I am not a Tamil person and I really did not know what Tamils are except that they are from Madras area. This was my understanding of them until late 1970's. My eye was opened during my visit to Colombo in 1970's when I was mistakenly identified as sinhalese by a Tamil groups when I visited a restaurant in heavily Tamil portion of the Colombo. Based on my skin color, height, and facial features I was mistaken as being sinhalese and manger of the restaurant asked me why I decide to have south indian food in a Tamil portion of the colombo. Even after knowing that I was Indian they had hard time to understand why I looked like a sinhalese. In my mind I still believe that they never really accepted that I was Indian but did not object to my having a very nice Masala Dhosa there. So I know that there was deep distrust between two communities even in 1970's. Unfortunately my simple recent message about political issue with LTTE adversity was removed as abusive. I do not know why? I talked about mistake of LTTE to go in negotiation with Sinhalese thorough western intermediary. They- LTTE commanders - should have seen what happened to Jonas Sowambi - Angolan leader who was assassinated after he agreed to negotiate peace with Angolan Govt. through same group of intermediary states. Now LTTE has choice to surrender or take losses until BJP or other supportive Hindu party comes to power in India. This is a big poison pill to swallow for Sri Lankan Tamils because now they will asking on
RE:REDIFF Message Board about LTTE
by Edwin Navaratnam on Jan 01, 2008 06:12 PM Permalink
Thats a but strange most Sri Lankan Tamils and Sinhalses are very similar looking. The upper caste Kandyan Sinhlases are very light skinned but they are actullay the Tamil Nayakas. All Sinhala arsitocrats are basically south Indian Tamils. Many Sinhlese eat South Indian food and frequent South Indian restraunts run by Tamils of Indian origin. So they will not be suprised that you are SInhalese eatng in a Tamil restraunt. Usually these restraunts have their regular cutomers bothe Tamils and Sinhalese, and when a new person comes to eat there are bit inquisitive ad will question yo in a friendly manner, they would have presumed that you were a Sinhalese as you woul dnot have spoken to them in Tamil as a Tamilian would have done. Your looks ahve nothing to with it as there aare many tall and very light skinned Tamils both Srilankan and Indian but they would interacted with the waiters in Tamil and when the waiter kenw that you did not understand Tamil he would have adressed you in Sinhala too and you would not have understood the chances are that not knowing any English he would not have known what to tdo with you and would have called the manager. The manager and the staff knew that you were neither Tamil nor SInhala that is why the manager spoke to you in English.andknew you were not a SOuth Indian that is why he was curious about you liking South Indian food
