This is in reference to twice published opinion of Lynn Ockersz on Literary Criticism and Third Sources. Lynn is absolutely correct in regard to tenets of literary criticism and ignoring third party sources as far as his comments on writing in a language he is not familiar.  

However, he misread my grudge. I was not specifically referring to him for the absence of any writing on Lankan Thamil Literary Scene by the critics or journalists writing in English coming from communities other than the Thamil community. On the contrary, I appreciated his review on A. Saantha’s book. He was one of the few non-Thamil critics that commented on a Lankan writer writing in Thamil. 

Of course, you cannot review a book of creative writing in Thamil if you don’t know that language. Leave alone creative writing, but have the English journalists from the Sinhala community ever interviewed Lankan Thamil writers and try to find out what the latter have to say and inform the reading public of trends in local Thamil writing? Have they written any feature articles on them, if Lankan Thamil writers also form a part of Lankan nation? 

I must thankfully say that a few Sinhala journalists and a few Sinhala intellectuals have interviewed me and published translation of my views on local Thamil writing in Sinhala journals. But not the ones who write in English.  

They seem to depend on me to report and analyse local Thamil literary scene. I am sorry I indicate myself as a case in point since for the last 50 years or so I do that job - not only in regard to Thamil writing but English writing by Sinhala writers as well.  

Leave alone me. There are many English and Sinhala-speaking Thamil writers in Lanka. Why not the journalists in English care to know about the language and culture of an important community that takes pride in having a culture beyond 2000 years? 

Please forgive me if I have to advertise myself. There are two little books in English by me: Thamil Writing in Sri Lanka and Aspects of Culture in Sri Lanka (in an interview format with LeRoy Robinson). Sooner or later I hope to publish another book in English on Lankan fiction in Thamil. 

Please note my grudge had not been peculiar to me alone but all writers in Thamil in this blessed country.