Sinn Fein urge Tamil Tigers to take a Peaceful Path

[pogo]

No, that's not my point at all. I simply made the above post pointing out the differences between the two scenarios, and to show that comparing the two situations is erroneous.

Of course no two ethnic conflicts are the same.

But, almost certainly, the Tamil/Sinhalese dispute is the closest we are ever likely to find to the one between Unionists and Nationalists, a far more apt analogy than the frankly silly comparisons usually made with Apartheid South Africa.

Also, the Tamils in Tamil-Eelam have no affinity with India (described by some here as a "mainland") while Unionists have an attachment to Britain.

There are two types of Tamils in Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan and Indian, though of course both originally came from the sub-continent. The Sri-Lankan Tamils outnumber the Indian Tamils by 2 to 1. Indian Tamils came to work in plantations in the present century, and all have close family ties with India.

In the civil war the Sri Lankan Tamils were (unsurprisingly) supported by their fellow Tamils in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, (in much the same way that some Scots support Ulster loyalism), and training and financial support for the Tigers was provided in India.

In 1987, when Jaffna was beseiged, the Indian government airlifted supplies to the city.

Also, in the same year, India established a peace-keeping force in the Tamil areas of North-East Sri-Lanka.

There would appear to be some similarities in the role of India in Sri Lanka, and that of Britain in Ireland.

It is a complex conflict and sloppy analogies with Ireland serve nobody.

Of course it is a complex conflict. Given the number of ethnic and religious groups in Sri Lanka, it is far more complex than Ireland. That's why it strikes me as silly to characterize it in a monochrome manner as you would appear to do. (I'm not cheering on the Sinhalese, I'm neutral).

And I don't believe my analogies to be at all 'sloppy'. In fact I believe my approach to have been more balanced than your one-sided sloganeering.

[pogo]

Anyway, I would have to thank FTA for at least attempting to explain the situation from a Republican perspective.

It would appear, however, that many Republican slogans could equally well be appropriated by the indigenous, majority Sinhalese.

How about '26 + 6 = 1'.

Doesn't that apply to Sri Lanka. Shouldn't the breakaway Tamil provinces be incorporated into Sri Lanka for it to become 'A nation once again' :

Shouldn't the Tamil provinces only be allowed to break free following an all-Sri Lankan vote :

Should the 18% of the population who are Tamil be allowed to have a veto on the progress of the majority of the nation who are Sinhalese :

Shouldn't the island, like Ireland, be free from the centre to the shore :

Won't an 'artificial' partition be a grave economic burden on Sri Lanka as it is in Ireland :

Wasn't Sri Lanka, like Ireland, a single indivisible political entity under the British :

And finally, how and why do Republicans support Irish unity and its polar opposite in Sri Lanka :

[Risteard]

Martin should remember not all states have armies as powerful as Britains.

He should also remember that it was the English government that wanted to negotiate with the Republican Movement in 1986 because the Movement was winning. Adams and his cronies then sought to destroy the most successful national liberation movement that this world has ever known.

[Bogwarrior]

Martin should remember not all states have armies as powerful as Britains.

He should also remember that it was the English government that wanted to negotiate with the Republican Movement in 1986 because the Movement was winning. Adams and his cronies then sought to destroy the most successful national liberation movement that this world has ever known.

I know this was wrote at 3 AM, but is the Irish struggle the "most successful national liberation movement that this world has ever known".
I mean it's 800 years and we're still not successful.. We're the Eddie "the eagle" Edwards of National Liberation Movements. Good spirit, and try their damndest, but always fail. That goes for all groups and all generations.