All important points - on the 2nd: the pin-drop silence about #MaaveerarNaal from most of the SL twitterati, who used to have a lot to say about Tamils nationalism, is important.

https://twitter.com/Sagisagt/status/1597704283415523328

The silencing of thousands of Tamils who turned out in all districts of the North-East, is what the Southern press (from rabidly SinBud nationalist to ColLib types) and other commentators have in common. Compare to the Tamil press, including Colombo-based Virakesari:

70 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பாக, இலங்கை தமிழ் அரசு கட்ச்சியின் முதலாவது மாநாட்டில் நிறைவேற்றிய தீர்மானங்கள்: 1: "தமிழ் பேசும் மக்கள் ஒரு தேசிய இனமெனக் கணிக்கப் பெறுதற்கு அவர்களுக்குள்ள மறுக்கவொண்ணா உரித்துவத்தை எடுத்துரைப்பதுடன், அரசியல் சுயாதீனம் பெறுதற்கு அவர்களுக்குள்ள உரிமையையும், சிங்களவர்களுடன் சமஷ்டியமைப்பு முறையில் இணைவதற்கு அவர்களுக்குள்ள விறுப்பையும்"
தீர்மானிக்கப்பட்டது

🧵At the Federal Party/ITAK’s 1st convention in 1951, 70 years ago this year, 7 resolutions were passed on the Tamil issue, underpinned by the demand for an autonomous Tamil linguistic state in a federal union. 25 years later the FP moved to demand a separate state #அறிவோம்ஈழம் Res 1: On the Tamil-speaking people’s unchallengeable title to nationhood, right to political autonomy and desire for a federal union with the Sinhalese

Growing up in the 80s as Eelam Tamil refugees in rural Germany, our only connection to Tamil popular culture was Tamil Nadu’s movie industry. My parents had to go to this uncle’s house in another village, from which he ran a VHS racket to get movies and cassettes lol. We were the 1st generation growing up in Germany. And for many Eelam Tamils in the diaspora, Ilayaraja’s music defined that era of forced displacement. From hearing it on the radio in Jaffna, to getting bootleg tapes from Nathan mama in Mettingen. His music travelled with us.

It’s that time of the year!
Independence Day thread

Sri Lanka is a racist country - institutionally & societally. Sinhala supremacy has been the leading ideology for 72 years - killing over 100k Tamils. For Tamils, independence from GB only meant subservience to the Sinhalese Sinhala chauvinism manifests itself in the constitution: Sri Lanka “shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana” #LKA72