As for your examples of South Africa (where I was born) and Singapore and Malaysia…if you look further into these examples you will find that in actual fact esp South Africa and Malaysia are terrible examples. But anyways I reserve the right to my opinion and you are entitled to yours.

I for one hope that there is piece and if the tamil people and i mean all of them want their own ethnic state….then all ofthem may leave and go and start life anew.

I would also like to mention about a new blog that provides a forum for discussion about the ‘SRI LANKAN DIASPORA’S LINK TO THE ETHNIC CONFLICT’. Anyone interested should visit it at http://sahasamvada-forum.blogspot.com.

You have travelled widely to our credit. Have you never seen whites marching against the oppression of Blacks in America?. Recently did you not see many whites marching against Tibetan oppression? The problem with Sinhalese is they are “Tamil friendly” for personal happiness but they are not “Tamil rights friendly”. They are hostile. This is why you oppose Eelam. Are you therefore not having and supporting the belief consciously or subconsciously that “Tamils are a property less tha human”?

I am glad that you touch on “terrorism” but you hide the fact that there is cruel state terror that causes counter terror from LTTE and puts Tamil civilians in danger. You fail to understand that the state is involved in oppression, and abduction of children through the paramilitaries in the East. If Sri Lanka can exist as a state by doing such criminal deeds, why can’t Tamil Eelam be a state?

There is instituionalised oppression against Tamils not against Sinhalese. To test my view you just show your ID at a road block. If your ID is Sinhalese, the attitude is different. Have you ever thought why? A tamil faces oppression just because he is born as a Tamil. A sinhalese receives favour instead of oppression.

When you say “You forget that there are generations of Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese that have and will be been deprived of their basic human rights due to the way in which the state functions (sure it might not b in pieces of legislation but practice)” you are speaking of overall social oppression. What I am speaking of is Ethnic oppression. Tamils face both social and ethnic oppression.

Tamil diaspora does not support murder, rape and other cruel habbits of combatants. When it happens, it has to be vehemently opposed and stopped. But the freedom movement must continue to seek freedom from state terror and oppression. Such mishaps happened in many countries that fought for and got independence.

What we need in our island is two countries; Sri Lanka and Tamil Eelam. We must do that to be dignified nations. As two countries we must not fight with each other. Instead, join hands as friends and develop the whole lot economically. I do not believe that we should have visas for travel. We should travel freely and be anywhere freely like how it is happening in Singapore and Malaysia. I am sure that way we will stop fighting and be fruitful.

You doubt about forgiveness and reconciliation in Tamil Eelam. In South Africa, the blacks and whites were at each others’ throats, killing, murdering and raping. But they reconciled after the conflict and today they are a very peaceful nation. Northern Ireland is another example. Therefore, I am not dreaming of an impossible scenario.

When any liberation war ends the next step would be to look after the citizens. For this to happen, peace, stability and human rights are important. Any political party in power after liberation, is wise to understand this principle and they gear towards this end. This is my expectation for Tamil Eelam. Therefore it is wrong to say that “If the liberators cannot digest criticism now they will never be able to digest it.”

I agree that death and disappearances are wrong. But no one is perfect. But when Tamil Eelam is formed, there are processes like drafting of a constitution and elections. The rubber will then hit the road. The liberators will have to meet the people and bow down to their rightful desires. Tamils as a nation, do not like violence. Therefore, such mishappenings will cease to exist in due course. If it does not cease, there will be people voicing their opposition to put things in order, is what I believe in. But such fears should never deprive attempt for freedom itself of people. Freedom is very valuable for humanity.

So is that a failing of the Sinhalese as you seem to suggest..? Or is it a universal failing of humanity itself. Could it not be..though it may seem like useless hypothesizing ..that this same tragic situation would be the very same if the Sinhalese were the minority in Sri Lanka and tamils the majority.

As Exiled said, there are thousands upon thousands of Tamils who suffer at the hands of BOTH the Govt and the LTTE. What of their esteem? In my experiences, talking to such people…often refugees in camps..they don’t care about all these things you speak of. They quite honestly they that they are fed up and want nothing to do with it. Ofcourse I don’t claim that this is a representation of all tamils (like the LTTE claim they are). Point is ..I find that it is mainly the tamil diaspora overseas that are overtly passionate about the LTTE and their so called struggle for freedom.

The savage hypocrisy is that that support and the nurturing of the terrorist means of a struggle…has lead to the enslavement and oppression of the people whose rights they seek to protect and realize. To believe that a state founded by child soldiers and hardened terrorists will be a democratic utopia ….as I said and “Exiled” suggested…a pipe dream.

I find the Sri Lankan Govt’s actions deplorable and I too agree that the state has marginalized them. Though I can also say that there are regimes that have blatantly done the same and continue to do so. I do not mean to justify it ….it is deplorable but I think it’s important to be contextual about this and not lambaste a whole race as being a disgrace to humanity.

Is there institutionalized oppression? Yes! You speak purely in racial terms . You forget that there are generations of Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese that have and will be been deprived of their basic human rights due to the way in which the state functions (sure it might not b in pieces of legislation but practice) ….if you are of the view that it is only Tamils who have suffered..I personally find that a very narrow view.

And I find cruel irony in your reference to the GOSL’s lack of humanity. That may be so and they be chauvinists that have oppressed tamils….but what of the LTTE and the diaspora who support them? Child soldiers, rape…torture ..killing civilians. How on earth that can explained as dignified or justified in the name of ANY struggle..it is not..and if one believes so it is a fundamental hypocrisy in my view…if one believes they are..they are as bad if not worse than the oppressors themselves. It has lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts that is just raping the country as a whole..

Eelam will never restore the dignity of the Tamils and we must look for other ways to fight for the freedom of the Tamils. If you believe that there will be forgiveness and reconciliation you are dreaming of an impossible scenario. If the liberators cannot digest criticism now they will never be able to digest it. The division in politics that you say, is ‘democratic’ and ‘an internal matter of the Tamils’, in reality has created nothing but deaths and disappearances and there is nothing democratic about that. So if you are to kill for peace, and kill your own for peace, how can you trust the killers at any point?

Any Sinhalese may take cover by saying “Well I am Sinhalese and I will tell you that I do not view or treat Tamils as less than human.”

The point is; if all such people who claim to be “Tamil friendly” would have come out to the streets and demonstarted, they would have long put away the oppression against a nation of People, the Tamil Nation. But it never happened. About 85% support Mahinda’s oppressive war !!

Sinhalese often try to justify oppression against Tamils by saying that it is happening to the Sinhalese also. One has to be true to himself and answer the question “Is there institutionalised oppression against the Sinhalese by the state?” The answer is NO. But the state represses Tamils using its own institutions. A disgraceful happening of which humanity should be ashamed.

Let me answer my view on the raised matters one by one;

1. The point is this. It may take 50 yerars or even never for the Sinhalese to have “less than human attitude” towards Tamils. The formation of Tamil Eelam will give dignity and self respect to Tamils, not from the Sinhalese but from others, which will make the Sinhalese to learn to give dignity and respect to Tamils. And they will follow suit.

The statements, to “restore the dignity of Tamils, Tamil Eelam must happen” and ‘Tamils will never regain their lost dignity as long as the Sinhalese have the ‘less than human attitude’ towards Tamils’, do not contradict each other but it affirms a practical step towards restoring dignity and self respect of Tamils.

2. Tamils are not divided. All Tamils are united firmly in that Tamils are repressed and persecuted by the Sri Lankan state. So there is absolute UNITY amongst Tamils on this matter. Being divided politically, is democfratic and is purely an internal matter of Tamils. They will sort out themselves.

When Sinhalese think that they must sort out Tamil matters they away the dignity of Tamils. “Master must do for the slave” Attitude.

3. Tamil Eelam will; be governed by a democratic constitution. Once Tamil Eelam is formed the war stops. The next step would be forgiveness and reconciliation. It is therefore speculative to think that ” the Tamils who opposed it would never be restored of their dignity. It is a vicious circle within a vicious circle.”

The arguments are similar to arguments levelled by colonial masters who wanted to retain theircolonies.. “Do not give freedom they do not know to use it”

Tamil Eelam is therefore a “must” for Tamil dignity.

Our traditions have fragmented us into thousands of mutually uncaring regional clans to the extent almost all are collectively weak. We superficially show sympathy towards our respective ethnic groups but reality we suck their blood.
The rise to wealth and prosperity of many parliamentarians and members of the local bodies cannot be without corrupt practices.
All poor and rich know this, but to bring this openly for public debate requires courage which as rightly pointed out by the author - requires SELF ESTEEM - which can’t exist in a fragmented society with hungry stomachs fed by hatred and mythical stories about our ancient greatness and glories.

Because of these reasons, the so called self esteem was “owned only by a minority few” of all the communities. They had the wealth, education and political power while a large majority of the population did not enjoy any of those and they were marginalised in so many different ways. This further intensified because of the inherent factors such as caste system.

In light of these circumstances it is hypocritical to put the blame of the Sinhala community alone. Those who were privileged in all the communities should share the blame. For example, the Jaffna Tamil clan was so domineering in every sphere of the Sri Lanka life until about the late nineteen sixties. They were the ones who treated the Sinhalese as a second class citizen when it was to do with education, employment, sporting activities, private businesses etc. This situation had to be changed in one or way or the other for sake of the poorest of the poor, in particular the Kandyan peasantry who lost everything, including their lands, villages, religious suppression etc.

The various governments, who came into power, after the independence, never had any shared national visions compounded the problem, which was already complex, even further! Tamil leaders at that time asked for a 50 per cent share of the government power rather than being engaged on a more visionary development effort irrespective of the fact that they were better equipped to do so having being exposed (being privileged!) to education and professionalism! They were more selfish about their ‘clan” rather than being companionate towards majority of people who had nothing!

Therefore, in short it is very hard to put the blame on the majority community. Although they were in majority in numbers in all the other respects they were a ‘minor’ community who had no education (English), wealth, political power (they were only political ponies!) and the religious back up! So why blame them now? Because it the easiest to do in the current circumstances, I suppose!