11 October, 2024

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The Way Forward For Genuine Peace & Reconciliation In Sri Lanka

By V. Thirunavukkarasu

V. Thirunavukkarasu

While the processes of making a new Constitution are under way, there are conflicting signals emanating from the ranks of the Cabinet Ministers themselves, of the first ever UNP-SLFP National Unity Government as to the duration of this exercise, as well as its final outcome. It has been generally expected that the new Constitution will be promulgated before the end of this year. However, some Ministers, particularly from the SLFP, who entered Parliament through the National List after being defeated at the August 2015 Parliamentary election, are vociferously expressing contradictory positions. For instance, Minister S.B. Dissanayake has bluntly asserted that the new Constitution will only see the light of day by 2020. Moreover, while the Presidential election pledge was to abolish the Executive Presidential system by 2020, it is being maintained in SLFP circles that such is not the case, and that the incumbent President Mathripala Sirisena will be the Presidential candidate in 2020 as well, contrary to his own avowed public pledge made in 2015 that he would not contest the Presidential election again.

The extant public perception, increasing by the day, is that the National Unity Government of Good Governance is fast becoming devoid of these concepts. Firstly, in the matter of combating the twin evil of bribery and corruption, the pace of investigations and of bringing suspects to justice is markedly slow. Secondly, indirect interventions at the highest levels to protect highly placed suspects for offences allegedly committed during the last regime, are in place. Thirdly, there are emerging suspicions involving certain officials of the incumbent Government as well.

It goes without saying that the UNP and the SLFP, well-known traditional arch rivals which had held power alternately in alliance with their respective allies of all hues, had egregiously failed to resolve the burning politico-economic problems. Such failures, especially with regard to the checkered Tamil national question is really what led to episodic violence, intermittent anti-Tamil racial riots, and eventually the 26-year long war following the worst such riots in 1983. (Black July). And so, as if to atone for their collective sins of omission and commission, both major ruling parties came together in 2015 to form a consensual national unity Government following the election of President Maithripala Sirisena on January 8, 2015, followed by the August 17 Parliamentary elections. And both parties extended the original 2- year agreement to a full 5- year period to hold power together, but had vowed to part ways, come 2020. Meantime, certain conflicts which have arisen, based on party rivalries, have of course not been unexpected, but nevertheless the caravan should move on till 2020, giving the lie to the Mahinda Rajapaksa-led JO’s wishful bid to topple the Government this year.

As regards the vexed Tamil National question, it was pledged during the January and August 2015 elections campaigns that a durable solution would be incorporated into the a new Constitution, and that was all the more reason why the Tamils and the Muslims as well, extended their overwhelming support particularly for President Sirisena’s victory to be vouchsafed. It is clear already that there will be no change in the Unitary State system as well as the foremost place given to Buddhism in the new Constitution. Such a paradigm alone will satisfy the Sinhala majority constituency even though all communities or groups of people are equally sovereign entities as entrenched in any Constitution. Accommodation of the TNA’s demand, as per the mandate they received in August 2015, for a federal system is out of the question. And so is the demand for a merged North – East Province as had obtained for 18 years, albeit as an interim measure pending a referendum in terms of the 1987 Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, which was never held, but the demerger sought by the JVP was granted by the then Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva notwithstanding the bilateral dimension of the aforesaid Accord.

What then is going to be the Constitutional solution to the Tamil National question, having regard especially to the overwhelming support given by the Tamils in particular for President Sirisena’s victory on January 8, 2015? The principles encompassing this question are found, by and large, in the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) that had been appointed by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa under the Chairmanship of a former Attorney General, the late C.R. de Silva. Here are some of the observations/ recommendations made by the LLRC in chapter 8 of the report:

  • People have come to the firm/decisive conclusion that the blood-bath witnessed was the outcome of the sustained unwillingness and inability of the political leaders to address this question;
  • It was the failure on the part of the Governments to address the legitimate concerns of the Tamils that constituted the root cause of the war and its consequences. Hence, it is imperative that a durable political solution to resolve the vexed problem has to be arrived at. There have been wide-ranging discussions on this question, but agreement has not emerged as to the underlying cause of the problem,
  • While considering the contradictions amongst the communities, the dominant factors boil down to the grievances of the Tamils , and this is the central question that led to the breakdown of mutual relations between the Sinhalese and the Tamils.
  • The 1958 anti-Tamils riots constituted the first monumental dent in the relations between the communities. That was followed by the 1977 riots, and then the worst riots in 1983 (Black July)
  • Unless there is a full and complete grasp of the causes for the breakdown of goodwill between the Sinhalese and the Tamils , devoid of a culture of violence, it will not be possible to find a lasting or sustainable solution.

In this connection, it is certainly not inappropriate to draw attention, vis-à-vis the 1958 riots, to the to the book titled “Emergency ‘58 – Story of the Ceylon Race riots” written by that doyen of English journalism. Tarzie Vittachi where he deeply lamented that first post-Independence blood thus bath thus: “What are we left with? A Nation in ruins, some grim lessons that we cannot afford to forget and a momentous question: Have the Sinhalese and Tamils reached the parting of the ways”

Such was the enormity of the disaster at that time in terms of death and destruction, the deep sense of alienation and the tragedy of Tamils in Colombo crowding into refugee camps, and then getting shipped off to the North and the East for their safety.

Thus, incorporation of a durable political solution to so vexed question in terms of substantive power-sharing, is a sine qua non not only for accommodating the decades-long concerns of the Tamils, but also, as importantly, for genuine peace and reconciliation to blossom in the country.

*V. Thirunavukkarasu, former Member, Colombo Municipal Council

Latest comments

  • 6
    19

    Tamils lost the war. How can they demand peace or reconciliation when they lost their 30 year war ?

    • 9
      2

      Sri Lanka’s reconciliation process needs to begin with address of root causes of violence which is POLITICAL CORRUPTION. Corrupt politicians of the majority Sinhala community used hate speech and violence against minorities to DISTRACT the masses from their corruption, and DIVIDE and RULE. This is the ROOT CAUSE of much of the violence.

      Hence, reconciliation must ensure ACCOUNTABILITY of politicians and address of CORRUPTION, FINANCIAL CRIME and ECONOMIC INJUSTICE. Also the sequencing should be in appropriate manner for the local political and economic context.

      In Sri Lanka given hyper nationalism, there should has a SPECIAL COURT for ECONOMIC CRIMES and INJUSTICE against ALL the people of Sri Lanka, with international experts to catch the thieves – Mahinda Rarapassa and family first. Then, a new constitution will pass easily once MR and family’s corruption is properly exposed, and finally last and most important a war crimes trail. This is how SL should STRATEGICALLY SEQUENCE reconciliation process.

      • 6
        1

        Yes, Sri Lankan people need to be Educated about politicians and the corruption of their leaders of SLFP and UNP!

        The majority of people are mostly uneducated about governance and how institutions work and are gullible and distracted easily by racism and hate speech and astrologers!

        The Bodu Balu Sena is a good example of how Mahinda Rajapaksha and family used tactics of distracting the masses from the nepotism and corruption of Rajapassa family and cronies who looted Sri Lanka, borrowed from Chinese and stole, and committed financial crimes against the people of Lanka.
        Ranil Wickramasinghe is no better and treats the people with contempt while his Royal College club commits daylight robbery at Central Bank! Only the TNA and JVP is honest and tries to educate the people against Corruption and Racism.

    • 4
      2

      jim softly:

      You might as well should have told that to the UNHRC but you know what, donkeys like you have screwed-up brains that you don’t even realise that your govt CO-SPONSORED the resolution at the UNHRC. The problem with donkeys’ brains don’t even know whether you have your pants or not.

    • 8
      7

      jim softy dimwit

      “Tamils lost the war. How can they demand peace or reconciliation when they lost their 30 year war ?”

      Sinhalese lost the war with the European colonial powers and was ruled by them for nearly 450 years.

      Sinhalese lost the war with Chola and the island was ruled by them more than 170 years.

      Why do you think you deserve an independent island exclusively for Sinhala/Buddhists.

      The recent invasion by the Hindians in 1987 was not challenged by the shameless Sinhala/Buddhist armed forces. It was the Chola flag waving LTTE fought against the Hindians and got rid of them.

      You shameless cowards don’t deserve an independent country.

      Go hide behind your women folks.

      • 1
        2

        Dumb NAtive Veddo:

        Sinhalese lost the war with Chola and the island was ruled by them more than 170 year.

        If there was a Tamil homeland, why Chola King had to invade and Sinhale people tried to chase him out ?

        • 3
          1

          jim softy dimwit

          Even in those days the Akhand Bharat believed it had a responsibility to educate the stupid Vijaya’s Kallathonie descendants.

    • 4
      2

      Well said!

    • 4
      3

      Jim
      The Tamils lost the 6th war The Tamils will win the 7th one if the majority rejects the legitimate demands of the Tamil people. The ball is in their court. Wait and see, if you can.

      • 0
        5

        Sellam:

        Only those who believe in Western/Middle Easter Religeon based ideology think conrfontaion and bullying give you what you demand. why you don’t like to go back just 16 miles to the North and ask what you want ? Because, you can not bully India and your leaders are all North Indians even though they speak Tamil.

        It took 30 years to defeat you militarily, We understand it.

    • 6
      4

      Tamils did not lose the war. LTTE lost the war.
      Tamils want to live as equals with the Singhalese in one Sri Lanka. As we used to be pre SWRD’s Singhala only.

      • 3
        0

        Of course, everybody should live as equals in a fair and free country. There is no Sinhala only now and there are two official languages. More should be done to enable people such that there is no barrier to conduct official business in the language of their proficiency/choice. It wasn’t all rosy prior to SWRD’s pre-Sinhala only policy to people who weren’t proficient in English. The language issue is largely resolved (more needs to be done)but the issue of “equality/equals” remains an ambigious. When translated politically, the term “equality/equals” as used by extremists implies the north and east to be an area exclusively for Tamils along with the coastline, whilst the remaining landmass and coastline for Tamils and Sinhalese. That sounds like a bad deal for the Sinhalese. Hence the impedement to a settlement to “live as equals in one Sri Lanka”. It would be a wonderful place for us all to live as equals! If we can!

    • 3
      0

      Hi Jim Softy,
      What has losing a so called ” war ” got to do with Peace and Reconciliation? Don’t people of Sri Lanka want to live in a stable and peaceful environment and develop the country to full potential where every ” Sri Lankan” benefits? I am lost at your statement.

  • 5
    8

    Fully agree that Tamils need to find a remedy for their deep seated hatred for the Sinhalese. The history of Tamil political demands as esposed by the self centered men such as Ponnambalam brothers, Chelva, Sunda are the root cause of the problems facing Tamils. To call it the National Question is not correct. It is a Tamil problem and not National. TNA blindly following the policies of those racists will not solve anything for anybody. To force a settlement on the nation for the benefit of Tamils and to the detriment of Sinhalese will not succeed but, could lead to more Tamil initiated violence as in 1958 and July 1983 that achieved no dividends to ordinary Tamils or Sinhalese. Proposals for a solution must include an appreciation of rights, beliefs and respect for the majority Sinhala population. They are essential, but ignored by Tamil political leaders of the past and present.

    • 4
      9

      lal:

      What a donkey’s sob you are. Please enlighten us how the Tamils have robbed the Sinhalese on the “appreciation of rights, beliefs and respect for the majority Sinhala population”? How many Hindu priests wagged their dicks for the public galore and how many Sinhalese women/girls were raped by Tamils? Sadistic the Sinhalese genes is, the Sinhalese have such a penchant appetite for even men’s bottoms. The Sinhalese are a disgraced race, devoid of any shame or remorse. Look at your pathetic President and CBK, if their daughters and sons have been subjected to such humiliating shame, will they be making these shameful statements. Some of us do pray that the Rajapakses sons get raped while they are in the prison. Perhaps, that will make their parents understand the painful experience the victims of such abuses have to live their lives. I can’t see any other way or ways these scoundrels will ever learn the pain, shame and destruction that have been the lives of the defenseless victims. Belief me, I won’t have even the slightest remorse. Call it karma if you want. What goes around comes around.

      • 0
        5

        Jansee:

        I can’t see any other way or ways these scoundrels will ever learn the pain, shame and destruction that have been the lives of the defenseless victims. Belief me, I won’t have even the slightest remorse. Call it karma if you want. What goes around comes around.

        Ask your Tamil politicians who promoted violence and Tribalism. Ask those LTTE financiers who lives in the west including those govts and the Church. As Pabakaran is no longer living, those LTTE-Brigadiers who ran away and hide in the West.

        • 2
          1

          jim softly:

          Actually there is a very simple answer to this – if the Sinhalese scoundrels have not introduced the Sinhala Only Act, the 1971 Constitution marginalising the minorities, the pogrom of 1983 in which the govt, its ministers, the police all shamelessly were part of, raping of Tamil girls, etc there would not have been the necessity to take up arms. The Sinhalese scoundrels forced the Tamils to take up arms to defend themselves.Of course, withe a pea brain the donkey neighs.

          And don’t be so cocky that Sri Lanka won the war on its own. Several countries, including India, Pakistan and China helped the regime. On its own it was beaten into shape by the LTTE so many times and for so many years. Can you please tell me for a small outfit like the LTTE, why did the regime took 30 years to defeat it, and that too with the help of several countries? EUNUCHS.

    • 2
      3

      lal looooo

      Its you again.

      “Fully agree that Tamils need to find a remedy for their deep seated hatred for the Sinhalese.”

      In fact the Sinhalese and Buddhists should have found cure for Anagarika Dharmapala’s public racism and his paranoia.

      Failure to do so has resulted in 1956, 1958, 1961, 1977, 1983, …. Just accept you are not only a racist but a member of noisy Sinhala/Buddhist minority bent on destroying this island.

  • 8
    8

    Tamils are extremists. See the following. another group comes and ask reconciliation and peace. they are always going against the Sinhala people. Tamils haven’t doen that any where in the world where ever they went and settled.

    The occupying Colombo was staging a parade for the first time in front of Jaffna District Secretariat to mark the so-called independence day of genocidal Sri Lanka in Jaffna this year. NPC Councillors M.K. Shivajilingam and Ananthy Sasitharan organised a protest with the participation of fellow struggle-centric NPC councillors, civic members and families of enforced-disappeared after 18 May 2009. The SL Police came with a stay order from Jaffna Magistrate S. Satheestharan, who had written in Tamil that the stay order was about a protest disturbing the public on A9 Road. However, the protest went ahead as planned, 300 meters away from the District Secretariat. The Tamil public in North and East refused to celebrate the so-called Independence Day and have proclaimed through various protests that February 04 will continue to remain a Black Day as far as the Tamils are concerned.

    • 8
      0

      Responses to this article started with “Jim Softy” gloating that “Tamils lost the war” and asking, “How can they demand peace?” – although this is not an article that makes any “demands”.

      Actually, this article is one which could well have been written by a sensitive and concerned Sinhalese. It seems to start off as a very fair assessment of the way in which the current “Yahapalana” government which we voted in to office appears to be failing to implement all that it promised the country. It deals primarily with the need for a new Constitution which will be fair by everybody. There is no “Tamilness” at all in the writing.

      Later there is a detailed examination of the “vexed Tamil National question”, but it is written very objectively. Even this second half could have been written by a Sinhalese.

      The comments have all been triggered by two from “Jim Softy”. Most of them rightly pour scorn on his views; a few of the 15 responses to date seem to share his view point. One way or another, we are left in no doubt that this is the problem that dominates all our Sri Lankan thinking!

      What would the responses would have been if this article had indeed been authored by a Sinhalese? I am in no doubt that this decent, responsible article represents the views of the old gentleman named “V. Thirunavukkarasu”, which name sounds pretty Tamil – but he is writing as a Sri Lankan. Why cant this be digested by us?

      The finally stated aim is to enable “genuine peace and reconciliation to blossom in the country.”

      A bit trite? Maybe. But it is very well-written, and I’m sure represents the sincere prayer of a good Sri Lankan man. It looks as though there are some Sinhalese who are incapable of responding to any appeal, if it is made by a man with a Tamil name!

      • 0
        6

        Sinhala_Man:

        You peoples’ aberrant mind ask peace and reconciliation. It is Sri lankan Soldiers who brought peace to you people. IF you say not, tell me why most of the Tamils have moved to South even after your so-called black Julay 1983. More Tamils are living in the south than in your imaginary homeland.

        Tamils have been a shamelss and slefish because, they never thanked the soldiers who gave their lives to save you people from your Sungoad who shot at you like dogs.

        You Tamils have forgotten all your history how you have treated Sinhale people during the last 30 years, how you acted and reacted since 1910 when British said, they would leave Sri lanka. IT is the Sinhala people should demand every thing from you Tamils. Even muslims who lost their lands in the North and East, from time to time, talk about their Mayhem. but, Sinhala peolle are not the same. Sinhala children even todate can not attend Yapapatuna University without any hesitation. they have to be concerned. On the other hand, you need full freedom and privileges when you are in the south.

        Just Grow up. there are Sinhala people who have other ideologies. Other than that, no one with the right mind would right this kind demanding articles.

        Just think about how much worth the destruction you Tamils caused for 30 years and the violence. On the other hand, You Tamils died for your own state and why do you cry out loud now ?

        • 6
          0

          Dear jim softy,

          Why don’t you tell us clearly who you are and what you represent? I wrote some articles about the four S. Thomas’ Colleges, and I think that I gave you not only my name, but also my email address and suggested that we exchange ideas direct via e-mail and even over the phone. You would then have realised just how much of a Sinhalese I am. I don’t know any Thamil at all; it is a bit difficult to PROVE that – rather like it is difficult to prove that Gods don’t exist. In that matter one has necessarily to settle for an agnostic point of view.

          In this case, however, you would have been able to assess my Sinhalese accent. You may be one of those “patriots” who asked people to utter the word “bucket” in Sinhala; and if a guy said “paldiya” instead of “baldiya” the guy would have been dispatched from terra firma by you in the most horrible way possible.

          Yes, I’m glad that the War finally ended, and I accept that by the time May 2009 came round (my daughter got married ten days after the event, that’s how I remember the date; and at the homecoming I remember that I predicted that many films would be made of the War’s ending); by that time, as I say, there probably was no other way to end that Epic Tragedy. We don’t want any more Tragedies.

          There were indeed brave privates, like that “Haslaka veeraya”, ex-Buddhist monk who gave up robes, and as a soldier blew up that Tiger bulldozer. Honour him; but honour more the likes of Comrade Bahu and this man, V. Thirunavukkarasu, who displayed courage and refused to become either racist or violent.

          The day you display honesty and consistency, I will start to respect and honour you. Why don’t you you look for inconsistencies in the many things that I have written and try to expose me? You don’t seem to have much to do in life (like me, perhaps in that!); it’ll be an interesting (and thoroughly frustrating) exercise for you!

    • 4
      0

      Jim Softy or whoever you are,

      I invite you to read the celebrated words of the Black American leader
      Frederick Douglass vis-à-vis his considered stance towards July 04 – the American Independence Day. There are many parallels there with the position taken by the current Sri Lankan Tamil people. Since majority Sinhala governments of several party persuasions have, wittingly or unwittingly, refused to cause justice and relief to the Tamil people the present Tamil position February 4th is not a day of celebration but a day of mourning is one worth reflecting on. I believe these remarks should be brought to the attention of the several influential Mahanayakas. After all, they are really the repository of political power in this country for decades. It was one enlightened monk in that grouping – the late Madulwewe Sobita Thero of the Kotte Maha Vihara, once a radical monk – who eventually accepted this reality and was finally working towards meaningful reconciliation between the Sinhala and Tamil majorities. But he, sadly, died. Or is there more to it?

      Kettikaran

  • 6
    9

    These Tamil racist demands should be tried in Tamil Nadu, not Srilanka.

    • 6
      4

      Fathima:

      I thought you were an import from Saudi Arabia? Or is it Libya or Iran?

      • 5
        1

        She is using the pot of some poor devout Arab or other western Asian Muslim woman praying to Allah, as she does not want to use reveal her actual South Indian Dravidian self.
        This is an inferiority complex that all Sri Lankan Muslims suffer. Not wanting to acknowledge their real Tamil Dravidian origin but in the name of religion, wherever possible portray or associate themselves with the Arabs or other western Asians, as this makes them feel good.
        Only people with some sort of low origin or inferiority complex do this, to hide their real origins or inadequacies. You do not see Tamil Christians using photos of White Europeans or Jews to identify or portray themselves.
        The reason is they have not brainwashed to think that just because they are Christians they are whites or Jews or suffer from some inferiority complex badly wanting to hide their own heritage and claim some other heritage that in their minds makes them superior.
        What an insult using the photo of some innocent devout Arab woman praying to god to represent her spewing out her hatred here. We would love to see your actual Indian/Dravidian Tamil face here Fatima, instead of some Arab woman

        • 6
          0

          I’ve just posted a comment telling Jim Softy more or less the same thing!

    • 2
      1

      Fitting, concise answer to stop the TTD parasites in their tracks.

  • 3
    5

    A referendum must be held among the Tamil speaking people throughout the island asking whether they want a separate Tamil homeland or not. Can there be a fairer suggestion than that?

    Soma

    • 3
      4

      somaaaaaaaaassss

      Actually, we need to register all those who want to live in your Sinhala/Buddhist Ghetto?

      Please make sure you include the names such as dimwit, sach, Dayan, Wimal Sangili Karuppan Weerawansa, …….

      • 0
        3

        NV

        Actually there is a sort of inherent superiority of the ‘Sinhala Buddhist ghetto’ which makes every Tamil desire to live there while creating a Tamil homeland for ‘others’.

        During the peak of war, when your ‘sole representative’ was running a de facto Ealam the only ambition of a Tamil mother was to send her children to south.

        Go visit the tea country to see for yourself how the Tamils live. Given the option will they move to Jaffna? No. Will they move to Tamil Nadu?
        No. Ask Sumathitharan will he move to Jafna?.

        Soma

        Soma

    • 0
      5

      Jaffna has Malayalis, Tamil -kallathonics and Malays.

      So, Kallathomic alone can not decide it.

      It is the Kallathonic who are asking to be equal when they are the people who dictate the rules to Sinhala majority.

      Dumb Native Vedda can show when Cholas reigned 170 years, and also which Tamils and how many thousands, which battle – got killed by fighting against British. They were just kneeling infront of british.

      See how wigneswaran even todate kneel in front of every white man coming to Jaffna. Other times, he goes and celebrate LTTE.

  • 5
    3

    No “Tamil” grievance can be or should be allowed to take precedence over Sri Lankans’ grievances, goals and progress. These Tamil terrorist diaspora parasites will never be satisfied anything short of the all Tamil Elaam.

    They will come at different times… wearing different masks… like the one who wrote this… but the song is all too familiar.

    Sri Lankans beware.

  • 1
    3

    Reconciliation is good but not indispensable, I mean for the day the day to day life of the man on the street.

    Tamils are entitled to feel gloomy and despondent. reason: they look south, forget north – paradise lies just 16 miles further up.

    Soma

    • 7
      0

      Soma, so, you are a “reconcilliation denier”, rather like Trump is a “climate-change denier”. For some time we can manage “day to day”, but not for long!

      Your hero, “The Donald” has already, within days of becoming POTUS, run in to trouble! This is the most recent article that I can find on that:

      https://www.investing.com/news/politics-news/appeals-court-to-hear-arguments-on-trump%27s-travel-ban-458068

      Actually it is very interesting to see and hear District Judge James Robart DISCUSSING the issue in court with lawyers on both sides:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfOSmXTaH1A

      Fifteen minutes that amazingly display how fairly some things are done in the USA. Even the President can be stopped by a Judge who is below the rank of Supreme Court. There’s a 90 minute video of it which I haven’t looked at.

      I found that video stunning: there ARE people in this world (even in the decadent West!) who are willing to do the right thing!

      Noam Chomsky, the linguistics professor who has become one of the most outspoken critics of US foreign policy, has won a poll that names him as the world’s top public intellectual:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jB54XxbgI0E&t=22s

      This is what my own Linguistics Professor at Peradeniya had written in when sending me the link:

      “Excellent demonstration of the value of a reasoned critical intelligence at work. The careful discriminations he makes, often even as dissent from what Medhi Hasan, who after all is on the “same side”, says, are much to be lauded. And both he and Hasan (through the facts and figures the latter provides during the interludes), puts to rest the red herringy, or rather lying, accounts that virtually all commentators on Trump’s victory alike are assiduously promoting in order to safeguard the underlying system from real interrogation, namely the accounts that have it that the victory was because the losers out in the system are disillusioned with “elite” politicians and politics – a boon to the right wing. The other things you can access are also well worth listening to.”

      You don’t want to punish War Crimes? O.K. At least let’s face up to the fact that in our nasty War both sides committed them.

      But you go one step further! You don’t want even reconcilliation! Why don’t you get a DNA test done, and go off to whatever part of India that most of your ancestors were living in 3,000 years ago?

      • 0
        6

        Sinhala Man:

        so, you are a “reconcilliation denier”, rather like Trump is a “climate-change denier”. For some time we can manage “day to day”, but not for long!

        It is Sinhala people who did not chase out Kallathoni Tamils, British Brought Tobacco farmer, Portugesue brought Goa-people, Malays, DUtch brought Lansies, or Estate Tamils.

        It is Tamils for 30 years killed innocent Civilians and destroyed the country. Sinhala people suffered from JVP and then from LTTE.

        It is Sinhala people who should fight for revenge, comphensation which should come in the form of reconciliation.

        Yet, you Tamils who are not willing to go to Tamilnadu and are asking all those political demands and revenge for the defeat in the war in the form of Reconciliation.

        The best solution is chasing out the Sinhala politicians who bend to you. TNA should have gone long ago during the LTTE times.

        For the Author: It is Sri lankan soldiers who gave PEACE. that time, you could not ask for it. You simply could open your mouth against LTTE. It is Soldiers and sailors who dies for you and saved you. NOw you selfish lot are asking peace from the other side.

        For me simply, you lot are shamless cowards.

        • 4
          0

          Jim is indeed a dimwit!

          Jim, are you addressing me, a Sinhalese, or are you addressing Tamils?

          Got to get down to basics with an ass like you!

    • 2
      0

      somaaaassss

      “Tamils are entitled to feel gloomy and despondent. reason: they look south, forget north – paradise lies just 16 miles further up.”

      Can you explain your above rant? Another reason to keep your head wherever it is now.

      • 0
        2

        NV

        Friend Sivathasan writes:

        “India is no more a third world country. It is the super power in the Indian Ocean. India’s economy surpassed that of UK, for the first time in more than 100 years. This dramatic shift has been driven by India’s rapid economic growth over the past 25 years as well as Britain’s recent woes, particularly with the Brexit. Once expected to overtake the UK GDP in 2020, the surpass has been accelerated by the nearly 20% decline in the value of the pound over the last 12 months, consequently UK’s 2016 GDP of GBP 1.87 trillion converts to $2.29 trillion at exchange rate of ~GBP 0.81 per $1, whereas India’s GDP of INR 153 trillion converts to $2.30 trillion at exchange rate of INR 66.6 per $1. Furthermore, this gap is expected to widen as India grows at 6 to 8% p.a. compared to UK’s growth of 1 to 2% p.a. until 2020, and likely beyond ranking at fifth place in terms of GDP.
        India has taken significant steps in nuclear and space technology, especially the latter. India is now capable of launching a record number, as high as 20 satellites in a single mission. India also took a giant step towards to making its first manned space mission after it successfully launched its latest rocket with a crew module. India will create history by launching a record 104 satellites, including 101 foreign ones, on February 15 from Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh.”

        What I believe is Tamils must come out of this gloomy racist shell and start looking further north up. 18 miles north of Jafna lies the paradise.

        Tamil children particularly those in the estate sector must be educated and enlightened over these new developments. Soon Tamils will choose Tamil Nadu over UK to migrate to.

        Soma

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          somaaassss

          “What I believe is Tamils must come out of this gloomy racist shell and start looking further north up. 18 miles north of Jafna lies the paradise.”

          You are free to believe in whatever you want to. If Tamils, Hindus, Sinhalese, Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, are left to their own devices, they will manage their own affairs with compassion, understanding, care,….. appropriate concern.

          You bloody racists keep out of them.

          However, the rest of the people can be persuaded to recognise your Sinhala/Buddhist ghetto. Trust me I will not rest until you and your ilk are herded into your much cherished ghetto.

          • 0
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            NV

            “Trust me I will not rest until you and your ilk are herded into your much cherished ghetto.”

            Can you also make make sure that Tami majority presently occupying the ‘ghetto’ will move on to the proposed Tamil homeland?

            Soma

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    Writing in these columns are Sinhala racists who do not realize that the country will never prosper unless they solve the ethnic problem.Short sighted politicians and Buddhist masses do not understand how civilized countries treat their minorities.

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    Thank you Comrade Thirunavukkarasu
    These are worthwhile observations.
    I notice that you are distancing yourself from leaders in the LSSP tradition who have glued themselves to the UNP and the SLFP.
    That is most welcome
    There is much for you to contribute and I sincerely hope that you will again play an active role.

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    This is a job for the Yahapalanaya government. Don’t you have no confidence in them? They will fulfill all promises and pledges.

    • 7
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      Dear Vanguard, you have asked:

      ” Don’t you have confidence in them [the Yahapalana Government]?”

      No, we are losing faith in them.

      Why aren’t the political rogues in Sri Lanka punished. I’ve already submitted (not yet appeared) the 15 minutes of highlights of what happened to Donald Trump’s “Muslim Ban” in a Seattle court house. Here’s the 70 minute version. The judge HAD to make his TRO (Temporary Restraining Order) within an hour:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKm04RWS_5I

      It will be reviewed by an Appeals Court TODAY. “Justice delayed is Justice denied”, they say. How long will it be before we know the truth about whatever Arjuna Mahendran (a Tamil!) really did, and why Ranil W. has been dragging his feet about it so long? And what happened to Wasim Thajudeen, and to Lasantha Wickrematunga, and to Pradeep Ekneligoda?

      Colombo Telegraph ought to do a “News Article” about the “Rise and Fall of Donald Trump”!

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