29 July 2023

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

 

 

  LESSON FROM BLACK JULY

 

Truth is the protective armour against future conflicts. Forty years after Black July in Sri Lanka, we continue to use ‘what happened’, to blame the apparent custodians of power for our pain. We are yet to identify with the national Truth. As citizens, when we know why we and our loved ones suffered, we are naturally protected by the truth, against future pain. Blaming others confirms dependence on others. The person who has transcended body consciousness is immune to body-pain. One who continues to recognise body pain more than mind pain, contributes to rebirth of that pain. One who finds the truth of why it happened to her/him, as if s/he caused it, finds the truth. That is the way of ownership.

 

Caste or Race based discrimination have positive as well as negative effects. They are positive when they improve our intelligence and v.v. Positive discrimination is promoted largely through merit basis at the individual level. The risk of unjust discrimination becomes high when certain groups are ‘seen’ to be enjoying more benefits than other groups.

 

On 25 July 2023, BBC published a report on caste in Jaffna Tamil schools.  https://www.bbc.com/tamil/articles/ckdn2vqjejno

 

I already knew about caste based discrimination in Vaddukoddai area, where most of our post-war development work happens. Except for the time, some youth played cinema songs that disturbed our temple activities, I have not encountered any major problems due to Reverse Discrimination. I believe that desire and fear are Equal & Opposite natural forces that satisfy Newton’s third law. This is nature, when both happen within the same person/group. The problem begins when one person/group has the desire and another, the fear.

 

The Black July pogrom in Sri Lanka is blamed solely on the UNP government.  But as per the events, the LTTE also made its contribution to it:

 

‘On 23 July 1983 at around 11:30 pm, the rebel group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE; also known as the Tamil Tigers) ambushed the Four Four Bravo military patrol in Thirunelveli, near Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka. A roadside bomb was detonated beneath a jeep that was leading the convoy, injuring at least two soldiers on board. Soldiers travelling in the truck behind the jeep then dismounted to help their fellow soldiers. Subsequently, they were ambushed by a group of Tamil Tiger fighters who fired at them with automatic weapons and hurled grenades. In the ensuing clash, one officer and twelve soldiers were killed, with two more fatally wounded, for a total of fifteen dead. A number of the rebels were also killed. Col. Kittu, a regional commander of the LTTE, would later admit to planning and carrying out the ambush. This attack has been described as retaliation for the killing of one of the LTTE's founding member, Charles Anthony, by Sri Lankan forces and for the allegation of abducting three Tamil school girls in Jaffna, raping them in their military camp.’

 

The problem within the Tamil community at that time was that the political leadership was overridden by armed rebels led by the LTTE. This had the effect of reducing the value of our investment in higher education despite the Standardisation policy of 1971, which moved us away from merit based allocations to University entrance through which high percentage of Jaffna Tamils entered Universities. In other words, we Tamils adjusted to  the Standardisation policy of 1971. By effect, it seems to have catered to JVP – the Sinhalese armed group which uprose in 1971, seeking a socialist state. The LTTE chose similar pathway, in which they were the leaders.

 

The above mentioned actions and reactions in 1983,were between the two armed groups. One was remotely controlled from Colombo the other  appointed themselves as leaders.  If school girls were raped, the responsibility to make the decision rested with their parents. Such a decision  would then have been positive discrimination. When it became an army matter, it was bound to unleash criminal energies in all sides. The LTTE took over the authority of the parents. That was confirmation of dictatorship. This demotes the power to Asura/animal  power.

 

When the bodies of the 13  soldiers came to Colombo, these uncleared animal energies also came with them.  As per Wikipedia:

 

The Army—including its commander, Tissa Weeratunga—decided that the soldiers' funerals should not be held in Jaffna because of the high likelihood of disturbances at multiple locations. The decision was made to hold the funerals, with full military honours, at Kanatte

Cemetery, Colombo's main burial ground, instead. Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa, fearing violence, was against holding the funeral in Colombo, but was overruled by President J. R. Jayewardene The president, the prime minister, and the rest of the cabinet were to attend the funeral, which was to take place at 5 pm on 24 July. This arrangement went against the standard procedure of handing over fallen soldiers to their families for burial in their home villages

 

Mr Premadasa who also had junior caste origin, but rose through due political pathway to highest political leadership positions. When we say junior-senior, it confirms relationship within the same energy circle. When we say high and low, it confirms high circle and low circle and therefore separation of energies. Journalists contributed to this separatism, confirmed as follows at https://sangam.org/premadasas-saber-rattling-with-rajiv/

 

 

‘In the Govigama-caste dominated Sinhalese post-independent politics, Premadasa was an outsider…. Barbara Crossette reported in the New York Times (Dec 21, 1988), ‘His family came from one of the nation’s lowest castes – the dhobis, or washermen.’ This needs some clarification. Two print reference source books on Sri Lanka on my shelf ... as well as digital Wikipedia, deftly omit this caste reference in their entry on Premadasa. I wonder why? One plausible reason is to promote a biased view that, Sinhalese are caste immune in comparison to Eelam Tamils.’

 

If in 1983, President Jayawardene had used the positive caste based discrimination, he would have asked PM Premadasa  who was by painful experience, an elder in caste issues. Then the bodies would have been sent to the homes of the soldiers, in different villages, which was standard procedure. Sri Lanka is a religion-driven country and this home burial would have satisfied the junior groups to whom State-funeral was ‘foreign’. In a Buddhist nation, secular State funeral was/is  the parallel of LTTE taking over the authority from the parents of the ‘raped girls’.

 

Thus both sides usurped their respective position powers. Their energies thus merged to result in the carnage. Discipline of  junior in autocracy, becomes equal and opposite force in democracy. That is the truth I identify with as a member  minority group in Sri Lanka as well as in Australia, because I used discipline as power to oppose non-violently.

 

28 July 2023

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

 

 

THE RICH MIDDLECLASS & THE VOICE

 

On 28 August 2022, a Sri Lankan of Sinhalese origin concluded his response to my article ‘THE RICH MIDDLE CLASS & RANIL’  with the following note:

‘Hi,  I liked the article in the link you cited (class analysis) and will copy it’.

 

That reference was as follows:

K. Balachander: The Middle-Class Maestro by S Srinivasan at https://www.forbesindia.com/article/recliner/k-balachander-the-middleclass-maestro/26662/1

Yesterday, in response to my article headed  ‘CONVERSATION WITHIN TAMIL DIASPORA’ also the above mentioned Sri Lankan responded in support of the doctors mentioned therein. The commonness in both instances is the keenness to learn from Tamils who by culture are diverse to him. In Sri Lanka, Sri Lankans are the middleclass. In Australia, Migrant Australians are the middleclass . On 26 July 2023, this was confirmed at political level in Canada, by Sathiyasangaree "Gary" Anandasangaree of Tamil origin becoming Minister of Crown–Indigenous Relations

 

It is interesting that this is connected to economics as follows:

‘For decades, the United States boasted the honor of having the richest middle-class. However, since 2019 Canada has the wealthiest middle class of any country in the world. According to the most recent numbers in 2021 from Credit Suisse's annual global wealth report, Canadians’ middle class or median wealth of $125,688 outranks the same median income figure of $79,274 for Americans’ Investopedia

 

 

This morning, a member of this group (Australian of Sri Lankan origin) forwarded to me an email headed ‘2nd Voice - pass on?’ The actual message was claimed to have been written by Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. As per the email mentioned in this message published by Cairns News:

 

[Secret government documents the National Indigenous Australians Agency was forced to release under freedom of information laws say that “any Voice to Parliament should be designed so that it could support and promote a treaty-making process

 And what’s in the treaty?

According to these secret documents, it must include a “fixed percentage of Gross National Product. Rates/land tax/royalties”

“Australia got a whole country for nothing, they haven’t even begun to pay for it.”]

 

The  theory of this is ‘one who pays owns’ But true ownership is as per sacrifice of earned benefits as real parents do. The sacrifice is foundation of the new structure. Those who sacrifice more than their own inheritance, become Elders. Elders are never wrong. They have invisible intuitive intelligence that comes with long term undisturbed occupation based ownership.

 

By paying our respects to ‘traditional owners’ of this country, we inherit their intuitive intelligence of the elders. If money is paid, then they lose the status of elders and more importantly, the intuitive intelligence that confirms belief-based ownership. That is how Natural Justice balances the ownership equation.

 

Knowledge that their earnings are going towards the past debts of Anglo Australians, the motivation to earn and save, would diminish in later migrants. This in turn would promote welfare mentality. If Indigenous Australians owned the land first, migrants owned the economic ownership that connects us to the current world. Both are heritages like different religious heritages. They exist and work naturally in their  own Energy circles. It is the citizen’s right to choose the circle s/he seeks to be part of. If taxes are paid for past wrongs the present and future economies are bound to suffer.

 

As professional accountants would confirm, past must be separated and should not be mixed current items.  Our PM seems to lack wisdom in Accrual Accounting.

 

CONVERSATION WITHIN TAMIL DIASPORA

 

We form our own Energy circles, as individuals and in groups – starting with family and extending to workplace, community, nation and the globe. The truth discovered within the group forms its own natural structures and naturally supports those who contribute to that truth and/or uphold it.  The difference between costs and benefits become debts and credits. Those who draw more benefits than their contribution to ‘cost’ have the right to settle the debt through respect and those who derive less benefits than costs, have the duty to accept such respect. Anti Discrimination  laws have been developed on this basis. But often the more powerful senior members in a group, usurp their senior positions to enjoy benefits in place of ‘respect’ or in addition to respect. The following example confirms this:

 

On 25 July, I wrote under the heading ‘MANIPUR & KATHIRGAMAM & MULLIVAIKKAL’ .  Given that I write the Truth I know, I believe that it goes towards the natural structures of my own relationships. On the same day, Dr Nadesan – a Tamil, directed our group’s attention as follows:

‘A beautiful article by Tissarani that can be appreciated by people who have the brain to think, analyse and understand. Injustices from the word go. Only truth we entirely failed. https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/incubating-again/ ’

 

Thissarani is of Sinhalese origin, while Dr Nadesan is of Tamil origin. Our common group is Sri Lankan. Hence the truth we identify with needs to be rendered Sri Lankan form.

Below is my response, in conversation form:

 

Tissarani: ‘Once Gotabaya Rajapaksa became president, the rule of law became replaced again by the law of the rulers’

 

Gaja: According to my brain, this lady is claiming that the rule of law prevailed prior to Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency. Since you Nada, identify with and admire it, it means, according to your brain, there was rule of law prior to 2019.

 

Tissarani: ‘Half a century ago, it was higher education, saving universities from Tamil encroachment.’

 

Gaja: If this is true, then half a century ago, also there was ‘Gotabaya type of leadership’.

When was this a ‘fact’? like the body, a fact needs a beginning and an end. Truth has no beginning nor end.

 

Tissarani: ‘Weerasekara said, “We cannot be at all satisfied about the orders and decisions of the magistrate in charge of that area… A few days ago, this Tamil magistrate came to Kurundi viharaya on an observational tour. I was also there… We must remind this magistrate that this is a Buddhist country… Not just separatist Tamil politicians but also magistrates with such attitudes are responsible for creating conflict between races and religions.”

Gaja: Weerasekera is protected by ‘Buddhism foremost’ article in the constitution. I wrote against it many times. But not one of you supported me. Ms Tissarani, is not transparent in terms of her contact details. This confirms that she is fearful of direct opposition, but entertains the idle mind that is looking for cheap gossip.

 

The following observations resulted:

Dr Victor Wimalasingham: Tissaranees articles are weighted with authority and embellished with grace and elegance

A rare and refreshing combination in today’s crumbling muck of Journalism’

Gaja in her mind:  The nuclear power of journalism is truth. Hence the saying ‘Comment is free, but facts are sacred’ Language is the body of the article. You did not contribute to the debate of Equal Opportunity, but are usurping your seniority in the medical circle. You ought to be an official or de facto Senior  Journalist to certify another.

Dr Vickneswaran S. R,:  Hi Prof,

Yes, the article is good reading material for all rational minded people. There are only very few people come forward to express opinion like this. Thank you for sharing it….

I remember reading an article by a famous journalist wrote a news item commenting about the constitution of the first of its  kind in Sri Lanka - Socialist republican constitution realeased by SLFP led government if I remember correct!!

 

He described it as an obituary notice of Mr.

De Mo Cracy!!!

 

I reckon Sri Lanka with Modi's idea of connecting it by land with India, who knows; we too would be branded years later as people once upon a time were living on a land called Sri Lanka!!!

 

 

Gaja in her mind:  So, to you Sri Lanka is already dead in your mind.  So you made yourself stateless.

 

Dr Nadesan , the protagonist : As long as there are silent observers there wont be any progress. Many think that if they are safe and sound then why worry. This is the curse that has ruined Sri Lanka. Almost all are silent observers. Yet, luckily there are really patriotic  men and women are in the open expressing the views and boldly call a spade a spade. The silent ones are worse than the violent ones. 👹😭🥵😩

Gaja in her mind:   You who did not respond to my response and articles are by your own measure, a violent person. As you sow, so shall you  reap.

 

25 July 2023

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

 

 

MANIPUR & KATHIRGAMAM & MULLIVAIKKAL

 

Yesterday, I paid my respects to the victims of July ’83 massacre in Colombo. Today, my attention was drawn to Manipur. The parallel reports are:

 

Even though Manamperi being stripped naked and humiliated suggest that she might have been raped, there have not been any investigations conducted regarding it and no arrest have been made. – Wikipedia

 

Sexual violence against Tamils in Sri Lanka has occurred repeatedly during the island's long ethnic conflict. The first instances of rape of Tamil women by Sinhalese mobs were documented during the 1958 anti-Tamil pogrom.^[5] This continued in the 1960s with the deployment of the Sri Lankan Army in Jaffna, who were reported to have molested and occasionally raped Tamil women. Further rapes of Tamils were carried out by Sinhalese mobs during the 1977, 1981 and 1983 anti-Tamil pogroms.^[7][8][9]

Following the outbreak of war, rape was used by the almost entirely Sinhalese Sri Lankan armed forces, in an attempt to collectively punish the Tamil population, who were often seen as being supportive of the LTTE - – Wikipedia

 

 

The assault took place on May 4, a day after violence between the two communities broke out in Manipur, according to local media. In a May 18 complaint to the police seen by The Washington Post, the victims said that attackers stormed their village with guns, and the women, along with several others, were rescued by police.

But a Meitei mob intercepted the group and kidnapped the victims, according to the complaint, after which the men sexually assaulted three women and gang-raped one of them…. The video, which is just 26 seconds long, shows a mob of men from the predominantly Hindu Meitei majority parading two women from the mostly Christian Kuki minority naked through a crowd of clothed men who then assault them by groping their breasts and genital – Washington Post

 

 

The common factor in all three is the group that was considered  to be of mistress status by those who fought in Uniform. It is ‘sledging’ to win cheaply. It also confirms that majority in the communities that these men belong to do not respect their mothers, wives and daughters. Respect elevates  lust to love.

 

They are all victims of cheap politics. In the case of Manamperi, the political play is confirmed as follows by Wikipedia:

 

‘Her murder attracted national attention and was an issue in the 1977 election. UNP candidate J. R. Jayewardene discussed the attack in great detail and condemned Sirimavo Bandaranaike's handling of the crime to discredit his opponent.’

 

In the case of Tamils as per the video released by Tamil community confirms the LTTE leader confirmed the political connection as follows at
#BlackJuly #BlackJuly1983 #tamilgenocide #TamilNation #கறுப்புயூலை1983 #கறுப்புயூலை #Eelam #eelamtamil #TamilNadu  

The 1958 riots were limited to political reasons. The government seemed to want to generate so much fear into  Tamil minds, that the Tamils would not dare to protest. But that was before the armed rebellion’ - LTTE leader

 

 

Manipur problem is strongly influenced by the current ruling party , led by PM Modi who is reported to be turning a blind eye to the pain of minorities  as Sri Lankan president J. R. Jayewardene did in 1983.

 

The question therefore arises as to whether, as per Dharma, Mr Modi has the moral right to negotiate with Sri Lankan minority issues. The ‘time’ of Manipur problem confirms that he lacks  this power and is reacting more to China’s 99 year lease of Hambantota port. This is confirmed as follows by a pro Rajapaksa journalist as follows:

 

‘Little by little India will make sure Northern Province is inhabited by Tamil Nadu Tamils until there is NO SRI LANKAN TAMIL - there ends the "homeland

 

The above fits the Tamil saying ‘Aadu nanayuthendru Onai Alugirathaam /ஆடு நனைகிறது என்று ஓநாய் அழுகிறதாம் / The wolf is crying that the sheep is getting drenched