Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

02 January 2019

Living in Truth after 60

It was good to listen to a speech by Mullai Mathi at https://www.facebook.com/Mullaimathy.Mathy/videos/2118835624821556?sfns=st

I identified with parts of the speech through  my own conclusions as per my own personal experiences. As I said to a student of mine recently – after 60, we need to live through our Truth and nothing but our Truth, if there is to be value to our life. When we are led by our own Truth we are ‘free’. Sometimes our Truth may not be tall enough to ‘show’. But when we identify with our Truth and genuinely seek to be ‘free’ of anxiety, we would find someone who is strong and positive in areas where we are weak. When we genuinely consider such a person to be our senior we have the higher common experience. That is the value of surrender.   Hence we need institutions, family, community and nation and laws that connect us to various parts until we become One.

It was therefore disappointing to read the following passage in the letter to the President of Sri Lanka, by someone who presents himself as a Hindu representative of Northern Province of Sri Lanka:

[Hindus in the Northern Province humbly request Your Excellency to defer to cancel any proposed changes on the gubernatorial portfolio related to the Northern Province, even if it is a matter of routine. 

Incumbent Governor, Hon Reginald Cooray had been functioning to rebuild the war devastated Northern Province through his compassionate approaches and development oriented projects.

Focusing on improving primary productivity he encourages intense developmental inputs in agricultural and fisheries sectors.

Prioritising growth of the knowledge base, he has restructured teaching capabilities through administrative measures.

Encouraging investment to generate employment, he is soliciting broad based participation and investment by the Tamil diaspora. To promote Northern Province ‘investor friendly’, he has travelled extensively in Europe to meet potential investors and expertise migrant Tamil participants.

He is in the saddle in the absence of an elected government.  The developmental progress Hon Reginal Cooray made in the fields of Agriculture, Fisheries, Education, Industries, Investments cannot hang in the mid-air in his absence. Continuity of governance is the absolute need, especially in the absence of an elected Provincial Government.  ]

The full letter is in the Appendix. The author  represents himself as the Representative of Hindus of Northern Province. As per Truth, one has the moral authority to represent a group. But such should not contradict the independent expressions of that group through another pathway.

Northern Tamils elected Mr Wigneswaran as the Chief Minister in the first Provincial Council elections in Northern Province.  They did not elect Mr Wigneswaran because he was politically correct or because he was Administratively clever. They elected Mr Wigneswaran as a symbol of our Community’s investment in higher education. That is his true achievement in the unitary state that Sri Lanka was and is by law.  Mr Wigneswaran is like a senior migrant Tamil living in Western countries where one has to be part of the community bandwagon to be recognized as somebody by the community. The intellectually driven soon becomes an outsider to such groups. I know I am. But this does not bother me because of my deeper pain in mainstream Australian society. The pain taught me that I have the higher moral authority to represent any group that I believe I am part of. So far that has not been questioned by any Sri Lankan or Tamil.

Despite the ‘inclusiveness’ that Mr Wigneswaran demonstrated, a large section of the Tamil community has ‘excluded’ him. I have from time to time opposed him but not excluded him. I have always included him as an intellectual leader. Mr Wigneswaran demonstrated high level of respect for his judicial side by responding to my article of 05 December, headed ‘Is Law not Putty in the hands of Lawyers?’

In a world of leaders who compete to ‘tell’, Mr Wigneswaran was humble enough to write and ASK as follows:

‘Have I written any judgment as you say depriving the sons of their mudusum. I do not remember. Please give reference. It would be useful. Thanks.’

We share in that intellectual value of Mr Wigneswaran only to the extent we genuinely appreciate it without expecting any return benefits.

Instead, Mr  Maravanpulavu K. Sachithananthan has praised the Governor carrying Administrative powers that were denied to Elected members. The effectiveness of elected members is measured not though seen and known outcomes. It is identified with  through stronger common belief.

Saint Yoga Swami did not claim to represent Northern Hindus. But Swami’s complete belief in Nallur Murugan confirms that Swami is a natural representative of Northern Hindus. Also, when using the Hindu leadership title – it is inappropriate and misleading to attribute credit to a Catholic that Mr Cooray is. In this instance the measure ought to have been secular however junior the certifier’s status may be in the secular world. Mr Sachithananthan is using UN title along with his Hindu title. The two do not integrate. They stand alone.

As Gandhi said about Indians, we Tamils need to know that we did it our way. The pathway of the Central Government is highly political in which minorities are treated largely as juniors. It is when we confirm our diversity and produce quality outcomes at a level equal to or higher than the majority race that we become their true opposition and confirm self-governance.

Mixing the two structures indiscriminately confirms assimilation. A true Hindu would not assimilate but integrate with true Christian, Muslim or Buddhist.

Appendix

Dated 30^th December 2018

 To

His Excellency

President of Sri Lanka

Gubernatorial Portfolio related to the Northern Province

Hindus in the Northern Province humbly request Your Excellency to defer to cancel any proposed changes on the gubernatorial portfolio related to the Northern Province, even if it is a matter of routine. 

Incumbent Governor, Hon Reginald Cooray had been functioning to rebuild the war devastated Northern Province through his compassionate approaches and development oriented projects.

Focusing on improving primary productivity he encourages intense developmental inputs in agricultural and fisheries sectors.

Prioritising growth of the knowledge base, he has restructured teaching capabilities through administrative measures.

Encouraging investment to generate employment, he is soliciting broad based participation and investment by the Tamil diaspora. To promote Northern Province ‘investor friendly’, he has travelled extensively in Europe to meet potential investors and expertise migrant Tamil participants.

He is in the saddle in the absence of an elected government.  The developmental progress Hon Reginal Cooray made in the fields of Agriculture, Fisheries, Education, Industries, Investments cannot hang in the mid-air in his absence. Continuity of governance is the absolute need, especially in the absence of an elected Provincial Government.  

Hindus of the Northern Province respect Hon Governor Reginald Cooray with reverence. He is a popular Governor. His patiently listens to the grievances of the poorest of the poor people. Wherever possible he provides the required relief. He visits homes of exemplary performing students. He is in Tamil literary functions, speaking with ease and comfort in Tamil, to the admiration and disbelief of the native speakers. He sings Tamil songs with instrumental support at public functions, reaching the hearts and souls of his Tamil listeners.  The rapport he establishes, through his speech, songs, grass-root level contacts and administrative performances, with the people of the Northern Province has become legendary.

Respecting every shade of political opinion, coupled with an apolitical approach, Hon Reginald Cooray is very popular with all politicians and political parties in the Northern Province.

We the Hindus of the North are so pleased with the excellent performance of the Governor; we wish to have him with us to guide us towards healing the wounds in bringing about the emotional and cultural reconciliation with the Buddhists of Sri Lanka.

 Your Excellency may be pleased to defer to cancel any decision, if you have made, to bring any change in the gubernatorial portfolio related to the Northern Province.

Thanking you

I remain,

On behalf of the Hindus of the Northern Province, organiser of Siva Senai,

 Maravanpulavu K. Sachithananthan

Formerly UN/FAO consultant,

Maravanpulavu, Chavakachcheri.

Phone +94 772754964, email: tamilnool@gmail.com

மறவன்புலவு க. சச்சிதானந்தன்
Maravanpulavu K. Sachithananthan