Language liabilities

Sri Lanka has two main languages.... or maybe three now.... Sinhala, Tamil and English. I grew up in the days of civil war in the island which lasted almost thirty years from 1983. In the south, people held on to Sinhala and English as a ladder to climb the social hierarchy. Despite Tamil being the other official language of the state, I was not able to learn Tamil when I was growing up, nor it was given much importance in the school curriculum or an encouragement from home.
So I ended up knowing Sinhala and English. As many people following tertiary education, I did my degree and post graduate in English, and consider myself relatively fluent in both languages.
I did meet several obstacle during my training and career due to not knowing Tamil, the other official language of Sri Lanka. But most of the time, they were trival and I, as many others, was able to seek the help of a translator. All the official documents are either in Sinhala or English, and sometimes with Tamil and most of the people I came across know either this or that despite the ethnicity. Hence, the circumstances were such that I never really needed to learn Tamil, nor did I make a genuine effort. And I am pretty sure this would be th story of many Sri Lankans.

Yet,  later in life I came to realize that if there is one thing I regret while growing up, it is the fact that I didn’t learn Tamil, the other official language.
Like a white Caucasian, unaware of the issues pertaining to white supremacy, like a male unaware of the potholes while treading in this patrichal society as a woman, I was totally unaware of the issues of the others.
It was not intentionally being insensitive to the issues. Rather, it was not being sensitive, intentionally to the language liabilities.

I remember in the recent past where this issue became a hot topic with the national anthem being sung in two languages and the opposition leader being Tamil. Call me naive, for me I saw it as a progressive step. But the thing is, the political parties from both sides made a big hype about the national anthem but there was not much done to solve the issue in ground level.
 There are still people struggling to read through the government circulars.... letters sent from official institutes...conversing with officials regarding their problems.... reading transportation details etc...etc...
I’ve heard about an incident where a Tamil speaking medical graduate being blamed for asking for a translator, to converse with the Sinhala speaking patient, at his final exam....  I’ve heard of Tamils being lost in officials meetings that start in English but ends up in Sinhala...and Tamils seeking help to know what is written on their grade promotion letters issued by the ministry... struggling with giving police statements... etc...etc.... and I’ve heard of a Sinhala doctor being blamed by his senior for not knowing Tamil to converse with the patient, by his Tamil senior.....

I am sure, most of us can relate to incidents faces by both parties due to not knowing the others’ language. But, I’d say this feeling of alienation would be felt more for the Tamil speaking community. And it is sad that the majority is not aware or naive about theses facts. While the media willing plants paranoia about the other in each others’ minds, you seldom see any discussion about these little things that can be addressed, by both sects involved.

And we are stuck with this language issues even after so much blood shed. The wast majority of the majority as well as the minority thinks that the other should learn their language. Of course it is good to learn so. But you can not force anyone to do so and if they don’t, it’s basic compassion to accommodate for the difference.
In United Kingdom, where the official language is English, the international language for connecting and communicating, the government services are sensitive to people conversing in other languages. There is space made intentionally for the differences. In most letters from the council, they mention
the availability of translator options. I am yet to come across such sensitivity among Sri Lanka services.

I would say it is a two way process, this reconciliation and building bridges. It’s only when the healing take place in the grass root levels that all feels that they are in an inclusive society. Only when you intentionally become sensitive about the one person in your group, that do not understand the same language as you do, that you become an active part of healing.

Before being paranoid about the other grabbing and destroying what is ours....what if we become compassionate towards the other who doesn’t speak your tongue.....
It would be next to impossible for English to be the official language of Sri Lanka. And expecting everyone to learn “my” language does not also seem to be an possible alternative, even though it would be inspiring.
What we, as individuals can do is to be sensitive about the difference and the difficulties the other faces and act compassionately to create an inclusive society.
If the British  can accommodate space for many languages other than the international language of English, why can’t we make space for just one?