Comments on: Black July - My Story http://www.groundviews.org/2008/08/01/black-july-my-story/ groundviews is an award winning Sri Lankan citizen journalism initiative Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:23:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: RD http://www.groundviews.org/2008/08/01/black-july-my-story/#comment-3163 RD Sun, 03 Aug 2008 18:13:03 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=954#comment-3163 Eckol - Thanks for the compliments, though I'm unsure whether Mr Blacker would be too pleased! Your story is a sad one but happy that you're here today to tell it. It's sad and incredible what people will do when "inspired" by the mob mentality isn't it? Eckol - Thanks for the compliments, though I’m unsure whether Mr Blacker would be too pleased!

Your story is a sad one but happy that you’re here today to tell it. It’s sad and incredible what people will do when “inspired” by the mob mentality isn’t it?

]]> By: Ekcol http://www.groundviews.org/2008/08/01/black-july-my-story/#comment-3156 Ekcol Fri, 01 Aug 2008 20:52:44 +0000 http://www.groundviews.org/?p=954#comment-3156 RD, Thank you for sharing your story in the style you had chosen which is similar to David Blacker's. The tone, form and narrative is effective. The readers can give the emotional dimension based on their experience. I am glad you have mentioned your grandmother's anguish she had for denying she was a Tamil, to save her life. Most narratives have not mentioned that they denied their origin to be safe. I am one of those who denied my origin. In the 1956 riots in Colombo I denied that I was Tamil to save my life. I didn't succeed but two Sinhala persons who were strangers rescued me and my two friends and one of them hid us in his pharmacy back room for an hour. The other was part of the Mob! I have lived that shame for more than 50 years. I never went to his pharmacy to thank him, because I was ashamed. The pharmacy is not there anymore, but when I pass the location I replay the incident. I have not the courage to mention it to my children or grandchildren. Some day I shall relate that story. I can feel what your grandmother and many others went through in the numerous pogroms since 1956. RD,
Thank you for sharing your story in the style you had chosen which is similar to David Blacker’s. The tone, form and narrative is effective. The readers can give the emotional dimension based on their experience. I am glad you have mentioned your grandmother’s anguish she had for denying she was a Tamil, to save her life. Most narratives have not mentioned that they denied their origin to be safe.

I am one of those who denied my origin. In the 1956 riots in Colombo I denied that I was Tamil to save my life. I didn’t succeed but two Sinhala persons who were strangers rescued me and my two friends and one of them hid us in his pharmacy back room for an hour. The other was part of the Mob! I have lived that shame for more than 50 years. I never went to his pharmacy to thank him, because I was ashamed. The pharmacy is not there anymore, but when I pass the location I replay the incident. I have not the courage to mention it to my children or grandchildren. Some day I shall relate that story. I can feel what your grandmother and many others went through in the numerous pogroms since 1956.

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