SinhaLe is the ideology that unites Sri Lanka. (More & final rant on the දම්මදීප+සිංගදීප doctrine)
Sri Lanka is not "united" by a constitution or a citizenry based identity. Instead, it is under the compulsion to stay or appear united/"unitary" because that is how the modern Mahavamsa-Dharmapala hybrid SinhaLe/Sinhala nationalist ideology envisages the Sinhala nation.
The Sri Lankan State is built upon a theocratic principle. The main agenda of the state is to protect Buddhism. Both the ideas of Dharmadeepa and the SinghaDeepa that drives the Sinhala nationalist ideologues are now institutionalised and have a political face in modern Sri Lanka.
The institutionalisation process started with the Eksath Bikku Peramuna and found a permanent spot in the political chambers after the Buddha Saasana Ministry was established.
The Sinhala nation sees "unitary" as a synonym to the idea of a Singhadeepa and the slogans of unity and slogans that are in favour of a united Sri Lanka further strengthens the SinghaDeepa & Dharmadeepa narrative.
The DharmaDeepa, an island ruled by the Dharma is already guaranteed to the Sinhala nation by the constitution. However, the idea of a SinghaDeepa, which advocates the narrative that the Sinhala race is the protectors of the DharmaDeepa still requires something more than a constitutional guarantee.
The idea of a united SinghaDeepa needs to be acknowledged by the Tamil nation and the Muslim population that calls both the nations its home. This acknowledgement will never come from the Tamils because the character of the Tamil nation and it's politics was created or resulted as a counter force to this narrative(horcrux dilemma). So when we the Tamil nation pitch ideas of Federalism to the Sinhala nation, they see it as a threat or challenge to the idea of a Singhadeepa. So they will never accept it.
That said, the Sinhala nation also has a problem with the "Sri Lankan identity". The Sri Lankan identity is also a threat to SinghaDeepa as it seeks to construct a secular nation.
Secularism doesn't just threatens the SinghaDeepa it will also threaten the idea of Dharmadeepa.
So as far as the Sinhala nation is concerned, the idea of a Tamil nation including its compromise for a federal arrangement and the idea of a shared "Sri Lankan" citizenry, both, threatens the two core or founding principles of Sinhala nationalism.
So when they say they want a unitary arrangement. They are simply saying that they want to retain the theocratic nature of Sri Lanka. The Sinhala nation will not hesitate to wipe off the green and orange stripes in the lion flag if it threatens the core fundamentals of the Sinhala nation. That is why the lion wields a sword.
Just saying .
Mr. பழுவேட்டரையர்
(14/12/2016)
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