By

Dr. Devanesan Nesiah

Ethnicity has been a salient factor of human society throughout recorded history. The modern state is a comparatively recent development (a few centuries old rather than a few millennia). As set out by C Geertz in “Old Societies and New States” (1963, The Free Press of Glencoe, New York, pages 109-10): “The congruities of blood, speech and custom and so on are seen to have an infallible and, at times, overpowering coerciveness in and of themselves.

TNA MPs in New Delhi-Aug 23, 2014

One is bound to one’s kinsmen, one’s neighbour, one’s fellow believer, ipso facto, as the result not merely of personal affection, practical necessity, common interest or incurred obligations, but at least in great part by virtue of some primordial bonds, and the types of them that are important, differ from person to person, from society to society, and from time to time.

But, for virtually every person, in every society, and almost at all times, some attachment seem to flow from a sense of natural, some would say spiritual, affinity than from social interaction.”

Over the centuries, all over the globe, states are becoming increasingly multiethnic. Hence, ethnic identities need to be taken into account in the politics of virtually every state. But ethnicity is not the only socially or politically salient feature of a state.

Differences in history, geography/region, economic and other factors may contribute to or cut across ethnic consciousness. In fact a state in which ethnic consciousness is the only salient feature is likely to be conflict-ridden and unstable. Happily, our island has been virtually free from ethnic conflict till a century ago.

Sinhala Only Act

There have been numerous wars between rival kings but ethnicity was seldom the primary issue in such wars. The anti-Muslim riots of 1915 was brief and localized. It is from the mid-50s that we have had recurring ethnic conflicts.

These conflicts were triggered by the citizenship and voting rights legislation of the late 40s that marginalized Tamils of comparatively recent Indian origin, the Sinhala Only Act of 1956 that sought to marginalize the Tamil speaking peoples, the settlement of Sinhala people from other provinces in the North and East to the exclusion of Tamils and Muslims of those provinces, the “linguistic standardization” of University admissions, other acts of linguistic and religious discrimination, the armed rebellion of Tamil youth and their ruthless suppression by the state, climaxing in the anti-Tamil program of July 1983, growth of the murderous liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, and the civil war that began in 1985 and continued for 24 years before the revolt was brutally crushed in May 2009.

A few Muslim leaders, and the ‘Indian Tamil’ leaders under Thondaman Sr. have offered conditional support to successive governments and gained significant benefits to their communities. In the case of Sri Lankan Tamils the opportunities for such cooperation were fewer and, moreover, their leaders were reluctant to enter into such partnerships.

The one exception has been the halfhearted acceptance of one portfolio, that too constrained by self-imposed conditions, for a brief period in the Dudley Senanayake administration in the late 1960s. The few other Sri Lankan Tamils who joined the government from time to time were not recognized by Sri Lankan Tamils as their leaders but were looked down upon as those seeking personal benefits.

TNA leaders

It now appears that an unprecedented opportunity has opened up for the TNA leaders and the State to negotiate a mutually beneficial programme of cooperation leading to an early resolution of the National Question.

The quality of the current TNA leaders, the resounding victory of the TNA in the elections to the Northern Provincial Council, and the dramatic change of leadership at the national level offer much hope. Any solution needs to include very substantial devolution of power to the regions as well as justice and compensation to the victims of the ethnic conflict.

R. Sampanthan, leader of Tamil National Alliance-pic-Courtesy-The Hindu

But the TNA leaders need to abandon the defeatist attitudes of the past and vigorously negotiate a solution to the many problems that have hindered the Tamil Speaking peoples, especially those resident in the North and East. No solution may emerge without a bold initiative from the TNA in consultation with other like-minded leaders of the Muslims and the “Indian Tamils”. Their cooperation in the election of the new President and their participation in this year’s Independence Day celebrations are good beginnings.

The TNA and its allies need to work out with the state the broad outlines of a time phased solution to the National Question. Unless the TNA takes the initiative no such solution is likely to emerge.

If this opportunity is missed there is a grave danger that the country may slip back in to the intolerable situation that prevailed prior to the recent Presidential election.

Courtesy:Daily News