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| Sunday, 10 August 2003 |
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Peace with honour Voices Text of a letter sent to 'Secretary, United Nations Organisation' by International Organizer France of Anagarika Dharmapala Foundation Thilakaratne Mallawa Arachchi. Sri Lanka is a country with a nation called "Sinhalese" who claims a continuous history of 2500 years. Their unrecorded history extends into past unknown. Sinhalese people were knowns as "Hela" before the 6th century B.C. and after mixing with North Indian settlers and with Buddhism "Helas" were popularly known as Sinhalese. The ancient "Hela Empire" which was known as "Asura" extended along the western coast of the Indian sub-continent, Afghanistan, Middle-East upto Romania and Hungary. The Sinhalese word "Ramania" means "beautiful Country". The local king called "Danuba" gave name Danuba for the other end of the empire. King "Ravana" who plays the main role in "Ramayana" was the most powerful emperor of them who abducted princess Sita by his aeroplane called "Pushpaka or Dandumonara" The special characteristic of Sinhalese nation is to keep themselves away from river valleys by constructing "Wewa" (tank in English) to irrigate their lands while being situated in South Asia monsoonal Region where River Valley Civilization were the common feature there. Archaeologists have now revealed that the lion symbol of the Sri Lankan flag had gone to ancient Babylonia from Hela Island. All these evidences indicate that Sinhalese were the only "nationals" in Sri Lanka predominantly. From the 13th century onwards Muslims became the traders of the sea-ports other than the North of Ceylon where Tamils were the traders. Both these sections were considered as foreigners. During the rule of western powers (Dutch and English) since 18th century, Tamils and Muslims migrated to the interior of the island and started having their settlements. Soon after the taking over of the entire country by the British in 1815; the Sinhalese ruling class was brutally massacred at the "Uva Wellassa" liberation struggle in 1818 and brought it to an end. Governor Robert Brownrig claims that he successfully laid the foundation for a Tamil elite class in Jaffna, the northern capital by establishing English Education to succeed the suppressed Sinhalese ruling class under the British rule. The harvest is now reaped as "Eelam State" where the responsibility could be fixed to Great Britain. At the so-called peace-talks the Tamil terrorists have a voice to raise their bogus claims through Dr. Anton Balasingham, Thamil Selvam and Karuna where Sinhalese do not have anyone at least to say that they are the nationals of Sri Lanka. While peace-talks are in progress the LTTE is collecting revenue in north and east, implementing their own Laws which indicates an Independent State. Further they openly collect arms and ammunition and train their army cadres which means, getting ready for military attacks. They have not changed their purification of the North and Eastern provinces as a pure Tamil State. Muslims are represented at peace-talks by the Hon. Minister of Ports and Ports Authority Mr. Rauff Hakeem; the Leader of the Muslim Congress. Internally they also negotiate with the Prime Minister and the government against anti-Muslim actions of the LTTE. Out of the three government ministers Mr. Rauf Hakeem represents the Muslims and the other two Ministers Mr. G. L. Peiris and Mr. Milinda Moragoda do not represent the Sinhalese people or the majority Buddhists as these two ministers are not Buddhists. The fate of the Sinhalese Buddhists is so pathetic that they are not mentioned at least in these so called peace-talks. But they are the people who built up the civilization and the culture in Sri Lanka. According to the popular concept "Right of Nations" they are the owners of the country who should take National Decisions, but simply kept away and neglected. We fear that Sri Lanka will become a federal state as these terrorists are demanding the right to the Ocean, right to the land, police and judiciary. If that happens the division of the country is inevitable, without any doubt. Then the blood that our youth shed, and suffered for over twenty years will be in vain. They sacrificed their young lives to protect the country and nothing else. England is a Unitary State. Those who live in England belonging to other nationalities must accept and adhere to the English way of life its culture and languages. It is so in America too. Even in Australia they have laws, rules, regulations to govern other minority groups without harming Australians. Why cannot these minority races live like good Sri Lankans in word and deed and value our culture, our history, and our way of life. Minister, G. L. Peiris and Milinda Moragoda have given in too much to these Terrorists. It looks like they are bending on their knees and buying peace. We earnestly hope this would end. We want Peace, but Peace with Honour. So we Sinhalese Buddhists wish to have a Sinhalese Leader to air our grievances at these Peace Talks. We earnestly wish that it will be fulfilled in the near future. |
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