{"id":46363,"date":"2016-04-25T20:31:14","date_gmt":"2016-04-26T00:31:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=46363"},"modified":"2016-04-25T20:31:14","modified_gmt":"2016-04-26T00:31:14","slug":"the-sinhalese-the-tamils-or-the-muslims-living-in-the-island-belong-to-a-common-stage-of-civilization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=46363","title":{"rendered":"The Sinhalese, the Tamils or The Muslims Living In The Island Belong To a Common Stage Of \u2018Civilization\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Laksiri Fernando<\/strong><\/p>\n

“How is an antagonism to be resolved? By making it impossible.”<\/em>– Karl Marx<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is no mystery about ethnicity. Ethnicity is a product of social history and there is no eternity about it. Evolution of a language, sometimes a religion or religious beliefs, living together in a geographical proximity, development of a close customs and traditions, and political formations, if not states, are the forces that create ethnicities or ethnic communities. There are over 5,000 identifiable ethnic communities in the world, but all are not in conflict.<\/p>\n

Most of the above attributes or forces have been present in the formation of the Sinhalese, the Tamil sor the Muslims in Sri Lanka. The formation of the Sinhalese ethnicity has primarily been within the confines of the island while the Tamil ethnicity in its formation has been overlapping with the developments in the adjacent subcontinent. Even the Sinhala formation cannot deny the influences of the subcontinent. The key factor in the Muslim ethnic formation undoubtedly is the religion, while migrant communities initiating the process.<\/p>\n

None of these communities can claim complete homogeneity, while the differentiations with the others also being relative and overlapping. They all have evolved interacting with each other in their separate as well as combined developments.<\/p>\n

Similarities and Differences<\/strong><\/p>\n

It may be true that the Sinhalese formation absorbed or assimilated more from the Tamil formation than the other way round. The reasons perhaps being (1) the predominance of the Tamil culture in the closest areas of the subcontinent, making inroads within the island since historical times, and (2) the Sinhala formation primarily being a \u2018hybrid\u2019 nature, based on proto-\u2018Aryan\u2019 as well as proto-\u2018Dravidian\u2019 groups in the initial or even latter stages. The \u2018Aryan\u2019 influence also cannot be denied in the formation of the vast Tamilian ethnicity\/ethnicities in the subcontinent particularly in the case of religion and culture. The \u2018Aryan\u2019 and \u2018Dravidian\u2019 distinction here is made primarily based on language, however not without other attributes including \u2018relatively racial\u2019 characteristics.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What have made the two formations categorically apart in modern times are \u2018religion and language\u2019 and \u2018nationalisms\u2019 based on them and promoted particularly for political purposes. Nationalisms are creations or constructions, and not necessarily natural developments. This is one reason why \u2018nationalism\u2019 sometimes more prevalent among the upper classes than the ordinary masses. Otherwise, logically speaking, \u2018nationalism\u2019 should be less among the educated (i.e. English educated) and secular sections. But this is not always the case. Here the \u2018nationalism\u2019 that we refer to is mostly \u2018ethno nationalism\u2019 and not nationalism proper to mean civic or political nationalism.<\/p>\n

While Sinhala nationalism is mostly based on religion (Buddhism), Tamil nationalism is more in terms of language and culture. While the former claiming the \u2018superiority\u2019 of religion, the latter seems to claim a \u2018superiority\u2019 of culture. Both have intermittently articulated \u2018racial\u2019 overtones, based on heritage, lineage or \u2018blood.\u2019Or otherwise, the two could have been considered arising out of unequal conditions, one out of a \u2018majority position\u2019and the other of a \u2018minority condition\u2019 and grievances. This is one reason why the conflict cannot be considered purely on \u2018majority-minority\u2019 dimensions.<\/p>\n

Perhaps, Tamil nationalism has transformed from one based on \u2018grievances\u2019 towards an \u2018ideology of aspirations\u2019 for political reasons. I am particularly referring to the period after independence. This would make reconciliation difficult even if Sinhala \u2018majoritarianism\u2019 becomes moderate which is not actually the case.<\/p>\n

It is not clear whether the Muslim politics can be considered \u2018Muslim nationalism.\u2019 If it is possible, it is similar to religion based Sinhala nationalism in many respects. That may be one reason for the conflicts particularly in recent times, the aggressive role coming from the Sinhala Buddhist side. Muslim community undoubtedly can be considered an ethnic community, the recent developments geared by increasing religious cohesion, exclusivity and international influences.<\/p>\n


\nGlorification of Ethnicity<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is an intriguing psychological or sociological puzzle why people try to glorify their own group or ethnicity, and make conflictual claims and counter-claims, real or largely imagined.A major portion of these controversies are about the past, and ancient past. Who were here in the island first? Although not articulated sometimes directly, who is superior and who is inferior? Some of the thinking and thought processes are in fact absurd.<\/p>\n

We are living in the 21st century. This is an interdependent world. What matters actually are \u2018human needs, dignity and rights,\u2019 here and now! Ethnic and religious conflicts, pure ethnic or religious claims, whether from the majority or the minorities, are quite a distraction from the actual human problems and issues such as poverty, social inequality, justice or environmental challenges.<\/p>\n

There is nothing wrong in anyone, in any of the groups, appreciating their religion, language, culture or customs. They all have the right to do so without infringing others\u2019 rights. Under the circumstances of colonialism, there was some meaning why people tried to \u2018discover or glorify\u2019 the past as a process of assertion or emancipation. However, even the struggle against colonialism could have been conducted on the basis of \u2018needs, dignity and rights.\u2019<\/p>\n

Under the circumstances of independence, it is completely destructive for people or ethnic communities, particularly living in close proximity or intermixed, to conduct their politics based on conflictual \u2018civilizational\u2019 claims or glorified past. After all, the Sinhalese, the Tamils or the Muslims living in the island belong to a common stage of \u2018civilization\u2019 which is part and parcel of South Asia. It is more appropriate today to consider that all human beings belong to one single civilization, while recognizing certain broad variations based on the East or the West, or other differences (i.e. religious), which have not disappeared or harmonized.<\/p>\n

More appropriate question is whether the people in general have achieved proper civilization yet, in the East or the West, considering the so many conflicts and atrocities that they are day to day involved in. \u2018Civilization\u2019 in any language means an advanced stage of human and social development.<\/p>\n

Some Roots of Ethnicism<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ethnicism here does not mean just one\u2019s ethnic affiliation or love for one\u2019s ethnic culture. There is nothing wrong with that whether one is a Sinhalese, a Tamil or a Muslim. Ethnicism here used to mean prejudice and hatred based on ethnic origin (Wiktionary).<\/p>\n

At an individual level, strong or mesmerized ethnic feelings might be a reflection of personal or social alienation. In many \u2018radical\u2019 or \u2018mass\u2019 movements, the \u2018true believers\u2019 usually come from this category of people. This is what Eric Hoffer said in his “The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements” (1951). However, at a collective or a group level, the reasons could be different.<\/p>\n

The prominent reasons for ethnic conflicts are more political than anything else. They can be better called \u2018ethno-political conflicts\u2019 than pure \u2018ethnic conflicts.\u2019 In the case of Sri Lanka or elsewhere, the reasons could be mainly located within the political system or political culture, sometimes underpinning on some of the economic circumstances. What can be seen is ethnic differences or grievances being \u2018politicized, manipu lated and mobilized\u2019 for power struggles creating \u2018us\u2019 and \u2018them\u2019 mentality among the gullible people.<\/p>\n

Take the example of Rwanda. Hutus and Tutsis speak the same language, belong to the same culture and share the same territory. Even there is no religious difference. The apparent distinctions are occupational and perceived physical differences without any scientific basis. But the differences or identities became politically mobilized for a mini-holocaust in 1994. In this context, it is important to quote what the Carnegie Commission said in 1997 in the report on”Preventing Deadly Conflicts” with one qualification. Quote is the following.<\/p>\n

“To label a conflict simply as ethnic war can lead to misguided policy choices by fostering a wrong impression that ethnic, cultural or religious differences inevitably result in violent conflict and that differences therefore must be suppressed.” (p. 29).<\/p>\n

A Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is true that ethnic differences per se would not create violent conflicts. The necessary qualification however is that it is not only the politicians that manipulate or mobilize ethnicity. There are so many intermediary groups involved. The people themselves are involved in the conflict to a great extent through misguided notions or – to use a Marxist phrase – \u2018false consciousness.\u2019That is why education is necessary. Young Marx analyzing the Jewish-Christian conflict (“The Jewish Question,” 1843) asked and answered the following:<\/p>\n

“How is an antagonism to be resolved? By making it impossible.”<\/p>\n

Marx perhaps used too much of \u2018dialectical logic\u2019 to say that \u2018a religious antagonism should be resolved by abolishing religion.\u2019 He meant secularization of the state, I believe, but not suppressing religion as some of the communist countries practiced. There is some truth in what he said, even in respect of ethnic conflicts. \u2018Making a conflict impossible\u2019 is a task for democracy and for the democratic state. It is a task for the international community as well. What he said subsequently on religion also has a relevance for ethnicity, or for possible \u2018de-ethnicization.\u2019<\/p>\n

For example,if the Sinhalese, the Tamils and the Muslims recognize their specific ethnicities as a stage of their evolution, they can have a \u2018critical, scientific and human relationship,\u2019 as Marx opined for the Jews and the Christians. In Marx\u2019smetaphor, \u2018the task is like a snake shedding its skin at a particular stage and taking a new one.\u2019\u2018Recognize the human as the snake that wore them,\u2019 he said. \u2018Then they will no longer find themselves in conflict.\u2019 I am not quoting Marx, but paraphrasing him to suit our situation. Of course Marx was talking about Judaism and Christianity as two stages of the same process or the same snake. What we have here is a couple of snakes of the same species, wearing the same type of skin, the ethnicity!<\/p>\n

Perhaps Marx was too optimistic at his young age. It might not be that simple to transcend ethnicity. But there is a valuable truth in what he said, at least for those who are ready to recognize the reality or human evolution.Ethnicity is only a stage in human development. What might be necessary to avoid conflict is to transform from \u2018ethnicity\u2019 to \u2018common humanity\u2019 at least in our understanding and outlook.<\/p>\n

Courtesy:The Island<\/em><\/p>\n

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By Laksiri Fernando “How is an antagonism to be resolved? By making it impossible.”– Karl Marx There is no mystery about ethnicity. Ethnicity is a product of social history and there is no eternity about it. Evolution of a language, sometimes a religion or religious beliefs, living together in a geographical proximity, development of a …<\/p>\n

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