Paths to Eelam

Tamils who are politically driven tend to be poor Administrators. Global Tamils need to invest deeply in Global Administrative & Management systems and leave Sri Lankan Politics to Tamils residing in Sri Lanka. That’s when we would be wholesome Community.

by Gaja Lakshmi Paramasivam

(September 06, Melbourne, Sri Lanka Guardian) I respond to the article ‘Tamils, we need a new generation of leaders to lead the struggle for freedom’ by Subramaniam Masilamany, published in Sri Lanka Guardian.

I dedicate this response to Mr. Kumarasamy of Tamil Senior Citizens' Association NSW Australia, who sought me out at a recent meeting to express appreciation for my service to the Tamil Community. Mr. Kumarasamy is also a regular reader of Sri Lanka Guardian and discovered my work through this Common medium.

Mr. Masilamany confirms some of my concerns and also has raised other concerns about Tamils like himself. In essence, Mr. Masilamany is saying that the next generation Western Tamils need to take over leadership of the Eelam issue. I disagree. To my mind, Tamils who feel a part of the whole – without ‘seeing’ Western or Eastern, are the ones deserving of leadership of the Tamil Community. They would naturally lead the whole – Global Tamil Community of which those residing in any one country is only a part.

Mr. Masilamany says ‘The current leaders must touch their conscience and ask are we stepping stones or stumbling blocks?’

Who are these current leaders? To my mind, I am my leader. When Mr. Rudrakumaran’s group sent advice re Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) – my first response was to urge them to ensure strong Administrative system along with the Political system, as appropriate. I received no response nor voting papers. I took the silence as a rejection of my advice based on my wisdom in Public Administration. It meant to me that Public Administration and therefore the Common Law - was not a priority for TGTE. Hence, through my feelings of ownership I took up in my mind, the position of Chief Administrator of the Tamil Community. I gave myself that position and I act from within the boundaries of that position and will continue to do so until I identify someone else who could do a better job than I. There are others who would consider themselves to be the Political leaders of themselves – as did Velupillai Prabakaran who obviously did not identify another leader after himself for his part of the community. TGTE, like LTTE is more politically driven than Administratively driven. I got to know LTTE also through its Administration. I led them in Administration. Did not follow them. It’s not different to me leading Academics at the University of NSW, through the administrative part of the University and not being led by them because of their leadership positions. If we seek to be leaders – we need to lead ourselves through the structure and processes of the systems in which we invested.

Tamils of Sri Lanka have invested strongly in Public Administration over many generations. Their leadership qualities were developed largely through Public Administration rather than through the Political system. Without these Public Administrative leaders in Sri Lanka’s Civil Service, Tamils would not have had just foundation for their claim of Tamil Eelam. With this investment in Public Administrative systems at National level – their claim needs to include ALL Tamils of Sri Lanka. Anyone who loses touch with the investment made by Tamils in Public Administration, is losing the connection with their roots/ancestry.

This morning I wrote to Dr. Sangarapillai Manoharan who also serves the Community ‘If we can remember now - what happened two generations ago - it certainly has 'hereditary' value. I was saying for example about the cancer awareness seminar for Senior Tamils - held last week - that to me seniors like (Pasupatis) Shiva Anna & Samy Anna whose father to my direct knowledge served our community through his medical practice at Kasthurair Rd - carry the good healthy genes needed to be functional. Their mind is still strong enough to benefit our community and the Divine Blessings they have towards this is visible to me through my knowledge of their family through my family - especially my mother who always spoke appreciatively of the Pasupati family. This is the path you are also taking Manoharan and I appreciate it deeply. Our 'service' in various ways is benefiting our community’

I wrote to emphasize the power of ancestral value. Values of Thesawalamai - Tamil cultural Scripture - recognized as Law at National Level and often practiced by Tamils at Global level is in the genes of Tamil Administrators. Hence the strong family structures through which we regulate our conduct and often discipline ourselves. This is our strength, carried forward over many centuries. Every Tamil who pays respect to their ancestors – is adding strength to our Tamil Roots. As Lord Krishna said about the Karpaka Tree (Wish fulfilling tree – standing upside down) – the roots of our benefits need to be in the sky / Heaven – where our ancestors are. When they are – whatever we wish for when we are under that tree will happen. Tamil Karpaka Vruksham would not respond in Western Canadian Parliament taken as a whole.

Mr. Masilamany states ‘When Rathika Sitsabaiesan spoke in Tamil in the Canadian parliament, the whole house irrespective of the party affiliation gave a standing ovation, not because she spoke in Tamil, but because she knew the rights and freedoms of our democracy in Canada. Human rights, right to life, dignity, mutual respect etc are the hall mark of free societies. She grew up in a free society where ones freedom is respected by others; by the same covenant she respects the freedom of others too. The Canadian Parliament stood up to ovate the Canadian Constitution that gave the freedom she lost under the Singhalese. They were applauding the greatness of Canadian Constitution.’

To my mind, the Hon Rathika Sitsabaiesan in Canadian Parliament is the parallel of H.E. Tamara Kunanayakam at the United Nations. They are both strongly influenced by Western values in their thinking. Good Politics is driven by Belief. An elected politician would naturally lead her/his people, if majority voters identified with their beliefs through that Politician. Countries such as India and Sri Lanka, strongly driven by religious beliefs would need strong Public Administration, due to majority citizens believing more in their religious leaders than in their politicians. Canadians are not as strongly driven by religious faith, as Indians or Sri Lankans.

The Hon Rathika Sitsabaiesan (the surname would have been spelt Sitsabesan in Sri Lanka) is a combination of East and West. In Canadian Parliament, the Hon Rathika Sitsabaiesan would be seen more as a minority than the Hon Douglas Devananda is seen in Sri Lankan Parliament. The reason is ‘belief’. Our sense of ‘belonging’ is as per our belief. Our progress in material world is as per merit basis. It would be very difficult for a young person like Ms Sitsabaiesan to feel the roots of Canadian Parliamentary system, through her belief as a Tamil. To the extent Ms Sitsabaiesan believes in Western Parliamentarians – Ms Sitsabaiesan is ‘Western’ and not Tamil. The two combined make her Global and therefore Common. That is the passage of real wealth from East to West, through us Asian migrants to the West. It’s also the path of karma – Colonialism karma.

In terms of Public Administration, the roots of the system practiced by Sri Lankan Tamils are close to the roots of the Canadian system. Hence it is easier for Tamils who have invested in Public Administration to connect to most Western systems. Relatively, Sinhalese who compromised on the Public Administrative system due to their political advantage, would be weaker than a Tamil who worked harder for the same level status and money. Where the ‘gap’ was due to belief in the political leaders and their system – it would drive the system naturally but only if they stayed within the boundaries of their belief, to that extent. Likewise Tamils who believe in their leaders and therefore do not invest in the merit system. If the gap is not filled by belief but desire or fear – then the individual deteriorates as does the system.

Recently, a Tamil Leader asked me whether I believed that when I wrote publicly, it generated ‘vibrations’. I said ‘yes’. I did not know this previously and therefore got upset when others did not endorse my work. That pain of denial converted itself into determination and I continued to work to share my belief. I was then able to connect ‘what happened’, with my belief through my work. When discussing the above observation about belief based vibrations, my husband shared with me the experience of a close relative of his – known as Communist Karthigesan of Vaddukoddai. My husband said that in 1977, his uncle Karthigesan was travelling with some others in the Colombo-Jaffna train, when Sinhalese got into the train and attacked those who ‘looked Tamil’. Uncle Karthigesan was wearing traditional Tamil clothing and yet he was not attacked. The family put it down to his contribution to Equal Opportunity principles. The attackers did not know who he was – except that he would have seemed a Tamil. The real protection came from within Uncle Karthigesan’s own investment in Equal Opportunity values – an investment deeper than the point from which we start seeing differences/diversities.

Canada, like most other Western Countries, does follow Equal Opportunity Principles. To the extent we invest in it to feel those values, we carry that wisdom and power – everywhere we go. This as per my belief was the real value of my legal battles in Australia to eliminate racial discrimination – subconscious racial discrimination. As per court verdicts – I was defeated. But by accepting those ‘defeats’ as the limitations of the Courts – I went deeper than the merit based system – into the ownership area – close to the roots of the Western system. Now I am able to Naturally bring about Equality by adding myself to the minority side.

If, like Mr. Masilamany, Ms Sitsabaiesan also declares that she ‘lost’ her freedom under Sinhalese – I would say that Ms Sitsabaiesan would not go deeper than that point at which diversity starts. What she would have ‘lost’ was the position that shows independence. Independence once realized could never be lost.

It’s the common part of any Country/Institution/Family. In that common part – one does not ‘see’ Tamil or Sinhalese; Black or White. There is no form, but just the feeling of belonging. This weekend – when observing my daughter Uma Springford’s children Kali and Anika, I said to Uma that Anika was very affectionate. During the talk that followed, Uma said ‘Kali is Kali and Anika is Anika’. This is Diversity. Hence Tamils are Tamils and Sinhalese are Sinhalese and White Canadians are White Canadians. Those driven by the body – including language – need to consciously use merit basis when making judgments. In terms of Kali and Anika, their Commonness is their feeling that they are sisters. That feeling stems from their parents, grandparents and close family – who are all independent part of the family (close to the roots). When they grow up with this family – they intuitively identify with each other. This is due to the Love and Truth shared by members of this family, when they interact with the little ones; when they Bless and most of all when they feel happy and valued due to the children. Anika – the younger of the two tends to ‘show’ affection more than Kali and we tend to ‘see’ more affection from Anika. Kali on the other hand takes on a leadership role – which requires ‘thinking’. It’s like a Feeling Mother and Thinking Father in a family and like a Feeling Politician and Thinking Administrator in a Government. As with families – the surname of a Country is through the Father – Thinking Administrator.

Tamils who are politically driven tend to be poor Administrators. Global Tamils need to invest deeply in Global Administrative & Management systems and leave Sri Lankan Politics to Tamils residing in Sri Lanka. That’s when we would be wholesome Community. Without this Separation of Duties and Rights that flow from it – we are likely to be the media through whom others – including Western Canadians and Chinese would infiltrate and invade Sri Lanka – including its North and East. That is NOT Independence but a sale of our apparent independent status.

Let’s not damage our inheritance but strengthen it to leave behind a better world than the one we came into. Tamils seem defeated right now. If we accept that as the limitation of the Sinhalese Government – we would keep investing in elimination of Racial Inequality in Administration to become Global citizens. Tamils have greater opportunity to do this than Sinhalese and to me that is the way of Karma. Each and every one of us can make that difference through true belief in Common Values natural to the environment in which we live – be it Sri Lanka, Canada or Australia. Tamils in the latter two countries need to first feel Equal to any other race in their current environments. Then our mere presence would help Tamils living in Sri Lanka. When we as a Community realize we are Sri Lankans and do so before Sinhalese do as a Community – Sri Lanka is our Tamil Eelam. In the presence of a Sinhalese (and this could be the President) I would naturally take leadership as a Sri Lankan. I do in my mind. A true Sinhalese will respect that. Likewise a Tamil.

The Generation that suffered deepest will naturally lead the way. Let’s preserve our investments and facilitate young ones to earn their rights to our inheritance. Handing it over to young ones who seem successful in the material world makes us guilty of the nepotism that Tamils are accusing the Sri Lankan Government of. Genuine work values would not run away. The longer they last the stronger their Natural Power is.