A Postscript
Minster Saumyamurti Thondaman, immediately after the fracas in Nuwara Eliya, sought
intervention of President Kumaranatunge to consolidate his anarchic stance.
In his letter to the President, he attributes the rally to Sinhala Weeravidhanaya – A
society of Sinhala patriots, and not to National Movement against Terrorism, the movement
actually involved in organizing the rally. Points in his letter taken from SUNDAY
TIMES, 9th May 1999, pg.10:
? His party
would reconsider its’ decision to support the Governing People’s Alliance Party
in the forthcoming elections if this
situation is not resolved. (In the Central Province, Minister Thondaman’s CWC holds
balance of power with six members – Estate Tamil Block
Vote.)
? The Sinhala
Weerawidanaya sabotaged May Day by putting a huge banner attacking the CWC near venue of
meeting. (The banner attacked Tiger Terrorists and not the CWC.)
? Claimed The
Weerawidanaya sabotaged the power supply. (Distortion of facts to give a racial bias.)
? Claimed the
police to be irresponsible for giving permission for a Sinhala rally and the Hindu ther
festival on the same day. (The Hindu Ther festival is attended by Sinhala and Tamil,
Buddhists and Hindus.)
? The police
had assured the banner would be removed on the 29th evening but, it had been removed only
at 4 a.m. the next
morning. (This was as repeated requests to send some one responsible from the CWC to the
police headquarters had been met with
refusals.)
? The Sinhala
group went ahead with the meeting. (Having obtained permission from the relevant
authorities to hold a rally against terrorism, why should they not go ahead with
it.)
? Unless stern
action taken against the police for what he saw as inaction or irresponsibility the CWC
would reconsider its
position in Provincial Council elections. (A prime example of how Thondaman uses the
Estate Tamil block vote to manipulate any Government in power.)
It is reported, on learning of the above events the opposition UNP made overtures to the
CWC through Sarath Kongahage and Keheliya Rambukwella, two of its members with the highest
votes in the Central Province, in the recent Provincial Council elections. The opposition
is said to have offered the CWC the post of Chairman of the council if it cooperates in
forming an UNP administration.
Promptness of President Kumaranatunge’s reply could very well have been due to
impending danger, knowing full well of Thondaman’s dexterity in swinging sides. In
her letter while assuring Thondaman that an inquiry would be held, is also an
appeal, not to take important decisions on the basis of administrative failure.
Thondaman’s reply to the above is his pleasure in the quick reply and a request for
immediate action against officers concerned. He assure support in the Uva and Sabaragamuva
elections but avoids mentioning the Central Province (that Machiavellian touch!).
In the latter days of the British dominance and early days of constitutional reform, In
the Northern and Eastern provinces, Sinhala, Tamil and muslims communities lived closely
intermingled. The problem however the Tamil leaders faced to quote Professor Howard
Higgins, Historian and American Ambassador to Sri Lanka in 1977, “For the Tamil
leaders have been preoccupied with one over-riding problem – how best to cope with
the consequences of the fact that the Ceylon Tamil community is a perpetual minority
representing only 11 percent of the population.” How can 11% of the population
be the dominant force of the balance 89%?
Post Independence cabinet of D. S. Senanayaka had two Tamil representatives, Mr.
Suntharalingam and Mr. G. G. Ponnambabam. Mr. Suntharalingam resigned in 1949 over the
issue where Indian Tamil Labour - to whom ‘Motherland’ was India were deprived
of the franchise. Mr. G. G. Ponnambalam was asked to join in his place. In spite of the
charge of ‘traitor to the Tamil cause’ being levelled against them, Mr.
Ponnambalam and a small following joined the UNP. Forming the Federal Party, Mr.
Chelvanayakam and collegues remained in the opposition.
During the D. S. Senanayaka Government Irrigation Projects, a paper and cement factory
were established in the North to provide the Tamil farmer water and the Tamil youth
employment. Yes, Senanayaka re-habilitated the Sinhala peasant farmer along the tanks, in
the dry zone. He also looked after their Tamil counterpart.
Chelvanayakam was not prepared to cooperate as did Ponnambalam with the majority Sinhala
Government. Instead, the origins of the Tamil Eelam took root.
To day, Minister Thondaman, has broken away from the two main Political Parties to form
his own Estate Tamil Political Party the CWC. He is already speaking of a Malayanadu in
the hills.
Minister Ashrof has just stabilised his muslim congress as a separate Political party. For
the first time the Muslims have been
pulled together as a separate ethnic group. Very soon he will be asking for his Own
‘Musselstan’
What about the Bughers, the Boras, the Sindhis the Malays, the Chinese and all the other
various ethnic groups? Won’t they
too be wanting their own little separate state from this 25332 square mile Land of ours?