Fear about 'Indian Tamil' identity in census

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO, JUNE 18. As preparations continue apace for Sri Lanka's 13th census, leaders of Indian origin Tamils have appealed to their people not to register themselves as Sri Lankan Tamils as this could result in the loss of a distinct identity and a failure to gain redress for their separate grievances.

``Indian Tamils must understand that there is nothing to be lost by calling themselves that. It is not an indication of citizenship. The name refers to a distinct ethnic group in Sri Lanka, and we have to maintain that identity,'' said Mr. P.P. Devaraj, parliamentarian and president of the People of Indian Origin(PIO) Council of Sri Lanka .

The final enumeration for the nationwide census, being taken up in the island nation after a gap of 20 years, is to be carried out on July 17.

The classification `Indian Tamil' applies to the work force on the tea estates, whose forefathers came here from Tamil Nadu to work on the plantations in the mid-19th century. It also covers thousands of others, mainly traders and businessmen, descended from early 20th century migrants from Tamil Nadu.

In the 12th census that was conducted in 1981, the population of Indian Tamils was about 8.19 lakhs. But according to Mr. Devaraj, that may not be an entirely accurate figure. The last census was taken in the shadow of the 1966 Sirima-Shastri pact and the Sirima-Indira pact of 1974 that cut up the Indian Tamil population into those to be repatriated to India and those who would stay on in Sri Lanka.

Many Indian Tamils called themselves Sri Lankan Tamils, out of fears for their status in this country if they referred to themselves as Indian. Mr. Devaraj cited the example of Kandy district that adjoins the tea-growing district of Nuwara Eliya and has a large concentration of Indian Tamils. In the last census, the population of Sri Lankan Tamils in Kandy rose inexplicably by 38 per cent from the previous census, not in keeping with its growth elsewhere.

Two decades later, there is concern that Indian Tamils are still not well-educated about their official classification. Even if they are, those Indian Tamils who called themselves Sri Lankan Tamils in the last census might be worried about the repercussions of correcting it this time around.

Moreover, uncertainty over their status in Sri Lanka still dogs those who took Indian citizenship at the time of the pact but stayed on here, and their descendants. There are fears that this uncertainty might be used by vested interests to bring pressure on Indian Tamils to put down their ethnic identity as Sri Lankan Tamils. The role of the enumerator is being regarded as crucial in this.

``Our problems are different from those of the Sri Lankan Tamils and they need to resolved separately. That is why there is a need, while accepting the overall Tamil identity, to maintain our ethnic separateness,'' Mr. Devaraj said. Due to the confusion surrounding the appellation Indian Tamil, there have been appeals to change it to Indian Origin Tamil, but there are no plans to carry out this change for the 2001 census.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : Gyanendra orders review of palace security
Next     : 'Pact not linked to greater Nagaland demand'