Gajalakshmi Paramasivam – 19 November  2015

Spoiling our Politicians

Truth, like God cannot be visualized or known by all in one form. We particularize Truth as per our own minds. Belief in itself is valuable. The form is temporary medium through which we develop that Belief. Likewise our Rights. As per The Island report – ‘TNA meets UNWGD, wants truth seeking mechanisms established’ :

‘The Tamil National Alliance ( TNA) has stressed the importance of establishing the required judicial and truth seeking mechanisms to ascertain the fate of persons who had disappeared or were under detention.’

Truth is sought in various pathways. The deeper our investment, the more effective would our discovery of Truth be. The judicial pathway would not suit majority victims of the war. Young ones rebelled because they could not relate to the religion of the Politicians. The lower the thinking order the more visible the effects need to be. Hence the Objectively measurable outcomes needed in the system of Democracy. Projects replaced Programs, also for this reason.

A Nation must not rely only on its Politicians for Good Governance. In Democracy Citizens also have 50% responsibility. Those of us who cannot relate to the UN or the Government – need to identify with our responsibility to contribute to Good Governance.  Self-Governance is Good-Governance. Even within a family, the form of Belief varies from person to person and in the mind of  one person also this form changes from time to time. When I was a student – my belief was more about Education; when I was working – it was more about workplace values. Through all this I continued to invest in and look to the God in particular forms. Eventually – all these beliefs – have merged as Truth and Love I FEEL.

In Democracy, we invest in many subject matters at the same time. As citizens – we elect government so that there is protection for us to function in our fields of expertise. If we elect as per our belief – then  that position would support us – even if the individual fails to perform as per the position. Elected persons who do perform as per their position duty and beyond – would support and facilitate our travel along our chosen pathways.

The families of the Disappeared have the first duty to seek and find their own Truth. Politicians who represent them in Parliament have the DUTY to facilitate this for the families. Finding the Truth is not the UN’s job or the Administration’s primary job.  Finding out what happened is part of the jobs of these two agencies – so that the Truth could be presented through a Common Form.

While this happens, we need to also produce outcomes in our own respective fields of expertise – at a level that majority citizens would relate to. This is achieved through ‘votes’. A Tamil Community leader forwarded to me this morning, the article written by the current High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in Australia, Mr Somasundaram Skandakumar

for the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors at their request for their quarterly publication. Mr. Skandakumar states in conclusion:

‘In the final analysis, given the impermanence of life, there can be no greater reward at its end, than the peace of mind reposed in a clear conscience. So, as much as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become a board room buzz word, let us make Common Sense and  Conscience (CSC), our personal one and help transform the world into a better place for all’.

 The moment we identify with our own Truth – we contribute to others finding their own Truth. If this is left to the UN – then all Sri Lankan Politicians have failed in their DUTY to facilitate the seeking of finding the Truth – for the citizens they represent. Those who fail to do their duty will keep blaming others. Majority of our Politicians have been spoilt by the excessive focus on them – away from our own fields of expertise. A war-widow who gets the ear of the UN but has no one to talk to at home – would indeed be a lonely person. The same war-widow who has relatives and friends who would share in her pain and loss – would find the missing person she invested in – through others. THAT is how Truth compensates.

Those of us who are physically distant from such victims – could help by development of projects that would facilitate such victims to expand their circle of listeners. Work ultimately heals because I loss is also a form of work based outcome.

We may contribute to the work of Politicians as per the outcomes they produce and not their assessment / judgment of others’ work. During Election time – we are part of their activity. But after that they must be left to do their jobs unsupervised. Likewise we must do our jobs unsupervised by them. We have the duty to produce our own independent outcomes as per our positions in society/community. Not only the families of the disappeared – but all of us have the responsibility to find the Truth about our own loss or gain in this war. If the total loss by Sri Lankans  is equal to the total gain by Sri Lankans – then we are still an independent group. 

My priorities in this regard – include the independence of  Australian Tamils as a Community – contributing to the Sovereignty of Australia. If I become Sri Lankan only or Tamil only  then I must renounce my investments as Australian. I would still contribute to the Sovereignty of the group I feel I belong to. But the structures would not cover wider world.