By Dayan Jayatilleka –
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
What Mr. Sampanthan did not say in Matara recently was as important as what he did say. What he said was as follows:
“…This Constitution is going to be framed one with the framework of a united, undivided and indivisible Sri Lanka…We do not want this country to be divided. But the people want power to be devolved within the regions. The power that is required to maintain the unity and territorial integrity of the country, Defence, the Army, Navy and the Air Force will be under the control of the Central Government. Foreign Affairs Currency and Finance, Immigration and Emigration to be under the central government. These powers need to be kept at the Centre to ensure the unity and the indivisibility of the country.
Other powers will be devolved…The Southern Province will have their Provincial Council with enhanced powers. The Sabaragamuwa, Central Province will have their Provincial regions with extraneous enhanced powers. Similarly the North, East and Central Provinces will have their own areas with enhanced powers.”
Now not only does Mr. Sampanthan entirely avoid the use of the term unitary, what he does lay out is a perfect description of a federal constitution.
In the first place in a unitary system there is no “Central government”; there is one Government which devolved power to the peripheral units. When Chief Minister Vardarajaperumal took out advertisements in the newspaper bearing the line “North Eastern Provincial Government’, President Premadasa and Ranjan Wijeratne made clear, with no small degree of vehemence, that while there may be provincial administrations, there are no provincial governments and a central government.
In the second place though Mr. Sampanthan uses the term in his speech, there are no “regions” in Sri Lanka.
In the third place, the equation set out by Mr. Sampanthan, in which the “center’ is limited to keeping the country together by wielding powers which relate to the country’s interaction with the rest of the world, while all other powers are devolved, is a definition of a federal, or more correctly, quasi-federal system.
Now the problem with all this is twofold. Firstly, the Tamil people already have an arrangement of this sort. That is in Tamil Nadu. There is no logic by which an ethnic community should enjoy the same degree of autonomy on a small island that it does on a vast subcontinent. There is also no logic by which an ethnic community which is one and half million strong in two border regions of a small island should enjoy the same quasi-federal powers that eighty million Tamils enjoy in Tamil Nadu.
Secondly, the island of Sri Lanka has only one neighbor and that’s to its north. The North of Sri Lanka with a million Tamils is only 18 miles away from Tamil Nadu which has 80 million ethnic Tamils. The Southern two thirds of Sri Lanka has no neighbors, no co-ethnics, no adjacent co-religionists, and no speakers of the same language.
Thus it is geopolitically unaffordable, and actually dangerous for the Tamils of Sri Lanka to have the same political power as the Tamils of India. What Mr. Sampanthan proposes is a second Tamil nadu on the soil of the small island of Sri Lanka. This is not merely unacceptable, it poses a deadly existential danger.
None of this means that there should be no devolution of power or that such devolution should be to small units such as districts. That may be the stance of Sinhala chauvinists or ultranationalists but I am not one of them. I am a Realist.
As such, I would maintain two basic points: (a) that the Tamils of Sri Lanka having a distinct collective identity, should have a quantum of devolved power that is significantly lower than that possessed by the Tamils of India i.e. in Tamil Nadu next door and that (b) the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka being a unique collective located on a small island with only a single enormous neighbor on the southern tip of which are coethnics of those on this island’s northern tip, require state and political guarantees against being swallowed up by irredentism and osmosis.
Thus the Tamils of Sri Lanka should not enjoy quasi-federal powers while the Sinhalese and the integrity of the island as a whole require a frankly unitary state system in form and content.
Consequently the Tamils of Sri Lanka should be devolved such power that yields provincial autonomy within an explicitly unitary state. Concretely this translates into negotiations for Constitutional reform on the basis of the existing 13th amendment and building upon, but not going beyond it.
The bottom line is that the geopolitical realities faced by the Sinhalese, including their exceptional collective situation and consequently exceptional vulnerability, require a strong state with a strong center i.e. precisely a unitary state. At the heart of Mr. Sampanthan’s perspective is a weak state with a weak center. The TNA, the Tamil diaspora and the UNP are striving to weaken the very heart of the Sri Lankan state.
This means there is a fundamental, antagonistic contradiction (to use Mao’s terminology) between the project of Tamil nationalism and the strategic and existential needs of the Sri Lankan state and the unique majority on this island (or the majority uniquely located on this island). There is a fundamental, antagonistic contradiction between the Constitutional agenda of Tamil nationalism and that of its internal and external political supporters on the one hand, and the Sri Lankan national interest and its core strategic and security interests, on the other.
Most concretely this means that if the new, covertly federal constitution is along the lines that Mr. Sampanthan laid out in Matara, a sustained campaign must be launched to block it in the Supreme Court and push it to a referendum and defeat it soundly.
The lesson of political history is that if we wait for the new covertly federal constitution to be unveiled it will already be too late to prepare to defeat it. The Joint Opposition must immediately launch a new powerful new movement to which all communities and political persuasions including UNPers can subscribe; a movement which can generate a protest vote as did the brexit campaign, a National Movement for the Defense of the Unitary State – Ekeeya Rajjya Surakeemey Jathika (or “Mahajana” or “Puravesi”) Vyaparaya.
Shrikharan / September 2, 2016
Then Dayan, Can you explain how you became a former member of an Eelam group and you became known to the public as a important member of such a group. You are NOT coming with clean hand, are you? Bloody hypocrite.
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dayal / September 2, 2016
dr.dj,
you say building upon 13th amendment and not to go beyond. there is no logic in it. can you build without making progress? this simple matter is not understood by you. you do and say anything aginst federalism and tamils. it will not help you to get any position in the near future. bringing in tamilnadu factor is a very very weak argument. you do not know one important thing. tamilnadu and SL tamils can go together in some matters but both cannot exist under on combined regime.it wont’ be acceptable to both parties for various reasons. it is totally unthinkable. you are totaly ignorant about this.both parties wont’ accept your suggestion.may you want this combination in your subconcious mind.
-dayal
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shankar / September 2, 2016
“Reading Sampanthan’s Spin”
Now we have to read dayan’s spin.personally i prefer herath’s.
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Non PhD / September 2, 2016
Who has contributed more to weaken the LTTE, late Laxman Kadirgamar or smart patriot DJ hand in hand with HLDM,JO & Co. ?
In terms political solution to the national issue what Laxman Kadirgamar stood for differs vastly from what MaRa Bros & Co tried to impose since 2010.
DJ being MaRa’s GOLAYA advocating and instigating majority of the majority to treat the national minorities as second or third class or as aliens and keep them under their control.
Why don’t DJ, HLDM, Malinda and the likes do not write about what Laxman Kadirgamar stood for ? Are they scared of Chandrika’s rebuttal with facts ?
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Sam Fernando / September 2, 2016
If you would ever compare the profile of DJ with those great sons like Kadirgamar shold be a real joke.
Right at the moment, some boston biologists are testing on hybrid theories to claim evolution of human being could a hybridization of Swine and Ape (Chimpansey). I have the feeling something should have gone very wrong with DJ and Modapla or the like men and women to turn their minds to that way with devolution of power and finding a sustainable soltuion to lanken ethinic issue.
Referendum would prove that more of lankens across the country are against for devolution – but these guys DJ or others of that genetics hang on that – rabble roucscing further.
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Sinhala Banda / September 2, 2016
We don’t give a damn about what Chandrika (Non Sinhahala and non Biddhist) said or what MARA (Day Time Buddhist and Night Time Christian ) did or said. What we, the Sinhala-Buddhists care about is our only motherland.
It is a tiny land with relatively small population compared to other Large countries with sparsely populated areas or large land with a very large population. There are no defining factors or basis to devolve power or demarcate further in this tiny island.
Besides this the only land that we, the Sinhala-People can claim to be our own motherland and the nation established by our forefathers. Other late comers or minorities have the privilege of going back to their native lands, namely Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andra Pradesh, Java etc..
Political leaders in Colombo have not being forthright on this matter. They are scared to say that Sri Lanka is a Sinhala-Buddhist country and belongs to the Sinhala people. Their position has been further compromised by Non-Sinhala and Non-Buddhist political leaders.
So my dear friend you are more than welcome to live in our country and raise your family and enjoy equal rights that you will never receive in any other nation on earth. But do not B…S…,
The message for Wiggy, TNA and others dreaming of devolving power and creating own fiefdoms is; Sri Lanka will remain as a Sinhala-Buddhist sovereign and Unitary State until eternity. That is the bottom-line. Let’s look at other issues affecting the future of our children and solve them.
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Nayakka Pandaram / September 4, 2016
We don’t give a damn about what Chandrika (Non Sinhahala and non Biddhist) said or what MARA (Day Time Buddhist and Night Time Christian ) did or said. What we, the Sinhala-Buddhists care about is our only motherland.
It is a tiny land with relatively small population compared to other Large countries with sparsely populated areas or large land with a very large population,still there are many defining factors and basis to devolve power or demarcate further in this tiny but spread minded island.
Besides this the only land that we, Sri-Lankan-People can claim to be our own motherland and the nation established by our forefathers of multi-ethnic who had lived coherently for centuries except for 17 year old Dutta Kemunu’s out-burst against Saivist against his father’s orders. The majority and the minorities have the privilege of going back to their native lands, namely Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andra Pradesh, Java(Vejeya’s native land). Political leaders in Colombo have not being forthright on this matter. They are scared to say that Sri Lanka is originally a Saiva land and belongs to the Sinhala and Tamil people and Buddhism brought to the island by Mahinda Thera son of Asoka by 2nd AD only.
Their position has been further compromised by Non-Sinhala and Non-Buddhist political leaders, all converted to one another political upper hand. So my dear friend you are more than welcome to live in our country and raise your family and enjoy equal rights that you will never receive in any other nation on earth, in future by devolving power and by creating their own freedom and still Sri Lanka will remain as a Sinhala-Buddhist sovereign and Unitary of Federalized State That is the bottom-line. Let’s look at other issues ourselves affecting the future of our children and solve them.
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Pistachio / September 5, 2016
” Asoka by 2nd AD only. “
you are not aware of Baharat history- Asoka was a goonda and had no blood of Chandragupta Maurya. but Asoka killed 3 in line to the throne and stole it. This is common so even the Saudi King (living ancient ways) does not travel.
the great man Chandragupta Maurya, frightened Alexander the Great with his war machine of the times and later made a happy relationship with Greece So we see the display of sanskrit (never seen by public before) and greek side by side. Both stand alone classical languages while greek and tamil are still in use.
from 1948 the Indians never had much to do with UK but looked towards USA where the order came from for them to forfeit 1 million sq Km to muslims and ceylon which was governed from madras.
in every country 90% are stupidly patriotic as you and are blinded to powers at play. you got a religious crusade on that would kill you and rest.
BTW sinhalese buddhist (during pala dynasty) have 28% bangladeshi DNA they love you because you are like their royingas.
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Agnos / September 2, 2016
Sinhala opinion through the early 2000’s when the LTTE was strong:
“You can have everything except for a separate country or a confederation. Everything else is negotiable. We will give you devolution in the amplest degree.” G.L. Peiris was one who used similar wording.
Mid 2000’s to 2007, with LTTE weakened but still alive and kicking:
“Give up armed struggle and accept a political solution going well beyond the 13th amendment. There will be a 13++. Why are Tamil leaders not educating and interacting with the Southern populace to convince the people that a political solution is necessary? Give up separatism, and federalism can be a slogan like socialism, but accept 13++. Sri Lanka will be a united country not necessarily unitary.”
post 2009, post LTTE :
“We won the war. Hey you Tamils, listen, we vanquished you. You are nothing. What is the 13th? It was the Indians who thrust it on us; we didn’t want it at all. Let alone 13+. We are the majority; we are the rulers; to hell with you Tamils and your rights. Our existential fears cannot be cured by any shrink and the only way for us to live without any fear is for you Tamils to leave SL, or get imprisoned, die or quietly become Sinhalese. Who is this Sampanthan to go and talk to our people in the South? There cannot be anything other than a unitary constitution in Sri Lanka. There should be no devolution no matter how hard this Sampantahn guy tries to reason with us. Even the 13th should be abolished. Let Sinhalese nationalism thrive! Let us march everywhere in protest and say loud and clear that Sri Lanka is a Sinhalese country, Tamils and others can only stay at our mercy.”
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thondamannay / September 2, 2016
When LTTE was strong what was on offer was point blankly refused.
Now, when they are defeated, at least for the sake of the Tamil People the pro LTTE mouth pieces need to accept what is offered.
For the sake of the peace these one time pro-ltte’ers do not know how much is enough or move on with the peace.
Enough is enough, we have sacrificed enough Youth & Children. Shattered their dreams. TAMILINI has said about a discussion she had with Col. Vidusha, “the world has moved on and we are yet stuck here and trekking the jungles”.
W#ere’nt these shattered dreams.
When the civillian population was escaping LTTE boys were ordered to shoot below the knees of those fleeing. What were the ltte fighters were saying/ ” We are are asked to shoot at our own mothers, fathers, brothers Sisters and uncles and aunts.
“
IS THIS OUR LIBERATION ?
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srinath.gunaratne / September 2, 2016
Bring it on, Sri Lankans will answer in the referendum!
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Simon De Silva / September 2, 2016
I dont think that Srilanken politicans would be so stupid as brites latey had been.
Millions in UK were against holding a referedum for Brexit issue. You might have heard if your ears are wide open -than hanging on WITH Rajakashe bum defending.
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Mallaiyuran / September 2, 2016
Thero De Silva bringing here an unwanted speech and writing unrelated matters only because UNSG, Ban Ki Moon is here. This small mouse is jumping hard to get attention. Ban ki Moon is here because Thero duped in 2009, after UNSG had visited Lankawe and obtained promise to investigate the war crime from Thero’s master, that lankawe will investigate the crimes committed by Zero Casualty fame beastly Thero de Silva’s camp. He knowling did that to fool the IC on the UNHRC.
That may be the stance of Sinhala chauvinists or ultranationalists but I am not one of them. I am a Realist.
Thus the Tamils of Sri Lanka should not enjoy quasi-federal powers while the Sinhalese and the integrity of the island as a whole require a frankly unitary state system in form and content.
What Mr. Sampanthan proposes is a second Tamil nadu on the soil of the small island of Sri Lanka. This is not merely unacceptable, it poses a deadly existential danger ” The JVP terrorist Thero is threatening to wipe out Eelam Tamils”.
Thus it is geopolitically unaffordable, and actually dangerous for the Tamils of Sri Lanka to have the same political power as the Tamils of India.
Concretely this translates into negotiations for Constitutional reform on the basis of the existing 13th amendment and building upon, but not going beyond it.
When Chief Minister Vardarajaperumal took out advertisements in the newspaper bearing the line “North Eastern Provincial Government’, President Premadasa and Ranjan Wijeratne made clear, with no small degree of vehemence, that while there may be provincial administrations, there are no provincial governments and a central government. Thero yet to hear the meaning of the word devolving the power and the who or what government is.
Thero De Silva is pointing out there can be ultranationalists Modayas. He knows every normal and average person comprehends if there are people like that he is the chief for them. Aging he fooling the Modayas only. They are bound to believe anything he say, by the nature of the sheer racism fever they are infested with. This is soothing tales for their disease.
Everybody this time or that time behave foolishly. But the most foolish thing Thero de Silva did is failed read or comprehend Sampanthar’s speech. So please let me to reattach so he can read it at his leisure and comprehend it.
https://www.colombotelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Matara-Speech-by-Hon.-R.pdf
The bottom line is that the geopolitical realities faced by the Sinhalese, including their exceptional collective situation and consequently exceptional vulnerability, require a strong state with a strong center i.e. precisely a unitary state.
What he has attempted to prove above is a group of people basic rights to live with freedom can be denied because of the geographical point there are living or the people surrounded them and their heritage. His entire argument is hooked on the existence of Tamil Nadu. This man is not aware Swiss is in between Germany, France and Italy. Even the worst Modaya Izeth had written something about it after noticing the fact. But Thero de Silva could not up lift him even near to Izeth on his racial preaching. This coming from a past UN diplomat is shame for the entire nation. (Anyway those two comedies are from the corrupted, nepotism and cronyism flourishing, money laundering, womanizing, smuggling Lankawe’s foreign service. If not in Lankawe, these comedies might have been kicked on the butt to show the door to out). Not just in UN, there is nowhere a provision is defining any people’s right in contingent of Tamil Nadu’s existence.
The defense secretary Hettiarachi, walking on the path of Brother Prince and setting up defense conferences, has invited international countries to come and learn from him how to abolish terrorism. Why he saying this is because of the problem the government is facing by committing war crime in the name of abolishing the terrorism. He is trying to justify what he and other defense goons did to Tamils and infuse a false propaganda through this training. This is the famous job Thero de Silva attempted to carry out but miserably failed and revived a punishment transfer and eventual dismissal. Now Hettiarachi is attempting. The reality is Lankawe has a unique record of having had successfully incubated four separate uprising, on Lankawe’s defense secretary’s word Terrorism, by both majority and minority races. What the lesson these idiot can teach is how to run a government in Asia’s richest country to induce and create uprising seeking relief from poverty and oppression. In that condition this shameless defense secretary inviting foreign national to come to training. A good cover up attempt of the fact that already this rapist army leaders has been blocked attending defense training in some famous militarily advanced countries, to the local Modayas.
Ceylon was created and left by British Whites as secular, democratic, one of the richest country in Asia, and with a very high standard of education. All have been destroyed as “Kurankin kai Poomaalai” (the garland on the hand of a monkey” )by the under capacitated Modayas. But thero de Silva is so adamant that he will protect the unitary nature of Ceylon created by British Whites. One has to wait and see for the time to answer that.
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jim softy / September 2, 2016
Mallaiyuran
He is trying to justify what he and other defense goons did to Tamils and infuse a false propaganda through this training.
Sri lankan govt was and is chicken. What Indian govt did Sikhs is one of the bests. that is the treatment Tamil – migrants in Sinhale should have got.
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Mallaiyuran / September 3, 2016
Thero de Silva always do better than you Sofy. But like Rajiv did, you could not keep the tail between the legs, but frequently dips in the hot oil. Unfortunately the brain’s malfunction that induce you to that is not your problem, it’s the birth defect of the land. You read you own history written by Old King and appearing on the Jaffnahistory.com and come here and reapeat it. If you carefully read the CT’s PDF I have attached to Thero De Silva, Sampanthar has accused the priest who met him in Mattara did not take him to Tondeswaram, that is one of the Pancha Ishwaram installed in Indus Vally time. You deserve to call yourself SinhaLE, an speice appearing in Wildlife Sanctuary, Lankawe only. But, that does not invalidate any history. Recently It was released there are artifacts of modern living of 6000 years old has been found in Balangoda too(It has nothing to do with the 32,000 years old artifacts findings). It is similar to the ones found in Kilinochchi.
To come to Rajiv’s tail dipping in hot oil, you know Junius Richard was scared of Rajiv and set up a funny drama with rotten Navy man to tease him. But it did not stop Indian Army coming to Lankawe. You were sucking your thumb when India was invading your SinhaLE so you did not have feeling of shame that. Ricard P. was boiling inside but was scared to get tangled with Indian force. It was the LTTE who gave to India, if there is anything as “India gave Sikhs” as your Jaffanahistory.com teaches you. Lankawe, which did not fight with any European race for freedom, was freed from India’s invasion as a Hero named Prabhakaran was there.
If you have any evidence to change the UNHRC that Old King did not massacre 145,000 innocent Tamils, I challenge you to take the foreign Judges offering of UNHRC and prove it. If you’re not ready don’t foolishly dip your tail into hot oil. Then you can not put it in between your legs. If you have any evidence of India killing 145,000 Sikhs, please release that information here. Still(even now – in the time there was Indian National Guards, about 50% were Sikhs) more than 30% of the Indian army is from Punjab’, Haryana’ and Himalaya Pradesh’ Sikhs. That is the composition of amy of Indian Army, my dear friend Softy. If there was anything as Indian army gave to Sikhs, it was the Sikhs gave to Sikhs, my dear friend. But it was the same Sikhs came into Lankawe and scared you and ran away vene forgetting to put the tail in between the legs.
You can hide but cannot run away. The war was won by Ambassador Robert Blake. But he was the one locked you into UNHRC too. If he was still there he might have given to whatever Indian army gave to Sikhs. (It was only a reflection of your fear of Sikhs army but nothing like that happened). Mrs. Gandhi raided a political place called Golden temple. It’s a needed job. Akali Dal is still well and alive. They stopped asking for separate state because they are the richest race in India. They can not be rich that much if they leave India’s the vast Market. That is not the case of Tamils. Only holding 1-2% of government service. The as per recent statistics, poorest town is Batticaloa and next is Jaffna. So Tamils will ask for separate state.
Just don’t read history only in Jaffnahistory.com. Read it somewhere else too. Next time don’t spoil Thero De Silva’s essays.
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Sarwan / September 2, 2016
[Edited out]
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Sri.Krish / September 2, 2016
Dr Dayan says that there are no regions in Sri Lanka.
How true he is?
The terminology “Region” was used by Mr SWRD Bandaranaike himself when he wanted to strengthen the Local Government in Sri Lanka(Ceylon) with Regional Councils.
Please refer to the election manifesto of MEP for the 1956 election and the first throne speech of MEP government soon after the historic victory of 1956 where establishment of Regional Councils was mentioned as MEP policy and it appears again in the Bandaranaike- Chelvanayagam Pact of 1957 popularly known as BC Pact.
The BC Pact envisages establishing one Regional Council in the Northern Province and two or more Regional Councils in the Eastern Province.
Have I not completely debunked your no Regions scare story.
Dr Dayan shall we go back to the Donoughmore Commission report and find out whether there were references to Regions in their reports.
Furthermore the Constitutional proposals -2000 of Chandrika Bandaranaike also speak of Regions.
Your slipshod handling of “antagonistic contradiction” in Marxist Leninist Terminology also deserves further censure.
We may keep it for another day!
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alex / September 2, 2016
I love how Dayan is now a ‘realist’ – I.e. he realises that the International Community won’t tolerate Sinhala nationalism and chauvinism anymore. So he is now distinguishing himself from other Sinhala nationalists and is willing to offer some form of devolution. Just proof that the Sinhala nationalist camp only respond to firm and tangible measures. I love how his basic argument is Tamils here can’t have the same as those in India – such brilliant logic.
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Kautilya / September 3, 2016
FEDERALISM is a mechanism to amalgamate different but adjoining colonies, kingdoms, territories or fiefdoms (controlled by different rulers) to form a single a nation or a country to avoid war, leverage economies of scale or to avoid different tariff systems or facilitate mobilization of human resources.
It is not a tool to solve or improve the economic, social, religious, security or ethnic issues of a perfectly established single country or (LAND- MASS) with unchallenged borders (surrounded by water) as a SOVERIEGN and UNITARY STATE.
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arancha / September 3, 2016
the belgian constitution provides for all those missing aspects.
As BENELUX until EU.
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Native Vedda / September 3, 2016
Kautilya
Please take time to review what you have just typed.
I am bit thick. Please bear with me.
Could you define and clarify what you meant by FEDERALISM, SOVERIEGN and UNITARY STATE, of couse in your own words.
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arancha / September 4, 2016
“SOVERIEGN and UNITARY STATE. “”FEDERALISM”
buruvas at campus>>
The mahadanmuttha school teacher CD kautilya from the village borrows words from the english language but does not know the concept of the word . He thinks its like borrowing Sanskrit words and doing the exact opposite.
what have you not borrowed to hide your very DNA?? dance, dress, Buruva?
try soverign bar soap and jump in the menik ganga.
sri lanka needs to be wiped off the map for sense to prevail in the region.
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Rajash / September 3, 2016
DJ
after 30 years of war and comprehensive defeat of LTTE, Dayan’s article clearly demonstrates that the Sinhalese are still suffering with the mental illness of “a majority with a minority mind-set”
Dayan; you and your community seems to be mentally imprisoned by this “minority ” inferiority complex.
If people like Dayan, the so called “intellectual class” still suffer form this inferiority complex what chance others have?
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Lone Wolf / September 3, 2016
Rajash,
“If people like Dayan, the so called “intellectual class” still suffer form this inferiority complex what chance others have?”
No chance.
Have you ever thought about the complex many of the “intellectual class” in Jaffna suffer from?
When the “intellectual classes” are like they are is there any hope of peace and reconciliation?
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Rajash / September 4, 2016
the intellectual class Jaffna failed the Tamils since independence.
The military minded class took over and militarily class also failed.
The intellectual class of Sinhala people also failed the Tamils and paid a huge price of 30 years of war and destruction of the country
The sad thing is no one has learnt any lesson from 30 years of war and destruction.
The country is back to Zero and selling out to China
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timbuttu / September 4, 2016
from the point of view of british raj: Both are prodigal sons who never spelled out the cause unlike at India by a bored western press.
The Jaffna Tamil donkey played into the hands of the smart sinhala donkey by playing the Anti-Hindi agitations of Tamil Nadu of 1937-1940 which was resolved by : On 21 February 1940, Governor Erskine issued a press communique withdrawing compulsory Hindi teaching and making it optional(still exist like the rock)
The Sinhalese cosied up to New Delhi by adding up Sanskrit vocabulary to grammar and worshiping Indian God made in Sri Lanka.
Today New Delhi trust neither but prefer the rulers and the sanskrit bit.
Like the illiterate Nepalese (only 50% literate) the Jaffnese population have blundered big time and taken the island for suckers.- hydrocele vaddukoddai.
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Lone Wolf / September 4, 2016
Rajash,
“the intellectual class Jaffna failed the Tamils since independence.
The military minded class took over and militarily class also failed.
The intellectual class of Sinhala people also failed the Tamils and paid a huge price of 30 years of war and destruction of the country
The sad thing is no one has learnt any lesson from 30 years of war and destruction.
The country is back to Zero and selling out to China”
I agree with you.
How to continue in this “zero situation” to solve the problems of the country?
Is the bar of Jetwing Jaffna any good?
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timbuttu / September 4, 2016
“”How to continue in this “zero situation” to solve the problems of the country?””
It’s the simplest thing on earth and on exhibition.
30 years after Premadasa(revenge killing) the country is socialist/communist so keep the island in poverty and lo behold most would become religious or communist.- way to go the way you go.
as surely the biggest threat to SL attractiveness would be populating it with hedge fund managers at new colombo development.
it’s a villagers fantasy to think neighbouring nations come out to help for love of it. Spain handed the Rock Gibraltar in thank you for the protection from communist and muslims.
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Rajash / September 4, 2016
Lone Wolf “Is the bar of Jetwing Jaffna any good? “
I was frequenting the “Kallu Kottil”
yes had some interesting thought provoking discussions around “pilla”
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soma / September 3, 2016
Realistic estimate of danger is one thing imperiority complex is another.
In the grand scheme Ealam game Sinhalese are the minority. Every Sinhalese should realise this.
Soma
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Native Vedda / September 4, 2016
somaaass
“In the grand scheme Ealam game Sinhalese are the minority. Every Sinhalese should realise this.”
Not really, only those Sinhala/Buddhists who want to build and live in Utopian Sinhala/Buddhist ghetto are likely to be the minority in the country and the region.
I am sure you will be the first to take residence in your ghetto, then complain about loneliness, monotony,poverty, ..
Poverty of happiness comes with poverty of ideas.
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Thanga / September 3, 2016
(1) It is a tiny land with relatively small population compared to other large countries with sparsely populated areas or large land with a very large population. There are no defining factors or basis to devolve power or demarcate further in this tiny island.
Response: Sri Lanka is by no means a tiny country. It ranks population wise (21.5 million) at 57 out of 233 countries. Area wise (65,610 sq.kms) it is ranked at 122 out of 262 countries.
(2) Besides this the only land that we, the Sinhala-People can claim to be our own motherland and the nation established by our forefathers. Other late comers or minorities have the privilege of going back to their native lands, namely Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andra Pradesh, Java etc.
Response: When the mythical Vijaya landed in Lanka, there were no Sinhalese in the island. There were Nagars, Yakkas, Tamils, Thevas but no Sinhalese. If it is true Vijaya is migrant from Bengal, then the present day Sinhalese (despite lot of Thamil blood in them) must go back to West Bengal and East Bengal.
(3) The forefathers of Sinha Political leaders in Colombo have not being forthright on this matter. They are scared to say that Sri Lanka is a Sinhala-Buddhist country and belongs to the Sinhala people. Their position has been further compromised by Non-Sinhala and Non-Buddhist political leaders. So my dear friend you are more than welcome to live in our country and raise your family and enjoy equal rights that you will never receive in any other nation on earth. But do not B…S…, The message for Wiggy, TNA and others dreaming of devolving power and creating own fiefdoms is; Sri Lanka will remain as a Sinhala-Buddhist sovereign and Unitary State until eternity. That is the bottom-line. Let’s look at other issues affecting the future of our children and solve them.
Response: The forefathers of Sinhalese were Nagars, Thamils, and Yakkas etc. They were Hindus and converted to Buddhism only after the arrival of Mahinda in the 2nd century BC. The Sinhalese Karava, Salagama, are descendants of South Indian Tamils who had come to the Island throughout the ages as peaceful migrants or South Indian(mainly Thamil)mercenaries or as warriors of Pandyan and Chola kings who settled here and were Sinhalized during course of time. The Sinhalese of Chilaw, Puttalam and Negombo were Catholic Thamils of parava caste brought by the Portuguese from Tamil Nadu to bolster their defence. It is because of the Portuguese colonization that the Sinhalese find themselves as an overwhelming majority in Sri Lanka today viz a viz the Thamil minority. According to Mahavamsa, those who lived north of Mahaweli River were Thamils. Dutugemunu is not a Sinhalese prince, but a Naga prince of Buddhist faith.
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Kautilya / September 3, 2016
When you are blinded by ignorance an hatred, your brain and heart both reject the logical conclusions. If that happens widely especially in an organized “Collective”, that may lead to unspeakable destruction, mayhem and to a very bleak future.
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arancha / September 3, 2016
evade, evade, shoooo,
how old fashioned and redundant you aspire to be??
the way of doing things is always to do with passion never too boring logical.
when do you plan to build robots or at least an arm?
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Kautilya / September 3, 2016
My non-response or silence is the answer to you.
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arancha / September 4, 2016
Heehaw,CD the robot!
you are too arty with no go go.
sleep old man sleep. it’s our language you sing.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / September 3, 2016
Dayan,
“This means there is a fundamental, antagonistic contradiction (to use Mao’s terminology) between the project of Tamil nationalism and the strategic and existential needs of the Sri Lankan state and the unique majority on this island (or the majority uniquely located on this island).”
Whatever Mao said, a contradiction has to be antagonistic. He was not the first Prophet to discover it! Dayan, there is no end to your quibbling and senseless quotes.
Is the majority ‘Uniquely’ located in this island on the verge of extinction? Does it need protection? You are a big frog in the well, that you are trying to make this island that has been in the cross roads of international trade, human and cultural exchanges for millennia.
Is this ‘Uniquely’ located majority in the deranged dreams of you and your likes is so crowded in by the ‘Not-so unique’ minorities living on this island, that it fears extinction? What bunkum in this day and age? You deserve the honorific ‘Dutu’, much more that Gamini of Magama did in ancient times!
The Damilas were a threat in the time of ‘Dutu’ Gamani-the restive young buck with unbridled lust for power. Hewon the crown, the Sinhalese survived, the Damilas survived and Muslims joined in. They will continue to do so, despite the jockeying for power by ‘Dutus’ like you!
I proclaim that from today you shall be called by all and sundry as ‘Dutu Jayatilleke’ , until the Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Veddas, Burghers and other Lankans, live on this island.
Damn it, Dutu Dayan. If living in an island makes a people unique, there are no better than the Galapagos island giant tortoises. What makes the Sinhalese unique? Were they the first to lose their tails? What is so unique with their genetics? What is so uniquely unique about their language, religion, culture or way of life? What is so unique about them in the world we know today? Do you know that everything in creation is unique, though made of the same building blocks. I know science per-se is beyond your grasp. But at least have the common sense to understand that lunacy is fast overwhelming you.
Thank God, you are not a sample of the Sinhala people in general. You are a blot on them.
I write this with great pain.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Anpu / September 3, 2016
Well said DR RN.
Dutu Jay is a Con Artist – not political scientist
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Peter Pan / September 3, 2016
You have concluded;
“…with great pain”
My dear Narendran, judging by what is spewing out of your poisonous pen (or brain), That is how you are going to live rest of your life.
Peter Pan
(Boy with a beautiful smile)
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Native Vedda / September 4, 2016
Peter Pan
“Boy with a beautiful smile”
Whi suffers from p***s envy.
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Native Vedda / September 4, 2016
Peter Pan
“Boy with a beautiful smile”
Who suffers from p***s envy.
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jim softy / September 3, 2016
If there is nothing unique about Sinhala people, It should be applied to Tamils equally and more. Because, Tamils can not show anything to unit them except for the language. Tamil is also is in South India, a dravidean language, therefore it is very clear that Tamils are migrents here from South India.
It seems Now only Tamils are building a language specific to the north. Read and see how Tamilnet is building the new names for different localities. It is the same with Tamil culture in the North. Now, they are building that in the North thinking it will become part of the Nortehrn Tamil-Eelam.
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Bagehot / September 3, 2016
The thoughts of Malinda Seneviratne in 2000
The following excerpts, appeared in a rebuttal to Dayan Jayatilleka with the caption, ‘Some mild thoughts on Dayan Jayatilleka’ [Island, Colombo, Oct.9, 2000].
“Take away all the spurious linguistic theatrics in Dayan’s article and a couple of issues emerge. First. He does talk about the alleged Sinhala Buddhist hegemonism and what he chooses to call ‘the new global reality’…
Dayan complains that my ‘howl’ against globalization is insincere because I have failed to ‘acknowledge the positive Sri Lankan experience of 1989/90 – 1993’. Being a sycophant of Ranasinghe Premadasa, I suppose Dayan is obliged to say nice things about the man. Premadasa was the architect of the most violent period of our post-independence history. True the JVP is not as innocent as their spokesmen claim. I don’t know from which piece of Marxist literature Dayan found solace (if he was a sincere Marxist) during those times of defending Premadasa, but 60,000 people being tortured and killed during a person’s tenure as head of state is a far cry from a ‘positive experience’…
About Dayan’s history, let me say it all in one line: it includes a particularly funny way of handing over nomination papers, a funny way of popping in and out of the country, offering an abject public apology to J.R. Jayewardene, not to mention defending the party lines of the various groups in power (nationally and regionally). It would suffice to say ‘Danno Danithi’ at this point.
Dayan must be familiar with the phrase ‘A rose by any other name would smell as sweet’. By the same token, rubbish, even if covered by a layer of Marx and Gramsci would still stink. Premadasa remains a tyrant.”
Dayan in his salad days of 1980s dreamt himself as a Sri Lankan militant revolutionary a la Fidel Castro, leading his raggedy bunch of companeros under the banner Vikalpa Kandayama – only to fail miserably, kneel on his knees and negotiate an amnesty deal with his then adversary (J.R.Jayewardene) in 1988, and then launch his career as a political opportunist.
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Sri.Krish / September 3, 2016
Thanks Dr RN,
I almost endorse every word of your article.
I said “almost” because i disagree with you on two points.
One is on antagonistic contradiction and the other is on the use of “DUTU” as a prefix to Dr Dayan, a fascist who try to provide theoretical justification to the Sinhala racism led by Former President and his cohort.
“Duto” Gamini was a heroic king of Sri Lanka who had successfully defeated foreign invaders and the Sinhala people has justifiable reasons for their veneration.
We should not elevate Dr Dayan to the level of one of the greatest king of Sri Lanka.
On the contrary,Sinhalese intellectuals and intelligentsia should be invited to denounce and debunk Dr Dayan for prostituting his academic credentials for his parochial agenda.
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simon / September 4, 2016
you never had a monarchy like Thailand who solve their problems.
Yours is just an image of invading refuge taking chieftains from across the straits and elsewhere.
The scourge of your problems is the Buddhist crusade and the bane is free low level education.
Lanka is all about Puddhuism.- expose, expose.
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D.Nimal / September 4, 2016
The central question is USA Imperialism and their polices are working on dismantle sovereignty of nation that too apply Sri Laknan soil.
USA that set of policies of laid down by Think tank not accepting Nation sovereignty ,they are for the US bases that Imperial domination of sovereignty.
Even US global power weaken they power bargain with small and weak nation like us has been give & encouraged by their local ally forces of UNP -Ranil w.. and New friends of US that CBK-SLFP of Neo-liberalist and her follower of President MS are working on the so-called “compromised governance” that US call that is “Good Governances and Rule of Law”.
This is out-right that surrender nation sovereignty by current gang in power by the name of “US Democracy” the order carry out by UNP -Ranil.W!!! key figure and secondary role play by MS and CBK’s the
New version of SLFP line of politics that cater for ‘reconciliation’ with all nationalities.
This is covered operation by current govt.of naked surrender of Ours people Sovereignty , to US and Indians big and monopoly bourgeoisies.
Currently TNA is most reliability political Party & confidential ally whom US can work together is the first step for the Federalism-North Council that stooge of NC of CM by then move step by step partition of Island for Tamil militant state with New US military base in
Sri lanka.
Needleless to say US lost his vision in pivot Asian policies are running towards failure in emerging Trade and Investment market in Asian Region as whole.
USA and UK is working desperately by promoting war mongering politics with China and North Koreans that created tension of south China Sea which that conflicted of sovereignty of PRC .
This types reckless policies of US war monopolies are not accepts right of Sovereignty of PRC that is world second largest Economy.
Current leadership of US policies lost their mind vision of future Globe.
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Lester / September 8, 2016
Let them have their plot of land, federal or otherwise. A shrewd government would use the Tamils as a buffer against the Muslims (especially in the East), while subsidizing Sinhalese colonies on the side. In any event, maintain a large military presence to oversee things.
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