If the LTTE had helped bring the Tamil ethnic discrimination problem in Sri Lanka to the world stage, it has also helped the most to damage that cause. With its ruthless terror tactics the Tigers have ensured that there is little sympathy left in the world for them, and by extension to the suffering Tamils in the island nation.
Even India, which sent in its troops to help the Tamils has almost washed its hands off the problem, it seems. Domestic political compulsions are forcing Indian politicians make some noises once in a while, but it is clear no one is serious about the Tamils' problems. So why should the Sinhala fundamentalists in Lanka worry about those Tamils?!
The fact is, the Lankan army's recent victories over the LTTE has also ignited some amount of Sinhala fury and the situation is now almost a throwback to the 1980s when killing and maiming Tamils mercilessly never raised eyebrows.
Indian politicians here are shedding crocodile tears over the Israeli bombing of Gaza, but they don't seem to see the suffering of Tamils next door. Obviously, Gaza is a way to attract Muslim votes in the country and guarantees political visibility. The poor Tamils have anyway "allowed" the LTTE to hijack their agenda, and they don't have any supporters left in the world stage, except a bitter diaspora that is hardly visible here .
Stranger still is the fact that even Tamil politicians are not worried about what is happening in Lanka. Look at this leader from the Sunday Leader. And Then They Came For Me
It is obvious the Sinhala chauvinists are back at their old game, intimidating and killing, with government help.
But for our politicians in India, votes lie in slamming Israel, not Lankan government, and crying for Gazans, not the Tamils in our neighbourhood.
For the Tamils in Lanka, well-meaning Sinhalese, and others in the world who are concerned about the state of violence in that island nation, hope lies in the Tamil people of India. Is anyone listening?
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