Intolerance goes International

Sinhalese are more equal, even in Melbourne

Video: Dared to dissent

On Saturday April 4th, Diaspora Tamils and expatriate Sinhalese living in the south Australian city of Melbourne held two separate demonstrations, voicing their opinions on the on going ethnic conflict in the island of Sri Lanka.

According to the police, permission had been granted for both groups to hold “peaceful” demonstrations.

The Sinhalese were gathered in front of the Victoria State Parliament, waving their lion -sinha- flag and holding placards denouncing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The Tamils had organised a novel “car protest” around the city. Cars flying the Tamileelam flag and strapped with banners demanding an end to the genocide were being driven around to raise awareness amongst locals.

Australia is a civilised state. It allows for peaceful protests. The people of that country tolerate all opinions, when expressed in an acceptable manner.

What happened on Saturday was that for a few minutes Melbourne became Madavachie or Matara.

A Tamil car had stopped at the traffic lights, in the midst of a few hundred Sinhalese.

Events thereafter were rather predictable. The Sinhala crowd of men and women, both young and old gathered around the vehicle. First the Tamileelam flag was snatched; thereafter, a young girl moved to tear-off the banner.

Then, the crowd began shouting the all too familiar “para demala” slogans, while kicking the car. Side mirror and rear window were broken; roof was dented; and two people were injured. Tamileelam flag was set on fire.

Clearly, the Sinhalese crowd did not agree with the Tamils’ opinion. That’s understandable, given that a violent conflict between the two ethnic communities has been in full swing for decades.

However, the violent response should be noted by all concerned. Sinhalese from all walks of life, not only young men, feel that frenzied violence is an appropriate response to any Tamil who voices an opinion that dissents from Sinhala school of thought.

The police in Melbourne had to arrive with CS gas to control the Sinhala mobs. Of course, in Madavachie or Matara police would have watched from the sideline or even led from the front. There, it would have been the Tamil people, not just the flag, that would have paid the ultimate price.

Street laws of the white van courts are deeply embedded in every Sinhala person who follows official orders from Colombo. Residency in Australia, and subsequent interaction with the people of that country has not been able to ward off their violent intolerance. More aid and mere talks in Colombo will neither.

The attack in Melbourne highlights, once again, that nothing has changed since 1983. Any country under the majoritarian rule of Sinhalese will not tolerate the diversity of, sometimes dissenting, opinions that are inherent to a multi-cultural state.

Writing on the placard: In the absence of a “foreign” monitoring force, under Colombo’s grip, Tamils of the island of Sri Lanka will have to keep silent as slaves or face certain death.