Apropos Dr. Geewananda Gunawardena’s (GG) excellent article titled “Agnotology and Ethnic Relations” (The Island – 04,11.2024) I would like to say that his timely attempt to show that differences and conflicts, based on ethnicity, has no relevance in today’s world, is laudable to say the least. Further his view that veneration of the elite and rulers must stop is also praise-worthy and one can’t agree more with him. The fact that these two phenomena, racism and adulation of the elite, have plagued the country and brought us to the present sad straits cannot be overemphasized. However, I have to make a few observations of dissent that wouldn’t in any way take anything away from what he has said, purely for academic and scientific reasons and with no racial connotations whatsoever.

His contention is that there are no genetic differences between Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamils as shown in a study he quotes as “Ranaweera, 2014” which is based on a mitochondrial DNA analysis. This study may not have found any difference for there may not be such difference in mitochondrial DNA of Sinhalese and Sri Lankan Tamils. However, a different test on some other aspect of genetics may find a difference. A more recent study by three Sri Lankan researchers has reported a difference which they consider as evidence that support the theory of ancient linguistic origin of Sri Lankan ethnicities — Indo-Aryan origin of Sinhalese and Dravidian origin of Tamil populations (KLN Perera, Gayani Galhena & Gaya Ranawake, June 2021). This study is titled “X-chromosomal STR based genetic polymorphisms and demographic history of Sri Lankan ethnicities and their relationship with global populations”. Here STR stands for Short Tandem Repeat which is a DNA sequence where a short sequence of nucleotides is repeated multiple times in a row. STRs are found throughout the genome and are characterized by their length polymorphism, meaning the number of repeated sequences varies between individuals. I do not claim that this method is superior to mitochondrial DNA analysis that GG has mentioned. What I want to emphasise is that it is unnecessary to find how close ethnic groups are related if the intention is to promote ethnic harmony, but for academic purposes and historical interest certainly by all means it must be done. Suffice it to say that we are all humans and have the same origin in East Africa and therefore must get on harmoniously despite ethnic differences. Because whether we like it or not there are ethnic differences between the ethnic groups in Sri Lanka and conflicts are more common between closely related groups than distant groups. We must look for other means of bringing peace and cordiality among communities.

Ethnicity is a social heritage and may be based on, not genes, but one or more of the following characteristics; language, religion and geographic location. Different ethnic groups may have very similar genomes. Similarly, there may be genetic differences within the same ethnic group. For example, genetic composition of Israelis and Palestinians are very much similar, dating back to the Stone Age, but today they are arch enemies. No useful purpose would be served by harping on their common ancestry except perhaps for academic interest.

As GG correctly mentions it is the politicians who exploit these differences to gain popularity among their communities and remain in political power. Such politicians should be exposed and weeded out of the political arena. This process has already started if one is to go by the outcome of the recently concluded general election. One hopes this was not a “flash in the pan” and one-off political phenomenon but a more permanent change in the attitude of voters of all communities. If it means that the Sri Lankan voter has matured it bodes well for future communal harmony and development of the nation.

N.A.DE S. AMARATUNGA