Sri Lanka: Ethnic Conflict, LTTE And Future
By Dr A. R. M. Imtiyaz
It is now crystal clear that the Sinhala leaders will never put forward a just resolution to the Tamil national question. Therefore, we are not prepared to place our trust in the impossible and walk along the same old futile path…. We therefore ask the international community and the countries of the world that respect justice to recognize our freedom struggle.” This is the key sections of the annual Heroes’ Day statement delivered by the slain leader of the disabled Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), V. Pirapaharan.
Serious Sri Lanka watchers would agree that such a statement represents not only the Tamil disappointments and distrust, but also it effectively exposes the duplicity of five decades old southern Sinhalese politics, which categorically refused to do meaningful political business with the Tamil leaders who represent the North and East Tamils. Moderates The Tamil Tigers, who mirrored the Sinhala political establishment in its dealing with dissent and pluralism, unquestionably are the deadly elements of the Sri Lanka society. Whether the Tamil Tigers, for that matter, violent Tamil nationalists are freedom fighters as they claim themselves or deadly terrorists as the Sri Lanka governments describe, history will answer it. My point here is that the birth of Tamil Tiger movement had roots in Sri Lanka’s history and its anti-Tamil agendas. It is important to point that there was not an overnight decision among the ordinary Tamils to approve the agendas of the Tamil Tigers: the failure of Sri Lankan polity to meet the demands of the Tamil moderates was a key foundation for the origin of the Tamil extremism in Sri Lanka. Instead of listening to the Tamil leaders and accommodating their reasonable demands, the Sinhalese ruling leaders of the time assaulted and stoned the Tamils and their leaders, and even hired the Sinhalese to become butchers to kill innocent Tamils and moderate leaders. One needs to realize that successive governments since 1956 controlled by the Sinhalese miserably failed to engage the Tamil moderates such as the Federal Party (FP).
The FP sought a comprehensive solution without jeopardizing the unity of Sri Lanka. However, Sinhalese collective, competitive chauvinism turned a blind eye to the Tamil moderates. Sadly, the choice of the Sinhala political class to use violence, effectively scratched the Tamil trust in the political system and encouraged some Tamils to adopt violence. Mr. Ranil Wickremasinghe, a former Premier of Sri Lanka during his visit to the United States echoed this truth. He pointed out that “the Tamils tried peaceful protests which soon degenerated into violence. With the underlying grievances being unattended the stage was set for terrorist groups to emerge (“Our Approach for a Better Tomorrow Free from Terrorism,” Daily News, July 25, 2002.) This helps us to understand the birth of Tamil violent movements, particularly the Tamil Tigers in the end of 1970. The Sinhalese ruling leaders, however, did not freeze their election-oriented ethnic outbidding policies. They incessantly formulated emotional policies to win the sympathy of the Sinhalese. A significant portion of Tamils in the North even after the end of the brutal war, think that they are being treated unfairly and their lands are being occupied by the Sinhala army. Colombo’s steady failure to engage Tamils and the Moors in the so-called post-war period to negotiate what political scientists call ‘consociational democracy’ to ease ethnic tensions explains Sinhala political class’ political goals.
What is more ironic is that in Sri Lanka, even after 30 years of conflict, after victimizing thousands of Sri Lankans, mostly Tamils, the Sinhalese political class is still refusing to recognize that minorities, including the Moors, whose political leaders actively support Sinhala political class, have legitimate grievances that require reasonable political solution. In fact, the Sinala political class is deliberately refusing to understand the problems of the Tamils and Moors; because they do not want to challenge the kind of political culture they created to outbid their opponents. To consolidate this narrow political culture, they utilize 5th century Mahavamsa, which plays a key role in the formation of Sinhala elite mobilization. According to Mahavamsa, Sinhalese people are the preservers of Buddhism and the entire island is the sacred home of the Sinhalese and of Buddhism.
Separation may not be a desirable solution for the Sri Lanka’s ethnic civil war which killed more than 100,000 people of the island’s 21 millions. In other words, separation may trigger further instability. But when a particular community is continuously being denied their rights and share, and become prisoners of the majority/dominant community, then there must be a solution to arrest unhealthy political situation and to give justice to the marginalized. However, desire for a partition could be challenged if the ruling elites show real willingness to think and act beyond the ethnic emotions, and commitments to share the powers with the minorities. That is to say, their must be effective power sharing mechanisms both at the center and the regions. This would more likely undermine the agendas of the Tamil nationalists, provided there is a domestic and international political willingness to implement the agreement.
Moreover, it is politically incorrect to demand a particular community to forcefully cohabit with the majority. Also, when there is no space for political accommodation and citizenship for the minorities who claim geographical domination in a certain areas of the country, separation is highly likely. Like Pirapakaran, there are many Tamils, who think that “uncompromising stance of Sinhala chauvinism” would never deliver justice to the Tamils.
Therefore, when the Tamils say “the uncompromising stance of Sinhala chauvinism has left us with no other option but an independent state for the people of Tamil Eelam,” it is highly demonstrating their frustration both with the impartial delivery of democratic system and the Sinhalese ruling elites.
The best alternative to the partition is, as above mentioned, serious political formulas which would go beyond the failed unitary state structure. Such a political formulas may probably provide a political space to cohabit with other groups, while maintaining their own identity and values. The basic logic of unity is acceptance. When we prepare to accept choices made by others regardless of their ethnic/religious identity, we not only win their trust, but also their loyalty to the common goals. On the other hand, polity may trigger violence and instability when we shove our preferences on others. Unity and peace among the different groups, by and large, occur when there is a sprit for respect, self-determination, and freedom, in other words, tensions between the different ethnic groups can disappear when the state offers the space for the minorities to build their lost trust, and to uphold their citizenship through the political autonomy.
Sinhala political class needs to engage Tamil leaders as well as Moors to seek justice. Absence of justice often triggers tensions and rivalry. A political solution to the conflict is one way to gain justice. Ethnic leaders can emerge in absence of justice, decent peace and opportunities. Colombo should not forget the roots of the conflict that gave birth to the LTTE. Elections are part of healthy democracy, but what dignifies democracy is culture of pluralism and justice in which masses would enjoy true political, social and cultural autonomy.
(Dr. A. R. M. Imtiyaz’ research and teaching are mainly focused on ethnic politics. He has published widely in peer-reviewed international journals. He currently teaches at the Asian Studies/Department of Political Science, Temple University, Philadelphia, USA.)
I am not certain applying the ‘ethnic conflict’ concept to analyze the situation in Sri Lanka is that realistic? For me, it is just a academic jargon and the real ground situation is different.
can you please tell me what tamils are lacking in srilanka more than sinhalese in srilanka.
Political Equality
you must be born as a tamil to understand the suffering. may god help you to be born as a jaffna tamil in your next birth.
Solico, In the 70 a group of British Anglo Saxon students got their skin tanned and went about trying to get jobs and service from the government and private sector at the end of their experiment they gave their report individually each did not no know what the other had written about
Every one reported that at that time in the 70′s it was terrible and disadvantaged for the non whites in Britain
I challenge you to do the same and live like a Tamil in the North and East and see the hurdles they have to undergo day in day day out you would have not posed this question
If you are comparing the economic conditions of the Sinhalese in the South and the Tamils and the North well they are no different you are right but the SInghalese do not have the thirst for freedom that will come the day the MR clan runs out goonibilas to divert the attention of the singalese common man
Nathen
Alas! Where are you from ?
All that happens around is because tamils are being denied…
Citzenchip of poor tamilworkers who still toil in rain and sun
Traditional land being forcefully being colonised in the east now in the north too.
Above all What dou think of SINHALA ONLY?
Please be Humane!!!!!
Your question may be answered in volumes !!!!
Pretend to be Tamil and go to a Police station or a government department and try speaking in Tamil and you will realise yourself why the Tamils are complaining.
For God’s sake try that!!!
You must be a sin-halese that is why you do not understand. Do you understand why the land someone was born is called mother land? Why a TAMIL cannot become Prime minister of Sri lanka it is because he/she is a Tamil, they do not have the RIGHT. Sri Lankan contitution says if you are not a Sin-halese and a Budhist you cannot be a Prime Minister of Sri Lanka that is why Soloman W R D Bandaranayake changed in to Bhudist, he was a Sin-halese so it was easy for him to change the religion. What if you are a TAMIL?
How to change that? I hope you got that answer.
It is a matter of share and bear rather than becoming prime minister, When there is SINGALA only stillso ALIVE and Plundering..por tamil how ignourant you are… Pity…
In response to your question: if and when you decide to step out of your little bubble, complete a little social survey. Get yourself to a fairly modest town in the Eastern Province, and count the number of Sinhalese policemen/women stationed in that locale. We’re talking about relative figures here – not rocket science. I’m sure you’re smart enough to do the math!
Dr Imtiyas has the intelectual calibre to think throgh like this and contribute to resloving a problem that has dooged all of us since independence. As long as there are the solica types only god can save the country and deliver peace to Lanka.
Safty – Anytime can be arrested attacked raped killed for no reason even for fun
Justice – No justice. If you go to the Police station to complain you will be charged attacked arrested.
Opportunities – Only if available even if you have the necessary qualifications.
Own property business – Can be taken over anytime. or pay protection money to Sinhalese thugs or politicians..
Freedom – if speak or write or protest you know what will happen.
Respect – None what so ever.
If the Tamil want to live they have to work for Sinhalease to destroy more Tamils eg DogLass KP Karuna DonkyMuthu.
All the Tamils are asking is leave them alone. But Sinhalese wont because of one reason alone – Jealous,that Tamils will prosper and overtake them. We can see this in foreign countries too. Give all troubles that they can – instead of improving them self they focus on harming and destroying Tamils and when they are unable to they get very frustrated angry and go to the lowest levels in everything.
The message to the Sinhalease is grow up and get civilized.
if the sinhala army commanders become governors of tamil areas and begin building temples and start requesting tamils to get permission to even have a birthday party in jaffna then its pretty clear tamils have lost their basic rights in comparison to sinhalese….dont be ignorant to ignore the past. there is a problem. if only sri lankan government didnt kill many moderate journalist who said ‘no war and for peace’ then we would have saved over 100,000 innocent lives back in May 2009.
Solico you will not understand what this man is saying. Obviously he lives in a civilized country. Please google for the word “Civilized’
Elections are held only to show that there is still a democratic system.
What has happend to the efforts of elected tamil mp`s to co existance with due rights and dignity , for the last six decades?
It is high time any interested powerful nation involve and take over the situation.
Shrinking global geophysical conditions may demand what we all do not like.
Whatever the decision or conclusion of the ARPC or PSC the parliament will be the ultimate arbitrator of the final solution, so why waste time with these committees? repeal of Sinhala Only Act will go some way in convincing Tamil speaking minorities that the government is sincere in treating them as equal. Otherwise mono-ethnic Sinhala armed forces and police in Tamil speaking provinces enforce that act indiscriminately. Police reports written in Sinhala language and with signatures of non-Sinhalese are a daily occurrence in Tamil areas. This is one of the examples of how non-Sinhalese are treated under this government. Sinhala Armed Forces must also be prevented in interfering with the civil administration and festivities in the north and east.
Dr ARM Imtiyaz you have no national feeling of Sri Lankan,the very reason is united or divided non of your interest or it want effect for your life.
And Dr ARM you have to nothing to protect soveriginity or terroritol intregrity
or Indepandeace of Sri Lanka.
Your writing confine to scope of so-called theses to obtain Some added qulification for your self-interest. We don’t say is bad.Is good for you.but not good for People of Sri Lankan.
Histroy our civilization 2600 years as nation, we were struggling to PROTECTED OUR IDENTITY for unprescedented SACFAIRCE OF HUMAN BLOOD.
You can write idyllically acadamic theses for any type of concoard stories for the West.
Indeed ours is CIVILIZATION of life and death of VALUES of INHERITANCE of Buddhist school of thought and its ingenious of infrangible and efficacious of epistomological civilizations .
The comments from Solico ” can you please tell me what tamils are lacking in Sri Lanka more than sinhalese in Sri Lanka ” is a request from a true son or inhabitant of Sri Lanka. This true angel of Sri Lanka is pleading and I am as well a humble Sri Lankan also pleading what is this fuss about tamils’ problem. We both ie. Solico and me are innocent Sri Lankans and do not brand us as “Frogs In the Well ” . We are all decendants of 1958 rioters and 1983 pogrom. Those were minor matters because killing of innocent tamil women , babies or children are common and subsequently injured and refugees were shipped to Jaffna. Why were they shipped to Jaffna? .Is it a tamil homeland. How can it be? We Sinhalese are the master race and owners of whole of Sri Lanka . Introduction of Sinhalese only and then university selection on racial basis, that is not anything tamils should protest and what is the matter with this tamils? They being aliens their lands can be proscribed and should be under army rule. What tamils are lacking. Mullivaical massacre, war crime, purposely erecting Buddhist temple is a gift to them.
Really a nice article to read. I don’t know whether the Sinhala people will understand this.
2018 will truly ealam in north,and south sinhala budhist kindom will born again.