The Ravages of War

“Dr. Gunanandam is a neurosurgeon who, unlike many university medical staff in Jaffna, is a real doctor who is academically qualified (with a doctorate) and professionally qualified. He returned to serve during the war years as the surgeon and was quite welcome on contract appointments for several years. When he applied for a permanent position in the University after the cease-fire, trouble erupted. He was now no longer acceptable as a general surgeon.”
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by Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole

(April 30, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) War usually conjures up images of death and damaged buildings. A drive through the North-East would confirm this. But perhaps, the worst effect is the loss of values, destruction of community and the damage to institutions that are worse in non-personal terms. They take much longer to recover than the loss of life. They make people nasty and life impossible. While death robs people of life, these rob people of their humanity.

The Colonisation Example

The colonization schemes of the North-East bring to the fore the choices that face individuals. The government forced Sinhalese settlers in the North- East after displacing Tamil villagers through terror. This had been countered by massacres of the Sinhalese settlers (by most of the active armed Tamil groups then). For many Tamils it is a stark choice between civilized values and survival as a community; between surviving as a community with nasty values and not surviving at all. Many say that it is absurd to suggest that we should pack up as a community and run instead of killing a few civilians to scare the rest off. Those of us who take up the view that the killing of civilians is wrong under any circumstances and insist on an unremitting commitment to human rights and the dignity of man, are told that it is because they kill that we survive.

In a way it is like the argument of the 1990s - that it is after Premadasa solved the problem, that we are in a position to talk about human rights. For other Tamils migration to Colombo or, better still, to far away lands, has been the noble choice, letting those left behind decide whether to run or become like animals in the process of fighting.

Sadly those left behind live in a society made all the more grotesque by the choices it made.

In Colombo

Living in Colombo, every now and then a Tamil discussion comes to the question "Will there be 1983 again?" There is rarely agreement. But in real terms, people take on very material pursuits as if they believe it will never happen again. Parents live in apartment houses bought by their children abroad. Land prices in Wellawatte are said to have surpassed Colpetty’s and to be competing with Colombo 7’s because of this huge infusion of western capital. A pro-LTTE web-site lamented that Rs. 5,000 Crores of "Tamil-Eelam" money is propping up the Sri Lankan economy through land investments in Wellawatte. A rough count yields 300 new apartment blocks of assorted sizes in Wellawatte alone, chiefly occupied by Tamils. The elderly from these houses make a daily trip to communication centres to place their cheap Internet calls abroad to their children at Rs. 5 a minute. The wealth is such that many boys can be seen on the streets of Wellawatte with their gadgets to impress the passing girls or watching pornography in the many Internet cafes that have sprung up. The latest scandal involves a boy and his girlfriend watching filth together in an Internet cafe getting carried away and being photographed in compromising positions on a cell- phone. These photographs then made the rounds on e-mail. Silk sari stores from India have their branches. The latest movies from Tamil Nadu are released simultaneously. So long as the balloon does not burst, life for the Colombo exiles will go on in bliss. They say that if not for the militants they would not have this luxury and immerse themselves in temple poojas of all new sorts, entertainment shows by imported performers from India and pilgrimages to India. In this escapist climate the mind is malleable. Anyone can be zeroed by suggesting that he is a traitor, whatever that means. I am personally aware of ordinary non-political people killed and labelled traitor, upon which thinking immediately stops. Whether it stops because it is dangerous to think or because the mind is closed is difficult to fathom. A classic case is the killing of Mr. Kailanathan recently when he went to Batticaloa to interview people for openings in his ministry. A non-partisan public servant, speculation was rife as to whether he was killed because he worked for the EPDP ministry or with a view to getting the LTTE blamed. It had become too dangerous to think about. His family is bitter that he went to serve but is likely to go down in Tamil minds as a traitor simply because in the perception of many those shot "must have done something treacherous."


In Jaffna

While Colombo’s Tamil society buries itself in luxurious pursuits, in Jaffna life is as old fashioned as ever but with new twists. The old neighbours are gone. The old ruling families are comfortably ensconced in the West, their houses and positions taken over by the ordinary. Even the Church congregations are new. What is common with Colombo however, is the plethora of new temples with new gods and even new Churches with new theologies. It may be correct to say that every major street has a new church or temple. The old warmth of the village is still there. Particularly those not in authority and those who chose to stay are quite happy to have visitors. For those in authority usually have compromised themselves in some way.

Underneath the comforting exterior, however, is a strange and dangerous resentment among many in power that those who ran away will come back and take over their long-held top-dog positions in the few big institutions there. The world has passed them by but they do not seem to know it. Most leaders are, relative to the badly gone South, intellectually dead and less qualified. But society does not seem to know it. Thus, while expatriates on brief visits are welcome, those on long-term visits who will work independently are not. While those in power boast of how they served the people well, they do not want others to do the same. As a result many positions in the North are vacant. But there is no attempt to fill them. A doctor still short of the retirement age who was welcome on short visits from abroad was told, when he offered his services in the longer term, "If you know younger people, ask them to apply." Others have complained of vacancies not being advertised regularly as required, credible applications being not processed, the less competent being selected, etc. Explained a Dean from the area of business/commerce: "We must give preference for those who stayed back during the difficult years and keep positions for them. Those coming back newly must prove their loyalty first before we take them." How they can do it from outside is the question.

The Gunanandam Case

Dr. Gunanandam is a neurosurgeon who, unlike many university medical staff in Jaffna, is a real doctor who is academically qualified (with a doctorate) and professionally qualified. He returned to serve during the war years as the surgeon and was quite welcome on contract appointments for several years. When he applied for a permanent position in the University after the cease-fire, trouble erupted. He was now no longer acceptable as a general surgeon. All kinds of complaints against him emerged — as bizarre as they are odd for coming so late. It was disingenuously argued that without Sri Lankan Board Certification he cannot train interns although many in Jaffna do that without Board Certification. Even his contract appointment was not renewed as his applications for a permanent position was refused. Gunanandam went to Court and the Court of Appeal ordered that he be appointed permanently as a Senior Lecturer. Having been foiled in their attempts to keep out Gunanandam, the hospital surgeons pulled their trump card. They said none of them would teach if Gunanandam is there. The students then went on strike saying their graduation is being delayed. They approached the President, who said that if the surgeons would not do their work get them out. But that is a no-no in Jaffna’s sharp hierarchy. Gunanandam was then released to work on setting up Eastern University’s new medical faculty. "No, we will not resume work because he will come back after 2 years," said the surgeons like spoilt children. In Jaffna, Court of Appeal orders do not seem to matter. Finally the system was pushed into promising that Gunanandam’s`A0 appointment in the East would be permanent. The episode has been to Eastern University’s gain and has exposed the law and order situation in Jaffna.

The Sabbatical Leave Fiasco

Sabbatical leave - on full pay for the 7th year of service - is specially designed for academics to let them update themselves. But it takes a strange form in Sri Lanka. It is for the 8th year and is seen as an earned benefit. Thus it has been granted even to those academics who want to lounge around rather than update themselves and is given to registrar grades and librarians too. One professor got his sabbatical leave to meditate for a year on full pay. During the war years when Jaffna was closed it was difficult for Jaffna folk to go abroad. Thus, it became not uncommon for staff to take their sabbatical leave and the money for the tickets for themselves and their spouses and not go anywhere. It was an abuse practiced even by the very high and in one case, when a stubborn Bursar insisted on the ticket money being accounted for, the then UGC intervened to dispense its customary patronage for those in high positions and let the professor keep the money, supposedly for his research. In recent times the system has tried to tighten up but the practice continues. An administrator got passage money for the US paid to her travel agent and went on a cheaper tour of closer-by countries. She failed to report the matter to the University but the VC described her lapse as bona fide in a memo tot he Council. The VC was cornered by members of the Council who wanted to demonstrate their authority over the VC and she was accused of fraud.

The tribunal of inquiry was constituted violating many regulations including circulars on who can serve and rates of payment. Some suggested it was deliberate to let her escape on technicalities. Perhaps because misusing tickets was so common, the report was halfhearted. Amazingly badly worded, the report concluded thus: "All the three members of the Tribunal agree that there has been lapses atleast in the part of the accused (under interdiction) and the accused or defence have not proved certain acts of her are within the legal framework. They recommend reinstatement of the officer" [sic.]. The words of the conclusion contrasted starkly with the good English of the proceedings. Combined with the use of the word they for the natural we, the report indicated that a third party had written it. And her not proving her innocence was legally irrelevant; for it is the prosecution that had to prove her guilty.

Then the bizarre. Based on this report the Council decided to reinstate her. A month later, with reinstatement delayed, the Executive Officers struck demanding immediate implementation of the report. Then other unions struck demanding her sacking. The Council then, based on the same report that they had accepted and on which they had decided on reinstatement, decided to fire her. It is said that the Council perceived one of the unions to have critical backing. That is Jaffna. The question is whether these institutions can recover and whether they can attract the qualified personnel required to put things right.

Only an unremitting commitment to due process can restore Jaffna to its old glorious days. Survival can never be an argument to justify atrocities. For in trying to survive Jaffna has lost its best face.

(The Article originally published by Colombo based newspapers in 2005)
- Sri Lanka Guardian