Ajit Rupasinghe
On the Historic Significance of Singing the National Anthem on National Independence Day in Sinhala and Tamil
The singing of the National Anthem in both Sinhala and Tamil languages on National Independence Day is of crucial significance due to several major factors. First of all, it is a singular achievement for all progressive and democratic forces throughout the country and the world who had stood, and continue to stand for, the principles of equality, dignity, autonomy and security of all citizens of Lanka. It is an achievement for all those who respect unity in diversity, respect universal human and democratic rights, and stand against the politics and ideology of supremacy, chauvinism and hegemony, and any and all forms of national discrimination, oppression and subjugation. It is a positive achievement, however limited and partial, of the Tamil nation for all that it has suffered and endured, and continues to suffer under military occupation and threatened by new forms of political subjugation. Irrespective of whatever interest, motive or agenda behind this policy, the act itself is an achievement for all progressive forces, and a clear gain for the national liberation struggle of the people of Lanka.
It constitutes a frontal blow on all racist, chauvinist, neo-fascist forces. It serves to symbolically pierce its shield of over-lording omnipotence and invincibility. Singing the national anthem in both Sinhala and Tamil occurred in the context where these neo-fascist goons were, and are, on the rampage; where the national flag had been stripped of all minority identities, with just the lion and the sword emblazoned, along with the slogans of ‘Sinha-Le’ (Blood of the Lion) being posted publicly. It occurred in the context where the Bodu Bala Sena had acted as the ‘Balu Bala Sena (Army of Canine Force) in front of the Homagama courts. This act of singing together in both languages occurs even as the camp of neo-fascism is trying desperately to rear its monstrous head to strike back and seize power with terrorist vengeance yet unknown.
We also acknowledge with great respect the genuine and exemplary statesmanship demonstrated by Chief Minister, Hon. C.V. Wigneswaran, who is reported to have visited the Naga Viharaya in Jaffna to offer flowers and prayers to Lord Buddha as an act of pious gratitude, and who is said to have stated that, ‘for every step taken by the Sinhala people towards the Tamil people, they shall take ten steps towards you’. It is up to all of us to grasp this hand of friendship and solidarity, and never let go. That is, if we believe in a vision of a united, independent, democratic and prosperous Sri Lanka.
A window of opportunity has opened for building bridges of mutual trust, understanding, solidarity and cooperation between the North-South-East and Hill Country. It is time for civil society to raise its voice of appreciation and to ensure that the dark, evil forces of neo-fascism shall never raise its head in the Land of Lanka ever again.
Sellam / February 13, 2016
Hi Rupasinghe
Why was the National anthem in Tamil sung at the latter part of the ceremony instead to follow the National Anthem sung in Singhalese. The national anthem is sung while hoisting the national flag not during the lowing down the flag. There is some confusion here.
When the Tamils are still subjugated and treated as second class citizens, singing the national anthem is nothing for the Tamils. If the government has fulfilled the basic immediate demands of the Tamils, then of course the singing of the national anthem in Tamil is a way forward but it should be sung in continuation of the Sinhalese anthem
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Jim softy / February 13, 2016
Sellam:
Instead of what is happening In sinhale;
Go back to Tamilnadu and ask for what you must have.
Be a proud Tamil, and not just a barking dog.
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Amarasiri / February 13, 2016
Jim softy
Both Sinala and Tamil are paras.
Both must get back to India.
Check the DNA in the bodies.
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Keynes! / February 14, 2016
Jim Softy,
In 2008, the Daily News even boasted that Mahinda was the first world leader to address the UN in Tamil.
What then is the fuss when the national anthem is sung in Tamil?
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Analyst / February 13, 2016
The tears rolled down the eyes of Mr Sampandan’s , said it all and proves to the fellow country men and women that Tamil’s too have feelings , Feelings for the song which was sung on the fine day in ones OWN mother tongue as it was sung on the Indepedence day way back in the 1940s.
Not forgetting the rehabilitating ex LTTE’ers in the deep North were FORCED by the Army to sing the Anthem in Sinhala only, I thought that was the Barbarism of the SL FORCES. Do,we call this rehabilitation??? No it’s Barbarism.
I remember a poem written by a 13 year old boy who emigrated to Europe with his parents as a toddler to escape from the ravage of war , penned a poem which I thought was very touching with real feelings of a child.
I think he said in his poem something like this,
” Mother Lanka ,Mother Lanka You don’t know me but I know you, even though you hated me but I love you .I am you and will be forever yours.”
These racists elements at present whether they are Sinhala Buddhists , Christians or the mighty yellow Robed Racists will continue with this narrow mindedness for their OWN GAIN , while at it they will continue to destroy this beautiful country .
Unable to fathom how the culprits who are wanted by the law for bribery corruption and murder charges and awaiting for their cases or on Bail to be heard are still allowed to roam freely and conducting public appearances and forming new parties.
The kind of LAW is only applcable in OUR WONDER OF ASIA WHERE NO OTHER LAND LIKE THIS.
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Analyst / February 13, 2016
Definition of: Accused or Charged by the court of LAW and called to be heard are still known as ACCUSED . They are NOT FREE / INNOCENT UNTIL THEY HAVE PROVEN THEMSELVES BY THEIR LAWYERS IN THE COURT OF LAW AND DECLARED AS INNOCENT BY THE JUDGE.
I am an innocent Citizen of this country and I have not been ACCUSED FOR ANY WRONG DOINGS ,SO I REMAIN A FREE PERSON UNLIKE SOMEONE IS ACCUSED IN THE COURT OF LAW THEY NEED TO PROVE THEIR INNOCENCE UNTIL THEN THEY ARE KNOWN AS “GUILTY”.
ITS LIKE THE ARGUEMENT ,WHICH CAME FIRST THE EGG OR THE CHICKEN.
COURT OF LAW SHOULD NOT WAVER BUT TO REMAIN TRUE TO THEIR PROFFESSION.
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InconvenientTruth / February 13, 2016
Really? Are you soft in the head?
In which book of law does it say one is guilty until proven innocent? Are you getting your knowledge of law from the rule book of Fascism?
Burden of proof is on the accuser NOT the accused, and you call you self the Analyst hehehehe!
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Native Vedda / February 15, 2016
InconvenientTruth
“In which book of law does it say one is guilty until proven innocent?”
In the law books of Gota, who wanted to hang Sarath Fonseka, boating to a foreign journalist.
There are Tamils who have spent more than 15 years in custody yet the state hasn’t charged them in the court of law. There are others still in custody for more than 7 years. The state says that they couldn’t charge them because they haven’t got proof on the other hand state couldn’t let them go because they are a threat to national security.
Let’s not go into 1971 and between 1987 and 1990, it is too messy.
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san / February 13, 2016
do Tamils sing it in Tamil in India? or in any other country why in sri lanka ??
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Hamlet / February 13, 2016
That is why India and Pakistan became Two Separate Countries, after the British left!!
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Analyst / February 13, 2016
@San the ” Insan…. .E”
I think you belong in a well they call it “Frog in a well”
Haven’t you heard of the other countries sing their National Anthem in more than one ‘ s Mother Tongue? Eg: S.Africa,Newzealand ,Russia, to name the few.
You keep HARPING ABOUT INDIA , In India how many different Languages are spoken??? Moron??!Think man think!!
You don’t expect them to sing in 30 plus Languages?
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Native Vedda / February 13, 2016
san
“do Tamils sing it in Tamil in India? or in any other country why in sri lanka ??”
Do the Sinhalese sing it in Sinhala in North South India whence their ancestors came, of course on Kallathoni?
BTW India went one step further,
INDIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM IN UNIVERSAL DESIGN (Sign Language)
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=9BCkfNAfuDQ
Watch the clip and ponder for the rest of your life.
Here is the Tamil Translation
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=MCAb2tDMbPQ
Here is A R Rahman’s musical interpretation of Indian National Anthem, the Musical instruments and the words represent most people of India.
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=77i8kH-Iw8Q
Why don’t you ask yourself a relevant question, why doesn’t this island elect Tamil/Muslim president or prime minister?
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InconvenietTruth / February 13, 2016
NV, let us be truthful and factual here, Indian National Anthem (which is beautiful by the way) is sung in Bengali because Tagore wrote it in Bengali and why SL does not elect Tamil/Muslim president is the same reason why there has been no Jewish President in the US, no Jewish Prime Minister in UK, no Jewish Chancellor in Germany, no Protestant prime minister in Italy..etc etc,
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Native Vedda / February 13, 2016
Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, a Jewish descendant, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1868 and 1874–1880.
There have been hundreds of Jewish politicians who have served in British cabinet, European Union, US Senate ….. held important office, mostly own USA.
Barak Obama is the son of a Kenyan Muslim, black or white whichever way you want to look at him.
Deputy Prime Ministers of Singapore
S Rajaratnam
S Jayakumar
Tharman Shanmugaratnam
The most capable foreign minister Kathirgamar was denied his place instead a crook was appointed, and rest is history.
Now the Sinhala/Buddhist bigots (like you) could not bear the thought of having a Tamil opposition leader, hence plotting to replace him with the same crook who looted the coffer.
Just accept you are a racist/bigot, then we will not have problem with you.
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Adrian / February 13, 2016
Elsewhere you will find news of National Anthem sung in different languages. As long as it is not animal sound, intelligent human being should comprehend it as coherent sentiment of unity.
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Billa / February 13, 2016
@ Analyst: Bravo, very true & Thank you for this write up.
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Analyst / February 13, 2016
@Billa.
I am not afraid to express the truth. As we are blessed with the Freedom of speech what we can do at present FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR COUNTRY as we have a chance , if at all will make any difference to educate the uneducated and educated .
Hopefully all Srilankans can live in harmony. Three cheers to CT.
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D.Nimal / February 13, 2016
The person is so narrow in line of politics ideology and bankrupt national policy, he currently promoting so-called secularism democracy that ever never exist in Bourgeois system of exploitation since it came into being.
His is political an adventurist and serve for US ,UK and Norway hegemonies agenda.
Man lost vision for ever.
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Uthungan / February 13, 2016
The singing of the Nation Anthem in Tamil is a welcome and appropriate gestuture to restore the hope and confidence of the Tamils.
But I cannot help remember the time not long ago during the previous regime, when Tamil children at one of the leading girls school in Jaffna were forced to sing the National Anthem in Sinhala to drive home the point who is master and merely to bolster the ego of a visiting government dignitary, and how an official attached to the Education dept. in Jaffna had the had to pay with his life for expressing his disgust.
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Non PhD / February 13, 2016
Surendra Ajit Rupasinghe,
In my view you are a practising patriot and sending the right message particularly to the younger generation.
Since 2010 it is sad to read or hear the sermons of Smart Patriot Dayan, Australian HLDM, Expert Rohan G who promoted SL armed forces as one of the best for UN peace keeping missions and quietly gave up the SL citizenship and the likes.
Hope one of the ruling party MPs provide a Sinhalese and Tamil translations of the above piece to all the MPs in the parliament with the permission of the speaker. It is an official opportunity for the joint opposition to respond to the above write up.
Will the Gang of 4 and other MPs who are not part of the official opposition
take this challenge and reply in parliament.? If they do, then they are then free to talk politics in religious places.
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Sanjaya / February 14, 2016
If we could build a healthy economy in SL, we will not have time to fight over which song will fit for our patriotism. But constantly our leaders failed and the mass dance to their tunes which lead us to current financial and social crisis. Top politicians are either smart corporate puppets or dumb racist. Even they say we are the highest literacy rate here majority of us have no clue about evolution or history of civilizations/ cultures. We are lead by either cunning business elite or raciest tribel type leaders.
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