Tamil Grievances –Untouched & Unattended
By Gomin Dayasri
The voting pattern in the North and East is understandable as the Government had failed to attend to the legitimate grievances of the Tamils. It is a protest vote they registered against President Rajapakse rather than a vote in support of Sarath Fonseka.
They impliedly expressed confidence that some of the political parties allied to the opposition candidate are more acceptable than the Tamil parties that are aligned with the Government.
Even those who opposed the candidate marked a cross for the swan. This will become more pronounced at the General Elections with a larger turn out of voters with the political parties representing Tamil interest entering the fray and Tamil candidates on the slate. The government can expect a resounding defeat to which it is a contributory element
It would be wrong to assume the vote is an endorsement of the LTTE but if the government fails to find remedies to the justifiable grievances of the Northern and Eastern Tamils, before long photographs of Prabhakaran will appear on the cadjan walls in the backwoods of the peninsula. The protest vote carries the sound of a siren; it is a wake up call for the government. An opportunity was provided to build a permanent bridge of friendship to the North and the East after saving them from the clutches of the terrorists, credit for which must flow to the Government. Sadly it appears lost on the people in the North and East, as other mischievous forces have been at work. The Government and Tamils are both at fault.
The Sinhala nationalists must be in the forefront in the struggle to find solutions for the genuine Tamil grievances. They fought valiantly to save the country from the terrorist menace. Now they must step in to avert the country from falling again to a terrorists trap set by the Tiger proxy holders and there is no better remedy than attending to the justifiable grievances of the Tamil people and not of the Tamil politicians. It should not be with the expectation of any reciprocal Tamil support but with the objectivity of building a society where people can live in harmony with security. It is no fault if the Tamils even after some of their grievances are attended, still continue to vote for parties of Tamil origin. They would do so, considering the comfort factor but such parties would not be able to deliver the message of separatism effectively if the grievances are eliminated. This would be the first step in the distant dream of establishing national political parties representing members of all communities being elected to parliament from each district.
Still the Tamils of the North and East are economically dependent on the pocket money doled out by the Diaspora for their subsistence. The Diaspora through the strings of the purse control their brethren in Sri Lanka. It was stupid of the government to think that the Tamils will vote for them after seen their kinsmen incarcerated in camps for unreasonable long period of time. Indeed the votes obtained from Tamil voters by the President shows still there is space and goodwill for accommodation. The solution to grievances has to be undertaken solely by the government and no assistance can be expected from the opposition or the major Tamil political party. If previous practice is an indicator, in solving the ethnic problem no bi party or multi party support from the opposition is likely to be rendered.
Tamils must equally reciprocate with demands that are reasonable and facilitate its implementation with patience. They brought anguish upon themselves by tacitly or impliedly aligning themselves with the terrorists for whom the Sambandan’s wing of TNA is largely instrumental. The Tamils will have to create a society with a more accommodating leadership prepared to offer a warm hand shake to the south after the elections. The Sinhala majority showed its goodwill with largeness originating from all strata’s in society when the refugees made the crossing from areas under terrorist control. The nationalistic Manel Mal Movement was among the first to run a special train carrying supplies to Vauniya on a goodwill mission.
That out stretched hand must be extended further but any such extension will be meaningless unless the Tamils show sufficient flexibility they are interested in safeguarding the territorial integrity of the country. Tamils must on their own suppress separatist tendencies in their districts to win the confidence of the majority.
Immediate solace must be offered through the present constitution without putting off the date of reckoning. It was a grave error to postpone in laying the foundation of amity until the elections are over in an effort to transact with the new parliamentarians. The next unreasonable postponement sought, will be to await the changes to the constitution. Delay is fatal and expecting the next batch of Tamil parliamentarians to be more conciliatory after an election would be wistful thinking and constitutional amendments will be a long and hazardous journey. Meanwhile the problems of the Tamils will continue to fester if it remains untouched and unattended. The route the government will have to take to solve the grievances will be a lonely avenue, since like in the war, the opposition will not desire to give the President another victory march in solving the ethnic issue. Mahinda Rajapakse is a leader on whom the Sinhala majority has laid its faith to the utmost and has the confidence that he will not sell the country since he overcame terrorism that none could tame.
The legitimate Tamil grievances can be listed briefly as follows:- (1) Language (2) Security (3) Land & Water (4) HSZ (5) Welfare of Children (6) Development (7) Resettlement and Rehabilitation (8) Cultural Advancement (9)Employment Opportunities on Merit (10) Speedy Social Progress in areas which were under terrorist control.
All these problems can be attended to under the present laws, the existing administrative powers and with presidential directives.
A dialogue directly with the Tamil inhabitants of the North and East is a necessity to understand the gravity of their grievances. The Colombian Tamils are more interested in their own social and economic progress which is not a priority, as they share problems common to the other communities. Muslim problems in the North and East have to be looked at in a separate chapter.
The 13th amendment was a midsummer nights dream conceived by India to bring the LTTE into mainstream politics through the provincial councils with the control of the North and East offered as bait to lure them. That experiment was a total failure and now after 30 years the provincial councils have proved to be a base to enrich another set of politicians in power.
This exercise will only confer power privileges and perquisites to the politicians of the North and East while the genuine grievances of the Tamils will remain intact. Those politicians of the North and East with their greed for gain will not attend to the grievances of the people, to keep them dissatisfied and disenchanted being more satisfying, so that the people could be mobilized and motivated to agitate again for more power for the politicians, which will give rise to separatist tendencies. Therefore it is more in the interest of the central government to attend to the grievances of the Tamil people directly because the solutions to problems will bring a lasting peace to the country which may not be the aspirations of those politicians in the North and East who were the proxy holders of the LTTE.
The Governments efforts to assuage the Tamils by undertaking development projects in the North and East proved to be totally unsuccessful as reflected in the election results. It is obvious that the real benefits have not accrued to the Tamil people in the provinces. In the present day lexicon of words, development is associated with commissions. In any event development is only an aspect of the many grievances and relying too heavily on a single front alone, turned out to be disastrous for the government .It is a basket of grievances which must be handled simultaneously.
The government must create a climate that the Tamils are confident they can live with dignity and comfort. Much of the opposition to this proposition will come from the parties that were once aligned to the terrorists. The president in his second term can act with more statesmen like outlook since he does not have to face another election. The Sinhala majority in the interest of the coming generations must ensure the ethnic problem is solved by not permitting terrorism to rise again; the final answer lies in finding solutions to the legitimate grievances of the Tamils. Now not Later.
- Asian Tribune -
Comments
A WAKE-UP CALL TO THE
A WAKE-UP CALL TO THE SINHALESE
A bold yet constructive critique of the government that hopefully instills a sense of urgency in fulfilling the legitimate grievances of the Tamil people, especially of those citizens in the North and East who have had to brunt the greatest miseries of the nasty war. The civilized world has become increasingly disgusted with the lackadaisical attitude of the government towards the urgent needs of NE Tamils as articulated by Mr. Dayasri. The government’s seeming lack of concern for IDP’s and NE Tamils have created a deep impression that Tamils are only of 3rd-dgeree importance to the nation’s leaders – the first being the accumulation of additional honorary doctorates and self grandiose followed by attention to the needs of the votes-critical Sinhalese electorate. Despite the many calls by Western democracies for speedy resettlement of IDP’s (such as the bi-partisan Resolution passed in early November by the US Congress with an unprecedented vote of 427 to 1), the Rajapaksa government seems to have a tough time comprehending the obvious: it is the urgent duty of a government to take care of the needs of the most critically affected people of the nation. This is not to suggest that the country does not have other problems such as the complaints and legitimate grievances of marginalized Sinhalese. But no one can deny that the worst affected by the war were the NE Tamils and therefore they deserve the highest attention of the nation. The question is, did NE Tamils ever receive this due recognition?
If the recent NE-vote is a wake-up call to the prevailing government, then this important warning by Mr. Dayasri is a wake-up call to all Sinhalese world-wide. It is their moral obligation to stand-up and fight for the legitimate grievances and rights of their minority brothers and sisters, a duty that they have consistently shunned with lame excuses such as “… it will happen at its own pace …”. Of them I ask, how long should the minorities wait until your moral responsibility aligns with your moral conviction? As Mr. Dayasri urges, the time to do the right things is Now not Later.
Let us all take some insipiration from Rev. Martin Luther King who once said: "We are now faced with the face that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late." The Sinhalese were late once, and it created a monster called Prahabakaran, let’s not be late again!
Gomin Dayasri in this article
Gomin Dayasri in this article has gone further in understanding the real issues concerning Tamil Speaking People whether it is from the North and East, Muslims or from upcountry. Dias as usual has voice his utter frustration of what is happening. This administration and its propaganda machinery have and are still trumpeting that the war is to liberate the Tamils from the terror of LTTE and the whole operation was humanitarian. The municipal and presidential election has shown that this is not the case. One thing, the regime and Sinhalese in general forget is that the LTTE is created by Tamil speaking people to protect their rights against a majority which is determined to deny the minority its rights. So, Gomin Daysri’s look at the issues in a different angle other than terrorism or Tamil nationalism is refreshing. He has rightly identified the areas where there is an urgent need for all to pay attention.
As a Tamil speaking person, I would like to add couple of more specific issues which may be broadly considered within the above list, but is in the forefront of issues of every Tamil Speaking person in Sri Lanka:
• Tamils ( specially young person ) in custody or some form of detention without due process
• Disappearance – account of relatives and friends , still missing
• Paramilitary terror
However, what he failed to understand is that Tamils want to manage their affairs within. In the past, rightly or wrongly, Tamils felt that only option for them left is separation. As the author pointed out if, very soon, Tamils are not allowed to manage their affairs in the key areas he outlined, the movement will spring from the grave with vengeance.
The myth that the Govt. and Sinhalese think that the development or reconstruction is what is needed and control everything from Colombo ( by MR brothers and cronies ) is being challenged by Gomain. What Tamils want is they should be able to manage their affairs within set boundaries. The boundaries are negotiable and not the management. This arrangement is whether 13th amendment, 13 plus or any other is not the issue. I tend to agree with Gomin that 13th amendment may not provide what we want here. But, what is not acceptable to Tamils is that decisions are taken from the centre which is dominated by the majority with no counter balance to ensure minority concerns or clearly understand the issues confronting the Tamil Speaking people.
Look at the current situation ( within the current constitution ), the executive president elected by a large majority of Sinhala votes with Tamil speaking people voting against him and after April election reflecting a similar pattern in the parliament. In this scenario, how do you expect the president or the parliament to understand and take the necessary action to empower the Tamil speaking people. So, if the majority is not prepared to share power, (not half hearted like the 13th amendment or 13 plus) with water tight safe guards for the minorities, then I am afraid, Tami Speaking people will feel alienated and marginalised as before. There are many examples in the world to this model. The latest and most recent is Northern Ireland where the power sharing agreement enables the two communities to share power so that either takes advantage of the numerical advantage or position within the Govt.
Gomin’s urging of the MR regime to address the issues urgently is with good intention. But, unless the Regime is prepared to share power with the minorities ( not with people like Karuna and other thugs ), I can’t see how Tamils will feel they are part of united Sri Lanka,
A very pertinent point of
A very pertinent point of view and a timely message to all of us that we need to address Tamil issues which are relevant from the context of issues faced by all Sri Lankans, in particular the less advantaged who have always been used as canon fodder by politicians from all sides. While there is no overriding disagreement with the author, there are a few points of view that needs to be presented purely to elicit a discussion amongst AT readers and others. Firstly, it is to state that the authors contention that many of the grievances he has listed could all be addressed within the existing law of the land. This is absolutely correct. In fact, the Tamil lobby both within and without should be canvassing for this to happen without resorting to campaigns that are bound to harden Sinhala attitudes, and leading the discussion towards pathways that have failed to deliver results for Tamils for decades. These lobbyists, if they are genuinely interested in addressing Tamil issues, should first study the current law of the land and see the extent to which these laws have been applied or not, and in management parlance, carry out a gap analysis in order to see what is still missing. The first grievance listed by the author, Language, falls into this category. This commentator is yet to hear or read of such a study done by any Tamil activist, although the standard catch cry of it being a grievance is used throughout the world to gain sympathy of those who do not know what might be happening in Sri Lanka.
This government and its predecessors are equally at fault not to point out what they may have done, and what they intend doing.
Secondly, the author has mentioned that the development activities engaged in by the current government in the North East, did not translate into votes for the government. Besides this being a cynical view that such activities should be done with votes in mind, the reverse of this contention, that all development activities should therefore be stopped because the President didnt get Tamil votes, might be what one maybe compelled to assume! Of course one could also interpret the authors statement to say that Tamils in the North and East have issues that are more fundamental than economic development. What is to be, the chicken or the egg?
While there is no disagreement that the grievances listed by the author should be discussed with Tamils in the North East, there are two points that may be useful to note. Discussions should be based on grievances faced by all people who lived in the areas controlled by terrorists, not just Tamils, as many Sinhala and Muslim people also suffered as much as Tamils living in those areas. Issues like Land & Water, HSZ, Welfare of Children, Development, Cultural Advancement, Employment Opportunities on Merit and Speedy Social Progress in areas which were under terrorist control are issues for all Sri Lankans who faced hardship because of the terrorists. In the end what is necessary for Tamils and others, is to achieve a particular outcome, more than splitting hairs on the processes that maybe employed to achieve those outcomes. As much as ruling anything in or out as a solution to address Tamil grievances should not be a starting point for commencing a discussion, neither should grievances be highlighted as something that is solely within the province of the Tamil community in the North and East.
No doubt the Sinhalese and their attitudes will have a lot to do with how this issues is to be addressed. They are certainly a key partner in this co habitation. However, they cannot assume full responsibility for fixing the problem. Tamils too must take the responsibility to work with the Sinhalese to find a solution, and they should accept some realities within the country. There is an urgent need for some new thinking on the part of the Sinhalese as well as the Tamils. Old models have not worked, and pursuing them will not bring about any positive results as history has amply demonstrated to the detriment of the entire country.
Finally, a comment has to be made about the great haste shown by many that the current government has not done enough to address this issue and made use of the golden opportunity presented to them. It is not a bad thing for such proponents to recall that the menace of LTTE terrorism was defeated only some 8 months ago, and since then we have had Muncipal elections in Jaffna and Vavuniya, a Presidential election, and a general election scheduled for April, and possibly provincial council elections in the North following suit.
It is true that these democratic processes have shown that Tamils in the North and East are still skeptical about the ability of the President and the current government to produce a solution to the ethnic issue, but the fact that Tamils in the North and East have been even given the opportunity to show their displeasure (if one can call it that) is by itself a positive development after decades of terrorism and war.
The author has also not stated what the Mahinda Chintana 2 has mentioned about how the ethnic issue will be addressed by a future government. President Rajapaksa has indicated he will commence the dialogue that the author has mentioned. He has also stated three fundamental approaches he has in mind. Firstly, any solution has to be based on the principle of a Unitary State. Secondly, there will be a second chamber to give opportunities for greater minority representation in National governance. Thirdly, there will be some devolution to provinces, and beyond.
If the President and the government is to be faulted for something, it is the fact that they have not given wider publicity to their plans. They should seize the agenda from Tamil lobbyists who are making world headlines by tapping into the sentiments of many ignorant world leaders, and the President must also set the agenda nationally without allowing LTTE sympathisers like the TNA to continue misleading many innocent Tamils. The President and the government can also take the lead in implementing whatever is the law of the land.
Excellent response from Raj
Excellent response from Raj Gonsalkorale. We could not agree more that what successive govts of Lanka have done for the N&E have gone unnoticed. It is high time GoSL ran a Monthly Report of the work done in the N&E in the Daily News as well as at the various Embassies & High Commissions abroad about it. It also time to reiterate that war in Lanka which has led to so much destabilization (to the delight of all those who want to see Lanka dismembered), started with the separatist call by some Tamil leaders in Jaffna, which in turn was really a direct result of (1) failed Tamil Nadu separatism from India transferred to Lanka (2) the then severe Caste Issues of Jaffna (3) the joblessness of Tamil Youth (same as for JVP Sinhala Youth).
Now there is no need for separatism as Development Programs are well under for the N&E. Please note that the very first industries in Lanka after Independence in 1948, were in the North.
In return for the understanding and help received from various Governments of Lanka, we would be delighted to see all Lankan Tamils offer their LOYALTY TO LANKA & all its People.
For three decades this
For three decades this country had to hold up and postpone its development agenda because of an utterly unnecessary and selfish conflict put in place by a privileged group of Tamils who thought they could bully the Sinhalese into giving them a separate state from which they could encroach their hegemony into the rest of the island and take it over completely. Should this be simply forgotten???
That said, the development agenda should therefore logically be for the entire country, with special attention given to the Tamil areas that had been compelled into neglect by the LTTE's attitudes of destruction and non-participation towards the GOSL. Despite the destructive anti-development strategy of the LTTE, the GOSL continued to provide food, medicine and other basic requirements to the civilians of the region....a situation unique in the annals of modern war.
Therefore, the developmental needs of the North and East have to be met in a systematic way, but it is important that in so doing, the needs of other parts of the country that have also suffered the ravages of economic deprivation due to the war, as well as that of a tsunami. are not neglected. A National Plan for development must be put in place and be transparent and concentrated on with the island considered holistically.....for grievances are many and exist in all regional and ethnic sectors and are not confined to the Tamils even though the North and East may have the most immediate of needs on account of the war. A rationalized prioritization of projects that also involves calls for as well as opportunities for investment and people's participation in these development projects may be one way to start harnessing a national effort.
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