Could these sisters have taken a photo like this?
Could these sisters have taken a photo like this?
What would have happened if the Tamils of Eelam had not taken up arms against the chauvinistic oppression but had taken up education in their hands?
A very deep and complex historical fiction (Counterfactual History) to speculate what would have happened if the Tamils of Eelam had abandoned the armed struggle and continued to rely only on education and the democratic path. In my view, as long as I know the political environment and social changes of that time.
Some possible issues
1. The obstacle of “Standardization”
The reason why the youth took up arms in the 1970s was that they were denied education. The Standardization Act, introduced by the Sirimavo Bandaranaike government in 1972, severely affected the number of Tamil students going to university.
Without arms: Even if the Tamils had continued to rely only on education, the government would not have changed its policy. This would have greatly reduced the opportunities for higher education.
Therefore: The representation of Tamils in the government sector (administration, medicine, engineering) would have declined very rapidly, and Tamils would have been turned into second-class citizens.
2.Massive intellectual outflow (Brain Drain)
If there had been no armed conflict, there would have been no “refugees” fleeing in fear of their lives. However, as opportunities were denied in the country, there would have been an increase in “economic migrants”.
The educated middle class would have quietly gone to countries like Canada, England, and Australia.
The leadership or economic strength of the remaining Tamil community in Sri Lanka would have diminished. Therefore, the Tamil nationalist parties would not have been able to prevail.
3.Political weakness
From 1956 to 1976, leaders like Thanthay Selva fought non-violently (Sadvigam). But nothing like the Banda-Selva Accord or the Dudley-Selva Accord was implemented.
Without weapons, the Sri Lankan government would have continued to reject the Tamils’ demands even after the 1976 Vaddukottai Resolution.
In the international arena, the Tamil problem would have been seen only as a “domestic human rights violation” and would not have gained strength as a nation’s right to self-determination.
4. State-sponsored Colonization
In the absence of armed struggle, Sinhala settlements in the North and East would have proceeded very rapidly without any resistance.
The demographic structure of districts like Thiriconamalai and Vavuniya would have been completely changed by the 1980s.
Tamils would have been the majority in a much smaller area than they are today.
5.If we ask a little more carefully whether the 1983 riots would have happened.
The 1958 and 1977 riots took place before the armed struggle intensified. Therefore, if there was a chauvinistic political trend, there would have been pogroms against Tamils.
But, in the absence of weapons, Tamils would have suffered terrible casualties without any means of self-defense. Or they would have been completely assimilated due to fear.
In short….
Looking back at history, Tamils did not abandon education and take up arms; the reality is that they took up arms only because the door to education was closed.
If they had not taken up arms:
The Eelam Tamils would have excelled in education and economy, but not in Sri Lanka – abroad. The identity, land and political rights of the Tamils in the homeland would have been destroyed very quickly, and they would have shrunk to a small minority.
(Translation by Tamilpriya)
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