Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

23 October 2018

Australia-Sri Lanka Partnership Against Terrorism

When there is a Common outcome – each contributor is entitled to take ownership at her/his level to complete the experience. When each contributor does this – the whole group is naturally united through such ownership and the individual members naturally share their energies in other issues also. Developing the lines of separation of ownership towards this ‘privacy’ is as important as transparency of outcomes at the common level.

As per the latest news report:

[Government of Australia has affirmed its commitment to support Sri Lanka in capacity building and legislative reform to combat people smuggling and other transnational crimes.

At the 5th Session of the Australia-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group (JWG) on People Smuggling and Transnational Crime held recently in Colombo, Sri Lanka reiterated its commitment to combat transnational crimes and share the knowledge and experiences with Australia.
The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Defense Mr. Kapila Waidyaratne, P.C and Mr. David Wilden, Acting Deputy Secretary (Policy Group) Department of Home Affairs, Australia.]

Australia-Sri Lanka partnership at ground level recently produced the outcome in which a fee-paying student from Sri Lanka was arrested on suspicions of Terrorism. This confirms that at ground level – this partnership is not working – due to mind-smuggling in the name of ‘foreign education’. As per my own study, mental illness is extreme disorder of thought-process of the brain.  When the root of Truth is missing – such disorders are highly probable. They are harmless when one lives within one’s space. They are harmful when the local borders are crossed indiscriminately in the name of ‘freedom’. Truth is the source of independence. Physical ‘freedom’ is often used to damage independence.

Those who are mentally ill/disorderly, infect others in that environment. Those who are mentally healthy / strong and are caring, would absorb the ‘infection’ and naturally diffuse the disorder in the common space. To the extent we lack such preventive force – we need to firmly take a position as per the Truth we know about ourselves in relation to the common area and operate within that position. The first area that Mr David Wilden, Acting Deputy Secretary (Policy Group) Department of Home Affairs, Australia, ought to have covered right now is University of NSW where the environmental protections in terms of Sri Lankans are weak. They are weaker when it comes to Muslims and Tamils who are minorities in Sri Lanka. Both communities tend to be closely knit at family and community levels and in Nizamdeen’s case – knowledge that he was relative of Sri Lankan Minister for Sports Mr Faiszer Mustapha would have added to that ‘family/community protection’.

Given that the Police have searched the house of Mr Arsalan Khawaja, whose brother is a cricketer of Pakistani origin, one needs to understand the way Australian Police mind works when there is evidence that invokes thoughts of Terrorism suspicions. Many of us are carriers unless we actively invest in Prevention of Terrorism – including by Australian Authorities who get excited or become fearful at the sight of such indicators of terrorism. We the Public are yet to learn about measures taken by the University of NSW which carries negative karma in relation to migrant students – as demonstrated by the Bruce Hall scandal. That would have not surfaced – if they had not hurt this caring migrant worker with strong investment in Australian commonness. My genuine investment in the University of NSW eventually became ‘Energy’ which carried my book ‘Naan Australian’ (I am Australian) - to the National Library of Australia – without any effort on my part.

In turn, custodians of  Administrative power at the University, who failed to do their duty, continue to suffer downgrading through this globally common ethnic divide.

Australians who are forming partnership with Sri Lankans at policy level – need to first ensure that the likes Mrs Vijayakala Maheswaran  are treated in Sri Lanka, on the same footing as Mr Mustapha’s nephew. Otherwise, Australian ministers also would intervene in Sri Lankan processes. They should – to keep the balance of sovereignty. If the Australian Government is not ready to so influence – such partnerships would lead to mental imbalance and therefore false sense of security until it is too late to prevent Terrorism.

Fee paying students from Sri Lanka are not exempt from security checks that boat travellers suffer. Sri Lanka is yet to restore its reputation as a nation upholding law and order. Hence boat travellers may carry stronger resilience power that would be healthy for Australia, than would pampered foreign students.

The saying ‘Comment is free, but facts are sacred’ comes to mind in this regard:

[Neither in what it gives, nor in what it does not give, nor in the mode of presentation must the unclouded face of truth suffer wrong. Comment is free, but facts are sacred. “Propaganda”, so called, by this means is hateful. The voice of opponents no less than that of friends has a right to be heard. Comment also is justly subject to a self-imposed restraint. It is well to be frank; it is even better to be fair. This is an ideal. Achievement in such matters is hardly given to man. Perhaps none of us can attain to it in the desirable measure. We can but try, ask pardon for shortcomings, and there leave the matter.] Manchester Guardian Editor CP Scott, 5 May 1921

To Sri Lankans Australian experience is ‘fact’. The above mentioned Australian-Sri Lankan policy is mere ‘comment’ to real Sri Lankans.