hld mahindapala- origins of the north-south conflict

8/6/2019 HLD Mahindapala- Origins of the North-South Conflict

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Origins of the North-South Conflict

Why the North South conflict andnot the ethnic conflict?

There are 3 Tamil speaking communities: Jaffna Tamils of the North Muslims of the East Indian Tamils of the central hills of Sri Lanka


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BBC Timeline: Sri Lanka

A chronology of key events:

1505 - Portuguese arrive in Colombo, marking beginning of Europeaninterest.

1815 - British become first European power to win control over whole

island, known as Ceylon. Start bringing in Tamil labourers fromsouthern India to work tea, coffee and coconut plantations.

1833 - English made official language.

1931 - British grant the right to vote and introduce power sharing.1948 - Ceylon gains full independence.

Sinhala nationalism

1949 - Indian Tamil plantation workers disenfranchised.

1956 - Solomon Bandaranaike elected on wave of Sinhalesenationalism. Sinhala made sole official language and other measuresintroduced to bolster Sinhalese and Buddhist feeling.


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Amended BBCTimeline: Sri Lanka

A chronology of key events:

1948 - Ceylon gains full independence.

1949 - S. J. V. Chelvanayakam, father of Jaffna Tamil separatism,launched the Illankai Thamil Arasu Kachchi, or THE TAMIL STATE

PARTY

Sinhala nationalism

1949 - Indian Tamil plantation workers disenfranchised with the

consent of G. G. Ponnambalam, the acknowledged Tamil leader ofthe time, heading the All Ceylon Tamil Congress. He was amember of the Cabinet of the first multi-ethnic government ofindependent Ceylon. Every state has a right to define who its citizens are and in the

Sirima-Shastri Pact India agreed to take back its citizens.1956 - Bandaranaike elected on a wave of Sinhala nationalism.


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1956 Onwards1956 - Solomon Bandaranaike elected on wave of Sinhalese nationalism.

Sinhala made sole official language and other measures introduced tobolster Sinhalese and Buddhist feeling.

Please note the phrase to bolster Sinhalese and Buddhist feelings. What is

implied here is that there is something obscene, immoral or unacceptable torestore the rights denied by five centuries of colonialism to the Sinhala-Buddhist who constitutes 70 per cent of the population. This phrase is a denialof the rights of all peoples to reclaim their heritage.

It does not mention the passing of the Tamil Language (SpecialProvisions) Act of 1958

The Sinhala Only Act was to replace the English language introduced in1833 as the official language. It was not designed or meant to be a racist actagainst the Tamils. The right of the people to communicate with the electedgovernment in the mother tongue

These two acts recognise the right of the indigenous people to

communicate with the administration in their mother tongue


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The accusation of discrimination against the Tamils

It was the Sinhala youth who took up arms against the so called Sinhala-

dominated government in 1971 - long before the Tamil youth took up arms also

against the Sinhala-dominated government.

Both groups accused the governments of discrimination, lack of opportunities forupward social mobility and other inequalities.

Sinhala youth took up arms claiming that they were victims of oppression anddiscrimination by the English educated class. The Tamil youth took up armsclaiming that they were the victims of racial discrimination by a Sinhala-dominatedgovernment. Neither the Marxist interpretation of the Sinhala youth nor the racistinterpretation of the Tamil youth explain the underlying realities.

Underlying the violence of both groups is the stagnant economy which did not

absorb the educated youth coming out of schools and universities.


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How valid are the accusations ofdiscrimination by the Tamils?

It was not only the Tamils, all communities experienced discrimination andinequities in the post independence period. Example: More Sinhala youth were killedby the state than the Tamils. Rival parties in power discriminated against those inopposition.

What was projected as discrimination by the Tamils was the restoration of therights lost by the majority under colonial rule. For instance 32 percent of the publicservice jobs were in the hands of the 12 percent of the Jaffna Tamils. This is called

affirmative action but in SL it was branded as chauvinism, racism etc.When the Tamil leadership told the Solbury Commission that there wasdiscrimination against the Tamils on a racial basis the commissioners devoted awhole chapter chapter8 to dismiss this complaint as an unfounded allegation.

This proves that the Jaffna Tamils was in the habit of accusing the Sinhalacommunity of pursuing discriminatory policies even before they had total control ofpower in the pre-independence era.

The demonising of the Sinhala people in the South has been a common practiceof the Northern political leadership to cover-up their own mono ethnic extremism.

(Two slides below position given to the Tamil community)


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The Sri Lankan National Flag

Is this discrimination? Consider it from a global perspective:

Seventy five million Tamils including 55 million in Tamil Nadu the original

and the only homeland of the Tamil diaspora

191 flags flying at the UN.

Only the Sri Lankan flag has given the Tamils their dignity, respect and due

place. The orange strip is for the Tamils and the green strip is for theMuslims. Not even the Indian flag has given special representation to theTamils in their only homeland.


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Tamil is given pride of place with Sinhala on all statedocuments, currencies, stamps etc. Is this discrimination?


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1976 OnwardsVaddukoddai Resolution passed. Tamil youth asked to take up arms against the

Sinhalese a declaration of war. Muslims and the Indian Tamils did not join. If it wasdiscrimination and oppression of the Tamil speaking people why didnt the other twocommunities join the North?

Dr G C Mendis: the political objective of the Tamils from 1921 was to prevent the

majority acquiring the democratic right to govern. They opposed all constitutionalchanges initiated from 1920s to democratise the political system leading to self-government. They failed. Hence the V. R. endorsing violence. If the majority principleis wrong for governing how can it be applied to Eelam?

50/50 cry raised by G.G.Ponnambalam to grab 50 percent of the seats in theLegislature to 25% of Tamils and Muslimis. Which democracy in the world wouldaccept this? Nevertheless, Sinhalayos offered 57% to 43% but was rejected.

The 50-50 cry in the forties & the Thamil Illankai Arasu Kachchi (Tamil State Party)

launched on December 18th

1949 did not come out of discrimination, or Sinhalachauvinism of 1956..It came out of mono-ethnic extremism of the Jaffna politicalculture.

1956 and 1976 are two decisive dates for the two communities. The violenceendorsed in V.R. of 1976 produced Prabhakaran. Ironically, the sons of V. R.massacred the political fathers who worded and passed V. R. And the nation is stuckin the violence of V. R.


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Proportionality of ethnic groups in Sri Lanka - 1981


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Professionals by ethnic groups in public sector - 1982


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Percentage of Tamil students admitted to Universities in 1978

Students admitted to Universities in 1981


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Students admitted to Universities in 1981

During the time of British, more English Schools were opened in the North, so that there were more

English-educated Tamils than the English-educated Sinhalese. When the British left in 1948, most of thewell paid jobs such as Doctors, Engineers, Solicitors, Accountants, Bank Managers, University Teachersetc were Tamils, while Sinhalese had the minor jobs.

hld mahindapala- origins of the north-south conflict

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