Arali Amman Riding the Lion

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam – 29 January 2015

We Need Closure

A leading member  of the Sri Lankan Diaspora recommended that Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa be taken before the International Criminal Court. The Tamil Diaspora has been working on this since 2009 encampment of Tamils. The Subject Matter within which Tamils are constructing their case is Genocide. It is not clear as to what Subject Matter would be used by other victims of the former President of Sri Lanka. A Sri Lankan of Sinhalese origin stated ‘Then all those linked to the LTTE must be investigated and taken action against’.  A person who does take such action on the basis of belief - is confirming Equality of status through the legal path. Without belief  - such action would generate the other side to the extent the investment of genuine contributors to that system is damaged.

I took Mr. John Howard, former Australian Prime Minister,  to the Australian Courts on the basis of my belief. I FELT I needed to do that and I did. Now I realize that by doing so I was also internalizing and preserving the Sovereignty of Australia.  The time and place where Truth is expressed is sacred. I am now able to do likewise in Sri Lanka also. I believe that if Sri Lankan leadership actively promotes closure through genuine sharing – Sri Lanka would protect its Sovereignty.

To my mind,  my presence here in Sri Lanka in May 2009 as well as in January 2015 are no coincidences. Those who are true to self-governance add strength to the  manifestation of Truth. I felt it when Mr. Howard was dismissed by the People; I felt it when the LTTE was defeated and I felt it when Mr. Rajapaksa was defeated. In all instances I was connected to the persons concerned through their positive contribution to our common group. I was not a direct participant in any of these activities that later manifested the outcomes. But I felt  very much part of the driving force that manifested the outcomes. I was brought to the place of manifestation due to my sense of belonging in each of the places. If I had won at the lower level – or if I had taken revenge at that level, I would have not had this sharing in the higher experience. I raised the conflict to the highest possible level and shared the Truth I discovered through the experience. By accepting the defeat as a reality – I deepened my experience.

We talk much about Equal Opportunity in multicultural societies working towards democratic governance. One does not hear about Equal Problem in such societies. Ownership plus benefits is Opportunity. Ownership plus costs is Problem. Bringing  about Closure is important to recognize Problem or Opportunity. Closure of lower level activity is needed for us to progress to the next higher level. If we do not bring about  Closure – the open items accumulate interest due to time and place and cause excitement or depression to the mind/s of the person/s concerned. This is the risk with many sections of the Sri Lankan Diaspora.

Yesterday, in a communication in relation to the article headed ‘Suspend UNHRC probe on Sri Lanka-US should lower voice-Ex US Ambassador Tesi Schaffer’ one Sinhalese member of the Sri Lankan Diaspora stated:

“This is bound to have another backlash from the pro LTTE supporters.  Rudrakumaran already voices his opinion feeling “cheated” so what will happen? We don’t know.  But this is good for Sri Lanka but not good for those who pushed for war crimes. Ha! Ha!  This is what we wanted to see.  If they push war crimes, the people and military in Sri Lanka may revolt.  That is not good.  Breaking the hopes of the terror supporters is better.  Thank you Teresita even with strings attached, and the secretive actions of RW/CIA (not to be supported) hope we will be left alone. Yes, don’t dance to the tune of the pro LTTE diaspora breaking laws in the US continuing to support separatism.  The US will now have to protect us from terrorism in the future.  NO SEPARATION OR ADVICE TO SEPARATE in the future from the USA please. Our people want to live free!”

To my mind the above respondent  is the parallel of Mr. Rudrakumaran. Neither has brought about closure in terms of  Military activity. Hence, like old men and women who live off their childhood  memories as they happened – these minds carry unsettled business transactions in terms of armed wins and defeats. They do not bring about closure at that level to facilitate  the experience to  merge naturally with the ocean of self-governance.

The current situation in Sri Lanka which is seen more ‘free’ than last few years, could be abused by both sides with such open items. Not only the Diaspora but also those close to the Tamil leadership here are merely shifting the face of the leadership instead of ‘owning’ the problem. Political appointments by previous regime are now neutralized as a priority. I  was told by a senior staff of the Northern Provincial Council that some appointments in relation to projects that are globally funded have been placed ‘on hold’ – even though as per published information such projects are funded through Central Ministry.   The management staff is not to be blamed entirely  for this ‘attitude’. The victims who have not been paid  since Mr. Sirisena crossed over are looking for shortcuts through new political leaders. These are the realities in Sri Lanka – including in North where TNA is risking replacement of Mr. Douglas Devananda in the minds of voters looking for shortcuts. If Sri Lanka is to be ‘free’ of its past it needs to have ‘closure’ of Politics to pave the way for Administration.

Talking about emotions after effects have manifested, confirms absence of closure.  Knowledge/Lesson confirms the closure of emotions. The new government in Sri Lanka seems to be more busy with righting the wrongs to senior officials such as General Fonseka and former Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake than about preventing  the current system from victimizing  political appointments at grassroots level. This kind of righting  appears to be the parallel of the Rajapaksa regime’s appointments of military officials as diplomats. Both confirm attachment to old outcomes.

Initiating legal action largely through one’s belief – is a way to bring about such closure. When we take legal action – person to person – we are claiming Equal Position. The status in our mind is now Balanced and we become observers rather than direct producers of outcomes. If our belief is genuine – we would confirm it by accepting defeat as declared by the Judge in whom we do not feel faith,  provided we have faith in the system that the Judge’s position is a part of.

My second marriage  was repeatedly  criticized by my sisters in law who expressed such reduction through their lawyer in Mallakam Courts in Northern Sri Lanka. They claimed to use Thesawalamai Customary Law in the testamentary case. My husband and I were not invited to the wedding in Sydney Australia - of  our nephew due to the conflict caused in the above matter which ought to have been settled ‘confidentially’ within the family.    To the surface reader I would seem the alien in Mallakam environment whilst my sisters in law who ‘looked’ local would have seemed the inner members of  the Community covered by Tamil Thesawalamai Law. To my mind, even the Judge hearing the matter seemed inclined that way when he disciplined me for protesting through due process against such reduction in my status. I brought about ‘closure’ by expressing criticism of both side lawyers – as soon as I stepped down from the witness box. THAT was my parallel of the rebellion by other sections of the Tamil community. It brought about ‘closure’ through self-governance based on my belief.

Thunaivi Village, Vaddukoddai, Sri Lanka

On Australia Day 2015 – we were asked by   Mr. Jeevarasa (bridegroom in the above picture) to bless the Thaali (Tamil  wedding necklace) and hand it over for tying the marriage knots at the Arali Amman Temple. Arali is the native village of my father. Jeevarasa said that when he prayed at that temple – he saw my face in the altar. That kind of feeling could not have been shared by the above nephew who got married in Sydney – even though his mother is also from the same village of Arali. From both sides of the family I have been asked to accompany mothers who sought the blessings of Holy Mother when their children got married. They are family.

In some strange way – I feel that this is confirmation of Spiritual children. Jeevarasa and my youngest daughter were born on the same day of the same year – one in Northern Sri Lanka and the other in Colombo. We – the parents did not know each other at all. Yet it so happened that like our son Pradeep, Jeevarasa with his wife  prostrated at  our feet for blessings – while the blood relation who claimed to be like a son did not even invite us for his wedding in Sydney. I would not have enjoyed these manifestations of Karma if I had not brought about closure with that legal nephew.

Likewise, if I had not brought about closure in relation my Australian experiences – I would not be able to enjoy the natural leadership status attributed to me by these folks – who  are strongly driven by emotions and who were considered high risk group by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces. In turn – they are protected by my wisdom in governance through the path of non-violence.

Given the reality in Sri Lanka – the current actions in addressing past wrongs  may be necessary for the Sri Lankan Government. Other Self-Governing Sri Lankans,  in turn need to identify with needs of their local groups and contribute to ‘closure’ of  irreconcilable differences. The Tamil Diaspora with the cooperation of the Tamil Political Leaders -  has had its turn – through the UN. It is already of Equal status to the Government of Sri Lanka and this has been confirmed through the balancing power of Tamils in the 2015 Presidential Elections.  The way my Australian losses manifested locally here in Sri Lanka – the Diaspora’s losses have manifested in America. It’s a natural political balance. It took a long time coming due to the pain being felt at grassroots level where emotion rules the mind.

They say that the sins and virtues of parents would manifest through children. That is time based flow. In democracy – they manifest in our partners in faraway places.  When the two are connected it becomes even and is raised to the status of knowledge.  

Instead of focusing excessively on occupation of land by the foreigners and other races – we of the Diaspora need to give form to the positions we had at the time we left Sri Lanka. That would provide leadership to the younger generation Sri Lankans. We must take care not to use our global status to administer Sri Lankans but rather be facilities they could access through current avenues available to them. Those who are not able to do this – are confirming that they are not self-governing persons.  Hence they are outsiders in Sri Lanka and must take their places accordingly – not because the Government says so but because they know so.  Likewise the old military and judicial leaders whose status has been confirmed at their best. They need to refrain from being active administrators in the new structure.

Abandoning post is not closure. Abandonment  leaves open items which like cancer keep accumulating interest unless they are recognized and raised to the higher and/or wider levels. Independence and self-governance within our affordable resources brings about closure.

Independence shared by self-governors facilitates the enjoyment of ‘freedom’ by those bound to us by common faith.