Coming from an Indo-Lankan lineage, in the 50’s – as a school boy – I remember several known people shuttled between Ceylon and India via the Fort Railway Station at very short notice – sans any mandatory papers. The trek by foot, I believe, was prior to the arrival of the railway here (1905?)…. In talking of historians, I do not suggest we go by history written by your men of your own race only – that will narrow your source of knowledge to a very narrow field indeed. Sinhala historians Sir Paul Peiris, Dr. S. Paranavithana, Dr. Colvin R. de Silva did not seek to distort history and remain neutral historians who command respect. Look at what Indrapala/n has done to himself in his latest about- turn. Your analogy of evidence-Court procedure is interesting – and, in most instances, true. But, Sir, in a court of law the presiding judges are not willing to allow time eternal to debunk the other side. Whereas, in a historical work, there is unlimited time to engage discrepencies…… Re. Nalin de Silva – see his comments last week in Island’s Midweek Review. The man has done a somersault about his claim of the time of arrival of Tamils to Jaffna, Lankan royalty etc. Nalin’s claim – which you strangely seem to agree with – that Tamils came to Jaffna only 400 years ago – is preposterous. Nalin is now changing gears on this….. My comments about the presence of Tamils here over 3,000 years ago is supported by not only Sir Paul Peiris – but by the very presence of the holy Tiruketheeswaram, Koneswaram and, across the sea, Rameshwaram temples that have stood perhaps longer. Your man Roberts contests this elsewhere in his rush to become a Sinhala champion. Re. Lankan Citizenship, the 7 year period, I think, was subject to applicant not having remitted any money in recent times to relatives in India, Sir, (Mr. Thondaman) senior himself, my close and good friend, told me that Lankan officials sabotaged the easy acquisition of Lankan citizenship by various bureaucratic obstacles…. As I mentioned earlier, SJV originally was opposed to the Separate State idea but fell in line in the face of Sinhala obstinacy to consider Reasonable Tamil demands…. Please forgive me for some strong words I used in my previous rejoinders to your comments. Let me conclude by saying, in spite of all the deep wounds in the Tamil pysche – like you and DBSJ, I want to still see a united, peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka of tomorrow where any one wishing to live any where in the island should be enabled by the State to do so unambiguously. I think this is still possible and there is space in the hearts of millions of decent Sinhala folks TODAY to realise this – notwithstanding the JVP, JHU, Nalin de Silva, Champika Ranawaka, Udaya Gammanpila, Dinesh Gunawardena and those Buddhist priests of the Sinhala chauvinistic fringe…. …… I extend to you my good wishes for many more years of pleasant retirement…I hope to continue to read your useful and well structured comments.

Hi, I agree as you said Sinhalese lived in northeast too in the ancent time but like that Tamils too lived in every corner in the ancent time. If you go through the names of the places in Sinhalese areas you will agree with me. This country had never been ruled as one country throughout the history until the Britishers time. Just because the constitution they left behind made the Sinhalese the sole owners of the country they thought each and every corner of the country is belonged to them. They wanted to colonize the North and East with Sinhalese and they wanted to become majority there too. Northeast is the driest part of the country but all the wettest part of east and southern half of Vavuniya is already given to the Sinhalese. North of Vavuniya there are no rivers(only seasional streams) that is why the Sinhalese didn’t show much interest in that. Otherwise North also would have been like East. So if Sinhalese want to rule it as one country you have to go back how it was in the ancent and find a solution similar to that. In adition to colonization the government finding the bhudist ruins and claiming as theirs and accuiring land (like Digamadulla) can the Tamils too claim Polanaruwa. After the Sinhalese moved from North Central to the Southwest before 900 years because of Maleria epedamic the Sinhalese population grew very fast. But the Tamils were still living in the Northeast and continue to die and that is what created the problem (majority minority problem). The British majority rule policy automatically handed over the fate of the Tamils in the Sinhaleses hand and we are further unfortune now our fate is in another dictator Pirabaharan’s hand. The god has made us to savive for the 2500 years and he will definitely help us to savive.

Any redress to Indian Tamil Community today as there’s nothing much to speak of(They still live in Colonial line quarters and in squalors of British Empire) speaks volumes of Sinhala Leadership Motives to make Ceylon a Monolithic Sinhala Only Country. Well, They failed and have A “Failed State” to rule upon.

The “What If” of today is not going to do any good. The solutions are:
First, the umbilical chord of Indian Tamils to Estates must be severed.
Second, State Land and housing must be given to IT Community
Third, their freedom to choose their employment must be enshrined in constitution. This makes Sinhalese also gaining employment in estates as labourers.
Fourth, Education and Employment in State Sector must be guaranteed.
Fifth, the sinhala leaders can GO one step further and make laws to enable all communities gain employment and leadership roles in all state sectors in proportion to their population contribution+ make private sector have workers from all communities. (The South African Rugby Teams must comprise of five Black Players in their national/provincial teams!!!)
UNTIL THESE REDRESS ARE IMPLEMENTED, INDIAN TAMIL COMMUNITY WILL LANGUISH AS THE ONLY COMMUNITY IN THE WORLD TO CONTRIBUTE TO A NATIONS ECONOMY AND STILL NOT REAP ANY BENEFITS FROM IT!