Sorry for the late reply,

I appreciate that Singhalese want to preserve their culture and religion. They can do so without excluding that of others. There are many countries that have been able to do so; Singapore is one that comes to mind.

When you ask me to picture their (Singhalese) need for protection my mind conjures images of Nazi Germany where Hitler used the same language to justify the extermination of the Jews.

In your opinion are the Singhalese collectively ready to accept that Tamils have the right to self determination?

Lastly, I am all for understanding Singhalese people. If you have any recommended books you’d like to share I do my best to work my way through the list.

Regards,

Collectively Sinhalese people don’t believe they are abusing anyone. While I can see reasons why you might not believe that, such as comments above, knowing many Sinhala people and being one of them, I know the mentality well.

Instead if you can picture a need for protection, you will be closer to what they are thinking. What I mean is that, Sinhalese people are well aware that Tamilians are a majority in absolute numbers in the world (140 million?), while Sinhalese are restricted to the 15 million or so. Given their pride in their culture and Buddhism they feel a serious threat from both LTTE and western influences and a western presence they see as diluting traditional lifestyle and values.

If that sounds illogical to you, I don’t have to tell you that logic doesn’t play a big role in choices about life and safety.

Hence the common repartee that Tamilians need to go to Tamil Nadu.
The commonly held belief among Sinhalese people, though it may or may not reach your ears all the time, is that if there is a separate state in the north and east pretty soon there would be an invasion to wipe out the Sinhalese from the rest of the island.
This is the deepest fear that Sinhalese people have, and is also tied up in perception about Buddhism being threatened from all fronts and needing active protection.
You might be surprised at how often this argument is mentioned.

Given Prabhakaran’s ability for belligerence, I am not surprised that many people think that a separate state is not an option and soon after a separate state, with the support of Tamilians from Tamil Nadu, an invasion would wipe out the Sinhalese – sooner or later.

My wish is that more people will try to understand the mindset of the Sinhalese people, as I think it might bring the country one step closer to ending this conflict. Similar issues were mentioned by Chamath in

http://www.groundviews.org/2006/12/27/thoughts-for-discussion/

best regds

The Singhalese in the Eastern region of SL are there mostly as a result of state sponsored colonization, whereas the Tamils have historically inhabited the area.

Its the Tamils aspiration to have the oil and Trinco harbour? Is not an aspiration but a right to them, as well as to the other ethnic groups living alongside them. The resources and access to trade belong to the people living in the area. Why should control go the GOSL who selectively distributes goods and services based on whether you are Singhalese or not?

Your attitude towards Tamils is why we have ethnic war in the first place. What options do Tamils have, but to fight back?

Des,

I know that many Singhalese people are not heartless but the fact remains that collectively they believe they have the right to abuse and take away the lives, lands, resources, food, water, and education of the Tamil people.

The gross violations the Singhalese forces are committing to bring the Tamil people under their boot must stop.

Pandoras: “Why not bring the Singhalese forces home and let the Tamils live in peace?”

To rephrase that mate, why don’t the Tamils go back home (ie: Tamil Nadu) and let the Sinhalese live in peace in our country? Squatting in the East doesn’t make it your home just because you say it’s your “aspiration” to have the oil and the Trinco harbour.

Pandoras: “Do you really care about the plight of Tamil children?”
Not particularly. I care about Sinhalese children more than I do about Tamil children, and if any of them are fighting for the LTTE, I’m all for bombing them as we’ve done in Sencholai and elsewhere.

Anyway the point is that we Sinhalese care about our own children, whereas you have no qualms about using your own children in the war or as human shields. You won’t see us placing Sinhalese children around army camps in the hope that LTTE would kill them so that we could use it for PR points. This makes us a better and more civilised people.

Do you really care about the plight of Tamil children? You post reminds me of the Singhalese politicians who berates the LTTE, not out of concern for the children, but to score political points.

Money aside, Why not bring the Singhalese forces home and let the Tamils live in peace?

The army investigates crimes committed by security forces and soldiers have been convicted and sent to prison.

On development aid, the reality is that funding for the next 3-4 years has been assured if the country wants it so you are talking about what you would like to believe, not reality.
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWFiles2007.nsf/FilesByRWDocUnidFilename/7E6CCF65B3C22245C1257297004EB342-Full_Report.pdf/$File/Full_Report.pdf

Unfortunately, even when we suspend reality and don’t look directly at the massive atrocities Mother Lanka’s army is committing against the Tamils, its clear the campaign isn’t aimed at the Tamil themselves but rather the IC who is threatening to withhold development aid to the Singhalese.

If the Singhalese forces wanted to help the Tamil community they would go home and let the Tamils live their lives in peace rather than holding a gun to their heads “to earn a bit more dollars”.