Gajalakshmi Paramasivam
20 July 2018
Sovereignty & Mental Health
The message ‘ First ever International Mental Health Nursing Conference in Sri Lanka
begins today’ came with the following comment from a member of the Tamil
Diaspora:
‘HOW MANY SRI LANKAN MINISTERS MPs POLITICIANS
MONKS TROOPS ETC WILL BE THE FIRST TO BE HOSPITALIZED FOR TREATMENT?’
‘The
three-day conference from 19th - 21st July is being held with the aim of
improving the quality of mental health services in the country will cover a
multitude of topics related to mental health with symposiums and guest lectures
with the participation of eminent local and foreign speakers in mental health.
A special lecture on 'Researches of Mental
Health Nursing Service' will be delivered by Prof. Athula Sumathipala from
University of Keele, United Kingdoms at this conference.’
Mental Health means a still mind and/or order of
thought. In common terminology they are Truth and/ or Law, respectively. Law
here is law that is personal to the home environment of that person.
Given that there are no Tamil experts highlighted by
the above message – one must conclude that they are either not part of the
cause or that they are seen to have caused the mental health problem and but
are not capable of finding their own cure. The parallel of Vaddukoddai Resolution 1976, is for minorities led by Tamils to
conduct their own Research and find their own cures. That Research into oneself
is the natural cure.
Let’s take for example Professor Somasundaram and
Dr. Hoole – both of Jaffna Tamil origin. The following were part of the
questions that were asked of the representative of the University of Jaffna
(UOJ) in dismissal matter on the alleged
basis of ‘Sexual harassment and Academic Misconduct’. The questions were asked by
the Academic on behalf of all stakeholders of the University of Jaffna –
including the apparent but not limited to them. The Academic was the medium
through whom I escalated the issue to the level that Jaffna had earned:
Q to the UOJ representative:
1. Would
you please confirm that you DO NOT specialize in
(a) Music
(b) the science of psychology or psychiatry in
general and of women’s psychology or psychiatry in particular
2. Would
you please confirm that there is a Department of Psychiatry within the Faculty
of Medicine of the University of Jaffna
3. Are
you aware that Professor Daya Somasundaram, who is listed as Senior Professor
of the Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna regularly publishes papers in relation to war
related damages in the minds of victims
of the Sri Lankan war http://www.med.jfn.ac.lk/?staffs=prof-d-j-somasundaram
– Exhibit D1
(i)
and in particular he co-authored a paper
published in February 2003, on the topic of - ‘Addressing
the psychosocial problems of women in a war ravaged society..’
(ii)
and
that Professor Somasundaram, in association with Professor Ratnajeevan
Hoole published in 2007 - ‘Push and pull factors affecting the
retention of university students in a climate of civil war. Studies in
Learning, Evaluation, Innovation and Development: Vol. 4, No. 2, Special Theme
Issue – Recruitment, Retention and Placement: Progressing the Knowledge Economy’,
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/215832040_Push_and_pull_factors_affecting_the_retention_of_university_students_in_a_climate_of_civil_war
Exhibit – D2
(iii)
I draw your attention to the following sections of this paper :
“Table 1: Psycho-social problems in
students in a war zone in rank order. N
= 625 (100%)
Loss of concentration
297 (47.5%)
Hostility 279 (44.6%)
Loss of memory 275 (44%)”
Conclusion
“The populations in strife-torn countries face a high level
of stress. What is often not realised is
that the stress on civilians is usually much higher than among combatants since
their safety and support structures are often much weaker. The late teens and
early adulthood are also a time of significant stress even in the normal course
of events, and therefore university students who belong to that age group when
in the midst of war are especially vulnerable, particularly as they could be a
specifically targeted age group.
In strife-torn countries, the support networks are often
under enormous pressure. Students who are attending university may be sometimes
viewed as a pampered elite by society, and the community may not be aware of
the stress that they bear.
This paper has focused on students in war-torn countries.
Nevertheless, some of the analysis done here may be applicable to some students
in developed countries as well. Minority
students may perceive some university campuses as hostile territory. They may
experience tension between adopting mainstream values as being a traitor and
retaining their group’s values and culture as a matter of heroism.
The academic community in a
strife-torn milieu is itself under enormous stress from the conflict.
Furthermore, university staff, with their often international qualifications,
find it easier to move overseas when there is strife, and thus the continuity
needed to develop sound systems is often not possible.
In such an environment, the classical strategies for
reducing student attrition do not work. Institutions may try to pull up the
drawbridge, and pretend that universities are isolated, cloistered, safe
enclaves. However, the purpose of civil strife is to create a destabilised
environment for political ends, and combatants do not like calm oases as they
could develop into areas out of their control and send the wrong message.
The civil infrastructure in war-torn countries is almost
invariably in disarray. The institutional protocols for recruitment, retention
and placement are treated as low priorities. The environment becomes a vicious
circle. The predicament faced by universities in strife-torn countries is that
they are trying to build a bastion that is being torn down more quickly than it
is being built. (Pages 75 & 76)”
Current reports on
the higher than acceptable level of crimes in Northern Sri Lanka are
highlighted by the following conclusion in the above report:
[What is
often not realised is that the stress on civilians is usually much higher than
among combatants since their safety and support structures are often much
weaker. The late teens and early adulthood are also a time of significant
stress even in the normal course of events, and therefore university students
who belong to that age group when in the midst of war are especially
vulnerable, particularly as they could be a specifically targeted age group. ]
Neither of the above Academics who
USED the name of University of Jaffna for their purposes made the above a ‘current’
problem of theirs to participate in the inquiry from either side – as caring
owners. Like immediate past Minister Mrs Vijayakala Maheswaran, they also used
part of the structure for their own purposes and became part of the ‘problem’
while allegedly find the cure. Likewise the above group which claims to be conducting
the ‘first-ever’ mental health conference. The above paper published by Tamil
Professors – also is a conference in the virtual reality of war.
Some of the politicians in National
Parliament also accused Mrs Maheswaran of mental instability. I identify with
that for the purpose of helping other Sri Lankans like Mrs Maheswaran including
those politicians who accused the lady – preventing themselves from becoming mental
victims of war. The law of Nature is that one who owns the problem owns the
cure. THAT is what self-governance is about. One who ‘sees’ the problem more
than is needed for the cure – returns the
effect on her/himself. Pleasure and Pain exist as twins even though we separate
them through time and place based boundaries. The urge to ‘see’ stems from the
desire to ‘show’. Some who is true to her/himself on the other side has the Natural
power to return the fear to one who ‘shows’. Often neither side knows that this
happens due to that Positive Energy. Meditation and Abstinence raise our work
values to Energy level. The mind is a combination of this Energy / Truth and
the matter that we recognise through our bodies influenced by others and/or
objective outcomes that seem to be ‘orphans’ – for example Taxes known as
Public Monies.
Without Energy – there is no mind.
Let us for example take the statement
by Mr Wigneswaran – the Chief Minister of Northern Province – to the Police who
inquired into the outburst by Mrs Maheswaran:
[They
asked me about my thoughts on some
questionable parts of the speech
by Vijayakala. I said that ‘yearning for
yesterday’ is not wrongful. When the lady stated that we are fighting for the
return of the Tigers that was about the
safety of the area and not return of violent ways. The lady has been loyal to
her party. If action is taken against her it would effectively be to curtail
our freedom of speech.]
LTTE is a person when
we take them as a whole. When we bring them into us we bring them into us as a
whole. We cannot divide them as Safe person and Violent person as Mr
Wigneswaran has done. When we do – they became various parts of that person and
therefore are matter.
Only those of us who
have made high levels of contribution to non-violence through deep sacrifices have
the power to absorb that which has become uncontrollable by the LTTE and the community
that they ruled over. Mr Wigneswaran due
to his investment in law has the ability to divide and rule. But the measure
needs to be as per the law and/or as per the needs of the People of Northern
Province. They should not be as per his desires or those in his current
environment with whom he is popular due to his position.
Mrs Maheswaran
likewise, may have divided and ruled to please the UNP. But by mentioning LTTE
through a small aspect relative to the violence, Mrs Maheswaran not only made
them into matter in her custody but also acted in breach of the Spirit of the
Law that lists LTTE as a Terrorists organization. Mrs Maheswaran has the right
to talk of individuals even if they are LTTE supporters or were part of LTTE.
But not take the benefit of the whole the easy way. When that is done that would be to mislead
the people by inviting them to wage war.
Most of the time, when
someone tries to ‘justify’ themselves – they apply the personal measure rather
than the higher common measures. If indeed LTTE were not wrong but right for
Jaffna / Northern Province as per their net value – then we would have looked
within and found the cure through LTTE in our hearts and minds. Then the
mothers who are crying out for their lost sons and daughters would be comforted
by the LTTE in their minds and LTTE supporters alive.
The problem with living
together in a free environment is that unless the Energies are consolidated
through a common structure – we show the weaknesses of the other and eventually
we become like them. Mrs Maheswaran for example, got into her current position
due to her husband’s death. Hence the lady is not likely to have the wisdom of
experience of being part of political governance, leave alone Administrative /
Executive governance. Then it is highly likely that the person would say ‘yes’
to both sides – especially when the two sides do not see other. While in Colombo the conflict between Mr
Sirisena and Mr Wickremesighe on behalf of their respective parties – would have
been the pathway that Mrs Maheswaran was most comfortable with. The most
convenient tool available towards this was the war in which Mr Sirisena was the
Opposition to Tamils including civilians. It is easy to ‘show’ that picture in
an environment that is still living off war outcomes. As Mr Wigneswaran also
highlighted – Mrs Maheswaran was loyal to her party – the UNP – long longstanding
opposition party to Mr Sirisena’s party. In her mind, she was opposing Mr
Sirisena in favour of UNP. But using it in Jaffna that is still hurting from
the war – in real terms was cruel.
Had the University of
Jaffna and / or the medical professionals looked into the mind of Jaffna – we would
have prevented such outburst – knowing what would follow when they reach the
ears of those who are ‘waiting’ for another armed war or at least an invasion
excuse.
Talking about invasion
the person whom I advised in the above University matter – became the parallel
of Mrs Maheswaran in taking the matter to the Labour Tribunal in Jaffna. Despite
my advice, to respond to the University in Tamil – he went to Sinhalese lawyers
who have now provided an amended Application in Sinhalese – stating that was
out of consideration for the Council Member – with a Sinhalese name. In
contrast when I gave evidence in Colombo District Court over a land matter – my
evidence in English was published by the Court in Sinhalese. I had to pay for
an English translation of the proceedings!
The above is in direct
violation of the spirit in which the University of Jaffna was established to diffuse
the protests by Tamils against the Quota
system to enter University. University of Jaffna is a Tamil University and
symbolises the feelings of those who due to the Quota system ‘lost’ their
rights to enter University on current merit basis. Even though that was not
ideal – Northern Tamils continue to produce outstanding results in higher
education. A person who becomes the medium of those who have ‘invasive’
tendencies – the Sinhalese lawyers in this instance and Sinhalese politicians
using the likes of Mrs Maheswaran – are damaging
the pathways through which Diversity is used to preserve Traditional Heritage.
Justice K Ariyanayagam rejected in Mallakam District Court – the English
Application by our relatives in a Testamentary case and rightly so. The reason to
my mind is that as per the 13th
Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution, Tamil is also an official language
and English is a link language. Our Appeal in Jaffna High Court was heard in
English. I concluded that that was the link-court. His honor Justice
Ariyanayagam upheld the core value of
self-determination for those to whom Tamil is mother tongue and that
land is their motherland.
In contrast those who
are looking for quick outcomes knowingly or otherwise become the media of
invaders.
Sinhalese who exceeded
their belief in Sri Lanka – and dictated through laws that disadvantaged
minorities – have developed ‘invasion’ genes and often they are not conscious
of it themselves. When they mind-merge with those looking for quick outcomes –
it damages the structures that represent our diversity – resulting in us
looking more and more like indigenous communities that seek to isolate themselves.
Jaffna is withdrawing towards this and
so is Sri Lanka in terms of the global picture.
In my yesterday’s
article I highlighted the Tamil song ‘Kurai ondrum illai, Maraimurthi kanna
by Indian politician, freedom-fighter
and Governor-General of India, his
excellency Chakravarti Rajagopalachari dedicated to Untouchables / Harijans. This song is analysed
by a deep mind as being ‘unique
because it does not assume the tone of devoted prayer as most Hindu devotional
songs but one of thankfulness to God.’
THAT is the value of
Diversity through which the buck stops with that group’s form of Divinity in
this instance Dark skinned Krishna. The problem with the war is that we now
access outsiders who ‘show’ power to insiders but claim that the buck would
stop with us – through armed power bought out of other people’s earnings. The
more we deal at visible outcomes level – as if we did it – the more disorderly
we become – like filing cabinets that look like wastepaper bins inside. Energy
has perfect order and needs to be facilitated to travel on its own – if it is
positive or when we no longer have the ability to absorb the negative in a
closed environment – such as family, community and nation. If we keep negative
energies within and we are ‘free’ those with negative energies would exchange –
take benefits and we are left with the losses/costs. That is when separation is
needed by the higher mind that would be more valuable at wider level.
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