Fonseka arrest and the Govigama-Karawe caste equation in Sinhala society
by Lakruwan de Silva
I read with concern reports of the arrest of General Sarath Fonseka. As a Sinhala Buddhist, I had voted for Mahinda Rajapakse at the last presidential polls. Mahinda had after all done a commendable job at synchronizing the foreign policy, the military policy, the India policy and the domestic policy to ensure a complete route of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, something no president before him had accomplished.
Supporters of former army commander General Sarath Fonseka hold up his poster during a protest against his arrest in Colombo February 10, 2010-Reuters pic.
I was also taken aback by Fonseka's war crime allegations against Gothabaya Rajapakse, the brother to the President and respected Secretary, Ministry of Defence. I viewed that as high treason, a betrayal of the Sinhala Buddhist cause where the Sinhalese had until the Rajapakse administration been isolated, marginalized and without friends in the international arena. We were the Serbs of Asia, misunderstood abroad and sidelined. Our victimhood at the hands of terrorism was never acknowledged overseas just as the Serb victimhood at the hands of a western conspiracy to fragement Yugoslavia was never conceded. Fonseka had done us a great disservice.
I was happy therefore that Mahinda had won the polls with a resounding victory. This said, the subsequent turn of events that included the harassment of the Fonseka family, the purge of military officials, including senior generals, and now the arrest of the erstwhile general himself on the eve of the dissolution of parliament saddens me. The grand war time alliance of Sinhala Buddhist interests appears to have unravelled. I attribute the bad blood between the Rajapakse and Fonseka camps to vendetta and revenge. This is largely a personal feud born of a sense of betrayal. However, I wonder whether the legacy of caste has had a tangential role in the matter after all. Rajapakse is the scion of an old southern Govigama family while Fonseka was a Karave general also from the south.
Let us explore the issue in some detail. Professor K.M. de Silva in his "History of Sri Lanka", refers to the migration of the Karawe, Salagama and Durawe castes from southern India to Sri Lanka between the 14th and 17th centuries AD. The Karawe, a maritime caste, appear to have had a disproportionate influence in the Sinhala military in medieval times. M.D. Raghavan's publication, "The Karave of Ceylon: Society and Culture" illustrates the cultural history in some depth. Michael Roberts also documents Karawe elite formation in his seminal publication "Caste Conflict and Elite Formation, the Rise of the Karave elite in Sri Lanka: 1500-1931".
Traditional Karawe surnames in the Sinhala language illustrate this military history. Patabendige means the local headman. Hewage translates as soldier.Hennedige means militiaman. Tantrige translates as the strategy expert. Vidanage means civil administrator.
Karave folklore describes the community as Kuru-kula i.e. the descendents of the famed Kuru or Kaurava dynasty in the classical Indian epic, the Mahabharata. The Buddha preached the Satipattana sutta, one of his two foremost sermons, the other being the Dhamma chakka pavatana sutta, to the people of Kuru when he visited that old Indian kingdom in the 5th century BC.
The Mukkara Hatana, an old palm manuscript currently in the British musuem, derives the name Kuru-kula from Kuru-mandala which was later anglicized to the Coromandel on the South Indian coast. Once again, the etymological links with the Kuru tradition of the Mahabharata are evident. The 17th century Sinhala chronicle, the Rajavaliya refers to the settlement of the Karava people in Kuru-rata which is today identified with the land between Kurunegala, Chilaw and Negombo. There is a persistent tradition that links the Karave with the Kuru of the Mahabharata. The Ceylon Tamil maritime castes share this Kuru-kulataar tradition.
Caste divisions are not unknown in Sinhala Buddhist history. The Govigama-Karave competition intermittently resurfaces in our history. The Govigama are the farmer caste akin to the Tamil Vellalar. The Govigama are perhaps 50% of the Sinhala population while the Karave are likely 10%. The Govigama unfairly dismiss the Karave as a fishing caste.
King Vijayabahu in the 11th century denied access to the so-called lower castes to venerate the Buddha's footprint at the summit of Sri Pada or Adam's Peak. These castes were confined to a lower terrace further down. This led to an immediate counter when a 12th century rock inscription of King Nissanka Malla warned that the Govigama caste could never aspire to high office. The 13th century Sinhala literary work, the Pujavaliya went on to assert that a Buddha would never be born in the Govigama caste.
The Govigama reaction was swift. Kandyan Buddhist civil law as later documented in the Niti Nighanduwa, placed the Govigama at the top of an elaborately ordered caste hierarchy. The Kandyan Buddhist clergy - the Siam Nikaya - denied entry into the Buddhist monkhood to the non-Govigama. They excluded the Karave. This led wealthy Karave merchants in the maritime districts to finance the journey of Ambagahapitiya Gnanawimala Thera to Amarapura in Burma for the ordination into the Buddhist monkhood in 1800 AD. While the newly founded Amarapura nikaya had 21 sub-sects defined on caste lines (i.e. Karave, Salagama and Durave), it nonetheless offered a rare opportunity for the Karave to join the Buddhist religious order. Other Karave abandoned Buddhism altogether and converted to Roman Catholicism to seek caste emancipation. 50% of the Karave caste might well be Christian today. At present, Karave Christian youth have the best education outcomes in Sinhala society.
Many of us were thankful that these caste divisions in Sinhala Buddhist society had ebbed. However, recent events indicate that this may not entirely be so. In the late 1800s, Charles Henry de Soysa, the foremost Karave philantrophist, had hosted a banquet to the Duke of Edinburgh in Colombo, an event boycotted by the Govigama political elite led by Solomon Bandaranaike. Dr. Marcus Fernando, a Karave leader of no mean accomplishment, ran for the Educated Ceylonese seat at the 1911 elections. The Govigama elite, led by the Senanayakes, successfully defeated him and ensured the victory of Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan, a Tamil candidate, instead. The Govigama preferred Tamil leadership to that of the Karave Sinhalese. That was treachery on the part of the Govigama.
We now witness a situation where Rajapakse has literally crushed Fonseka. Let us not forget that all Sri Lankan heads of state, with just one exception, have been Govigama. Non-Govigama representation in Sri Lanka's legislature has declined since independence. And all three revolts against the post-independence Sri Lankan state were led by the Sinhala Karave or Tamil Karaiyar.
The feud between the President and the erstwhile General, while personal in nature, has now developed caste over tones. The President's camp was uncertain of victory in the run-up to the polls. Reports suggest that it deftly and subtly played the caste card within the military to deny Fonseka the military vote. The President succeeded. In the ensuing post-poll purge of the military, the Karave have disproportionately been targeted. Other Karave generals have been sacked from the armed forces. Karave Buddhist monks had been arrested. Much to my chagrin, caste may still be alive in Sinhala Buddhist society, albeit as an undercurrent.
The best the President can do to help heal the wounds, is to allow General Fonseka a quiet uncelebrated exile overseas. General Sarath Fonseka, despite what some consider to be his betrayal, is Sri Lanka's first four star general. He had won one of Sri Lanka's highest awards of military heroism - the 'Rana Wickrama Padakkama'. India's national security advisor had described Fonseka as the best army commander in the world. Its time he is set free. Let us close this unfortunate chapter in the run-up to the upcoming legislative polls in the interests of the hard won Sinhala unity.
77 Comments
Why dont you go back to Orissa
Are you starting yet another division among sinhala people?.
Cast system which was associated with the livelihood of people of by gone era is eroding at a rate where it is almost nonexistential among the younger generation. Please don't start these nonsense. I am sure you are a "hanamiti karaya" which are a dying breed in SL. Please leave young people to get on with the future of SL .
Sri Lankans didn't have any problem with Sarath Fonseka's cast when he was fighting their war. Eldery Sri Lankan wemen, who met him at Buddagaya on his official visit to India thought it fit to worship in in public. So was the kind of reverence man had earned. No body cared about his cast.
But he entered the wasala cast with his deeds and only deeds can make a man a wasalaya or not. What Fonseka is facing now is nothing but the manifestation of the outcome of all his personnel flaws arrogance ego and selfcenteredness displayed during past few months.
When he wows to drag his military brotheren infront of international courts, Sri Lankans need not to know his cast to treat him as wasalaya.
Please this has nothing to do with cast.Dont try to create another cancer in the Sri Lankan society. WE have had enough.
"The best the President can do to help heal the wounds, is to allow General Fonseka a quiet uncelebrated exile overseas"...
An excellent suggestion but given his penchant for "Open Mouth Wide, Place Foot In Mouth", it is highly unlikely that General Fonseka is capable of having a "quiet" or "uncelebrated" anything anywhere.
I saw this artical just now and started to read it with an impression of 'What the hell is this guy talking about' , and tried to figure out is there anything useful for our society to get from this age old phenomena, rejected by the Buddhism.
But unfortunately there was nothing..! well..you are trying to give another dimension for this instead of seeing the modern day political socio atmosphere , this is very like a early 18th century time traveler suddenly enter to the present day Sri lanka and trying to figure out which cast is ruling and what the other casts are doing" ..it perfectly sounds like that and its very irrelevant to present day situation.
As a nation we pulled back and defeated constantly after the polonnaruwa era in front of all invaders. As I see the reason for this is that we lost the pure Buddhist- Sinhala backbone due to constant involvements from south Indian influences. When you see the kandyan era it was just like the south Indian caste based socio-political arena, which kept us divided and week for no reason except this stinky of caste system.
I'm very sorry to see that somebody is trying to figure out this event as a caste base battle...but sure there is a battle between westernize urban class and sinhala Buddhist middle class. This was reflected by UNPs and some former SLFP leaders represented against Present president, and even against Late Premadasa.
In an era where the white supreamacy is being rejected by the world's leading democracy whilst bringing up a Black president in USA, just within 100 years after slavery!!! showing the indication of eliminating color & race discrimination comprehensively as a nation with 300 million heads, fully cured !! we are still struggling to interpret our modern day problems trough an ancient dead cast system!! instead of prohibiting it to use at any circumstances in any document not to mention in any marriage proposals on newspapers, not to use it public etc.
we should bring tough rules to eleminate it from our society in the sake of our future, we would be shamed if we cannot cure that stinky social wound from our 15 million heads after 1000s of years of time..while USA did something physically visible and worse than the cast, with 300 million heads within 100 years..!
Your statement...
"As a Sinhala Buddhist, I had voted for Mahinda Rajapakse at the last presidential polls"
"Did you not vote as a Sri Lankan? Or is the reader to equate Sinhala Buddhist as Sri Lankan?
Another statement:
"The Govigama preferred Tamil leadership to that of the Karave Sinhalese. That was treachery on the part of the Govigama".
Are you stating that a Sinhalese voting for a Tamil is betrayal? Of who? Of what is it a betrayal? Isn't is more important that the best man be chosen for the job rather than catering to one's own prejudices?
Another statement:
"Let us close this unfortunate chapter in the run-up to the upcoming legislative polls in the interests of the hard won Sinhala unity".
I (and I am sure many other Sri Lankans) thought that this whole war was fought for Sri Lankan unity. I am so sorry, I think the author of this piece of .... is sadly mistaken.
you more concerned about cast consciousness than sinhala - tamil racism? Is the latter inherently good (which you are condoning throughout your article) that you strive so much to want sinhalese to overcome only the former?
How come you are are a sinhala buddist as your name shows from which cast you are from. But please do not write about cast fo sake of writting.
I have lived in SL for 5 decades and have never faced any positive or negative discrimination based on caste. My childen probably do not know what caste they belong to. Do not promote a division that is virtually non-existent in the Sinhala society.
This article is total rubbish and nonsense. I have never experiennced anything related to caste in Sri Lanka, and I am in my 50's. My question to the editor is: Why do you waste your efforts and our time by posting this type of nonsense?
Another episode to divide the sinhalese. Sri Lanka's existence for 2000 years had been well founded on Buddist civilisation. Goutama Buddhas teachings has no place for cast superiority. For power economic advantageous comparative advantage cast system prevailed. Colonial masters too well capitalized the situation. After the election defeats there are new theories been promoted for various reasons. Today the best example one could draw is the impact of globalization on the economic power of the low cast people in India. They are calling the shots on major political parties in India. Once people gather the economic power in to their hands cast creed and religion has no place. Similar impact is felt in Sri Lankan society as well. To conclude; "No man or a women is greater than his or her task" Mahinda Rajapakse accomplished his task and he was rewarded with the second term, he had a well planned campiagn to attract the young floating vote. General Sarath Fonseka accomplished his assigned task of leading the forces for the great victory. Unfortunately he was confused to identify his real task, it was not in politics.
This guy comes up with a another crapp. The divisions we have are enough. Use your writing skills to unite people but not divide.
This is bullshit! Don't start another division among Sinhalese. There was no caste problem all this while until you so intelligently discovered. These are all unnecessary ruminations.
It is truly saddening to see the way retired general mistreated. This definitely shows how pathetic Sri Lankan politics is. No doubt we need to change the situation, but for the question how?, I do not have an answer.
Ranjith From Australia- There is a time to compete and a time to concede.Time for war and time for peace. Fonseka is now a broken down man. He brought it upon himself, threatening to give evidence before the Geneva War Crimes Tribunal against the President and the Government of SriLanka.Fonseka should have gracefully retired. It was Mahinda who won the war and not Fonseka. Fonseka was in the army before Mahinda came into power. Did Fonseka achieve anything then? He is said to be responsible for retreating in battle when previous presidents were in power. But I agree let the man go and let us heal the wounds of the nation. Let the Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims live together as brothers in one country one nation. God Bless our President!
An article which at the beginning seemed like an analysis of the politics associated with Gen. Sarath Fonseka's arrest, suddenly turned into a fairytale involving the Mahabharatha, including the author's superficial knowledge of Sri Lanka history.
Without going into the caste issue, I will take just one statement of the author to show his lack of knowledge of Sri Lanka history. He says: "Other Karave abandoned Buddhism altogether and converted to Roman Catholicism to seek caste emancipation." One can fairly assume there were no Catholics in Sri Lanka prior to the Portuguese arrival in 1505. If the author is aware of SL history during that era, Sinhala people were converted to Catholicism at the end of the barrel of a gun or a sword by missionaries who were part of the Portuguese armies. The Portuguese destroyed temples and rampaged villages to convert Sinhala people into the Catholic religion. Buddhists did not convert willingly and during contemporary times, the Catholic church gave favors to non-Catholics by way of securing employment which, of course, were 'performed by God' under suspicious circumstances. I am not trying to dig caste or religious issues here, but merely showing an aspect of the article authored by a charlatan masquerading as a political scientist/sociologist/Sri Lankan-Indian historian/philosopher and more.
.
I always say that Srilanka belongs to Sinhalese Buddhists.
Not to Fonseka's, Fernando's, Kadirgamar's, Muralidharan's or Abdullah's.
.
:-)
Why don't you write an article about Cinnamomum Verum peelers?
Douglas de Silva
In modern day Sri Lanka caste system almost defunct. Money and power matters and whatever your caste is if you have money and power you are ok.
How many time did you mention "Sinhala Buddhist" in your article?
Not only you I have seen many many Sinhalese identify them as Sinhala Buddhist.
Shame on you all.
I hardly read or hear anyone refers themselves as Tamil Hindu or Tamil Christian.
At least Tamil are more forward thinking than Sinahalese in that regard. Further Tamils never let any religious leaders get into politics.
Grow up if you want to bring Sri Lanka forward.
If Fonseka was a traitor as alleged by the Rajapaksa clan, and divulged military information to the public, how was the war won? It sure has me puzzled. In an interview with BBC, Gotabhaya said "Fonseka accused ME of giving wrong orders" Maybe that statement give some insights to the workings of the Sri Lankan political machine. Smells like a vendetta? It does to me.
"The Govigama preferred Tamil leadership to that of the Karave Sinhalese. That was treachery on the part of the Govigama".?
Your slip is showing sir! So, your erudite view is voting a Tamil is treachery and Tamils are even lower than even the low cast Karawe as per your perception? With people like you who needs enemies for this country!
Reminds me of the 3rd grader's essay on "The Mouse". It is evident that Lakruwan de Silva's forte is in the Sri Lankan cast system and this is his attempt understand current situation through what he knows best.
Mr. de Silva's essay brings up another question. What should one's reaction be to those who voted for MR and now regrets their decision? No doubt, there will be many others in this crowd as time goes on. These are the people whom through their inept decision making ability altered the future for everyone (people who stick to their election decisions are admirable, in my book). Therefore, do we sympathize with them or place the blame squarely on them for the situation the country finds itself in? After all, it is this group, who had the ability (physically and mentally) to determine the outcome and now regret their choice.
Parochial; bigotted; negative; retrogressive; counter productive; unhealthy; communal; narrow; mean spiritted; divisive; close-minded; - he IS the "national problem".
".... in the interests of the hard won Sinhala unity...", now you know why you are the "... the Serbs of Asia...". I feel sorry for folks like you who have lost your spiritual capacity for connecting with human beings who are not your stock.
This is disgusting. One should not catch fish in muddy water.I think this can help further divisions of our society.Your motive may be to develop your image in the media circles and among the people.But think of the repurcussions it can have on our society. Please refrain from doing harm to broad society to gain trivial undue advantages. I think the following quotation from Einstein is relevent here.
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger and more complex… It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction."
Thanks!
To exile fonseka like king rajasinghe? never........................u know........even , this was the way hi was abducted to.....................history repeats ..........
I don't think you are talking any sense here.
Fonseka's caste or for that matter anyone else's caste has nothing to do with the predicament SF finds himself in now. All that is due to his self-centered and "sell even your mother to advance your progress" attitude. I didn't even know or wasn't even bothered about who belongs to which caste. Geez, I don't think these things matter any more, especially to the younger generation.
Fonseka is a real low life, who is ungrateful and untrustworthy. His ego is the size of mount Everest, but oh so fragile!!!! He betrayed his army, his commanders and his country in order to gain power and take revenge from the Rajapakses. I don't care what the Rajapakses have done to him. Whatever those were, it doesn't give him the right to bring down the SL army and the country before the Western vultures.
I do not believe in a stupid caste system that tries to grade people at birth. How stupid is that? I believe that we become a low-life only by our actions. And Fonseka in my opinion is bl--dy low-life. He is not worthy of being a president of a country, but should be allowed to spend a long time in prison ruminating on his treacherous words and deeds
With a Spanish last name like "de Silva" I wouldn't be pulling up religion and cast nor would I be voting based on my cast or religion. But that's me.
It is regrettable that there is still a large number of people in Sri Lankan society who see thing the way Mr. de Silva does. The trouble is, just calling ourselves intelligent or modern does not make us so. It's our actions and attitudes that make us what we are.
This gentleman doesn't know that Rajapaksa and Fonseka are from the same cast Karawa. Being a person from from Govi cast, I donot see any difference between casts nowdays.
However I supported SF because not for his cast, for his campaign to stop corruption, nepotism, thuggery, bribery , frauds etc and prposal to bulid up a law abiding society.
You are very right Mr. Ben de Silva. I have two grown up daughters & I dont think they understand what is the cast system or even bothered about it."Lakruwan" you are a very sad case. Please dont write things for the sake of writing. When there are people of your calibre,how can we be surprised about our country being divided.
Hello,
General Sarath Fonseka is having a taste of his own medicine. He is no Gautama. Many a Tamil family in Sri-Lanka's North East went through worse sufferings - Death, destruction, starvation, humiliation to name a few but no one in mainstream SriLankan said anything and condoned it with their silence.
And now all this for SF's arrest. I think everyone in SriLankan politics should remember - What goes around comes around . This has been proven true for many of SL's politicians including Prabakharan, Premadasa and now Sarath Fonseka. They stil don't seem to get it though.
i dont agree with all of what is said in the article.
at the same time i am appalled to see the how little the knowledge of the people commented on the subject .
Cast is still a major factor in elections in Sri Lanka, go to Mathara Ambalanagoda, talk to some one who knows local politics befor commenting again.
I am really transfixed on the dirty core message conveyed in this article. This person is trying to create a new friction with in our community. This is not journalism or even writing article to web pages. Why didn’t he discuss the bad side of these rulers which has now reached to a disastrous situation to the country? This writer should realize why this much of people came in to this protest immediately after this so called land slide victory of Rajapaksha. Analyzing this factor is enough to understand the reality. The first thing is this “victory” is a broad daylight robbery. Second is Rajapaksha is now rejected.
One should see what would have been the present status in the context of the reverse happenning'i.e. MR losing and SF being the President today.
Then the wholecountry would have been in a state of utter turmoil, having the Airports closed for all Present Govt. Politicians.
MR,GOTA.BASIL.NAMAL and all presentGovt. bigwigs under arrest & put on a " Kangaroo trial " also with Ranils dreams"(Of being the executive PM) all shattered.
And probably people like Wimal W, SB, Johnston eating throw away bones ("Katu Kawanawa") ,with the so called defender of "DEmo'Cracy" ,having kept his Campaign promises.
Also all the above would have had to compulsorily change their names to " Kalaveddhas, OOO's & Moo's and Paharayas"
People are left to decidede which scenario would be better.??????
Probably, the value of this article is not about whether caste played role in the elections. But, real facts about who Sri Lankans are made up of is once more revealed.
How, the Karave caste who had come from South India suddenly became Karave sinhalese is a mystery???
Dear Lakruwan de Silva
What type man are you?
Velupillai Pirapaharan divided Sri Lankan nation into Tamils and Sinhalease.
You are now trying to divide Sinhalease into many groups at this time of Fonseka's defeat.
You are shame to our country. GO TO HELL.
Your bottomline "..Let us close this unfortunate chapter in the run-up to the upcoming legislative polls in the interests of the hard won Sinhala unity..." summarises your outlook in life which is a far cry from the Rajapaksa family outlook. MR is married to a Burgher, Basil is married to a Durawe and his daughter is married to a Sikh from India, Chamal's son Shasheendra is married to a Karawe, First cousins, Niroopama is married to a Tamil, Anoma is by a Durawe father married a Malay, Jaliya's father is Durawe etc. etc.
Mr. Lakruan de Silva, the Sinhala Buddhist Govigama label is not the essential or encouraged norm of the Rajapaksas.
We as a nation abhor violence but will not be reluctant to use force to suppress violence as a means of sectarian or class empowerment. This common Sri Lankan wish was shown by MR himself. Hence his recent re-empowerment.
As for your "voting for Sinhala unity", one can only say that you must be in cloud cuckooland and not Mahida Rajapaksaland. MR stands for Sri Lankans and not just Sinhalas; that is why the Gamaralas and Gama Mahages voted him with a massive majority to continue the Sri Lankan dream of non-sectarianism and non-violence where the pen is mightier than the sword as should be in a robust democracy.
You were named Lakruwan probably because your parents were patriotic Sri Lankans and not sectarian Sinhalas. If they were the latter you woould be called Sinhalaruwan.
This explanation doesn't make any sense. If caste was such a dominant factor, explain how Ambalangoda so overwhelmingly voted for MR. You need to get your facts right. If you do, you will be amazed. It will also prove that we have grown beyond the parochial and we can now call ourselves true Sri Lankans.
Chandrapala
Who told you Mahinda Rajapaksa is a Karawe?
He is a Goigama
Most army officers arrested or cashiered from Army for supporting Sarath Fonseka are all from Karawe caste. The writer is spot on
People who write here about there being no caste problem for Sinhalese must go and read the newspaper advertisements for marriage partners. All mention caste
If Sinhalese have no caste distinctions then why are there three Nikayas for Buddhists?
How many non- Govigama Bhikkus are there in Siam Nikaya?
How many Govigama Bhikkus are there in Amarapura and Ramanya Nikayas?
It's unbelievable how narrow minded some people are in this day and age. Sir, you really need to get your head out off the sand (a better place as to where your head is comes to mind, but upbringing refrains me from saying it). In this day and age when all of us Sri Lankans work and live together, regardless of 'caste' and 'ethnicity' articles such as these are just plain insulting.
You might have some personal reservations, but kindly have the decency to keep your uncalled for personal opinion...personal. Our country has gone through enough hardship because of stupid ethnic and caste differences through the years. Luckily our younger generation, of which I'm a part of, don't think in such narrow minded terms.
The reason as to why Gen. Fonseka is in jail and as to why Pres. Rajapaksha won is simple politics that has no major basis in their caste.
It was a real cheap shot on the part of the author to write a nonsense article like this, sadly the editor does not seem to have much sense when choosing his/her articles either.
Mahinda's cast consciousness was proved when he was a MP representing Beliatta electorate and he didn't allow Karawa cast Gunaratne to be the president of Beliatta Pradeshiya Saba though he got the highest number of votes from Mahinda's party and it was given to one of Govigama man who received less number of votes. Finally Gunaratne was killed by Mahinda's Thugs lead by Chandi Malli.
This is a disgusting attempt by the writer to draw support for Mr Fonseka on caste basis. If you carry his argument to its logical conclusion a govigama President will never be able to charge a Karave or anyother caste person for a crime. Also, isn't it more likley that thsose arrested from the army (as he claims) happened to be the same caste as Mr Fonseka because he was playing the caste card within the army to drag these officers to carry out his agenda. The shoe may be actually in the other foot.
Any government has the authority to arrest a person for a crime committed. It is indeed a necessary element of effective governance. As long as it is witin the law of the land and the person is brought before a court of law within a reasonable time there is no grounds for complaint. By protesting we prejudge the issue without allowing the legal system to take its course to establish a person's innocence or guilt.
this a. is disgusting. mahavidanelage v ranjit a.demel. because iam born to my parents iam sinhale,christian, karawe and and and
It would assist your tentative thesis LAKRUWAN if you can substantiate this statement:
"Reports suggest that it deftly and subtly played the caste card within the military to deny Fonseka the military vote. The President succeeded. In the ensuing post-poll purge of the military, the Karave have disproportionately been targeted. Other Karave generals have been sacked from the armed forces. Karave Buddhist monks had been arrested."
Substantiate by naming names or at the very least by indicating how many of those arrested are KARAVA.
PS: though I am hostile to your political position on SB unity I appreciate the analytical levels displayed and the fac that you have identified a "persoanl feud" as one of the major factors behind the confrontation. And youare spot on about the core role of Karava personnel in the 1971 JVP uprising and that of the LTTE from 1983 and even more so after Ponnamman, Curdles, Thileepan, Radha and Rahim were not in their ranks from 1987 or so.
LAKRUWAN
YOU have raised a hornet's nest. i am glad because it displays the variety of experiences within the Lankan populace, besides arousing a whole range of extreme reactions [some quite alarming]. It also raises the issue of how one can make sociologically valid generalisations on the basis of personal experience.
A) While two middle aged gentlemen BEN DE SILVA and PREMADASA assert that caste has been inconsequential in their life experience, RASHAN claims otherwise on the basis of his experiences in the south. SO, my question to readers is this: when the major parties have chosen candidates for seats in the recent past did the caste of particular personnel figure in the final choice by each of the major political parties?
B)Many claim that Caste is now defunct or in severe ebb. Woudld marriage advertisements in Sinhal and Englsih [and tamil] support this claim? Yes if one analysed the newspapers of the 1970s -- when Ben de Silva was around -- the preference for own caste would have been more prominent THEN than nowadays. BUT is it absent nnow? what proportion seek a same castepartner. Sand since some say "Caste immaterial" then it follows that in their understanding caste is still deemed significant in some quarters.
I know what has been written in this article is a reality about few decades back, however, now buried underneath the surface. Well if those things surface again it is not something surprising. Hanging to power is the one most important thing to those in power and people will use all weapons in their arsanel to achieve this
Asanga
In Sri Lanka caste system is something that only matters when it comes to marriages(even most people won't consider caste as an important factor). Most of the younger generation don't even know which caste they belongs to. It won't make sense the argument that caste played an important role when it comes to presidential election result.
According to your name you too seems to be either from the Karawe or Durawe caste I guess. Well don't be ashamed of it since caste system is obsolete and most Sri Lankan won't consider it as a fact for embarrass someone except few traditional people.
rashan said ....
Cast is still a major factor in elections in Sri Lanka, go to Mathara Ambalanagoda, talk to some one who knows local politics befor commenting again.
Well Sri Lankan president is not solely selected by people in Mathara and Ambalanagoda.
Irrespective of Castes of the two contenders, I suppose
the caste of the Election Commissioner has to be revealed
to know the actual Results now !!!!!
Strange Sri Lankan intellectuals these days.
This kind of article creates division in Sinhalese. A total crap.It doesn't make any sense. Writer is living in the 17th century.
Another view for balanced thinking.
Some Extracts taken from an interview with the Defence Secretary today. “ As soon as Mahinda came to power he wanted to destroy terrorism. He had a great ally in his brother Gota. The peace talks were the order of the day and pushed down the throats of the Sinhalese by the Norwegians.
Gotha", as he is known, was convinced otherwise. He soon set about beefing up the military, organising the weapons and other supplies needed to take on the world's deadliest guerilla force. Arms came from the Ukraine, China and Pakistan. Valuable intelligence inputs came from India, whose former prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, had been assassinated by a woman Tiger.
Twelve days before he was due to retire as a major general in 2005, President Rajapaksa picked Sarath Fonseka as the new army chief.
It is now alleged by some that foreign former peacekeepers have part financed Fonseka's election campaign.
Who deserves the credit?
People should learn to live in peace and harmony. Violence should not be condoned. But give a fair go to the man who liberated the country, President Rajapakse with the help of all three defence chiefs appointed by the president.
de Silva
You should have obtained degree even before Dr.Mevyn did. Probably the likes of SL Alcapones missed you. You may have been borne with a questionable ancestory with a name like that. Are you trying to prove a point that you have retained a better part of that?
Good luck!
PART 1. Dear Putha, Lakruwan de Silva,
Read my good friend Terance Dudley Fernando's short and sweet thought provoking comment to your article. I can go to the 16th Century in my genealogy table- the family tree, without any break and show how mixed I am with even many foreign ancestors down the line. Buddha's opinion on the subject of caste was crystal clear as his discourse in WASALA SUTRA shows.
Your article has many Freudian slips; you attempted to be impartial, but the fall was too heavy- you showed your feet of clay! Your motive is probably to create a division in the country through disappointment and your inferiority complex; please do not do that Putha; to get over that, meditate that we are all mixed and the divisions are all man made.We are made out of the 5 aggregates-the Panchas- skandas and have the 6 senses to be used intelligently to avoid divisions. Thank You.
Part 2a. Dear fairminded readers, I am elated that many of you rejected the caste issue brought about by one of our readers. If I am permitted to use a common Lankan expression of my generation,YOU PROVED TO THE READERS VERY BOLDLY AND IN A FORTHRIGHT MANNER THAT CASTE IS AS PUTRID AS THE SPIT THAT WE SPITOUT EARLY MORNING!If a person like Lakruwan putha wants to practice caste discrimination, he/she must do it privately(e.g.for marriage)without harming our society.
2b.We must do our best to eradicate the NIKAYA SYSTEM of ordination by explaining to the Head Priests very calmly, without making it political,that such divisions are not approved by us; future ordinations must be anybody in any Buddha Puthra Nikaya. After about 2 generations- after the present day's priests pass away,we could expect a Lanka without a caste system among the priests. Thanks. see part 2c. please.
2c. Dear Readers,
Please go to the website . I notice a connection between the editors of that and Lakruwan putha. See how the website criticizes even some writers of so called Karave Caste, because they expressed some views that contradicted the views of its editors. It has a prominent angry overtone. It ridicules a saintly Statesman who was in the Independence movement for more than 25 yrs and did much for Buddhism and the field of Education in Sri Lanka. For Lakruwan Putha's consideration, did not Sir Marcus Fernando have a reputation as an anti-Buddhist campaigner among the so called Buddhist Karavas? Thank you. next- see 2d.please.
2d.Dear Readers,
The website of the so called KARAVAs started criticizing the RAJAPAKSE family even when the war was going on. The Editors never realized that they displayed their anger so far that , like Lakruwan putha, they left their DNA all over. Lakruwan Putha, without going far , I want to advice you to speak to Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya in the Embassy in the USA to learn how close people of all castes had been to the Rajapakses for generations. His grandfather Mr D.M. Rajapakse who was in the old Legislative Council, who was the Mahappa or Lokuthaththa of President Rajapakse and a host of other Rajapakses served the common man without any reservations.That is their gift! Giving a pardon to the General is in the President's hand, only if he requests it. Thank You.
Is it safe to assume there is now a hidden Sinhala purity agenda in the Sri Lankan military?
Shouldn't the country have a 'hidden agenda' to aim for ethnic representation in all services. By this I mean that in a district where the Karave predominate you would see this reflected in employment at a private bank or any public dept in that community but they would not make up 100%, minority ethnic representation (Govigama, Muslim, Tamil, etc) would still be evident so there could be no accusation of overt bias. In a Tamil area the local Police dept would have more Tamils but not all Tamils. Nationally this would work out to a good ethnic representation throughout the country & Sri Lanka would be able to credibly describe itself as a Tolerant society.
Lakruwan de Silva,
The previous readers have given you much food for thought. Are you a non Hindu/non Buddhist? You could be purposely or unwittingly creating a rift there too.
Some anecdotal facts for Fun:
* According to 2 archivists of the time who wrote to the papers quoting contemporary police and colonial documents PURAN APPU was a runaway criminal and a vagabond who happened to be at the place where the king's crown was. He himsef wore it for a few seconds it seems.
The stamp was issued, grounds were named and more publicity was given to Puran Appu name as a former powerful CCS man and his son ,a lawyer-minister were in power and could influence the politicians of the day. The Historians' comments were not considered.
Terence Dudley Fernando, Tamils were too forcefully converted, mainly costal area in Jaffna, Mannar, Chillo, Negambo, and Batti. where most of the Karayar cast lived. Hindu Temples were destroyed in these period to built forts by occupiers. I think writer may be paranoid, and cast is not a factor in Lankan politics, in both communities.
Victimhood
----------
After over 60 years of pogroms & ethnic mistreatment policies by a Sinhalese dominated Govt of Sri Lanka that has created a large antipathetic Tamil disapora, the writer wants Sinhalese to claim the mantle of "victimhood" for themselves.
You are welcome to it!
I will agree that Tamil Eelamists have often exaggerated the crimes against them but many who supported Tamil Eelam went on the record that Sinhalese friends & neighbors saved them during riots.
contd.
Anecdotes:
* Lakruwan Putha wrote about the banquet by Sir CHdeS in honor of Queen Victoria's son-the Prince of Wales. The old Bandaranaike's group also had petitioned the Queen that her son dined with some "Fishermen",and brought shame to the crown. As a result,until the Queen appointed a committee and they gave a good finding, the young P of Wales had to stay on board the ship without entering the British soil it seems.
* In Lanka politics, since some residents feel comfortable and for prestige, a person belonging to the majority caste of the area contests the constituency. That practice is fading away. One reason why electorates like Ambalangoda-Balapitiya became a multi member electorate for that reason. Central CBO is also like that for giving an opportunity to Muslims. After JRJ lost Kelaniya to RGSenanayake in 1956 he moved to Wellawatte as he expected a 100% Tamil vote and planted Cyril Matthew for caste reasons it seems.
*After old Mr SWRDB was assasinated, Mrs Sirimavo B. did not want to be the PM. When the second election of 1960 was won by the SLFP, even though Mr CPdeS was the next in line , he and other members of the party had gone to Horagolla and forced her to accept the Premiership for caste reasons it seems.
*After Governor General William Gopallawa's 1st term was over PM Dudley Senanayake wanted to appoint one who was closer to the UNP out of Sir Lalitha Rajapakse and Sir RSS Gunewardena who were there.None was appointed ,but WG was given another term for caste reasons it seems. It was not given to anybody else like Sir John as Dudley wanted someone with good character like that of WG it seems.
Since
Why blame the writer. The caste factor has always been there. Surely, Buddhists cannot deny the existence of the different ecclesiastical Chapters that are
caste-based though Gautama the Buddha was against this as one of his principal
preachings in those Brahmin-dominated times. But it is good many Sinhalese today want to get over this division along this ugly division. The marriage columns on Sunday papers are clear
parents still have a place for this when they look for a bridegroom for duwa - somethings for putha too. But to say Karawe is only about 10% in the country may not be accurate. I believe it is much more. It is also not true that those of the Karawe caste are all fishermen. This is definitely a Goigama invention.
The caste factor remains even among the Catholics and the Christians - and, of course, among Tamil Hindus/Christians as well.
ISS
I disagree with the writer. There was no "terrorism" by Tamils as the brain washed Sinhalese portray. There was Tamil independence movement and state terror to suppress the independence movement for Tamil Eelam.
There was counter terror to suppress state terror.
Hope the Sinhalese understand what state terror is after Fonseka's arrest.
Hey guys! Not just your slip but the whole undergarment is showing. Somewhere in Lack-ruwan's soul is a whole that identity comes from exclusion.It is not marketable as shown by the comments, so it masquerades!!! If Sri Lanka=Sinhala Bhuddists.What do you want to do with Tamils/Malays/Moors/Burghers/bharatha's/sindy's. You want them to subservient slaves, assimilated non de scripts like Kadirgamar, or just have no identity at all so that your identity feels good on you. Boy!!! you SB types are insecure!!!!
Avatar,
Vellupillai did not divide Sri Lanka into sinhala and Tamil!!! SWRD, JR and others did even before Vellupillai was born. Velupillai was only 4 years old when Tamils were killed in droves and properties burnt all over the island!!!!
Well, pre election propaganda on ITN did relate a story of some southern mudaliyar giving the daughter for the title.
It is known that at least some Kandyans/up country sinhalese shared their women, which was not that common among low country sinhalese
It has also been suggested that some govigama people used the Dutch to confer them the mudaliyar titles.
Strangely weerahennadige Francisco Fernando (PURAN APPU) and Wansapurna Dewage David Fernando (GONGALAGODA BANDA) are from the said caste.
A decendent Tyrone Fernando was also sidelined by Ranil Wickramasinghe,
A Nilaperumal from Tamil Nadu (trader) was a ancestor of Bandaranayakes.
Even some of Price Vijayas wives and settlers from Tamil Nadu.
I happen to agree partly with Senguttuvan. The caste system is sadly embedded in Sri Lanka, both among the Sinhala and the Tamil. As one of my Tamil friends pointed out, nobody seems to realize that they are merely fighting for position at the lowest level of the Hindu caste system. I am bound to stir up a hornets nest if I say anything further.
We have to learn to recognize our deficiencies and build a meritocracy in Sri Lanka irrespective of who gets what, for the benefit of the whole nation. This also necessitates that the opportunities available to all segments of society are levelled out. Time and energy spent doing otherwise is utterly wasteful.
Well, there is a fair outburst against this article on the basis that the writer is trying to bring divisions in Sinhala society. The ethnic divide is perhaps accepted.
True, most would not want any more divisions in this already divided country. Its TRUE, we need reconciliation between estranged ethnicities and communities. Its also true that we don't wish to accept there are "caste" divisions in the Sinhala society and that they have any relevance in day to day life in this modern world.
BUT, the reality is not our wish, nor, our wish to ignore caste divisions, the reality.
ALL Buddhist monks are divided on caste and their "Nikayas" are based not only on caste, but also on "Udarata" (up country) and "Paatha rata" (low country) divisions. No Rajapaksa from Hambantota will be ordained in the Malwathu Chapter of the Shyamopali Siyam Nikaya. That Nikaya is for the Govigama elite from the up country. Nor would any Lakruwan de Silva be ordained in the Kotte Chapter of the Siyam Nikaya. That is for the paatha rata "Govigama".
And NO paatha rata govigama could aspire to be a Diya wadana Nilame of the Dalada Maligawa in this modern world.
These are living divisions even today. Just glance through the matrimonial columns of Sunday "Silumina" news paper and see how many parents are still trying to find a prospective spouse for their children on "caste" and religious lines.
Also, don't forget that there were whisperings about a very strong bloc called "MKR" in elite Colombo circles during Chandrika's presidency led by her Secretary Balapatabendi. This modern abbreviation MKR was used to identify this supposed bloc as "Matara, Karava, Rahula (College)". It was alleged that top positions in that government was plugged accordingly.
So, let's not be too sure that these divisions are now absent and that they are not of political importance. MOST UNFORTUNATELY, despite our sincere wishes, they do have importance in power circles. These divisions are part of what we brought along with our "un-development" into our present world. We are yet to develop, to leave those aside.
Amarnath S
You still fail to understand your lineage! Do not talk about caste if you have any sense of history! You belong to the genetic pool of aryan, tamils, dutch and what not. Sure purity of race is a weakening aspectof evolution. Claiming purity is a joke on your part. Read your Mahvansa between the lines and you will know who dushta gamini is!
Just wanted to give my opinion on this caste issue, please bear with me if you abhor me just like many who have hunted down Lakruwan.
I am a Sinhala, Buddhist and a Karawe. Actually, I am proud of all that but I am sure I will not carry any of that the day I move on in Samsara.
I will give two examples - points to ponder: are you aware of Nihal Galappaththi. He was a JVP Presidential Candidate from Beliatta, I think when CBK was running for her first term. When he announced his candidacy, he was roundly heckled and verbally abused in the choicest Sinhala by none other than Chamal Rajapakse. I think he was called a Kewula - derogatory term for a Karawe man. The animosity was so much in that area, through some machination, he was made to give up his opportunity.
Personally for me, I have been a victim at a leading state institution where my superior was a Kandyan Radala.
The cast is a key factor in Sri Lanka, whatever people say. For Colombians it may not be an issue but what is their composition in the total population? 70% of the Sinhalese live in the villege and for them a Govigama person is much more important than any other person from any other caste. So the outcasts become Govigama by changing their names to become "somebody" in the society. Of course, I do not give a damn because I am educated and I do not victimize another person as I have been a victim of "caste consiousness"!
Govgama/farmer/peasant being the majority occupation of SL could contribute to the discrimantion felt by many minorities anywhere. If they consciously do that that speaks volumes about their attitudes to justoce and fair-play!
According to the dominant Indian caste system, nearly all casts in SL are the low cast(4th). Since most Sri Lankans have part Indian ancestory some casts such as the Karawa and Salagama like to keep their Ksatariya/worrior and Brahmin/pusari/priest status regardless of present occupation.
After all even Gutam Budda was not a peasant farmer.
The real issue here is that we neglect our indigenous Vaddha ancestory !
Dear Lakruwan,
Don't take great pains to write utter bunkem.
The Karauve community which you seem to belong to, has no one else but to blame themselves. They only lived upto, and prove their subservience to the GoviGama caste.
They have proved beyond doubt that they're nothing but the descendents of medieval fishermen, whose roots originate from the shores of the fishing hamlet, Ambalangoda.
Only General Fonseka, had the nerves of Steele to defy it by braking the ranks from within the caste and rising up.
From the time he made his candidature known, the senior people from his caste denounced it.
General Daluwatta, Col. M D. Fernando and AM. Weerakkody (to name a few) are all erstwhile oarsmen who went on record disapproving his candidature.
And the grand finale was done by Gen. Manawaduge, whose tenement qualities proved how low they can get down to please the GoviGama masters.
So pointless creating a rift between to the two castes, just that the karauve people have lived upto their esteemed mark.
The only way the Karauve caste can get out of this curse is by unanimously rallying round Gen. Fonseka and installing him to power, so that he can break this jinx and project the country to great heights.
People all-round voted for Gen. Fonseka void of any of these minor beliefs, for his honesty and integrity. As to how he lost, the guess is yours.
Lakruwan can not be living in Srilanka and- not seen what went on for the last 25 years. Pirabakaren was the single figure who united all srilankans against violence whatever cast creed or religion. Lakruwan is absolutely in a dream world. Please wake -up sleeping beauty!! and understand that
no society is perfect. If you know of any please let us know.
I am not sure or aware of Lakruwan de Silva’s academic or professional training either in Anthropology or Sociology. In my judgment (and understanding) the “caste factor” is a dominant social discourse in politics and life in modern Sri Lanka. One should only look at the functional role of the caste factor in formal marriage proposals as appearing in Sri Lankan newspapers to understand the importance of caste in modern Sri Lanka! It may also be useful to make an analysis of the so called (invisible) caste factor in key positions held in the current power regime. It is my hypothesis that the caste factor is now link with the regional (place where you are born) in the power structure. In my assessment, this combination of the “caste” and “place” will be a dominant and a deterrent factor (as much as nationalism)!
Despite Michael Robert’s praise for Lakruwan, this is an immature (silly) analysis but I agree that it has generated a reasonable dialogue which is entirely lacking in Sri Lanka these days. We have a lot of opinion formers and experts from tsunami to nationalism and most of the time without formal qualification in Sri Lanka style!
It is important to ask the question ‘why a society which is significant polarized today in many fronts do not embrace an entrenched rational tradition such as Buddhism and discourses such as Kalama Sutta to look at some of these issues’ leaving behind sociology and anthropology; disciplines developed by western academics without knowing anything about feudal societies like Sri Lanka where caste system always have played (and will play) a significant role in social analysis and dysfunctions!
Aprapos DINGIRIBANDA Feb.12th:
GONGALEGODA BANDA alias Wansaperuma (Wahumpura) Dewage David Fernando(NOT KARAVA)was Wahumpura or colloquially (not in a derogatory way)Hakuru Caste who were culinary experts. Cyril Mathew and one of the founders of Vidyalankara Pirivena - Wimalaguna Upasakamahatmaya of Wanawasala, Kelaniya were same caste. They say DEWAGE was always used by mbrs of that caste.
Thanks.
What a load of rubbish to say that caste is dead & forgotten!!
Look at marriage proposals almost every one mentions caste.
Fortunately or unfortunately it is the lesser castes that forget their caste or change their names so that the caste cannot be identified and then call them selves Govigama.
Govi being great, is a majority decision !!!(50-60 %of the Sinhalese) but the leaders of this island for many centuries were the KARAWE