A Buddhist Appeal for Tamil Nadu Sanity

| by Ven. Walpola Piyananda

Chief Sangha Nayake, America

( September 08, 2012, Los Angeles, Sri Lanka Guardian) The open hatred and unrestrained vitriolic outbursts against Sri Lanka by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalithaa are appalling, and, I imagine, a huge embarrassment to the Federal Government of India. Ms. Jayalalithaa’s condoning of the recent attack on Sri Lankan (both Tamil and Sinhalese) religious pilgrims (to a Catholic church, no less), her blocking of the participation of Sri Lankan soccer players from a friendly sports event, and her reckless statements about a Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka makes one pause and reflect on her mental stability, or lack thereof. Her divisive comments and actions demonstrate a level of consciousness that is unbecoming to a Chief Minister – or to any civil servant for that matter – including the lowly bureaucrat put in charge of controlling the population of stray dogs.

Another colorful character, the 88-year-old DMK Chief M. Karunanidhi, with his persistent cries for the establishment of a Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka, is beginning to sound senile in his one-note hatred of Sri Lanka that has gone on for decades, ad nauseum. These two misguided Indian “statesmen,” Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi, are promoting strife, ethnic bloodshed, and separateness when they should be looking to the needs of hundreds of millions of their desperately poor and suffering fellow countrymen. The energy these two continue to pour into their negative, false, ego-driven political pursuits – including their attacks on each other – could be well-spent elsewhere, I assure you; India has plenty of mega problems that are well publicized here in the US.

It is simply all too insane for words.

The nearly 100-million-strong Tamil Diaspora, some of them still frustrated, bitter, in denial, and seemingly terminally depressed after the Sri Lankan military victory over the LTTE, is the cause of these unfortunate, separatist political sentiments. Elements of this diaspora are still financing the international propaganda war, and they are still backing evil characters like MDMK’s Vaiko, who once trained LTTE cadres on Sri Lankan soil, and is now Prabhakaran’s heir-apparent in the never-ending battle for the elusive Eelam. The hatred of thousands from this diaspora knows no bounds.

I understand that the ruling Congress Party needs to appease the Tamil Nadu political parties in order to keep their coalition intact. However, the alienation of Sri Lanka, a close friend and ally for thousands of years, seems to be a stiff price to pay for keeping it the power position, and the Federal Government knows this. Throwing Sri Lanka “under the bus” would not only be disrespectful to our shared history, but it would damage our future peaceful co-existence as well. I have to applaud the Indian Federal Government for its remarkable balancing act, given the dozens of conflicting positions the coalition represents, and, in spite of the protests, for coming out strong in support of post-war Sri Lanka.

I have to warn the Indian Government, though, that traitors like Vaiko will stop at nothing until a Tamil Eelam is secured – somewhere – at any cost. It was first a failed dream for Burma, then a failed dream in Sri Lanka, and now they have the dream of carving out Tamil Nadu itself from the Federation of Indian States. This is their end-game, Mr. Singh, so make no mistake about it. Please keep a close eye on Mr. Vaiko; he was a terrorist in Sri Lanka, and he is up to no good in India, I assure you.

Earlier this week in Quebec, Canada, the first female was elected Premier. She is an outspoken French separatist who openly vows to carve out a separate country of Quebec from Canada. At least she is being honest about her feelings and intentions. The leaders of Tamil Nadu are not being so honest, and they are using their hatred of Sri Lanka as a “cover” for their own separatist agenda.

In a global era where we should be concentrating on building alliances for survival, carving out little countries for ethnic egotism seems a little out of place – a little insane. Racism has no place in the modern world, so let’s start building bridges based on the reality of our common humanity, and try our best to put aside those perceived differences that drag us apart. The Tamil Eelam issue is completely obsolete and insane. Can’t we finally put it behind us and get along?

If Ms. Jayalalithaa and Mr. Karunanidhi really want to do something useful for the Tamil people, why don’t they start with the Tamil refugees from the Sri Lankan conflict who have been living in camps in Tamil Nadu – some of them for thirty years? These people truly need help. Why don’t these two senior statesmen get together with the Indian Federal Government and the Government of Sri Lanka and come up with a good plan for repatriating these poor people? They have suffered enough.

Times are tough all over the world right now. The problems we all face are huge, and many are concerned about their very survival. More than ever we need to heed the Buddha’s advice and practice compassion and loving-kindness for all. The alternative is more hatred, more divisiveness, more greed for power, and an abundance of unhappiness for all.

In the words of Jawaharlal Nehru, “Let us think that the truth may not perhaps be entirely with us. Let us cooperate with others, let us, even when we do not appreciate what others say, respect their views, and their way of life.”