By V. Kanthaiya –
“When being raped, she shouldn’t fight back. She should just be silent and allow the rape. Then they’d have dropped her off after ‘doing her’.” – Mukesh Singh, one of the convicts in Nirbhaya’s gang rape and murder case
Much research has been done and is being done on the concept of “Multiverse” by physicists all over the world. While the physicists were busy trying to find out the hypothetical parallel universe beyond the galaxies, our computer scientists created several parallel universes within our universe.
I used to partly exist in one such universe called Facebook, but not now. Recently I had two shocking experiences with Facebook. I happened to scroll through some of the photos of a lady friend of mine posted by her on Facebook, with about twenty comments like, “Lovely”, “So Sweet”, “Awesome”,” Gorgeous ”etc. Apart from the photos themselves, the shocking aspect of the post was when I realised this lady friend of mine is maintaining about twenty fake Facebook accounts, just to comment on her photos in the above manner, which no sane human being in this universe would dare to do.
The other post was by one of my close friends, which simply said “Kamal Ranjan is feeling very sad with Rajini Ranjan and 20 others – Our Grandma has passed away this morning”, with my friend’s selfie at the parlour with his grandma inside a coffin in the background. Below that post were 94 likes. I was confused why so many people are happy about the death of this old lady and why they are showing their hatred for her in public.
With these ‘shocking’ experiences, I decided to cease my existence in the parallel universe called Facebook and moved to the other parallel universe called “Twitter”, where I bumped into the hashtag #banBBCinIndia.
The #banBBC is all about the documentary “India’s Daughter” directed by Leslee Udwin, for BBC. The content is an analysis of the sexual assault on women which is prevalent in Indian Society, with significant focus given to the case of “Nirbhaya”- a physiotherapy student, gang raped and murdered in Delhi, in 2012.
I was able to observe one striking pattern of Twitter comments, which proved that we Sri Lankans are truly of Indian origin. Most of the Indians who claimed they love their mother country tweeted that the documentary India’s Daughter is a conspiracy to portray India as a country not safe for women. I was also able to observe most of the tweets which were aggressive and showed apparent hatred towards the BBC and Udwin were by the Hindu Nationalists. Their claim was based on statistic, that rapes do happen in India, but it is of a small percentage when compared to its total population. This claim is by the same public which stepped out into streets back in 2012, and this was the crowd which desperately wanted media coverage on the violence against women and the State’s inaction on that crime. Now the entire atmosphere is changed.
Presently the Indian public (BBC calls “some of the Indian public”) want no media coverage on the violence against women, in India. Any attempt by the foreign media or national media is considered as an attempt to tarnish the country’s image. BBC is considered a malicious foreign entity who is working hand in hand with Pakistan’s ISI. One should pose a question to those who call themselves Indian nationalists, whether they can disprove the claim that India is not safe for women.
India is not China. India proclaims itself as the most populous democracy in the world, thus it was quite disturbing to see the swiftness with which the Indian government acted to ban the documentary being telecast in India, and also taking steps to remove it from You tube. Most of the independent commentators claim that the reason is fear for the country’s tourism industry, which may collapse if the country is perceived as not safe for women. India is more bothered about its brand image being damaged, it’s more bothered about its tourism industry, and it’s more bothered about its national pride, than those poor women who were raped and continue to be raped.
Note from the Author – I believe that the Sri Lankan patriots who have deep entrenched hatred for India, for facilitating the ethnic conflict in the country, would be highly amused by my above criticism. I strongly recommend you not to proceed to the following paragraphs if you want to keep that feeling of amusement.
I would like to draw your attention to another documentary produced by another British television channel. The documentary is “The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka” which was produced by Channel 4. The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) was exceptionally vehement in opposing the release of the said documentary. The government banned it in the country and denied all the allegations saying all the graphic evidence in the documentary were fabricated. Sri Lanka is a democracy. It should have allowed the documentary to be screened in the country. It should have given the opportunity to the people of the country to decide whether the allegations are true or not.
The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka blamed certain sections of the security forces and the military top hierarchy for the atrocities committed against the Tamil civilians. But the GoSL portrayed it as a threat to the entire country. In fact, the documentary was seeking justice for Sri Lankan men, Sri Lankan women and the Sri Lankan children who were denied their fundamental rights, killed and wounded mercilessly. To the Sinhala masses, it had been said again and again, that whoever was killed in the war, were terrorists, and the security forces were carrying out a hostage rescue operation. If it was the truth, why did the GoSL not allow the thousands of Tamil civilians of Vanni to testify at the UNHCR probe, about what happened during the last phase of the war? Why didn’t it allow any foreign media free access to those former battle sites?
You may say these arguments about past events are leading nowhere. You may say that we need to leave these and move forward. Well, to move forward, Sri Lankan society should take steps to build the trust of the Tamil people on the concept of unity, constitution, justice and ethnic equality.
First of all, the victims of war crimes, and those who were subjected to the long term genocide should be allowed to openly talk about the injustice they endured. The genocide resolution by the northern provincial council (NPC) is such an attempt to tell the world about the plight of the Sri Lankans in the Northern Province. It is the voice of those left alive at the end of the bloody total war the State has waged.
For me, what was disturbing was to see the outcry by those Sinhala intellectuals, political scientists and the so called analysts that the resolution is a “stupid” move, which would cause ethnic polarisation, distrust, and pave the way to Sinhala hardliners and would push the Sri Lankan government towards a more hard-line approach towards Tamils. This simply means, if Tamils want to save what they have now, they need to keep quiet. They shouldn’t ask for justice.
This is none other than the deeply enshrined arrogance within the majoritarian ethnic collective attitude that Tamils should not demand justice. They are given the opportunity to elect the Northern provincial council and they should be grateful to the Sri Lankan government for that. They can pass resolutions, but not anything finding fault with the war heroes.
I find this strikingly similar to the attitude of Mukesh Singh who was interviewed in the documentary, India’s Daughter. He says, regarding the gang rape and murder of Nirbhaya, that the victim shouldn’t have fought back, if she didn’t fight back and allowed the rape, they would have shown some mercy, and left her alive after the sexual assault.
In India the above attitude prevails among the rapists, murderers, sadists and other criminals who are plainly driven by the thirst of dominance on the weaker section of the society, women and children. But in Sri Lanka, the same attitude is shared by the so called religious leaders, intellectuals and by the refined professionals. They deny the right of those brutality victimised by the State to seek justice, by preventing an independent investigation of the atrocities against the Tamil civilians.
They brand any attempt by the democratically elected NPC to seek justice for the genocide, as a move for separation. For them, the lives lost and the unimaginable cruelty endured by those victims does not matter. They don’t feel any pity; they don’t feel any remorse towards the sufferings. What they are bothered is their national pride.
What is the root cause for this ignorance to other’s pain? Gaurav, a child rapist tells Udwin in the interview, when asked about how he decided to actually execute his intention, without feeling any pity for the child; “She was a beggar girl; her life was of no value”. I don’t have any reason not to conclude that those who deny the justice for Tamils have the same answer, “Those killed were Tamils, and their life is of no value for us”.
Kumar R. / March 12, 2015
Very well said Kanthiya.
It is so tragic that despite education, intelligence and extensive world view, few of the political scientists are hell bound on returning the country to mayhem once again, by racist, one-sided, partial propaganda, just to meet their own selfish means.
Reconciliation comes only if one segment understood the issues of the other. Every Sinhalese, including the “political scientist cum intellect cum smart patriot” needs to ask himself, if he would do anything other than seek justice in case his he believes his wife, mother or sister was raped and murdered. If he does anything other than seek justice, he is nothing but a coward.
Again, Kanthiya, thank you for a well presented argument .
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Laxmi / March 12, 2015
Kanthiya: To equate the Tamil question with women being raped is an injustice to raped women, because raped women do NOT rape themselves. But we Tamils are our own worst enemies and our own rapists! But we love to blame others all the time!
Politics is the art of the possible. To seize the moment is necessary, but we Tamils in our bitterness once again have missed the bus!
The TNA listening to Tamil Ultra nationalists like your Kanthian blundered and missed a GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY to advance Rights of Tamils and minorities by refusing to accept the Ministry of National Languages and Reconciliation in the new govt..
Sumanthiran could have led from the front the program for Land rights of ALL Minorities and to demilitarize Lanka and Promote MULTICULTURALISM, equal opportunities and inclusion for peace in Sri Lanka. TNA needs to work with the Sinhala regime and CIVILIZE it and ensure rights for Minorities, including Muslims, and stop listening to short sighted pups like Kanthian!
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Native Vedda / March 12, 2015
Laxmi
“Sumanthiran could have led from the front the program for Land rights of ALL Minorities and to demilitarize ………………….”
While the Sinhala/Buddhist racists hold poisoned piha kaettas (daggers) at his throat.
EPDP was responsible for many dirty work at the behest of MR, Gota, & security forces. They thought, spoke and acted like serfs of the clan. MR could have seized the moment and proceeded with Tissa Vitharana report. Remember TNA didn’t appoint Tissa to find a home grown solution beyond 13th Amendment or seek southern consensus.
Where is Tissa’s enthusiastically expected report?
You have been suffering from selective amnesia for the past 67 years. Please stop blaming the victims.
“Kanthiya: To equate the Tamil question with women being raped is an injustice to raped women,”
Why?
Sinhala/Buddhist state and its rulers never missed an opportunity to undermine moderate leadership of the minorities, by deliberately dragging their feet indefinitely weaken them, which created a condition in which most ruthless terrorist organisation thrived, in North as well as in the South.
Could you now remind yourself and rest of the country of Sinhala/Buddhists that there was something called “a home grown solution beyond 13th Amendment with southern consensus”.
Where is it?
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Off the Cuff / March 12, 2015
Dear V. Kanthaiya
Brilliantly written.
“India’s Daughter” is brilliantly produced and uses Factual data to relate a story. A story of a society that looks down on Females, a story of a society were out of 1000 aborted fetuses 999 are girls. Slum Dog Millionaire relates another aspect of female oppression, “child marriage” and Child Widows. The world knows about the status of women in Indian Society and how not long ago the Widow had to jump in to the Husband’s Funeral pyre and burn herself to death (not sure whether this is still practiced in remote areas).
Then we have the Deva Dasi’s which literally means God’s Female Slaves.
This is the story of a 14 year old and a 19 year old is related in this episode of “Prostitutes of God”.
http://www.vice.com/en_uk/video/prostitutes-of-god-episode-2-new
What follows is from a BBC news item.
“Being devadasis means we are slaves of the goddess. We have to visit this temple. We wear necklaces of pearls to show we are bound to Yellama. We give blessings and perform her rituals,” says Imla, a devadasi in her 40s who is swathed in a pink and yellow sari.
When girls dedicated to Yellama reach puberty they are forced to sacrifice their virginity to an older man. What follows is a life of sexual slavery, they become sanctified prostitutes.
The money devadasis earn goes straight to their parents who often act as pimps for their daughters. “My parents didn’t have any sons, so there was nobody to earn the family a living,” says Imla. “Instead they turned me into a whore. I don’t even remember when I started because I was so young. My parents thought at least they’d get some money from me.”
Once girls are dedicated the course of their lives is decided. They can never marry, never have a family life.
In a town nearby we found Shoba who is just 20 and has been a devadasi prostitute for seven years. Shoba showed me her brothel, a single room she shares with her parents. She comes from a long line of devadasis. Her grandmother was one, her sister is too. Shoba remembers how, when she was 13 her parents dressed her as if for marriage. They auctioned her virginity to the highest bidder.
I asked Shoba why she doesn’t just give up being a devadasi, and leave it behind? “I can’t get out of the system, even if I say I’m not a devadasi any more nobody will come forward to marry me,” she says. “I keep telling other people not to make their daughters devadasis, you are abused, it’s a horrible life.” So it’s a life that Shoba will never escape from. Women already dedicated cannot be freed.
The power of belief is still so strong here that she will always be a devadasi, enslaved.
That points to the REAL problem, the Hindu Religion.
Thus Some Hindu’s are born to Rule and Others are born to Slave.
In this respect Tamils of Lanka are no different to the Tamils of India. Even the converts to Christianity cannot completely shed their Hindu past.
Thus the word “TAMIL” does not describe ALL Tamils. They speak the same language and the commonality stops there.
Tamils are unequal in Tamil society.
The Hindu religion has divided them. There is no upward mobility to those who are unfortunate to be born to a lower category. Their station in life is fixed for eternity.
Thirty percent (30%) are Born to Rule.
Seventy percent (70%) are ABJECT SLAVES.
The voice the world heard was that of the 30% which was drowning the feeble voice of the persecuted 70%
Here is a description from a Britisher.
Quote
Arunachalam noted in the 1901 Census Report : It is compatible with ‘high caste’ in Ceylon to seek not only to exclude members of the other castes, however worthy, from public offices, but in the rural districts to prevent them from adopting modes of dress, living or locomotion hitherto used by higher castes. Riots have occurred from these causes and they constitute one of the difficulties of administration in Ceylon.
The social status of the non-vellala castes in Jaffna was extremely low, compared to the position of the non-goigama in Buddhist Ceylon. This stemmed from the fact that some of the largest non-vellala castes, the koviyars, cliandars, paths and nalavas had been slaves of the vellala up to the abolition of slavery by the colonial government in 1844. There had been slavery among the Kandyan Sinhalese but it was of the mildest form, slaves being personal bond-men to the owners
Of the four slave castes, the koviyars were the most privileged, as they had been household servants to the vellala; the nalavas or toddy-tappers, and the pallas, landless labourers, were however treated much like helots or serfs by the vellala who formed the powerful landowning class. Their position after the abolition of slavery was not much improved. As Tambiah observed, Although slavery was abolished legally, many of the depressed classes remained as de facto slaves of their masters for economical reasons.
Even by the mid-20th century the status of the pallas, for example, was hardly any better than a century before. Tambiah quotes from the Manual of the Madura District published in 1868 to describe the position of the pallas in 1951.
They are a numerous but abject and despised race. Their principal occupation is ploughing the land of the more fortunate Tamils, and though normally free, they are usually slaves in almost every sense of the word.’ The outcastes or parayas had a deplorable social status. Among this group, there was a caste unique to Jaffna, the turumbas or washers men to the parayas. They were not allowed to be seen in the daylight and could only travel by night
In 1933, the vellala bus-drivers went on strike in protest against attempts by the depressed classes to emancipate themselves to the extent of exercising a prerogative of sitting on the seats in the buses, as opposed to the floor which had previously been their preserve. A few months later in a caste feud between vellala and non-vellala Catholics, a vellala was killed, and the houses of several parayas burnt down, over the issue of a paraya man wearing shoes in church.
The next day, another feud developed in another village between vellalas and nalavas over the rights of the nalavas to cremate their dead in a vellala cremation place, and a man was shot.
Quoted from the PhD Thesis of Dr Jane Russell, Communal Politics under the Donoughmore Constitution, 1931 – 1947 (available from Thisara Publications, Lanka).
It was the Prevention of Social Disabilities Act of 1957 which was aimed at emancipating the oppressed, that triggered problems INSTIGATED by the 30%.
To understand why, you should observe the adverse reactions of the Vellala (the 30%), to the EQUAL seating directive of the Colonial Govt a few decades earlier.
14 years after the PSDA became law an amendment had to be passed in 1971 as the original PSDA remained a dead letter in the North. It had no teeth to bite the oppressors and the oppressed were abjectly poor and had no means to sue the oppressors.
Thus Tamil oppression by Tamils continued in to the 1980s.
Tamils were oppressed by Tamils for Centuries because of the ingrained social injustice of the Hindu Religion, not by the Sinhalese.
“Prostitutes of God” and “India’s Daughter” are real documentaries while Slum dog Millionaire is a fiction that weaves in factual situations.
Re “I would like to draw your attention to another documentary produced by another British television channel”
But first watch this BBC documentary “Suicide Killers” screened in 1991. It is also a REAL documentary.
I could not find the Original at BBC but found several clips of it elsewhere.
Note – a word of WARNING, you may not like it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqiDqJVuAn0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QejJB25kWrE
That woman you see supervising the commissioning of the Tamil Child Soldiers is responsible for at least a 100,000 Tamil Children used as EXPENDABLE SAND BAGS.
Now we can discuss “The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka” produced by Channel 4.
Unlike the REAL documentaries “Suicide Killers”, “Prostitutes of God” and “India’s Daughter”, the Channel 4 Videos are Trashy Propaganda.
Can you explain why the ONLY Hospital that was under LTTE control (PTK hospital) in the War Zone (shown by Ch4) did not have a SINGLE LTTE CASUALTY?
UN Special Rapporteur Prof Philippe Alston attempted to “authenticate” the first video. He used Dr. Daniel Spitz and Mr. Grant Fredericks as his experts. The former has perjured himself in US courts. The later was discredited by a Canadian Judicial Commission before which he gave evidence as an expert witness. He was found to be a Charlatan who did not posses the expertise that he claimed to posses. The discrepancies in the Meta Data are yet to be explained.
Mr Kanthaiya, that was a very cunning attempt to elevate a Trashy Video to the status of a Real Documentary by HIDING behind “India’s Daughter”.
Re “The genocide resolution by the northern provincial council (NPC) is such an attempt to tell the world about the plight of the Sri Lankans in the Northern Province. It is the voice of those left alive at the end of the bloody total war the State has waged”
Quite cunning again to bring up the Genocide Resolution after the build up of emotion.
Firstly the war was waged by three parties. The State on behalf of it’s citizens, The Terrorists (many groups the largest was the LTTE) in search of a Mono ethnic state of their own, The Terrorist financiers and arms suppliers who too wanted power. Neither the Terrorists nor the Financiers fought for the Tamils, all they wanted was power. Both of them Killed Tamils.
The ITAK was the mouthpiece of the Terrorist LTTE. Wigneswaran was a Supreme Court Judge who sat in judgment of terrorists charged under the PTA.
DBS Jayaraj notes the transformation of Wigneswaran from an outspoken SC Judge to a Politician and a Chief Ministerial Candidate playing to the gallery.
“What saddens this writer is the sight of an eminent ex-judge demeaning himself by pandering to the whims and fancies of hawkish Tamil elements in the Island and the Diaspora. Last week saw Wigneswaran in Valvettithurai (VVT) the native village of LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran and the cradle of armed Tamil militancy. Wigneswaran delivered a thundering speech to an audience consisting mainly of people from VVT and neighbouring areas. Wigneswaran stated there that Prabhakaran the son of VVT soil was a great hero and not a terrorist. “Pirapakaran oru payangaravathiyalla. Avar Thamil Inathin Viduthalikkaaha Poaradiya oru Maha Veeran” (Prabhakaran is not a terrorist. He is a great hero who fought for the freedom of the Tamil people) re-iterated Wigneswaran on Valvettithurai soil”.
Wigneswaran as a SC Judge
“What is happening in the on going process is that Wigneswaran who at one time heard and ruled on cases where alleged members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE)were charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) is now giving a clean bill of health to the tigers. “The Liberation Tigers are not terrorists but freedom fighters” he tells gatherings in Jaffna. One does not know whether Wigneswaran is sincere in asserting this but if he genuinely believes that the LTTE is not a terrorist outfit then one cannot but help wonder as to why he sat on the bench hearing cases listed under the PTA. The honourable thing for an honourable judge to do would have been to refuse to hear cases charging persons as terrorists under the PTA when he personally did not regard them as terrorists. If Wigneswaran was drastically honourable he should have discharged those charged under the PTA and faced consequences with the courage of his convictions”
The Chest Thumping Wigneswaran and his NPC, the war Financiers and Gun runners in the Separatist Tamil Diaspora, the BTF, GTF, TGTE etc do not seem to want JUSTICE for the Tamil Children, their Parents and their Siblings because NON of them want the War Criminal Ms Adele Balasingham (against whom a mountain of evidence is available) prosecuted.
They do not see the war criminal Mrs Balasingham living in her four bed roomed £500,000 house in New Malden, Surrey, RIGHT under their NOSES.
Prove your Bonafide by campaigning to bring the war criminal responsible for countless numbers of Tamil Child soldiers, living right under you nose to Justice.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Rationalist / March 13, 2015
OTC, this sort of discrimination was also happening in Sri Lanka in the 1950s.
To give one example, there was an instance when I commented to an educated, professional, Colombo, Tamil, Hindu, about a news Item in the media, where Low caste Tamils in Jaffna, were barred from entering Hindu temples.
I was shocked at the immediate reaction from this gentleman, whom I so far respected!
I was asked to refrain from commenting on things that were not my business. What about Human Rights?
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Native Vedda / March 13, 2015
Rationalist
“where Low caste Tamils in Jaffna, were barred from entering Hindu temples.”
At least you got one point right. My Elders tell me that in the early 1970 the highly “educated” C Sundralingam was involved in baring dalit from entering a temple.
On the other hand I am told there were other Tamils liberals as well as lefties actively promoted their temple entry protest and had successfully opened the doors of many popular temples. These happened in 1950, including the famous Nallur Murugan Kovil.
You seem contented with matrimonial sections of Sinhala/English news papers where Govi mother seeking bride for son or Sister seeking groom for her Govi mother are very common.
Nikayas are highly caste based and still continue caste divisions. Govi believe that Karavas are taking over the state structure and want to stop it. Govi youth are losing jobs to Karava, so belive Govi.
No difference can be found between stupid Tamil and stupid Sinhalese in their caste division.
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Burning Issue / March 13, 2015
Rationalist,
You are absolutely right that there were people such as one you encountered. However, there were far more revolutionary movements in Jaffna precipitated by and emboldened by LSSP! The society rebelled against such narrow ideology along with against animal sacrifices. Hence, it is not correct to form your opinion on the bases of one misguided individual.
The LSSP had a good following in Jaffna but they betrayed the Jaffna people by constructing and endorsing the 1972 Constitution that took away the section 29 and introduced foremost place for Buddhism!
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Native Vedda / March 13, 2015
Burning Issue
Here is something for you to ponder:
Suriyamal in place of poppy
Ceylontoday, 2015-03-13 02:00:00
BY Elmo Gooneratne
When the London returned rich young men formed the Ceylon National Congress and wanted self-determination from 1912, by 1924 the youth in Jaffna formed the Student’s Congress irrespective of caste, creed or religion. The Sinhalese youth too joined. In March 1929, a youth league on the same lines was formed in Colombo, it too became all island.
The Suriyamal Campaign was started by the socialist parties against the British sponsored Poppy Day. In the 1930s, it was the set of radical youth who joined together in the Suriyamal Movement. The Suriyamal Campaign was the beginning of a new movement that was to a change the entire course of Lankan history.
This is what was told to me by a leading Samasamajist, Terrence N. de Zylva, teacher and later the Principal of a leading school in Kolonnawa. I was introduced to him by Denzil Pieris the Editor-in-Chief of the Janatha and Silumina. When I got in touch with him, he replied by saying, as he was in Colombo, whether he could meet me in my office at Lake House to which I agreed. We had several cups of tea at the Lake House and this is what he said. He wore a national shirt, cotton pyjama like trousers and slippers.
This is what he said both in English and Sinhalese: “The sale of Suriyamal was started in 1931, by Ceylonese ex-servicemen of the First World War, as a protest against the proceeds of the poppy sales on November 11, every year and the proceeds being sent to England. They wanted the monies collected and distributed among the ex-servicemen and their dependants in Ceylon”.
It was useful to note the background in which the radical youth movement developed during the 1920’s to understand what great changes the Suriyamal Movement had triggered in the country. From what de Zylva told me, I collected the facts given by him.
It’s a well known fact that during just prior to the 1920’s all the politicians of Ceylon pledged loyalty to the British Crown. The Ceylon National Congress, the political leaders of Ceylon organised a second conference on constitutional reforms with the support of the constitutional reforms league and also the Ceylon National Association. This had been held on 13 and 14 December 1918. At this conference the first item on the agenda was the following motion passed with acclamation, all standing and cheering.
The following was stated in the motion: “This conference tenders its loyal homage to His Majesty the King and respectfully submits its joyful congratulations upon the success of the British and the Allies and overthrowing the Central Powers and upholding the British ideal of liberty, self development and self determination for all people, great and small.
Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam
This was passed unanimously by the Sinhalese and Tamils and a few whites present. In moving the above motion Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam had said. “We are on a threshold of a new and a better world. The Allies’ victory guarantees to all nations, security against sinister moves and ambitions and the full rights of self determination”.
The memoranda sent to England, to the Secretary of State for Colonies by the politicians of the period and the protests and requests made by them for some share in the country by British Imperialism was done with professions of loyalty to the king.
Self-determination movement in India, led by Mahathma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhai Patel had repercussions in Ceylon. Gandhi did not descend from the top, he seemed to emerge from the millions of Indians, speaking their language and incessantly drawing their attention to them and their appalling living conditions. “Get off the back of these peasants and workers. The people of India live on exploitation get rid of this system that produces poverty and misery”. Gandhi’s speeches attracted millions of Indians and specially Ceylonese who were also backing self-determination.
The enthusiasm of the youth had come from Jaffna. Tamil publications calling for self- determination had been extremely popular and these publications were brought to Jaffna. There had been no national organizations in Jaffna. The students in Jaffna with all what was available to them had started agitation for self determination. It was a S.H. Perimpanayagam who wrote to the Media in all three languages describing the struggle in Jaffna for self determination.
The inaugural meeting of the Students Congress was held in Jaffna on 31 December 1924. Not only from Jaffna but from various parts of Ceylon had assembled on this day. Ceylonese, Sinhalese and Tamil and a few Muslim Youth had come to Jaffna to take part in the Student’s Congress meeting in Jaffna. The inaugural resolution that was passed read as follows: “These students assembled in this hall to resolve that a Congress be formed for the purpose of quickening the national impulse and for directing the energy of the youth of the country, in the path of sincere selfless national service and that it shall be named the Student’s Congress, the main purpose of which being the realization of the ideals of a united Sri Lanka Nation.
Mr. J.V. Chelliah was elected as President of the Congress. He had been the Principal of Jaffna College. Several meetings of the Congress were held all over the country main them been self determination and United Ceylon. Leading Jaffna scholars took part in these meetings including Sinhalese scholars in English and Sinhalese interpreted to Tamil when this became an astounding success in March 1929.
Ceylon National Congress
A meeting consisting of the University College, Law College and Medical College students was held at Ananda College, Colombo. The initiative for this meeting had been taken by a law student by the name of N. Kumarasingham. Those who functioned as consultants were P.de S. Kularatne, T.B. Jayah, S.R. Kanaganayagam, Robin Rutnam, M. Rajasinghamn, P.S. Cooray, M. Sally and G. Ranasinghe. Thus the politically conscious youth of the early thirties started grouping themselves into youth leagues and holding meetings all over the country. The youth leagues then started existing in Colombo, Jaffna, Negombo, Kandy, Galle and several more places. All the youth took part in all meetings irrespective whether one was a Sinhalese, Tamil or Malay.
The Ceylon National Congress functioned in a different way. There weren’t the youth in it. They were foreign educated rich young men just returned from studies abroad. They negotiated with the higher educated rich British youth serving in the Foreign Service. A special area named for the work of colonies. Both sections were the Sahabs.
This was the time the sales of the Suriyamal Campaign were started on 11 November 1931. This campaign was held by the Youth Congress based all over the country; they were the Sinhalese, Tamil and Malay youth. The interpretation given by the big wigs was that the Suriyamal Campaign was an anti imperialist movement. The President of the campaign was Aelian Perera the President of the Ex-Servicemen’s Association. It came into being on the initiative of Doreen, young wife of Doctor S.A. Wickramasinghe, the Communist Party leader, N.M. Perera, Wilmot A. Perera a socialist minded planter and several others. Dr. Wickramasinghe became the President.
The Suriyamal Campaign became very active all over the country; it came to the stage, that the very old, the young and the youngest started saving money to fill tills of coins to be given to the organisers. In no time it beat the Poppy collections and the collections been sent to England had dwindled. All those who fought in the First World War from Ceylon were the leading contributors. Leading political leaders took active part on the Suriyamal Day roaming the streets with the collector’s till.
Other active organisers I was told was Selina Pieris the ex-wife of Dr. N.M. Perera who had left him and joined Dr. Colvin R. De Silva’s Bolshevik Leninist Party of India. She was in Sri Lanka only till the first General Election and then settled down in India.
After a discussion the monies collected on the Suriyamal Campaign Day was utilized in the villages during the time of emergencies specially to hold the Anti Malaria Campaign.
During this campaign all Left leaders were in the villages. It was later on revealed that it was Dr. S.A. Wickramasinghe who led the Anti Malaria Campaign with all doctors involved with the left parties. The entire Suiryamal Campaign was by active members of the leading socialist parties.
State Council
On several occasions those involved in these campaigns also entered the State Council and later local bodies in recognition of the service rendered to the poor. NM entered the State Council from Ruwanwella and Philip Gunewardena from Avissawella. With the coming of the Suriyamal Campaign in place of the Poppy people in the country started listening to the left leaders involved in the Suriyamal Campaign and praised the left leaders for helping the sick and the poor.
NM and Philip both entered the State Council as members from the very places the left leaders helped the poor and sick, NM in Ruwanwella and Philip his hometown Avissawella. It is from the State Council they started the demand for full and complete freedom from the White rulers. NM and Philip made fearless and devastating attacks in the Chambers of the State Council where the whites sat. They attacked British Imperialism and the local lackeys who supported them. NM and Philip earned the wrath of the Colonial rulers, the native feudalists and brown whites sitting in the State Council.
The Ceylonese feudalists who sat in the State Council were not concerned about what NM and Philip demanded. Political independence was a standing joke among the local feudalists. They ate, drank and made money from the White rulers. With this situation NM had to fight on two fronts. He started mobilizing the masses for the eventual confrontation which was becoming inevitable.
NM and all Left leaders during this time realized that without a struggle it would not be possible to achieve independence for Ceylon and all these Left Leaders realized and decided that in this struggle they would have to be ready in fact. This is what NM said in the State Council, when the Bracegirdle affair was being debated in the State Council.
“The duty of every liberty loving man in this country is to remain behind bars and not in this State Council. The place under such circumstances for human beings who respect and have liberty is the prison and not this place. That is what people with any sense of self respect will do”.
Bracegirdle affair
The Bracegirdle affair was the most important political incident during this time. Mark Anthony Bracegirdle arrived in Ceylon in March 1936 with an Australian passport to learn tea planting at Relugas Estate in Madulkale. While working on the estate he had a series of meetings with Kamala Devi Chattopadhyay who had come from India on an invitation by the LSSP.
Kamaladevi had taken the estate workers by storm. Large crowds of estate workers came to attend her meetings; she was described as a freedom fighter.
On 3 July 1937, there was a meeting at Nawalapitiya presided over by NM. NM is reported to have introduced Bracegirdle this way. “Comrades, I have an announcement to make, you know we have amongst us a White comrade. He is the soul of our movement. He sheds tears for you. We are in the happy position of having his presence at this meeting. He has generously agreed to address you”.
Bracegirdle in his speech had said there the Whites live in the best of luxury here; they have come here to exploit the poor labourers and squeeze the life blood of the poor labourer.
“Don’t fear the White planters; come to us we will help you, we have two councillors in our midst, Comrades NM and Philip. They will expose these ruthless planters in the State Council. In cases they will appear on behalf of you. We will fight the planters together and beat them, I will help you, I will lay down my life for you,” he had said.
Sir Baron Jayatilake’s attitude towards the LSSP could be gauged from an exchange of words between him and E.F.N. Gratien, a Ceylonese.
Mr. Gratien: You yourself have in the interests of the country warned the country against activities of the LSSP.
Sir Baron: Often I have done it.
Mr. Gratien: You have considered it necessary to do so.
Sir Baron: Yes.
Mr. Gratien: Because you have considered and quite rightly considered their activities most mischievous.
Sir Baron: They are not in the interests of the country.
E.F.N. Gratien, a burgher by birth, was one of those eminent lawyers in the country, a Queens Counsel and was considered to be a left-minded lawyers who on several times appeared for the LSSP. He became a Queen’s Counsel and elevated to the Bench.
Sir Baron was the Leader of the House in the State Council; he was a critic of the white administration and was sent to India and Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner. On his way back to Sri Lanka he died in the plane. He was also first tipped as the first Prime Minister of Ceylon.
The Bracegirdle episode enabled the LSSP to win the confidence of the workers and at the same time to demonstrate that the LSSP was at all times prepared to fight injustice no matter which quarter perpetrated such acts. A mass meeting ws held at the Galle Face Green under the LSSP banner to protest against the order of deportation by the Governor on Mark Anthony Leyster Bracegirdle. Those who addressed the meeting were Dr. Colvin R. De Silva. George E. De Silva, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, Natesa Iyer, D.M. Rajapaksa, Handy Perimpanayagam, Leslie Gunawardena, Vernon Gunasekara, Philip Gunawardena, A.E. Goonesinghe, Siripala Samarakkody, N.M. Perera, G.G. Ponnambalam, Geo Wille and others. It was said the Times papers wants Bracegirdle bundled out.
Bracegirdle who was evading arrest made a dramatic appearance on the plantation. He said: “Friends and Comrades, I may not see your faces again”. I say this so that I your comrade in arms will carry this message of the Sinhala people to the workers of the world, in every country. NM played the key role in defying any action against the workers. He contributed in a great way to the militant Trade Union factor. Trade Unions in the country grew with him and also became strong. He became the undisputed Trade Union leader in the country. The Mool Oya case followed where he fought again.
http://ceylontoday.lk/51-87204-news-detail-suriyamal-in-place-of-poppy.html
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Burning Issue / March 13, 2015
Native,
Thanks for sharing this. It is a travesty that the modern day Sinhala do not know these facts; they only consume cherry-picked phrases that Dayan et al quote for their narrow agenda!
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Javi. / March 14, 2015
“Sinhala do not know these facts;”
Just like you apologising for parangi.
NV calls both tamil and sihal stupid for a good reason.
Both need to be ruled by suddha pukka and cannot rule by themselves.
eg in the west: from information I gathered from a former top cat by the now defunct housing corporation of England. The tamils were given a housing association and gratuitous funds to run it but was invariably controlled by tigers that it was run like a corner shop of single owner and unable to innovate so it was shut down. This was a gold mine that went begging. it would take villagers a couple of generations to think like city dwellers.
the corner shops can parade their new benz volvo or bmw to politicians who need a place to stand while canvassing for elections but after that it is zero.
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Off the Cuff / March 14, 2015
Dear Native Lake House,
I am using the above not to disparage you but because I don’t want to use your misleading pseudonym.
Thank you for the information, I have given a thumbs up for it.
The inaugural meeting of the Students Congress was held in Jaffna on 31 December 1924.
The Forum for Depressed Class Tamil Labourers was formed in Jaffna in 1927. Their first struggle was to obtain equal seating and equal dining for Panchamar students.
Why was it necessary to form another body to stand for the rights of Panchamar students when a student body already existed?
This makes me wonder whether the left leaning Student congress supported the Class Struggle of the Panchamar. Can you provide a reference (like what you have reproduced here) which shows the Panchamar had the support of Jaffna’s Student’s Congress?
The Panchamar was the Majority Tamil population. They struggled for two years to obtain equal seating and equal dining Rights for Jaffna Panchamar students. Only then did the Colonial govt listened to them and issued the equal seating administrative directive.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Off the Cuff / March 14, 2015
Dear Rationalist,
The discrimination continued until the LTTE put a temporary stop to it. in the 1980s. Now that the LTTE is no more it is coming up again. It appeared within the IDP camps after the LTTE was defeated.
I have written another comment here March 13, 2015 at 3:16 pm that will shed more light on the struggles of the oppressed classes. You will be shocked when you realise the magnitude of the problem.
You can read the writings of Neville Jayaweera GA Jaffna, which will give you a wider perspective of an issue that Tamils try to hide.
This is the link to part 7 “The wretched of the earth”
http://www.island.lk/2008/11/16/features4.html
Google for the other parts they are available on the Internet.
Burning Issue writing to you have forgotten that what I write is always supported by authoritative evidence. What you read in my comment was and extract from Dr Jane Russel’s PhD thesis. One of the best sources on Tamil and Sinhala politics of the day.
My address to Thiru (March 13, 2015 at 3:16 pm) also is not my opinion as you can see from the references given. Most of them are Tamil. Thiru or anyone else will not contest it because they are factual.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Vis8 / May 11, 2015
Hallucinating still,OTC? Keep on… its entertaining … LMAO
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Kumar R. / March 12, 2015
Laxmi,
Are you aware of the pogroms since 1957 that periodically raped and killed thousands of Tamil women and children? Did the women rape themselves then too?
Do you remember JR’s declaration that “the more we hit the Tamils the happier the Sinhalese would be”?
Do you not recall the thousands of Sinhala youth killed since the JVP uprising by your own army and regime?
How many countries are entitled to such boasting right of repeatedly massacring mass populations within their governance?
How do you civilize an arrogantly stubborn Sinhala regime that has only grown worse year after year, decade after decade?
Why is seeking international attention to rescue the country from its current putrid state unwise?
What signals do we have to comfort us that the country will auto-correct?
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Javi. / March 14, 2015
lazy laxmi tit toes,
“Politics is the art of the possible.” (BSc,MSc,PhD)
Politics is the art of Bull Shit, More Shit, Pakistani healing Dance!!
Encore encore- Spin doctors social engineers with no engine but `Booo`ts
Anything one can imagine is real!!
“… have missed the bus!”
Laxime skip and flip like a howling wolf in the moonlight-
eclipse due in a week- ask any ant or elephant.
Danne genna giyoteh kataragama- to be or not to be- neither a borrower or lender be- deepan pukka lokkata DPL passport Lax(me)ative!!!
We have SENNA your heene(dream) does constipate you with one appointment to lead the man to hellish gate.
“TNA needs to work with the Sinhala regime and CIVILIZE”
We support and fund Laxmi to become cannibal Laxative – supported by KP Dough Karuna sihal muslim the breed.
The breed counts as amply shown in your very own matrimonial columns.
Laxmi needs disambiguation soon- pronto tonto my three fatima fuckshima!!
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Supun Jayawardhana / March 12, 2015
Kumar,
I really dont think political scientist in general would see it the way DJ sees it. His is idiosyncratic by all means. If you would please study the archives of his CT articles, say for the last 12 months alone, his thoughts and minds have changed a lot comparably to a manner anyone with a healthy mind would say that the person cant be a normal one. In my life,from my Peradeniya days on (1987), I did not know UNP for many reasons that the problems we had then at the university under the regime of Premadasa, costed us that much of time – even escaping life was a miracle looking back now. Howver, when considering all right at the moment in the country UNPrs behave well respecting laws while SLFP and so called represenatives of the leftists seem to be in a crisis not even knownig to distinguish good and bad for the nation. Alone the facts that NFF led by WimalWeerawanse and his rallies are based on narrow personal gains only. There DJ to stage with them was comparable to sitting with street dogs actually. But DJ did it for his own reasons. The man was found running naked – as Eureka did it pants down – those where the days left by Premadasa insurgengy, but today, while describing his support given to Premadasas, he dares to bring most illful prez of the nation – Mahinda Rajapakshe back to active politics. But while MR was in power, DJ had NOT given a place during the last 3 years to use his knowledge for the benefit of the nation. As any diplomat once or several times having worked in that areas should have collected experience in diplomatic areas is a known fact – but the manner baggage boys led foreign missions under the guidance of Mahinda almost destroyed the image that srilankenn had won among the international communnity. This s why Cameron has added that worlds attention would surely fall on srilanka soon under the current regime – forgetting all the unethical and unmoral manners carried out against IC by Prez Mahinda.
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Thiru / March 12, 2015
All the Sinhala “intellectuals” and politicians including the present prime minister and the president are of the same kind of thinking:
They want to bury the 67 years of injustice to Tamils without any remorse or justice done, and proceed as if everything is fine, and we will continue together (reconciled!) as before doing the same things:
If you don’t acknowledge and accept the wrong-doings over the last seven decades, how could anyone believe that the state and its dominant Sinhala actors have reformed themselves to be just to Tamils in the future?
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Thiru / March 12, 2015
The word Reconcile has the following meanings as given by the Merrium-Webster dictionary on-line:
1
a : to restore to friendship or harmony
b : settle, resolve
2
: to make consistent or congruous
3
: to cause to submit to or accept something unpleasant
4
a : to check (a financial account) against another for accuracy
b : to account for
Obviously the majority of the Sinhalese ‘intellectuals’ are using the the third one, i.e,
“to cause to submit to or accept something unpleasant
In other words they want Tamils to accept the reality of their being treated at the whims and fancies of the Sinhala Buddhist majority – but do not demand justice!
Remember the story of Professor Selvanayagam’s house in Ratmalana taken over by Sinhala thugs during 1958 anti-Tamil pogrom I wrote to the CT a few days ago.
If Sinhalese grab Tamils property, Tamils can’t get it back!
This is what has been going on for 67 years.
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Off the Cuff / March 13, 2015
Dear Thiru,
Re “They want to bury the 67 years of injustice to Tamils without any remorse or justice done”
67 years is an understatement.
Injustice, Inhuman treatment and Oppression was the lot of the majority of Tamils for centuries. Seventy percent of Lanka’s Tamil population, the Panchamars, were ostracised by a 30% Tamil minority, the Land owning high cast Vellala, for CENTURIES. Obviously you are one of them.
It was oppression of Tamils by Tamils. Face up to that fact without hiding behind racist propaganda blaming the Sinhala
The Forum for Depressed Class Tamil Labourers was formed in Jaffna in 1927. It was the first organized effort to defy the
prohibitions imposed against the Panchamars by the Vellala.
In 1928 this forum launched a campaign for ‘equality in seating and equality in eating’ among school children, in protest against caste discrimination in enforcing different seating and dining arrangements for Panchamar and higher caste children in schools.
It took TWO years of agitation to get the Colonial Govt to listen. They then issued and administrative order to allow low cast children to sit on benches along with the high cast children instead of the floor, in all government aided schools.
The Vellala reacted by Burning Down FIFTEEN (15) schools that complied with the govt order and other acts of violence and kept their children from attending school.
In 1930 the political elite of high castes Vellala petitioned the school authorities to withdraw the order for equal seating but failed (Vegujanan & Ravana 2007).
That’s why a Prevention of Social Disabilities Act was passed in Parliament in 1957. When that proved ineffectual the PSDA was amended to give enough teeth to bite the oppressors 14 years later in 1971.
Still the oppression continued until the FEAR of the Low Cast Prabahkaran put a TEMPORARY halt to it in Jaffna during his time. Now again it’s raising it’s ugly head, not only in Lanka but overseas too.
In Sri Lanka a small section of Tamil High casts (Vellala) OPPRESSED the Tamil Majority even into the 1980’s. This was Tamil oppression of Tamils, don’t blame the Sinhala for your misdeeds.
Ragunathan (2004: 22-23) listed a series of 24 customary prohibitions enforced by the upper caste elite on Panchamars during the 1950s. These prohibitions were as follows:
1. Males should not wear an upper garment.
2. ‘Verti’ should be tied in such a way that it does not hang below the ankle level.
3. Men should not wear “Shalvei” on the shoulder.
4. Females should not wear an upper garment.
5. Females should not wear the “thaavani” (sari “potta”).
6. The Panchamar should not travel unnecessarily on roads and in public places. When proceeding on permitted paths, they must announce their coming by dragging a “kaavolei” (dried Palmyrah leaf) behind them.
7. Panchamar must not wear any jewellery.
8. The Panchamar cannot tie the “thali” (wedding necklace) at weddings.
9. The Panchamar must not wear white for higher rituals.
10. The Panchamar must not wear white for important/special rituals.
11. They must bury the dead without cremation.
12. They should not use any musical instruments to rejoice or mourn.
13. They should not play music at auspicious or inauspicious
functions.
14. They should not use the ponds of the “high” castes.
15. They must not use umbrellas.
16. They must not wear footwear.
17. They must not study.
18. They must not keep any gods belonging to the “high”
castes in their temples.
19. They cannot enter the “high” caste temples.
20. They must not enter tea-shops.
21. They must not draw water from public wells.
22. They cannot either drive or travel in cycles and cars.
23. They cannot sit while traveling in buses.
24. Even after permission was granted to study in schools,
they were not allowed to sit on chairs.
Panchamar in Jaffna had quite extensive prohibitions imposed on them by the Vellala. Dress code, denial of drinking water and denial of access to public spaces and services.
The 19th century Tamil Nationalist, Arumuga Navalar, declared that the “parai” (drum beaten by the paraiyar caste), the women and the Panchamar “are all born to get beaten” (Ravikumar 2005).
That is your legacy!
Dr Jane Russel says
“The Commissioners (Donoughmore) came with certain specific axioms in mind as to what constituted “established” democratic institutions;’ the principle of equality of opportunity, the right of every man to the vote, and the regressive nature of communal representation. They noted the “great gulf between the rural worker and the Westernized classes of Colombo” and considered that universal suffrage would be the only way to prevent “placing an oligarchy in power without any guarantee that the interests of the remainder of the people would be consulted by those in authority”. They especially remarked upon “the 80,000 persons of low caste among the Tamil community” which had caused them the “most anxiety”.”
Dr Russel says that excluding Selvadurai, Sri Pathmanathan, and E. R. Thambimuttu, all the other Tamil Political leaders were against enfranchising the Low Cast Panchamars. That included Mr Ponnambalam Arunachelem, S Natesan etc.
It is Tamils like you that is trying to hide that fact of Tamil Oppression by Tamils by blaming the Sinhalese for your misdeeds. I will let a low cast Jaffna Tamil to argue the point.
“When I moved to Hatton and later to Colombo, I found a very different world. It was a transforming experience for me and my wife to find that our workmates, mostly Sinhalese would actually sit with us and share a cup of tea. We found that we could go to night school and study without being threatened, beaten up, or go and borrow books, and do things that would bring swift retribution ‘back in the North’; our dwellings would have been torched and our women raped with impunity”
Sebastian Rasalingam who wrote the above is a Low Cast Jaffna Tamil married to an Indian origin Tamil lady from Hatton.
The CONTRASTING social status of a LOW CAST Tamil man and a still lower cast Indian origin Tamil woman, REJECTED, OSTRACISED and DEHUMANISED by Jaffna Tamil Society and their acceptance as Humans and equals in Sinhala society is UNDERLINED by the FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE OF Mr Sebastian Rasalingam and his family.
You see Thiru you are a Liar hell bent on fanning hatred between the ordinary Tamils and the Sinhalese by presenting ABSOLUTE LIES as the Truth.
If you want more detail read my comment to V Kanthaiya on this web page (March 12, 2015 at 10:06 pm) and if you want still more authoritative content I can provide you with them.
If you think what I have written to Kanthiya is unjustified, please contest it.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Rationalist / March 12, 2015
V Kanthaiya:-
I agree with most of what you say,in the current context.
But I believe that you are too young ,(unlike me) to remember, what came before 1956, and ‘Apey Aaanduva’.
At that time, Tamils had Movements like ‘We Tamils’ and ‘Catholic Action’ (maybe others) to induct Tamils to the myth that Tamils were superior to the Sinhalese.
Living in Colombo, where the Tamil Aristocracy lived, I have heard expressions like ‘JTs’, when referring to Jaffna Tamils, from the Tamils who had a better education, because of conversion to Christianity and Catholicism.
Tamils in the South, were also leaders in Business, because of their South Indian Connection.
Even Earlier, Sinhala Buddhists were looked down upon, by these Tamil Anglos, and it was left to Reformists like Anagarika Dharmapala to rouse the ‘SB’s from their deep slumber.
I wouldn’t endorse his methods in the current situation, but it worked in His day!
Sadly, Sinhala Buddhism has worked only too well today.
It is up to My3 and Ranil to be aware of these developments, and feel compassion for the ‘JT’s who were oppressed by their own People living and working in Colombo!
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Native Vedda / March 12, 2015
Rationalist
“At that time, Tamils had Movements like ‘We Tamils’ and ‘Catholic Action’ (maybe others) to induct Tamils to the myth that Tamils were superior to the Sinhalese.”
After the end of brutal war the Jaffna man in Colombo or anywhere else does not think of him being a superior person to Sinhalese. However it was the Aryan myth which gave rise to another myth that the Sinhala/Buddhist were being discriminated by the minorities.
Anagarika Dharmapala (homeless one) was a public racist who imbibed the idea of Sinhala/Buddhist being the descendants of Aryan superior race which partly lead to the imposition of Sinhala only language act. It started with Banda’s Pancha Maha Balavegya (apeal to exclusively Sinhala/Buddhist rural mass). If its was not racists’ call to arm themselves to with perverted nationalism, then what is?
If Jaffna Tamil and Indian businessmen were the problem, has the remedy prescribed and practiced by racist politicians and rulers solve any of them? In fact it created more problem, increased the number of thieves, war criminals, corrupt officials and ended up with a terror clan which was ready to launch coup and deny democracy to the entire country.
All because the Aryan Sinhala/Buddhists majority perceives many things they don’t understand, fear the minorities, fear equality, void of common decency, the easy option for them was and is the tried and failed route, nationalism, racism, violence and committing war crimes.
One would have expected rational argument from a rationalists. After all you seem to be another Sinhala/Buddhist who believes majoritarian can do anything that should not be considered as violence against others, and erased from memory and history.
This is unacceptable.
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Rationalist / March 12, 2015
Native Veddah, you are proving my point, that you were too young to remember what was happening in Sri Lanka during the time when the British were in control.
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Navin / March 13, 2015
Hick hick hick!
It seems Native Veddha has gone to the loo without water!
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Off the Cuff / March 13, 2015
Navin, You know what they do in the bush. Use a twig or a leaf at hands reach. Ha ha.
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Native Vedda / March 13, 2015
Rationalist
Good.
Tell us what was happening then.
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Rationalist / March 13, 2015
NV, Please Read my comment of 12 March again.
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Javi. / March 14, 2015
Moda buru rationalist – the grocery trade was held by Gujarati muslim and Hindu – even today 75% of all exports Indian leaves from Bombay.
you are talking of smuggled goods from via the north and mannar, negombo etc.
Laxmi (nadu folk)stores was born later in life.
AYS Ghanam built after the war- like carpet beggars a nadar of vision better than any JT- he never forgot his plain tea and silver cup and cover.
this above all; to thine own self be true ( you are south indian)
and this must follow as the night as the day,
thou canst not then be false to any man- to be or not to be!! hamlet the tragedy.
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Javi. / March 14, 2015
NV,
rationalist is displaying the melody of the tamil speaking have not during that period of time because they were able to win the dole by conversion.
JT- present day it means Jaguar Tiger village=- before mambala or amba not me amba but arthapallam.- talla tel from Palmyra heads to Coconut heads with love From Indian tamild Dosa and Sambal (sanskrit sambara) vaddi vaddi – salli passe pissu horu from the south – donkey and fraud go hand in glove- C Jung of the 3 faces not english Freud of 2 faces.
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Javi. / March 14, 2015
“”Living in Colombo, where the Tamil Aristocracy lived, I have heard expressions like ‘JTs’, when referring to Jaffna Tamils, from the Tamils who had a better education, because of conversion to Christianity and Catholicism. Tamils in the South, were also leaders in Business, because of their South Indian Connection.””
rationalist your borrowed name puts Dr koovor to shame you also got your borrowed Ambude from Veddha in a twist- your grandfather never defended the land of my birth during the Japanese raid (assisted by your freedom fighters JR et al who hid at TN)neither did he know what the Brits were thinking because he may have been destined to a pit to fight- I was lucky like others to know how it all went as child when he gave me a buddha made of hibiscus and copper the little toy 10″ high.
He is long gone but this guy only gets young.
BTW I met yet another anglo saxon just about middle class and in her 50’s born there colombo 2 where her parents worked long after take over date to 1977- Mackwoods.
We know what we saw and what paranji meant to the Portugese considering Latino conquest Scabies- WMD presently Ebola.
Try Spencers they tailor there the best of knickers which folk of english long desire.Granny’s bloomers!!!
Tamil Aristocracy never converted they learnt latin and Greek as 2nd & 3 languages to give their knowledge of English that O lal lla la.
The Attu patti converted got paid in kind and memorised the wordsworth to end up at the foreign offices- the burgers never liked them for this and found the sihala a solace after all.
The trade of groceries were held by TRP holders of muslim from gujarat in pakistan and gujarat in india- (patels form both)& some chetty who stayed hindu.
Cargills folk like Pages of Trinco were by conviction. When the schools were to be taken over under sinhala only act extension it was the aristrocat tamil hindu who stood like at Casabalanca and also funded the schools- converts are converts- we think therefore we are `we`
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Burning Issue / March 12, 2015
V. Kanthiya,
Your comparison of Sri Lanka with that of the Dhehi rapist is most appropriate and pertinent. You have beautifully illustrated the mindset of the Sinhala hegemony that DR DJ projects.
By the way you have a very advanced mind and I am afraid that the likes of DR DJ are incorrigibly arrogant and triumphalistic to comprehend what you have written.
Apart from you, a Tamil, all other who challenged DR DJ are Sinhala. This tells me that the Sinhala intelligentsia are out in force in support of the current government. They do not want this opportunity to find peace lost as a result of myopic individuals like DJ whipping up chauvinism among the Sinhala masses.
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Alahakoon / March 12, 2015
You have identified that lot of Sinhalese challenge DJ, that is good.
I like Kanthiya’s writing too, He sounds very intelligent and wise young man however, this essay is too harsh. I like to see Knathiya like capable people trying to enhance reconciliation among all tribes by pointing out simple truths like that we all are the same, average humans, one day we do foolish act but a moment later we do good things. (DJ is exception) I believe Kanthiya can help and I wish he could help the masses to love and respect each other.
Dalai Lama mentioned in his book about very successful medical specialist in Singapore. That doctor told his secret of success is that he always treats healthy parts/organs of the sick, he knows by strengthening healthy side, it will subdue the bad or weaker organs and cure the sickness.
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Javi. / March 14, 2015
“”he always treats healthy parts/organs of the sick, he knows by strengthening healthy side, it will subdue the bad or weaker organs and cure the sickness. “”
Check out BBC Panorama of UK immigrant dentist and doctors how they have followed the Lama like Dr White (sri lanka sihala passa doctor)and disfigured old white folk swindled their insurance money and run in to hiding!
What the lama teaches is the 4th component- `mindfulness` in what you eat and this is of most interest to european buddhism- not the faith part of it.
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Govi / March 12, 2015
Kandiah
“Those killed were Tamils, and their life is of no value for us”.
This is true for last sixty years. Even the so called prime minister has same line of thoughts. If some one call another a liar who you will believe, a former supreme court Judge or some one became as PM through back door as he will never get elected by his own people. This is Sri Lanka. Poor Sinhala masses, how long they are going to be “modayas” and believe people like Ranil?
Govi
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Ajith / March 12, 2015
It is an excellant presentation. When we say rule of law, it should not confined to majority community. When we say justice, it should not confined to majority community. Tamils are in the same state as a raped girl by a Thug. Tamils have no right to accuse Sinhala military if they loose hundreds of their fellow tamils. If the victims go to courts, then the thug will get angry and murder her. So, keep silent. Democracy is only applicable to certain group of people! Rule of law is limited to a certain group of people. Justice is applicable only to a certain group of people. Wonderful Democracy!
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S.Mahendra - in Swiss / March 12, 2015
Reading yours at the starting paragraphs put me off, but having read your style in the
past kept me going. The issue of Rape and Genocide has been juxtaposed brilliantly.
This takes me to the words used by Ranil calling NP/CM a “liar” as he had no immediate
words or care to oppose, similar to ex-UN Radhika who has not given deep thought to the
subject at all – a civil war-without-witnesses in the 21st century.
I also suspect that the world powers (US/EC/India/UN) did not come running to rescue the victims in May 2009 because they believed the promise of a so-called elected Leader
that he will solve the issue after the war, which now is Internationalized and must be
concluded in keeping with todays trends.
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Jim softy / March 12, 2015
US, EU and India gave intelligence information and other countries gave weapons.
that is how the innocent Tamils were defeated.
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Javi. / March 14, 2015
they gave you the weapons to shoot your own foot- murderer.
you are not a 3 year old in US to hide those twiddlywinks under the bed.
Sunday Sil,,, Monday killl…. Kill the Veddha… Rob the buddha… blame the suddha….
beastality breed and mahawamse hiding behind the Dalai Lama with Dorje!
You are fit for soylent green like the village tam`ills`
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Vibhushana / March 12, 2015
Gee I don’t know!
The “resolution” you moron is null-and-void. Its null-and-void because in 2002 the GoSL invited the entire world here to sort out this issue. The GoSL then signed a ceasefire agreement that was completely one sided. It gave unfettered access for Tamil terrorists whom Wiggy calls “our boys” to transition into normal politics.
Instead of peace the Wiggy’s Boys used that space to prepare for what they called “the final war” with complete silence and complicity of TNA and Wiggy et al. Not only they were silent, they actively encouraged it by assisting LTTE. This important Kodak moment is captured here.
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=16298
So Wiggy and his TNA is responsible for what happened afterwards. Its hypocritical when Wiggy creates the problem but points the finger at others. So take up the issue with them please.
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Anpu / March 12, 2015
“The GoSL then signed a ceasefire agreement that was completely one sided.”
Do you mean Govt side?
Dr. Jude Lal Fernando (is Research Fellow and Lecturer, Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland)
The International Pressure was on the 2002 CFA/MOU! However, different powers supported the peace process for different reasons. Some, like the USA and the British, wanted breathing space to rearm the Sri Lankan state and to change the military balance in its favour. In fact, the international pressure started mounting on the LTTE soon after the CFA/MOU was signed. The pressure was on the agreement which had radically challenged the neo-colonial unitary state and its Sinhala Buddhist Ideology. From the very beginning of the implementation of the agreement the American/British governments with the tacit approval of the Indian government made every attempt to strengthen the power of the Sri Lankan government relative to the LTTE.
This gave the government a signal that it could backtrack on the implementation of the CFA/MOU and gave succour to the ultra-nationalist forces who were opposing the whole agreement. It is because of this international manipulation that the Sri Lankan security forces got well equipped with the blessing of global powers, and Sinhala Buddhist ultra-nationalist forces were given a moral boost. As a result, a new government was formed with the support of the ultra-nationalist forces under the Presidency of Mahinda Rajapakse in 2005 who vowed to the Sinhalese that he would ‘unite’ the country by abrogating the CFA/MOU, in other words that he would strengthen the unitary state. Under pressure from the American and British governments the EU banned the LTTE in 2006. With the EU, seen by most observers as the strongest supporter of golden rule of the peace process, the accordance of parity of status to both sides of the conflict, breaking this cardinal rule – encouraged the GoSL to renege on peace process and thereby paved the way to re-establish the endangered Sinhala Buddhist unitary state. What happened after that? Since then until May 2009 the massive military operations that were carried out by the Sri Lankan security forces against the Tamil region have resulted in the first genocidal massacre of the 21st century. – See more at: http://www.theweekendleader.com/Causes/763/whither-eelam.html
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / March 12, 2015
Exactly. There was a leaked cable on here a couple of weeks ago that proved We Thamizh LTTE monkeys were never serious about peace – and only used the CFA to rearm for the final war. Well, they certainly got their final war :D Now instead of crying about it they should rub some ointment on their bruised arses :D
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Dr,Rajasingham Narendran / March 12, 2015
Kanthaiya,
Thanks for an article underscoring many home truths. The mundane, mediocre and the ordinary being self glorified,,nonsense being made profound and self-glorification made a fashion, are the failures of the social media. They reflect the greater democratisation of society, while also helping to degrade its values. Individual have found a voice, while that voice most times is nonsensical, frivolous and idiotic.
However, while the reaction to the documentary on rape in India shows that India is yet bundle of contradictions. She is the land of the most profound and the utterly profane. She is the land of the most educated and the absolute morons, India is yet to discover herself.. She has to yet come to terms with her weaknesses, while resisting the false facade being erected to project progress. She is ashamed of her darker side, which she does not want the world to see. However, she is capable of grappling with issues internally, when required or necessary, as in the immediate aftermath of the rape incident you have mentioned But the fact rape is a rape and there is little ambiguity about its definition, although very difficult to prove for various reasons relating to the degree of proof required by law, difficulty in finding witnesses and the societal predilection to blame the victim for inviting trouble , have to be accepted as a reality.
Genocide is also quite different to prove under current definitions which require clear proof of intent. Intent requires the proof that there was a well planned intent to eliminate the Tamils as a people in Sri Lanka. The Intention to marginalise the Tamils and keep them a manageable minority does not amount to genocide. The deaths of persons in brutal, no-holds-withheld wars, is not genocide, though.many thousands of Tamils have died as a result. The LTTE has also been an equal partner in this war and has to share the blame for the consequences and the deaths being labelled genocide. It has also committed serious crimes against the Sinhalese and Muslims, in the name of the Tamils.
The proof of a poosible genocide requires much more stringent proof than rape, especially because of the nature of the prolonged war in Sri Lanka. The LTTE fought the war/s in the name of the the Tamils. It was a two sided war, unlike what Hitler’s goons let loose on the Jews.
In the case if Sri Lanka, it will be much more difficult to prove genocide. However, the wars have to investigated independently, meticulously and objectively to understand them and apportion blame. However, this cannot be done on the basis to prove or disprove genocide. The investigations may conclude there was genocide, but there is insufficient conclusive evidence YET to prove genocide, which in addition to proof of intent, has to also have proof of scale. The word genocide should not used frivolously, until proven to be so, especially by responsible individuals or institutions like the NPC. Men like Chief Minister Vignewaran, especially should avoid this word, because prudences and circumstances warrant it, until the UNHCR process comes to a conclusion. Every accused is innocent until proven guilty!
Sri Lanka, too us a nation of pretenders, We do not like the world to see our sins and judge us. We will rather be like the proverbial ostrich, bury our head in the sand and pretend that the world does not see us. We have much to be proud and very much more to be ashamed. We have to become an objective people, who want to know the truth and nothing but the truth. We have to become a people who want nothing but the right to be done. Our contradictions as a nation are not as great in scale as in India. However we are not as profound or as profane as in India either. We as an island also have the frog in the well attitude and think ours is the world and the rest of the universe revolves around us! This is our curse.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Ajith / March 12, 2015
“Genocide is also quite different to prove under current definitions which require clear proof of intent. Intent requires the proof that there was a well planned intent to eliminate the Tamils as a people in Sri Lanka”
It is true that we should prove that there is a clear intent to eliminate the Tamils as a people in the island of Srilanka. We don’t need to limit our evidence to just the final stage of the war or the past 30 years of war. We should go back to the period from the colonization of North East which was done intentionally to change the demography of Sri Lanka. Violence was used against Tamils consistently until 1983 before LTTE being emerge as an active organisation. This was part of their intention to eliminate Tamils inthis island and targetting economy of Tamils. The jaffna library was burnt intentionally to destroy culturally and to destroy the power of education. None of these crimes were investigated until now. If there is no intention of eliminating Tamils what prohibited them from investigating and punishing those crimes? During this war, they intentionally reduced the estimated population in the war zone and food and medicine was used as a weapon. What was the intention? What was intention of keeping 100% Sinhala only military?
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Agnos / March 12, 2015
V.Kanthaiya,
There are a few different issues.
1. Whether what happened to Tamils can be defined genocide in legal terms
2. Regardless of 1, it is true that Tamil people faced state sponsored violence that was of genocidal proportions. But there has been no
acknowledgement by the NPC of the LTTE’s role in it.
3. Timing.
So, some of the criticism on each of these counts is valid.
At a minimum, the NPC should have included some acknowledgement of LTTE’s role.
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Anpu / March 12, 2015
Thanks Dr RN,
“The proof of a poosible genocide requires much more stringent proof than rape,..”
These people must have considered much more evidence.
According to the this article http://hrbrief.org/2015/01/the-legal-case-of-the-tamil-genocide/ and the report http://hrbrief.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Legal-Case-of-the-Tamil-Genocide_30-December-2014.pdf. – Tamil Genocide is a FACT.
“The Preamble to the Rome Statute provides that one of the core goals of the Statute is to end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole, which “must not go unpunished.”[92] The post-war situation in Sri Lanka cannot be called ‘post-conflict,’ as it reflects a deteriorating human rights situation with rampant government abuses. The very purpose of the Genocide Convention and later efforts after the Rwandan Genocide, are under threat so long as the international community fails to hold the perpetrators accountable for the bloody armed conflict in Sri Lanka. Impunity will inevitably breed further injustice, which has been demonstrated by recent assaults to the remaining Tamil population. Members of the international community have acknowledged that genocide took place in Sri Lanka and several have called for an independent investigation. Government officials from Australia,[93] Canada,[94] the United Kingdom,[95] and India,[96] as well as Tamil MPs in Sri Lanka[97] have requested an investigation into Sri Lanka’s genocide. International human rights advocates[98] and organizations[99] have similarly called for such an investigation. The obligation to prevent and punish genocide under the Genocide Convention is not a matter of political choice or calculation, but one of binding customary international law. The Office of the High Commission on Human Rights’ Investigation on Sri Lanka (OSIL) should investigate and report on the charge of genocide in its submission to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2015. The UN Security Council should refer the situation in Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court for prosecutions based on war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Alternatively or concurrently, domestic courts in countries that may exercise universal jurisdiction over the alleged events and perpetrators, including but not limited to the United States, should prosecute these crimes. Top Sri Lankan officials, starting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, must be brought to justice.”
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Off the Cuff / March 13, 2015
Dear Anpu,
Re “The Preamble to the Rome Statute provides that one of the core goals of the Statute is to end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole,..”
The Rome Statute is quoted by the Darusman POE in their report. Let’s examine how they use it.
One of the MAJOR problems with the Darusman report is the SECRECY of the evidence they have used to arrive at their conclusions, which prevents any verification (truth or otherwise) of the evidence.
However there are areas of that report where the report writers Mr. Darusman, Ms. Yasmin Sooka and Mr. Steven Ratner, have referred to documents in the public domain such as the Rome Statute that can be cross checked with statements made by them.
The INTEGRITY of the UNSG’s Panel can thus be checked.
What follows is such a comparison that proves the integrity of the UNSG’s Panel of experts has been compromised.
Please refer to the UNSG’s POE report,
237. Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions: Credible allegations point to a violation of Common Article 3’s ban on the taking of hostages insofar as they forced thousands of civilians, often under threat of death, to remain in areas under their control during the last stages of the war and enforced this control by killing persons who attempted to leave that area. (With respect to the credible allegations of the LTTE’s refusal to allow civilians to leave the combat zone, the Panel believes that these actions did not, in law, amount to the use of human shields insofar as it did not find credible evidence of the LTTE deliberately moving civilians towards military targets to protect the latter from attacks as is required by the customary definition of that war crime (Rule 97, ICRC Study)
Rome Statute of the ICC state,
Article 8
War crimes
2(b)(xxiii) Utilizing the presence of a civilian or other protected person to render certain points, areas or military forces immune from military operations; (page 7)
This is what is known as a Human Shield
The Rome Statute does not require “MOVEMENT” where as Darusman and company does. The UNSG”S POE has CORRUPTED THE ICC LAW in order to EXONERATE the LTTE.
When the LTTE is exonerated those who financed the LTTE gets automatically exonerated.
Thus Mr. Darusman, Ms. Yasmin Sooka and Mr. Steven Ratner would have had a very compelling INCENTIVE in order to risk corrupting International Law.
Think about it.
Were they bribed by the TGTE or BTF or GTF or an organisation/person with lots of wealth?
Kind Regards,
OTC
/
Bruz / March 12, 2015
No one could have said it so well. Bravo Mr Kanthaiya and you did it again with your simple and wonderful writing.Great comparison, undoubtedly. This is the sad truth, unfortunately. Thank you !
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Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah / March 12, 2015
An excellent piece of writing..funny yet not funny..the story of our life..told using analogies..first by using the analogy of the predators wanting the woman being raped to succumb, be silent and not fight back, then using that of a child molester who shows not an iota of guilt because his victim is poor and therefore her life was of no value…
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Native Vedda / March 12, 2015
Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah
“An excellent piece of writing..funny yet not funny”
Were you allowed to smile, laugh and enjoy fun during VP’s time?
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Navin / March 13, 2015
Were you allowed to smile, laugh and enjoy fun during VP’s time?
—
Of course, who the hell do you think picked up VP’s tab and bought him all those toys???
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Native Vedda / March 13, 2015
Navin
“Of course, who the hell do you think picked up VP’s tab and bought him all those toys???”
Mahinda Rajapaksa, earlier it was R Premadasa.
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Off the Cuff / March 13, 2015
Dear TGTE Senator Ms Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah,
Kanthaiya has failed to describe the whole Tamil story. He has left out a lot of interesting detail. I have attempted to fill in some of the blanks in my comment linked below. Please feel free to add to it to make it complete or counter argue and delete what does not fit.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/tamils-should-keep-silent-to-reconcile/comment-page-1/#comment-1793422
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Javi. / March 14, 2015
“writing..funny yet not funny..the story of our life.”
The creator of the New world we live in Isabella Catholica along with the nuns drew the bas*ard arab ruling islamist to north africa but retained some tunnels for posterity.
The islamist practiced sex slaves of southern white woman its at the picture at Tansania Zanzibar.
but the spanish don’t talk about it because they have blended features of the medetaranian like the east germans with russian features.
Even today down south at malaga beaches the common women hate the flying arabs who leave their bored and willing wives at home and use a binoculars to bird watch over them in their choppers.
woman the most beautiful form that man has conceived upto now- FLW.
a word to all men just love her but dont try to understand her- because she believes men don’t listen. Men must listen to men and understand the inner thoughts.(golden maratha rule )
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Matilda Ellepola / March 12, 2015
A beautiful piece again and keep going.
I happened to watch this video lastnight and then after reading this, I feels the same that is mentoned in here.
But the poor uneducated masses in Sri Lanka will be fooled by our friends like MR/DJ/WW etc with patriotic slogans as it their business and lifeblood.
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Navin / March 12, 2015
The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka blamed certain sections of the security forces and the military top hierarchy for the atrocities committed against the Tamil civilians. But the GoSL portrayed it as a threat to the entire country.
—
Oh really? How poignant! What a shame no eh? Hick hick hick.
Why don’t you ask the producers of killing fields to make a film about how LTTE killed Sinhala villages, monks, women, children and unborn while their leaders collected funds in the UK, Canada and other places?
What about buses and trains LTTE blasted in Colombo? Aren’t those buses, trains, villages killing fields too?
Trying to twist the truth and whitewash the killing field’s team shows authors own malice.
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Off the Cuff / March 13, 2015
Re “What about buses and trains LTTE blasted in Colombo? Aren’t those buses, trains, villages killing fields too?”
You won’t get an answer for that one.
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Javi. / March 13, 2015
“You won’t get an answer for that one. “
__
Shit bucket action for the sihala musie buddhist to drivel them is what we know of it at Colombo.
Oh, am I dealing with the gammeyata bulath hepuva nava colombo malasanya?? yes I do know skin head navin the invertebrate nigger nagger is back for his bacon for JHU-
hell on earth colomba malasaniya with off the chute refuse dump of kollonawa.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / March 12, 2015
I thought V Kalutai ran away in shame after the pounding he got from HLDM. But here he is with a fresh cauldron of punnakku for his herd :D
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Burning Issue / March 12, 2015
You are delusional again :D
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sach / March 12, 2015
yeah only we Tamils see clearly….we tamils are always correct…
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Javi. / March 14, 2015
they surely know how to discriminate – aren’t they at the receiving end of polla of hermaphrodite hyena (the orange in black spots pinnata seuvra) muttal buruva sach??
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / March 12, 2015
Better slurp down your fair share before the rest of the herd get the scent and there’s a stampede, BI :D
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Native Vedda / March 12, 2015
Wee Thamihz senior journalist D:Siva Sankaran Sarma Menon
“I thought V Kalutai ran away in shame after the pounding he got from HLDM.”
Fair point.
Rumour has it that HLDM attempted mount the donkey. The beast of burden didn’t like bestiality.
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BBS / March 15, 2015
the modarator has a powerful mulla sponger.
running the blog
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gamini / March 12, 2015
Had MR won the last election, the plight that befell the Indian girl who was gang raped, would not have been the plight of the Tamils of Sri Lanka alone, but to all decent honourable people of this country. I remember there was a case filed by a girl accusing Duminda Silva of rape. What happened? The State allowed Duminda Silva to terrorise the party that the case was withdrawn. That is how Duminda escaped the Law from rape. Then what about when the Sunday Leader exposed the commissions earned by Gota on the MIG purchases. Lasantha was killed, Keith Noyar was assaulted and Gota filed a case against the Sunday Leader for damages to clear his name. In the end the SOB bails himself out by getting an apology tendered in a hush hush manner, with not a cent as damages. What a mockery of Justice?
Mukesh Singh should be allowed to undergo the advice he gives to the girl of not fighting back when he is subject to torture for the crime. Therefore the Tamils need not sit back and take shit from the Pseudo Sinhalese Patriots who are the cursed, to us Natural Sinhalese of this country. Let us get together and fight for Justice for all.
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Burning Issue / March 12, 2015
garmini,
Had MR won, MS and many others would have already tested what SF tested! For the Sinhala chauvinists that includeds DJ, it does not matter what MR would have done in of governance as long as the Tamils are kept at bay!
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Jazz / March 12, 2015
V. Kanthaiya,
You seem to be conveniently suffering from ‘selective memory loss’. Do you honestly think that northern tamils were the only community to have suffered from this ethnic conflict spanning several decades? How about all the injustices perpetrated by LTTE on the rest of us Sri Lankans?
Yes, I accept that injustices happened to the northern tamil people during the conflict. But, unlike you, I’m honest enough to also accept that injustices happened to all communities. V. Kanthaiya, I’m sure you are realistic enough to accept that bad things happen during war. And that reality is not exclusive to only the Sri Lankan conflict. Please remember that ‘justice’ works both ways because there are victims on all sides. You seem to have forgotten that FACT, so I thought I’ll give you a quick reminder. Besides, who was it that said, “An eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind”. In that context, I’m just wondering how effective the reconciliation process would be if all communities start demanding justice.I’m assuming that reconciliation between our communities is what you want too.
/
Burning Issue / March 12, 2015
Jazz,
You basically have reiterated Mr V Kanthaiya’s claim that “Tamils Should Keep Silent – To Reconcile”. Thank you for this!
Do you think that the Tamils should be punished for what LTTE did? How do you feel that you are in a position of power to abuse the rights of the minorities?
/
Jazz / March 13, 2015
Burning Issue,
Please read my comment again because you have obviously not understood.
I’m not the one demanding punishment and justice. It’s you and your ilk including V. Kanthaiya who are doing that. On the contrary, i’m questioning the effectiveness of reconciliation if everybody starts demanding justice because there are a lot of victims and not just Tamils. Do you get it?
/
Off the Cuff / March 13, 2015
Dear Burning Issue,
Re “Do you think that the Tamils should be punished for what LTTE did? ”
Some Tamils should not be and Some Tamils should be.
The Indian Origin Tamils who live amidst the Sinhala in the Hills should not be punished.
The Tamil civilians caught up in the LTTE trap should not be punished.
Those Tamils who Financed and procured arms to sustain a 30 year reign of terror that spared no one, Tamil, Muslim, Sinhala, Burgher, Malay etc of all ages infants to the old, male or female and kept SILENT when Tamil children were used as Sandbags for 30 long years should be severely punished.
Kind Regards,
OTC
/
Burning Issue / March 13, 2015
Who would you punish for what JVP did?
/
Native Vedda / March 13, 2015
Burning Issue
“Who would you punish for what JVP did? “
Mahinda Rajapaksa and Wimal Weerawansa come to my mind.
Watch the links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBHDfrJPrbk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQhvQ8ypBy0
/
Jazz / March 13, 2015
Burning Issue,
I am not interested in punishing anybody.The Sri Lankan State dealt with the JVP relatively the same way as they dealt with the LTTE. Both these organizations were considered an enemy of the State due to their actions. I use the term ‘relatively’ because the threat levels posed by the JVP to national security was nowhere near the LTTE. Yes, a section of the sinhalese community was dealt harshly just like a section of the tamil community.When it concerns national security, the State is consistent on how it deals with that threat irrespective of ethnicity.
/
Burning Issue / March 13, 2015
Jazz,
I take your point; however, where I differ from you is that, Truth should be established as to what happened. People must be allowed to air their grievances publicly; the state culpability should be accepted with penitence. This is the minimum the affected people can expect and it is just.
/
sach / March 13, 2015
of course truth should be established and it’s starting point should go beyond 48…why do you pick a convenient point?
/
Native Vedda / March 14, 2015
Jazz
“Both these organizations were considered an enemy of the State due to their actions.”
Most believe the undemocratic, uncaring, atrocious, ……. state is the permanent enemy of the people. Both JVP and LTTE were the historical product of this island.
/
Jazz / March 14, 2015
Native Vedda,
If the State becomes the enemy of (some) people, then this case study proves that resorting to undemocratic acts could never be the solution.The victims need to always maintain the moral high ground.
/
Javi. / March 14, 2015
Porriki Bazz,
yours is the case of amnesia don’t know whether you are coming or going – know only A point to B point neither the field or its know-er.
blind love of self greedy unknowingly- how stupid
Whom???
/
Javi. / March 15, 2015
“”Both these organizations were considered an enemy of the State due to their actions””
Balla barked and told you in the Abattoir- halal gandde!!
Jazz the mullah rodent` in Punjabi dress. Hooo hoo.
[Edited out]
/
Jazz / March 15, 2015
Javi,
Whatever you are smoking, it’s not helping my friend. Please stay of that stuff because it seems to be destroying your grey matter.
/
Off the Cuff / March 13, 2015
Burning,
Re “Who would you punish for what JVP did?”
The JVP of course.
They are responsible for their actions, no one else is.
/
Burning Issue / March 13, 2015
Come off it OTC!
You punished JVP along with hounders of innocent people. There are mothers still searching for their sons and daughters. It was a pity that there was no digital technology at that time.
I have no problems you punishing the LTTE; LTTE chose the modus-opporandi and the consequences they should accept. But to kill thousands of civilians unnecessarily with fake no-fire zones, raping and mutilating women, summarily executing surrendering folks, and carrying out refugee racketeering to name a few but not restricted to. There are ample evidences exist and those responsible should face the consequences. However, with reconciliation in mind, I am not necessarily interested in punishing individuals but the state should accept responsibility that it perpetrated such crimes against its own citizens. People who have been affected should be allowed to air their grievances; truth should be established despite lurid details. This is the minimum requirement for moving forward with reconciliation.
/
sach / March 13, 2015
just stop with your fake feelings for Sinhala mothers, you had no problem when massacring Sinhala kids and blowing them off
/
Off the Cuff / March 14, 2015
Dear Burning Issue,
Re “But to kill thousands of civilians unnecessarily with fake no-fire zones, …..”
The no fire zones were meant for civilians but they were transformed into LTTE fortresses replete with Earthworks, moats, defensive barriers, heavy arms, munition stores and communication centers. If you cannot remember that please have a fresh look at the pics published by Times of London online.
There were several cessations of hostilities declared by the govt to allow the civilians to cross over to safety. But during those periods the number of civilians crossing over became a trickle and was less than the numbers who came over when hostilities existed. This was a clear indication that the LTTE was holding them back as they were not engaged fighting govt forces.
The Indian elections were on and the LTTE and their supporters in the Diaspora were banking on Tamil Nadu becoming a King Maker in India. Western govts were mounting pressure in order to please their Tamil electorate. Thus the SL govt had a deadline that was not of their choosing.
There was no question that the LTTE either had to surrender or be defeated. A ceasefire was not on the table.
They had done enough damage to Sri Lanka and had killed enough Sri Lankans. SL was not prepared to allow another parippu drop to give a reprieve to the LTTE as in 1987.
You knew it, western govts knew it, India knew it.
Did you even lift a finger to pressure the LTTE to surrender? Not one of you did. What you did instead was to comply with LTTE bidding and stage bogus death fasts, blocking of western highways waving a sea of LTTE flags. It was this action of yours that emboldened the LTTE to play for more and more time.
Thus if there is a colossal loss of civilian life as you claim, you in the Diaspora who did not lift a finger to force the LTTE to allow the Civilians to go is also complicit.
You played politics with the lives of those civilians that you lament now.
Please don’t forget that the LTTE was sustained by your contributions in excess of $300 million a year.
You claim that each of the Tamil civilians in the North have relatives in the diaspora. How much are you contributing to their welfare? Is there any problem of you remitting money directly to them? Is the contribution if any, anywhere close to the $ 300 million that you contributed to the LTTE killing spree?
Ethnic problems started mainly because of Land issues. Unless the Tamils drop their claim to an unreasonable and grossly disproportionate claims to land, reconciliation would be a distant prospect.
Kind Regards,
OTC
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Anpu / March 15, 2015
“no fire zones “
A friend sent me this-
“This speech by a reputed Sinhala journalist Bashana Abeywardena of the Hiru Group and a member of the JDS, is worth listening to. It comforting to know that there are Sinhala friends who speak out boldly for the cause of the Tamils.
The video takes only about 4 minutes of your time.
xxxxx
“
https://vimeo.com/121718885
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sach / March 13, 2015
Did nt you know JVP was punished in the real sense of the word ‘punishment’?
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Richard Kaz / March 13, 2015
Good article. Of course the Tamils are not blameless for the situation they find themselves in Sri Lanka today. But the underlying cause of the ethnic conflict and resulting decades of violence is Sinhala majoritarianism and the accompanying anti-Tamil racism and violence by the Sri Lankan state that came into effect in full in the 1950s. The mistakes made by the Tamils are in response to this violence and racism and not the cause of the conflict.
When Sinhala politicians starting from the 1950s compete with each other to bash the Tamils both physically and verbally, then we have a serious problem. This mindset has not gone away and is very visible in the likes of DJ etc who writes for this site. This mindset is the reason why Tamils are asked to remain silent and not stand up for justice, security and equal rights.
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Jazz / March 13, 2015
Richard Kaz,
The interpretation of who did what first and the timeline of events may differ from one person to another. But, my position is that irrespective of who did what first, there is no justification for a section of a community to embark on a killing orgy and resort to actions which make them an enemy of the State. When that happens, nobody get’s to claim the moral high ground. The historical narrative in South Africa would be completely different if the ‘blacks’ resorted to military means in order to gain equality or if the African americans did not pursue with the civil rights movement in the face of grave provocations and threats.
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Richard Kaz / March 13, 2015
History and historic timelines are not up for interpretation. Did the rise of the LTTE in 70s happen before the start of the anti-Tamil state violence in the 1950s?? Which killing orgy are you talking about? The one-sided violence before the rise of LTTE or the two-sided violence of the state and the LTTE?
I never claimed the higher moral ground for Tamils. My point is,the underlying cause of the ethnic conflict is the entrenched anti-Tamil racism, a mindset that existed before the LTTE, during the war and still exists post-LTTE.
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sach / March 13, 2015
“My point is,the underlying cause of the ethnic conflict is the entrenched anti-Tamil racism, a mindset that existed before the LTTE”
No the reason for the conflict is a history debate…nothing else
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Jazz / March 13, 2015
Your historical narrative of this ethnic conflict begins in the 1950’s. My narrative of events begins in the 1920’s. Hence your interpretations and assumptions of the causes are different from mine.
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Javi. / March 14, 2015
history rightly inferred gives one the ability to discriminate what is right or wrong. 50 has passed the 20 with it’s knowledge.
It the present we live in full of lust as ever before.
Even the great dictators of Europe after WW2 (spain, portugal, & latino chile etc) lived in the present to draw on the support of the power in the world.
Cuba played it more of a neutral kind and is at present wooing the US because their living ego is dying of age.
Even Ecuador socialist with US$ knows where to draw the line in the sand.
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sach / March 13, 2015
This shows how tamils who whitewash and supported LTTE brutal terrorism can question ‘others’ about that their inability to look at their own wrongs :)
these people very happily funded and gave support to LTTE as long as the boys were killing non tamils, especially sinhalese. They did not realise the others can also return the ‘favor’. When the tables turned they cry victims.
I know many Sinhalese ignore what Nalin De Silva like people say, calling them racists. But when you look at the tamils’ thinking pattern, the history behind the conflict and tamils’ actions it is evidently clear he has some truth in what he says.
Nalin De Silva’s argument is the extreme tamil racism of tamil politicians was the reason for conflict. I bet he does not know about Zionism. When we learn about Zionism, the ultra jewish racism, we see parallels with tamil racism.
Then we understand Nalin’s point.
My request to Sinhala people are, please use your grey matter and see this for what it really is. Tamil propaganda and western propaganda have turned Sinhalese into thinking they are guilty. But if you look at thinks rationally, the reality will be clear.
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Javi. / March 14, 2015
“Tamils Should Keep Silent – To Reconcile”
what the sihala urumaya means in practice is like a Moravia,
Command and I will obey you!! Better the Sihal_Muslim combo go get fu*ked.
Recently, the sihal_muslim combo have proved at Geneve and UK protest by Tamils that sihal_muslim are but cannibals displaying animal instincts.
The sihal_muslim combo will not withstand perseverance they are wanning- their being exposed by themselves left right and center `nowhere to run` not even the yellow submarine.
Silence is never always golden- the west would not have an imposed economic slump if the voice of New Delhi Tamil in 2005 was heard by Greenspan and all Americans.
The village Tamils of Jaffna are just learning- Don’t give up the quest for hood-winkers delight- they just like slaves the same way you slave your subordinate class at your enterprises.
drove the night toward my home
the place that I was born, on the lakeside
as daylight broke, I saw the earth
the trees had burned down to the ground
don’t give up
you still have us
don’t give up
we don’t need much of anything
don’t give up
’cause somewhere there’s a place
where we belong….
don’t give up
’cause you have friends
don’t give up
you’re not the only one
don’t give up
no reason to be ashamed
don’t give up
you still have us
don’t give up now
we’re proud of who you are
don’t give up
you know it’s never been easy
don’t give up
’cause I believe there’s a place
there’s a place where we belong.
Jai iHind
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Jazz / March 14, 2015
Javi,
Oh that’s so touching…. seems like you wrote the remembrance of ‘Eelam’.Oh, what could have been, what might have been…
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Javi. / March 14, 2015
Bazz the midget,
Akhand Bharat (Hindustani: अखण्ड भारत (Devanagri), اکھنڈ بھارت (Nastaleeq)), also known as Akhand Hindustan (Hindustani: अखण्ड हिन्दुस्तान ..
The name of the ocean and rights- where do they fish you say??
HHHooo hooo Hooo!!!!
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