Gajalakshmi
Paramasivam – 19 April 2016
Kanchi Pattu or China Silk?
‘Resolution
of the impasse between Sri Lanka and China on the construction of a
Chinese-funded port city at Colombo is not only indicative of the pragmatic
policy posture of the Sri Lankan government, but also an important first step
towards the materialisation of the maritime silk route initiative (MSRI)
proposed by China.’ says a Singapore mind.
To my mind as a Tamil, this project is also
about whether Tamil Politicians seek to take a position in Sri Lanka as part of
the World or are resigned to remaining local leaders in their minds. The recent
revelation by the TNA leader in Kilinochchi confirms that the LTTE leader chose
the latter. In action he confirmed this by rejecting Mr. Sampanthan’s proposal:
[Sampanthan
told a gathering in Kilinochchi that he had several meetings and discussions
with Prabakaran before the war ended in 2009 and had urged him to convert his
fighting skills to politics]
In terms of
status it’s a question of whether one sought to be a big person in a
small institution or a small person in a big institution. If LTTE had become
part of the Political structure – Velupillai Prabhakaran would have been taken
over by Political forces, the same way Mr.
Rajapaksa’s Government was taken over by
China. We all have such parallels in at our own levels. Participating in wider
world events - through those local
experiences – helps us have the experience. Not having access to the benefits
or being responsible for the costs and losses – makes us feel ‘free’ through
that experience.
In
terms of my parallel personal experience, when I recognized that my Sri Lankan professional
qualifications were not recognized here in Australia, I decided to apply for
jobs that I was more likely to win. I needed the money. The lower status of Sri Lanka relative to
Australia was helpful in this pathway. But once in the job - I always performed
as per my professional standards. This helped me share my intelligence with
fellow Australians – of majority class – the middleclass. Eventually this led
to me being asked to stay on as consultant / contractor. Now I realize that by ‘sharing’
with fellow workers beyond the call of duty – my work value was naturally
raised to policy level. To my mind, the system of democracy facilitates this so
that even the worker in the smallest position is facilitated to contribute to
policy when s/he shares through her/his position beyond the call of duty. Under
the hierarchical system – we called this a debt/kadan to our elders/seniors. When the debt is
settled – including through gratitude – the experience gets completed. Once the
experience is completed – we become Common part of the whole. Then debt becomes
duty/kadamai.
The Vaddukoddai Resolution of 1976 was
followed by Tamils winning Equal position in Parliament in 1977 – through the
position of Opposition Leadership. We have achieved that again through the 2015
elections but we are not playing our role at national and international
standards. We are not doing our Duty as Leading Opposition - by
showing the ‘other side’ – the citizens’ side to the Government’s proposals.
The lack of active participation in the
Colombo City-Project – from the point of the Common citizen – also confirms
that TNA is seeking to be big in a small institution. The Duty of the
Opposition is to show the side of the citizen who has had the experience and/or
those to whom the project would be a liability.
As confirmed by the concept of Balance
Sheet – Assets must equal Liabilities to confirm an accurate picture of
sovereignty. Those who share at the total level – are owners and they are
listed on the side of Liabilities – as the company taken as a separate entity, owes them. That was one of my first lessons
through our accounting guru - Mr. A.T. Benedict. The parallel of this
Shareholding on the Asset side is Goodwill – the intangible Asset. In a truly
sovereign entity – this goodwill will be equal to the shareholding/ownership.
Colombo Port-City issue is also about Land
ownership. It is about whether China is a creditor or a shareholder. The
Northern parallel is Sethu Bridge and Kachcha Theevu/Island – which are bases
of cultural connections between India and Tamils of Sri Lanka. The higher mind would
participate even through small opportunities. As per latest Indian news reports
in regards to autonomy for Tamils one understands that:
‘Mr. Shivajilingam
said Sampanthan said the current government could be more responsive to a
federal arrangement and therefore, the TNA local politicians must not act
indifferently at this stage.
"He said they are looking for a federal solution within an undivided Sri Lanka based on the merger of the north and eastern provinces," Shivajilingam said.
He said if the government did not accede to a federal solution, international pressure must be brought to bear upon it by the Tamils.’
Tamil Politicians depending on ‘International Pressure’ after the event – would tend to play catch-up and would have very little Goodwill credits within Sri Lanka outside their own community. This would eventually lead to their areas being ‘taken-over’ by foreigners as happened in South – with China taking over areas towards its own Maritime Silk Route. The Natural system as created by the Lord – renders the higher return when we invest in those who are least connected to us and hence through Common Values. Where the other side is complacent – we need to make their values common to ourselves.
"He said they are looking for a federal solution within an undivided Sri Lanka based on the merger of the north and eastern provinces," Shivajilingam said.
He said if the government did not accede to a federal solution, international pressure must be brought to bear upon it by the Tamils.’
Tamil Politicians depending on ‘International Pressure’ after the event – would tend to play catch-up and would have very little Goodwill credits within Sri Lanka outside their own community. This would eventually lead to their areas being ‘taken-over’ by foreigners as happened in South – with China taking over areas towards its own Maritime Silk Route. The Natural system as created by the Lord – renders the higher return when we invest in those who are least connected to us and hence through Common Values. Where the other side is complacent – we need to make their values common to ourselves.
Had Mr. Rajapaksa contributed through Sri
Lanka’s small position but using global pathways – we would not have allowed
the world to enter Sri Lanka. The investment made by China would have been tangible
and the terms would have been transparent. Excessive focus on producing low
level wins to be displayed as victories over world terrorism – leads to opening
the backdoor to foreigners. This often happens when we are indifferent to our
duty to the institution as per our positions.
A local guy in Northern Sri Lanka was
driven by easy donation from a member of the Diaspora, who like China wanted to
show ownership without having experienced that ownership when the community was
in need – the type of pressure that Mr. Sivajilingam refers to. The local guy
had the ‘welfare’ mentality and hence got carried away with words rather than
looking for shared experiences. Had I advised him previously – he would not
have accepted it – but would have discarded it as ‘theory’. Now that he is
receptive I said NOT to do both – family as well as common service – at the
same time. Both leaders in the Sri Lankan armed war – had this problem of
mixing family with common-service. Those who are looking to win – would be
defeated by that very mix. Those who make them ‘common’ through sacrifice of
benefits at the lower structural level – would have the Common experience.
As a minority party holding the position of
Leading Opposition in Parliament – the TNA
has the Responsibility to show the ‘other’ side of National & International Projects and
Programs and where necessary seek and find ‘International Participation’
towards this – by sacrificing local benefits. Where an International Operator
has had the Experience – the picture presented by that mind would be
International and the status would be
that of the country that the person is officially part of. This could be the
likes of Canada, UK etc. But in democracy this needs to be above political
level and the TNA needs to openly show such partnership on ongoing basis. To go
running to the International Communities confirms dependence – the same reason
why the Colombo Port-City project is now presenting an ownership problem. Sacrifice
is needed at the local level to get naturally promoted to the higher level. Without
this it is highly likely that Tamils will also lead foreigners to interfere in
Sri Lankan Politics.
As per the system of karma – when we deny
those below us their earned status – we are denied our own by someone higher
and/or we ‘forget’ that we are owners and instead think we are traders or
welfare recipients. Experience is the ownership test. When we experience – we do
not ‘see’ and v.v. The previous regime is confirmed to have had the ‘take-over’
experience. The current Government seems to be having the ‘trading’ experience.
Tamils can take the other side and elevate the issue so we would have the
Global experience. That would also satisfy the requirement to become Tamil
Nation.
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