An Exclusive Interview with Fr. Emmanuel
Interviewed by
Nilantha Ilangamuwa
(November 23, 2012, London, Sri
Lanka Guardian)
Rev Fr Prof Dr S. J. Emmanuel is an eminent theologian and an academic who
devoted much of his time for political upliftment of the Tamil people in Sri
Lanka. The 78 pontiff is the President of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) and even
at his prime age is energetically campaigning for the just cause of the Tamil
people.
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| File Photo:- Fr. Emmanuel |
NI. Even at your prime age, you
are boldly campaigning for justice. It is because of your passion for Tamil
people or your Christian mission?
SJE. I was born a
Tamil and baptized as a Christian (1934). Birth as a Tamil and call to be a
Christian are both God’s gifts and call to me.
My life is to live faithfully to my
vocation, vision and mission – all from God. In the changing contexts and
challenges of my life, I act according to existential identities derived from
birth, faith and profession. Hence my campaigning for justice springs, not from
a mere superficial passion for Tamil people, but from my existential identities
and mission to fight injustices anywhere and for all peoples.
If I may be allowed to narrate from my
own life, it is a conviction and sensibility,from my young age against all
forms of injustice, that keeps me struggling for justice.
Already as a young man in my own family,
I fought against my own father discriminating others on the basis of caste, as
an undergraduate at the University of Colombo (1954-8), I lobbied people on the
streets of Pettah against the Paddy Lands Bill of Philip Gunawardene, as a
Mannar correspondent for Lake House, Colombo (1959-61), inviting Sinhala politicians
from the South, I fought against the Take-over of catholic schools.
After I resigned from my
teaching(1962)studied philosophy and theology and ordained in Rome(1962-67),I
returned to Sri Lanka where I was Parish Priest, Professor of theology (Kandy,1976-86)
Rector of St. FrancisXavier’s Seminary,Jaffna and Vicar General of the Jaffna
Diocese till 1997.
As a young priest, I stood against a
crowd of over 1000 people in Sillalai giving equal status to a so called “low
caste” couple at their wedding in the church, as theologian I fought for the
rights of lay people in the church and
helped the Asian Bishops at the Roman Synod in 1987, stood in defense of
theonce excommunicated Father TissaBalasuriyaomi, both inside and outside Sri
Lanka.
I have always encouraged my colleagues
and students- priests and bishops – to follow Jesus Christ, the true Liberator
of the whole man.
Hence my speaking up for the victimized
Tamils is only a part of my mission based on my Christian convictions. That is
why I spoke out as Vicar General against the bombing of churches and schools
and killing of innocent children.
People accused me as being political and
supportive of the LTTE. But that does not stop me from condemning anyone who
behaves unjustly against fellow human beings. Silence in the midst of such
carnage is connivance and sinful.
I wish my sisters and brothers in Sri
Lanka of all religions and races serve the island and its peoples by standing
up for truth and justice.
In my view, vis a vis the long
ethnic conflict and war, all the four religions have rendered mostly
humanitarian services sure, but not done enough by way of courageous protest
against evil, standing up for truth and justice to build up a peaceful island.
Religions have their share of blame in
our country losing its moral values and standards. Sabbath is for man, not man
for the Sabbath, said Jesus. Religions and governments are to serve man, not
vice versa.
NI. The status quo has changed following
defeat of the LTTE ( Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) . Do you still hold the
objective of a separate state for Tamils to make life more difficult for them
back home or is GTF you represent is willing to tone down the claim. The status
quo has changed, sure, but what is
it now?
SJE. It is true that
LTTE has been militarily and as an organization defeated.But the political
aspirations and ideologies live on among the people.
LTTE, born after 1976, was not merely a
terrorist or military outfit as the majority Sinhalese and their governments
still make out to be. They fought for political aspirations and goals whichwere
there before them. Hence those aspirations and goals do not die or get
defeated, they still have much support
among the people. And the new status quo as at present is strengthening them.
After May 2009, we see a victorious sand
arrogant Government drunk with power,
headed by a dictatorial family, executing its Mahinda Chinthanaya mainly
against the Tamil people inside and outside
the country.
Bulldozing cemeteries and memorials
built by the LTTE, but were sacred places also for Tamil parents and people to
venerate their sons and daughters are barbaric acts against a people.
Building new military bases on those
places is an uncivilized way of showing anger against an enemy!
Are these forces truly descendants of a
magnanimous Sinhalese Dutugemunu who built a memorial for a defeated Tamil
Elara ?!
Now the Government and its military are
eradicating the roots of Tamil claims
for nationhood and homeland by
militarization, sinhalisation and buddhistisation.
And this new status quo, with all these
acts of hatred and anger,
a) further illustrates the hegemonic
intentions of the government and of the majority supporting them,
b)further justify and strengthen the calls for separation which was never an
arrogant claim of the Tamils but a helpless
cry “leave us alone” for a survival free of oppression
and
c) shows how the
majority have misunderstood the LTTE as mere separatists and terrorists and
nothing beyond.
The majority Sinhalese and their
governments seem to forget that LTTE was born 3 decades after the conflict
started and was born as anti-state-terror outfit.
The birth of the LTTE is a military
response of Tamil youth pushed to the wall, both by discriminatory laws passed
by a Sinhala majoritarian democracy and executed with the help of a terrorizing
military stationed in the Tamil provinces.
Hence “the objective of a separate state
for Tamils” is not dead with the defeat of the LTTE. It will remainamong the
Tamils as a last resort for survival. This objective is not our seeking, but
thrust upon us and will remain with us allTamils inside and outside Sri Lanka,
till a just and peaceful solution is found.
There is no question of the diaspora
“toning it down for something lower to make life comfortable back at home”. It
is up to the Governments of the majority to offer a political solution
respecting the fundamental rights of the Tamils and make the objective of a
separate state meaningless.
Let us not forget that a people fighting
for their basic and fundamental rights and having suffered and sacrificed
enormously during the last six decades will now give up their noble aspirations
of freedom and human dignity just for a better looking or comfortable life.
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Fr. S J Emmanuel (right) with Canadian
Tamil MP, Rathika Sitsabaiesan
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The Colombo government has succeeded, even now succeeds, in buying over some Tamils by offering petty gifts. But
that will not truly win over the hearts
and minds of the Tamils towards genuine reconciliation.
It is the Tamils in Sri Lanka along with
their elected parliamentary representatives, who have the primary
responsibility and right to decide and determine the final goal or solution of
the struggle.
The Tamil diaspora, in so far as they
were forced to leave their homeland, go through much suffering in exile and
wanting to return,, are also stake-holders in reaching a solution. Hence the diaspora are called to
play a supportive-role in the struggle. This they do in the context of their
present living.
And GTF, being a network of diaspora
Tamil organizations, is in contact with the Tamils and their representatives in
Sri Lanka. In spite of the Sri Lankan Government’s continued propaganda and
activities against the diaspora Tamils as terrorists or potential terrorists,
we are lobbying support from the international community for a just and
peaceful solution.
NI. The GTF ( Global Tamil
Forum) issued statements to have
dialogue with the GoSL. Did you have any response?
SJE. We never issued
any statements to have dialogue with GoSL and we expect no response.
NI A delegation of Tamils consisting of over
20 persons from all over the world are in Sri Lanka to discuss a resolution to
the conflict. What is your views?
SJE. I came to know
of it only from the SL government media. Why is the Government giving out such
news items?
The SLG is obviously under pressure from within and
without Sri Lanka with respect to its efforts towards finding a political
solution. The international community cannot be deceived longer by development
as a way to reconciliation. It expects the Government to seek a political
solution through Talks.
If there is to be a genuine dialogue to
discuss a resolution to the conflict, it should be foremost with the elected
representatives of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.
The GoSL has failed miserably in such
sincere dialogues. It wants to talk only to those who will listen and accept
their own views. Unfortunately there are a few Tamils who are “coolies” or
“loyal servants” of the Government.
With 18 rounds of Talks with the TNA
coming to noght, the Government has introduced another delaying cum deceptive
mechanism of a Parliamentary Commission but without success.
Hence another government delaying/
distracting effort is to show that they are talking with diaspora Tamils.
Unfortunately there are Tamils in the
diaspora, who have their self-interests. They are friends of the already bought
over Tamils like Douglas and KP, who will respond to the Government’s call, and
invest for their own profit in some development projects of the government.
Their cooperation cannot benefit the
Tamils living there nor can they help a political solution.
As it stands no self-respecting diaspora
Tamils will go for Talks with the Government and betray the Tamils and their
representatives within Sri Lanka.
NI. This is a difficult question
for you. But I must ask in the best interest. Is GTF a mouthpiece of the
defeated LTTE or represent the wider global Tamils. When screams of the flag
holding LTTE activists are strong, there is clearly no room for the wider
Tamils and moderate Tamils. Isn’t it not time for the GTF to declare its stand
to represent cross section of the Tamils without being heavily influenced by
the pro-LTTE activists.
SJE. GTF is a
post-LTTE organization and definitely not a mouthpiece of the defeated LTTE nor
of any other group.
It is a democratic transparent diaspora
network-organization of many country-organisations of Tamils. Hence it is a
global organization representing a majority of diaspora Tamils vis a vis the
international community and engaged with
governments and international NGOs related to Human Rights and Conflict
resolution.
It is wrong to conclude that “when
screams of the flag holding LTTE activists are strong, there is no room for the
wider Tamils and moderate Tamils”.
The Tamils as a whole have been
victimized, but in expressing their reactions against oppression there have
been varying degrees – some expressing it in the most violent,some by screaming
in pain, and others through their writing and speaking a moderate language.
At the same time there were Tamils who
were either anti-LTTE or distanced themselves from the LTTE for other reasons.
But after the defeat of the LTTE,
angered by the arrogant attitudes and actions of the government, many of so
called “wider Tamils and moderate Tamils” are joining the majority of diaspora
Tamils.
For the majority Sinhalese and their
government, LTTE was purely a terrorist organization, without any political
ideology, but hell bent on terror, nothing more.
They do not ask how or why they came into
existence.
They forget the two factors which gave
birth to the LTTE, namely, the discriminatory laws of the government and the
anti-Tamil terror of the State forces.
Hencethe majority of Sinhalese and their
governments were allergic to anything of the LTTE.
Even if a post LTTE organization puts
demands for a political solution, the government labels it as an LTTE- demand
and try to justify its denial.
The just demands of a people have to be
met irrespective of those who shout for it or not.
It is time for the government to stop
labeling people and aspirations as LTTE and deal with the demands in a
civilized manner.
GTF represents country organizations of
Tamils who agree to the vision and mission as articulated in our constitution
and in the web page.
We do not cut off or distance ourselves
from the screaming and the flag-waving. We understand their feelings.We are in
touch with the ground-realities as well as representatives of people inside and
outside the country.
What we seek as a solution is not any
exclusive privilege for Tamils living on the island, nor robbing anyone else of
their birthrights. It is a solution for the Tamils who have inhabited the
island as a distinct nation, to live along with other nationalities, side by
side, not one on top of another, but as friends and good neighbors.
NI. Thousands of Tamils including civilians and
the LTTE cadres have died in the decades old war. But Tamils are limiting the
remembrance to the LTTE warriors only.
It is nothing wrong in LTTE celebrating the sacrifices of their cadres,
but the groups like GTF subscribing to this is causing concerns. Will the GTF
move away for a larger agenda.
SJE. The victims of
this war has been from all communities and
from various sections of these
communities.
Tamils have special commemorations for
the LTTE cadres who gave their lives voluntarily and consciously for the cause
they espoused, namely the Tamils and their homeland.
Besides there are also political and
religious leaders and media personnel who were targeted and killed in action.
Then, not the least, there were the
innocent civilians killed by state terrorism as in the case of churches
and schools bombed. All these are
remembered and honored in different ways.
I am happy that you state “it is
nothing wrong in LTTE celebrating the sacrifices of their cadres” – But the
reality is the SLG with the support of the majority have bulldozed all the cemeteries and war
memorials and now eradicating even the roots of Tamil ethnic and religious
identities under the military boots.
While the Sinhalese can erect huge war
memorials and heroes and have victory celebrations, Tamil people who have lost
their sons and daughters have no place, memorials or freedom to mourn!
GTF as an organization of Tamil people
victimized and still groaning in pain for survival as a people.
It cannot distance itself from its
wounded-identity. For the surviving Tamils, it is not exclusively remembering
only those of the LTTE.
It is much more a national remembrance.
It is a “remembrance of the past INTO the future”. It is with this consciousness and realityof
being a suffering people, the GTF engage
with everyone who can help find an end to the suffering and a way to reconciliation
and peace.GTF does not hide its
identity, nor give up the true aspirations of the people to gain any advantage
or acceptance.
NI. The BBC reporter Frances Harrison has said the
Tamils are shying away from dealing with the war crimes committed by the LTTE
and their campaigns are conditioned and as a result the issue of war crimes
against Sri Lanka will wither away. What are your views on this.
SJE. The main
intention of Francis Harrison in coming out with her story is to focus
attention on the last stage of the war and its continuation in other forms. She
has done well.
Her opinion that,” the issue of war
crimes against Sri Lanka will wither
away” may be pleasing to the SLG.
But, we of the GTF and many others have
been saying from the beginning, that both sides must be investigated and we
hold on to it. Without justice there is no true reconciliation.
NI. Having raised some difficult
questions, I must also say GTF is playing a much broader play of international
politics. What do you wish say to the Tamils in the wider world to help build
this process?
SLG. The role GTF
has undertaken to play at the international level is by no means easy.
It has many challenges with regard to
the nature of the new phase of the struggle, with regard to mobilizing people
and talents and with regard to leadership.
Firstly, the SL propaganda through their
embassies since the time of Lakshman Kadirgamar has been “that all diaspora
organizations are front-organizations of the LTTE”.
Rajapaksas have raised the embassies as
military- watchdogs to organize anti Tamil infiltrators.
This has instilled a justified fear among the diaspora Tamils. And keep away
even from any form of associations or lawful activities.
And after Mullivaikal, SLG has openly
started a new war against the diaspora as announced by the Defence Ministry and
its propaganda. It has also sent its trained/brainwashed agents to do some
dirty work among the diaspora.
With the defense ministry’s web page
portraying me as a key-supporter of terrorism, I too have fears.
Hence, we Tamils in the diaspora, while
living as law abiding citizens in democratic and transparent societies, should
not allow ourselves to be victims of infiltrators or divisions caused by them.
Let us not dissipate our energies in
in-fighting or in competitions but with unity of vision and mission struggle on
behalf of our people.
I call upon the diaspora Tamils to play
their supportive role for a noble cause of liberation in a responsible manner,
not with anger and revenge against a people or religion, but as sincerely
wishing a reconciliation and peace based on truth and justice.
We should not engage in any anti-Sinhala
or anti-Buddhist activities.
What GTF is doing is to engage with the
international community and its organizations within the democratic space
available infavour of a just and peaceful solution in Sri Lanka.
But true reconciliation or peace is not
possible without truth and justice. Demanding justice for crimes committed does
not mean unwilling to forgive.
Forgiveness is due to those who
acknowledge their crimes.That is why we demand an independent international
inquiry which will establish the truth of what happened on that island and will
identify the crimes and their perpetrators.
This is by no means a revengeful act.
NI. If you get an opportunity to meet President
MahindaRajapakse what will you say to him?
SJE. I have no
thoughts about such a meeting or about what to say to him.
But on a lighter vein, I recall what I
wrote to President Premadasa:-Sir, please turn the lion on the National flag
the other way, so as not to threaten the two minorities with the sword!
To His Excellency President Rajapakse, I
may quote a Chinese proverb from Wang Suo of Hans dynasty: –Nothing brings
greater misfortune than killing those who have already surrendered.
NI. What do you wish to say to
the Tamil speaking people in Sri Lanka?
SJE. As a Tamil
catholic priest, who has accompanied you for a long time, and suffered with you
in Jaffna and in Wanni, I continue to hear your cries, agonies and aspirations.
I like to assure you all my continued
solidarity and struggle at the international level for a better life for you
all. I will not betray the trust you have placed on me.
NI. Also, the Sinhala people?
SJE. I have spent
happy days as an undergraduate in Colombo and later as a priest and professor
at the National Seminary in Kandy.
A greater part of my 30 years of
priestly life was spent in educating priests at the Kandy National Seminary and
in Jaffna.
I have been to the DaladaMaligawa in
Kandy to invite a Buddhist monk to teach Buddhism to our students, started
getting teachers from outside the seminary to teach Sinhalese and Tamil for our
students, drafted for the Provincial Synod of the Church in April 1995 a
document titled – Church as Communication between North and South that was read
out by the then Auxiliary Bishop Malcolm Ranjith and accepted with applause.
Sadly there was no follow up of actions.
I remain a friend of the Sinhala people
and of Buddhism.
Sinhalese are a people only in Sri Lanka
and your language and culture must be guarded and nurtured there on that
island.
You have a right to bloom as a great
nation and also be proud of Buddhism, but not at the expense of destroying or
eradicating or oppressing another people, their nationhood and their human and
religious rights.
Instead of using me as an instrument in
the North-South dialogue, SLG have falsely accused me as promoting terrorism
and separatism.
Some irresponsible Sinhalese have spread
wild and baseless rumors about me.
But my work in Sri Lanka till 1996 and
afterwards in self-exile through speeches and writings will prove my innocence.
I love Sri Lanka and wish all the
peoples peace and prosperity.
Sri Lanka has enough place and resources
and ways of coexisting for its multiethnic, multi religious population.
Do not allow the politicians to use the
Mahavamsa chronicles to politicize or overtake the noble teachings of Buddha.
There are many good courageous political
and religious leaders as well as human rights activists and media people among
you.
But they are threatened to become a
fearful minority. Identify and support them before they are forced to leave the
country for their survival.
If we have the courage and wisdom, to
cling on only to Truth of history and Justice as due to all human beings
irrespective of our ethnic and religious differences, then we can build a
peaceful unity in diversity on that paradise isle.
Mr.D.S.Senanayake, the first Prime
Minister, who knew the birth pangs and fears of the non-Sinhalese on the eve of Independence, loudly proclaimed
to the world: United we stand, divided we fall!
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