Education Investment Pathway
Jaffna College Vaddukoddai ;  Principal Kadirgamar Memorial; University of  Peradeniya & Higher Education in Australia

Welfare Education?

Discussions over the Jaffna Name Board being in Sinhala first led to the following comments from a Sinhalese:

[Is there really a need for this kind of nit picking?  I once listened to Mr. Sumanthiran making a similar comment at a conference in Colombo. He said that on a currency note in Sri Lanka, the words in Sinhala meaning that  it was a valid form of payment anywhere in Sri Lanka had not been written in Tamil.  This is true but could you imagine if a phrase running into three lines is written in three languages on a currency note? Every other word is written in three languages and it is pretty obvious to anyone who can read what the note denotes - even a blind person, as the note can be brailed but no - it was not good enough for Mr. Sumanthiran.  I wonder what this kind of thinking would do in a country like India where there is one National language for over a billion people but hundreds of state languages and dialects. Can you imagine if we were talking about a bottle cap?? This is crazy talk.]

An Australian Sinhalese supporter responded as follows:

[I  refer you once again to the example  of Sumathiran – a “discriminated Tamil” who got free education from kindergarten through Law College and earned his crust through the Sinhala clients, in “Sinhala-Buddhist state” courts, (he never practiced  in Prabhakarn’s courts) and enjoyed the freedoms that he never got from the “sole representative of the Tamils” in his pseudo-state.  He hast the right  to speak in Parliament in Tamil and get translations in Tamil of all documents.]

My response to the above was:

[Education is free as in ‘welfare’ only when there is no value returned for THAT environment by that person.  Take for example – a parent educating a child. To the extent – the child ‘shows’ the value of that education through the status added to the family – that child is free of any debt. One who is not able to so show – needs to be grateful – and that settles the debt.  By staying on in Sri Lanka – Sumanthiran is confirming that he has settled his debt to the Government – the government of ALL ethnicities.  Did you settle yours to the Sinhala Buddhist part ?  Or do you still owe Sri Lanka?]

Children/Citizens  who do not ‘show’ the investment that their parents, community and society make in their education – have the duty to follow the leadership of their providers – as in  the subjective political system. Respecting those providers helps prevent disorderly thought process that result from dependence on welfare. Money-memory, like any otgher information needs to be ‘filed’ in order of priority for it to become savings supporting future growth. If information regarding sources of money – are scattered and chaotic – one fails to develop the systems needed to protect and raise the value of that money to the higher level. Likewise the mind that registers hearsay would tend to grab the information that fits the emotion of the moment.

Our Truth is the basis of our empowerment.  One who allows emotional (political) outbursts to override intellectual (administrative) outcomes – is politically driven. This is ok – so long as the Truth of the person is positive for the whole - when manifested in that environment at that time.

A good proportion of migrants bring to Australia – the value of their investment in education in their counties of origin.  Those migrants who have settled their dues to those countries are the most valuable to Australia – as they would add their Energies – to Education Service Providers – even if their official positions are low. If this is not recognized but the benefits are accepted – the official system becomes a welfare recipient – be it Australian or Sri Lankan.

When an Australian or Sinhalese – both of majority power - with thoughts of authority of her/his position fails to recognize the value of a migrant – the risk of punishing the migrant when s/he expresses her earned rights as per her/his real contribution are high. This leads to exponential negative value for the person in official position and for the whole of that organization / country.

Sri Lanka’s common problem in this regard is that such outbursts / rebellions – have been negative for the whole.  Whether we use Sinhala only policies or Tamil only demands – if we carry the debts to the ‘providers’ in whatever form or without form we would produce negative outcomes for our environment/s or become mentally disorderly. I was so classified by Australians in responsible positions due to this debt ‘owed’ by them to their providers. One such ‘Authority’ was a  young Sinhalese doctor of Sri Lankan citizenship – training in Australia. By then I was well past the 18 years of Australian residency (most of it as citizen) needed to be a natural Australian.  This young trainee did show me respect and even said that there was nothing wrong with me when the consultation was not interfered with. But later his supervisor – a migrant of Indian origin – showing dependence on ‘White Australian Supervisors’ – changed that decision – to list me as a mentally ill person. That was a manifestation of her debt owed not only to Australian system but also to Indian system. One whose mind is not orderly and/or independent – would manifest disorderly outcomes. When we keep changing the outcomes for no valid reason – we confirm mental illness. The root is our Truth. If it is negative for the whole – we need to have the discipline not to speak unless spoken to – so that we would not weaken the environment that protects us. If that Truth when manifested would have  positive outcomes for the whole – then that needs to be promoted and made standard, law and policy as appropriate.

In Tamil we refer to some of those traits as ‘Piravi (birth) Kunam (attribute).  That which is developed to become natural to us is also of this category.  We would show the consolidated value at the time of our next birth – when we may be born as members of the ‘other’ side. The above Sinhalese may be born as a Tamil if he is indebted to his providers and yet takes up authority over a Tamil who has settled her/his dues to her/his providers.  Likewise White Australians who unjustly discriminate against Aborigines and  Asian migrants. 

Migrants who are yet to settle their dues to their countries of origin need to renounce benefits from such investments by their providers and bring only the net value as Truth into their new environment. This is how the system of Karma works. To the extent they have settled their debts – they become providers including in their new environments.  LTTE and JVP rebellions were led by leaders who failed to pay their dues to their providers and therefore would not have been natural providers in their new environments. Likewise migrants – even if they hold high positions in their new environments. Often the reason for such promotion would be due to assimilation with the apparently higher powers. LTTE assimilated with Indian political leaders and JVP with Communism – through Chinese - Che Guevara combination.  These are ‘invasions’ of foreign minds to the extent they were brought in by those who were yet to settle their debt to their environments.

As per God’s system – we are all part of one system. To take up authority over another – we need to have been their provider – individually and/or collectively.  Once the debt is paid – including through show of respect and / or settled through natural appreciation one who is taking such authority is reversing the debt upon her/himself – even if it were the parent. From then on we become ‘Common Providers/Parents’. Democracy helps prevent this reversal through separation – so we would ‘see’ and recognize the receivers as equals when they are accepted as such by wider society.

To answer the first respondent – ‘yes nit-picking is important when the host becomes immune to modern pesticides’. One who is distracted by ‘quick killing’ tends to become dependent on chemical warfare that damages the head of the host.

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam – 14 November 2014