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2/17/1966 - Ceylon by Granville S. Austin

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS connemara Here1 biadras February They people proper favoured beyond people India wearing cloth about their loins doublet after English fashionooo century English traveller The hills valleys ornamented flowers trees wariety beauty cries animals rejoicing together gladness landscape abounds splendour century Chinese geography From walls uradapura To rincomalee Ve fight country S minorit Till hardly TM ontemporary Bddhist apocryphal Mr Richard H Nolte Executive Irector nstitut rrent World Madison Avenue Yrk lewrk Dear Truly island ffeylon among whose people palms I spent tropical paradise I paradise troubles A example eylons major visible drove first riend Calle Road along toward olombo business district established Portuguese beginning century intersection doors shops business seemed sheets metal boards covered windows This scene language touched Sinhalese nationalists january The windows broken nearby Iiddhist killed police firing The newspapers reported otherpersons injured The overnment declared state emergency which still called preserve order The damension ffeylons second great problem pages budget The nation grows about spends foreign exchange earnings imports other When present government office Marc Prime Minister claimed treasury empty freign exchange announced press there operating deficit million rupees The present coalition govern Pime Minister Dudley Senanayake succeed depend ability master these problems communal friction manifested language issue nation financial crisis asiclly matter agricultural production Of issues language generally believed important because country disturbin govern progress agriculture oward mprovin economic situation genera The language problem eylon consists marily competition between cmmnuni Sinhalese clled Ceylon The ancestors Sinhalese according legend Bddhist chronicles Cyon Bengal about C prince grandson named Sinha They subdued aborigines called eddhas setle Aryans origi nallyBahmins theyWereconveredtoBhddhismafter270Bgo andBdism became state religion ffeylon continued ronghold after virtually disappeared 1oday popular ligion island nearly eight million adheren nearly speak Sinhalese Iuring eighth century AI Sinhalese kinioms weakened centuries there periodic invasions T empires South Indiao Iy century T amils Hndus established northern islando amils never controlled southern country profeundly affected culturally Indian influence marked throughout Ceylon descendents these invaders amils number approx maely million continue concentrated Their language Tamil although precisely Madras South their religion induism Tkmils consider themselves ylonese Indian ilthough communities constitute communal problem means there From century onwards traders faders West began influence politicos Frst ameab traders settlers Their descendents million referred Mge Although their reliieus isacandtheirmttractiontoIslamsron theyarewell integ ratedand these spear local Sinhalese Sinhalese areas Tmil T areas With 16tlh century invaders gurpe first lortuguese tnally Eglis vhose authority arrived 1790s Ets ompany ogethe these counries brought Christi anity Celom langages Englislh remains porant Their descendents intermarriage ylonese U Urghers although there their fluence strong English their moher tongue In centuries there another influx wrkers offee hillso tulsa numbers milliem eylonese citizens maintain their homeland called ndian Tnils allegiance marily Zndia On becoming independent Ceylen faced preblem creating unted nation arier O groups Am newly dependen atink there search ninaI idenit definition yloneseness wasylondawas ayloneseavthe C ylonese raditiont religiously culturally politically In guage should nation speak This question spawned subsid questions cerning language education government En glish cemmont language upper governin classes Brgher language wished forgiVen early things enough Education tmother tongue children swabash meanin Sinhalese Til occasion demanded began ermnen although principal language government continued English fears antagonisms Tnils eared their minority might prejudice their share national their position civil services Sinhalese feared energy Tamil minority continued Use English which might deprive better educa their community positions governmen professions competition between counry Sinhaleset their exposure Zorei learninandtechniq uesandthep counSinhalese thelills themselves impler their sophisica ellows As resul counter reaction seaed images serotTpe surface consciousness Tbnils Dawidians often darker skinned allegedly descended Sinhalese religio Politicians political parties began sides conviction doubt hoping these Pass power roups strong Sinhalese BUddhist sentiments began blaim ttrue Bddhis Sinhalese speaking manner Hndi enthusiasts inIndiaclaimthat India isHndu asopposedtoMUslim Christian Htndi speaking Fr Sinhalese nationalists theirs should language flows cultural implications ascendency Bddhism Tbnils smaller minorities h0Wev visage eylon multi religious multi multi lingual society Ry matters coming Several opposition paries segments ruling United National Party demanding Sinhalese official language neral electioa S W R D Biandaranaikets Sri Lanka Freedom Pary SoL F P power withalandslidevicbory arglybecauseoisSinhalese0nlyTMpolicy S L F P conceded however could administration Tmilareasofthe1 InJuly195anofficialLanguagecaspassedmak Sinhalese Sole official language nation permitting tinued Tamil English found impracticable implemen At lring following months Bhndaranaike puunder amils protec their rights Sinhalese supporers associations Bddhismonks implemen immediately Ke vacil lated finally making agreement Tamils break under Buddhists ommun riots resulted May June eylon T amils Salese looting arson thousan homeless several persona killed Durin emernc declared allow government risis legislation passed protecting interests regard schooling basis lanaae examinations tiwatha hadhe_Hand ranaike governmenconceded thesepeinswo years earlier contemplated doing before dissuaded eremis pressure turmoil bloodshed would aoided As writer eylon memory these events retard unified modern naion commanding allegiance commun Wrigg Cy llemmas Ne_w lkion Sirimav Randaranaike Prime tnister genera followed husbandts assassinaion further Sepst mollify there relatively paricularly Nrho The Senanayake government however January drafted regulations putting print provisions Ttamil Language Ac passed The opposition Bandaranaike opposed adoption these regulations called strike The strike failed defia government meeting processions opposition atempted Parliament Bddhis monks The government broke processo process shops damaged killed Tb eylones talked governmenttsaction fulfilling commitments Tnil paries joined coaliti0n refusal coerceby extra legal pressures courageous praiseworthy Some others lieve government hould tackled economic problems immediately putting communal matters until later I possible government communal treadmill manever observers agree hocever Tamils wouldnt toaitandthe maewas bettea eearly hanlaeo One hingl seems certain whether gorernment wisely January communal issues Ceylon The Cylon Tamils preserve their gains improve continue pressure those seeking impose Buddhist Sinhalese langu hegemony The presence Indian labor tares probably continue issue despite areemen beween Mrs Bkndaranaike Prime lniser Shastri 0ctober patriae ndians 300000 remainder eylonese itisen overa period The 150000 leftovers further agreemen beteen governments countrieso And Indian issue sronger affectin position ffeylon Tamils apparently increasing India meran ommuniy these hants B igr0uP lsmailis Shia MUslims largely comef Bmby Yes ofIndia andtheyaregenerallyconsideredtobvanunscrupulohs victimize Ceylonese communities smuggle large amounts currenc country Some observers believe governmental pressure Bbrahs growing several expressed cynical might scapegoas taking pressure other Indians Ceylon Tmni lesser im_porauce sentiments English speakers 1though constitnte about popula Brghers professional classes among Sinhalese Ceylon Tmals srony perhaps success oppose complete chang Sinhalese because believe result world large eclipse influentialprivi leged gr0upo The leftiss presumably increasin suppor communal causes because their number believe communal issues lollow lines backward countryman cultivator generally speaking Sinhalese against privileged T mnority likelF because these issues ready oppositi0 ainst gorernmen The government opposition usually themselves opposite sides language issue matter which politicians paries stitute The United Ntional Prty U N principal governmen religion Mr Handaranikb L F P opposition began early fifties strongly suppor Bddhiss Sinhalese nationalists although conceded theneedforthereasonableuseTM0Tbil Thinkingitselfforced oequal SO catchxng policy N P loglan Sinhaiese OnlyTM Or general which In havin general elections S L F P began modify positi T pressure Bandaranaike before Tils P opposiion agitated Sinhalese interests agins capitulation Tmils Yethe U F olive branch S L F F under Mrs Bandaranaike leadership sayin thabytakingTis intohegoveen P isgoingbackona claims accepted Sinhalese policy Mr ndaraike eleftists dffouniss recently issues nowheyhaveakenheddhiscauseo deathofhemo beilin inJuasdemonstrations asihehenone ofheiro ddhis themselves consisen backed nearly repoedly backed S L F P elections largelybecauseo BndaraikesBdisspahies U N P alledly because Mrs Bandaranaike leftis return supporting S L F F Senayake goverent recen gestureorheTils erecanbeliledoubt accordinff persons hatheddhiss bohfromprincipleandfromtheeabi their leaders ehnicds Sinhalese lanage culture inaro Sinhalese coeSenenayakegovemen11finidifficultosist ffeylonts politics summed I IIeople about economic issues they1re secondary onmmni interest iswhapeople respondto antsisn ommuna someonewill attention ommunalism nearly vehin inylon TM eylonts second difficulty econ0mi boils agriculturalproductiowandfood nostatisti sfoaeharesimple Roughly55 ofheislds grossnationalproducisaccoed fobyo process transposing riculuralproducts SeeWrig ciabe icultu occupiemorethhalfheemployedpopulation couinhose inshippinbncoere velihooda sedependsoni produc bberdcoco nuaccounfo300 F dprode 95offoiexcheain eylonese ariee socie yetonlyslightlymorehhalf therieconsed ointheco fibresfor19ere 705000ons produced locallyd647600 tonsimpod MOst staple foods I estimated allcurngre ientslenilsddriedfisher loneseeatsfaityllsatleas lndida nomalmeale wsoldonsiso icelenilsdiedis lesofbenegebles siseseneni befoednm onceocekfo heloelses lenbils sionl vegetables someislikebs mebleed ebhis Indisns simils interne Reryone controlled price ottoquarezrotarupee aboutgtecens inericm0ney aponddthe V raionV isfourpounds perpersonperek juoereioces habitual eaters emphasize eylon grows himself maintain price goveent paTsad ouble subsidy egoeenpaystheamermofor hSui11chargeenisealshis onheranegi toericea Substanbiallylesthaipsoriinmaor issnbsicoshegoveenbdindirectlytheCountdthepeople about 00llionpees ayear aboub20o thenabionaI Sold Idtion rabien hereis freemarke inriceahigher where affluent There compulsory grower government The farmer where likes egovernment estimated about productions expert large percentage because production reater governmen thinks Fd tharn million acres Cytonls cultivable planted rubber coconuts million acres planted Of these about 600000 irrigated perhaps produces Cylon_has called highly industrialized Southtsiabuttthisseemsomee rymis leadin becausemostof indusry factories rubber mills coconnt facories really ricultural producti great mchanneling local energies resources economical production wider variety inished goods according World BRnk report lndstrializatom produci cerain consumeros chocolate progressed moderate since lusie restrictions imports imposed several years exchange shortages currenc coupled Ceylrs machinery materials prevented indus trializatior doesn either materialswith which begin industrialize money impor 1there ttendency potential preeurs according authorities stick traditiona methods money making rather strike dired tionso One completes description economic situation ricultural commodiies likeaand ubber subject price lucnaioso aring War example rubber prices steeply cut4in eylonZ exchang earnin Iurin period prices cimbe rnmen could afford could adequate supplies elsewhere American As resu4 1953heUI Po vernment coneludedanareementwithChinawhoreChina Would elonese rubber somewhab price somewha below agreement Similar fluctuations could fUture ravely endanr lands economy alreac uncomfortable positon subsidy ported dates crisis early subsi farmer dates fories Wha improve situation I seems goverlmen plans The techniques inoreas production themost ouswayoutothepr edicamenii enough known accord expert I Land enure holdings problem present Wh needed services meaning erilize sraie machinery fertilizer advance agricultural ehniques peasanb heher government remains major Ie greatly increased production prove peasaub ccording observers average peasant enough vegetables buffalo enoug little incentive exert himselg produce second vious improve financial Situation counr would subsid riceo everyone I agreed Was being impossible governmen could SO survive substd longer eonemic question tical questitch TM The industrializatio agricultnre added significance light population increas number educated unemployed The eylon population reportedly highest ksian country excepting Formosa Following rtual elimination malaria since V I improved sanitation health services seemingy higher standard I ndias mortali declined death among elderly Prior population growth Was during years T population seven million decade later estimated million rough igure conversation millidno Education Cvylon State supported primary school through university level graduate studies This years At independence approximately population estimated literat Tn years later mated erate today number greatero Within another decade expected ylonese literate school university graduates seeking large What goingi The government agriculture compulsor subject schools hopes graduates belie Only white collar Yet persons agriculture absorb The amount cultivad small already fragmented inheritance Nw cultivation colonized leared usually irrigated before produce ricultural crops So iwould there large amount industry absorb those One newspaper edifor I alked believed years nearly unemployed Ceylon educated nemployed frequently while there frustration empIoyed youths causing disontenf among their parents villages becoming increasin portan politics These course others ingrediens politics politics island active present govern menleadbyPrimenisterSenanayake isacoalitionofSenanayakets nited ational Party Tmil paries Fderal Pary ngress Several other groups suppo goveen eopposi ledbyrs daranaikedherSri Freedom iththeTrosie SaSajParhging raprstrn heistsda other dissidents opposition In eylon conra theparlienta opposition force veentsavoted foyer opposition combination paies takin Thimakesgoveenmoredicdmoreresponsiveopopular Sentiment Should group become complacent office wasi1956dthe S F P eatically Shouldmake forbettergOyeent maybe alsomes going ficult paieularlyen populationcbe Coral sentiments difficulty disilie gOveent Oppoeition group tendency members parlient dross floor perhaps tipping ba1ce their femer felle One nepaper editor estimated seine memberseparlienths thefloorinonedictionorthe other onethird total membehip presentatis sgoveent wasbroughtdinember19en several membersCeEetheoppsitiotovetoagainsther It isinthisconte thepsentgoveentst economicdotherproblemsifaces This government judged effectiveness according nearly everyone I Pnether person leftist claimed Senanayake little suppot among Sinhalese peasantry Whth person believed Frie Minister genuinely popular leader conclusion fSenanayke produce results become apopularleaderrihsupp amonecommo npeople probems outlined chances satisfactory sults nearly impossible communal situation peasantry reforms rural administration better distribution supplies simple agricultural implements improvements needed government supporto tackle deeper issues observers believe The overnment become associated average voter welfare U nothe popular conception I F middle PartY relie upper middleclass English sptaker ClombO talks UIP government understand It middle class longer Ceylon unless U P moves socialism seems urren polit senimen inCeylon andintherest iwillsoonbeoutofpower Shoul presen government througl ineptness causes beyond conro because intemperate oppositiou future countrymano pleasant The rnment elected place persons predicted possibly stron influence Communst governments elsewhere overnmen authoritarian demooraticw prospect And This_ Yours sincerel ranvi11e Received New York March