Comments on: Post War Sri Lanka: Thoughts of University Students

By: vk

vk — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:42:43 +0000

A year and 3 months from May 18th, the idea of “nation” is gradually but surely shrinking into the practical commodity of “estate”. A militarization process can be seen both in subtle and overt terms — a strong band of “military elite” is being formed as a buffer zone between the patrician “political elite” and the “plebian” civil society. Oppositional and alternative voices have either been absorbed / appropriated or crippled / annihilated.

Things that began with “kiribath” were blind and blinding celebrations — tamashas of the uncritical and politically illiterate multitudes. Our university student, in general, — as s/he is a part of the wider social networks — is not politically grounded or socially critical. Hence, the kiribath.

Now, it is payback time.

By: Rohana Arambewala

Rohana Arambewala — Mon, 31 May 2010 10:07:32 +0000

It is good to see young people taking active involvement in political and social affairs of Sri Lanka. There are some positive comments made by many. It is strange to read the comment of the Monk where he was comparing the LTTE to King Elara. According to history though he was an Indian Tamil, he ruled peacefully and never killed or discriminated Sinhalese. You cannot compare ruthless murderers to peacefull people. I do not condone any wrong doing but you must compare apple with apple and not with oranges.

There are two major concerns that has appeared in this as we have seen for the last 50 years. First the so called Ethnic solution. To find a solution to a problem first you have to identify the problem and analyse it before trying to find a solution. I have asked so many Tamils and Sinhalese what is the problem Tamils are facing that the rural Sinhalese are not facing? Is this problem unique to North and East Tamils or is it common to all Sri Lanka Tamils. So far none managed to explain this so called Tamils problem. So I would like to ask the writer to enlighten me with this. Second, issue is this 13th Amendment. Has any of those people read it analytically. This is brought on by Indian Government according their wishes, but most importantly can anyone explain to me logically why is it that they are concern about the Police powers and Land powers so much? Have they ever thought about the concerns and reasons of the people who oppose it? Is it the only/most important part of the devolution they are interested? We must never forget that Sri Lanka is a tiny Island not like India. Are the Tamils in Malaysia going to ask to devolve power in Malaysia as they did in the late 1930s? In Malaysia Tamils and the Chinese are openly, legally discriminated and it is in the constitution. Let me give an example. The University I attend in Melbourne are collecting money and donations on the 16th June 2010 for the 2.4 million Australian people who cannot Find means to feed their families. I hope this will open some of those politically blind and ignorance to realise even in countries like Australia has social issues and also after 30 years if anyone expects Sri Lanka to be perfect then they need to be checked by a Psychiatrist.

By: SomewhatDisgusted

SomewhatDisgusted — Sat, 22 May 2010 12:54:38 +0000

Huh,

Here’s the link to the study: http://www.peacepolls.org/cgi-bin/documents
(With thanks to Arosha B. for posting)

cheers,
/SD

By: Huh

Huh — Sat, 22 May 2010 12:15:13 +0000

Dr. Jayatilleka,

what were the conclusions, if you don’t mind me asking?

By: Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka

Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka — Sat, 22 May 2010 09:56:26 +0000

Doesn’t anybody care about Dr Colin Irwin’s University of Liverpool study of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim opinion in 2009 and 2010, and his conclusions?

By: Tis-a-small-world

Tis-a-small-world — Sat, 22 May 2010 06:02:17 +0000

Dear nagalingam ediriveerasinham, thank you for your ideas and suggestions. I agree with you on the ideas of the tamil students as grain of salt! Yes the tamil students are quite reluctant to speak comfortably on the issue with a sinhalese like me. I think to get their genuine opinion you need to interact with them for a long time. Most students featured in this article are arts students and apart from the two tamil students, others speak sinhala. I translated their ideas into english to this article.

By: Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam

Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam — Fri, 21 May 2010 19:29:03 +0000

“its a small world.”
Thank you for your effort to get the anecdotes. Assuming you are a Sinhalese student, I would take what the Tamil students with a grain of salt. If you can get a Tamil student to interview the same or other Tamil students, and a Tamil student to interview Sinhala students, the comparison of response will be beneficial. It will be also interesting to know what the responses are from Sinhalalese and Tamil students who does not know English (Mostly it will be Arts students.) or each other’s language. May be Groundviews could help you in such an anecdotal study. Sorry for being pedantic.

By: ranjit de mel

ranjit de mel — Fri, 21 May 2010 10:05:31 +0000

iam no more a student.i was in s.l.at that time,i did not celebrate,like very many s.l.an sinhalese.victory day also i did not celebrate. ranjit de mel berlin/colombo

By: Mary Tony

Mary Tony — Fri, 21 May 2010 09:27:42 +0000

1. An excellent start. Thanks.

2.”…they collected dry rations and aid for the displaced civilians in the North…”

Give a man a fish…
Show a man how to fish….

Aid agents who could get the IDPs kickstart their livelihoods are denied access by the government: ”….The extent of shelter destruction appears to have been underestimated …. The presence of international NGOs in return areas would make an important contribution to addressing such gaps. …. Movement along the A9 is also still restricted for international NGOs and UN agencies. ”

1.9 lakh Tamils resettled in Lanka, yet no relief in sight, Sutirtho Patranobis, Hindustan Times, 29 March 2010:
â€˜’… the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Sri Lanka has suspended the distribution of shelter cash grants to displaced returnees due to shortfalls in funding ….. the remaining refugees and the resettled were complaining that food and other donations had been cut.”

No funds to meet needs of nearly 200,000 Northern IDPs due to govt refusal to endorse 2010 action plan, 13 March 2010:
”The funding crisis follows the government’s refusal to endorse the 2010 Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) ”

Students in the South can appeal to the government to let the INGOs help the IDPs – to give a hand to get up. PLEASE.