Tamils Are Bodily Down But Undefeated In Spirit
by Elangai Naganathan
With the end of the war in sight Sinhala opinion on the next step of the Nationalities Question (or “ethnic issue”, if you will) is firming up. At best it is in favour of the implementation of the 13th Amendment with the Concurrent List being devolved without conditions. At worst it is for the unitary state intact and inviolate.
I have had intimations from several quarters some of them being my very dear friends that Sinhala opinion is hardening on this issue. “Well”, they seem to say “you Tamils have tried your worst to destabilize our Sinhala state and our position in it as the de jure and de facto rulers of the country. Terrorism and conventional warfare have failed you. Now take what is offered and be done with it”.
The Nationalities Question, however cannot be put away so easily. I know that the term “nation” is denied by many sections of Sinhala opinion to the Tamils of the North and East. Instead “community” is offered as an alternative. “Nation” it seems is a concept reserved for the Sinhala people in Sri Lanka. This school concedes that the Tamils the world over are by the standard definition of the term entitled to nationhood, but their land space for exercising that claim is Tamilnadu - not Sri Lanka.
An interesting feature of this belief is that ironically its most vehement proponents are precisely the leaders of those communities whose inhabitancy of the island does not go back further than the 15th century. I refer to the K, the S, the D and all those artisan communities scattered over the south and west of the country whose “ge” names are redolent of a Dravidian origin and who began settling in this country in the latter stages of the Kotte era.
The iron laws against miscegenation installed in the Sinhala social system have guaranteed that these latter - day additions to the Sinhala stock remain as pure-blooded and red-blooded Tamils as ever their forebears were. They may have been acculturated but not assimilated.
There is, therefore, a paradox in the Sinhala persona. The pluralism of Sri Lankan society is more complex than generally thought to be. It is intrinsic in the very concept of “Sinhala”. Who, indeed, is a “Sinhala”? As we have seen, there are several levels of Sinhala and some of them are vicarious if not spurious, but contain elements that are proportionately ferocious in their Sinhala-ness. This is the central dilemma facing particularly the more educated members of this group and which some of them have sought to sublimate by an intense anti Tamil paranoia.
This is true of the “Gang of Four” who broke up the consensus of the Special Panel on Constitutional Reform by their minority dissenting report and by carrying tales about the functioning of the panel to their leader. But as we have seen their role as presidential advisors-in-extra-ordinary is in question. Are they “Sinhala” ? Therein lies the rub. All this, however, begs the question of whether this group of advisors or their leader want a settlement of the question, whether constitutional or otherwise.
The Tamils of the North and East may be “down” now, but they are not “out” yet. Bodily they maybe overcome, but in spirit they are not defeated. Like the Jews after 40 years in the desert of the Negev, the present generation of Tamils in the North and East have emerged after 30 years of warfare as hardy and warlike people, like the Sabras of Israel.
Some Sinhalese may believe that the fragmentation of the Tamil body politic in the East today, is an omen for the rest of the Tamils, providing the government with more pawns for its political chess board. But this view ignores the most important stake - holders in the game, namely, the Tamil people. With the onset of normalcy the Tamil man thus far voiceless will once again take charge of his political destiny.
Quite simply the Tamil man, woman and child will place their trust in the Grand Old Party, the Federal Party or its successors of today, as they did in the last general elections at which they freely voted in 1978, having returned a full slate for the TULF from all the Tamil constituencies, thus making Mr. Amirthalingam Leader of the Opposition.
“But what about the Muslim factor?” some may be heard to ask. This approach ignores the realities. Firstly, both in the north and east, relations between Muslims and Tamils have always been good. In fact the retrenchment of the LTTE from the political scene erases the last barrier between the two parties by permitting the 5 lakhs of Jaffna Muslims who have been IDPs for the past two decades to return home.
The Muslims not only of Tamilnadu but of all South India have traditionally enjoyed good relations with their Hindu neighbours. The Sultanates of Bijapur and Golconda and their feudatories straddled across much of present - day Andra Pradesh and Karnataka, extending to Tamil Nadu as well eg. the Nawabates of Arcot and the Carnatic.
Tamil is a recognized language of the Holy Koran and its commentaries. It is taught at the famous Al Aqsar university in Cairo. Prominent Muslims both lay and clerical have been reputed for speaking Tamil as eloquently as the best Tamil speakers. Interested parties seeking to create discord between the Tamils of the North and East and the Muslims will be sadly mistaken.
The more relevant question is where will military victory leave the Sinhala people and government. The tide of anti-Sinhala sentiment is rising high in Tamilnadu and will reach the proportions of a tsunami. The favourite hunting ground of any South Indian state on the rise has been Sri Lanka - South India’s back yard. That syndrome remains unchanged.
The recent Bombay bomb attack has shown that Central India is as vulnerable as the North. Pakistan is a ticking time bomb waiting, to explode at any moment. She is implacable as long as the right of self determination of the people of Kashmir is denied.
The Congress Party’s resolution for Hindustani as the sole national language, instead of Hindustani and Urdu as the joint national languages of independent India created Pakistan. Urdu has been and still is in South India the lingua franca. It is the old story of “Two languages one nation; one language two nations”. When will the Sinhala ruling class ever learn?
The days of North Indian hegemony are numbered. Indian helplessness for two whole days with her 200 commandos facing just 12 Islamic youth in the Bombay bomb attack is unworthy of a great power. The Union of India will not survive such shocks and surprises for long.
An Irredentist movement in the North and East of Sri Lanka will find a spontaneous echo in Tamil Nadu. That is about the last thing India will want to happen. The general reaction of the Sinhala people, particularly the government and its select advisors, to the end of the war will create a “Sudetenland” situation that can have but one ending, the fragmentation of the Sinhala state”.
There is also the factor of the Tamils of Indian Origin as they now style themselves. Proud of their Indian origin, they are no longer interested in identifying with the Sinhala state. The inhuman statelessness into which they were thrust by the repulsive Sirima - Shastri Pact has left behind bitter memories on both sides of the Straits that will come to haunt those responsible namely the SLFP and the Indian Congress, respectively.
The new generation of the Tamils of Indian origin is burning its boats with the Sinhala unitary state and with it the baggage of its erstwhile power - hungry and money - grasping leaders. The Tamils of Indian origin have an international dimension, as their membership is to be found everywhere in the world. They have held several hugely successful congresses in different cities of their diaspora and are politically alive and active. They are a double-edged sword that could cut both ways - into the Indian Union and the Sinhala unitary state as well.
Unlike the Tamils of the North and East, who similar to the Sudeten Germans are demographically compact, the Tamils of Indian Origin, like the Germans of West Prussia and Poznan, are scattered, but where concentrated are found in the best tea -growing districts of Maskeliya and Nuwara Eliya. Every South Indian state in its expansionist phase has exhibited a fascination for practising a ‘Lebensraum’ in Sri Lanka.
In fact the immigrant South Indian communities referred to previously may well represent the vestiges of previous experiments of a similar nature. In the context of the weakening of the Centre and the strengthening of the States in India, an ambitious South Indian leader may well avail of the opportunities latent in the “Sudetenland” and “West Prussian & Poznan” situations simmering in Sri Lanka, to execute an “Anschluss”.
What can the Sinhala people and their government do in such a situation? Their only hope lies in an “Ausgleich” in the fashion of the celebrated instrument of that name of 1867 by which the stability of the Austrian empire was guaranteed by invoking the principle of Equalization on the basis of Parity, unconditional and unqualified.
An Ausgleich has the supreme advantage of being flexible and adaptable. There is no need to stick to the Dualist Austro - Hungercan model. It can be Triplist or Quadruplist. Such an adaptation would firstly meet the claims of the Muslims and Tamils of South Indian Origin, not to mention the Kandyans. Secondly it would provide a stepping stone to a broader union with South India, of which the Sinhala people will be the best beneficiaries. After the Sethu Samudram Scheme is implemented there will be nothing left to take of Sri Lanka. From being a “back yard.,” she will become a “back water” as well. The historic ports of the North and East will rise again and flourish; Those of the South and West will fall into desuetude.
The comprador, Import - Export economy installed by the British favouring the South and West will be shut down. The land - owning and capitalist classes that it nourished will be finished.
Under the classic Dual Monarchical model it was possible for the P.M. of Hungary, Count Felix Andrassy, to be Foreign Minister of Austria - Hungary. We can be guided by this precedent in devising a Dual or Triple Sovereignty in this country. An overarching level of government will be needed to provide a focal point for the union of the states, as was furnished in Austria by the Hapsburg emperor. Such a position could be rotational between the states.
One could even contemplate a moveable capital - one time Kotte, other times Kandy, Maskeliya, Jaffna, Batticaloa or even Chennai. The possibilities, are limitless. For that matter, the Ausgleich template would serve the Union of India too, if the need arises.
Let the panel of experts be speedily reconvened and a quick constitutional revision be put in place, if the Sri Lanka state is to survive, let alone be stabilized. Let not the moment of triumph being savoured by all levels of Sinhala society and government. be turned into a moment of truth for them.
(The writer is the son of former senator, Nallur MP and Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (Federal party) stalwart Dr. E.M.V.Naganathan. However he is a keen observer of contemporary political scene in his own right)
15 Comments
This shows why tamils become nuisance where ever the country they settle in. They suffer cultural constipation. Where ever they go they create little india or little Jaffna and become a target of the locals look at Malaysia, Fiji , Trinidad , South Africa ...
Let the panel of experts be speedily reconvened and a quick constitutional revision be put in place, if the Sri Lanka state is to survive, let alone be stabilized. Let not the moment of triumph being savored by all levels of Sinhala society and government. be turned into a moment of truth for them.
"Amen" I fervently say to that, and would add that a climate that can foster such a convention must first be generated post-haste.
I must say I was quite taken aback at laugh not only at the manner in which the Indian forces blundered around in response to the Mumbai attack and the way the Indian Air Force fell out of the skies in practice maneuvers with NATO but even more so at the way in which these blunderers were toasted and decorated and defended instead of being realistically evaluated with a view to remedy shortcomings all round.
While there may be similarities with many situations in the past, it seems to me that the greatest challenge to the Indian State is being mounted not by the centrifugal movement of the states but the slow and creeping centripetal on of what is called the "Maoist" movement which is in actual fact a movement of the people led by the middle class intelligentsia.
The scenarios painted by this author seem, to me, to be far to complex & rely on too many players. I think there are 4 scenarios that could play based on much more recent precedents (& which depend only on the decisions & actions of two people - Rajapakse & Fonseka).
1. The "Kosovo scenario": The SL army make the final assault, completely wipe-out the Tigers but cause massive civilian casualties. There is an international outcry over the civilian casualties which leads to the SL govt become even more draconian. The Indian govt (now freed from its need to support the SL army to defeat the Tigers) then intervenes & receives a UN mandate to take control of the north and the south becomes wracked with conflict in response. Remember that no-one supported Kosovan independence until the Serbian military killed large number of civilians in their attack on Kosovan terrorists (the KLA) - after that even the Russians (the Serb's great-power supporter) agreed to almost total autonomy under international supervision.
2. The "South Lebanon scenario": The SL army make the final assault, completely wipe-out the Tigers but cause massive civilian casualties. Irrespective of whether the surviving civilians are moved to enlarged "concentration camps" or are allowed to return home, there are thousands of orphans, widows & widowers yearning for revenge and no hope of advancement. After 5 years remnants of the LTTE (funded by the diaspora) recruit these people, plus those dissaffected by military occupation in the north, to form the nucleus of a new militant/ terrorist organisation that begins a new terror campaign. In response the south has to resurrect its "security state" apparatus & democracy is smothered. The Israeli invasion of South Lebanon in the early 1980s led to similar overwhelming success against the PLO (who, by the way, were quite hated by the Lebanese) but the excessive damage done by Israel & its Christian-militia allies led to the founding & growth of Hezbollah.
3. The "Gaza scenario": The SL army do not make the final assault and settle down to blockade & regular shelling & incursions. The remaining Tigers re-recruit & re-train amongst a supine population of destitutes & refugees. Over time they learn to infiltrate the army lines and continue a major terrorist campaign. In response the south has to maintain its "security state" apparatus, the economy declines & democracy is smothered. Gaza has an area of 360 sq km and contains 1.4 million people, almost all refugees. The current LTTE "pocket" has an area of 200sq km and contains at most 250 000 people.
4. The "Malaya scenario": The army ceases conventional operations and focusses on commando raids to BOTH deliver food & medical aid to civilians & pick-off high-value LTTE leadership. At the same time civilians in camps are returned to their homes and these villages given protection, whilst agreement is reached with political leaders on a political settlement. It was the combination of long-term, persistent ambushes of guerrila leaders, support to locals and simultaneous political agreements that enabled the British to defeat the Malayan uprising.
The UNP gov (for all its many faults) was attempting a version of scenario 4 - mounting long-range raids, helping LTTE defectors like Karuna whilst trying to reach political accomodations & develop the economies.
Alas, the Rajapakse/Fonseka partnership is totally focussed on defeating the conventional threat to Sri Lanka's sovereignty at all costs (which is why it has been the most succesful in purely military terms). Hence I fear scenarios 1 & 2 are the most likely. If international pressure can be applied then scenario 3 would at least save lives but this would require a huge change of heart from the Rajapakse/ Fonseka duo. Scenario 4 would require too big a change of attitude so is least likely (especially given the hopes raised in the south of a quick victory).
Sorry for the long post
I'm a afraid that you are wrong, unlike north and east, west and the central SL will not collapse because of sathasunderum project, I agree the north and east will get developed. Also Singhalese don't care about karava, durva, salava, and kandiyan division, this happens only during marriages, but unlike Tamils present day Singhalese don't care much about these thing, may be during my father time but not now. Tamils cared more that's why we have a war. If Tamils assimilate to the SL model there won't be any problem. By the way karava people were worriers who came during kotte period, Tamil by descent, mixed well now if you ask them who they are 98% won't know that they were Tamil decent, and so are salava who were Brahmins from Kalinga also Tamil by decent now mixed just like the others. Thing with the Singhalese is they won't know it and won't care, unlike the Tamil brothers.
Elangai Naganathan, it is of no use. Your words will just come through one year and out the other. Sri lankan Tamils, Muslims and other minorities will have to give up their mono-ethnic and mono- religious attitudes if they are achieve parity of status in Sri Lanka. Ban all mono-ethnic and mono-religious based political parties. This is the only way to make united Sri lankans.
It is sad what has happened to the tamils in the North and the East. I do not beleive that they deserve what has been happening to them. The tamil politicians promised them a seperate land without any plan to achieve. Prabakeran gave that deream a plan of action and implemented it.
Today the tamils are suffering because of the politicins like you and of course the sinhala politicians as well.
Sri Lanka should be a multi ethnic, multi religious country for all. No part should be for any community.
The majority community should understand the responsibilities and the minorities should understand the duties and responsibilities of a minority. The problem is neither of the two communities understand the responsibilities and duties. Untils such time they do we will have mistruct ans bloodshed.
It took Jews to have their own country centuries and still they are fighting to keep it alive.
It took Palastines to have their own territory nearly half a century, still they are fighting.
It will take quarter more century for the Tamils to have their own land call HOMELAND, we still have to fight to keep.
Mode of fight may change, but nothing will come free.
The fate of lankan tamils is transcended by the power struggle between the main sinhala parties. They wish to rule the country purely for material benefit for their members,to live the good life and provide for their future generations. Every sinhala majority government since "independence" from the top downwards have been corrupt, & have practiced nepotism, had disdain for the rule of law, disregard of social justice and practised establishment of a hirearchy favourable for their survival.
Muslims will support both sides in every government as has been their practce hitherto, obtaining benefits and survival with their social fabric & wealth generation intact from whatecer government in power.
The tamils of indian origin will survive like the muslims, and will crawl back for favours from any ruling sinhala parties - even though they may be derided as "parademalas" as happened recently.
As long as tamil nadu is politically divided, lankan tamils will have no hope of regeneration of a poltical caucus strong enough to demand complete equality in every sense from any ruling sinhala party.
The APRC will be buried for good - any talk of 'devolution' will be firmly discouraged - the present government wishes to stay in power for as long as possible.
Tamils will be under strict surveillance to nip any dissent in the bud - this will be facilitated by the newly commenced Ethnicity Census which will be implemented island wide. Dissenting english & sinhala media are already being made extinct, and tamil quislings will take care of dissenting tamil media and people who run them.
The future is bleak for lankan tamils. The 'hardy and warlike' individuals among them have all been killed, their intelligentsia scattered all over the world. They will be closely watched by an 'army of occupation' in the tamil areas and the hill country - this will be the peacetime role of the armed forces, to be strengthened by an additional 100,000 to be recruited - they cannot be asked to simply go home. They will remain as a permanent drain on the country's resources, & will cause many other problems. Sri Lanka will become a fully militarised/police state with 'guided democracy' like in burma. Its future is anybodys' guess.
Your name "Elangai" sounds like "Ilakkai" which means Sri Lanka! Your mother once supposed to have said that she will not rest until her slippers are made of Sinhalese Skin (accuracy unknown!).
>and space for exercising that claim is Tamilnadu - not Sri Lanka.
Correct !
> whose “ge” names are redolent of a Dravidian origin
Wrong, "GE" it means OF, like 'Von' in Germany!
>present generation of Tamils in the North and East have emerged after 30 years of warfare as hardy and warlike people
That's not going to help resolve the problem, but aggravate. Ealam is a dead notion. India will never allow it.
>The tide of anti-Sinhala sentiment is rising high in Tamilnadu and will reach the proportions of a tsunami.
This has been existing since the 50's , remember MGR's movies and DMK rally in Jaffna? With a devolution of power it will subside.
>“Two languages one nation; one language two nations”. When will the Sinhala ruling class ever learn?
Tamil is an official language in Sri Lanka.
>The Tamils of Indian origin have an international dimension, as their membership is to be found everywhere in the world.
Yes,we know! But they have no country! That's why Prabakaran thought he can start in SL and extend it to TN. And you guy's got carried away! Now is the time to give up.If your kit in TN wasn't able to prevent your country being taken by the western invaders to join India later you would have a country still. So go there and ask for Ealam!
> situations simmering in Sri Lanka, to execute an “Anschluss”
wishful thinking!
>What can the Sinhala people and their government do in such a situation?
Arm heavily and be perpared to repulse!
>An Ausgleich has the supreme advantage of being flexible and adaptable. There is no need to stick to the Dualist Austro - Hungercan model. It can be Triplist or Quadruplist. Such an adaptation would firstly meet the claims of the Muslims and Tamils of South Indian Origin, not to mention the Kandyans. Secondly it would provide a stepping stone to a broader union with South India, of which the Sinhala people will be the best beneficiaries
You have great imagination! Envisaging a long term plan to spilt Sri Lanka to get to Ealam ( and greater Ealam then) via the back door now that LTTE has failed in achieving it.
Finally from your deep knowledgd of central European history i assume you are living now in Germany!
Mr. Naganathan,
In the face of the humanitarian catastrophe in the Vanni, do you think it is the time to talk about this solution? I recall your sister was part of the "panel fo experts" and her husband, living in Madras, had been saying that things would be better if the LTTE was not in the picture. But have you all considered the fact that participating in such panels and making such comments give legitimacy to this illegitimate regime in Colombo? Will your father turn in his grave?
I have read countless number of publications apparently written by Tamil authors on Sri Lanka's war and almost all of them congregate towards one theme; separate homeland for Tamils in Sri Lanka.
What created this state of mind? Why can't they think as the entire Sri Lanka as their home?
It is absurd to say that they are looking for a separate state because of discrimination. If that's the case majority will not live with Sinhalese in the south. And depending on the colour of the lens that one is looking through, it can be said that Sinhala as the official language policy created severe problems to Tamils. That's not the case. Now English has become the most important language and Sinhala has lost its ..........shine, I may say.
If there were any reprisals against Tamils in the past, they all occurred (except in 1983, when certain politico backed goons attacked innocent Tamils) due to certain Tamils making unjust claims for a separate state or considerable amount of power unacceptable within the circumstances prevailing at that time.
What my understanding is that Tamils suffer from an inferiority complex of not having a state for themselves. And due to the fact that they cannot fight with India for that they opted for Sri Lanka due to small amount of Sinhalese thinking that they would be able to chase them away and create a separate country that never ever existed in the past. It is high time to realize this fact and stop making unrealistic claims. Sri Lanka is the home for all citizens of Sri Lanka.
Wow, its amazing in the hour of need the Doctors of 'HOMELAND' are trying to revive the hope of unrealistic dreamland again and get the Tamils for suckker ride again, perhaps with a new P'baharan.
So that they can collect more NGO $s and do Symposiums etc around the world in Cool Capitals where the ordinary Tamil suckers die under trees!!!!
I think the tamils have a terrible inferiority complex due to the fact they do not have a country of their own.
If it is not possible in India how can it be possible in Sri Lanka?.
Get real, try your luck in Malaysia, Indonesia, India first ( or at least now, since you have failed in Sri Lanka).
I am sure the average tamil folks will not be taken for the right royal sucker ride again.
- aj
wonder when will u wake up from day dreamz and start living.
I have learnt about this durawa karawa stuff only from tamil bloggers & has no practical value in sinhala society.
Only thing we sri lankans want is end of terrorism and peace.
If durawa people mixed with locals & evolved to a new nation why cant remaining tamils & sinhalese speakers get mixed and become a new nation in 500 years.
I am proud that we are a mixed race evolved through time.
We want to see SL become a true democratic socialist republic where new migrants will come here and enrich our society identifying themselves as proud sri lankans. Your attempt to create ethnic enclaves in our land is already a defeated concept and our resolve will prevail. Dont forget that there are many other ethnic groups apart from tamils who deserve nothing less. Afterall we are humans!
Eeither u come and live with us or leave us alone.
To all sinhala racists out there!!!
Inspite of a significant tamil population,why tamil is not an official language of Srilanka from 1956?.
Why no Tamil has been able to lead the country as President/ Prime Minister?
Why does Srilanka have a monolithic army, airforce, navy and police made up of Sinhalese?.
Why was equal rights to Tamils withdrawn after the british left?.
Why employment opportunities are being provided to tamils in the government sector?.
From 1958 to 1983, srilankan tamil political leaders were asking for their rights in the ahmisa way. But Sinhala racists subjugated tamils leading to the 1983 riots, creation of the LTTE, exodus of tamils to tamilnadu, intervention of India to the present state.
Unless Sinhala racists have a change in heart and learn to co-exist with tamils, this problem will not be solved.
Compare Srilanka with India, Singapore. India has Hindi and many other regional languages as official languages. Singapore has tamil as one of the official languages. South africa has 11 official languages.
Sinhalas should learn to live without discrimination. Till that time, you will more Prabhakarans. Sinhalas will be the prime reason for destroying Srilanka.
Sinhalas
Who ever the last blogger (who claims to be Anand)
shows the typical hatrad of LTTE towards the majority
of the country.
These human scum has no respect for any thing else than power.
they don't even care about the tamil civilians, all tey need is to hate someone, and make a living out of it.