Catch them if you can

by Gaja Lakshmi Paramasivam

(August 23, Melbourne, Sri Lanka Guardian) I write in response to the Daily News editorial ‘LTTE financing and SL’s Janus-faced critics’.

The editor states in relation to a US State Department Report ‘Besides other things, the document titled ‘Country Report on Terrorism 2010’ states that an LTTE network engaged in fund-raising for the group ‘continued to collect contributions from the Tamil diaspora in North America, Europe, and Australia, where there were reports that some of these contributions were coerced by locally-based LTTE sympathizers’

I am an Australian Tamil of Sri Lankan origin. I have not ever been ‘coerced’ to pay the LTTE. In fact when they asked me for taxes for the van in 2006 when we went to Kilinochchi – I asked them ‘how come they were duplicating?’. The van owner was already charging us a higher amount due to the LTTE taxes. I do not know of anyone who has been. I do know through direct observation that some did pay before 2009. We were ‘requested’ in mid 80’s and we said we were helping our relatives back in Sri Lanka and felt more comfortable with that than paying others. There were no further requests. It is however public knowledge that in 2003, I worked through a UNDP project, to help the Tamil Tigers develop an appropriate Public Administrative system. My reports were duly submitted to the UNDP, the Government and the LTTE. None of them responded and I concluded that they were NOT interested in Public Administration. That was also resourcing the LTTE. It is the intention with which we do something that says whether the action is good or bad. Taken along with the Sri Lankan Government – Tamil Diaspora would overwhelmingly be on the side of the LTTE.

Last night for example, we went to a musical concert by Indian Tamil artists. We usually do not feel attracted to attend such functions – but yesterday’s tickets were from a student in appreciation of my services. I was surprised to see a huge crowd attending that function. It is highly doubtful that the Sinhalese Diaspora would be able to bring together such a large audience. The only place where I have seen larger crowds is Nallur Murugan Temple. Today, after seeing a picture of Nallur Ther (Chariot) festival with a huge crowd – all quietly standing – awaiting the blessings of Lord Muruga, a Community Leader wrote ‘Dear Gaja, what a lovely picture you have sent – makes one cry! Thank you’. I felt deeply moved by this sharing and identified with the Community even more closely. There is great value in such Common Beliefs – not only for the community but for the country that the community lives in. This needs to be preserved rather than feared and damaged.

The US State Department Report about LTTE supporters coercing members of the Tamil Diaspora is NOT our reality. It may be the reality of the Governments. But we the commoners have our own way of managing our problems. When we do, it eases the burden of any good government. Recently, one anti-LTTE Australian Tamil wrote to a another ‘As I have told you BFO you are not in KP’s or TJ’s position but now I am beginning to wonder whether you too may be that compromised that you are no longer a free agent as I mistook you to be. You may have caught a Lion’s tail and cannot let go lest you too be devoured. ‘

As per my observations, anti-LTTE is often taken by the Sinhalese as being pro-Government. To my mind, the Government of Sri Lanka, by criticizing the LTTE through Tamil Diaspora activities, is only making its own anxieties stronger. One does not need to take political sides to be a genuine Sri Lankan. Every Sri Lankan has the duty to take one side or the other through their belief and/or discriminative thinking. Every person driven by belief in the Sri Lankan issue is a Sri Lankan with real power to work the Sri Lankan social system. On the other hand an apparent Sri Lankan with stronger calculated thoughts than belief – is an outsider to Sri Lanka and would need ‘facts’ before taking action. The US Report has been written by outsiders and would mislead if used for ‘internal’ purposes. Majority Tamil Diaspora are ‘internal’ due to their Belief.

The editor says ‘While we are provided a glimpse of the remaining dimensions of the LTTE problem, and, hopefully, state action would be speeded-up from now on, to bust the remaining LTTE operations abroad, the Report should also be used by the state to impress on the international community the need for continued and accelerated co-operation world wide to put the LTTE completely out of action and business. Sections of the West have been doubly prompt in pointing an accusing finger at Sri Lanka on what have come to be known as accountability issues, but we wonder what they have to say about these disclosures of continued LTTE fund-raising under their very noses. Should not they be doing more and at a very accelerated pace too, to neutralize these LTTE underhand operations, if they are in earnest when they say that they have some humanitarian concerns?’

Reading the above, the Australian in me is saying ‘We are a Sovereign Nation. We will deal with the issue as we think fit. It may be more beneficial for us to turn a blind eye to strictly ‘Sri Lankan’ problems.’

The Government cannot justly directly control the lives of the citizen. The Government may help and support us lead a harmonious life. But if the Government interfered with our private lives it would be encouraging us to go to the Government for little conflicts – including when a White Australian asks us money for charity. In practical terms – even if the Australian Government knows that there is some measure of coercion, to my mind, the smarter course is to not give it recognition. If the Australian Government took action against such fund raising – in a climate where the Sri Lankan Government is claiming victory on the basis that it has abolished the LTTE – there seems to be no legal grounds through which to accuse these Tamils. Legally, any action is bound to fail in Courts. The Tamil Diaspora and its supporters are also likely to ask as to why the Australian Government did not take steps to punish the Sri Lankan Government over the deaths of Tamil civilians in 2009. Sauce for the goose is sauce for the citizen also.

Whether it is the JVP or the LTTE – the respective communities have to manage them at their levels. If Governments take action prematurely, these rebel groups would surface again and again. Most of us are not fearful of them. In fact they personify some of our grievances. The Government of Sri Lanka did have the opportunity to connect to the JVP through common cultural beliefs more than it would connect to the LTTE. Through that belief based connection if the Government had identified with the root-cause – it would have managed the LTTE issue far more efficiently.

The problem for politicians is that if they connect through cultural beliefs – they may have difficulty coming back to the Administrative level if their investment in administration is not strong. Thus they often become the problem – as confirmed by the Government of Sri Lanka being accused more and more of ‘buying over’ some weak Tamils.

I ask the Daily News – ‘Have you brought to the notice of the Australian media and through them the Australian Public - any coercion by the Sri Lankan Government to take its side in the conflict? Are you convinced that all Australian Tamils participating in post war Development work are acting independent of the Government of Sri Lanka?’ If the editor says s/he is not aware of such coercion – I would be tempted to ask ‘how deep is the Sri Lankan well?’

LTTE and its supporters are a challenge to the Sri Lankan Government. It is not always a criminal challenge. The criminal side is up to the Government. But without a social foundation – all efforts to ‘catch them’ would make them smarter and smarter. If the Government truly believes in at least One Tamil – it already has the solutions. Seek and you shall find. Don’t expect to be ‘given’.

Sri Lankan Government is as much Janus-Faced as its critics. That helps us keep the balance and live in the present. Some call it ‘getting even’. Others call it ‘karma’.

In the first week of October 2004, I responded to the article ‘ The relevance of Ahimsa’ by Justice Weeramantry, published in Daily News on 04 October 2004 – two days after Gandhi’s birthday. My response was published on 01 November 2004. On that day, I was taken on the orders of the Australian Courts - to the Prince of Wales Hospital whilst under custody – for mental health assessment. The doctor assessing me said to Courts that they had to deal with it ‘legally’ and to me and my family – the doctor said separately that I was following in the footsteps of Gandhi. It was much later that I learnt about the above response being published on the same day as the observation by the Psychiatrist. To me it was no coincidence. I took it as my genuine work with good intentions – working behind the scenes to help me when I needed the help.

Whatever the Sri Lankan Government or the Australian Government does without faith – would not have long term value. Our belief will always bring us the support and return as per our real needs. Those who publish genuine work would be naturally empowered.