By M A Sumanthiran –
M. A. Sumanthiran MP
Today the most important question that is being asked of the TNA is “Why are you not joining the PSC?” This seems a very reasonable question since the Government has quite successfully carried on a campaign to convince everyone that the only reason why a political settlement cannot be reached is because the TNA is being obstinate and is refusing to join this very democratic process of the PSC that has been initiated by the Government. We owe it to the people of this country to explain the actual reason for the present stalemate in the talks between the TNA and the Government. For this a recollection of events from the beginning of the year 2010 is necessary:
It must be remembered that President Rajapaksa did not win in the North and the East, although he got a clear mandate from the rest of the seven provinces at the Presidential Election held in January 2010. In fact he did not win in Nuwara Eliya District and Colombo Municipal limits. Basically his mandate was only from the Sinhala majority of this country. A telling result, after he claimed to have freed the Tamil People from the clutches of terrorism!
The TNA made a public request in April 2010 that the Government must engage the TNA with regard to the evolution of a political settlement and the immediate concerns of the Tamil people in the aftermath of the war, and despite the President agreeing with the Leader of the TNA that two committees would be set up for these two matters in November 2010, only one committee was appointed in January 2011 consisting of representatives of the government and representatives of the TNA for ‘long-term reconciliation’. It was clearly stated in the letter of invitation to the representatives of the TNA that the other members were ‘representatives of the Government of Sri Lanka’.
Eighteen rounds of talks were held from January 10, 2011 throughout that year on the evolution of an acceptable political solution. Although no separate committee was set up with regard to matters of immediate concern of the Tamil people, at the invitation of the Government delegation, the TNA raised the following matters of immediate concern:
- The removal of High Security Zones and disarming of para-military forces operating in the North and East
- Resettlement and Rehabilitation of the Internally Displaced Persons
- The issue of political prisoners and detainees.
The resettlement process continues to be snail-paced with several thousands still in the camps and many more tens of thousands in transit camps and with friends and relatives. Even those who have been permitted to return to their original places, are without proper shelter and are unable to re-commence their livelihood activities, resulting in there being no qualitative improvement in the lives of these people. Although some progress has been made in the Palaly High Security Zone area, several other areas in the North including Sampur in the East continue to be prohibited zones for the civilians.
Even in Palaly, now a long barbed-wire fence has been erected across the peninsula, physically preventing the resettlement of about twenty eight thousand people who have been displaced for over twenty six years. Para-military personnel continue to operate with impunity causing abductions, demanding ransom and even carrying out killings.
This is acknowledged by the Government in the recent Action Plan to implement the LLRC recommendations, and the Key Performance Indicator for this to be completed is six months! The Government delegation also gave an undertaking in writing at the 2nd round of the talks on the February 3, 2011 that the next of kin could check if their relatives are held in detention at a specified place in Vavuniya. At least three separate dates were fixed for a representative each from the Government and TNA to go to Vavuniya and check this out, those visits were always called off by the Government and never took place. To date this has not happened and real information pertaining to the detainees continues to be withheld and denied to the next of kin.
After the end of the war in May 2009, a programme is being implemented whereby cultural and religious places in the Tamil areas are misused, damaged and destroyed, increased militarization and military’s intervention in civilian life, lands being allocated to persons from outside the North and East ostensibly for development purposes resulting in demographic change in the North and the East, the transformation of the cultural identity of areas in the North and the East, all of which will have irreversible evil consequences to the future well-being of the Tamil people.
Representations made to the Government in regard to such matters have not resulted in remedial action indicating that they have not received due consideration by the Government. While the Tamil people have not been enabled through appropriate action by the Government to return to their homes within the Jaffna District, their absence is sought to be utilized to reduce the representation of the Jaffna District in Parliament resulting in the denial of franchise and the perversion of democracy.
In regard to a political solution the TNA placed before the Government delegation in writing at the very first meeting itself, the speech made by President Rajapaksa at the inaugural meeting of the APRC and the Committee of Experts in July 2006, which was referred to in my article last Sunday, as the position that would be acceptable to the TNA. On the invitation of the Government delegation a further outline was given at the second meeting.
Again at the invitation of the Government delegation, the TNA tabled a comprehensive set of proposals at the third meeting held on the March 18, 2011. This included proposals in regard to the structure of governance, the division of subjects and functions between the centre and the devolved units and fiscal and financial powers and other matters relevant to the achievement of an acceptable and durable political solution. The TNA invited the Government’s response to these proposals and despite the Government’s commitment to so respond, no response was forthcoming for several months.
Consequently no meaningful or purposeful discussion could be held on the discussion papers tendered by the TNA. This was clearly demonstrative of the lack of a genuine commitment on the part of the Government to the evolution of an acceptable political solution. While attempting to show the world that the Government was engaged in a political process as an integral part of reconciliation, what the Government was really engaged in was no more than a deceitful exercise. It was in these circumstances that the TNA questioned the continuance of such a deceitful process. The TNA therefore called upon the government to meaningfully define and state the Government’s response to three issues: 1. The structure of governance, 2. The division of subjects and functions between the centre and the devolved units and 3. Fiscal and financial powers, within a period of two weeks, to carry forward any future dialogue. However, as usual, the Government went to town, accusing the TNA of behaving like the LTTE – laying down conditions and setting deadlines!
With the breakdown of the talks, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader met the President at his invitation. Two agreements were made at that meeting. First, it was agreed to bring to the negotiating table, five previous proposals of the Government in lieu of a response by the Government. This agreement was recorded in the Minutes of the meeting held on September 16, 2011 as a statement of the Leader of the TNA: “This meeting was held consequent to a meeting I had with the President. He explained the difficulty in presenting a proposal of the government in that it may be leaked and then it will become difficult to make adjustments. I said that I appreciated this but that there are other earlier documents on the basis of which we could talk. Those are the Mangala Moonesinghe Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) proposals, the government’s proposal for constitutional reforms 1995, 1997 and August 2000, HE’s speech to APRC and the Committee of Experts inaugural meeting and Report A of the committee of experts. The President agreed to proceed on that basis and so there would be no necessity for the government to give their response to our paper.”
The second agreement was also recorded in the same Minutes to say that once consensus was reached at the bilateral talks, which can be taken to the PSC as either the Government proposal or the joint Government -TNA proposal, the TNA would join the PSC process. On the basis of these two agreements, the TNA made its comments on the draft Terms of Reference for the PSC and the Government incorporated all of those and placed it on the Order Paper of Parliament on October 10, 2011. This was the first concession made by the TNA, after the Government went back on its promise to respond at the bilateral talks.
Subsequent to this adjustment, the bilateral talks recommenced and three meeting were held in the month of December 2011 at which devolution of land powers was discussed. Three further meetings were fixed for January 17, 18, and 19, 2012. But on all those three days although the TNA attended, the Government delegation failed to turn up! Instead the Government started to insist that the TNA must join the PSC, if the bilateral talks are to continue – contrary to the agreements reached and recorded in the Minutes. To break the deadlock, the TNA leader met with three members of the Government delegation on January 27, 2012 and made further concessions. By this, it was agreed that the TNA would nominate names to the PSC simultaneously with the recommencement of the bilateral talks and that the PSC would be convened only after a substantial agreement was reached at the bilateral talks. This was reduced to writing and given to the Government delegation on January 31, 2012 to obtain the concurrence of the President. But sadly, there was no come-back.
The third attempt was an initiative made by the Leader of the Opposition in May 2012. The Opposition Leader and other UNP leaders met with the President and several ministers and they were told that there had never been any TNA- Government talks and that they were TNA-SLFP talks! Apart from the original letter from the Presidential Secretariat, the joint statement issued after every round of talks clearly identified the delegation as a Government delegation. Once this was resolved, a particular agenda was agreed to according to which the Leader of the Opposition would nominate names to the PSC after further discussion with the TNA and the JVP. The text of that agenda was agreed upon after several drafts were exchanged. Once this was agreed, the Opposition Leader wrote a speech, gave copies of it to the Government and the TNA and made that statement in Parliament on May 23, 2012. It had been agreed that the Government would endorse the agenda suggested by the Opposition Leader. But sadly again, no such endorsement was made on the floor of the House!
This is the true state of affairs with regard to the Government-TNA talks and the PSC. There is documentary proof for all of the above. Despite this the Government continues with its misinformation campaign blaming the TNA for its inability to evolve a political solution. It even has the temerity to ask the TNA to forget all of this and start afresh by walking into the PSC empty handed. That is not a bona fide invitation. That is a ruse to cheat the TNA and the Tamil People yet again. Although the Government has repeatedly given assurances to India in particular and to the international community at large that it would evolve a political solution by implementing the 13th Amendment in full and going beyond that so as to make devolution meaningful, our suspicion is that the real agenda is to repeal even the 13th Amendment! This is now proved by the utterances of the Defence Secretary. The PSC is clearly the vehicle by which the Government intends to achieve this objective. That is why the TNA has insisted on reaching an understanding prior to entering the PSC process.
Some people glibly ask the question: Isn’t the PSC a perfectly democratic process? How can you refuse to participate in a process that will bring about a solution that is acceptable to the majority of the people of this country? These people forget that it is precisely the issue of majoritarianism that has plagued this country since independence. Simple majoritarian rule is what disempowered the numeric minorities of this country. Consider this: a section of the citizens who voted in the 1947 elections were deprived of their citizenship itself and their franchise soon after that by a democratic majority vote in the first Parliament! Subsequent to that ‘Sinhala Only’ and several other legislations were all passed using this same democratic process and the will of the majority.
The Tamil People were left out of the process of Constitution making in 1972 and 1978 because they were numerically a minority. It is this exclusion in the nation-building process that led to alienation and a violent conflict. But if there is to be reconciliation and a new beginning, this mistake of the past must not be repeated. The TNA cannot be coaxed into the PSC with the ulterior motive of making a ‘majority decision’ there! The problem of majoritarianism cannot be solved by means of a majoritarian approach.
That problem got confounded by the several unilateral Abrogation of Agreements (Banda-Chelva, Dudley-Chelva) and is repeated even now. If the Government is not willing to keep the several promises it made to the TNA in the last two years, what hope is there that it will act honourably in the PSC?
Bedrock Barney / October 30, 2012
So the plan is not to talk? What’s the plan then? Using external forces has not helped and will not help in the future. Engage. After all ya’ll are politicians. If moderate politicians don’t talk then extremists will. That will only end up agitating both sides. Only solidify their polarized positions.
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Dodo / October 30, 2012
The TNA always misses the bus and then complains to mask its incompetance. First, it turned its nose up at the 13th amendment. Then it turned its nose up at contesting in the Eastern Provincial Council Elections in 2007, now it has delayed joining the PSC for so long that the Sinhala Nationalist forces have taken the upper hand and want to abolish the 13th Amendment altogether!
What a curse the TNA is on the Tamil people who a stuck between a rock and hard place.
The TNA does not do anything for the people of the north – it just grandstands and uses the same useless empty rhetoric to cover its INCOMPETENCE in governing or doing anything significant for the people that voted for it. The only reason Tamils vote for TNA is that the alternatives are worse. This is the same with the Sinhala polity who votes for Rajpassa because Ranil is also a Dictator!
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / October 30, 2012
Mr.Sumanthiran,
Please join the PSC process, despite your and TNA reservations to,
1. Open the new phase in our national dialogue
2. Present your points of view on Tamil ‘Grievances’,’Çoncerns’ and expected solutions in clear unambiguous and realistic terms.
3. Hear what the other political formations in parliament are ready to concede individually and collectively.
4. Hear the Tamil ,Sinhala and Muslim public opinions regarding the proposals/ideas under discussion.
5. Call the bluff if any, in the GOSL position and those of other political formations.
6. Let the bluff of other political formations representing mosltly the Sinhala inetersts, be called.
Also,
1.Do not accept anything that is unacceptable in terms of educated Tamil public opinion. The unheard voice of the Tamilwar- affected, should be heard.
2.Do not demand anything that is unrealistic in terms of what Sri Lanka is today. Match solutions on offer to specific isses.
3. Make an attempt to explain to the Sinhala people what the problems and concerns of the Tamils -real and not hypothesised or imagined- are today.
4. Do not use catch phrases like traditional homelands, self determination, Sinhala colonization, Buddhizization etc. Explain issues in simple terms that are beyond misinterpretation. Be truthful and honest to the point of saintliness. This was the key to Mahatma Gandhi’s success.
5. Reach a consensus with other Tamil and Muslim political formations either before or during the PSC process, if possible.
6. Demand that the PSC process is open and the public is kept informed of the proceedings in detail.
7. Give heed to the voice and needs of the Tamils living in Sri Lanka over those of those who have chosen to live and seek citizenship abroad.
8. Do not be trapped by Tamil political lobbies or international pressures.
9. Maintain a neutral stance with regard to the different Sinhala political formations.
10. Pay heed, consider and accomodate reasonable Sinhala fears, concerns and reservations. Remember it is a two-way street.
11. Debate what is unreasonable logically and with probity.
12. Please consider this a new opportunity in a new era and at a point where the Tamils are just coming out of their worst nigyhtmare.
A national dialogue has to start now before the atmosphere is poisoned further. If the PSC process is the only door open, go in boldly and do what has to be done, to the best of your ability.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Lanka Muslim, UK / October 30, 2012
Doctor, in short you mean ‘join the merry-go-round again’. Will that not be the repetition of the past ‘sixty-year old history’?
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / October 30, 2012
What is the alternative?
Dr.R.N
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Lanka Muslim, UK / October 30, 2012
Not submission, of course.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / October 31, 2012
Is engagement submission? Is confrontation yet the only path?
Dr. R.N
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Punchinilame / October 30, 2012
A good summary – IF this is the first time around on these matters.
Too many mishappenings in such a venture to step in blindly Doc. is
the present stand. With a known track-record, prior conditions
become necessary?
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Bedrock Barney / October 30, 2012
DR Rajasingham Narendran for PRESIDENT!
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Mango / October 31, 2012
er… I second that motion. How do we get him to stand for office?
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
Mango:
I will vote him down as he is not a native son of the soil.
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Bedrock Barney / October 31, 2012
Perhaps Dr RN is the remedy for Kumar David’s weird fascination with Sobitha Thera.
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Leela / November 2, 2012
I say, had Luxman Kadiragamar been alive, he would have been Prime Minister of Sri Lanka by now.
Leela
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Anpu / October 30, 2012
We support your stand Mr Sumanthiran. Readers please read
http://ustpac.org/Articles/SriLankasTrackRecordAndTheWarCrimes.pdf
In 1948, the United Nations recognized the following important rights: equality before the law; no arbitrary arrest; freedom of conscience, and religion; and freedom of thought and expressions. Later 132 countries, including Sri Lanka also signed the 1996 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the optional Protocol which recognized additional rights: the right to self determination and the right to ethnic, religious, or linguistic minorities to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practice their own religion, and to use their own language. The International Criminal Court established in 2002 has jurisdiction of the following crimes which violate the dignity and the basic human rights of the world’s citizens: the crime of genocide; crimes against humanity; war crimes; and the crime of aggression.
Genocide means killing, causing bodily or mental harm, forcibly transferring children from one group to another with the intent of destroying in whole or part of their national, ethnical, racial, or religious identity.
Crimes against humanity includes, among others, a wide spread attack on civilian population causing murder, deportation, rape, and enforced disappearances. Intentionally attacking a civilian population which is not a party to the conflict, attacking installations such as hospitals which are protected by International conventions, and committing outrages on personal dignity, specially degrading treatment, are some acts which constitute war crimes. All these are crimes committed by the government of Sri Lanka against its own citizens, most of them against Tamils, during the past three decades. When will the world leaders act to bring the perpetrators of such crimes before a court of law?
http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/11995 Failure of UN Officials on Ground in Sri Lanka to Publizise Credible Information About ‘Killing Fields’ of 2009
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Subra jayahanthan / October 30, 2012
The TNA are the democratically elected parliamentary representaives of the Tamil nation. They cannot be compelled to be part of the PSC which is intended to be a trap like the former APRC which was sterile. Sumanthiran is right. The Tamils should not fall into the quagmire of deceipt and commitment from which they will not be able to arise if they are to negotiate and lobby the international community and other independent bodies in the future on behalf the Tamil people. The PSC is Rajapaksas’ arbitrary creature and the usual show piece created with no consensus of the Tamils.
Subra
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Grace Mugabe / October 30, 2012
The PSC is not taking off the ground;)
The PSC is a “wild ass” that was designed by an inferior complexed committee to keep the minutes and forget the donkeys years.
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B Ganendra / October 30, 2012
do not go for talks with the sinhala sl govt. They have been talking to the Tamil Reps since 1958.
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Palayandi / October 30, 2012
Agreed fully.
This Govt. has lost credibility.
It is dominated by too many extremists.
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
Palayandi:
“This Govt. has lost credibility”
Sri Lankan governments never had any credibility since independence.
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AMT / November 1, 2012
Dominated by a pack of jackals !!!!!
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kaputa / October 30, 2012
It is good TNA is not joining the PSC. That means they indirectly telling the world that there are no specific Tamil issues to be discussed. THat is fine with the government and everyone else. If you have some problems bring them to democratic process even though we know TNA once said the LTTE is the sole representative of Tamil. The problem is, TNA thinks that they can outsmart everyone else. They put all their eggs in the LTTE basket and got what it really deserved. You have a eelam in India called Tamil Nadu and leave Sinhala people and the island alone. We lost half of Colombo to Tamils, half of up country, and you tell me how many Sinhalese in Jaffna. The government must help every citizen to live anywhere they want, and Tamil racists should not be allowed to divide the country on ethnic lines.
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kaputa / October 30, 2012
One more thing for Smathiran. This guy was born in Colombo, raised in Colombo, and attended the best school (Royal College) in Colomob, and got a law degree in Colombo and practices in Colombo. He entered the parliament from the national list without even representing a single Tamil voter. Now he wants to build his Tamil eelam in Jaffna, where he has no political representation. Now I would like to know why Tamils complaints when Sinhala speaking public servants get appointed to Jaffna??? Tamil politicians and the LTTE terror backers will play this racist political game and in the end they will get nowhere. If this government continue for another four years, TNA would be in the sam predicament as the other former Tamil political leaders. We know what happened to Amirthalingam, Thiruchelvam etc., etc. Tamil people should get rid of these self-serving upper cast Tamil politicians, who are good for nothing. If the government stood its ground when the LTTE and its international backers wanted to stop the war, why on earth it would bend backward to please the TNA, a bunch of losers.
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Lanka Muslim, UK / October 30, 2012
Whether the TNA participates or not is one matter, but the JVP which is represented in the Parliament is not willing to participate and the UNP too is vacilating. So is there any purpose at at all in the PSC process. JRs APC, Mangala Moonesinghe Committee, MRs. APRC, etc. etc.all have been used to buy time for the political advantage of the two main parties. The simple method is for the Govt. in power, now the UPFA with all its majority, if it is honest to provide solutions to the issues at stake, should come out with its own proposals and engage with the others. TNA is quite right. They do not want to waste time and mislead the country in participating in futile measures.
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Justice / October 30, 2012
Walk into my parlour(PSC),said the spider(SLGovernment),to the fly(TNA).
What happened to the APRC proposals, crafted by Vitarana over many months,will happen again to any PSC proposals.
Reports of more than a dozen commissions including APRC,are kept a secret.
These should be published first,so that the nation will have confidence in the present government.
Sumanthiran has clearly spelled out the betrayals,backtracking,procrastination,& deceit so far by the government.
This government has no intention of allowing tamils to live as absolute equals.
The military repression and oppression will continue, until the next presidential election is due under the powerless “election commission”.
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Senguttuvan / October 30, 2012
The TNA and the Tamil leadership participated in every supposed-to-be recent endeavour to arrive at concensus to settle the National Question. Who torpedoed the long and costly APRC through which Prof Tissa Vitharna tried to usher in a solution? This was followed by the Rajapakses perfidy in getting an year long talk between a recognised delegaion of senior Ministers of the Govt (which they later described as “a group of senior SLFP leaders”) although the Minutes tell the lie. This too was sabotaged in the middle with the main questions raised by the TNA ignored. As I understand, TNA is not against participating in this PSC or whatever the Rajapakses come up with. But what the TNA is asking is for some frame-work to be declared by the Govt before a further time-wasting and futile exercise is embarked upon. As the Indian and foreign expert watchers, including GoI, are convinced the Rajapakses are not interested in a solution at all.
The Rajapakse clique – that destroyed democratic opposition – is going hell for leather to confuse the Tamils – both within and outside. They have bought over some in the diaspora and many locally. This is patently clear by some Tamil voices carrying the Rajapakse Agenda here and elsewhere. The fact is the Rajapakses are now in a corner – with UNHRC/Geneve on Nov 01 and the Indians totally upset. The Govt will announce a date for the NP elections soon although, simultaneously, they are getting the Mahanayakes to get into the fray – this time placing the 13th Amendment as the front. Even Tamils are unhappy with much of the 13th Amendment. But PC Elections in the NP and re-merger are not negotiable. TNA is on the right path.
Senguttuvan
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Bedrock Barney / October 30, 2012
There has never been genuineness on the part of GOSL with regards to a solution to the national question( perhaps with exemption of Chandrika’s proposals). The past is littered with commissions and committees of no consequence. This is well known.
However, most of those commissions and committees happened with specter of militancy in the backdrop. The talks the TNA engaged in with the GOSL/UPFA/SLFP in the aftermath of Mulaivaikal were of an unofficial nature.
This would be the first official talks between the GOSL and a political party (that has the confidence of the majority of ethnic Tamils) post conflict.
These talks have been officially touted by the GOSL. They have been cited by the Indian government and most of the International community.
So here is a golden opportunity for the TNA to show the world the duplicitous nature of the GOSL. Publicly state the TNA’s misgivings (majority decision within the committee and so on) and engage. So if it plays out the way they suspect. Pull out and tell the world their fears have been realized and PSC is only a sham.
At the end of the day, the solution has to be acceptable to the TNA.
The famous philanderer JFK said “Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”
You don’t lose by talking. You only lose by not talking.
The only question is, can the GOSL talk to a coalition(TNA)that is not a official registered national party? They still contest under individual symbols the last time I checked. The quicker the TNA stop infighting and register as party. The stronger their position will be. I think.
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Leela / October 31, 2012
I am not surprised; like Shylock, promoters of the ‘Tamil home land’ premise want to cling on to aged old demands by Eelamists and Separatists. We call those demands Tamil aspirations. Elamists should know that Sri Lanka cannot even think about Tamil aspirations for Tamils are seventy million or more, and more over that is India’s problem.
In so far as I can see, Mr Sumanthiran, Sengattuvan and their elk want Rajapakse to declare consent for their ‘aspirations’ upfront and then have discussion at PSC. Otherwise why say; “…re-merger are not negotiable.” We are used to such baby talk by terrorist LTTE.
Let Sengattuvans accuse Rajapakses as a clique or degrade or demean them by any words they find in the vocabulary and as they like, but Rajapakses should continue to make every endeavour and take all moderate Tamils abroad and thereafter discuss and remedy any leftover genuine Tamil grievances.
A word about Vitharana: With his standpoint, Vitharna should not have begged for an appointed MP job from the architect of Mahinda Chintana. He should have joined Bahu; for though a collaborator, Bahu at least retains some dignity. Vitharana and co has no self-respect at all. Minister Devananda has gained much much more popularity among Tamil makkal than Vitharana and co amongst Sinhalas minissu. Man is already in the dustbin period
Leela
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
Leela
of Vattukkottai
“With his standpoint, Vitharna should not have begged for an appointed MP job from the architect of Mahinda Chintana.”
What is his standpoint?
Did he actually beg for an appointed MP job?
What is Mahinda Chintana?
Did Mahinda really think?
You say:
“Let Sengattuvans accuse Rajapakses as a clique or degrade or demean them by any words they find in the vocabulary and as they like,”
You don’t need Sengattuvans to degrade or demean Rajapakses. They themselves can do it splendidly.
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
Leela
“Elamists should know that Sri Lanka cannot even think about Tamil aspirations for Tamils are seventy million or more, and more over that is India’s problem.”
Why not?
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gamini / October 30, 2012
It is a shame that CT has not brought out news of the havoc created by Typhoon Sandy, on NY. This is retribution to what the Americans have been meddling and supporting regmes as ours to commit villainy. Now it will be interesting to see how our man MR who has been supported by the Americans financially and materially will manage here after.
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Leela / October 30, 2012
Mr Sumanthiran says; President Rajapaksa had not win N&E, Nuwara Eliya District and Colombo Municipal limits at 2010 Presidential Election. He also says; his (Rajapakse’s) ‘mandate’ was only from the Sinhala majority of this country. I say you have deliberately used the wrong word (mandate) Mr Sumnthiran. Or, are you trying to tell us that Fonseka, and not Rajapakse is the president of Sri Lanka for those areas?
Either way it’s an absurd explanation for lawyer; we reject that and all such interpretation by separatists. Sumanthiran and his elk knows very well that voting districts, electorate or place that voters vote has nothing to do with the end result of a presidential election because entire country is a single electorate at a Presidential Election. No matter where Rajapakse got his votes and by how much he won, end result is what mattered.
I believe that just like KP, all LTTE cadres and leaders in custody should be released if they too are rehabilitated and turned around effectively. However, to expect removal of High Security Zones and forces from the North is not a sane expectation. Leave out the fact that North is a part of Sri Lanka, winners everywhere consolidate and stay put wherever they win. What more to say if the US forces are still in Japan, 70 years after defeating Japan.
No point talking about pre may 18th 2009, discussions, for the then TNA was a LTTE proxy and therefore the government was under duress of suicide bombers. So are the other discussions for they are carry forwards from LTTE era. Better start a fresh to be meaningful.
I say Mr Sumanthiran, if you guys wait for RanilW to come to power to get your aspirations in a platter that will be a wait forever. But if you chose to go with Dr.Narendran to PSC, I bet you’ll get a lot more to your side than what you would have got otherwise.
Leela
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
Leela:
“No point talking about pre may 18th 2009, discussions, for the then TNA was a LTTE proxy and therefore the government was under duress of suicide bombers.”
What is the point talking about Vattukottai?
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Soma / October 31, 2012
Native,
Sadly :(
Leela^s comments in general are wishy washy indeed – just trying to kill her time adding lengthy inputs with meaningless contents
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
Soma
“just trying to kill her time adding lengthy inputs with meaningless contents”
Would she kill herself if denied access to forums like this?
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Lanka Muslim, UK / October 31, 2012
You said it dead right Sadly. But Leela’s mastery of the Queen’s language is appreciated for a good bedtime story teller.
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Soma / October 31, 2012
MR and the current rulers are fine for anyone who would respect:
Thuggery
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6KLGzvQQCU
http://www.ceylontoday.lk/16-15757-news-detail-duminda-is-the-stumbling-block-counsel.html
Nepotism
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STFiQ88lMnY
Illegal fraudulent deals
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOZFd-hAK6k
———————————————————————–
Any others would respect RULE OF THE LAW, not corruption as it is the case of today, respectful and dignified life
Will take the side of RW – need of the hour is to strenghthhen RW and opposition to resist the rulers saving the nation and country.
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gamini / October 30, 2012
In February this year a known Astrologer predicted that the world would be devastated by the 23rd of December 2012. I laughed it off, but he was very serious. He maintains this position even now. Seeing Sandy, I am wondering whether it would come true? The damage caused by Sandy will have far reaching effects where the Americans have been meddling as ours. If MR was such a great man to have defeated the LTTE, he should have had a Solution to the vexed Tamil Problem by now and not be begging the TNA to attend the PSC. The fact that MR is trying to make the PSC the cat’s paw, is indicative that he has no clue how to procede. Only thing MR can do is bluff like the APRC.
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Jimsofty / October 30, 2012
Gamini:
Not only MR even the Almighty God won’t be able to find a solution to the Tamil problem. See, in another 50 years it will be at the same place where was it 150 years ago.
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
Jimsofty says:
” Almighty God won’t be able to find a solution to the Tamil problem.”
When did the Sinhala/Buddhist problem become Tamil problem?
Please see below a story which succinctly describes God@s dilemma:
Three old men went to see God.
The first old man, an American, asked God when will his country come out of recession.
“100 years,” God said.
The American started weeping profusely. “I will not live to see that day”
Second man, a Russian asked God “When will my country become prosperous?”
“Fifty years,” came the reply.
The Russian too started weeping profusely. “I will not live to see that day”
Finally the Sri Lankan asked God, “When will my country be free from corruption and violence and find a solution to Sinhala/Buddhist problem?”
God started weeping.
“I will not live to see that day”
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PresiDunce Bean / October 31, 2012
@Jimsofty
…here are some headlines that could appear in Sri Lankan Newspapers in 2050AD :)
President Namal Rajapaksa tells NDTV that the LTTE will be completely defeated by the end of the year!
Prime Minister of India, Rahul Gandhi said at a press conference that India does not support the LTTE, and that there are no LTTE camps on Indian soil.
Vinyargamoorthy Muralitharan Junior, Supreme Leader of the LTTE, vows to use two 15 kiloton nuclear devices obtained from North Korea in populated Sinhala areas if a separate state of Eelam is not granted by the Government of Rajapaksa (GOR).
The great pyramid housing the mummified remains of the Great Emperor Percy Jilmart Rajapaksa, father of present President Namal Rajapaksa was completely destroyed by LTTE jets!
The sacred ‘Satakaya’ once worn by the Great Emperor Percy Jilmart Rajapaksa, which is said to hold magical powers has been secreted away from the Dalada Maligawa to an undisclosed location for safe keeping!
Wimal Weerawansa, former lapdog of the Great Emperor Percy Jilmart Rajapaksa passed away after a brief illness in Disneyland America. The remains will be cremated and buried in Cuba next to the grave of Fidel Castro!
DNA evidence proves beyond a doubt that the former Supreme Leader of the LTTE, Velupillai Prabahakaran was the biological father of present LTTE leader Vinyargamoorthy Muralitharan Junior.
The International Criminal Court convicts Great Emperor Percy Jilmart Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and General Sarath Fonseka, (all three who are now deceased) for being responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 Tamil civilians during the final stages of the war against the LTTE, 41 years ago.
The Great Wall of Sri Lanka, which was built in 2014AD, across the north of Sri Lanka to prevent LTTE rebels from crossing over to the south, is the only man made structure that can be seen from outer space, said Urine Gagarine Rajapaksa, the first Sri Lankan astronaut to orbit the earth!
The Jathika Hela Urumaya requests all patriotic Sinhala Buddhists not to vote for UNP Presidential Candidate, Barakamesh Hobarmysingham (a Tamil), because he vows to devolve maximum powers to the minorities in the north and east, and in doing so, bring to an end the 100 year conflict between the Sinhalese and the Tamils.
The yearly pilgrimage to the graves of Military Comedian Brigadiar Udaya Nanayakara and Government Comedian Keheliya Rambukwella, who kept audiences worldwide in stitches with their daily utterances and tall stories about Eelam War IV, over 40 years ago, will not be held this year due to security reasons, said Charlie Chaplin Rajapaksa, the spokesman for “The Clowns and Comedians Worldwide Association.”
President Namal Rajapaksa promised the 3,00,000 refugees who were displaced due to the war, 41 years ago, that he would re-settle them after the LTTE was completely defeated!
Cabraal Nivaad Ajith, Central Bank Governor and son of former Governor, (the late Ajith Nivaad Cabraal) said that the 2.6 billion US$ loan that Sri Lanka requested from the IMF in 2009, would be received in the near future.
95 year old Jathika Hela Urumaya monk, Athuruliye Rathna Thero told journalists that the only way “Mathata Thitha,” the complete eradication of alcohol and drugs from society would succeed was, if society was completely eradicated. He further stated that a special bill on how this could be done would be presented to parliament in the near future.
:)
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Leela / November 2, 2012
Been,
Live in your pipe dream and write more of it. It’s good amusement.
Leela
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Jimsofty / October 30, 2012
If Sumanthiran is an appointed MP and not an elected MP, he better first solves the problems of one who appointed him. By trying to solve problems he may ruin himself.
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Srilankan / October 30, 2012
Dr.R.Narendran,
Your request to MA Sumanthiran is deacribed as akin to “Walk into my parlour(PSC),said the spider(SLGovernment),to the fly(TNA)” says Justice in his comments.I agree with him. Suppose TNA attends the PSC and if PSC passes a resolution, ignoring representations made by the TNA, using the stamroller majority, will not the Govt. flag bearers call the TNA as dam fools to have joined the PSC process?.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / October 31, 2012
Remember the story of Robert Bruce we learned as children-keep trying. We cannot be worse off than we are at present. No gain is better than no further loss. Jaw jaw is better than all the alternatives available. We have of course experienced the worst alternative ONLY three + years back! Is it not a bit too early forget this lesson?
Dr.R.N
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran:
“Jaw jaw is better than all the alternatives available.”
I see your strategy. Talk your enemy to death. It will work only if your enemy listens to you.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / November 1, 2012
Native Vedda,
The reverse possibility is also possible!
Dr.R.N
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R.Kovian / October 30, 2012
Dr.Rajasingaham. narendiran
What you trying to say bend and until you loose your
dignity…your way of thinking not suit for sinhala kings. they know only language nothing but blood, they are simbly evils…man.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / October 31, 2012
R.Kvian,
Do you know the Tamils in the north and east are a ‘ Paraplegic’ community now due to our stupidity,the stupidity of those governing us and those dictating to us over several decades. The most stupid of all have been our so-called leaders who short sightedly missed to use several golden opportunities that came their way. Misplaced pride ( ‘ Kolluppu’) has blinded us not to seek a path of wisdom and far sightedness. We will refuse to learn until we totally destroy ourselves! Other people’s have risen from the ashes, but we insist that we will continue to act in a manner that will atomise even the ashes!
Chelvanayagam was right in only one thing he said. ” Only God can help the Tamils”. We are indeed determined commit communal suicide!
Dr.R.N
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Native Vedda / October 31, 2012
R.Kovian
“What you trying to say bend and until you loose your
dignity”
When did the Sinhala and Tamil speaking people have their dignity?
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Noel Nadesan / October 31, 2012
MA Sumanthiran is a decent man and good debater with verbal and linguistic skill. But unfortunately he is become another Anton Balasingham who was white washing Prabaharan’s sin for 25 years. Same thing Sumanthiran doing for TNA. question is how long will he do?
I do not want to be offensive to Sumanthiran but fact to be told.
Noel Nadesan
Melbourne Australia
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Justice / October 31, 2012
Nadesan,
You said that “LTTE forced female pregnant cadres to jump from trees to cause abortion”.
This showed your stupidity though are a veterinarian.
You and Narendran who is also a veterinarian wish tamils to be a slavish bootlicking nation.
Tamils only wish to live as equals in every sense of the word in sri lanka,and manage their own affairs,through their elected representatives – nothing more, nothing less.
They are sick of living as a repressed oppressed people.
So are the majority of the other sri lankans,except the bootlickers bought over for cash,perks,position & power and their henchmen.
Sumanthiran is not whitewashing anyone.
But you both are ‘whitewashers’ of the Rajapakse regime which is abhorred by most sri lankans – as evident from the opinions on this blog.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / October 31, 2012
Justice,
Very good! Prod the Tamils and the TNA to traverse the path you and your ilk advocate. Please do not however shed crocodile tears when the harvest comes in and cry foul to the high heavens.
Further, who told you or what makes you believe Nadesan and I want the Tamils to live as slaves? We definitely do not want the Tamils to be consigned to hell once again. They are just coming out of a nightmare. Please do not push them back into an inferno with your false pride and bravado. The Tamils are worse off than slaves today. They are beggars waiting for handouts with their heads bent and hands stretched. They have been deprived of their human dignity. Slaves, despite their status can have at least this dignity. Please read the stories of the black slaves in America in an age that has gone by.
Such emotive and hair raising language is a failed currency and has resulted in where we Tamils are today. The failed currency has become fake currency in the current context.
For God’s sake learn the right lessons from history and remember the plight of the war-affected and the tens of thousands dead when you make such incentive and callous statements.
Dr.R.N
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / October 31, 2012
Justice,
A correction: The correct word is ‘ insensitive’ and not ‘incentive’.
Dr.R.N
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Justice / October 31, 2012
R.N
WHat do you want tamils and TNA to do other than protest against injustice nationally and internationally?
“Harvest” means what? Another mass murder?
Both of you do your best to ‘play down’ human rights violations directed against tamils,you never speak about them.You do not condemn them.
Stating the truth is not ‘false pride and bravado’.
You have always said that everything is OK in jaffna (& the northeast) when it is not – that you are living there and know this very well.
You have even condemned tamils grieving the loss of thousands in the war.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / November 1, 2012
Justice,
We have been more concerned about the very survival of the war-affected people than the esoteric concerns many of you have been focussing. Most of the war-affected in the initial stages were struggling to get a footing in life that befits humans. They are yet struggling for shelter, livelihood and an income to meet their needs. They remember their dead and worry about their missing. However, their overall concerns are not centred around their Tamilness, but their survival as humans. They have to yet regain social stability and overcome the burdens of widowhood, orphan care, physical disabilities, psychological problems, lack of work skills, lack of capital, alcoholism, sex abuse, violence against females, drug addiction and over dependence on handouts. I have rarely seen these critical issues engaging the attention of those demanding justice or talking about rights and pride.
Dr.R.N
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Lanka Muslim, UK / October 31, 2012
Sumanthiran is much more honest than the pacifist self-appointed (or better called self-seeking) diaspora representatives.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / October 31, 2012
Lanka Muslim,
Please clarify what you mean and list how we ‘ Diaspora Representatives’ have been self- seeking? We have been also labelled traitors.
Do not muddy the waters to make it easier for you to fish! Please justify your stance about the PSC logically and reasonably, without resorting to perversity.
Dr.R.N
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Lasantha Pethiyagoda / October 31, 2012
It is reassuring to see healthy debate on the writer’s viewpoint, rather than mere attempts to denigrate or insult individual commentators.
The biggest hurdle to resolving the ethnic problem seems to be the lack of genuine interest. Instead we hear of political games being played out against eachother, somewhat like in a chess game.
If Sri Lanka is to move forward, all parties with a stake should lay their cards on the table and discard political leveraging and horseplay, and sincerely reflect on embracing and working with eachother.
That way, nobody will need to second guess the other party’s intentions in order to achieve consensus.Humility, honesty, sincerity and effort should be the order of the day, not hubris, arrogance or dogmatism.
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Naga / November 1, 2012
TNA has nothing to loose by participating in the Parliamentary Select Committee proceedings. Instead of coming up with a host of reasons for not participating they must join the PSC and see whether President Rajapakse is sincere or not.
Yes, there have been many proposals, committees and round of talks in the past aimed at finding a solution to the Tamil problem. Some,for example, Chandrika Kumaratunga’s proposals were genuinely aimed at settling the dispute. But, unfortunately TNA too played a part in the failure of that attempt because that party and its leader Sampanthan did not have the balls to oppose the LTTE.
TNA is living in the dream world believing that India and the so-called international community will get them their rights. India now is a toothless and clawless tiger. The most India could do is to issue pro-Tamil statements. The days of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi are over. There cannot be an internationally enforced solution. Like what the Chinese envoy told the TNA, the Tamil problem is an internal affair and it has to be settled internally. There is no other way.
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S.W Smarajeewa / November 1, 2012
The crux of matter of TNA politics is styill they are running behind Indain UK,USA and UN-Geneva seek soluation for Tamil National quesation.As long as TNA denied Natioanl political agenda we cannot, approch Tamils and settle problems in internally.
First and formost TNA and Tamil politicians living in myth of Utopian Eelam in Sri lanka.They should rejected Eelam dream.
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Senguttuvan / November 1, 2012
Naga – The Rajapakse half-baked treachery is to get the TNA into the PSC trap; allow a few months for meetings and get them outvoted in the
PSC itself. Then they will tell the world they followed democratic procedure and the majority in the community were satisfied Tamils are OKK??? Even in these blogs you can see some Tamils carrying the Govt agenda and blasting the TN for not falling into line.
Remember their (Rajapakses) perfidious action in PC election after election – even when the people did not ask for it or want it. Even that crook Berty Premalal cried he did not want it. The Rajapakses simply used the hollow victories to tell the donours and the world, inspite of all criticism and alleged economic difficulties, the people are voting them – by unprecedented margins. I have too many educated
and decent Sinhala friends. I hate to say Sinhalaya Modaya ..kavung etc etc., TNA, with learned and sharp MPs within it, will not fall for this low trick.
Senguttuvan
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Rama / November 1, 2012
fuck psc. stick psc up rajapaksa’s ass.
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Naga / November 2, 2012
Senguttuvan – Tell me what else can Tamils do now to win their due rights? Tigers had two great opportunities to get an honorable solution to the Tamil problem. The first came in the form of Indo-Sri Lankan Agreement of 1987. Though it was flawed it could have been improved and worked for the betterment of the Tamils with the support of the then Indian government and Rajiv Gandhi had the Tigers been patient enough to withstand provocations by the Sri Lankan Government and its Armed Forces. Instead Anton Balansingam passed on cyanaide capules to the tiger leaders captured by the Sri Lankan Forces and precipated a foolish war against the IPKF. The second golden opportunity came when Norway initiated peace talks with the concurrence of India. When Balasingam agreed to a federal solution at the Geneva talks Tiger supremo Prabaharan rejected it. That was the last golden opportunity Tamils had, but Prabaharan’s intransience and his single minded pursuit of Tamil Eelam led to the total annihilation of his outfit. That was an opportunity that had the full backing of the entire international community including India. With Prabaharan spurning that opportunity the international community including US, India, Japan, EU, Norway etc gave their full backing to the Rajapakse government to crush the Tigers. Even when everyone knew that Tigers are going to be wiped out, as was recently confirmed by Eric Solheim, a last opportunity was given to the LTTE to surrender and to save total annihilation of the LTTE cadres and the innocent Tamils kept as human shield. That call for Tigers to surrender was passed on to the Tigers by India through various channels in early or mid April 2009, more than a month before the final end came. Prabaharan spurned it on the advice of those bastards Vaiko and Nedumaran. I am saying this from first hand information as one who was involved in trying to save the thousands of Tamils kept as human shield by Prabaharan. India was in a position to end the war without further bloodshed but the one man who mattered namely Prabaharan listened to Vaiko and Nedumaran and believed that he can postpone his fate. That was not to be.
Now the Tamils are a defeated people. What prevails now is victor’s justice. TNA and the Tamil Diaspora including the LTTE remnants should realize this. There cannot be another armed struggle for another ten or twenty years. Where will you find the youths to take up the arms? Do you expect those handful of foolish Tamil Nadu youths who slavishly follow self seeking politicians like Seeman, Vaiko,Thirumavalavan and Nedumaran stand up to the now well trained and well armed Sri Lankan Armed Forces?
Tamils will have to patiently engage the government in power. If President Rajapakse is calling for TNA’s participation in the PSC process only to dupe them,they should nevertheless go and participate. The Tamils and their leadership have no other options. UN General Assembly or the Human Rights Council have their limits. There is no mass killings of Tamils for the UN Security Council to intervene.Even if it happens, with Sri Lanka enjoying the support of veto wielding powers of Russia and China, UN Security Council will be helpless to lift a finger against Sri Lanka. See what is happening in Syria.The UN Security Council cannot prevent the bloodshed in Syria. How can it then intervene in Sri Lanka. Is there a threat to international peace and security from whatever is happening in Sri Lanka?
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Senguttuvan / November 2, 2012
Dear Naga,
I am glad readers like you have a good appreciation of the Tamil Nation’s fundamental questions. The following are some of my humble thoughts. The 1987 ILA was a missed opportunity sabotaged mainly by the Tigers that harmed the cause of the Tamil Nation very substantially.
I have a different understanding of the joint suicide of Pulendran-Kumarappa and friends in the oncoming boat, which I believe was a conspiracy by Athulathmudali to undermine the ILA in view of his ongoing fight with Gamini D to secure JRJ’s mantle as successor. Remember when Dixit assured JRJs Govt he will arrange an IAF plane to bring Pulendran and friends to Colombo for interrogation an order went out from unspecified sources not to allow this. JRJ did not give the order. Years later, the media (Iqbal Athas?)revealed it was Athulathmudali who gave the order – insisting his name be kept out.
I am sure some of the senior uniformed officials will know the story.
I agree with you even if the ILA was flawed from the Tamil perspective, we should have accepted it in that form then and worked for its improvement later. See what we lost then – multiple thousands of civilian and youth lives; billions in properties gone and, sadly to all of us, Tamils sent to the streets with their lives and future virtually destroyed.
I regret the excesses commited by the IPKF in Jaffna and moreso in the carnage in the General Hospital. But as widely known in academic circles, it was the tigers who were behind this rift. VP and Bala were afraid a solution would have harmed their dream of the 1st Tamil country in the world. Let me add, Tamils then and now are not interested in this foolish dream at all.
The TN leaders mentioned by you, rightly or wrongly, stood by us then and now. We owe them our gratitude for that. But we must work out our own destiny, in which the support of both Govts of Sri Lanka and India are absolutely necessary.
There is no need for another war or further mass bloodshed. Russia and China can be brought around. They know we have a case. China has started talking to us. The Rajapakses are also keen to settle the issue without loss of face for them. They are more concerned with muddying their waters for the next generation of Rajapakses. This is their problem besides their being captives to some extremists in the Sinhala supremacist cabal. This should not be used to mortgage the wider interest of the Tamil Nation.
We must speak in one voice and, at least for sometime, and allow the TNA to speak for the Tamil Nation. We have a difficult task because the Rajapakses have bought over some influential voices in the Tamil side. You can see traces of this even in these pages. The TNA have the credentials, the experience and the support of India and foreign governments to bring us the peacel conditions for a start. Rajapakses cannot further delay PCs to the North.
It may be good if we can bring aboard Chandrahasan, whom the Rajapakses are keen to bring in for their own political fortunes. The TNA leadership must make peace with him. He has the personality and what it takes, the background, the support of India and the Donor community to come in as a unifying and moderate voice.
Above all, we must go out to assure the Sinhala people we are not against them but only want to lead our lives in peace; that we have no intentions to integrate with TN. I have suggested a formal invitation to both the Malwatta and Asgiriya Mahanayakas to visit Jaffna and offer their own blessings and support for a future peace and friendly co-existence. We must build bridges with the Sinhalese although the wounds are deep and still raw. If we can get these done Diaspora strength can be expected to build a strong Lankan Tamil Nation in our
own majority areas – now denied to us by brute force and engineered injustice. The UN, USA, EU and the world in general will doubtlessly support a political programme based along peaceful lines.
Senguttuvan
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / November 3, 2012
Senguttuwan,
What is your concluding advice to the TNA?
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Naga / November 3, 2012
Dear Senguttuvan – I agree with your line of thinking. I will have no problem with the TNA representing the Tamils if they sincerely act in the broader interests of the Tamils and if they can show matured leadership qualities. What I find is that most of the TNA MPs are there to warm their Parliamentary seats and to collect their pay and enjoy the perks that come as Parliamentarians. Most of them are clueless as to what course of action Tamils should take to win their rights to live as equal citizens of Sri Lanka. They simply mouth slogans like traditional home land and self determination. TNA has no future plan of action. Most of the TNA MPs are afraid to go against the Diaspora Tamils. In practice it appears that TNA works to the agenda of the pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora.
My regret as one coming from the East is that we have a bunch of idiots like Ariyanenthiran,Yogeswaran and Selvarajah representing the Batticaloa Tamils. TNA should not have given nominations to these three. There are many educated and self respecting Tamils in Batticaloa but TNA leadership did not seek to approach them. I asked my friend Thurairajasingham (former TULF MP for Batticaloa and the present Provincial Councilor) why TNA gave nominations to these three guys in Batticaloa? He said he only asked Yogeswaran be nominated as he was not corrupt but the decisions about the other two were made by Sampanthan. TNA made the same mistake in relation to the Eastern Provincial Council nominations. Look at the guys who have been elected as councilors from the East. Thurairetnam was a member of the murderous Razik Group, Jana from TELO is accused of colluding with the Sri Lankan Army in the torture and killing of many Tamils and he was the main culprit in the abduction of children for the Indian backed Tamil National Army, the other TELO nominee elected from Batticaloa has a similar past, and Vellimalai is an open mouthed fool. The only respectable person elected from Batticaloa as a TNA Provincial Councillor is Thurairajasingham.
If you look at the TNA MPs from the North and Vanni you will see dodgy characters with blood on their hands. Suresh Premachandran who is aspiring to become the next TNA leader is widely accused of being a leader of the Mandayan Group that murdered Tamil youths suspected of association with the LTTE. Sri Lankan Tamils can be proud of just two TNA MPs, namely Sampanthan and Sumanthiran, as able speakers who can articulate the views of the Tamils. The problem with them is that one is old and will have to retire soon from politics; and the other has no people base or political maturity. Moreover their hands are being twisted by the pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora. Anandasangari of TULF, though had the guts to oppose Prabaharan, is too much indebted to Mahinda Rajapakse and the Sri Lankan establishment. Similarly Sitharthan of PLOTE and Sritharan of Pathmanaba EPRLF owe great debts to Mahinda Rajapakse and the Sri Lankan establishment. TELO leader Selvam Adaikalanathan has his own weaknesses and perhaps some skeletions in his cupboard.
Thus, if you look at the present Tamil leadership it is not reassuring. That is the reason why as the saying goes “Alai Illa Oruku Illupai Poo Chakarai”, the unelected Sumanthiran, though without any political background or following, is in the ascendant. However, he has a quick temper and cannot face criticisms. I personally saw how he lost his temper and advanced to assault Anandasangari in New Delhi over a heated argument. This incident happened in a dinner hosted to the Tamil political party representatives after the New Delhi conference organised by Congress MP Natchiappan.
I mentioned all this to illustrate that Sri Lankan Tamils at the moment lack proper leadership. Tamils will have to build up a new leadership. You mentioned Chandrahasan. He may have some support from the Indian establishment but in my view he has no qualities to become the Tamil leader. His only asset is the label that he is the son of Selvanayagam. Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam is a joker who refuses to see the reality. He has aligned with the LTTE nominated former MPs like Gajendran.
Diaspora Tamils cannot and should not give leadership to the Sri Lankan Tamils. They should take the greater blame for the present plight of the Tamils. It is their money and support that emboldened Prabaharan to take the suicidal cause in refusing to settle for an honorable solution short of Tamil Eelam.
Naga
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / November 3, 2012
Naga,
Thanks. You have said what has to said boldly and bluntly. I hope more Tamils will confront this sad but bitter truth. Bankrupt, corrupt, violent and criminal men have become our politicians and now prancing around as our leaders. They are the cancer that is eating into our vitals as a people.
May GOD bless you for this service to the Tamils living in Sri Lanka.
Dr.R.N
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Senguttuvan / November 3, 2012
Dr. R. Narendran and reader Naga are clearly senior and educated men well versed in contemporary Lankan Tamil politics. The 3 of us may disagree on perspectives but there is little argument what we look forward is a conflict-free, peaceful and prosperous Lankan Tamil society and Nation to realise the true potential of our people. Our people have gone through such great turbulence both from the State since the mid-1950s and from the armed rebellion since the 1980s. As US Ambassador Ashley Willis told me years ago “the cultured Tamils of this country deserve a much better Quality of Life”.
TNA needs little advise from me. I agree with their current stand. Their leadership is not infallible. Many of them may have skeletons in their political cup-boards. Our once sublime and learned society has been shattered by 3 deccades of terrible war and suffers its consequences. It is by no means perfect but we have to do with what we have. We are close to the danger of losing our remaining land and identty in our ancient Homeland.
Naga demonstrates the sad historical cleavage between the NP and EP which still remains within us, divides and weakens our unity and resolve to meet the future in a common stand. Who expected the lecherous Karuna and the treacherous Pillaiyan to be “Tamil leaders” from the EP. Under normal conditions, our earlier leaders would not have wished to be seen dead by the side of these dregs. Both of them have sold the soul of the Tamil people for their personal benefit. I agree with Naga there are far more qualified and deserving leaders in the Batticoloa/Trinco Districts now silenced by the dominating gun culture (ayudha kalacharam) that still holds sway. It is this disunity that also caused our losing our dominant position in the Districts where we were denied the position of CM. The Tamil good and future lost in 3 decades of armed struggle cannot be regained in an year or two. Hardwork, patience and further suffering is required before we
build our own society to prevent attacks on our land, persons and property that has characterised our history since 1947.
Senguttuvan
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / November 4, 2012
Senguttuvan,
“Hardwork, patience and further suffering is required before we
build our own society to prevent attacks on our land, persons and property that has characterised our history since 1947.”
Harwork: Yes. In fact plenty of it.
Patience: Yes. In abundance.
Suffering:NO. We have had enough and more. We have also made others suffer unnecesarily. Further, who will suffer? Will those calling for more suffering bear this cross? Are the war-affected Tamils in Sri Lanka being called upon to suffer more, by those who are enconsed in comfort abroad and within Sri Lanka.
Further, who caused more damage to Tamil persons and property in the past three decades? Is the TNA capable of delivering what the Tamils need more than anything else now- at leasst a century of peace? I am sure someone will respond by saying that they do not need the peace of the grave yard! After what I had seen in the Vanni, the peace of the grave yard is a thousands time better than the blood, gore and mayhem of a battle field.
What we are now having is the peace that permits us to sleep well, re-build our lives and society, hope for our children and believe that we will die a natural death. This is something tangible now. Let the TNA build on this base, enhance it, pay more attention to the suffering of the war-affected and work to bring about the conditions that will prevent any further threats to safety of person and property from the lumpen elements in the state, the community and the country at large. This is the need of the hour. All other matters are secondary in the short and medium term.
The long term issues- citizenship rights, community rights, equal opportunities and power sharing- should be discussed within the Tamil community in Sri lanka at various levels and also involve the Tamil intelligentia of all hues, colours and alligences. The TNA is not capable of defining these, although they have the capacity to sell damaged goods yet.
The TNA’s biggest obligation to the Tamil community they have misled and led to utter misery, is to help evolve a new ‘Quality’leadership. The serious quality deficit in the TNA has been highlighted by Naga in a very specific manner. The same deficit exists in other Tamil political formation as well. This enormous deficit can be bridged only if the TNA can first define what ‘Quality’is. This definitely is not the technique to win elections they have perfected.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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