Jungian Perspectives on the Individuation of the Nation of Eelam
Ruben Nagesparan Chandrakumar, BS
Within Jungian psychoanalytic theory, the concept of individuation refers to the process of becoming whole—of making the unconscious conscious. Through this process of realizing the totality of the human psyche and the ultimate reality that, as described by Alexandr Solzhenitsyn, ‘the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being,’ the psyche can align with the highest ideals by integrating the shadow. To Jung, this was the process of true enlightenment—a full awareness of the human potential for greatness and atrocity.
The emergence of Eelam’s collective shadow during the reign of the LTTE and the civil war has led to the necessity to find a direction amidst chaos, hopelessness, and uncertainty—especially in light of the lack of vision, leadership, and depth of thought within Eelam and abroad after the end of the war. This encounter with the shadow has shaken the foundations upon which the nation stands—threatening its values, social norms, core beliefs, perceptions, domestic and international relations, and future. The sheer brutality and relentless, barbaric savagery that the LTTE executed—including assassinations and massacres of innocents, the recruiting and use of child soldiers, and the frequent use of suicide attacks—must be reflected upon to never forget nor repeat the malevolence and desire for revenge that possessed the national psyche.
The dream of independence and freedom from oppression emerged in various forms. First, there was the development of political parties in Ceylon, such as the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, which then promulgated a new wave—post-Britain—that included Chelvanayakam’s cohort and the movement of satyagraha. The most recent phase of this emerged in the Tamil militant groups and the war for independence; now, there is a fractured and stunted movement that includes local Tamil political parties and alliances, the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam, and a myriad of organizations with the same dream. The longing for freedom and justice has been a constant aspiration for Eelam and reflects a deep desire within the psyche—arguably, one of the deepest given the historical behavior.
The process of individuation for the nation will require analyzing this dream, the different ways it has manifested in history, and the way in which it can guide present decisions and the vision for the future. Furthermore, due to the scattered diaspora and the sense of a fracture of national identity, the nation must undergo a thorough examination into the ways in which these disparate identities can live within a common culture and story. The affinity for certain symbols and myths that guide perception must be reconciled, and ignorant, destructive beliefs must be challenged through free speech and dialogue. By meditating on the significance of certain symbols within the Eelam independence movement and the myths which guided the nation for decades, and still grip much of the collective psyche, the nation can grow beyond the past and transcend the many sins through conscious evolution.
This is exemplified by the way in which the actions of the LTTE had split Tamils from one another and divided the nation—even dividing families. Without understanding the malevolence which the LTTE was responsible for, how it affected countless Tamils and their families, and how this must be acknowledged, the nation will continue to remain splintered, and any meaningful attempt at uniting will fail. To avoid this fate, Tamils must be willing to look within their own hearts and their own psyches to understand the perspectives of one another, and not be dismissive of the experiences of others. Only by having the difficult conversations that are long overdue may Eelam begin to heal from the trauma that it has endured, inflicted on itself, and inflicted on the Sinhalese.