Archives

by S. Subairdeen, Leader Ashraff Congress

No clashes whatsoever occurred in the long history of the Tamil - Muslim relationship which had existed for more than a thousand years, until the latter part of the 20th century, in April 1985, when Muslims were attacked and their properties pillaged and destroyed by an armed group at Akkaraipattu, Sammanthurai and Kalmunai.

Muslims - a key party

Demanding a separate independent homeland for the Tamils, known as Tamil Eelam, which was said to encompass the Northern and Eastern provinces wherein the Muslim population is over 520,000, they carried out their onslaught against the innocent Muslim community who form the second largest minority. Paradoxically, it is surprising to note that the group which claims to be fighting for the rights of the Tamil speaking people simultaneously attacks another minority group who are also Tamil speaking.

The LTTE also carried out their campaign attacking the Tamil speaking minority Muslims, government institutions, police and armed forces, and at times the Sinhalese settlements in the border villages.

To put it in a nutshell, from the year 1996 to-date, the LTTE has relentlessly pursued more than 30 violent attacks against the Muslims.

Any political or historical analyst may observe a strange phenomenon in the Tamil - Muslim conflict. Even during the time of war between Dutugemunu and Elara, the Muslims were living in those areas. Even under the strong rule of Changili, the Tamil king of Jaffna, Muslims were treated very well in the spirit of brotherhood. It was during the reign of King Senarath II, the successor to King Wimaladarmasooriya, the eastern part of Sri Lanka was further fortified with the settlement of Muslims whom the kings trusted as patriotic people, who would protect the eastern coast against any invaders. The Muslims led a harmonious life with Tamils in this part of Sri Lanka too.

If these two communities have lived in harmony, for over a thousand years why did the LTTE - the armed Tamil group - turn against the Muslims overnight - beginning in the year 1985? It is very pertinent to remind that in all communal riots between Sinhalese and Tamils that took place from 1958, Muslims were in the forefront in protecting the Tamils in Sinhalese areas, even risking their own lives - a fact that cannot be denied by anybody.

Despite the fact that the Muslims have been sympathetic towards the cause of the Tamil people; yet the Muslims were discriminately viewed and periodically harassed in their day-to-day endeavours. This is beyond our comprehensions. The probably reasons could only be surmised as follows:

* Although the Muslims and Tamils have much in common linguistically and culturally, the fact that they are of different ethnicity may be the reason for the LTTE's animosity towards the Muslims. They may be visualising,a homogenous, mono-ethnic society which will facilitate their objective of achieving a Tamil homeland.

* The LTTE's political philosophy may be based on intolerance to any minority ethno-religious group who in their perspective may be an irritant factor in their conduct of their affairs. As a minority the Muslims may in their envisioned Tamil homeland create difficulties by demanding their due rights which the LTTE itself has experienced at the hands of the Sinhalese. This may be the reason for the attitudinal changes towards the Muslims, which has given way to the change in their pattern of behaviour towards the Muslims.

* To achieve the conceptualised Tamil homeland, the LTTE may have thought of adopting and implementing vigorous and stringent measures such as imposition of taxes, levying of fines and obtaining free services for their militancy. When they set out to implement these measures on all the inhabitants irrespective of whether they are Tamils or Muslims, the LTTE is bound to expect some resistance from the Muslims. In their view this would be an obstacle in their march towards Eelam. Further, the LTTE may have foreseen opposition from the Muslims living in the other corners of the island.

* Since the Muslims are an unique ethnic group with a high degree of patriotism, the LTTE might have perceived that their presence in the North and East may turn out to be an impediment in maintaining their jealously guarded tactics. Hence it is widely believed that they may have designedly engineered massacres through which the Muslims will be forced to vacate their ancestral homeland in the North-East.

There is historical proof that the Muslims have throughout been sincere and loyal to other communities with whom they have lived harmoniously. It is also a well-known fact that no Muslim has ever engineered any riots against either the Sinhalese or the Tamils. When we analyse and compare the communal riots that occurred in the Sinhalese dominated areas and those in the Tamil areas, the salient characteristics are that the riots in the Sinhalese areas have always been sudden eruptions of events which were not pre-planned, to get rid of the Muslims from a particular area.

These riots were mostly emotional and short lived and were easily settled with the mediation of religious leaders and elders of both communities, with mutual understanding. Therefore no permanent hatred was inculcated in the minds of the Sinhalese nor the Muslims. These riots were similar to unexpected outbursts of emotions which are experienced in normal life.

However, the formidable nature of the riots that took place in Tamil areas against the Muslims bears evidence of a hidden scheme to evict the Muslims from the soil which were also the traditional homeland of the Muslims. This tantamounts not only to the denial of the birthright of the Muslims, but also contributes to the violation of human rights embodied in the UN Charter and the constitution of Sri Lanka.

This is quite evident from the sequence of attacks against the innocent Muslims, beginning from the forceful eviction of Muslims from the Jaffna peninsula as well as from Mannar and Vavuniya in 1990. When the defenceless and innocent Muslims including women and children were chased from their own soil overnight with a mere pittance of Rs. 500 in their trembling hands, even the angels from the heaven would have shed tears. The tears rolling down the cheeks of these hapless and helpless refugees might have narrated volumes of tragic and horrific stories. Today the Northern province virtually stands without any noticeable Muslim population from where nearly one hundred thousand Muslims were chased out, and billions of rupees worth of properties plundered and destroyed.

The Muslims are not prepared any more to be subjected to the vicious circle of frequent communal attacks and turned into refugees seeking relief.

The armed groups have destroyed the economy and the economic resources of the North-East Muslims.

The intention was to establish the theory that the North-Eat belongs to the Tamils only by ridding it of the Muslim population.

Despite the numerous impediments and hardships imposed by the LTTE, the Muslims were politicised and were able to withstand the harassments. Tamils and Muslims of the North-East reiterate that these areas are their traditional homeland. Whenever we think of the North-East Tamil - Muslim problems, we must have a flexible approach with a liberal mind and a comprehensive knowledge of the inter-communal conflict. What is basically needed here is the sincerity and wider understanding and commitment to the cause of achieving durable peace in the North-East.

As long as the Tamil demands and the Muslim demands differ there cannot be a lasting and peaceful solution to the North-East problem. Therefore, it is imperative that the leaders of the LTTE and the Muslim community put forward a joint proposal and fully devote themselves towards achieving it. There is a question of tenability of the solution without the LTTE's active participation in the deliberation of peace. Similarly placed would be, any decision reached between the Government and the LTTE without the participation of others concerned in the negotiations.

Although the LTTE has withdrawn from the peace talks, it is the wish of the peace loving people that they would return to negotiations. We reiterate that any such negotiations without the participation of a Muslim delegation will be incomplete.

There was a time when the Sinhalese leadership negotiated only with the Tamil leadership on the North-East issue. Now the situation has changed and a new picture has emerged. The Sinhala leadership should negotiate with both the Tamil as well as the Muslim leadership.

The Tamils and the Muslims would be pitted against each other and compelled to fight for their respective shares of power persistently if the present outlook continues.

To change this perennial outlook there should be mutual understanding and commitment between the Tamils and Muslims to work towards a consensus and a collective approach to the ethnic problem and accommodate the aspirations of the Muslims of North-East.

We have seen the arrival of the Indian Peace Keeping Force to maintain peace in the North-East, consequent to the signing of the Indo-Lanka Agreement in 1987 with the objective of solving the North-East problem. It is noteworthy to mention here, that provisions were made in the Indo - Lanka Agreement for the de-merger of the North-East after a plebiscite envisaged to be held within 1 year in the East. But unfortunately the agreement was not carried out.

So, what is the permanent solution to this perennial ethnic problem threatening the Muslims?

* If the LTTE and the prominent Tamil political parties are sincere in their intentions, and committed to a principle of co-existence, and truly believe in the brotherhood of the Tamil speaking people, then it is nothing but fair for the Muslims to suggest that, in the event of a formulation of a federal system of government as a solution to the ethnic conflict, a separate federal unit must be given to the Muslims as well in a merged North-East.

* If the armed group is not prepared to stop the attacks on Muslim villages and facilitate the peaceful return and resettlement of the Muslim refugees, and guarantee the safety and security of the Muslims, then we are left with no alternative but to demand the de-merger of the North - East, and ask for a separate council, or in the event of a federal system being envisaged, a federal unit for the Eastern province.

Quite recently, the LTTE has demanded an Interim Administration for the North-East Provinces. In the light of the chronicles of horrific events the claim lacks the vital conviction with which it could be supported by all the affected parties concerned in the conflict. Unless the LTTe makes amends in a substantial manner it is impossible to convince a change of heart not only among the Muslims but also among the Sinhalese.

There is no constitutional provision to accommodate such an Interim Administration.

The Provincial Council Act gives sufficient scopes for the Interim Administration to work effectively.

Until a permanent solution is found on the basic of the above-mentioned suggestion, a co-eval as well as a co-equal unit of administration has to be formulated to meet the aspirations of the North-East Muslims.

www.crescat.com

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2003 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager