3 December, 2024

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Terrorism Of The State = Terrorism Of Prabhakaran

By Rehan Fernando

Rehan Derrick Fernando

On one hand, terrorism can be defined as the unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political aims. On the other hand, it is a violent operation that is being well organized consciously, willingly, and voluntarily. Wherefore, terrorism must not be a part of any human behavior for any reason for it harms and injures humanity in every field. However, terrorism as a term cannot be restricted to merely armed struggles. It is being used today in many other forms and formulas. In my opinion, Covid-19 is an act of terrorism widespread by some nations and killing millions of people. Apparently, it seems to be a pandemic, but we know how it emerged and through what hands it was spread.

The usage of terrorism in Sri Lanka, particularly, has many forms. Generally, Sri Lankans refer to Velupillai Prabhakaran if any discussion is held on terrorism. However, some major incidents that happened a couple of years ago have proved Prabhakaran was not the only person who is responsible for terrorism in the state. There are many other factors to be taken into serious discussion. In this article, I wish to bring out some essential points in which I also want to prove what terrorism in Sri Lanka is.

Terrorism in Sri Lanka

This is a crucial area to be discussed. The reason is that many Sri Lankans ignore this discussion willingly and consciously but they misinterpret the same term without proper rereading of history. Who will agree with the fact that the very first approach of terrorism started with SWRD Bandaranaike with his Sinhala superiority formula? That decision has turned the basic spirit of this country upside down. The struggle for independence from British authorities was a collective struggle. Some Muslim and Tamil leaders too tirelessly put their efforts. The Tamil language is a part and parcel of this country. Therefore, both Sinhala and Tamil languages must be in an equal position. How can one language takes an upper hand and be over dominative? The decision taken by Bandaranaike is an act of terrorism forcefully done in history, and its repercussion is on stage even today. That was a classic instance of “cold-terrorism.”

Secondly, 71’ insurrection was the starting point of terrorism geared by an armed struggle. It was a clear military strategy organized by the People’s Liberation Front [Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna – JVP]. It was also a clear theory of revolution of Rohana Wijeweera completely promoting an option with arms. So, terrorism with arm struggles began in Sri Lankan history with 71’ insurrection. How can then Prabhakaran’s name be remembered or referred to as the very first man who is responsible for Terrorism? The burning of the Jaffna Public Library took place on the night of June 1, 1981. It was well organized by Sinhalese and with the direct support of the central government then. Who can deny that act of terrorism? Or who can ignore what happened Jaffna library as an act of terrorism? Who can simply bury the memories of Black-July in Sri Lanka, which was voluntarily brought on to the stage by the same government? These are clear pieces of evidence for terrorism in Sri Lanka. Thus, Prabhakaran comes later with his counter-violence, which is the terrific answer to the Sinhala majority. He uses the same terrorism to answer Sinhala superiority and its formula of the regime.

Amidst all these events, terrorism in Sri Lanka takes a new shape with the April-21 Easter attack. A group of young Muslims came forward to express their fundamentalism and revenge from innocents and killed nearly 300 men, women, and children. Until this brutal event, Tamils were labeled as killers or terrorists. In the Southern area, the majority of Buddhists considered every single Tamil as a “tiger” [since the movement of Prabhakaran titled “Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam”]. However, the April-21 attack revealed another group of terrorism. The central government and opposition parties continued to manipulate within the premises of this attack. It was right after 10 years of the end of the so-called war, this group of Muslims attacked and widespread terrorism in a different gesture.

I do not think that somebody can stop at this junction speaking of terrorism in Sri Lanka because the real act of terrorism has taken place after 2009. Rajapaksa regime plays a game through militarization and colonization in the country, which is for me the most dangerous terrorism that I have ever seen. Thus, the horrible part of this story is that many Sinhalese promote and willingly support this family-terrorism in every single election. The post-war phase, therefore, is dreadful and horrifying terrorism, which exists under the carpet of democracy in this county.

Fire underwater [LLRC as another form of LTTE]

Mahinda Rajapaksa, pretending and manipulating his so-called Sinhala-Buddhism established Lesson Learned Reconciliation Commission [LLRC] just after the end of the 2009 armed struggle. But it was a crystal clear manipulation to satisfy international communities to get rid of war crimes more professionally. It is apt to see through the words of Bishop Rayappu Joseph who prepared a counter-report to LLRC. Those words remind and show us of the wrong turn of the so-called reconciliation commission.

Based on information from the Kacheris of Mullativu and Killinochi about the population in Vanni in early October 2008 and the number of people who came to government-controlled areas after that, 146,679 people seem to be unaccounted for. According to the Kacheri, the population in Vanni was 429,059 in the early part of October 2008 (Refer Annex 4 and 5). According to UN OCHA update as of 10th July 2009, the total number of people who came out of the Vanni to government-controlled areas after this is estimated to be 282,380 (Refer Annex 6)[1]

Who can deny the fact of what happened to the remnant according to the document? There is no proper account of those lives until today. Who can still justify the fact that ‘it is not terrorism’? Bishop’s report further reveals the gravity of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, physical disability of ordinary people, traumatization, forced colonization, displacement, and so on.[2] What LLRC aimed for is nothing but a mere process to mislead international communities and hypocritically satisfy local groups. Today, the word “reconciliation” cannot be used. The militarization is such that the usage of that word has been forcefully replaced by so-called “development.” The state has hypocritically and professionally proved or rather shown the end of the armed phase of the war, yet all other activities against Tamil civilians take place at different levels. LLRC has promoted the state regime mentality, especially through re-colonization. The usage of this word colonization itself is a clear form of terrorism because that took place on three occasions in history; such as during the period of British in the 1920s and 1930s, under the regime of JR Jayewardene: the border villages were introduced, and post-war is happening even today.

Current issues

The manipulated armed struggle for so-called freedom in this country was over in 2009. It was an ethnic issue and civil war created for mere political agendas. Different governments and even some leftist parties established an infrastructure for nationalism and gave an impression of a saving of the Sinhala nation from external forces called “terrorism.” However, in reality, terrorism was established in the country and promoted by every central government. The denial of national productions due to neo-colonial policies, low standard of education, promoting nationalism, poverty in the country, instability of government, manipulation of the economy and cultural development, religious fundamentalism, supremacy and superiority, language and cultural domination, and so on are some forms for terrorism in the country today. In history, the LTTE movement emerged from nowhere, but it was well-formed even within the so-called nationalism. Several times Prabhakaran’s activities were supported by certain executive presidents in this country. How can then only Prabhakaran be accused of terrorism and as the man behind all forms of terrorism?

It is apt one more point to be elaborated. Terrorism of the state in Sri Lanka has been well maintained and continued by some educated persons at times while many other useless and meaningless decisions were taken by nationalists. Tamil peoples’ struggle for liberation was not an armed struggle at the beginning. It was also shaped by the non-violent resistance of Mahatma Gandhi. Therefore, the Tamil struggle was peaceful until Prabhakaran opted for an armed struggle and guerilla fights. However, armed struggles are over by now [it does not mean it is entirely finished, there is still a possibility for an ethnic conflict through arms], yet the conflicts that are promoted by the state today through various forms of nationalism provide enough pieces of evidence for terrorism.

Religious terrorism

Mahatma Gandhi formed satyagraha for the liberational struggle of India. Gandhi was not a monk or a religious priest but he was convinced of a religious path that could lead him toward a new spirituality, especially within the premises of his struggle toward independence for India. He was an ordinary man who did extraordinary work. His satyagraha was well-formed by the teaching of Hinduism, Jainism, Christianity, and Buddhism. Gandhi’s whole work was misinterpreted by some people and today Pakistanis do not like to remember him. It was a superfluous attitude that misleads people. The point here is that if Gandhi could fulfill such a massive responsibility for the whole of humanity through a non-violent act, how about so-called religious people, and what sort of mission could be accomplished? Such religious people preach so many teachings of their religions and practice nothing; instead, often they promote violence. Sri Lanka is one best example of religious violence, which I prefer to name “religious terrorism.”[3]

Primarily, some Buddhist monks have publicly behaved violently. Intentionally such behavior was to promote Buddhism, but the joke is that Buddhism as a philosophy or as a way of life has never promoted violence. Buddha had never been a man who dealt with armed struggles to show his path, instead; he preached and showed a way of kindness. Certain Buddhist monks have even formed various sects to promote Buddhism through their dominated public behavior. This type of mechanism is openly supported by any government in Sri Lanka and ordinary Buddhists too silently bear witness to such violent activities. Burning of Christian churches, public punishments for innocent Muslims, TV programs, activities in Temples, Buddhist supremacy, a Buddhist state, and so on are the major forms of this mechanism.

Apart from the above-mentioned issues, there is also fire underwater that is being brought out by other religions too. During the latter part of the war in 2009, the Catholic Church promoted an end of the war through armed struggle. The prevailing regime was directly given support. Prayer services were held to gain peace through a war-fare. This is clear religious terrorism. How can such religiosity promote war in massacring ordinary civilians? 2009 warfare was not an attempt to eliminate LTTE only, it was willingly created to eliminate Tamils or to block the culture that belongs to Tamils. Now, it takes place as a fire underwater, which is more dangerous than an armed struggle. Immediately after the April-21 Easter attack, security forces found arms and different types of swords from certain Muslim churches. Do they gather on Fridays for prayers or terrorism? How can the religion of love work for the mere promotion of violence among communities?

Conclusion

In this country, there was a time [it still happens] that every Tamil was labeled as kotiya [a tiger]. Through this label, what Sinhalese wanted was to give a local and international outlook about Prabhakaran’s terrorism and guerilla actions. However, a critical study of history reveals that the so-called sinhayo [lions] also did the same act as kotiya. Sri Lankan state has been always in agreement with Prabhakaran for their political gaining. It is like the US forming some figures in the Middle East to protect the US from external forces and when the consents are broken, the same mechanism of the US names their supporters as terrorists and attacks at the end. This is what happened to Prabhakaran too to some extent. The victory of the presidential election in 2005 was a classic instance for my ideology, but Prabhakaran never thought that his mechanism would be demolished by the same government.

Whatever the case is, or the issue is, I also would like to present this final comment. For me, Prabhakaran is not a terrorist because he is dead and gone. The real terrorists are in the parliament and political parties. The whole mechanism of the Rajapaksa family itself is a form of terrorism. The cold democracy which is being promoted in this country through violence is an act of terrorism. A political governing system that still widespread poverty in this country is terrorism. The nationalism that is promoted through the hands of the Buddhist majority and other religiosities is terrorism. The dominated education system itself is an act of terrorism. The existing economic crisis and the causes for that crisis are clear forms of terrorism. The class gap that exists and the case system and its dominated mechanism are the real terrorism. Compared to these operational suppressions, for me Prabhakaran is not a terrorist; if he had been in this country, perhaps he could have done a good job much better than the real terrorists in this country. The political mechanism of the state does not liberate ordinary citizens; instead, it kills people. It does give any relief but puts barriers and paralyzes living conditions in this country. Therefore, what takes place in the state today is none other than terrorism, it is no more a peace-building process. There is no point in speaking of Prabhakaran’s terrorism, but better to take due measures to eliminate the terrorism in the state today.

[1] Report prepared by Late bishop Rayappu Joseph on 8th January 2011. See file:///C:/Users/Thach%20Nguyen/Downloads/LLRCsubmission_by_MannaarDiocese.pdf.

[2] Ibid,. 3-6.

[3] A collection of poem in a book form on this topic is to be published in the future. It will give an account of religious terrorism in this country and how it has affected to create unnecessary conflicts within and outside.

Latest comments

  • 21
    2

    RDF
    I do not think the Muslim Fundamentalists carried out the Easter Massacre. Some muslims were trained to be the guinea pigs of a Mastermind [mafia head]. All fundamentalism is created by this person –post 2009.

    • 16
      2

      Naman,
      In this article RDF have argued very well in simple terms and any one with common sense will agree with him. However, I agree with you that the Easter Bomb is not master mind by Muslim Fundamentalists but they have been used by the people master minded the Easter bombing as well they used the same Muslim Fundamentalists in many occasions in the past.
      Further, the Tamil armed struggle (armed struggle leads to terrorism whether it is by LTTE ( PLOTE or Other Tamil armed groups) or PLO or any other armed groups in the world) had terrorist acts which affected civilians.
      IF you consider only LTTE Terrorism, then the country would have in peace and democracy and development would have flourished in this country after 2009. Did it happen? No. Why? Terrorism is necessary for some powerful people who rule this country.

  • 24
    3

    Rehan Derrick Fernando -greta article

    I am not sure who chose the title of your article
    Terrorism Of The State = Terrorism Of Prabhakaran

    I would correct it to read

    Terrorism Of The State = Counter Terrorism Of Prabhakaran

    • 11
      2

      I
      usually don’t allow outsiders to create titles for my articles.

    • 12
      3

      Dear Rajash:

      Your proposed title/headline rings true particularly for the onset of the liberation movements. But I think you’ll agree, later the “Counter Terrorism Of Prabhakaran” got more and more tricky and took on elements of terrorism of its own.

      LTTEs acts of terror can’t be downplayed even in light of its intended liberation from state terrorism and the weight of its own acts of terror in comparison to the weight of state run terror.

      But the state must always be held to the highest standards of lawfulness and punished to the fullest extent of the law for its lawlessness, without an ounce of impunity.

      • 8
        2

        Hi Sugandh
        It is inevitable others may call it liberation depending on ones view point

    • 3
      26

      Rajash,
      Tamil terrorists led by Prabhakaran were known as the deadliest terrorists in the world.

      • 21
        3

        Thanks for the compliment may I reciprocate by stating that the Sri Lanka state terrorism against its minorities s the deadliest in the world which country will throw its own infant in to a boiling hot tar and laugh at the suffering?

      • 14
        0

        Dumb Eagle do not you realise that it takes only a spark to create a fire and you point the finger at the fire but not the spark!

    • 4
      8

      A counter terrorism that killed more of one’s own kind than that of the ‘enemy’.

      • 5
        1

        What’s the breakdown Prof. SJ?

        Tamil civilians killed by the state (Post-armed-Tamil insurgencies, cumulative total) = ?
        Tamil civilians killed by LTTE & other Tamil armed rebel groups = ?

        • 3
          1

          S
          I commented on killings by the LTTE.
          The LTTE killed more Tamil civilians than it did Sinhalese civilians.
          You should know the score.

          • 1
            1

            Ok Prof SJ,

            Fortunate that LTTE’s “counter terrorism” spared the Sinhalese civilians to a great extent.

            • 1
              1

              S
              All I said was that it did worse to Tamil civilians.
              The last great deed of the so-called “counter terrorists” was killing a bus load of children in Kebithigollewa.
              *
              If it hurts you to be reminded of the misdeeds of the LTTE, I will take a break.

  • 15
    3

    “However, terrorism as a term cannot be restricted to merely armed struggles. It is being used today in many other forms and formulas.”

    Certainly a thought provoking piece and will do a lot of good for all Lankans to consider, ponder, and evolve a unifying way forward.

    We have had a long history of different parties, on most occasions the state, supported by a segment of the population, terrorizing a segment of the citizenry or another, in one form or another.

    The double-Paksa regime is inflicting terror on multiple fronts, some of which we knew would happen, others worse than imagined.

  • 10
    3

    “The real terrorists are in the parliament and political parties.”

    Those Sinhalese are now showing their true genocidal face, and all Sinhala political parties are Genocidists.

    Prabha, even if he was true terrorist (and never ever not), was a real barrier against these Genocidists and their dream of the Island as the Sinhala Ghetto.

    There is one external Genocidist, the Genocidist Hindians are buttressing internal Genocidist Sinhalese.

  • 6
    23

    “Who will agree with the fact that the very first approach of terrorism started with SWRD Bandaranaike with his Sinhala superiority formula?”

    Only racist separatist Tamil politicians will agree.
    When British left in 1948, they handed over the country to a group of Sinhala and Tamil ‘Kalu Suddas’ who were mostly Christians. They were not keen to introduce changes that benefit the masses. SWRD Bandaranayake gave the leadership to Sinhala Buddhists who were oppressed by colonial rulers and by ‘Kalu Suddas’ after British left to regain their true Independence. Bandaranayake did not tell Sinhalayo to kill Demalu or chase them back to Hindusthan from where their ancestors came to Sinhale. After Sinhalayo gained Independence, it was Tamils who started violence and terrorism against Native Sinhalayo.

  • 4
    21

    “However, a critical study of history reveals that the so-called sinhayo [lions] also did the same act as kotiya.”
    —-
    BS!
    Dravida terrorism against Sinhalayo did not start with Prabhakaran. Sinhalayo have been the victims of Dravida terrorism from 3rd Century BC. Dravidians came from Hindusthan and massacred Sinhalayo, burnt down their settlements, killed Monks, destroyed temples, burnt valuable documents written in Ola leaves, burnt paddy fields and paddy kept in the houses, destroyed irrigation systems forcing Sinhalayo to abandon their Kingdoms Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa located in North-East of the country and retreat to South. Prabhakaran’s terrorist campaign was the 54th in that series.
    Throughout history, Native Sinhalayo have been at the receiving end of Dravida terrorism. Sinhalayo never carried out barbaric terrorist acts like Dravida (Tamil) terrorists.

    • 13
      0

      Why keep saying Dravida… Dravida…?
      is this to try to demean the Tamils? or did any other Davidians invade Lakdiva centuries ago? ( there are three more Dravidian groups in India). or is it to imply that you are from an Aryan stock? if so, is it in the sense of what the early Buddhists and the even earlier Hindus meant an Aryan to be? a noble person who conformed to the prescribed ways of the religion but not anything racial?
      or is it because the Sinhala language has a good percentage of Prakrit words? English has over sixty percent Latin words because of the Roman occupation and embracing(?) of a new religion. what about the syntax of the Sinhala?
      there are a few hundred thousand “Tamils” in South Africa whose mother tongue is English. does it make them Aryans or Anglo Saxons?
      why not embrace and be proud of the fact that you could very well be a Dravidian? especially when you see that the Dravidian states are doing far better than the “Aryan” states in all the developmental indexes? and especially when the Sinhalese have not had any meaningful interaction with any north Indian kingdoms other than when they were the receivers of a religious embassy? in fact even the “pure” Indian Aryans have realized the trap and are now vehemently denying the Aryan theory as a western plot to divide the Indian people.

    • 8
      1

      BE, you have not learnt the history properly.
      Seneviratne Sudharshan, 1996. ‘Peripheral Regions and Marginal communities towards an alternative explanation of early Iron Age material and social
      formations in Sri Lanka’, Dissent and Ideology, Essays in honour of Romila Thapar, (ed) Champaka Lakshmi R. and Gopal, S., (Oxford
      University Press), pp.364-310
      “Archaeological investigations at Proto-historic habitations and burial sites indicate that Sri Lanka formed the Southern most sector of the broader, Early Iron Age Peninsular Indian techno-cultural complex. The ecofact and artefact assemblages from these sites in Sri Lanka have established that rice-cultivation, animal domestication, the horse, small scale metallurgical operations involving iron and copper, bead production, village settlements, the Megalithic burial ritual, the ceramic industry involving the production of Black and Red ware and Black ware and post firing graffiti symbols were introduced to Sri Lanka from Peninsular, or especially from South India. This chronological context (largely) obtained in the form of radiometric dates, the techno-cultural elements and their region of origin, does not in any way agree with the descriptions of the peopling of Sri Lanka narrated in the middle historic chronicles of Sri Lanka… These Early Iron Age habitats continued
      throughout the Proto-historic and Early historic transition, and well into the Early historic period.
      https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/great-betrayals/

    • 13
      1

      Eagle Thaatha, All Chingkallams are Thravidams. People who were called Chingkallams originally were the Thamizh or semi Thamizh Elu speaking native Thravidar called Naga and Yakka. Arrival of imaginary Prince Vijaya and his 500 rowdy babies did not create any Chingkallams. Vangali Vijayan rowdy and his 500 rowdy babies got married to naughty Thamizh Pandian damsels and got assimilated into the local Thamizh/Elu Thravida Naga and Yakka. Then came Poutha matham from India 2300 years ago and lots of Yakka and some Naga Thamizh Thravidar down the south of the island got converted to this new Poutha Matham and then started to mix their Thamizh dialect with Pali/Prakrit and Sanskrit that arrived with Poutha matham and gradually a new language called evolved and this language was called in Prakrit/Pali Sinhala from the ancient Thamizh word Chingkallam that was used to called the island and people. Then lots of Thravidha Thamizh immigrants and invaders from South India gradually settled in the island and also became Chingkallams.

      • 11
        1

        Half the present day Chingkallams are descended from Thravidha Thamizh immigrants who arrived from South India during the Portuguese and Dutch era. As for Pulanaari now Chingkalized to Polonnaruwa was founded by the Thamizh Chola and Arunrathapuram was established long before a people called Chingkallams evolved or the so called Rowdy Vijaya and his 500 Rowdie Babies arrived from North India. Remember Thamizh Naga Saivite king Mootha Sivan the father of the king who converted to Poutha matham and Thamizh king Ellalan, as well as lots of Thamizh kings ruled this city and surrounding areas, long before Chingkallams originated.
        You may like to listed to this song and dance at the Aged Care home
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6Q7c9RyMzk
This is what Vijaya and 400 Powdy Babies with the Thamizh Pandian women

  • 17
    3

    Please tell this to retired surgeon Dr. Janapriya .

  • 2
    20

    But Tamil terrorists were defeated.

    So there is a clear winner and a clear loser.

    SL government had another option which they didn’t use. An armed Sinhala terrorist group to do tit for tat against Tamil terrorists, etc. That would have saved the government war crimes allegations too.

    May be next time. Highly profitable.

  • 16
    1

    The event in USA on 9/11 did more HARM to the SL Tamils aspiration to have equal HUMAN RIGHTS to the other races in SL. Had the country been a tri -lingual + Secular one, we would not have wasted money on wars and corruption. Instead of being JEALOUS of the minorities in EDUCATION & BUSINESS, the Sinhalese should have done better by working hard. The British had to bring Indians to work in coffee or tea plantations as the Sinhala people were too lazy and spoilt. Do they really practice buddhist way of life? The REAL terrorists are those who are PILFERING the National coffers & wasting the Foreign exchange earned by hard working expats + tea plantation workers. The quality of life the TEA plantation workers are subjected to is a disgrace to the country. SL is not going anywhere other than to the dumps.

  • 12
    0

    Rehan
    A group of young Muslims came forward to express their fundamentalism and revenge from innocents and killed nearly 300 men, women, and children
    —————-
    Revenge against who? Muslims were brutalized by the sinhala buddhists and they took ‘revenge’ on mostly tamil christians?

  • 8
    3

    Rehan
    However, some major incidents that happened a couple of years ago have proved Prabhakaran was not the only person who is responsible for terrorism in the state
    —————
    Selective amnesia?
    The sinhala state unleashed its racial violence on tamils as far back as the 1950s. Thats when state terrorism kicked off and they got help from muslims to attack tamils.
    The LTTE was formed during the 1ate 1970s and only became a real force during the 1980s.

  • 4
    3

    Hi leelagemalli and davidthegood,

    Thank you for your kind words. Unfortunately, I was not able to reply to you in another article (https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/a-letter-to-the-us-senate-committee-re-the-resolution-on-recognizing-traditional-tamil-homeland-in-sri-lanka/). However, I enjoy that there are individuals here that are willing to condemn both sides and work towards true bridge building.

  • 3
    3

    Hi SinhalaMan,

    To answer you question in this article (https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/a-letter-to-the-us-senate-committee-re-the-resolution-on-recognizing-traditional-tamil-homeland-in-sri-lanka/), I am not related to Rohan25. He/She may be a different account

    • 2
      5

      RG
      One must be out of his mind to connect you to Rohan25.

      • 4
        0

        Hi SJ,

        I think it was an honest mistake, since we both have the Rohan part, so it is confusing. I wish we can customize our profile picture easily or to have options to add ‘flairs’ in our username

        • 3
          1

          RG
          You are being kind.
          Honest or not, one must be out of his mind to confuse you with you to Rohan25 if has ever read what each of you write.

          • 3
            2

            RG
            Kindly read the comment below. I picked it out with little effort, as it is typical.
            If it offends you, There is consolation: He/she is nastier towards Muslims.
            *
            Rohan25 / June 28, 2021
            3 1
            Yes Eelam Tamils who had lived in the island for around 3000 years and ruled their lands, until the British decided to hand over them to a racist Sinhalese like you on a platter in 1948 , should not exist but descendants of largely low caste and untouchable Indian Tamil slave/indenture labour, who were imported into the island by the Portuguese and Dutch, like your ancestors and now calling themselves Aryan Sinhalese Buddhists or Catholics must exist, as per your racist warped mind
            *
            Will you question my right to have a hearty laugh at the confusion?

            • 2
              0

              Hi SJ,

              I can see why you made the comment, since Rohan25 writes completely different from me. Though I can agree that Tamil people have lived for eons on this island, I do not agree with Rohan’s name calling and referring to the ‘low-caste’ people. However, I feel Rohan25 may be someone who had probably become accustomed to racist remarks from the Sinhalese community and now lashes out on the largely ‘recent converts’. Hopefully, Rohan25 can see there are some moderates on this site that wish to have good and open dialogue

      • 5
        0

        Dear SJ,
        .
        Food for thought, I agree.
        .
        However, you emerge from this as nasty, whilst RohanGunaratne’s second comment in this exchange shows him to be thoroughly decent and generous. I had thought that both he and Rohan25 had made perceptive comments.
        .
        Some hours ago, I re-studied the comments of both. From internal evidence, I realised that Guneratne is a Sinhalese, but Rohan25 writes from a “Tamil” perspective. It’s sad that the speakers of these two languages (whom I regard as “one people”) should be so divided.
        .
        SJ, you, as a Tamil, ought to be grateful that there are Sinhalese people still around who try to be generous to jeering knaves like you!
        .
        Rohan, it is possible to customise profile pictures, even display their photographs, but most would hesitate. They want to remain anonymous. See how disgusting it is here:
        .
        https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/wikileaks-basil-is-corrupt-education-limited-and-expelled-from-school/
        .
        Let me, in fairness, state that we all know that SJ is Professor Sivasegaram. Intelligent, but petty.

        Panini Edirisinhe

        • 4
          0

          Hi SinhalaMan,

          I’ve seen several of your posts on ColomboTelegraph and you are an incredibly polite person. I’m not sure why you are being attacked, since you are a fair and thoughtful commenter.

          It’s true that we are so divided. I decided to try and read more of the articles here to try and capture as many perspectives as possible. I was not aware that SJ was a Professor. I think I will keep my profile picture as it is, for now

          • 3
            3

            RG
            I am no professor now. And there is little substance to titles.
            People tend to assume that ones with titles like Dr., Prof. etc. are most competent to comment on any subject.
            I know laymen who show greater insight than specialists with fixed views.
            *
            The tragedy of CT, more than its bias, is the ganging up of people across political and ethnic divides. Criticism is generally seen as a personal affront. Personal abuse is very common.
            The ethnic divide is sickening at times with all the racist insults.
            There are a handful with whom intellectually honest exchange of views is possible. But for that, I am here for amusement.

            • 2
              0

              Hi SJ,

              I do agree that in CT, sometimes I’ve noticed ganging up and that creates a further rift amongst communities. However, I think people tend to trust those in academic posts, given their familiarity with research and pursuit for higher truth. Sometimes, laymen can show greater insight in certain topics, but usually we default to trusting our teachers, professors, doctors, etc

        • 3
          3

          “SJ, you, as a Tamil, ought to be grateful that there are Sinhalese people still around who try to be generous to jeering knaves like you!”
          I love it as a statement most revealing of the person who uttered it.

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