirisena has recently sent a letter to the Planning Director of Batticaloa District secretariat claiming that there were 136 agricultural/farming [Sinhala] families residing in the past at Mayilaththamadu, which comes under Koa’ra’laip-pattu South (Kiraan) division of Batticaloa district. Between 2007 and 2014, at least 16,000 acres of lands in Paduvaankarai were illegally encroached by 300 Sinhala colonists from Polonnaruwa, the home district of SL President Maithiripala Sirisena. They went to the extent of constructing a Buddhist temple (hut). However, after protests the colonists were withdrawn towards the end of 2016. Now, Mahaweli Ministry is attempting to twist the old records to facilitate a fresh claim that there were Sinhala settlers in Paduvaankarai region of Batticaloa in the past, informed civil sources said
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Shenal / September 16, 2017
So what are your thoughts on Tamils settling down in the central hill country? In the western province? Ain’t that a theft of Sinhalese lands? How about all of the hindu Temples in the south?
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 16, 2017
No they never stole these lands. The British settled the Indian origin Tamils in largely virgin lands and these people through their hard work earned most of the island’s foreign exchange , but even after living in the island for more than 150 years Sinhalese racists many of them recent South Indian low and high born immigrants like you made them stateless and forcible deported more than half of them to south India. If they were deported Sinhalese Karawa like you , Salagama Durwa and most of the so called Kandyan and low country so called aristocracy and upper castes also should have been made stateless and deported, as they are also recent South Indian immigrants who did nothing but create chaos. Just because they changed their language ethnicity and religion from Tamil Hindu to Sinhalese Buddhist or Catholic they became indigenous. The Tamils in the western province legally purchased their lands and did not settle on ethnically cleansed lands like the Sinhalese in the north and east do. The western littoral from Puttalam to Colombo was Tamil until recently . You can see from the place name. Even the name Colombo is Tamil derived like many of suburbs. You know all this evil one.
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Native Vedda / September 16, 2017
Shenal
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“So what are your thoughts on Tamils settling down in the central hill country? In the western province? “
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What about Sinhalese grabbing our ancestral land through out the island? And the genocide of our people, even as recently as in the 1980s.
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What was your ancestral religion before they migrated to this island from South India? Were they Atheist, animists, barbarians, …………………….. Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims ….. Aiyanaar Devotees?
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Well you love human sacrifice as a religious practice don’t you?
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“How about all of the hindu Temples in the south?”
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How about Buddhist Viharas (temples) through out the island?
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / September 16, 2017
Again you are displaying your racist mind set. Anyone can settle down in any part of the island on their own accord, buying properties with their own money. No Tamil has ever been settled in any part of the island by the state, except the Indian Tamils brought by British to work in the plantation. That too they would never have been brought had Sinhalese were willing to work in those harsh conditions, and also half of them have been deported in a inhuman manner. Though Tamils are living in the south, they never claimed that those are part of their homeland. In contrast Sinhalese had been settled in north and east with state funds to alter the demographic pattern, which is continuing to be done even now. No Tamil settlers attacked Sinhala owners, while Sinhala settlers are guilty of murder and ethnic cleansing of Tamil owners and laying claim to their lands. Now Muslims are also doing it in eastern province and parts of northern province spearheaded by racists like Hisbulah and Badurdeen with money from Muslim countries. As for Hindu temples, Saivaism is the original religion of Srilanka and not Buddhism, and some of the original Hindu temples have been demolished and Buddhist temples have been built over them. Isurumuniya in Anuradhapura and Buddha vihare built over demolished Thondeeswaram in Devinuwara are classic examples.
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cholan / September 16, 2017
@Shenal
Don’t parade your Sinhala media education knowledge.
Do you know where is Kataragama kovil for Lord Muruga ?
Do you know in ancient times there were 7 Hindu Shiva temples in this SL including in Dondra and Mawanella ?
Where are these temples today?Ask your Asgiriya Ayotullahs
Hill country Tamils were brought by British because your Sinhalese were not prepared to hard work they love drinking toddy and sleep under trees.
Because of these Tamils, this country export so-called Ceylon Tea …these Tamils not only gave their labour but also their bodies to the tea plantation otherwise today SL will export ganja.
Cheers
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Punchi Point / September 16, 2017
All Tamils are of the same origin, namely Tamil Nadu.
Even if some native Veddas and the Sinhalese who were in the north and east when the Tamils started to make settlements in the late 13th century here, had been assimilated into the Tamils over time, the factors which make a person Tamil, namely the Tamil language, religious and cultural practices all originated and evolved in Tamil Nadu.
It is dumb to speak of the same people sharing the same cultural heritage, language and all other cultural and social practices, as originating two different places.
Tamils whether they live in the plantations and pluck tea or they live in other parts of the island, are the exact same people.
Now, don’t come back and rant about Sinhalese being Tamils etc etc etc and that DNA studies said this that and the other, because it is irrelevant that south Indians or the Chinese or Africans for that matter, had come here and got assimilated into the Sinhalese population. Also please give exact references to these so-called DNA studies, otherwise it looks like something you have imagined, just like your mythical Tamil Ilam.
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Pandu / September 16, 2017
This Punchi point sounds like a total ignorant complete idiot.
“”“All Tamils are of the same origin, namely Tamil Nadu.”””
There was nothing called Tamil Nadu until 1969, the Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu. What existed as the Tamil countries in South India were known as Chola/Sola Nadu, Pandya/Pandu Nadu, and Chera/Sera Nadu. After the arrival of the British, all the above were a part of the Madras Presidency. When India became independent in 1947, all the Tamil speaking territories of Madras presidency in South India were amalgamated and made into Madras state. In 1969, the Madras State was renamed as Tamil Nadu (meaning the Land of Tamils or Tamil Country). The Tamil speaking territories of North & East Sri Lanka is known as Eela Nadu/Eelam Mandalam. Tamil Nadu belongs (Homeland) to the Tamils of India and Tamil Eelam belongs (Homeland) to the Tamils of Sri Lanka.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 16, 2017
Tamils are native to both countries India and Sri Lanka and the vast majority of the present day Sinhalese are descended from Tamils both native but largely from Indian Tamils and this is proven by the DNA. .Sinhalese extremist like you are trying rewrite history with your lies. The Sinhalese language is mixture of three languages. Tamil Sanskrit and Pali. The base language is Tamil on to this a Pali/Sanskrit super structure is built. 40% of the Sinhalese vocabulary is based from the Tamil language. The grammar syntax and lexicon of Sinhalese is not from Pali or Sanskrit but purely based on Tamil. The Sinhalese alphabet is derived Tamil. Tamil is native to the region. Pali and Sanskrit to the plains of north India or in the case of Sanskrit to central Asia. Elu the native dialect of the island was a simple semi Tamil Dravidian language. Whom are trying to fool, with your stupid punches and lies. It is Sinhalese extremists like you largely descended from South Indian slaves imported into the island by the Portuguese and the Dutch who ironically are the biggest anti Tamils.
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Pandi Kutti / September 16, 2017
All Sinhalese are also of the same origin namely Tamil Nadu again and Most of them arrived in the island only a few centuries ago from Dalit villages culled Kuppams and Cheris and were settled along the western and southern coasts to fish climb trees tap toddy like the ancestors or Shenal or Shenali or work as slave indentured labour in the huge cinnamon estates like the ancestors of Punch Point. This is why in the old Sinhalese text books they mentioned Tamil man is climbing tree fishing etc derogatively referring to the low caste Tamil origin of Sinhalese Karawa Salagama and Durawa. They were not speaking about the Tamils from the north or east, as they were not climbing trees and fishing in the Sinhalese areas.
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Native Vedda / September 16, 2017
Punchi Point with Punchi Brain and Punchi Willi
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Whom are you trying to impress with your perverted sense of history, genetics, common senses, ………………………………? Your myth is not a substitute for your punchi Willi.
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Every other month some dimwit appears in this forum and demands to know commonly known information which has been generally discussed and closed.
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Dimwit why don’t you use your Punchi Brain to search for information that is freely available on the net.
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Tamil Diplomat has published a number of articles on North East Archaeology.
http://tamildiplomat.com/category/history-and-literature/
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Please make sure you don’t overload your punch brain with all the information because your punchi brain cannot take them all.
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pirabakaran- velupillai / September 17, 2017
Punchi Point
Your pea sized brain fails to comprehend any intellectual arguments on the subject of human migration and settlement to Eelam. Let me analyse your most ridiculous theory that a race cannot originate from two different places etc. What we Tamils are saying is Eelam was part of the Indian mainland about 20 thousand years ago when our Austroloid+ Dravidian civilisation started in the region where all the Dravidians still live. To make it easy for a simpleton like you to understand, this territory includes all of the peninsular India South of the Vindyas + Eelam ( Ceylon). There was no smell of any Aryans in this region until very recently.
If you Sinhalese want to claim any antiquity to this area then either You are Dravidian or Austroloids or both. Your Mahavansa says that you came from somewhere else nearly 2500 years ago to this area . that is why we Tamils accept you Kalu Sinhalayas also must be from our stock i.e. Dravidian or more to the point Tamil.
What is your argument now pea brain. Are you now cooking up another story of your Sinhala origin , you fool ( modaya).
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pirabakaran- velupillai / September 17, 2017
Correction : To my earlier post.
Punchi Point
Your pea sized brain fails to comprehend any intellectual arguments on the subject of human migration and settlement to Eelam. Let me analyse your most ridiculous theory that a race cannot originate from two different places etc. What we Tamils are saying is Eelam was part of the Indian mainland about 20 thousand years ago when our Austroloid+ Dravidian civilisation started in the region where all the Dravidians still live. To make it easy for a simpleton like you to understand, this territory includes all of the peninsular India South of the Vindyas + Eelam ( Ceylon). There was no smell of any Aryans in this region until very recently.
If you Sinhalese want to claim any antiquity to this area then either You are Dravidian or Austroloids or both. Your Mahavansa says that you came from somewhere else nearly 2500 years ago to this area . That is why we Tamils say Mahavansa is wrong and you Kalu Sinhalayas also must be from our stock i.e. Dravidian or more to the point Tamil.
What is your argument now pea brain. Are you now cooking up another story of your Sinhala origin , you fool ( modaya).
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sprrw / September 16, 2017
Tamil is not evolved language in south India. it is a derivative of proto Dravidian. so did Telugu and Kannada. Dravidian was the language of people who migrated to India from south west part of Iran ELAM REGION to India around five thousand years ago.from there they spread south part of India killing local Australoid inhabitant.that is why you can not find any evidence of Iran ages or Bronze Ages in south part of India. but here in Sri Lanka enough of evidences found to prove on existence of Iron and bronze ages civilizations here.even lots of evidences available to prove existence of stone ages civilization as well. That means early hominids on their way to far east and australia settled down in this Island many years ago. may be over one million years ago. Language they developed here was ELU.or proto sive helu or sinhalese. due to pressure of migrated Dravidians some old AUSTRALOIDS might have migrated to this land for shelter. those might be the ones who lived most southern part of India. That is the accepted prehistory. in good old days more than fifty thousand years ago, due to environmental catastrophes like volcanic eruptions like TOBA in Sumatra. early settlers might have migrated both ways to and from India. those were not tamils or telugu or kannada s. those were early settlers, Australoids.After domination in south part of India .Dravidians developed mainly three languages like telugu, kannada and tamil. they tried more expentions but failed. they tried to defeat sive helayans or sinhalese but gallant soldiers of sive helayans or sinhalese defeated them and restored their mother land.as such this country belong to sinhalese tamils original place was in Iran elam region. their adapted place is tamilnadu India not Lanka, tamils may be mixture of negroid, caucasoid and australoid but we sive helayans are pure Australoids.
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Native Vedda / September 16, 2017
sprrw the Scatterbrain Linguist
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” sive helayans”
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Is it Shiv Shena of the North Indian fascists?
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Pandu / September 16, 2017
sive helayans???
WTF is sive helayans??? There is nothing called sive helayans in Lanka.
There were only Dravidian tribes.
Only the Veddhas are being found to be similar to the Australoids (aborigins of Australia).
Please go and dump your half baked knowledge in a place like Lankaweb, not on CT where civilized and knowledgably readers exist.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 16, 2017
Proto Dravidian and old Tamil are one and the same language. Even now modern Tamil contains more than 85% of the vocabulary of what was called Proto Dravidian. no other Dravidian language contains than much of so called Proto Dravidian words. Speakers of Kannada , Telugu and other Dravidian languages suffer from a huge complex and a chip on their shoulder and do not want to admit to the truth, that basically their languages originated from the local Tamil dialect of the region, that got corrupted due to the influence and invasions of various Indo Aryan speaking invaders and immigrants to their lands, Sanskrit/Prakrit speakers. and gradually evolved into a separate language.
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SJ / September 17, 2017
“Proto Dravidian and old Tamil are one and the same language. Even now modern Tamil contains more than 85% of the vocabulary of what was called Proto Dravidian.”
*
Another piece of earth shattering research.
Where does he pull stuff like this out I wonder!
Mercifully no DNA evidence or Varna hierarchy here.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 18, 2017
Hi Slime
Proto Dravidian is the ancestor of all modern Dravidian languages. It is thought to have been spoken around 4th millennium BCE before splitting into sub families around 3rd millennium BCE. M.S. Andronov, a linguist, theorizes that Proto-Telugu split from Proto-Dravidian between 1500 BCE and 1000 BCE. These dates were arrived based on Dravidian invasion/migration into India hypothesis. This theory was developed to explain Brahui – a Dravidian language spoken in modern day Pakistan’s Balochi religion. This theory has been abandoned by modern-day historians and linguists]who now agree that Brahui arrived into the Balochi region between 10th and 14th century CE from central India.
Without Brahuin antiquity and Dravidian invasion into India theory, the dates for Proto-Dravidian hold no significance. And any theory advanced based on these theories is merely an assumption.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 18, 2017
Proto Dravidian
Proto South Dravidian Proto Central South Dravidian
Proto Tamil/Kannada Proto Telugu
Proto Tamil/Toda Proto Kannada Proto Telugu Proto Tamil/Kodagu Kannada Telugu
Proto Tamil/Malayalam
Proto Tamil Malayalam
Tamil
This Tree Diagram depicts the primary languages spoken in South India.A casual reader may make many mistakes reading this:
1.Tamil evolved quite late and is a sister of Malayalam.
2.Telugu was the first language to evolve from Proto Dravidian.
3.All Proto-languages split into two equal halves at some point in time. Proto-Dravidian split into Proto-South Dravidian and the other became Proto-South-Central Dravidian.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 18, 2017
All of the above are incorrect. This tree represents preservation and deviation along with evolution, not chronology. That is the reason Tamil gets represented in every node of the South Dravidian tree. The right way to read this tree is;
1.From Proto-Dravidian, the South central tree shows greater deviation. This deviation happened quickly, not early.
2.The south Dravidian tree shows better preservation and is therefore closer to Proto-Dravidian.
3.Tulu-Kannada show the next level of deviation after Telugu and other Gondi languages.
4.Malayalam is closer to modern Tamil.
5.Proto-Tamil and Tamil depicted in the tree are in reality Proto-modern Tamil and modern Tamil.
6.Tamil shows the least deviation and is a lot closer to Proto-Dravidian itself.
Tamil → Least deviation → Closest to Proto Dravidian
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 18, 2017
Some more information to chew on:
1.Tamil shows epigraphic continuity from 490 BCE. Hundreds, if not thousands, of inscriptions dated between 3rd century BCE and 1st century BCE are found all over Tamil Nadu. Full length Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions dating to 3rd century BCE have been found in modern day Tamil Nadu. Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions dating to 1st century BCE have been found in Egypt, Oman and Thailand. About 55% of the inscriptions found in India is in Tamil . And Tamil-Brahmi in known by that name and not Proto-Dravidian-Brahmi for a reason.
2.Tamil shows historical continuity from at least 3rd century BCE. By Ashoka’s time, all Tamil kingdoms were established. With more archaeological like Keezhadi and Alagankulam, these dates could be pushed back further.
3.Tamil shows literary tradition from 300 BCE
4.Earliest Telugu and Kannada words are found in Prakrit and Greek inscriptions dating to 3rd and 2nd century BCE. However, the first full length Kannada inscription is dated to around 450 CE. Recent findings at Tagarthi and Talagunda might push these dates back by a century. The first full length Telugu inscription is dated to 575 CE.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 18, 2017
5.Kadambas (dated between 345 CE and 525 CE) were the earliest patronizers of Kannada. They are the considered the first indigenous Kannada empire . Though Satavahana coins indicate that a few Tamil, Telugu and Kannada words were used during their reign, Satavahanas did not embrace any other language than Prakrit. After the Satavahanas, modern day Andhra and Telangana were ruled by minor dynasties before Eastern Chalukyas arrived on scene in the 7th century CE .
6.Kannada has a literary tradition from around 850 CE. Telugu has a literary tradition from 10th century CE.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 18, 2017
Historic, Epigraphic and literary evidence place Tamil at least 500–800 years before the next Dravidian language to evolve. So, what happened during these years?
1.Did Proto-Dravidian and ancient Tamil co-exist during this time ?
2.Did both the languages evolve simultaneously ?
3.When Proto-Dravidian is believed to have evolved into other languages, why did ancient Tamil not ?
4.Were Prakrit and Sanskrit also evolving in the vicinity ?
5.What is the probability of a language evolving into 5 different major languages without dialectizing at all ?
6.What is the influence of these other languages in the vicinity on these newer languages ?
Now, I’m sure some of you are yelling at me to show some linguistic evidence. Let’s play a game.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 18, 2017
So, where does that leave us ?
Historical, epigraphical and literary evidence suggests that ancient Tamil evolved over a period of time. It dialectized into many major and minor dialects, given that it was spoken over a wider region. Each of these dialects evolved at varying speeds. Some came into contact with Prakrit and Sanskrit, while others were isolated for longer.
Over a period of time, these dialects developed traits of their own while the parent continued to evolve in isolation too. Eventually, these dialects began borrowing and sharing new traits while shedding some that were unnecessary. Topography, climate, culture and many other things determined the extent of preservation. The parent too shed some of its earliest traits which are preserved in other dialects. This evolution happened in iterations, each proceeding at its own speed. Over time, some dialects died out, while others flourished into independent languages.
Conclusion:
While we can’t say with certainty that ancient Tamil is the exactly same as Proto-Dravidian, we can be very very
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 16, 2017
contd: Region what is now modern day Tamil Nadu is where proper Tamil was spoken. Called Chen Tamizh. In what is now modern day Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telegana, Kerala and the island of Eezham or Chingkalam( modern day Sri Lanka) the language/dialect spoken was Kodun Tamizh meaning not proper but dialectical Tamil. Eg In Kerala it was called Chera Tamizh or later Malayalma that existed until 1865 , when the British banned the use and publication of Malayalama to please their immigrant and powerful Namboothiri and Nair allies from Tulu Nadu and made their highly Sanskritised dialect written in their Tulu based script that was only spoken by less than 10% of Kerala at that time, that standard language of modern day Kerala instead of the local Tamil dialect Malayalama that was written in the Tamil script. This is the reason even now in Kerala the simple spoken language of the masses is dialect that is almost Tamil but the language used in the media is the highly Sanskritised dialect of the Namboodhiris. The ancient indigenous dialect of the island Elu is also a kodun Tamizh dialect, it is a Dravidian dialect that was semi Tamil. Elu+ Prakrit= Hela or Old Sinhalese that was very similar to Tamil in pronunciation than modern Sinhalese
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SJ / September 17, 2017
Prof. David Shulman has written a very good book “Tamil: a biography”.
RSS Sharma can learn from his work or perhaps teach a thing or two to Shulman.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 18, 2017
As usual the Slime Jar has come to attack me and defend the Sinhalese racist. This is all he does an apologist for Sinhalese racists and Muslim apologists.
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pirabakaran- velupillai / September 17, 2017
SPRRW
Good theory try telling this to the Sinhala Aryan supremacist. If your race ( sinhala ) belong to the Austroloids , We Dravidian Tamils have no difficulty embracing you people as one of us, whereas your Sinhala Supremacist argue that your Sinhale race is an Aryan race and therefore it is superior to Austroloids and Dravidians that is where the problem for integration lies.
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cholan / September 16, 2017
There is no point of talking with these Ayotullahs who are living in stone age.
These Ayotullahs are responsible for all the sufferings since independence …remember what happened to John Kotallawela who refused to kowtow to these Ayotullahs.
This cursed land is being by these Ayotullahs indirectly a shame for democracy .
Who is Devanapiya Tissa(n) is he a Tamil or Sinhalese? During ancient time Tissan was a common name among Tamils even recent excavation at Keeladi in Tamil Nadu prove this what are these Ayotullahs say about this?
Even when these Ayotullahs visit Hindu temples say sit on a chair while other devotees stand as usual.
Cheers
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ranjith(sprrw) / September 16, 2017
I think UN should adopt resolution saying that if any minority can not live any country without accepting language or traditions of that country, particular country has authority to expel minorities to their majority countries. here in our case tamils to tamilnadu, muslims to pakistan, malaysia and indonesia. otherwise killings or destructions can not be avoided.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 16, 2017
Good we will make the island part of Tamil Nadu and you become a minority with no rights and forced to become Tamil. Should not be a problem as most of the present day Sinhalese including you and Shenal are all recently Sinhalised Indian Tamil immigrants. Happy
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Kumar / September 16, 2017
ranjith(sprrw)
“I think UN should adopt resolution to expel minorities to their majority countries.”
I think you do not seem to know what the UN has already adopted.
In almost all the countries in the world, if a minority with a separate territory is dissatisfied with their treatment (by the majority), they have all the rights to seek autonomy or complete independence from what they feel is an ethno-religious chauvinist oppressive state. The principle and fundamental right of self-determination is firmly established under international law and during the past several years, the Tamils’ right to self-determination has received recognition at sessions of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva.
All nations (separate countries) that have come into being in recent years following the United Nations intervention and referendums such as ‘Kosovo’, ‘East Timor’, ‘Montenegro’ ‘South Sudan’ and so on that were NEVER recognized by any state/country or international organization in this world as a separate nation or nationality until they were established as separate countries in the recent past.
Since the Tamil minority is totally dissatisfied with their treatment (by the majority Sinhalese), a UN sponsored referendum should be held for the North & East Tamils in Sri Lanka to establish a separate state similar to Kosovo and others.
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cholan / September 16, 2017
He He He
Sinhalese to deep sea in 700 kallathonies
Rohingyas to Bangladesh
Cheers
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Saro / September 16, 2017
Once white supremacist Americans (European descendents in USA) wanted to expatriate African Americans back to Africa. What is important to note is that both were settlers as in Sri Lanka, one community (males) is for far away Orissa and Kerala (Females) and the other from nearby Tamil Nadu/Kerala. There is enough room as Mahathma Gandhi said once to live in peace and prosper.
Sri Lankans are really poor except elitists, a tiny proportion, and disadvantaged in many respects. They fight among themselves and waste the limited resources. Because there have never been a sincere leader with long vision the political parties use the ethnic issue to win elections. They have no genuine desire to resolve the problems. The media, too, in order to increase the circulation keep the ethnic and religious enmities up and stir conflicts.
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K.Pillai / September 16, 2017
The Mahanayakas would have found the CM NPC different from the other CMs who call on them for help to extract favours from politically connected (not from the Devine).
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / September 17, 2017
This is a good article from today’s Hindu paper
http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/the-clock-is-ticking-on-reconciliation/article19699337.ece?homepage=true
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nalmen / September 17, 2017
Why only caste based malwatte and asgiriya why not visit ramannya and amarapura as well befor you make statements
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Pandu / September 18, 2017
While the earlier tradition of Buddhism in Sri Lanka was Asoka’s Buddhism introduced by Arahat Mahinda which was similar to the earlier Buddhism that was in Tamil Nadu and Andhra. The present day Buddhism in Sri Lanka was imported from Thailand and Burma. The need to bring them from there arose as Buddhism has died out in Sri Lanka during the preceding five hundred years and needed to be re-established. It is totally a new form of Buddhism originating from Siam Nikaya of Thailand (Malwathu and Asgiri) and its foundation was closely linked to both the aristocratic and caste politics. Later caste free Amarapura and Ramanna Nikaya were established by bringing Buddhism from Burma. This kind of Buddhism did not exist in Sri Lanka during the earlier period. What the Sinhalese call as Sinhala-Buddhism has nothing to do with Sinhala or Sri Lanka or Asoka or Arahat Mahinda, it is from Thailand and Burma.
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Eelam Tamils / September 17, 2017
Dear, Miss Shenali
Shenali doesn’t understand fully what is difference between SL Tamils and Indian Tamils. SL Tamils were used living long in North and East. SInhalese people are trying destroys our Oldest Tamils cultures in North and East. SL Tamils never came from South Indian but they came from our historial Eelams. Sinhalese people came from North India until displacement to Ceylon such in South, Western, Central and others place.
Indian Tamils are fleeing to SL about 1800s which are works for Teas in Hill Country are being become to Indian Tamils Majority.
Before wars, In Colombo there are almost Sinhalese population around in Colombo. So SL Tamils are fleeing to Colombo during in the wars and find to place to be safety lives. If there is no wars between LTTE and SL Army there would be highest population Sinhalese people living in Colombo. SL tamils will be see over 1,000,000 Tamils living in Jaffna if no wars.
LTTE are reason to separate the islands during longest conflict between Tamils and Sinhalese ethnics since 1948. LTTE was protected Tamils people their in homeland and avoid destroys our Tamils Culture.
Now, Tamils people are being increase to drugs trafficking, human trafficking, alcohol, love, smoking weeds all since after 18th May 2009. Its all created by Gotabaya leads Mahinda Groups trained to Army to use them drugs reason. Sinhalese include Shenali wants destroys our Eelam Tamils people life in the future!
Shenali is very clever person and trying avoid to Sinhalese people learns about Tamils and let them blame to Tamils people came from South Indian and where before Sinhalese people living in North and East. All is false information by Shenali. Shenali is not good person and doesn’t understand historical of the Ceylon. Tamils people never behave like Myanmar Rohinya. Rohiyna whos are demands for Lands in Maynmar. Shenali and Sinhalese people thinks it is but it is not!
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Plato. / September 17, 2017
Will talking to these Mahanayakes solve the problem of the Tamils?
The Mahanayakes are the problem,not just for the Tamils but also for the Sinhalese!
These Buddhist monks are no longer the custodians of the Dhamma but the custodians of the Politics in the country.
The question is who will Bell the cat?
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Pandu / September 18, 2017
The city of Madhura in South India (presently in Tamil Nadu) is one of the continuously inhabited ancient cities of the world and it was a well-developed and well planned ancient city on the banks of river Waikai. It was the capital of Tamil Pandya (Pandu) dynasty and the Pandyas/Pandus were the close allies of the Royal house of Sri Lanka from the beginning of Sri Lanka’s history. It is the Pandyans of Madhura who RULED Sri Lanka most of the time, even king Vijaya and his men took wives from the Pandyans of Madhura.
From King Abahaya Pandya (Pandukabhaya) to king Parakrma Pandya (Parakrma Bahu), most of the Buddhist Kings and Queens of Sri Lanka were from the Tamil Pandya dynasty. The Sri Lankan King Abhaya Pandya aka Pandukabahaya received help from his native city of Madhura in the planning of the city of Anuradhpura. Even during the recent past, in the Kandyan kingdom, the Kandy Lake that was built by the Dravidian King Kannasamy Nayakkar (Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe) was designed after Madhura Thepapakulam.
The last four Kandyan kings who were from the Nayakkar (or Vaduga) Dynasty of Madhura in South India took the Sri Lankan royal name RAJASINGHE. The Kings who ruled the Jaffna kingdom were from the Aryacakravarti dynasty (Ariya in Tamil denotes a noble or a learned person) of South India and they took the royal name SINGAI ARYA CHAKRAVARTI. Similarly, the kings who ruled Sri Lanka from the Pandya/Pandu dynasty of Madhura in South India took the Sri Lankan royal name BAHU. All the Buddhist kings of Sri Lanka with the royal name BAHU are actually Pandyans of Madhura. Just because they are Buddhists, the Sinhalese want to claim that they are Sinhala. However there is no evidence to prove that the Buddhist kings by the royal name BAHU were Sinhalese. The Pali chronicles NEVER calls them Sinhalese, none of the BAHUs called them Sinhalese, not a single stone inscription calls them Sinhalese, there is NO evidence what so ever to call them Sinhalese. Whereas, if you look at their relationship, they are all relatives of Pandyans of Madhura. It is a known fact that the ruling families of Madhura, South India (PANDYANs) and Sri Lanka (BAHUs) were related to each other.
Continued…
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Pandu / September 18, 2017
Continuation from above…
For example let us take King PARAKRAMABHU 1 (Refer Chulavamsa chapter IV – The Polonnaruwa Kings – 1070-1215). Pandya/Tamil blood was running in King Parakramabahu’s veins and ignorant Sinhalese call him a Sinhala king. King Vijaya Bahu married a princess from Kalinga Royal Family as his second Mahesi, and from her he had a son named Vikrama Bahu and a daughter named Ratnavali. Vijaya Bahu’s sister, Mitta, was given in marriage to a Pandya Prince, who had three sons. The eldest of whom named Manabharana, became the husband of King Vijaya Bahu’s daughter Ratnavali. Their son was Parakrama Bahu I (1140-1173 AD), Grandson of Vijaya Bahu I, Prince of Royal Blood, Pandyan descent, son of Manabharana and Vijaya Bahu’s sister, Mitta whose husband was a Tamil prince. Parakrama Bahu is a grandson of a Pandya/Tamil prince. What is the big connection between the Sinhalese and the King Parakramabahu? Tamils have more connection to Parakramabahu than the Sinhalese, why should we call him as a Sinhala King? In fact, Parakrama Bahus were Tamils and continuation of the Pandyan Dynasty that ruled Sri Lanka.
The pillar of stone inscription in Tamil is at the entrance that leads to the Palace of King Parakramabahu the great. King Parakrambahu the great built a statue to honor the Tamil sage Agaththiyar (who brought the Tamil language) to commemorate his Tamil roots, but the foolish Sinhalese are calling the sage Agathiyar`s statue as Parakrmabahu`s statue.
King Parakramabahu was the patron of numerous Hindu Temples including Jaffna Nallur Murukan Temple and Rameswaram Sivan Temple, and his Tamil inscriptions are still in Rameswaram Temple. The Tamil Saivites of Jaffna are still invoking his name in the Nallur Temple before the temple procession of Lord Murukan.
Similarly, all other BAHUs are having Tamil Pandyan connections or rather they are all from Pandyan descend. You do not find these Pandyan/Bahu royal names anywhere other than in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, both ruled by Tamil Pandyans.
Continued…
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Pandu / September 18, 2017
Continuation from above…
In Tamil Nadu, the Tamil kings of the Pandyan Dynasty were known as VIJAYA PANDYAN, VIKRAMA PANDYAN, PARAKRAMA PANDYAN, VIRA PANDYAN, VIRA PARAKRAMA PANDYAN, and so on. In Sri Lanka, the Buddhist Kings of the Pandyan Dynasty were known as VIJAYA BAHU, VIKRAMA BAHU, PARAKRAMA BAHU, VIRA BAHU, JAYA BAHU And so on.
In Sri Lanka, the same Pandyan names are replaced with Bahu. None of these are names of any North Indian kings or Naga kings. These kings were pure Tamils from the Pandyan dynasty but they were not mentioned as Damelars or invaders because they were Buddhists. (Only non-Buddhists were mentioned as Damelars or invaders).
The Pandyans and Cholas were enemies who were mostly engaged in war. Whenever the Pandya/Bahu kings of Sri Lanka such as King PARAKRAMABHU was waging a war against the invading Cholas, it was Pandya – Chola war. Since the invading Cholas were non-Buddhists whereas the Pandyas/Bahus who ruled Sri Lanka were Buddhists, the Mahavamsa calls the Cholas as Damelars or invaders. The present day historians have misinterpreted the Pandya – Chola war as Sinhala – Tamil war.
The start of the historical misrepresentation begins with the arrival of the Siamese Buddhist sects that were brought from Siam (present day Thailand), 250 years ago. The Mahavamsa was re-fabricated and re-written by these Buddhist monks who succeeded in misrepresenting the Pandyan/Tamil foundations of Sri Lankan civilization as Sinhalese. Later, this misrepresented Mahavamsa was first translated from Pali to English (before it was translated to Sinhala) by George Turner (an historian and officer of the Ceylon Civil Service) in 1837. The first Sinhala translation of this Mahavamsa was in 1883 by Ven. Hikkaduwe Sumangala thero (aka Don Niculas Gunawardhana) and Don Andris de Silva Batuvantudave. A German translation of the same Mahavamsa was completed by Wilhelm Geiger in 1912. By trying to interpret this re-fabricated Mahavamsa, the European (colonial) Orientalist scholars made it worse.
Continued…
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Pandu / September 18, 2017
Continuation from above…
During the early historic period, just because a person in Sri Lanka is a Buddhist he/she cannot automatically become a Sinhalese. At that time even Tamils were Buddhists. All the BAHUs in Sri Lanka were Buddhists no doubt but there is no evidence to prove they were Sinhalese. Just because they are Buddhists, the Sinhalese want to claim that they are Sinhala. This is how the Sinhalese including Paranavithana twisted and manipulated the history.
POLANARUWA PERIOD:
141. PARAKRAMA BAHU I 1140-1173 AD Grandson of Vijaya Bahu I, Prince of Royal Blood, Tamil Pandyan descent, son of Manabharana – Vijaya Bahu`s sister, Mitta and TAMIL PANDIYA PRINCE.
148. QUEEN LILAVATI/THRILOKASUNTHARI 1184-1187 AD Widow of King Parakrama Bahu I Queen Lilavati belonged to the Tamil Pandya line on her father`s side. The country was peaceful and prosperous and the Queen was able to devote her time to the development of literature, music, drama and art. She ruled for three years wisely and well. She was removed from the throne by her co-Ministers
153. QUEEN LILAVATI 1196-1197 AD – Widow of King Parakrama Bahu She was placed on the throne for the second time by General Camunakka and he ruled the country through her for one year.
155. QUEEN LILAVATI 1197-1198 AD – Widow of King Parakrama Bahu Ascended the throne for the third time. She was of undiluted Royal blood and a woman of dignity who commanded the respect and admiration of those with whom she came in contact. In the seventh month of her reign King Parakrama of Pandaya kingdom deposed her.
156. PARAKRAMA PANDIAN (Parakum Pandu) 1198-1201 South Indian Tamil (Pandyan). He ascended the throne deposing Queen Lilavati. He produced himself to be wise and capable monarch who administered justice strictly in accordance with the law of the land.
Year 1233, The Tamils of Jaffna kingdom, led by a Prince named Chandra Bhanu, son of the ruler of Jaffna, invaded the country in the eleventh year of Pandu Parakrama Bahu`s reign.
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Pandu / September 18, 2017
Continuation from above…
163. CHANDRA BHANU 1270 AD Son of the ruler of Jaffnapatnam, He captured the Fort of Yapahuva but was deprived of his victory by the Pandya Emperor Kulasekera.
164. PARAKRAMA BAHU III 1270-1275 Nephew of Buvaneka Bahu I, son of Vijaya Bahu IV. His mother was a sister of TAMIL Kulasekera Pandyan. He was established as King of Polonnaruwa. During his reign the island was invaded by a Pandyan army led by one Chakravarti.
168. VIJAYA BAHU V (Jaya Bahu) 1307 AD Second son of Chandra Banu of Jaffnapatnam, Vijaya Bahu was reigning in the north of the Malayan Peninsula, retreated to Anuradhapura, where he met Parakrama bahu IV.
174. PARAKRAMA BAHU VI 1410-1462 AD Prince named Sepanana (Jayapala) descended from Parakrama Bahu, the third son of Chandra Banu of Jaffnapatnam, and whose mother, Sunethradevi, was a daughter of Parakrama Bahu V of Dedigama
The king had two adopted sons, named Sapumal Kumara (Senpaka Perumal) and Ambulugala Kumara.
175. VIRA PARAKRAMA BAHU VII 1462 AD Jaya Bahu son of Parakrama Bahu II`s natural daughter, Ulakudaya Devi (TAMIL) Jaya Bahu, on ascension to the throne assumed the name Vira Parakrama Bahu. He was not allowed to occupy the throne for many days. His uncle Sapumal Kumara hastened to Kotte from Jaffna and put him to death.
176. BHUVANEKA BAHU VI 1462-1469 AD SENPAKA PERUMAL (Sapumal Kumara) son of Parakrama Bahu VI After putting to death Vira Parakrama Bahu VII, Sapumal Kumara ascended the throne under the title Bhuvaneka Bahu VI.
Today all the Pandya (Tamil) names such as Parakrama, Kulasekera, and so on are adopted by the Sinhalese. There are no Tamils by such names.
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Kumar / September 18, 2017
The republican constitution enacted in 1972 was claimed as ‘autochthonous’ (meaning reversion to indigenous or native state). This claim is legally and factually false as there was no such ‘native state of Sri Lanka’ before the colonials arrived. There were in fact three states (Kingdoms) on the island – Kotte, Jaffna and Kandy, which were conquered by European invaders in the years 1505, 1621 and 1815, respectively. In fact, throughout the entire known history, this pear shaped island had never been a unitary state. It was always a Northern kingdom (Anuradapura) and a Southern kingdom (Rohana), or Kotte/Jaffna/Kandy (Ruhunu/ Pihiti/Maya) or the federal Provinces under the colonials.
What the European invaders clearly observed, experienced and recorded during their period was that, in the island of Ceylon, there were two different Nations (Sinhalese and Tamils) having two different languages, religions, cultures, and living in two well defined and clearly and naturally demarcated (separated by thick jungles, lakes, river, etc) land areas with their own kingdoms within their traditional lands. The Tamils lived as a majority within their separate land area (North & East) and the Sinhalese also lived as a majority within their land area (South, West & Central). The British, on seeing the naturally existing borders of the two ethnic groups used their technology to demarcate them as two separate regions (occupied by two separate ethnic groups) and created the maps for the first time somewhere in the 1800s. In their map published in England, the area that constituted the traditional homeland of the Tamils is unmistakably shown to extend from Chilaw northward and eastward to a point near Madawchchi; south of Padavil Kulam extending to the Trincomalee district; and the Batticaloa district down to the mouth of the Walawa Ganga in the south.
Cont…
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Kumar / September 18, 2017
Right from after the fall of Jaffna Kingdom in 1624 to the Portuguese, and then to the Dutch, and the British, the Tamil speaking territory remained as a federal region up to 1833. Only after the fall of Kandyan kingdom to the British, they integrated all the federal states by uniting the Tamil speaking North to the Sinhala speaking South in 1833 for their convenience in administration and finally gave it to the Sinhalese at independence in 1948. The Unitary State was actually the creation of the British. The Colebrooke commissioners presented the recommendations in 1832, suggesting the creation of one government with one centralized, unitary form of administration under a governor in Colombo. The British did this without the consent of the people, and in doing so ended the hopes for a North & East Tamil (from the Jaffna kingdom) or an Upcountry Sinhalese (from the Kandyan kingdom) as a distinct political entity, something that no conqueror had managed to do throughout the history of the island. Therefore the 1972 constitution’s claim as ‘autochthonous’ is false, it was clearly not based on indigenous or native state.
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Mevan / September 19, 2017
Federalism is without doubt the solution in a country that – although small – has a significant minority that is also regionalized. India is the obvious example. Mr Vigneswaran has made the very astute observation with regard to the difference between Malwatta and Asgiriya. The former is an enlightened monk while the latter carries with him all the baggage of prejudice and fear. Mr V must learn that he needs to overcome these prejudices and fears among those who are of the same mind as the Asgiriya prelate, if he is to achieve the relative independence he seeks. He has to bend over backwards to assuage these fears and above all, show that he is a true Sri Lankan and not a half-baked one whose heart is really in Tamil Nadu.
The Southern Provinces should also be given the opportunity to become federal states – perhaps after merging so that they become viable units. Examples are:
Central, and Uva
NCP and NWP
Southern and Sabaragamuwa
Western
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Punchi Point / September 19, 2017
Wannabe Vedda, save the personal attacks and name calling and say something sensible and also stop abusing the Veddas. When I see “Native Vedda” in the comment section, I quickly scroll down and I do not usually read your posts, since the first few posts I read were just so childish and nonsense and didn’t make any sense at all, in addition to being full of personal attacks. When I see how you are misusing and abusing the Veddas, a people who have no voice of their own, I truly feel disgusted. You, calling yourself “Native Vedda” in your anti-Sinhalese propaganda is an insult to the Veddas and its an infringement on the rights of an indigenous tribal people who are near extinction. No person with any decency will take the name of a tribal people in their propaganda attacks and mockery of another people. You have absolutely no right to use the Veddas name to voice your malicious propaganda against the Sinhalese people or any other people or anything else for that matter. I do not know why nobody is stopping this abuse. FYI the Veddas do not consider the Sinhalese as paras. They consider the Sinhalese as their kinsmen. Only the Tamils are considered as paras.
By the way, you don’t worry about the size of my brain, just worry about your own.
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Punchi Point / September 19, 2017
Wannabe Vedda please also note that TamilDiplomat or Pushparatnam or any of the other fanatical Tamils attached to the Jaffna university are not reliable sources. Jaffna university itself has been thoroughly corrupted by fanatical Tamils, that nobody takes anything that comes out of it seriously. Its such a pity that Tamil fanaticism and fundamentalism have destroyed true Tamil scholarship.
Finding ancient coins or pottery pieces or statues don’t make Tamils indigenous to Sri Lanka, or prove that Tamils have had any ancient kingdoms here. On the contrary, they just establish the facts already known, namely that the Tamils have had trading and military contacts here. Sinhalese kings employed Tamil mercenaries frequently. Moreover, there have been 16 recorded Tamil invasions of Srilanka, and Tamil trading guilds who were all over south and south-east Asia are known to have had settlements here. If the Tamils who left any of the ancient artifact from pre-Chriatian times stayed here as a separate people, lets say from 100 BC, then the Tamil language which was in the Old Tamil stage would have developed into a completely other language than the exact same language as in Tamilnadu. It would show some convergence with Sinhalese and the Vedda language. But what do we see? The exact same language as in Tamilnadu. All the Tamil artefacts we find here follow the same development as in Tamilnadu, which only means that Tamils who came here from Tamilnadu from time to time left these artifacts behind and if some Tamils had stayed back, then they have got assimilated into the Sinhalese. This is the source for Tamil loanwords into Sinhalese and not the Tamils presently occupying north and east. Please also note that the Plantation Tamils will also have the exact same relationship to any Tamil artifacts found here.
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