Q1:
Why people of Tamilnadu so concerned on Srilankan Tamils?
Q2:
Why should India
interfere in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation-Srilanka?
These are the two questions asked to any sympathizers of Eelam-Tamils (Srilankan
Tamils). The people who face these questions mostly have emotional attachment
to that issue rather than a rational one. So in course of conversation they are
bound to compromise or get out abruptly. Here the apt answer for the first
question,
A1: A German meets another German in china.
How he rejoice that gleefully! There is a sense of bonding if you have
something in common. This is simple psychology. This is why India expresses the concern when Hindus in Pakistan are
attacked. This is why Israel
raises voice when there is violence against a Jew in any corner of the world.
This is why people of Tamilnadu are concerned of Srilankan Tamils.
Those
who voice out the empathy on Tamils are not chauvinist or fanatic. Those who
keep mum or against it are not neutralist or idealist. No man is complete and so aberrations can’t
be taken as examples in either way.
And here comes the next question. Everyone can have empathy or concern
on the suffering of Srilankan Tamils on humanitarian ground. But bloody, being
an Indian how dare you are to ask India to interfere into the
internal affairs of a sovereign nation!
A2: Tamils in Srilanka are the people of
the land. Its against the popular perception Tamils immigrated from Tamilnadu.
Even Tamils who were taken by the British to work in Srilankan tea estates are
still called as ‘Indian Tamils’. Since Independence Sinhalese majority don’t
want Tamils treated equally. So constitution was tweaked to favor Sinhalese
majority. Sinhalese was made national language. It is mandated that only
Sinhalese-Buddhist can become president of Srilanka. Tamil students were denied
equal opportunities during admissions.
S.J.V. Selvanayagam (Thanthai Selva) inspired by Mahatma Gandhi fought
peacefully to get equal rights to Tamils within in united Srilanka. But till
his death he was unable to do it. From 1948 the year Srilanka get independence
from Britain
till 1977 the year Selvanayagam died there was no war despite the fact that
there were no equal rights. Even Selva’s party calling for ‘free, sovereign,
secular, socialist state of Tamil Eelam only in 1976 after humongous efforts.
During 1970s many Tamil youths go against their leader’s principle of
non-violence. And involved in anti-state activities. From here let’s see how India used this
conflict to its advantage and aggravated it.
After
Indo-china war Srilanka threatened to give base to china. So in 1964 Lal Bahadur
Shahstri went on an agreement with then
Srilankan president Sirimavo Bandaranayke to call back Indian Tamils. Similarly after Indo-Pak war Srilanka threatened
to give base to America.
In 1974 Indiragandhi-Sirimavo Bandaranayke made a similar pact call back Indian
Tamils. Likewise 60,000 Tamils came back. Also in 1974 an islet of Indian Territory (kachatheevu) was ceded to Srilanka. Till
today TN fishermen unable to do fishing without fear because of this.
After these threats from Srilankan government, India started
to fund Tamil youth groups and encouraged their growth. In 1981 Yazhpanam library
which had 90,000 rare Tamil books, Tamil business buildings were torched by Sinhalese
mob. Thousands of Tamils died and fled out of country. India made use of this
between 1983-1987, outfits like TELO, PLOTE, LTTE, EPRLF, TELA were given
training, monetary support & arms. Of this LTTE rose to prominence with the
support from RAW
On
5th June 1987 to show the solidarity with the Tamils, Indian air
force dropped food parcels over Jaffna
and warned Srilanka of dropping weapons in same fashion. Then LTTE was at the
verge of defeat, India dropped 25
tons of medicine, food. Subsequently Srilankan president Jayewardene –Rajiv Gandhi
made an accord for the devolution of power.
Indian peace keeping force (IPKF) was deployed in Srilanka. Against this
Sinhalese youths formed JVP a communist outfit and many of them were massacred by
the Srilankan government. Initially Tamil rebels gave up the weapons to IPKF
but LTTE didn’t accept complete disarmament until 13th amendment for
devolution of power is made. When IPKF forced violently it end up in a blood
shed where thousands of Tamil women’s were sexually assaulted and nearly 5000
civilians and 1200 army personnel died.
After 3 years V.P.Singh called back the army. In 1991 Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated
by LTTE. But Jain commission raised many suspicions including the involvement
of CIA, Subramanian swamy, Chandra
swamy were left out. Former CBI
investigating officer K.Ragothaman raising many questions and pointed out the
loop holes Investigation. In 2009 the war which was allegedly told as Indian sponsored
war (Rajapakshe, srilankan president himself told ‘we fought India’s War’)
came to an end. Kumaran pathmanaba one of the prime accused of Rajiv’s
assassination is in srilanka and enjoying full freedom. No extradition was
asked even after 4 years of war.
Throughout the bloody
history, Indian and Srilankan government used and decimated Tamils. After the war also no devolution of power. Indian and Chinese companies are in the race to acquire land once owned by now displaced Tamils.And there
is a strong lobby in media to showcase this as a illegitimate claim by fanatics
in Tamil community. This could give the basic understanding on the exploitation of a
community by two nations.
