Gajalakshmi Paramasivam – 16 October  2015

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Restructuring Sri Lanka

Restructures at the workplace are common within large organizations, here in Australia. In personal life also we restructure but are not conscious of doing so. We do restructure when we leave home, when we get married, when there is birth and death in the family and when we migrate. Those of us who work genuinely are not as uncomfortable with restructures as are those who seek to have an easy time. Those of us who integrate the Truth we discover about ourselves and therefore about others would be most comfortable with Restructures. To us – restructures are ongoing. We would be the ones to prevent restructures driven by desires by the more powerful leaders.

While it is understandable that leaders like Mr. Sumanthiran would like to go along with the British the purpose of the new direction is  questionable. The Island article of 10 October 2015 on this is still in active circulation within the Tamil Diaspora which would need to restructure itself to face the new challenges. As per this report:

‘Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, M. A. Sumanthiran said in London that fighting for a separate state in Sri Lanka is no longer in the party’s agenda.’

The way each section of the Tamil Community perceives Separate State is different. The Common Terminology is Self-Governance. Given that we have rich diversity within the Community – our pictures would be different. If therefore Mr. Sumanthiran is referring to the LTTE’s definition – then he needs to speak only to the LTTE supporters. One definition does not fit all. Given that TNA’s main constituent is the ITAK – Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi – then Separate State means – Federalism. This I believe is the form majority educated Tamils have in mind. The original name of  ITAK – Federal Party – also confirms this.

The interesting commonness is that Federal Party was formed by breaking away from All Ceylon Tamil Congress – led by the Hon G.G.Ponnambalam who asked for Equal status in Parliament through his claim of 50:50. The Federal Party was formed by those who opposed Mr. Ponnambalam’s partnership with the UNP – which is also the current party leading Government. Now Tamils do have that Equal status in Parliament – through the position of Leader of the Opposition as per the principles of Democracy. It happened due to all those who invested in Democracy and got actively involved in restructuring Sri Lanka. TNA has the responsibility to restructure its own Thinking to reflect this Truth that has happened. The way we act once we have the position – confirms the way we actually came into the position. This is why they say in Tamil that we should not forget the pathway through which we travelled. Based on the above declaration by Mr. Sumanthiran, he did not fight for Equal status – but for Devolution within One structure – in which the UNP is the leader.  

The TNA has the responsibility to reflect through its policies the contributions by all sections of the Community – especially those without voting rights who have sacrificed to contribute at Policy level. Contributions at Policy level – based on our own Truth – are the forces of Natural Restructures.

As per the above report ‘Sumanthiran urged the activists in the UK not to harp on the issue of ‘Tamil genocide in Sri Lanka’ as it is an allegation difficult to prove.’ Just because one cannot prove it  - does not mean that it is not true. Those who sacrifice earned benefits – on the basis of their own belief are supported by the Higher Natural Powers – as Gandhi was. Without this sacrifice by some – there was no mandate for ITAK to lead Tamils. The Tamil Political leaders who sowed the seeds of Political Separation ever since the departure of the British – have been ‘forgotten’ by those who dismiss Tamil beliefs. Genocide ‘happened’ to those who were unarmed and whose families were killed by Sinhalese. That must be respected. I myself do not recognize what happened as Genocide because I come from a family that protected itself from such forces – including through displacement. One brother – a farmer in Kilinochchi – displaced himself after first refusing to obey the orders of LTTE as well as the Army. The other brother got killed by the armed rebels whose company he kept. I respect that others in our Diverse Community had the war experience in different ways. Each one is entitled to give it the form as per their own belief. Those who make sacrifices to uphold that belief would realize self-governance through Truth. They need to not take revenge but sacrifice their earnings so their investment is raised to policy level.

To the extent war-crimes are recognized – Genocide is recognized in this ethnic conflict. If  Genocide is dropped due to lack of evidence – then war-crimes also becomes a mere ‘internal-matter’ requiring disciplinary correction and not international inquiry. Many White Australians urged me to take my complaints to the Industrial Relations Commission instead of the Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission through Racial Discrimination Act 1975.  But my pain was so deep that I could not accept the ‘easier’ pathway.  I was dismissed by the Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission followed by the Federal Courts again and again – but I learnt the Truth about those occupying those high positions. I thus became their supervisor and placed them accordingly in my mind-order. That to me is the real reward of self-governance. I cannot be punished by them for this true mind order – so long as I remain a mere observer within their area of authority. Had I risen to the position of advisor to the Prime Minister – I would have accepted the lies that these higher positions carried.

As per the above report – Mr. Sumanthiran [said that three models have been put forward by President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and former President Chandrika Kumaratunga on devolving power. "There is consensus amongst the majority of the people to accept the model presented by Mrs. Kumaratunga".   

Sumanthiran said that the Chandrika model was drafted by the late Neelan Tiruchelvam and it can satisfy the aspirations of all communities in Sri Lanka.]

This then means that there is no restructure on the basis of  Truth we discovered after that model by Mr. Neelan Thiruchelvam. I have the highest regard for Mr. Neelan Thiruchelvam – and I believe he would identify with the substance of my feelings. The 2009 experiences are not included in the above model. The causes may never be fully recognized. But we are the ones who experienced the effects and continue to do so. On that basis there is no question of Devolution – from higher position to lower position.  There is need to recognize Equal Status – the status now enjoyed by TNA in Parliament.

Equal Opportunity laws – that include the covenants of  the  International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination would be a good start. TNA needs to make representations to the UN if  the current parliament fails to include this in our laws. We do not need to change the Constitution towards this. Once given recognition – the law would work itself through natural forces – including true belief that what happened is Genocide.