We hope that you will join us online by visiting our website http://www.AsiaSociety.org, and following the directions there. The webcast will be available 30 minutes before the program begins. Listeners will also have opportunities to send their questions in to moderator@asiasociety.org, where they will be addressed during the program. Please also feel free to forward the flyer below to your contacts as well. Please let me know if you have any questions. We look forward to your participation!

Thanks

Vasu

udaya

Let me first say a few words about Dr. Nalin De Silva. He is a Math/Physics Professor who has FAILED to excel in his chosen fields, but succeeded in CHEAP polemics. After obtaining the PhD what matters is not only the brains but peer recognition which is more important when you are at that level but unfortunately he NEVER had it. Being a Math Professor at the Kelaniya University, not only the academics but even the students do not like this rude/arrogant old man. In university circle, he is known as `Prof. Nalin the Pissa`.

As one of the founding members of Vasudeva`s and Wickramabahu`s Trotskyite NSSP, Nalin De Silva was one of the first Sinhala-Buddhist to endorse the right of Tamils for self determination in early 1980. Later he has taken a hundred and eighty degree turn by joining hands with Gunadasa Amerasekara and started writing utter rubbish about something he calls `Jathika Chintahnaya`. This has made him very FAMOUS among Sinhala-Buddhist RACISTS, the recognition he always wanted but never got from university circle.

I read one of his articles in the Island (utter nonsense) where he claims that western truth in particular is not relevant to us (and fogs it up with irrelevant allusions to quantum science and relativity), and claims that the only point of view applicable in SriLanka is the Sinhala-Buddhsit point of view.

Since he is good at speculating and creating his-stories (pseudo-history) from thin air and is able to write glamorized articles, he managed to convince a few confused and misguided individuals (mostly Sinhala-Buddhist youth) and made them his faithful followers who believe that he is an expert analyst/scholar.

Dr. Nalin De Silva’s arguments are mostly based on the findings/writings of old (obsolete) historians. Most of those theories are not valid any more due to the latest scientific discoveries in the fields of archaeological, epigraphical and anthropological research made till now. He never comes up with any solid evidence to prove what he says but simply quotes another author whose credibility is in question (either a racist like him without any *verifiable data* or some biased researchers with hypothetical assumptions/interpretations or un-authoritative/officially un-published, half baked historical work of some researchers completely neglecting the controversial nature of their research.). The ancient stone inscriptions and even the Mahavamsa do not support his views.

For example, Dr. Nalin De Silva still comments on the thesis that the PhD student Mr. K. Indrapala wrote in 1965. After 30 years of research as a senior Archeologist/Historian Prof. K. Indrapala say he does not even have a copy of his dissertation (1965) which is completely out of date.

If people want to know the history of Sri Lanka after all the scientific discoveries in the fields of archaeological, epigraphical and anthropological research made till now, they have to read what is written by those who are qualified in the field of history/archeology and not Math/physics.

For example, people such as Prof. Leslie Gunawardane, (professor in history and a former Vice Chancellor of University of Peradeniya), Dr. K Indrapala (former professor in history, University of Jaffna) and many other qualified historians have written articles and books on the history of Sri Lanka based on the latest findings.
What credibility does bogus pseudo-historians like Dr. Nalin De Silva who still rely on articles written by early (obsolete) historians have in commenting on the history of Sri Lanka? These pseudo-historians can only come up with hypotheses, assumptions and analogies and not the facts/truth. Twisting, turning, manipulating, and coming up with big fat conspiracy theories have become their hallmark.

Dr. Nalin De Silva says there were no Tamils in Sri Lanka before the 12th Century AD. The Mahavamsa very clearly says that there were Tamils (Damilas) in Sri Lanka during the early historic period not as traders but the rulers. Even Dutugemunu had to conquer not just one Tamil king but 32 Tamil Chieftains around the Anuradhapura principality alone. How could there be 32 Tamil chieftains in the area of Anuradhapura alone, if there were no Tamils or Tamil settlements? Even the very early Brami stone inscriptions found mentions the term Damilas (Tamils) during the ancient period.

On the other hand, what evidence does he have to prove that Devanampiya Tissa or even DutuGemunu was a Sinhala? None of the stone inscriptions or Pali chronicles says they were Sinhalese. DevanampiyaTissa and DutuGemunu were from the Tissa dynasty which is a combination of Pandu (Pandyans) and Naga (they freely assimilated by marriage). Both Pandus and Nagas are migrants from India. The Nagas have a separate history in India.

When the Buddhist missionary monks led by Mahinda came to Sri Lanka via Tamil Nadu (latest research by Dr. Shu Hikosake) they spoke to the prince Tissa and his people in Deepa Basa (language of the Island) as per Mahavamsa. If the language of the island was Sihala/Hela then why didn’t the author of Mahavamsa say so? The term Sihala/Hela appeared for the first time only in the 5th Century AD Pali chronicles. During that period there was a serious threat to Buddhism in India (under attack) due to significant increase in Brahmanical influence (Vaishnavism and Saivism posed a serious challenge to Buddhism). In order to protect Buddhism in Sri Lanka the Mahavihara monks assimilated all the Buddhists from different tribes/races into one group and called them Sihala and created a Lion history for them. The prakrit language in which the Brami inscriptions were written (what Wilhelm Geiger labeled as Sinhala-prakrit) is Pali plus the combination of all the languages spoken by the tribes. It was later known as Elu/Hela/Sihala.

The beginning chapters of the Mahavamsa/Deepavamsa (believed to be adopted from some mystery story Sihalattha katha), the Sihala race (sustainers of Buddhism for 5000 years), Dhamma deepa (Island blessed by the Buddha), etc were all created by the Mahavihara monks to protect Buddhism from those Brahmanical/Hindus.

Dr. Nalin De Silva speaks as if he had witnessed the Dutch bringing Vellalar to Jaffna. Vellalar is a caste of agricultural land owners. If the Dutch brought the Vellalar and created a new caste then I am sure the Dutch must have kept a record. What historical evidence does he have to prove his claim?

It is true that the Dutch brought slaves from South India and sold them to the Vellalar as laborers to grow Tobacco in their fields but those people lived in Jaffna until recently as low castes.

At the same time the Dutch also brought tens of thousands of slaves from South India to the South of Ceylon (Colombo, Galle and the entire South West). One of the main sources of income the Dutch had at that time was Cinnamon.

According to the Dutch writer Markus Vink, Let me quote straight from his report:
Quote: In 1694, the city of Colombo alone had a slave population of 1,761. See Knaap, `Europeans, Mestizos and Slaves,` p. 88. In 1661, 10,000 slaves had been put to work by the company and by private individuals on the lands in southwestern Ceylon, including 2,000 company slaves. Unquote.

The Sinhala population from Colombo to Galle along the entire South West increased when these people assimilated with the Sinhalese? Ten thousand in 1694 must have multiplied into many hundred thousand. Today they are Sinhala Buddhists/Catholics who are claiming the ancient Sri Lankan civilization as their own heritage. These Sinhalised Tamils pretend as if they are more Sinhala than the Sinhalese. Not only people such as Dr. Nalin De Silva and Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka but even people like Don David Hewavitarana AKA Anagarika Dharmapala belongs to this group of Sinhalese.

Let me also mention that, based on the writings of Markus Vink, Prof.Sinnappah Arasaratnam has written an article about the slaves settled in Jaffna to work in the Tobacco fields owned by the Vellalars.

Dr. Nalin De Silva also says that even AriyaChakravartis have used Sinhala as their official language because they have used Sinhala to sign an agreement with Portuguese.

First of all who can prove that the AriyaChakravartis used Sinhala to sign an agreement with Portuguese? Is this document preserved anywhere or has any 17th centaury Portuguese writer mentioned it anywhere?

Suppose we say, yes the AriyaChakravartis used Sinhala to sign an agreement. Is that an evidence to say AriyaChakravartis have used Sinhala as their official language?
In the 1815 Kandyan Convention, the leading Kandyan Lords or Dissawas who are believed to be the top Sinhala aristocrats (Pilimatalawe Senior, Pilimatalawe Junior, Ehelepola, Ratwatte, and a few others) signed their names in the Tamil Language.
There is no reason why these Kandyan Lords should learn to speak and write Tamil or rather sign an important treaty concerning the country and religion in the Tamil Language?

If we argue in similar manner like Dr. Nalin De Silva, we can also say that the mother tongue of these Kandyan Lords was Tamil or we can say that the Tamil Language was also an official Language of the Kandyan Kingdom.

Dr. Nalin De Silva says the Languages in Tamil Nadu and Jaffna are very similar and therefore the Tamils have come very recently.

The Tamil literature (Music/dance/drama) is very closely linked to the rich Tamil culture and due to the close proximity between Jaffna and Tamil Nadu there is no reason why the Tamils of Jaffna have to create another language or culture when everything is freely available. The neighboring states of Tamil Nadu adopted a slightly different language/culture because they also had influence from other neighbor states. Similarly, the Sri Lankan Tamil has a few words that the Tamils across the Palk Strait cannot understand.

Dr. Nalin De Silva is not an etymologist or a linguist and neither is he a Tamil scholar who has done research to find the similarities and differences between the Tamil language in Tamil Nadu and Jaffna. What credibility does he have to comment about the Tamil language?

There are enough of well qualified and renowned Historians/Archeologists/Anthropologists/ Etymologists out there but have any of them come up with any issues/comments or written any controversial articles on history like Dr. Nalin De Silva?

We know why nobody likes to interfere or comment about Dr. Mervyn De Silva. Similarly, the controversial articles on history written by bogus Pseudo-historians such as Math/Physics Prof. Nalin De Silva can be dissected and nullified but mostly it goes unchallenged because nobody likes to lose their dignity by engaging in CHEAP polemics especially with nasty, arrogant and sarcastic people like Dr. Nalin De Silva.

My advice to those who read articles on history written by people such as Dr. Nalin De Silva and believe what he says as the gospel truth.

The danger with people like Prof. Nalin de Silva is what he speaks/writes is very dangerous to the society. He is brainwashing younger generation and creating racists very similar to what the educated Tamils did in the fifties (created the LTTE). The young Sinhala-Buddhist Ultra-Nationalists/Racists like Champika Ranawaka of the Jathika Hela Urumaya and Wimal Weerawansa of the National Patriotic Front are the by-products of Prof. Nalin de Silva’s CHEAP polemics. He has already created a young Sinhala-Buddhist Racist society. His course of action is detrimental to the future of the country and should be STOPPED at any cost.