28 March, 2024

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The Desire To Engage By Those Who Cannot Sing National Anthem

By Jehan Perera

Jehan Perera

There is an invigoration of civil society in the North after the holding of the Northern Provincial Council elections.  For the first time ever since the end of the colonial period there is the sense of having a government that is their own.  There are doubts expressed by some sections in the rest of the country that this political empowerment could lead to the strengthening of separatist sentiment.  Sections within the government itself have expressed their concerns.  However, when I visited Mannar in the North last week, the impression I received was of a people who celebrate being part of the larger national polity.

It so happened that the day selected by the government for the conduct of the last round of provincial council elections, and that of the first ever election to the Northern Provincial Council, was September 21.  This coincidentally was International Day of Peace declared by the UN, which is celebrated worldwide and also within Sri Lanka by those who work for peace and reconciliation.  Resources for Peace (RPR), an NGO based in Mannar had to postpone their plans to celebrate peace day on

September 21 due to the elections.  They held it on October 11 instead.

As one of the invitees to the celebration of peace day in Mannar, this was an opportunity to see whether there was progress towards normalcy in the North and a progressive reintegration into the national polity.  The day’s event began with the hoisting of the national flag by the Government Agent of Mannar who had been invited to the occasion as the Chief Guest.  This was followed by the playing of the national anthem.  Unfortunately, it could not also be sung by the Tamil-speaking people of Mannar who are not conversant in the Sinhala language.  But they all stood to attention while the all three verses of the national anthem were played.

It is strange but true that although both Sinhala and Tamil are official languages, and this is stated in the Constitution, the national anthem is currently not being sung in Tamil at official functions or events at which there are government officials.  This is because the after the victory in the war, the government is balking at permitting the national anthem to be sung in Tamil.  Some of the less well educated members of the government have gone on record saying that no national anthem in the world is sung in more than one language.  But in fact, in some countries, the national anthem is sung in as many as five languages, as in South Africa.

Wise Actions

In its wisdom and in its desire to promote the cause of national reconciliation, the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission appointed by the President recommended that the national anthem should be sung in both the Sinhala and Tamil languages.  As Tamil is an official language of the country, the Tamil version of the national anthem is available in he Tamil version of the Constitution.  At various international forums the government claims to be implementing the LLRC recommendations.  But it still has not got round to declaring that the national anthem can be sung in the Tamil language at official functions.

It is very tragic that even Tamil people and others who may wish to sing the national anthem in Tamil are afraid to do so, as they are unsure of what the consequences might be.  No one wants to be tried in courts of law for sedition, or be attacked by extremists, merely for singing the national anthem in their own language.  Indeed, if the national anthem had been sung in the Tamil language, the Government Agent of Mannar might have felt he had been put into an unforeseen and embarrassing position.  He might have feared that he would be subjected to disciplinary sanctions for not complying with government policy and being present as the Chief Guest on the occasion.

It is unfortunate that the government is continuing to drag its feet over implementing the LLRC recommendation with regard to singing the national anthem.  Prior to the victory in the war in 2009, the national anthem was routinely sung in the Tamil language in areas where the people were Tamil-speaking.  It was only after the war victory, and the special role of the military in civil administration of the former war zones of the North and East, that the issue of which language in which to sing the national anthem arose.  The use of Tamil to sing the national anthem became a major issue first in the North.

Fortunately, the Government Agent of Mannar showed himself to be a person who was sensitive to the great pride of the Tamil people in the Tamil language.  He delivered his prepared speech not only in the Sinhala language but also read it out in the Tamil language, much to the appreciation of the hundreds who had come to RPR’s peace day celebration. Demonstrating his own pride in the Tamil language, the Bishop of Mannar told me later that day that the Tamil language was one of two classical living languages surviving in the world today, along with Chinese.

Civic groups such as RPR in Mannar have an important role in healing the wounds of war.  At their peace day event, they invited representatives of all four religions to give their blessings for the occasion.  They had children and adults take part in cultural events that expressed the horrors of the war period and the yearning for a new future in which there would be truth, justice and reconciliation.  The coming together of large numbers of people in joyful celebration was itself a contribution to healing the wounds of war.

Southern Goodwill

What is noteworthy at the present time is that the goodwill of the people of the North is being reciprocated by the people of the South.  With the end of the war four years ago, and the elimination of the LTTE as an ever present threat to safety of life and limb, and the unity of the country, the suspicion about the threat from the North appears to have sharply subsided in the rest of the country.  It also appears that the many years of educational work conducted by different governments at different times, and the educational and bridge-building work done by civil society organizations, has created awareness in the people that the provincial council system is not the threat it was made to seem.

It is not only at the people’s level that this positive sentiment exists.  On October 9, more than one half of the members of the Southern Provincial Council met at a workshop organized by another NGO, the National Peace Council, to discuss the relevance of the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.  What was most striking and noteworthy was the sense of fraternity demonstrated by these elected provincial politicians to their compatriots in the North.  Most encouraging from the perspective of inter-ethnic reconciliation and inter-provincial cooperation was the eagerness of the southern councilors to meet with their northern counterparts to get to know them and to share ideas with them.

At the workshop discussions, the southern councilors displayed a sense of positive expectation regarding the manner in which the Northern Provincial Council would deal with the mundane problems of governance that those in the South had to deal with.  They noted the more abundant intellectual and material resources that the Northern Provincial Council might have access to, especially due to better international linkages, which was not available to them.  There was no sense of rivalry or hostility to the Northern Provincial Council because of that.  Instead there was the hope that answers to their own problems might be forthcoming.

Now what needs to be achieved is mutual understanding and the trust that comes with it.  A positive act of reconciliation would be for the members of the different provincial councils to first discuss among themselves the problems encountered in the current functioning of the provincial council system of government. The issue of devolution of power has been at the forefront of the search for a political solution to Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict for the past nearly six decades.  The elections in the North and their outcome of constructive engagement between the government and TNA have set in place the political infrastructure that can address the roots of the country’s protracted ethnic conflict and issues of good governance in general.

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    What is Vaudeva Nanayakakara who is in Charge of National Languages and integration doing about the failure to play the national anthem in Tamil through out the northeast?

    We found this happening in the Kachcehri or GA office in Batticalo where everyday at 8.30 the national language is played in Sinhala language and the employees stand to attention..

    We kept sitting though the anthem because I do not believe in standing for National anthems and do not like Nationalism!

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      (Vasudeva Nanattakklara and) Raji

      ” One Language, Two-Nations” Colvin R de Silva of LSSP.

      ” Two Languages, One-Nation” Colvin R de Silva of LSSP.

      Now Let’s see what Vasudeva Nanayakkara, of the LSSP (R) wing in saying?

      ” One National Anthem , Two-Nations” ?????

      ” Two National Anthems , One-Nation” ???????

      Comrade Vasudeva Nanayakkara of the LSSP(R) are you going to learn from the earlier mistakes?

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        Vasu never intimated ”One National Anthem, Two-Nations”? and ”Two National Anthems, One-Nation”?

        Jihadi Amaraya never gets anything right.

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          I am no muslim-Buddhist,

          “Now Let’s see what Vasudeva Nanayakkara, of the LSSP (R) wing in saying?”

          This is what Amarasiri said. With a Question mark.

          You take some reading classes.

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          I am no muslim Buddist,

          Are you just a Sinhala Buddhist or Sinhala Buddist Racist?

          “Vasu never intimated ”One National Anthem, Two-Nations”? and ”Two National Anthems, One-Nation”?”

          It is possible that Vasudeva Nanayakkra never said that. He has not learned from the lessons taught by the late Dr. Colvin R de Silva of LSSP. LSSP ultimately sold out to the Sinhala Buddhist racists, and sacrificed their Egalitarian principles. They were then expelled from the 4th International.

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lanka_Sama_Samaja_Party

          Vasudeva is now heading of the LSSP (R), but should retain some Eglantine Principles. It is his responsibility and duty to speak out, instead of being a coward. Please send Amarasiri’s post to him to see what he says.

          Singing the national Anthem, in Tamil for Tamils, whose mother tongue is Tamil makes sense and makes them love the land they were born. Lanka, Sri Lanka, Illankai or Ceylon is the motherland of the Tamils as well. This, the Sinhala Buddhist Racists do not yet understand, the core cause and curse of Lanka, the Tamils fought a civil war for.

          LSSP and LSSP (R)

          In 1964 the LSSP held a conference, at which the majority agreed with a theoretical categorisation of the SLFP by Hector Abhayavardhana as a petty bourgeois party, leaving the door open to a united front with it. A minority faction, led by Colvin R de Silva and Leslie Goonewardena, opposed the move but opted to stay within the Party. Another minority faction led by Edmund Samarakkody, Merryl Fernando, V Karalasingham and Bala Tampoe, left the party and formed the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (Revolutionary)- LSSP(R).

          Later that year, the LSSP joined the coalition government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike. Three of its MPs became Ministers; Dr N. M. Perera (Finance), Cholomondely Goonewardena (Public Works) and Anil Moonesinghe (Communications). The LSSP was expelled from the Fourth International, and the membership was passed on to LSSP(R).

    • 0
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      You should find another job or you should be fired.

    • 0
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      Levi,

      Tell me if you are a Buddhist. Then I will explain what I said.

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    A long way to go before the Tamils are going to sing in the national anthem. First of all the majority of Sinhalese have to show they are prepared to accommodate the Tamils as equal citizens of Sri Lanka. Taking into the history of last 60 years, this is going to take good will on both sides for many years to come. In the mean time why don’t you come with a new national anthem which is designed by both communities!!!!!!!!
    Keep on trying, we will get there one day!!!!

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      So long as a minority of any country has a Bantuland, a separate identity and are not restricted to demand separation, they’ll never feel that they’re a part and parcel of that country. Tamils of Sri Lanka are the best example.

      There are over 70 million Tamils the worldover. 65 million of those Tamils live in a country called Tamil Nadu. There, 95% of the population are Tamils. Tamil Nad however is no country but a State of India. In the aftermath of routing Nehru’s (national) Congress party and winning 1962 Madras State elections by Tamils which they fought on separatist platform, two hundred thousand people marched to Chennai to demand separation from India. But Nehru banned even to talk about separation with his 16th amendment in 1963. Since they supported their cousins in Sri Lanka to fight for a separate country in every way they could. I have learned that most Tamils in Tamil Nadu do not even know the lyric of the Indian national anthem let alone sing it.

      Tamil were the chosen subjects of the British Raj. They held most government jobs and they felt superior to Sinhala. When GG Ponnambalam degraded Sinhalas in mid 1930s perhaps on that superior mentality, the first race riot in Sri Lanka said to have started in Nawalapitiya. Together with Tamil Nadu Tamils, Tamils in Sri Lanka had also been demanding separation from British Raj from 1920s.

      Somehow, Tamils have cornered a bantuland in the North of Sri Lanka for themselves. They not only speak the language of Tamil Nadu they fullwell follow its culture as well. Pirapakarans aim was not just Eelam for Sri Lanka Tamils but Chola dynasty type greater Tamil Nad for all Tamils. We see that many jingoistic Tamils the world over aim realize that Pirapakaran’s pipe dream from Eelam. I do not think they’ll ever would let moderate Tamils sing the Sri Lanka national anthem in Tamil or Sinhala.

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    Jehan Perera,

    There are more important life and death matters to Tamils than singing an anthem to show loyalty to a state that committed genocide on them, and continuing with structural genocide.

    Women are sexually abused, genocide via forced sterilization/abortion of women, intimidation by security forces, their lands are given to Sinhala settlers, their livelihood denied, and the list is long.

    If you are really interested in reconciliation take up those important matters than raising a trivial matter.

    • 0
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      Quite right Thiru! There are more important matters that donor funded peace groups should work on lobbying the dirty politicians and civil society for:
      1. A Bill on the prevention of incitement to Racial and religious hatred and hate speech
      2. Road map for demilitarization and down sizing and right sizing the military and rolling back Gota the goon’s MILITARY BUSINESSES and DEEP STATE privatizing them to institute GOOD GOVERNANCE
      3. A National Planning Commission as in India for policy making since all the corrupt politicians in charge of ministries are corrupt morons (education, health, energy, etc.
      4. Lobby donors to stop funding UDA and Defense Ministry..
      5. Take a Principled stand against CHOGM and its boosting the Rajapassa dictatorship lead a civil society protest a
      JP and the civil society he represents are pathetic donor-dependent Colombo NGOs that are scared to rock the boat and have a good life off the international conference circuit and cosy up to the likes of the so called Minister of National integration!
      JP is fond of preaching “Strategic thinking” to TNA but hasn’t got a clue as to what it really is!

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    Excellent that the North is invigorated after the PC election and optimistic! Northern People need this after so may years of war, and the TNA MUST deliver..
    Hope TNA and its Diaspora absentee landlord detractors who turned up their nose at participating the Eastern Province elections in 2007 and wanted to boycott the Northern PC election of 2013 have learned a lesson – the need to participate and be PRESENT – on the ground in the NORTH of LANKA.
    If the TNA can unite and hold it together it can certainly rescue Mother Lanka and Sinhalaya Modays from their corrupt and criminal political leaders! TNA set the example of a CLEAN POLITICAL CULTURE for the whole island to follow. Currently southern political culture is rotten to the core – headed by 2 corrupt dictators – Ranil in the UNP and Rajapassa!
    TNA has done 2 excellent things since taking power in the north PC and is leading from the front currently.
    1. All the new Ministers of the NPC are people of INTEGRITY and that was the main criteria of selection – BRAVO TNA – Great keep up the emphasis on INTEGRITY and show up the corrupt southern politicians!
    2. Hats off to TNA for clearly declaring opposition to the CHOGM circus which will boost the Rajapakse military dictatorship and DEEP STATE with its facade of democracy.
    There are MANY reasons to oppose CHOGM in Lanka but neither Jehans’s civil society wallahs NOR the crumbling Sinhala party political opposition (even the JVP and dead leftists or the Sinhala nationalist JVP and JHU) have spoken out against CHOGM which is a massive WASTE OF FUNDS on a British COLONIAL RELIC that is irrelevant and obsolete in today”s work.
    IF the UNP was a self-respecting political opposition it would have declared its PRINCIPLED OPPOSITION to holding the CHOGM aka. Commonwealth of Clowns circus in Colombo to boost the Rajapassa military dictatorship..
    But rather Ranil the shameless dictator is busy destroying the UNP from within and too distracted to focus on leading the opposition. Today it is the TNA that is effectively the opposition. But hope Sarth Fonseka’s DNF and the JVP which should have protested holding CHOGM in Lanka will now take a lead in organizing a joint opposition protest with civil society @ CHOGM and against Kamlesh Sharma now at least!

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    Jegan
    Why is that you always distract from the real issues the northerners are facing currently and detour through the mundane issue of the national anthem not sung in Tamil? How can you be a Civil Society activist when you can’t even see through the pain and agony of 90000 war widows, 40000 orphans, 30000 handicapped and countless disappeared and list goes on. With no moral unease you claim that the NPC is better resourced than the Southern counter parts when the problems are enormous to deal with for nations with the support of Government.You could have easily acknowledged the above facts( Even the UN acknowledged) and wished NPC success in dealing with such mountainous problems while fighting for scrambles from your pay masters.

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      Daya Devi:

      You people fought for a separate country and lost.

      You did not rethink at that time what you were supporting for.

      Now you cry ?

      That is why you people never had your own country during the entire Tamil history except for a brief period in the 12th century.

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        Most Countries are a colonial and post colonial invention, none of the other states of India existed as Nations either.

  • 0
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    The problem is where is to find the good will and good governance?

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    Generally i don’t agree with Jehan.The reason being that he operates an NGO sponsored by foreigners.It means that he will have to serve his masters.Item #1 on the menu is human rights.WE have all seen what the HR bogey has done in Iraq,Libiya,Afghanisthan,etc.Iraqies and the Libiyans would have been better off without the so called HR activists.The so called dictator of Libiya,Ghadafi was murdered in cold blood.May be a part of the HR scenario.By the way Obama was rewarded with the Nobel peace prize!
    Mahinda is a dictator.He is bad.He is a fraud.That’s what the likes of Jehan say.Then you all said that the NPC elections will be a fraud.But when the results were out “what”?.So whats next?MR is the master of the game.He will survive.You guys are kids.Making $$$ eh?
    I still agree with Jehan’s idea of the national anthem being sung in Tamil as well as in Sinhalese.But we don’t need the likes of Nawaneetham Pillay telling us what statues and flags we should put up at Independent square.Mahinda will never submit to blackmail.May be CBK who was having a ball with Paki!Got it?

  • 0
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    BY the way Jehan how do you make your living?Just out of curiosity!

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      He washes white asses and he loves it. Shameless bugger.

      • 0
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        Quite correct.An [Edited out]

  • 0
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    One of the most positive articles I have read in recent times towards achieving national peace as Sri Lankans of all races. The long haul towards reconciliation may not be that long if the euphoria of holding elections in the North can be harnessed with simple acts of embracing all sections of the community…..and what better identity for a National Anthemn to be sung in both languages! One can see the fervour in South Africa, NZ when their teams play internationally, why can’t we in SL?

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      I can’t imagine the scene when different people sing it aloud in different languages. Or is it that a separate line of the anthem for a different language?

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    Is there a Chinese version of the National Anthem “Negaraku’of Malaysia where the Chinese population is 24 percent and Malays are only 50 percent?
    Why are Indians singing their National Anthem in Bengali?
    Would not be nice if the Tamils sing the National Anthem in Sinhalese as a mark of reconciliation?

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      That isn’t reconciliation, that is cultural hegemony.

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      Vichara,

      “Why are Indians singing their National Anthem in Bengali?” and Not Hindi?

      Why can’t the Sri Lankans singing their National Anthem in Tamil?

      If they cannot do that,they should sing in two languages, Sinhala and Tamil.

      ” One National Anthem , Two-Nations” Vs. ” Two National Anthems , One-Nation”

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        This idiot doesn’t know that Rabindranath Tagore who wrote Jana Gana Mana is a bengali and he wrote it in his own Bengali language but he had highly Sanskritised it so that many Indians could understand it.

        Tagore is no white ass sucker like Amaraya or Jehan.

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          I an no muslim Buddhist,

          This idiot “I am no muslim Buddhist” does not know that others know what this idiot knows and what this idiot does not know.

          Here is some information for the idiot, what he does not know about Canada.

          So why cannot Sri Lanka have it in Sinhala and Tamil? Sinhala Buddhist Chauvinism and Sinhala Buddhist Racism?

          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_Canada

          The Crown-in-Council established set lyrics for “O Canada” in Canada’s two official languages. The lyrics are as follows:[1][3][4]

          Official English Official French Translation:
          O Canada!
          Our home and native land!
          True patriot love in all thy sons command.
          With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
          The True North strong and free!
          From far and wide,
          O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
          God keep our land glorious and free!
          O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
          O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

          Ô Canada!
          Terre de nos aïeux,
          Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!
          Car ton bras sait porter l’épée,
          Il sait porter la croix!
          Ton histoire est une épopée
          Des plus brillants exploits.
          Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,
          Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.
          Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.

          O Canada!
          Land of our forefathers,
          Thy brow is wreathed with a glorious garland of flowers.
          As is thy arm ready to wield the sword,
          So also is it ready to carry the cross.
          Thy history is an epic
          Of the most brilliant exploits.
          Thy valour steeped in faith
          Will protect our homes and our rights
          Will protect our homes and our rights

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    Jehan : Why don’t you comment on the corrupt ways of the Rajapakses.

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      All the sinhala writers scared of this corrupt government. They wont write about Health, education and economy very importent for the coutries deveoptment.

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    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy
    https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/

  • 0
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    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy
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    Why are Indians singing their National Anthem in Bengali?
    Would not be nice if the Tamils sing the National Anthem in Sinhalese as a mark of reconciliation?

    Flip side of the Coin.
    Why not the Sri Lankans sing the National Anthem in Tamil. as a mark of reconiliation.

    After all Bengali’s are a small minority in India.

    Levi

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    Let Tamils sing the Tamil anthem of Tamil Madu which is where they belong.

    It is an insult to Chingalam language if Tamils started singing the SL national anthem in Chingalam.

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      and its an insult to intelligence to the readers of CT that you write on these forums like a monkey Fathima ooops sorry ‘LORENSO’ of Lankaweb,please take your trash there.

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      I am all for Tamils creating their own national anthem.

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    Jehan, did you understand Latin when you went to church and sing?? We did not understand the meaning of Pali verses we said in the temple. What is the problem. This shows your plan of dividing Sri Lanka

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      Idiots go to temples, churches or wherever and listen to something they don’t understand but believe those nonsense!

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        As usual you didn’t get what C. Wije was trying to say.

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          Does CW say we must sing the anthem in a language even if we don’t understand what we sing?

          If he says so he means it does not matter whether you understand or not just sing it! That’s what I say is idiocy.

          I am not going to listen to mantras in a language I don’t understand, neither would I sing something, the meaning of which I don’t know.

          This is what the herd may be doing, not a rational person should do.

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            Never mind Tamils like you don’t sing Sri Lanka national anthem in Sinhala, 65 million of your brethren in Tamil Nad have to listen even if they don’t sing ‘Jana Gana Mana’, Indian national anthem in a highly Sanskritised Bengali language which you Tamils don’t understand even a bit.

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              I am no muslim,

              When millions people including the Catholic Church said, the Earth is the center of the universe, Galileo said no, and he nearly lost his life. Today everybody accepts his view.

              So, 65 million can change their minds, and what they accept as OK today may not be in the future. Did you imagine the all powerful Soviet Union will disappear in thin air?

              So, don’t force your views on others just because they are smaller in number, and you have the power because you are larger in number.

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            Thiru,

            “When millions people including the Catholic Church said, the Earth is the center of the universe, Galileo said no, and he nearly lost his life. Today everybody accepts his view.”

            Small corrections.

            Today, not Everybody. About 22% of Americans and about 25% of Europeans still do accept this Myth.! Thre are other Myths too. Nirvana, Nibbana, Rebirth, Samsara, Hell, Heaven, Purgatory and Limbo.

            http://www.ted.com/speakers/devdutt_pattanaik.html

            http://www.nytimes.com/1988/10/25/science/poll-finds-americans-are-ignorant-of-science.html

            Asked whether the Earth goes around the Sun or the Sun around the Earth, 21 percent replied incorrectly; 7 percent said they did not know.

            In the early 16th century, the Polish astronomer Nicholas Copernicus laid the foundation for modern astronomy with his theory that the planets revolved around the Sun.

            1. It was Nichoulaus Copernicus, who said that the Earth revolves around the Sun in 1543.

            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolaus_Copernicus

            The publication of Copernicus’ book, De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres), just before his death in 1543, is considered a major event in the history of science. It began the Copernican Revolution and contributed importantly to the scientific revolution.

            2.

            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Bruno

            Giordano Bruno (Italian pronunciation: [dʒorˈdano ˈbruno]; 1548 – February 17, 1600) (Latin: Iordanus Brunus Nolanus), born Filippo Bruno, was an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, mathematician, astrologer and astronomer. His cosmological theories went beyond the Copernican model: he proposed the Sun was essentially a star, and that the universe contained an infinite number of inhabited worlds populated by other intelligent beings.[2] The Roman Inquisition found him guilty of heresy and he was burned at the stake.[3]

            3. Galileo Gallili

            http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_Galilei

            His contributions to observational astronomy include the telescopic confirmation of the phases of Venus, the discovery of the four largest satellites of Jupiter (named the Galilean moons in his honour),

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    I am so sorry to butt in but this is a topic that deserves attention. 11-13% of the populace deserve to have their own version of the NATIONAL anthem??? Please get your head out of wherever it is presently stuck inside of!

    So, when the Muslims reach the magic 12% in the census, they can get one in Arabic???

    There is a reason why it is called the NATIONAL anthem and not the COMMUNITY anthem.

    There are many things that can be done better and differently in the North. Lets not forget what seeded the original conflict 30 odd years ago. There is plenty of tragedy and genocide on both sides to last a few generations and no one should pretend to be purer than the other.

    I guess NGO’s officials have to justify their stipends by coming out with idiotic analyses of imagined issues. The White-man needs to feel his money is well spent!

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      Can’t you see, Muhammadans are already singing their national anthem five times a day insulting Gods of other religions through hooters in every mosque of Sri Lanka.

      ALLAAHu Akbar, ALLAAHu Akbar
      ALLAAH is the Greatest, ALLAAH is the Greatest

      ALLAAHu Akbar, ALLAAHu Akbar
      ALLAAH is the Greatest, ALLAAH is the Greatest

      Ash-hadu allaa ilaaha ill ALLAAH
      I bear witness that there is no god but ALLAAH

      Ash-hadu allaa ilaaha ill ALLAAH
      I bear witness that there is no god but ALLAAH

      Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar Rasool ALLAAH
      I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of ALLAAH

      Ash-hadu anna Muhammadar Rasool ALLAAH
      I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of ALLAAH

      Hayya ‘alas-salaah
      Come to prayer

      Hayya ‘alas-salaah
      Come to prayer

      Hayya ‘alal-falaah
      Come to success

      Hayya ‘alal-falaah
      Come to success

      ALLAAHu Akbar, ALLAAHu Akbar
      ALLAAH is the Greatest, ALLAAH is the Greatest

      Laa ilaaha ill ALLAAH
      There is no god but ALLAAH

      ………..

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        I am no muslim Buddhist,

        Did not know that you were a muslim Sinhala Buddhist Jihadi.

        Have you ever been to or experienced Hell, Heaven, Nibbana, Nirvana, Rebirth or Samsara? Just curious

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      Why should it be Arabic, since when does Muslim = Arab? The Arab genetic input amongst SL muslims is tiny, the majority are of Tamil stock followed by Singhalese.

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    It is not a crime to be a political/human rights activist and member of an NGO funded by international donors who beleive in such activities.
    It is what he says that matters.
    Jehan has exposed the latent goodwill between provincial councillers of the north and south.
    This is more important than the national anthem.

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    Most of the NGOs in Sri Lanka always go along with Governments especially with MARA’s.The NGOs in North have to get permission from Mara’s secretariat to do any work in North. The software work is totally prohibited other than the MARA supportive NGOs.

    Jehan Perera is the well paid executive director of National Peace Council.The Mannar NGO RPR is a partner of National Peace Council.NPC closely work with Vasudeva who always talks about singing National anthem in Tamil.Why Tamils sing in Tamil and Sinhalese sing in Sinhala.Is it to keep both communities separate.Why Vasu a great revolutionist who supported 18th amendment to tell Mara to come out with a National anthem that consist both languages and could be sung by both communities together.

    These people over and over try to divert the attention to unimportant matters such as hoisting National flag which doesn’t represent other minority communities sufficiently and keep them under the threat of Sinhala sinhaya(Lion) holding a sward against other communities.They know that the Tamils are helpless now and think that they could say anything to them.There are Tamils who betray their own community for money.If Jehan perera tells to hoist “Sinha Kodiya” the partner will definitely do it to get their share.

    It is the fate of the people of our country that they do not have genuine and honest NGOs who really work for the good for the people.We cannot see much difference between the Government and NGOs in our country.Both are very good manipulators and money makers.

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      Chief Minister Wigneswaran took the oath in front of the president,in tamil.
      Will this too “keep both communities separate”?

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      Well said. Two verses in Tamil. Later on we might have to sing two verses in Greek, Chinese or Viet. Who knows?

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    C. Wijeyawickrema –

    We did not understand the meaning of Pali verses we said in the temple.

    So the cat is out of the Bag! Then what are you defending? Defending without understanding!

    No wonder Sinhala Buddists Form Bodu Bala Sena and Hela Ravayas.

    They do not understand the teachings of the great ones.

    They accept the saffron clad thugs statements as the teachings of the enlightened one

    levi

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    This Quack speaks Sinhalese like as the French say “a Spanish cow”. I suppose he will want to sing “Star Spangled Banner” or “God Save the Queen”. If he wants to earn his Yankee buck for his wife and kid then I know he has to write something just anything and he does not really care if it makes sense because he is all twisted inside. There are a few people who refuse to sing the National Anthem but are they jailed, whipped or sodomised? Ours is a country that is free but this extremists Roman Catholic is subtly trying to make mischief by writing about these unimportant trivialities. Colombo Telegraph must really be short of material and proper writers.

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      Diaspora Tamils may already be singing “God Save the Queen” in Tamil. They must be practicing to sing “Que Sera, Sera, Whatever Will Be, Will Be” in Tamil by now.

      Good luck to the crazy lot.

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        Banda

        I am curious.

        Are you descendant of Bandara Vannian or Pandara Nayakkar?

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    This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy
    https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/comments-policy-2/

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    Do you know that these writers are being paid huge salaries by their NGOs for only to write articles to few bulletins. These people go for meetings for only to collect subjects to write but claim to be so called civil society leaders.The foolish donors pay them without having any sense for these cunning persons.Easy money and affected people are the targets of these “writers”

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      Always with the NGO and foreign bogeyman. What else is new. All these decades these Western nations helped Sri lanka but now suddenly these past few years they are all part of some giant conspiracy.

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    How do the USA and Canada acknowledge the native americans in their national anthems? At least the New Zealanders and South Africans have the grace to give the indigenous people recognition. The USA and Canada having perpetrated untold atrocities on the indigenous population sing their national anthem in English or English and French and feel virtuous enough to criticize others.

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