Gajalakshmi Paramasivam – 25 March  2015

Awakening Equal Opposition

Yesterday, in my article ‘2015 Presidential Elections – Interlocutory or Final?’ I wrote as follows:

[In 1976 Tamil Political Leadership declared Independence through the Vaddukoddai Resolution. In 1977 they became the Leading Opposition in Parliament – confirming the reality of Vaddukoddai Resolution which essentially meant that Tamils were Equal to Sinhalese. That was at that time in Sri Lanka. It will happen again and again in various forms – if Tamils continued to contribute to governance along the path of ‘Non-Violence’. Non-Violence to my mind is not the absence of physical damage caused by one to the other. It is about protecting the rights of both sides.]

Today I received the following reaction from a Tamil in the UK:

[IF ONE IS NOT CAREFULL THE OLD REGIME WILL COME BACK.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED??

President Sirisena gave posts to 26 members of the SLFP, his own former party, in his coalition government, government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne told Reuters. They were given state and junior minister portfolios, boosting to 77 the number of members in the government. "This is a national government and this is a (SLFP) party decision.]

I responded as follows:

[I am confident that so long as we keep investing in Good Governance – we would continue to be the real opposition and that means Equal Political status]

Yesterday, when I wrote the above I was not aware of the opposition in Sri Lankan Parliament to the current Leader of  the Opposition – the Hon Nimal Siripala De Silva staying on in that position due to his party having joined the Government. Irrespective of the decision made by the Parliament – to  my mind, the above timing confirms that those of us who genuinely care – do have the power to influence outcomes. That is the god-power within each one of us.  Often we elevate ourselves through hearsay and knowledge for benefits – and bury our true powers to influence. When we contribute genuinely and do not expect returns the returns happen at the level of the position through which we contributed.  In other words we become the whole – the service provider as well as service beneficiary. This in essence is the message from Lord Krishna through the Baghawath Geetha.

I learnt this Lesson through my Australian Experience which I believe contributed to the loss of parliamentary seat by former Prime Minister of Australia – Mr. John Howard. To the extent I lodged my loss which I believed was due to Mr. Howard as Prime Minister – I identified with my contribution when Mr. Howard lost his seat – which as per popular assessment was due to migrant votes. Each one of us who contributes to governance would identify with outcomes for our own purposes. Likewise each one who contributes from the side of Opposition also contributes to Good Governance.

One of the great difficulties faced by Sri Lankan Governance system is the lack of development of this Equal Opposition at the stated level. LTTE was dictatorial on the side of Tamils and Mr. Rajapaksa’s military regime was dictatorial on the side of Sinhalese. This is acceptable  so long as we do not claim Rights and Benefits through Democracy. When we do enjoy benefits of democracy from wider world – for example through the UN for the Sri Lankan Government and from India for the LTTE – we owe that system and its true representatives. Colonial rule is part of our inheritance and unless we cease to receive unearned benefits we invoke those genes whenever we become beneficiaries in that hierarchical system. Most migrants of Sri Lankan origin are yet to negate these genes. Yet they discuss Sri Lankan Governance issues as if they are the Government of Sri Lanka.

The recent visit by the Prime Minister of India seems to have influenced current outcomes in favor of Tamils.

During this visit – the Prime Minister of India referred to the Tamil Poet Subramanya Bharathiyar whose song about Nationalism is sung as Tamil National Anthem by Tamil Diaspora  groups.  A Sinhalese Australian (to my mind as if he were the Government) wrote to me in response to my report on this:

‘There can't be a Tamil National Anthem as only country a Tamil national Anthem can play is a Tamil country? Are you referring to the Sri lanka Anthem in Tamil? If so correct it before you will be challenged by many others, for trying to bring back the LTTE.’

My response to the above was :

‘As stated in the report – The Tamil song is by  Subramanya Bharathiyar of Tamil Nadu in India. Nadu technically means country. Metaphorically it means nation. To the extent a  person realises Nationalism through a particular land or culture -  that person has the responsibility to sing the Anthem that best reflects her/his belief.   Singing the Australian National Anthem  - is as per human duty to the Land one has adopted as ‘home’. Victims of war singing the Tamil National Anthem means they realised Nationalism more as Tamils than as any other country structure.  It would have been wrong to sing it as National Anthem in parts of Sri Lanka where majority are non-Tamils.  But it would be a reflection of Truth to sing the Tamil National Anthem in areas where Tamils are in the majority.  In Sri Lanka it is the parallel of Provincial Governance. When sung in Australia it confirms our global status and through natural merger with Tamil Nadu culture.  Technically speaking our relatives in Tamil Nadu are about 72 million compared to only about 15 million Sinhalese within the land space called Sri Lanka through human divisions.  When we are too attached to our birth rights – we fail to develop and recognize  the higher rights formed on the basis of Truth. Your interpretation of the meaning of National Anthem confirms such an attachment.’

The level at which we invest independently in an issue is the level of our true ownership. This may or may not be recognized by those holding positions that are responsible for Management. Here in Australia my contribution to Public Administration was not recognized by those responsible and the way the Tamil Diaspora raised the conflict to the UN level – I also raised it to the Prime Ministerial level.  The Tamil Diaspora raised the conflict through political network but I raised it through Due Administrative process – accepting the punishment that happened along the way. Mine was the Transparent process of Democratic Administration. Given that I was genuine and stayed within my earned belief based limits – I was developing the Opposition power to the hierarchical system that was being used by Australian Government whilst claiming we were a democracy. This Equal Opposition power could be developed through the alternate system of Governance – the Judicial system. Even though Mr. Howard did not attend Court in person – his Attorney at law did. To the extent I was genuine and my contribution was of the standards required by the leading position – I was developing the Equal partnership of that Head of Government position. The apparent adjustment happened later through migrant votes.

I noted this pattern within the University of NSW system also. In 1998 I complained against the Head of Finance and Head of Research and there was an inquiry – but leaving out these two Directors. I realize now that I registered my Truth in their minds which manifested Public outcomes through staff at  lower levels – very like the LTTE manifesting the Opposition powers developed by Tamil Political leaders using the official path – including through the Vaddukoddai Resolution. At the University of NSW - the Finance Director against whom I complained initially – was criticized publicly by the Auditor General – once through a common report on Budgetary systems and later in relation to a complaint from another staff of the University against the University’s Education Testing Center. The Auditor General against whom also I brought legal action was highly critical of  University Management in his report to Parliament. http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/03/20/Unsw.htm 

Many in the Australian Tamil Community connected these outcomes to my courage in complaining through the Human Rights Commission followed by the Legal system. The Research complaint also invoked complaints against senior staff and ended up costing the University millions of dollars in money and more in reputation. Eventually the Vice Chancellor who had me arrested for Peaceful Assembly – was himself dismissed by the Governing  Council.

Like with the migrant voters who voted to bring Mr Howard down – I did not know any of the other complainants personally. I still do not know them personally. But they became the messengers through whom the Lord worked to deliver outcomes that confirmed the value of my work. The Truth of the person holding leadership position – when manifested must be Equal & Opposite to our expressions for us to be able to work the system of  Democracy.  Where Truth of a junior is brought out by a senior – it must be at the border of internal and external forces – so that from then on both sides are Equal.  When the Sri Lankan Government therefore exposed the LTTE to outside world – it made the LTTE equal to itself. Otherwise it had the duty to use Internal mechanisms.

 It’s a simple interpretation of Newton’s third law – that for every action  there is an equal and opposite reaction. It is therefore important to not manifest / express more or less if we seek outcomes at that time at that place.

When the 2015 Presidential Elections were announced in Sri Lanka – I did not identify with the current President as being the winning candidate. But due to my ongoing investment in Sri Lankan Democracy - I did identify with the need for Tamils to vote and my energy was added to urge Tamils to exercise their voting Rights. Had I been asked the question as to whom a Tamil ought to vote for  – I would have said Mr. Rajapaksa. The reason is not because of his performance in Politics or Administration.  The reason is that he helped elevate the ethnic issue to global level and in so doing diluted the wrongs of  Tamil rebels LTTE. They were Equal and Opposite forces. This must not be forgotten by any person claiming to work for democracy. But due to his failure to attribute credit to those who truly practiced democracy – Mr. Rajapaksa lost his eligibility to be head of  Sri Lanka sans rebellion – this rebellion being the only opposition he would recognize. Hence where there is no particular rebellious group like LTTE or JVP – that the Government would point to and there is continued use of military power – and those who truly contribute to governance through law and order are victimized – the rebellion is by the Government against Itself. It is to prevent this that there is Equal  Opposition position in Democratic Parliament.  Majority vote is an effects based outcome. There needs to be Equal Opposition for there  to be a Right to Governance by a Parliamentary system.   It is like the ‘other’ parent. The value is this Belief based Other side / Objection / Complaint. One does not need to show proof. One must have the courage to be the Equal Opposition. One who is a beneficiary would tend to lack that courage. LTTE prevented Tamils from voting in the 2005 Presidential elections. This is damage to the foundations of Democracy. The more Tamils benefited from democratic nations the more the LTTE was defeated. Likewise the more Sinhalese benefited from democratic nations – including through migration – the more they defeated Mr. Rajapaksa’s Military Regime.

The system of  Truth works independent of our outer expressions. Truth always supports the person who lives close to Truth.  

Without a strong Opposition, the average Tamil tends to go to sleep in Politics and wakes up when laws are introduced to disadvantage minorities or when there is emotional outburst by ambitious young fighters.   Despite the thought that we needed Mr. Rajapaksa to offset LTTE dictatorship – I was happy when the Common Opposition candidate -  Mr. Maithripala Sirisena became the President . The more I think about it  - the more I feel that our genuine contributions for or against the government would empower the genuine person who needs it as per her/his position. I took it as the workings of Truth that I could not ‘see’ but feel in common. The face could be Mr. Rajapaksa tomorrow – but it has to be without the military dominance if it is to be return for my investment in Democratic Sri Lanka.  That is all I am entitled to expect as per my Truth. If others have made deeper investment and therefore there is return of Military / Rebellion – then I would continue to be developer of Opposition to dictatorships or handouts.  

I believe  we must continue to contribute through all avenues available to us.  The legal path is also open to recording our entitlement to self-governance. For example, if we are able to resolve a matter within provincial borders – we confirm our ability to govern ourselves. Each time we let a legal matter go beyond local borders – to Higher Central Judicial Governance – we are confirming that we need resources beyond local borders.  If we seek global values we must not block unresolved matters going through to wider level. The more Sri Lankan Government blocks the international path – the more it would earn that from its ethnic minorities who have Natural global connections through common cultures.

The article ‘Death of County and Birth of Nation’ that invoked the above response from Sinhalese invoked a totally different response from a Sri Lankan Tamil. This leader sent me reference to https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1608936736007894  which is about A.E. Manoharan’s song Our Motherland Sri Lanka. The first verse is translated by Ahilan Kadirgamar and published at Thuppahi’s Blog:

‘Ceylon/Lanka is our respected motherland
A good land endowed with environmental benefits
A Land where precious gemstones and beautiful sceneries cover our minds

When we pronounce the word Jaffna the taste of honey oozes
Jaffna, where the palmyra fruit and the tobacco leaves grow together

– Translation (by writer) of the opening lines of Tamil song, “Ilangai enpathu” by A E Manoharan’

Tamils who do feel that Sri Lanka is home to them – must continue to provide the strongest possible opposition to the Government in Power, to earn returns that are visible at global level.   We must however do so strictly through our belief and no more.  When we do this – the outcomes happen Naturally through the Lord’s system. That is how we minorities can be in governance at all times. Eventually when we make the connection and feel happy – we become the whole – even though we may be a minority of One.