Jayantha Gnanakone, a gallant and honest campaigner

by Renuka Sharma

(August 13, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardain) We do not agree with Jayantha Gnanakone’s political ideas in respect of the ethnic issues but we appreciate his integrity and will to give his best to the Tamil community. We have the harshest words for his attorney Bruce Fein who betrayed him and decamped to the side of a bunch LTTE supporters in Canada and formed a counter organization to Tamils for Justice. Shamefully they literally used the same words but rearranged it as Justice for Thamils. If this is not cheating then what else?

We do not agree with the political stand of Tamils for Justice but that is their prerogative, privilege and right. We respect it. We have been in communication with its founder and head Jayantha Gnanakone and are amazed at the way he manages Tamils for Justice, is extremely transparent in every aspect of its management and truly dedicated to the Tamil cause.

As we said we do not agree with his demand for a separate Eelam state but we are fully supportive of reaching a solution to the ethnic problem where a Sri Lankan whether he is Sinhala, Tamil, Burger, Muslim or Malay will enjoy equal rights and will have all the privileges of being able to feel proud as a Sri Lankan. We feel that we must be all together as one nation and not as two divided people.

We are full of sympathy with Jayantha Gnanakone and his colleagues of Tamils for Justice. On account of their honesty and frankness our columns will be freely available to them because Sri Lanka Guardian is the forum for all the people of Sri Lanka. As long as features and news items are clear and free of anger and hatred we will publish views that merit reading in any civilized society. Equally we will be frank in our comments and will be hard on people who cheat the country and their fellow men.

We have been specially concerned about the antics of Father Sellathurai Jeyanesan who has not only accounted for the millions he has raised in the US, Europe and Israel but also attempted to severely disrupt the Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South India which has served generation of people in the north and they include Father Jeyanesan’s ancestors too. It was in the name of this church he raised the funds.

Jayantha Gnanakone should be an object lesson for people who foul up public funds as if these belong to them only. He is very intolerant of the Kallak Kootam, the Rogue Band. He is so strict about being transparent that some political fund raisers have formed the Justice for Thamils to counter him and even hijacked his lawyer Bruce Fein. It appears this lawyer is strictly in this only for the fees. He has no commitment to the cause.

Mt Gnanakone when he sent Bruce Fein to meet Tamil fund raisers in Toronto he thought they, like him, would be honourable and Bruce Fein will remain faithful to him. Unfortunately, it did not happen that way and Tamils for Justice was betrayed. Is this a classic case of cultural trait? Here the Tamils are fighting a cause yet there are people who have paraded as their leaders especially in Canada have no qualms about betraying their own.

We wish all strength to Jayantha Gnanakone and we appreciate his political will, honesty and the believe he has that his ideas will serve his community best. We, for ourselves will continue to investigate people who raise funds for their own selfish ends and cheating the community in the process.
- Sri Lanka Guardian