By Dayan Jayatilleka –
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
“Somewhere over the rainbow…” – The Wizard of Oz
Three vital questions arise from Prime Minister Modi’s recommendation that Sri Lanka goes beyond the 13th amendment. The first is: has India changed its stance? The second is: if beyond 13A, ‘where to?’ The third is: ‘why?’
New Delhi’s stance in the post war period was early and full implementation of the 13th amendment and “building on it”. Now Mr. Modi urges us to “go beyond” 13A. There is a crucial difference between “building on” and “going beyond”. “Building on” is a vertical increase while “going beyond” is a horizontal one. The latter is not “stretching” the 13th amendment; it is a framework other than the 13th amendment.
It is understandable to suggest “building on” the 13th amendment. Veterans of the negotiations of 1987 will recall that there were “residual issues” which President Jayewardene agreed would be resolved at a later date, but were not because they couldn’t be, with a war on and a two-thirds majority lost. If these residual issues were resolved, then the 13th amendment would be built on, because the architects of the accord did not envisage a framework other than the 13th amendment; one that went “beyond” it.
What would “building on” the 13th amendment have looked like? It would have entailed re-opening negotiations on the concurrent list. It may have also entailed an upper house, a Senate. (President Rajapaksa was amenable to both, but after Mr. Wigneswaran’s public pronouncement that Prabhakaran was a “great hero”, not so much). Swaps of the powers in the concurrent list and the construction of a Senate, i.e. ‘building upon” the 13th amendment so as to address the “residual issues” is as far as we should have gone and been requested to go by Prime Minister Modi.
Instead we have been asked to go beyond the 13th amendment, but where to? Mr. Modi, a most intelligent man, dropped a heavy hint in his address to the Parliament– a hint that was promptly picked up by the TNA and the international media. An AFP report reads:
“…Modi told the Sinhalese-dominated parliament in Colombo that “cooperative federalism” was working well in India and suggested it could be a model for Sri Lanka too…India has long supported greater autonomy for the minority group, but Suresh Premachandran, a Tamil lawmaker from Jaffna, said Modi’s comments were the strongest in a long time. “He is going to be very welcome after the powerful message he sent,” Premachandran told AFP.” (‘India’s Modi to visit Sri Lanka’s Tamil heartland’, Lakruwan Wanniarachchi, AFP, March 14, 2015)
The Hindu noted the same point:
“…Commenting on the Indian Prime Minister’s speech in Parliament earlier on Friday, TNA parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran said Mr. Modi made an “excellent speech” with a strong case for greater devolution in a manner that was not “overbearing”. “I am firm believer in cooperative federalism,” Mr. Modi said in his address.” (‘Be Patient with Sri Lankan Government: Modi to Tamil Leaders’, Meera Srinivasan, the Hindu, March 14th 2015)
Now to the ‘Why’ question. When, by Prime Minister Modi’s own admission, the 13th amendment has not been fully implemented, what could make him think that it is at all necessary to go beyond it? It is necessary or advisable to go beyond something or some point, when that has been proved inadequate, i.e. when its potentials have exhausted themselves. When the full potential of the 13th amendment has not been experienced, on what basis could it be thought necessary to go beyond it? Is that not a matter to be raised, if at all, at a subsequent stage? And should it not emerge from a national i.e. Sri Lankan consensus at least in parliament if not in society at large?
Given the spillover of Sri Lanka’s Tamil issue into India, our Tamil Question has long been an “intermestic” one (to use Dr. Kissinger’s coinage about issues at the interface of the domestic and the international) rather than a purely domestic concern. Therefore, one cannot realistically take exception to the Indian Prime Minister’s references to it. However, those references should be general and not publicly prescriptive. Mr. Modi should be hailed for his commitment to India’s (quasi) federalism and moving it in a fuller federal direction is entirely an Indian prerogative. However, he doubtless knows that many societies, especially in the Global South and most especially within Asia, have preferred not to opt for ‘cooperative federalism’, and to remain precisely within the parameters of the unitary state while devolving power in a manner that makes way for limited local autonomy while avoiding the dangers of centrifugalism and/or irredentism.
The model of state—the state structure– is entirely a sovereign national decision. If it is not, what is or could be?
aluthgama namal / March 16, 2015
OUR RESIDENT FASCIST WRITES AGAIN! SHOULD BE GIVEN ‘FASIST IN RESIDENT STATUS FROM CT!’ THAT WAY THE FACT THAT NOBODY READS WHAT HE WRITES BUT WILL POST COMMENTS MIGHT GIVE HIM A FEELING THAT PEOPLE ARE TAKING HIM SERIOUSLY. ONLY BBS TYPES WILL…..ASIDE FROM UNCLE GOTA OFCOURSE!
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Thiru / March 16, 2015
Dayan the Goebbels of The Sinhala supremacist elite,
You have lost touch with reality: Your firm belief in Mahavmasa, and your dated ‘knowledge’ of political science, diplomacy etc., are obstructing you from perceiving the true reality of Geo-politics more accurately.
You backed the wrong horse in the presidential election. You said that Modi should not have made a public statement about 13A, etc. You are failing to adapt to changing realities in the world.
The island is important for the security of India, and to make matters worse your hero was flirting dangerously close to China.
The whole world knows that Sri Lanka is a house divided:
War crimes report and the knowledge of genocide of Tamils is more and more known and accepted as the truth. – Thanks to Callum Macrae and Channel 4.
India helped to the utmost to destroy Tamil’s fight for self determination: Without India’s and the US’s help that would have been impossible. India did this for a reason.
However, India cannot afford to go on being antagonistic to Tamils on either side of the Tamil sea for ever and have its security intact.
Political pundits like you ought to know how imperialism works!
OK, what are the options for India now: Keep both Tamils and Sinhalese happy by nudging them to make compromises is one.
If the so-called Sinhala elite with PhDs and what not, accepted SWRD’s formula of reasonable use of Tamil in the North-East all the agony of the past 67 years could have been avoided.
Don’t forget the island become a colony of the Weatern countires for 500 years because of disunity of some kind or other.
It is not too late now: Swallow your unrealistic pride and accept reality: accommodate Tamils, Muslims, Christians and others as equals and give them due autonomy to develop themselves without Sinhala Buddhist over lordship.
Stop your megalomania for Sinhala Buddhist hegemony over the whole island.
Will you Joseph and your cohorts?
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Vas / March 16, 2015
The whole problem is due to the fact the Sinhala leadership is weak and lack ability and imagination to devolve power in a meaningful way. That is the reason indian leaders keep pushing for 13a.
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Candidly / March 16, 2015
I think you are wrong, my friend. The reason Indian governments keep pushing for the 13A is that both main national parties, Congress and the BJP, are very weak in Tamil Nadu and they wish to gain strength and counter Tamil separatism in Tamil Nadu as it has already been successfully dealt with in Sri Lanka. Modi’s words about Tamils are directed at winning support from Indian Tamils, not Sri Lankan ones!
However, the BJP know that if they push Sri Lanka too far, too fast, she will simply turn to others for help – China, the US, Pakistan, the EU, UK, Iran, etc – there are many of them jostling to further their own interests in Sri Lanka.
For these reasons, Mr Modi’s warm words of apparent sympathy for the northern Tamils, are just that, “warm words”. Sooner or later northern Tamil leaders will have to face reality and accept that their future lies in doing deals with the Sinhalese majority and the other main minority, the Moors, from which all three can benefit. Any other routes, such as waiting for India or Britain or the United Nations to do “something”, are roads to nowhere for the Tamil people in Sri Lanka and will only lead to false hopes being raised yet again. Time to wake up and smell the coffee brewing, as Americans say!
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Burning Issue / March 16, 2015
candidly,
I am afraid that soon you will have a bitter pill to swallow! There is only one chice; either India or China and none other! All western countries aliign with India and rightly so!
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Vanguard / March 16, 2015
lack ability and imagination
Bravo. So whence this imagination and ability?
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sach / March 16, 2015
yeah otherwise who would not devolve power to such nice individuals like wiggie?
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Jey / March 16, 2015
Didn’t MR promised India and the other western Countries that he would go beyond 13A or 13 plus to win their support for the war. India was hoodwinked by this white lie and they turned a blind eye when MR was massacring the Tamils in the north. India trusted him. So, it is not something Modi invented – it was something MR’s creation and promised over and over again, until he played the Chinese card and thumped the nose at India.
Tamils are asking for their birth right not any concessions from anybody, they want to live with dignity and being able to have equal rights.
Dr DJ once wrote that TNA should speak to MR to resolve issues facing the Tamils instead of running to India. Tamils don’t want any favours from anybody, they want to determine their future themselves.
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Kettikaran / March 16, 2015
It is clear DJ is running out of ammunition to attack the brand new Sirisena regime and, simultaneously, keeping his former employer Rajapakse and the political fortunes of The Family and the several dozen Alibabas clinging on to the Rajapakse shawl – intact. DJ now has sunk to the bottom and has no more stuff than to argue on semantics like “going beyond” “building on” “vertical” “horizontal” and what else have you. A long way from Gramsci and Marxism-Leninism, eh!
The hard truth is the train has left the station leaving the likes of DJ behind. New Delhi has told the Sirisena-Ranil-CBK-Mangala’s quartet how Indo-Lankan ties may move on from now – the Modified way, if you like. Let us be assured is not going to be against Sri Lanka’s immediate political and economic interests. There is no twisting of arms here. But the kind of politics to prevaricate aimlessly – the Rajapakse way – will not be part of the agenda. From what one gathers from New Delhi presently, they are convinced the Sirisena Administration means business and is for unity and reconciliation.
Kettikaran
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Aia / March 16, 2015
DJ: The ex Minister for Youth Affairs in the NE Provincil Council with Mr Varatharajaperumal as the CM.
Doesnt smart parriotic think this is a high time to bring MR on to sort this vertical and horizontal appendages?. Hmm horizontal seems to be causing some concerns.
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dcnd / March 16, 2015
DJ is again active. He had been part of the first NPC in 1987/88 based on amendments to condition including 13th when he had no qualms about this. Later, it was his mentor MR, the last President who offered far back in 2006 when he visited New Delhi that he would go beyond the 13th.
There must be a civic sense in resolving this issue once and for all sooner than later.
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Thiru / March 16, 2015
“until he played the Chinese card and thumped the nose at India.”
This like the drunken Sinhalese man taunting an elephant that has killed a man recently: Luckily the the drunken man was spared.
A sober advice to the Sinhalese leadership is this:
Don’t taunt India; it is too big for you to handle with the China-man bogey! Don’t forget what happened to Ravana.
Remember what happened to East Pakistan – it disappeared in a trice, and out popped Bangladesh.
Anything is possible in this world including Tamil Eelam!
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J.Muthu / March 16, 2015
Thiru, you are wasting u r with this idiots. Modi gave them carrot now. Never underestimate modi….Stick will follow…
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Native Vedda / March 16, 2015
J.Muthu
Stick is already there, its a matter of time it is being used. The Sinhala/Buddhist nor their stupid Tamil brethren could wish the stick away, Indo Lanka agreement. Both VP and hist stupid Sinhala/Buddhist brethren tried very hard to abrogate the entire agreement. It is still valid and it is still part of International obligation.
Excerpt from Modi Mantra:
“The Indian Ocean is critical to the security and prosperity of our two countries. And, we can be more successful in achieving these goals if we work together; build a climate of trust and confidence; and we remain sensitive to each other`s interest.
We deeply value our security cooperation with Sri Lanka. We should expand the maritime security cooperation between India, Sri Lanka and Maldives to include others in the Indian Ocean area.”
In case Dayan has missed what Modi did or din’t do, said or didn’t say, I copy past his complete speech:
PM Modi’s address in Sri Lanka Parliament
On Friday, March 13, 2015 Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Sri Lanka Parliament. He strongly pitched for enhanced cooperation in key areas of maritime security and counter-terrorism.
Below is the PM’s full speech :
Honourable Speaker of Parliament, Mr Chamal Rajapaksa ji,
Honourable Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Shrimaan Ranil Wickremesinghe ji,
Honourable Leader of the Opposition, Mr Nimal Siripala De Silva,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
Distinguished guests,
I am truly delighted to visit Sri Lanka – a land of beauty, culture and friendship. I am deeply honoured to be in this Parliament. I am conscious of its rich history.
This Parliament represents one of Asia`s oldest democracies; and, one of its most vibrant. Long before many others in the world, Sri Lanka gave every individual a vote and voice.
To the people of Sri Lanka, ayubuvan, Vanakkam.
I bring the greetings of 1.25 billion friends; and millions of fans of Sri Lankan cricket. I bring the blessings from the land of Bodh Gaya to the land of Anuradhapura. I stand here in respect for our shared heritage; and, in commitment to our shared future.
Last May, when I took the oath of office, I was honoured by the presence of South Asian leaders at the ceremony. Their presence was a celebration of democracy`s march in our region. It was also recognition of our common destiny. I am convinced that the future of any country is influenced by the state of its neighbourhood. The future that I dream for India is also the future that I wish for our neighbours.
We in this region are on the same journey: to transform the lives of our people.
Our path will be easier, the journey quicker and destination nearer when we walk step in step.
As I stand here in Colombo and look north towards the Himalaya, I marvel at our region`s uniqueness – of our rich diversity and our common civilisational links. We have been formed from the same elements; and, from our interconnected histories Today, we stand together as proud independent nations – sovereign and equal.
India and Sri Lanka do not have a land boundary, but we are the closest neighbours in every sense. No matter where you look in India or Sri Lanka, the many strands of our links – religion, language, culture, food, customs, traditions and epics – come together into a deep and strong bond of familiarity and friendship.
Ours is a relationship that is beautifully defined by the journey of Mahindra and Sanghamitra. They carried the message of peace, tolerance and friendship more than two millenniums ago. It is evoked by Kannagi, the central character of the great Tamil epic Silapathikaram, who is worshipped as goddess the Pattini in Sri Lanka. It lives in the Ramayan trail in Sri Lanka.
It expresses itself in devotion at the dargah of the Nagore Andavar and the Christian shrine of Velankanni. It is reflected in the friendship of Swami Vivekananda and Anagarika Dharmapala, the founder of the Maha Bodhi Society in Sri Lanka and India. It lives in the work of Mahatma Gandhi`s followers in India and Sri Lanka.
Above all, our relationship thrives through the inter-woven lives of ordinary Indians and Sri Lankans.
Our independent life began at about the same time.
Sri Lanka has made remarkable progress since then. The nation is an inspiration for our region in human development. Sri Lanka is home to enterprise and skill; and extraordinary intellectual heritage.
There are businesses of global class here. Sri Lanka is a leader in advancing cooperation in South Asia. And, it is important for the future of the Indian Ocean Region. Sri Lanka`s progress and prosperity is also a source of strength for India. So, Sri Lanka`s success is of great significance to India. And, as a friend, our good wishes, and our support and solidarity have always been with Sri Lanka. And, it will always be there for you. For all of us in our region, our success depends on how we define ourselves as a nation.
All of us in this region, indeed every nation of diversity, have dealt with the issues of identities and inclusion, of rights and claims, of dignity and opportunity for different sections of our societies.
We have all seen its diverse expressions. We have faced tragic violence. We have encountered brutal terrorism. We have also seen successful examples of peaceful settlements.
Each of us has sought to address these complex issues in our own ways. However we choose to reconcile them, to me something is obvious:
Diversity can be a source of strength for nations.
When we accommodate the aspirations of all sections of our society, the nation gets the strength of every individual.
And, when we empower states, districts and villages, we make our country stronger and stronger.
You can call this my bias. I have been a Chief Minister for 13 years; a Prime Minister for less than a year! Today, my top priority is to make the states in India stronger. I am a firm believer in cooperative federalism. So, we are devolving more power and more resources to the states. And, we are making them formal partners in national decision making processes.
Sri Lanka has lived through decades of tragic violence and conflict. You have successfully defeated terrorism and brought the conflict to an end.
You now stand at a moment of historic opportunity to win the hearts and heal the wounds across all sections of society.
Recent elections in Sri Lanka have reflected the collective voice of the nation – the hope for change, reconciliation and unity. The steps that you have taken in recent times are bold and admirable. They represent a new beginning. It is rooted in our common civilisational heritage.
The path ahead is a choice that Sri Lanka has to make. And, it is a collective responsibility of all sections of the society; and, of all political streams in the country. But, I can assure you of this:
For India, the unity and integrity of Sri Lanka are paramount. It is rooted in our interest. It stems from our own fundamental beliefs in this principle.
Hon`ble Speaker and Distinguished Members,
My vision of an ideal neighbourhood is one in which trade, investments, technology, ideas and people flow easily across borders; when partnerships in the region are formed with the ease of routine.
In India, the growth momentum has been restored. India has become the fastest growing major economy in the world. The world sees India as the new frontier of economic opportunity. But, our neighbours should have the first claim on India. And I again repeat, the first claim on India is of our neighbours – of Sri Lanka.
I will be happy if India serves a catalyst in the progress of our neighbours. In our region, Sri Lanka has the potential to be our strongest economic partner. We will work with you to boost trade and make it more balanced.
India`s trade environment is becoming more open. Sri Lanka should not fall behind others in this competitive world. That is why we should conclude an ambitious Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.
India can also be a natural source of investments – for exports to India and elsewhere; and to build your infrastructure. We have made good progress today. Let us get together to harness the vast potential of the Ocean Economy.
Our two nations must also take the lead in increasing cooperation in the South Asian Region and the linked BIMSTEC Region. Connecting this vast region by land and sea, our two countries can become engines of regional prosperity.
I also assure you of India`s full commitment to development partnership with Sri Lanka. We see this as a responsibility of a friend and neighbour. India has committed 1.6 billion U.S. dollars in development assistance. Today, we have committed further assistance of up to 318 million dollars to the railway sector.
We will continue our development partnership. We will be guided by your Government. And, we will do so with the same level of transparency that we expect in our own country.
Last month we signed the agreement on cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
More than anywhere else in the region, I see enormous potential to expand cooperation with Sri Lanka in areas like agriculture, education, health, science and technology, and space. Indeed, we are limited only by our imagination.
We hope that Sri Lanka will take full benefit of India`s satellite for the SAARC Region. This should be in Space by December 2016.
People are at the heart of our relationship. When we connect people, bonds between nations become stronger. That is why we have decided to extend the visa-on-arrival facility to Sri Lankan citizens.
We will also increase connectivity between our countries. We will strengthen ties of culture and religion. Last month we announced reduction in fees for Sri Lankan nationals visiting National Museum in Delhi to see the Kapilavastu Relics. We will bring our shared Buddhist heritage closer to you through an exhibition. Together, we will develop our Buddhist and Ramayana Trails. My birth place Varnagarh was an international centre of Buddhist learning in ancient times. Excavations have revealed a hostel for 2000 students and in plans to redevelop the centre.
Mr Speaker,
A future of prosperity requires a strong foundation of security for our countries and peace and stability in the region. The security of our two countries is indivisible. Equally, our shared responsibility for our maritime neighbourhood is clear.
India and Sri Lanka are too close to look away from each other. Nor can we be insulated from one another.
Our recent histories have shown that we suffer together; and we are more effective when we work with each other. Our cooperation helped deal with the devastation of Tsunami in 2004. As a Chief Minister, I was pleased to share our experience in reconstruction after the Bhuj earthquake in 2001. Our cooperation is also integral to our success in combating terrorism and extremism.
For both of us, local threats remain. But, we see threats arising in new forms and from new sources. We are witnessing globalisation of terrorism. The need for our cooperation has never been stronger than today.
The Indian Ocean is critical to the security and prosperity of our two countries. And, we can be more successful in achieving these goals if we work together; build a climate of trust and confidence; and we remain sensitive to each other`s interest.
We deeply value our security cooperation with Sri Lanka. We should expand the maritime security cooperation between India, Sri Lanka and Maldives to include others in the Indian Ocean area.
I often say that the course of the 21st century would be determined by the currents of the Indian Ocean. Shaping its direction is a responsibility for the countries in the region. We are two countries at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean. Your leadership and our partnership will be vital for building a peaceful, secure, stable and prosperous maritime neighbourhood.
In our deeply interconnected lives, it is natural to have differences. Sometimes, it touches the lives of ordinary people. We have the openness in our dialogue, the strength of our human values and, the goodwill in our relationship to resolve them.
Mr.Speaker,
Sri Lanka and India are at a moment of a great opportunity and responsibility – for realising the dreams of our people. This is also a time for renewal in our relationship; for a new beginning and new vigour in our partnership. We have to ensure that our proximity always translates into closeness.
We were honoured that President Sirisena chose India as his first destination last month. I am honoured to be his first guest here. This is how it should be between neighbours.
Tomorrow I will go to Talaimannar to flag off the train to Madhu Road. This is part of the old India –Lanka rail link.
I recall the lines of a famous song ‘Sindu Nadiyin Misai’ composed by the great nationalist poet Subramanian Bharati in the early 20th century: ‘Singalatheevukkinor paalam ameippom’(we shall construct a bridge to Sri Lanka)
I have come with the hope of building this bridge – a bridge that rests on strong pillars of our shared inheritance; of shared values and vision; of mutual support and solidarity; of friendly exchanges and productive cooperation; and, above all, belief in each other and our shared destiny. Thank you once again for the honour to be with you.
Thank you very much.
Read 296 times
http://www.news.lk/fetures/item/6624-pm-modi-s-address-in-sri-lanka-parliament
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Justice & Fairplay / March 16, 2015
DJ,
You are one of those who wields the power of a reply, without the reader reading what you have written!! What an amazing cove you are!!
We don’t read you anymore, and this is to let you into that bit of information !!! Our numbers are growing!!!!
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Jango / March 17, 2015
Justice & Fairplay – Welcome to the club!
I skim over the comments – just in case…
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Sengodan. M / March 16, 2015
Whether it is federalism or unitary would matter little. What matters is the extent of devolution of power. For example take the case of Scotland, which is not a federal state but has a high degree of autonomy. What the Tamils desire is exactly that, a high degree of autonomy to preserve their distinct identity as a people ( in case you don’t like the term ‘nation’). So, why try to split words and phrases and find different meanings?
Sengodan. M
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Ambedkhar Reborn / March 16, 2015
Discarded Diplomatic Junk (DJ ) who can not shine without MR & Co autocracy, badly wants MR to come back to power if not through SLFP, at least through a newly formed party by Gang of 4 and MR & Bros.
So DJ continues with his monkey tricks , giving ethno – religious opium to the innocent citizens of Lanka. Jan 8th people have shown that they are politically more matured than many of the politicians and the political analysts covered in smart patriot cloak.As CT reader Jey pointed out in his comments above , DJ conveniently or delibrately left out in his analysis that MR promised after the war that he will go beyond 13 A. Hope Some readers or analysts enlighten the Lankans with the right facts.
I know former CM Varatharja Perumal was exiled in India for many years. Where did our Pundit DJ go his exile ? Cuba or China ? . It is highly unlikely that he was in exile in Thirupathi or Puta Pathy, inorder to meet his former boss MR in a clandestine manner to plan and bring down Chandrika from power so that Laxman can not go up the ladder.
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Chedi / March 16, 2015
This DJ keeps playing his warped records with repeating grooves. We are unable to twist, waltz, jive, baila or samba. Or even put a thadde. Can we CT readers find another night club with a DJ who plays groovier music? For When this DJ finally finds that there is nobody left on the dance floor he will slink away. It’s only us responding CT readers who contribute to his self-flagellating antics.
“Locked grooves are not uncommon and are even heard occasionally in broadcasts. The locked groove gave rise to the expression “broken record” referring to someone who continually repeats the same statement with little if any variation”.
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sach / March 16, 2015
Wiggie attacking RW was hilarious to read. Between RW cannot tackle Wiggie.
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Uthungan / March 16, 2015
The author is mind trapped in a kind of circular logic that has now ended up in a narrow racist cul-de-sac.
It effectively impedes his ability to understand that people in our country aspire, social values,democracy,environmental integrity,cultural identity that lie beyond self interest and corrupt unscrupulous predatory wealth maximization like the Mahinda Chintanya logic he supports.
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Naga / March 16, 2015
Provincial Council system can never be the answer to the Tamils demand for devolution of power. 13th amendment as it stands today give limited powers to the Tamils but these limited powers too are checked by the over-riding powers of the Governor who is appointed by the President. Northern and Eastern provinces were temporarily merged giving a sweet coat to make the system acceptable to the Tamils. That sweet coat too was removed by the Supreme Court and today Tamils in the East have lost their say in their governance. Though TNA in the East has now accepted some crumbs in the form of two useless Ministries,the provincial council system in the East is detrimental to the interests of the Eastern Tamils.
Now that Modi has sounded the Indian Federal system as better suited to meet the demands of the Tamils in Sri Lanka, TNA has readily accepted it as a panacea for all the problems of the Tamils. However, these very same TNA MPs have in the past rejected outright the long standing call by TULF leader Anandasangari for a Federal system based on the Indian model. Anandasangari had been advocating the Indian federal model for many years now but nobody took any notice of it. Now that Modi had talked about Indian cooperative federalism as a viable model to meet the Tamils demand for devolution, Sumanthiran and Suresh have now latched on to it as if it is a new golden idea. These very same Sumanthiran and Suresh simply brushed aside Sangari’s call for a federal solution at the New Delhi All Tamil Parties Conference convened by Dr Natchiappan of the Indian Congress Party in 2010.
Modi is right in his call for cooperative federalism because he as the Chief Minister of Guarjat had first hand experience of that model. Due to this Indian cooperative federalism he was able to modernise his Gujarat by inviting foreign investments and building up the state’s infrastruture. Like Modi, developing the North through foreign investments is what Wigneswaran is dreaming about.
Further it should be remembered that because of the foresight of the drafters of the Indian constitution, India with many language and regional divisions had remained a viable united country and continues to prosper by accommodating demands for new states. The success of the cooperative federalism in India even drowned out the call for a Dravidian state by DMK in Tamil Nadu and for a Kalistan in Punjab. Again, India has kept at bay the Kashmiris demand for separation because of this cooperative federalism. Further, a separate country like Sikkim was able to become part of India thanks to the accommodative nature of Indian federal system. Thus there is nothing wrong in adopting the Indian federal model to solve the Tamil problem in Sri Lanka. Federalism does not mean separation. The word “federalism” is anathema to only Sinhala extremists like Dayan. Federalism instead of leading to separation will in fact unify Sri Lanka.
Finally, Dayan by your quibbling over such semantics as “building on it” and “beyond it” you are trying to bury the real issue here. The real issue is whether 13th amendment is acceptable to the Tamils. The answer is a certain “No”. Provincial Councils as they are set up today exercise only limited and restricted powers. These Provincial Councils are real white elephants.Wigneswaran through his few months experience as Chief Minister of NPC knows has learnt that well. That is why he had been forthright in rejecting Provincial Council system as simply inadequate in meeting the aspirations of the Tamils for true devolution of powers.
Dayan, for goodness sake, stop writing these type of garbage. You are not doing any service to your own community. You are trying to breed further divisions in the country and arouse hatred of Tamils among the Sinhalese. With your doctorate and exposure to the wide world of diplomacy it is sad to see that you remain essentially a Sinhala communalist.
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Vanguard / March 16, 2015
Before any going beyond anything, all parties must commit to a non-violent, peaceful, negotiated solution to The Problem. Then we can talk. If the JHU and TNA can agree to a Indian Model Federation then I am ok with it, but no violence and trying to hit people on the head with rifles, please.
Dayan is afraid of centrifugal forces. Perhaps he has never been on a merry go round. That does not make him a racist, however.
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Native Vedda / March 16, 2015
Naga
“Finally, Dayan by your quibbling over such semantics as “building on it” and “beyond it” you are trying to bury the real issue here.”
We thought he is burying himself in a cesspit of cheap home made nationalism and his own brand of smart ass patriotism.
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Indian Tamil from Tamilnadu, India. / March 16, 2015
Well written, Naga. Will DJ listen to these words of wisdom? I doubt!
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sach / March 16, 2015
I think you yourself said in CT forum that east was never a part of Tamil homeland. SO the issue is people in SL do not accept any homeland concept and that no tamil nation which is 3000 years old (according to tamils) never existed in SL.
Indian states have been there historically. They have historic existence. The matter is in SL it is the problem.
So the issue is Sinhala people not being willing to devolve power, but Sinhala people do not accept tamils existed as a separate nation in NE.
And we can see what little power has done in North giving voice to treasonous fellows
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Saro / March 16, 2015
“President Rajapaksa was amenable to both, but after Mr. Wigneswaran’s public pronouncement that Prabhakaran was a “great hero”, not so much)”. He never wanted to be reasonable to any ethnic community, which was obvious from appointing ex-military governors to NPC and EPC, curbing the legitimate powers of their chief ministers and the provincial councils, encouraging abductions, torture, rape and extra judicial killings and burning Muslims’ businesses and demolishing the worshipping places of the minorities.
Even during the last election and afterwards he tried to arouse trouble making Sinhalese to target the ethnic minorities, particularly Tamils by blaming them for his defeat and falsely accusing that the major contestant and his government had a secret deal to divide the country and so on.
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Senarat / March 16, 2015
Please C.T stop publishing this racist non ending harangue from this crazy ego maniac Dayan. His irrelevant Quotes from all sorts of writers to show off his great intellect which he thinks readers would admire, only makes this man a good candidate to be sent to a mental asylum.
The man by writing all sorts of tosh to keep him in the limelight makes him a standing joke among readers of the CT as evidenced by the comments made by the readers. Please Dayan give us a break we need more refreshing intelligent articles from our readers that are unbiased and not bombastic crap that you keep spewing out almost daily.
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Rajash / March 17, 2015
“Please C.T stop publishing this racist non ending harangue from this crazy ego maniac Dayan.”
no Senarat No ….consdier it as a good entertainmnent
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Rahul / March 17, 2015
Good on you Senerat, you have put in a very succinct way that most readers of CT feel about the nonsensical thoughts of a racist failed ego maniac like Dayan. I bet “Andaya” his father Mervyn de Silva wont be too impressed with his slly son {that was his fathers nick name] we loved and enjoyed “Andayas” company and many a fine evening at high table dinner at Jayatilleka Hall at the good old prestigious University of Ceylon Peradeniya that produced some of the real intellectuals and leaders of our country.”Andaya” was a real character,and his never ending stories and jokes re University Dons like Prof Ludowyke and Passe and of course our Warden Prof Mallasekera kept us in stitches.Dont insult your fathers name by producing and aligning yourself with Mahinda Rajapaksa and his familial dictatorship that was thrown out by a democratic election and headed by simple man of the Soil.
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Lanka Watch / March 17, 2015
“GO BEYOND 13A”
Looks like Dr. Dayan Jayatilleke has short memories.
Mr. Modi has repeated the exact words used by former President that he will go beyond 13A to satisfy Tamil aspirations,when Ms.Sushma Suvaraj visited Sri Lanka, as an opposition leader, presume in 2013. Can Dr. Dayan deny this and if so, we could request the Indian embassy in SL to authenticate it.
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cholan / March 17, 2015
No 13+ or 13-……..sure
But When China divide the SL into half one side with Hambantota harbor ..Mattala airport …Trico harbour then DJ and Mohadanamuthas can climp on coconut tree and hide …he he he till then dance for free liquor to celebrate the fake..hollow..borrowed victory of May 2009….
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