Sri Lankan Tamil Research Articles

Rewriting the Wrongs: Shankari Chandran, Genre and Civil War

Shankari Chandran is a novelist and a lawyer whose experience in the field of social justice informs much of her creative writing. Born in London to Sri Lankan Tamil parents, her life and work have...

Trilingual Blunders: Signboards, Social Media, and Transnational Sri Lankan Tamil Publics

In Sri Lanka all public signs are required by law to be in Sinhala, Tamil, and English. This article investigates the multiple, clashing ways that Sri Lankan Tamil speakers (Tamils and Muslims) living in-country and abroad interpret Tamil signage blunders in relation to the position of ethnic minorities in the postwar nation. I incorporate ethnographic interviews to examine how three Tamil speakers made sense of a signboard, displayed in several government buses in Colombo, in which the Tamil portion read “reserved for pregnant dogs” instead of “reserved for pregnant mothers.” I situate their responses in an account of the circulation of Tamil signage errors on Facebook. I argue that Tamil speakers’ disparate interpretations reflect contrasting semiotic ideologies concerning the intentionality of the blunders and the relationship between the posted signboard images and lived sociolinguistic practices (Keane 2003, 2018), which have implications for imagined postwar futures and transnational Tamil political activism.

South Indian Tamil Cinema’s Influence on Sri Lankan Tamil Filmmakers

South Indian Tamil Cinema’s Influence on Sri Lankan Tamil Filmmakers

Evidence of restricted maternal gene flow of Purana (old) Population in the suburbs of Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

IntroductionBased on historical records suggesting that the ancestry of the Purana (old) population living in the suburbs of Sigiriya in Sri Lanka can be traced back to the times of the Sinhalese Kings of the 5th century A.D. (1,450 YBP) and studies reporting that the Purana are biometrically different from the rest of present Sri Lankans and other populations in the world, we investigate the maternally inherited Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of Purana population in the suburbs of Sigiriya to better understand genetic affinities of them to present day Sri Lankans. Materials and MethodsForty six Purana inhabitants belonging to Purana pedigrees were recruited in the study. Mitochondrial DNA was extracted, amplified and sequenced. Polymorphisms of mtDNA hypervariable segment I (HVS –I) between nucleotide positions 16,004 –16,411 were identified using CLUSTALX option of MEGAVA 4.0 sequence alignment software. In order to investigate genetic affinity of Purana population, Arlequin software version 3.11 and analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) were applied using reported similar genetic data of present Sri Lankans such as Sinhalese, Sri Lankan Tamils, Indian Tamils, Sri Lankan Moors and Vedda. Genetic relationships of Purana population with other Sri Lankans were further explored by phylogenetic analysis. Results and AnalysisGenetic dissimilarity among groups was higher (2.81%) when populations were grouped into two as modern and Purana than grouping them according to their ethnic basis (0.00%). This indicates a restricted mtDNA flow between the two groups (Purana and rest of the Sri Lankans) that made Purana population was maternally isolated from the rest of Sri Lankans. ConclusionDetailed phylogenetic analysis of the study revealed that they are maternally more related to Sri Lankan Tamil than to any other present Sri Lankans.

To be or not to be a refugee? Reflections on refugeehood and citizenship among Sri Lankan Tamils in India

ABSTRACTThis article looks at citizenship from a position of liminality – that of Sri Lankan Tamils in India. It is based on fieldwork conducted with different groups of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees and repatriates in and around Keezhputhupattu camp (Tamil Nadu), in Ceylon Quarter (Pondicherry) and in Chennai. No matter what their legal status is, they all position themselves on the refugee-citizen spectrum and, by doing so, they find themselves standing in-between its two opposed poles. From there they build their political subjectivities by negotiating, appropriating and sometimes rejecting Indian citizenship and Sri Lankan refugeehood. It is through their relationship to this position of in-betweenness that, we argue, citizenship, but also refugeehood, acquire new meanings.

Establishment of Reference Norms for Lung Function Parameters of Healthy Sri Lankan Tamils.

Spirometry and Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) are important measurements in diagnosing and monitoring of COPD and asthma. Ethnic specific reference equations are necessary in interpretation of these parameters. However, equations for Sri Lankan Tamil adults are not available. This study aims to establish reference equations for lung function parameters of Sri Lankan Tamils. A descriptive cross sectional study was carried out in all 5 districts of Northern Sri Lanka. Participants were selected by cluster sampling. Base line data were obtained by a questionnaire. Height, sitting height, weight, arm span, mid arm circumference, and chest expansion were measured. Respiratory functions were assessed by a calibrated spirometer (Cosmed Micro Quark, Italy) and Wright compatible peak expiratory flow meter. Means, and standard deviations for Vital Capacity (VC), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC), Forced Expiratory Volume in the first second (FEV1), FEV1%, Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) and for other forced expiratory parameters of 775 males and 687 females were determined. Lung function parameters have significant (p < 0.05) positive correlations with most of the anthropometric measures. Age had a significant (p < 0.05) negative correlation with lung function parameters in adults >20 years and positive correlation (p < 0.05) in 14–20 years group. Step wise multiple regression analysis was used to determine the prediction equations. Also equations based on age, height and age, arm span were derived. Age, height based equations were retested in the same population. Predicted values by the developed equations had better agreement than that of GLI 2012 equations. This can be useful in assessing the respiratory function in Sri Lankan Tamil population as there are no already existing equations.

Moving forward? How war experiences, interethnic attitudes, and intergroup forgiveness affect the prospects for political tolerance in postwar Sri Lanka

How does civil war shape the prospects of lasting peace between formerly opposing ethnic groups after the end of violence? This article addresses the complex relationship between war experience, interethnic attitudes, interethnic forgiveness, and the willingness to permit basic civil liberties to former enemies in the context of postwar Sri Lanka. Despite the end of the 26-year-long civil war in 2009, social and political tensions between the two largest ethnic groups, the Sinhalese and the Sri Lankan Tamils, still prevail. Political tolerance is in the literature considered a crucial micro-level condition for peaceful coexistence, yet, its determinants, in particular the role of war experiences, have not received sufficient attention. Using new and unique all-island representative survey data (N = 1,420), we examine the mutual permission of civil liberties of these two ethnic groups. Our analyses reveal two important findings: first, the likelihood of granting civil liberties varies by civil liberty and ethnic group. Whereas most members of both ethnic groups are willing to grant the right to vote, to hold a speech, and to hold a government position, the right to demonstrate is highly contested, with only low shares of both Tamils and Sinhalese being willing to grant the other group this right. Second, the structural equation models reveal that the direct impact of war exposure is less powerful than expected and depends on the political right in question. Not forgiving the other ethnic group, partly driven by war experience and ethnic prejudice, appears to be a more consistent predictor of intolerance. These results imply that postwar efforts to further forgiveness are important to promote political tolerance and thereby long-lasting peace.

Explorations in the Transmission of the Ramayana in Sri Lanka

This essay explores the identification of the island of Sri Lanka with the ‘Lankapura’ of Ramayana literary fame, tracing the transmission of the mythical geography of the epic from late medieval South India to Sri Lankan Tamil temple literature. The invading Cholas of the tenth century were the first to identify Sri Lanka as the ‘Lanka’ of the Ramayana, a geographical equivalence maintained by the Arya Cakravarti rulers who dubbed themselves ‘guardians of Rama’s bridge’ (cētu kāvalan). I highlight the uniquely sympathetic treatment of Ravana by the Hindus of eastern Sri Lanka, and explore the likelihood that Tamil impressions of Ravana impacted his appearance in Sinhala Buddhist literature from the fifteenth century onwards.

Diaspora and Development

Preface. Foreword Oommen Chandy. Acknowledgements. 1. Diaspora and Development: Critical Issues Dilip Ratha and Sonia Plaza 2. Diaspora and Development: Case Study of the Indo-EU Diaspora Alwyn Didar Singh 3. Diaspora and Development: Theoretical Perspectives Amba Pande 4. Diaspora, Transnationalism and Development Ajaya Kumar Sahoo 5. Engaging the Indian Diaspora for Development Smita Tiwari 6. Professional Diaspora Networks and Philanthropy in the Healthcare Sector T. L. S. Bhaskar 7. Return of Diasporas: India's Growth Story vs Global Crisis S. Irudaya Rajan, V., Kurusu and Saramma Panicker C. K. 8. Punjabi Diaspora and Educational Development Kaveri Qureshi and Filippo Osella 9. Land, Migration and Identity: Changing Punjabi Transnationalism Steve Taylor 10. Diaspora and Remittances Milly Sil 11. Future Diasporas? International Student Migration from India to the UK S. Irudaya Rajan and Neha Wadhawan 12. Ethnic Indians in India's Look East Policy Amit Singh 13. The Indian Diaspora in Oman Veronika Deffner 14. Indian Migrant Experiences in Oman and Bahrain Radhika Kanchana and S. Irudaya Rajan 15. Nitaqat - Second Wave of Saudization: Is it an Answer to the Domestic Discontent? Zakir Hussain 16. Kerala Emigration to Saudi Arabia: Prospects under the Nitaqat Law K. C. Zachariah, S. Irudaya Rajan and Jolin Joseph 17. Migration and Inequality Raju John 18. International Trade in Health Services: An Indian Experience Soumi Roy Chowdhury 19. Capability Quotient of the North-Eastern Out-Migrants Pinak Sarkar 20. Living Conditions of Sri Lankan Tamil Refugees in India C. Valatheeswaran.

“Who are we without the war?”: The evolution of the Tamil ethnic identity in post-conflict Sri Lanka

Studies of post-conflict societies have often focused on inter-ethnic group dynamics following the end of conflict, specifically the process of reconciliation between groups, or resurgence of violence across groups. This paper focuses on intra-ethnic differences with respect to defining ethnic identity. This paper will examine how the end of the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict created cleavages amongst Sri Lankan Tamils with respect to how they define their ethnic identity and their ethnic group. Drawing upon 66 semi-structured interviews conducted in three regions of Sri Lanka, this paper presents three perspectives that were held among Tamils in post-conflict Sri Lanka. The first perspective was that the end of the ethnic conflict led to a loss in the fundamental tenets of the Tamil ethnic identity. The second perspective considered the promotion of a distinct Tamil ethnic identity to be a gateway to conflict. The third perspective articulated that the end of the ethnic conflict meant that the Tamil ethnic identity could move forward in a more cosmopolitan direction. The findings of this study demonstrate the importance of considering the social construction of ethnic identities, and their implications on post-conflict reconstruction.

Drug-response related genetic architecture of Bangladeshi population

Many Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) have been discovered to be responsible for inter-individual variability in drug response. Since allelic distribution and extent of linkage disequilibrium (LD) blocks of SNPs vary among populations, frequencies of different SNP alleles associated with drug response and patterns of LD should be analyzed separately for different populations. In the present study, we listed the SNPs associated with drug response along with the responsive drugs and calculated the frequencies of the major and minor alleles in the genomes of Bangladeshi individuals. We then analyzed the genotypic data to find LD blocks, tag SNPs (tSNP), frequencies of different haplotypes and association (crossover rates) between different LD blocks of the drug response related SNPs. Among 156 non-redundant autosomal drug response related SNPs, there are nineteen LD blocks and five tSNPs in Bangladeshi population. Certain minor SNP alleles in worldwide population are present as the major ones (with frequencies ≥0.5) in Bangladeshi population. Based on the available SNP data in the 1000 genome database, these particular SNP alleles have similar distributions in other South Asian populations (Telegu and Gujrati Indian, Punjabi Pakistani and Sri Lankan Tamil).

Narratives of Sri Lankan Displaced Tamils Living in Welfare Centres in Jaffna, Sri Lanka

This article addresses the kind of attachment that the Sri Lankan Tamil IDPs, refugeed in the welfare centers of Jaffna, have to their Ur/homes in the post-war era. This article is to explore, how they describe the meaning of attachment to their Ur even after two decades of displacement and how this is related to the negotiations with displacement. To understand this relationship, I used the concept of attachment to analyze my collected data. The qualitative materials are drawn from the data collected during my ethnographic field-visit in Jaffna in February-March 2013. The focus is on narrative interviews with IDPs staying at the welfare centers in Jaffna. This article discusses in detail the narrative of an IDP who spoke on behalf of several others who were in the same situation and staying at the center since the early 1990s. From his narrative, I show their intense sense of attachment not only to their Urbut also to the memories and emotions which are related to their Ur. I argue that the meaning of Urand attachment to it, has remained unchanged for this group of population in Jaffna due to socio-economic reasons and aspirations to a good life.

Changing orientations to heritage language: The practice-based ideology of Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora families

Abstract The notion of heritage language (HL) has recently been challenged by emerging orientations to language. That languages are always in contact, they are constructed by ideologies, and they don’t have an ontological status challenge traditional notions of HL as primordial, pure, and territorialized. In this article, I draw from data from a qualitative inquiry adopting observations, surveys, and interviews on how families of the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora community in UK, USA, and Canada define heritage language and competence. I focus specifically on interview data to unveil the language ideologies of community members relating to heritage language and identity. For them, competence means having the ability to align Tamil verbal resources strategically with multimodal semiotic resources and spatial repertoires to accomplish social and cultural communicative activities. For this objective, being proficient in fragmentary verbal resources, receptive and/or conversational skills, low diglossic Tamil, and informal register are deemed satisfactory. Therefore the corpus that is considered as HL is also changing in diaspora contexts to accommodate appropriations from other languages, and metonymic uses, which develop shared indexicality for the community. I label these assumptions as constituting a practice-based ideology of HL. Such an orientation will help us understand HL as a socially constructed and changing construct, while affirming its importance for migrant communities.

The association of parenting style on depression, anxiety and stress among Tamil speaking adolescents in the Colombo city

Introduction: Globally, studies have identified varied associations between the four key parenting styles and adolescent depression, anxiety and stress. However, such studies are rare in Sri Lanka, especially among Tamil speaking adolescents. Objective: To assess the association between perceived parenting style on depression, anxiety and stress among Tamil speaking adolescents in the Colombo city. Method: A cross sectional study design was used with a sample of 232, 15- to 18-year-old adolescents attending government schools in the Colombo city, chosen through a stratified random sampling technique. The Scale of Parenting Style and the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 were used along with a demographic questionnaire. The standardized scales showed good validity and reliability properties amongst the Sri Lankan Tamil speaking population. Results: Authoritative parenting style was associated with a lower level of depression when compared to neglectful parenting style (p = 0.000134, p 0.05). Further, as the parents’ controlling behaviour increased, it had a negative significant association with depression (r = -0.26, p = 0.000048), anxiety (r =-0.13, p = 0.0453) and stress (r = -0.19, p= 0.00289). And, as parental responsiveness towards the adolescent increased, it had a significant negative association with depression (r = -0.28, p = 0.000014), anxiety, (r = -0.2, p = 0.00248) and stress, (r = -0.26, p = 0.000049). Conclusions: The study indicates that certain parenting styles has a significant impact on adolescent depression, anxiety and stress. The authoritative parenting style was identified as the most favourable whereas the neglectful parenting style was identified as the worst. Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2018; 47(4): 342-347

Ischemic stroke following a wasp sting \u2013 a rare complication: a case report

BackgroundWasp stings are commonly encountered worldwide and result in a variety of clinical manifestations including local and systemic reactions. Neurological and vascular complications are rarely reported following a wasp sting.Case presentationA 69-year-old Sri Lankan Tamil man presented to our hospital with focal neurological deficit following multiple wasp stings; the deficit was confirmed to be an acute infarction on magnetic resonance imaging scan. He was screened for metabolic risk factors which were negative and he had a normal two-dimensional echocardiogram and normal carotid arteries in carotid duplex which excluded potential sources of thromboembolism.ConclusionTreating physicians should be aware of the rare but possible complication of ischemic stroke following a case of wasp sting.

Reference values for blood pressure of healthy Sri Lankan Tamil children in the Jaffna district

Introduction: Increasing trend of childhood obesity leads to high blood Pressure (BP) in children and adolescents. Ethnic differences in BP have been reported. Normal BP values of Sri Lankan Tamil children are not available. Objective: To measure BP of healthy Sri Lankan Tamil children in the Jaffna district to get normal BP values and to correlate them with anthropometric measurements. Method: A population based descriptive cross sectional study was carried out among children and adolescents (950 boys, 972 girls) aged 6 to 18 years in schools in Jaffna district. Cluster sampling was applied to classrooms in the schools. The classes were selected by systematic random sampling. Age, height, weight, waist circumference and hip circumference were taken. Body mass index, waist hip ratio and waist height ratio were calculated. BP was measured with a mercury sphygmomanometer. Pubertal stage was assessed with a self-administered Tanner staging scale. Results: Mean of the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of boys and girls increased from 98/70 mm Hg and 99/70 mm Hg to 107/73 mm Hg and 107/73 mm Hg until 10 years, decreased slightly up to 13 years (101/64 mm Hg and 102/63 mm Hg) and increased until 18 years to 119/76 mm Hg and 111/70 mm Hg. From the age of 15 years, boys had higher SBP and DBP than girls (p purana village. After these ages BP values were lower than in Sinhalese children. Conclusion: BP of healthy Sri Lankan Tamil children in the Jaffna district has significant correlations with anthropometric measurements and Tanner staging. Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2018; 48 : 257-264

The Sri Lankan community of descent in the UK: a neglected population in demographic and health research

ABSTRACTThe Sri Lankan diaspora population is substantially neglected in UK demographic and health research and not captured in census and survey ethnic group questions, though 127,242 Sri Lankan-born migrants were enumerated in England and Wales in 2011. Important intersections are reported between the period of arrival of these migrants, the purpose behind their movement, and related population characteristics, with 47% having arrived during 2001–2011. Between 1984 and 2004 around 50,000 asylum applications were made by Sri Lankan Tamils. Sri Lankan migrants generally display more favourable circumstances on key socio-economic variables than do other diaspora populations from South Asia. These include generic health status and mortality. This may be attributable to the ‘healthy migrant’ effect, given the community’s recent migration, though the application of its effect to this population requires caution as a significant proportion came to Britain as asylum-seekers (forced migration) rather than as self-selecting migrants. A more advantageous socio-economic profile may also have contributed.

Reading Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism: Unnarratability in Shobasakthi’sTraitor

The 2001 Tamil novel Mmm (translated as Traitor in English) by Shobasakthi traverses spaces that are not often covered in contemporary Sri Lankan fiction. Set against the background of Tamil separatist movements of the late 1970s to the mid-1980s, the novel blends tales of caste and class oppression, while alternating between first- and third-person narrations. Traitor centres on a Sri Lankan Tamil militant, Nesakumaran, who flees to France as a refugee, and is eventually murdered, after being charged with the rape of his own child, Nirami. The novel showcases the breakdown of Nesakumaran’s self, as well as his familial and communal relationships, and reflects these dissolutions in the fragmentation of the narrative. This article argues that the narrative fragmentation of Traitor corresponds to the unnarratability of the violence that the novel tries to depict and illustrates the many fissures that are embedded within the rubric of Tamil nationalism. The novel depicts Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism as a more complicated concept than is conventionally assumed, a heterogeneous discourse marked by distinctions of class, caste, and gender. By wrestling with conflicts that are internal to the Tamil community, Traitor illustrates how Sri Lankan Tamil literature envisions the national space of Sri Lanka as merely a site on which to mourn the lack of an ethnic, Tamil solidarity.

“If One Does Not Fulfil His Duties, He Must Not Be a Man”: Masculinity, Mental Health and Resilience Amongst Sri Lankan Tamil Refugee Men in Canada

Refugee men face unique mental health stressors in the pre- and post-migratory periods. However, there has been little in-depth research on the mental health of refugee men in Canada. Given this situation, the overall aim of this study is to explore the psycho-social experience of Sri Lankan Tamil refugee men in Canada. Particular objectives include better understanding any inter-relationship between war-trauma, migration, concepts of masculinity and mental health. The study employed a two-phase participatory action research design based on the grounded theory approach. Phase 1 involved an 8-month ethnography conducted in Sri Lanka. Phase 2 consisted of qualitative interviews with 33 Sri Lankan Tamil refugee men living in Canada. Consistent with grounded theory, analysis was conducted inductively and iteratively. Four specific themes emerged from the data (i) gendered helplessness of war: participants commonly reported ongoing negative rumination regarding experiences where they were unable to adequately protect loved ones from physical suffering or death; (ii) reduced capacity: participants frequently felt unable to fulfill culturally sanctioned duties, such as supporting their family, due to ongoing pre- and post-migratory stress; (iii) redundancy: many participants felt that they were useless in Canada, as they could not fulfill typical masculine social roles (e.g. provider) due to factors such as unemployment and underemployment; (iv) intimate criticism: some participants reported that their spouses would often attempt to 'shame' them into greater achievement by constantly reminding them of their 'failures'. Many found this distressing. These various failures culminated in a state that we label "depleted masculinity", which participants linked to emotional and behavioural problems. Participants reported that they actively tried to rebuild their masculine identity, for example by adopting leadership roles in community organizations, which fostered resiliency. Results suggest a need to review and rebuild masculine identity to support the mental health of refugee men.

Battered but bold: Sri Lankan Tamil refugee war experiences, camp challenges and resilience

PurposeThe civil war prompted many Tamils to flee Sri Lanka as refugees. Several researchers have documented psychological distress and trauma among Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, but the literature lacks sufficient discussion of resilience among this population. Although Sri Lankan Tamil refugees have experienced conflict and loss, they have also demonstrated positive adaptation following these challenges. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approachThe present study used an ecological approach, in which the effect of the environment on a person is regarded as significant, to explore resilience among Sri Lankan Tamils living in refugee camps in India.FindingsThrough a qualitative investigation of refugee experiences of war and camp life, the authors developed a conceptual framework for understanding individual and collective resilience among refugees.Research limitations/implicationsAdditionally, the results of this study need to be interpreted with caution because participants were camp refugees, which may limit the applicability of these results with refugees who live in different settings.Practical implicationsThe current research results show that intervention programs should have multiple components, including trauma intervention to address the individual and community psychological and psychiatric effects of war and migration experiences and psychosocial interventions to address individual, family, community dynamics and daily stressors.Social implicationsThe study participants stated that Sri Lankan Tamil refugees are using their resilience traits including will power, positive talk, practical solutions, social support, religion and social networks to remake their broken souls.Originality/valueFuture studies need to be conducted with other refugee group to validate the findings of the paper.