RANJITH SOYSA

The Tamil political leaders have yet again approached the Indian political leadership through the Indian High Commissioner requesting to consider their demands on behalf of the Northern and the Eastern Tamils to ensure that their ‘problems’ are dealt with the intervention of India. Unfortunately, the periodic emotional plea to the Indian authorities by the Tamil political parties for intervention in the affairs of sovereign Sri Lanka has become an integral part of Lanka’s modern political history.

One should have itching ears to know how and why India should intervene in purely a domestic issue of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan Tamils should consider foremost whether their political leaders who join this periodic pilgrimage to India with a begging bowl consider Sri Lanka as a part of India or whether the Sri Lankan Tamil people are recognized by them as Indian citizens. The fact that the plea to intervene has ignored the justification for such action is a strain on the leash.

Even, if one assumes that the Tamils in the North and the East live in extremely appalling conditions than many other minorities in India and other countries, no commentator has provided an acceptable reply to the commonly paused question What are the rights of the Tamils per se, do not have compared to other ethnic groups enjoy in Sri Lanka? Many sections of all ethnic groups have indeed encountered problems due to issues facing the country, while the rich and the upper-middle-class segments of all ethnic groups enjoy a higher standard of living compared to other developing nations. However, the unenviable situation cited is not dictated only by the ethnicity or the region where they live.

The inadequacy of basic facilities and the question of land ownership etc apply commonly to all Sri Lankan farming sector as most lands are vested with the government. But the request to transfer the ownership of the land among small scale farmers would create a worse situation within the first few generations as many of the farmers will sell their lands for financial gains and will finally join the landless category creating a massive social issue.

In conclusion, one must observe diligence before requesting the intervention of a foreign country to settle domestic issues as the results will have unexpected but debilitating effects. One can recall the unforgettable encounters the Sri Lankans, especially the Tamils in the North and the East had with the IPKF, in the 70s . Tamil political leaders should also remember the emphatic rejection of the Eelam by former Indian High Commissioner, Jogendranath Dixit who openly was critical of the Indian officials for being apologetic about India’s role in providing training and arming of the Tamil Terrorists

RANJITH SOYSA