The status of the minority communities in Sri Lanka

– Thinakkural Editorial

(October 03, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Colombo based newspapers have reproduced an interview that the Army Commander Sarath Fonseka gave to Canada’s Nation Post.

In his interview, he held the view that the war will come to an end within a period of another year. In fact, Commander Fonseka, whose term of office ends in December this year, told the press at the beginning of this year, that he does not wish to hand over this war to his successor.

In his interview, he expressed another view regarding the status of the minorities in the country which has drawn our attention.

In his interview, he stated, “ the war has broken out since Tamils have chosen Sri Lanka to establish a Tamil state for them. The majority Sinhalese will never let the minority Tamils to divide the island. Let me say with certainty that this country belongs to the Sinhalese people. The minorities can live but cannot make unacceptable demands under the guise that they are minorities”

This view of the Army Commander is not a new perception. It was the view former President D.B.Wijetunge held 15 years ago. This only echoes Sinhala Buddhist extremism. In fact, President Jayawardena, in the aftermath of 1983 riots stated that he was not worried about the views of the Tamil people.

In the present context, when the South is determined for a military solution, no one comes forward to talk about the rights of the minorities and their political aspirations.

The Sinhala people view the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as factors to entrench Buddhist Sinhala imperialism. They do not see beyond for national integration.

Tamil national struggle took a violent turn when their just demands were denied, when a political solution was not found. The South has forgotten the cause and focuses only on violence!

(An English translation of the Editorial in the Thinakkural, a Tamil daily based in Colombo.) - Sri Lanka Guardian