Draft 6

Athula was a very smart child. He was a top student in his school and a very hardworking person too. Everyday after school, he would help out his parents out in the tea plantation, followed by studies. His wish was that he could enter the top university and given his parents a good future ahead. He had a very good friend whose name was Asanka. They would play with each other whenever they had free time.

Things took a change for the worst after the Sinhalese took over Sri Lanka in 1948; they brought in the Ceylon Citizenship Act Of 1948. Athula’s family was now having difficulties as they were not entitled to things like education and voting for the countries, as their forefathers were not born here. Despite being dropped out of school, Athula still worked hard to study as he wants to fulfill his dreams of entering the university. His friend, Asanka would come to his house occasionally to tell Athula what they had learned, so Athula could revise. His parents continue to work in the plantation. Life went on as normal.

Athula secretly went to meet Asanka; “Why do the Sinhala implement such atrocious rules, making so many Tamils stateless!” Athula asked, pacing up and down.

Asanka murmured “I have no idea but it has made life much more peaceful, I don’t wish for it to end.”

Athula shouted backed in a furious rage “Do you know what it has done to my fellow Tamils, it has turned their life upside down, some Tamils were pinning all their hope on the child to give them a better future and you Sinhala started to expelled us one by one from school, I don’t see it making our life much more peaceful.”

Asanka could not bear to hear it anymore and ran off before Athula could say anything. Athula started to feel regretful; it was not Asanka’s fault why did I have to shout at him. He could not change what he had done so he turned off to another direction and started walking away. Athula had tried to find his friend and apologized to him, after much effort he tracked downed Asanka and started to explain what was really happening on that day, with that Athula managed to fix a broken friendship back together again.

Athula’s siblings were forced out of their job one day; Athula being curious went to ask his father what had happened to them.

“Athula, your siblings have gotten fire because they can’t speak Sinhala, also regarding to this agenda, we may have to send you to work earlier before you can attend your university” boomed Athula’s father.

Athula was devastated, he murmured “how can it happened, what about my dreams, I have to give up my dreams because of the Sinhalese, No way!” he slammed his bedroom door.

He continued to disobey his parents and studied day and night. He is awaiting the day for his exam to come. When he took his exam, he was full of confidence, while other pupils mostly Sinhalese was shaking with fear; others had butterflies in their stomach. The exams results were out, Athula scored 4A2 and 3B3, and he was confident that he could get into the university. But in the midst of the excitement, he was shot down. He saw Sinhalese entering the university, but he was stopped at the university‘s gate cause his points did not make the criteria. While the Sinhalese only scored about 4B4 and 4B3 and was able to enter the university, this got Athula’s blood boiling.


Athula then ran away from home as he was too ashamed to admit the truth. He went all around Sri Lanka and saw many Tamils homeless. This sight made him remember about his family. Thus he continued on the road with a heavy heart. A few months later, something made Athula tears rolled down uncontrollably. He saw his family living in the dumpster. Athula could not stand how the Sinhalese was treating the Tamils and went to join a federation, called the, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. He went around killing any Sinhalese he could get his hand on, sometimes, Athula even tortured the small kids. He was so bent on revenge that nothing stood in his way.

In the midst of the chaos, Athula was walking around trying to find Sinhalese to tortured, when he saw Asanka quivering in fear in a corner of the house, Athula’s tears rolled down when he pointed the gun on Asanka forehead.