CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

A Muslim CM in the East will Bury the Tamil Homelands Myth for Good

Dilrook Kannangara

There are good reasons for Tamil separatists to panic. In 1972 they resolved to create the Tamil Elam nation in the North-East of Sri Lanka. In 1977 the TULF made it an election manifesto. In 1983 the LTTE, with the blessings of the TULF, locked horns with the security forces in a bitter battle. Just four years later, in 1987, Tamil separatists managed to merge the North with the East amply supported by India. It took them only 15 years to achieve what nobody thought possible then. However, things changed drastically. The 1987 political solution failed to end the war; in fact it made it more ferocious. In a landmark decision the Supreme Court split the North from the East in 2006. What violence, terror, Indian interference and malice managed to achieve was reversed. This was a victory of the people of the East. Security forces made it more meaningful by eliminating the LTTE from the East in 2007. Now Eastern provincial council elections! It took only 2 years to reverse what terror achieved in 15 years.

An interesting situation would arise in the event of a UNP/SLMC victory at the election. Although this may be inimical for the government, it has the effect of dispelling the myth of Tamil homelands. Tamils and Muslims are different as far as Sri Lankans are concerned and most importantly in the eyes of the international community. While India and some others of the international community would vehemently disagree to a Muslim controlled East, which is still claimed by Tamil separatists as part of their mythical homeland, western powers may not like it at all. However, western powers will be flabbergasted how democracy will take root in the East similar to Pakistan. It has been observed that while dictatorship suppresses Islamic fundamentalism in Pakistan, democracy sets it free. The emergence of Muslim nationalism in Eastern Sri Lanka will be one of India’s worst nightmares. The fact that it stands in the way of allowing Tamil autonomy will hurt India even further! Simply India will realize that a Muslim controlled East will be the epitaph of the Tamil nation even before its birth. This will be another bitter lesson for India how their unwelcomed interference in Lanka backfired.

Tamil separatists, including “moderates” will be hurt beyond consolation as their dreamland will fade away right in front of their eyes. The international community will be convinced beyond a hint of doubt that East cannot be part of the Tamil nation LTTE is fighting for; nor can it be a part of the administrative unit the much awaited political solution will grant to Tamils. This is the biggest victory a Muslim CM would achieve. May be the incumbent would not wish antagonism from the LTTE and other Tamil separatists. But the wave has already been generated and there is no stopping it now. Voters will demand from the CM to live up to the promises made before the election. Else voters’ confidence in this party will plummet much to the advantage of its many rivals.

LTTE demands on ‘Muslim representation’ at the ill-fated 2002-03 ‘peace talks’ is a case in point. In spite of signing a MoU with the LTTE by the SLMC, the LTTE refused to allow any separate Muslim participation. A senior Muslim leader of the SLMC participated only as a member of the government delegation. This shows the uncompromised stand of the LTTE. Therefore however much the SLMC will pander to LTTE demands, the LTTE will never accept it as the rightful ruler of the Eastern Province. It leads to the end of the long standing friendship between pro-LTTE elements within the SLMC and the LTTE. Tamil tigers will do whatever it takes to alleviate the signals a Muslim dominated Eastern PC will relay to the international community. However, they will never succeed suppressing democracy. Future ‘peace talks’ with the LTTE will also be nearly impossible as Tamil tigers would demand the dismantling of the separate political infrastructure in the East which would be cemented by a Muslim CM.

United National Party (UNP) will also be in hot water. It will no longer be possible for the UNP to play the eunuch role between LTTE interests and Eastern Muslim interests. The UNP leadership will have to chose one and lose the other.

All pro-LTTE elements know this only too well. They tried their best to stop the Eastern PC election in vain. Some very senior Tamil “moderate” politicians who scream about democracy are dead silent about the election! However, the Eastern election must go ahead and it must be allowed to open up a can of worms. Problems that were hush-hushed in 1987 must be addressed at least now.

However, a big casualty will be the hearts and minds campaign. Instead racial differences are likely to dominate the Eastern polity for a long time in the event of a UNP/SLMC victory.

The Eastern fallout is only the tip of the iceberg. The underlying fact behind changed demographics in the East is the result of large scale Tamil internal migration and emigration. Policy makers must take into account the realities of declining Tamil population both at the national and regional levels. Going by democratic theorem, along with the relative numbers should decline the relevance of ‘Tamil aspirations’. Tamils simply do not have the relative numbers they had in 1987 and any feasible political solution must reflect this fact.

East’s ethnic distribution also hints at a possible solution to the ‘ethnic problem’. Had the governments allowed the East to be mono-ethnic, Eastern resurgence would never have been possible. Same is true about the now mono-ethnic North. People of all races must be allowed, helped and motivated to conquer the North making it multicultural. That will be the end of Tamil Elam which was nurtured since 1924 by Tamil racist political elements.

Disclaimer: The comments contained within this website are personal reflection only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the LankaWeb. LankaWeb.com offers the contents of this website without charge, but does not necessarily endorse the views and opinions expressed within. Neither the LankaWeb nor the individual authors of any material on this Web site accept responsibility for any loss or damage, however caused (including through negligence), which you may directly or indirectly suffer arising out of your use of or reliance on information contained on or accessed through this Web site.
All views and opinions presented in this article are solely those of the surfer and do not necessarily represent those of LankaWeb.com. .

BACK TO LATEST NEWS

DISCLAIMER