Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

24 June 2019

SRI LANKA NEEDS A BELIEVER

I asked the reception guy at Galadari Hotel in Colombo whether they had made a calculated decision to allocate room 906 to me? The young guy looked perplexed and said it was one of their better rooms! I explained to him that to me it was important to know because it was our home-unit number in Coogee; NSW. I felt blessed in terms of the feelings I had. The room is exceptionally good. More importantly, I felt that the hospitality industry was saying ‘thank you’ genuinely. I felt for the industry when it was badly hurt. Hence it felt as if I was being treated as family.

This is the second time I am staying at Galadari. The first time was in 2004 when I also was invited to participate in the 25th year anniversary celebrations of Airlanka / Sri Lankan Airlines. During the celebrations I protested against lack of appreciation for the pioneers who were not present. To me they, as my ancestors were part of me. I continue to attribute to them and keep them also  in mind whenever I make contributions to the National Carrier.

In addition to the above, in 2004 - the Daily News published my response to Dr Weeramantri’s article on Ahimsa (http://archives.dailynews.lk/2004/11/01/fea03.html).  I did not expect for it to be published. But it was published - and I published the way I identified with it as follows, on 11 November 2015:

[As is my way I wrote a response – posted it to the editor of Daily News and forgot about it. Much later when I was googling through the net I noted not only that my response was actually published by the Daily News but that it was published on the same day I was declared to be following in the path of Gandhi, by an Australian mind specialist – Dr. Peter Vaugh, with the official position who refused to be led by my religious beliefs which were different to his.  http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2008/11/35813_space.html . If not for those challenges I would not have known and appreciated this Australian Medical Specialist who contributes to the Sovereignty of Australia – not as a Politician but through his regular work.]

To my mind, these are not coincidences but confirmation of our true contributions to upholding truth. The place preserves truth and hence a place could be haunted or sacred.  It therefore is painful that President Sirisena is now revealing that when the 18th and 19th Amendments to the Constitution happened - he as president did not believe in the provisions. If he proposes to repeal them within such a short period - then the original approval was NOT based on belief. What happens is received by us as per our own depth of mind. The mind rooted in belief will automatically see both sides. We are now entitled to conclude that Mr Sirisena was not of belief and therefore did not ‘govern’ when 18th and 19th amendments were passed by parliament. Mr Sirisena blaming the amendments that happened during his time as president - confirm that he lacked belief as Opposition to the move. The only way his mind seems to work is confirmed to be as per the structure developed by Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa. Why is this any different to IS influence over the bombers? When we do not have our own mind, we get easily infected by stronger minds in a ‘free’ environment. Those driven by respect for the stronger minds - become their heirs. Those driven by desires - become their own enemies.

Sri Lanka needs a believer. It matters not what form the belief takes. But the belief must happen on this land called Sri Lanka.