A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Saturday, May 13, 2017
Casteless Or Caste-Blind? – An Important Study
By Basil Fernando –May 12, 2017
Casteless or Caste-blind? – Dynamics of Concealed Caste Discrimination,
Social Exclusion and Protest in Sri Lanka – edited by Kalinga Tudor
Silva, P.P. Sivapragasam and Paramasothy Thanges, is a very important
addition to the studies on caste and its continued impact on the Sri
Lankan society. To those who wish to or pretend to believe that caste is
no longer a relevant issue for Sri Lanka, this study should serve as an
eye-opener.
The
research team who have contributed to this study have identified three
types of caste based discriminations in Sri Lanka; the caste as
it exists in the North and East, among the Tamil community; the caste
organization within the Tamils of Indian origin that is – the estate
workers; and the caste discrimination among the Sinhalese.
This
study confines to the experience of caste from the Dalit perspective.
In the Sri Lankan context from the point of view of what are called
depressed castes. The study concludes that from the point of view of
their limited study about 30% of the Sri Lankans fall within this
category.
Study
of caste within the Tamil population provides great deal of data while
also providing some important insights into the struggles against caste,
among the Tamils in the recent history. It is interesting to note how
the caste issue was an important focus in the Tamil political struggles
and how the upper caste politicians change the focus of Tamil politics
as directed against the Sinhalese. Thus, creating an impression of
absence of distinctions and conflicts among the Tamils themselves. The
LTTE on the other hand, imposed a ban on caste in the territory that
they controlled, and thus once again directed the struggle of the Tamils
identifying the Sinhalese as the enemy. However, after the end of “the
war”, the caste factor has once again re-surfaced which has led some
groups from the depressed castes wanting to remain in the camps rather
than to go back to the localities where they came from due to the fear
of being discriminated on the basis of their caste identities. Writing an overview of caste discrimination in Sri Lanka, Kalinga Tudor Silva and Paramasothy Thanges observes, that “…in
spite of nearly two decades of war and related population
displacements, a growing sense of minority consciousness and an ethnic
solidarity cutting across caste among all Tamils and an official ban on
caste imposed by the LTTE, caste distinctions continue to exist and
affect day to day life, particularly in the Jaffna Peninsula…”.
Among
the Tamils of Indian origin, it was a British policy to recruit the
workers to work in the estates, from amongst the most depressed castes
in India. On the other hand, those who were to exercise a leadership of
over these workers such as Kanganis were recruited from
better-off castes. This distinction has continued to-date, with some
modifications. Even today, those who continue to suffer from greatest
amounts of social disadvantages are those who originally belonged to
these most depressed castes.
Among
the Sinhalese, caste has been a central aspect of social organization
over a long period of time, and its influence continues up-to date. “…The
caste organization in the pre-British Kandyan Kingdom had a feudal
character with an aristocracy known as the Radalas, peasantry –
(Govigama), service castes (seva kula) and those expected to provide
menial services (niche kula). …” The dignity of each group was determined by the particular group that they belonged to.
There were some castes which were at the bottom layer of the caste system. Amongst the Tamils they were referred to as panchama caste
and were treated as untouchables. According to some writers, 18 percent
of the total population of Jaffna belonged to this category. Among the
Tamils of the Indian origin the three lowest caste groups were pallan (menial workers), parayan (drummers), and chakkilliyan (toilet
cleaners). Despite of their numerical strengths, these groups suffered
greater discrimination. Among the Sinhalese, three small caste groups
namely rodiya (beggars), kinnara (mat weavers), and gahara (executioners)
were treated as out-castes. They often lived in isolated villages.
Other caste groups that also suffered greater discrimination included padu/bathgama (manual labourers), berawa (drummers), wahampura (juggery makers), and kumbal (potters), and these were subjected to many forms of discriminations and prohibitions imposed by upper castes (the govigama and radala). According to some writers 20 to 30 percent of the Sinhala population belonged to these depressed caste groups.
The
book consists of the following chapters; Cast discrimination in Sri
Lanka – and overview; Caste Distinction in Sinhala Society; Caste
discrimination in the war affected Jaffna Society; Caste Distinction
among Indian Tamil Plantation workers in Sri Lanka; Urban
untouchability: condition of sweepers and sanitary workers in Kandy;
Conclusion and recommendations; and several Annexures. In fact, these
Annexures, make interesting reading and provides much insight not only
to the caste system, but also about the discourse on caste in Sri Lanka.
One
of the speakers at one of the Seminars reported in an Annexure,
expresses the view that one time, it was common in Sri Lanka to deny the
existence of discrimination on the basis of gender. However, this has
undergone considerable change in attitudes due to the work of many
persons and groups who consistently exposed the issue of gender
discrimination. He hoped that the present day denial of caste
discrimination will also undergo such a change and this form of
discrimination and its impact would be gradually recognized. Many of the
speakers at these seminars have also given series of recommendations
for better recognition of the problem and for the development of a
policy framework to deal with the caste issue.