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Saumi Weerawansa in Los Angeles (3 May 2002)
- This is entirely not true. In fact there had been observations (always not
disclosed in public so as 'not to hurt the minority feelings') where the Tamil paper-correctors and exam inspectors have
acted in favor of the Tamil studends at the university selection examinations. On top of that Tamil
language is declared as a national language in Sri Lanka although the Tamils amount to only around 15% of the population. (We are
the only country in the world that has declared 2 national languages and one for such a low minority.
Even United States, the most liberal country in the world, with a huge latina population has not declared 'Spanish' as a
national language). As such, the Tamils have the benefit of a Tamil medium education and facing all
national exams in Tamil media. Moreover, the cut-off marks are always brought down
for the North & the East because of the conflict going on. (only Tamils live in these areas
now, since the Sinhalese people had to flee from them once LTTE started massacring Sinhala people by
thousands) Although the LTTE has made a war zones out of all areas where the Sinhalese live (Tamils
too live in these areas with no restriction) specially the commercial capital Colombo, the cut-off marks are never diminished for
these areas. In fact Colombo students face the highest cut-offs for university selections despite
all the difficulties. Also, it is not a sectret that most Tamil students who get ther
education in Colombo take the university selection exam from their native villages in the North & the East and most
fraudulently get the benefit of lower cut-off marks. Once in the universities students have the
option of doing arts and commerce streams in Sinhala or Tamil. However, Medical, Science and Engineering faculty lectures
are only conducted in English which is the only practical and most effective means of teaching
these subjects. So here, not only the Tamils who know only Tamil language but also the sinhalese students who know only
sinhala language experience difficulties in common. Considering all these facts, now who are being
discriminated in University education in Sri Lanka?????
Jehan Rodrigo, Colombo 4, Sri Lanka (14 Jan 2002) - Do you know 60% of the Tamil population in Sri Lanka living in the south peacefully with Sinhalese? If they are discriminated or harassed by Sinhalese, Why don't they go to Wanni and live with their so called hero Prabhakaran?
Nihal K (London, 12 Jan 2002) : No, thay are not discriminated at all. In fact, currently, Tamils are studying in all universities in Sri Lanka, Colombo, Peradeniya, Moratuwa, Jaffna etc. But, Sinhalese are not allowed to study in Jaffna university. When, the Jaffna university was started, there were a large number of Sinhala students in Jaffna campus. Eventually, Tamil Terrorists chased away all Sinhala and Muslim students from Jaffna university. Apart from, there were over 10,000 Sinhalese and 75,000 Muslims living in Jaffna. But now, not a single Sinhalese or Muslim living in Jaffna (many killed and chased away from North) by the LTTE Tamil Tigers in order to create their "Tamil Only Separate State". However, since the war started, over 500,000 Tamils have moved from North, and now peacefully living in other areas where the majority is Sinhalese and Muslims.