By Asoka Bandarage –
Dr. Asoka Bandarage
Significant efforts have been taken towards reconciliation and integration of the Tamil minority in the Sri Lankan political system since the defeat of the LTTE in May 2009. However, the Tamil separatist movement has not been halted. It is pursuing a separate state through political means demanding an Autonomous Tamil Region merging the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka.
Using ample funds and cultivating access to the British, U.S. and other western governments, pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora groups have influenced the United Nations in adopting the 2015 United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution (co-sponsored by the current U.S. backed Sri Lankan government) in Geneva and issuing the 2015 Report of the United Nations Human Rights Commissioner. Both documents call for accountability and international investigation of human rights violations in the final stage of the Sri Lankan armed conflict and international monitoring of transitional justice and reconciliation. Clause 16 of the U.N. Human Rights Council Resolution calls on the Sri Lankan government to devolve power on the basis of the 13 Amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution and uphold its commitment to political settlement, reconciliation and human rights.
“ Welcomes the commitment of the Government of Sri Lanka to a political settlement by taking the necessary constitutional measures, encourages the Government’s efforts to fulfil its commitments on the devolution of political authority, which is integral to reconciliation and the full enjoyment of human rights by all members of its population; and also encourages the Government to ensure that all Provincial Councils are able to operate effectively, in accordance with the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka”.
However, the legitimacy of the United Nations to continue to intervene and monitor Sri Lanka is questionable given its ‘systematic failure’ to carry out its own duties and uphold humanitarian interests during the final phase of the Sri Lankan armed conflict. This failure has been admitted by the U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon himself. The Report on Secretary General’s Internal Review Panel on UN Actions in Sri Lanka’, concludes:
“…events in Sri Lanka mark a grave failure of the UN to adequately respond to early warnings and to the evolving situation during the final stages of the conflict and its aftermath, to the detriment of hundreds of thousands of civilians and in contradiction with the principles and responsibilities of the UN. The elements of what was a systemic failure can be distilled into … a UN system that lacked an adequate and shared sense of responsibility for human rights violations; …an incoherent internal UN crisis-management structure which failed to conceive and execute a coherent strategy in response to early warnings and subsequent international human rights and humanitarian law violations against civilians. ..”.
U.N. documents refer to human rights violations by ‘both parties’. However, as the LTTE no longer exists as such, calls for accountability are now directed solely at the Sri Lankan government in power during the last stage of the armed conflict. Accountability is not called for from external groups who provided funds for the terrorist LTTE to acquire weapons to kill thousands of civilians, forcibly conscript Tamil children as rebels and suicide bombers, destroy property and Buddhist sacred sites, so on and so forth. An international investigation which focuses merely on one party –the Sri Lankan government- and on just the final phase of the war, absolves all the other parties to the thirty year war -the LTTE, various Tamil militant groups, previous Sri Lankan governments, the JVP, the IPKF, et.al. – of human rights violations.
Constitutional Reforms
Is the ultimate objective of international pressure, humanitarian justice or coercion of the Sri Lankan government to concede Tamil regional autonomy through the 13th Amendment? Would that bring peace with justice to the beleaguered island given the threats it poses to the rights of the Sinhala majority, the Muslim and other minorities? There is no historical validity to the ‘Tamil Homelands’ concept upheld in the 13th Amendment imposed on Sri Lanka through the Indian intervention in 1987. Contemporary demographic realities and the traditions of multiculturalism and mutual co-existence in Sri Lanka also contradict the need for Tamil separatism. The majority of Tamils in Sri Lanka live in the southern regions of the island outside the disputed ‘Tamil Homeland.’ The claimed regions, especially the Eastern Province is characterized by ethno-religious pluralism rather than Tamil exclusivity. Muslims and Sinhalese population were driven out by the LTTE during the course of the war. Current developments indicate that ethnic cleansing would worsen under Tamil regional autonomy.
Despite these ground realities, the Sri Lankan government is now forging ahead with proposals for comprehensive constitutional reform in response to the Geneva Resolution and the tight timeline set by the United Nations Human Rights Council. In March 2016, the Sri Lankan Parliament adopted a resolution to establish a Constitutional Assembly (comprising all the Members of Parliament sitting as a separate body) to develop a new constitution and go to referendum in 2017. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has commended the constitutional reform process saying it has ‘achieved significant momentum’ and would provide “an opportunity to rectify structural deficiencies that contributed to past human rights violations, and reinforce guarantees of non-recurrence …”.
Devolution
The Constitutional Reform Sub-Committee on Centre-Periphery Relations is made up of 11 Members of Parliament drawn from different political parties. It is chaired by a member of the ITAK (Illankai Tamil Arasa Katchu), the Tamil State Party begun by S.J.V. Chelvanayakam, who envisioned federalism as a stepping stone to eventual secession. In the Preface to the recently released draft Report, the Sub- Committee Chairman states: ‘We have rushed through this report due to time constraints’, thereby raising concerns over the wisdom of the sub-Committee’s recommendations on the fundamental issue facing the country.
The draft Report refers to the present unitary character of the constitution as an ‘impediment’ to devolution. Its recommends going beyond the 13th Amendment to transform the governance structures by dismantling the powers of the central government and equipping and empowering each Province to pursue full independence from the Center and from each other. Among the recommendations of the draft Report are exclusive power over land to the Provinces with the Center having to request lands for national projects from the Provinces; fiscal powers to the Provinces including the power to receive foreign direct investment; police powers exercised under independent Provincial police commissions; abolition of the present Concurrent List (on subjects shared between the Center and the Provinces); reduction of the Governor, the representative of the Center to a nominal status..
There is no provision in the draft proposals for retaining the Center’s power to override Provincial statutes with a two third majority vote in Parliament. Without such a provision, each Province would be constitutionally independent and have the freedom to secede from the federal union. This would pose a threat to the sovereignty, unitary character and the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. It would undermine the Central government’s ability to respond to common threats to the environment and the security of the island as a whole, resulting in conflicts between Provinces over boundaries, waterways, coastline, cultural heritage sites, etc.
Although it is only the Northern region that has been clamoring for separation, the proposed decentralized structure is likely to encourage political elites in other regions also to secede to augment their own powers. It is bound to revive the call for a separate Muslim political entity in the Eastern Province which emerged during the 2002 Norwegian facilitated peace process to establish LTTE control over the north and the east. Similar to developments elsewhere in the world, efforts to enforce regional autonomy along ethnic lines in Sri Lanka could lead to ethnic cleansing and new forms of conflict and violence.
Political fragmentation and destabilization could facilitate greater foreign intervention in Sri Lanka which is strategically located in the heart of the Indian Ocean in a major international trade route. The sea bridge and tunnel planned by India to physically connect northern Sri Lanka with Tamil Nadu, the homeland of 60 million Tamils in India, could provide the basis for realizing the long held Tamil separatist dream of ‘Greater Eelam’. However, it could simultaneously threaten the stability and unity of India itself.
The blood of thousands of ordinary Sinhala and Tamil youth has been spilt over the 13th Amendment, devolution and separatism in recent Sri Lankan history. The Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim elites in Sri Lanka and the Indian and western elites must not let that happen once again. The difficult political situation in Sri Lanka, as in the world, requires honest and balanced perspectives that transcend narrow ethnic and separatist interests. Just policies that protect all communities and the natural environment are urgently needed.
Real Siva Sankaran Sarma / November 21, 2016
What a load of bullshit. 1) The majority of the Tamils both Indian origin and indigenous live in the north and wast 52% and not in the south. 70%of the indigenous Tamils live in the north and east and more than 90% of the rest in the greater Colombo area. Many of them are only there for economic reasons and due to the activities of the occupying Sri Lankan armed forces. If things go back to normal a vast majority of them will return. Colombo and the western coast was part of the Tamil homeland a few centuries ago. Most of the Tamils living in the south are the Indian origin estate Tamils and not the indigenous Tamils and they had always lived there for centuries. There are more Sinhalese living in the north and east then indigenous Tamils living down south. These are not my statistics but Sri Lankan government population statistics. Please refer and consult them before posting your lies and distorted history.
The north and east of the island are the ancient and traditional homelands of the Eelam Tamils just like the southern and central and western parts of the island is Sinhalese. The Sinhalese or anyone else never had a peep into these lands until 1948 when the British gave the entire island to the Sinhalese on a platter. Even the Muslims arrived in the east a few centuries ago as refugees and have no history of ruling in any part of the east. They just lived in enclaves where they were settled by the Tamil chiefs and until recently not even allowed to own land. When the British demarcated the Tamil North and East any remote claim of the Sinhalese was entertained and the land given to the Sinhalese. What was left was the north and east were the lands the Sinhalese had no claims whatsoever. These lands were recognised as the lands of the Tamils by the Portuguese the Dutch the British, by various Sri Lanakan governments and pacts and the international Indo Sri Lankan agreement in 1987. Now Sinhalese extremists are stating these are not Tamil lands. I do not see how granting the indigenous Tamils their just rights and federal form of government is going to affect the Sinhalese 99% of them live down south and the Muslims when around 72% of them live in the south. The Muslims in the north and east are as Tamil as the Tamils themselves in every way. It is only the Southern Muslims who are jumping up and down with the Sinhalese about autonomy for the Tamil areas, as they use these Muslims in the north and east as bargaining chips with the Sinhalese to gains advantages for them. Settling Sinhalese illegally using the might of the Sinhalese governments armed forces in ethnically cleansed Tamil lands in the north and east for past 30 years and then stating too bad we have settled Sinhalese here so now you do not have any rights to your land. does not change the ancient historical right of the Tamils to the north and east. In then case Tamils should get a large chunk of Central and Uva province and Puttalam as theirs. What is good for the Sinhalese is good for the Tamils too
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Eusense / November 21, 2016
RSSS
Just don’t waste your time. Come back when the Tamil population increases from 10% to 50% of total population. Who cares where and when the Tamils lived historically?
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Native Vedda / November 22, 2016
Nuisance the stupid I
In the meantime you get sach to find your spittoon.
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So called educated / November 22, 2016
Let me remind the readers again…
Weather it is a Sinhala elite educated in Royal/Ananda, Vishaka/Devi Balika, Peradeniya/Colombo, Oxford/Cambridge, Harvard/Yale, etc or the uneducated Sinhala village coconut plucker/toddy taper, Vatti amma, or trishaw driver, there is hardly any difference when it comes to habits, attitude, behavior, and thinking. They all have the same low mentality and narrow mindedness. Sometimes I feel that the coconut pluckers are much more intelligent than these so called ‘Educated’. It is their inherent nature. This so called ‘Dr’ is one good example. The village Vatti amma is much more intelligent than this woman.
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AJ / November 22, 2016
Some Sinhalese do care where Tamils lived historically. Ex Jim Softys
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / November 24, 2016
Western countries and India with Russia agreeing have decided that the correct and lasting solution to ethnic problem is shared sovereignty and territory. Mahinda was asked to go beyond 13th amendment and establish this, but he did not, resulting him being thrown out of power. MS/RW/CBK trio promised the international community that they will do it when they come to power, but they are now feeling the pinch and do not know what to do. Since they are unable to rein in Sinhala racism, they are waiting for an opportunity to place the blame on Tamils and escape. The recent attempt to paint a picture of resurgence of LTTE is to achieve this. Unfortunately for the government there are no takers to this rubbish of the police report to court that Tamil diaspora funding is behind the formation of groups causing lawlessness in Jaffna. Since West and India do not want to rock this government, they may be given a longer time to settle Tamil problem. But if they do not do so after reasonable time frame, international community will intervene directly to grant justice to Tamils. However if Mahinda topples the government and comes to power or if Military takes over by coup, then this intervention may occur soon.
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John / November 22, 2016
What idiotic nonsense by a racist rascal.
This [Edited out] is what the problem with Tamil racism is. They can never get on with others because of their Tamil superiority mindset warped by myths and false history. This mindset will keep destroying the country and not let moderates on all sides negotiate and come to a proper settlement. The Sinhalese and Muslim racists too should be marginalised.
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Native Vedda / November 22, 2016
Johnny
“They can never get on with others because of their Tamil superiority mindset warped by myths and false history.”
Could you tell us what the true history is in your own words.
Johnny English knows no fear, knows no danger, and knows nothing as they say in the film.
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soma / November 22, 2016
RSSS
‘Tamils’ are ‘Tamil speaking people’ to us. We can’t be bothered about caste, religion and date of arrival differences among the Tamils and look for political solutions for each sub group. All Tamil speaking people scattered across the country must shed their differences, form one common front and present a devolution model which covers at least 90% of them for discussion.
Do the ‘indeginous Tamils’ include those who who practise Christianity as well?
Soma
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Burning Issue / November 22, 2016
soma,
“Do the ‘indeginous Tamils’ include those who who practise Christianity as well?”
Of course!
Now you tell me as to what are you going to do with the eastern Tamils?
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soma / November 22, 2016
B.i.
While those who practise CHristianity are included in the catgory of ‘indeginous’ those who pactise Islam are excluded? Can you elaborate?
Eastern or otherwise all Tamils can live anywhere in the island PROVIDED THAT they don’t ask for EXCLUSIVE areas for themselves. The moment you portion out an area EXCLUSIVELY for Tamils the rest of the island becomes EXCLUSIVELY for the Sinhalese. Simple as that mr. B.I.
Soma
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Burning Issue / November 22, 2016
soma,
You move goal posts to suit your needs! The North and East are historically Tamil-speaking areas. The autonomy should be based on that; all who live there will remain regardless of ethnicity or language preference.
The Tamils are pushing for federalism; Sampanthan is an MP from the East! So tell me what are you going to do with the Tamils in the East?
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soma / November 23, 2016
B.I.
You are asking me again:
“So tell me what are you going to do with the Tamils in the East?”
I am telling you again:
“Eastern or otherwise all Tamils can live anywhere in the island PROVIDED THAT they don’t ask for EXCLUSIVE areas for themselves. The moment you portion out an area EXCLUSIVELY for Tamils (Tamil speaking people) the rest of the island becomes EXCLUSIVELY for the Sinhalese. Which means all Tamil speaking people must be relocated into the area allocated EXCLUSIVELY for Tamils (Tamil speaking people).”
Soma
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Burning Issue / November 23, 2016
soma,
The Tamils say that the Sinhala can live anywhere they want list like the Tamils do by their own free will. However, this does not alter the aspirations of the Tamils’ self-determination! There is no way that Tamils will move from this standpoint.
Now, given that platform, you want the Tamils in the South to relocate, right? So, my question is, what do you want to do with the Eastern Tamils? This is a fair question isn’t it? Why don’t you answer honestly? The bottom line is that, the Tamils collectively and democratically manifested that they want federal solution that includes the East too! So, come on and answer the question without prevaricating.
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Chandra / November 21, 2016
It is a great tragedy that those embroiled in the so called constitutional reforms in order to appease the ‘international community’ do not realize the futility of that venture as highlighted my the writer of the article. Any reforms just in the pretext of a solution to a problem that is almost non existent can only give negative results. The leaders of the so called aggrieved parties are fully aware of this, but they do not attempt rectify the misconceptions of this ‘international community’. This sad situation is further complicated because the present day yahapalanaya government is hell bent on wooing the ethnic elitist leaders, overlooking the consequences of trying to find solutions to non- existent problems. The failure of these reforms to go through the due process will give yet another pretext for the Tamil elitists to site this as yet another failier on the part of the Sinhalese to solve the so called ‘national question’.
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Native Vedda / November 22, 2016
Asoka Bandarage
You type:
“Illankai Tamil Arasa Katchu”
My rough translation of the above is as follows:
Ceylon Tamil Royal Bra.
Mar Katchu – Bra – තනපට – a short tight ancient/medieval blouse.
You have copied the party name “Illankai Tamil Arasa Katchu” from Gamini Samaranayake’s Political Violence (page 184).
Only a wise person would have noticed the farce.
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jim softy / November 22, 2016
Chandra:
It is a great tragedy that those embroiled in the so called constitutional reforms in order to appease the ‘international community’ do not realize the futility of that venture as highlighted my the writer of the article
International communiuty was alwasy there.
Think about Cuba. If our politicians were govrning cuba Batista’s Children would running Cuba even todate. Most of cubans would like american Soldiers.
the problem is Sri lankan voters are selfish and do not think about the country. As Tamils have their province, language spoken, national anthem, part of the flag, now they want it in the constitution. Very soon muslims want it.
Sinhala politicians from the begniing and even now are those left overs of British servents of kalusuddhas.
Until people change this dynasty of politicians country will be in this destructive mode.
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AJ / November 22, 2016
Most of Cubans like American soldiers ? What a load of myths. I stayed with Cuban family’s and spent more than 6 months in various parts of Cuba. I wish to Cubans like American soldiers, the truth is far from that. They are faithful to Fidel and Rao. But Cubans in Florida are different. Cubans in Fkorida are not ‘most ‘ Cubans. This is the problem when you get your news from YouTube
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Burning Issue / November 22, 2016
Chandra,
“This sad situation is further complicated because the present day yahapalanaya government is hell bent on wooing the ethnic elitist leaders, overlooking the consequences of trying to find solutions to non- existent problems.”
The real sad situation is that you do not recognise as to what you Sinhala did since independence! The 1948 Constitution was embraced by all in order to advance an egalitarian governance thereon. Instead, what really materialised is an ultra Sinhala Buddhist centric hegemony! You need to pay attention to your arrogance when you dismiss the Tamil National Question as a “non-existent” issue. You use your fabricated history to support your version of Sinhala Buddhist ownership to the entire island; you wilfully suppressed the Tamil nation with populist agenda and then you have the audacity to call it a non-issue!
Like the author of this article, you are an ultra chauvinist! You use non-existent fears to camouflage your inherent supremacy. You have had nearly 70 years of unfettered Sinhala Buddhist hegemony; you cared two hoods about the sentiments of the Tamil speaking people; you bulldozed your wishes on to the Tamils. The bottom line is that, the Tamils must be empowered in order to create peace; live and let live this is the motto that you need to follow.
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Ravi-Telugu / November 21, 2016
[The difficult political situation in Sri Lanka, as in the world, requires honest and balanced perspectives that transcend narrow ethnic and separatist interests.]
you should have included primitive religious racism specifically. (remember that utterance Tamil dog)
Then your conscience will tell the root cause of all those narrow ethnic and separatist interests.
Failed to do so.
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Ravi-Telugu / November 21, 2016
[Similar to developments elsewhere in the world, efforts to enforce regional autonomy along ethnic lines in Sri Lanka could lead to ethnic cleansing and new forms of conflict and violence.]
It is better than artificial colonization in the name of religion and race by the religious fanatics and goons.
Leave it to us and go back to Bengal is the right slogan for Veddhas.
[Similar to developments elsewhere in the world, efforts to enforce regional autonomy along ethnic lines in Sri Lanka could lead to ethnic cleansing and new forms of conflict and violence.]
what about that ethnic cleansing happened in the decades. Still unanswered but no questioning.
Buddha Laughs.
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jim softy / November 21, 2016
Tamils desperate need is a country to say theirs. They can not get it in India. Tamils can not go back to Tamilnadu as Casteism is unberable. Sinhala people are about 17 million. So, they are encroaching little by little. Otherwise, if Sinhala people are nationalists, how come they have two languages as national languages, their National anthem is sung in two languages and Sinhala peoples’ flag is a modfied flag and not their origianl flag.
Those so called democratic western countries force feeding democracy do not have two major languages in any of those countries. Who ever goes there has to work in one language. they have to accept one flag and sing the national anthem in one language.
Present Sinhala leaders people who came into politics just for power and prestige. Otherwise, they do not have any capability to lead the country. They are not visionary leaders. So, they live with lies and behave like chicken.
Sri Lanka does not have Putin, fidel Castro, Duarte like people.
So, this is the situation.
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Ravi-Telugu / November 21, 2016
[Tamils desperate need is a country to say theirs. They can not get it in India. Tamils can not go back to Tamilnadu as Casteism is unberable. Sinhala people are about 17 million. So, they are encroaching little by little. Otherwise, if Sinhala people are nationalists, how come they have two languages as national languages, their National anthem is sung in two languages and Sinhala peoples’ flag is a modfied flag and not their origianl flag.]
Hybrids desperate need is a country to say theirs. They can not get it in their original home land Sundarban Forest. They can not go back to Sundarban as secularism and Humanism are unberable. So, they are encroaching little by little.
How come hybrids’ language which is a just a Creole language become as national language in the Veddhas’ land.
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jim softy / November 22, 2016
Ravi-thelugu
Hybrids desperate need is a country to say theirs. They can not get it in their original home land Sundarban Forest. They can not go back to Sundarban as secularism and Humanism are unberable. So, they are encroaching little by little. How come hybrids’ language which is a just a Creole language become as national language in the Veddhas’ land.
We don’t have problem with hybrids.
You hindians are Dalits and get killed by high castes.
Are they speaking those in this Sundaraban forest ? Sinhala people are not kallathonis and malayalis brought by Dutch and British.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / November 25, 2016
Vijaya and his rogue friends are the first historically recorded kallathonies. They not only landed illegally, but killed the head of local tribe and usurped her land. This curse of Kuveni will haunt Sinhalese for ever and their will not be any peace until and unless these historic treachery is reversed.
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AJ / November 21, 2016
Ignorance at its best again.
In Canada the national anthem is originally composed in minority language and in New Zealand it’s also in minority language.
In Canada , minority French , have their own parliament , own flag (blue and white )and regulate everything from Education to Immigration.
In U.K. minority Welsh and Scottish have their own parliament, own flags , own anthem. English government don’t have any say in their most of minority affairs , such as education and health.
In Denmark, minorities live in Greenland, which is a semi autonomous country. Greenland is not part of the EU even though Denmark is.
In Finland, minorities live in Åland (small island between Sweden and Finland ). They have their own flag and chose not to be part of the EU as part of their self determination.
It is easy to spot verbal vomit in this forum, just look for Jim. One got to admit his ignorance is entertaining though.
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jim softy / November 22, 2016
In Canada, French and English are both invaders. NAtives are looking for ways to live. New Zealand, australia and united States are no different.
Even in Britian, Gaelic and many other languages and cultures were destroyed by English.
But, Sinhala buddhiats did not destroy anything. Only thing they had compassion for Tamils, muslims and catholcis/christians.
So, they all want to destroy Sinhala buddhists.
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Native Vedda / November 22, 2016
jim softy dimwit
“But, Sinhala buddhiats did not destroy anything.”
Of course they didn’t.
In fact the Jaffna library was destroyed by S J V Chelvanayagam and then he blamed the Sri Lankan politicians and policemen.
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Real Siva Sankaran Sarma / November 22, 2016
Sinhalese are also largely descended from invaders and immigrants from India largely from the southern Tamil country and some from east India and not native. The Sinhalese language is a mixture of three languages 40% Tamil and the rest Prakrit Pali and Sanskrit. Other than Tamil that belongs to the region the rest is all from the plains from northern India.
Sinhalese did not destroy anything. What are you suffering from selective amnesia? From the time have independence they have been systematically using their majority to destroy the island’s Tamils. Their language culture land and population. Even this woman from Georgetown University descended from Tamil Panarar immigrants wants to do this and comes here regularly to justify this with her columns.
Within 60 years of independence they have reduced the island’s Tamil population from around 26-28% to 15-16%, By making one million Indian origin Tamils who had lived in the island form more than 150 years stateless. Stating they do not belong but around 50% of the present day Sinhalese who are descended from the same or similar Indian Tamil immigrant communities and arrived a century or two before these Tamils arrived belong just because they now speak Sinhalese and have converted to Buddhism or Catholicism like the author of this article. They killed around 300000 innocent Tamil civilians and ethnically cleansed more than a million indigenous Tamils to flee the island and you say Sinhalese did not destroy. This is called genocide and it is a war crime. They are still doing this in the north and east with hundreds of thousands of racist Sinhalese armed forces and police stationed there, helping extremist racist Sinhalese Buddhist monks and organisations to further Sinhalise these lands by settling Sinhalese illegally on ethnically cleansed Tamil lands and building Buddhist temples and Budda statues everywhere.
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AJ / November 22, 2016
Jim did not come from India. His origin is traced back to Congolese ape. Only an ape would think Sinhalese didn’t immigrate. But you can teach the ape the truth, he should be an ape with severe autism
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Native Vedda / November 22, 2016
AJ
“Only an ape would think Sinhalese didn’t immigrate.”
Not much difference between Apes and humans.
Please note Apes are known to make tools and knew how to use them.
Comparing jim softy the dimwit to apes is an insult to the intelligent animals.
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AJ / November 22, 2016
I am an animal lover. I dont want to insult apes. oops
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AJ / November 22, 2016
Sinhala budhist didn’t destroy anything. But billions of USD are used to rebuild aerially bombed bombed buildings, churches in northern province. The budhist just built church after church in Jaffna. Jim was the lead mason
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AJ / November 22, 2016
Oh you didn’t know Maoris in NZ are not the natives. They invaded NZ and killed the natives. And the national anthem is in Maori
http://m.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=11086095
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SinhalaPropaganda / November 22, 2016
“French and English are both invaders”
Yes like your hybrid human-beast ancestors. Go back to the jungle of Bengal, you may find your long-lost relatives there and don’t come back so we full humans can live in peace.
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Ajith / November 21, 2016
“There is no provision in the draft proposals for retaining the Center’s power to override Provincial statutes with a two third majority vote in Parliament.”
This is because center is not center. Center has 75% of Sinhalese membership and they are always this two third majority to get rid of the rights of the Tamils and Muslims who speak Tamil and who represent 95% of the North East Population. If the center should function as a real center, the center should seek two third majority of Sinhalese members and two-third majority of Tamil members.
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De Silva / November 21, 2016
/*
This is because center is not center. Center has 75% of Sinhalese membership and they are always this two third majority to get rid of the rights of the Tamils and Muslims who speak Tamil and who represent 95% of the North East Population. If the center should function as a real center, the center should seek two third majority of Sinhalese members and two-third majority of Tamil members.
*/
When your child goes to school 80% of his/her education is funded by Sinhala people.
When a Tamil gets a heart attack, the funding for 80% of the surgery comes from the Sinhala people. Tamils do contribute but only for the Panadol they give you.
Sri Lanka spends money to entertain your culture when its not even indigenous.
So Sinhala people will have 80% of the say in island affairs whether you will ever understand or not.
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Ajith / November 21, 2016
De Silva,
where did you get these figures from? Do you understand that Srilanka is not equal to Sinhala. Tamils also pay tax like Sinhala. They work harder than Sinhala. It is the Tamils & Muslims are the backbone of Srilankan economy.
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jim softy / November 22, 2016
Ajith:
Your comment show, you may have written the Tamil history in Sri lanka.
All BS.
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AJ / November 22, 2016
Your comment shows that you forgot to take dementia medication today
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Native Vedda / November 22, 2016
jim softy dimwit
“Your comment show, you may have written the Tamil history in Sri lanka. All BS. “
Perhaps he copied it from Sinhala/Buddhist history writing style.
The Sinhala/Buddhists haven’t done a good educating Ajith.
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Native Vedda / November 22, 2016
Ajith
“where did you get these figures from?”
Voices in his head told him.
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SinhalaPropaganda / November 22, 2016
Sinhala Lanka operates on the backs of those slave wage plantation Tamils toiling for an ungrateful nation that doesn’t want them. Also on the money from your relatives slaving away in Arab countries cleaning shit.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / November 24, 2016
De Silva,
What you have said is utter nonsense! Can any citizen or Community of citizens get more than their share of the national pie, which they have contributed to make, except in circumstances where their economy has been destroyed by
a deliberate policy of creeping attrition, the reaction and a war that was fought to ‘LUBERATE’ them by both opponents in the battle fields? What both the government and the LTTE spent on a futile and self-inflicted war over three decades , would have been sufficient to make my Sri Lanka and your’s, a heaven on earth. Were we not bloody fools to have let that war come about? What was the cause and what was the effect?
The ‘Cause and result’ base on which both Hinduism and Buddhism stand is being stood on its head by you.
I would take the freedom to say on behalf of all Tamils, we do not want your charity, but be human enough to let us have the right as citizens to pursue our lives as we deem fit and prosper, where ever we are. Do not twist and turn to distort history and facts, to undermine as a people with equal rights to this island. You cannot have it both ways. Let live and live. Do not be jealous of the minorities when they are successful-as it is happening to the Muslims now and the Tamils before -and work to break their legs. Once it is achieved, do not insinuate and insult that the Tamils are dependent on your charity.
The tea industry shouldered our economy for decades. What did the Tamil estate workers get in return? They were the most exploited workers in the world and their contribution to our national economy was never appreciated!
Has the Central Bank reported the extent of the remittances that Tamils receive by way of foreign exchange from their relatives as a proportion of our national foreign exchange earnings? Please seek this information and let us know.
Every Tamil is PAYING the indirect taxes that amount to almost 80 % of the total taxes. and also contributing significantly to the national coffers in foreign currency, both directly and indirectly.
Do not create the impression that we are basket cases, because of the tragedy that was thrust on us. We may be relatively poor now and may have large packets of extreme poverty now. But we are not basket cases. We are it signicantly contributing to the national economy in many ways, even today.
Remember that the international community has also made a tremendous contribution towards the post-war recovery process.
I very rarely get angry, but your comment has occationed it.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
Dr
Many countries also contributed to the post-war recovery expenses.
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AVB / November 21, 2016
I feel sorry about students at Georgetown University if this women still teaches there..
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Native Vedda / November 23, 2016
AVB
“I feel sorry about students at Georgetown University if this women still teaches there.. “
Don’t be a nasty little male chauvinist pig by calling this typist women.
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lal / November 21, 2016
The draft constitution should be thrown into the nearest waste paper basket. There need not be devolution to appease a group of racist thugs from the north. The so called international community will wither soon. Putin has shown the way and we need leaders of his calibre to stand upto the so called international community. The unitary system is best for Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans will have to stay with it and weather economic sanctions if any imposed by the West. In the long term those sactions will fade but we will have our country intact. Hopefully, the extremist Tamils will return to their homeland across the Palk Straits.
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SinhalaPropaganda / November 22, 2016
what international community…….. the same one that helped your impotent forces defeat an already outpowered rebel group? When imperialist America backs you, you’re probably on the wrong side.
As for ‘returning’ to the ‘homeland’, why don’t you human-beast hybrids go back to the jungle in Bengal from where you crawled out of?
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jansee / November 21, 2016
“…requires honest and balanced perspectives that transcend narrow ethnic and separatist interests. Just policies that protect all communities and the natural environment are urgently needed.”
Sinhala politicians and Sinhala phonies like Dr Asoka have been saying this since independence. The problem is they do this with out any intention to mean what they say, that is, either they think the Tamils are darn stupid or the Sinhalese are good in the duping business.
My dear Dr. Asoka, instead of rabble rousting why not you show your mettle that you will be able to do on something that history has proven again and again that all these are simply lies to cheat the Tamils because no sane person ever believes or hopes for such amity for a very simple reason; the Sinhala politicians know their career will be doomed if they tread along that path.
You are nothing but an empty tin.
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Native Vedda / November 22, 2016
jansee
“You are nothing but an empty tin.”
You forgot “empty vessels make most noise”.
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Native Vedda / November 21, 2016
lal loo
“Putin has shown the way and we need leaders of his calibre to stand upto the so called international community.”
Putin has a large standing army, air force armed with sophisticated missiles a blue water navy, more than 6000 nuclear missiles which can reach any part of the world, a vast resource-rich land, technological advanced, reliable allies, …..
Go dig your back garden for black gold, if you are lucky you might find some skeletons from 1971, ……………
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soma / November 21, 2016
Asoka Bandarage
Your attempt to educate all those who are concerned about our future generations deserves deep appreciation.
If Sri Lanka goes federal people will have to move from province to province depending on their ethnicity and religion.
A federal Sri Lanka will need huge military resources to maintain it federal.
This constitutional reform will leave this country in utter chaos and basis for perpetual bloodshed.
Soma
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Native Vedda / November 21, 2016
somaasss
“Your attempt to educate all those who are concerned about our future generations deserves deep appreciation.”
“Education” does not make you wise but an “ass”.
“A federal Sri Lanka will need huge military resources to maintain it federal.”
Federal will survive with or without you. You do not need a huge army to protect you from yourself.
Any successful political frame can only survive with the goodwill of the people and without the noisy minority’s hue and cry.
It also needs wise leaders, not ass’s with higher educational qualifications.
PS
I get along with “uneducated” people well. Because their needs are basic and greed is almost nil.
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soma / November 22, 2016
N.V.
“Any successful political frame can only survive with the goodwill of the people and without the noisy minority’s hue and cry.”
For once you have said something sensible.
When will the Tamil politicians realise this fundamental truth?
Further, back room deals with corrupt, self serving Sinhala politicians who are viciously devided and at each other’s throats for power OR manupiliating outsiders to twist the hands of the power wielders at a given point of time OR terrorism targeted at innocent masses are obviously not the means of achieving a solution to a ‘national problem’. How come the Tamil political masters have been so blind for 60 long years to the simple fact that behind the doors these bastards are promising things they are not empowered to deliver?
Talk to people not the politicians.
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Native Vedda / November 22, 2016
somaaaaasss
“For once you have said something sensible.”
Only once you have understood what we have been saying this for donkeys years, because this neatly fits your secret agenda.
“When will the Tamil politicians realise this fundamental truth?”
When will the racists laud noisy minorities like you realise and do something about it.
Ordinary people from all sides of the divide don’t give a damn about anything unless of course you stoke up the Sinhala/Buddhist racist rights to rule and own this land.
Obviously Mahawamsa helps you a lot to destroy the land and the people.
A liberal constitution would stabilise the country, leading to a progressive modern nation which can unleash the full potential of its entire population, notably the young ones’.
People like you are not only preventing secular, modern constitution which would preserve the habitats of respective people and allow them to go about doing their mundane life with dignity, safety and security but bent on destroying the life and history of Sinhala and Buddhist people. Sadist like you love people are being hurt.
Your nasty little patriotism is a fine place to hide all your sins, which perpetuate and protect the crooks well than the ordinary people of this land.
What are you hiding from the people, your family, friends, relatives and from yourself?
“How come the Tamil political masters have been so blind for 60 long years to the simple fact that behind the doors these bastards are promising things they are not empowered to deliver?”
The entire country has been blind, governed by plain stupids and crooks, …. for the past 60 or more years. Crooks, murderers, rapists, arsonists, mass killers, … benefited from state protection simply by being patriots, never been charged.
Of course stupid Tamils brought Sinhala only language act in the parliament, then went on to destroy their own properties and kill their own people in 1956, 1977 and 1983 and destroyed the library in Jaffna, and were instrumental in the creation of JVP and ensuing mayhem of 1971 and between 1987 and 1990, ………..
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soma / November 23, 2016
N.V.
You often often refer to me as having a ‘secret’ agenda.
No, my agenda is as clear as daylight.
The main objective of all my comments are:
1) To highlight that holding the opinion “ALL people living within the Sri Lanka island must have the freedom to live anywhere with absolute equal rights in every respect” is NOT racism. Fighting racism is NOT racism.
2) To highlight that:
a) “in view of the present demographic distribution of Tamil speaking people throughout this island there is NO conceivable “political solution” that can satisfy political aspirations of at least 90% of them.”
b) Ethnic and religion based enclaves are a sure way for unending blood shed and beginning of mass expulsion of groups of people from province to province such as Hindu and Christian Tamils did to Islamic Tamils when they had their own administration temporarily.
c) Federalism for North/East is only two weeks away from separatism. And there will be a “Kashmir” in between. Hence massive military resources will be required. Change of tune from Vadukkodai to fedaralism is intended to fool the Sinhalse.
d) Seeking a solution for -50% of Tamil speaking people WHILE leaving the other +50% distributed in the south is THE greatest conspiracy the Sinhalese must be cautious of. Arguments concocted for this purpose are all patently self-contradictory.
e) The greatest lesson in the recent history is that even after the RW-VP pact the Tamil political class decided to go for the final goal irrespective of the cost in blood, being supremely confident of their military arm while forgetting that Sri Lanka is an island.
d) Tamil National Alliance consistently maintained that LTTE was the sole representative of the Tamils, did not protest using Tamil children being used for human bombs and DID NOT ask LTTE to release the innocent Tamil men, women and children from the human shield during the final week. ( probably they are right in that decision as that has given them ammunition for the present campaign.)
e) “Tamil” National Alliance, “Muslim” Congress and “Hela” Urumaya are all racial outfits worthy of total banishment from the electoral register.
f) ALL Tamil commentators here on CT evade answering the question what are ‘Tamils’ for whom a political solution is demanded – does it INCLUDE those who practise Islam and those arrived during the British. In numerical terms what is the percentage of ‘Tamils’ (as regards a political solution) out of total population
3) To convey clearly that I will feel ashamed as a Sinhalese ONLY If and when I observe that my Tamil speaking brothers and sisters are voluntarily moving out of south to settle in the North and at that point in time I will actively support the claim for a separate political unit for North/East.
4) What was the cause, what was the effect , who did what first is a chicken and egg argument impossible to resolve. Lives of innocent people are important.
Cheers.
Soma.
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Burning Issue / November 23, 2016
soma,
Please do not waste people’s time! You have been answered adequately many a time; you are well set in your agenda. Your agenda is well and truly fixed in your inherent fear of India! This is why you deny the Tamil right to self-determination. The Tamil quest is absolutely in keeping with the international protocols in defining what constitute a community’s qualification for self-determination.
“ALL Tamil commentators here on CT evade answering the question what are ‘Tamils’ for whom a political solution is demanded – does it INCLUDE those who practise Islam and those arrived during the British. In numerical terms what is the percentage of ‘Tamils’ (as regards a political solution) out of total population”
No one evaded answering; it is you who refuse to accept rational reasoning! It is not your problem as to where the Tamils live or where the Sinhala want to live. Your position is if the Tamils were to insist on a power devolution model, you want to repatriate the Tamils from South to North; this is very clear. Now what you want to do with the Eastern Tamils? You do not see the absurdities of your futile stand! The Tamils must be empowered one way other other.
Are you supporting removing the Buddhist clause from the constitution? Where do you stand on the recent vitriolic attack on the muslims? Where do you stand on the Buddhist monks attacking churches? Come on soma, you have a time bomb on your hand with the ultra-Sinhala-Buddhist centric supremacist. I suggest you spend your energies educating your folks about egalitarianism and democracy. You need to tell them that the Sinhala Buddhists do not own Sri Lanka; they are citizens of the country just like the Tamils and Muslims.
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jim softy / November 22, 2016
A federal Sri Lanka will need huge military resources to maintain it federal.
Devide Sri lanka into six or seven regions. Keep one region for Sinhala People. give other regions to Tamils, muslims and christian/catholics.
Sri lanka can start selling weapons to settle problems arising in those regions.
Just think about when Vellalhla Tamil kill Dalit christains and Indian Tamils, and sunnis get rid of shiites and other groups.
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Aj / November 22, 2016
The government unsuccessfully wasting resources to UNHCR, so it should be able to invest that back home. Spending millions for US PR firm for propaganda. So the money is not the problem , it’s the will of Pakistani immigrants is the problem
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SinhalaPropaganda / November 22, 2016
Tamil aspiration for separatism will die out naturally when vast majority of Sinhalese become more progressive liberal minded and respect the rights of Tamils. Separatism was forced upon them via decades of marginalization, broken promises, repression and state sponsored violence. Flames of separatism are kept alive by extremist elements of the Sinhala community who refuse to compromise and acknowledge their errors.
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sinhala_voice / November 22, 2016
The 13th Amendment and the Indo-Lanka agreement makes the Northern and Eastern Provinces TAMIL and TAMIL speakers territory.
ALL SINHALA people are asking IS where is the EXCLUSIVE area for the Sinhala people.
If Northern and Eastern Province of Sri Lanka are traditional Homeland of the Tamils and Tamil speakers then IT CAN Not simultaneously be exclusive Homeland of SINHALA people.
SO DEFINE RIGHT NOW Where is the SINHALA HOMELAND (SINHALE) is ????
IT IS A SIMPLE QUESTION ?????
I agree 100% with the AUTHORS VIEWS…..
We CAN NOT RELY ON THIS CURRENT POLITICAL CLASS/CRASS FROM SINHALA SIDE TO SAFE GUARD SINHALA interests..(include Sinhala Buddhists and Christians of ALL Sinhala Castes)
SO TELL EVERYONE YOU MEET….THESE ARE CORRUPT SRI LANKAN POLITICANS NOT SINHALA REPRESENTATIVES……SO THESE PEOPLE WILL NOT REPRESENT SINHALA INTERESTS EVEN THOUGH THEY COME WITH SINHALA VOTES…
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soma / November 22, 2016
They want Ealam AND the right to live anywhere. How do you like that?
Soma
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Native Vedda / November 23, 2016
somaass
“They want Ealam AND the right to live anywhere. How do you like that?”
Do you want the exclusive right to own Sinhala/Buddhist Eelam and destroy it eventually?
Hindians are going to be very crossed with you.
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SinhalaPropaganda / November 22, 2016
What human rights in Sinhala Lanka where the majority are not even humans but human-beast hybrids as per their own traditions. Sinhala society tolerates and celebrates rapes, looting, pogroms, shelling hospitals, temples, schools and civilians, torture, war crimes, book burning, extrajudicial killings, assassinating journalists, pedophilia (especially if done by Buddhist monks), necrophilia (especially with corpses of Tamil women raped and mutilated by Sinhala sexual predator soldiers) and beastiality (especially with lions).
If you fight against their depraved culture, they will call you terrorist and get their imperialist american, terrorist pakistani, apartheid israeli and impoverished indian friends to help them defeat your already outpowered and outmanned force and celebrate such a fake and borrowed victory shamelessly.
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