Doing away with divisions

Nimal Ranasinghe (NR) in his ‘Letter to the Editor’ on July 4 wants us to agree we are Sri Lankans and not Muslims or Tamils. Definitely, we should call ourselves Sri Lankans, and not go by our ethnicity. NR says some want a Tamil Nadu and others an Arabian land which keeps them apart from other communities. NR does not analyse why minorities do not feel this country is their own and want areas where they are the majority under their administrative control. This is because minorities are denied opportunities to participate in administration in Government Departments, Statutory Corporations and Boards. Almost all top jobs like Ministry Secretaries are held by Sinhalese and Corporations and Boards are almost always headed by Sinhalese. The Security Forces is almost 100% Sinhalese from top to bottom. Recently a Task Force was established for preserving archaeological sites in the Eastern Province where Tamils and Muslims are the majority. However, its members are Sinhalese. It is in these circumstances that minorities are compelled to fight for their rights and feel they are second-class citizens and do not feel it is worth calling themselves Sri Lankans.

NR must look at India where everyone calls themselves Indian irrespective of ethnicity, except in Kashmir where Pakistan is encouraging division. If minorities are allowed to participate in the country’s Public Administration and are recruited to the Security Forces there will be unity in the country with no divisions. NR must realise that if the majority community create the conditions and practice the great teachings of Lord Buddha, then minorities will feel they are Sri Lankans and not indulge in divisions.

-V. RAJENDRA