Papers by Dagmar Hellmann
Nationalism and Ethnic Politics, 2017
Akademika, Jan 2, 1999
The note describes a research project on the security implications of the conflict in Sri Lanka f... more The note describes a research project on the security implications of the conflict in Sri Lanka for South Asia and the wider region conducted in Germany, the United Kingdom, France, India and Sri Lanka from December 1996 to December 1997. It looked at the question whether the fall-out of the conflict in Sri Lanka - the presence of refugees in India and western countries, and the activities of Tamil militant groups abroad — constitutes a security risk for the countries concerned. It was found that all the western countries concerned, and India, consider the security risks attendant on the presence of both Tamil refugees and of Tamil militant organisations as minor to negligible. While some disturbance of public law and order and demands on welfare expenditure can be considered as risks, these remain within the scope of the law enforcing agencies. India has taken steps to deal with the threat to national security emanating especially from Tamil groups taking refuge in India, and while for a time this threat was quite severe, it now considers it to have been brought under control. This throws doubts on the wisdom of the US to declare the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) a terrorist organisation in 1997.
Zeitschrift für Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik, 2021
ZusammenfassungWie konnte es zu dem Konflikt im Rakhine-Staat in Myanmar kommen, der eine Flucht ... more ZusammenfassungWie konnte es zu dem Konflikt im Rakhine-Staat in Myanmar kommen, der eine Flucht von mehr als 700.000 Muslim*innen nach Bangladesch zur Folge hatte? Um dieser Frage auf den Grund gehen zu können, ist es wichtig, die Ursachen und Hintergründe des Konfliktes zu betrachten und in den historischen Kontext einzubetten. Vielfältige Ebenen überlagern sich in dem Konflikt. Es ist zunächst ein lokaler Konflikt zwischen der muslimischen Minderheit und den buddhistischen Rakhine, desweiteren ein Konflikt zwischen dem Staat Myanmar, den Rakhine und den muslimischen Rohingya und letztlich ein internationaler Konflikt, der vor dem Internationalen Gerichtshof in Den Haag verhandelt wird.
In the article three issues are dealt with: firstly, a description of the traditional social syst... more In the article three issues are dealt with: firstly, a description of the traditional social system of Jaffna in so far as it differs from that of South India and the rest of Sri Lanka, secondly, a discussion of the role of the Karaiyars in the past and present contexts, and, thirdly, an illustration of the way this social system is being maintained, albeit in modified form, under conditions of extreme stress and change. In other words it is shown how the frame or structure of the system remains in place while the content changes. This entails the retention of myths, ideals and symbols, while their meaning and also the groups that appropriate these, change dramatically. At the end of the paper it is argued that within the caste-oriented and -dominated social system of Jaffna there lie the seeds for the development of a wider group identity and consciousness which over time develops into nationalism under which caste is subsumed. This happens precisely when the dominant or hegemonic ...
Unlike the other State elections to the Legislative Assembly which the Congress-I won triumphantl... more Unlike the other State elections to the Legislative Assembly which the Congress-I won triumphantly, in Tamilnadu the AIADMK thoroughly defeated the DMK-Congress-I - alliance. There are three main reasons for this result: 1) The dissolution of the M. G. R.-government which had functioned quite satisfactorily placed M. G. R. in the role of the underdog fighting against heavy odds, which won over the voters. 2) The voters who wanted a strong Central government and, therefore, supported the DMK-Congress-I alliance in the Lok Sabha elections, did not want the same alliance to rule in the State, preferring a purely regional party there. 3) The elections were determined mainly by the votes of the lower and lower middle classes among whom M. G.R. has its staunchest supporters, while the upper classes largely abstained from voting. The results of Tamilnadu thus show that voters in that State differentiate clearly between the Central and State government and do not necessarily consider the po...
The foregoing article is a summary of a M. A. -thesis deelingwith Ramaswami Naikker's publica... more The foregoing article is a summary of a M. A. -thesis deelingwith Ramaswami Naikker's publications and the development of the C. M. I. in the years 1925-1945. It outlines the four main principles of the C. M. I. : namely self-respect, rationalism, anti-Brahmanism and Dravidism and shows how, departing from these principles, the C.M.I. developped into a militant, anti-religious, anti-North-Indian secessionist socio-political movement which found its climax and its end in the demand for an independent Dravidasthan. The events following the foundation of the successor party of the C. M. I. , the DK, in 1944 and the splitting away of the DMK in 1949 are shown. Furthermore, the impact of the Dravidian ideas and demands on the politics of Tamilnadu in the fifties and sixties is considered. The article concludes with an evaluation of the influence and chances of Dravidian parties and Dravidian ideas after the elections of 1977 and the splitting of the DMK party into three new parties.
Since 1983, the 'Tamil problem' in Sri Lanka has captured the headlines of the intemation... more Since 1983, the 'Tamil problem' in Sri Lanka has captured the headlines of the intemational press and the attention of the world public. The origins of the Tamil movement can, however, be traced back to the communal organizations of the Tamils from before Independence. When it became clear in the early 70s that the Tamils' efforts to gain a measure of security and special rights as a minority would be of no avail, a younger generation took to violent means to achieve their objectives. There are mainly two guerilla groups who command the situation in Jaffna at the moment: the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) and the People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Ealam (PLOT). The LTTE has, for the purpose of the peace talks in Thimpu, allied itself with three smaller groups in the ENLF (Ealam National Liberation Front), while the PLOT inclines to the TULF (Tamil United Liberation Front). All groups, however, profess to pursue Marxist-Leninist goals in their fight fo...
A review of MAHINDA DEEGALLE (ed.): Buddhism, Conflict and Violence in Modern Sri Lanka. (Routled... more A review of MAHINDA DEEGALLE (ed.): Buddhism, Conflict and Violence in Modern Sri Lanka. (Routledge Critical Studies in Buddhism). London and New York: Routledge, 2006. XV, 277 pages; GBP 75.00. ISBN 0-451-35920-1.
Religious conflicts that seem to spread across the world with ever increasing speed have given ri... more Religious conflicts that seem to spread across the world with ever increasing speed have given rise to the seemingly strange question of how religions can help to prevent or to resolve these conflicts. This constitutes an obvious paradox: on the one hand, religion is thought to be responsible for causing or at least triggering conflicts, on the other, it is normatively called upon to mediate and deescalate precisely these conflicts. Religiously motivated violence is then called an aberration or a deviation from the pure doctrine: people have not understood their religion properly, it is claimed, mostly by outsiders. This is particularly true for Buddhism which has been portrayed as the religion of non-violence par excellence, again often by non-Buddhist and Western observers. It has been judged by this standard since the late 19th century, with added emphasis in the 20th, when the Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi rose from religious and political leaders respectively to the status of...
Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 2010
Review of the edited volume: Iwanaga, Kazuki (ed.) (2008), Women’s Political Participation and Re... more Review of the edited volume: Iwanaga, Kazuki (ed.) (2008), Women’s Political Participation and Representation in Asia. Obstacles and Challenges, Copenhagen: NIAS Press, = Women and Politics in Asia No. 2, ISBN 9788776940164, XVII and 314 pages.
... The Tamil Tigers: Armed struggle for identity. Post a Comment. CONTRIBUTORS: ... VOLUME/EDITI... more ... The Tamil Tigers: Armed struggle for identity. Post a Comment. CONTRIBUTORS: ... VOLUME/EDITION: PAGES (INTRO/BODY): x, 164 p. SUBJECT(S): Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (Organization); Sri Lanka; Politics and government; 1978-; Tamil (Indic people). ...
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Papers by Dagmar Hellmann