5 December, 2024

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Tamils In The North & East Sri Lanka – Justification For Self-Determination 

By Kumarathasan Rasingam

Kumarathasan Rasingam

When the United Nations was created after the World War II, one of its purposes was spelt out in Article 1 [2] of the UN Charter as: ”To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principles of equal rights and self-determination of peoples“ And Article 55 of the UN Charter provides that, “With a view to the creation of conditions of stability and well-being which are necessary for peaceful and friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principles of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, the United Nations shall promote universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion”.

The systematic violations of human rights by the Sri Lankan Government over a period of 72 years are well documented and are clearly no accidental happenings.They constitute evidence of the resolute and determined efforts of alien Sinhala governments to subjugate and assimilate the people of Tamil Eelam within the framework of unitary Sinhala Buddhist state. The people of Tamil Eelam have suffered long enough and have waited long enough for their human rights. Today, they are a people who can never be denied their right to Self-Determination.

Indigenous Tamil people have lived for more than 2,500 years in the northern and eastern parts of present-day Sri Lanka [North-East] as the Tamil hereditary area. In pre colonial days there was the Tamil Kingdom in the North-East {Jaffna Kingdom] and two Sinhalese Kingdoms in the south, called Kotte and Kandy. Drawings and maps from the time of the Greek explorer Ptolemy, and later from the period when the British came to the island, show how the areas of the Tamils and the Sinhalese were recorded separately from antiquity.

Sir Hugh Cleghorn in a report to the British colonial secretary in 1799 stated the following:

“Two different nations from the ancient period had divided the Island. First the Sinhalese with Southern and Western parts from the river Wallawa to that of Chilaw. Secondly the Malabas [Tamils] in the Northern and Eastern district which extended from West coast of the Island from Puttlam to Mannar and in the East Southwards up to the limits of Kunana or the river Kumbukkan Oya that separated Batticoloa from the Southern districts of Matara.”

“Sir Emerson Tennent in his book “Ceylon – Page 413-415 states “Malabaris were inhabitants of Jaffna before Christ, a belief which existed among Tamils , Malabaris also inhabited Vanni, Mathoddam, Mannar and the majority are descendants of Malabaris.”

Although Sri Lanka [formerly Ceylon] was historically comprised of two distinctive nations, the country’s history has been written or represented as if it were one nation. However, two nations, namely Sinhalese and Tamil, have existed in Sri Lanka continuously from historic times, each with its own distinctive religious, linguistic, cultural, social, economic and political values. Both ethnic groups ruled in Sri Lanka from the historic period and even prior to the medieval period they each established their separate Kingdoms based on their traditional homelands. However, there is still contention among Sinhalese people who argue that Tamils do not have a legitimate right to their claim for self-determination.

Scholars in the fields of history, archaeology, anthropology, sociology and linguistics have convincingly proven that the Tamils of Sri Lanka have the same rights as the majority Sinhalese community to inhabit and share power as a fully fledged society in every respect.

Dr. K. Indrapala, formerly Professor of History at the University of Jaffna, in his recent book, ‘Tamils in Sri Lanka’ [Evolution of an Ethnic Identity] this well-researched and scholarly work is highly recommended to anyone who wishes to understand and gain clear knowledge of the true historical situation. The scholarly world and in particular, politicians, need to pay careful attention to the above study and reassess their views. This could ensure a better future for their respective communities and provide an opportunity for ethnic animosity to be dispelled and the principles of brotherhood and mutual understanding between the communities to be re-established allowing the country to once again prosper.

The state sponsored colonization of Sinhalese from the South into the Tamils traditional and historical homeland changed the demography of Tamils Traditional homeland.

Judicial experts have repeatedly asserted that the political violence and killings directed against the Tamils constitute genocide. The ICJ stated “the evidence points to the conclusion that the violence of the Sinhalese rioters on the Tamils amounted to acts of genocide” The allegations of genocide is based on the following points:

1. The Tamils represent a clearly defined group and those who kill the Tamils do so with the intent to wipe them out as a group.

2. The killers are encouraged or implicitly supported by state authorities and

3. The acts of violence and mass killing inflicted upon Tamils are criminal and systematic.

Over 80,000 civilian Tamil people, including women and children, have been killed or disappeared since 1983; more than 12,500 Tamil women have been raped and killed, torture is routinely committed against the Tamils.

The idea of Tamil Eelam has taken firm roots in the Tamil consciousness. What might yet convince the alienated Tamil population that they have a future within a united Sri Lanka is the reconstitution of Sri Lanka as a highly decentralized multinational state of Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims which would entail major institutional restructuring of the state.

Are Sri Lankan Tamils a “People”?

The UNESCO meeting of Experts on further study of Rights of Peoples [Paris 1990] proposed that the following criteria be used to determine a people:

a) Cultural homogeneity

b) Linguistic unity

c) Religious ideological affinity

d) Common historical tradition

e) Racial and ethnic identity

f) Territorial connection

g) Common economic existence of life

If this test is applied to the Tamils in Sri Lanka, even the most ardent objector to the granting of autonomy must admit that they would qualify as a ‘people’ in international law and thus be entitled to at least the right to internal self-determination. But the claim of the Tamils to self-determination is also based on the fact that prior to the arrival of Portuguese in the 16th century there were distinct groups of people, who had control of their political destinies, exercising sovereignty over a defined and separate territory.

However, it must be remembered that the Tamils in Sri Lanka did not demand a separate sovereign state at the time of independence from colonial rule. The demand at that stage was for parity of status. Within 10 years of independence, the demand for a federal state intensified. It was only after a series of repressive measures by successive governments, and broken agreements that the demand for a separate state as an expression to their right to self-determination emerged.

The Tamils charter of self-determination, issued at Thimphu in 1985, demanded that Sri Lankan Tamils be recognised as a distinct nationality, that the North and East be recognized as the historical homeland of that nationality.

Ethnic claims to the right to self-determination occur in three main types of situation. The first instance can be found in the democratic West often labelled as the “First World” where an “ethnic revival” has taken place: a development characterized by a newly discovered assertiveness among various minority groups. These include amongst others, the Basques and Catalans in Spain, the Welsh and the Scots in the United Kingdom, and the Quebecans in Canada. The second instance can be located in the “Third World” where states that inherited artificial frontiers that did not reflect pre-existing ethnic divisions are increasingly experiencing claim of ethnic self-determination and services inter-ethnic violence as they struggle to adjust to a post-colonial political process. Such inter-ethnic conflicts seem to have proliferated since the start of the 1960s when the process of decolonization was at its peak.

Though successive Sinhala governments in power since independence continue to deny the reality of the Tamil Nation, it has demonstrated that the Tamils do constitute a distinct nation under the accepted criteria. And as people with a different language, culture and ways of life and inhabiting a defined area, their traditional homeland, the Tamil nation has the right of self-determination to decide their own destiny.

The United Nations Charter of 1945 supports the view that the right of self-determination is a legal principle and as such this right of self-determination and as such this right is placed crucially in the first article of each of the two major human rights Covenants of 1966 viz the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [ICOPR] and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights [ICESCR]

This recognition of self-determination rights was first applied in the 1960s to countries hitherto ruled by colonial powers, for example countries like Africa. But since then it has been applied to the rights of several other peoples and most recently to the peoples of East Timor and South Sudan. Despite the fact that this right is firmly established in international law, consideration of the Tamil people’s right of self-determination and importantly the outright denial of this right in the discourse pertaining to ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka by the International Community and the United Nations is incomprehensible Although the UN Charter endorses the right of self-determination, one of the ironies of the 21st century is that such peoples suffer from the lack of an international mechanism that supports a people’s legitimate aspirations for the right of self-determination.and its exercise.

Despite the sustained attacks of Sinhala dominated governments over a period of several decades, the territorial integrity of the Tamil “homeland”: in the North and East of the Island has remained. The Tamil population in the North and East. Who have lived for many centuries within relatively well defined geographical boundaries, share an ancient heritage, a vibrant culture and a living language which traces its origin to more than 2500 years ago. A social group, which shares objective elements such as a common language and which have acquired a subjective consciousness of togetherness by its life within a relatively well defined territory, and its struggle against alien domination [Sinhala Buddhist]

From the early 1980’s successive Sinhala governments intensified the persecution and oppression of the Tamil people. In 1981, the Public Library of Jaffna was burnt to the ground by Sinhala policemen in an act of cultural genocide. In July 1983 the government orchestrated the holocaust of the Tamils where over 3000 Tamils were killed, some burnt alive. The Sinhala Police and Army encouraged the killings judicial experts have repeatedly asserted that the political violence and killings against the Tamils constituted genocide. The International Commission of Jurists stated that “The evidence points clearly to the conclusion that the violence of the Sinhalese rioters on Tamils amounted to acts of genocide.

Documentations and evidence of widespread attacks against the Tamil civilian population over several decades have been collected by International Human Rights Organizations and the UN bodies. For instance, as corroborated by Amnesty International on 11-2-1996, the Sri Lankan soldiers raped and killed two young women during an army mass killings of 24 villagers in Kumarapuram/ The court case of Krishanthy Kumaraswamy a 17 year old girl who disappeared on 7th September 1996 and was gang raped and murdered by Sri Lanka Army led to the revelation of the mass graves at Chemmanai, in Jaffna where some 600 bodies are believed to be buried.

The disturbing feature of Sri Lanka’s post independence is the organized violence in the form of anti-Tamil riots and pogroms periodically unleashed on the Tamil people in 1956, 1958, 1961, 1977, 1981 and 1983, The last in 1983 referred as ‘Holocaust’ or: Black July 1983” witnessed over 3000Tamils killed and billions of rupees worth of their properties and business establishments destroyed.

State-aided colonization with Sinhalese settlers in the North and East of the country has since independence; this is intended to change the demographist in these two provinces and to break the contiguity between them so as to deny the Tamils’ demand for a separate state for them. The Sinhalese population in the Eastern province which was mere 4% at the time of independence is today estimated at 26%.

Tamil villages have been taken over in the Eastern and Northern Provinces by driving away the Tamils who have lived there for generations. This has been followed by changing the Tamil names to Sinhala names. The foremost example is the Manal Aru, today known by its Sinhala name of Weli Oya. Weli Oya has now been designated and gazetted as a Sinhala Divisional Secretariat in the Mullaitivu District. The creation of Weli Oya has also helped to break the continuity between Northern and Eastern Provinces. This is pure and simple an example of ethnic cleansing.

Post war Sri Lankan politics is driven by majoritarian Sinhala-Buddhist triumphalism. Even after eleven years after the war’s end, the oppression has intensified and the notion of the “victor takes all ” is the Government’s strategy Whatever the Government might say the ground realities in the North and. East speak for themselves.

Conclusion

The Tamil people in Sri Lanka have been subjected to discrimination within the model of a unitary state where majoritarinism reigns. They have been denied the opportunity to express their right to self-determination through an internal political arrangement, such as a federal government. In such a situation the denial of the existence of the right to self-determination itself will give rise to the right to unilateral secession as an expression of that right.

Therefore the recognition of the right to self-determination of the Tamil people will no way erode state sovereignty, which according to the Sri Lankan Constitution, vests anyway with the people. In point of fact, if the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka is to be preserved from claims to the right of secession, it is a sine qua non that the right of self-determination of the Tamils is recognized and the nature of the state is restructured to enable meaningful exercise of internal self-determination.

Latest comments

  • 19
    19

    This person either has no proper knowledge of history of Sinhale because he is a descendant of a Dravidian brought by colonial rulers or conveniently forgotten that there were two Sinhala Kingdoms; Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa in North East of Sri Lanka that were destroyed by Dravidians (Demala) from Hindusthan who invaded Sinhale 52 times.
    No question that there were Dravidians (Demalu) in North and East of the country but they were either invaders or coolies brought by Portuguese from Hindusthan to work in tobacco plantations. These coolies were confined to Yapanaya peninsula until British settled them in North Central and Eastern part of the country.
    Dravidians (Demalu) in North East are aliens who were given citizenship in Sinhale by Sinhalayo by registration. There are no historical or archeological evidences to prove that Demalu (aka Tamils) are indigenous people in this country. So the claim Demala politicians make that North East is their ‘Traditional Homeland’ is a bogus claim.

    “In pre colonial days there was the Tamil Kingdom in the North-East {Jaffna Kingdom] and two Sinhalese Kingdoms in the south, called Kotte and Kandy.”

    • 14
      6

      Blind Eye,
      Your knowledge of history is worse than anyone in this forum..
      Get some good books and learn.

    • 1
      2

      Eagle,
      “Dravidians (Demalu) in North East are aliens who were given citizenship in Sinhale by Sinhalayo by registration”
      So Sinhalayo had an Immigration department to hand out these registrations? Can you inform us too, how your own Dalit ancestors got registered? And how you yourself crept into Canada?

      • 1
        1

        Old Codger,
        As native people, Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo were considered as citizens by descent.
        At one time in certain application forms there was a question:
        Are you a citizen of this country by descent or by registration?
        Except Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo all others in Sinhale were considered as citizens by registration.

        • 0
          1

          EE,
          .
          EE has the audcity to continue with ” Native Sinhalayo” even if pimps rajapakashe are making every effort to hide their tails, not being able to justify the visit of Pimpeo.
          :
          EE, you are the ULTRA joker of the day Get well soon !

        • 1
          0

          Eagle Blind fool
          “Except Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo all others in Sinhale were considered as citizens by registration.”

          Stop talking through your anus. Sinhalayas are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh go back there soon.

  • 11
    13

    There is no justification for self determination for Tamils only in the north and east. It must include Tamils throughout the island especially Tamils outside the north and east. If Tamil Elam is to be created, all Tamils must move to north and east and all Sinhalese must move out of the north and east. Otherwise it will be continuing bloodshed and discrimination. Things will only worsen to hellish conditions for Tamils stranded in Colombo, etc. after Tamil Elam is created just like the Hindus left in Pakistan and Urdu speakers left in Bangladesh. Good fences make good neighbors. We should split the island equitably and peacefully into Sinhala Only nation plus Muslims (85%) and Tamil Elam (15%). Muslims have shown they are happy under Sinhala Only rule. If they too want a separate nation, that must be given equitably (10%).

    Hopefully Tamils will not resort to violence (and suffer) again, not dilute their nationhood demand to mere federalism and recognize Sinhala right of self determination too.

    • 10
      5

      GATAM,
      ‘Hopefully Tamils will not resort to violence (and suffer) again’, reveals your poor understanding of the history of the island.
      From where did you pick up ‘your history’ of Tamil suffering?
      Our suffering started when we agitated for Federalism for the country.

    • 5
      2

      Muslims cannot have their cake and eat it . They are recent immigrants from South India and only arrived in the island a few centuries ago and in the east as refugees fleeing persecution. Therefore unlike the island’s two other ancient communities the Sinhalese and the Eelam Tamils they have no right to any land. Now trying to opportunistically claim and steal Tamil lands, as they feel the Tamils are weal and they can get away with this . If the Sri Lankan Muslims who are in reality ethnically Tamil , do not want to live with their fellow Hindu/Christian Tamils and want to live with the Sinhalese only , the ones who live in the Tamil areas, will have to move to the Sinhalese areas. Already 75% of them live amongst the Sinhalese , so it is easy for the 28% who arrived in the Tamils areas as refugees can move too. You cannot have your cake and eat it. You have no right to the Tamil lands as this is not your land . No ancient history and no history of ruling.

      • 4
        1

        Arrived as refugees a few centuries ago and were given refuge by the local Tamils , now trying to steal their land. Cannot be done. Tamils are now 16% of the population and it does not matter if they are 10% or 5% , the north and east is their ancient land and not Sinhalese or Muslim land. Just because the British merged the once separate and independent Tamil lands in the north and east , with the Sinhalese lands does not mean , this is now Sinhalese or Islamic lands. Prior to this merging the Muslim in the Tamil areas were very happy living with the local Tamils, until southern Muslims like you and the Sinhalese brainwashed them to hate their fellow Tamils. Scottish are around 5% of Britain’s population but the land area of Scotland is 30% of Britain. Stop posting rubbish . I am aware you are trying to create a case for your fake Arab immigrant converted South Indian Tamil community to steal Eelam Tamil lands. If you want Islamic lands go to Saudi Arabia ,Pakistan or to you homeland in Tamil Nadu and claim there . Not try to steal Hindu Eelam Tamil lands

        • 1
          1

          Gobba Siva shankaram,’

          “Tamils are now 16% of the population and it does not matter if they are 10% or 5% , the north and east is their ancient land and not Sinhalese or Muslim land”

          Your land is in toilet nadu not in North and East of sinhale.

          Any way under the new constitution we will have 3 provinces-Ruhunu, Maya , Pihiti.

          Try to stop this

          • 2
            0

            Ravi Perea

            The Sinhala Portuguese hybrid toilet cleaner. Listen up you fool it is the Sinhalayas who are the internationally recognized toilet cleaners. That is why you have this pre occupation with toilets.

  • 10
    12

    I went to “Delkanda Pola” few days back.
    And I observed that traditional “Pola” merchants have…..
    .
    a) Cultural homogeneity
    b) Linguistic unity
    c) Religious ideological affinity
    d) Common historical tradition
    e) Racial and ethnic identity
    f) Territorial connection
    g) Common economic existence of life
    .
    Wonder when they are going to claim “”meaningful exercise of internal self-determination””

    • 1
      0

      h) Delkanda had a Tamil Chieftain during Kalyani was ruled by Tamil Nagas.

  • 8
    8

    Mr Kumarathasan Rasingam
    Let us begin from the beginning.
    In respect of a ‘political solution’ what is your definition of Tamils/Tamil People/Tamil Nation in Sri Lanka?
    I mean who and who are included/excluded?
    WHAT IS TNA’s DEFINITION?
    My definition is :
    All Tamil speaking people scattered across the island irrespective of their religion, caste or the date of arrival.

    Soma

  • 2
    1

    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

  • 10
    3

    To develop credibility with historical and contemporary claims, the writer must include all aspects of contemporary history when submitting an argument for a cause. I find no reference to the armed struggle mainly by the LTTE for a separate state and the use of “terror” as a tactic, although he hastens to allege the “terror” of the state (ie “genocide”) and implies I believe, aerial bombardment of civilian centres etc. Also he uses the term “Tamil Eelam” as a distinct entity whereas it is not recognised by the UN or other international bodies of any repute. He should perhaps refine his terminology to gain better traction among readers.

  • 7
    2

    I find the author’s narrative somewhat parochial and short sighted in my view. For starters he has not given an iota of thought to the Tamils living and working in the plantation sectors and living in other parts of the country. His argument ,I feel, for a separate state for Tamils is untimely and provocative to say the least
    What he should asking is for the so called “Tamil leaders” to unite and fight for the legitimate equal rights of their people from a common platform. Here I use “equal rights” as defined in the UN charter to which the writer has rightly alluded to.
    Yes all citizens should enjoy the fundamental human rights and its the state’s duty to ensure that systems and services are in place to safe guard all citizens , immaterial of, colour, caste, ethnicity , religion , social and economic status. Its basic tenet of any nation who are signatories to the UN human rights charter

    Ratnam Nadarajah

    • 3
      2

      “What he should asking…” should read as:
      What he should be asking… (Finger trouble!!!)

    • 3
      2

      “What he should asking is for the so called “Tamil leaders” ………. charter to which the writer has rightly alluded to.”

      Ratnam,
      You are still in GGP Era and with his 50:50. Sinhalese are challenging to withdraw from UNHRC or even UN, if hey are told to stick on UN conventions. King, in parliament open speech said he wants new UN, that only support his murderous acts, not questioning anyone of them. This talk is addition of the Chinese guarantee of UN veto in favor Lankawe, always. Watch what happened to Hong Kong, in that Britain handed over Hong Kong without taking a referendum to know the people’s which. If Britain wanted to honor UN’s convention, it shouldn’t have honored a contract signed in violation of UN conventions 100 years ago. UP country Tamils have to wake up after the lesson of 20A. They cannot depend on their MPs when they are held under the feet by Sinhala Buddhist Government. They need to join North East in negotiating a solution for them. Uva and Central should be redefined and a land with Up Countryer’s majority should be created. Then they decided what kind of cultural, education and political connection they want to keep with North East

      • 3
        1

        Mallaiyuran, NO, NO I am not in GGP era or any such thing.. I do understand and appreciate where your line of argument stems from.. Uva and CP though hosts most of the UP Tamil population there are considerable amount both in Western and Subragamuva provinces.
        British duplicity is a well known factor
        Nonetheless a combined effort I agree would result in more fruitful outcome for the Tamil minorities, given the culture and nature of SL politics. Its always a blame game ,always the other party’s fault. You can not win them all!

      • 2
        0

        Mallaiyuran,
        Dravidians from Hindusthan who entered Sinhale illegally were given a choice either to live in Sinhale under a Sinhala Buddhist Government or return to their ancestral homeland. If the descendants of those who opted to live in Sinhale are not happy to live under a Sinhala Buddhist Government they are free to return to their ancestral homeland. Sinhalayo did not invite Demala people to Sinhale.
        —-
        “UP country Tamils have to wake up after the lesson of 20A. They cannot depend on their MPs when they are held under the feet by Sinhala Buddhist Government.”

    • 1
      0

      Dear R.N.
      “For starters he has not given an iota of thought to the Tamils living and working in the plantation sectors and living in other parts of the country. “
      .
      THIS THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM.
      .
      Tamil political masters are trying to bamboozle every body. They use various permutations and combinations of ‘Tamils, Tamil Nation, Tamil People, Tamil Speaking People, Ealam Tamils, Eazam Tamils etc. etc, several in the same breadth leaving us confused all the time, obviously with intent or probably they themselves being unsure of.
      On the subject of a ‘political solution’ I never fail to mention who the Tamils are:
      All Tamil speaking people scattered across the island irrespective of their religion, caste or the date of arrival.
      Tamil writers here on CT who write unreadably lengthy narativesc on the subject never oblige to my request for their definition orTNA’s definition.

      Soma

      • 1
        0

        Dear Soma
        I quote “On the subject of a ‘political solution’ I never fail to mention who the Tamils are:
        All Tamil speaking people scattered across the island irrespective of their religion, caste or the date of arrival.”
        You are spot on, Tamils seems sadly to adhere to “divide and rule” ethos. They blame the British for their duplicity. I am not saying that there is no truth to this argument but the fact is that we are only wasting our time and energy pondering on these time wasting debates
        Its time that mature arguments prevail to garner peace and among all citizens of SL. Its counter productive to split the unity and harmony of a nation by egoistic and power hungry people of all colour and shade.
        Soma, I sincerely hope some learned gentleman of lady would soon oblige your earnest longing
        Ratnam Nadarajah

    • 2
      1

      Ratnam Nadarajah,
      Demala people (aka Tamils) who were given citizenship in Sinhale by Sinhalayo got equal rights. So no need to fight asking for legitimate equal rights. There is nothing else that Sinhalayo can give.
      The question is whether these Tamils who talk about equal rights give equal rights to their fellow Tamils? Do Vellala Tamils in Yapanaya allow a low caste Tamil (Dalit) to drink water from their wells?
      _
      “What he should asking is for the so called “Tamil leaders” to unite and fight for the legitimate equal rights of their people from a common platform.”

  • 2
    2

    Part I. Alas! The essential feature in a democracy is decision making by any given majority of people in a given entity. In civilized entities a step further is practiced in trying to decide by consensus, failing which by a majority decision. The word self determination can have many practical meanings. To the vast majority it is a mechanism where self determined entities are loosely coupled and very often the importance of the main entity is highlighted when it only suits the self determined entity. We can site so many features that qualifies for self determination. Accordingly, we may say District X of country A qualifies for self determination. But within X, there could be a Municipality Y that qualifies for self determination. Then Y is self determined from X which in turn is self determined from A. In other words, the author’s prescription of self determination is cause for anarchy as the chain of self determination is endless. What needs in a given country where there are a number of ethnicities and religions is mutual respect between such social groupings. This cannot be achieved through Constitutions and Laws alone, although they can be helpful.

  • 4
    2

    Part II: Now we find, say in Little India of Singapore, one can apply the criteria for self determination and say that it must be self determined. So can, say in Geylang. My guess is that the author is not a resident in Sri Lanka, and he may have had the occasion to visit or be transit in Singapore. Any person with an iota of intelligence would say that the term self determination is irrelevant to Singapore. Its leaders, particularly the founders, took steps to forge a number of ethnicities into one nation. No ethnicity there will claim that they are marginalized and then broach the term self determination. As a nation let us practice meritocracy, mutual respect and be loyal to the country practicing Integrity, Excellence and Service. It is only then persons like the author would pen articles that many would appreciate.

  • 2
    1

    “What he should asking…” should read as:
    What he should be asking… (Finger trouble!!!)

  • 1
    0

    “History is accepted lies” said Napoleon!
    This applies more to the work of Sri Lankan historians ,both professional and amateur!.

  • 6
    6

    im just a young kid and seeing these hate filled old tamil men write articles trying to justify why eelam is needed is hilarious to say the least. Please understand that will NEVER happen during your days alive. Sinhalese people have protected sri lanka for thousands of years. You are better off trying to create your own homeland in tamilnadu. Lastly, the young generation is smart enough to understand tamil dirty politics and we will never support TNA. We will support tamil, muslims, sinhalese to live in peace and harmony. By the way, why have presidential elections in sri lanka if the president doesnt have executive powers? 19A clipped those important wings by NGOs money and we the people restored it. We the people support 20A!! Get your head out of your butt. Go help poor people in north east and die peacefully instead of hatred and a dream of eelam hehehehe

    • 2
      0

      I dont if Sri Lankans can’t understand history or geography but an island is an clearly defined landmass. A Irishman is an Irishman even if the northern Irish hate the catholic republic of Ireland. A corsican or sicilian are still natives of the islands even though they carry Italian passport. All Sri Lankans regardarless of religion or race are Sri Lankans.

    • 2
      0

      Puraba

      Eelam is a reality. It is a matter a time before the UN recognizes it.

      “dream of eelam hehehehe” you seemed to be on some substance, get yourself admitted to angoda.

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