Gajalakshmi Paramasivam – 10 October  2015

Lifestyle Choices – Parliaments, Police  and Universities

It was interesting to note that the Sri Lankan media was focused on  Parliamentary language in Sri Lanka at the same time I was seeking Truth through the chaotic system of Law & Order in Vaddukoddai  where the first Political Declaration of Independent Tamil State was made in 1976.

In the Island  article ‘Pimping and tribal issues shake Parliament’ , the Editor states:

[The latest in the parliamentary language tussle is the protesting walk out by many leading members of the Opposition, against the use of the word "pimps" at them by the Prime Minister. One does not know what exactly is unparliamentary about that. It is in all English dictionaries as a word with very clear meaning. A pimp is a person, especially a man, who solicits customers for a prostitute or brothel, usually in return for a share of the related earnings. If pimp is unparliamentary, pander and procurer would also be………………..
What Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe should do is to take that lesson from Winston Churchill and refer to his use of "pimp" as a terminological inexactitude (House of Commons – 1906) when Churchill said that a word in its full sense could not be applied without a risk of terminological inexactitude. To call a Member of the Commons a liar or accuse one of lying there is contempt, but to call one a speaker of what is not true is parliamentary, and allowed. You get the point.]

The way I remember Winston Churchill’s mind about India is his description of Gandhi as the ‘Half Naked Fakir’. The Times of India reported in March this year:

[An impressive nine feet statue of Mahatma Gandhi was unveiled in London’s Parliament Square this month. PM David Cameron paid tribute to Gandhi: “By putting Mahatma Gandhi in this famous square we are giving him an eternal home in our country.”

Eighty-four years after Gandhi’s historic visit to England, he finally looks at ease. Behind him is the looming figure of Benjamin Disraeli and a few paces ahead, the man who called him a half-naked seditious fakir, Winston Churchill, looks on impassively at the oncoming traffic.]

Wikipedia provides the following details and interpretation about Terminological inexactitude:

[Terminological inexactitude is a phrase introduced in 1906 by British politician (later Prime Minister) Winston Churchill. Today, it is used as a euphemism or circumlocution meaning a lie or untruth.

Churchill first used the phrase during the 1906 election. After the election in the House of Commons on 22 February 1906, as Under-Secretary of the Colonial Office, he repeated what he had said during the campaign:

The conditions of the Transvaal ordinance ... cannot in the opinion of His Majesty's Government be classified as slavery; at least, that word in its full sense could not be applied without a risk of terminological inexactitude.

It seems this first usage was strictly literal, merely a roundabout way of referring to inexact or inaccurate terminology. But it was soon interpreted or taken up as a euphemism for an outright lie. To accuse another member in the House of lying is unparliamentary, so a way of implying that without saying it was very useful.]

To my simple mind, Parliamentary language privilege is a ‘facility’ beyond the measures of law and order so that even the Representative of least privileged sections of the Public would be able to add their TRUTH to Law-Making. When our Truth becomes Law – we would naturally uphold Law & Order.  Such Laws maintain themselves through practices that work for that community. Hence Customary Laws. ‘Lifestyle choices’ would be supported by such laws,

When Churchill referred to Gandhi as ‘Half Naked Fakir’ – he was bringing the True impression on behalf of majority Politicians who are ‘kings’ of their various electorates. If therefore India was Third-Class to the British – as per their Law and Order measures – Gandhi would be   ‘Half Naked Fakir’. To the still mind – it is neither right nor wrong. It is an observation without favor or bias. But when Sir Winston Churchill – the war hero uses it – that would be the parallel of  Sri Lanka’s former President / War Hero calling Muruga the Tamil Deity – a Pediyan in Kovanam’ – ‘A boy in underwear’.  This was actually stated in Thunaivi by a British-Tamil during a Public ceremony in Thunaivi-Vaddukoddai. The Sri Lankan flag was raised at that meeting – and hence it was as good as the Sri Lankan Government having said it.  The guy who said it was known to be pro-Rajapaksa Government and worked through Computer education centers as well as the Government Departments in North. The guy said that like Murugan we Tamils were on the streets in our underwear. We need to be careful as to who might use our status for their own purposes. It is best to be Transparent as to how we interpret something – so that others do not hijack our status. The lower the level at which we ‘declare/come out’ the greater the diversity of interpretation. Likewise at the policy level and policies must be broad enough for just interpretations at the lowest levels of society. Lowest levels are the ones least educated in official laws.

 I for one interpret that form of Muruga as the message that young ones/minorities who seek to be Equals – need to renounce the benefits and heritage from seniors/parents. I said so to the above guy privately after the meeting. That was due to identity with the ‘adjustments’ he had made to come to Northern Sri Lanka – leaving behind his wife and daughter. He did not renounce but adjusted. I renounced and hence my identity with Murugan in underwear and Gandhi in Coolie-wear. Jesus was also in similar condition when He shared His Truth with us by accepting the Cross as reality.

Laws on their own do not have power. When they are supported by True investment – meaning through belief – they become self-supporting. Where laws are ignored and/or overridden by personal thoughts and judgment – they die in the eyes of Natural Justice where the path of Truth is the Law.

Gandhi genuinely invested in the laws of his time and where he went beyond the law and found that his actions were in breach of the law – he declared that he had so breached the law. When I assembled at the reception of the Office of the Vice Chancellor of the University of NSW – waiting to ‘see’ him – through Due Process – step by step – I was still within the law as applicable to the University. When the Security Officers asked me to leave I asked them Gandhi style ‘as per which law’. In their own lifestyle language they said the University was ‘private-property’ and I was  Trespassing.  They did not refer to any particular legislation. Since I was part of the University Lifestyle by then, I worked out their thought-order and took that as the Law through which they empowered themselves through their position- authority. I explained to them that University by Law was a Public Institution and that I was NOT in breach of the University’s laws. The Truth known to me was that in terms of the core-purposes of the University – Research & Teaching - I was the highest practitioner of the Laws needed to uphold that core purposes.  What I did not know then was that the powers of all those who invested genuinely in the core purposes of the University were the real law makers of the University – through their conduct. Hence the University Parliament/Council of elected members. Gandhi’s declaration that he was guilty as per the law – resulted in him going to prison. That killed that law for India by a true Indian – in the Court of Natural Justice.  When Truth arrives – irrelevant laws must leave or they risk getting killed.

Just this week – we had another incident demonstrating this need in Thunaivi-Vaddukoddai in Northern Sri Lanka. Thunaivi is a disenfranchised area with high rate of recruitment by rebels. When there are law and order problems in post-war North – it is quite common for the common resident of  North – to claim that such would not have happened under the rule of the  ‘Boys’ – meaning the Tamil Tigers.  This has validity. The Tigers controlled them through the gun. But ask these folks to go and live in villages like Thunaivi – they would say ‘no’.  The more educated ones emigrate to Vaddukoddai town.

Last week there was some dispute over the installation a steel-fence at our temple property a section of which was donated by us for war-rehabilitation purposes. The local authorities did not take up residence there because they fear the violence in that village. I took up residence there. When the guy demanded payment without completing the work as per specifications – I refused payment. He threatened to damage the temple and I warned his family that I would go to the Police. His family pleaded with me not to go to the Police. This guy who acted in breach of the law applicable to Sri Lanka in terms of marriage – then complained to the Police. It was a civil matter – and he ought to have gone to the Grama Sevakar the Village Administrator. If  the Grama Sevakar had resided there and practiced the law – that would have added some degree of belief in the law to these folks. That is the way of Subjective system. It is driven more by faith than by outcomes and transparency. To the extent the ‘Boys’ were accepted to be the Government – that Lifestyle became the outcome publicized by those who crowned themselves as leaders – largely to show off to their mates.

The deeper connection I had with this guy was our common faith in Mother Kali. To the extent of his belief in her – I could work through  my genuine investment in him – for ‘Common’ purposes. Everything done within the field of Truth is Common. That is easy for me. The more difficult part is to bring them out of the ‘maya /delusion’ that ‘foreigners’ have Summa / Free money. All migrants who take welfare from Australian Government and send that to Sri Lanka to support rebels – contributed to this ideology – as did Aborigines who traded welfare for ‘work-rights’ as per their natural lifestyles.

When I presented a written statement in response to the complaint – the guy withdrew the complaint. But even then the Police did not rule that he abused their resources. The officers concerned are Sinhalese officers at  Vaddukoddai Police Station. The next day – the Electricity Board was asked to disconnect supply – on the basis that the Surveillance camera wiring was faulty and it was a risk to the folks there. They took advantage of the rain. The Electricity Board ‘obeyed’ – without consulting with us. The following morning some villagers said that the local folks through the Women’s Association had taken the matter to the Grama Sevakar and that the Grama Sevakar had brought the Police who ordered the Electricity Board to disconnect Supply.  This is a ‘possible’ scenario given that the Grama Sevakar and the Assistant Government Agent of that area took the easy way out and ‘delegated’ their powers to the Thunaivi Women’s Association. But the Electrician who is not part of that Community – and who was responsible to me – and for whose work I am responsible – made inquiries with the Grama Sevakar and confirmed that this was ‘false’ – and that the Grama Sevakar did not get involved. The following day – the wire was physically snipped and the camera was hanging like an orphan.  A young guy who aimlessly hangs around questioned our workers there – about ‘safety-standards’!!!!! I ordered him out of our property and then wrote a complaint to the Police.   It was taken to the Police by our local coordinator.  The Police noted all that and then said to me – despite the names supplied through a ‘what happened’ report – that we needed to take pictures through the camera and they would then come and take action!!!!!  I said when I come into that hostile environment – my life was at risk – and yet they are waiting for ‘evidence’!!!!! But that lady officer was acting as per the Lifestyle Choice made by the Police.  Civil matter that ought to have been dealt with by the Grama Sevakar – went to the Police – and a matter that is given form as a criminal matter – is ‘shelved’.

Each position has its own true function as per the investors in that function. To the extent we do our duty as per our interpretation of that function – we are being democratic and the outcomes produced by as ‘right’ until proven otherwise through the Judicial process. This was not the Police for the civil matter regarding the fence which was erected to keep vehicles used for smuggling out of our Temple grounds. The Grama Sevakar on the  other hand is not the Police in criminal matters. The Police must interpret the law as per their Institutional pathway. Otherwise like the Parliament developing its own Lifestyle away from the People – the Police would become civil officers and the persons occupying civil positions would be playing with words.  That is how the Elected Members make laws in Parliament – through their own lifestyle choices and infest them back to the People – and all this would happen by merely idling while those of us who ought to be enjoying retirement life go out to the field relying on Truth and Truth alone to do the real work they promised to undertake when they received the ‘Donation’ from us.

Now we are making arrangements to install Solar Panels to ‘kill’ the abuse of powers by the Electricity Board which did not bother to check whether the complaint was genuine or not. If we do not override their authority through this pathway – these folks who have a history of using illegal electricity – would ‘take-over’ the Supply of Electricity while the office idly sit in their air-conditioned offices. The real law will protect and serve all those who protect and serve the law. The rest is maya – as Gandhi confirmed.

As reported last week in Uthayan Newspaper – a new bride was murdered by drunken youth at the center of  Jaffna Town – while the Police took their own time to come to the scene. If we rely on these institutions that exist for their own selfish purposes – we would fail ourselves. Let’s invest in our real powers. They may not protect our bodies but they will certainly protect and uphold our Integrity as Human beings. Another body will give our true investments form.  Most are busy blaming the Government – and this has led to them failing themselves. When they become ‘Government’ as Rebels – they give form to that failed state citizen and therefore the failed State.

I invested in the law and my approach confirmed that to the Vaddukoddai Police. The other guy’s approach ought to have informed them that his investment in the law was minimal. If they did not know this – they are not ‘local’ to that area. The Police may not know the law – but they ought to know who has invested in them more and hear that person first. Despite this situation – the Prime Minister is promising the world ‘Democratic’ systems. The result would be – Sri Lanka becoming the dumping ground for failed officials in other countries – the way Jaffna has become the dumping ground of failed officials from South.

Even though I hear about smuggling activities and other illegal conduct in the areas I serve – I consider them to be hearsay because of my know that they did not have Supply of Law and Order Service. But it is my right to protect my private area from being infected by such pollution. It becomes pollution when it crosses the border.  Likewise to smugglers and thieves – law enforcement authorities would be pollution. The Building constructed  out of Reconstruction funds is now being used for unethical purposes. Is this war-rehabilitation or war-promotion?