The Poet
Somasundramoillai Pathmanathan
Poet and teacher Somasundramoorthy Pathmanathan — known as “Sopa” — remembers a time when the baker in Jaffna was Sinhalese and the tailor was Muslim. He reflects on how war reshaped everyday life in the peninsula.
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The people never wanted the Muslims to go
I think up to 1977, practically all the bakeries were run by Sinhalese. They used to deliver bread at our doors. The Sinhalese baker was an essential (laughs) part of Jaffna life. You never thought of a Jaffna man entering that business because that was the realm of the Sinhalese.
In as much as the tailors here were all Muslims. Ninety per cent of them were Muslims. It was only after the Muslims were evacuated or displaced or whatever you call that, that the Tamil youngsters started — because there was a need — they started learning this.
The people never wanted the Muslims to go. They had nothing against the Muslims. They speak the same language. They may be different religion wise. But they get along well with the Muslims. There’s no barrier between them and the Muslims.
So when the Muslims are back, I know certain goodwill missions and others have gone to help them. There was a lecturer friend of mine — who’s dead and gone now — at the Technical College, who would take provisions and other things. He’s a vegetarian, he would take meat on Ramazan or whatever day. And he would give the really the poor Muslims there… he would consider it. So there have been cases like that.
There’s still a feeling of a load of guilt among the Tamils of Jaffna that they have been silent witnesses to the very unjust eviction of the Muslims. I certainly have it. So how do I face my Muslim friends?
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