A New Face In Parliament?
Apr 11th, 2010
By Raisa Wickrematunge
M.A. Sumanthiran — Upbeat and positive
Prominent lawyer M. A. Sumanthiran is on the National List representing the TNA. He sat down with The Sunday Leader at his chambers and shared his views on minority rights, the day before election day.
Excerpts from the interview:
Q: The general political mood in the north and east appears to be quite apathetic. Many didn’t foresee a change in government. Would you agree?
A: We have seen evidence of that. However in the three to four weeks that I have been involved in the campaign in the north and east, I’ve seen a change for the better. I wouldn’t call it apathy — it is more a sense of helplessness and lack of motivation. They just cannot see how anything is going to change. Given that perspective, I think they are justified in adopting that view, but we have tried to communicate to them the importance of exercising their vote in this general election.
Q: There are a lot of areas in the north and east that need development. Would one of your goals be a focus on development?
A: I wouldn’t like to call it development. Development is something that you start from a neutral point and seek to improve. The people of the north and east are not at such a level. They have been deprived of the most basic provisions to carry on with their lives. Displacement, if you place the numbers properly, exceeds 500,000 people. 300,000 in the district of Wanni alone. In the High Security Zones in Jaffna, Sampur and Muttur, there are easily more than 200,000 others. Something needs to be done about that.
There is no necessity for High Security Zones in the future. The people must be given their lands back. It’s not merely a question of letting them go back to their land. They must be granted adequate compensation for having been kept away. They must be extended livelihood support to restart their lives and compensation must be paid for loss of lives, property and incapacitation of various kinds. It is only after the speedy restoration on all these matters that one can look to development.
Q: Now that you are on the National List, what do you plan on doing when you get into parliament?
A: The position of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka since Independence has been that they’re a separate, distinct people as defined by the United Nations, particularly by UNESCO.
The Tamil people feel they have been left out of their legitimate share in the governance of the country as a whole. Their claim that some degree of autonomy must be granted to them as a people has not been granted.
As an unfortunate result of that non accommodation, there was an armed struggle for the last 30 years. Now that has been brought to an end, but that does not mean that the legitimate political aspirations of the Tamil people can be suppressed. This being the first general election after the end of the armed conflict, it is important for the Tamil people to speak to the government and international community and state what their position is. That is the role I see for myself in the next parliament.
The Tamil National Alliance has put forward a manifesto and seeks the mandate of the people for that purpose. We are confident that the Tamil people in the north and east will grant us that mandate.
Q: Can you give us some main points of the TNA manifesto?
A: Our manifesto focuses on two things for the future. One is what you call the political solution to the national question. Equally important and perhaps more urgent than even settling the political question is the day to day issues confronting the people of the north and east.
Q: Does the manifesto call for a separate state?
A: No it doesn’t. It specifically doesn’t. But it asserts the right to self- determination which must translate into a federal state of government. The pacts and the Indo Lanka Accord that the government entered into recognised the need for a federal solution. This includes the 2000 August proposals of the government presided over by Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
I want it to be very clearly noted that what we are asking for is what has been already agreed to by different Sinhala governments. By leaders such as Bandaranaike, Dudley Senanayake, and as recently as August 2000, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. This is not something that we are articulating for the first time. All that we are saying is that what has been agreed to should be granted.
49 Responses for
“A New Face In Parliament?”
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Daniel says:
April 11, 2010 at 1:09 amA person like Sumanthiran gong to parliament on National List of TNA will enrich the whole House. It is time youngsters like him with clear mind and without any personal baggage take up the leadership in due course. Now that the H.E. has a clear majority it is prudent to discuss matters with people like Sumanthiran. Tamils will like it.
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Srilankan Netherlandian says:
April 11, 2010 at 1:20 pmI agry with you our Srilankan Tamil brothers and sisters are very educated people ,that is why they forward this type of Educated Young Fresh farthinking people to the parliment than like my own Sinhalese foolish “Voters” sending uneducated foolish jobless “Nikamas” to the parliment just for a monthely paid “Job”.
Reply Peter R de Fries says:
April 11, 2010 at 6:52 pmSumanthiran does have a small vote but it will be drowning in sinhala nationalism as we have seen all these years before, if Rajapaksa does not allow a federal state as the TNA demands than this war will continue in the future I am afraid! This part of the region has become explosive and Tamil Nadu is looking very critically to what the Indian government is doing for them and in particular the eelam tamils in the north and east of sri lanka!
Reply pinky says:
April 11, 2010 at 7:39 pmMr. Sumanthiran is a youngster, I cannot see him as a youngster through his photo. what is his age.
Reply Psycho says:
April 11, 2010 at 1:45 amWithout talking about Sinhala Government and Tamil Government its always correct to call as united Sri lankan Government.
Rhetoric, theatrics and language can veto understanding and solutions.
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Peter R de Fries says:
April 11, 2010 at 6:40 pmIt is obvious that there is no support from the tamils for sinhalese politics, most of them don’t even understand sinhala language but the way Rajapaksa has been treating them and how the sri lankan army massacred 40.000 tamil civilians will never be forgotten!
The only peaceful solution is Tamil Eelam,
62 years of sinhala racism and genocide proof that!
and no I am no LTTE but a white person who has been following your countries warcrimes against tamils for many years!
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Leela says:
April 12, 2010 at 7:27 amI have been waiting to get at a white to tell his kind what they have done to this country and Sinhalese in particular while they were here as colonists. But I feel you an impostor. So I shall save my energy until the genuine ones come up.
Reply Psycho says:
April 12, 2010 at 3:31 pmSo you are the “Sudda”, which part of your anatomy is “sudu”?
Did you get your skin peeled?
Mr Fries did you get youself fried with french fries??
Reply Guru Sathyadasa says:
April 11, 2010 at 4:51 amThe TNA people appear to be lost in the desert. They backed Gen F in the presidential elections. This backing is a clear endorsement of Gen F’s views including those he had as a soldier. At the peak of the war, Gen F said that “SL is the land of the sinhalese and minorities should accept what is given to them by the majority”. Shocking to see a major political representative of a minority community supporting a guy with such a view.
Now, Sumanthiran comes out with guns blazing. These guys are a shame to the community. Just look at the voter turnout in their electorates. Hope they get the message and go away. They smell like fish that couldn’t be sold in the market for a couple of days!
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Leela says:
April 11, 2010 at 9:53 amWhen the TNA backed General Fonseka, they knew jolly well that if he had become the President, he will neither transfer power to parliament nor abolish the Presidency. TNA knew it is Lieutenant General Fonseka that gave tactical orders to overrun LTTE held areas that Sumanthiran is claiming to have destroyed. We say it is the terrorist LTTE that confronted the legitimate Army and paved the way for destruction. That’s a different topic that has to be discussed separately. What is important here at this moment is; the TNA and the Tamil diaspora have asked Tamils to vote for Fonseka. Why?
I believe that TNA knew very well that Fonseka is a power hungry man. For one thing, General Fonseka is reported to have said that if he wins others have to surrender, and if he loses he will surrender. Whether he did it or not is another matter. But, what kind of logic is that? Then again that is what he is being trained for; for the last forty years.
Recent world history tells us that the desire of third world army Generals in particular is to be dictators. Besides, Fonseka has no moral rules. Otherwise, how could he go back on every word (race etc) that he uttered just a few months back and offer to comply with the wishes of the TNA?
TNA knew Fonseka would not have a majority Mps in the Parliament even if he win the Presidency. One could imagine the way things would have gone from disarrays that followed in his coalition afterwards. But TNA hoped Fonseka will somehow win the Presidency.
If everyone knew that a president of Sri Lanka will be a mare figurehead without the backing of the majority Mps in the Parliament there is no reason to believe the TNA does not know it. Fonseka’s character tells us that he would not be a ChandrikaK in such a scenario. TNA knew President Fonseka (theoretical) would have turned this country to a dictatorship. Moreover they knew such a situation would only bring about instability and confusion to entire political spectrum in this country.
However bad a political instability and a dictatorship is to the country, it fits very well with the TNA game plan. The wily TNA had planned to lurk in the shadows of Fonseka, and call upon the so-called International Community to demarcate the boundaries for Eelam at the right time. And to usurp a separate country.
Now that their plan had gone astray, on one hand Sumanthiran is saying that they are not asking for a separate state; on the other hand he is insisting the right to self- determination which he translate into a federal state of government. Sumanthiran goes further; he is demanding the President who got a two third majority on Mahinda ‘Chintana’ to go back on his word and offer Tamils ’self determination’.
I say; this ’self determination’ is a nothing but a panache for Eelam. If this is confrontational politics then what is it?
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Vathy says:
April 11, 2010 at 6:14 pmLeela, You are a fool. In German a lot of people beleived that Jews should be killed because of Hitler. Hitlter did that by telling lies again and again. Now Mahinda has brainwashed you and other sinhalease in the same way. Actually LTTE was very correct in their demands. TNA has come down a lot, infact they are asking nothing. Though they say there was Federal solution in the 1987 agreement there was not enough rights given to Tamils. Mahinda is not even giving that. He has taken away Police and land control. However, Tamils are establishing Trans National TamilEelam which will continue the fight for our rights.
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Leela says:
April 11, 2010 at 8:43 pmVathy: I am glad that you have directly come out of the desire of the Diaspora. I wish Sumanthiran and company also be equally frank.
You see Vathy, President Mahinda and those that voted him to power knows that Tamil aspirations, self rule, claim for a homeland, demand for 13th amendment and plus, federal solution, are all a part of the roadmap to Eelam.
That is why he says no police and land powers. We have nothing against Tamils having equal rights in Sri Lanka but we are against Eelam.
To understand the real motive of Tamils we only have to dig in to their recent history. People of Madras state had federal powers at the time of Indian independence. They had land as well as police powers. All non-Tamil Dravidians were satisfied. Were the Tamils satisfied? No.
Tamils instigated other Dravidians to join them to demand ‘self rule’ for Madras state. Indian government had split the Madras state in to three. And ‘Tamil Nadu’ was demarcated for Tamils on racial basis. Were the Tamils satisfied? No.
Tamils voted vehemently for a separatist party, the DMK that stood for 1962 election on separation ticket. Indian Prime Minister Nehru had grasped the game plan of Tamils and responded in a very clear manner. He did not do so with carrot but with a big stick.
Nehru had passed an amendment to the Indian constitution to ban individuals and political parties that promote separation from contesting elections. DMK had to choose between losing their parliamentary seats and dropping the demand for separation. The Central Committee of the DMK met at Royapuram on November 3, 1963, and unanimously voted to drop its demand for independent Dravida Nadu.
Nehru’s prescription is what we should include in our new constitution.
Vathy says:
April 11, 2010 at 9:31 pmLeela, Eelam is our land. We were here even before Sinhalease language was created. So there is no way you are going to demand that all the path ways to Eelam should be blocked. I agree that Tamils made a mistake before independence. They must have asked for a separate country as Ginna did. I have already called you a fool and one who is brainwashed. You have proved me right. India is not a proper Federal State. There is no doubt that Indian Government is not looking after its’ states properly. That is why they are seeing armed conflicts within. India is a Union of States. We do not want that. If you really want Tamils and Sinhalease to live with equal rights and harmony, within one country, Sri Lanka should follow Canadian System of Federal State. There French are minorities with the poplulation similar to that of Sri Lanka and Tamils. In no province English alone is the official language. French in their province have say even in the Federal issues such as immigration, pension etc. Even then when they asked for separation, a referendum was given. Even after that the Canadian government did not say that we are changing to become one country with an “Executive President” because Federal system has led to a referendum. French had left their demand for a separate state. I suggest you read more about other countries. It was a sinhalease who compared Mahinda to Hitler. Under Hitler what happened? You may end up like Hitler and his followers. Oppression never works.
Leela says:
April 11, 2010 at 10:21 pmVathy: You can call me a fool but I am not a fool to call you back with names.
You are wrong. There are no Tamil annals, monuments or rock edits to prove Tamil reign had existed anywhere in Sri Lanka before 1400AC. me one book written by a reputed scholar showing otherwise. Of cause, some Eelamists have written myth, but they were not backed by scholars of international repute.
Sinhalese history is the Sri Lankan history. Sinhala history is not a drummed up history. According to German scholar, Wilhelm Geiger, Buddhist monks of the Mahavihara had maintained chronicles of Sri Lankan history starting from the 3rd century BCE. These annals were combined and compiled into a single document in the 5th century CE by the Buddhist monk Mahathera Mahanama. You can read them in chronicles, Mahavamsa, Chulavamsa and the Rajaveliya. They list our kings and their reigns more normatively and logically than the list of the decedents of the first man, Adam that is listed in the Bible. But Tamils have no such chronicles in Sri Lanka. Yours is in India.
You can visualize what is described in them from thousands of monuments throughout the country. You can feel and read our history in rock edits carved by Sinhala kings. Some of them dated back as far as 2500 years. any
Let me tell you how Sinhalese came to be a race. Wijaya and company of 500 men that settled in Sri Lanka two thousand five hundred years ago had mixed with local tribes Yaksa, Naga, Dava and Raksa, and gradually evolved to be Sinhalese. If Tamils were here in Sri Lanka at the time they too should have joined up. Oxford history scholars such as Rhys Davies say; no proof of continual Tamil history is found in Sri Lanka. Show us if there is any.
Have you heard of a supper intelligent Dravidian monk named ‘Buddhaghosa’ that came to Sri Lanka around 412 AD to translate Tripitaka (fifty two books of around 500 pages each) from Sinhala to Pali. Can you imagine the status of Sinhala language around 1600 years ago to have a translation of that sophistication and magnitude?
Do you know why they had Tripitaka in Sinhala? That is because; the original Pali version had been destroyed and was not available in India. It was available only in Sinhala at the time. Ask Thai, Burmese, Cambodian, Chinese or any Modern day history scholar; he will tell you that the Pali version they have now is the one that had been translated from Sinhala to Pali by Buddhaghosa around 412 AD. I hope that explanation would suffix to show you that Sinhala language is much older than 1000 years.
All evidences for Tamil reigns were found in present day Tamil Nadu area. None dispute that. Indian Tamil scholars say; the present day Tamil Nadu had been divided into three principal Tamil kingdoms, namely, Chera Nadu, Chola Nadu and Pandya Nadu for over thousand years. And, they were ruled by Chera, Chola and Pandya kings from the time of written Tamil history.
Even so, one Pandyan King, Parakkirama Pandyan had sought the help of Sinhala king, Parakramabahu the Great to hang on to his capital city of Madurai between 1163 and 1179 A.D. General Lanka Putra went to Madurai with a Sinhala army and installed Parakkirama Pandyan back in his throne. Nevertheless Tamil kingdoms got weaker and weaker within the next few years. And after 1311 A.D. even those three kingdoms ceased to exist. Tamils never have succeeded in having a Tamil kingdom anywhere, since.
That is the crux of the matter. But you will not get it in Sri Lanka. Our President knows how to deal with you lot.
KOOPU says:
April 11, 2010 at 10:39 pmSINHALEASE CAME FROM TODAYS KERALA MWHICH WAS TAMIL SERA KINDOM…..THIS IS WHY SINHALEASE PRACTICE KERALA..FOOD..DRESS AND RELIGIOUS RITES…LOOK THIS GUY BRING A GERMA SCHOLAR…TO PROVE HIS MAHAVAMSA COMIC STORIES……WHEN SRI LANKA GOT INDEPENDENT THERE WERE JUST 4 VOLUMES OF SINHALA ENCYCLOPEDIA THIS IS THE QUALITY OF THIS LANGUAGE..WHICH HAS GOT AROUND 14,000 TAMIL WORDS…MAHAVAMSA WAS WRITEN BY A MODAYA TO FOOL MODAYAS…THERE IS NO AN OUNCE OF HOSTORICAL OR SCEINTIFIC EVIDENCE IN THIS COMIC BOOK….IT IS THE TAMILS ARE NATIVE OF THIS COUNTRY AFTER ALL 1000s OF YEARS AGO THIS SO CALLED SRI LANKA WAS CONNECTED TO SO CALLED INDIA….
KOOPU says:
April 11, 2010 at 10:44 pmHITLER CALLED HIS PEOPLE ARE ARIYANS…TRUE ARIYANS HAVE WHITE SKIN..BUT MAHAVAMSA COMIC BOOK CALL BLACK SKIN SINHALEASE ARIYANS THIS PROVE THE RACIST NATURE OF THIS COMIC …
KOOPU says:
April 11, 2010 at 10:50 pmTODAY MANY SINHALEASE JOURNALISTS ARE HIDING IN TAMIL NADU TO SAVE THEIR LIFE..TAMILS GIVE FOOD AND ACCOMODATION .TO THEM …IN THE PAST MANY SINHALA KINGS WENT AS REFUGEE TO TAMIL KINDOMS AND EVEN MARRIED TAMIL WOMEN……MAHAVMSA COMIC BOOK ERASED ALL THIS INFORMATION…LIKE THE DETAILS OF TAMIL QUEEN KUVENI..LIKE THE LATE ARCHEOLOGICAL COMMISSIONER WHO HAS DYNAMITED MANY TAMIL RUINS IN SINHALA LAND..INCLUDING SIVA TEMPLE IN DONDERA….
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Ernest says:
April 12, 2010 at 8:56 pmThis person is ignorant and fool at the same time and you can´t change her oppinion. What she is writing is an utter lie. She is spreading lies.
KOOPU says:
April 11, 2010 at 10:42 pmMODAYAS CANT UNDERSTAND THIS VOTING PATTERN IN NORTH-EAST….FOR THEM IT IS NOT THEIR ELECTION..AFTER ALL MODAYAS VOTED FOR KASSIPU AND CASH..SOON SRI LANKA IS GOING TO SMELL LIKE ROTTEN FISH..DONT WORRY
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Jith says:
April 12, 2010 at 7:55 pmHey POOPOO, that key that says caps lock – press it once and you will have Peelam with your Poopoo.
Reply Sarvachitthan says:
April 11, 2010 at 5:07 amA government with a ‘monsterous’ victory can find a permanent solution for the Ethnic crisis in the country by giving proper political devolution to the Tamils. But, Is their any chances to do so now ? Only Mr MR will know about this!
We hope that an everlasting peace and prosperity will flourish with the generosity of the Leaders !
Reply senguttuvan says:
April 11, 2010 at 5:54 amThe idea behind the National List is to gain the benefit of the skill and knowledge of those outside the hurly burly of electoral poliics to assist in the exercise of good legislation. Lawyer Sumanthiran satisfies that need. I was pleased about the language, tone and content of his BBC a day ago with the BBC (The Hub) discussions the election. The TNA has done well with this excellent choice. The election of PHP Piyasena from the Amparai area under the ITAK/TNA has tremendous import in Sinhala-Tamil relations and the
approach to a solution in the coming months. A Sinhalese elected by the Tamils in the NEP? Incredible – but true. Hope, apparently, is very much alive in a landscape when just about everything good is dead – or killed perhaps is a more relevant expression.
In spite of all of this, let us wish President Rajapakse well in his supposed journey to bring peace, unity and prosperity to all of us. He has won – even an
election that is far from perfect. But then, this is not a perfect world.
Senguttuvan
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somawansa says:
April 11, 2010 at 6:25 pmThanks for highlitibg positive sides of this elections . no one talks about this.
Reply Aubrey Schokman says:
April 11, 2010 at 3:03 pmpala demala yanda
Reply Kadalay says:
April 11, 2010 at 4:24 pmUnless we bring in more academically qualifid professionals into parliament we will automatically fall into the Zimbabwe trap, sooner than later…
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KOOPU says:
April 11, 2010 at 10:59 pmBUT MUGABWE HAS SELECTED WELL EDUCATED PEOPLE EVEN FOR HIS FOREIGN SERVICE…
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Ernest says:
April 12, 2010 at 8:58 pmBogolagamme was a disgrace, corrupt and birdbrained!
Reply S.THURAISINGAM says:
April 11, 2010 at 6:29 pmLET’S NOT DWELL ON THE PAST MISTAKES OF , BE IT TNA OR OTHERS. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE MOVE FORWARD AS THERE ARE SO MANY TAMILS LIVES ARE AT STAKE. IT IS NOT THE RIGHT TIME TO CREATE MORE PROBLEMS. EVEN THOUGH INDIA HAS BEEN A TRAITOR TO TAMIL CAUSE, I WOULD SAY THE TAMIL PARTIES EMBARK ON A GOODWILL MISSION ALL OVER INDIA TO REALISE THEIR MISTAKES AND CHANGE THEIR VIEWS. NEEDTO EMPLOY PUBLIC RELATION COMPANIES TO UNDERTAKE THE CAMPAIGN. HOPE HIS CRITICS ATLEAST GIVE HIM A CHANCE.
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Tamilarasi says:
April 11, 2010 at 9:01 pmYou have said “his” critics and again give “him”. If it is any body in India forget it. My father was one of those who did Sathiyakiram in front of parliment in 1958. He warned that youth would take up arms and fight in his parlimentary fight. Until now nothing we have acheived by non violence or armed conflict other than loss of Tamil lives. Sinhalease want us to be their slaves. India has betrayed us through out. It is time to expose both India and Sri Lanka to UN body and UN can send National army to prevent loss of Tamil lives.
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Leela says:
April 11, 2010 at 9:35 pmSince LTTE and Piripaharan had been wiped out, Sinhalese expected Tamils to settle down and live peacefully with equal rights. But, have they? No. Diaspora Tamils like you started looking for new Piripaharans to revive their fight for Eelam.
What loss of Tamil lives you are talking about. We do not know such things. Do you know that most of the Tamils now live out side the north and east. If you call them slaves then you do not know the meaning of slaves. Some of them do business and are the most prosperous of all communities.
I say; there is only one community in Sri Lanka that has specific problems. They are the plantation Tamils that live amongst the Sinhalese. We ought to be ashamed of their sordid living conditions. Lack of opportunity and education are bona fide problems of these unfortunate people, though the present president is doing his best to put them right. Is it fair to put them aside and talk about a solution to nonexistent problems of north and east Tamils?
I don’t think so.
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KOOPU says:
April 11, 2010 at 10:53 pmWHAT HAPPEND TO HIS DEATH CERTIFICATE..WHY STILL DELAY?
KOOPU says:
April 11, 2010 at 10:57 pmTO PROSPER IN BUSINESS HARD WORK IS IMPORTANT..WHERE IS YOUR SINHALA UPLAI GROUP..HPT GROUP…DASA GROUP………………NU JAYAWARDENA S FINANCE…TODAY..? ALL CREATED WITH SINHALA GOVT.HELP…TAMILS MADE BUSINESS EMPIRE FROM SCRATCH…
Tamilarasi says:
April 12, 2010 at 3:10 amSinhala only bill was passed in 1958,my father and others asked for Federal state so that atleast in North and East we could have Tamil as official language. The protest was in a non violence way. They were all beaten, their clothes were torn, personal things like pen, watch, eye glasses were stolen and they were kept in house arrest. In Colombo there was riots. Do you think no body was killed at that time? Know the facts before wrting. Diaspora Tamils were created by Sinhalease dominance. Prapaharan and LTTE became our freedom fighters on their own.
Leela says:
April 12, 2010 at 7:16 amTamilarasi: For 1958,1983 and other riots in Sri Lanka, each side blame the other for starting it. I accept exodus from those riots created Tamil Diaspora. Who ever is right or wrong; such riots had not taken place since. That is what is important.
Instead we had bombs planted in buses, trains and public places throughout that time as if they are for the Sinhalese to be punished. But they did not retaliate. So much so, Tamils have become the majority community in Colombo.
Today, Sinhala is not the only official language in this country. It seems Tamilarasi does not know that Sri Lanka is the only country in the world that a government issues its official reports in Tamil? He does not know that Tamils could correspond with government officials anywhere in Sri Lanka in Tamil? I say, if usage of Tamil language is a criterion for happiness of Tamils, then Tamils of Sri Lanka should be the happiest. Of cause there are short comings; that is because not every Sinhalese speak Tamil. Do all the English speak French or Hindis speak Tamil.
Let me give one more examples to prove that Tamils have equal rights and Tamils are not victimised in Sri Lanka. Regardless where they live, Tamils are encouraged to educate their children in Tamil language from kindergarten to the University for free. In Padukka where I live, 99.5% of the population is Sinhalese. However, there is a Tamil medium government school for that 0.5% of children with Tamil mother tong. Do the Tamils in Delhi in India or Penang in Malaysia or Durban in South Africa have similar rights?
Tamils have a dilemma. If we go by the Tamil web sites, you will see that Tamils of Tamil Nadu, India are not happy about Hindis and Hindi language. They point out that the central government of India compels Tamils to learn Hindi for central government jobs even in Tamil Nadu. Being chauvinists as they are, Tamils do not see the benefit of learning the language of the majority. That’s the problem.
Leela says:
April 11, 2010 at 9:05 pmThuraisingham: You cannot con India. Everyone in India knows that Tamils had been demanding ‘self-rule’ since long before India got independence. And, like us, they understand that ‘self-rule’ is the euphemism for a separate country.
The present day states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh constitute Madras state at the time of Independence. And, Madras state was empowered with federal powers at the time. It was vested with land as well as police powers. Were the Tamils satisfied? No. Tamils instigated other Dravidians to join them to demand ‘self rule’ for Madras state. But all the non-Tamil Dravidians in Madras state were satisfied. When Tamils realised it they decided to refine as pure (Tamils) among Dravidians.
India did the biggest mistake that they could never have recovered from social tension even to date. India started its state demarcation on a clear racial and linguistic line to satisfy Tamils. In 1953 Andhra Pradesh was formed, and Tamils were left to concentrate in to Madras state. In 1956 the Bellary and South Kanara districts were given to Mysore state. More Tamils were allowed to concentrate in to Madras state. And Kerala was formed from the Malabar district, the former princely states of Travancore and Cochin. And, when all the others were gone, only Tamils were there in the Madras state. In other words; Tamils got their own racial state. Were the Tamils satisfied? NO.
Tamils put the cat out of the bag in 1962. The DMK stood for 1962 election on separation ticket. It proved that Tamils wanted not more power but a separation. Read above for the rest of the story. All I can say is; India knows your game plan. Save you money, you cannot bluff them.
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KOOPU says:
April 11, 2010 at 10:55 pmWHEN CHINA FIRE HER ICBM FROM SRI LANKA TO INDIA THIS WILL DESTROY FIRST TAMIL NADU..BUT MALAYALIES AND HINDI WALLAHS WILL DANCE ABOUT THIS…CHINA-INDI WAR IS INEVITABLE…
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Jith says:
April 12, 2010 at 8:04 pmFor someone who does not know what “caps lock” does on a keyboard, I find your insight on international relations and ICBM’s most intriguing. You sir should be in parliament! with those other asses.
Ernest says:
April 12, 2010 at 9:01 pmLeela, you are doing really good work for the money you get from Rajapakse.
Reply Ram Chetty says:
April 11, 2010 at 9:42 pmEvery Sri Lankan should have equal benefits, equal oppertunities and equal freedom. I am sure that even Singhalese will agree that it is not so. There is enough evidence that Tsunami funds were not distributed equally. Singhalese have got housing in Tamil areas where as Tamils are linguring in camps. Unless the majority should realise that they should treat Tamils with respect, the thirst for freedom will flare up again. There is no gurantee to Singhalese that all foriegn countries that supported the war against Tamils will continue to support.
Singhalese should learn from Palatine and Isral never ending conflict.
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Leela says:
April 11, 2010 at 10:35 pmEqual every thing but no Eelam, not even anything near it. That is how vast majority of Sinhalese feel. Not just Tamils all of us could demand equal rights in a peaceful environment but not while a war raged. Do you think we had our rights? We were scared to send our kids to school.
Reply Nadarajah Balasubramaniam says:
April 12, 2010 at 1:18 pmPlaying the game that,” Tamils have grievances, that would be taken care of and the LTTE are terrorists and have to be destroyed”, has seen the end of the day. Now all the intellectuals in the world are clear that the LTTE was only the Rebel army of the Tamils and what happened was a genocide with worst forms of war crimes. LTTE freedom fighters fought with both their feet planted in their land defending it. The Sinhalese army killed more than100 thousand starved and desperate Tamils with full impunity. They are simply murders in spite of their uniforms and decorations. The world has realized this truth.
MR’s government is giving Eelam to Tamils on plate. The inevitable will happen.
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Kalag says:
April 12, 2010 at 1:54 pm“The world has realized this truth.”
So what? Who is going to say anything to us? Not a single country can move a muscle in Sri Lanka.
“MR’s government is giving Eelam to Tamils on plate. The inevitable will happen.”
Dream on!! That is the only thing the Tamils can do.
You just wait till the leaders of WTF and Tans-national govt start dropping down into the prisons of those countries or deported to Sri Lanka.
Reply Leela says:
April 13, 2010 at 10:58 amMr. Nadarajah: If there are grievances as you say; Sumanthiran and company should come out with what they are, loud and clear. If they are genuine and do not lead to Eelam, I am sure our President is more than willing to listen, discuss and put them right.
I’ll tell you, no Tamil that live in Sri Lanka face problems because he is a Tamil. Here, problems are not specific to Tamils but common to all communities. That is why Tamils like Nadarajah want to talk about war crimes and not grievances.
In spite of LTTE being the pioneer of suicide bombing, they were just rebels for you lot. And, folk tongued westerners named LTTE as terrorists but treated them as saints. Though their motives are different we know that their aim is the same as Nadarajah and company. Our President has a proven track record; he knows how to deal with them.
What can we expect from the worst criminal of the war crimes in history? Imagine how many people must have been suffocated and killed by the US by dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of WW11. They did not stop their brutal acts at that but continued it in Korea, Vietnam etc. They continue to murder innocents for the last ten years in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Now the very culprit and its allies that did worst crimes in history are manipulating to investigate the so-called genocides allegedly done by our forces. They should know that our forces killed the killers that strapped bombs in their bellies, in their bosoms and what not. Whether suicide bombers carry white flag or not we know that the bomb does explode. Say what you like we just eradicated the killers. They are no more. They’ll never be back in this land.
Mr.Nadarajah, you will not get Eelam in a war or in a platter. If you still want Eelam you’ll have to wait for the day that Jesus returns.
Reply
Mohamed says:
April 13, 2010 at 12:03 pmTamils who support Pirapaharan and LTTE have no right to talk about the rights of minorities. LTTE’s ideology was the creation of a Tamil Ealam purely for the tamils similar to Hitler’s pure race. The proof is the LTTE giving notice to Muslims to vacate their ‘homeland’ within 24 hours. Theirs was a doomed ideology. There can never be a pure Tamil State. Can anybody in this forum deny that LTTE chased out the Muslms from their homes in Jaffna where they lived for hundreds of years. Same goes for the Sinhalese who were butchered in the border villages by the same LTTE who practiced ethnic cleansing and are preaching against it. As Leela and others are trying to say here, it is best for the Tamil leadership to work it out with the majority community for a peaceful solution so that all of us can live in peace in our beautiful island.
Reply Scrivan says:
April 12, 2010 at 10:11 pmThe proof of the pudding of a free and fair society is in lifting the draconian emergency rule where people can claim the basic fredoms with justice. Now that MR and his party have won again it is time to remove the shackles on citizens all together.
Reply Roger. says:
April 13, 2010 at 3:10 amWhat SF must do now is, join with MR & get ur release then go to the States & tell the UN that u will be the witness to all the crimes commited by the Rajapakse & Bros. they will be in real trouble, & SF will be even.
Reply Daniella says:
April 13, 2010 at 8:49 amWhat do we get out of finger pointing game…please shall we move forward. We have all contributed to where we are today. We have all acted on fear and suspicion…can we at least resolve that we will not let another generation die?
Am contrite and sorry for the pain my community has caused to the other communities in this country.
If we do not support, let alone take steps to alleviate the grievances of the poor, the displaced and the ethinic minorities – whoever they may be – but continue to hold onto our extreme positions, then am afraid there will soon be another arm struggle and our children and grand children will pay for it.
Let us not give room for the evil to flouish, but overcome evil with good.
Reply VINTAGE VOTER says:
April 13, 2010 at 5:59 pmFORGET THE PAST, EVEN IF ITS DIFFICULT. THE PAST IS HISTORY.
THE FUTURE IS MYSTERY AS WE CANNOT FORESEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. LETS LIVE IN THE PRESENT. THATS REALITY.
LETS STOP ALL THIS “MUDSLINGING” AND THINK AS SRI LANKANS AND
MAKE THE CORRECT DECISIONS WHICH WOULD BENEFIT THE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE AND GO FORWARD. “LETS PUT A STOP TO THE “BLAME GAME”.
ALL BLAME IS A WASTE OF TIME.NO MATTER HOW MUCH FAULT YOU FIND WITH ANOTHER AND REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH YOU BLAME HIM, IT WILL NOT CHANGE YOU SO LETS MAKE A START BY BRINGING ABOUT CHANGE IN OURSELVES.
Reply Shan Nalliah,Gandhiyist Norway says:
April 18, 2010 at 3:30 pm IF SINHALESE TROOPS,POLICE,POLITICIANS STOP KILLINGS,TORTURE,RAPES,HUMILIATONS,ARRESTS,KIDNAPPINGS,DISCRIMINATIONS,OCCUPATIONS,CONFISCATIONS,LIES,DENIALS….THEN MOST OF THE BARRIERS REMOVED! THEN LET TAMILS LOOK AFTER THEIR NESL PROVINCES! PEACE,HARMONY ARISE AUTOMATICALLY! IF YOU NEVER UNDERSTAND THIS,GOD NEVER HELP YOU!
THESUNDAYLEADER.LK
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