Sri Lanka: Politics of Perceptions
By Chandi Sinnathruai
17 April, 2009
Countercurrents.org
The Tamils in Canada have protested in Ottawa against the Sri Lankan war on civilians. They have also gathered in Ottawa with a specific demand: To lift the Tamil Tigers’ proscription imposed by the Canadian Government. This indeed is a very smart move. But Ottawa, unfortunately, has rejected the demand totally.
There is no indication that the US, UK, EU including India will do otherwise. They are however willing to lend their ear to the protesters and are trying their very best to pacify the crowd. It is perhaps not inaccurate to suggest, that the West is keen to move towards the post-conflict phase, in order to get on with their geo-political and mercantile interests in the region. They don’t mind giving a verbal assent to the concept of self-determination to Eelam Tamils. But, drive the bargain a bit further. None, including Norway (and the UK Liberals, Conservatives and Labor) will support the idea of a separate state. Or to put it diplomatically - “External self-determination”.
Sri Lanka has been cogently promoting the idea of a liberal, multi-racial, plural society - arguably, that’s the portable custom-made vision ‘exported’ for Western consumption. The West sees that the Tamil separatism collides with the unitary, multi-racial, liberal vision. The question often raises its head, even among academic circles: Is Tamil Eelam a monoculture state?
Holocaust taught the world an important historical lesson. From the ruins of devastation a world vision emerged and was embraced by all: It was about peoples living in amity, sharing a polity and learning from each other. At least in theory, such a lofty vision, captures the beauty of a rainbow life.
In practise however, the world has sadly seen many a holocausts since then…from the Rwandans, Kurds, Palestinians, Tamils, to name but a few. Sadly, even today, the modern state of Israel refuse to treat the indigenous Palestinians, Sephardim and Oriental Jews with equality, dignity and mutual sharing and respect. Nonetheless, the West, US in particular, is willing and able to give a whole-hearted support to the State terror of Israel. Some how, the Zionists have managed to fit in with the cosmopolitan, international vision, like a square peg in a round hole. The European Jews have worked towards a settler-colonial ideal in harmony with the Western mind-set.
So, for the Western Governments, on the whole, the Palestinian liberationists are a bunch of Islamic terrorists who utilise human bombs. Likewise, the Tamil liberation, and the Tigers still remain, for the West, separatist guerrillas who invented the tactic of suicide bombing with totalitarian leanings.
Now that the Tigers have lost territory and are cornered into a 14 sq km pocket of land with over 100,000 Tamil civilians, the world is playing the “waiting for the end game.” In the mean time, there is created, within Sri Lanka and in the Diaspora a political vacuum. The Sinhala State believes there are credible alternative voices for the Tamils. It is NOT for Sinhala politicians to decide. That is in the hands of the Tamils - not the Diaspora Tamils. But the ones who are going through blood, sweat and tears in Sri Lanka right now. The international community is scouting for democratic Tamil voices in the Diaspora who might be parachuted into the Tamil scene as credible alternatives. In other words, they are looking for stooges and fart-catchers. Such Diaspora ding-dongs are not voices but wind bags imitating to blow the Master’s mouth organ.
There are those “intellecktual stupids” however, who are trying now to dissect a subtle distinction between the Tigers and the Tamil liberation movement. I venture to ask these colonoscopy experts whether they remember the victorious days in which the word Iyakkam (Movement) was synonymous with the word Pulligal (Tigers).
Tamils have to face the reality rather than engaging in mere play with words. Iyakkam cannot stand still nor can it become stagnant. It ought to be taking steps to stand in the gap, regain its moral force, and take full political charge. Even that were to mean, politics of forgiveness and healing of memories.
A liberation movement must have within its capacity to engage not only in politics but also in statesmanship.
And to this end the Tamils must rise up!
