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Sri Lanka conflict - a look at the root cause and tamil history.
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by israeli.agent | March 24, 2009 at 09:08 pm
3613 views | 29 Recommendations | 63 comments
I found this article while searching for something else.The root cause of sudden surge of feverish tamil nationalism almost at the same time in tamilnadu and Sri Lanka. Basically the entire issue is very simple.
Tamils extremists believe that
- Their culture is the oldest and very ancient.
- All other South Indian languages "came" from Tamil
- So they are superior to Other South Indians (Dravidas).
- Except tamil, all South Indian languages are corrupted by the influence of Sanakrit and Hindi. So the most feverish and die-hard tamil fanatics want to remove all "foreign" words form other South Indian languages and make them more "tamilish".
- Since the tamil extremists consider Sri Lanka also as a part of the "greater tamil nadu", despite it is a country with 81% of the population are Sinhala with their own language, life stye, customs and culture.
Problems started showing up when tamils tried do impose the "true tamil culture" with the help of some myths like " neanderthals and gorillas who lived in Sri Lanka during pre-historic period were tamils" etc and as per the instruction from the Master tamils in tamilnadu , who deviced the "Dravida " mania.
Sinhalese got pissed of with this and introduced Sinhala Only act in 1956
The trigget was a deadly attack on Sri Lankan Army patrol unit that killed 13 soldiers , in 1983.That snowballed into a Sinhala retaliation and pogroms those killed 3000 tamils.
Rest is bloody history.
[This article quoted below is not an "official" link or based on any solid "research". But it is a neighbor's view and so is my opinion.]
It began in about 1960. Tamilians in Sri Lanka then called Ceylon were sent out forcibly to Tamil Nadu as refugees by Sirimavo Bandarnaike of Ceylon.. M.G.Ramachandran himself a Srilankan expatriate found a place in movies and started following a leader by name E.V.Ramaswamy Naicker the founder of D.M.K. Dravida Munnetra Khazagam was formed on the concept that they were racially different and were subjected to historical subjugation by Aryan 'Brahmins".Self imposed and imaginary racial discrimination thus split Tamil Nadu. Mrs Indira Gandhi then the the Information and Broadcasting Minister in Lal Bahadur Sastry`s cabinet changed news timings of All India Radio . She made Hindi news to be read earlier than English. Citing it as "Aryan domination over Dravidians", DMK was on streets. Elections were due. Lal Bahadur Sastry was the most honest politician and permitted elections even when Anti Hindi unrest was fresh. Cashing in on Anti Hindi sentiment and adding anti Brahmin element the "vote bank" DMK won elections in the state elections making Annadurai the first non congress CM of the state. The rabid
Karunanidhi`s populist gimmics included Anti Hindi , Anti Sanskrit, Anti Brahminism as policies.
DMK lives with this imaginary racial hatred and so continues to rise quotas and reservations
Karunanidhi promised to purify Tamil by removing all Sanskrit words from it but got stuck up with words like Karuna-Nidhi-Jaya -Lalitha-Rmachandra(n)-Janaki etc..
Frustrated Iyers, Iyengars, like Hemamalini,Vyjayantimala left for Bombay. Frustrated but very poor doctors and other meritorious people have left for Army Medical Corps, Army Dental corps , Military Nursing Service, NDA,IMA, ISRO,DRDO and other places where DMK has no influence to reserve jobs or set quotas.
Where DMK has influence we have things like LTTE
May God bless Tamilnadu..
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Hiranya Malwatta
Moratuwa, Western, Sri Lanka
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (63)
at 21:27 on March 24th, 2009
This sgoes on to prove that whether one likes it or not, the world is a multi-ethnic, multi-religion hence multi-cultural place. As much as one is willing to preserve one's cultural identity, one must also be willing to integrate in to the broader social fabric. Diversity has what made the HUMAN RACE so colorful.
Once one try to IMPOSE one's ethnic, religious and culteral elements on others, all hell breaks lose.
at 23:05 on March 24th, 2009
.
at 08:27 on March 26th, 2009
Sudharaka,
hats off to such a beautiful description of the present times.
re clash of the civilisations.. there are elements in east and west who base their logic on the priciple that they are right because the others are wrong. this absolute arogence and hatred results into conflicts which is a shame.
at 22:26 on March 24th, 2009
Interesting break down. However there are two sides to all stories and the truth is usually some where in the middle. The problem is more often then not, to find it.
at 23:04 on March 24th, 2009
exactly.
Most Tamils claim that the root cause is totally Sinhalese discrimination. But there are 2 sides to this.
Who started creating problems first might be like answering the age old question "Who came first, the chicken or the egg"
Being a minority, Tamils' issues were readily believed by the world whereas the issues the Sinhalese had to face during the period 1948 - 1956 are not known to the world. Sinhalese also did not have a mechanism of shouting about their grievances like the Tamils did.
.
at 01:55 on March 25th, 2009
Even during colonial times the minorities, especially Tamils enjoyed a preferred status with their colonial masters (esp. the British) because the masters always wanted to subjugate the majority at all times.
When the country got its independence in 1948, the majority began to react towards the opression they were under and obviously there were some issues which needed attention such as all government offices working in English which was not even understood by the majority.
Rather than working on an amicable solution, certain Tamil politicians even demanded 50% of the total legislative seats for the Tamils.
at 02:30 on March 25th, 2009
I am a north indian. I was working in chennai, tamilnadu some time back. there i saw this tamils really showing the kind of attitude described by israeli and sudharka. they hate hindi.at the same time they talk to north indians only in tamil which we dont know. sometimes i felt confused whether i am in pakistan as tamilians such animosity at fellow indians. i have worked in hyderabad, noida, bangalore and mumbai but never felt such descrimination like in chennai. in banglore there are so many anglo indians. locals says a story about this. when the british were in bangalore the locals were not ready to wash their latrines. so they send british army to hunt tamilians from nearest tamil areas. they got converted to christianity.once the british left india these toilet cleaners occupied their homes and started calling themselves ango indians hehehe..
they have names like angelina jolie, arnold schwarzenegger, brad pitt , james anderson etc.they announce their names proudly over phone and even claim that ther are anglo indians. it is fun when we meet them face to face.
at 02:07 on March 25th, 2009
I completely agree with you, Hiranya Malwatta. How could I not agree since what you say is the truth. I am afraid this post is complete and utter rubbish and does a serious injustice to Tamils' struggle for equality AND peace, in spite of Singhalese chauvinism. Banaranaike abolished Tamil as an official language (1983?) which was such an insult. It was tantamount to her saying to Tamil people: "You don't truly belong here".
at 02:21 on March 25th, 2009
@gerrypopplestone
"Banaranaike abolished Tamil as an official language (1983?)"
Sinhala_Only_Act : Please enlighten yourself.
;-)
at 04:07 on March 25th, 2009
OK, I got the date wrong but the effect was the same. Thousands of Tamils had to leave the civil service because the could not speak Singhalese. Many of my Singhalese friends cannot speak Tamil! So this caused (as it mean to) enormous resentment by the Tamils, who went on to suffer substantial discriminations afterwards. And it was a Bandaranaike that brought it about. Pretty good for someone who was never taught Sri Lankan history at school but who reads avidly, don't you think?
at 04:30 on March 25th, 2009
Ignorence, they say, is bliss but this is pain unbearable :-D
at 19:11 on March 25th, 2009
Does this rhetoric of who started it first or who was on the land first not sound a little childish or "deja Vue"?
Can the two parties not find a common ground to stand on and make a compromise that would be healthy and respectful to all?
The blaming games usually do not resolve any thing.
at 20:50 on March 25th, 2009
Yes Paschen, there has been many peace efforts initiated by the GoSL.
It is obvious that the LTTE can not survive in a peaceful environ and therefore they have jeopardized every peace effort citing 101 reasons.
at 22:16 on March 25th, 2009
@ Paschen >
I will repeat my comment I made earlier, just to make this clearer to you.
Most Tamils claim that the root cause is totally Sinhalese discrimination. But there are 2 sides to this. In NP itself too many posts had the words 'Root Cause' popping up with one sided information. I did not see you getting excited about those posts.
Who started creating problems first might be like answering the age old question "Who came first, the chicken or the egg"
So therefore my comments on this article is just to give information on the other side of the story which is not much known to outsiders. To educate some of the people here like Gerry who keeps talking about Sinhalese having discriminated in the past.
It is NOT to start pointing fingers, but to show that the already pointed fingers should be aimed at several different sides rather than one.
I repeat, Sinhalese had a part of the blame, but so did the Tamils. Unless we all agree that the blame is not on one side alone, it will be very difficult to let go of the past and go forward. The sad truth is, people living in Sri Lanka have come to terms with what has happened, have accepted all people have suffered, and willing to let go of the past. But the people living outside have so much hatred in them, do not seem to want the rest of us here in SL, Tamils and Sinhalese to move forward.
at 04:37 on March 26th, 2009
You are very judgemental, so it seems. Well the age old question has been answered by Science, the Chicken was there first.
It does actually not matter who started it, what does matter is how you deal with it now and weather or not you are able to learn from past injustices and mistakes made.
Sinhalese or Tamil are all but human with cultural and linguistic differences, so why can does not be respected since both have ancestral rights? Did you ever read the UN charter of Human Rights? Or the principle of Socrates Democracy and his Philosophy?
Why does one group have to impose on the other? Power? Greed? Hate? Bitterness? The list goes on. Australia made that injustice towards it Aborigines people and has only recently rectified it and so did the US and Canada to name a few. It was wrong for them to discriminate the minority and force them to give up their tong and costumes.
Voltaire said, "The freedom of the one starts where the freedom of the other stops and the freedom of the other starts where the freedom of the stops."
We can not evolve as a Human Race if we keep on violating the basic principles of a just and equal society.
at 08:37 on March 26th, 2009
@Paschen >
"You are very judgemental, so it seems."
My goodness. What are you then? You make all the assumptions in the world having no idea how we live together in Sri Lanka.
Your assumptions are just pathetic.
You keep saying who is to blame is not what matters (and I totally agree, that is what I'm trying to tell you for goodness sake), then goes on to bring incidents of the past (one sided stories) and say you know how we live here today? It is people like you who's not letting go of the past and not letting us live today together in peace.
I will quote to you something a Sri Lankan resident Tamil, Dr.Rajasingham Narendran said.
"While the sympathy, concern, assistance, expertise and investment of the Tamil Diaspora are necessary and are to be appreciated and welcomed, they should not be in a position to decide what is good on the political front for the Tamils living in Sri Lanka. These are the Tamils who have chosen to live in Sri Lanka, by willful choice or by not having the opportunity to choose. These are the Tamils who have lived through three decades of horror. These are the Tamils who have been caught in the jaws of a nutcracker for almost all their lives. These are the Tamils who will continue to live in Sri Lanka, come what may. The Tamil Diaspora should not be permitted to play a decisive role in our affairs any longer. Their grievances, hate, revenge and dreams should not continue to be our burden. They live in the past with reference to Sri Lanka and have not experienced the present. Their lives, lifestyles and aspirations are now different from ours. They are Tamils of Sri Lankan origin, but no longer Sri Lankan Tamils. They are our kin, but not our fellow citizens. They no longer know what is good for us. The unstinted and unquestioning support of the Diaspora, bordering on reverence, undoubtedly led the LTTE astray and to its alienation from most Tamils living in Sri Lanka."
at 08:59 on March 26th, 2009
A Hypothetical question to you , Paschen...!
It is history that what Japan did to countries during World War-II. Now there are lot of people of Korean people in Japan. How it will look like when they start an armed struggle based on the "truths and genocide" conducted by the Japanese who lived and died two generations back ( or is it three). What will happen if they attach and kill Japanese Defence Forces or bomb train stations using suicide bombers.
Or just imagine what will happen if the Chinese just decide take their revenge on Japan because of what happened in WW-II. They can even claim that the original inhabitants of Japan were Chinese migrants and Kanji, Hiragana and Katakana are all "came" from Mandarin or Cantonese? Do these "historical" facts make Japan a part of China or what?
May be true that Japanese are actually came from Mainland China. Maybe it is true that Japanese languages "came" from Chinese languages. But that does not give Chinese automatic rights on Japan.
I hope the point is clear now.
What everyone say is forget "Historical" facts or past "atrocities". Let us begin from a clean slate. Every one know that there are tamils trapped in the "Eelam" of 25 square kilometers. Let the tamil supporters in the world wide contact (any one or more of them) remaining LTTE and ask them to lay down arms. Free the civilians. Make peace. Maybe tamil diaspora can force the host countries to make such an offer or effort. See how Sri Lanka Government reacts. If they don’t react positively then take other actions.
That is the only way forward to reduce the civilian causalities.
My 2 cents.....
.Agent.
at 20:18 on March 26th, 2009
Japan has unlike Germany not come clean with their past and has to make some amendments to that regard.
N. Korea intrudes regularly on Japanese territory kidnapping Japanese wish is a big problem here.
The Japanese history is over 1500 years old and no ties to China other then trade and the introduction of the Kanji writing form into the Japanese native writing of Katakana and hiragana as an addition.
The origin of the Japanese people dates back 3500 years and the spoken languish it self is closer to Turkish then any Asian languishes.
War between Korea and China as well as Mongolia have been conducted for over a 1000 years with Korea and Mongolia attacking Japan more often then the opposite was the case. Yet Japan managed to push them back each time and eventually ended up attacking them as well.
The European have waged wars among each other for over 3500 years and most of them are of Germanic decent today or Slavic and Arabic. Yet they managed to create the EU, respecting each culture and languish with out prejudice nor arguments to who did what when, let it be and start over. All even the smallest minority that never had any rights in European History do today and have nothing to fear any longer nor worry that some one will try to wipe them out or force them to give up their culture, languish or land.
Even the ROMA people have rights today, though they never had a nation, nor a territory or armed force, they came from India about a 1200 years ago and where discriminated for a long time, yet today they have not only rights, they even have a place at the EU counsel and a member of Parliament representing them.
That is progress and what needs to happen through out the world. I do not condone either sides nor judge them, I see faults in both as well as rights in both.
It is the difference between a cosmopolite thinking and philosophy versus a nationalistic one, based on race, religion or languish.
Are you saying that Asia is unable to progress and evolve as Europe did?
I am a cosmopolite not a nationalist.
at 08:21 on March 26th, 2009
Déjà vu - indeed Paschen.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
.Agent.
at 20:49 on March 26th, 2009
Same can be said for many modern countries today, unfortunately so. This sort of talk can even be heard in some Asian countries or African countries today.
The First German Empire wish came to be after the Germanic Clans overran the Roman, lasted a 1000 years and fall apart with Karl the Allemane. The Dream of reuniting that Empire was chaired by Napoleon, Peter the Great, Fredrich the great, Bismark and Hitler through out European History, However now the dream has become a reality with the EU, and this with out blood nor war or discrimination.
Rather the opposite with peace and justice, equality and liberty, why it is working.
Can we not learn from that? Are we that back ward in the rest of the planet that we can not learn nor evolve? The EU has its problems and much room to improve yet, as all things do that live and evolve. Never the less, it is a great example to follow and learn from.
at 04:20 on March 27th, 2009
@ Paschen >
My congratulations to you for being cosmopolitan. At the same time regrets at your assumptions about the rest of us.
You fail to grasp anything that we try to say, either on purpose or by plain lack of ability to understand. And you would go on to imply we are nationalistic and racist. ("It is the difference between a cosmopolite thinking and philosophy versus a nationalistic one, based on race, religion or languish. ")
You are also full of contradictions. You say it does not matter what happened in the past but what matters is whether we are ready to work together (and well Mr.Paschen I repeatedly told you I totally agree, and any comment of mine is to show all parties have their fair share of the blame, so let's forget and move on) and with the same breath, you are hell bent on talking about past happenings, language issue (which was rectified 20 years ago) and discriminations that happened in Sri Lanka. Then when I mention that both the sides have discriminated, you go on to tell me again that it does not matter who did what in the past. Either you have to stop talking about the past, or let the others also talk abt it when you do, rather than labeling them something or the other.
Phew. I really don't know how to carry on with persons incapable of logical thinking.
at 06:35 on March 27th, 2009
You know Hiranya Malwatta, I do not fail to understand what you try to say here and some of it, I can even agree with, some of your comments are rather good and well balanced other are in plain violation of the code of conduct on NP, and I can understand this as well, since it is a volatile issue and one that caries much pain on all sides. Never the less it is still no valid excuse, nor free card for insults.
This being said I choose to no longer try to converse with you for the simple reason that you your self, do not try to converse or debate but rather choose to insult and propagate.
I do respect your point of view as much as I do respect the Tamil point of view and others such as Gerry. You seem to lack respect of other views here at this point and I suggest you take a deep breath and carefully measure and weigh your words.
You will catch more flies with honey then with vinegar and it is always better to make friends rather then enemies.
at 04:48 on March 27th, 2009
"Can we not learn from that? Are we that back ward in the rest of the planet that we can not learn nor evolve? "
1. What is the known policy in EU countries to counter terrorism?
2. What can be more of an example for forward thinking than getting a total faction of a terrorist outfit to get into democratic politics?
3. What better example of forgive and forget than the people accepting Karuna Amman who when in the LTTE has once given orders to kill 600 unarmed policemen?
4. All the development efforts happening in the East right now, to give those people what they did not get for so many decades, yes that is all backward.
If BACKWARD is your opinion about the situation in Sri Lanka and what is happening, I have no comments for you further mate. Anything more I have to tell you to enlighten you would be a waste of my time I can clearly see.
at 08:27 on March 26th, 2009
good point
at 22:51 on March 24th, 2009
See what happens in the neighboring Karnataka, because of the militant mentality of tamils (some, not all).
Tamils - a Trans State Nation
To an extend this "Nation" thing work within Indian Union because people in all the states got used to other languages and cultures. The South Indian languages do share lot common words (tamils call them "tamil" words - but others really don't care) as they originated from a "root" language and also with the influence of Sanskrit and Hindi.
But it is a different ballgame when they show the disrespect and intolerance towards other languages after going to a different country - like Sri Lanka and Malaysia. Because every country and people , how much ever small or less known they are, do feel proud of their own language and culture. But as long as guests who are going to the host (counrty / state / district village/ house) respect them and more imoprtantly DO NOT try to impose their own things on them , life will be cool and peaceful.
Otherwise there won't be any life at all.
.Agent.
at 02:12 on March 25th, 2009
Hang-on! The Tamils were typically imported by the Brits a very long time agho. They had little choice. So they became part of the country. They were resented by the Sighalese because the Brits, in typical divide and rule tactics, promoted them to civil service jobs and to doing the Brits' dirty jobs for them. So, after Independence, the Singhalese got their own back with a vengeance.
at 02:33 on March 25th, 2009
"The Tamils were typically imported by the Brits a very long time agho"
OMG gerrypopplestone, some say Tamils were here even during the Jurassic period, so many a Tamil national on NP will have the shock of their life with your "new" discovery.
I humbly suggest that you refer at least wikipedia to get a proper idea, before announcing your view to the world at large.
at 19:46 on March 25th, 2009
Now, let me ask you this, Are you against the Tamil or the Tiger?
Being against the tiger is one thing, being against the Tamil would be racist or phobic.
Either case, it would be plain discrimination. Wish the outlawing of the Tamil languish does indicate.
at 20:16 on March 25th, 2009
@ Paschen
With all due respect, I can only say that you have conveniently chosen to ignore the answer which is right in front of your eyes.
at 21:38 on March 25th, 2009
You speak in riddles, nor do you anther the question.
Some respectable news papers can not second your comments.
http://www.time.com/time/specials/2008/top10/article/0,30583,1855948_1861760_1862207,00.html
Nor can they second the LTTE comments mind you. It is a little more complex then you claim it to be and I suspect neither side are objective nor willing to be honest at this point in time. There for I would rely on the UN report and that last UN report on SL and the Tamil as well as LTTE made SL unhappy to say the least, meaning that the Tamil may have a point here.