{"id":87561,"date":"2013-05-19T15:22:37","date_gmt":"2013-05-19T09:52:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=87561"},"modified":"2013-06-04T19:51:23","modified_gmt":"2013-06-04T14:21:23","slug":"a-response-to-the-presidents-address-on-victory-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/a-response-to-the-presidents-address-on-victory-day\/","title":{"rendered":"A Response To The President\u2019s Address On ‘Victory Day’"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Rajasingham Narendran<\/a><\/span> –<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Dr. Rajasingham Narendran<\/p><\/div>\n

I read with much interest the President\u2019s \u2018Victory Day\u2019 speech at the Galle Face Green, yesterday, reproduced in CT<\/a><\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0 While I agree with much of his recount of recent history, there are glaring gaps in the story he recalled.\u00a0 Further, he has failed to address the current concerns of the victims his forces liberated at all.\u00a0 I have selected some sentences and sections from his address to express my concerns.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday we have the fourth opportunity to celebrate with dignity the great victory of our Motherland<\/a><\/span>.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mr. President, victory over whom?\u00a0\u00a0 I raise this question in terms of the word \u2018Conquered\u2019 used in a war memorial in Mullaitivu.\u00a0 Was it a victory over the LTTE<\/a><\/span> or the Tamils?\u00a0 Motherland!\u00a0 Whose?\u00a0 I did not see any opposition figures in the podium?\u00a0 There were also no representatives of the Tamils, who were liberated by the armed forces, on the podium. I also did not see any Hindu priests, Christian padres or Muslim Moulavis on the podium, except for a handful of Buddhist monks. \u00a0The absence of Sarath Fonseka<\/a><\/span>, the man who led the army from the front, at this function and his name and role not being even mentioned were glaring omissions that portrayed\u00a0 the smallness this great country is being reduced to.<\/p>\n

Further, the language in the inscription on the war memorial at which flowers were laid was only in Sinhalese. Why?\u00a0 What does this imply in terms of the word \u2018Motherland\u2019 used by you? Is Tamil not the language of the \u2018Other\u2019 children of \u2018Mother Lanka\u2019?\u00a0\u00a0 Why were these inscriptions not also in Tamil- an official language and English- a link language? What is the message this government is conveying?<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must bear in mind that thousands of heroes like this sacrificed their lives for the country to obtain this great victory.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why were the thousands of civilians- innocent and forcibly conscripted by the LTTE- who sacrificed their lives and much more, not remembered or mentioned in the president\u2019s speech.\u00a0 They are war-victims who are yet living and are the bigger heroes.\u00a0\u00a0 Those Tamils liberated from the clutches of the LTTE are the real victors. They sacrificed most, put up with the worst imaginable and barely escaped alive. Why were the disabled, the orphaned and widowed Tamil civilian survivors, not paraded and honored at this event? Why was an opportunity to promote national reconciliation once again missed?<\/p>\n

\u201cIf one is to fully understand the great service provided by these heroes we must recall how the people of this country lived before May 2009.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

I hope you \u00a0had in mind the period preceding the emergence of Tamil militancy and the LTTE, where the Tamils were exclusively targeted and the interim period when they were also subjected to state terror.\u00a0 The Tamils have borne the consequences of terrorism- of the state, Sinhala hoodlums and the Tamil terrorists masquerading as liberators, for a much longer period than the others in our Mother Land.\u00a0 They are the bigger victims and the larger than life heroes. \u00a0They are the ones who should prod our conscience and make us humane and hence human.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that those who had ceasefire agreements that betrayed the country to the Tigers are making every effort to make us forget the heroism of this nation.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is a very unfair and inaccurate statement.\u00a0 It is the last ceasefire agreement signed with Norwegian mediation that exposed the LTTE for what it was to the Tamils and helped weaken it from within.\u00a0 It was an important prelude to what the last war achieved.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis era should be not go-down in history as an era when we were warring, but an era when war was ended.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

True.\u00a0\u00a0 What about the hereafter?\u00a0 What sort of peace are you trying to build? What sort of nation are you trying to build? \u00a0This has been neither defined nor clarified yet.\u00a0 Is it going to be a victor\u2019s justice or resolution of issues that led to Tamil militancy, terrorism and war, for all time, to the satisfaction of the Tamils and all right thinking people in this country?\u00a0 Are the minorities to be permanent step-children in the Mother Land that is also theirs?<\/p>\n

The end of the war has also not helped liberate all the peoples of Sri Lanka from the scourges of bad governance and the unbearable cost of living. There are haunting realities in the lives of all the citizens of this country.\u00a0 The armed forces have won a major battle under your leadership, but you are on the way to lose the bigger war.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimilarly, this era should go down in history as one that carried out a major transformation to prevent the occurrence of war again.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

What sort of major transformation?\u00a0 Are increased militarization and surveillance the only answers? Should not the political needs, concerns and fears of the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims be addressed in a more Statesman-like manner? Isn\u2019t it important to remember that each one of is a child of Mother Lanka and the weaker in political terms, need special care from your government, which at the moment is in charge of affairs here.<\/p>\n

Why were warnings against commemorating the war-dead among the Tamils, issued by the military and not the police?\u00a0 Why has not the government organized official events to commemorate all the \/ riot\/war \/ insurgency dead in this country?\u00a0 If the government can publicly celebrate victory, why can\u2019t the Tamils publicly commemorate the innocent victims of war?<\/p>\n

Why should\u00a0 almost 7000 acres of land that was commandeered for reasons of war\u00a0 25 years back from their owners, be not returned to the rightful owners, four years after the war ended?\u00a0 What is the moral justification for acquiring these lands?\u00a0 Will this help with reconciliation or win the hearts and minds of the Tamils?\u00a0 How will these acquisitions prevent the recurrence of war?\u00a0\u00a0 Do you understand that the Tamils will not want a war in their midst for the next thousand years?\u00a0\u00a0 You have to know what the Tamils think, better and trust their good sense. They have learned more lessons the hard way than you and your government have learned.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is the people in the North and the East who would and should feel this most. Today, in the north and east of the country, there are twelve political parties carrying out their activities freely.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

How freely?\u00a0 What choices do the war-affected have?\u00a0 What sort of individuals and political formations has your government promoted in the north and east?\u00a0 What sort of individuals would come forward to contest elections in the north and east, considering the political climate?\u00a0 You have embraced ex-LTTE\u2019rs \u2013both big and small-, but have not yet reached out for the hearts, minds and souls of the Tamils. You have not trusted them and they are yet unable to trust you yet, despite your laudable efforts\u00a0 on the IDP, resettlement, rehabilitation and infra-structure development fronts.\u00a0\u00a0 It is for you t6o identify the missing piece.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrabhakaran and his cohorts destroyed the erudite society that could build the culture of the Tamil people of the north.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

What has your government done to encourage the remaining erudite and the cultured Tamils to lead the Tamils in the north and east?\u00a0 How can we expect you to do this in the north and east, when you are orchestrating and promoting the entry of scum and the lumpen into Sinhala and Tamil politics?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe time has come for the people of the north to have a good understanding of the honesty of those who claim to speak on their behalf.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Please remember that this caution will also apply to those you have promoted and continue to promote as the leaders of the Tamils in the north and east.<\/p>\n

\u201cI understand well and recall the hearts and minds of the people of the north and east. History shows that in the Presidential Election of 1982 the Tamil people of the north defeated Ponnambalam who stood for a separate state and elected <\/strong>Kobbekaduwa<\/strong><\/a> who was from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

The vote for Hector Kobbekaduwa<\/a><\/span> was a vote against the high handedness of JRJ<\/a><\/span> and the UNP.<\/p>\n

The voting at the 1982 Presidential Elections was as follows in north and east:<\/p>\n

Jaffna:<\/strong>\u00a0 Total voters- 493,705\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Voted- 218,003<\/p>\n

SLFP \u2013 77,300\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 UNP -44,980\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ACTC- 87, 263<\/p>\n

Vanni: <\/strong>\u00a0Total voters- 119,093\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Voted- 70,739<\/p>\n

SLFP-23, 221\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 UNP -32,834\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0ACTC- 11,521<\/p>\n

Batticaloa:<\/strong>\u00a0 Total voters- 172,480\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Voted- 120,076<\/p>\n

SLFP- 21,688\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 UNP- 48,094\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ACTC- 47,095<\/p>\n

Trincomalee:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Total voters- 133,646\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Voted- 70,739<\/p>\n

SLFP- 31,700\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 UNP- 32,834\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ACTC- 11,521.<\/p>\n

Kumar Ponnambalam had the largest share of votes in Jaffna, although he basked in the glory of his late father and had no vote base there.<\/p>\n

You have failed also to mention how the Tamils voted when Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunge<\/a><\/span> was a presidential candidate for the first time in 1994:<\/p>\n

Jaffna:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Total voters- 596,366\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Voted- 14,716<\/p>\n

SLFP \u2013 16,934\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 UNP- 341<\/p>\n

Vanni:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Total Voters- 184,090\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Voted- 40,053<\/p>\n

SLFP- 75, 242\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 UNP- 26,860<\/p>\n

Batticaloa:<\/strong>\u00a0 Total voters- 201,897\u00a0\u00a0 Voted- 168,443<\/p>\n

SLFP \u2013 144,725\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 UNP 14,812<\/p>\n

Trincomalee:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 Total voters- 184,090\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Voted- 106,480<\/p>\n

SLFP- 75,242\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 UNP- 26,860<\/p>\n

The above results are self explanatory. Tamils have been ready to vote for candidates of national parties, irrespective of the token candidatures of Tamils.\u00a0 The overwhelming Tamil vote for Chandrika Kumaratunge was for the promise she represented for the Tamils.\u00a0 The UNP caricatured her dressed and adorned as a Tamil, to draw the Sinhala vote. However, this did not work. She won 66% of the votes cast.<\/p>\n

There is a lesson for you in this. The Sinhala people are wiser and more ethical than they are portrayed to be by fringe Sinhala political parties.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe that the feeling that we should all live together in a single country is once again emerging in the hearts of the Tamil people.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

That feeling was always there among the overwhelming number of Tamils. Unfortunately, they were driven to consider other options, when forced to feel they were unwanted in their Mother Land.\u00a0 Yes, they want to yet live in a single country, but as equal citizens in every way and with rights to manage their political affairs internally, in areas where they predominate, to a reasonable extent.\u00a0 They also want to share power at the centre, to commiserate with their numbers. They do not want to be victims of state terrorism, Tamil terrorism<\/a><\/span> or Sinhala chauvinism<\/a><\/span> and majoritarianism<\/a><\/span>, ever gain.<\/p>\n

The big question is what are you and your government doing to meet Tamil and other minority expectations in terms of their role and place in the national politics and life.<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore me today I see brave sons and daughters of Sri Lanka who are ready to sacrifice their lives for our Motherland.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

There would have been more Tamil and Muslim sons and daughters of Sri Lanka, in front of you, ready to sacrifice their lives too for the Motherland, if you had made 18th May, the National Commemoration and Remembrance Day, instead of a Victory Day.\u00a0\u00a0 I think there is a big lesson for you and your government to learn on what national reconciliation means.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is with great pride that I recall that through thousands of years past there were hundreds of thousands of brave people ready to sacrifice their lives for the Motherland.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

These brave people included Tamils who fought in Dutu Gemunu\u2019s army, Sempakaperumal alias Sappumal Kumaraya, Tamils who fought against the Portuguese invaders and the thousands of Tamils who refused to bow down to the LTTE, any longer. \u00a0Please also do not forget the Tamil leaders who were in the fore front, demanding independence for Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt said \u201cNever did we know what fear was. Never were we bothered about life, but for our land\u201d.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

However, dastardly the LTTE was, it should also be remembered that many thousands of young Tamils knew no fear, did not bother about life and sacrificed their lives for its cause, because they loved the part of this Mother Land that they believed was theirs to live as proud citizens.\u00a0 It was a fallback position on account of their being marginalized and brutalized in the larger Mother Land of Sri Lanka. If this fundamental is not understood, there can never be reconciliation in this land.<\/p>\n

I end this response repeating some lines from Prof. Niranjan Mahesan<\/a><\/span>\u2019s recent poem:<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the end of the Fascist, the new dawn we toasted;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

With strength of Leadership, of a new plan we boasted.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0Now what can we show, for all that gore? <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Food for thought Mr. President!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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