Ceylon Today Editorial

ARISE, TAMILS! TOTALLY UNNECESSARY!!
27 September 2016

 

There's something always that sways for rebellion in the hearts of all of us when a crowd gathers under a common cause. That is why there's power in numbers and strength in unity. We are, inherently, creatures of passion that need to be motivated and driven toward a common goal and we have known our share of rebellions and revolutions.

Last Saturday's Ezhuga Tamizh rally organized by the Tamil People's Council in Jaffna was no doubt a revolution. It was a movement that called for immediate solutions to the war grieved north of the country, the immediate demilitarization of the provinces as well as the move against the Sinhala colonization.

Northern Province Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran who spearheaded the rally/revolution had clearly not thought it through before actually giving approval to the said rally/revolution because it clearly received a severe backlash from others.

Tamil National Alliance and Chief Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan straight away denied any involvement in the rally that took the town by storm. He had acknowledged to the media that it is anyone's right to protest in any part of the country but denied that his coalition had anything to do with the protest.

What stirred most people's pots were the controversial slogans that had been chanted in the protest. The protest theme that made a clarion call to Tamils of the country to "wake up" gained notoriety in the media in a matter of days and continues to kick the proverbial hornet's nest.

Such slogans are unnecessary; that is undeniable. "Arise, Tamils!" not only reeks of segregation, but also borders on alienating an entire ethnicity apart from the country which is struggling to achieve reconciliation after a 33-year long terrorist/separatist war. This is when the rally becomes a revolution and will eventually break into a rebellion asking for a separate State.

Little would have Chief Minister Wigneswaran or any one of his lackeys, known when they came up with this slogan. Either they do not realize they are contributing to the same vicious cycle that made this country a living hell up to seven years ago or they simply have a really low understanding of English.

Regardless, this protest was something completely unnecessary that can have severe implications in the long run. In a situation of this magnitude, one would expect the government to take intelligent and well thought out decisions to address this matter. But, the reality is far from it.

State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene had been adamant that the government will not be enkindled by extremist groups that make obnoxious requests. He had also assured that regardless of the demands, the government will not take any steps to remove the military from the North.

The government promises the continuation of the reconciliation process at the face of the international bodies. Yet, the government or clueless ministers who are part of it are making obnoxious claims which can only be compared with the ridiculous demands made by Chief Minister Wigneswaran and his lackeys.

It is high time these so-called public representatives realized that military camps do not hinder a reconciliation process nor does it affect issues of the war grieved. Perhaps the military occupation has an adverse effect on the populace's psyche and instils a fear of the military. But then again, 'don't these protests that demand the removal of the 'big bad army' reinforce such fears? Wouldn't preaching of Sinhala colonization make things worse for the reconciliation process?

The South has its own extremists who the government rarely addresses and implicates. But the government is quick to make rather stupid decisions when it comes to addressing extremism in the North. In the process of reconciliation, we cannot help but wonder, whether the government has forgotten one extremist group over the other.