Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

06 May 2017

Dual Citizenship or Global Citizenship

The young mother of three, with marital relationship problems wanted it both ways – to be known as an independent,  good daughter / sister as well as good and supportive wife. The problem was that there were cultural differences between the two families – both of the one junior caste but from different parts of Northern Province. The reason for the difference often is the events that happen in that part of Earth that is ‘home’ to the respective parties concerned. Given that they operate at grassroots level, they are more likely to be influenced by their physical environment than those who actively use their intellectual discrimination to decide rights and wrongs. Dual citizenship when issued to those who operate close to grassroots level – leads to mental disorder. As per latest news report:

[ I will not give up my American citizenship, says Basil Rajapaksa.

My children and wife live there, there is nothing to hide about it. I came to politics while keeping my American citizenship, he told BBC Sinhala service.]  Colombo Telegraph article ‘I Will Not Give Up My American Citizenship: Basil Rajapaksa’

Dual citizenship is another name for regional or global citizenship. If dual citizenship feels right to members of the Rajapaksa family – then they naturally lose their right to lead either country through Belief.  My advice to the above mother was to forego active life in one relationship so she would be ‘natural’ in the other. Politicians in the system of Democracy have the duty to represent the People of their homeland/electorate. The Hon Appapillai Amirthalingam  whose home-electorate was Vaddukoddai chose to represent Kankesanthurai which was the home electorate of the Hon SJV Selvanayagam – who demonstrated  belief in Gandhi’s non-violent pathway. This root power is indicated as follows:

Freshwater at Keerimalai Springs is sourced from underground. "Maasi Magam" and “Aadi Amaavaasai” festival days, the latter falling during the Tamil month of “Aadi” (mid July-mid August) brings Hindu pilgrims to the town to carry out rituals for their forefathers and take a divine dip in the natural springs. These rituals are usually carried out by men. Keerimalai is particularly famous for this festival

Had the Hon SJV Selvanayagam been able to harness Hindu powers of Kankesanthurai, Velupillai Prabhakaran would not have hijacked the Tamil Nation agenda through armed power and the mind-value of the Hon Appapillai Amirthalingam would have guided the folks of Vaddukoddai to preserve and treasure their Independence Heritage which happened due also to the Independence of Sri Lankan Hindus to be distinctly diverse and equal to Indian Hindus. When we realize Independence at our respective levels the place where we so realize becomes our homeland and confirms the Independence of the pathway, including religious pathway. We then become Equal leaders to the parent and are no longer juniors. The first position becomes the invisible Belief Base of the later  position.

By switching his electorate from Vaddukoddai to Kankesanthurai, the Hon Appapillai Amirthalingam lost the connection to Vaddukoddai Resolution’s belief based empowerment. Likewise the immediate past  President of Sri Lanka when he moved from Hambantota in South to Kurunagala in North Central Sri Lanka. This kind of switch calls to mind a recent Vaddukoddai experience:

[ We manage an Opportunity shop situated opposite Jaffna College at Vaddukoddai junction. One of our regular customers is a lady who is currently pregnant. When packing the clothes in Sydney I specifically included items for little babies – keeping in mind this young mother. During my last stay – one observer commented that this lady and her husband who bought much more than others, we making a business out it. I took the view that so long as they did not deprive others – it was o.k. I gave this message also to the husband who tries to buy the whole tray of my cakes as they are brought into the Coffee shop  and when I refused tried to cut big blocks out of the tray. Keeping all that in mind, I gave a new rule (the parallel of 19^th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution) that each customer was allowed only a maximum of 10 items per day. The pregnant lady got her quota, sent her husband, her mother, then brought her daughter of about 8 years and sent her younger sister of about 12 years – the latter two studying at Jaffna College. In good faith and without realizing that the last of the above list was the sister of the pregnant lady, I allowed the sister to take the clothes which were actually baby clothes. When it came t6o paying time and the student did not have enough money on her and approached the pregnant lady – I realized how the greedy customer changed twisted the rules to have the same or more benefits as before the rule. When she tried to justify, I said to her firmly that it was ‘my structure’ and that socially I was of high status in that area and that she had the responsibility to accept my rules and my ruling when in MY Territory. I am Vaddukoddai Resident by marriage. By being true to my marriage I inherit the rights of my husband’s family to whom Vaddukoddai is home. In addition when I perform ‘Service’ with the view of mind-merger – it confirms common belief and therefore common rights as the elected leader of that place. ]

The above mentioned politicians who switched electorates – were also acting like the above lady. The relevant provisions in the 19^th Amendment which ought to have been there in the first place have the effect of restoring the value of Belief based expressions which cannot have two faces / forms at the same time for the one person – at grassroots level. In my mind, I concluded that this young mother had inherited the genes of the Hon Appapillai Amirthalingam who also switched electorates and disconnected with his roots.

A politician naturally renounces one citizenship when seeking to give form to ownership through another. One who is global does not need others’ endorsement of her/his citizenship. One who does need cannot have it both ways.  When we renounce at the primary level we develop structures that promote us instantaneously to the next level. Those who fail to renounce will  continue to depend on majority power and hence would tend to change the rules to keep the benefits they have become accustomed to.  The citizen then needs to release her/himself from such a system and this is often confirmed through natural migration including through marriage. Such leaders carry the negative power of politics – internal separations.