Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

20 October 2018

Pain of Sri Lanka's Globalization

During the early hours of the morning I had this dream in which Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe was comfortably socializing in our social circle. In physical terms this is not likely to happen. But in real terms this has already happened. This was confirmed this morning when I read the Daily Mirror Editorial ‘Keeping ends warm with India’.

 The editorial highlights the current leadership situation as follows:

[This is a country which is harping on solving its ‘national question’; how to find a viable solution to the grievances of the minority Tamils. But despite this question being spoken about in the open, there is a question that seems to be addressed behind closed doors. That question is; how to unite the president and the prime minister?

The relationship between Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesignhe was deteriorating over the past several months and reached boiling point just a few days ago.]

The two leaders represent the National Question. Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe represents in real terms – pluralistic groups within Sri Lanka. This includes Sinhalese also. Mr Maithripala Sirisena represents monistic groups within Sri Lanka and this includes Tamils also. Without real and natural connections between Sinhalese and Tamils within the former group – the Tamil National Alliance would not have become the leading Opposition in National Parliament. Likewise the war against the Government by Tamil militants would not have happened without commonness with Sinhalese militants. Every Christian who believes, makes this connection naturally. Likewise every Sinhalese who believes in Hindu philosophy. Belief happens at Energy level. Hence the natural connection. To my mind this is the meaning of ‘man proposes and god disposes’/ "the gods bring many matters to surprising ends"

Just last week the Hindu Hymn  ‘Vaishnav Jana To’ was circulated with Gandhi picture and the following valuation of Sir Albert Einstein about Gandhi:

“Generations to come will scarce believe that such a one as this ever in flesh and blood walked upon this earth.”

According to the presentation the Hymn was sung in 41 countries. To my mind, it was Gandhi Energy  that made the natural and real connection.

The editorial continues as follows:

[According to reports tensions rose to the surface at a recent meeting when the President and the Premier disagreed about how to progress with the East Container Terminal of the Colombo Port. The Premier informed of his wishes to see the port being developed with India’s aid, but these views were shot down by Sirisena who affirmed that the sea port should be kept within the ambit of Sri Lanka.]

A Sovereign entity would tend towards keeping the balance at the physical level also. Hence gods (meaning positive energies) dispose of excessive physical manifestations / ‘bring matters to a surprising end.’

Anyone believing in Gandhi believes also in Independence/Sovereignty. Gandhi forewent pleasures at the physical level to identify with this Divine strength – also known as Soul-Power. To the extent he felt part of majority Indians – Gandhi connected to the Soul power of majority Indians. Gandhi truly cared about the ordinary Indians as if  they were his natural family. On the outside – Gandhi made himself look like the poorest Indian of his times – so they would feel free to be honest with him. On the inside – Gandhi felt their pain as his by foregoing the pleasures that the common member of his level of Indian society enjoyed and a taste of which Gandhi already had. Both have to be present for us to feel this Soul-Connection. This is needed in nations where the Common Citizen does not trust the Government. In Sri Lanka most politicians wear the attire that would make them ‘look’ humble but  in conduct they live like Royalty.

Keeping in mind,  the  power of this Soul Connection beyond local borders, one would be able to identify with the destruction of Chinese power in Sri Lanka that falsifies the picture of Sovereignty. A true Buddhist , Christian, Muslim or true Hindu would connect more deeply to India than to China. A true communist would connect more to China than to India.  The two groups would naturally invoke powers of Sovereignty through everyday practices of belief. To the extent they invest independently in the above issue – of  apparent ‘foreign ownership’ their beliefs would add energy to the apparent players / leaders who seem to manifest the outcomes. For the Indian side – it is Mr Wickremesinghe and for the Chinese side it is Mr Sirisena.

This is confirmed by the Aljazeera news ‘Sri Lanka reverses $300m China housing deal as PM visits India’

Perhaps, if Mr Sirisena had gone to China with the communism investment foremost in his mind, we would have learnt about the East Container Terminal remaining within Sri Lankan management.

The good news is that the ethnic solution is within our reach when ‘apparent free trade’ with  India  is confirmed. The average Sri Lankan who reads the matter by the apparent, identifies India with Tamils rather than with Sinhalese. This balances the majority power picture that is the root cause of the apparently ethnic problem which in real terms is a problem due to conflict between Pluralism and Monism.