Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

21 June 2017                      

                    

The UN Mind – and the Boys in Uniform

Our Airbnb guest was departing early this morning, after celebrating  the graduation of two of his siblings at the University of NSW (UNSW). Hosting him, I felt that I was part of the graduation ceremony.  Due to signing bail conditions that I would not enter the University, I do not go there physically, even though the charges are no longer applicable as per the records of the judicial system.  But mentally, by sharing the discoveries I make through work of global standards,  I feel I am still working there providing ongoing ‘advocacy’ towards seeking and finding Truth about ourselves and through us about others. I believe the return came through our Airbnb guest also. Hence to me it was our family’s graduation. I therefore included the guest in my mind as a family and offered to make coffee before he left for the airport around 5 a.m. – just as I do with our children when they come to Sydney from Melbourne for work related activities.

The oneness of mind is a motivating factor. The end of relationships is this oneness of mind. The amazing identity was that like many members of my immediate family, this guest is also a UNSW engineering graduate. To the extent I genuinely invested in the education and mind structure of those graduates, my returns would happen subjectively and I would naturally identify with their achievements as mine. Hence the relationship structures so we would remain focused towards reaching this final destination. Within those boundaries subjective influence is healthy.

Today is also the anniversary of the  day when my husband and youngest child were seriously injured when crossing the road after a function at Brigidine College, Randwick. If I go into that pain it is almost unbearable. But I got on with life as if that was our share of the road risks in our local area. Eventually, when two of our granddaughters  were born on 21 June – I made the connection to be the result of that pain and internalisation of that pain which makes us owners of the structures at that place which includes the University of NSW where I had the global experience more than 10 years later. The arrival of the second one of the two above mentioned granddaughters – was announced by a mysterious telephone call – at the time of her birth – when the world around was asleep but I was awake knowing that my daughter was going through labour pain. The phone rang but no one answered. That has happened to me four times now. That is the power of meditation through which we become one minded with the person, place and/or issue.

This morning when I read the report  ‘Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa refutes statement made by Monica Pinto on Sri Lanka’ by ITNNEWS.lk, and I read the report relating to that article, I learnt that the message highlighted by me in relation to the Canadian Tamil Mr. Nishan Duraiappah in yesterday’s article was confirmed in the UN report also :

[Tabling the report Mr. García-Sayán said although the armed conflict was concluded in 2009, very deep wounds could still be seen in the judicial system.

He said there have been reforms and some steps forward but gradual worsening of the situation in the judiciary during the armed conflict was visible.

Quoting the report, he said there was a lack of equal representation of minority groups in the prosecution services and police force. “Problems related to language are very serious and have a very serious effect on justice and on the likelihood of obtaining a fair process if you belong to the Tamil community,” he said.

He said authorities were urged to put in place transitional justice mechanism to tackle the past comprehensively and stress was made that there ought to be impartial, credible and effective authorities working in this transition process.]

I spotted the picture of  Mr. Nishan Duraiappah when I went through the article I was referred to by my Mr. Samy Pasupati – who has treasured for us the heritage of our training to become Chartered Accountants, and who continues to cherish that heritage through the younger generation, this time through Mr. Rajendra Theagarajah, Vice Chairman of Cargills Bank who was the guest of honour at the Canadian Tamils’ Chamber of Commerce gala and awards ceremony.  https://lankareporter.com/blog/need-access-markets-not-handouts-expatriates-rajendra-theagarajahs-canada-speech/

There is a saying in Tamil that if  our life had been meaningful –  at least some grass would grow at the place of our death.  To me its translation is that when we are ‘retired’ from  active life – we would enjoy the value of that active life through the effects at grassroots level. Mr. Rajendra Theagarajah is a tall tree representing our Common Alumni, preserved and treasured by Mr. Samy Pasupati.

My attention was drawn to Mr. Nishan Duraiappah because of my inner seeking through my current work. My cousin Kathiravelu Visvanathan who inherited  farmlands in the war area of  Vanni area and was displaced during the war -  wanted to be in the Police Force. But his father accidentally died while working in the farm and Kathiravelu Anna as the eldest son undertook to takeover the farm so the family would have the income needed. Later when I expressed appreciation, my Canadian brother stated that Kathiravel Anna’s son was now in the Canadian Police Force to enable his father to enjoy the experience through the son. About a year ago while chatting to a mechanic at the local garage in Northern Sri Lanka, he said that when he saw the ‘Boys’ in Uniform marching up and down – he felt uplifted. He could ‘see’ himself through them. I identified with it through my strongest descendant in Air Lanka / Sri Lankan Airlines – Ms Yasmin Packeerally Majeed – who said to me later that when she was waiting to be interviewed and she saw me walk across from one part of the office to the other – she thought to herself ‘I want to be like her’. It’s this kind of heritage that forms the foundation on which we receive others’ genuine aspirations. Hence when I read the above part of the UN report, I felt that there was now an opportunity for the son of that mechanic to be in uniform. I have knowledge of members of the Vaddukoddai community becoming part of the Police Force but not the National Army.

The more we work at UN standards the more we invoke global powers. We also need to not go back to being ‘local’ as the Sri Lankan Government as well as the Tamil Opposition in National Parliament keep indicating.

As per the ITN news report:

[Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa has claimed that the statement presented by special representative Monica Pinto to the United Nations Human Rights Committee was false. The Minister pointed out that this was a report given based on the needs of the local Non-Governmental Organizations.]

Non Governmental Organizations have played a key role in influencing Sri Lanka to become global. Technical knowledge of international subjects alone would not be sufficient for us to become independent partners at global level. When the Australian Police Officers listed me as Indian / Sri Lankan despite my strong protests that I was Australian, for example – they were using their habitual social language to describe a person as per her/his ‘looks’ and their knowledge of that person’s place of origin. But due to having followed the laws of the Country through various aspects of my life as Australian, I became ‘Australian’ as per my mind structure. I fought against their wrongs through the legal structures and internalized the pain – largely due to the seniors responsible leaving it to the juniors to handle the matter – as if I were a cooly / labourer.  Eventually we stop fighting and accept that as our Natural place in our new environments – be it Colombo for Northern Sri Lankans or Australia for those of us of Sri Lankan origin living in Australia. Not many members of the Diaspora leaders identify with the parallel weaknesses in their new home nations.  To that extent their opinions are subjective when published outside their community/family. We may report but not advocate or judge for the benefit of others outside those circles.

For example in the recent report regarding the Northern Provincial Council, the excerpt of the interview with the Governor appointed by the Sri Lankan President, published by Ceylon Today goes as follows:

[What will be your approach in resolving the impasse at the Northern Provincial Council ?

A: A set of councilors at the Northern Provincial Council handed over a ' No Faith' motion to me last Wednesday evening stating that they can no longer have faith in their leader C.V.Wigneswaran. Twenty one councilors had signed that affidavit. At the moment, I am examining the authenticity of the signatures to make sure that whoever signed the affidavit is truly committed to the breach of faith statement against the CM. Once the signatures are confirmed as authentic , in accordance with tradition, I will inform the CM in writing of the ' No Faith' motion and will call on him to submit proof of a majority confidence vote for him in the Provincial Council. If he can do this he will be entitled to continue on office as the CM. But if he fails, we are required to look for another member of the Northern Provincial Council who can submit proof of such confidence in him by a majority of the Council.

After the ' No Faith' motion was submitted by those 21 members, another group of councilors, headed by M.K.Sivajilingam, submitted a petition against the motion that was signed by 15 councilors including CM C.V.Wigneswaran. This petition too is under examination by me at the moment.

There are 38 councilors in the Northern Provincial Council and the prospective chief ministerial candidate should obtain the support of at least 20 members.]

The appointed Governor in this instance has demonstrated that he is carrying the ‘majority-rule genes’ of the National Government – especially the President. The Governor, as an appointed person has the duty to refer to the laws of respective positions, including his own, to regulate the path of inquiry and reception by the Public. I do not have knowledge of any law to dismiss the Chief Minister.

Positive decisions are made through belief and/or common values, including through Common law but not necessarily limited to common law pathway. Given that the Governor is NOT an elected member – we have the duty to expect him to refrain from acting as if he was the Chief Minister. A citizen of that province has that Natural right before any appointed officer from outside – the reason why ‘foreign judges’ are prevented by a Sovereign operation. I highlight that this foreignness has been confirmed by the Governor as follows:

[Supporters of C.V. Wigneswaran allege the plot to oust him has been hatched by the government. Any comment?

A: That is a view expressed by extremist politicians in the province. They constantly haul baseless accusations at the government.

This is a crisis that has emerged among the members of Tamil political parties in the North and the South has had nothing to do with it. This is a stalemate among the members of an alliance, representing the same province and of the same ethnic group. These politicians in the North accuse the central government of conspiracy. This is to cover up their incapability and ineptitude.] 

 I on the other hand remember Mr. Wigneswaran making the connection after General Fonseka’s comments in Northern Province. Mr. Wigneswaran, to the extent he ‘internalized’ his own defeats in his legal profession practiced in Colombo – developed that ‘intuition’ for Colombo Mind. Thus Mr. Wigneswaran has confirmed that he was more common to the Government in Colombo than Mr. Reginald Cooray – the delegate of  Mr. Sirisena. One has to stay within the borders of one’s position to earn the status that goes with the title. 

Mr. Namal Rajapaksa, the son of former President and current member of National Parliament is reported to have stated during an interview:

‘You can't suppress the majority to make the minority happy’

Taking that as the measure at the primary level – the UN report is on behalf of the International Community in which more and more Tamils are investing. Sinhalese who are pampered at home – may not see the need for this as much as we do. Tamils have developed a strong global base through which those using the cultural path habitually, would find it comfortable to merge their investments in commonness at various levels. In that context Sinhalese are in the minority and hence the UN’s report would seem ‘right’ to one who is conscious of global connections. Some of it would be for its (UN’s) own use as lessons learnt to prevent similar war in other parts of the UN Community.  Once  Sri Lankan Government picks it up – it confirms that need. Otherwise it is ‘foreign’ and we do not need to be concerned. That is self-governance.