Conflict in Sri Lanka: Ground Realities - Tamil Nation & Beyond
Conflict in Sri Lanka: Ground Realities - Tamil Nation & Beyond
Conflict in Sri Lanka: Ground Realities - Tamil Nation & Beyond
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of the S<strong>in</strong>hala people, there is more to S<strong>in</strong>hala ‘<strong>in</strong>transigence’.It is vital that the <strong>Tamil</strong>s seek a deeper understand<strong>in</strong>g of thefactors which drive this <strong>in</strong>transigence. A clue to this is to befound <strong>in</strong> a speech by S W R D Bandaranaike, the founder of theS<strong>in</strong>hala Maha Saba and the architect of the S<strong>in</strong>hala Only policyof 1956 which marked the beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of the <strong>Tamil</strong> struggle forself-rule.Accord<strong>in</strong>g to the Daily News of 8, November 1955, Bandaranaikemade the case for the S<strong>in</strong>hala Only bill by argu<strong>in</strong>g that “Withtheir books and culture and the will and strength characteristic oftheir race, the <strong>Tamil</strong>s (if parity were granted) would soon rise toexert their dom<strong>in</strong>ant power over us”It was not just the Mahavamsa <strong>in</strong>spired notions of ‘primacy’that have been the impetus, but also someth<strong>in</strong>g else-the fear ofdom<strong>in</strong>ation. Kumari Jayewardene’s reference to the self perceptionof the S<strong>in</strong>halese of be<strong>in</strong>g a ‘beleaguered’ people resonates withthis fear identified by Bandaranaike.As Nadesan Satyendra put it “We cannot go forward bydismiss<strong>in</strong>g the fears of the S<strong>in</strong>hala people as ‘irrational’ orby suggest<strong>in</strong>g that they are simply the handiwork of corruptS<strong>in</strong>hala politicians or ‘evil’ Buddhist priests. Nor shouldthese fears be dismissed simply as a consequence of the‘Mahavamsa’ m<strong>in</strong>d set” 10Conclusion:A political solution to the conflict <strong>in</strong> <strong>Sri</strong> <strong>Lanka</strong> requires reexam<strong>in</strong>ation of previously held views so that all parties <strong>in</strong>volved<strong>in</strong> this conflict can realise their goals by agree<strong>in</strong>g on politicalstructures to enable the two nations <strong>in</strong> the Island of <strong>Sri</strong> <strong>Lanka</strong>32