Gajalakshmi Paramasivam – 13 February  2015

‘From Tiger  Teeth  into The Hindu Mouth’

Concerns of many Sri Lankans have been raised after the publishing of Dr. Dayan Jayatilleke’s article ‘Chief Minister Wigneswaran Explodes “Genocide of Tamils” Bomb via Northern Provincial Council Resolution’ published at http://dbsjeyaraj.com. I received the message about the Resolution  through the Sri Lankan Diaspora, independent of Dr. Dayan Jayatilleke who unlike many others has not reciprocated my gesture of including him in my email list. I concluded that to him I am not a cow with a bell – like Chief Minister Wigneswaran is. But to Chief Minister Wigneswaran the Indian Politicians seem to be the cows with bells – as has been confirmed by the Indian Newspaper ‘The Hindu’ picking up the news. To Dr. Dayan The Hindu bells must have tolled for his group of politicians.

 In response to the Diaspora news which I value very much, I published my assessment at  http://austms.blogspot.com.au under the heading ‘From Sinhalese Frying Pan into Indian Fire?’  . Today there was some negative return to my article, from a Tiger supporter, and I concluded that the above Resolution was the manifestation of LTTE minds within the Northern Provincial Council.  Later I received the above article by Dr. Dayan Jayatilleke. In terms of that,  the title that comes to my mind is ‘From Tiger  Teeth  into Hindu Brain’

I was specifically asked by global minded Diaspora members for my opinion in terms of armed forces in North and I responded as follows:

‘I was in Jaffna during the first month of the new regime. Did not find any army on the roads. More importantly did not hear any concerns from the grassroots folks. The reception at the Colombo Health Ministry was even better. The new regime is trying to make amends the way they know it – and it is up to us to  receive and include that in our administrative systems instead of using the new freedom to play politics.  Those of us of the Diaspora are in a better position to express this openly than are the likes of Wigneswaran and Sampanthan’

As a direct participant working independently through the existing structure I tend to invoke in the other person my own investment in common values of the system.  I appreciate that not many are able to do this and hence they resort to Politics. To my mind, Dr. Jayatilleke is also playing Politics. The Key Indicator of this in the above article is embedded in the following passage:

‘This is a Tamil nationalist mainstream move, which demonstrates that Tamil nationalism remains within the paradigm of the Vadukkodai resolution. This ‘Genocide’ Resolution 2015 could be dubbed the Son of Vadukkodai Resolution 1976.’

To my mind this is ‘Valvettithurai¹ Memorial Resolution’ unless the likes of Dr. Dyan whose mind seems to not restructure itself to suit the current realities vs the current needs of Sri Lankans, seek to make it internationally exciting for the Diaspora on both sides of the ethnic border.  Dr. Dyan reads his tomorrow through today’s Mr. Wigneswaran and rightly so if he has not drawn the line of separation of powers. Likewise Mr. Wigneswaran is reading his tomorrow through his parallels in the new regime. Neither is balanced as per Democracy that Sri Lankan Administrative system continues to be lacking in. In a Democratic Administration – Genocide by Sinhalese would have been measured at the same time as Terrorism by Tamils – using common principles. Until the Provincial Council takes Equal Responsibility as the National Government to give both sides Equal Footing – their declarations are from a lower status than those of the National regime. They do not have the support of the Administrative force to travel beyond local borders. But one who has promoted political decisions as administrative decisions – would naturally fear such resolutions by the opposition.

Politically speaking – Tamils of Northern Sri Lanka would tend to balance the majority power through Tiger power combined with Indian Politics. This is natural. The email that was sent to me had reference to the Resolution as well as the book release in India in the same message. Sinhalese need this pressure to get their Administrative systems in order – so that one does not wait for ‘Politics to Tell’ through majority power and armed power. If we sow the seeds of separation through majority power – we must be ready for the returns through armed power and v.v.

As it stands now – the decision by TNA leading Northern Tamils to vote for the new regime sends the clear message that they are open to development of common solutions. Political actions confirmed through elections are the only valid Political decisions until the following elections. The time between the two must be used to develop strong Administrative structures and systems – that would make us common citizens wherever we may be. The Colombo media have done right to not get excited over this.

¹ Birthplace of LTTE Leader.