28 March, 2024

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Presidential Elections: Tamils’ Choice – A Deadly Dilemma!

By Karikalan S. Navaratnam

Karikalan S. Navaratnam

There is no need to labour the point why Tamil people reject Gotabaya Rajapaksa outright as persona non grata. That does not imply that the other contenders vying for the Presidency are happily acceptable to the Tamils. On the UNP front, they have decided on Sajith Premadasa as the candidate. Sajith has been out of the blocks even without waiting for the whistle. An Indian daily had even earmarked him as the next President: “The minister-in-attendance who will accompany PM Modi throughout the visit will be none other than 52-year-old Sri Lankan Housing minister, Sajith Premadasa, a man who may well be the President of Sri Lanka by the end of the year.” (Hindustan Times, 08 June 2019 – “PM Modi, first foreign visit to Lanka after attacks…..”)

Ranil or Sajith – immaterial

From our perspective, it does not make a difference whether it is Sajith or Ranil. Largely due to Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leaders’ cohabitation with the incumbent government and their camaraderie with Ranil, there is a perception among the Sinhala voters that the Tamils have a weakness for UNP and, in particular, an intimacy with Ranil. In this context, TNA leaders’ frailties and foibles need not be mixed up with the character of the Tamil polity.TNA propped up UNP in the legislature and had rushed to Ranil’s rescue every time he was in dire straits.

TNA MPs successively voted for every annual budget including Defence allocations. TNA did not move, at least by way of protest, even a motion for Token Cut on budget allocations for different Ministries including the Defence Ministry. It is preposterous that the TNA leaders later shout in holy horror about militarization of Tamil habitats and mushrooming  Buddhist  temples and statues in Tamil areas. By implication, TNA has been privy to this proliferation and the structural destruction of our heritage in the Tamil habitats. 

TNA – An appendage of UNP?

Is TNA’s capitulation to the UNP is so complete that the media and Southern politicians treat TNA as an appendage of the UNP? It is an affront to the pride and dignity of the Tamils that TNA support for UNP nominee has been taken for granted. The Island reported:“Sources said with the UNP reaching a consensus on its candidate, Premadasa would receive the backing of the Tamil National Alliance.” (Island, 26 Sept.2019– “Sajith Prez candidate, Ranil retains leadership)

Ranil is no Prince Charming

Ranil is too cocky to believe that the Tamils are fascinated by his puerile and jejune politics. Reportedly, he has undertaken to get the support of the Tamils for Sajith: “….Ranil Wickremesinghe had undertaken the task of wooing the Tamil and Muslim votes for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Sajith Premadasa at the presidential elections….” ( Daily Mirror, 27 Sept. 2019-Ranil to woo Tamil Muslim votes for Sajith”). Mr. Prime Minister ought to know that he is neither the Prince Charming nor a Patron Saint of the Tamils. Also, Tamil constituency is not a “rotten borough” or a “pocket borough” controlled by patrons as some British constituencies were known before the Reform Act -1832. Ranil’s barefaced betrayals of the Tamils’ trust and breach of pledges are too many to recount. Let me cite some of the issues :-

* Return of army-occupied lands in the North-East to civilian owners

Responding to a question during his address at the Oxford Union in England, in Oct. 2018, Ranil said: “As far as the lands of the Tamils are concerned, bulk of the lands have been returned. There are some areas in which there are some issues, mainly about 600 acres in and around the major cantonments of Palaly and Kankasanturai. But within it development is taking place. Now, the Indian government is developing the KKS port. We are opening up many of the areas. Actually lands have been given out….”

On the contrary, what is the ground reality? According to Verité Research, Continued military control over land has prevented IDPs returning to Mullikulam in the North, despite pledges to release the land in 2018. Verité Research also said military-occupied land is often used for agricultural and commercial ventures. Over 1,000 acres of state land in the Northern Province have been used as farms run by the Army and were identified for release on 30 December 2018.” The military continues to be engaged in commercial tourism ventures. Meanwhile, the military has reportedly engaged in harassment and intimidation of civilians and civil society actors (including IDPs demanding land return and families of the disappeared) in areas in the North and East.” (EconomyNext, 15 March 2019-Sri Lanka only partly met UN promise to release military-held land, study finds) 

Northern Province Governor Dr. Suren Raghavan has decided to appoint a committee to identify alternative lands for the army and the police in Jaffna in place of the private lands used by them………..” (Daily Mirror, 22 Sept.2019 –“Steps taken to release private lands in Jaffna”)

* Reneging on commitments made to UNHRC to set up hybrid Court

In reply to a question on the Geneva Resolution at the said Oxford Union gathering , Ranil began to prattle on: “We feel the present system is functioning well. ..…..So the work is going ahead and we feel in such circumstances it is better for us to do the investigations and anyone is welcome as observers. Sometimes it is slow…. Slow in any country. But the process is working….And, at the moment we do not feel there is a need for foreign intervention in the investigations…”

* Demilitarization of Tamil habitats in the North-East

“(T)he army has also reduced its presence in Jaffna. No one has asked the army to move out fully from Jaffna….Army has not been a major issue as far as the Tamil people are concerned there and the relations are good with the army.” (Ranil at the Oxford Union meeting – supra )

* ‘Sinhala-Buddhistization’ – Structural Genocide of the Tamils

Under UNP regime, senior officials of the Departments of Archaeology, Forest Conservation, Wildlife Conservation and Mahaweli  Development Authority have been doing their bit to accelerate the structural genocide of Tamils in their traditional habitats. Destruction of a Hindu temple in Kanniya, Trincomalee to erect a Buddhist Vihara and the desecration of a Hindu temple in Neeraviyadi, Mullaitivu by Buddhist monks, defying Court Order, are the latest trendy tales !

* Repeal and replacement of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA)

The Sri Lankan government has been all talk and no action on repealing the reviled PTA. ….”- Brad Adams, Asia director, Human Rights Watch.

* Abduction and forced disappearance: Sri Lanka’s missing thousands

For the past 900 + days families of the missing persons have been holding daily vigils in several towns in the North-East Sri Lanka, crying their heart out for information on the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones, most of whom were personally handed over to or abducted by the military ten years ago. “Can the Office of Missing Persons provide answers in a country with the world’s second highest number of disappearances?”(Aljazeera, 14 May 2018). Ranil had, with utter callousness, well in advance, provided the answer: “Those that surrendered at the end of the war and are still missing in Sri Lanka are ‘most probably dead’ said Sri Lanka’s prime minister….in an interview with Channel 4 News.” (Tamil Guardian, 24 Jan.2016)

Ruki Fernando, a prominent human rights activist, said “Wickremesinghe’s remark about the likely fate of those missing had caused a lot of anguish amongst the relatives of the disappeared. [It] brings out the question: ‘what is the purpose of the proposed office of missing persons if the prime minister already knows what happened to them?’” (The Guardian (UK), 29 Jan.2016 Sri Lanka’s missing thousands………..”)

* Tamil political prisoners languishing in limbo in different jails in Sri Lanka

Over 20,000 JVP rebels involved in attacks on army camps and police stations, were granted general amnesty and released from custody by Ranil’s  uncle J.R.. in 1977. Some of them had later become M.P.s and Cabinet Ministers. The issue of Tamil political prisoners detained under the PTA has been ongoing since the end of war. Protests and hunger strikes have followed, promises were made by government leaders only to be broken later. Nearly 105 Tamil political prisoners are in custody.“ Out of these 37 have been convicted while 17 others are appealing their sentences. Many of the prisoners …… have been subjected to prolonged detention often without charge for a significant number of years. Some detainees have been acquitted in recent times after spending over 10 years behind bars….Muthaiya  Sahathevan died of illness, after 14 years of detention.”( Sunday Observer, 28 July 2019– “PTA Detainees: Tamil politicians must pressurise government for solution” )

* Ranil did not give even a whimper of protest when war criminals were promoted or decorated by President Sirisena, in defiance of the UNHRC 

After flirting with Ranil for almost five years, by courtesy of his chicanery TNA is left fully denuded, bereft of even a fig leaf to cover the nudity of TNA leaders’ sleezy, self-serving politics.  In the circumstances, Sajith is setting about to solicit Tamil support using the public persona of Ranil and Ranil, in turn, relies on TNA.

Sajith Premadasa

What is the mindset of Sajith Premadasa on the ethnic issue? Recently, The Economist Intelligence Unit (UK) produced an essay, presenting “The Case for a Sajith  Premadasa Candidacy”. Local media outlets had carried the article. It says, inter alia,: “the late President Premadasa combined a multiethnic, multicultural, multireligious, multilingual pluralism with a robust patriotism, and that his son would be the closest approximation of a non-ethnocratic, pluralist, inclusionary nationalism; a nationalism that heals rather than an aggressive one that dominates and imposes….” (Daily News, 17 Aug. 2019).

Pious platitudes

Sajith’s mixed priorities and pious platitudes tend to falsify the positive image presented by the essayist. He appears to be an ‘evangelist’ anointed as such by the saffron-robed Ayatollahs. Evidently, he had pledged his primary loyalty to the prelates and had, therefore, refused a seat on the UNP’s Leadership Council because the party Working Committee had not adopted proposals mooted by Buddhist monks:

UNP MP Sajith Premadasa who has refused a seat on the newly appointed Leadership Council said he was forced to bow out of the nomination he was given by the Working Committee out of respect for the Buddhist monks…..Premadasa said the Working Committee had not adopted the three points put forward by the monks at the Sunday meeting in Kurunegala and added that he could not insult the monks by sitting on the Council.” ( Colombo Telegraph, 04 Nov. 2013– “I Can’t Go Against Buddhist Monks Proposals – Sajith ”)

Sajith’s  most urgent priority is to construct 1125 Buddhist temples under the Sasunata  Aruna” program. Implementation has started and  the work is in progress. Under the initial phase, 25 temples are constructed in 25 districts. North-East districts are not immune to this invasion. Tamils have reason to fear that the venture is the tip of another iceberg. 

“Khema’s boy”

Minister Mangala Samaraweera has been a leading protagonist of Sajith’s campaign. Known to his electors as “Khema’s boy”. he owes his liberal views (“Sri Lanka is but a multi-racial, multi-religious country not a Sinhala-Buddhist country”) to his mother Mrs. Khema Samaraweera. If I may strike a personal note, Khema and I were colleagues working together at Lake House and were good friends. She was a charming lady, free from any prejudice or bigotry. How does Mangala reconcile his secular views with Sajith’s ?. Would he be able to keep ‘President’ Sajith on a short leash? Chandrika could not do so vis-à-vis Sirisena.

JVP antecedents

What are the credentials of the JVP and the JVP-led  NPP candidate?.  Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in relation to Tamil issues,  is an unknown quantity. But JVP’s antecedents as racially-motivated revolutionaries are well-known. In particular, JVP’s 1987-89  insurgency and terror campaign targeting the Leftists and liberal-minded intellectuals in the South was triggered by the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord 1987, which promised a degree of autonomy to the Tamils  in their traditional habitats in North-East provinces, which were merged into one unit. 

In 2006, JVP filed petitions in the Supreme Court challenging the merger and the Court ruled in favour of the Petitioners. The Demerger took effect from January 2007.  Anura Kumara was a M.P., an ex-Minister  and a leader of the JVP at that time. It is not strange that when it comes to defeating Tamil demands, Sinhala leaders, cutting across party lines act in solemn solidarity.  North-East merger is the core component of our aspirations, which is abhorrent to Sinhala nationalists.  

Boycott the elections?

A vocal minority in the community feels that we should boycott the Presidential Elections. What for? After silencing the guns, burying the bullets and saying adieu’ to armed struggle, ballots are the primary weapons the Tamils have to strategically fight Sinhala-Buddhist fascist forces. Let us not throw them away.  That we have failed in our electoral strategies is no reason to blame the weapon.

Field a Tamil candidate?

Sections of our people believe in running a common Tamil candidate. It is an aberration. We have no stake or claim in conducting the affairs of the people in the South. Our stakes and strength are in our own regions. Let us not encroach upon other peoples’ domains and, thereby, legitimize their arbitrary encroachment upon our domains.  

Conclusion

International actors, especially India and USA, have an inherent interest in the outcome of the elections. They are conscious of the critical role the Tamil electors can play. TNA is susceptible to their pressure. Once the elections are over, these power brokers would leave us in the lurch and pursue their own interests. Leading candidates covet Tamil votes and have been talking to TNA. TNA has, quite rightly, told the contenders that details of any offer they make touching on Tamil issues should be included in their Election Manifesto in  Sinhala and made known to Sinhala electors. Bravo!, TNA. But, will there be any takers? Sagacious sections of the Tamils are clueless as to what choice we have. We are not at the crossroads, but in a deadly dilemma !.

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Latest comments

  • 18
    5

    There is no dilemma!

    let each Tamil vote as per their conscience like their Sinhala counterparts.

    no one need to tell them as to whom to vote..

    If you want to be a king maker, you will fail miserably as it happened so many times during the past few decades.

    If you do not learn from history, it is your folly.

    Let Tamils wake up,

    • 9
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      Let Tamils be free.

      Soma

      • 13
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        soman

        “Let Tamils be free.”.

        It is possible only if we liberate Sinhalese from Sinhala/Buddhist Fascists and Buddhism from Sinhala/Buddhist fascism.

        • 0
          3

          Dear Native,

          Soma got me last time..
          He seems to have trapped you this time.

          ARPICO in Wellala Gardens , I don’t think employ any Sinhalese , let alone those nasty Sinhala Buddhist Fascists..
          Same at Pan Asia Bank where some of my Moolay is..

          The Driver who took me around last week said, this is the last chance for the Sinhala Buddhists.

          Even if Keselwatta Kid comes , he said ,we will need Visas to go to the North.
          I know he was a bit over the top..
          But I have the gut feeling that Dr Ranil’s main aim is to make Keselwatta Kid the President .
          Organize that 2/3 in Kotte and give Sampathar his Homeland.
          Postpone the General Election and go for a Referendum to legitimize the Federal Division of the Motherland, and go down in History as the exterminator of the Mahavamsa Land.

          I know Muralai and the Missus have joined Pohottuwa to represent and protect the interests of his People.
          Will it be of any help to prevent Dr Ranil and his Grand Slam , sorry Plan?…
          I don’t know why this writer is sweating about?..

          • 3
            1

            KASmaalam K.A.Sumanasekera

            You need to check your reality.
            Forget soman, Helass, wanihami, Taraki, Max, …. and other morons, …………

            “ARPICO in Wellala Gardens , I don’t think employ any Sinhalese , let alone those nasty Sinhala Buddhist Fascists..”

            Don’t be silly. I don’t visit ARPICO that often however I have seen staff members chating in Sinhala among themselves, perhaps they are the new batch of converts to Sinhala/Buddhism.

            “Even if Keselwatta Kid comes , he said ,we will need Visas to go to the North.
            I know he was a bit over the top..”

            Unfortunately his father couldn’t change his caste to the satisfaction of Dutta Gamani Nayakka and his mate Athulath Barrel Bomb Mudali nor did he fit in with the ruling caste based class.

            “Postpone the General Election and go for a Referendum to legitimize the Federal Division of the Motherland, and go down in History as the exterminator of the Mahavamsa Land.”

            Is your state of mind deteriorating on a faster rate than before? Please stop throwing around words of which you have no clue. Let the Hindians worry about the division of your parochially defined motherland. If Gota wins the elections, I doubt he will, soon it will turn into Father, Brothers, Nephew…. Land. Maybe Gota has a fifty fifty chance as his notoriety stands now.

            “I know Muralai and the Missus have joined Pohottuwa to represent and protect the interests of his People.”

            How is his brother doing with his charges of importing illicit materials? People join/vote for crooks for different reasons, in your case isn’t for the crumbs?

            • 0
              1

              Dear Native,

              I just returned from a trip to ARPICO and the corner shop which is run by a Tamil Lady.
              I was flabbergasted with their enthusiasm of Nandasena.

              The Tamil Lady in particular who asked me who she should cast the vote this time.
              Being the real deal Democrat , I asked her to check the facts and weigh the pros and cons.
              And guess what , her response was Mahinda Mahathaya did a lot of Good Things like a clean Colombo , Good Roads and no troubles.

              Then she flayed My3 Sira and the UNP for doing nothing for the country for 5 years..
              And said Sujith Mahaththaya also has the same shifty face like Sirisena..
              -.
              And told me “Mahathaya Kiyanawanum I will vote for Gotabaya Mahathmaya this time…
              I shook her hand and said Bye..

              It is 2 out of 2 for Nandasean even in Wellala Gardens itself among the non Vellala Inhabitants.

              Looks like it is a 70/ 30 Score Line. at the finals…I should have put some money on Nandasena two weeks ago when Viyangoda and Thenuwara went to court. to try and get a Walk Over for Keslwatta Kid..

              • 1
                1

                KASmaalam K.A.Sumanasekera

                During the 2015 elections a large crowd gathered at a hustings in the North where your crooked hero Mahinda unleashed his election spin, addressing them in Tamil, admitting his guilt by quoting an idiom ” Known Devil is better than unknown angel, bla, bla bla…. .

                A journalist from the south asked a wise old Tamil man standing next to him, if this large crowd vote Mahinda in the presidential elections. The old man responded, “If a young woman smiles at you it does not mean she is willing to marry you”.

                How do you know the woman is willing to vote for Mahinda Mahathaya/Gota Alugosuwa, just because he ” did a lot of Good Things like a clean Colombo , Good Roads and no troubles.” He also did lot of other things.

                Give us all your reasons as to why we should vote for the National Hangman? Mahinda’s mate Hindian Subramanian Swamy has ordered the Tamils to vote for Gota.
                Do you think it is cool?

                • 0
                  2

                  Dear Native,

                  The Tamil lady who runs that corner shop in Wellala Gardens, Murali & his beautiful Missus, the Shop assistant girl at ARPICO ,that young man who asked “Koheda Enne” in response to UNP Battle Cry “Sajith Enawa,” ..and now you tell me Subramanium Swamy also is in the same Pool….

                  It is Cool ,
                  It is the real pulse of the real People who have seen the destruction of their land over the last 4 years.

                  After watching Dr Ranil’s UNP Rally I thoughtI I better see that Pohottuwa Rally in Anuradapura which had totally missed my attention..

                  But All I did was just compare the footage of that Rally with Dr Ranil & Keselwatta Kid’s Rally, frame by frame to get an Idea of the demography quality of the supporters , and the skills of the cinematography.

                  Guess what Native.
                  I was blown away by the sheer superiority of each Frame of the Ponottuwa Rally .

                  Quality of the people, the Attire, the Age group, the enthusiasm,the quality of the speakers and best of all the speed of photography are in fact far superior to the UNP Inaugural Rally.

                  Specially the photography where the UNP cinematographers kept showing the same crowd at the slowest possible speed .
                  Without perhaps realising that the same back ground keep appearing in them.

                  Anyway what impressed me most was that there were no Hired old CTB Buses from far away places like Karapitiya and Gampaha, and Badulla in the Parking Lot, unlike in Galle Face..

                  I don’t think there were much sales for Bath Parscel and Medis Special Mudalalis in Anuradhapura..;
                  They must have been very disappointed.

                  One more thing Native, Did your buddy Dr Ranil address the gathering?.

                  I didn’t have time to watch the whole 4 hours of speeches from those Good governance Yahapalanistas Dambara Amila, Young Akila, Dentist Health Minister Rajitha and that SLFP ship Jumper Soyza.

        • 0
          0

          Could you be kind enough to educate the poor uneducated masses who are these sinhala /Buddhist facists and are there any Sinhala Buddhists who are not facists.

          • 1
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            NAKia

            You are aging, aging fast.

            You are one of the prime example of Sinhala/Buddhist fascist. soma, Hela, Gota, Mahinda …………. and those who use and abuse Sinhalese and Buddhism are the Sinhala/Buddhist fascists.

            There was no such identity as Sinhala/Buddhist until the public racist Anagarika Homeless Dharmapala concocted and popularised it in order to cover up his weak mind and body.

            Sinhalese are Sinhalese and they are born into Sinhala speaking heritage irrespective of their religion. Buddhists are those who follow the teaching of the Awakened One.

            And those who came here by Kallthoni and converted converted themselves to to Sinhala/Buddhism are now striving to further convert them to Sinhala/Buddhist Fascism, …. followers of Mahinda, Gota, Nalin, …………. Mahasangha, ….. Channa Masala Jayasumana, Sarath Weerasekere, Kamal, Wimal Windbag Weerawansa, ………….. Sinhala/Buddhism is all purpose stand alone good cover for crooks, criminals, war criminals, rapists, land grabbers, drug dealers, child abusers, racists, bigots, …..

            • 0
              1

              Dear Native,

              Did you say crooks?…

              Royal Boys Dr Ranil , his mate Dr Mahendran, Son in Law Aloysious, I don’t think are Buddhists..
              Palisena sounds like one but don’t take my word for it…

              I don’t know what religion Galleon is, But Daya Gamage , Kirielle , Mallik Samare are all Buddhists according to my Elders..

              How about you Naive?..
              Do you follow one of them Gurus like the one the ex CM Wiggy is following?.

      • 3
        9

        Let tamils be free from the domination of the upper caste Tamil land owners most of whom live in Colombo 7, or abroad. So it is not surprising that they are trying to get land freed. How did these upper caste Tamils get this land? They were traitors who sucked up to the colonial invaders. The Land of Jaffna was mostly populated and owned by Moors when the British took over and Ceylon became a crown colony. All that is recorded in detail by Captain Percival who lived in Jaffna from 1800 to 1820 at various times and compailed a book for the use of the officers of Majesty King George -III). So the land was illegally taken from the Muslims who did not became the servile agents of the Whites, abandoning their religion and their dignity, and even cleaning toilets for the whites.
        So it is ironical that this writer talks of “tamil lands” in the sentence:
        It is preposterous that the TNA leaders later shout in holy horror about militarization of Tamil habitats and mushrooming Buddhist temples and statues in Tamil areas.

        They are mainly Muslim areas and NOT tamil areas. The Sinhala army is Allah’s instrument to drive out the Tamils who are illegally occupying the land that should go to the Muslims. The Muslim people will then take back their land by the power of their commerce backed by the power of God.

        • 11
          5

          Still posting your fairy tales. There is enough and more history and evidence with regards to the ancient presence of Thamizh in the island and their kingdoms and lands. Even Mahavamsam constantly refers to the lands in the north and east of the island as Thamizh lands . No mention of Muslim of Islamic lands. Population statistics compiled by the British and narration by the Portuguese and the Dutch only talk about Chingkallams and Thamizh and noting about Muslims or Muslim lands. It is a well know fact that Sri Lankan Muslims are descended from South Indian Thamizh largely low castes , who converted to Islam. and arrived in the island a few centuries ago. Now all claiming to be Arab. This Arab or Moorish origin is utter hogwash. At the most around 20 Arabs settled in Ceylon period. The vast majority of the Sri Lankan Muslim population are not descend from Arabs but are just Thamizh Dravidian converts to Islam. It is easy to look far away to Arabia and that’s politically expedient when the truth is just across the Palk Straits. After Malik Kafur and the end of the Madurai Sultanate converted Muslims were driven out of Thamizh lands in South India. Guess where they ended up? They fled to the Thamizh lands in Sri Lanka on wooden boats called in Thamizh “Marrakallam” This is why the Chingkallams still call the Muslims ” Marrakalla minissu”. First landed along the north western Thamizh coast Puttalam Chilaw and Mannar . Part of the Thamizh kingdom of Jaffna. and then later after being chased out by the Portuguese , arrived in the Thamizh eastern Vannimais as refugees . Now claiming everything as theirs and posting fake history just like the Chingkallams.

          • 0
            7

            What is relevant is NOT what is in the mahawamsa. In that case, during Mahawamsa times, Britain belonged to the Romans, but that does not mean that the UK belongs to Italians. The Mahawamsa clearly shows that the country was run by the Sinhalese, with short periods of Tamil tribal kingdoms which
            never lasted, and created no significant monuments, literature or culture (read Tenent)

            What is relevant is WHO LIVED IN JAFFNA PENINSULA when CEYLON was made a crown colony and taken under the British.

            So, when the British left, it reverts back to the people who were there initially when Ceylon became a crown colony., or suitable recompense must be made.

            The Report by Captain Percival (his 19th century text is available on the internet), as well as the writings of Emerson Tenent and other Briitsh civil servants prove that the Jaffna Peninusla had a majority of Moors, then Sinhalese and Tamils of Malabar as residents.
            The Tamils war called Malabars until Arunachalam Ponnambalam Mahadeva relabeled the Malabars as “Ceylon Tamils” in and around 1900 when he was the Registrar General. Read the history of census and statistics in Ceylon to lean about the reclassification at a time when Tamils, Sinhales and Muslims were ALL represented by the Arunachalam Family Family who were the boot lickers of the British and given the status of top administrators of the country. Their kith and kin are still running the TNA, hand in hand with the land owning Tamils living in Colombo 7 or California or New Jersey or Toronto or Europe. That is the reality.

            There is no historical, legal or other justification on a racial or community basis to claims of Malabar Tamil ownership of the North, while the case against them is strong. The case for the East is worse, and even in the 1977 elections the TULF did not win a majority in the Eastern Province.

            • 5
              0

              Please stop posting lies and misinformation . I cannot understand why the moderator is allowing this person and many others to constantly troll and post these obvious deliberate lies and misinformation , when other far less offensive comments are being disallowed. All reliable historical records from ancient to the time of European colonial era , as well as population statistics all indicate and prove that the north and east was Tamil and Hindu ( not Christian or Muslim) from ancient times. The Jaffna kingdom was Tamil and Hindu and it ruled a population , that was Tamil and Hindu. Dravidian converted Sri Lankan Muslims only arrived in the island from South India not from Arabia , as they claim , a few centuries ago, largely after the fall of the brief Delhi Sultanate rule in the Tamil country in South India. They were chased out by the Hindus. The people of Malabar were Tamil and were still speaking a form of Tamil even in the 1700s . This is why the Europeans mistook that Jaffna Tamils for Malabaris, as they are very similar . The Europeans also called the Sinhalese Siamese . This means the Sinhalese are from Siam , as per your argument. Now Sinhalese and Islamic extremists have started to post on the internet about a so called report from an unknown Captain Percival , who states that the kingdom of Jaffna was full of Sinhalese and Muslims and hardly any Tamils. Only an idiot will believe this work of fiction. Anyone can create a web and post fiction , even I can do this and state some unknown British Captain or General stated this or that.

      • 5
        10

        The best thing is let the tamils go back to their motherland India. Deep inside they know this is a sinhala buddhist country. Why let them live in curiosity.

        • 1
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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

        • 4
          2

          Udesh

          “The best thing is let the tamils go back to their motherland India.”

          Please advise, what do you want us to do with the remaining 15 Million Tamil Converts who now call themselves as Sinhala/Buddhists?

          “Deep inside they know this is a sinhala buddhist country.”

          Do they? On what basis?

          • 2
            2

            We were never Tamil. We have our own language and alphabate. It is very much different to Tamil. Anyway when do you plan to pack your bags? Good luck and safe journey to Tamilnadu.cheers

  • 8
    5

    Boycott is the best option to send a strong message to the so called international community that Tamils have no confidence in this system, whatsoever.
    It does not really matter if Gota becomes the president as the North-East is already under military rule/occupation.

    • 3
      5

      Tamils should boycott the election and allow Gota to win, very similar to what they did in 2005. Gota does not believe in minority rights, human rights, press freedom, democracy, etc. etc. It will be a military rule, any protest will be suppressed and protesters will be given a free white van ride. The Sri Lankan People deserve a leader like Gota and only Tamils can make it happen. Lets Boycott.

      • 2
        0

        Whilst your stand is okay, it must be very discreet so that no body knows how and whom Tamils voted.

      • 1
        0

        A stupid Tamil,
        typical fearmongering. i repeat north-east is already under military rule. you think all that you mentioned – minority rights, human rights, press freedom, democracy – are there for the tamils under other regimes. should the tamils be thankful for a little breathing space each time? perhaps it is the majority community which is afraid of a military rule under Gota, hence, want the Tamils to save them.
        it is wrong to assume tamil votes will be the ‘deciding factor’ for this presidential election. perhaps, ask the sinhalese to stop voting Gota instead. tamils cannot be saving sinhalese from rajapakses all the time. let them clean up their mess.

    • 6
      3

      thamizh,
      People must remember what really happened between 2005 and 2015 before deciding to boycott this election. In 1994 Tamils were told to boycott the general election and EPDP could obtain 8 seats with 3 or 4 votes in each constituency. In 2005 again Tamils were ordered to boycott the presidential election and enabled Makinda Rajapakse to win with narrow margin. We also know what the consequences were. Do we want to repeat the same mistake over and over again?

      People must vote to ascertain the winning or losing of a candidate. No international community is interested in Sri Lankan elections. Those interested can always watch the elections through the media. What has the international community done to the oppressed minorities anyway? Passing resolutions and producing reports do no good to any community.

      • 2
        0

        Saro, rajapakses came to power in 2005 from overwhelming support of the majority Sinhalese on a war mongering platform. it is your bias if you want to interpret their victory as resulting from the supposed tamil ‘boycott’. as far as i know, tamils have always not shown much interest in the presidential election – it won’t be much different this time too. perhaps instead of blaming tamils for their plight, it is time to hold sinhalese accountable for electing these leaders.
        /
        you say no international community is interested in sri lankan elections. i don’t know which planet you are living in but there is such a thing called geopolitics. do yo think it is because they don’t care that they choose to shake hands with the military or hold talks with chosen representatives when they visit sri lanka or the north-east? non-participation/boycott is a form of resistance/politics too, asserting the collective will of a people. as far as i know, a boycott will send a message asserting the collective identity of the tamil people as a separate entity, who have no faith in the sri lankan democracy.

  • 13
    4

    The’ writing on the wall ‘ is very clear. None of the contestants has the potentiality and audacity to tackle 1 percent of the demands the Tamils have as dear to their hearts and souls.

    Hence, the Tamils need not worry of any Dilemma that is non-existent. The question is as simple as William Shakespeare had said in his play, ‘ To be or not to be’. Regardless of the answer either way, the end result for the TAMILS is nothing.

    Why should then the Tamils worry about a question when the end result is Absolutely Nothing ?

    Hence, the best thing for the Tamils is not to vote and let the Majority Sinhala Buddhists and the Monks have all for themselves unchallenged.

    • 7
      3

      Correct Mano they are all anti Tamil racist ,who will marginalise the Tamils and pander to Sinhalese Buddhist chauvinists. However Gothabaya is the worst and Sajith is the lesser of the two evils but still evil. During the recent incident of these Buddhist monks committing sacrilege by burning the body of the dead rogue Buddhist monk within the premises of an ancient Hindu temple , that they now claim to be Buddhist with some fake concocted history , from the so called Archeological department , that is increasingly turning out to be the handmaiden of Sinhalese Buddhist Fascism, Gothabaya openly sided with these racist Sinhalese mobs and Buddhist monks thugs and warned the Tamils not to disrespect the Buddhist monks , at least the other Sinhalese leaders , despite not doing anything , either kept quiet or condemned this illegal act ,that deliberately provoked the Tamils by insulting the Hindu religion. This behaviour is a precursor of what is in store for the Tamils , if he comes to power. The Sinhalese Buddhist Fascists, armed with fake concocted history , that will be supplied to them the Department of Fake history/Fairy tales , Archeology , will run amok in the Tamil areas claiming everything as theirs. Ancient Hindu temples, lands, homes, farms . More and more Tamil private lands ( leave state lands in the area , that are supposed to be used for the benefit of the local Tamil population) will be confiscated and Sinhalese will be settled in their thousands , with place names changed. The entire ancient Tamil Hindu character of the NE will be changed to Sinhalese Buddhist. This has already happened in parts of Trincomallee and Amparai district and the rest will follow. The Muslim Wahhabi will also want a piece of this pie , in the name of Islam and their fake Arab origin.

    • 5
      0

      Mano.
      Use your vote to protest. Do not misuse you franchise by not using the ballot.
      Tamils should vote for AKD or Independent of choice. Show the Major Parties you have discarded and rejected.

      • 2
        0

        what mano said is correct.
        the question is why should the tamils participate in this farce at all, knowing very well the end result?
        a ‘no vote’ is a protest too.
        mano had not mentioned the word ‘boycott’ but it carries political weight. at least a boycott will register the collective will of the tamil people and their politics as a collective entity – not merely individuals registering a protest vote to AKD or independent candidates.

  • 9
    5

    Tamils have failed miserably in all their attempts ( Parliament and senate representation, talks, verbal and written agreements, pacts, round table conferences, non violent and violent struggles, helping to collapse a govt, joining to form a govt, getting help from foreign govts etc ) to gain their rights and economical educational improvements, during the last one hundred years. They have no other choice or way out now except to follow the path of Muslim brothers. Since independence Muslims are there in every govt in power, holding important ministries. They don’t stick to one party. You name the party, they are there. Their aim is to help their community whatever way they can, so they don’t feel bad to jump from opposition to the govt side.( Kariappar and Mustafa from East are the first ones jumped from federal party to the govt side. ) They will get maximum amount of positions in the govt not by confrontation but by their tact skill and friendly approach. If we look at the eastern province now you could see the massive developments they have brought in their community in economy education and cultural fields. At the same time they have safeguarded their rights too. Tamils once on the top are now at the bottom, facing immense hardship, in the eastern province, yet there is no sign of change among their political leaders. I wish to quote here what Prime Minister Dudley Senanake said in Parliament fifty years ago : ” The tragedy of the Tamil race is the existence of a set of self seeking sycophants making the sweet speech of saviours. If the Tamils are ever to regain their birthright in Ceylon they should send away the present saviours of the Tamil Congress and the federal party “. I believe Tamils wouldn’t hesitate to change their path at least now.

    • 12
      5

      Muslims were only given all these perks by the Sinhalese , as they were co partners in the Eelam Tamil genocide and marginalisation . The Sinhalese used them as a tool to marginalise the Tamils , especially in the east. This is why they dliberately encouraged the fake Arab origin myth for the Sri Lankan Muslims, which was spread by the island’s Muslim elite and politicians , for their own selfish economic and political benefit , despite knowing the truth , that they were descended from immigrant Indian Tamil , converts to Islam. Another ploy to deliberately divide and rule the Tamils and use one lot of Tamils , as a tool to marginalise another lot of Tamils in the name of religion and a fake ancestry. Very diabolical indeed. Now that the indigenous Tamils have been successfully marginalised thanks to India , Pakistan , China and many western nations , who only pay lip service to Tamil rights and war crimes investigations but will not do anything else, the Sinhalese have started to marginalise the Muslims too., at least in the southern areas but still play the divide and rule game in the Tamil areas , especially in the east and use them as a tool to further marginalise and dispossess the Tamils of whatever they have left. The only skill that the Muslims had was not negation or anything else but to backstab and join the Sinhalese racists to marginalise and commit war crimes and genocide on their fellow non Muslim Tamils for petty perks and benefits , that the Sinhalese threw at them. All these so called development in the east , were from the funds and aid obtained from the Arabian Gulf , which was given to radicalise and Arabise them. Not from the Sri Lankan state.

      • 5
        11

        If the tamils would have gone back to their motherland india. There is no problem. Why do they have to face all these nonsence. They have their own country. Why bother asking for freedom from sinhalese Buddhist country. Its a shame go on to another persons country and ask for freedom when you have your own one

        • 10
          2

          Why don’t you practice what you preach and return with the rest of the Sinhalese also to India. After all even the Sinhalese also originated from India. Largely from then Tamil South and some from North East. When did the island become Sinhalese Buddhist? When a very large chunk of it has always been historically Tamil Hindu.?

          • 2
            4

            I dont think you know about mahawansa or raja wansa at least. You even travel blind folded around the country becauae when you see all the ancient archialogy might make you feel guidy. Why talk all these nonsense as you know the truth. Just pack your baga and hop into tamil nadu. The things may be different their now

            • 0
              0

              Why don’t we send the Sala Hamad to Saligramam,the berates to Madras the descendants of Lion fornicator Vijaya to Bengal and the rest of us live in peace here

        • 3
          3

          Udesh the Paradeshi

          “They have their own country.”

          Where?

          “Why bother asking for freedom from sinhalese Buddhist country. “

          I am demanding freedom for Sinhalese from Sinhala/Buddhists and Buddhism from Sinhala/Buddhism.

          “Its a shame go on to another persons country and ask for freedom when you have your own one”

          True.
          Please go back to South India whence your ancestors came.

          • 2
            2

            No Grasshopper, we never came from India. When wijaya came kuweni was here. Thats us.

    • 1
      0

      Yes I agree
      When the Tamils overwhelmingly support one party, the Tamils antagonize the other party.
      If the party supported by the Tamils win, the other party will do everything possible to ensure that the winning party will not carry out the agreement by whatever means.possible.

      On the other-hand, If the other party wins the result is the same.

      But if Tamils vote for both parties in substantial numbers, then the scenario is different.
      The national question is removed from the main agenda and both parties vie to get more votes from the Tamils and a scenario is created for a consensus to solve the Tamil issue. after the elections.

      Let the major parties of Tamils allow the Tamil votes to scatter and do not try to be kingmakers, because it is a illusion for Tamils to think that they could ever be kingmakers.

      Let commonsense prevails.

      This is a commonsense pproach

    • 9
      3

      Two things . The Eelam Tamils like the Sinhalese have an ancient history and a claim to the island , which the Muslims do not have . The Muslims are an immigrant community from South India ,who had only migrated to the island a few centuries ago, most during the early British rule. Unlike the Sinhalese or Tamils , they have no history of owning territory or ruling any part of the island. In fact they were considered outsiders and were not even allowed to own land , until the British repealed this. Therefore as an immigrant community , that had nothing to loose or fight to save anything that was theirs , they had everything to gain , even if it was a little, by negotiating with the Sinhalese establishment and even backstabbing the Tamils of they had to,that they did very well. The Sinhalese on the contrary brainwashed by the Mahawamsa myth, that they are the only true owners of the land. They were taught that the Hindu Tamils living to the north and east of the island, where intruders and their enemies and did not belong to the island , had this ancient hatred for the Tamils and wanted to destroy them and still want to. When it comes to the Tamils , this ancient prejudice and hatred takes over , even the most educated ones and they will never act reasonably towards them anytime but will always try to marginalise and destroy them. The Tamils know this , even when they tried to negotiate, with Sinhalese leaders and political parties it has always failed ands pacts to grant reasonable Tamil rights, renegaged . The Sinhalese even do not honour the 1987 international Indo Sri Lankan agreement or what they promise the UN. Then what hope do the Tamils have?

      • 0
        0

        The Eelam Tamils like the Sinhalese have an ancient history and a claim to the island //// LOL

    • 1
      7

      MR,
      Thank you for the quotation from Mr. Dudley Senanayake’s speech. Because of special status given to Wellala Malabar people by British under their infamous ‘Divide and Rule’ policy, they got the superiority complex mentality and thought they will be able to go ahead maintaining their privileged position even after British leave. If UNP remained in power probably it would have been possible because as converts to Christianity, ‘Sinhala Kalu Suddas’ and ‘Wellala Kalu Suddas’ were bosom friends. The Marxist Socialists also in the same club. But situation abruptly changed in 1956 giving a wakeup call to Native Sinhalayo who were oppressed by Portuguese, Dutch, British and Wellala Malabaris brought to this country by colonial parasites. Instead of accepting the fact that Sinhale is the land of Native Sinhalayo and adjust to the new situation as the descendants of people brought to Sinhale, they resorted to a confrontational strategy by demanding a separate State or Federal State using a cooked up story of a ‘Traditional Homeland’. That is where things went wrong for Demala people. Unfortunately, this will drag on because there isn’t a Sinhala politician with a spine to remind what Mr. Senanayake said to Demala people.

    • 0
      4

      MR

      How long you took to realize the reality. I am surprised.

  • 3
    0

    What about the UpcountryTamils (imported labor from South India during the British colonial period) who live among the Sinhalese? Northern Tamils speak as if the upcountry Tamils have no problems at all!
    I’m sure they will vote for GR this time so that they would not be considered ‘outcast’ by traditional Tamils under a GR rule.

    • 4
      7

      Correction has to be made. All tamils came from India to this sinhala Buddhist country.

      • 2
        2

        Elam Tamils/ Srilanka Tamils came from ancient Sumerian Dynasty ( 2500, years before)to Srilanka ( north Srilanka), today in this world. Only Elam/ Elamist, language spocken by -( Jaffna Tamils).
        Ancient Sumerian / Elam Tamil food, and Jaffna food, Similar, ( but not Indian Tamils food),
        The ancient Sumerian Cuneiform can read by Jaffna Tamils ( Who well educated), not other in this world, next, Ancient Sumerian/ Elam Queen/ Arasci-Keli O Pathini( Elam + summer name)= Queen- Keli O Petera ( English name), in this word only Tamils have ( Keli Amma/ Keli Anna/ Keli Akka/ Keli Aunt- that means, Jaffna Tamils are the Relation of Queen- Keli O Petera, next Lord Sivan / Siwas/ Peru man / Live/ Born in Egypt, not India ( in Himalaya), who live in (-35c) , who live with out shirt/ shoes, in Himalaya, (-35 c), can you walk in snow, ? , who is King/Ra/- Tüten Kai(கை) Mugan/ Magan, a Elam Tamil King, ( he had spoken in Elam Tamil, not Sinhala, for example-( En Ur Anda Puram / elam Tamil)=( Now days- Anuradhapura/ Sinhala people calling)
        Kadir En Gama ( Village)= Katira Gama), now days , or Keli O Pati Ur , in Srilanka, not any places in this world, ( so , Jaffna Tamils/ Elam Tamils wer3 oldest people in this world),
        In —1983, why Egyptian government sent a shop of guns to Colombo, Harbour to Tamils, , if you want know goto Srilanka parliament and ask-(1983/ years), Sansad, there can see mor3 news, that means ( Jaffna Tamils, did not come from India—), Elam / Sumerian/ Ur-3,/ Akkadian/ Httite/ Hurrian/ Old Hebrew/ Aramic civilization language was -Semitic language, Jaffna Tamil language not Indian Tamil, / for example- king Vijay came from Bangali land, so they show go Bangali land,
        Sinhala language there are , more than (1000) Tamil words, , that mean Tamil people older than Sinhala,
        But, 2500, year§ before -( Rawanan Dynasty) there were Tamil and Som3 Sinhala / Malayalam were there, but King Rawanan, didnot died in Srilanka,

        • 2
          2

          Very inventive story to persuade your self. Why talk this nonsense when you know the truth. Tamilnadu may have developed now. Why not try living with them where you belong

      • 1
        1

        Udesh the Paradeshi

        “All tamils came from India to this sinhala Buddhist country.”

        Please tell us how, when, why …. this country become Sinhala/Buddhist country?
        What do you mean by Sinhala/Buddhists country? What makes it such?
        Where did the Sinhala/Buddhist come from?

        • 2
          2

          We were originated in sri lanka. I know the feeling when you are living in someone else country. Its ok, you have plenty of time to pack your bags and go. Hey why not try the ship from Mannar? Its easy you can take all your belongings with you. Good luck safe journey.

          • 2
            1

            Udesh

            All of your ancestors came on Kallathonies from South India. As descendants of Kallathonies you will have the choice of taking the next Kallathonie boat back to your ancestral homeland, Coromandel Coast, Erivirappattinam, Muyirikode, …… Thandikulam, …..

            • 1
              0

              We were here for more than 5000 years. You can visit balangoda archialogical site. You guys were first brought here by King Gajaba as slaves. Then many kings brought you guys down for slavery. Even the portugees, dutch and engish brought you guys down here as slaves. You have to accept the truth.

              • 1
                1

                Udesh the Paradeshi

                “We were here for more than 5000 years. “

                We are here for more than 45,000 years.

                “45,000-Year-Old Tiny Stone Tools Found in Sri Lanka
                Oct 4, 2019″
                -sci-news.com/archaeology/fa-hien-lena-microliths-07661.html

                “Stupid is as stupid does.”
                Please go away.

                • 0
                  1

                  Well its shame that you have to live in someone elses country and especially migrated by external forces as slaves. It is unfortunate. Best thing realize the truth that your country is Tamilnadu and just go live there. Just ask your ancestors who is around today how many toilets they had to clean.But I must say they did a dandy job with our toilet. Hats off to your ancestors in that regard.

    • 4
      3

      Oh yes .Gota will love them and will send the Grease Yakkas and white vans to felicitate and greet them , to show how much he love them.

  • 7
    1

    Very well written and captures the dilemma faced by the Tamils. What is unsaid is that the Tamils of the Northeast are a leaderless people. The so called leaders elected or otherwise are neither principled nor pragmatic.

  • 0
    0

    If one is unhappy with the choice offered and at the same time say pick one of them, then the fellow will have to rack his brains to find the best out of the worst. That kind of exercise only raises one’s anxiety and stress. This should open the eyes of the many to change our electoral laws permitting a voting option to state that the preference is for none of the candidates. As the Chair of the Elections Commision once told that in certain jurisdictions if more than half of the voters cast for the rejection of all the nominees then there has to be a re-poll but all the candidates of the previous election become ineligible for nomination in the second poll. Not a bad idea to propagate although it will not solve the issue posed by the writer.

  • 4
    1

    Tamils in North have realised by now that current government done nothing for them. No any kind of developments last five years. So do not expect tamils to vote the same way as 2015.The people do not listen to talks of TNA any more. Better the devil you know.

  • 5
    2

    Every citizen has a right to support the candidate they like.So does Karikalan.
    Karikalan, spent two previous articles vehemently attacking Gotabaya,has mildly attacked Sajith and Anura Kumara Disaanayake in this article.In a subtle way he is asking the Tamils to choose Sajith over GR or AKD. He has left no doubt in the readers’ mind who to choose.
    When Premadasa Sr. was killed by the Tigers , Karikalan et al were working hand in glove with the Tigers and never condemned the killing. Not only that, they would have praised the Tigers for having killed Premadasa Sr. also.
    What do you say about the killing of Premadasa Sr.?
    So Karikalan, Premadasa Sr. is bad and Premadasa Jr. is good.Is that right?
    Your leader Amirthalingam was murdered by the Tigers.In thirty years, you wrote only one article about Amirthalingam.You kept it is because Tigers killed A and you didn’t want to earn the wrath of the Tigers.
    Can you deny this?
    You wouldn’t have even written that article had the Tigers were alive?
    This shows that you are biased.
    But,you shed crocodile tears for Kuttymani and Thangathurai and write articles almost every year attacking the government ,because they were killed by the “Sinhalese”.
    These show that you are biased.
    Who gave information to the security forces leading to the arrest of Kuttimani and Thangathurai?
    You have met Kuttimani and Thangathurai many times in the jail and you know the answer.

    More than seventy years of opportunistic and confrontational politics, Tamil leaders have lead the Tamils to this pathetic situation.

    After so many years of experience in politics you have come to a point to say that you are confused.How can you people lead the Tamils?Shame on you.

    • 2
      2

      Well said Ramany K. I have to say the only Tamil leader to do anything for his people was S. Thondaman.

    • 2
      1

      Ramany K

      “When Premadasa Sr. was killed by the Tigers , Karikalan et al were working hand in glove with the Tigers and never condemned the killing. “

      The jury is still out on the assassination of Premadasa.
      You should investigate Athulath barrael s**t bomb Mudali’s goons. By the way he was the Minister National Security and Deputy Minister of Defence. At least some of them who served under him were still loyal to s**t bomb Mudali when he was killed.

      “But,you shed crocodile tears for Kuttymani and Thangathurai and write articles almost every year attacking the government ,because they were killed by the “Sinhalese”.

      Are you disputing the fact that they were killed by Sinhala speaking prisoners/detainees? And how many of them were arrested and charged for the massacre of all those Tamil Speaking detainees?

      “Who gave information to the security forces leading to the arrest of Kuttimani and Thangathurai?”

      Was it Karikalan S. Navaratnam ?

  • 4
    1

    Excellent analysis. Hope TNA is aware of all this. They are standing firm on the minimal demands. Hope for their political survival they will not capitulate.

  • 4
    1

    What Tamil people have to understand is that Tamils politicians are fools (& instruments for foreign influence).

    Ordinary Tamil people are wise & able to decide without listening to their politicians.

  • 0
    0

    What about show of strength? All vote 1 for their brother candidate!
    2 and 3 based on personal choice.

    Visu

  • 2
    2

    THINK NOT AS TAMILS and think as SRI LANKANS is one of the Golden Advices proffered in these columns. Yes , in the yonder past days of D.S. Baron Jayatilleke, SWRD, JR, the turban wearing Sir PON. and his in laws did refuse to think as TAMILS and behaved like the Sinhalese Leaders and brown SAHHIBS in the 1915s .See what the Tamils have got in return during the past century ?

    In 1947 all the TAMIL M.PP did the same and played as joker cards at the hands of the same DS voted for the Soulbury Constitution thinking they were going to share the Country with their blood brothers, only to realize later the blood of the Tamils was what was to be spilled down the drains.

    In 1972 without the support of the two black sheep from the Tamils , the Republican Constitution that paved the way for permanent serfdom of all MINORITIES (not the Tamils alone) to the Arya Sinhala Buddhist and to monks of the likes of BBS Boss, the present Constitution would not be there.

    Now having slaughtered a major part of the people that chose to remain, political Prophets sermon here about ownership of the whole country. See the irony of the TAMILS TODAY !

    AKD, some say is good and will do good for the Tamils. Let him not do good as Tamils, as fellow citizens ‘What good can he do to the Tamils ? and how will he convince the MAJORITY ARYA SINHALA BUDDHISTS for the ethnic Sri Lankans (Viz.the Tamils )to vote for him?

    Some say SAJITH has a saintly and childlike face and the Tamils have got to Trust and vote him. We had the best PEACE ANGEL LIKE looking CBK in thee past and REAPED A HARVEST OF AERIAL BOMBS AND GUNS BOAT SHELLINGS on coastal villages, on schools, churches and Hindu Temples because they belonged to the TAMILS.

    • 2
      0

      Mano,

      But weren’t we at war when CBK was in power?

  • 1
    1

    karikalan navaretnam is former MP NAGANATHANS GOLAYA.he is writing from CANADA.WHY EVERY BODY IS TALKING ABOUT TNA.PEOPLE WILL NOT VOTE AS THE WISHES OF TNA.THEY ARE NOT POWER FULL AS LTTE.THIS TIME TNA WILL NOT OPENLY SUPPORT UNP.the number of people who will take part in voting will be very much less this time compare to last time as tamil people of north east are tired and fed up of politics of tamil parties as well as MAHINDA-GOTHAYA-RANIL-SAJITH-ANURAKUMARA AND MY3.

  • 1
    3

    The most Paramount issue of Tamil in Sri lanak,that they denied,while that they think they are discrimination by Sinhalese Buddhists majority . this fabaricated story by Tamil political classes and parties ………..@
    That is a wrong preconception of Tamil leaders has imposed to majority of Tamil race by TNA, TULF, and FP of by anti-establishment political outlets that base in North -east…Island.
    They are there (Jaffana base ) by that certain bunch of political leaders of that Tamil middle classes an advocated against Sinhalese Buddhist . Its become political fashion of Tamils all over the world .While blame and claim against (Sinhalese) State by Tamils are seeking for political asylums in many part of developed capitalist countries for better-life styles in Western Hampshire!
    This is a new mode of politics of which that Tamil chauvinism has spread among generation by generation of Tamils elders by last 80 years.
    That was one of that key reasons impossible to an apply reconciliation between two races Island by that South seeking solution for United to be treat whole nationalities as Sri Lankan citizens.
    Tamils identity is/was not that Sri lakan ,they demand for Tamil Race by related to Dravidian civilization India! #
    That is one of the reasons why I always tell to Tamil who are in Island,that there Homeland is Tamil Nadu of that Republic of India.

  • 3
    1

    Hello Mr KN,

    Sorry I cannot address you by your first name as my post will be flagged. Be that as it may, I have looked at the best possible choices the Tamil will have at this Presidential election.

    The Tamils should not vote for AKD/JVP because they will only look after the interests of their commies like the Trade Unionists, Southern Karawa people.

    The Tamils should not vote for Gotabhaya because he was the architect of the 2009 Sinhalese Victory against the Tamils.

    The Tamils should not vote for Sajith Premadasa because he and his UNP cronies were the ones who burnt their Jaffna Library, started the 1983 Black Riots, got the IPKF to help us out and then got the Tamils to do our dirty work of getting the IPKF out. Even before the 1983 Black Riots when the UNP first came to power in 1978 they started some Black riots against the Tamils. And keep in mind they did all this while a Tamil party was the Main opposition party. Now that goes as a mild warning to the Muslims as well. Who think they are king makers. Imagine even having a Minority party as the Chief opposition party if we can do something like the Black Riots, do not ever take anything granted.

    Back to the subject, given all of the above, the best option for Tamils is to stay at home during election day, take a day off from work, make some ulunthu wade and watch the election results at night. What do you think Mr KN?

    • 0
      0

      With all due respect leutinant, Didn’they vote for Fonseka who was the principle executor of the war that defeated the separatist terrorism. Then why can’t they vote for Gotabhaya?
      The actual fact of the matter is it is irrelevant whether they vote Gota or not and they will be further irrelevant in whole political scene.
      I sense some people in the North and the East have begun to realise this. We can only see that after the elections.

  • 3
    0

    Lt.Shamal P.
    t was at the height of war late Sinhala Super Star Vijay Kumaratunge initiated to talk with the LTTE and had visited a couple of times to Jaffna. He was accorded and enjoyed a Royal welcome by Col.Kittu who gifted a Gold chain he had in his possession as a goodwill.

    It was for this reason the JVP killed Vijay and with the sympathy of his killing , CBK reaped the highest yield of votes in the history of the country.

    The Tamils and the LTTE supported her in her 2nd run as well hoping a peaceful political solution. Alas, she failed all miserably and turned out to be the most terrible aggressor setting the stage for the 2009 Genocide.

    Out of those in the present Presidential race, from whom can the Tamils expect any good result?

    • 1
      0

      Mano,

      You only remember facts that matter to your argument. The rest you conveniently forget. This is called the Tamil Amnesia Syndrome. Why don’t you remember that CBK started peace talks with the LTTE and the LTTE unilaterally broke the ceasefire and walked out of the peace talks?

      Here’s an article from April 1995 from the New York times about the collapse of the SL peace talks. Just to refresh the selective Tamil mind.

      https://www.nytimes.com/1995/04/20/world/rebel-attack-ends-a-cease-fire-in-sri-lanka.html

  • 0
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    Appu, rest assured. Don’t worry to pick one over other because as far as Tamils’ interests are concerned, new madam won’t give a s..t about us and she would only sell loads of dreams to her own base.

    Why do we need to worry about the profile of the new madam? We still think high about old time and overrating Madam’s capabilities. In fact, madam doesn’t even fully own her business any more. She sold it to johns long time ago. Madam still dreams that she could get her ownership back in the next 30-50 years. That might happen only if she is willing to change her attitude. Otherwise johns would get even more control of her business.

    We are still brainwashed to assume that madam got some magic powers. She doesn’t have any power other than having the freedom to shout alone towards the deep end of the Indian Ocean.

    Tamils should learn to ignore her. Tamils should focus to solidifying their economy development with their cousins outside of SL (following Jewish model) while keep highlighting their core political issues directly to johns’ family members.

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    It is heartening to read comments by some, referring mahavamsa as a true historical record but is not so. I t is only a chronicle compiled by venerableMahanama Tnero in the 15th century with the sole aim to propagate Buddhism which was on a waning trend even in India where it originated. Chulavamsa came before Mahavamsa probably in the 14th century wherein no mention has been made regarding the arrival of Vijaya and his men and their probable dates and about about Lord Buddhas visit to Lanka.
    tHANKS

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      Mahavamsa was written in 5 AD. Chulavamsa came much later. Deepavamsa was written before Mahavamsa and Mahavamsa is mostly based on Deepavamsa

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    Tamils should boycott the elections. Gota should come to power. Having the very worst of the sinhalese thugs in power will speed up the karmic backlash coming to sri lanka.

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    Sach, thank you for correcting and the error caused inadvertently is regretted.
    Deepavamsa came out in the 4th cetury AD, Mahavamsa in 5th century and Chulavamsa around 6th CE.

    P.Rajeswaran

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    Yes …To whom you vote mind it
    if Gotler comes be ready for flock of white vans and ransoming abductions.
    Gotler already made his contribution of mony of transfer to corrupted Malaysian governerment for the resurgence of LTTE.
    Gotler started his game …LTTE is BACK…Good luck tamils you people definietly need it
    be ready for anarchy and merciless exectuion on the middle of jungle as an accused Pro LTTE operative.

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    Lt. Reginald Shamal P.

    I am not suffering from Selective Amnesia like most of our politicians and their agenda to carry that syndrome to their supporters and voters to win the polls. All our Governments since Independence have done and now doing only just that to the country as a whole.

    Coming to the present issue, the Ceasefire alleged to have been broken by the LTTE, at the end of previous talks with CBK the date for the next meeting was fixed. Before CBK left for India she was aware of the date to resume the talks.

    But after her visit to Delhi she chose to delay and avoided talks to begin on the agreed date. If I remember correct, the LTTE had warned about breaking the cease fire on a specified day and accordingly started the attack on a ship at Trinco. As usual there has been a constant attempt by all Govts. not to yield to the demands of the Tamils and the LTTE and what we witness now is that and nothing but that.///

    Dilkie !

    I am very conscious of my democratic obligations and had executed my part since 1956 .But what I got back in return was, after polls violence and a series of pogroms before the 2009 Genocide. And the best part is there seems no end to our miserable conditions. Is that a fair reward for exercising my democratic rights in your vocabulary?

    I feel my people have been unfairly treated by all who got voted to power. Now as you have asked, I would vote for AKD provided he publicly say what he would do to my problems. I bet he would not and cannot oblige my demand and sign his political suicide. The last of hope that Yahapalana Govt. I voted to power on Jan.8, 2015 and its promises of a better day has never come.

    I thank you for your comments.

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