Elucidation Wanted: On Tamil Issues & Solutions – Part I

By A. Sivapathasundaram –JULY 3, 2020

A. Sivapathasundaram

Need for Elucidation

Mr. C.V. Wigneswaran is no ordinary person: He is a retired Justice, fluent in all the three languages, Sinhalese, Tamil & English that are spoken in Sri Lanka, is patently religious and brought into politics from his retired life. Very soon after, and never of such privileged position accorded to anyone before, considered as ‘ new light’, a ‘new breeze’ and ‘new hope’ by a majority of Tamil voters in the North of Sri Lanka, he was directly elevated to the exalted political office as the Chief Minister of Northern Province (NP).  He is also now the leader of Tamil People’s Alliance, a new political party formed by him in defiance of Tamil National Alliance (TNA)— the very party that pole-vaulted him into politics only a few years ago. Moreover, there is a certain section of the Tamils in the North and amongst the Diaspora who consider him and other politicians who support him, as their voice and the ones who would deliver the “political goods” they want. 

Therefore, the contents of his article ‘Keppetipola Disawe & Solution to The Ethnic Question’, which appeared in ‘Colombo Telegraph’ recently, merits special attention and objective scrutiny for further elucidation either by him or by any of his ilk and political persuasions and stand. It is the hope and expectation that such elucidations, debate and discussion would lead to an objective re-assessment of Tamil politics, in order to pave a meaningful and realistic path for the attainment of the social, economic and cultural progress and prosperity of the Tamils in Sri Lanka, in the context of the changed national and international realities.    

In his said article, the ex-Chief Minister of NP has started off with the story of ‘Keppetipola Disawe’ and “pre-independent days”.  This part may be skipped, for, though they are of historical interest, most of the Sri Lankans are familiar with them, especially in regard to the events of the post-independence days, having been documented and repeated many times by many people. 

What need specific elucidations are on those he had gone on to list as some matters among the many, in his words, “that could be enumerated to show how the Tamils are being discriminated and dominated by the Sinhalese” and his “Solution to the Ethnic Question”.

Sinhala hegemony

Justice C.V. Wigneswaran (for ease we shall use the abbreviation CVW when referring to him in this article) says “The Tamils of North and East feel the yoke of Sinhala hegemony today”

Not only the Tamils of the North & East, but also the Hill country Tamils and Muslims too, have felt the “yoke of Sinhala hegemony”, not just “today”, but for many long years and, in one way or the other, at various times since the time of independence. One may term it not just ‘Sinhala hegemony’, but ‘Sinhala Buddhist chauvinist hegemony’ that is completely contrary to the tenants of Buddhism and the noble teachings of Buddha. This “juggernaut” of ‘Sinhala Buddhist chauvinist hegemony’, comprises not the ordinary Sinhalese Buddhists who are, in general, simple, friendly, and peace-loving –-even more so than some of the Tamil brethren—but the elite chauvinists. It has, in different forms at various times, rolled on and on, setting one community against the other too as part of its vulgar strategy, when needed to achieve its purposes, thus destroying the peace, tranquillity, and prosperity of the country as a whole, It even tramples on the Sinhala Buddhists themselves by diverting their attention from the real socio economic issues that the lower strata of their own people are faced with, sowing and promoting contrived fear and anger in them, only to enrich the select few. The words of Mark Twain that “It is easier to fool the people than to convince them that they are being fooled” has been proved to be spot on and continue to be so.   

However, what needs elucidation is how does CVW, or for that matter any Tamil leader, hope to confront this ‘juggernaut’ by explaining to the misled Sinhalese masses while also enlisting the other minority communities and leaders against its destructiveness. 

Also, as CVW states, “Tamils want freedom”—but that ‘freedom’ is not only from the yoke of “Sinhala Buddhist hegemony” but also from the remnants of casteism and exploitation of the Tamils amongst themselves too. 

However, people do not elect leaders to tell them a list of problems. Everyone knows the problems –some personally experiencing them and some see, hear, or feel them happening.  On the contrary, people elect them to find solutions for those problems and, in addition, constructively commit and work towards those solutions. Therefore, one must ask what CVW himself, both as Justice and subsequently as Chief Minister of North, have done on these. Surely, issuing statements or reading scripted speeches or addressing meetings, and that too mostly attended by the Tamils (effectively an exercise in only “converting the already converted”),  is not seeking solution!—It can only be termed as mere verbosity for popularity and a waste of time, energy and resources.  

Colonisation & De-population 

CVW further states “Earlier almost all the Tamils in the Southern areas were driven away during inter alia 1958 and 1983 pogroms. Now they intend colonising the North and East with Sinhalese”.

It is not “’now’ they ‘intend’ colonising the North and East with Sinhalese”: This process started long time ago—a grievance aired from the time following the formation of Tamil Federal Party. What has also escaped attention is that, while the Tamil leaders and activists were harping on ‘colonisation’ and “1958 and 1983 pogroms”, another shrewd and subtle process was put in operation by the said ‘juggernaut’: it is “De-population” of Tamils from North & East. It has master- minded the voluntary movement of Tamils by aiding and abetting their exodus from the soil of the North & East– particularly from the North. ‘Human traffickers’ have profited, and, it would appear that the Sri Lankan Airport officials, and the Security forces, some for monetary benefits, have knowingly allowed the out-flow of Tamils in large numbers from the airports, sometimes even knowing that they possess forged documents. The unnecessary and eventually fruitless and long-protracted war too has contributed to that process. 

‘Colonisation’ and ‘De-population’ are the “two sides of the same coin” –effectively driving towards the achievement of the same purpose: ‘Colonisation’ is the process by which the Sinhalese are brought in bulk into the Tamil lands; whereas “De-population” is the process by which the Tamils are emptied from Tamil lands. 

Though it is true that most of those who had thus migrated to other countries (except unfortunately those who went to Tamil Nadu and got stuck there) are doing economically well, by this process, the ‘juggernaut’ of the ‘Sinhalese Buddhist chauvinist hegemony’ which is constantly in motion and on mission have achieved the following: 

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