By Dayan Jayatilleka –
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
If President Trump wins, the external linkages and patronage the GR regime enjoys will attract the displeasure of the neoconservative anti-China ‘robust pushback’ strategists.
If former Vice-President Biden wins—which, thankfully, is more likely– the profile and practices of the GR regime will attract the critical gaze of a powerful resurgence of liberal-democratic internationalism.
In an essay in the prestigious Foreign Affairs, Joe Biden decries “the rapid advance of authoritarianism, nationalism, and illiberalism” and asserts his global perspective and project as prospective US President:
“The triumph of democracy and liberalism over fascism and autocracy created the free world. But this contest does not just define our past. It will define our future, as well.”
“…The United States will prioritize results by galvanizing significant new country commitments in three areas: fighting corruption, defending against authoritarianism, and advancing human rights in their own nations and abroad.”
Candidate Biden alleges that “China is…extending its global reach, promoting its own political model…” (Ibid) President Gotabaya Rajapaksa asserts his “neutrality” as between the US, China and India, but the big boys go by the JFK dictum “never mind what he says, watch his hands”. Political power-projection and footprints leave distinctive ‘heat signatures’; state-reconfiguration reveals morphological correspondences.
‘Authoritarian’, ‘nationalist’, ‘illiberal’, ‘autocracy’, ‘China’s political model’: wouldn’t it be prudent for the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime to stop checking all these Biden tick-boxes?
Whichever way the US election goes, it’s all the same to India. The US tilt to India began under a Republican President, George W Bush in 2004. Trump and Modi are friends, and the Trump administration is on the warpath with China. However, the American soft power affinity and romance with India as the world’s largest democracy, is far more a US Democrat passion dating back to Ambassador JK Galbraith. That dimension will take a quantum leap with a Harris Vice-Presidency.
Modi & 13A
The Indian PM made an unambiguous statement about the Tamils and the 13th amendment. The Sri Lankan side responded with slippery evasiveness but implied an interface by using the phrase ‘Constitutional provisions’. The Tamil issue and the 13th amendment were contained in a distinct item, No 7, in the Joint Statement:
“7. Prime Minister Modi called on the Government of Sri Lanka to address the aspirations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace and respect within a united Sri Lanka, including by carrying forward the process of reconciliation with the implementation of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa expressed the confidence that Sri Lanka will work towards realizing the expectations of all ethnic groups, including Tamils, by achieving reconciliation nurtured as per the mandate of the people of Sri Lanka and implementation of the Constitutional provisions.” (India-Sri Lanka Joint Statement on Virtual Bilateral Summit)
At the summit, Prime Minister Modi significantly added the word “essential” to his standard formulation. The official media release from the Indian side read: “He emphasized that implementation of the 13th amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution is essential for carrying forward the process of peace and reconciliation.”
After the Joint Statement, the Sri Lankan PM’s Office released its own statement omitting what the Indian PM said on the Tamils and the 13th amendment, which the Sri Lankan side obviously signed-off on for inclusion in the Joint Statement.
Minister Keheliya Rambukwelle attempted to spin the story at his first post-summit media briefing, and in his next one he grudgingly acknowledged the 13A reference in answer to a pointed question by the journalist, but downplayed and deflected Mr. Modi’s statement: “…it was an opinion…he expressed an opinion…”.
Prof Charitha Herath, MP, and Viyathmaga member, explained on TV that in the making of a new Constitution the government will take into account that which is good in the 13th amendment and discard the bad.
State Minister, Rear-Admiral Sarath Weerasekara, a Viyathmaga-Eliya luminary in whose charge the President judiciously placed the Provincial Council system, was more pointed:
“Provincial Councils is an internal matter which should be decided by the President of Sri Lanka and not by the leaders of other countries…India cannot interfere or intimidate that we should continue with the Provincial Councils… The 13th Amendment was introduced into our Constitution under the Indo-Lanka pact and according to which India had to fulfil several conditions and one of which was the disarming of the LTTE, which never took place. India could not accomplish it. Therefore, it is questionable as to what extent this Indo-Lanka Agreement is effective…”
Ven. Dr. Medagoda Abayathissa, a member of Eliya and of the Buddhist Advisory Council which President Gotabaya Rajapaksa convenes every month, pointedly queried: “How can there be a 13th amendment in a brand-new Constitution?”
The sole substantive political point made by the Indian side at the level of the Prime Minister– who is a global player, not only a powerful national leader– is that of the Tamils and the 13th amendment. By ignoring or brushing aside that single political point, which the Indian PM thought “essential”, Colombo makes clear that it does not take India’s political signaling—its messaging at the highest level– with the seriousness that is warranted.
Is the potential cost of accommodating Prime Minister Modi’s ‘opinion’ –or reminder—of what he regards as ‘essential’, greater than the potential cost of not doing so?
The 13th amendment is the very core of the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, a bilateral agreement between states—notwithstanding the governmental and/or constitutional changes.
Since the Accord and the amendment were the factors that pivoted India away from patronage of the Tamil cause to that of partnership with Colombo, can Sri Lanka risk a unilateral move on 13A triggering a potential, partial reverse effect—especially with slight signs of peaceful civic protest (the Thileepan shut-down) in the North and East?
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has mentioned Sri Lanka critically in his report to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. India’s umbrella may be necessary for Sri Lanka in UN forums, for which the implementation of the 13th amendment –a longstanding Sri Lankan pledge–may be a modest price to pay.
India continues to attract and entrance Russia, a durable relationship which Moscow will not give up or jeopardize even for China. India’s active role in the SCO, the Commonwealth, the Nonaligned/G-77 and many other multilateral forums gives it diplomatic space that few big powers have.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa played the Indian card to offset Western pressure to stop the war. If President GR’s stand today on 13A had been President MR’s stand in 2008-2009, would we have been able to win the war, or would we have been interrupted –this time by the West–as we were in 1987?
Unlike the Geneva 2015 resolution which the government can credibly dissociate itself from, the pledge to implement 13A comes not only from a Rajapaksa administration but was repeatedly conveyed by the ‘troika’ handling Indo-Lanka relations, which consisted of Secretary Defense Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga. It was a pledge of three Rajapaksa brothers.
Doesn’t it trouble President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his brothers, that having given their collective word in wartime to implement the 13th amendment, he is coldly silent on the subject even in the company of Prime Minister Modi– and seems to be going back on it? Is President Gotabaya Rajapaksa reneging on our wartime promise to Delhi because he doesn’t think he needs India anymore?
The shared Rajapaksa assumption is that they were turfed-out in 2015 by an Indo-US tilt due to misapprehensions about a Rajapaksa gateway for China. If so, how would the USA and India view the return of the Rajapaksas and the constitutional ‘siloing’ of the regime at this time of intensifying strategic competition with China?
The most rudimentary geopolitical analysis would say that this island’s contiguous Northern and Eastern provinces, with a fairly compact majority of Tamil speakers– an Indian language—and the Trincomalee harbor, constitute a natural buffer for India, to offset any expansion of Chinese influence in the Sinhala-majority two-thirds of this island located on India’s southern perimeter. Thus, the effective implementation of the 13th amendment and the non-diminution of the Provincial Councils, is more than a mere opinion of Prime Minister Modi, but geo-strategically essential for India especially at a time of intensified competition with China.
Which external power has the most political influence over and within the current Sri Lankan regime? Whoever it is, it sure isn’t India. The paradox is that the island may be in India’s geopolitical sphere of influence but India’s political influence on the state is minimal, marginal, ineffective.
Ashan / October 12, 2020
ALL polls in the US show Biden leading in most categories, and most importantly in the battleground States. Trump has been trying hard to make a case for election rigging, blaming the Democrats despite the fact that it is HE who has got his puppet in the United States Post Office, to take away hundreds of mail sorting machines, and even mail boxes, because stats show it is the majority who mail in ballots are Democrats. He is sabotaging the system, and the countries top Intelligence officials have put out an ad assuring the people that the system is secure and safe, disputing Trump’s claims.
Trump and his evil side kick Bill Barr have in their control right wing militia, armed white supremacists, and ex marine goons, who Trump has ordered to stand back and stand by……we will only know for what when the results of the elections are in.
America looks a very strange and chaotic place under Trump.
/
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 13, 2020
India considers Sri Lanka as its back yard and a vassal state.It will not permit any country other than itself to have any military base in Sri Lanka. India knows that China is trying its best to establish bases in Sri Lanka. So it will not take at face value the assurances given by Sri Lanka that Hambantota port is only for commercial purposes. China has been allowed in first by MR regime, which Yahapalnaya allowed them to take a firm root. Only way China could be checked is with the help of Tamils. Whether Sri Lanka remains united or divided or whether north and east is merged or not depends solely on the decision of India. India at that time thought that independent Tamil state could be against their interests, but that may change if Sri Lanka continues to toy with China. Despite years of murder and ethnic cleansing of Tamils and settling of Sinhalese, still Tamils are the majority in east.If elections are held, Tamils will put up a united front and take over eastern province.
/
SJ / October 14, 2020
“India considers Sri Lanka as its back yard and a vassal state.”
There are some pathetic creatures that are happy to go along with that attitude.
*
Tamils had given up on India long ago, but not the so-called leaders.
India’s forthcomig betrayal on A13 will be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
/
Dinuk / October 13, 2020
Trump is spoiling for and stoking a war between the 2 Asia Giants – India and China, to make Euro-America great again!
US and EU are falling apart with trillions of debt and massive social and economic inequality and unrest..
Covid 19 was also to bailout the US and EU economy with money printing. That is why the Covid CARES Act was drafted a year before Corona virus appeared on the horizon!
/
SJ / October 14, 2020
“America looks a very strange and chaotic place under Trump.”
Perhaps so.
But, Ashan, don’t you think that America should in fact have been a very strange and chaotic place to elect Trump?
/
GATAM / October 12, 2020
Only way out – allow USA, China, Russia, India and Saudi military bases in the island. Indian army can be redeployed in Jaffna. China is not going anywhere and China is not going to stop either. We all have to live with that fact.
13A does not help India in anyway and the Eastern PC cannot be merged with the Northern PC. Eastern PC is ruled by Muslims (not Indians). Trincomalee is part of the Muslim ruled Eastern PC. USA has sufficient influence on the Eastern PC directly through Saudi. All infrastructure development work in Trincomalee were done with Saudi and Qatar financing.
/
Pandi Kutti / October 13, 2020
Hello Thullukan Eastern PC was ruled by Muslims , not any more . It was a deliberate act by the Chingkallams to divide and rule the east , so they ganged up with many anti Hindu , anti Thamizh , opportunistic Wahhabi./Salafist Islamic politicians and gave power to them to rule the east , despite the Thamizh being the indigenous and largest community in the east . These fake Arab low caste Dravidian Thamizh South Indian refugees , who only came to the east as beggars a few centuries ago , soon set about the Islamizing the ancient Thamizh Hindu east and marginalizing the native Thamizh. Now this has been stopped , after the Easter bombing , as the Chingkallams have realized their mistake of giving power to opportunistic backstabbing , trouble creating Thullukans like you , who were kicked out of your original South Indian homeland for the same reason and came here as refugees.
/
Pandi Kutti / October 13, 2020
You have only one agenda , to take over the island for Islam and create a fake Arab Wahhabi homeland for your Arab masters. Pretend to by the allies of the Chingkallams but it is for an agenda. This is why you do not want the ancient Thamizh North and East to join as one unit and what Saudi/Pakistani troops and influence in the Thamizh east. Dream on trouble creating Southern Muslim Thullukan. What Rohan25 stated is true . The Muslims only predominate along coastal Amparai from Southern Kalamunai, in the Amparai district, in Kattankudi area in Batticaloa and in a pocket in Muttur in Trincomalee district. The rest of the land area other than the interior Amparai and Gomarankasawela area in Trincomalee is all Thamizh . If you want you can keep your Arab and Pakistani masters in these overpopulated Muslim majority pockets , that really cannot do anything and they can help you to breed more extremist Wahhabi/Salafist Thullkans and overpopulated these areas even more . This is wjy you want to steal the rest of the east from its rightful Hindu Thamizh owners. Good try . East is Muslim and bring Saudi/Pakistani troops , The east is not Muslim and no Saudi Pakistani or other Islamic fanatics will ever set foot there. Why you want other Islamic universities in the east?
/
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / October 14, 2020
GATAM, northern and eastern provinces are like Jammu and Kashmir, where Hindus are majority in Jammu and Muslims are majority in Kashmir. Indian troops are in Kashmir, and what have the Muslims done other than watching helplessly despite support form Pakistan. Same thing will happen in eastern province if Indian troops take control of it. I will take a bet that large section of Muslims will turn their hat especially those who had been persecuted by Sunni extremists. Any Muslims who create trouble at the instigation of Pakistani intelligence agency or Sri Lanka government will receive their dues. History may reverse the fate of those who once went as refugees to leave the area as refugees.
/
SJ / October 18, 2020
What s****d parallels!
/
Rohan25 / October 13, 2020
Why all these military bases and from all these nations? What has Saudi Russia or China got to do with us . India is our neighbour and 99.99% of the island’s population are Indian by race and culture, even the so called Sri Lankan Moors like you , despite falesely claiming an Arab origin and heritage. Is that why you want Saudi to come in ? To Islamize and Arabize the island , especially the Tamil east? Muslims now trying to claim the Tamil east, solely for them is the biggest joke They only arrived here as refugees a few centuries ago and were give refuge by the local Tamils , for the following reasons 1) They were ethnically Tamil 2) Because the Sinhalese did not want any more of them in their areas and they had nowhere else to go,. The Portuguese were killing them , as they refused to convert to Catholicism and for trade reasons. The eastern Tamil Muslims on their maternal side a Tamil Mukkuva , as only Tamil Muslim men arrived in the east seeking refuge and the Tamil Vannmai chiefs gave them lands and Tamil Hindu Mukkuva women to settle and start families. This is why the eastern Muslims follow the eastern Tamil Mukkuva laws. Now trying to claim a separate identity on the basis of their religion and a fake Arab origin is a joke.
/
Rohan25 / October 13, 2020
The only two people with an ancient history of ruling and owning land in the island are the Sinhalese and the Eelam Tamils , No one else. All the kings and chiefs who ruled the island either identified themselves as Sinhalese Buddhists or Tamil Hindus no Islamic or Christian rulers. Now immigrant converted South Indian Dravidian Tamil refugees who only arrived in the east a few centuries ago , claiming large chunks of the ancient Tamil east, as their in the name of Islam and trying to Arabize it with Saudi/Pakistani help is the biggest joke.
The only two people with an ancient history of ruling and owning land in the island are the Sinhalese and the Eelam Tamils , No one else. All the kings and chiefs who ruled the island either identified themselves as Sinhalese Buddhists or Tamil Hindus no Islamic or Christian rulers. Now immigrant converted South Indian Dravidian Tamil refugees who only arrived in the east a few centuries ago claiming large chunks of the ancient Tamil east, as their in the name of Islam and trying to Arabize it with Saudi/Pakistani help is the biggest joke. This is like South Asian and West Indian migrants in Britain claiming large amount of lands as theirs and stating the native English, Scottish and Welsh have no right to their own lands. See how absurd is this.
/
SJ / October 18, 2020
R25
Nepalis are ethnically even closer to Indians than we are.
But why do they resent India?
/
Thiru / October 12, 2020
Sri Lanka is in India’s backyard, and India is a power in South Asia with China harassing it in the North East, Pakistan an enemy in the West.
India, US, Australia and Japan are joining together to contain China’s ambitions of global expansionism.
Sri Lanka is flirting with China and putting India against it so that Sri Lanka can milk both cows.
Sinhalese extremists want Tamils and Muslims to be subjugated and humiliated: They put the current authoritarian Sinhalese Buddhist chauvinists in power.
Sinhalese leaders think India was used as “karapingha” that can be discarded after cooking the war on Tamils.
Can the cunning Sinhalese leaders outwit India this time too? Raavanan couldn’t!
/
Thiru / October 12, 2020
Sri Lanka better remember what happened to Ukraine in Russia’s backyard in the recent past, and in similar situations elsewhere. You don’t need Aesop’s fables to teach wisdom to Sri Lanka. Usually small countries can flourish if it is friendly with its big neighbor.
/
GATAM / October 12, 2020
That is because Ukraine continues to have a large Russian population within northern and eastern Ukraine and Russia’s other borders are all quiet, particularly the longest border it has with China. Not the case with India and Indians in the island if you look at their distribution.
/
SJ / October 13, 2020
T&G
I think that you are both missing the core of the problem in Ukraine.
It is about US aim to isolate ad weaken Russia.
Russo-China border issue faded into insignificance in the post Cold War era for geopolitical reasons .
/
SJ / October 18, 2020
But not by letting big brother swallow you!
/
SJ / October 13, 2020
“…with China harassing it in the North East, Pakistan an enemy in the West.”
Now little Nepal is bullying poor India and Bangladesh is fast warming up to China.
Now India can dictate only to landlocked Bhutan. That too may not last .long.
/
Momentous20 / October 12, 2020
Quite a penetrating analysis, however disagreeable it may seem to the aggrieved yet hopeful minority. Whatever the allusions pleasing to the Tamils were made earlier, the author’s sting is in the proverbial tail.
“Which external power has the most political influence over and within the current Sri Lankan regime? Whoever it is, it sure isn’t India. The paradox is that the island may be in India’s geopolitical sphere of influence but India’s political influence on the state is minimal, marginal, ineffective”.
Within a limited time span it may seem to have some relevance, but effluxion of time will wear it thin.
A grave reference was made in 1976, when KPS Menon ICS, a distinguished scholar, diplomat and Advisor to Nehru, said this when he declared open the BMICH. He spoke of a Report commissioned by a former President of USA, prepared by a group of scholars, with Adlai Stevenson as the head. One forecast was “India will grow into a great power, She will be a Danger to her Neighbours…” At least to some in the audience including this commenter, it appeared prophetic, though the speaker discounted it.
/
Dinuk / October 12, 2020
Dayan: Saffron Modi is a US puppet, a partner in the global Islamophobia and ISIS narrative and weaponizing religion/s to divide and rule project.
Govt of India policy is now controlled and determined by the Euro-American-NATO McKinsey and Boston Consulting Group CONSULTANCY RAJ and Euro-American Indian Diaspora that is also running the Covid-hoax to destroy BRICS economies in India.
How can anyone respect India which has failed to defend the Indian Ocean from the looting of marine resources by France, UK, US. India enables the colonization of the IOR and Chagos Islands.. and just as the IO is lost India is exporting and weaponizing religious divides in South and Southeast Asia with the Hinduthva Ramayana-Ravana project and funding for Buddhist outfits etc. and promoting US-EU Islamophobia.
/
RBH59 / October 12, 2020
Asserts neutrality between the US, China and India,
US makes countries to join the US team, by its famous political communication stratergy You’re either with us, or against us” this over way We are called the nation of inventors. And we are.
/
GATAM / October 12, 2020
Make no mistake. Trump has to go because he messed with China. Same thing happened to Sirisena in 2019.
/
SJ / October 12, 2020
G
Trump has been messing around with China to avoid going out. He still counts on it.
#
Sirisena has an unmatched knack for screwing himself up. He should have known the day after his election that he had to go sooner than later.
/
Nathan / October 12, 2020
If Sri Lanka continues with its double-tongued diplomacy, the day of reckoning would be sooner than later.
/
soma / October 12, 2020
Nathan
It possible to punish Sri Lanka as a whole but it is impossible to punish a 75% majority within the territory without the the balance minority sharing the punishment. If economic sanctions are imposed Tamils (all Tamil speaking people scattered across the island irrespective of their religion caste or the date of arrival) too WILL share the hunger. Tamil racist donkeys on CT residing abroad are hallucinating a day when they will eventually entrap the Sinhalese with the assistance of India. The point everyone seem to ignore is that Sri Lanka is an island. A military push will result in accepting +50% Tamils presently living among the Sinhalese as refugees. To the extent India can hold Sri Lanka hostage Sri Lanka will hold the the Tamils hostage. This is a mutual hostage drama. Tamil racist donkeys living a luxurious life abroad are totally indifferent to the well being of their kith and kin they left behind.
–
Soma
/
Nathan / October 12, 2020
Soma,
The ignorance of Sri Lankan Tamils is not in play. What is in play is the intelligence of India. SL is playing with fire.
/
soma / October 13, 2020
Nathan
Tamils will burn too.
Where are YOU going to be when the fire starts?
Even if India drops an atom bomb on Colombo more Tamils will die than the Sinhalese.
There is no way – ABSOLUTELY NO WAY – to punish the Sinhalese without Tamils facing a thousand times damaging reaction.
As I said earlier it is a mutual hostage situation.
–
Mr.Nathan, now here is another good reason why TNA should carryout a campaign to relocate the Tamils living outside North East into the would-be Homeland.
–
Soma
/
Native Vedda / October 13, 2020
soma
–
“Tamils will burn too.”
–
Brilliant.
These too stupid people don’t care if they too caught fire on their bum or burn their b***s, for them as long as their perceived enemy caught fire they are contented.
In other words dump asses prefer “Cutting off the nose to spite the face.”.
–
“There is no way – ABSOLUTELY NO WAY – to punish the Sinhalese without Tamils facing a thousand times damaging reaction.”
–
We know your desperation. You desperately need a good riots hence you will find or create your own pretexts to burn, loot, kill, rape, …………….. whether Hindia intervenes or not.
–
Please book your hiding place maybe Sambandan’s Amude is best place to hide from Hindian, American, …….. Chinaman, ……….. even from Gota.
–
Remember General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi, along with 93,000 troops, surrendered to Hindian troops, lost substantial part of Pakistani territory even though Americans send their fleet and threaten to rain with bombs and missiles.
–
You should mute your bogus victory claims in the past and bravado and stop blowing your Mullivaaikkal trumpet.
–
If and when IPKF Mark II arrives let see where you would choose to hide, maybe C V Wigneshwaran’s amude or SJ’s Chinese made old man underwear cotton boxer shorts.
/
SJ / October 13, 2020
N
What are SL Tamil leaders doing?
Waiting for Godot?
/
SJ / October 12, 2020
Soma
Indian business has interests in Sri Lanka that run deeper than any Indian interest in any socio-ethnic group here.
*
For 3 decades India did not push for the implementation of 13A with even the most pliant government in Sri Lanka. Not that it couldn’t or shouldn’t.
*
As for speculation about how the big bad wolf next door will behave, my thought is that fairy tales are fairy tales.
/
Agnos / October 13, 2020
Soma,
I don’t know who is talking about ‘sanctions.’ But we saw the bravado of people like you when the IPKF was in the North-East.
Anyway, you have been going around telling everyone that Tamils can have a ‘Tamils speaking only” North-East ( aka ‘Eelam’) if all Tamils in the South are moved to the region.
Suppose the following sequence happens:
1. Your Fuhrer keeps his word that although he won’t give Tamils any more political rights, he will develop the region. Develop it on par with the Western province, with adequate economic opportunities.
2. You keep your word and work with your Fuhrer to implement your promise, repeated ad nauseam on CT, to create an Eelam by asking Tamils in the South to move to the newly developed N-E.
Then enough Tamils, other than the upcountry workers, will do so. Your problem is solved. No blood spilled, no Indian intervention. You no longer need to worry about the ‘pesky’ Tamils in your midst. I am not advocating it, but just saying you can make your wish come true.
/
soma / October 13, 2020
Agnos
“repeated ad nauseam on CT”
True it is my only theme for it is the only possible solution to the cry for “self determination” repeated ad nauseam by your political masters for the last 70 years which led to rivers and rivers of blood.
Now that is beside the point.
My usual comment runs as follows:
Tamils (all Tamil speaking people scattered across the island irrespective of their religion, caste or the date of arrival) must be given the option to choose between a ‘SEPARATE’ Homeland ‘OR’ the right to live anywhere. ON MY PART I BEG OF MY TAMIL BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO CHOOSE THE LATTER OPTION.
Tell me Agnos why doesn’t anyone comment on my consistent plea to live in one country as equal citizens anywhere of his/her choice in this beautiful island and go on calling me a racist?
My emphasis on “OR” irritates the hypocrite in you who wish to eat the cake and have it, isn’t it?
.
I take this opportunity once again to appeal to my Tamil brothers and sisters to choose the option of right to live anywhere.
.
Awaiting your response.
(There are so many ways to skin a cat but this choice is a tough one, I know)
–
Soma
/
Native Vedda / October 13, 2020
soma
–
I never understood,
Sinhala/Buddhists,
Sinhala/Buddhism,
Sinhala/Buddhist country,
Sinhala/Buddhist majoritarian rule,
Buddha’s visit to this island,
Who came first,
Asokan Brahmi,
Interlinear Inscription,
Eelam
Thamil Eelam,
Why almost everyone is stupid,
–
Gota said “the Sacred Tooth Relic protected the Motherland and the people right throughout”. If true why did the country suffer between 1958 and January 2015, due to many riots, wars, looting, ……………….. ?
Is he suffering from Blitz spirit?
–
If you do not have the answers just forget it.
/
soma / October 14, 2020
Signs of dementia.
–
Soma
/
Nathan / October 13, 2020
Soma,
I find your appeal to your Tamil brothers and sisters to choose to live anywhere, attractive.
I have decided to take it when I see your response to:
Do we have the guarantee of your mates that we would not have to suffer again if we expect equal treatment from them, when living among you.
/
soma / October 15, 2020
Nathan
Most certainly. It is bound to happen. It is a give and take. Officialy withdraw Vadukkodai resolution, Federal breakup proposals and give up attempts to get India for hand twisting. (Remember even 1983 was triggered by LTTE). Sorry, let’s not get into this chicken or egg argument which has no end.
.
Tamil speaking people are seriously handicapped in their dealings with the state administrative machinery and the legal system. Every attempt must be made to alleviate this problem, no expense should be spared in providing translation facilities wherever necessary. A cordial atmosphere will solve the problem.
.
I never argue over history or genetics. My premise is the EXISTING demographics.
–
Soma
/
Nathan / October 18, 2020
Soma,
My response may be a bit too late, nevertheless, for the sake of fullness of the subject, I shall add:
There was and still is no GIVE only TAKE for Tamils. We have been taking your assaults on us for decades and decades.
Let us orderly.
Withdrawing Vadukkodai resolution will follow an apology for the 1972 Constitution.
LTTE is not there; 1983 cannot repeat.
Your promises are never kept. Alleviating this and alleviating that should begin in practice; take steps towards alleviating.
Why start with ‘EXISTING demographics’, when you demand withdrawal of the Vadukkodai resolution. Use the demography of 1947.
/
Agnos / October 14, 2020
Soma,
I have no political masters, but I am committed to helping my people find a lasting solution to their problems and live with their human rights and dignity.
With all the sordid ethnic violence against Tamils in the South starting in 1958 and going on in isolated cases even today, how can anyone take what you say as sincere? Even with that sordid past, the option you talk about–the ability to live anywhere in the Island–would be a welcome offer if it were made by a humanistic person in a genuine way.
But you are someone who says that for argument and then you turn around to talk about the Rohingya solution to the Tamils, and also offer your undying love to your Fuhrer who is known to have committed war crimes and other atrocities.
[contd.]
/
Agnos / October 14, 2020
[contd.]
As I see it, in the immediate future, with all the fears about past violence still intact, practical issues such as farmers and fishermen being tied to their local communities, the inability to use the Tamil language with ease in the South, etc., Tamils need to retain a sense of human security–physical, economic and cultural–in the North-East. If, after a period of 30 years, Sinhalese and Tamils have demonstrated a sense of co-existence and tolerance, and better ability to communicate in each other’s languages, then what you say may become possible.
Indeed, grave crises can arise from climate change in 30–50 years, making most of the coastal areas uninhabitable, with sea level rise and too high temperatures, leading to another wave of displacement and formation of new population centers. The injection of such crises may make it necessary for everyone to change their attitudes and rethink their expectations. Tamils, being a small community, may eventually adjust well to such realities. But will the mindset of Sinhala-Buddhist domination ever change fundamentally even under such crises? Most people seem to doubt it.
/
soma / October 15, 2020
Agnos
Then you have the other option of Homeland, though I still insist that you reconsider, not be carried away by emotions and go for the option of the right to live anywhere. When you have made up your mind, as you say you have committed to the cause, try to initiate a movement to pursuade the Tamils presently living in the south to relocate themselves into the designated Homeland area. The day I see a tendency among the Tamils to leave us I will feel ashamed as a Sinhalese and will be a committed supporter of Tamil rights – trust me. Try to convince at least Sumathithran to begin with. Sampanthan has decided to pass his remaining days in Colombo.
Glad to hear that Tamils are more adaptable to climate change.
–
Soma
/
Native Vedda / October 13, 2020
Nathan
–
“If Sri Lanka continues with its double-tongued diplomacy, “
–
Sri Lanka has been practising “twin-track approach” for many many years.
One track is that giving middle finger in public and then shut the door behind them and prostates in front of their supposed foreign enemy.
/
Ajith / October 12, 2020
Lies, Cheat, Threat/Murder are the characteristics of Mahinda Regime. One day they have to face justice and Reality.
/
SJ / October 12, 2020
“If former Vice-President Biden wins—which, thankfully, is more likely– the profile and practices of the GR regime will attract the critical gaze of a powerful resurgence of liberal-democratic internationalism”
*
Does the author seriously believe that the Democratic Party is about “liberal-democratic internationalism”— whatever it is supposed to mean.
As far as the Third World is concerned, the difference between the Republicans and Democrats is superficial, as the state is run by well-entrenched class interests.
/
old codger / October 18, 2020
S.J,
“Does the author seriously believe that the Democratic Party is about “liberal-democratic internationalism”
Dr. DJ’s opinions are known to change depending on his personal fortunes.
/
SJ / October 18, 2020
OC
True.
Even a weathercock should show some conviction.
/
soma / October 13, 2020
“Political power-projection and footprints leave distinctive ‘heat signatures’; state-reconfiguration reveals morphological correspondences.”
.
Can someone help me please!
–
Soma
/
Native Vedda / October 13, 2020
soma
–
“Can someone help me please!”
–
Forget it, morphological correspondences is all about him, about confluence of Dayan’s bigotry, mee-too moments, imagined Gromyko moments (with due respect I was there Mr President) , significance attribution to elements of space and time, …………………………………….
–
Stop worrying about Dayan, even if Isaiah Berlin took pity on you and explained you how Dayan is taking you for ride, you are so bigoted you will never understand. However I wish you a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious future.
/
Stanley / October 17, 2020
Hello Pol Pot, I thought you were dead?
/
Native Vedda / October 17, 2020
Stanley
–
Buddha died about 2500 years ago, Anagarika Homeless Dharmapala died 87 years ago, Pandaranayakam was assassinated 61 years ago, Rohana Wijeweera was tortured and killed 31 years ago, Thiruvengadam Veluppillai Prabaharan was killed 11 years ago, …. however people still talk about them.
–
Why not Pol Pot?
/
Stanley / October 18, 2020
Native, people may talk about them but they don’t use them as gravatars.
/
Thanga / October 13, 2020
The political landscape of India has changed since 2009. The then Congress government took revenge on LTTE because of the killing of Rajiv Gandhi. That situation no more prevails. Today, a strong nationalist government led by Narendra Modi is in power.
Some lament the fact that the Indo – Lanka Accord is no more valid because India failed to disarm the LTTE. But then it was Sri Lanka under President Premadasa who gave the marching orders to India to withdraw its forces in 1989/1990.
Sinhalese hard-core nationalists are repeating ad-nausea that half the Tamils live outside the Northeast. In fact out of a population 2.2 million Ceylon Tamils only a third liver outside the Northeast.
/
soma / October 14, 2020
Thanga
What is your definition of Tamil Natiion in respect of a ‘political situation’ ?
I mean who are included/excluded.
What is TNA’s definition?
My definition is:
All Tamil speaking people scattered across the island irrespective of their religion caste or the date of arrival.
–
Soma
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / October 17, 2020
Thanga it does not matter if 100% of the Eelam Tamils or 10% of them only live in the north and east. It is their home land and they are still living there and are the majority , despite large scale Sinhalese colonization, ethnic cleansing of Eelam Tamils and illegal Muslim land appropriation. All activities that have been supported by the Sri Lankan state from independence, to deliberately thwart the historical claim of the Eelam Tamils to their ancient homeland , where they had exclusively lived and ruled, prior to European colonisation of NE Of the island. Yes as per the latest census 70% of the Eelam Tamils live in their traditional historic homelands in the North and East. There a more Scots living outside Scotland , this does not reduce the ancient historical claim of the Scots to Scotland or the Welsh to Wales. The Sri Lankan government and Sinhalese racists are trying to bring all sorts of stupid claims , to deny and prevent the Tamils getting their due rights. Most of the Tamils living in the Sinhalese areas are Indian origin Tamils. Also remember thousands of Eelam Tamils still live in the North West coast , that was once part of the Eelam Tamil homeland but thanks to the British has become part of the Sinhalese south.
/
Siva Sankaran Sharma / October 17, 2020
Strictly speaking many of these areas along the North West , especially in Puttalam , should be added to the Northern province. The Sinhalese elite and leadership had planned all this genocide, ethnic cleansing of Tamils from the island long before independence and making this island eventually only the land of the Sinhalese Buddhists. The stupid Tamil leaders and politicians blindly trusted them and never saw what was coming. They and their children are not paying for this but ordinary Tamils are heavily paying for this blunder. The first move was to make the Indian origin estate Tamils stateless. Once this was done and they consolidated their power, they started on the native Eelam Tamils . Now it is the turn of their former partners in the Eelam Tamil genocide the Muslim Tamils.
The Sri Lankan government and Sinhalese racists are trying to bring all sorts of stupid claims , to deny and prevent the Tamils getting their due rights. Most of the Tamils living in the Sinhalese areas are Indian origin Tamils. Also remember thousands of Eelam Tamils still live in the North West coast , that was once part of the Eelam Tamil homeland but thanks to the British has become part of the Sinhalese south.
/
soma / October 17, 2020
S.S.S.
“Thanga it does not matter if 100% of the Eelam Tamils or 10% of them only live in the north and east.”
It matters to those living outside North and East.
–
Soma
/
SJ / October 18, 2020
Soma
It is fair if it matters to those living outside North and East in this country. They may crave returning.They deserve respect.
But those who pose as Tamil super-patriots are settled abroad, and talking of Eelam is mere pastime.
/