Gajalakshmi Paramasivam – 26 May  2015

 

Subramania Bharathiyar

The Root Cause of Jaffna Problem

The Sinhalese response to yesterday’s article ‘Escalating the Jaffna Conflict’ was caring at the social level.  Tamil response especially from males – was more structured towards self-resolution. A Sri Lankan response is relevant in analyzing this issue:

‘When it comes to a problem resulting in public outrage, Sri Lankan politicians are quick to pin the blame, however incredulously, on someone else, even though they would have witnessed the problem developing in front of their eyes, and been responsible for doing something about it themselves....And they will keep repeating the accusations until the populace at large believes them.

Jaffna's Chief Minister is doing just that...!!! He clearly doesn't see it as his responsibility to prevent problems in his province, and take remedial action when they do happen. What is he there for? He says this problem has been going on for a long time..!!’

The above comments were on the basis of the following expressions by the Hon Wigneswaran – Chief Minister of Northern Province:

[The CM said the youth have been introduced to drugs in the aftermath of the war. Prostitution is also rampant. The victims are mainly young war widows. Pornography and mobile phones are freely available. The Army and Police have become very friendly with the youth committing crimes. "None of these were there before 2009," he said.
"One school of thought says the introduction of sensual pleasures is done deliberately to divert the youth from taking-up arms again. This means they do not want to solve the ethnic problem or are interested in making it difficult for the Tamils to ask for a reasonable solution. How could they do so when they lack commitment?"

Vulnerable people

The CM alleged that politicos make use of the vulnerable people for their goals.

"We have political parties which have had a gala time until the NPC Elections. Now they are openly operating especially in the islands. They would create mayhem to undermine the existing people's administration.
"The videos will prove that the military intelligence units and EPDP cadres were behind the burning of houses and stone throwing a few days ago.
"Then we have the spectacle of foreign money coming from relatives into the hands of the youth. The money is rarely used for studies. The only dream the youth have is to leave our shores and to be gainfully employed in the affluent West. In the meantime, some are committing crimes and running away.]

First of all – there is factual error in stating that these manifestations did not happen before 2009. They did happen but did not receive such publicity. As stated by the Sri Lankan – there is a degree of responsibility that needs to be taken by Politicians at the local level. To earn the right to criticize another Government – one needs to first complete one’s own duty at the local level – including through belief,  based on personal experience.

I was in fact accused by a Tamil Diaspora leader that I was ill informed about this matter. I do agree that I do not have the knowledge of assessments by Tamil Politicians. I did not because mine is a bottom-up approach.  Hence I do have wisdom through my feelings for the People of Jaffna. Through my personal experience – I believe that the Jaffna Courts is a reliable system and hence those who attacked it are guilty of violating the Peace of that Community – which includes me. A politician has the right to express judgment as per her/his belief. In fact an elected Politician has the responsibility to complete the picture through her/his belief. Where a Politician expresses judgments without belief – and outside  Due Administrative Process – it damages the cohesion of that community. I take as valid the assessments by both Mr. Wigneswaran as well as Mr. Shritharan, MP,  as the causal forces for the damage to the Jaffna Courts.  But in terms of social deficiencies neither has delivered.

Interestingly both – the Hon. Wigneswaran as well as the Hon Shritharan – Parliamentary  Member for Jaffna – have pointed their fingers at EPDP (Eelam People’s Democratic Party) which was in coalition with the Hon Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Government. The Hon Shritharan in fact mentions Muthali Temple Community in Vaddukoddai District as a focus area from which the attackers of protestors originated. I am through my service internal intelligence about this Community – a disenfranchised community of Northern Sri Lanka. The females in this area are simple minded but very much under the dictates of their men. The guys in this area are lacking in formal training in community management at their local level.  To me the fact that I spoke through my Vaddukoddai experience BEFORE having knowledge of what these politicians said – confirms that there is common area of Truth in our assessments.

The area of the rape is not within Vaddukoddai District. Vaddukoddai is the place where the first Political Declaration of Self-Governance was made by Tamils in Sri Lanka. The Parliamentary Elections that followed confirmed that that Declaration had the blessings of Truth. Tamils became the Equal Opposition in Sri Lankan Parliament. Vaddukoddai is also the area where caste based separations prevail as part of the social system practiced by the older generation. Muthali Temple folks are outcomes produced by these elders living in the past. These forces get activated by armed forces of various disciplines and ethnicities. Most of the young ones of these elders are not there to merge the real values of that system with the system of democracy and Equal Opportunity. LTTE took over through separation.  EPDP took over through coercion.

One of my readers wrote in this regard:

[DO NOT WRITE ABOUT OLD THEYSAVALAMAI AND TAMIL CULTURE.    PLEASE WRITE ABOUT WOMEN'S RIGHT]

I responded as follows:

[Thesawalami is part of Jaffna Tamil culture not only in rural Jaffna but also within the Tamil Diaspora of Jaffna origin. We need to start with that investment if it is to have heritage value]

Tamil Poet and Indian Independence Activist – Subramania Bharathiyar whom the current  Indian Prime Minister honored in Sri Lankan Parliament – also fought against unjust practices of the caste system. Bharathiyar was disenfranchised by Tamil Leaders of his time for this reason of wanting to take over power from the British. Likewise those of us who fight for independence from our own internal weaknesses – (such as the abuse of Dowry system and the Caste system by going outside the Thesawalamai Pathway) lose popularity with those who recognize popular power.

Statements by the Chief Minister of Northern Province and my responses:

The youth have been introduced to drugs in the aftermath of the war. – False. They were already in existence in Vaddukoddai area. Now the youth have more time and money to indulge in such pleasures more than they did during the war. The main reasons are unearned money including through ‘welfare’ from families living abroad and lack of motivation to invest in institutional values. Those of lower caste – use money as the measure for status when they think they do not have supervisors.

The solution is to develop structures that would promote and facilitate self-employment – to diffuse easy use of the caste hierarchy which is in the Jaffna Farmer’s genes for all the wrong reasons.

Prostitution is also rampant. -  Using that measure – Australia also would be accused of  this charge. Where the marriage system is blindly copied for the purpose of showing others – it comes without root connection to family. Women who were treated as being less than their men became mistresses. The abuse of Dowry system strongly contributed to this. The only response from a lady to my yesterday’s article sent under the heading ‘Dowry or Donation?’ was ‘Or Both?’.  To the extent Dowry comes with the elevation of  wife’s status to Head of Family – it is of heritage value.  To the extent it is taken as Donation by either side – it makes the relationship a no status De-Facto relationship – which would have been an illegal relationship as per the culture that Mr. Wigeswaran grew up in. On the other hand – a mistress without legal status or cultural status through dowry -  would become real wife when she makes sacrifices of earned benefits for the common family. That real status is what counts the World Of Truth/Nature. Without this there can be no valid claim for independence in the Lord’s Court. The way lower castes joined armed rebel groups their women felt ‘free’ to have de facto relationships. But men who are used to high status – would continue to enforce their superiority whenever they think that the environment is ‘free’ of such disciplines. Mallakam District Courts upheld the claim of Donation by a relative of ours and thus damaged the Thesawamalai Heritage in Common. Common Institutions like the Courts have common effects much more than particular groups – be they EPDP or the LTTE. It is when these Higher Common institutions fail that the lower activists promote their cleverness for particular purposes.

The victims are mainly young war widows. Pornography and mobile phones are freely available. –   This is common to all parts of Sri Lanka and many countries around the world.  If we seek Western support – we need to educate users on the proper way to use them. This requires close supervision by family seniors. If these seniors are active they would not have time to supervise. A good example is – Mr. Wigneswaran himself.  As an elder in the Judicial system – he has governance power within the judiciary. But because he has become politically active – he is not able to supervise the Judiciary quietly and confidentially. Likewise judges in Jaffna who after retirement start practicing as private lawyers.

The Army and Police have become very friendly with the youth committing crimes. – True in Vaddukoddai area. But where I overrode that and filed complaints through Due Processes – they were heard and the Army and Police did what they thought they could. Vaddukoddai Police were dominated by Sinhalese at the time I filed the complaints. But there is no open disorder in that area. When Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa visited that area before the 2015 Presidential Elections – it was like a carnival. People of Vaddukoddai – including those who came back from war-area - Vanni – participated in the celebrations. They did not need any direct coercion to attend the functions. Their loyalties were switched from one provider (LTTE) to another (EPDP). To my mind, one who is determined to earn her/his benefits – would not be tempted by such easy benefits. This quick shift is visible in immigration also. There is room for all in our Community.

"One school of thought says the introduction of sensual pleasures is done deliberately to divert the youth from taking-up arms again. This means they do not want to solve the ethnic problem or are interested in making it difficult for the Tamils to ask for a reasonable solution. How could they do so when they lack commitment?" – This confirms the weakness highlighted by the above mentioned Sri Lankan. Politicians who shift the blame – are confirming lack of belief and therefore lack of authority to judge. In politics we need to first ‘own’ the problem as if we are the problem.  We do that when we believe that we represent the good as well as the bad. Then the solution will develop from that for the whole. By owning we pool them together within us. To the extent we seek to show cleverness – we need to not use the political path beyond our belief. We need to use the top-down Administrative path and conscious calculations of rights and wrongs through a Transparent Process.

As per my feelings – yes, in this instance there has been some influence to collect the forces that keep shifting their loyalties. But the more we point the finger at others – the less our opportunity to realize self-governance. As we sow – so shall we reap.  Now that we know , we the Tamil Community have to either become more lateral and accept de facto relationships in all institutional circumstances or rejuvenate our traditional values in our privacy – through the resources available to us – as Great Poet Subramania Bharathiyar did – not by elevating his status but by sacrificing for the common cause -  the status he had.

dominated by Sinhalese at the time I filed the complaints. But there is no open disorder in that area. When Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa visited that area before the 2015 Presidential Elections – it was like a carnival. People of Vaddukoddai – including those who came back from war-area - Vanni – participated in the celebrations. They did not need any direct coercion to attend the functions. Their loyalties were switched from one provider (LTTE) to another (EPDP). To my mind, one who is determined to earn her/his benefits – would not be tempted by such easy benefits. This quick shift is visible in immigration also. There is room for all in our Community.

"One school of thought says the introduction of sensual pleasures is done deliberately to divert the youth from taking-up arms again. This means they do not want to solve the ethnic problem or are interested in making it difficult for the Tamils to ask for a reasonable solution. How could they do so when they lack commitment?" – This confirms the weakness highlighted by the above mentioned Sri Lankan. Politicians who shift the blame – are confirming lack of belief and therefore lack of authority to judge. In politics we need to first ‘own’ the problem as if we are the problem.  We do that when we believe that we represent the good as well as the bad. Then the solution will develop from that for the whole. By owning we pool them together within us. To the extent we seek to show cleverness – we need to not use the political path beyond our belief. We need to use the top-down Administrative path and conscious calculations of rights and wrongs through a Transparent Process.

As per my feelings – yes, in this instance there has been some influence to collect the forces that keep shifting their loyalties. But the more we point the finger at others – the less our opportunity to realize self-governance. As we sow – so shall we reap.  Now that we know , we the Tamil Community have to either become more lateral and accept de facto relationships in all institutional circumstances or rejuvenate our traditional values in our privacy – through the resources available to us – as Great Poet Subramania Bharathiyar did – not by elevating his status but by sacrificing for the common cause -  the status he had.