Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

28 June 2018

Child Abuse and War profiteering

It was heart wrenching to learn about the six year old girl in Chulipuram, Vaddukoddai, in Northern Province, being raped and murdered (http://www.ceylontoday.lk/print-edition/2/print-more/7653). The alleged reason was stolen toddy. But the root cause is lack of firm relationships in families and physically crowded environments where ‘freedom’ is enjoyed at low levels. Did we always have this problem in North which boasts of strong family and community commitments? Or is it due to the war – especially where children and immature adults became soldiers? Is it due to the ‘gap’ between past and present due to emigration ? Where a sad manifestation is isolated – one is entitled to not do anything about it but feel for the victims. But where the indicators strongly confirm that it is a common problem all of us who feel we belong to that common area must contribute to the solution – at least through prayers.

A Tamil leader from London indicated a major cause of the problem as follows:

[Diaspora Tamils are dreamers of yesteryears so detached from the reality facing the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. The affluent and able Tamil Diaspora does not even know there are serious social pressures in sections of the Diaspora Tamils. Sadly Kondattams and lavish Kaliyatams to expose their wealth is taking place so insensitively. Puberty celebrations have become disgrace and extravagant birthday parties for the 50’s and 60’s have nauseating  thamashas. ……………]

I identify with the above as indicator of common problem within the Tamil Diaspora which naturally infects their respective home-areas in Sri Lanka. Hence I looked within for common areas of vulnerability – especially in issues where the West is ‘free’ by culture – such as more freedom in enjoying sexual pleasures than in the ‘traditional’ eastern communities where such enjoyment is regulated trough marriage and family relationships. Hence I looked within – as a person naturally common person to both cultures. Ultimately one has one’s own unique culture based on one’s own true abstinence of early pleasures towards common life.

I found by living as part of Thunaivi – a toddy tapper village not too far from Chulipuram mentioned above – that weddings, puberty celebrations and lavish birthday parties are not unusual in that toddy tapper community. Likewise the Vaddukoddai community here in Australia.  The video of London Pannagam Association gathering at http://www.pannagam.com/association.htm  where food is served  to those on stage and photos of Canada Association at https://www.facebook.com/pg/CanadaPannagam/photos/  , where LTTE leader who killed elected leader of that area, Mr Amirthalingam confirm lack of commitment to structure and that frivolous enjoyment  is common between the Tamil home communities and the Tamil Diaspora. A community that has seriously suffered due to the war would not enjoy such pleasures at any level – leave alone publicly.

They just copy those whom they see on TV and also the net and through personal interactions. In Thunaivi, even those who do not work have smart phones.  I stopped residing there after our cottage was repeatedly stoned because I reported theft and trespass to the Vaddukoddai Police. But I do spend the day from time to time, towards strengthening my protective Energy that I believe would help those who are of common faith – especially through our family temple which is now protected from Trespassers carrying ‘party genes’.

When we suffer and internalize that pain we develop natural structures that elevate our thinking and reception in that environment. That becomes our natural protection. Such protection comes with us wherever we go and warns us to leave an area where we do not have control over what is to come. That is how Colombo Tamils developed their protective strength to continue to live in an area that was seriously wounded by civil riots in which Tamils became victims. Taking revenge – an eye for an eye has made the whole blind.

Those who lived in isolated communities specialising in manual work – tend to use emotions as their weapons. This was seriously strengthened during the war. If it had ended there one could say all was fair in war. But both sides are using the other side’s weaknesses to promote themselves. As per recent news, Reverend Father S. J. Emmanuel , an elected leader of Global Tamil Forum – based in London, was likely to be fielded by TNA’s Mr Sumanthiran as a candidate for the position of Chief Minister in the upcoming Provincial elections. That would be so wrong. Here in Australia, the latest development in this regard has been reported by Sydney Morning Herald as follows:

‘The laws will set up a register of people and organisations that are pushing the interests of foreign governments or political organisations, with criminal penalties for those that are liable for registration but refuse.’

Given that GTF by its very nature is Politically driven, it would be counterproductive to both nations – for members of such groups to represent the public of one nation in the other. It’s based on the same philosophy as Dual Citizenship.

On the other side Mr Wigneswaran who as per my memory opened the new local government building in the Hon Appapillai Amirthalingam’s electorate is indiscriminately mixing the structures of the two groups – Politicians and Armed Rebels – and is referring to Velupillai Prabhakaran as Tambi / Younger brother. This would naturally weaken the political structures that civilians developed in an area – to the extent they leave even personal protection to those who are more physically powerful.

Instead of leaving it to the Politicians and/or armed rebels – civilians need to separate themselves into small groups that could be self-managed. Where armed persons and those who use physical power before mental power are leaders – those seeking the mental pathways of faith in a wider community and those driven by intellectual skills – must set up their own separate units – however small they may seem on the outside. That is what democracy is about. The mind would travel beyond the body to invoke the alliance that we need at our time of need.

The LTTE lived by the gun and it was an honor for them to die by the gun. Not so those who seek the democratic pathway and this includes Mr Wigeneswaran who promoted Ms Ananthy Sasitharan who promoted herself through LTTE association and who won her seat by playing on the emotions of civilians wounded by armed forces of the government. LTTE was very much responsible for inviting those forces into civilian areas.

As per recent Daily Mirror report, ‘Northern CM opposes using soldiers for development projects’ – Mr Wigneswaran is against armed forces involving in civilian work.  If he was practicing Dharma / Righteousness he would first clean his own cabinet of those involved in armed rebellion – unless they categorically renounced all benefits including election wins – through that pathway AND proved themselves to be providers of outstanding civilian service from zero base. This is highly unlikely with Ms Ananthy Sasitharan whom I heard speak at Chulipuram mentioned above, with strong passion for the likes of her husband who as per my knowledge was a dignified soldier within his chosen community. He did not need the demotion of an elected government to uphold his leadership position in his group.

The first duty of the Diaspora is to replace itself to fill the ‘gap’ that emigration caused. If the Diaspora is busy promoting itself in the new countries by taking high positions in small groups – they become indebted to the communities that groomed them.  As mentioned above, this has become unlawful in Australia in any case. The new law means that we can no longer leave it to the government to protect Australia being invaded by foreign powers but that each citizen must protect her/his home area from such infiltration – especially through easy donations which are really ‘cost’ they pay for us selling our ‘home-values’. Unless Father Emmanuel was a politician before leaving Sri Lanka, he is unlikely to succeed where Mr Wigneswaran failed.

I continue to promote order in the Vaddukoddai community where caste based separations continue to be practiced.  Premature mixing would lead to destruction of traditional structures and the hierarchical positions that come with  such structures. Until we become truly democratic – we need to consciously and sometimes expressly preserve such structures. Those of junior caste tend to take equal positions with more educated folks, once they think there are no more benefits to come. Their relatives in money affluent countries themselves live in ghettos and tend to be driven by new luxuries. They disconnect with traditional structures and the Energies that went into the development and maintenance of such structures.

The value of positions is that they separate and protect internally. One who operates within position borders is protected by the whole. That is the law of nature. In democracy where Equal positioning is facilitated between different cultures – one must expressly stay away from the other. The LTTE failed due to wanting leadership over the political and intellectual communities. The Northern Provincial Council has failed due to indiscriminate mixing of civilian leadership and armed leadership. Mr. Wigneswaran is a foreigner to MY JAFFNA where there is room for all but intellectuals lead the whole.
What solution does Ms Ananthy Sasitharan, Minister for  Women's Affairs, Rehabilitation & Social Service have to the children of Vaddukoddai who have become the targets of those who do not have enough work to control their  bodies and minds?