1. When did the Tamil Politicians start asking for Eelam:
As far back as 1920 they
were already getting ready to obtain Eelam. They applied to the Soulbury
commission who had Supreme Court judges look into the case for a separate Tamil
Homeland. This was rejected by the British.
What are the grievances of the Tamil people?
This question has been raised again and again and the only answer has been a request for a separate land. Now the Tamils do not even talk about grievances. Everyone talks about the aspirations of the Tamil people. What about the aspirations of the Sinhalese people? No one seems to care.2. Did Jaffna have a low quality of life after Independence:
In the early 1980's
James Grant who was with the Overseas Development Council in USA, tried to
develop an index that would be the measure of a country's quality of life. He
called it the "Physical Quality of Life Index"(PQL). This was
composed of three numbers, which are available from U.N statistics: Infant mortality,
life expectancy, and literacy. He found that Sri Lanka, which had a very low
per capita income, was very high on PQL, while countries such as Brazil, which
had a high per capita index, were low on PQL.
In fact, Sri Lanka was
higher than the USA and some of the developed countries. This study was then
extended to the different provinces in the Island. Jaffna had the highest PQL,
not Colombo, yet Jaffna had the highest suicide rate too. This is indicative of
a predisposition among Tamil youth to commit suicide (for whatever reason),
which is being used by LTTE for their 'cause'.
3. Why Eelam:
The Tamil people have
various problems stemming from caste and also from their traditions, which
impose tremendous burdens among their people. From South India, they have
migrated to different parts of the world. In fact, they think that they have a
problem with North India too, in that they do not want 'home rule' from Delhi.
As a result, they feel they do not have a country in spite of the fact that the
South Indian State of Tamil Nadu is theirs. They try to equate themselves to
the Jewish people who did not have a homeland and as a result were scattered
through the world. Unlike the Jews, the Tamils have a homeland in South India
in Tamil Nadu. The entire southern subcontinent of India is virtually Tamil and
they are free to travel within India itself, like any other Indian.
However, instead of
developing their homeland they sought to travel to other countries and
establish Tamil ghettos, and then try to create separate states in these
countries. It is estimated that there are at least 40 million Tamils currently
scattered through the world. The hidden plan is to create Dravidastan, a Tamil
Nation spanning Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka. This was unveiled by a
number of sources, among them Dr Robert Kearney of Syracuse University, USA).
For various reasons, the
Tamils are very divided among themselves. They created the myth of the Tamil
Eelam in Sri Lanka to unify and give them a focus and a reason for their
existence.
4. Why was Sri Lanka chosen to be the venue of the Tamil Eelam:
Tamil Nadu is separated
from Sri Lanka only by 20 miles of sea. The Northern part of Sri Lanka is
already occupied by Tamils only. All the Sinhalese and Muslims who had
businesses, were fishermen or bakers, were either killed or harassed by Tamils
until they left the area. However, to date Tamils live in the South among the
majority Sinhalese. In fact, it is estimated that over 45% of the total Tamil
population live among Sinhala people. They have businesses, which are
patronised by the Sinhalese and others.
After the British left
Sri Lanka, the trade and commerce in the country has been in the hands of the
Tamils. The Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce is comprised mainly of Tamil people.
Sri Lanka has always been eyed by the Tamils from time immemorial as being the
prized jewel. It is mostly lush and green compared to some parts of Tamilnadu.
It is in fact likened to Kerala, which is in South India.
Sri Lanka is occupied in
majority by the Sinhalese who because of the Buddhist traditions are very
tolerant and easy going, ready to relinquish material things due to the strong
consciousness of "Anicca" or impermanence.
On the other hand, the
majority of Tamils seem to believe in grasping and getting whatever they can
get by whatever means. Most of them seem to have no sense of ethics or morality
in their actions. A good example of Sinhala tolerance is the fact that though
the Tamils are almost 35% in Malaysia they have very little rights compared to
the 18% (probably less now)Tamils who are in Sri Lanka. In Malaysia at a very
early stage the Malays created the "Bhumiputra" laws which protected
the indigenous Malays from the migrant Tamils.
5. How was the whole myth orchestrated:
In the 1950's there was
a resurgence of Sinhalese national pride. This was natural after 500 years of
foreign domination. At the time of independence in 1948, Tamils held dominant
positions in Administration, Business and Trade due to the British policy of
divide and rule.
The Tamils then created
a master plan to take over Sri Lanka and overrun it with the starving millions
from Tamil Nadu. In the 1980's the Police became aware of the small terrorist
group that had developed in Northern Sri Lanka, headed by Vellupillai Prabhakaran.
They brought it to the notice of the then President J.R. Jayawardena, who being
a typical Buddhist did not wish to harm or imprison members of a minority
community. He felt that in a democracy all people were entitled to differences
of opinions and as such should be allowed to exist. He hoped that the people
would resolve their differences in a democractic manner. So, unfortunately, the
Tamil terrorists were released and they orchestrated their master plan, which
worked very well for them.
The plan was as follows:
(a) Have sniper attacks
on Army personnel in Jaffna.
(b) Sinhalese are
volatile and would react when the bodies of soldiers were brought to Colombo.
(c) As planned, in July
1983, Sinhalese gangs in their typical emotional frenzy started attacking
Tamils in the capital, Colombo. The Tamils were ready with the video cameras
and caught all the action on videotape and had them showing on the western news
channels within a few hours.
(d) There was an
outpouring of world sympathy for the "Tamils who have no home and no place
to go" (wither Tamilnadu?). Canada, Australia and Germany, and many other
nations opened their doors for Tamil people to pour in. Very few went to Tamil
Nadu- (why?). All the educated Tamils were ready with their passports, money
and within hours planeloads took off to the above mentioned countries. There
they were given refugee status and given accommodation, money and help to find
jobs by the respective governments.
(e) As soon as they were
able, they started collecting funds and sending it back to the terrorists in
Sri Lanka, which enabled them to buy armaments and sophisticated weapons.
(f) Now the 'righteous'
anger of all Tamils abroad was ignited and their traditionally tight purse
strings were loosened to send funds for the "Cause". What the cause
is no one bothered to look too carefully.
(g) No one asked the
question "why send the money to create a war and fight the Sinhalese to
create a Tamil Eelam when there was a homeland in Tamil Nadu?". Many
Millions of $ were raised for the Tamil war effort. Imagine what that money
could have done for the suffering masses of Tamils in south India and Sri
Lanka. It could have developed the entire South of India and the Tamils of Sri
Lanka. Instead they chose to fight and obtain by force, cheat and deceit the
land from Sinhalese.
(h) Their plan was
helped by the geo politics of the region. In 1977 during the time of the cold
war, J.R Jayawardena aligned himself with the USA hoping for assistance and
free trade. The US was eyeing the Trincomalee harbour which being the deepest
natural harbour in the world would have been perfect for the Seventh fleet.
From the Trincomallee harbour US could reach the soft underbelly of Russia with
the ICBM's. Russia got very nervous and being aligned with India requested
India to pressure Sri Lanka. India armed and trained the Tamil terrorists who
were then let loose on the country. They also allowed training camps in South
India. This went on until Rajiv Ghandhi was killed by the LTTE. Then India
opened its eyes and realised that they had created a monster. By then it was
too late.
6. The myth that Prabahakaran is the leader of the Tamil people:
Prabahakaran who started
life as a low caste fisherman in the North of Sri Lanka (Velvetiturai) has gone
a long way by the simple expedient of killing everyone who stood in his path by
using home made bombs. He has killed the cream of the Sinhalese leadership such
as Lalith Athulathmudali, Gamini Dissanayake, Premadasa, Ranjan Wijeratne, Army
and Navy top brass plus the leaders in India such as Rajiv Ghandhi. He has also
killed the leaders among the Tamil people such as Major Anandaraja, PLOTE
leaders, and Neelan Tiruchelvam etc., etc.. The list is endless. As a result
the Tamil people have been left leaderless and Prabahakaran has appointed
himself as the leader. No one has done a referendum to see if LTTE do get the
north and the east as Eelaam, how many Tamils will want to live under him in
the North and the East. The 45% of Tamils who are now living in the south - will
they leave their property and business and move to the North and East?.
Therefore who is going to fill the Eelaam. He will have to import the starving
millions from South India.
It is a little known
fact that Prabahakaran has become a Catholic to get the church backing for his
cause. He is however not the real brains behind the whole movement. It is
people like A. J. Wilson, Prof. Eliezer and Karunanidhi Chief Minister in South
India and others of their ilk scattered througout the world. It is sad that A.
J. Wilson, Prof. Eliezer received their free education in Sri Lanka paid by the
blood and sweat of the poor Sinhalese farmers and then turned traitor to the
country of their birth.
7. Who supports the LTTE
LTTE have been able to
generate large sums of money for their cause. This is because the so-called
innocent Tamils who live and earn their living off the Sinhalese in the South
send money to LTTE. Also many Sri Lankan Tamil doctors who received their free
education in Sri Lanka are now contributing millions so that the LTTE can
destroy the country. Every time a bomb goes off killing innocent people each
and everyone who has contributed money for the cause are accessories to murder.
They are also receiving support from U.K. and Norway governments and to a
lesser extent from Canada.
8. What can Sri Lanka do to combat this menace?
(a) Our leadership must
realise that LTTE cannot be negotiated with. They have proven again and again
their treachery. The goal of achieving what they want is the only thing that
matters not the means. There should be no negotiations with terrorists.
(b) Terrorism has to be
stamped out by force. It may mean promulgating tough laws, which allow the
state to take-over, the assets and property of anyone involved in terrorist
activities, including property of their family members. Anyone contributing
money to LTTE and assisting them in any way must be considered a traitor to Sri
Lanka. Automatic death penalty should be instituted for anyone caught involved
in terrorism.
(c) The Sri Lanka
government cannot handle this problem on their own. The Central Government of
India has to get involved. They have to crack down hard on the South Indian
politicians who aid and abet the Terrorists. To date the 20 who were arrested
for the assassination of Rajiv Ghandhi have gone unpunished. Sri Lanka
government will have to obtain help from China, Russia, and USA in applying
pressure on the Indian government to crack down on the South Indian bases,
which supply the LTTE.
(d) The Sri Lanka
Government will have to expose what is going on to the world and create world
opinion so that the truth is made known to the whole world. All the Western
countries, which harbour the masterminds and help finance the LTTE operations
have to be closed down. The Western governments will do that only when it is in
their self-interest. The Western governments have to realise that the LTTE
operations include gun running, drug smuggling which are deleterious to their
own well being in the West.
(e) Sri Lanka may have
to consider conscription, and arming the Sinhala villagers in the east and
north east so those entire villages will not be massacred as was done by the
LTTE in the last few years. In the past 16 years the LTTE have massacred 617
Sinhala persons in 26 villages including 30 Buddhist monks. Further more 1337
Sinhalese persons have been injured or gone missing. Even the Muslim community
in the Ampara district has suffered 11 attacks with the 540 persons murdered.
This excludes the other bombings in Colombo, the army massacres of thousands of
soldiers and damage to property running to Billions of Rupees. We will also
have to boost the Navy and surveillance of the seas off Sri Lanka to maximum
capacity.
9. Conclusion:
I believe that there are
laws of Dharma that operate in this Universe. "Dhammo bhave rakkati dhamma
chari" . Those who live by the dharma are protected by the dharma. However
clever and strong Prabahakaran and his cohorts appear to be finally in the end
I believe he will meet the same fate that Hitler did. At the height of Hitler's
power it looked as if he was invincible. Yet in the end he died by his own
hand. The Sinhalese are fighting a just battle and that is our saving. The
Sinhalese have always being willing to share what they have and live in harmony
with all the people be they Tamil, Muslims, Burghers, or Malays. In turn the
minorities will have to accept that the Sinhalese are the majority race and
learn to live with them or else depart to whatever their homeland might be.
This is so in every democratic country in the world.
16 May 2000. This article may be republished in whole without modifications.
(c) Sinhaya.
Prof. Maddumabandara
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