Dr.Kumar David’s letter titled "Sinhala Nationalism - Triumphal Moment " (Sunday Island – 22.02.2009) is clearly an attempt to distort the significance of the recent elections. The result of the election was a massive endorsement of the policies adopted by the Government to wipe out terrorism. Further it was also a massive out pouring of pent up outrage and indignation of a nation against the bestiality of the LTTE, the monster that had terrorized it for nearly three decades. People voted enmasse for the leadership that fought the enemy bravely, courageously and effectively. It was not a reflection of a nationalism that is anti Tamil in its core though Kumar David (KD) attempts to give it that kind of twist. Tamils too had voted for the UPFA in increased numbers compared to previous polls.

Despite Werner Heisenberg’s " Uncertainty Principle " which he quotes, KD ventures to predict with certainty, this time inspired by Marx, that the Tamils are in for a raw deal for the next five to ten years. Tamils living in the North had been subjected to an extremely raw deal by the LTTE for the last two decades while those living among the Sinhalese have been well looked after. Tamils in the East are beginning to enjoy the freedom they gained from the tyranny of the LTTE.

The demise of a murderous tyrannical psychopath should be a reason at least for a sense of relief if not frank jubilance irrespective of the race the evil belongs to. The fall of Hitler, Pol Pot and such other despots had resulted in a sense of joy and freedom among the affected people. I am sure a great many of the Tamils who had first hand experience of the tyranny of the LTTE would be much relieved now. Therefore KD’s sense of despair could only be explained in terms of Tamil separatism, which the LTTE and its supporters pursued relentlessly. Hence anybody who says the LTTE should not be defeated or feels a sense of loss at its demise could be considered as separatists. Tamil separatism is a phenomenon that had germinated in the minds of Tamil leaders who feared they would lose their privileged position with the granting of universal franchise as far back as in 1920s. Separatism did not manifest among the ordinary Tamils who were living peacefully with the Sinhalese. Thus KD’s dream of partition and his promise to throw himself into the fight is quite understandable.

KD presents two factors, which he says will decide the question of partition. One is the evolution, strength and direction of future Sinhala nationalism. The other is the changes he hopes would occur in International and Indian attitudes. Sinhala Nationalism has a history of self preservation rather than aggression unlike nationalism of other nations in the world including Dravidian nationalism. It grew in strength at the time of South Indian invasions and was able to face up to the European invasions. At the present moment it is on display resisting successfully everything that Tamil Separatism could throw at it locally and internationally and yet without causing any damage to Tamil Nationalism. In fact Sinhala Nationalism at the present moment of time is doing its utmost to protect Tamil Nationalism from the LTTE and perhaps more importantly from foreign neo colonialists too.

That brings us to the second factor KD mentions; the changes in the international and Indian attitudes, which could cause a partition of the country. Does he think that such changes if they do occur would be a result of the love and empathy these foreign powers have for Tamils in Sri Lanka? Do these foreign do gooders treat the minorities in their own countries with empathy? We can forget the atrocities of the past, but could we ignore what is happening now? The reality is that these foreign powers are looking for a foothold in the developing countries to exploit the resources in those countries. Their double standard in relation to terrorism is proof of their intentions. If foreign intervention does occur both the majority and also the minority would lose. Only those who create the openings for the foreign powers stand to benefit. That may be why they want to throw themselves into the fight by affecting "the dialectics of a social Plank’s Constant" as KD suggests. If this happens, Max Plank who propounded the "Plank’s Constant" in his mathematical theory that dealt with radiation of heat, would turn in his grave for he did not mean it to be used for such diabolical purpose!

KD also talks about quislings being imposed in the North and the East in the elections that may be held in those areas and in the same breath he says Anandsangaree’s call for the banning of the TNA is a neo fascist slogan. If ever there was a fascist imposition of quislings in the North, that was the ‘election’ of the TNA stage-managed by the LTTE as reported by independent election observers. In fact the results of that election should have been cancelled straight away but it was not to be perhaps due to the tolerant nature of Sinhala Nationalism. TNA spokesman R.Sambandan as recently as last week was mouthing slogans on behalf of the LTTE. May I ask in what other country would this kind of thing be tolerated? Here is a Government fighting the most ruthless terrorist outfit and its local and foreign supporters, yet it allows the quislings of the terrorists to make loud noises about non existent human right violations, genocide, holocaust etc.knowing very well that these are the openings that the outside forces are looking for. How could KD talk about a lack of democracy just because he has difficulty in accessing the TamilNet when the attitude of the Government towards freedom of speech is so generous as to almost compromise its own safety?

I had requested KD to prove with facts and figures that Tamils are being discriminated on a racial basis in Sri Lanka (Sunday Island-05.10.2008). He has remained silent on this issue and chosen instead to rant on a non-existent oppressive aspect of Sinhala Nationalism making irrelevant references to great scientists like Werner Heisenberg, Max Plank and Charles Darwin in order to give his thesis an academic aura. At least now at this critical juncture could KD tell us in clear terms what he and his ilk refer to as Tamil problem, Ethnic Problem, or the lack of democracy for Tamils in Sri Lanka?