Topic started by rg (@ ts54214.powerup.com.au) on Thu Nov 8 00:35:56 .
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Asia's caste phenomenon used in an abortive war for secession
Caste and its hierarchical structure, by all western academic standards, is something of phenomenal importance and interest significantly, considering its home-centred nucleus particularly in countries like India and Sri Lanka. These multifarious life-forms which in return help society hold together are seen as a strong bondage, purely meant to keep the fires at home burning. In that respect, caste related work, sometimes termed as menial, is indispensable and still alive in many affluent social layers. For many academics this exploitative exercise in India and Sri Lanka are two and important cases in point, which are now closely studied and researched at worldwide universities as a major discipline of academia. Caste therefore is institutionalized as a social mechanism, through which co-existence is promoted, creating thousands of means of livelihood for many segments of society. This practice of 'servitude' is an essential aspect of the economy, for at the bottom of the caste system, is the preservation of an economic system which provides privileges to certain sections of society.
Sociologists, for example, the likes of Max Muller saw these prolific forms of servitude as bonded labour widespread throughout South Asia: it is prevalent in the agricultural sector, and in brick kilns, stone quarries, etc. In that vein, the whole caste hierarchy was viewed as a form of servitude, differently but elaborately in countries like Sudan, for example.
But in Sri Lanka, believe it or not, there is another horrific but invisible dimension to this caste-orientated servitude, predominantly among Tamils whose north-east based life-pattern offers a cryptic message of class-consciousness. Rather incomprehensible to ordinary people in the civilized world, a murderous armed group, calling themselves as liberators of Tamils, for the last several years, has been waging an "unmasked" war against what westerners define as "caste supremacy" in Sri Lanka but the underlying epicentre of this psychological episode is a topic of secret discussion solely among Tamils but hardly anyone speaks out openly. How does this US designated terrorist group, Tamil Tigers (LTTE) of Sri Lanka execute this machination? As University Teachers in Jaffna have repeatedly pointed out in their literature, this so-called "liberation war" is being fought by Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka for the elimination of the cream of their own men, whom Tigers regard as elite high-caste and rich Tamils who oppose their violent campaign for separation. Their chronic dream for separation is resisted by these sensible Tamils, many of who are against the LTTE's, hypothetical creation of a new 'servitude' rather than a separate land. Many Tamil multi-millionaires and business magnates living safely and comfortably in the south among the Sinhalese (majority community) of Sri Lanka pooh-pooh these Tiger plans and their violence. "Unlike in the practice of slavery among the Sinhalese, Tamil slaves were divided into four castes: Koviyars, Chandars, Pallas and Nallavars. They were tied to provide services on the land of their masters' when required. These Tamils under Thesawalamai Law of Jaffna originated either by birth or war, " says H. W. Tambiah in his book " The laws and customs of the Tamils of Jaffna.
The story of caste in the north of Sri Lanka thus goes on and relates closely to Sri Lanka's much-vexed terrorist problem in a different way. Independent research and reports, elicited from LTTE training cadres confirm that hundreds of recruits to their outfit are largely from downtrodden castes, who are very much preferred by Tamil Tiger leadership as theirs, judged by all anthropological and sociological notions, is a struggle for supremacy at social level. LTTE Prabhakaran is no exception to this thirst of blood. More importantly, the turning point starts from here onwards.
Let us examine closely how the 'caste' component inherited by birth or war, as suggested by Tambiah works among Tamils, domiciled in Jaffna, who are very excessively class conscious, compared to most of their brethren Tamils living elsewhere in the island, for example in the east or south. Top on the Tamil caste hierarchy list is the Poojaris. Poojari, the purest in their caste ladder comprises highly-respected religious chieftains and their next of kin, managing temples and kovils in the Jaffna peninsula. Their spirit of sacredness and holiness is unquestionable and, in many ways, identical to those of the Brahmins in the Indian context. However, their (Poojari) numbers are very few in the Jaffna peninsula, though Tigers have in the past desisted from harassing them or dictating terms to them. Next to them in the caste hierarchy is the (Vellala) farming community, whose percentage is the biggest (about 60% of the population ) among Tamils in the north. The Vellala community, engaged in agricultural sector, take exceptional pride in their caste and do not want other categories inferior to them even enter their houses from the front door. Next layers of people in this structure are the Koviyars, domestic servants expected to cook meals for the high-caste Vellala people. Koviyars are not entertained, nor are they allowed to sit with others in the house. Therefore they are subordinates, if spoken in a broader sense of definition. So are the members of Dhobi caste who wash linen for the Vellala people. In Jaffna they are also not welcome to Vellala houses. In between these two layers, i.e. Koviyar and Dhobi, lies another caste called, the Thattar which depends solely on making gold jewels and ornaments, particularly for high-caste Vellala families and others. The Pallas and Chandars, expected to do all sorts of menial jobs, are also in the lowest strata of the hierarchy.
Reminiscent of the famous adage, "History repeats itself", the Census in 1835 confirmed that 27, 397 low caste slaves were in the north and that Jaffna based Tamils were less open to the emancipation of these low-caste men and women, rather compared to other Tamils for instance, in the east of Sri Lanka. But Tamil Tigers have during the past eighteen years of their terrorist war in Sri Lanka, recruited over 25, 000 men and women, most of who have been perished by now. Confirmed reports say that more than two thirds of these young Tamil men and women belonged to the lowest stratum of social class and LTTE leader wanted these categories to take on the upper class Tamil community members, politicians, intellectuals and not least, their Tamil opponents irrespective of their rank and file.
However, members of Karaiyar (fishermen) caste in Jaffna are regularly debarred from high social class circles and not at all entertained by others in the upper layers of the caste system. Men of this caste make their living by fishing. Therefore, the Karaiyar are generally very low in strata and is viewed as a despised clan by elite Tamils in the north-east. They are not treated as equals, and this has been an irritating factor for Tamil Tigers. But Karaiyar numbers are multiplying rapidly in their thousands, according to the latest statistics. It is widely believed that the Karaiyar who have been consistently deprived of even basic amenities by leaders in the caste ladder are affected very seriously and basically isolated among high-caste segments due to this "inferiority complex". In short, they are social outcasts.
Unknown to many, one of the world's most feared terrorist leader Velupillai Prabhakaran of Tamil Tigers (LTTE) is an ardent supporter of this (his) caste and clan, whose megalomaniac ideas have claimed thousands of innocent lives over the years in Sri Lanka. While fighting for secession, this self-claimed Tamil liberator has so far mercilessly decimated a number of their own Tamil men and women, of whom the majority are from high caste members of elite Tamils, who do not belong to Prabhakaran's caste. These young Tamils from upper class, based largely in Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo or its suburbs are a generation that was brought up among the majority community, the Sinhalese in Sri Lanka. Their numbers, as per latest statistics, go as high as one hundred thousand, and most of them are receiving higher education in Colombo, according to these statistics.
For Sri Lanka's terrorist leader, all these brethren Tamils who do not toe his line of thought and action, are traitors to his cause, that is the creation of a separate state in a unitary land. His consistent obsession with this caste psyche saw his one-time deputy leader Mahattaya eliminated along with several others some time ago. He voiced his protests and reservations against Prabhakaran and his modus operandi. The assassinated Mahattaya alias Mahendra Raja from a high caste family did realise the gravity of what his boss was contemplating for his own gains and supremacy. So were the destiny of many other Tamil fighters who were not from his caste but more and more of his cadres have now begun to display notions of resentment. LTTE's internecine fight for dominance saw Bal Raj, mastermind behind the Elephant Pass attack who was from Vellala caste eliminated, so was the fate of the self-claimed LTTE communication leader Mano in the Batticaloa district.
Tamil intellectuals, including Dr Neelan Thiruchelvam who was also recognised internationally as one of the moderate and respected scholars, were systematically decimated by LTTE terrorists since they despised him and his struggle for supremacy. This TULF Parliamentarian, Thiruchelvam from an elite high caste family domiciled in Colombo was bitterly critical of LTTE's brutal acts and ideology for LTTE's separation. He paid the price for his voice with death.
One of Prabhakaran's aides Balraj who is also the leader of their self-claimed military wing in the east of Sri Lanka is a Christian from the high Vellala caste. He escaped death recently when a claymore mine exploded. Suspicion looms large now among some of their own LTTE cadres whether there is any deliberate effort by LTTE leadership in place to eradicate him. Barbers from Ambatar caste, drummers from Parayar caste, toddy tapper and scavenger community from Pallavar and Nalavar castes are among the other segments of society in this Jaffna-centred caste hierarchy. Washers for toddy tappers and other low-caste families, known as Thurumbar are the worst affected community because Tamil Tigers, for reasons obvious only to them, have debarred these members from any involvement in society. Several other terrorist leaders, the likes of Thamil Chelvam (Pallavar caste), Ajaniya (Ambatar caste) and Soosai (Karaiyar caste) are all from the lower strata of caste, and it is believed that Prabhakaran prefers these men to others in the higher stratum. Most men belonging only to lower strata of castes are meticulously selected to man LTTE offices by Tiger leader. So much so, members of Karaiyar castes are forced to enter the houses of high-caste Vellala people as a ploy for humiliation and asked to sit together with them for meals. This strategic practice by Tigers has received the strong wrath from these elite members.
Prabhakaran has during the past few years consistently encouraged all men of his own caste (Karaiyar) to reproduce more and more children because he wanted to see men of his caste multiply their numbers, as its percentage in the Jaffna peninsula remains as low as some 15-20 percent. This murderous leader has a hidden agenda, which is extremely complicated and incomprehensible particularly for the foreigners, and this is not either being exposed adequately at both local and foreign levels.
Caste-consciousness of this barbaric leader determines the fate of his followers and this appears to be the norm in Prabhakaran's society. People close to Prabhakaran, contrary to expectations of many of his ilk, opine that LTTE 's cadres are now beginning to realize the gravity of this caste-oriented "psychological dimension" being launched as war for separation, a genocide triggered off by this ruthless man claimed to be the sole liberator of Tamil people.
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