Popular British Tamil DJ, music producer and entrepreneur, Robert Rajeswaran aka DJ Rob R, has released a statement online, expressing his experiences of repeated racial abuse, ethnic hatred and threats to his life as a Tamil business owner in the southern region of Sri Lanka.
In a heartfelt statement posted on Instagram yesterday, he disclosed that he was racially abused by a local man, who threatened to “slit (his) throat” for refusing to give him money. The attack took place the day prior at his own bistro, Tiffins: The Dosa Kade, located in the southern coastal town of Ahangame, a developing tourist hub situated within a Sinhala- Buddhist majority area.
This racial attack was not an isolated incident. Addressing his followers, he revealed that he has repeatedly experienced violent encounters of a similar nature as he is often targeted for operating a Tamil- owned business in Ahangame, where he has had to fend off attempts to police expressions of Tamil culture inside the bistro.
“Blackmailing, life threats and racial abuse happens very frequently, and also the classic label of ‘Tamil Tiger’ and ‘Terrorist’ has been said to me so many times. During the day of Deepavali, I was told not to play Tamil music and go back to Jaffna”, he said.
Born in Jaffna and raised in London, DJ Rob R has gained worldwide recognition for performing to audiences across the globe, including the UK, India and Vietnam.
Speaking of his personal history in the statement, he shared that he fled Jaffna as a child refugee during the war and returned to the island as an adult with the purpose of reconnecting with his roots and living peacefully whilst “healing from all the past trauma”. He stated that he opened ‘Tiffins’ to celebrate his heritage and use his business to bridge between communities through music, food and human connection. However, the repeated racist attacks to his and his staff’s safety and prompted him to reconsider keeping the business open.
“I opened Tiffins with my friend with love, wanting to celebrate Sri Lankan and South Indian culture and to show that our food, music and people can unite us beyond race and religion. But after repeated racist attacks and threats, I no longer feel safe- for myself or my staff. Because of this, Tiffins may soon be closing”, he said.
He concluded his statement by informing followers that racism remains prevalent in Sri Lanka and must be openly discussed in order for everyone to “feel safe to belong” in the country.
Please see here for the full statement on Instagram.
