Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

13 November  2019

YOU FACILITATE; WE GOVERN

When I read the Colombo Page news report headed ‘Presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa condemns president's move to pardon convicted killer on death row’ I felt that I was part of the common leadership force that brought out the above conclusion from the would be President. All those who independently identify most with a particular candidate have already voted for that candidate. To my mind this root-sharing  is a fundamental value of democracy. Hence ‘People’ who have invested strongly in an issue have the opportunity to express their leadership to empower  the apparent leader. Such participants are part of the leadership structure.

In all forms of Common structures – the outcome cannot be identified as being the contribution of a particular person. The strongest influence could be least apparent. Hence the saying that there is a woman behind every successful man. In Hinduism the first lady is referred to as Shakthi for this reason. Every apparent minority who contributes to ‘ownership’ of the whole is such a force. Likewise every junior in a relationship who completes the ownership cycle before the senior. Preferential voting system takes into account this less visible power of a self-governing citizen who may not identify with the candidates who are in apparent leading positions.

During the ‘Face the Nation’ discussion on 11-11-2019, Mr Chrishmal Warnasuriya – who represented Presidential candidate Gen. Mahesh Senanayake highlighted this about the enjoyment of greater freedom during the current government’s period. The ‘user pays’ system is based on this principle.

In Hindu legends – we have the gods and the asuras/demons. They are both true energies. One keeps  us in  heaven and the other in hell. Those who forego earned benefits develop natural structures and when we  reach the destination of truth through those structured pathways – we enjoy eternal freedom through all beneficiaries. Those who live in truth – as per their own conscience – develop their own structures which form express pathways to the common truth. Then they can recall and mentally enjoy the past at present times also – as in eternal state of wellbeing.  Those who draw benefits out of those structures to which they have not contributed – develop disorderliness. This is a high risk area that causes damage to Sri Lankan governments at all levels.

To my mind, when we vote – we vote for ourselves in the parallel positions in our local environment. Hence as Mr Chrishmal Warnasuriya tried to highlight – it is not about just the two main contenders one of whom will become the President. It is about all of us as Presidents in our own local environments. The Tamil candidate in this election is the 13 point Memorandum and all those who vote for Mr Premadasa vote also for the Tamil National Alliance.

Many issues including the ethnic issue and disorder in Public Administration surfaced during the campaign period. In terms of the Diaspora – it is also about dual citizenship. By actively participating we have developed governance values in those issues. Once we do so – we empower the apparent leader – in government or in opposition. Those who have developed positive Energy in an issue – would be led by such Energy to become Universally positive. Those who neglect the order as per existing structures  develop negative Energy which makes us more and more selfish and disorderly until we become orphans. If that happened to Sri Lankans – Sri Lanka has eliminated Buddhism through majority force.

Buddha showed the pathway to that positive Energy / Bliss. Those who vote as per the regulated pathway for the person who has followed that pathway – will always be protected by that positive Energy. Those who vote for the candidate who shows more benefits – is working against the Buddhist pathway and other pathways to true independence.