Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

02 June 2017

Australian Immigration & Alternate Facts

I was in the midst of my discussions with the instructing attorney in our Colombo Land matter, when the phone drew my attention. When the attorney responded to one of his calls, I quickly spoke and asked the other person who s/he was?   It was Ranjana from Thunaivi – Vaddukoddai, in Northern Sri Lanka. I said I would call back. I did intuitively expect that call due to the action I had taken in relation to the damage to our Temple gates and fence. Ranjana’s son was asked to report to the Vaddukoddai Police due to my ‘facts’ to the Police. The damage to the physical property happened the night after I left Jaffna to Colombo. On the day of departure, while I was busy cleaning the cottage and keeping it tidy and ready for my next stay there I heard the boys – making howling noises . I came out to the veranda and asked them to follow the rules and not sit there unless they were praying or meditating.  Ranjana’s son said that they would sit there quietly without making noises. I relented. In about 10 minutes, the noises happened again. This time I opened the gate – walked up to them and asked them to leave – and pointed also to the slippers inside the temple – which is an offense in terms of Hindu rituals. They did not have enough respect for Hindu rituals to follow that simple rule – common to all Hindu temples. They boys argued and left.  Hence when the Police asked me as to who had the motive I narrated the above details – as they had happened. Do these ‘facts’  in evidence prove that the ‘boys’ did it? It depends on who is reading the facts. Someone who understands the law would take the offence as Trespass. Another who is ambitious to get brownie points would accept it as evidence that the ‘boys’ did it.

About a week prior to the above incident – I noticed a guy sleeping on the platform meant for students and devotees. Thinking it was Ammapulle’s son - the second boy in the above incident I walked up to wake him up. On the other side of the fence were Mr. Maruthalingam and Mr. Rathinam – both about my age. They were having a social discussion and did not consider it appropriate to discipline the young guy. I did the dirty work. As I looked at the face, I was surprised to learn that it was Mr. Paseekaran whose drama group we – Australian Tamil Management Service – supported financially and resourced in terms of ‘space’ about a year ago.   My expected return was to keep the ‘boys’ away from the temple unless they came to pray or to meditate. This was clearly stated to Mr. Paseekaran. To me that was a promise to Mother Kali. But there were incidents since then which caused us to keep the two gates to the public pathway towards  which we donated land, had to be kept locked.  I myself used  the gap in the fence to enter our temple property.  I identified with  these challenges when watching the movie ‘Australia’ on the Malaysian Airlines flight back to Sydney. White Australians were the new migrants back then, as I was in Thunaivi – Vaddukoddai to the young Mr. Paseekaran who said to me that he had been in and out of that property from childhood and now I have come from Australia to ruin that freedom of his.  When I said that we did  come from Jaffna Town, regularly during our childhood for special festivals,  he said he was 30 years old and he had never seen me there until recently when I arrived from Australia! I said I was 67 years old and therefore it was understandable that he had not seen me during the times I came from Jaffna but only since 2003 onwards. Since he was ‘explaining’ his reasoning I asked him to complain against me if he considered me to be acting unlawfully or unsociably. I reminded him that we had donated Land to build the Development Secretariat towards developing self-governance at the level where they did not like something or disapproved of someone as per local rules specific to a group. The guy is a toddy-tapper who gave up a General Labourer’s job in the Middle-East to enjoy the ‘freedom’ in Thunaivi – where Law and Order authorities hardly come.

When I heard about the damage to the gate that was locked – I rang Mr. Paseekaran also and he said that he had not gone to ‘work’ because he had cut his hand. I asked him whether he had seen anyone damaging the gate and he said ‘No’.  I reminded him that I funded them on condition they followed our ‘rules’.  He said he would inquire and get back to me – which he has not. There was further damage on the night I travelled back to Sydney. Seeing the incoming immigration card instruction in Tamil was a pleasant surprise.  It made me feel that my work in Tamil area was of value to Australia also.

Then I learnt in last night’s news about the debate between former Prime Minister the Hon Tony Abbott and the ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organization ) Director – Mr.  Duncan Lewis  regarding the facts about the origins of  alleged terrorist sentiment in Australia, with Mr. Abbott  telling  public officials to  “think again” on the issue.

As per the Australian Report ‘Don’t deny facts on terrorism’: The former Prime Minsiter told 2GB radio there was a clear link between terrorism in Australia and refugees after Mr Lewis last week said there was “absolutely no evidence” to suggest a connection.

In this instance, Mr. Abbott – the politician is driven by his cultural values which do not Naturally include the cultural values of Aborigines – the same way the Sri Lankan President expressing  as a Buddhist not including Hindus, Muslims and Christians or the Indigenous People of Sri Lanka who continue to be Nature worshippers. Those are Mr. Abbotts  facts shared with his natural group. Mr. Duncan, like the Vaddukoddai Police who are largely Sinhalese in Tamil area – has the duty to use objectively measurable evidence and to the extent he spoke within the borders of his position – his conclusion that there were no ‘facts’ is also ‘right’ for those who are driven by Common Law.

In Colombo one lawyer of Sinhalese origin said to his junior that I could be ‘brought under’ the new post-war  provisions regarding Land Rights.  I said there was no need for that – that the British had already provided for it through Section 13 (e ) of the Prescription Ordinance – which is a disability clause protecting those who physically go overseas but continue to be mentally part of Sri Lanka.  None of the lawyers managing my case demonstrated knowledge of this clause. I believe I discovered it due to my respect for the British who contributed strongly to our Common Laws.   To the extent I am Naturally Lawful Australian – I become the heir of the British through that pathway also.  When we are Natural  they come within us as our Ancestors and guide us from within.  This is called intuition which is dormant in the mind that is active through external forces.

If the above ‘boys’ were to come to Australia as refugees, they would be in the high risk category of being classified as ‘Terrorists’ by  those who ‘see’ the Terrorism label and classify Tamils as Terrorists. Majority Sinhalese use that weapon to win arguments – especially in e-forums. But when they use it against someone who is more Sri Lankan than they and who has included the Militants as part of themselves – they invoke the return on themselves through the system of Natural Justice.

One could be right as per Law and the other could be right as per the true Relationship between the two concerned.

It’s not easy taking our issues through the lawful process to the Highest Authority of all. But those who do take it through their positions in the  official system beyond those position borders – on the basis of their Truth – invoke the Natural Powers – including to destroy evil forces. Gandhi’s power was based on his Truth.  Every place that is his Home – is supported by this power. Every person to whom that land is Home is supported by this power. Every person who rejects such an owner is demoted to her/his rightful position by Natural Powers – as happened to Mr. John Howard, who failed to discipline Ms Pauline Hanson from downgrading Indigenous Australians and Asian migrants like myself.  I endured the pain of demotion at the workplace because Sri Lanka was considered to be of low status by majority employers. My work standards were of the highest level and included the contribution of British Accountants. Once  raised to that level – against one who uses merely the current measures my status becomes higher than the officials provided the power that so raised is my Truth.

When the costs we pay plus the benefits we forego become greater than the benefits we receive – and we accept that as our reality after doing all we can through the official system,  we naturally develop structures that are higher than the official system. When we continue to operate within that higher system, our ‘savings’ become Energy which is shared Naturally.

It is to preserve this Energy that we need separations of privacy within a common system.  Where  the level of practice of Law as per the positions of officials is low – exercise of the law by such officers over others with whom they do not share common culture becomes invasive.  The return happens often through demotion by members of their own culture – who are less distracted by the attractions of wider world. This could be voters of majority race – as happened twice in Sri Lanka.

Mr. Abbott is reported to have stated:

[We’ve had three terrorist attacks in Australia and all three of them involved either people claiming to be refugees or the children of refugees]

Mr. Suthaharan Perampalam, head of Research at Sparkwinn, a market research agency specialising  in studying consumer and social issues in Sri Lanka categorises the  Diaspora  as follows:

[Early leavers: the initial group which migrated during the 1980-’90s are the wealthy and affluent segment, working as professionals or in decent jobs within their host countries. This segment left early before the war intensified as they were already well-off, had connections abroad and wanted to secure a peaceful life. Now, they would be around 50-60 years of age and have established themselves within their respective host countries. Currently they have few/no connections in Sri Lanka.

Forced leavers: This segment was forced to leave the country during the 1990-2000s as the civil war intensified. The group was interdependent on each other, as the first to leave had to help his/her family members migrate. They found any means, even illegal avenues to escape from their home land which was rapidly transforming into a war field. This segment was largely unprepared and didn’t have proper education/qualifications during the time of migration. As a result, forced leavers suffered the most within both their home and host countries. Upon their arrival in the host country, some started working on their own sole proprietor business whilst others found employment in less skilled/blue collar jobs. Once settled, suitable marriage partners with similar background looking for opportunities to leave the country were sourced from north. Most of them are in the age group of 40-50 years of age currently.

Peer-pressure leavers: Migrated after2000. Tight procedures were in place during this time to prevent illegal migration and people started looking for alternate avenues, such as student/sponsor visas. This segment possessed fair educational/professional qualification, prior to migrating. They extended visas and secured employment upon completion of their higher education in host countries. Currently, they are at an early stage regarding profession, family life and trying hard to establish themselves within the respective countries they call home now.] -   http://www.ft.lk/article/616228/Understanding-Tamil-diaspora-and-their-involvement-in-developing-the-north#sthash.wjH6uZ1X.dpuf

Each of the above categories  would be influenced differently by the Natural Forces  of Australia.  The Early Leavers who did not assimilate – with wider society – suffered isolation. One of them who was critical of my categorization of drummers at funerals as being of Pariah caste but was open to clarification wrote in conclusion:

[ I am living in Australia for the last 31 years.

I am 72 now and almost coming to the end of the journey.

The urge to live is going downhill since the debacle of our struggle. For me nothing much to look forward in my life. It is a cruel world.

There is no justice. It is, ‘survival of the fittest’.]

This person overrode caste based discrimination through intellectual discrimination that caste based categorization was wrong. But to my mind, if a toddy tapper or pariah (cleaner)  is not connected to the farmer he is not able to draw on the structural base of his ancestors. Caste was part of the law in Northern Sri Lanka and was based on the type of work each group – usually of a particular land space – performed. The position was allocated as per the place of the work in that hierarchy.  The above ‘boys of Thunaivi’ for example have ‘toddy tapper’ ancestry. They settle their disputes through physical fights and emotional outbursts which often have little connection with the  common principles of that group. Ranjana for example said to me ‘After you asked us not to sleep at the temple, we did not do so’. There was no reference to my ruling that folks  should not idly sit there while they are capable of working or entertain themselves as if  it was a game-park. Ranjana could not discipline her son because she does not have the blessings of her own mother – Chellamani. Chellamani measures me through my commitment to work. When she used our temple well she expressed appreciation and respect. Chellamani works practically every day most of her waking hours. She leaves home around 10 am to sell peanuts at Jaffna Bazaar and returns around 8 pm. Her elder daughter who also sells peanuts has never been in trouble with me but expresses appreciation for the power of Mother Kali who Bavani believes saved her from drowning in the temple well. I feel strongly that with  her inherited work skills – Bavani has inherited also her mother’s respect for elders in society.

When such folks come to Australia – they are able to set up their own business in selling popular items within the community – say  popcorn at the temple. But when the likes of Ranjana go overseas – they get disconnected from that wisdom of the working parent due to failure to inherit through common belief.  Paseekaran himself returned from the Middle East due to that deeper satisfaction. He resented me pulling him up because he wanted that freedom that he enjoyed during war time when the role of the more educated Vaddukoddai folks was taken-over by Militant leaders who ‘showed’ more benefits than the junior caste folks knew before the war.  The Militants – especially the Tamil Tigers eliminated the outer separations of the caste system  and  made use of emotional reactions through which to feed and control the cadre.  The parallel for the Sinhalese was to eliminate Colonial power but using their majority power to ‘show’ outcomes that fed the emotions of the lower classes. Both side militants were already part of  the respective races but both sides used Marxism as the base to regroup themselves. This disconnected the cadre from their ancestors and what was actually practiced was Reverse Autocracy.

Jaffna repeatedly confirmed that it is driven by higher education and seeks democracy. While waiting for our matter to be heard in Jaffna High Court – two other ladies who were also waiting expressed the view about those arrested in the Sivaloganathan Vidya’s rape would have been summarily punished by the ‘Boys’ – meaning the Tamil Tigers. Such remarks are not uncommon in Jaffna but as a whole Jaffna has voted for Democracy against Dictatorship. In Thunaivi where also I heard such remark – that under the ‘Boys’ rule – the disorder would have been summarily eliminated!  If folks such as the above ladies who depend on ‘others’ to discipline their community, come to Australia – they are likely to leave it to ‘others’ here in Australia also to do likewise.  

When we are directly affected,  that genuine pain gives us the authority to criticize and conclude.  But when it is ‘Common’ issue and we express an opinion without adequate knowledge as per the position ‘taken’ by us – we disturb our own order of thought. This breeds Disorder.  Alternate facts expressed Commonly contributes to disorder and chaos – so much so that we do not know why something happened and hence use expansion of  ‘what happened’ to ‘win’. This is also a form of majority rule.