Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

14 July  2019

Separatism Or Separation of Powers?

Separatism at the primary level becomes destructive when combined indiscriminately with status of authority. Separation of Powers on the other hand is the confirmation of  Belief raised to the power of philosophy. The difference is one is seen only and the other is given form only when needed. At other times it exists as abstract.

DBS Jeyaraj for example states in his article headed : ‘How LTTE murdered senior Tamil leader Amirthalingam 30 years ago…’ , states as follows:

[The TULF that won 18 seats at the 1977 polls contesting on a separatist platform had been out of Parliament earlier for six years.] - http://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/How-LTTE-murdered-senior-Tamil-leader-Amirthalingam-30-years-ago%E2%80%A6/172-171054

I always took the Vaddukoddai Resolution 1976 as a claim for Separation of Powers. But through the above, Mr Jeyaraj is confirming that he took it as ‘separatism platform’. When Tamil Political group won the position of Opposition in 1977 – it confirmed to me that the claimants and their supporters were seeking a declaration of Separation of Powers.

To my mind therefore – each time the community accepts leadership by armed group – they have separated from the path of the intellectual who is capable of carrying a discovery as abstract philosophy.

The problem for Tamil politicians was that they themselves failed to practice this Doctrine of Separation of Powers between themselves as politicians and the armed militants. Mr Yogeswaran, like Mr Wigneswaran – wanted to be popular with both sides. The  Assassination happened due to this internal weakness within the leading Tamil political group.  He exempted the LTTE  members from the ‘security checks’ . When LTTE that lived by the gun asked for exemption – Mr Yogeswaran ought to have been alerted – due to  the simple reason that the LTTE would not so exempt an opposition. Every diverse group is Opposition to majority group in a society. As in Prescriptive rights – the Separation of Powers  comes from being adverse. To my mind, THIS was the power that promoted Tamil Politicians who did not take an eye for an eye to Equal Opposition level in National Parliament.

Today we bought some toys in a Garage Sale here in Sydney. The happiness I felt when the toys were within our budget – was the same as when I buy for my grandchildren. The kids in Northern Sri Lanka who feel happy also become my grandchildren. We are diverse in our pathways. But to the extent the toys are affordable to the parents the extra cost becomes the Energy that binds us – as if they are our family. That is how exponential system works. But the two systems need to run parallel to each other and not meet to make one senior to the other.

Mr Jeyaraj  presents the problem as follows:

[Amirthalingam assured the Tigers that any political arrangement would give pride of place to the LTTE]

If Anglicans and Catholics merged – who would be the leader of Christians? LTTE would have become dysfunctional under Political leadership. Mr Amirthalingam ‘assumed’ that he was the ‘common leader’ the same way Mr Sirisena assumed that he as President was about the PM. But politically they exist as equals. Likewise Politicians and Armed militants who seek to be leaders. According to Mr Jeyaraj, this problem was presented by Prabhakaran as follows:

[LTTE supremo Prabhakaran had once used soccer parlance and remarked in Chennai that Yogeswaran was a man who “kicked same-side goals.]

The true structure that we develop would look different in the case of an armed leader to that of a political leader. Had Prabhakaran been democratic – he would have been killed at the early stages by someone who had stronger leadership ambitions than Prabhakaran. Likewise, Mr Amirthalingam would not have been recognized as National Leader of Tamils had he taken life for life and also joined LTTE to chase India from Sri Lanka through the armed process. Being grateful to those who groomed us is part of the essential criterion for us to step into the provider’s shoes. Lack of gratitude leads to attachment to the visible outcomes. The lesson to be learnt by Tamil youth is – if you disrespect your own gurus – you do not grow as tall as them. If you cannot follow – use an alternate path and travel parallel.