{"id":127441,"date":"2014-07-06T11:24:05","date_gmt":"2014-07-06T05:54:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=127441"},"modified":"2014-07-14T17:16:20","modified_gmt":"2014-07-14T11:46:20","slug":"human-rights-activists-plan-a-trip-to-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/human-rights-activists-plan-a-trip-to-france\/","title":{"rendered":"Human Rights Activists Plan A Trip To France"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0Malinda Seneviratne<\/a><\/span>\u00a0–<\/strong><\/strong><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Malinda<\/a>

Malinda Seneviratne<\/p><\/div>\n

Meanwhile In A Parallel Universe<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018We have to do something about it,\u2019 Psychosothy Paranamuttu started things off at Celery Caf\u00e9, Colombo 3 where some hardcore HR hawks had gathered to obtain comfort of companionship in trying times.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Yes, since we are not nationalists, we have to show nationalists and everyone else that we are internationalists,\u2019 J.C. Galamuna opined.<\/p>\n

\u2018I agree. We are beyond narrow identities. We don\u2019t do identity politics.\u00a0 We do identifying politics.\u00a0 We are not racists. We are human racists.\u2019\u00a0 That was Bimalka Ferdinando.<\/p>\n

\u2018I second that!\u2019 Mohan Edirmanne,\u00a0on a short visit home from Nepal, chipped in.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Hey Mohan, long time no see.\u00a0 Where were you hiding, man?\u2019 Johanne Perera was curious.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018Doing this and that men, don\u2019t you know?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Did you order?\u2019 Sankajaya Hattotuwegama was interested in getting on with the business at hand.<\/p>\n

\u2018Your favorites, brother!\u2019 Paranamuttu calmed the young man down.<\/p>\n

\u2018I know I am not exactly an HR man, but we are all in this together, and I hope you don\u2019t mind me tossing in my two pennies worth,\u2019 Charlie Hadaland cautiously wanted inclusion.<\/p>\n

\u2018By all means buddy, go ahead and give us the low down!\u2019 Bimalka said graciously.<\/p>\n

\u2018Ok. Thanks.\u00a0 Here goes.\u00a0 Judges at the European Court of Human Rights, that\u2019s ECHR folks, have upheld France\u2019s burqa ban, claiming that the ban encouraged citizens to live together.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Three cheers for the liberal attitude of the French towards relationships and sex!\u2019 Maurice Gonzales of the International Centre for Ethnic Cleansing didn\u2019t hide his jubilation.<\/p>\n

\u2018Er\u2026.Mo\u2026I don\u2019t think that\u2019s what it\u2019s about, is it Charlie?\u2019 Psychosothy tried to keep things sober.<\/p>\n

\u2018Yes. This is about a law introduced in 2010 which made it illegal for anyone to cover their face in a public place. While it also covers balaclavas and hoods, the ban has been criticized as targeting Muslim women,\u2019 Hadaland explained.<\/p>\n

\u2018Are you sure Charlie?\u00a0 It sounds like something that can only come from the Sinhala Buddhist State, certainly not France,\u2019 Bimalka wasn\u2019t convinced.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s France alright,\u2019 Charles assured her and added, \u2018the question is, since we are not nationalists and since our ideology is not contained by national boundaries, we can\u2019t be twiddling our thumbs over this issue.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,\u2019 Gonzales showed off his sloganeering skills.<\/p>\n

\u2018Charlie, you are right,\u2019 Paranamuttu ignored Maurice, \u2018we have talked so religiously about religious freedoms that we just can\u2019t let this pass without comment.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018But we have not uttered a word about the lack of religious freedoms in Arab countries,\u2019 Galamuna broke his silence, making people squirm in their chairs, despite long-standing growth of layers and layers on selectivity-tissue on their self righteous bums.<\/p>\n

\u2018That\u2019s different Machang,\u2019 Sankajaya brought in nuance, \u2018because there are places where we can do things and places where we can\u2019t.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Yes, where soft religions are strong, there\u2019s room for us to talk about religious freedoms and in its name defend all kinds of intrusions that would not be allowed in countries where intruding religions are dominant,\u2019\u00a0 Johanne Perera made a careful intervention to support Hattotuwegama.<\/p>\n

\u2018But this is France,\u2019 Paranamuttu reminded everyone of the matter at hand.<\/p>\n

\u2018Let\u2019s go there, let\u2019s go there!\u2019 Sankajaya was excited.<\/p>\n

\u2018Let\u2019s not be hasty, after all the French would not see us as human rights activists but a bunch of brownies who are trying to teach them how to run their affairs,\u2019 Mohan was cold sober.<\/p>\n

\u2018No, they won\u2019t.\u00a0 They give us money and tell us how to teach Sri Lankans how to live their lives. It\u2019s all in the spirit of cooperation, common human values and so on.\u00a0 That\u2019s what we\u2019ve learnt from all the workshops we\u2019ve attended, remember?\u2019 Bimalka was optimistic.<\/p>\n

\u2018You can\u2019t be serious!\u2019 Johanne said.<\/p>\n

\u2018Come on Bimalka, we can rant and rave about the BBS, but we won\u2019t utter one word about the clashes in Kalmunai where two Muslim sects are fighting it out, do you even wonder why we don\u2019t?\u2019 Mohan put Bimalka on the spot.<\/p>\n

\u2018We are moving away from the topic,\u2019 Paranamuttu tried to keep the peace.<\/p>\n

\u2018Hey guys, it\u2019s getting late,\u2019 Sankajaya looked at his watch.<\/p>\n

\u2018True, true, let\u2019s meet again and put together a project proposal to organize 1000 workshops all over Sri Lanka where we will debate whether or not we should go to France!\u2019 Galamuna said.<\/p>\n

\u2018Who is picking up the bill?\u2019 Johanne was always particular about such thing.<\/p>\n

\u2018I will,\u2019 Paranamuttu said, adding with a grin, \u2018we will put it down to transport costs!\u2019<\/p>\n

Everyone laughed but in the midst of all that gaiety Bimalka had the presence of mind to whisper into Charlie\u2019s ear, \u2018Don\u2019t you write about it!\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Hey, I am a friend, a beneficiary and I know what I am supposed to do and when to play deaf and dumb!\u2019 Hadaland said reassuringly.<\/p>\n

\u2018As long as Colombo Telegraph doesn\u2019t get to know about it!\u2019 Paranamuttu hissed.<\/p>\n

As they trooped out of Celery Caf\u00e9, Mohan was struck by a thought.\u00a0 He turned around and asked, \u2018Hey J.C., how come you still go with the name Galamuna?\u2019<\/p>\n

The man was embarrassed.\u00a0 He stammered out, \u2018I know, I know, I\u2019ve been busy, but don\u2019t worry, I am going to change it to Kalmunai very soon.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018Good,\u2019 said Mohan as he turned back, almost knocking down a woman in a burqa, to whom he quickly apologized, \u2018Sorry Ma\u2019am, please be assured, I am not a supporter of living together!\u2019<\/p>\n

The woman, obviously not making head or tail of it, gathered herself and walked away, entering the safe precincts of Celery Caf\u00e9.<\/p>\n

*Malinda Seneviratne is the Chief Editor of \u2018The Nation\u2019\u00a0and his articles can be found at\u00a0www.malindawords.blogspot.com<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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