You and Dingiri are my best friends in this site. Before the begining of the Eelam war one day in the night about 7pm two of my friends and me were walking twards a summary of our friends in a lane at Katubedde. A ten year old boy crossing us hold a friend of mine’s hand and said themaleng kathakaranna eppa kiyala. That is the very reason why we wanted a homeland. At least in that area we can live without fearing to the Sinhalese. Like the Kudappadu,Kochikada (Negombo)Tamils because of fear we don’t want to abstain from speaking Tamil and become Sinhalese speaking.
Actually in 2002 after cease fire LTTE should have negotiated with the Muslim congress and come to a common stand ( whether comletely separate Muslim province or within etc…) and then together would have gone to talk with the government. That is why I wrote the the TNA shouldn’t do the same mistake after LTTE stategically widthdraw from Wanni and gone abroad and dissappeared.

Even in 1956 the muslims of Northeast didn’t think that they are not Tamils. In 1956 Illankai Thamil Arasu Kaddchi( Federal Party) after newly formed that party contested asking the mandate for Federalism and won the majority of the seats in the North east. In that election Muslims too contested in the Federal party ticket and two of them won. AT Kalmunai Mudaliyar M.M.I. Kariyappar and at Potuvil M.M. Mustapha were elected. Mislims and Tamils together gave mandate for Federalism in the Northeast.
So after 1956 every Colombo government aided colony in the Northeast is Illegal. Like the Palastinians removed the Jewish colonies from the Gaza through negotiation the LTTE also could have negotiated. The Palastinians has said without removing the Colonies from West Bamk they cannot go to the next step. LTTE also could have broke away from negotiation saying somethin like that with out talking about A9 and Essential items.

This Eelam endgame or alternatively a Sinhala-Buddhist ‘Heladiva’ endgame can only be averted by immediately adopting a loose confederate system and the Sinhala nation only relying on the military option in the event that the Tigers proclaim a UDI a few years after reaching a confederate agreement. The Sinhala military option can be used as a credible threat to deter a UDI by the Tigers. And a loose confederate system would provide peace in the short-term, and possibly the long-term as well.

Now turning to Tamils and Muslims:
It is in the interest of Eelam Tamils to redefine Tamil Nationalism to include Muslims. In Tamil Nadu, Christians, Hindus, and Muslims, all consider themsleves Tamils. Jaffna Tamils and Jaffna Muslims have cordial relationships and ordinary Tamils do not approve the LTTE’s decision to evict Muslims from the North. I hope that the eviction was purely an impulsive military decision. The resettlement of Muslims, who live in IDP tents in Puttalam, to Jaffna must be among the first legislation passed in Tamil Eelam. Moreover, the Tamils must compensate all the evicted Muslims for their loss.

I think the LTTE understands that Muslims and SL Tamils must join together. For example, the LTTE recently appointed R.M. Imam as the first Muslim TNA MP.

But bridging the Muslim-Tamil divide in the East will be difficult. To bridge the divide in the East, we must realize that Muslims and Tamils need to work together to defeat the Sinhala agenda to dominate the Eastern province.

The war accelerates the decline of the population of SL Tamils living in Sri Lanka. Given that our population dwindles as the war continues and given that the war has no end in sight, it is in our interest to unite with the Muslims from a demographics perspective. If we had been united during the Eastern polls, then there is no way Basil Rajapaksa could have used Pillaiyan and Hizbullah to win control of the Eastern PC.

So True Sam…. So True.

Selva,

LOL! Every TOGETHER!…against the SINHALESE… SINHALESE ARE THE ‘ENEMY’

Who is living according to the Sinhalese Selva… are any of you people forced to do that? Last I check Muslims Live the way they want and Tamils too…

And Muslims are Not Tamils and they will never join ith Tamils because they are COMMUNALISTS just like the Tamils. Both Ethnic groups have been indoctrinated by their Communalist Leaders, and worst of all,…so have you!

“Sinhala Chauvanists are hell bent on dividing the Eastern Thamils and Muslims.”

What a load of rot. I always find it highly amusing how each minority group tries to scapegoat the Sinhalese for all their ills without bothering to look within.

First have a good read at what the President said following the election:

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Infighting will undo the gains of successful elections: Rajapaksa
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200805180341.htm

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The Sinhalese did not make Tamil extremists ethnically cleanse the north of Muslims. The Sinhalese didn’t make the Tamils attack the Muslims in the East. The Sinhalese didn’t make the Tamils take over Muslim land in the east. The Sinhalese didn’t make the Muslims take over Tamil lands in the east. The Sinhalese did not make the Jaffna Tamils regard the Upcountry Tamils with scorn. That was done by members of the Tamil and Muslim communities respectively.

Why don’t you own up and fess up to *YOUR OWN EXTREMISM AND COMMUNALISM* instead of just blaming the Sinhalese for everything? There’s plenty of racism within your own community but its much more convenient to forget about that and scream about the Sinhalese.

The extremists from your own community (whether it be Tamil or Muslim) are the ones that are dividing the Tamils and Muslims. More specifically it is Tamil extremism and terorrism that is doing that. Did you forget the LTTE was running parts of the east till recently? Who was illegally taxing the Muslims? Taking their lands? Stopping their businesses?

Tamil racism is the main cause of the division among the “Tamil speaking people” - the Tamil desire to control and dominate everything in the East even though they are not in the majority.

It’s pretty clear the Muslims do not wish to be regarded as Tamils. For some reason, many Tamils think that is the fault of the Sinhalese. How the Sinhalese could control the minds of the Muslims is beyond me. Did the Sinhalese start the rhetoric of “Tamil speaking people”? No, the Tamils did. Did the Sinhalese start claiming that Muslims were “Tamil” and yell about it from the rooftops? Nope, the Tamils did. Have you ever stopped to think that , just maybe, that kind of gung ho attitude alienated the Muslims?

Why don’t you go and ask the Muslims whether they want to be regarded as Tamil? Don’t blame the Sinhalese if they don’t want to, but go and talk to them and ask them face to face. Ask their representatives. This whole issue came about since the Sri Lankan public dropped usage of the terms “Moor” and “Malay” and instead places both the groups under the label of “Muslim.”

Unlike Tamils, Muslims are not emotionally attached to the Tamil language. While the majority are Tamil speaking, there are plenty who speak only Sinhalese. And others, mainly in Colombo, have English as their mother tongue. What about them?

Just because someone speaks a language it doesn’t mean they belong to that ethnicity. I speak English, does that make me a white skinned Englishman?

Did you stop to think for a second that the Muslims may not be interested in the violence, terrorism and extremism of a certain section of Tamils? Or that they don’t want anything to do with separatism? Or that they genuinely believe that they are not Tamils? Apparently for the Tamil nationalists, that Muslims don’t want a ‘Tamil Eelam’ is the fault of the Sinhalese! Hilarious.

This Tamil conspiracy theory that Sinhalese are sneakily working away in the background to divide Tamils and Muslims is akin to those silly conspiracy theories some Muslims spread about the Jews.

Instead of pointing fingers at the Sinhalese, take the time to look within and see how your own leaders screwed up Tamil-Muslim relations. That there were Tamil-Muslim riots, often sponsored by the LTTE (ie representatives of Tamil nationalism) doesn’t help inter-ethnic harmony. It’s not the fault of the Sinhalese if Tamil traders wanted to block Muslim traders and started a hate campaign on that issue.

Remember the Tamil-Muslim riots in Batticaloa that happened a few years back? If the “evil Sinhalese government” didn’t step in and place a curfew Tamils and Muslims would have merrily continued along with their killing spree. If the “evil Sinhalese government” wanted to divided the Tamils and Muslims they could have easily let the Batticaloa riots continue until the whole Eastern province was engulfed in flames.

When Muttur was attacked by the “sole representatives” of the Tamils, Tamil restaurants and businesses were attacked in Colombo. Who put a stop to that? The “evil Sinhalese government” again. How easy it would have been to “divide” the Tamils and Muslims if it was allowed to continue, don’t you think?

Tamils and Muslims have issues to solve in the east because they are the two biggest ethnic groups. Don’t try and scapegoat the Sinhalese for the problems that you have created out of your own animosity and bigotry.

It’s strange that a “Malayaga Thamilan” is spreading these sad conspiracy theories.

As long as the Jaffna Thamil diaspora continue to bankroll the L.T.T.E. the fighting will go on.L.T.T.E. will switch from the unconventional to conventional warfare as per the situation on ground.

For a lasting peace in the East I am of the strongest view the Eastern Thamils must be ‘EXTRICATED’ from the Northern Jaffna Thamils.

Members of parliament representing the Eastern Thamils should be from the independent political parties formed solely for the Eastern Thamils.I am mentioning of the Eastern Thamil intellectuals.

Then the Muslims of the East.It is grossly a divided house!Another stumbling block for the peace to emerge in the East.President Rajapalksa is making use of this to the maximum.Anti Muslim activities by the T.M.V.P. and the L.T.T.E.adding fuel to fire.

Also the anti Thamil activities of the Muslim armed groups.

Any ruling government is hell bent on creating a wedge between the Eastern Thamils and Muslims.
Muslims in Srilanka are culturally alligned with the Thamils but politically with the Sinhalese.
But from my personal experience there is still an emotional relationship between Eastern Thamils and Muslims,which is above politics.

Will there ever be any concenus among the Eastern Thamils and Muslims? Atleast between the Intellectuals from both communities?

Allegations about the Muslims eating meat and dealing in narotics,their unethical Trade practices,grabbing the Eastern Thamils Lands at ‘ADIMAATTU VILLAI’ etc etc and counter allegations against the Eastern Thamils by the Eastern Muslims will only benefit the L.T.T.E. and the Sinhala Chaunists.

Solutions cannot be found overnight.

So my suggestion is we have to start confidence building between the two communities.

The South-Eastern University should be ‘modified’ into a multi ethnic University.Where primararely Eastern Thamil and Muslim students learning by sitting side by side.

Both students should have the opportunities to learn about Hinduism and Islam.There will be a Hindu Temple as well to the Mosque.

What I am dreaming is a modern ‘Convertable’ Muslim and Eastern Thamil intellgencia.
The Muslim students passing out from this future University will come out from the Islamic Isolation,
wiil become an ‘Elite Muslim’ like in India and Pakistan.

That is appreciating the values of the Thamil Hindu community,and not over emphazising Islam as at present.
But the question is who is going to bell the cat?

Sinhala Chauvanists are hell bent on dividing the Eastern Thamils and Muslims. Considarable Muslim Politicians are aiding this.So …..
Over to you Muslim Intellectuals!

If ALL are devolved in addition to sufficient finds, the EPC will become an “eastern provincial government” and this will not be liked by other PCs-who are reported to be requesting same.

The Centre too will lose its “clout” and this will not be liked by the President or Cabinet.

Thus, the political mess is only beginning. Add to this the refusal of the President to appoint the Constitutional Council-and thus will be another “National Question” be thrust into the political process.
Wait for it.

This will overshadow the ‘war’.

The PCs are a white elephant which is bleeding the country-all know this-but noone knows what to do about them.
The ‘invention’ of the PCs by President JEJ and the vetoeing of the Mawella Coal Power
Project by by President Premadasa are the two major calamities which have bled the nation, and responsible for most of its ills.

How surprising.