Karikalan S. Navaratnam
S.J.V. Chelvanayakam’s 41st Death Anniversary falls on 26 April 2018
Mr. S.J.V. Chelvanayakam (Chelva) was born in Ipoh, Malaya (now, Malaysia) on 31st March 1898. He passed away on 26th April 1977. He has been adored as the father-figure of the Tamil nationalist struggle and endearingly referred to as “Thanthai Chelva”. The antics and adventurism of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) notwithstanding, Chelva’s political ideology remains the bedrock of Tamil aspirations and agenda. From his eternal abode, he continues to inspire his faithful flock.
Chelva entered Parliament in 1947 as a member of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), led by Mr. G.G. Ponnambalam. The ethnocentric Sinhala political leadership has been adept at practising trickery and treachery, vis-à-vis Tamil people. Thus, through solemn promises and sweet-talks, they had beguiled Tamil leaders and enlisted their support to gain Independence. Shortly after attaining independence, UNP government’s maiden legislative enterprise was to de-citizenize and render stateless almost 1 million upcountry Tamils and, further, to disenfranchise them. It was an atrocious double whammy.
Chelvanayakam
Double Whammy!
Both, the Ceylon Citizenship Act of 1948 and Ceylon Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Act of 1949 had eminently accomplished D.S. Senanayake’s malevolent mission. Indeed, it was only the first step in the process of blotting out the Tamil element from the body politic of the country. As a result, seven Tamil M.P.s representing the upcountry Tamils lost their seats overnight. ACTC became an appendage of the UNP. When its leader accepted a ministry, joined the D.S. Senanayake government and voted for the pernicious legislation, Chelva together with his colleagues Mr. C.Vanniasingam (Kopay M.P.) and Dr. E.M.V. Naganathan (then, a Senator) took a principled stand, voted against the legislation and quit the ACTC. Denouncing the treachery, Chelva admonished the Tamils: “Those of you who have a clear vision may foresee. If we do not resist and defeat this attack on the plantation Tamils, the next attack will be on the Tamils of the North-East provinces”. Prophetic words, indeed!
Federal Party – ITAK
On 18 Dec. 1949, the ACTC dissidents led by Chelva formed the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK). The dominant feature of ITAK agenda was the establishment of a linguistic Tamil State, comprising the North-East Provinces within a Federal Union of Ceylon. Hence, the ITAK was a.k.a. the Federal Party (FP). Sinhala leadership had, ab initio, ensured that riddance of the British Raj was in effect synonymous with the establishment of Sinhala-Buddhist hegemony. Ultra-nationalist measures were introduced to synchronize with the dawn of the so-called independence. “National” anthem was adopted arbitrarily without consulting the minorities. An Advisory Committee was appointed to form ulate a National Flag for Independent Ceylon. Even before the Committee could reach any finality on the Flag by 4th Feb. 1948 for the 1st ‘Independence’ Day celebrations, Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake hoisted the Kandyan king’s Lion Flag at the Independence celebration held in Kandy on 12th Feb. 1948.
Lion Flag
Chelva criticised the “medieval conception of nationality” prevalent among Sinhalese, who “propose to have the Lion Flag unaltered, as the main portion of the flag. Outside its pale, there are certain markings to indicate the tolerated presence in this country of Tamil and Muslim people“. Dr N M Perera, M.P. denounced the flag as a “fraud…perpetrated on the minorities. They [Sinhalese] are going to have the Lion Flag and these stripes are purely for the outcasts” (Hansard, Vol 9, 1951:1565-1684).
Servile solidarity
Lion flag was adopted as the national flag in 1951 in the face of series of protest meetings in North-East Provinces. Far from inspiring the young Tamils, fluttering Lion Flag has been an aggravating provocation like waving a red flag at a bull. The martyrdom of a young man, Nadarajan, of Trincomalee many moons ago would epitomize the emotional reaction of the Tamils. On an “Independence” Day – observed by the Tamils as a “Black Day”- Nadarajan climbed the clock tower and tried to replace the Lion Flag flying from atop with a black flag. He was shot and fatally wounded by the police. Nadarajan crashed to the ground dead.
Let me juxtapose another scenario presenting perfidious TNA theatrics – contrasting sharply with Chelva’s avowed articles of faith. On 1st May 2012, at the UNP May Day rally in Jaffna, Trincomalee M.P. and TNA supremo Mr. Sampanthan was seen gleefully waving the Lion Flag jointly with Ranil Wicremesinghe, in a show of servile solidarity. His exculpatory explanation was that FP (ITAK) never opposed the Lion Flag. Perhaps, Sampanthan had not yet read the first chapter of FP history !
1952 Elections – Chelva got defeated
In its first electoral encounter with the ACTC/UNP combine, the FP (ITAK) suffered severe losses. Even Chelva himself lost his KKS seat. Dr.Naganathan was defeated by G.G.Ponnambalam in Jaffna. It was as though the FP was completely wiped out. Thinakaran (Tamil daily from Lake House) which had campaigned for the ACTC/UNP, carried a screaming banner headline: “Samashdikku Saavumani !” (“Death knell for Federalism”) .
Even in the midst of defeat and despair, it was not all doom and gloom for the FP. There were two sparks – one in Northern Province and another in the Eastern Province. In Kopay Mr.C. Vanniasingam (FP) won by 215 votes and inTrincomalee Mr.N.R.Rajavarothayam (FP) won by 584 votes.
1956 General Elections
At the 1956 General Elections, even as the MEP coalition led by S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike swept the polls in the Sinhala heartland, the FP under Chelva emerged as the dominant political force in the North-East provinces. The FP won 10 seats while the UNP managed to win only 8. Thenceforth, the FP progressively expanded its electoral landscape and Chelva emerged as the sole acknowledged leader of the Tamils. During his stewardship, Chelva and his team had striven to break down the regional, religious and caste barriers which had created divisions and dissension among the Tamils and welded them into a unified political force to fight majoritarian oppression.
Secular credentials
Chelva symbolizes the secular credentials of the Tamil people. Incidentally, he was a Christian by birth and by practice. Tamils in Sri Lanka can legitimately feel proud that they have had a noble leader worthy of their adoration and reverent homage. As a practising Hindu, I notice that the Hindutva fundamentalists and fanatics among the Tamils in Sri Lanka are only a lunatic fringe. Nonetheless, there are nuts like TNA M.P. Yogeswaran who has often claimed in his public statements that only Hindus are Tamils and others are not. That is an outrageous discovery !. Going by his definition, even Chelva could not have called himself a Tamil It is a pity that revisionists and reactionaries have come to rule the roost in the TNA.
Extra-parliamentary agitations
Taking a cue from Gandhian Satyagraha campaigns, Chelva introduced a new culture of non-violent agitations into the Tamil struggle for justice and equality. Thus, on 5th June 1956, when SWRD introduced the “Sinhala Only” Act in parliament, FP/ITAK M.P.s and hundreds of volunteers performed a protest Satyagraha on the Galle Face Green outside the parliament. Scores of hoodums and goondas – organized and orchestrated by Sinhala politicians- set upon the satyagrahis and severely beat them up, in the full view of the Police who remained as idle spectators. While his son was being beaten up, Chelva gestured to the restive volunteers to remain calm. Dr.E.M.V.Naganathan was kicked about and stripped to his undies. Even as Amirthalingam M.P. entered the House with a bandage for his head injuries, he was mockingly greeted by SWRD, the Prime Minister, quipping a sarcastic remark: “ Wounds of war!”
Civil Disobedience campaign – Chelva detained
In early 1961 Chelva launched a Civil Disobedience campaign performing dharna outside the several district secretariats/ kachcheris in North-East Provinces. Police brutality and baton charge could not subdue the Satyagrahis. Thousands of volunteers, taking turns, participated in the campaign. The civil administration was paralyzed in the two provinces for well over hundred days. Eventually, the Srimavo government declared a State of Emergency and deployed the armed forces to break up the campaign using brutal force. Chelva and other leaders together with many activists were arrested and detained at Panagoda Army cantonment. I was a student at that time and have had the‘honour’ of being a detainee for six months. It was my 2nd stint- previously, held only for a day in police cell ! .
Mr.Chelvanayakam Q.C., had been an inmate in jail even before the Panagoda episode. He took part in the anti-Sri Campaign in 1958 and served two weeks imprisonment in Batticaloa jail.Following the 1958 anti-Tamil riots, he was held in house arrest for six months.
Legacy of pain and pride
Unlike the careerists who have infested the TNA, Chelva and his comrades-in-arms were illustrious leaders of integrity and sagacity. During the initial phase of over three decades of non-violent struggle to liberate our people, they had rendered selfless service and made enormous sacrifices. The solid edifice of Tamil nationalism was erected, not by using mortar and masonry, but by the blood, toil, tears and sweat of hundreds of faceless foot-soldiers – the party cadres, volunteers and supporters. They had carried to their graves the physical/emotional scars of the sore wounds sustained during the struggles and strife. They have left behind a legacy of pain and pride. Today, almost all the leaders and the cadres are dead and gone. None of them is around to bear testimony to the seminal moments in the hallowed history of Tamil liberation struggle .
*To be continued …
ThathaiChelva / April 27, 2018
Chelva was born in Malaysia.
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Jamis Banda / April 27, 2018
Chelva was born in Malaysia to Sri Lankan parents. His father was employed in the Malaysian Civil Service. Later, as citizens of Sri Lanka, they moved back to their native homeland.
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Jim softy / April 27, 2018
Wow, Malaysia hired civil servents from Sri lanka. Why Ponnambalam went back to MAlaya to die.
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Pandi Kutti / April 28, 2018
Stupid person I am a Jaffna Tamil but both my grand fathers worked outside what was then Ceylon during the colonial period. One in Malaysia and the other in India in the then Madras presidency. My father was also born in Malaysia. Half of my father’s siblings remained in Malaysia Singapore and eventually became citizens of those lands whilst the other half returned back to Sri Lanka . This was very common during the British colonial era. Lots of Jaffna Tamil civil servants were recruited to work in various British colonies, as they were valued for their hard work.
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SJ / April 27, 2018
There was no Malaysia at the time.
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Jim softy / April 28, 2018
Yes, Malaya existed. Just like sinhale became Sri lanka.
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Jamis Banda / April 28, 2018
There was no such country called ‘sinhale’ in this world. Only Kandy (Kandyan kingdom) was once known as ‘Sinhale’.
Since the Tamils were clever, ready to learn, industrious, honest and hardworking (the Tamil work ethics – work is worship), most of the white collar jobs in the Ceylon Civil Service during the British period were held by the Ceylon Tamils. The Tamils were holding top positions in the government service whereas the Sinhalese were working as peons and drivers. They even recruited the Ceylon Tamils as civil servants to work in various British held colonies like Malaya, etc.
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SJ / April 28, 2018
JS
Malaysia was formed in 1963 with Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore as members. Soon Singapore was forced out.
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What territory outside Sinhale did Sinhale acquire to become Sri Lanka?
Don’t tell me Tamil Eelam, although quite a few will be happy to hear it.
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soma / April 27, 2018
Chelva never gave a solution to OUR problem – facing Tamil racism resulting from his agenda while being forced to stomach the stinking hypocrisy of +50% Tamils(Tamil speaking people) living in Sinhala majority areas. To this day Tamil racism is founded on the crafty position of a Tamil Homeland for North East AND the right to live anywhere. Sinhalese can only agree to a Tamil Homeland OR the right to live anywhere. Full stop. I appeal to my Tamil brothers and sisters to choose the option of right to live anywhere.
However if the Tamil political class is serious about Clelva’s agenda TNA must carry out an island wide campaign encouraging Tamils scattered across the island to relocate themselves into NE. The day I feel ashamed as a Singhalese is the day I observe any sign of slightest success of such an effort by the Tamil leadership. To repeat it the day the Tamils start moving towards NE with the ambition of creating their homeland like Israelis did.
Soma
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Jim softy / April 27, 2018
What problems you are talking. Don’t you understand, All the singaporean citizens came and began the Tamil state beczause they could not do it in Malaya. Why do you want to agree toa tamil homeland for Malaysian citizens or Singaporean citizens, Not only that PAbakaran’s relatives ares till living in KErala. Most of the Tamisl giving comments here are born in overseas coutnries.
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Jamis Banda / April 28, 2018
Apart from their intelligence, command of the English language and capacity for hard work, the Ceylon Tamils also had a good reputation for their integrity and honesty. That is why when it came to white collar jobs in the Asian Civil Service, the colonials gave preference to Ceylon Tamils. The British preferred employing the Ceylon Tamils as bureaucrats in many of their Asian colonies. Even during the first few years after Ceylon became independent, the Ceylon Tamils dominated the Ceylonese bureaucracy. They dominated the buraucracy even in the then Malaya and Singapore.
Even after the British left, most of the Doctors, Postmasters, Railway Station Masters, Police OICs, PWD overseers, Colombo School Head Masters, University Professors, and most of the Executive Officers in the public/civil service in the whole country were Ceylon Tamils, even in remote Sinhalese village government dispensaries, the Doctors were Ceylon Tamils whereas the laborers, attendants, peons, and drivers were the Sinhalese. The reason for this was, the Ceylon Tamils were hard working and English educated whereas the Sinhalese were lazy and did not bother to learn.
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Ralli Ameen / April 30, 2018
Jamis Banda, I think you are Tamil. The way you are protecting and writing in favour of Tamils you are definitely a Tamil. So why don’t you be brave and write with your own name instead pseudo name. Tamils will be very happy and praise you. Can you tell me before the arrival of British how many Tamil civil servants, Doctors, Lawyers, Headmaster, professor were there whom British employed as soon as they came. The truth is at that time Tamils in dry northern parts readily converted to Christianity and they were given education by the British. they established many high grade schools in North and during selection to Universities and Medical college over 50% were Tamils from North. This is not because Tamils have special ability but because of the creation of imbalance by the British, that is a cunning way of ruling, so see the problems now.
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Native Vedda / April 28, 2018
somass
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“To repeat it the day the Tamils start moving towards NE with the ambition of creating their homeland like Israelis did.”
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How about the creation of Thamil Eelam modeled on Bangladesh?
You are rest assured the day will dawn upon with announcement of the creation of a separate Sinhala/Buddhist fascist ghetto in the deep south.
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Be prepared you will be forced to migrate to your own separate kingdom where you can have your own king.
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soma / April 28, 2018
NV
“How about the creation of Thamil Eelam modeled on Bangladesh?”
Of course possible, followed by a scenario like Indo-Pak separation, worse a Rohingia situation. This is precisely why I have initiated this discussion on the subject of relocation of all Tamils presently living in Sinhala majority areas into North East well ahead in time. A prior agreement will avert this deadly situation. Those Tamils must be educated of Bangladesh style creation of Ealam and the attending consequences. You are doing your part by educating them about the vile nature of the Sinhalese. You and I are engaged in complementary services towards the same cause.
Soma
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Native Vedda / April 28, 2018
somass
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“You are doing your part by educating them about the vile nature of the Sinhalese. “
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Thmaby somass I come from deep south so please stop telling me the nature of Sinhalese. Mostly they are stupid like their Tamils brethren, maybe both share the common stupid gene from South India.
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However I must admit there is vile noisy racist violent greedy minority among them which call itself Sinhala/Buddhists which opposes every descent human being in this land. My job is to isolate them and confine them to their much cherished Sinhala/Buddhist fascist ghetto. Basically we must ethnically cleanse them from rest of the stupid people.
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By any chance you are a secret admirer of VP the psychopath? How did Dr Gota miss you?
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Sadhu / April 27, 2018
Karikalan
Don’t you know Sampanthan and three other lawyers in Trincomalee who participated in 1961 satyagraha got themselves released from Panagoda by submitting a written note to say that they have nothing to do with federal party but got involved as ordinary community members in the protest. They were there only for four days. Best way of getting released !!
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SJ / April 27, 2018
It was only speculated that Sampanthan wrote such a letter.
Rajavarothiam in his “Panagoda Days”, although dispproving of the early releases, concedes that there is no proof that Sampanthan made such a declaration, although someone else could have intervened on his behalf.
There were others too released early without any declaration.
Sampanthan was not a member of the FP at the time as far as I knew, and I am not sure if there were membership cards etc. at the time.
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SJ / April 27, 2018
“Chelva and other leaders together with many activists were arrested and detained at Panagoda Army cantonment. “
Chelvanayakam was in house detention in 1958 as well as in 1961. (Source: “Panagoda Days”, Memoirs of NR Rajavarothiam)
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“Mr.Chelvanayakam Q.C., had been an inmate in jail even before the Panagoda episode. He took part in the anti-Sri Campaign in 1958 and served two weeks imprisonment in Batticaloa jail.”
I wonder how SJVC, who was very much in Colombo, could have gone to prison in early 1958 in Batticaloa. There were arrests in Jaffna and I think that Vanniyasingam and Amirthalingam were among those arrested.
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The Government declared a state of emergency after an “inner circle” of the FP took the daft decision to print ‘Tamil Arasu” postal stamps, stamped envelopes and postcards, based on the argument that the FP was seeking secession.
One emergency was declared the campaign collapse, as the FP had no plan either or before the hastily launched Satyagraha. (In “Panagoda Days” Rajavarothiam strongly criticized the FP for lack of planning.)
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Interestingly the FP, since negotiations with SWRDB in 1957, never too up the cause of the Hill Country Tamils with any Sri Lankan Government.
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“The martyrdom of a young man, Nadarajan, of Trincomalee many moons ago…”
This another FP fairy tale. The incident supposedly took place on 4 February 1957.
A group of Tamil protesters rallied round the clock tower in Trincomalee with black flags in hand. Before anybody even approached the clock tower, Natarajan fell victim to a bullet fired from inside the market. The FP made cheap political capital out of a poor victim of a callous and unjustified attack.
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The “great Gandhian” stunned many by his failure to denounce the foul murder of Alfred Duraiappa in 1975.
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soma / April 27, 2018
I referenced Wikipedia and immediately came across the following:
“Chelvanayakam was part of the delegation, led by Ponnambalam, to the Soulbury Commission which argued unsuccessfully for balanced representation (50% of seats in Parliament for the Sinhalese, 50% for all other ethnic groups).[29]”
He is the father, jointly with Ponnambalam, of the ethnic confict which began with 50-50 as many analysts believe.
He was fortunate in that he did not live to face a direct bullet from LTTE whom his favorite desciple Sampandan called ‘sole representative of Tamils.’ All other leaders were physically eliminated by the sole representatives.
Finally he has been betrayed by the Tamils themselves by majority of Tamils who presently live in Sinhala majority areas showing no inclination to move into the envisaged Homeland.
Soma
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Jim softy / April 27, 2018
Soulbery Commission must have right aways refused it beczauswe it is the Malaysian citizens who went to meet them asking for a committment to establish Tamil rights to Srilankans. Don’t you think, it is Malaysian citizens who asked 50:50%. for Srilanka becacue of Singaproe they had to leave. So, they came to this new state sri lanka built out of Sinhala to establish a Tamil country. IT is our politicians should be taken to gallface and be shot. British Saved us. LSSP, Communist are to beign with,
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Eagle Eye / April 27, 2018
Why Tamils want ‘Thamil Eelam’ in Sri Lanka where there are only about two million Tamils scattered all over the country while there are about 60 million Tamils in Tamil Nadu which is the real hameland of Tamils.
According to D.B.S Jeyaraj (Separate Tamil State Demand Abondaned by DMK After 16th Constitutional Amendment Bans Secessionism in India, http://dbsjeyaraj.com/)
“Thamizhan Illaathaa Naadumillai. Thamizhanukkendroru Naadumillai”
(There is no country without Tamils. There is no country for the Tamils) is a saying in Tamil that vividly illustrates the angst felt by the more nationalist sections of Tamils about the lack of a country of their own – an Independent sovereign self-governing Tamil state!
The southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu meaning Tamil Land or Tamil Country is home to more than 60 million Tamil speaking people. It stands to reason therefore that if the Tamils do want to establish a separate state of their own, the best and correct choice would be for Tamil Nadu to declare independence and secede from the Indian union.
Although there was a flourishing Tamil secessionist movement in India at one time, the Tamil separatist demand is now virtually extinct in India. The primary factor which contributed to this state of affairs was the pragmatic conduct of the Dravida Munnetrak Kazhagham(DMK) which abandoned the secessionist demand when separatism was banned through the 16th Amendment to the Indian Constitution.”
Tamils in Tamil Nadu do not have guts to fight against Aryans in the north and declare Tamil Nadu a separate state.
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sach / April 27, 2018
Because Tamils believe everything under the sun is Tamil. They live with a belief of imagined past history, where SL was Tamil and Sinhalese are a mongrel race who should be Tamil rightfully. They believe Muslims also should become Tamil. It is a problem with their mentality.
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Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera / April 27, 2018
Sach,
I agree to a certain point. But the question we Sinhalese should ask ourselves is, do we really care?
I for one, could not simply care about what they think of us. Now that we are the winners in that War we can do whatever we want with them. Albeit I must say we are being nice to them and that is indeed the way to move forward.
Now, we have a different and enemy much more united, strong and with unlimited outside influence. That is the enemy to worry about.
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Jamis Banda / April 28, 2018
“Now that we are the winners in that War we can do whatever we want with them.”
No you cannot because you are being watched by the International Eye (UN). If the Sinhalese think that the Tamil struggle ended at Nandikaddal, they are worse than the worst fools in this world.
Today, after the 30 years’ war (irrespective of Tamils win or lose) the tables are turned, the Tamils have globalized/internationalized the issue, the entire world knows that there is an unsolved Tamil issue in Sri Lanka. The powerful World Tamil Diaspora cannot be taken for granted, 20 years ago they were refugees but today they have become only second to the Jews. They have become an important partner in the development and progress of their host countries in the west and are capable of lobbying/influencing Uncle Sam and the Western world to interfere in Sri Lanka. The Tamils will not keep quiet, peaceful Tamil uprising will continue which means political instability, economic shrinkage/crisis and international interference (India, UK, US, EU, UN, etc.) forever, the Sinhalese will never be winners. You may have won the war but you have not won the peace. The Tamils will not let you live in peace until you solve the Tamil problem.
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Rtd. Lt. Reginald Shamal Perera / May 3, 2018
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20 years ago they were refugees but today they have become only second to the Jews.
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LOL!. Sure sure. I am sure when they come with the plungers in their hands everyone in the Western Capitals and the UN will take them very seriously. LOL!
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soma / April 28, 2018
Sinhalese should not be fooled by the Sampandan led ploy for Federalism or “autonomy within a united Sri Lanka.”
As I always say Sri Lanka will need massive military resources to keep it federal. Once the proposed Federal structure is established there will only be three-month gap between that day and UDI – Unilateral Declaration of Independence.
Soma
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Native Vedda / April 28, 2018
somass
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“Sinhalese should not be fooled by the Sampandan “
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Of course Sinhalese have enough Sinhala/Buddhists to fool them. The saddest and pathetic part of their life is that they still vote for the crooks elections after elections.
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In between the noisy Sinhala/Buddhist minorities create opportunities to make mayhem and profit from it. You are one of them.
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Eagle Eye / April 27, 2018
Amarasiri says according to Nandana Weeraratne, a pioneer in investigative journalism, about 70 % of the group who fought on behalf of the LTTE in the war are not Tamils of Sri Lankan origin. They are the children of the second generation of the estate Tamils of Indian origin. A great majority of black Tiger suicide bombers were them.
These Indian Tamils do not have guts to fight to create a Tamil State in India but come to Sri Lanka to fight for few bucks to create ‘Thamil Eelam’.
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Jim softy / April 27, 2018
Even the most tamils that lived in refugee camps after the war are not sri lankan tamils. They are asking to release the cleared forests without reforesting for Tamils in order to settle kallathonis who traversed the sea during the LTTE times. check the increase population of so-called Sri lankan Tamils since 1910. In relity, there should a sharp decrease in population.
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Sirisena Yatawara / April 27, 2018
By wrong doing of that SJV born in Malaya as Tamil -nationalist illegally migrated to Ceylon by blessing of British colonial masters an unauthorized obtain citizenship of Island of Ceylon; such man who want to divided for “Tamil Homeland” is wonderful story?
In facts has been revealed that is a “Tamil homeland originated” by claim of in North-eastern part of Lanka by SJV of FP?
The Very claim of ‘Tamil-homeland’ by SJV was in totally foul play by the very inceptions. It has grew as LTTE Terror -outfit that Tamil footing ensure in TULF and TNA after couple of decades ?.
SJV has given position of QC by colonial master by his services of partition of Island for future Tamil Homeland?
Policy of “divided and rule” was another master planned factor of encourage by Church of England & Queen of Eleshabirth the 11.
By the political ideology of Christianity of Tamils are more familiar with division of Ceylon at that time. Federal Party foundation has hidden relationship with politics of SWRD latter part of since 1956?
When FP demand for Federal State in north without any consensuses People of South that SWRD had agreements to grant Tamil homeland with SJV in 1957?
Therefor current Federalism of SLFP that an advocated by CBK hidden line of Tamil modernity!@
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Jim softy / April 27, 2018
Sirisena YAtawara: don’t you think that we have Tamils but we should not have treated them that way, instead should have chased them out. The govt is responsible. LSSPers, SLFP and Ranil’s UNP are responsible.
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Jamis Banda / April 28, 2018
SJV was a Sri Lankan Tamil born in Malaya to Sri Lankan Tamil parents who worked there in the Malayan civil service. The Tamils in India and Sri Lanka are different from the Tamils in other parts of the world. The Tamils are a minority in India but a majority in the Tamil speaking Territory of India. Similarly, Tamils are a minority in Sri Lanka but a majority in the Tamil speaking Territory of Sri Lanka. In Singapore, Malaysia, and other countries the Tamils neither had a kingdom nor have a separate Tamil speaking territory. Sri Lankan Tamils are not just a minority but a minority with a separate territory or a territorial majority (a minority having a separate territory in which they are a majority). They had a clearly defined (Tamil speaking) territory, their historic habitat (formally Jaffna kingdom) in the North & East of Sri Lanka as their traditional homeland where they lived for several centuries as a separate nation with their own language, religion and culture until the British united the Tamil speaking North to the Sinhala speaking South in 1833 for their convenience in administration thereby reducing the Tamils to a minority and then left in 1948 without reverting back to the old federal setup that was existing.
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John / April 28, 2018
Jamis,
‘
There are no ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka. Those who identify themselves as Tamils are actually Malabaris. So called ethnic Tamil identity is new in Sri Lanka, in 1900s the so called ethnic Tamil identity first used.
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SJV Chelva’s ancestry is Malabari. Chelva had a traumatic childhood due to his father leaving his mother. Chelva was a lunatic who is responsible for the hundreds of thousands of deaths and destruction he caused with his stupid unfounded belief.
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There was never a Jaffna Kingdom. Lastly it North and East were parts of Kandian Kingdom.
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Jamis Banda / April 28, 2018
John,
“There are no ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka. Those who identify themselves as Tamils are actually Malabaris.”
Do you know who Malabaris are? Have any Sri Lankan Tamil ever told you that he/she is a Malabari?
The people of Kerala are known as Malabaris/Malayalees and they speak a language called Malayalam (not Tamil). The Malabaris/Malayalees are proud of their own language Malayalam. How come the Malabars/Malayalee from Kerala became Tamils and speak Tamil language instead of Malayalam language after coming to Sri Lanka? Why did the Malabaris/Malayalees convert to Tamils (any advantage) and how did they convert them to Tamils (especially change their mother tongue)? I have a few colleagues here who are from Kerala (Malabars/Malayalees) but they simply hate Tamils.
The renowned Sri Lankan social anthropologist, Prof. Gananath Obeysekere who has done an extensive research on the Sri Lanka-Kerala link says, the Europeans calling the Northern Sri Lankan Tamils ‘Malabaris’ was due to a case of MISTAKEN IDENTITY.
In the year 1498, Vasco De Gama’s landing in Malabar (Kerala) marked the beginning of the era of foreign Intervention in the region. The Dutch preceded the Portuguese, and then the British East INDIA Company had been on the Malabar Coast since 1684. It was from Malabar that the Portuguese came to Sri Lanka. They found two different ethnic groups living in Sri Lanka in two different land areas, the one living closer to the Malabar Coast had a similar language, religion and culture to the Malabar. Without any hesitation, they called them Malabaris even though there was a Tamil Kingdom and the people spoke Tamil when they arrived. The Dutch who preceded them continued to call them Malabaris and the British also called them Malabaris but later when they realized that it was a mistaken identity, that they were not Malabaris but Tamils, they corrected it.
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Jamis Banda / April 28, 2018
John,
“There are no ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka. Those who identify themselves as Tamils are actually Malabaris.”
Do you know who Malabaris are? Have any Sri Lankan Tamil ever told you that he/she is a Malabari?
The people of Kerala are known as Malabaris/Malayalees and they speak a language called Malayalam (not Tamil). The Malabaris/Malayalees are proud of their own language Malayalam. How come the Malabars/Malayalee from Kerala became Tamils and speak Tamil language instead of Malayalam language after coming to Sri Lanka? Why did the Malabaris/Malayalees convert to Tamils (any advantage) and how did they convert them to Tamils (especially change their mother tongue)? I have a few colleagues here who are from Kerala (Malabars/Malayalees) but they simply hate Tamils.
The renowned Sri Lankan social anthropologist, Prof. Gananath Obeysekere who has done an extensive research on the Sri Lanka-Kerala link says, the Europeans calling the Northern Sri Lankan Tamils ‘Malabaris’ was due to a case of MISTAKEN IDENTITY.
In the year 1498, Vasco De Gama’s landing in Malabar (Kerala) marked the beginning of the era of foreign Intervention in the region. The Dutch preceded the Portuguese, and then the British East INDIA Company had been on the Malabar Coast since 1684. It was from Malabar that the Portuguese came to Sri Lanka. They found two different ethnic groups living in Sri Lanka in two different land areas, the one living closer to the Malabar Coast had a similar language, religion and culture to the Malabar. Without any hesitation, they called them Malabaris even though there was a Tamil Kingdom and the people spoke Tamil when they arrived. The Dutch who preceded them continued to call them Malabaris and the British also called them Malabaris but later when they realized that it was a mistaken identity, that they were not Malabaris but Tamils, they corrected it.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / April 29, 2018
Shameless Tamil hater change your Tamil origin name Yatawarra meaning the border or limit at the foot or bottom. Yata or Yati is derived from Tamil Adi or Yadi meaning foor or bottom and Wara is derived from Tamil Varai. meaning the edge the border or the limit. How come you and many Sinhalese have Tamil derived names and Sinhalese vocabulary is 40% Tamil derived with its grammar lexicon syntax and alphabet purely derived from Tamil. Not from Pali not from Sanskrit BUT FROM TAMIL. Please explain anti Tamil with a Tamil name.
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Jim softy / April 27, 2018
As far as I know True Tamils are very concervative and are Hindus and not christians as chelva and Ponnambalam are. I also know that Hinduism is a collection of Brahminic religions. Indians have different castes, and they are spread all over the world. Higher caste hindus discrminate lower caste hindus. It looks lower caste hindus has developed an allience with the Tamil speaking Christians who cn not be considered really as tamils. My grievence as a Sinhala buddhist is why these Malayan christians were allowed in Sri lanka and why they were not treated as Pabakaran was treated. Estate Tamils are indians. We know most of them did not leave from ThaleMannar instead they settled in Giranake kilinochchi. they are not hiding from Sinhala people and they are willing to socialize, intermarry and live with sinhala people. IT may be because of Politics NMPerera talked about minority politics as Chelvanayagam would be. We know that was why LSSP and communist parties had been decimated and they can not come up. People say, It is socialist partied that changed sri lanka in support of minoroties. so, they destroyed Sinhala and created Srilanka. They destroyed the sinhala flag and included Minorities who in reality should integrate with the majority and not trying to dominate the majority,. I heard, SWRD also brought the Sinhala Only act yet Tamil politicians did not oppose it at that time but for some other political reason SWRD did not complete what must he had done. I can not believe pur sinhala politicians have allowed foreigners to build their country in Sri lanka and that continues even todate. But not anymore. Wait and see.
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K.Pillai / April 27, 2018
TNA has not changed the Chelva legacy. Over seventy years the way to achieve justice has changed (naturally). Devananda and Karuna went with the tide and increased personal wealth but people rejected them.
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Plato. / April 28, 2018
The election symbol of the Federal Party was the House.Its Leader SJV. Chelvanayagam Q.C was not the owner of the house where he lived down Bagatalle Road- Colpetty. It belonged to Sellamuttu Sivanathan who had rented it out.
What an irony!
At the turn of Independence SJV was the one of the most sought after QC in civil litigation both in the original and Appeal courts.But he threw all that for the Movement that he led.Interestingly, he devilled in the chambers of Sir.Francis De Zoyza K.C.father of Stanley,Sydney. Dicky, A.C.etc.In his latter years Parkinsons Disease got the better of him and he could not therefore voice his views on the emerging trend of violence in Politics.
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Sirisena Yatawara / April 28, 2018
Connected to Jim soft … comment.
I do agreed with you that Tamils race having right to live in Sri lanka. Not only that they are clamming majority part of land that is belongs to “Tamil Homeland” is myth of politics (Tamil) … capitalism . Meanwhile needless to say Tamils is that the One and Only race in World having 75 Millions people living at Tamil Nadu- Indian Republic, beside that Tamils of TNA & Tamil Diasporas “said which that large part of land occupy -Sri lanka is their
so-called ” Homeland”?
There is a historical dilemma on issues Tamil homeland? By the political myth of Tamils unscrambling the accusation North-east land is subjects general rule equal by Tamil power in that the claim attempted to arouse memories of old British colonials DAYS in an Island?
The so-called said Tamils origin land drawing connections between Tamil Nadu and Sri lanka and occupy land by creating Tamil empire South of Indian Ocean backing of USA and UK, while blessing of center of Indian Republic!
By USA and UK reportedly derived its potential concern around the geopolitical interest Homeland for Tamils they believed attached militia base in Sri lanka?
The SJV of FP which political dream is land for Tamils out of Tamil Nadu was unjust claim has lost thousands of life of ignorant Tamils of have-notes!
What has happen after 70 years of independency of Sri Lankan given our history of colonial exploitation of natural resources and nation wealth there will be always a question about on going neo–colonial nexus to Liberal democracy advocated by UNP and TNA. By control of Island domestic economy through creating indebtedness and swapping of natural resources in exchanges for payment by governance and managed by politics UNP & TNA is not other than Neo-Liberalism of USA line of politics Tamil Diasporas……..!
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John / April 28, 2018
Navarathne,
‘
This trouble-making Chelvanayagam fellow was Malaysian born to Malayali (Keralite people) parents. Ponnambalams, Sambandan, Prabakaran, Thondaman, etc, all so called “Tamil leaders” are/were Malayalis, NOT TAMIL. Chelavanayagam was a terrible caste-ist. Once, Chelvanayagam, on his way to Madras, got terribly offended when a low-caste Tamils hostess served him on the plane, then he complained and accused the airline of offending him deliberately.
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The Ceylon Citizenship Act was introduced to prevent influx of Kallathoneis to Sinhala-Buddhist Sri Lanka. Dutch and British stole Sinhalse’s land to settle their slaves and to cultivate their cash-crops. Dutch chased Sinhalese away from North and East provinces to cultivate tobacco, cotton,etc and the British with their draconian “wast land ordinance” chase the Kandyans away from their land to cultivate coffee, tea, etc.
REMEMBER, those so called indentured laborers (actually slaves) were supposed to go back to India when their contract time finished. And, those Until the old fool JR who should never have been the president of Sri Lanka gave the citizenship to kallathonies and coolies.
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Jamis Banda / April 28, 2018
John,
Looks like you hearing such stories within your head, it is a kind of hallucination, one of the symptoms in Schizophrenia, a Major psychiatric disorder. You need institutionalized treatment.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sharma / April 29, 2018
He is talking about his ancestors and the ancestors of the present day Sinhalese Karawa, Salagama Durawa, Hunu, Hali and other castes that now make up 50% of the present day Sinhalese, whose ancestors are low caste immigrants from Tamil Nadu and what was then Tamil Kerala. All imported by the Portuguese and the Dutch as slave/indentured labour and were settled along the southern and western coasts.
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Adida Sundaralingam / April 28, 2018
John,
The word kallathoni has no meaning in the Sinhala language. ‘Kallathoni’ is a Tamil word used to call your forefathers who came to our country in a boat from India. Today they are called Sinhalese. They were also ‘Kalu’ before the Portuguese came to Sri Lanka. Your forefathers shared their women with the Portuguese for a bottle of wine and a piece of bread and that made the skin color a bit lighter.
Didn’t your grandmother tell you that:
Once upon a time in India, some convicted criminals were exiled out of the country?
Due to a heavy Strom in the Bay of Bengal, their boat drifted for days and finally by chance, it landed in an Island where people (Tamils) were already living.Not only Tamil Nadu but this island is also the homeland of the Tamils.
These kallathoni criminals led by their chief known as Vijay landed without any permission from those people, attacked and killed those people, took their princess and their whole country.
All the kallathonies and low caste coolies who came later also got converted into Sinhala Buddhists.
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Native Vedda / April 29, 2018
Adida Sundaralingam
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Good story.
Could we have some evidence to support your fable of Vijay.
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Adida Sundaralingam / April 29, 2018
Eastern Vedda
evidence???
There is something called the Mahavamsa. Find it and read it.
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Native Vedda / April 29, 2018
Adida Sundaralingam
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So you believe Sinhalese were born out of beast copulating with a beauty. Ancient Bengalis must be expert geneticists.
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Plato. / April 28, 2018
John.
The biggest beneficiary of the Waste Land ordinance was the Bandaranaikes. You may or may not know that the Bandaranaikes were the the descendants of Neelaperumal a South Indian Tamil. Over the years, they came to be identified as the most leading Sinhala Family. As for JR he was of Colombo Chetty Stock, until about the 15th century before one of them got merged into the mainstream Sinhala linealogy.
SJV, I could assure you belonged to the Srilankan Tamil lineage for over many centuries. His father going over to Malaysia was strictly due to employment.
What do you say about the many Sinhalese going to many parts of the world for economic reasons?
Frankly, see how our Srilankan workers -Maids treated in Middle Eastern countries.
This country would have been spared all the violence, over the past 30 years or so , if SJV had been taken seriously.
Anyway, Srilanka may have to learn its lessons, the hard way, in the foreseeable future
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Native Vedda / April 29, 2018
Plato
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“Anyway, Srilanka may have to learn its lessons, the hard way, in the foreseeable future”
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Will it?
Sri Lankans don’t make mistakes.
Therefore there is nothing to learn.
Sri Lanka is on the right path and will elect the most racist politicians to take charge of the island, its resources, …………. Justice will turn a blind eye ……………
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Sirisena Yatawara / April 30, 2018
Comment by Plato……
Blaming other civilization by Tamil chauvinist of Terrorist of LTTE who want to justify their for claim “Tamil homeland” indeed that in Sri lanka aim at by TNA and Tamil Diasporas in oversees reached to their political target given by US and UK vital interest ?
Why is that not a single Tamil are not called which that Tamil Nadu is homeland?
Tell me reason behind that?
Why all Tamils in Island whom cannot live in Tamil Nadu without make problem for majority Sri Lankan?
The reason behind of bullying majority Sinhalese by TNA and Tamil Diasporas seek homeland that hidden reasons are not known? Is that betafuila island of Sri lanka?
They know Tamil Nadu is hell of world?
Can live -Tamils having all rights are here .but no Gun Rule politics cannot on majority people head at by TNA and LTTE of Tamils politics of separatism ?
We are country of democracy norms>
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Plato. / April 30, 2018
My comment above relating to the residence of SJV.
It should read as Alfred House Gardens and not Bagatale Road.
Sirisena Yatawara.
Notwithstanding your fractured English, I would condescend to make a comment .
So you think the TNA and the Tamil Diaspora are bullying the Sinhala people.This is news to me.South India is the original home of not only the Tamils but also the Sinhalese.The question here is who came first the Chicken or the Egg!
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Nimal Tissa Wijethunga / May 5, 2018
Chelvanayagam is the first politician and first Terrorist who started Tamil Arashu Katctchi in 1933 on racial lines and deceived the Tamil masses to take them in a path of violence to achieve non-existing, unrealistic ,day dreaming demands and that was later taken forward by Amirthalingam and ended up as LTTE TERRORISM finally annihilated on the banks of Nanthikadal lagoon o 19th May 2009.
If the so called Tamil leadership currently really taking care of Tamil people in Sri Lanka , they shall be Sri Lankans first in thinking and live as Sri Lankans come together with fellow Sri Lankans for common problems mainly of economic in nature.
If somebody or the author thinks that Tamils in Sri Lanka has other problems which can be solved by separate state or Tamil Elam that was effectively answered by annihilating LTTE on the 19th May 2009.
Hope that nobody can be able to deceive the Tamil masses once again to follow the violence path for further destruction to lives.
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