Gajalakshmi
Paramasivam
25 August 2016
Northern Development Projects
There is a saying in Tamil that we must not
forget the pathway through which we are at our current destination. This is
needed for relativity. On that basis – what does Northern Sri Lanka need?
As per the New Indian Express article ‘North Sri Lankan Chief Minister sets goals
and parameters for development projects’ the Chief Minister has stated that
‘any plans for the economic development
of his province will have to be discussed with first with his administration
and should be based on a scientific survey of the province’s resources and
felt-needs.’
The lady officer representing the Local
Government said at Thunaivi the other day that feelings were more important
than knowledge. Like Mr. Wigneswaran – she was theoretically right. But when it
came to herself – she was effectively promoting stealing another’s work and
savings. As mentioned before – some folks of Thunaivi – a village within
Vaddukoddai District – built a cultural hall on land that did not belong to
them. The president of the People’s Association – who confessed to not being
able to read or write – referred to the Prime Minister as Ranil. He was the one
who invited the Chief Minister to the opening function back in June. Given that
there was ‘no scientific basis’ through which the Chief Minister shared his
status with those folks – he now stands guilty of having blessed the stealing
of others’ property in the name of the Public. The guy who extended the
invitation is known more for his brawn power than his good conduct.
Stealing Land is common in this part of
Northern Province where possession is ownership. Scientifically speaking –
knowing that most folks of this village
are illiterate – shouldn’t the Chief Minister have verified the outcome as per
the Science of Land ownership? The local officer was coolly stating that the
Land would mean nothing to the legal owners who are now overseas! I protested
and said I represented that group – and therefore considered it to be wrong
assessment of the Diaspora to whom such land represents their ancestry. It must
therefore go down to the heirs of those original owners. I myself am fighting against
an illiterate Sinhalese occupant of my
Colombo land towards preserving my family heritage in that part of Sri Lanka. The
lady officer said also that if the Chief Minister learnt about the problem he
would commit suicide out of shame! I
have not received even an acknowledgment for my sharing from the Chief
Minister. Hence I could not picture the above outcome.
The more local the management gets – the greater
the intuition needed in making decisions. One needs to be humble enough to seek
the leadership of those who have wisdom – even if such persons have no official
portfolios. The Chief Minister failed the test of humility and hence is limited
to knowledge based management of projects and not feelings based management of
programs. One with feelings would have been humble enough to seek the blessings
of the wiser person in this regard – as Radha Aiyar did.( Buddhist Government v Buddhist Opposition - http://austms.blogspot.com.au/)
As per the above report the Chief Minister ‘
observed that due to the 30 year war,
officials in the provincial administration have acquired the habit of following
the diktats and decisions of the Central government without bothering to give
their own inputs based on local experience. It is time they learnt to operate
in an era of democracy in which there is an elected government in the province’.
Those officers are also voters of Northern
Province. What has the Chief Minister done to improve their experience based
wisdom? The example that comes to mind is that of the Village Head – Grama Sevagar
– of this area. We donated land on the promise made by the officers of both
governments – that their offices would be moved to the new building on that
land. This move did not happen. The building is largely idle. To me it is a
lesson learnt about the reality of ‘hoarding’ in this area. The then Grama
Sevagar who is part of the Central Government – came over to inspect and order that
we stop building. The excuse was that our toilet pit was too close to the well.
The toilet next door was even closer – but he turned a deaf ear when I pointed
to the ‘local experience’ – confirming the above observation by the Chief
Minister. I shifted the toilet pit a few feet – to accommodate the 40ft
requirement. Had the Local Government advised me when the plan was submitted –
then I would have been saved this additional cost and the pain of having been roughly
disciplined by that officer. As is my way I wrote many letters explaining
to him the right pathway. There was no apology but he was more cordial.
A few years later – when the Government was
giving away bicycles to families with students and one of our mothers with two
sons did not get any – the Grama Sevaka (GS) had his return karma. Like the GS
was relative to me, that lady is less
respectful of the law than the GS and more a local than the GS. She demanded her share and as per the
recorded report – that lady complained of Eve Teasing against the GS to the Vaddukoddai
Police. As per the local report – the GS was kept in custody for a day! To my
mind, through my common faith in Mother Kali – I identified with the return
karma for the GS who failed to value that I had come here and was staying in
that area alone without the protection of my immediate family – to share my
strengths to offset the weaknesses of these folks who have very little
knowledge of law and order. I did that
in Vanni to help the Tamil Tiger Administration and later in Mankerni, Batticaloa
– a place with which I had no direct physical connection until then. I reported to the UNDP
in the former role and the Sri Lankan Central Government in the latter project –
because they were the donors of resources as far as those positions could
relate to. Here in Thunaivi – I report to Mother Kali at policy level and to my
own past at structural level.
The 30 year war has also empowered the
physically stronger younger folks prematurely. Hence without the threat of
Central Government reporting – Jaffna would be limited to local administration –
which is the parallel of the Sri Lankan Government with Global Monitors prior to the 2015 Parliamentary elections –
especially in relation to management of multicultural human resources. If Mr.
Wigneswaran, like me had been born in Jaffna – he would have the natural
feeling for the place he represents. Since he was not – he needs to seek and
find someone of his background and generation – born in Jaffna – to give form
to the heritage our generation would share with other generations to whom
Jaffna has been and / or would be Home.
As per the above report:
[The
Chief Minister pointed out that officials even manipulate surveys to suit the
wishes of the Central government. In a survey of war widows, officials told the
widows not to say that their husbands had died due to the war but of some
natural cause]
The officials tend to manipulate to get the
money – the same way the war card is played to get funds from foreign agencies.
The donor agencies need to first study the situation and have firm
relationships with the local agencies to make the projects global. As per the
above mentioned report:
[The
Chief Minister made it very clear that the provincial administration would not
welcome large, capital intensive, projects in which the locals will only be
hewers of wood and drawers of water.” We will not allow outsiders to rule over
us and will not allow our resources to be looted,” he said.]
When the Jaffna man is driven neither by
Truth nor Common Order – he would plunder his own – as demonstrated in Thunaivi-Vaddukoddai.
With the exodus in the name of war – Jaffna does not have enough local
Administrators. They reject Diaspora assistance. As a senior academic of the
University of Jaffna said in 2010 – ‘you give us the money and we will give
your name to our vehicles and buildings.’ That was exactly the case with that
cultural hall that the Chief Minister inaugurated at Thunaivi. This would
certainly disconnect Jaffna with its ancestors. Preserving the property value
of true ownership is important not because of its economic value but because of
its true value which resides as Energy in that area. Our family property for
example – reflects the common values that our family has contributed to over
the years. This includes Education. When the Common Building was officially
opened by the Government Agent – on 11 September 2008 – to me it was my uncle
Sri Khanta who is part of the ancestry of that position, declaring it open. The
outer form was Mr. Ganesh. That building needs to show the consolidated values
of all those who have invested in that area through Common faith.
Mr. Wigneswaran for example is listed as
being the relative of Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan and Sir Ponnambalam
Arunachalam. One of their heirs Professor Henry Sathananthan contacted me
during the 2009 encampment towards planning the Health Services his group could
provide. Professor Sathananthan who passed away recently - generously shared his
status with those in need of status. As
per internal grapevine – Mr. Wigneswaran is also related to us – through our
Vaddukoddai family connections. But this is not published nor is it used to
help the folks of Vaddukoddai who were specifically targeted during the war due
to the Vaddukoddai Resolution from which the Tamil Tigers drew their strength. Neither
has Mr. Wigneswaran followed in the footsteps of Professor Sathananthan to
enlist my support in developing democratic structures. I do my little bit
through the avenues available to me – including through legal proceedings, the
management training and the Coffee shop
business through which to share my wisdom in small businesses of global
standards. A couple of Sinhalese Police Officers have enlisted themselves as
our students. Not so any Tamil officers.
Being hewers of wood and drawers of water –
initially is necessary in self-employment and through such in self-governance. It
generates humility – so we would respect others’ work and not steal their
property when they are not looking. Some health service women workers
approached the Provincial Government late last year / early this year – in relation
to confirming them in those positions. The Provincial Government failed to
really grasp their problem. The workers took it upon themselves to go to
Colombo to meet the Health Minister. The group did not even know where to go –
but they were ready. I had returned to Colombo the previous day and was getting
ready to go back to Australia. When I
heard about the plight of this group – I went with them to the Health Ministry –
presented their case and now many of them are working in substantive positions.
I was able to invoke the Common Administrator in Colombo to derive the results.
This helps me identify more with Colombo Health Administration than with Jaffna
Health Administration which lacks confidence in Common Public Administration.
Many
migrants to the West are hewers of wood and drawers of water at least at the
initial stages. I myself worked as nursing aid and my husband worked at a car
wash and at restaurants to maintain himself financially as a student. Hence our heirs in
Jaffna and Vaddukoddai – have to keep the tradition going by working as hewers
of wood and drawers of water in projects funded by the nations that facilitated
our globalization. Taking shortcuts leads to premature death due to excessive
enjoyment of pleasures.
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