This is a response to one of the "quotable quotes" cited by Lynn Ockersz in his review of a collection of papers titled "Pathways of Dissent-Tamil Nationalism in Sri Lanka"(The Island, October 28, 2009). The quotation in question is from a paper titled "Nationalism, Historiography and Archaeology in Sri Lanka" by Emeritus Professor S.K.Sithrampalam . Prof. Sithrampalam states: "However, the colonization of Tamil areas became an obsession of the Sinhalese politicians inspired by the concept of Sinhaladipa. Although, this one sentence addresses two issues, namely "colonization" and "Tamil areas" this response is confined to colonization per se.

A similar statement was made by Prof. S.J. Tambiah in his book "Buddhism Betrayed" several decades ago. He stated: "The Dry Zone was the ancient site of a much glorified Sinhala Buddhist civilization…and a return of Sinhalese peasantry to the areas is seen as a recreation of that past". For perceptions to persist over the several decades despite all the writings on colonization and related subjects reflects a stubborn refusal to acknowledge that there possibly could be other reasons for colonization other than to "recreate a past", or because of obsessions of the Sinhalese politicians to create a Sinhnaldipa. This refusal reflects an objectivity deficit not limited to academics and is therefore a barrier to any hope of a meaningful reconciliation.

The popular perception is that colonization is a post-independence phenomenon. The sentiments expressed by Prof. Sithrampalam were also expressed at the 4th Annual Convention of the Illankai Thamil Arasi Kachchi (ITAK) in August 1956. In point of fact, colonization started long before Independence and the need for it was realized even earlier. Thus, although colonization started in earnest under British Colonial rule in the 1920s the need for it was realized by Governor Henry Ward in mid 1800s, and even earlier by the last Dutch Governor Ryckloff van Goens over 300 years ago.

B.H. Farmer in his outstanding book titled "Pioneer Peasant Colonization in Ceylon" (1957) states: "During the period 1914-1931 there were a number of factors which at various times drew attention to the social and economic problems of Ceylon and its peasantry, and led to suggestions concerning land policy in general and colonization in particular…as the crisis passed and the nature of Ceylon’s basic economic difficulties became apparent, the problem of increasing population came to the forefront (p. 116-117). From the foregoing, it is apparent that the major concern was social in nature and the colonial authorities saw colonization and settlement as the answer to the growing social issue of population pressure".

In the forefront of this movement to support peasant agriculture was Governor Sir Hugh Clifford who "was well aware of the danger of overcrowding…From 1927 onwards, it became the view of the Ceylon Government to assist migration to localities in which peasants, and others of moderate means, can be settled and given the opportunity of forming prosperous colonies upon new land" (Ibid, p. 137). Despite these intentions, the colonial government realized that the only way to overcome the slow rate of voluntary settlement in the Dry Zone was to provide the needed infrastructure such as irrigation facilities, roads, communication and other inducements that included financial assistance in order to ease the social issues arising out of population congestion, and the increase in unemployment in the South following the depression in the early 1930s.

Governor Henry Ward realized the importance of the colonists when he stated: "Why repair Kowdelly Tank or Padiwel Colum and pour streams of water that we cannot use, for want of hands to till the soil? Colonise or do nothing" (S.V. Balasingham, The Administration of Henry Ward, 1855-1860, p. 69). Lord Soulbury in his foreword to B.H. Farmer’s book quotes the retiring Dutch Governor who "pressed his successors to encourage agriculture, in order to do without foreign rice, which consumes most of the money of the inhabitants". This would not have been possible without colonizing the Dry Zone.

It is because of colonization that Sri Lanka is nearly self sufficient in rice today; thus assuring food security in respect of Sri Lanka’s staple diet. Nor would it have been possible if colonization was limited to the Tamil and Tamil-speaking populations, first in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and later in the rest of the country as per the Dudley Senanayake/Chelvanayakam Pact.