Tamil Information NEWS BULLETIN OF THE TAMIL INFORMATION CENTRE TAMIL EELAM INEVITABLE IF WAR CONTINUES THE Sri Lankan military assault on the replacing of Hamilton Wana- have no doubt caused frustration the Jaffna peninsula launched in May singhe with the hard-line Cecil among the people, but have failed to continued throughout June. Waidyaratne as the army commander. achieve the full results intended by Iyakkachchi and Paranthan areas Hamilton Wanasinghe’s preference of the army. Consequently, the military north and south of Elephant Pass immediate action for a political has adopted a new strategy of came under intensive aerial solution, led to his downfall. continuously bombing and shelling bombardment and shelling from General Waidyaratne has been the coastal areas of the Jaffna camps devastated other areas. The given full powers to conduct the War. peninsula completely destroying the government appears to have decided However, the army seems to realise infrastructure in these areas so that to pursue a military solution. the people will have no other that the LTTE cannot be eliminated alternative but to move to the centre Political analysts in Sri Lanka say because of the fact that they have of the peninsula permanently. Large that there are two broad opinions in become a powerful military machine number of people have already moved the island relating to the resolution of in the pursuit of an independent state in this manner. Earlier, during the national problem. There is a of ‘Tamil Eelam’. The government airforce bombing raids, the people section of opinion which advocates strategy therefore is to marginalise the took shelter in bunkers and thereafter that all efforts and resources must be LTTE militarily and politically. went about their normal business. But consolidated and aimed at achieving a Military marginalisation takes the this would become impossible with lasting political solution. They say form of killing as many LTTE cadres the complete destruction of the such a course of action will save lives, as possible and preventing arms coastal areas. Only the LTTE would improve the economy and bring about supplies to the LTTE, effectively be able to move about in these areas the goodwill that is so necessary to seizing the opportunity provided by and vehicle movement could be easily prevent the country from disintegrat- Indian measures to curtail movement detected from the air. Furthermore, ing. of the LTTE in the Palk Strait when people move to the centre of The other section of opinion Meanwhile, various other methods the peninsula , the airforce drops comprising the majority of the have also been adopted to marginalise leaflets threatening that the army was Sinhalese and the government favour the LTTE within the Tamil preparing to advance on these areas, a military solution, according to these community. Firstly, imposition of the thus creating panic among the people. analysts. This section believes that the economic blockade has resulted in the These pressures are brought on the backbone of the L’ITE must be lack of food and medicine causing people so-that they will in turn broken before considering a political immense hardship to the people. pressurise the L’ITE. solution. Weakening of the LTTE Secondly, strict control of travel into Earlier blockades had not prevented would mean a political solution on and out of the Jaffna peninsula, the people from moving in and out of the their term. In other words they will danger of air attacks and prohibition peninsula. Despite military measures not allow substantial devolution which of travel during military operations people were able to cross the lagoon would satisfy the aspirations of the have severely restricted movement. at Uriyan and Kilali and travel to Tamils. The Thondaman proposal, Thirdly, continuous bombing and Vavuniya to buy food. People adopted which was said to form an acceptable shelling of the Jaffna peninsula and over a period of time to the new basis for negotiations is a case in the dropping of leaflets by the security difficulties brought about by the point. Racial tension was whipped-up forces ordering people to vacate areas economic blockade. The 45 items by vehement protests against the within a very short period of time banned by the government from being proposal, particularly by elements creates an insecure climate and drives transported to the north, were within the Buddhist clergy. the people to psychological breakdown. available in shops in Jaffna, although The preference of the military at a high price. The reason was that option is believed to be the reason for These methods chosen by the army army personnel were involved in Tamil Information No. 11 1 accepting bribes at Thandikulam and captures Jaffna, it will never be able to the division of the country by allowing these items to the north and to retain it. Furthermore the analysts preventing devolution and encourag- the government had no control over contend that the army strategy of ing a military solution. In such such army involvement. Currently massive-scale destruction and killing circumstances nothing more can extraordinary measures are being of the people will only serve to guarantee the success of the LTTE ta ken to prevent people from moving strengthen the LTTE. People who and the formation of “Tamil Eelam”. out or into the peninsula. Movement desired to leave the north have Therefore it is time for those who of the people to the centre of Jaffna already left. Those who remain are wish to preserve the integrity of Sri will undoubtedly create congestion those who cannot leave and those who Lanka to choose the other option: and the consequent inevitable social do not wish to leave. Those who ‘Expend all energy and resources problems will anger the people and suffer are those who are poor and the in the pursuit of a political force them to turn on the LTTE. This defenceless. The Sinhalese people solution”* is another of the army strategies. who would even die to maintain the unitary state are in fact contributing Analysts say that even if the military New Attempts at Discrimination in Education Attempts are being made by University admission on the bases problems such as education, education authorities in Sri Lanka to of merit came to an end in 1970 when colonisation, language and employ- introduce further standardisation in newly elected SLFP government ment, confronting the Tamil-speaking university admissions. The GCE introduced mediawise standardisation people made them ‘support even a (Advanced Level) examination for the under which qualifying marks for movement for the creation of a 1991/92 university admissions was Tamil students were higher than for separate state’. The UNP promised to held in August 1990. Fighting Sinhalese students. The difference in take all possible steps to remedy the between the LTTE and the Sri qualifying marks between Tamil and grievances of the Tamils when it Lankan security forces had broken out Sinhalese students for admission to gained political power. two months earlier and it was not the Engineering Faculty of the But all was forgotten when the possible to hold the examination in Peradeniya University for example UNP came to power. The new the North-East. was 23. In 1974 a ‘district quota system was introduced in university government, decided to perpetuate A special examination for the admissions in addition to mediawise stardardisation and in 1979 North-East Tamil-medium students standardisation, allocating a quota in announced that in future admissions was held in April 1991. Many students admission for each district, based on to universities only 30% would be on travelled to Colombo from the merit., 55% on district quota system the population of the district. This and 15% reserved for underdevelo- North-East with great difficulty and further reduced the number of Tamils amidst danger to sit for the admitted to universities. ped districts. This turnaround by the examination. UNP government shocked the Tamils The government appointed and the militant movement began These students are shocked to learn Keuneman Committee in 1975 gaining ground. that the “cut-out marks” (the recommened the abolition of minimum total marks required in the mediawise standardisation. The The educational facilities available four subjects to qualify for university Committee also recommended that to Tamil schools in the plantation admission) designated for April 1991 areas is the poorest in the island. In 70% of the vacancies in universities the 1960s a rule was introduced to is higher than for the August 1990 should be filled on merit, 15% on examination. For example the cut-out determine whether a school was a district quota basis and 15% should Sinhala school or a Tamil school on marks for admission to the Engineer- be reserved for backward areas. ing faculties was 280 at the August the basis of the number of citizens 1990 examination. But for the April An all-Sinhalese group of officials studying in the schools. Most 1991 examination conducted for the which assisted the Keuneman plantation children were not citizens Tamil students, it has been increased Committee opposed its recommenda- and large number of Tamil and to 3M. This would mean that less tion and made its own recommenda- Muslim schools became Sinhala Tamil students will quality for tion that 70% should be on district schools overnight. university admission. quota and 30% on the basis of merit. Standardisation badly affected the Curiously, the government disowned A similar attempt at standardisation plantation Tamils. In 1970/71, 18 its own Committee and accepted the plantation Tamils had gained was made in 1980/81. But in a legal recommendations of the government action courts ruled that the two admission to the Peradeniya examinations held in respect of Officials. University. In 1971/72 after university admissions for 1980/81 In its 1977 election manifesto the standardisation the number fell to 11.