Future of Sri Lankan Tamil Hindus – II
B R Haran
Sinhala chauvinism may raise its head!
As almost 85% of Sri Lankan Tamils are Hindus, the re-Hinduisation of their Tamil identity must be taken up on war footing as the Dravidian-Christian combo is in doldrums after the defeat of the LTTE, and will take time to recoup.
President Rajapakse specifically mentioned Buddhist kings (Dutugemunu, Valagamba, Dhatusena and Vijayabahu) who defeated Tamil Kings (Datiya, Pitiya, Palayamara, Siva and Elara). He specifically addressed the Tamil Kings as “invaders.”
Any leader genuinely striving to ensure the freedom and equal rights of the largest minority would not have made such a prejudiced and divisive speech.
However, as a silver lining, a section of Sinhalese has been affectionate and helpful to Tamils. Several organizations from the south have been voluntarily sending food, clothes, etc to the relief camps in the north and many Sinhala doctors and paramedical staff have volunteered to work in the Vavuniya hospital to attend to injured Tamils.
It is the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora that is disgusting.
; a major section of the diaspora is either Christians or converted. This section willingly funded the LTTE, the other section did so out of compulsion. Last year, LTTE banned Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, including the ‘coconut breaking ceremony,’ and asked the Diaspora to send the funds earmarked for the celebration to the Tigers;
Reliable sources say some Buddhist monks have cautioned the President not to make any concessions as “winners do not make concessions” and that the roads in the north (Tamil areas) be renamed after war heroes.
, “Naked triumphalism is like salt to a wound.”
