Against the Tamil Tigers and Western Leftist Attacks on Sri Lanka and the Sinhalese Masses!

--- John Paul Cupp, Public Relations Director of the North American Committee Against Zionism and Imperialism (NACAZAI)

For sometime I have generally sided with the JVP in Sri Lanka, with regards to the question of the Tamil Tigers’ reactionary sectarian violence. This is not only because I genuinely appreciate the interesting synthesis of nationalism and Marxism that the JVP has developed over the years and because of its anti-imperialist credentials, but because the primary enemy of the ethnic Tamil masses in Sri Lanka should be Western imperialism and not the Sinhalese people or patriotic sentiment against imperialism in Sri Lanka. Unlike many supposed Western leftist “anti-imperialists” crying crocodile tears as the Tamil Tigers near total and final defeat, I’m happy for the Sri Lankan people and hope this leads to conditions favorable for independent development and unified social and national struggle against imperialism.

The Tamil Tigers were never more than a sectarian death squad trying to fragment a tiny island country already greatly weakened by neo-colonialism. I’m glad that they have been defeated, and hope for nothing more than that they are totally destroyed as quickly as possible. The Sri Lankan state has an absolute obligation to annihilate the Tamil Tigers and preserve the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, and the JVP has a right to unite with all genuinely nationalist elements within the state dedicated to such ends, regardless of their limitations. All of the Sri Lankan people, regardless of ethnic identity, deserve no less.

I don’t support chauvinistic or supremacist Sinhalese social roles, most of which seem grossly exaggerated, but I find it utterly reprehensible to deny the long history of anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist class struggle in Sri Lanka, predominantly initiated and led by the Sinhalese. I will not pretend that blowing up impoverished Sinhalese workers and peasants equally oppressed by imperialism is the same as blowing up Zionist settlers in Palestine or American combat troops in Iraq. The first is a criminal act of sectarianism which strengthens imperialism and the other two are revolutionary acts of resistance. Furthermore, Sri Lanka is already a tiny island country oppressed by imperialism. Why should a small ethnic minority be allowed to Balkanize the island into two parts, ethnically cleanse many Singhalese and open up the floodgates of further Tamilization in both Sri Lanka and the greater Indian mainland whose national and social struggle is already wrecked by ethnic and religious sectarian havoc? In this regard Sri Lanka follows the pattern of the former Yugoslavia and Soviet Union, Sudan, Morocco, Turkey, Iraq and Myanmar, among countless others, in the pattern of imperialism seeking to promote the destruction of viable independent development primarily via eroding the international standing of the predominant ethnic group in a given country and promote sectarian strife via separatist movements.

Neither the Sinhalese nor anyone else in the world is perfect, but it is Tamil sectarianism which today strengthens imperialism and pretends that one’s popular class neighbors are a greater contradiction than the Sri Lankan people’s contradiction with imperialism. In fact, Sinhalese and Tamils are essentially EQUALLY oppressed by imperialism, in that neither can survive short of a dynamic popular class struggle against the real enemy. Whatever bad feelings exist, they still should unite with each other to save their sacred motherland and promote anti-imperialist class struggle.

It is a boldface lie to claim that the Sinhalese people are completely barbaric and chauvinistic, particularly considering they have managed to meld Buddhists, Muslims and other religious groups together. They have long supported Iraq and Palestine and even have a village named after President Saddam Hussein. The JVP has active support from the popular classes, and supports China, Cuba, the DPRK and all the forces standing up to or challenged by US imperialism. They also take very interesting and advanced lines on the national question relevant to our era of anti-globalism when a proper synthesis of proletarian internationalism and proletarian nationalism is vital and decisive. I personally assisted some of their comrades writing an article on north Korea’s Juche and Songun ideas and the relevance of such in the struggle against imperialism which appeared in a major trade union journal.

Whatever splits or contradictions are going on within the JVP right now I leave for them to sort out as their internal matter, and only hope that the forces of unity and independence can build an ideologically principled united front to save their motherland. However, I do take sides when oppressed people standing up for the unity of their nation and its popular classes are attacked as chauvinistic by those who take a short-sided or national nihilist approach to anti-imperialist class struggle. While actual chauvinism and sectarianism genuinely harm revolutionary struggle, false claims which disparage genuine nationalism are libelous and criminal.

The Sinhalese people have a long history going back deep into time, have a consistent anti-imperialist and popular class sentiment on the streets and have many martyrs against colonialism and imperialism. While Sri Lanka is not as much a hotspot of anti-imperialist struggle as Iraq or north Korea today, it is a country oppressed by imperialism which absolutely should not be fragmented or her people excessively disparaged. I will not be silent!

For the indivisibility and prosperous independent development of Sri Lanka and its victory over imperialism!