Rumpus over Canadian visa

“If you have an iota of knowledge in political science you will see that I could not be a leader of the New Sama Samaja party and also be a member of the LTTE. Of course we have defended the right of self determination of the Tamil people and the autonomy for the Tamil homeland since 1974. In spite of that, the LTTE has used terror against our party members. Disregarding that, in common demonstrations that demand human rights for Tamils we have joined with LTTE supporters.”

by Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne

(September 28, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Mr C McKinney, first secretary, immigration, of the Canadian high commission, while rejecting my application for a visit visa, has explained in detail the reason for his decision. His letter dated 18 September 2008 is a valuable asset to my revolutionary carreer.

He says, “I have completed my assessment of your application and have determined that you do not meet with the requirements for a temporary resident visa.” Actually I requested a visit visa to participate in a seminar scheduled for the 13th and 14th of this month as one of the invited speakers. As of present, the date has long since passed. But the interesting thing in this incredible letter is his assessment. He explains further: “it has been reported that you have publicly participated in LTTE propaganda activities by personally and knowingly attending and speaking at pro-LTTE events such as Pongu Thamil in Madrid and London. In addition, you have publicly announced your support for B Nadesan. As a prominent member of a political party that has historically and consistently shown support for the LTTE we can conclude that your actions constitute membership in the LTTE. As a result of your membership in this organisation you are inadmissible to Canada pursuant to section 34 of the Act and therefore I am refusing your application.”

LTTE supporter

In the past few decades I have been accused of being a LTTE supporter by parochial, politically illiterate villagers and crazy Sinhala chauvinists. But I never knew such backward thinking could exist in officials of Western diplomatic missions. However, I must not forget that the mathematician GÖdel proved that any formal system is either incomplete or else it would be inconsistent. Also, black holes can exist anywhere. So I should not be surprised to find a Neanderthal among Canadian bureaucrats! “Historically and consistently” I have defended the right of self determination of the Tamil nationality. At the same time I have campaigned together, depending on the necessity of the occasion, with Sirimavo and Vijaya in 1987, with Mahinda in 1992, with Wimal Weerawansa in 1999 and formed the Vama Sama with the help of Mangala in 2002. Does that make me a supporter of Sirimavo, Vijaya, Mahinda, Weerwansa and Mangala? Of course I supported the ISGA document put forward by the LTTE, as a valid document to start discussions for an appointed interim administration for the Tamil homeland. Later when the tsunami reconstruction bill came I supported it as a good starting point for collaboration among all communities. I am at a loss to understand how this man concluded that I was a supporter of the LTTE. I thought I was an orthodox Marxist revolutionary. How can I at the same time, be a member of a Tamil nationalist bourgeois party limited to Tamil liberation?
I sent the following answer:

Thank you for your letter dated 18 September 2008, which I found quite amusing.

Firstly, let me correct some absolute untruths included in your letter. I have never been to Spain and I could not attend the Pongu Thamil meeting in London as I received a British visa only after the event.

Secondly, our party is a socialist party that believes in mass actions while the LTTE is a Tamil nationalist bourgeois party that uses the method of terror in the course of its struggle. If you have an iota of knowledge in political science you will see that I could not be a leader of the New Sama Samaja party and also be a member of the LTTE. Of course we have defended the right of self determination of the Tamil people and the autonomy for the Tamil homeland since 1974. In spite of that, the LTTE has used terror against our party members. Disregarding that, in common demonstrations that demand human rights for Tamils we have joined with LTTE supporters. However in all such meetings we have stood for voluntary unity of Sinhala and Tamil nationalities.

Thirdly, if you have such credible evidence of me being a member of the LTTE, I am sure you would have shared that knowledge with the Mahinda regime. It is strange that the government has taken no action whatsoever. Your ludicrous claim has not been taken seriously even by this chauvinist war mongering government.

Finally if you have any sense of democracy left in you, please let me know whether I have the right to appeal against your irresponsible and dangerous conclusions.” - Sri Lanka Guardian