Let’s just be Sri Lankan men!
There’s a lot more to being Sri Lankan than koththu and cricket. But I have to say, they are really high up on my list of all that’s great about us! These days, when emotions are high and discussions are plenty, I feel that I too should add my two cents worth of what it is to be Sri Lankan. And to do that, I’m going to hold up my favourite poster boys of national unity – our cricket team.
You only have to look at the names in the line up to know that Vandort, Murali, Maharoof and Sanga don’t all practice the same faith or speak the same language. Yet as a team, I think they’re the best! Forget Vass and Mendis crossing themselves or Jayasuriya’s pirith nul, they are out there because they are good at what they do and together they make one hell of a team!
Since independence, we have been so busy trying to define our ‘Sinhala-ness’ or ‘Tamil-ness’ that we seem to have all but forgotten how to be Sri Lankan. The petty politicking for votes and territory only pushed the wedge deeper between us. For folks like me, whose ethnic background is an achcharu at the best of times, still had to tick a box next to ethnicity…. because there was no option for leaving it blank. And look where that got us. We forgot how to be Sri Lankan and concentrated instead on how deeply and radically we could embrace our ethnicity. I know I did. I defined myself by my surname and not by my mother tongue (which is Sinhala). And what did I end up being? Confused, confused and confused! Seriously though, while I’m very proud of my dual heritage, growing up, I felt I couldn’t comfortably be both – I had to choose and stick with one identity….when the audience is Tamil, my Sinhala self ceased to exist and amongst Sinhala friends and family, my Tamil self was forgotten.
There have been so many politically defining moments in our post-colonial history that have nurtured radical sentiments and ensured that we became a nation divided, that to go down that road will be pointless. But I will say that as a country we have wasted too much time and shed too much blood in trying to move away from a common identity….and not to mention how we keep blaming the colonial types for our lack of unity. Sure, they practiced a ‘divide and rule’ policy that was only to their advantage, but after 61 years of doing things our way we should have more to show for ourselves than a bloody war and severe mistrust of each other.
And that’s why we need to start thinking outside the box (which we’re all had to tick at one time or another). The hurting and misery that this war has caused will take time to heal and the government has its work cut out. It also needs to be sincere in its commitment to a lasting peace and the ‘no more minorities’ concept. In the meantime, we as a people have to take stock of the situation and put our differences behind us. As Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslim and Burghers and everything in between, we have a lot to offer each other and the world. So, instead of using our diversity as an excuse to hate, let’s make it a platform to celebrate….like when we win the next match!
Enough said.
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Well said, Shamindrini. I agree whole heartedly with your sentiments on how the country could go forward with one Sri Lankan identity by jettisoning the ethnic baggage or should I say garbage. Unfortunately, your vision would permanently destroy the business models based on sustained carnage in Sri Lanka and other places of conflict around the globe. The people, agencies and governments that support and profit from such carnage are clearly evident from recent events and also seen in the writing on this and other similar blogs. It is a sorry state of affairs but that appears to be the reality facing all those who wish for peace in Sri Lanka.
Nice article – but i have dont think the tamils would want to go for a peacful single country
1. i have many tamil friends but we reamin friend by not dicussing the issue. cos never have i once heard any tmail person saying LTTE is wrong and that tmails are part of SL. they are a introvert ethnicity and everyone deep down want thier own mono ethnic state.
2. They tried for a grab of land militarily and now they try to get it thorugh international pressure .
It’s all about poverty. Whether a sinhalese, tamil, muslim, malay or a burgher. They all have a common thing in them that is poverty. Wealth is not shared equally. In other words, the gap betwwen the sinhalese, tamil, muslim, burgher rich and the poor is widening. This is the main reason for racism, indifferences etc. We should all get together as one nation. Yes! from now on lets call ourselves sri lankans and work towards a common goal. That is building this nation. We need not go abraod to work for other people. Western countries are prospering because our people are contributing towards it. Be proud to call yourself “sri lankan” whether your language, culture, religion is different.
Well written article but would Sinhala chuvanism allow this to happen? Please wake up from your imaginary world. Tamils lost all their hope in Sinhala regime that started back in J.R Jeyawardene time. It is so wrong to expect tamils to live with Sinhalas after all these systematically staged genocide over the decades that is well supported by Buddist monks. A sinhala may speak moderate in the public eye but recent elections revealed the truth of Sinhala stand. We as Sri Lankans may celebrate this war victory and of course LTTE is militarily defeated but I am sure their struggle is defeated. As long as root causes are not addressed, this war will never be over. I understand your point Sivananthan because i am one of you and I know we are confused but we lost so much in this ethnic war. I really hope something realistic happens even after this and I am sure deep down we all believe Tamils struggle is legitimate. If we want a peace Sri Lanka, root causes must be addressed and Tamils must get a realistic settlements.
Dear Ziggash
Shame you missed the wonderful sentiments of Sivananthan. Where are your ideas for building a common Sri Lankan identity? Lets not go on and on about what ‘we’ want as Tamils or Singhalese. What is it that ‘we’ want as Sri Lankans? We have to all work together to build the united nation free from poverty. Let Indian Tamil settlers better their lives in any part of Sri Lanka. Similarly, let Singhalese peasants ‘colonize’ an part of the north or east as long as it is for the betterment of the country.
“Tamils must get a realistic settlement” you say – which tamils? ones who live in the north, east, south or central SL; ones who are high or low caste; ones who are hindu or christian; ones who are english speaking or tamil speaking; ones who are working class or capitalist class?
Please drop the nationalism and lets build a better United Sri Lanka.
Shamindrini wrote: “It also needs to be sincere in its commitment to a lasting peace and the ‘no more minorities’ concept.
Sorry this idea of “no more minorities” concept is flawed from the get go. If we are sincere about peace, we need to encourage people to flaunt their ethnic identity and at the same time teach each other to be tolerant and celebrate the diversity.
On the long run, you will never suppress the persons born identity. That’s Tamil, Sinhalese, Burgher or some combination of a few of these. Sri Lankan is a nationality, and for people to be proud of that, they need to be accepted FIRST as who they are. They should feel, that being a Sri Lankan is a positive experience where you are at home, and where you are treated with fairness and the system offers opportunities to progress without giving up your identity. Many Tamils, especially the non-Colombo types don’t feel welcome, due to many historic reasons. And most Sinhalese and some Tamils, specially the Colombo types don’t simply get this.
It sounds complicated, but there are plenty of examples where this is being practiced very well. Singapore, USA, Canada, are some examples. In any of these countries, a Tamil for example doesn’t feel that the system is stacked against them, and they get a fair deal, where they can be as Tamil as they want to be in their social and cultural life and still live a normal productive life. They are happy to contribute to the economy, and are proud to attach the national identity to their ethnic identity. They proudly call them selves as Tamil-Canadian or Tamil-American or Tamil-Singaporean.
Unless and until structural changes are put in place to allow such a system, with protection to each ethnic group, we can’t move forward. A simple solution will be to create a highly decentralized federal system. Turn each province into a independent state with little control from Colombo. This will create healthy competition and diverse governance, that people will have a choice when it comes to where to live.
The Central government should be only involved in protecting individual rights and dealing with other nations. The states should have the right to collect taxes, make economic deals with anyone in the world, and they are fully responsible for their own economic and social system. We will have more unity with such a system, than a single power coming from Colombo.
We can’t move forward based on sentiments of good will and camaraderie and getting inspired by the cricket team. There has to be permanent safeguards, and a constitution that clearly outlines these guarantees. If the SL leadership can pull this off, Sri Lanka with it’s talented people will be an unstoppable force for good in the world.
Ziggyash, yes I understand your concerns as well. I’m Sinhalese and I do not hate Tamils. But I think a separate state for Tamils in Sri Lanka is purely unrealistic. Its like trying to divide a pea in half. Not only did Tamils suffer at the hands of corrupt gov’t (lead by Sri lankan rednecks, YES even Sri lanka have red necks too) sinhalese people did so too. LTTE only made it worse.
Obviously Asanke, by either not discussing the issue with his Tamil friends or sticking with those who have no moderate views is unable to think differently. And that has been part of the tragedy of our country- not reaching out and understanding each others grievences and pain.
If we had done that and stuck together, politicians would never have been able to abuse our collective rights.
There are several, who, at the cost of being named traitors have worked with both ethnicities to bridge the gap.
Only a bigot thinks he or his ethnicity/religious belief etc is better than the other’s.
well shamindrini ,
unfortunately the bloggers, the thinker, the commenter, the writers are all ” arm chair operationalists” either in the comfy of their sofas or in cooler climes in the west/UK/Canda….
I went to a Post office in Colombo to obtain a Postal IC for my nephew and was “ordered” by the post peon (mind it not the post master- he was a silent observer making him an accomplice) to state in the application form that my nephew is not “Sri Lankan” but a “Sri Lankan Tamil” . My arguments (which lasted a few minutes only- (a gang may stone my house or worse can be taken to the police for quarreling with a person from the majority race who has defeated terrorism-it has happened more than once to my friends ) was futile. He (the peon) said if i do not indicate as he says i will not be able to have a Postal IC. At last “succumbed to my injury”- his ID carries the Nationality as “Sri Lankan Tamil” ( easy for the police or the armed forces to identify)
All what i want to say is the power to create a change does not lie with you people who are blogging and thinking and writing, commenting, instead it lies with people who want to see the last Tamil out of Sri Lanka. So any amount writing, blogging , commenting ……..nothing will bring about a change including the so called instantly famous epistle by some one who calls himself a Tamil but has presumably not undergone any of the humiliation, suffering, torment, trauma, dilemma…….. of an Ordinary tamil in Sri Lanka
Well Shamindrini, I think THIS IS THE BEST ARTICLE EVER PUBLISHED in this whole pre and post Sri Lankan War era. I love your article and it is the best.
I hope your dream would come true and there would be a day that we as Sri Lankans see ourselves based on what we do in our life and based on what we make of our life rather than dwelling on where we were born and to which race we were born to.
May my country be blessed to have more people like you who genuinely hope that Sri Lanka would truly be a better place someday in future. Best wishes!
Shamindrini,
Yours was an interesting article. But I feel that Sinhala Tamil unity can only come with the wider use of the English language between the comunities. Language can bridge the divide. That is one important reason why during the colonial era we had no ethnic divisions. The rot started after 1956. It will take us a long time to improve English standards in this country, but at least an effort is been made by this Government to train English teachers in India. I guess that is the best option available. Indian politicians did not give up English the way we did.
Niranjan
Well done.. shamster… Brilliant.
yours truly.
ex-colleagues from Clements road.