Galle, Sri Lanka. As I travel through Sri Lanka, covering the nation as it seeks reconciliation among its diverse population after decades of conflict, I am receiving e-mails from my friends at home asking me to review the basics for them. Here we go:
Sri Lanka is an island nation off the southern tip of India in South Asia. It was populated mostly by Buddhists called Sinhalese until Europeans took over. Before then, the island had three kingdoms, namely Kandy in the central hills, Kotte on the Western coast, and Jaffna in the north.
Europe never seemed to like non-white kingdoms. The Portuguese attacked first, then the Dutch. They built an incredible fort -- a walled city -- in the southern city of Galle. The British then took control through the British East India Company in about 1800.
The British grew tea plantations when they controlled the island, and they brought more people over from the south of India to work the plantations. These people were Hindu, from the Indian province of Tamil Nadu. They are known as Tamils. There were also Tamils already well established on the island.
Historically, Moslems traveled extensively throughout Africa and Asia -- all the way down to Indonesia. There are many Moslems in Sri Lanka today.
Sri Lanka declared independence from the British in 1948, becoming the Commonwealth of Ceylon.
Once known as Ceylon and now called the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, the country has a population of about 20 million -- about the same number as New York State. It covers territory the size of 'Almost Heaven,' West Virginia.
Interestingly, Arabs called Sri Lanka "Serendib," from which comes the word "serendipity" -- the lucky tendency to find an interesting or valuable thing by chance.
Sri Lanka is derived from the Sanskrit word "lanka," meaning "island." Not just any island, but the island described in the ancient Indian epics Mahabharata and the Ramayana, which are the basis for Indonesia's shadow puppets.
Ethnically, today Sinhalese make up 74% of the population, with Tamils comprising 19%, and Moors (Arabs) about 7%. Theologically, Buddhists comprise 70%, Hindus 15%, Christians 8%, and Moslems 7%.
Sri Lanka's primary industry has been tourism, although a decades-long conflict in the north, the Tsunami, and now a global recession have crippled the tourist industry. Most of the tourists have been British and German.
It is not all tourism. Tea, rubber, and textiles have played a major role in Sri Lanka's economic development. The country has a per capita gross domestic product of about $2,000 per year.
Sri Lanka is hot. Very hot. The average yearly temperature ranges from 82 to 88 degrees, although in the central highlands the average temperature is 61. The tallest mountain is taller than Mount Washington in New Hampshire, at over 8,000 feet.
The island does not have our seasons, but rather the monsoon, which brings rains. Sri Lanka is humid. In the capital, Colombo, humidity is above 70% all year round, rising to almost 90% during the monsoon season in June.
The city of Colombo was established as the administrative center of the British colony, and the British established modern schools, colleges, roads and churches that brought European education and culture.
According to Hindu mythology, a land bridge to the Indian mainland, known as Rama's Bridge, was constructed during the time of Rama. Often referred to as Adam's Bridge, it now amounts to only a chain of limestone shoals remaining above sea level.
Another nature fact: the Yala National Park in the southeast of the island, founded by the British, protects herds of elephant, deer, and monkeys. I have been driven around it in a jeep and it is surprisingly similar to an African safari.
There is a dark side to Sri Lankan politics, just as Malaysia and Indonesia had their years of living dangerously. In the late 1950's one of their political leaders used race and religion to divide the people and gain power. He did horrible things, and the people allowed it.
They declared that Sri Lanka was a Sinhalese nation. They mandated Sinhala, the language of Sri Lanka's majority Sinhalese community spoken by over 70% of Sri Lanka's population, as the sole official language of Sri Lanka.
This forced large numbers of Tamil civil servants who could not meet this language requirement to resign. Social instability reigned.
Soon, an attempt to make Buddhism the national religion, excluding Hindu and Islam, was also made.
So-called 'affirmative action' in favor of Sinhalese -- in a similar line to Malaysia and Indonesia -- was also instituted. They claimed this would reverse colonial discrimination against Sinhalese in favor of Tamil.
One of my favorite writers is the award-winning Sri Lankan-Canadian, Shyam Selvadurai. His riveting novel Funny Boy, about coming of age as a gay Asian, is set with the backdrop of anti-Tamil sentiment, where the characters in his family are beaten -- even murdered -- by the politically-blinded Sinhalese crowds.
Trust me, you would have rooted for the Tamils during this dark period. It was truly horrible.
Many Tamils wanted to fight back and began to call for a northern state where they could live in peace, not a strange desire at all considering the bloodshed.
Over time, the Sinhalese politicians quieted and the lynch-mob mentality waned. Sri Lankans began to embrace diversity, and Tamil was accepted as a national language. The Constitution was revised to make Sri Lanka a multi-ethnic and interfaith nation.
The Tamil Tigers were born during this era, resorting to terrorism and refusing to accept that they were no longer being targeted as outsiders. The leadership refused to join the national mainstream as it moderated, and pushed their people to demand separation.
Although the Sri Lankan nation had moved forward and embraced diversity, the Tamil hard-liners rejected peace, perhaps because they desired power. Turf. They pushed for control until they were finally defeated, only a few weeks ago.
As repressive as Sri Lanka was in the 1950's, the nation led the world a decade later. In 1960 the people of Sri Lanka elected the first-ever female head of government in the world. America has yet to match this mark.
Through the Cold War-era, Sri Lanka followed a foreign policy of non-alignment but has remained closer to the United States and Western Europe. Sri Lanka has also received considerable assistance from China.
Even though the military has been busy fighting the Tigers, Sri Lanka has also contributed soldiers to the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Haiti. I have met many a peacekeeper in Port-au-Prince or Gonaives who are from Galle.
I personally hope to retire to this hot, multi-cultural nation. Having built orphanages here, as well as in Haiti and Indonesia, through Orphans International Worldwide, I have to admit that I like the cities of Jacmel and Manado as well.
But I dream of growing old in Galle, in the Southern Province of the nation of Sri Lanka.
Follow Jim Luce on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jimluce
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7075866.stm
GOSL can't even dream about to touch the tamil rebels itself. With the help of china, India, pakistan which are in the human rights watch list,
Jim, Journalist like you don't care about humanrights, death of civilians, people living in displacement camps in their ownland. You people supporting the people who is creating orphanage and dreaming to built orphanage homes. wow what a dream!!!. FYI. Read below links
http://books.google.ca/books?id=W3aAB9IFVdkC&pg=PA94&lpg=PA94&dq=who+killed+swrd+bandaranayaka&source=bl&ots=O-b2PjdCyz&sig=D_3pGOTyxuw4Q9xvfQsKSuy6Scs&hl=en&ei=1OEvStmfBY2kNczE1IcK&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1#PPA90,M1
http://www.lankalibrary.com/pol/swrd.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talduwe_Somarama
. Sri Lankan government is calling for aid to rehabilitate the 3000,000 displaced Tamil civilians. They expect cash like Indian aid of 5,000 million rupees without attaching any conditions. Sri Lankan government has nominated a committee of 19 Singhalese and 1 Muslim to manage these funds, no Tamils in the committee. A ship holding 900 tons of relief materials sent by UK Tamils and French Tamils was in the Sri Lankan harbor for 5 days. The entire shipment was checked by the Sri Lankan government authorities and certified that the shipment contains only relief materials; however, the defense ministry ordered the ship to leave without unloading. The Tamil civilians are suffering in the camps. What the Tamils want is the rehabilitation done by the international agencies without handing it over to the government otherwise the aid will not be effectively utilized.
According to the 2001 census ( http://www.statistics.gov.lk/index.asp ):
•Population: 19.7 million
•Sinhalese population: 74%
o Sri Lankan Tamils (not including the Northern Province): 4.3%
o Indian Tamils (not including the Northern Province): 5.1%
•Estimated total Tamil population (including the Northern Province): 18%
•Muslim (Moor and Malay) population: 7.0%
•Others (Burgher etc.): 1%
•Sinhalese and Muslims currently living in the Northern Province: 0
•Tamil population living in the South: 12.1%
A blood-thirsty racist group the LTTE terrorized against the Government of Sri Lanka and its people, irrespective of their ethnicity, with a purported intention of carving out a separate state that they can ‘govern’ according to their whims.
The majority of the Tamil community consisting of 18% of population), live in peace and harmony among the Sinhalese 74% and the Muslims 7 throughout the country.
The entire Sinhalese and the Muslims population that used to live in the Northern areas for centuries were either killed or chased away by the LTTE. No Sinhalese or Muslim was able to live freely in Jaffna due to the fear of being killed in one of the ever-frequent ‘ethnic cleansing’ rampages by these terrorists - hacked to death entire Sinhalese villages in their so-called 'ethnic cleansing' of the North.
1000's ofTamils are living in Colombo in peace with the other communities. The Tamil population in Colombo district is 12.1%
So, who is discriminated?
Do you need more evidence?
if you can't admit to past failures, how do you think sri lanka will ever move on?
When the camera lies for terror :
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20090515_13
Thanks, again, Jim Luce, for not falling prey to these false propaganda!
Also, see how happy the innocent Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka are to be free from being held as a 'human shield' by thier own 'liberators' - the terrorists:
JAFFNA & COLOMBO EXPLODES INTO REVELRIES AS NEWS BROKE
http://www.army.lk/detailed.php?NewsId=497
Of course, you could only provide links to official Defence Ministry and Army websites.
Interesting argument the government makes about doctored images. On what basis, since they raised the issue, are we not supposed to see the smiling woman with camera as part of government doctoring? One picture makes the case for all the videos and photos that have come out about Vanni? They really are a bit thick, aren't they? If they weren't, perhaps this problem would have been solved ages ago.
The govt "talks the talk" but never "walks the walk" Re: federalism or reconciliation or human rights
Sri Lanka turns back Tamil aid ship
http://vannimission.org/2009/06/08/press-release-8th-june
http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=51453
Just one simple omission. Luce tells us that there were three kingdoms, Kandy, Kotte and Jaffna. What he doesnt tell us was that Jaffna was a tamil kingdom going back at least before Christ. And Tamils have lived in Ceylon for thousands of years, as long as the Sinhalese. And no, discrimination didnt stop in the 70, 80s 90s or 00s. It got worse.
! am glad as a foreigner, he will have the opportunity to retire peacefully in Sri Lanka. Perhaps the Post should be viewed with that Intention in mind.
Naomi Klein explains in "The Shock Doctrine" that, after the Tsunami, the corrupt government prevented the survivors to go back to many fishing villages. They wanted to prevent them from claiming their properties while they where selling the beach front land to foreign companies to build luxury tourist resorts.
My guess is that now the history is repeating itself.
It would be really interesting if you could explain what powers are determining the fate of those poor war refugees.
"Soon, an attempt to make Buddhism the national religion, excluding Hindu and Islam, was also made." Not just an attempt; Buddhism was made "foremost religion" and still remains so (Chapter II, Constitution). Buddha Sasena, and associated acts of building Buddhist temples over knocked down Hindu and Christian sites, still remains a state sponsored affair, especially in Trinco and Jaffna.
Jim, I feel bad laughing at your ignorance; so, this is all for now.
It seems like you have some serious issue with Buddhists in Sri Lanka. I hope your demonizing is taken kindly by your countrymen, because it is not easy living with people who have such warped views of reality.
Sri Lanka doesn't have a national religion. They do give a special status to Buddhism, but all four religions get government resources proportionately. Are you telling me you don't know this?
Anyway state support for religions is the norm for countries with long standing histories like Sri Lanka. Look at Europe, UK or Norway don't suppress religious freedoms because their governments are officially protecting Christianity.
Any visitor to Sri Lanka can see that there is an amazing amount of religious diversity there including many fringe groups hell bent on evangelizing. I am surprised that they are even allowed to operate so openly there.
Although nobody wants it, given a choice among the worlds religions, Buddhism is by far the best choice for a state religion because it isn't really a religion. Buddhist don't claim to have an exclusive relationship God. That is the best religious tolerance there is.
So why this hostility then towards Buddhists? Are we to assume that has something to do with your views on politics or terrorism?
Just to clarify:
Who killed SWRD Bandaranayake? It was a Buddhist monk; stating that does not make me a hater. In fact, Jim mentions SWRD as the orgin of anti-Tamil politics. Thus, it is necessary to note how SWRD died. Almost two decades before Tamils (the so called terrorists) took up arms, Sinhala-Buddhist monks were carrying out political assassinations. That's a fact of history.
Second, does the Sri Lanka favour Buddhism over other religions? I quote from the constitution, "The Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana"
Enuf said.
Please provide more info on;
Can the international aid be allowed to get the camps?
is the 'blackout' and intimidation to media, aid agencies in place?
Do we have a count of civilian deaths?
Any clarity like Gaza or any other wars?
What are the past human rights records?
Do tamils have political freedom or is it a democracy by ethnicity?
Is there any press, judiciary freedom?
Do elephants have more freedom than minority?
Did you see any genuine efforts to resolve the country's longstanding conflict or just the celebrations are order of the day?
Who is building $1B fuel station and radar stations?
If I may answer, I am not aware of any Elephants being bombed out of Vanni to be locked up in internment camps. Although, I suspect a few of them would have died because of the cluster bombings.
"The Constitution was revised to make Sri Lanka a multi-ethnic and interfaith nation."
Reading the constitution would help. I'm being good to you: link http://www.priu.gov.lk/Cons/1978Constitution/Chapter_02_Amd.html
"Sri Lanka has also contributed soldiers to the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Haiti." And they were sent back for raping girls as young as eleven. Selective memory lose? Remind yourself: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7075866.stm
"I have met many a peacekeeper in Port-au-Prince or Gonaives who are from Galle." Given above, I am worried. Hope you don't work at an orphanage.
"I personally hope to retire to this hot, multi-cultural nation. Having built orphanages here, as well as in Haiti and Indonesia." Ohhh God!
There is religious freedom everywhere in that country because government doesn't control religion. In fact there is too much freedom in my opinion, because there are too many questionable fundamentalist groups who go about merrily doing as they please.
No question that some of those evangelicals severely abuse religious freedom. How would you feel if a few Arab islamic countries sent their rich sons to convert us here in our own neighborhoods promising us various things. That is exactly what is happening in Sri Lanka with people who go from US and rich parts of Asia.
If Sri Lanka has religious oppression, then I don't mind at all seeing that kind of oppression in more places, which should include US as well. Then again I would rather not see that anywhere.