Sitting on the fence; the Tamils’ choice

S. Vivekananda

“It is now the time to win over the hearts of the Tamil people. The Tamil speaking people should be protected. They should be able to live without fear and mistrust. That is today the responsibility of us all!” That was the speech by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Galle Face during a rally.

“I have never heard this sort of honest, sensitive speech from a Sinhala leader. It was a rare movement at a rare scene”, said the Tamil Diaspora.

After the defeat of terrorism children are optimistic about the future. Picture by Sudam Gunasinghe

I do not think that there were too many Tamils to listen to the speech. Then, where were these Tamils? Tamils live in Colombo had the feeling of curfew in the city and quietly trapped themselves at their residences, watching the speech over TV.

Left alone

Recalling July 1983 is worth at this time. Tamils were confused, suspecious and panicked. Their mind wondered around as to what was going to happen next. They did not like to jeopardize their lives by coming out to the Galle Face ceremony. That is the only reason why they were left alone. They felt that no body was there to help them if a situation like July 1983 occurred.

The relationship between Tamils and the Central Government has always been fragile. In Sri Lanka, minority political leaders wanted to keep the Tamil voters for the survival of their political parties. Most leaders from North created their parties with unachievable manifestos to blind the Tamil voters.

Those leaders kept Tamils as Sinhalese’ enemy for many years. They did not like to reconcile at any situation. Rather, they fueled racial conflicts. The broken relationship with the Central Government created unemployment and deterioration in the North and East of Sri Lanka. Development projects were not implemented in those areas. Opportunity to create employment in those areas was intentionally staggered.

Those North Tamil party leaders dreamed that Easten Tamils were ignorant. Based on their assumption, proper education facility was out of reach for the Eastern Tamils. Those days development, employment and recommendation came from the Parliament members in the area.

Discriminations

They were the gods and kings. They had to nod for the projects to be implemented and for recruitment in their representative electorates. Those heads have now disappeared. Also, those politicians created discrimination within their own community - the North versus East. But, they had debates over the Tamils in Parliament for their political benefits. However, they treated the North and the East Tamils as two separate entities. As time went with many conflicts and negligence, in both provinces Tamils developed individually to obtain jobs and conduct business without Tamil politicians support.

The TNA is futile. The party does not have a manifesto. Tamils whisper that the party members should retire or join the Government due to the party’s empty mandate.

Tamil demands

The Government or the majority Sinhalese have now realized the Tamils demands and insufficient opportunities in the country. However, historically, Tamil party politicians leaned toward the business minded UNP as the UNP was shrewd to stay away from racial concerns and act as a good friend.

Those Tamil Parliament arians had secret agreements with the UNP to gain individual benefits for friends and relatives before these Tamil Eelam freedom fighters were active. Unfortunately, under the Premadasa regime, thugs marched to the villages in Batticaloa and massacred elderly Tamils in the name of retaliation. During J.R. Jayewardene regime, in 1983, Tamils were killed in Sinhala areas.

Action plan

Between 1970 and 1977, the Srima Bandaranaike Government made tremendous changes in economic plan. Many Sri Lankans including Tamils did not understand the value of the economic action plan. However, farmers in Batticaloa and Jaffna overnight became rich and supported the SLFP candidates in the 1977 Parliamentary Election. But, their support was not enough to continue the rule.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s team has the same patriotism and their economic action plan is workable and integrated. Their projects and plans are actually effective. Post- war Sri Lanka is continuously experiencing economic growth. Even, during the war, Tamils demands had been satisfied. Many infrastructure projects began in the Eastern province. Douglas Devananda, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan and Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan joined democracy and utilized the available opportunities of the Central Government to develop the East.

Rebuild the country

East grew in the bad time with new campus faculties, schools, office buildings, bridges and roads. Therefore, education and employment opportunities made a significant impact on people’s living standard.

Northern Tamils also want to see the same development in their province. Many Tamils feel Rajapaksa regime fulfilled Tamils’ demand.

Tamils living in Colombo said the fear has faded over the war victory, excitement and celebrations. In his Galle Face speech, Rajapaksa ensured equality within the nation. His speech Tamil in touched many Tamils emotions. Diaspora Tamils applauded. They speculate Rajapaksa’s victory.

Now, the Tamils openly speak about good of the end of the war and are optimistic about the future. They agree with the ending of the conflict is good for the whole nation and the country’s economic growth. The entire nation was tired of the conflict.

They agree that Tamils have to stand shoulder to shoulder holding each other’s hands to rebuild the country. The rulers of the country should bring normality, implement an efficient economic plan and command the peace.

The time is up for many Tamils who are on the fence in deciding whom to vote. However, they clearly understand the advantage of choosing the prudent President. In that process, they are looking at the current and the past happenings in the political arena to predict the future.