By S.Sivathasan –
“A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, …. when the soul of a nation, long suppressed finds utterance”. So said Nehru in his historic address to the nation, ushering in independence. In our own little context, the soul of the Tamil Nation striving to find utterance has found it. Nehru proceeded further and posed the question “Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp the opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?” The occasion is now for the Tamils and the whole nation to test the mettle of the new triumvirate that is called upon to acquit itself in the most trying times. It has stood the first test admirably. It is now for the community to extend the fullest strength through an unreserved mandate.
Justice Wigneswaran, coming forward as the unanimous pick is poised for an unprecedented endorsement. With all the goodwill already showered upon him and the high expectations openly expressed, a vertical take-off is what is looked forward to. Turbulent weather is sure to be encountered, but the leadership is adequately steeled to face it.
The immediate tasks are enormous. The people’s mandate needs to be solicited for a well-crafted and precisely worded Manifesto against which the electors will match the achievements of the elected. After three decades of travail, the assessment is not going to be periodic but continuous and exacting. As for discernment, even the less educated have appreciable native intelligence to take mature political decisions. This is not unknown to the astute leadership that has now evolved. Mr Sampandan’s engagement with the rough and tumble of politics for more than four decades equips him fully. Mr. Sumanthiran has gone through a wide spectrum intensely in a short while. Justice Wigneswaran has the advantage of knowing the widest cross section from the judicial arena. His grounding in Tamil literature exposes him to the best in Tamilian traditions.
Now to terra firma. The Tamil community remains fractured in many ways. Politically our ideas are still inchoate and unclear. There is little perception of our strengths and still less of our weaknesses. We are yet to know who our friends are and where our enemies lurk. All Tamils in the country are of a single ethnicity and they have to be welded into the same political entity. As binding as ethnicity is linguistic affinity. This factor should bring Tamils and Muslims into an abiding relationship. The diaspora has to realize that Tamil power lies in the country only. Those in the country too have to know fully that diaspora support is indispensable in a multitude of ways. The unity to be brought about and to be built on should absolutely be around principles and values composing an attractive political philosophy. The leadership has to reach for all the splinters beyond the heads of transient personages. The aforesaid would show that the Manifesto would have heavy political overtones.
The Northern Province is economically devastated. The people are being relentlessly driven to the pastoral age. Six decades back Jaffna was called derisively a ‘Postal Order Economy’. For a decade or more now, it is in reality a ’Remittance Economy’. A solid foundation is needed for a new economic order. While recognizing the government’s infrastructure contribution, the Provincial Council with its own sensitive appraisal of felt inadequacies should seek finances for complementary work. This will bring to the forefront the supreme need for a ‘Marshal Plan’, Reparations and an Economic Programme
encompassing a Redevelopment component. It is thereby that a foundation can be laid for regeneration. The Council and the Chief Minister have a heavy labour ahead. The Council soon after the election, but the prospective Chief Minister from today to secure the election.
To the eternal credit of Hon. Ranil Wickremasinghe and his government and HE the President Chandrika, is the Aid Programme under Tokyo Pledge of 2003. Also having our plaudits are Asian Development Bank and World Bank and their respective Resident Heads. One/tenth of the pledge flowed in. Nine/tenths is yet to flow. A revised replay is of paramount importance. The Chief Minister’s first visit may have to be to those institutions. It is with these funds that the refugees and the displaced can be resettled and rehabilitated. This is a condition precedent to economic growth.
The tasks may seem daunting. But to those with muscles of iron and nerves of steel, nothing can be difficult. In time sequence the first to be done is the Manifesto. It has to encompass issues; Political, Economic and Social. At election time political consciousness heightens and receptivity to ideas increases. That is the time the contents of the Manifesto register best. So let it be a model initiating a sea change in our political thinking. Let it not be a catalogue of wishes or a list of lanes and culverts. Let the thoughts be on devolution of policy making authority, eg. Higher Education Policy and finances for multi billion rupee Universities.
Justice Wigneswaran comes forward sparking immense hopes. He has the intellect to give a lead to be a lodestar to the Council. He is eloquent enough and has trilingual capability. Thiruvalluvar says:
One who is eloquent, possessed of unflagging zeal and is fearless
Cannot be defeated by others
Dr M L Najimudeen / July 17, 2013
Justice C V Wigneswaran is a man of honesty and integrity. He will be a saviour of Tamil community which suffered for more than 30 years.
But the questions are
Will there be an election at all in the North?
Even if the election is held, will that be a fair election without the interference of armed forces, Syril Mathews and Gamini Dissnayakkas?
May God save the Tamil people
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Sellam / July 17, 2013
There is a rumour afloat in recent times that Justice Vigneshwaran would serve as Chief Minister for the first two and a half years and Mr.Mavai Senathirajah for the second half of the term.This is nonsence. What can a man do for the first two and a half years. Northern Provincial Elections is to be held reluctantly for reasons only Rajapaksa knows. We can assume the reason why? First the pressure brought in by India and the International Community. Second of the meeting to be held by the leaders of the Comonwealth Nations and Rajapaksa is going to hand shake with leaders and chair the meting. What an honour for a man whose human records are bad. He is therefore trying to show the commonwealth leaders of his reconcilliation with the Tamils.
Mr. Mavai Senathirajah is not suited for the Chief Ministership and India seems to be against him as well whether it is true or not no one knows.If the rumour is true it is better Mavai do not have the eyesight on that position.
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Sivathasan / July 18, 2013
Where is the life we have lost in living? So asks TS Eliot. May I ask in the same vein, where is enlightenment we have lost in muck raking? The task of education is to make us blind to religion and caste. Ancient Tamil wisdom has it, that comparison of people’s culture and virtue alone is worthy. Other literatures may say the same thing in different words.
If this be accepted as a truism, why should irrelevant issues be invoked for a sterile debate? It only makes the atmosphere morbid. Is J W to be assailed because a destiny benign to him placed him in a coveted station? A position that conduced to better and sustained study. Two millennia back a Tamil poet said that even regal responsibility goes to the wisest and not to the oldest. It is to such a value that Sampanthan has responded. At this critical juncture, when all the better endowed exult at Wigneswaran’s nomination as opening the path for a more favourable order, should we have detractors? Will these people say anything if he is less inclined to Hinduism? Does he become any the better then?
What sort of a religion is Hinduism? Swami Vivekananda said it best at the World Parliament of Religions in 1893 at Chicago. “I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance”.
Alluding to the bell he said “I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honour of this Convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen”. I believe many may know that Hindus do not have a ‘drill master’ to straight jacket their thoughts or behavior. How many know that the RKM monks had ‘Imitation of Christ’ for their bed time reading?
The educated are receptive to the thought of Mao, let a thousand flowers bloom, let a thousand opinions flourish, so that the country may get the best of them all. JW is learned enough to open all windows to fresh gusts and yet not be blown off his feet by any. So when this citizen becomes an officer of state, citizens of all classes and all religious persuasions have occasion to feel safe.
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Raja / July 18, 2013
Wigneswaran is not a good selection. Though a former judge, statements uttered by this ex-judge indicates he is an extremist hardly different to separatists. If he wins, he may cause friction between communities by favouring a section of the Tamil community.
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NAK / July 19, 2013
That is why he was chosen Raja! don’t you see the elation of Eelamists in this forum for his selection. They have already won the Eelam that their former leader VP failed to get them.
This man is no different to diaspora when it comes to thinking though he was a respected judge when he was in the judiciary. He has his work cutout ‘make Eelam a reality’
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R. Varathan / July 26, 2013
Although some well informed and regular commentators wrote in these threads the date of the Northern Province PC Election has been announced, I notice even today the Election Commissioner speaking to the media says the date has not been decided upon by the Govt (read President) ???
Varathan
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shankar / July 29, 2013
I guess his intellect comes from his the great lineage from Sir Pon Ramanathanand of Man I am sure that he will take note of wht they did and what they could have done.
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