This election must have reminded the ethic Tamils to look for new strategies in countering Sinhala nationalism and ethnic centered politics..!!!

Place of minorities in Sri Lankan politics after elections

(Lanka-e-News 31.Jan.2010 5.30PM) 2010 Presidential Election in Sri Lanka is over. However, political developments unfolded during the last few weeks, revealed prevalence of deep rooted ethnic division in the country. Most probably this election must have reminded the ethic Tamils to look for new strategies in countering Sinhala nationalism and ethnic centered politics. Additionally, it provided sufficient ingredients for the international community to criticize Sri Lankan government on mistreating Tamil voters. It dismissed the notion that after elimination of the LTTE, the path is open for successful integration of diverse ethnic groups into a highly united and cohesive Sri Lankan nation. This election indicated that due to ethnocentric and opportunistic politics in Sri Lanka, the notion of Sri Lankan nation would be unreachable for decades.

As a whole this election proved majority of Sinhalese and some politicians are still racists. This theory was proved by the President's camp. When R.Sambandan, the leader of Tamil National Alliance declared their support for Sarath Fonseka, this racist camp theorized it as pumping oxygen to the LTTE. For them every Tamil is a member of the LTTE. If this is the belief of the government, it would not be able to build trust among Tamils and Sinhalese bridging the gulf between the two ethnic groups. If we continue to believe this theory, there is no point in eliminating the LTTE. It appears that we still want to keep the Tamils away from mainstream politics. Under the circumstances, can we talk about peace in Sri Lanka?

Labeling the TNA as LTTE supporters, we signaled them that all Tamil politicians are LTTE supporters and they have no place in Sri Lankan political environment. Only Sinhalese and Tamil leaders who support the Sinhalese government can engage in politics. While refusing the TNA, we continue to accept Karuna, who was responsible for more civilian massacre than any LTTE leader.

JR did the same mistake in 1979. When the Tamil United Liberation front [TULF] left parliament, we did not have anyone to engage in any serious dialogue related to Tamil issues. Even the LTTE refused to talk to the government on the ground that it could not be trusted. Unfortunately, during the recent election, we followed the same path preventing Tamils in the North casting their votes. With this undemocratic act, on the one hand we proved to the international community that we are not allowing the Tamils to exercise their political rights freely and Tamils are still prisoners of war. On the other hand, we indicated the Tamils that we do not trust them anymore and their place in the society is always far below the majority Sinhalese.

It is also a fact that the majority of the Tamils opted to vote Sarath Fonseka rather than Mahinda Rajapakse due to a very specific reason. In realty, for them Sarath Fonseka should be the devil. This is because he was the military leader responsible for shattering their dream of carving a separate state in Sri Lanka. Yet, they thought that he can be trusted than Mahinda Rajapske whose survival is based on nationalism and false promises. Additionally, President Rajapakse has always been identified himself as the leader of the Sinhalese not the leader of Tamils as well. Moreover, the Tamil politicians who are with the government have been acting like puppets. They have no voice in the government. Their voice has purposely been suppressed using many indecent methods. The Tamil community does not accept them as their leaders. This was proved during the last election. They have not been able to influence the Tamil community to vote Mahinda Rajapakse. In this milieu, no one can rule our reborn of another Prabhakaran.

If this is the actual situation in Sri Lanka, no independent Tamil politician could be able to contest in any election or support anyone party of person they like. They would not even be able to express their opinion about Sri Lankan politics. The North and East are still under the rule of the military. Still some people are in the camps. Freedom of movement is restricted for Tamils in these areas. So far, opposition politicians have denied access to these communities. Ironically, everyone else in the world has been allowed to visit these areas even using government owned helicopters.

With all these actions what are we trying to prove? We are supporting the argument of the LTTE that Tamils are suppressed in Sri Lanka.. Even the international community tempts to believe their stories and again they would consider extending their assistance to the radical Tamil groups.

Accordingly, in the name of winning the elections some politicians are paving a way for another dark age rather than a bright future for all. All these are the results of ultra nationalism and trying to win election by chook or crook. The major problem of pro-government political leaders is that their unpreparedness to accept accommodation or compromise as a part of democratic political behavior. They think what they believe to be the most sensible and politically rewarding. This was adequately proved prematurely calling for Presidential election. However, they are supposed to respond to wide range of societal interests. In this context, as Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary General of the UN stated vision, eloquence, cooperative spirit, and political intuition should be essential characteristics of political leadership. The question is whether the present leaders in power in Sri Lanka possess these characteristics.

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