Lupus

A number of children in camps for people displaced by Sri Lanka’s Tamil conflict have been abducted, international human rights groups say. Source

I’m trying to understand this whole SL conflict. This is what I know/think I know: 1. There are 2 populations of Tamils in SL: An ancient and indigenous community who has been there for thousands of years; and another new community that’s been there since after 1860 due to the British. 2. The Sinhalese SL started discriminating against the “new wave” of Tamils, because these Tamils had very good jobs, were over-represented in the colleges, corporations, etc. This happened in ’53 after the death of one of the SL prime ministers. After this leader’s death in ’53, his wife started discriminating against the Tamils.

- The Tamils affected were the “old school ones” for the reasons you’ve identified. The “new wave” faced significant discrimination too, but in different forms, like loss of citizenship etc. Reading some of the background materials here would be useful. The conflict predates ’53, but you’re right in that significant radicalization of the political sphere occurred around then, not in ’53 itself, really in the mid to late 50s.

3. The Tamil Muslims do *NOT* involve themselves in this civil war.

• they’ve had to become involved, mostly as affected individuals, unfortunately due to some terrible events

4. There are no Tamil Brahmins in SL.

• not true. There are, just not in the same numbers as Indians. Don’t really understand the focus on Brahmins, but anyway

5. Indian Tamil Brahmins do *NOT* support the SL Tamil’s movement.

– blanket statement, certainly not true among many people I know

6. Things in SL really came to a boil in July ’83. HORRIBLE things happened to Tamils at this time, and I’ve seen pictures and read documents about this. 7. The Tamils did horrible things to the Sinhalese, such as blow up parts of a very holy Buddhist Temple and leaders and civilians. Moreover, a Tamil Christian killed Rajiv Gandhi. From my perspective, I believe that Sinhalese are wonderful and peace-loving people. I also get the impression that they’ve done their best for peace (I could be wrong).

-Most people are peace-loving. That doesn’t mean they can’t get co-opted by ethnic ideologues. And that doesn’t mean peace happens

What do you think about all this? Are the Tamils still being discriminated against? I personally am confused about a new immigrant wanting their own homeland. This smacks of expansionism.

The war and its aftermath (1000 people have died since the war “ended”), as well as the daily humiliation faced by Tamils in the south of Sri Lanka, among other things, is a testament to the ongoing discrimination. As for your last comment, I suspect that was due to your initial understanding of the issue. Just as an FYI, Sri Lanka as a modern unitary territory emerged only in 1802 when the British created their first Crown colony unifying two Sinhala kingdoms: Kandy and Kotte, and the Tamil kingdom of Jaffna

Disclaimer: I don’t know who K.T.Rajasingham is (i.e., I don’t know his politics, if any) but having come upon his unfinished book by chance, I was intrigued by his style of writing and impressed by the detailed references he provides. A search for his name on google indicates that he is a journalist and that he frequenly comes under fire by Tamil sites. (In fact, he seems to be hated with a mind-boggling intensity.) Yet Sangam.org carries links to more of his chapters than Asia Times online. (I was not familiar with these sites previously.)

Yet the book draws me and the fact that it seems unfinished is intriguing. I found several historic facts, incidents and post-1983 details credible (i.e., in line with what I knew and had learnt). And he certainly did not shy away from criticizing the LTTE.

Subramanian Swamy’s blog: Sri Lanka Post-LTTE

Suhasini Haidar’s blog: The Guns are Silent

From my perspective, I believe that Sinhalese are wonderful and peace-loving people. I also get the impression that they’ve done their best for peace (I could be wrong).

What do you think about all this? Are the Tamils still being discriminated against?

I personally am confused about a new immigrant wanting their own homeland. This smacks of expansionism.

On a lighter note: Nayagan, don’t forget the earlier alias or nickname for Prabhakaran — ‘thamby’ (younger brother). It is interesting that the only person ‘thalaivar’ supposedly thought worthy of appeasing was ‘puratchi thalaivar’ (revolutionary leader) MGR.

Ya, he’s a converted christian and the Norwegians (and the West) are his protectors; that’s why there’s so much heartache in the western press over their dream of a Christian East Timor in th South vanishing into smoke. But, rest assured, the crack dreams of Caldwell and Mueller are going to cause much more havoc in India itself before final resolution (hopefully in our favor)……