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| Wednesday, 17 September 2003 |
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JVP hit by a Western political virus by Afreeha Jawad Surprisingly, the JVP espouses the nationalist cause which, after all, is a Western plant on colonial soil. Any anthropologist, political scientist and sociologist would know nationalism to be of recent origin. Like the shadow that follows, it made its entry in the wake of colonies seeking independence. In what is called nationalism is included religion and ethnicity. True enough, the varied religious and ethnic groups' presence in the numerous colonies cannot be denied. However, the seeds of religion and ethnic dissension came after World War II when the imperialist forces were forced to close shop whereupon an administrative system was implanted for the successful manipulation of future goal attainment while the white masters operated from their home base. Nationhood and statehood were given that nationalistic tendencies would emerge following large-scale institutionalized education and middle class birth that would aspire for social positioning after which the spotlight would be on majoritarianism. A majority centred state with the majority religion as state religion, a majority depicted national flag with only vertical strips symbolising minority existence, a national anthem sung only in Sinhala furthered, strengthened, fostered and consolidated the imperialist's proposition of nationalism when majorities all over the world except perhaps only in Morocco stampeded over what was minority rights. Be it Hindu majority India, Muslim majority Pakistan or Sinhala majority Sri Lanka, narrow chauvinistic nationalism has put these nations into turmoil while those that sowed its seeds much to their advantage and euphoria remain enthusiastic observers across the seas. Keeping their vast empires going, the British successfully worked out inflammatory divisions between the undivided yet distinct and separate ethnic groups. Nationalism was indeed 'choice word' to give the colonial majority population a high degree of ethnocentricism. It indeed culminated in the Sinhala proverbial expression "Wandurata Deli Pihiya Dunna Wage". (A razor in the hands of a monkey that goes berserk'). The high ideals of democracy also brought with it rigid particularism in majority rule based nationalism. The democratic doctrine of the sovereignty of the people - an universalistic sublime ideal was not without the element of facade in it. Such doctrine ruled the world for over a century and interesting by, one may ask who were the sovereign people referred to in this concept? Clearly - a concept favouring majority sovereignty. Nationalism, divisiveness, majority centred decisions, denial of minority rights - then, how come a whole people (majority and minority) be sovereign? Other mental appendages of "my country", "my people", "my religion" - all mental horrors to the extent of making minorities understand that they _ I mean the majority alone - are rightful owners of everything enveloping 'territorial integrity'. Ironically, in Sri Lanka, colliding with such thought is the majority religion of Buddhism which specifically speaks of an 'I' less state. When individual ego itself is defunct how come such social constructs of 'I', 'me' and 'mine' exist? Buddhism indeed goes even beyond the lens of anthropology. The protectionist outlook of Sri Lanka in pre-colonial times is noteworthy and applicable to other countries as well. Muslims lived in pockets among the Sinhalese. The much spoken of peaceful co-existence of those times was evident. Mutual respect among ethnic groups was intense. In fact, the Sinhala villager's awareness of Moor orthodoxy refrained him from instant entry into a Moor villager's dwelling. The Sinhala kings' trust in the Moors was so great that they were even appointed as personal physicians of the king. The protection these Moor men gave the Sinhala people earned for them the word "Marakkala", which originated from "Maa Reka Kala". Even today out there in remote villages the 'Sinhala Yonaka' unity continues where Muslim villagers are interspersed with those of the Sinhalese. This writer is personally aware of how in Hadirawalaana - a remote village in Kurunegala during Ramazan at time of breakfast, meals are shared with Sinhalese of adjoining villages as well who line up at the village mosque premises. The supposedly rustics here, do not even know what nationalism is and the more they don't the better it is mainly for the preservation of social cohesion and ethnic harmony. More important is the lesson we learn from the exhibition and continuity of such goodwill. That intellectualism which necessarily follows system - based education - also alien legacy - breeds mental contraction and is a forerunner to present day social chaos goes without saying. Certainly ignorance is bliss! It was nationalism that was the opium of the masses. Perhaps Marx's pronouncement needs to be redefined to an extent. Religion and ethnicity as opium was mere follow up. That the JVP - a very indigenous village rooted organization - should espouse Western imposed nationalism is therefore mind boggling. Bereft of such mental corruption the Sinhalese of bygone times, beyond the birth of its middle class, believed in high degrees of pluralism and this was most apparent in that they accepted the Jaffna kingdom and its kings such as Sankili and Pararajasingham among others who manage that part of the country. There was no nationalistic cry emanating then. The Tamils lived up there in a lifestyle which was truly their's, devoid of state centred administration. Hence a study of Anthropology and Sociology is essential more so in schools let alone universities. Lack of such knowledge certainly fosters petty, bourgeois nationalism now taken to be all very bona fide. "Rata Beduwa", "Rata Vikka", "Ranil Drohiya" - all that kind of stuff emanating from a recently born middle class with its English expressions coming off the English educated of similar class - 'we are bending backwards' and 'we are giving in too much' - needs some re-thinking. Perhaps a knowledge of Anthropology and Sociology could rectify this sort of warped thinking. |
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