Nationalism has a prize *

SriLanka is a beautiful country. Well, I know this comment is very common and offended. But we are a wonderful country. Fortunate. I am serious. Not trying to be rhetoric or poetic. No exaggerations for God’s sake. I mean every word.

Let me say this. We have all the needed things. For instance rivers, streams, waterfalls and every other resource which gives us water. We produce our own water. We have a fine climate where no one can experience elsewhere. It doesn’t snow here. It’s a plus point. No transport hazards, no snow gales, people won’t suffer from unbearable cold temperatures. And still there is a chance of experiencing the cold weather and to get away from the dust and heat if you travel to Nuwara Eliya. Then we have places which are not so cold and no so hot. There is Indian Ocean giving life to all fishermen , helping sea transport, helping to carry cargo and reminding us of vulnerabilities , destruction and demise  in life , like the sea wave that is calm once but disturbed , troubled and anguish another time. Our country is a melting pot of different cultures, customs, traditions and languages. We have a rich history of a west – east mix. There is magnificent archaeology starting from temples to monarchs, Hindu Kovils, mosques and museums .And not to forget the rich bio diversity and Eco- systems which ranges from thick jungles like Sinharaja to Horton plains, marshes and mangroves. We have Youth who are politically awake. I think this is more than enough for a nation to be proud of.

Oh wait! We need good leaders. Good governance will lead to prosperity. Even successful and happy people.

This country has gone through all kinds of terror even after Independence. We thought that having a State Council to represent the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamils will strengthen the unity. But things changed. The natural outcome of colonialism devised 'kalu suddhas' , the 'English educated' , wealthy  and classy people . The State Councils only had the English educated officers. English education was ardently desired for public service. To the minority Tamil population this rule didn't affect much. Tamils took readily to western education.Thus a greater proportion of Tamils held pensionable public service posts by then. The Judicial Service included two thirds as many Tamils as Sinhalese. With Independence , the westernized middle -class politicians came into undisputed powers. The Sinhalese  traditions were onslaught. With English as a language of administration , people found themselves aliens to the Government. They thought they were blocked by the Government functioning. A greater number of difficulties were faced by Tamils and Sinhalese when filling licence permits , petitions , appeals and even to work on court proceedings . English wasn't enough to satisfy the people. It did not diffuse to every village and town. Concern over language rather became a major political issue.

I never saw these tantrums. I was born only after the damage.  I know that lots of damage has happened. These are facts for me.

Sinhalese self awareness rose. That was in 1950’s.The elements of Sinhalese awakening include Bandaranayke’s 'Swabhasha movement'. There was a heavy demand for 'swabhasha' or the ' peoples own language'.There was a greater need to protest against the inequalities resulting from linguistic and educational bifurcation in this country.

Language is a fundamental for Nationalism. It’s a demarcation to identify a community.

A week ago, I had  a short conversation about Jeremy Bentham’s view on Utilitarianism. Utalitarians believe  that humans are influenced by pleasure and pain. To rephrase it better, it says that the law should ultimately benefit the society and people’s wills, that it should provide the greatest happiness to the greatest of people. Soon after the chat, a colleague seated next to me questioned, if the law to make Sinhala the official language in this country truly benefited and wouldn’t have it oppressed the Tamils. It means the law did not make people happy. 

I had my take. My true feelings over her question were these.

Nationalism has a prize. Bandaranayake was a true democrat. His efforts to bring the swabhasha gave a great deal of opportunity for both Sinhalese and Tamils to perceive better jobs. Mostly in public service. University education and schools which were only for the elite later catered all Sinhalese and Tamils.  Education got widespread because fees weren’t levied unlike English schools that charged a fee, which wasn’t affordable to many people in this country. Swabhasha movement drew strength from the earlier Sinhalese national resurgence, which had sentimental attachment to Sinhalese language and Sinhalese cultural heritage to the distinguishing attribute of a national group. As a result, the so called aristocracy in this country was destroyed. Elitism was broken and a middle class emerged. The middle class became the hub between elite and poor, not so rich and not so poor. They won ‘education for all’ and ‘jobs for many’. We got to take free education seriously. I am a beneficiary of free education and many of us. Even today, the government spends a lot on it. We are literate than many others in Asia. These are true gifts of Nationalism.

The kindling of Sinhalese awakening was not necessarily antagonist towards Tamil and other minorities. I think. It is this Sinhalese uniqueness thing. What they wanted was to build solidarity among the Sinhalese. But they went wrong in the triumph of Sinhalese – only. May be they thought it is the right thing at that time. Sinhala was made the only official language, even though Tamil was later made a medium of instruction. I think they should have made both Sinhala and Tamil the official languages that time. Things would have changed then.

 Sometimes Politicians are also helpless.