Brethren of a Single Nation

Professor A. D. T. E. Perera

Continued from January 27

When Federation was first proposed by a Jaffna oriented political party, our then political leaders have rejected this idea stating that the Jaffna politicians wanted to divide the country into two separate states. Therefore this idea has not been allowed to grow beyond the boundaries of that defunct political party. In this connection I wish to quote the opinion expressed recently by a man of no less reputation in the field of International Politics. He is Mr. Seam MacBride a former Irish Foreign Minister and a Nobel Prize winner in 1947, who has recently advocated a 'Swiss Type' Federal Constitution as a lasting solution to the political crisis in Ireland. The crisis in Ireland is also partly caused by Communal disharmony and intolerance.

My proposal is therefore to grant such political autonomy not only to the Jaffna people whom we brand as Tamils, most unfortunately, but also to others in the country who from very early times have enjoyed such territorial or provincial administrative authority.

Only such an internal political arrangement can lead to a healthy growth of our National Unity. It will promote a growth of individual provincial identities as in the past which is very conducive for a healthy growth of matters of cultural, social, political, economic, etc., importance. It will create better communal harmony among the people of Sri Lanka who although superficially express fraternal unity, yet possess many traditionally retained ideas and ideologies, cults, beliefs and practices which they prefer only to promote within their own secluded regions. Constitutional wise a 'Federal State' does not lead to a separation of the country by any means.

It is only under such a constitutional set-up that the people of South and East (Rohana); North Central Part (Rajarata); Jaffna or Northern Part (Yapapatuna); Kandyan region and the Hill Country (Malayarata); Western Part (Mayarata) who all comprise the people of Sinhala or Sri Lanka can exercise more liberally their rights and enjoy their privileges in a Democratic State and will be able to create a 'Righteous-Dharmistha-Society' for themselves.

Tentatively I have drawn up a political division of Sri Lanka into five Federal States, namely - 1. Mayarata; 2. Ruhunu Rata; 3. Malaya or Uda Rata 4. Raja Rata. 5. Uturu Rata. These five Federal Divisions are a formation made by the amalgamation of the 24 districts that are already existing in the territorial divisions of Sri Lanka. Within the federal division/territory or Mayarata I have included the Colombo, Puttalam, Gampaha, Kalutara, Galle and Matara districts. Within Ruhunu Rata come Hambantota, Monaragala, Badulla, Amparai, Batticaloa districts. Within Uda Rata come Kurunegala, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ratnapura and Kegalle Districts. Within Raja Rata come Matale. Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Mannar, Vavuniya and Mulativu districts. Within Uturu Rata comes Jaffna district.

Each of those Federal units should have one principal Administrative Centre and a few additional Administrative centres. For example, the Principal Administrative Centre for Rajarata should be Anuradhapura and the additional administrative centres could be had in Trincomalee, Mannar and Vavuniya. The Uturu Rata can have Jaffna as its principal administrative centre and Kankasenturai as its additional unit, Ruhunu Rata can have badulla as its chief administrative centre and Monaragala, Amparai and Baticaloa as its additional administrative centres. Maya Rata can have Colombo as its primary administrative centre and Puttalam, Kalutara, Galle and Matara as its additional administrative centres. Uda Rata - Kandy as its Chief Administrative Centre and Kurunegala, Kegalle and Ratnapura as additional administrative units.

The above demarcations as suggested by me may not be considered final. It has to be further studied by a delimitation commission or a similar body authorised by the Parliament.

On the above analysis, I believe, that the creation of a 'Federal Democratic Socialist Republican Constitution', should be a lasting solution to the political crises and communal disharmony that we are facing today. It is however left for the more competent to give further thought to this matter before arriving at conclusions.

Post script

The involvement of the Tamil Nadu Government of South India in supporting the cause of extremists and terrorists of the Tamil Eelamists of Sri Lanka has been highlighted both in the local and the Indian press. The Tamil Nadu movement is quite explicit of a preparation for an invasion both ideologically and politically. We have already shown the futile attempts made by the South Indian Tamil war lords during historical times for similar acts of invasion to claim not only a part of Sri Lanka but the entire Island. But on all such occasions it resulted in counter invasions of the Tamil Country by the Sinhalese that proved very much detrimental to the Tamils and caused much agony to them.

This happened during the reigns of king Gajabahu I (cir:12-34 A.C.); Sena II (cir; 853-887 A.C.); Mahinda IV (cir.956-972 A.C.), Vijayabahu I (cir; 1055-1110 A.C.) Parakramabahu I (cir; (1153-1186); Nissanakamalla (cir;1187-1196); Prakramabahu VI (cir: 1412-1467). On all these occasions Sri Lanka although a diminute island close to an apparently giant land mass in mainland South Asia, was not left in isolation to struggle for her liberation. She had more alies in the Indian Ocean than the Tamils of South India. Even the neighbours of the Tamil Country the Pallavas, Rastra Kutas and Rajputs to a little further north preferred to support the cause of the Sinhalese in despise of the Tamils. Even the rulers of several Southeast Asian Kingdoms allied with the Sinhalese. (like the king of Burma, Thiland, Malayasia and Indonesia the last two kingdoms representing the Sri Vijaya empire).

The Tamil Nadu politicians should not forget the fact that history often repeats itself and if it is allowed to repeat again in a time like this the repercussions would be severe for our own Tamil speaking Sri Lankans and still more severe for the Tamils of Tamil Nadu. Therefore if the ethnic Tamils of South India have any sympathy with the Tamil speaking Sri Lankans, they should take this note of warning seriously before they decide to follow the steps of their politicians on a path leading to their immolation.

I have been to India and to Tamil Nadu and I have observed myself that in India even today the South Indian Tamils are not very much liked even by their neighbours. The Telagu speaking Andhras, the Karnatakas, the Keralas who surround the Tamil country geographically, do not wish to have any close ties with them. The Tamils are virtually isolated within their South Indian pocket.

Therefore it would be suicidal for the Tamils to enter into confrontation with the Sinhalese who for the past two thousand years or more never cared them or feared them. The Sinhalese knew how to bring the South Indian Tamils to their proper size whenever they make ostentations or power. Therefore the Tamil Nadu politicians who believe in invasions should also believe in counter-invasions by Sinhalese, that will be a doomsday for them.

(Concluded)