Tamil's capacity to transform

 

Sinhala Nation’s reliance on violence, often justified as a response of a besieged people, against the Tamil Nation is known.  

As Sivaram argued, that monopoly of violence is seeped into the psyche of many Sinhala hardliners who are still busy drawing redlines to the Tamils.  

This Sinhala political framework remains unchanged since Independence from the British.

On the other hand, Tamil nation’s political and economic frameworks have demonstrated  transformation ( In relative terms, the social transformation was so slow except for a 10 yr period under the LTTE in the Vanni  ).  

Does a capacity to transform and adapt illustrates a healthy quality of a nation?  Yes.

The United States of America, as a relatively new state, has shown that its capacity seek and adapt to rapid changes has made it a superpower.  Anchored to a unique political system (setup in 1776 just as the industrial revolution was breaking out in Britain), the rate of economic and social changes of this nation is remarkable.  An economic model that changed from manufacturing focused to industrial technology centric to now to a services based technology one.  Social changes either followed or preceded each phase of these economic changes.  This collective welcoming attitude towards change that by the citizenry is why I believe America became a superpower so quickly.  Call it American exceptionalism if you wish.

In Europe and Asia, often weighed down by their long history, transformation of any sort often comes at a much slower pace.  

Since the occupation of colonial rulers, Tamil nation transformed itself politically and economically more times compared to its neighboring Sinhala nation. ( Note:  I am not trying to make a case that Tamils are superior in anyway because of adaptability. Only highlighting an observation of their collective reaction to circumstances)

Political Changes since independence from British

Transformation of Eelam Tamil political framework could be categorized into 4 phases: Collaborative, peaceful agitation, violent uprising,  and the new phase of transnationalism.  

The first three phases are already known.  Transnationalist political framework is somewhat unique and is a differentiated approach. The critical axis of this Tamil transnationalism encompasses People in Eelam, Diaspora and Tamil Nadu. As well as dispersed in Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, South Africa, etc.  As economic borders start to get vague, nations become more integrated in many ways through trade. Examples: European Union, NATO, G7, G24, ASEAN, SAARC, etc.  

This Tamil transnational axis, interconnected by strong cultural bonds, is the biggest asset Tamils possess. Sinhala nation has no dispersed cultural allies as Tamil Nation does. 

Sri Lanka has repeatedly shown it is unwilling to make the needed structural changes to accommodate another nation. 

The rapid economic development of the region in the coming years will bring about fundamental political changes. India and China will move to devolve more and more powers to the periphery.  All other countries will also continue to build on the models of devolutions already in place.  Sri Lanka will stand out as an oddball.  It will continue to act out as a Sinhala Nation unwilling to change.  This will further isolate the Sinhala nation.  Worrisome part is that TNA leadership is starting to play down the Tamil strategic advantage and starts to spin it as if it is a liability.  Willingness to work with the Sinhala nation does not need to undermine a better future for the Tamils.

Economic Changes since colonial rule

Prior to the Political transformations, Tamil nation’s economic framework has had a slow and long transformation:  It went from a trade dependency on India's coromandel coast to a one dependent on the Colonialists. And then settled for a trade and commerce dependency on Sri Lanka. ( See here for my previous write up on this transformation. )

Tamils of Eelam showed a remarkable ability to adapt to this economic change and actually took control of it.  Tamil economy largely remained outside of political interference. Exceptions being of Srimavo’s period that impacted the whole island and the targeting of Tamil trade  during the pograms.  

Tamils changed the trading partners, trading commodities and occupations as needed.  

The Sinhalese also experienced changes under colonial rule but how fundamentally it changed their economical framework is debatable. The introduction of tea and rubber, the biggest commodity changes, were supported by labor imported from India. It did not alter the Sinhala occupations.  On the other hand Sinhala nation has, since the 80’s, become dependent on external trade (Garments, tea, etc) as well as tourism.   Garment industry employs a significant number of Sinhalese and the tourism industry employing many in the related services industry.   

As an aside,

LTTE, while spearheading the violent resistance, also showed ingenuity in the ways it managed (often as a hidden hand) the economic model of the Tamil Nation under severe strain.  

As wikileaks highlighted,  LTTE  cultivated a national policy of self sufficiency. It did so without directly or openly intruding into the daily economic activities of the people.  It controlled trade from behind the scenes for expediency sake.  The economic embargo by the Sri lankan state spawned many smuggling operations that made many Tamil traders, Military personnel and Sri Lankan politicians rich.  LTTE willingly allowed and even encouraged it.  LTTE also opened and maintained a smuggling and trade route to Tamil Nadu coastal areas.

There was nervousness among the Tamil business community during the peace talks, when LTTE started to get into public transportation and into transporting commercial goods directly.  But LTTE eventually scaled back its own operations and apparently funded private businesses instead.   

Back to the topic,

Sinhala Nation never thought in terms of what it can offer to the Tamil Nation to maintain coexistence. It spends its energy dictating to Tamil Nation what not to do. Given the history of adaptability, can the Tamil Nation again recalibrate its economic framework to align it behind TamilNadu where the prospects of economic growth and windfall are immense? Rather than expecting any return on political, economic, or cultural investment with the Sinhala Nation,  Tamil Nation should find ways to expand the transnational framework that provides all the above.  

Red lines, Green lights, and the Gray matter.

 

A belated take on Dayan Jeyatillaka’s article The TNA Tsunami: Re-Balancing The Equation written right after the NPC election.  

He often hides behind a progressive veneer but his “Sinhala hardliner” ideology peeks through at times.  

In this article, it is far more naked.   

After crediting the government for having an election it was very much forced to have, he asks “So what of the morning after”?.   And then proceeds to draw redlines that Tamils must not cross.

Redlines:

His choosing of 13A minus as a redline is arbitrary. District Councils were supposedly the redline in the 80's. 

And in the 60's, the redline would have been the B-C pact.  Whatever happens to be the last “solution” put in place will always be the redline.   Funny enough, his touted progressiveness is that he is one of the few to even advocating for a 13A minus. In the country of the bind, the one-eyed man is the king. 

This is, in spite of India asking publicly and then getting humiliated by Rajapakse brothers about going beyond 13A ( Indian FM reiterated again today in Colombo). He argues Sinhala Buddhist state will not go beyond 13 A minus. 

Tamils know, all too well, about the lack of Sinhala buddhist willingness to resolve the Tamil national question. We do not need a reminder.

Green lights:

And the logic continues that the Tamils need to wait for and get permission from the Sinhalese on any possible solution: That a majority of the Sinhalese must green light any solution. It is so because they are a numerical majority in the island and because a referendum is mandated by the constitution for any possible restructuring. 

Gray Matter:

The above line of thought continues to dominate the so called Sinhala moderate or the progressive mindset. It at times seeps into the Tamil moderate as well.  They argue for incrementalism ( earlier write up on this here).  TNA leaders often times repeat this.    

Core of this  argument follows this flow

1) The Sinhala redline is 13A (minus the land and police clauses in the constitution )

2) Any solution to the Tamil question must be green lit by the Sinhalese

3) That is because the constitution says so

4) So cooperation and incrementalism is the only path forward

I am not sure how one can make a progressive argument centering it on the supremacy of a racist, unitary constitution. Very specifically the one that never had the consent of the Tamils to begin with. 

Yet, it gets amended at the whim and fancy of powerful presidents ( eg:18A) to help themselves or the Sinhala constituents.

Why is it that the constitution can be amended in every which way except when it comes to Tamils rights?  Term limits can be removed without a referendum but giving Tamils rights needs a referendum.

If constitution is supreme then why aren't police and land powers, already part of 13A, devolved ?  You are in willful violation of the constitution. 

Why now the redline about TNA not “fast-tracking” and have to beg for “gradualism” ?

The ethnic majoritarian thinking is that the Sinhala collective concerns matter more than the total Tamil collective will.  

If Tamils need to be subservient to the numerical Sinhala majority in this artificial construct of an island democracy, why not heed the same advice and have the Sinhala people accept and be subservient to the Tamil numerical strength of the South Asian region? all In the sprit of a regional cooperation. 

If that mere question triggers the insecurity of the Sinhala mind set, would any amount of appeasement ever be enough?

The new Chief Minister to the NPC gives credence to this flawed and racist thinking when he said the below to BBC yesterday.

“That insecurity, he says, has sometimes resulted in anti-Tamil brutality but his aim is to change minds on both sides.”

It tries to give an explanation to the Sinhala violence against the Tamils with an allusion that there is some justification for it.  This is why his previous abused wife analogy also created such an uproar.

Tamils constraining themselves to artificial redlines and waiting for a Sinhala Buddhists Green light is devoid of any gray matter.