l by Gaja Lakshmi Paramasivam
(November 25, Melbourne, Sri Lanka Guardian) At yesterday’s Inaugural National Reconciliation Conference held at Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies, in Colombo, Defence Secretary the Hon Gotabaya Rajapakse said ‘During his life, Mr. Kadirgamar strongly believed that “People who live in Sri Lanka are first and foremost Sri Lankans”. As this country builds its future on the foundation of peace resulting from the defeat of terrorism, these are words for us all to remember.’
If Mr. Rajapakse is sincere and takes this advice himself he would remember that the Tamil Tigers were/are Sri Lankans. Were they treated as Sri Lankans? The current Government includes at the top – many members of the Rajapakse clan. They thus have the benefit of confidentiality. A good civilization promotes confidentiality within members of a family until an issue is of importance to wider society. Similarly a Community – the reason why most Tamils do not criticize the Tamil Tigers. Similarly a Nation. On the basis of the above declaration, Mr. Rajapakse should not be talking about Terrorism by Sri Lankans in that institution that carries the Hon Lakshman Kadirgamar’s name. Most of that speech was about how terrible LTTE was. It was at best, fit for the Defence Forces and not outside. When the Defence Secretary is seen to need to demote a Sri Lankan for him to elevate his side – outside his Defence boundaries, his cadre would likewise act to attack instead of only to defend. The problem now is – if there is nothing to defend – then these officers would be without jobs. Hence to my mind, they are coming out of their boundaries to take over civilian jobs. A reconciliation forum should not be headed by Defence Force personnel. Their responsibility is to think they are ‘right’ – which is irreconcilable. They must see only one side and not the other , leave alone reconciling with the other side.
Minister for External Affairs – Professor G L Peiris, seems to lack wisdom in Reconciliation.
Mr. Rajasingham Jayadevan a UK based Tamil Diaspora leader highlights this problem with Professor Peiris, in his open letter dated 24 November 2011 ‘The very Sri Lanka High Commission in London that comes under your ministry is the hotbed for the Sinhala extremism of the Jayaweva (victory) Brigade and the handful of Tamils who are insensitive to their abuse can only have any engagement with the mission.’
This is common in most western cities and even with Sri Lankans supporting the Tamil cause. Today, for example, Dr. Brian Senewiratne wrote to me about my emails to Australian Academics, Administrators and Politicians:
‘Gaja
I urge you once again to restrict the circulation of your emails.
I have had a number of emails from the recipients asking me to do what I can re this.
As I have indicated to you on several occasions, these emails sent to people who do not want them are doing an incredible amount of damage and turning off people who could be of value to the struggle of the Tamil people which is something I am sure you do not want to do.’
I responded:
You too Brian!
Brian, Tamils also get my emails and the few who do not like them, find their own way to deal with it. These academics seem to be lacking in cleverness. If you were also practicing Democracy, you would be open about those who responded to you about my emails. Otherwise we should not be preaching to the Lankan Government to be transparent.
When I forwarded this to a particular group of Tamil Professionals, one of them forwarded to me your speech with the following message 'For those who missed the talk by Dr Senewiratne in Darwin on the day Leader of the free world visited Darwin, here is the link to his fiery address...http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/units/lwz108/media/senewiratne/senewiratne.html ' The topic you spoke on was headed 'Who's Afraid of Human Rights?'
Your speech sounded fiery alright - referring to USA as a fascist nation. That too on the day President Obama was visiting Darwin. To me that would have diluted the absorption of President Obama's inclusiveness of Australia. It must be that karma that must be coming back to you.
Hence, to me, it is understandable that you would not find value in my emails promoting Democratic values of Transparency and Accountability. Your letter below - showing all your qualifications further confirms this. I do not see any Sri Lankan qualifications behind your name. Mine is only Sri Lankan. Hence it is understandable that when it comes to taking sides between Westerners and Sri Lankans - you would take the side of Westerners.
Brian, you state 'these emails sent to people who do not want them are doing an incredible amount of damage and turning off people who could be of value to the struggle of the Tamil people which is something I am sure you do not want to do'
If you would stop criticising the Sri Lankan Government and with it - its agencies - because they do not want them - then you have the moral authority to expect those who believe in you to oblige you. But not until then. In any case - I am led by myself and no one external to me.
Brian, as a Tamil - I do not 'struggle' but work to share my sense of Independence with fellow Tamils. Much of it is shared naturally with those who believe in me - starting with my family here, in Sri Lanka and all over the world. You on the other hand, keep rubbishing your family who were in Government at one time. Unlike you, I respected Madam Kumaratunge when I presented my Tsunami Reconstruction proposal to her. If you had respected your family, that would have been more useful to Tamils being helped by you. If you seek to criticize them through the positions they held, as per our Tamil culture - it is inappropriate to bring family into it. You can't have it both ways Brian.
Now, coming to the value of other people outside the Tamil community - I am very similar to the Tigers Brian - the Tigers who would not eat grass even if they were hungry. During my Tsunami work in Batticaloa, they referred to me as 'Black Tiger' for this reason. I am - their parallel in Determination. Many UNSW Medical Academics would confirm this.
Brian, as Gandhi said - you and your White colleagues seem to want to take the place of Sri Lankan Government as well as the Tiger Leadership - now that they have lost that leadership. No can do Brian. I was a wounded tiger - wounded by these academics and administrators. I have cured myself - painful step by sure painful step. This is what I share through my work here as well as in Sri Lanka. I am beginning to wonder whether Sri Lankans like yourself ever paid the costs to become independent of Colonial Rule. I know I have and hence am very comfortable with Gandhi's path. Gandhi also was sent to prison for writing against the British.
What is it that these people who seem valuable to you - could do to bring comfort to the war victims Brian? Independence cannot be bought by money. It has to be earned through sacrifice of earned benefits and the ability to live with what we can produce without handouts - but through our Natural Rights. That is the way I help my folks here as well as in Sri Lanka. If you seek to do it in other ways - that is your prerogative. We must keep to our respective paths and travel in parallel - just like the Sinhalese (not Sri Lankans) and the Tamils (not Sri Lankans) would do in the coming years. I am not able to however picture Tamils following you naturally. They may respect you consciously but they are not likely to follow you naturally. Likewise myself with these academics to whose list you have added yourself and lost my Goodwill - which I believe has healing powers. It was because of that belief that I wrote in your defence to the Brisbane City Council. Your memory seems short Brian. There is little value in your criticism of your family because you are lacking in gratitude. Gratitude leads to Belief.
Gaja
Note: One of the ‘unwanted’ emails I received today was from ‘Harvard Health Publications
10 Shattuck Street, 2nd Floor; Boston, MA 02115, USA’.
I smiled and pressed the delete button.
Like with Dr. Senewiratne, Mr. Gotabaya Rajapakse seems to have very shallow understanding of Democracy. Mr. Rajapakse said for example ‘The fact that political plurality has returned to these areas is clear from the results of these elections. The swift restoration of democracy to those parts of Sri Lanka previously under LTTE dominance is something to be proud of. Further, it needs to be noted that many former militants are now playing an active role in politics. The LTTE’s one time Eastern Province Commander, Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, also known as Karuna Amman, is a junior Cabinet Minister. A former LTTE child soldier, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, also known as Pillayan, is the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province.’
If LTTE were so bad, warranting to be called Terrorists – then the above leaders are unfit to be in Government. If they were hoodwinked by Northern LTTE – then they would be hoodwinked by the Government also. There is no logic to this. Once Karuna was accepted – the Eelam cause was accepted. All acts prior to that have been effectively accepted as the costs paid for Tamil extremists to be part of Sri Lankan Government – like the JVP. The Government is showing signs of severe confusion. They seem to be confusing their followers here in Australia also. One of them wrote to me today:
‘Read one of your articles yesterday, where you say that Karuna being made a cabinet minister is proof that the government does not believe the LTTE are terrorists. Karuna being given a cabinet portfolio is no different to Douglas Devanada becoming a cabinet minister. These are tactics deployed by the government to fight the LTTE. Pls read the attached article, which is proof that the SL government believes that the LTTE are terrorists.’
The attachment was the above speech by Mr. Gotabaya Rajapakse.
I responded ‘If I believed that someone was a crook / terrorist - I certainly would not accommodate him as part of my family. Family is bound by belief. The Government has primary responsibility to lead the people as to who should be included within family circles. Douglas has not been listed as a Terrorist. Hence the Government's name is not tarnished by it. There is a part of the family that is driven by belief and the rest needs structured approach and needs to be as per the lawful process. Given that Karuna was part of LTTE - adding him cannot be part of the lawful Process. Doing this as per their individual calculations leads to chaos - breakdown in law and order - as we see is happening more and more in South. Tamils are likely to withdraw and lead their own lives on their own. Then it is the majority who will be left with these excesses’
The response back from the follower was:
‘Dear Gaja,
Thanks for replying. Sri Lankan government is doing what most of the people in the country (Sinhalese people ) want them to do with regards to the Tamil issue. Karuna was a needed Crook/Terrorist for the Sri Lankan government. Sri Lanka is a third world country. Lawlessness is very common in almost all the 3rd world countries. There is reason why the 1st world countries function differently. As I mentioned in the phone call the white man has shown that he is definitely superior. As for Tamil people withdrawing and the majority being left with these excesses, it is possible if the war crime demands, pressing for devolution etc stops. As long as there is a rallying point for the Sinhalese these excesses are likely to be minimal. Rajapakse government will also come down one day. No different to the Jayawardena government. Whatever happens no Sri Lankan government could afford to implement a devolution scheme in the country, without risking an electoral backlash.
Only hope for the Tamils is to collect facts and figures and convince the international community that you are entitled to a separate state. I do not think this is something you can do. Unless a western power has political interest to divide Sri Lanka, this is unlikely to happen.’
Reading this along with Dr. Brian Senewiratne’s email confirming the greater importance of White Academics – I am wondering whether the Colonial genes are still lingering in the Sinhalese ruling class. The positions carry the genes that infect the feeble-minded occupiers.
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