Sri Lankan activists demand dual language policy

(May 13, 2011) Sri Lanka’s religious leaders and civic rights activists gathered in Colombo on Wednesday to examine ways to solve the language problem that dragged the country to civil war. Christian and Hindu priests and activists from Tamil areas, including Vasudeva Nanayakkara, the Minister of National Languages and Social Integration, discussed problems and challenges faced by the Tamil speaking people in relation to the official language policy.’ According to the Sri Lankan constitution, Sinhala and Tamil should be the official and administrative languages and English the link language. But non implementation of this policy led to many riots since 1958 and 30 years of war. “A correct vision and courage is the only way for reconciliation and social integrations between Sinhalese and Tamils,” religious leaders pointed out. Professor P. Balasundarampillai of Jaffna University urged the minister to restore a Tamil language department at the University of Colombo to enable Sinhala students to learn the Tamil language. Catholic priest Father Saveri Mariathasan from Mannar diocese said: “Sinhala church leaders can take action to solve the Tamil language problems.” Minister Nanayakkara pledged the government’s will to implement the policy.