Learn Sinhala language: NPC member Akilathas Sivakolunthu

The Tamil community had to face major disasters in the past as they did not learn the Sinhala language, NPC Member Akilathas Sivakolundu said.

He made the above comments after participating as the chief guest at the “Sinhala Language Day” event held at the Central Ladies’ College Nelliady on Saturday.

Mr. Sivakolundu said that during the security round ups in the past,tamil youth were arrested by mistake in Vadamarachchi as they were not conversant with the Sinhala language.”you are not aware that. I, as the President of the Nelliady Traders Association then, had interacted in Sinhala with the Police and the Army and succeeded in releasing many youth arrested by them. There were restrictions to learn Sinhala when we were students then and the political leaders too voiced against it.all the Tamils who spoke Sinhala were seen as traitors and hence there were no opportunities to the Tamils to study Sinhala and only a few educated people who held high positions, learned the language and established their lives. Those with lack of facilities did not show concern to study Sinhalese and they were sidelined,” Mr. Akilathas Sivakolundu said.

However, Sinhala language had been made compulsory today to hold high positions and also to get government appointments. Hence, many of those who studied in the past were languishing without any promotions, he said.“It has been made compulsory now for all those who seek government jobs to compulsorily study the Sinhala language from this year. I totally reject the notion that the Tamils will lose their identity by learning Sinhala. We must learn Sinhala like how we study English or any other language. We can get anything done in any part of the country if we can converse in Sinhala,” he said.

I totally reject the notion that the Tamils will lose their identity by learning Sinhala