2ND LEAD

Schools in Jaffna ordered to ‘sing’ Sinhala Only Sri Lanka anthem

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 December 2010, 09:59 GMT]
Implementing a decision of Rajapaksa, students in Jaffna are ordered to sing the SL anthem in Sinhala only in an event to be attended by him in Jaffna Sunday. Students of Jaffna Hindu College became the first to succumb. The move comes contrary to news in a section of press that Rajapaksa cabinet never took any decision on the anthem-issue as India and USA reportedly opposed it. A few days ago, when the Inner City Press asked for clarification on the SL cabinet decision from a UN spokesman, there was no reply. Meanwhile, Eezham Tamils should never demand the right to sing the SL anthem in Tamil, as it is contrary to the spirit of Eezham Tamil nationalism. Rather, every time they are asked to ‘sing’ the Sinhala anthem they should remember the colonial legacy of the Portuguese, Dutch and the English of the past and should be prepared for liberation struggle, said a student activist.

In a function to observe ‘national disaster management’, remembering the Tsunami day to be held in Jaffna Sunday at Veerasingkam Hall, the school children are asked to sing the SL anthem in Sinhala only by Colombo’s colonial military administration in Jaffna.

Earlier, they had been asked to prepare themselves to sing it in Sinhala and Tamil, but in the last moment when the rehearsals took place Friday at Veampadi Girls School, they were asked to sing it only in Sinhala.

Students of Jaffna Hindu College ‘sang’ the Sinhala only Sri Lanka anthem.

The rehearsal event was supervised by the Government Agent of Jaffna, Imelda Sugumar and by officials of the education ministry.

The Sunday’s event will be attended by SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa, SL Prime Minister D.N. Jeyaratne and by other officials of Colombo.

Colombo’s colonial governor for the north, Maj. Gen. (retd) Chandrasri and the EPDP minister Douglas Devananda look after the organisation of the event.

All private vehicles were prohibited to pass through the Jaffna esplanade and security was tightened for the rehearsals Friday.

The failure of the Co-Chairs in observing Eezham Tamil national rights in the Tsunami rehabilitation under P-TOMS only encouraged Rajapaksa and paved way for the outbreak of the war and the subjugation of Eezham Tamils, commented Tamil political circles in the island.

In contrast, the West’s approach of Tusami management in Aceh played a positive role for the struggle of the nation of Aceh, they pointed out.

Sinhala only SL anthem now being thrust on the school children of Jaffna on the Tsunami remembrance event is of symbolic importance in reminding Eezham Tamils of the failure of international community to them, the Tamil political circles further said.

Commenting on the Sri Lanka anthem, a Sinhala journalist said that the poet Anada Samaracone who composed it in the 1940s died as a frustrated man. He never meant it as a ‘national anthem’ and he was opposed to the move of making it a ‘national anthem’, the Sinhala journalist said.

Chronology: