Gajalakshmi Paramasivam – 06 Sept  2015

I am Sri Lankan – Mr. Sampanthan

Naan Australian - Gajalakshmi

It felt heavenly to read the headlines ‘I am a Sri Lankan and Sri Lanka belongs to me – Sampanthan’ – Ceylon Today at :

http://www.ceylontoday.lk/89-102935-news-detail-i-am-a-sri-lankan-and-sri-lanka-belongs-to-me-sampanthan.html

To me this is what democracy is about. When, through my book published by Lakehouse,  I declared ‘Naan Australian’ (I am Australian) – it was a declaration of my own discovery about myself. Mr. Sampanthan said it before the elections in terms of TNA – when the two main parties formed government. Mr. Sampanthan is reconfirming it at national Leadership level with the support of the system of Democracy through which Sri Lankan voters expressed their Sovereignty. Tamil voters have overwhelmingly confirmed that they want ONE SRI LANKA. Every person who has invested in Democracy would celebrate this declaration.  Our family does on this father’s day.

To me it is like me Gajalakshmi carrying the Male Family name Paramasivam as per Tradition – declaring that I am Paramasivam Family and that the Paramasivam Family belongs to me. This is natural when we belong truly to every part of the family through our respective positions – for example me as Mother – and / or through our Truth. This does not prevent my husband also claiming that he is Paramasivam family. But merely by virtue of  him carrying the name physically – he does not have higher status than I except when he does so on merit basis. Such Merit basis would include that he is more available to the family than I directly and/or through Common Structures, Policies and Values maintained and developed  through personal sacrifice of immediate pleasures. Even if I did not make the declaration – to the extent I do not get my proportion of the visible status and or money benefits – I accumulate the ‘gap’ as  ownership Energy. A family which gives recognition to this Energy develops into Heritage family. Likewise a Community and a Nation. Like being a female in a family – I am here in Australia with minority status. Hence I needed to make the declaration so other minorities would not lose heart when they feel discriminated against. THAT,  I believe,  is the best contribution we could make to the roots of Australia – which would naturally prevent Terrorism in Australia that includes us. Higher positions help us get their faster in a reliable system.

Mr. Sampanthan is supported by his own Political Heritage developed since 1977  when he first entered Parliament as part of the Opposition Leadership Team. The Ownership declaration is a natural expression for someone who has mentally held that position – with or without it being a reality at the visible level.

In contrast a member of the Sri Lankan Diaspora in Australia, wrote in response to my email:

From:
Sent: Saturday, 5 September 2015 3:01 PM
To: 'Gaja Param' & Others
Subject: RE: Needed - Good Sri Lankans to Lead Clever Sri Lankans

Hi Friends

I have thought about the position of the Leader of the Opposition in the context of SL politics and have come to the following conclusion:

1.       The Leader of the Opposition is recognised to be the alternate Prime Minister, if the government of the day fails to deliver its promises.

2.       In my view, there is absolutely no chance that a non-Sinhala person will be the Prime Minister of SL in the foreseeable future.

3.       It was an error of judgement for Amirthalingam to have accepted the position of Leader of the Opposition in 1977. It further humiliated the defeated SLFP who were wiped out at the 1977 general election and gave an excuse for the extremists to proclaim that the Opposition Tamils were always opposing the legitimate will of the Sinhala government – in other words, they were able to shout out slogans that it was a fight between the Sinhalese and the Tamils which they successfully brought to melting point in July 1983.

4.       History will finally record as to who was responsible for the non-development and ruin of Sri Lanka since our Independence in 1948. But for the present, I would argue that the Leader of the Opposition should be the prospective alternate Prime Minister, who would be the leader of the largest Sinhala Party in the Opposition.

I prefer not to enter into a dialogue on this, somewhat, sensitive matter and leave it to the recipients to ponder over my thoughts.

The underlying ‘attitudes’ are important in interpreting and working out the Strengths and Weaknesses in the group that the responder is a part of.  The last sentence that the writer – a male as per his name - would prefer not to enter into a dialogue AFTER he had had his say on the basis of MY article  confirms a – one way track – that Subjective Pathway is. One way track is ok – so long as they do not drive along the pathways meant for two-way Traffic- flows. Democracy is a two-way flow.

There are many such operators especially males in the senior age group who need the official leadership position to be active contributors. As a person with deep investment in Democracy I respond publicly as follows – so anyone who identifies with the above response fully or in part – would have some alternate / opposition to forming the true combined/ democratic picture. Taking the above person as the Government and myself as the Opposition I complete the Democratic picture as follows:

1.      Government: The Leader of the Opposition is recognised to be the alternate Prime Minister, if the government of the day fails to deliver its promises

Opposition (Gaja): The Leader of the Opposition is the other side Captain. S/he cannot Captain the Government Team. This is why SLFP could not have been Leading the Opposition. You can be Parent all the time but when you are mother you cannot be father. Through the President and Prime Minister – the two main parties have become Common – as in Parent, instead of father. Given that second largest party  joined Government first – they cannot be called Opposition. In fact, the way it has happened – Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa technically is on the side of the Government in Parliament – but not as an Equal. Had he been on the Opposition side by applying the rules – he would have been Equal to any member of the Government. As we sow, so shall we reap. Dharma has prevailed to right the wrongs that happened during the 2010 Presidential elections.

2.       Government: In my view, there is absolutely no chance that a non-Sinhala person will be the Prime Minister of SL in the foreseeable future.

Opposition (Gaja): Americans have already shown the way through their practice of Democracy. Their Structure / Constitution facilitated this. If the Truth that has evolved is built into the new Constitution – then a Tamil from Hatton  or a Muslim from Kalmunai or a Burgher from Colombo could become the Prime Minister.  Those who live in the past would have difficulty projecting such a picture in their mind’s eye.

3.      Government: It was an error of judgement for Amirthalingam to have accepted the position of Leader of the Opposition in 1977. It further humiliated the defeated SLFP who were wiped out at the 1977 general election and gave an excuse for the extremists to proclaim that the Opposition Tamils were always opposing the legitimate will of the Sinhala government – in other words, they were able to shout out slogans that it was a fight between the Sinhalese and the Tamils which they successfully brought to melting point in July 1983.

Opposition (Gaja): From the Tamils point of view – 1977 Opposition Leadership was the first Political Declaration of our Diversity. It has given strength to many to realize independence within their own circles and now at National level through Mr. Sampanthan who has continued to carry those values as heritage.  Our Truth is the root cause. Like the Root –Truth is often not ‘seen’ but known. Truth is always healthy to the mind – so long as we stay within that Truth or find the Truth as part of a new environment. Vaddukoddai Resolution led by Mr. Amirthalingam is of former type and 2015 Colombo Declaration by Mr. Sampanthan is of the latter type. Tamil community needs both but Public Expressions need to be through the Latter and not through the former. Truth is the Truth. There are no rights and wrongs in Truth. Relativity happens only when we come out of that Truth and start using external values. Hence when Truth is surfaced – it would divide Itself into perfectly Equal parts. The simple mind would be more comfortable with two equal parts than with many equal parts – to practice equality at the physical level. Hence the need for Equal Opposition to give form to Truth. It is not about saying ‘no’ when the government says ‘yes’. It is about showing the effects of Government Policy on the People. Government usually would not see the impacts of its Policies. Hence Opposition needs to receive them on behalf of the People and show that picture – independent of the Government. Likewise when Opposition proposes – the Government must receive the effects mentally and present its side of the picture. This picture may or may not confirm the Other side’s picture. But if both are genuine – the two would merge to form the whole needed by the Nation.

We receive information through our five senses. It’s the brain that makes them common memory. When this consolidation happens we have a common theory and we do not see the individual data. If we do – then it means we have not yet consolidated the individual components. Discriminative thinking makes man higher than animal. One who fails to consolidate/integrate  and therefore discriminate - would be driven by the body / politics – and dies when the body dies.  One who consolidates lives beyond the body. That is the calculus of human mind.

4.      Government: History will finally record as to who was responsible for the non-development and ruin of Sri Lanka since our Independence in 1948. But for the present, I would argue that the Leader of the Opposition should be the prospective alternate Prime Minister, who would be the leader of the largest Sinhala Party in the Opposition

Opposition (Gaja): We already know that this would lead to Army Government. One who promotes such groups and/or excessively criticizes the Opposition for using Arms while her/his side is guilty – would habitually promote low level autocracy.

I believe that as an Australian believing I am Australian – every bit of my investment in Democracy would go towards eliminating armed control – be it through  rebels/terrorists or through government forces. One using weapons without Common principles and/or Higher Subjective Leadership - using Higher mind-order than the other side – is a Terrorist. One who uses weapons believing s/he is protecting Dharma / Sovereignty – is a hero.

Lord Krishna led the minority of 5 against majority of 100 to victory. War did happen as a last resort – after all other avenues including Dialogue and Reconciliation were exhausted. Those who use weapons, language, gender, physical disability, caste, color of skin – etc. as first weapon to elevate themselves and demote the other – would tend to be violent when they use arms. Gandhi was non-violent because he was true to himself.  One who is true to himself would identify with even the remotest person as part of her/himself. Such a person could never be a terrorist. The earth that such a person walks on would get purified. Even one such person would steer Sri Lanka to truly realize Independence. Pakistan was ruled by the Army due to separation from Gandhi’s Mind-Order. Let’s learn from Pakistan and not separate in either direction.