HJ - The Tamil Question?

The Tamil Question?....Solution!

In today's context with the war at a successful end with the defeat of the military side of the Eelam movement and with the re-appearance of the political movement, it is important to know about, how all this really began: 

It was in 1833, with the decision taken by the British administration, to settle Tamil's into first Jaffna, under the recommendations of the Colbrooke Reforms, that the problem’s seem to stem from. The next phase it seems was to create a Tamil elite. This task was given to the American Missionaries, whose money came in handy to build many of the colleges for this purpose.

In the following few years, Jaffna had no less than five colleges including a girls school. These colleges would then help to create the English educated, Anglo Christianized Tamil Elite, which was required by the Colonialists for their agenda. During these times, the British would work with them in administrating the country, while the native Sinhala population became a 3rd class within their own lands. A simple example of this is the fact is that the first president of Ceylon/Sri Lanka, J R Jayawardena’s ancestors was the rickshaw pullers for Ponnambalam Arunachalam and by 1948, nearly 99% of Ceylon Civil Service, consisted of Tamil's.

With advent of Independence in India in 1947, by 1948 it was also the chance for Ceylon. It was at this point that the Tamil politicians suggested to the British that the entire nation be handed over to them, thankfully the British government laughed at such an idea. When a 50/50 solution was suggested, that also was thankfully rejected and according to British Cabinet papers from this period, it is said that the Tamil politician's did not like DS Senanayake, not because of his policies’ but simply because he is Sinhalese. Is this not racism?

This also goes to show, that the Tamil leadership's racism towards the Sinhalese even before Independence. It’s ironic how today; their racism is blamed on events that took place decades later.

By 1950 though, with the help of the BBC; The Tamil politicians created a party based on federalism called the Federal Party (TULF). This party would carry the cause of two state solutions, Eelam but under the disguise of federalism.

In 1976 in what is known as the Vaddukoddai Resolution, agreed to by all Tamil groups Inc politicians, trade and religious groups, to try and achieve a separate state based on a fabrication, simply known as the ‘Traditional Homeland Concept’. To this day NO Tamil political party nor trade or religious group, has walked away from that resolution!

It was at this conference, that the idea of a political wing and a military wing been created was mooted to achieve this goal. The LTTE been the military wing, was created by these same politicians and were in fact known simply as "their boys". Some those same politicians are still at their game e.g. R. Sampanthan & Anandasangree.

In mid 80's, when under guise of discrimination, the Tamils began their campaign, the positions of Tamil in Lanka made up;

34.9% of the Countries Engineers, 35% Doctors, 38.8% Veterinary surgeons, and 33% Accountants. That's not at all bad for a supposedly discriminated race.

By 1983 when this terrorism began, there were many ethnic Tamil's in the Sri Lankan Cabinet and in top jobs in the capital;

Mr C. Rajadurai was Minister of Regional development - Mr. Devanayagam was Minister of Home Affairs - Mr.Thondaman was Minister of Rural Industries - Mr. Shervananda was Chief Justice - Mr. Rudra Rajasingham was Inspector General of Police (and later High Commissioner to Indonesia) and his father was Senior Surgeon of the Colombo General Hospital - Mr Pasupati was Attorney General. In the 1980s, the High Commissioner in the UK was a Tami.

The Colombo University had many Tamil lecturers and the Colombo Medical College had Professors and lecturers in Anatomy, Medicine, Surgery, Biochemistry and Obstetrics - 4 of the 5 Ophthalmologists at the Colombo Eye Hospital were Tamil's in the 1960s - In 1971 etc etc...

So, how did all this build up?

According to the book by Sundaralingam "Ten letters to the Governor General", states clearly how the British government suggested the word "Eelam", when the Tamil parties had suggested "Ilam". To those that don't know "Ilam" is derived from Sinhale and so indirectly "Eelam".

Today the majority of Tamil political parties are fighting against the LTTE, which they so natured. Unfortunately, they haven't shown any utterances against the Eelam concept or traditional homeland idea! With wolves in sheep’s clothing e.g. EPDP (Eelam Peoples Democratic Party), it is no wonder. As is shown here by its representative to the so called APRC:

http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/6214/print

Definitions of Devolution and Federalism & Why they are not suited?

Devolution is generally used to settle a power vacuum by either external properties of a nation or presence of indigenous people. Such systems were applied in dealing with Scotland and Northern Ireland by the British Government after annexing these to the England and Wales. On the other hand, Federalism is used to amalgamate or glue together different nations or kingdoms etc to form a single nation.

An example of this is India, where many smaller states, governed independently by numerous rulers including Maharajas and Sultans, were put together to form a single entity. Another good example is Germany, where many Germanic tribes where united to create Federal Germany. As you can see, both these don’t apply to Lanka.

Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a country to a government at a sub-national level, such as at regional or provincial level. It differs from federalism in that the powers devolved may be TEMPORARY and ultimately reside with the central government, thus the state remains, de jure, UNITARY.

While Federalism is a political philosophy in which a group of members are bound together (Latin: foedus = covenant), with a governing representative head. The term federalism is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally DIVIDEDbetween a central governing authority and constituent political units (such as states, regions, or provinces). Federalism is a system in which the POWER to GOVERN is SHARED between Central and the sub-national state/regional/provincial governments, creating what is often called a federation.

Unfortunately for Lanka, the ‘Devolution’ that the so called liberals promote is no different from federalism in its functions. They propose to fully implement the 13th amendment (with wider powers given to the Provincial governments) as a first step of devolution. With wider powers including the Police powers granted, these provinces will be able to take legal actions to remove military bases from the lands under their governance and use the police to obtain their political ends. One does not need to be overly intelligent to understand what such a situation can do to a country infested with lunatic racist Tamil Politicians & Treacherous Sinhala ones – It wouldn't be long before a UDI(Unilateral Declaration of Independence), would occur.

What of the Present/Future?

This means, it is more than probable that the Eelam concept will resurface but this time in a political background. We see and hear already new words, like 'Aspirations' and 'Political Rights'. All these are the same, Eelam movement but with a sweeter covering. Ironically the separatist movement is still lead by some of the same racists, that were present at Vaddukoddai in 1976 e.g. R.Sampanthan, a Catholic Tamil, who lead the call in 1976 and now the head of the TNA.

Let’s though, ask ourselves;

Do any of these concepts of Devolution and Federalism really apply at all?

Lanka is a nation, which before the advent of British Colonialists, did in fact have a single identity and so these concepts cannot & do not apply to this Isle:

*Name of Country-Sinhale….Today Sri Lanka (Meaning Beauty and ‘SRI’, been just honorific)

*Language of Administration-Sinhala….Today Sinhala, Tamil and English (More English than any of other language is used in Administration, so what is the difference between post and pre-Colonialism?)

*One national religion-Sinhala Buddhism & Sinhala Sangha….Today Sri Lankan Buddhism and a Sri Lankan Sangha (Sri Lankan is classified as Sinhala/Tamil and Muslim, so does that mean Sri Lankan Sangha incl Tamil and Muslims?)

*National Holidays-Surya Mangalaya, Wesak, Esala, Karitka & Poya Days (More than 50 National Holidays, incl all religious ones of all the religions present in the country. Not even India has this many holidays!)

So in laymen’s terms, the country has NO identity but does not a nation need an Identity in some form?

Today though as before mentioned, we hear, been said by Tamil's and their sympathizers that it’s because of grievance after Independence, that has lead them to demand a separate state. This is as we have pointed out before, is a blatant lie.

In fact in 1939, nearly a year before Independence, the Colonial secretary to Britain, states quite clearly that the Tamil leadership is very racist towards the Singhalese and that they do not like D S Senanakaye because he is Singhalese. This is the true attitude of Tamil's.....!

First ever open demand for a separate state, was in fact on the Independence Day itself by G G Ponnamballam. Unknown too many even today, the fact that he is a Christian.

Today though, a fabricated Idea, that it is the racism of the Sinhala majority that has caused them to demand it, is what gets said. What this racism or grievance, we are yet to hear of.....!

In particular mentioned are the events of 1983 riots, where the then UNP led government, sponsored mobs and did many atrocities against the Tamil's of Colombo. Strangely though, every time that we have seen, these event been mentioned by Tamil's, an amnesia seem to set in, where it leaves them to forget, that it was an attack on Sri Lankan soldier’s returning home by Tamil extremist's, that lit the fire cracker in the first place.....!

The Solution

The solution must first start with a full explanation by the leadership of this country, of what has been happening since 1815, to this country. The people of this nation have a right to know the TRUTH....This would then pave the way, to bring the right changes.

The whole issue of Tamil grievances needs to be seen in the correct light. To start with, it is wrong to describe the problems as issues between the majority Sinhala and minority Tamil communities. This negates the fact that the Sinhalese are the native population, while the majority of Tamil's are an outcome of Colonialism.....!

Considering these so called grievances;

When one issue is addressed, another seems to prop up. This cycle can be never ending. As a TNA (Tamil National Alliance) member had said in parliament, in April 2009. It is the rights that they had before Independence, which they seek. In short, the administration of the Island! This is why it is necessary for our leaders to wake up and deal with the real facts, that it’s the never ending greed and power hunger of Tamil politicians that has created this situation, in the first place.

Solution wise, examples of other systems existing already in many countries, can be used. As in many countries e.g. Britain and Germany, there is a distinction between the native population and the foreign communities. Even after 500yrs of Africans been in Britain, to this day, they are still classed as African and so a foreign community. The minorities in Lanka should in fact be classed as Indians, as has been in all other places where Tamil's were taken by the British e.g. Malaysia, Fiji & Singapore. The Tamil community has every right to be protected by the law and have rights of religion, language etc etc but no right to claim Sri Lanka's history and nation. They have the right to citizenship.

The native, Sinhalese and Veddha communities are the nationals and have every right to claim the nation and its history.

Under the rules that govern the UN resolution on the 'Rights of Nations'. This can be applied to Lanka. The basic nature of this rule is that....A nation belongs to those that created the Civilization found with in that country. In Lanka from Point Pedro to Devi Nuwara, a blind man can see, only the evidence of an ancient Sinhala Civilization.....!

A great example of this policy has been used, in Fiji. Where the native minority has been able to claim, their rights against a majority Indian populace. Also in Malaysia, where the Malay community makes up only 45% of the population, their claim to nationhood and its history is signified by the policy of Bhoomiputra(Update...Today because of proper management and encouraging larger families amongst the Malay populace, they now constitute 53%).

We have the examples, we know they work. So why is it, that the Sinhalese of Lanka, so afraid of claiming their Historical Birth Rights?????????????

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                    Taken from www.jaffnahistory.com without any alteration. Thanks.