From: raman@cs.utexas.edu (Raman Rajagopalan)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.tamil
Subject: Re: parallels - TN reservation and Sri Lankan Situation
Date: 7 Sep 1992 23:06:47 -0500
Organization: CS Dept, University of Texas at Austin
NNTP-Posting-Host: bathtub.cs.utexas.edu

In article <MOHAN.92Sep7105138@tnds09.newshost> mohan@tnds09.newshost (Lavanya-Mohan) writes:
>In article <lakp2kINNmrl@bathtub.cs.utexas.edu> raman@cs.utexas.edu (Raman Rajagopalan) writes:
>
>
>There may be some similarities between the reservation scheme in TN and
>the situation of SL Tamils, but it is certainly not a complete comparison.
>The sufferings of SL Tamils are far beyond any comparison.
>
>I point out some of the sufferings of SL Tamils that are not experienced
>by any particular cast in TN:
>
>- SL Tamils are discriminated because of their language, whereas in TN all
>  speak the same language. 

Not much difference between discrimination based on color, caste, religion,
or language, as noted by another poster already.

>- SL Tamils suffered periodical riots against them, while the government
>  machinery was just watching, or even being behind it. The worst was in
>  July 1983 (so far).

The DMK openly attacked brahmin youths in places like tiruchi.  Cutting
off poonal, etc.  Somewhat equivalent to planned riots.

>- SL Tamils suffer planned settlements of Sinhalese people by the government
>  directly and indirectly in their majority areas (sinhala clonization),
>  with the intention of gradually making them a minority in any part of SL.
>  This is going on and on for a long time... For example, check the ethnic-
>  wise population statistics of places of the North and East of SL over the
>  decades, particularly in the East.
>
I can't think of similarities to this one in TN.
>
>
>// Mohan
>
>--
>=  S. Lavanya-Mohan               E-mail:    mohan@tele.nokia.fi    =
>=  Nokia Telecommunications       Telephone: +358-0-511 5671        =
>=  Finland                        Telefax:   +358-0-511 5615        =
>=====================================================================


A clarification of my intent in my original posting is required.
I wish no ill-will upon Sri Lankans.  I agree that as a group, they
have suffered.  I am submitting this post since the original has
attacted a response from a new name, Mr. Mohan.

My post was directed at three individuals, Mr. Vishnu, Kathiravan,
and Pandian, who have been engaging in sending anti-brahmin, anti-vedic
culture postings, and who happen to support both the caste based
reservations in Tamil Nadu and the LTTE struggle for an independent
Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka.

It appears to me that the "moral justification" for supporting the
need for an independent Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka would contradict
with the "moral justification" for caste based reservation in Tamil
Nadu.

I would like to sympathesize with the Jews for their suffering
during the Nazi Holocaust, but that sympathy is diluted somewhat
by the Israeli treatment of the Palestinians.  Similarly, I am
unable to see how the afore-mentioned individuals have ANY moral
high ground to stand on when they are willing to become the
oppressor when they stand to benefit.

- raman rajagopalan


Newsgroups: soc.culture.tamil,soc.culture.indian