Champika Ranawake Challenged

by R. Manoharan

(October 23, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) It is a pity that the “Daily Mirror” thought it fit to publish an article on 16/10/2008 by Champika Ranwaka, of the rightwing Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) who displayed a total ignorance of Sri Lankan history.

Even if we agree with the Sri Lankan Buddhist’s Claim that their history starts with the arrival of Vijaya and his friends in 423 years B.C, what claim they have to assert that the Sinhalese are the organic race of Sri Lanka. They themselves are visitors who got married to the indigenous people.

The Sinhalase language is a mixture of the indigenous language with Pali. By their own admission Vijaya and his friends got married again in Tamil Nadu. Hindu Temples in Kathirkamam, Koneswaram Trincomalee, Ketheeswaram in Mannar and Muneeswaran in Chilaw have existed even before the period of “Ravana” who was a Tamil Hindu, and the Sinhalese themselves accepted that Sita was imprisoned by King Ravana at Sitha Eliya near Nuwaraluja.

If at all, the Sinhalese are the visitors. Whatever happened in the past is history. The hard fact remains that the Tamils and the Sinhalese have lived in Sri Lanka for more than two thousand years. Historically Tamils have ruled the Sinhalese and the Sinhalese have ruled the Tamils. Both must recognise their right to co-existence and their right to self determination and homeland. - Sri Lanka Guardian