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The Tamil "Diaspora" V The Sinhala State: Is that An Oxymoron?

By Chandi Sinnathurai

26 January, 2011
Countercurrents.org

How absurd men are! They never use the liberties they have, they demand those they do not have. They have freedom of thought, they demand freedom of speech.-
Soren Kierkegaard

And now the question of the Tamil diaspora -- the scattered Ceylon Tamils who populate the globe, (particularly the Western capitals) who seem to fight in opposition to the Sinhala state. But one has to carefully disentangle a good 'silent' majority of the expatriate Tamils who DO NOT subscribe to such post-war thinking. Nor do they wish to be incorporated under the politically charged convenient blanket term called the Diaspora. After the end of war, the ex-pat community see these goings on as a complete manipulation of the term diaspora by some power hungry Tamils bent on achieving their own goals. The ex-pats are wishing for and wanting to work towards rebuilding lives of their kith and kin and for the elected Tamil politicians to negotiate a lasting peace accord in order to co-habit harmoniously with all the communities.

The war and its despicable exploitation of humanity have taught all valuable lessons. The destruction and the waste of war must be avoided at all cost. Any right thinking person will support that view.

There is also, for all intents and purposes, a chasm between the 'fighting' diaspora [identified as "Diaspora" (in quotation marks) in this article] and the Tamil citizens who have gone through the blood curdling nightmare of war. Evidently the "Diaspora's" current agenda is to hunt down Mahinda Rajapaksha and charge him for War Crimes. No amount of energy and finance is spared in this pursuit. Many believe this action to be some what like trying to pin down a cloud.

Building of lives, and livelihoods and the rehabilitation of ex-Tiger cadres is sadly not the "Diaspora" priority. So now the narrow driving force behind the "Diaspora" agitation is far from an humanitarian exercise. On the contrary it is purely political - motivated by external forces. In other words, the various power motivations of the "Diaspora" have become instruments in the hands of various global players. But its plainly a negative and a destructive force. At its best it is a blunt instrument with no aim. There are those among the "Diaspora" bereft of any new vision or ideas who are still dabbling in rhetorical gymnastics with the idea of an "Independent" Tamil Eelam.[Compare:http://www.countercurrents.org/ali250111.htm] It is however, an irresponsible rabble-rousing exercise at this juncture - especially after all this blood shed! People who speak and write such piffle have not experienced the pity of war! While living in comfort and having their sons and daughters being educated in Western universities, working as professionals, often fail to appreciate the bare necessities of the war-ravaged people who are surviving against all odds. The opportunities they have been cruelly denied by the obscenity of war. That in it self, in its moral complexion, is a crime against humanity. Indeed. To such an ocean of humanity abstract ideologies and pious platitudes are luxuries. Not a means of comfort. As for the "Diaspora" reading by their non-humanitarian stance, one can only deduce that their plan is for such existential conditions of the people must prolong in order for their propaganda to have an international impact! When the Lankan Government rapidly dislodges the root causes of the conflict then they eliminate the negative forces that comes under the unsuspecting garb of liberation!

Obviously, the concerns of the "Diaspora" do not match up with the dreams and the distresses of Tamil citizens in Sri Lanka.

Should the escalation of current violence in Jaffna in the North is proved to be the work of the EPDP [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eelam_People's_Democratic_Party] then the President Rajapaksha must sack his Tamil minister Douglas Devananda. Criminality and good governance are incompatible. Devanada cannot dodge the full force of the law.

The "Diaspora" some times puts across a threadbare argument. Its asked: How can we expect Tamil rights and peace from the monster called the Sinhala state? Turning the question on its head, in a true sense, often it can be a reflection. The projection of what we see in the mirror can be identical to our very own image. Yes, the mirror image: the monster. The gruesome war time narratives bring that out with eloquent lucidity.

Now its time to wake up from the slumber and give the so-called monster a kiss...Kiss goodbye!

What the Tamil citizens need today is up standing, courageous leaders who are not afraid to "See our true selves" in the mirror and speak truth to power. Visionaries who would transcend narrow-minded mentalities, entrenched prejudices and pet-doctrines. What Tamils do not need is some shadow boxers who hit under the belt and spout out gutter politics.

Criminals and gangsters can no longer be leaders of the Tamil citizens.




 


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