Tamil Exodus and Beyond: An Analysis of the National Conflict in Sri Lanka by Vasantha Raja is a remarkable story. It is remarkable not only because the Tamil people continue to suffer in the most merciless way but because Tamil politicians and militants continue to exploit them unabashedly to meet their goals and objectives. Unfortunately, Vasantha Raja has got trapped in this power game.
Ethnically, Vasantha Raja is half a Tamil. He is married to an ethnic Sinhalese. Vasantha Raja's psyche was more Sinhalese than Tamil for he grew up, schooled and went to university in a predominantly Tamil area.
But tragedy has it that little knowledge is dangerous. As a high profile SLBC Chairman with access to President Chandrika Kumaratunga, Wasantha Raja only spent less than a year in Sri Lanka during the past decade. He made two visits to Jaffna and met the LTTE leaders. He had extensive discussions with LTTE leaders in London. Vasantha Raja genuinely believes in all the propaganda that he has been exposed to by the LTTE.
This approach does not diminish the value of the book. The book is an important historical document for three reasons.
First, the book contains the LTTE mindset of the two nation theory. This is the argument the LTTE has been advocating for over two decades. Sri Lanka does not have to look far to see the consequences of nations that are created on ethnicity and religion. India and Pakistan are classic examples. If Sri Lanka is divided on the same basis, Tamil Eelam and Sri Lanka will be similar foes.
Second, the projection of the plight of the Tamils and the pomp of the government in the book is no different to what the massive LTTE propaganda machinery has been pumping the west during the past decade. The LTTE has politicized and mobilized nearly 400,000 members of the Tamil diaspora to fund or support them using this type of propaganda. It offers the government some food for thought.
Third the book has some invaluable photographs released by the LTTE's International Secretariat in London and also some important annexures that reflect the degree of control the LTTE has over the Tamil academics, public officials, education system as well as their sympathies.
This is a book that must be read from cover to cover by President Chandrika Kumaratunga and those who were involved with her in the peace negotiations with the LTTE. Nobody else would share or totally agree with Vasantha Rajah's version or analysis but it is a reflection of how a person can be influenced by an ideology - the LTTE mindset.
Was Vasantha Raja vulnerable to the LTTE mindset? Yes. Ethnically he was vulnerable. The fact that he ceased to be the chairman of SLBC made him more vulnerable. The fact that he could not go back to his job at BBC in London made him further vulnerable.
There are three thoughts Vasantha Raja must reflect over. First, what is the purpose of negotiating with a formidable foe? Did the government delegation acknowledge that the LTTE was a formidable foe? What was the government willing to compromise during the negotiations with the LTTE?
Second, what is the role of good solid and an effective mediator? Could Vasantha Raja have qualified in this category? Where did he stand? Could he have played a constructive role, because of his reasonably good links with the LTTE and the government? Or would both sides mistrust him? Can Vasantha Raja play a constructive role in the future?
Third, with the insight Vasantha Raja gained can he use it not to propagate a separatist agenda but to build the broken bridges between the two communities.
The era of tribalism is over - if people are going to be divided based on religion, ethnicity, language or history, it is a great tragedy. Where will Vasantha Raja stand, if Sri Lanka is divided on the basis of one is a Tamil or a Sinhalese? Where will Vasantha Raja's wife stand in relation to Vasantha Raja?
Today the LTTE has driven out all the Sinhalese and Muslims from the northern province. Vasantha Raja has failed to criticize the actions of the LTTE. A good book should praise the good actions of the LTTE and criticize their bad actions. Vasantha Raja, unfortunately, has criticized only the bad side and failed to see the good side, of the government. This diminishes the value of the book.
There are some statements Vasantha Raja has made which should make the government policy and decision makers open their eyes. Why has the military strategy of the government failed?
Vasantha Raja portrays the magnitude of the tragedy. The suffering of the people both at the hands of the LTTE and Sri Lanka troops is clearly seen in between the lines of his writing.
The Government must also rethink its strategy. Government wins battle after battle but is losing the war. The Government must think seriously of implementing whatever political package they had to give some confidence to the Tamil people of their sincerity.
Vasantha Raja has a good future as a writer. This is his first book. He has won the confidence of the LTTE and the Tamil diaspora. This can be a stepping stone for him to do an important historical work into the causes and consequences of the Sri Lankan insurgency.
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