Tamil separatism survives on the strength of Sinhala nationalism
By Kusal Perera
With SAARC on the cards, reminiscing “Black July” is almost over. There were plenty of articles in most of our print media and in web portals with differing points of view on “Black July”. In some, Black July was even discussed in a South Asian context. What ever the route taken to reach July 1983, the point of convergence in most was that it helped an accelerated growth of armed groups to establish their case for a separate “Thamil” State. There were also readings about the South, about the Sinhala psyche, that said the South should reach a broad consensus on the ethnic conflict. Some wanting such Southern consensus to negotiate a viable and justifiable solution and others to crush separatism militarily. A Southern consensus, nevertheless.
[Exhibition by, Chandraguptha Thenuwara one of many events marking 25th anniversary of July 83]
Yet what was missing in most of that discussion was a reading about the LTTE psyche, 25 years after the Black July. Does the LTTE work towards achieving any justification or sympathy from the South for their struggle, liberation or separatist war or what ever label one may wish to stick on it in the South? This is the single most important question the South needs to ask itself, if the South is serious about concluding this war in any way they wish to have it concluded.
In plain black and white, the LTTE is clearly committed and working towards a separate Thamil Eelam State, never mind its size and the geographical area to begin with, while holding onto the Thimpu concept of a Thamil Homeland. From the very beginning of the conflict, Southern political leaderships had opposed this Thamil homeland concept and stood for a Unitary State. All governments since 1977, except the Ranil Wickramasinghe government (Dec 2001) have fought a war to defeat this separatist movement. Madam Chandrika Kumaratunge who in 1994 braved a racist campaign against her to win both the Parliamentary and the Presidential elections on a platform of conciliatory politics, also went to war within 06 months of assuming power as President. Under her, the heavily fought and much emphasised “Jaya Sikurui” military campaign that lasted 18 months and drained off billions of rupees to capture some parts of Northern territory, failed to dislodge the LTTE from their Wanni base. Much hyped “Jaya Sikurui” military victory was turned into a national event. On 06th of December, 1998, President Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumaratunge addressed the nation to announce the victorious conclusion of “Jaya Sikurui” military campaign and opened her statement thus.
“I wish to tell you that the second phase of the peace offensive launched by the government of Sri Lanka against terrorism and separatism was victoriously concluded last morning, the 05th of December.
A moment ago, the Army Commander, Commanding Officers of the armed forces and the Police Chief, informed me about that news.
We are proud to accept this historical and noble news and we remain humble too.
From this day, with the dawn of this new era, we have opened up a path for peace and prosperity for every citizen living in our country and to be able to live in a free society with equal rights……” - (translated from her Sinhala speech)
The government’s euphoria over that victory couldn’t last long. The LTTE launched their most vicious onslaught ever called the “Unceasing Waves III” in 1999 November and within a fortnight had even run over the heavily fortified Elephant Pass military base. Ever since then, the LTTE assembled their State structures, in areas under their control. They organised their administrative and police apparatus in those areas. With their police in action, they needed a judicial system, which they brought into place complete with a Law College. To run them as civil systems, the LTTE needed money from society and they have imposed taxes, the percentages and totals not very important right now, except for the fact that they have an Inland Revenue collecting system of their own. Close upon 10 years for now, all these have evolved into more systematic structures and have gained currency among those living under their undeclared State. A State, yet to be accepted internationally as an independent State.
This is what the LTTE leadership is grappling with, now. Their concern is no more the necessity of immediately gaining ground. Their concern is the ability to guard the area they have now brought under their administration. What they therefore pursue now is recognition as a State and the opening for such legitimacy. Do they need a Southern approval or a Southern justification for that ? They simply don’t and they also know they wouldn’t get such Southern accreditation, although minor “Left” groupings would say the Tamil people have a right for self determination and therefore a right to secede. But the “Left” taken together is a non-entity in Southern politics.
Unfortunately, over decades the South has been moulded into a “patriotic” mindset that takes national pride in crushing the Tamil voice. It has been moulded to think that the majority Sinhala society has a right to offer and the minority Tamils would have to accept what is offered under a unitary system. Any rejection of what is offered gives way for oppression and that had been our history in settling the issue. With every attempt at negotiating answers to justifiable Tamil aspirations given a dud coin by the Sinhala leaderships, emergence of a Tamil psyche that opted for a separate Tamil State was unavoidable. For that Tamil psyche to justify taking arms was logical too. The heir to such armed struggle and the emergence of the ultimate leader of that armed Tamil politics is no different to the Palestinian armed struggle. Yasser Arafat’s Al-fatah, Dr. George Habash’s PFLP, Nayef Hawatmeh’s PDFLP, Abu Abbas’s PLF are all major components in the PLO. But it would be one single decisive armed force that would eventually decide the Israeli – Palestinian conflict, either way.
The LTTE emerged as the decisive force within Tamil politics in Sri Lanka from among many others. For the LTTE to pursue their Separate Thamil State for which they have sacrificed thousands of lives, they would not wait for the Left or the moderates in the South to flag them off. They prefer the hard line Sinhala Buddhists to engage them militarily to establish the Sinhala “Unitary” State, the corollary of their Eelam State. More ruthless and fanatical the Southern approach is in forcing a Unitary State, bigger their space would be in arguing that the Sinhala leadership is not prepared to share power with the Tamils and the minorities. Therefore, what the hard line Sinhala platform in the South does, is all what the LTTE would want them to do. In short, the LTTE wouldn’t waste time placating the South over the right of the Tamil society to co-exist either together or separately with the Sinhala South. The South as a polity is no priority in their agenda.
Yet if the South needs to live in a united country with a single constitution, that is possible too. But for that the South needs to reach a broad consensus to re-structure its old, inefficient and corrupt State that is exclusively a Sinhala State. A State that has for 60 years since independence not given even the Sinhala people a space to better their lives. A State, against which even the Sinhala youth waged war, twice within the past 35 years. A State that has pauperised this society and burdened the people with international debt, underdevelopment and continued conflicts with increasing crimes and break down of law and order.
If the South wants to live a decent modern life, the South should accept that the people in this island has evolved over centuries with two modern standard languages, Sinhala and Tamil. These two languages have also helped two distinct cultures. These two cultural identities with language as their main and dividing factor also carry with them distinct geographical areas where Sinhala and Tamil societies are historically very conspicuous. Using one of them (Sinhala) to secure a basis for nationalism in establishing a nation-state over the whole of Sri Lanka, provides a dialectically opposing (Tamil) nationalism for another state. The ensuing nationalistic desire to establish a nation state based on one (Sinhala) language gives way for political coercion over both societies. One, to achieve its nationalistic ambition and the other (Tamil), to resist and overcome its opposite. The logic behind the “Separate Tamil State” is the failure of the Sinhala society to understand this simple, civilised necessity of pluralism in modern day nationalism. Understanding and accommodating that pluralism within a new democratic State structured to be inclusive, provides the only possible answer in defeating separatism, which the South refuses to accept and thus provides for the LTTE to exist and fight for their ideal separate State.
26 Comments
A Minority will NEVER rule a Majority! Not In Sri Lanka and nor will it every happen in any other country!!!! - Anonymous
"A Minority will NEVER rule a Majority! Not In Sri Lanka and nor will it every happen in any other country!!!!"
Of course the minority should not rule the majority, so can you explain why the Tamil majority northeastern province has been denied a federal setup at the very least? Maybe you are referring to Sri Lanka's false democracy which lacks a crucial component of an effective democracy; human rights. -N
Hi Mr.Kusal Perera,
I really appreciate your political analysis of the present situation in the country. I for once feel elated by a good editorial which I have not seen for a long time from sinhala media. If only few editors could be allowed to express their views in the popular media people of Srilanka would have embraced each other and made any chauvinist Government from cheating the public and thriving on them like parasites.
Regards
shan
Kusal Perera: "More ruthless and fanatical the Southern approach is in forcing a Unitary State, the bigger their space would be in arguing that the Sinhala leadership is not prepared to share power."
How very true.
If and when the "Southern approach" understands the principle of LIVE AND LET LIVE in a plural Lanka, only then could there be any meaningful and lasting peace among the communities of Lanka. Otherwise some kind of separation will be the inevitable alternative. - N2
as the author said the sinhala government has to chang the constitution, like in the Uk, india, switzerland USA and so many other contries are living very happly with many mionrities. but in sri lanka, only two major ethnic grops, which are tamils and sinhalese.
the tamils don't want to rule the majority, but they want rule them selfs. in sri lanka, majority rule is not democracy, it may be applicable only one nation states, but sri lanka is multi cultural ,multi ethnic, and multi religious country.so, the sinhala politicians have to grow up and look at the world. -mano
Which country in the World has given supremacy and superiority to the minority ?
Tell me just one country.
Tamils have their TamilNadu state. Yet, everything they have in there is Dravidian or Tamil. where in the world that nationalism came ? - Sri lankan
Lankan Tamils never had plans to rule over the majority. Never. This is a racist canard to dupe the gullible Sinhala masses - that has succeeded from 1956 to date.
They were prepared to live in an undivided Lanka so long as they had their inalienable right to run their affairs in their majority areas in the North East. In the mid-1950s they only asked for language rights but this was not given. Instead our leaders were brutally assaulted and laughed at - purely because we were small in number and never known to be violent.
Our peaceful demands were never understood or space created to allow our requests. Division of the land after 60 years, therefore, becomes inevitabe. Unless the South is judicious and frees itself from prejudice and demoguegery at this late stage Eelam is inevitable. The problem of the Tamils will be what to do with and how to live with inhuman fascism. But, as the saying goes, "let's cross that bridge at the right moment.
"Take my word, it is not only India who will, wearily, concede Eelam but many other countries as well. When the next SAARC takes place there will be a 9th member unless we get our act right and throw men like SLG, Ranawake, Sarath Fonseka and their running dogs into the dustbin of history. - ilaya seran senguttuvan
At least dud coins were planted in the past (that gave rise to the LTTE which even the weed killer called ‘war on terror’ could not eradicate). But now even that dud coin supply seems to have dried up. I fear what new strains will develop in response to this crass disregard of the Tamil question – a question that is being answered so far by thrusting war on the Tamils. As usual, another excellent analysis by Kusal Perera. - 2ndClassTamil
Tamil separation survives because of the failure of address their grievances not because of Sinhala nationalism. Surely, the government of Sri Lanka and the Sinhalese have failed to run this island and it is now a miserably failed state.
Post colonial history of our island has unambiguously recorded that Colombo had been the symbol of deception, dishonesty, trickery and unwillingness to implement agreements and legislations to grant rights to Tamils.
Appropriate attitude and actions are vital for successful completion of any peace talks anywhere in the world. Because of three main political reasons it would be impossible for any sensible person to believe that an appropriate climate now exists in Sri Lanka(SL) for succesful peace talks leding to peace.
Firstly, the majority of Sinhala politicos and the populace are not yet educated enough to respect the legitimate right of Tamils to rule themselves in the North East (NE).
Secondly, Most of the Sinhalese have arrogantly fallen in a collective swoon for war in the NE. Trapped in the war, they have defiantly turned their back on the UN and the International Community, instead of partnering with them to obtain valuable expertise, to successfully hold peace talks to completion and implementation.
Thirdly, rather than regard the TNA and the LTTE as threat to the island, the present GOSL should have recognised that working with them would solve the Tamil problem. Such realisation was absent before trumpeting for war in the NE and abrogating the CFA with flimsy excuses.
All these happened because true political leadership, visualising the future good of all the citizens ceased to exist in 1956. To this day, there is no leader capable of solving any islandwide political problem affecting the rights and freedoms of all the citizens. All peace talks failed since 1956 for this reason.
On the other side of the continuum, for the majority of Tamils and the UN, peace talks is a less appealing proposal than justice for human rights violations and war crimes.
Under Mahinda Rajapakse's watch, his soldiers were beating, bombing, raping, torturing, arresting, disappearing, displacing and murdering Tamils in the NE.
The nature of rights violations and the techniques employed by the soldiers in the NE make Radovan Karadzic of Bosnia look like a good guy.
For Tamils in the NE, the human rights violations represent dead loved ones and nightmares that will always haunt them. The incidents are leaving irreparable scar in their minds, preventing them from seeing ahead anything other than Tamil Eelam.
Though the underlying philosophy of democracy is justice, state interference in favour of the crimes of soldiers has made judicial process non existent for war crimes in the NE.
Peace and reconciliation are possible only through the filter of justice. As internal justice is impossible in the NE, we should request the UN to send Human Rights Monitors to report incidents of "no justice", if we desire human dignity and peace to all in our island. - Sam Thambipillai
very sensible analysis of the problem.The sinhala leaderships never look inwards from the inception but always portray this as a terrorist problem. - poorne
Unshakable belief in offering dud coin to justifiable Tamil aspirations, as you rightly point out is the downfall of Sinhala Political Establishment. Now look what they to their own, again as you point out, offer dud coin. This is just downright eptitute and selfishness - which is why the country is corrupt and the country burns.
Now they ask the Sinhalese to starve and not to interrupt whilst they wage an important war against the Tamils. Then when they want to feed the Sinhalese they find that they to stop the war. Are they going to ask the Tamils to stop the war, whilst they feed the Sinhalese? No, they are not going, obviously.
This is what a classic vicious cycle is. Except, the Sinhala Political Establishment is too inept and self-centred to work that out. Damned if you do, damned if you don't! Sooner that is worked the flames that are burning that little island to cinders would begin to subside.
No more dud currencies please!
Excellent article. - P Shantikumar
"A Minority will NEVER rule a Majority!" - Anonymous
Who the minority or the majority are depends on where the borders lie. And borders, my friend, are demarcated by humans. They are not naturally occurring phenomena, for the most part. Besides, in Sri Lanka which minority wants to rule over a majority? - eesan
The writer correctly states that Tamil separatism survives on the strength of Sinhala nationalism. Yet to find a solution under a Unitary framework is too late.
The answer to the southern political leadership is that the refusal to recognize the rights of the Tamils by way of federalism gave birth to the concept of Tamil homeland. At the beginning the agitation for the rights of the Tamils resulted in assaulting the FP leaders in front of the Parliament by the Sinhala goons during SWRD’s period and continued with riots until 1987. The adamant attitude of the Sinhalese leaders eventually led the Tamil youths to take up arms.
However Chandrika came with the idea of truce with the Tamils but gave undue importance to Ratwatte than Dr.G.L.Peiris. No doubt the LTTE was a monstrous creature to deal with. But there could have been a Negotiated Peace Settlement. Mention should be made that the TULF leaders also to be blamed because they failed to get around Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar who was ready for a start. The TULF leaders were good advocates but not good negotiators. Negotiation involves technique. Dr.Neelan and Dr.G.L.Peiris had the techniques but were denied the opportunities. LTTE too blundered in not co-operating with Dr.G.L.Peiris, instead they assassinated Dr.Neelan Thiruchelvam.
A right to offer the minority Tamils to accept under a unitary system will only lead to dragging the issue on vital issues. One good example is the abolition of the Senate by Srimavo Bandaranayake to marginalize the Tamils. The Southern approval is required to endorse the division of powers between the State and Provinces on the Canadian model. Division of powers will speak of power-sharing. No Tamils will believe in the Unitary concept as espoused by the Sinhalese leaders having the past experience. The draft constitution presented by Dr.G.L.Peiris was very clear and it was in the best interests of the entire country.
The suspicions within the sections of the LTTE led to the failure to arrest the divisions within the LTTE resulted in the disability to guard the area. This is what was expected by India and Sri Lanka. But then Sri Lanka was not sincere in its implementation of power-sharing and even with India.
Before pursuing for recognition as a State, it is regret to observe the LTTE had blundered in decimating the intellectuals, the professionals and the moderates and also antagonized India by assassinating Rajiv Gandhi which came forward to solve the problem on the federal model. In addition the LTTE had also earned hatred from the West for engaging in terrorism and also having links with other international terrorists organizations. It is for the above reasons that the Western countries and India were reluctant to interfere in the Tamil issue on behalf of LTTE, though the LTTE had emerged as the decisive force. This does not mean that Sri Lanka is been supported by India and the West. India has not forgotten that during the Bangaladesh-Pakistan war, Sri Lanka allowed Pakistani planes to re-fuel at Katunayake. There must be a motive for Pakistan to help Sri Lanka Government to flush out the LTTE terrorists. At the same time it should be observed that Pakistan was reluctant to help Sri Lanka when JR requested it at a time the IPKF was about to land in Sri Lanka. There is suspicion that Pakistan wanted to disestablish India by some other means - the reason being that Bangaladesh was carved out of Pakistan and the other is Kashmir problem.
My view is that understanding and accommodating that pluralism can be meaningful only in a federal set up. Canada is a fine example. And the terrorism within which Sri Lanka is trapped can be wiped out with the assistance of the law abiding people.
- A.Rajasingam
Well said.
GG asked for 50/50, and Tamils lost official language status.
SJV asked for federal state, and Tamils lost lands to colonization and higher education to standardaization.
Amir asked for seperation, Tamils lost everything to thugs.
But when VP asked for recognition, Tamils had nothing to lose.
But, Sri Lankan Rupee has fallen faster than Tamils' status. - aratai
"Tamil separatism survives on the strength of Sinhala nationalism" ...
Go and tell this to people who has no brains what so ever ... If not for the strength of sinhala nationalism at the last momment, not only tamils live under the jack boot of muderer
Prabha but also sinhalese ... Nationalism has a place specially when 'extreme' nationalism of the other play havoc in the society ....
IT is ALSO time to think whether the actions taken by Tamil groups from even before 1948 justified...
Is the actions of LTTE justified ? Is there sooooo much discrimination against Tamils in Sri Lanka...
I believe the actions of Tamil Groups in general are overly disproportionate......
What the Tamils have asked the majority to do is to :
1. Forget that you are Sinhala and/or Buddhist
2.YOu learn English and be European...
3.While we be Tamil and teach you orientalism to you becasue we are so smart....
4.Tamils have a superiority complex NOT an inferiority complex as some would assume from a minority...IT is that that is driving this separatists agenda helped long by Indian Tamil Nadu (Homeland of Tamils)
A minority ruling over the majority is not the question here. There is a sizable minority who want to live separately from the rest of Sri Lanka. I think its completely democratic to allow them to secede regardless of what the rest of Sri Lanka think. This war is a conflict between two nationalisms that cannot accomodate each other.
So devide the country fairly between the Tamil majority areas and the Sinhala majority areas. The trouble is that Tamil Nationalism is opposed to this too. They dont want a fair and equal devision. A state proportionate to its population centred around Jaffna and Batticaloa is no way good enough for Tamil Nationalism.
It needs all those thinly populated jungle lands, The ancient Sinhala archaeological sites, The Sihala purana gam (Ancient settlements), The new settlements, all of which lie within the large British defined Eastern Province where Tamils make up only a 33% minority concentrated around Batticaloa. The Sinhalese have a hard enough time comming to grips with the Vanni being under LTTE rule.
Imagine expecting them to crowd into a state thats going to be 4 times more densely crowded than their rival Tamil state? I dont see this happening until the LTTE kills off a few million Sinhalese. But by then how many Tamils would be left alive in Sri Lanka to enjoy the spoils..?
My advice to Prabakaran would be to ask for Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Killinochi and Mannar and merge it with Tamil Nadu to form a greater Tamil State. Avail your people of the excelent opportunities that Tamil Nadu has to offer for their betterment.
Let Pillayan keep Batticaloa and hope he evolves into a good leader winning the support of the Batticaloa Tamils. Bury the hatchet and form good relations with him. It can only aid the betterment of your peoples. Lastly, try to put the past behind you and promote cordial relations with the Sinhala/Moslem state to the south.
If the 3 states can have open borders and free trade between each other its a win-win. The Tamils have their Nationalism, The Sinhalese have their Nationalism but they move freely and do business togher and jointly prosper...amen..
Every comment so far on this thread including the piece by the author Kusal Perera seem to polarize the issue by perceiving the conflict in prejudicial binary terms, Sinhalese vs. Tamils, Majority vs. Minority, Buddhists vs. Hindus, Northerners vs. Southerners etc. This narrow view closes the many elegant options we have in oder to build an egalatarian society based on the only criteria that truly matters, the human condition.
For example, Northern and Eastern Tamils strongly feel they should be able to control their own destinies through some mechanism such as a federal arrangement. But the deficiency of their view is that it is a self-serving view that focuses exclusively on their well being and not of any others. They see the island as an exclusive dual-state entity - the Tamil NE and the Sinhalese South. Even the most moderate of Tamils such as Ananda Sangaree see it this way (somewhat akin to English and French Canada.) In their view, they given little consideration to others, such as the Muslims, the Indian Tamils, many of mixed marriages and future demographic possibilities.
Not to pick on the NE Tamils, Sinhalese too make the identical error. And in their fear of Tamils asserting a Tamil Homeland in the NE, they are hastiy attempting to colonize these areas in the belief this would prevent Tamils' claims to these areas, and over time they could achieve demographic equilibrium. This is not only silly, but also terribly counter-productive, as it leads only to further polarize the communities.
As opposed to viewing our selves in communal terms, it will be more productive if we could build identities centered around our resident provinces (or districts) depending on the unit of devolution seeked. If district is the choice (considering the enormous diversity and mix of population, district possibly makes the most sense as a unit-of-devolution), then instead of Tamils we will have Kilinochians and Manarites and instead of Sinhalese, we will have Kalutarites and Monaragalians etc. Now, on top of this if we superimpose a federal structure with extensive devolution to the units (with the district as the unit of devolution) then we will have a model very close to the Swiss model or even the US model - both, unlike the more ethnically segregated Canadian model (though the Swiss model also have language segregated Cantons).
With such a design, we could foster independent provincinal identities that over time will replace the harmful communal ones. This will replace Sinhales vs. Tamils, North vs. South, Majority vs. Minority with Kilinochi vs. Monaragala and Monaragala vs. Kalutara and kilinochi vs. Manar - replacing harmful bi-polar ethnic competetion (Sinhalese vs. Tamil) with more healthy multi-polar economic competetion (among devolved units).
Under such a model each district will have the power to choose its primary language, primary religion, and if Manar happens to have more Tamils than any other, and they wish to use Tamil as their primary language, then so be it. And if Trincomalee happens to have more Muslims than any other, and they wish to make Muslim their primary relgion, then so be it too. And similarly for all devolved units - though all of them within a (symetrically) federal united Sri Lanka.
[Incidentally, excellent piece by Kusal.]
An American's view.
"This war is a conflict between two nationalisms that cannot accomodate each other"
The allegation about the two nationalisms not accommodating each other does not look sound. Why not consider the concept of federalism. Look at USA. Canada, India, Switzerland. Are they not accommodating each other? What is required is to give due recognition to the Tamils in action and not to marginalize them in all quarters. The allegation that the Sinhalese have their Nationalism but they move freely and do business together and jointly prosper finally have seen only a deficit budget every year.
But the moment you find the solution within a federal framework you will find the Tamils solving the country’s debts and you will witness a surplus budget. The Tamils themselves will drive terrorism and Prabaharan will have no place. This is the beauty of federalism. Federalism is not separation. It is only a division of powers between the Government and the Provinces and not separation of the country. Federalism has the effect of binding all people together. Federalism avoids bloodshed.
It promotes only one Nationalism i.e. Sri Lankan Nationalism - and buries the concept of two Nationalisms. Availability of natural resources in the Provinces vary and the people in those Provinces know how to exploit it for the betterment of the country. As Kusal Perera states it is dud coin that was given to Pillaiyan. I have my reservations whether Pillaiyan can hold the Eastern Province. It is time for the Sinhalese political leaders to focus their attention on the merits of federalism and educate them in the best interest of the country. - A.Rajasingam
sinhla friends, if you think you are a free country think again India has already taken over the country economically they have achieved what their troops could not do
peri nathen
Kusal,
You will be presented denigrated by the Sinhala extreme fringe.
But, plod on. You are in the path of justice and righteousness. Sinhala demagoguery is the father of
the LTTE. You will do more good to the larger, decent
Sinhala Buddhists by your rational thinking and perhaps save the country from breaking into two than all
the Bandaranaikes, KMP Rajaratnes, the Keralite tree-climber Cyril Mathew, the Durugemunu windbag Weerawansa, the one-time Catholic Champika Ranawake,
the nitwit Gammanpila, the deranged SLG and that motley
crowd of pseudo-nationalist parasites. Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim people deserve to live together in unity, harmony and prosperity in this country in the future and be rid of the cancerous "leaders" among us - some of the dirt I have listed above.
You will have many sinhalese agreeing with you sooner than later.
Mr. Rajasingam,
I agree Federalism is a far better solution. But how practical is it given the current situation? You and I plus many Sinhalese and Tamils in this forum I'm sure can easily co-exist with each other. But the ideologies that are driving events in the country are those of the LTTE, Rajapakses, JVP and JHU. It is these parties that need to be separated for the war to end. Vanquishing Prabakaran and creating a peaceful federation of states if at all possible is going to be costly in lives, money as well as destroy the countries environment and infrastructure. A far more shrewd solution would be to accomodate him. Give him his devolution so he and his people can live unmolested by the Sinhalese. But at the same time make him understand that everybody has an equal right to the country's landmass so he can only have his fair share of it. I'm sure deep down he is a reasonable man and will eventually warm to the idea.
Let me spell out the fear of the Sinhalese here. If the North and East were merged to form one single federal state and a Tamil Nationalist (like Prabakaran) who believes that the Sinhalese have no shared claim to any land in this state becomes its Governer, what would prevent him from making a bid for full independence after using the initial peace to arm and train its militia? What if they then make life difficult for the Sinhalese and Moslems and make them leave like they did in Jaffna? The Tamils then have an ethnically pure state with 4 times as much land per-capita as their neighbours while the Sinhalese and Moslems are left with an overcrowded piece of land with a fraction of its former coastline.
Far better to redraw the borders now so that the size of each state is proportionate to its population and then give as much devolution as they want. They can then co-orporate as they see fit. The Tamils have a state centred around their population centres Jaffna and Batticaloa to govern themselves as they wish. And the Sinhalese have the assuarance that should these states wish to secede in anger they are left with the same amount of land per capita as their Tamil brothers.
Sinhala Voice
Bereft of echo Sinhala Voice like the Sinhala Lion has fallen on it's own sword ! So be it.
Like many Sinhala academics and scholars outside the Dutugemunu syndrome Dingiri concedes Eelam - but says it should be restricted to Jaffna-Batticoloa. Dayan Jayatilake goes a little more - but less than what the LTTE map lays claims to, which is roughly the Tamil-speaking areas of the Northern, Eastern Provinces.
So after so much of blood, dedath and misery we have wearily come to agree the parting of the ways is here. The next debate is how much does the Tamil entity get between what they claim and what the Sinhala South is prepared to yield?
And now begins the "battle" for the latter. But I suggest there is still a better way. One without dividing the land and risking a massive blood. This medium keeps the space open for our two people to get together in the future after the heat dies down.
I still feel despite the deep wounds of 1975-2008 the Sinhala and Tamil people will find a way to co-exist despite the obstacles of the JHU, JVP, PNP, the rabid yellow-robed mullahs and pseudo-nationalists. And that is to allow the Tamil people to run their affairs in their areas - as you have now allowed Batticoloa.
To realise this Colonbo must pour in the necessary funds unlike the perfidy following the DDC's. India and the international community will not only welcome this but also pour billions of dollars to rebuild. As to Mr VP and his recalcitrants - they will fade away and the whole thing can eventually be a bad dream. And as to the 200,000 Sinhala army and oversized Police, Navy and Airforce
the South has to find its way to trim them down to their earlier size in proportion to the actual needs of the State. When there is peace who needs such a large resource-sucking entity of armed men?
Dear Dingiri,
Driving the LTTE, Rajapakses, JVP and JHU remain in the hands of the people. The people should have the will power to go for new thinking and not fall prey into their ideologies. Anyway I will answer your problem.
First Sri Lanka should be divided into five Provinces - Western Province, North-East Province, North Western Province and the North Central Province, Southern and the Uva Province and finally the Central Province and Sabragamuwa Province. The following Provinces can be named in the following manner -
Western Province - Kotte Region
North East Province - Eelam Region
North Western Province & North Central Province - Rajarata Region
Southern and Uva Province - Ruhunu Region
Central Province & Sabragamuwa Province - Kandy Region
If this can be done the question demarcating the borders will not arise. These five Regions can either be called Region or Province. Hence Regional government or Provincial government.
Colombo can remain separately with a Corporation status.
There is nothing in the names to be worried. They are for purposes of identification in collaboration with aspirations of the entire communities.
The Draft Constitution presented by Dr.G.L.Peiris in consulatation with Dr.Neelan Thiruchelvam ( a missed opportunity) can lend support as regarding the powers to be assigned to the Federal Government and the Regional or Provincial Government. However, Defence, Monetary and Foreign Affairs shall be assigned only to the Federal Government and not to the Regional or Provincial Governments.
In addition to the House of Representatives which number should be reduced to 100, there shall be a Senate consisting of 30 members, 25 of whom to be elected from each Province (5 from each Province). Members of the Senate shall either have a recognized academic or professional qualification. The balance 5 members shall be appointed by the President from all communities based on their higher qualifications and experience in the fields of economics, law, science, commerce, etc. However, the members of the Cabinet should be reduced to 15 to 18 and the Foreign and Finance Minister should be from the Senate.
The Senate should have the absolute power to monitor the activities of the President or any other Parliamentarians engaged in developing communal feelings or religious feelings.
Finally pensions to Parliamentarians and Senators should be abolished. Today we see people wanted to be Parliamentarians to avoid payment of taxes.
Such a infra-structure should be incorporated in the present constitution by way of amendments or pass a new constitution to this effect and this is not going to be a costly affair. What is required is experiment it with sincerity. Canada stands as a fine model.
Secondly highways have to be constructed between the Provinces which shall remain with the Federal Government. It is this Highways which links communities and can bring about mutual understanding among the communities in various fields.
Thirdly since natural resources vary from Province to Province, people have an opportunity to exchange their ideas and share the profits exploited from such natural resources.
If such a infra-structure is incorporated in the constitution, the Tamils alone will rise against him. Prabakaran will have no say and that the Sinhalese can really own land even in Northern Province and the Tamils will protect the Sinhalese. Sinhalese need not worry about it. I wrote an article entitled ‘Some errors to be rectified’ in the Eagle News Bulletin and discussed with the late Mr.Athulathmudali who acknowledged it.
A.Rajasingam
Kusal Perera says: "Understanding and accommodating that pluralism within a new democratic State structured to be inclusive, provides the only possible answer"
Does Kusal Perera or anyone else really believe that the Sinhala Buddhist mahavamsa mindset (that supposes that the whole island is their Buddha given right and therefore sole preserve of the Sinhala Buddhist, and all others are lesser) would be willing or is even capable of accepting the above?