Sunday, 9 October 2016

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam
09 October   2016


Selling Sri Lanka?

I completed my paid employment experience with Air Lanka in 1982. Within me - I continue to carry the heritage value of that experience. This means that relative to others within our part of Air Lanka – my contribution to Air Lanka was of deeper value. The difference between what I ought to have received as benefits and what I did receive is the ownership value provided I accept the level at which I was recognized and yet perform at the level I am capable of.

 There are others parallel to me who continued with Air Lanka for longer period but failed to participate at ownership level. The cash problems in the Airline are like physical diseases that prevail in our bodies. When our mind is low – these diseases surface. When the mind of Air Lanka is strengthened and included – the cash problems of Sri Lankan Airlines would be go back to sleep. For my part I offered this openly when a new CEO was  being sought, after the dismissal of Mr. Peter Hill by the then President – the Hon Mahinda Rajapaksa.  Not only Mr. Peter Hill but also all Business minded employees of the organization – refused the seats to representatives of some shareholders. That was the  Business Order promoted by Mr Hill’s masters – Emirates.

As per Forbes report headed ‘Sri Lanka's Mismanaged, Cash-Hemorrhaging Airline Is For Sale (And There Are Actually Takers)’:

[SriLankan Airlines used to make money. The national carrier was a profitable airline for the ten years that it was operated as a joint venture with the Dubai-based Emirates Airline. Then Emirates sold its share in 2008, and one year later the financial downward spiral for SriLankan began.]

If Sri Lankan Airlines staff had been genuinely trained by the Management under Mr. Peter Hill’s leadership – they would have continued to carry on as if Mr. Hill was still there. Just last month, when I went over to Sri Lankan Airlines in support of those who continue to give form to my investment in the parent - Air Lanka, I touched the floor and sought the blessings of Air Lanka elders to continue to provide the Energy to strengthen the minds of current employees. I was able to do so because of the ‘ownership’ value which is confirmed by due completion of our experience. Where we recognize Truth as the destination – we complete the experience. Once we complete we are owners. Owners have the power to invoke other owners’ energies. When one senior staff was lamenting about the current situation, I reminded her about my own refusal to accept the Pioneer plaque in 2004 when the 25th year of the National Carrier was celebrated. I declined because no one attributed credit to the leaders who were then our seniors – most of them having come from Singapore International Airlines. I guess now that I am an experienced parent/manager – I am not able to accept a situation where other parents/managers who added themselves to us – are not recognized. That is the way with the Common mind.

Just yesterday, when discussing our daughter’s new position in a new organization, I said to her to consider the value she takes from the old organization as dowry. Our daughter said that the organization that she was leaving has given her the confidence that she would  be looked after if she fell ill; but that she was not sure of this ‘protection’ in the new place. Likewise our daughter sought to take travel insurance when she went with her branch of the family to Sri Lanka. I rely on my natural mind. To me – if those to whom I feel connected are not complaining of any major health or security problem – then I also am protected from such problems. I reminded our daughter that when her Dad and sister were knocked down while crossing the road (in Sydney) , her Dad could easily have become an invalid – especially after I made the decision that he would not go through surgery which carried high risk of permanent disability. I said back then we were faced with two mortgages and I was not earning a high income. I said that back then I did not think ahead. I just did what I could at that time. This helped my husband recover himself and our injured daughter also did not have the excuse of dwelling on her difficulties. In both instances the disabilities were serious. But we as a family learnt to live with them. I said to our other daughter yesterday – that that strength of mind was her permanent insurance. Likewise, I explained to my heirs at  Air Lanka – that the difficulties through which they continue to survive become their insurance if they include the heritage of pioneers in their roots.  I said we say ‘root cause’ in management but when it comes to practice we ourselves disconnect from our roots by looking for quick fixes.

The current Government’s probe into Sri Lankan Airlines and the public report by so called experts – who are weaker than  the foreign judges in terms of ownership – has lowered the mind of Sri Lankan employees. The problems were there alright – but to surface a problem that cannot be resolved by the airline itself is cruel. It is along the same line as the criticism of the Tamil Community through LTTE.

As a true Sri Lankan, I have learnt that the high risk groups that can join rebel army, need to be not interfered with. When I first learnt about our NSW Premier – the Hon Mike Baird’s loss of status due to his stand on ‘greyhound  ban’ issue – my thought was he ought to have stayed out of an issue that was rough and untidy to the eyes of  his ‘home-circle’.  I realized the wisdom in this after my experience in Northern Sri Lanka as part of a community that is culturally vastly different to me due to the laws, rules and values through which we channel our thoughts and make decisions. Theirs is mostly emotional and mine is based on feelings. The inclusion by me needs to be without any logic in-between. It would be very difficult to find common grounds between the two at the logical level.

 That ought to have been the approach taken by the new Government of Sri Lanka in relation to Sri Lankan Airlines. But they sought to ‘show’ and this removed a large layer of ‘hope’ in the minds of Sri Lankan Airlines staff – especially those who lost connection with Singapore Airlines training and discipline. When we fail to attribute – we tend to think that ‘we did it’. The above report about the period when Sri Lankan Airlines was making-money, confirms that to the reporter – mind value is less important than the money value. The deeper value is Common standards and even one person who has attributed credit to the minds that helped us expand our sky-space and continues to demonstrate commitment to such standards – would resurrect Sri Lankan Airlines if and when such quality is recognized from within. Likewise in the case of the Tamil Community leadership.

Sri Lankan Airlines showed profits during the post-Air Lanka period – the same way LTTE was able to show ‘wins’ under leaders who were more committed to law and order than the Hon Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family. Both are up for sale – due to true owners not being honored by current custodians looking for quick gains because they have not brought their policy-dowry from their ruling class ancestors when stepping into the democratic world as leaders.  India is one of those waiting to buy that part of Sri Lanka abandoned by the Government which continues to oppose the self-declarations by Tamils of North – who are effectively saying that they are the only ones who can cure weaknesses in Tamils through belief. Two examples in confirmation are:

1.      Ms Shenali Waduge asks and states on behalf of many in her community:
We have a problem – Can the same ethnic group demand Homeland/Self-determination in 2 different countries?

There are 72million Tamils living in Tamil Nadu, India. There are less than 2million Tamils living in Sri Lanka. Self-determination for Tamils started first in Tamil Nadu demanding a separate homeland and secession when the British were about to give independence to British created India and then the pillow of secessionism was passed on to Sri Lanka. Those demanding separatism using all types of words in circulation have been the Tamil political parties, LTTE, LTTE Diaspora in Sri Lanka while in India it originally started as a Dravidian movement then went on to We Tamil Movement for secession until it was passed on to Sri Lanka by the Indira Gandhi government. The question is can the same ethnic group using virtually the same demands claim 2 Homelands in two different countries?

My response to the above is – a Tamil conscious of the 72 Million Tamils would not fear a Government suppressing her/his community. The Hon C.V.Wigneswaran is the latest example. But a Tamil who enjoys autonomy in Sri Lanka would prefer that, to being second class in Tamil Nadu. When such autonomy is suppressed and the Tamil mind is lowered through its weaker parts – we  are naturally taken-over  - not only by Tamil Nadu Tamils but also by other nations looking for new recruits. Australia for example is stronger due to many such recruits. Sri Lankan Tamils who are culturally closely connected to Tamil Nadu – would naturally merge with or submit to those minds – especially through Cinema and TV. M.G.Ramachandran took-over LTTE mind and even now the way to override corruption in officials through belief in Divine powers is presented through many serials – the foremost of which for me is Vani-Rani. Relatively speaking very few Tamils would watch Sinhalese films and Sinhalese cultural shows on TV.   Belief – whichever way it is developed – is not controllable by physical force. Yesterday, my husband was saying to our granddaughter that when we hit the table the table hits back with equal force. After his lesson on metaphysics was over – I asked my husband – then he accepted that the mind of a system would attack us in return if we attacked it?  He said yes – that I was talking about metaphysics. But when it came to daily life he often did not see eye to eye with me in the past. Now that he knows through his own experience – he does.

If therefore the likes of Ms Waduge damage the natural structure of belief by limiting Sri Lankan Tamils through artificial borders – however legal they may seem – the true structure would hit back.

2.      Live Law report ‘Madras HC Says NO To Porkalathil Oru Poo’s Release For Portraying Sri Lankan War Crimes’

This is about the alleged torture of Isai Priya (one who loves music) and the report reveals as follows:

[The Madras High Court has upheld an order of the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT), which had refused to grant certification to a feature film in Tamil directed by K. Ganeshan, titled Porkalathil Oru Poo, portraying the life of a journalist named Isai Priya in Sri Lanka. By allowing a temporary injunction application preferred by the relatives of Isai Priya, Justice TS Sivagnanam also restrained the director and producer of the film from releasing the film. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) orders refusing certification of the film was upheld by the FCAT observing that the film criticises India and the Sri Lankan Army and justifies Tamil Eelam by the LTTE, a banned outfit; the film portrays the brutal gangrape and killing of LTTE journalist Isai Priya and it contains too much of violence; the film is based on incidents in the life of a LTTE journalist; the map shows a separated Tamil Eelam by the LTTE and the last two reels deal with  the brutal inhuman killing and rape. Upholding the FCAT order, the court said the picture cannot be certified if it lowers the moral standards of those who see it or if it creates in the mind of the audience sympathy towards crime, towards wrongdoing or evil. “That apart, due regard should be had to the standards of the country and the people to which the story relates, and it shall not be so portrayed so as to deprave the morality of the audience. The prevailing laws shall not be ridiculed as to create sympathy for violation of such laws,” the court observed. The court also observed that multiple tiers of authorities who viewed the film and heard the petitioner, had recorded a definite conclusion that in the film, there were derogatory references against the Sri Lankan Army and the Army men were depicted in poor light, which would strain the relationship between the two countries.]


The parallel of the director of the above film is Mr. Peter Hill of Sri Lankan Airlines, who represented the cash-providers at that time. While ‘Isai Priya’s’ rights as a human being are yet to be upheld by Sri Lankan or Indian officials – the efforts that went into producing this film are not wasted. Every true Indian would know that Isai Priya is being honored in the hearts and minds of  majority Tamils not only in Sri Lanka – but all over the world. They would all demote both governments in terms of standards relating to Human Rights. That’s how Natural Justice delivers when we make the Appeal to the highest level by surrendering our thoughts to our Soul.  Selling Sri Lankan Airlines is a strong indicator that Sri Lanka is also being sold.  

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