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Tuesday, July 28, 2009
"Hiresh, pay attention in class and expert your English and you will definitely be able to enter the government service and become very powerful!" Hiresh's father, Nilesh, replied with encouragingly, patting Hiresh's head. Years past. Hiresh have always worked hard for his dream to work for the government. However, his dream was threatened when Sri Lanka gained independence, when the Sri Lankan government passed the Ceylon citizenship Act at 1948. As Hiresh and his family were Tamils, they found themselves stateless. The Tamils were upset as they found it difficult to find jobs or be promoted. Ethnic violence sparked off like a norm during those days as a result of the unfair management of the government of Sri Lanka. Seethingly, Hiresh asked his father as he shook his head in disgust, "Papa, why do we have to learn Sinhala?" "This is to benefit the Sinhalese, the majority," Hiresh's father responded in dismay, looking into his son's eyes. "They are at a disadvantage as they could not read or speak English well." "But, isn't English the most important language?" Hiresh wondered out aloud confusingly, as he tried to read his father's face. Holding on to his son's shoulders, Hiresh's father told Hiresh thoughtfully, "It is but Sinhala have been declared the official language in Srilanka. Now, only Sinhala is used as the language of administration in Sri Lanka." "But don't you think it is really unfair that out of the sudden, given only three weeks,we have to master Sinhala?" Hiresh muttered under his breath agitatedly, staring into his father's eyes. Hiresh's father was stumped by the question Hiresh asked him. Hiresh and his family had no other choice but to abide by the new law. Hiresh studied Sinhala, treating it as a small obstacle towards his dream of working for the government. After the Resettlement in 1950,Hiresh and his family are heavily out numbered by the Sinhalese in the area they live. Hiresh's effort of making it into the government service was paid off when he was given a post in the Government. However, it made Hiresh disappointed and also made him thought himself as a complete failure. He could not make a difference in the treatment provided to the Indian Tamils. Through the years, it was Hiresh's family's support was what kept him staying in the government service. University admission was based on merit and the examinations were in English, before 1970. After 1970, to benefit the Sinhalese, the government introduced a new university admission criteria. Hiresh felt a great sense of guilt when he was informed that the Tamil students had to score higher than the Sinhalese pupils in order to enter the same course in the universities. Moreover, a fixed number of places in the university were reserved for the Sinhalese. Admission was no longer based solely on academic results. Hiresh thought that, this system clearly showed that the Sinhalese were selfish. However, he had to witness the unfairness hopelessly. "Father, I feel hopeless and useless. I have to witness the injustice towards us Tamils, knowing that there was nothing that I could do... I feel that my choice of joining the government service was a mistake," Hiresh stammered distressedly, fighting back his tears. "Son, follow your heart, do what you want," Hiresh's father encouraged hopefully, wiping the tears from Hiresh's face. Hiresh's father exclaimed confidently,"We believe in you and your choices." Hiresh followed his heart and quitted from the government service. Unknowingly, he heaved a sigh of relief. All the policies had made the Tamils felt that they were discriminated. Though they have tried various ways to voice their unhappiness, none of them were successful. Therefore, the Tamils had to depend on their last resort, violence. A militant group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was formed. They believed that resorting to violence was the only way to demand and obtain the rights of the Tamils. When Hiresh found out about the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, he smiled sarcastically. Although the LTTE was a terrorist organisation, he hoped with all his heart that, the rights of the Tamils could finally be retrieved. Violence did not come only from the Tamils.The Sinhalese also showed their hostility towards the Tamils. Riots sparked a long armed conflict between the government forces and the Tamil Tigers. The Tamil Tigers wanted an independent Tamil homeland in the north and east of the country. Hiresh could no longer state his stand whether the LTTE were a terrorist group or heros of the Tamils. He wanted the best for the Indian Tamils but he also did not approve that violence was the correct way to earn back their respect. Only until recently, the Riots between the Sri Lanka government and Tamil Tigers came to an end due to the wipe-out of the Tamil Tigers. However, will things stay peaceful in Sri Lanka? Or is the peace only temporary? Posted by ShAnNoN at |
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