Tamilian Problems

Are we sure that the Tamil problem in Sri Lanka is over with the demise of Prabhakaran? It is not a simple problem as many people think. The Tamils of Sri Lanka are not just descendents of Tamils employed in European plantations. They constitute a nationality. Even during Ashoka’s time, Tamils were a considerable presence in Ceylon. During Chola period Ceylon became a powerful Tamil kingdom.

Gradually Sinhalese began to gain prominence in Ceylon. Even at this time, although not cheek by jowl, there were two nationalities in Ceylon, the Tamils and the Sinhalese. The Sinhalese adopted Buddhism as their faith in their own way. The Sinhalese Buddhism was never tolerant towards other religions. Still, the Hindus of the island remained a nationality of its own, Tamils being its main stream. After the Europeans quit the island, the Sinhalese began to assert their supremacy. They decided to discard the rights and privileges of the Tamils. They proclaimed Buddhism to be the official religion. The Sinhalese was accepted as the official language. The Tamils decided to resist. The resistance was most often armed struggle. The form of a struggle is determined by the past and present of the people who are involved in it. That is, it is the history and politics that decide the form of resistance. The Tamils lost faith in the works of EPW and such other organization as it.

This helped the Tigers and LTTE to gain a great following. LTTE organized Tamils into a powerful military force from an unscientifically organized force of resistance. Thus LTTE went for a path of violence and war. India gave it all help to build an army and train it. No one would say that the tigers were right. It showed a grave ingratitude to India by assassinating Rajeev Gandhi. It was Himalayan blunder. Still, we have to agree that the Tigers were fighting a war of independence. What is impermissible in war and love?

Rajapakse and his reign do not know that annihilation of Tamils in Ceylon is annihilation of Hindus from Sri Lanka. We state categorically that terrorism is wrong; at the same time to dub struggle for independence as terrorism also is wrong. None has any right or authority to rob of the freedom and identity of Tamils of Sri Lanka alleging that they are involved in terrorism. None has the right to impose any other religion on a people who profess their own religion. Rajapakse says that Tamils would be treated on the basis of Buddhism. It is a way to ethnic annihilation.

Therefore, we caution every one concerned that this war will never end. It will have greater and graver repercussions. The special situation at present is that none remains to negotiate for Tamils in Sri Lanka. It is impossible to hear reports of Dharma from a battle field. What Rajapakse refuses to learn is the primer of Buddhism that in war none wins. All are defeated in war, the victors and the vanquished alike. War never ends war; it leads to further wars. We also know that Tamil spirit is traded by some to their advantage. Has not Karunanidhi gone on a hunger strike fro six hours on end? What a sacrifice fro the Tamil brethren? The modern Knights for the Tamil cause remind us of Don Quixote with a small difference; Don Quixote was not acting a drama.

Remember, Sri Lanka is not a demoniac kingdom. The island has a very fertile culture. Tamils there have contributed a great share in fostering this culture. Sri Lanka becoming an inhuman state with inconsiderate rulers is not a good legacy for India, too. Rajapakse says that the Tamils would get Buddhist justice. If what happened is Buddhist justice, Thathagatha, the Lord Prophet, the Buddha, I am unable to love you, we are unable to like you.

(Two)

We had written in these columns that the killing of Benazir Bhutto would destabilize and weaken Pakistan. Pakistan is now in turmoil. Taliban is sowing havoc everywhere. Taliban was a force organized by the US imperialism to “liberate” Afghanistan from Russian domination. Russia has a common border with Afghanistan, but US does not have. US are like Devendra, the God of wars who has a thousand genital organs; US has a thousand and one borders in the world. Globalized defrontierization is being practiced by the US on all fronts.

There is not a city in Pakistan that is safe. US have now turned to India and have asked the govt of India to beware, lest the terrorists should attack each and every corner of India. And US well know that after the XV Loksabha elections, a very favorable govt is seated at New Delhi. How else they would dare to dictate terms to India how to terminate terrorism? Is there no govt in India to look after the affairs of India? Should US advise us as to how we should act in suppressing terrorism?

As we had warned before, the ultimate destination of the US imperialism is India. If we do not realize it soon, we are doomed to become a colony of the US. Let us hope against hope that rulers of India would be wise enough to realize this.

(Three)

WE bow our heads in memory of the great Kamala Surayya who transformed the sensibility of the Indian and especially Malayalam readers.

C. P. Aboobacker,
Chief Editor