Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

15 October  2019

TAMILS GAVE MR WICKREMESINGHE A ‘DISTINCTION’ AND MR RAJAPAKSA A‘FAIL’ - IN 2005

Most of us follow particular religions and within that religion there are different sections – such as those who pray to particular saints. Likewise in a secular system there is the main system that is structured according to the law and then the sub systems at community & religious levels. When there is lack of supervision by the official system – internal groupings happen. One American trained senior academic-administrator commented after reading my internal report about the Medical Faculty of University of NSW – that there were thousands of small businesses operating within the Faculty. This is a risk in any business oriented operation. Universities with weak commitment to ethics – suffer this demotion.

If money denotes pleasure – policy denotes happiness. Pleasure / Benefits when they are enjoyed immediately – become weaker and weaker with age. But when some of that pleasure is foregone – for example through contributions to  superannuation / provident fund – they sustain us by raising the level at which we enjoy – i.e. – mental level and beyond at the soul level. Self- discipline and meditation help us develop this ‘Happiness Reservoir’.

The official system that is structured as per the law – helps us connect to others and their happiness becomes ours and v.v. That is when the value of the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts. Those who are used to enjoying quick outcomes lose the opportunity to experience exponential happiness / bliss. The former is the way of majority. They need the laws discovered by the few.

The LTTE was a group that was disciplined by its own reality. It did not have the height to cover the wellbeing of those who operated within the higher common law. But in the system of truth – the government of Sri Lanka that failed in its duty to protect law abiding Tamils, did not have capability or the moral authority to discipline them – leave alone punishing them as ‘foreign’ forces.

In his Daily Morror article headed ‘Why was Ranil Politically Assassinated by Prabha in 2005?’ Mr KKS Perera states:

[The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) effectively chose the President of Sri Lanka in 2005.]

This is not only  because Northern leadership of the LTTE boycotted elections but also because Eastern LTTE was less disciplined than Northern LTTE. Jaffna Tamils, Batticaloa Tamils and Upcountry Tamils is the natural hierarchical order – as per the commitment to Tamil ethics.

Once LTTE’s Eastern leader Karuna Amman became less active in combat – largely due to Ceasefire talks – he became restless and looked towards ‘enjoying’ the benefits of his work in his own kingdom in Batticaloa. I met Karuna in 2003 during the UNDP project and that was my conclusion. Before meeting Karuna – I knelt down and prayed at the statue of Our Lady at Karadian Aaru – to help me do the right thing by the People of that area. My report to UNDP included one for Water for Karadian Aaru.

While Northern LTTE was more disciplined as per their own goals – Eastern LTTE led by Karuna was more businesslike and discarded the rules that they did not need,  to enjoy their current earnings. If Northern LTTE is the parallel of JR Jayawardene government, Karuna is the parallel of the Mahinda Rajapaksa government. The difference is the commitment to higher ethnics which help us raise the level of enjoyment to sweet happiness. Seniors sacrifice so they enjoy this sweetness through juniors who become the beneficiaries of their sacrifices.

Mr Perera presents this as follows:

[In a strongly-worded letter which President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga wrote to SLFP nominee Mahinda Rajapaksa, saying:
“…You said that you wanted to make peace by meeting LTTE leader Prabhakaran. The  Government has decided that devolution of power is the answer to establish peace without dividing the NATION. There is no solution in the world as suggested in your accord, where any devolution of power could be realized based on a unitary state arrangement. If you meet LTTE, you may only have to eat a piece of cake and come back. Can you explain to the nation as to what could be accomplished through your agreement?.”]

The 1987 Provincial Government arrangement by law happened during Mr J R Jayawardene’s period of governance. The height at which Madam Kumaratunga thought would have been around  the same level as Mr J R Jayawardene’s  in terms of commitment to law. Not so – that of Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa. The above words were proven true in 2009 when Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa handed out the position of ‘ Minister of National Integration’ – to one who divided the LTTE.

Now Karuna as well as MP Viyalendiran who did a Karuna on TNA (Tamil National Alliance) during the Constitutional Crisis last year – are pledging support for Mr Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Mr Perera confirms this tendency to subdivide in Batticaloa as follows:

[ An almost total absence of participation in the polls and an atmosphere of violence and intimidation in much of the North and East significantly affected these elections. PAFFREL, however, did not demand a re-poll, but said, “…an absence of participation in the polls; violence and intimidation in the North and East have drastically affected the results.” The LTTE called people to treat November 17 as a day of mourning. Shops were closed and people remained inside, but stopped short of hoisting black flags. A grenade was thrown at a polling booth in Chenkaladdy, injuring six people. A total of 14,500 people had been registered to caste vote at this location but only 3,200 had voted. ]

As per the published figures (https://www.electoralgeography.com/new/en/countries/s/sri-lanka/sri-lanka-presidential-election-2005.html) – 48.51% of Batticaloa folks voted in the 2005 elections and confirmed their Opposition to  Northern LTTE. Out of those who did vote - only 18.87% voted for Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa. 79.51% voted for Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

In Vanni – the Northern capital of the LTTE – only 34.3% voted and only 20% of that 34.3% voted for Mr Rajapaksa. 77.39% voted for Mr Wickremesinghe – confirming that they preferred the lawful pathway to the unlawful  pathway.

In Jaffna only 1.21% voted – of which 25% voted for Mr Rajapaksa and 70.2% voted for Mr Wickremesighe.

Those who voted – however small they may be as a percentage – recognized the value of Democracy. It is that belief that gives their vote exponential value beyond local borders. They upheld the cause of Tamils through the political pathway and thus honoured our politicians – especially those who died in that cause. The courage that induced Tamil voters who did vote – had the power to influence all those who valued Democratic right to vote. They were all true Sri Lankans.

Relatively speaking in the 2005 elections – the highest percentage Mr Rajapaksa received was  63.43% and that too was from his home electorate of Hambantota.

Here in Australia the parallel of Preferential Voting for University Entrance is the ATAR system. During the time our children entered University – it was known as UAI (Universities Admission Index) here in New South Wales.

As per the above percentages – Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe was given a Distinction by Tamils and Mr Rajapaksa was given ‘fail’ by Tamils. We expect that to improve on these figures this time and confirm our commitment to higher common order that would naturally link us globally.