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A homeland for Tamils: Why not Tamil Nadu?

by lalith | June 24, 2009 at 05:57 am

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By Raj Gonsalkorale

Sri Lanka nearly added another coveted trophy to their growing collection of trophies. However on the day, Pakistan proved to be the winning side. Captain Kumar Sangakkara and his team have proven once again that Sri Lanka is equal to any other international cricket team. They ended up along with Pakistan, as the two best teams in this form of cricket. Although victory eluded Sri Lanka on this occasion, they and all other Sri Lankans warmly applauded Pakistan for their superb performance and for winning this international championship. Sri Lanka has demonstrated not just their cricketing abilities, but also their strength of character to beat the psychological impact of the drama they endured in Lahore. By a quirk of fate, they faced Pakistan in the final. A fitting tribute to the warmth and friendship Sri Lanka enjoys with Pakistan.

Those who cheered for the Sri Lankan team were not just the Sinhalese. Eelam proponents also cheered the Sri Lankan cricket team. Other Tamils and Muslims also cheered the team. The country was unified when Sri Lanka played, and it is perhaps the only occasion when such a wonderful feeling of oneness pervaded the country, beyond the cricket field, and into many a living room with a TV set, or when everyone rushed to buy newspapers or when listeners glued their ears to radios.

As Sri Lanka Captain Kumar Sangakkara himself pointed out, the Sri Lankan cricket team is the best example of what contemporary Sri Lanka is, and what it could be if the same spirit that pervades the cricket field can do the same everywhere else in the country. Every ethnicity is represented in the team, and players from all walks of life have had the opportunity to make it to the top. Selection has not been based on any kind of quota system related to population statistics. It has been based on merit and the best eleven players have made it to the top.

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sivakaran

at 11:43 on June 24th, 2009

First, the title is not related to the story written.

Further, if Tamils were not discriminated against, there would not have urge for right to self-determination.

Uncle Sam (not verified)

at 20:06 on June 24th, 2009

Further to add, as long as tamils show their cultural and linguistic chauvinism they get rear-flogged everywhere. tamils don't have a problem learning European languages and adopt their culture. But when it comes to Sri Lanka they "want" majority Sinhalease to speak tamil, but they wont learn Sinhala.

What a pathetic cultural masturbation.

senthil5000

at 14:00 on June 24th, 2009

Absolutely irrelevant topic for this story.

In India, Tamils are not discriminated or treated as second class citizens. Lot of Tamils are in Indian army. A Tamil can become Primeminister. Already a Tamil person was a President ( Abdul Kalaam).

How many percent of Tamils are in Sri Lankan army or in Police. If you say a lot of Tamils are outside North and East, they should have got in the united sri lanka's army and police. But they are not.