Living In a Multi Lingual Society.
Living in a multi lingual society gives us a lot of experience. It gives us an opportunity to understand another culture, another language, another tradition and another faith. Researchers say that bilingualists' brain work double faster than a mono linguist. When we learn another language not in a superficial level but in a deeper sense we naturally develop a respect and understanding towards that language and ethnicity. That's why people say living separately ( Tamils and Sinhalese separately geographically) won't create an understanding between ethnicities. Of course as per my personal experience living with another ethnicity paved me way to mutual respect, mutual understanding, mutual friendship so on and so forth. But it'd always be the vice versa as well which means a Sinhalese should be ready to learn Tamil eagerly not only for salary increment but they should love Tamil and do it. Another reason why I learnt Sinhala voluntarily and eagerly was according to the statement of "Artha Sasthram" of Kaudilyar, if a king invades another territory he'd accept and adopt that particular territory's language, tradition, and faith not his own. This means if a Sinhalese is willing to live in the Northern or Eastern part of the country he or she'd learn Tamil fluently. Ethnicians tend to preach Sri Lanka should be created with citizens full of tri lingual knowledge. I'm not boasting but I learnt Sinhala very eagerly, I had a Tamil-Sinhala dictionary and I used to refer unknown words and I still learn Sinhala. But I've never met a single Sinhalase who learn Tamil eagerly except for salary increment. A person who can't respect another language can't be a human being at all. Just see how many spelling errors take place in name boards, for example the word "paavam" which means poor is used instead of "paalam" which means bridge. Further a creating turmoil and havoc over a language is very blithering. One more jest is the majority's argument of inter marriages as a solution to ethnic trouble. I recall with a mocking smile that a Buddhist monk has told that if we unite people of various ethnicities only a child will be born but harmony won't be born. How true. As per my case I'm different 'cause I'm not a purely Northern person 'cause I spent most part of my life with Sinhalese in kandy. We've to take a real effort in solving ethnic conflict, it shouldn't be only to appease the international. Efforts should be made with a real love for a fellow ethnicity and this won't lead to another misunderstanding and turmoil.
Om Sri Sai Ram!!!
