Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

31 December  2019

TSUNAMI SURFACED THE TRUTH

I  was delighted to read the article Daily Mirror article ‘Tsunami A lost opportunity by Tamils for peacemaking’ by Mr M S M Ayub. I was delighted not because of the literal value of the message but of the lateral spread of the mind structure of the author who related the Lankan experience of war and Tsunami to Indonesia’s Aceh experience at the same time. I learnt also the following:

[The separatist insurgencies in Indonesia and Sri Lanka had several parallels with separatist movements in both countries officially commencing in 1976. Gerakan Aceh Merdeka(GAM) or Free Aceh Movement at the Aceh Province in Northern Indonesia started its armed campaign for the secession and independence of the province from Indonesia in that year.   
Interestingly, it was in the same year that Tamil United Front (TUF) changed its name to Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) while adopting a resolution at its historic Convention in Vaddukoddai to carve out a separate State in the Northern and Eastern Provinces in Sri Lanka for Tamil-speaking people. Despite Tamils rebels having started to kill their opponents such as the then Jaffna Mayor Alfred Duraiappah the previous year 1975, it was only at the Vaddukkoddai convention that the idea of a separate State was formalised.   
Another parallel between separatist wars in both countries was the two failed peace attempts among rebels and governments of respective countries in 2000 and 2002 with
international mediation.  ]

Truth is Universal and hence the borders of time and place are lost to the mind that is in Truth. My example of Ancient Greece in relation to Tsunami – was prepared and  published on 27 December 2019, under the heading ‘ALLI - RAANI SAYS YOU ARE WRONG MR SINHALESE PRESIDENT!’

I read Mr Ayub’s article only today even though that also was published on the 27 December 2019. This commonness holds the key to resolving our ethnic problem. Mr Ayub is a Muslim and I am a Hindu. That diversity is confirmed by the outer values of our articles – i.e. Mr Ayub used Aceh of current times and I used the war between 431BC and 404BC in Ancient Greece and the Tsunami there in 426BC. My article earned me the following expression of appreciation from a fellow Sri Lankan:

[Dear Gaja

Let me wish you the very best for the season and a peaceful New Year. May God grant you strength to continue your work which stimulates others to think.  I must say that you are very knowledgeable and write very well.

With lots of love and warm regards.

Mevan Pieris]

Through such appreciation, Mevan has shared with me , his high status as a Sri Lankan of world class. To me that is what good governance is about.  The three minds have thus merged through genuine common interest in Sri Lanka and we are the example of integrated Sri Lanka.

The Tsunami was a strong indicator that the Sri Lankan war had come to its natural level. In terms of solution, Mr Ayub presents the following:

[In mid-2005, the government agreed to grant greater autonomy to the Aceh Province and GAM rebels reciprocated with a pledge to lay down arms and renounce violence. And the peace holds in Aceh since. However, the situation in Sri Lanka was different. A part of the areas devastated by the tsunami was under the control of the LTTE while foreign aid received for relief and reconstruction work were with the government and thus the need of a joint mechanism between the government and the LTTE arose.  ]

There is a major hindrance to solutions through higher minds in the case of Tamils largely due to the LTTE getting separated from the Common Political mind of Tamils led by Northern  Tamils. A political solution was possible if LTTE was a separate group to the Politicians or were juniors to the Politicians. A political solution was NOT possible due to this natural and true structure not being recognized by the LTTE which killed political leaders.

Even during Tsunami Reconstruction work – they surfaced the truth that they lacked the humility to honor those of us who  provided the service to victims of  Tsunami. By blocking Had they done that ‘Development’ led by Democratic minded Tamils would have diluted that negative karma that affected the Natural Rights of the whole Community. The dictatorial karma of the LTTE was worsened when they mind-merged with Mr Rajapaksa to block Tamils from voting in the 2005 Presidential elections.

In contrast to LTTE leadership, Free Aceh Movement was led by Dr Hasan Muhammad di Tiro. LTTE failed to accept such leadership from within the Tamils community and hence naturally mind-merged with those driven by military wins. This separated the militant mind from the civilian mind nurtured by Education.

By killing Tamil Political leaders – LTTE  confirmed that it had dropped to the standards of Dutugemunu who overruled his father in terms of Tamils. The current President declared that he was elected by Sinhala-Buddhists in front of the monument of King Dutugemunu. That diluted the investment needed to develop Common Sri Lanka.

LTTE paid the prize in 2009 and in 2015 Tamils voted for UNP Leadership and confirmed that we have restored our Political rights in Sri Lanka. This cleared also  the karma for Tamils who did not have the courage to overrule and vote in the 2005 Presidential elections. . In our own way  we have confirmed  our diversity through the recent Presidential elections also.

From 1976 – when the Vaddukoddai Resolution was made we have not deviated from this diverse pathway. This diversity means that we have to redeem ourselves and become universal through our truth. So long as we drawn on the wisdom of our ancestors – we would continue to redeem ourselves and if Sinhalese block our path – we would go global. That is the true solution if there is no devolution to facilitate our contribution to independence to Sri Lanka as a whole.

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

30 December  2019

EXECUTIVE PRESIDENCY TO ACCOUNTABLE PRESIDENCY

During my early days in Australia, as a migrant, I was frustrated with the ‘accusation’ that I lacked ‘local experience’.  This was after I demoted myself to the low level to earn money. Now decades later I realize that the technical knowledge is raw material and that the structure that gives it form needed to be ‘common’ to both sides – as in marriage. Those who group themselves with rulers due to their desire for benefits – would not make the effort but would rather tend to be complacent due to their ‘attachment’ to those benefits. They expected me to accept their system as is.

I learnt the Truth  of this human tendency through the law of Thesawalamai – particular to Northern Sri Lankan Tamils. At ground level, when I followed the traditional way in which a Hindu wife went over to the husband’s home it was the wife who was expected to make the adjustment – as a migrant is expected to in wealthy Australia. By the time I joined the NSW Public Service, I had lost consciousness of my Sri Lankan Chartered Accounting status. I was more conscious of the rules and laws of my profession. This helped me develop Democratic Resource Management systems to suit the groups in which  I was placed by my employers.

Now I realize that when I genuinely forewent the vertical status – my work led me to package my work to spread laterally. I thus maintained harmony at the work place – as if I was the mother power of that workplace. A mother is recognized as Shakthi / Energy in a Hindu family, for this reason. Such a mother is a naturally uniting force. Gandhi was such a mother. Likewise, minorities in any group who continue to forego benefits to share with those who as per their positions do not have to cook, clean and maintain the home at least at the standard as per the position that the family / community has been placed in by the society that the family is part of.

The average Sinhalese who is conscious of majority power would place minorities  as juniors. In terms of Tamils every person who maintained the law without any expectation of ruling power – accumulated that Energy. In terms of the Tamil community it was the junior castes who developed better fighting skills through physical powers.

Even though as per the nature of human  Sinhalese also Equal  power – their complacency under those who pampered them through Buddhism and Sinhalese, prevented them from accessing this inner capacity. Hence they needed 7 times the physical size of the LTTE in 2004 – when the latter started dividing due to weak mother force.

As per Thesawalamai Law, mothers are different to fathers and hence the rules are different. The mother, becomes an Equal Opposition due to such separation of powers. This prevents the injustice of mother being made less important than the father, even though she goes through more pain for the children.

The Colombo Page article ‘President says repealing 19th Amendment is key to fulfil people's aspirations’  strongly indicates the risk of such divisions within the Sinhala-Buddhist community due to lack of Opposition at the Presidential level.  Diversity has been ignored and hence other ethnicities are treated as ‘juniors’. To the extent minorities maintain the law and truth beyond the law – they would continue to be Equal Opposition to the ruling power.

As per the above report:

[Dec 29, Colombo: Sri Lankan President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa emphasizes that it is the responsibility of the people's representatives to act in accordance with the aspirations of the people and commit to build a working country that fulfils the people's expectations.
The President pointed out that the functioning of the Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas is a timely necessity in order to reach that objective.
The President made these remarks during a meeting with the heads of the Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas at the President's House yesterday (28).]

The structure of the President’s position does not show an Opposition in person. But the 19^th Amendment has demoted the Presidential position including as follows:
[33A. The President shall be responsible to Parliament for the due exercise, performance and discharge of his powers, duties and functions under the Constitution and any written law, including the law for the time being relating to public security.]

Thus the Parliament as a whole becomes the Senior of the President. This is the bicameral structure – with the Parliament playing the role of Senate for the Executive actions of the President who does not have an apparent opposition to keep the balance of Justice.  

The new President lacks the skills to develop Accountability structures. He seems to desire Absolute Power of the Executive Presidency that Mr Sirisena also thought he was getting. Even if Mr Wickremesignghe had become President – he would have been bound by the 19^th Amendment and therefore would have become Accountable to Parliament.

I seek to package my experience of Sri Lanka for my heirs. In that Sri Lanka, I lived in harmony with all ethnicities. I felt secure in Jaffna as well as in Colombo. By preserving this heritage – I contribute to Sri Lanka being ‘Secure home’ to all my Sri Lankan heirs. To receive this heritage – at National level, Sri Lanka needs a Parliament that is wiser and less apparent than Presidential unit to enjoy peace and harmony through Mother Power.   At the moment only Ranil Wickremesinghe who is open to higher minds – is identified as being eligible in that role – not because he is clever but because he is tolerant of the young and the restless as well as the old and the complacent. Mr  Wickremesinghe’s government facilitated the 19^th Amendment which has demoted the Executive Presidency to Accountable Presidency. This confirms that the Common Sri Lankan politician is better able to manage a ‘seen’ opposition. This is so because the lower mind is incapable of comprehend the other side of the coin. The President has confirmed this by sharing thoughts with Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas which are primary level formations needed to ‘see’ the other side and hence the official Opposition. Currently the Parliament headed by Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa is the Opposition of this President.


Now, if the President is part of the group that  sings the National Anthem only in Sinhala,  that Parliament has the DUTY to question the President as to why the President acted in breach of language policy as stipulated in  the Constitution of Sri Lanka, according to which Tamil is also a National Language. If that Parliament fails to so question, then the Parliament gets alienated from the law abiding Sri Lankans who would naturally spread themselves laterally to become global. That is the judgment of Karma.

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

29 December  2019

DEVOLUTION OR DEVELOPMENT?

The new President of Sri Lanka is not able to project Devolution but confirms ability to project Development in Tamil areas. The experience of war would have helped share the truth of  the group on behalf of whom the current President participated directly in the war. Those people have honoured Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa by electing him as their President. Hence one is entitled to conclude that majority Sinhalese are not able to envision devolution despite the war and the conflict with Muslims. The ability to consciously practice Equal Opportunity values is the cost of that choice.

To the extent Tamils opposed this group in the past they are Sri Lankans through Politics also. Hence the root cause of Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency includes Tamils who waged armed war despite the serious threat to their lives. Any punishment to those within that ‘Opposition’ area – is a natural demotion to the one who so punishes.

Relatively speaking, Tamils would not have this difficulty with Sinhalese who are majority by numbers. But LTTE  did manifest it with Muslims.

In his Daily Mirror article ‘The Tamil problem can’t be resolved either way, but can be managed’, Ranga Jayasuriya reports about the declaration by the new President:

 “Devolution of power is a lie and most are opposed to it,” he  told a meeting of heads of media organizations recently adding that ‘reconciliation can be achieved through broad development’.   

The truth in the mind that is committed to Sri Lanka manifests Itself  to connect the current Government to Post Tsunami Development work by this government. In my recent articles I have been connecting Tsunami to the internal war in Sri Lanka. As a global person, the deeper I sought through my own true experience -   the nearer I was taken to the parallel global experience. Today, my attention was drawn to the paper headed ‘Sri Lanka: Country in Perspective’ by Dr  Ernest Allan Gunasekara-Rockwell of Air University Press‎ to Military Research & Writing Specialists. Dr  Ernest Allan Gunasekara-Rockwell states in that paper:

[Recent Events

Conclusion of the Civil War

In 2004, the commander of LTTE forces in eastern Sri Lanka, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan (known at the time as Colonel Karuna), split with the group’s leadership and began a dialog with the government. This removed eastern Sri Lanka from combat and significantly reduced LTTE’s resources. That same year, a massive tsunami devastated coastal communities throughout the Indian Ocean, including Sri Lanka]

I had the divine call to go to Batticaloa to be with the victims of Tsunami. I however discovered  that the folks were actually mourning the loss of their sons and worse were fearful of expressing such feelings due to Army presence. The Tsunami-cover helped them cry and mourn. I felt that their pain was mine and my proposals to fund them – presented to Madam Kumaratunga who was then President – were approved. Those folks who also believe in Kathiragama Murugan, attribute the credit to me – the person through whom they communicated to the President – their true pain. That is the power of common belief.

This I believe is  the root experience that gave me the insight into the connection between Tsunami and the War.

If the Government had made that connection – they would not have punished Northern Tamils but would have left it to their own Karma which divided the East from North in terms of military power. But Truth has its own way.

[In 26 July 2004, Muralitharan broke away from the Tamil Tigers after he alleged they were ignoring the interests of the eastern Tamil people, and claimed to have renounced violence at this point. This move by Karuna, to break away from the LTTE and renounce terrorism has been claimed to be one of the major turning points that brought about the end of the two and a half decade conflict. He turned away and helped to capture LTTE bases. Deputy Minister Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana has been hailed as being instrumental in Karuna renouncing terrorism, who in turn joined the democratic mainstream.

The LTTE alleged that the real reason he broke way was because the LTTE's intelligence wing was closing in on him for alleged financial and personal misconduct, terming his break a "temporary aberration". The Tigers reacted to his defection by launching attacks against Muralitharan's forces, and heavy clashes ensued. They claimed to have fully evicted his forces from the area he controlled in mid-2004.

However his group, dubbed the Karuna Faction by the media, continued to maintain a stronghold in the southeast of Sri Lanka with a force estimated to number a few hundred. They also regularly attacked the LTTE. In 2006 the Sri Lankan armed forces launched a major campaign to evict the LTTE from the east of the country, with the assistance of the Karuna Faction. They succeeded in clearing the east of Sri Lanka by July 2007.

Karuna has alleged that Prabhakaran intentionally dragged out peace talks so that the rebels could use the cessation in hostilities to re-arm for further combat.

He has said that the LTTE has lost 70% of its fighting capacity due to his TMVP group separating from the LTTE]

I met Karuna through the UNDP project in 2003. As per my assessment – he was clever but lacked the discipline to stay within his true borders. Hence the conflict with Prabhakaran in terms of ‘developing’ heirs by enjoying less than his share of the benefits earned - financial and other pleasures.  By splitting – Karuna resigned himself to the fate of his group. This fate / karma included strong dose of financial mismanagement which combined forces with the Rajapaksas.

On 27 August 2016, DBS Jeyaraj published Vimukthi Yapa’s article ‘Fresh Action Must be Initiated Against the Alleged Corruption of Mahinda Rajapaksa in the “Helping Hambantota” Affair.’  This highlights to the true service provider in support of Tsunami victims the karma that has come with  Karuna to the Rajapaksas:

[The details of the Helping Hambantota scandal took the media by storm. The colossal sum of Rs 82,958,247.70 in tsunami aid being siphoned away from an irregular government account into a private account controlled by the presidential candidate’s family seriously jeopardized Mahinda Rajapaksa’s chances of victory. What is more, the Helping Hambantota account was irregular on multiple levels. It breached several Financial Regulations, including FR170, FR323 and FR321. It also breached Circular PA/272. It came as no surprise then, that on July 18, UNP parliamentarian Kabir Hashim made a complaint to the CID based on our reports, which contained remarkably detailed information including bank-account and cheque numbers. A CID investigation was duly launched, very likely with the concurrence of President Kumaratunga.]

As an inalienable  member of Jaffna  Tamil Community – I believe that LTTE  in 2005 – sold the voting rights of Tamils in 2005 to the Rajapaksas and thus invited them to defeat his group in 2009. One driven by loyalty to Jaffna would never have done so.

Hambantota also lost itself to Chinese due to the weakness of their leaders who lacked the strength to prevent temptation to enjoy pleasures way above  their earnings. Cleverness without caring leads to such weaknesses. During the Presidential Election 2019 campaign there was lack of Diversity based opposition demonstrated by Mr Premadasa – which to my mind was due to Mr Premadasa being a junior in Hambantota – relative to Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The dynamics between the two failed to confirm diversity – strong enough to OPPOSE. Hambantota needs a very strong mind to recover from the sell-out.

A Sri Lankan from Hambantota lack the power to Devolve Hambantota powers, leave alone Sri Lankan Powers. Hence the President is being honest. As for Development – Tamils would be stronger Sri Lankans by saying no to development funds that come through those who specialize in quid pro quo deals.

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

28 December  2019

VADDUKODDAI RESOLUTION & BUDDHISM FOREMOST

As requested by me – my husband went looking for the hose in our storage area. He said it was not there. A few hours later – I went for a walk and when returning to your home unit – thought of looking for the hose myself. I had in mind – the enclosed part of the storage area. But as I neared that area, I started walking towards a big basket in the open area of our storage space. As I started looking I kept going deeper and deeper into the basket. There it was! This was because I was seeking and my husband was merely looking though surface memory because in this activity he did not have deep memory that comes with experience. As I explained to my husband later – that hose was the consolidated experience of its core purpose not only here in our Coogee home but also in Thunaivi- Vaddukoddai where a big part of her was taken personally by me to facilitate temple activities which are needed to preserve the ownership of that land which was at risk of being illegally occupied by the folks in that area who were empowered by arms during the war. When we go deeper and deeper into an issue we become that. Hence the Hindu saying -  Tat tvam Asi / Thou Art That .

ITAK – the largest Tamil Political party in Sri Lanka - celebrated 70 years on 18 December:

‘ The Speech on the Seventieth Anniversary of the Federal Party on 18 Dec. 2019 at the Young Artistes Forum Jaffna by M.A. Sumanthiran MP, PC, Associate Secretary General, Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi’  was published yesterday by Daily Mirror.

Mr Sumanthiran included the following in that speech:

[After the year 1970, after withdrawing from efforts to promulgate the First Republican Constitution, ITAK’s Non-cooperation and Civil Disobedience struggle reached a climax. From the time Thanthai Chelva resigned from his Parliamentary seat, the idea that we are not bound by the republican constitution gained wide currency and strength among Tamils.
 As an outgrowth of that development, the Tamil United Front was formed and the latter soon became the Tamil United Liberation Front at the 1976 Convention where the Vaddukoddai Resolution was adopted. As a consequence of our just demands for federalism being ignored and sidelined by the state, that watershed Vaddukoddai Resolution emphasised that we would re-establish our sovereignty that we lost to Europeans in our colonial history. As a result of that resolution the Secretary General of ITAK and three of its MPs were arrested and charged, and tried before a bench of three High Court Judges, consisting of a Trial-at-Bar. 
Representing the accused were a team of three Queens Counsel led by Thanthai Chelva, the other two being G.G. Ponnamabalam and Murugesu Tiruchelvam. Besides these legal giants, 64 other lawyers also appeared for the defence. They argued that the Republican Constitution had no force in law and that the Emergency Regulations had not been properly promulgated. That Trial-at-Bar bench accepted the second of these arguments advanced by the accused and set them free. ]

Wikipedia presents the following picture in this regard:

[In 1972 the ITAK, ACTC and others formed the Tamil United Front (later renamed Tamil United Liberation Front). Amirthalingam was delivering leaflets along with other leading Tamil politicians (M. Sivasithamparam, V. N. Navaratnam, K. P. Ratnam and K. Thurairatnam) in 1976 when they were all arrested on government orders. Sivasithamparam was released but the others were taken to Colombo and tried for sedition. All the defendants were acquitted after a famous trial at bar case in which 72 Tamil lawyers including S. J. V. Chelvanayakam and G. G. Ponnambalam acted for the defence.]

There is a third dimension identified with by me through the following:

[Chockalinga Chittibabu commonly known as Mayor Chittibabu was an Indian politician and former Member of Parliament elected from Tamil Nadu. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Chengalpattu constituency as a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam candidate in 1967 and 1971 elections. He was first elected to the Madras Corporation in 1958 and was the Mayor of Madras in 1965. He was arrested under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act after Indira Gandhi declared emergency and the DMK government was dismissed in 1976.He was jailed along with DMK leaders and Chittibabu died of injuries and police torture suffered while trying to save M.K.Stalin in Central Prison, Madras .

The year of 1975 was a tough time for India and its democracy. That year, Indira Gandhi, the then Congress Prime Minister of India, declared Emergency on the Country, suppressing civil rights and unleashing a rein of terror.

MK Stalin a leader of DMK, was just beginning to step into politics. MK Stalin did not expect it to get as bad as it did end up becoming. C. Chittibabu, decided to accompany MK Stalin as both were taken away to prison. All top leaders were taken under arrest. He (Stalin) later recalled that "for that moment, it was comforting to see a few known faces." Having Chittibabu, Arcot Veerasamy, Neela Naryanan and V.S.Govindarajan around helped in dispelling the fear of uncertainty.

That relief would never last. Cramped cells, unhygienic floors and walls that served to urinate and heavily salted porridge with chillies for breakfast was enough to break the strongest man. Everyday, C. Chittibabu's family would try to visit and he himself tried his hardest to send letters. MK Stalin was singled out, one night, and was beaten in the most inhuman way by jail supervisors. They had not expected him to live to tell of this. Chittibabu lunged forward and took several of these blows. But they were fatal.] - Wikipedia

Whether we recognize it or not our true parents would continuously influence us and v.v. That is the way of Nature. In my yesterday’s article, I identified with a parent picture through the War between Athens & Sparta in Ancient Greece during which Tsunami happened. To my mind Sri Lanka is an heir of that Greece. Hence I received the following:

[In 416 B.C. — while the Buddha was alive and teaching the Dharma according to some sources — the Athenian navy launched an expedition against the island of Melos in the sixteenth year of the Peloponnesian War.  Before commencing their attack, the Athenians met with the Melians to try to arrange the terms of their surrender. The Melians, convinced of the justness of their cause, refused.  The Athenians then attacked with overwhelming force, slaying all their men of military age, and enslaving their women and children.

Thucydides, the great Athenian historian, reports (or rather imagines) a dialogue between the Athenians and Melians in which the Athenians argued, essentially, that might — along with the rational calculation of self-interest — made right. The Athenians rejected the argument that the gods would support Melos because of the justness of it’s cause:

 “When you speak of the favor of the gods, we may as fairly hope for that as yourselves…. Of the gods we believe, and of men we know, that by a necessary law of their nature they rule wherever they can. And it is not as if we were the first to make this law, or to act upon it when made: we found it existing before us, and shall leave it to exist for ever after us; all we do is to make use of it, knowing that you and everybody else, having the same power as we have, would do the same as we do.”] - MELIAN DIALOGUE- How Many Divisions Does The Buddha Have?

By Buddhist Publication Society
P.O. Box 61
54, Sangharaja Mawatha
Kandy, Sri Lanka

To my mind, both – the Indian Chittibabu experience and the above message were brought to me by my true belief as global minded Sri Lankan.

In 1972, the first Sri Lankan Constitution included the ‘Buddhism Foremost’ article as part of the Constitution. Until then, the land called Sri Lanka had its own customary laws – each community being like city-states of Athens and Sparta:

[During the so-called “Greek Dark Ages” before the Archaic period, people lived scattered throughout Greece in small farming villages. As they grew larger, these villages began to evolve. Some built walls. Most built a marketplace (an agora) and a community meeting place. They developed governments and organized their citizens according to some sort of constitution or set of laws. They raised armies and collected taxes. And every one of these city-states (known as poleis) was said to be protected by a particular god or goddess, to whom the citizens of the polis owed a great deal of reverence, respect and sacrifice. (Athens’s deity was Athena, for example; so was Sparta’s.) Ancient Greece - HISTORY.COM EDITORS]

 Article 3 of the 1972 Constitution stated:

[In the Republic of Sri Lanka sovereignty is in the People and is inalienable. ]

Only to the extent of one’s belief can one claim to be Sovereign. At that time – this would have included belief in the British laws which was commonly applicable to all.

Article 6 of the 1972 Constitution stated:

[The Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, while assuring to all religions the rights granted by Section 18(1)(d).]

Belief is Absolute/Sovereign  power. Sri Lankan Police Motto is [One who lives by the Dhamma is protected by the Dhamma itself].

 One who believes in Buddhism will be protected by Buddhism. One who believes in Hinduism, Islam or Christianity cannot be protected by Buddhism. Likewise, one who believes in Buddhism does not have the authority to empower any non-Buddhist in order to satisfy article 3. Article 6 of the 1972 Constitution and Article 9 of the current Constitution of Sri Lanka are ultra vires not only Article 3 but the principles of Democracy itself.

Buddhist Police therefore are not authorised to arrest non-Buddhists. The question I ask Mr Sumanthiran is “How come the Tamil Legal Giants ‘Thanthai Chelva, G.G. Ponnamabalam and Murugesu Tiruchelvam’  assisted by 64 lawyers did not raise this issue when their clients  were arrested and prosecuted?”

How come Mr Sumanthiran who is presented by Wikipedia as ‘one of Sri Lanka's top human rights and constitutional lawyers’ did not raise this issue during the 19^th Amendment when TNA was the leading Opposition in Parliament and ought to have had the insight of the People through the alternate pathway?

Neither Constitution is logically complete due to ‘Buddhism foremost’ requirement / order which is relative. A provision cannot be Absolute and Relative at the same time. Hence, as per the unwritten Constitution of Sri Lanka – we went back to our Customary laws and formed city-states. Even the 13^th Amendment was  invalid due to  Batticaloa Tamils being governed by Mukkuva law and Jaffna Tamils by Thesawalamai law.  Now that the two provinces are separated – by  Courts they qualify as per article 3.

Our karma travels with us and if we are not active in the current laws – karma manifests Itself for better or for worse. Vaddukoddai Resolution was in opposition to Sinhala-Buddhists who argued as the Athenians did back then: “When you speak of the favor of the gods, we may as fairly hope for that as yourselves…. Of the gods we believe, and of men we know, that by a necessary law of their nature they rule wherever they can. And it is not as if we were the first to make this law, or to act upon it when made: we found it existing before us, and shall leave it to exist for ever after us; all we do is to make use of it, knowing that you and everybody else, having the same power as we have, would do the same as we do.”

But Buddhist law does not permit Buddhists to rule over others. If it did – it makes a fallacy of Buddha’s teachings.

In turn when Armed Militants killed the Hon Appapillai Amirthalingam – that heritage of  non-violent opposition to Buddhism Foremost was killed and until that is addressed, no member of ITAK – including Mr Sumanthiran has the moral authority to refer to the Hon Chelvanayagam as Thanthai / Father.  The real inheritance is not the money nor status but the values through which one lived.  

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

27 December  2019

ALLI - RAANI SAYS YOU ARE WRONG MR SINHALESE PRESIDENT!

The report that LTTE Leader’s relative Mr Shivajilingam  has been summoned by Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) of the Sri Lankan Police appearing just above the article headed ‘Country should be prepared to handle natural disasters – President’ gives a true Sri Lankan – the true picture of a divided country. The Daily News reports as follows about the former:

[Former Northern Provincial Councillor MP Kanagalingam Sivajilingam was yesterday summoned to appear before the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID).

He was summoned to obtain a statement regarding a week-long commemoration programme to commemorate former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) members had been organised under the leadership of Sivajilingam held in the Vellamullivaikal area in Mullaitivu last May.]

Daily News reports as follows about the latter:

[President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka should be better prepared to handle natural disasters and respond to emergencies in the future.

While remembering the victims of the 2004 tsunami tragedy, in a media communiqué the President’s media unit said religious and other programmes were organised islandwide to remember the tsunami victims yesterday.

While remembering tsunami victims, President Rajapaksa had said it was important to be better prepared to face such natural calamities in the future and also new technology should be used to good effect in such endeavours.

“The tsunami tragedy is the worst natural disaster faced by Sri Lanka to date. We should never forget the victims or the devastation caused by the tragedy.]

Wikipedia presents the cause of Tsunami as follows:

[The Ancient Greek historian Thucydides suggested in his 5th century BC History of the Peloponnesian War that tsunamis were related to submarine earthquakes]

The above strongly indicates connection between war and Tsunami. As per Wikipedia account  however, the President, must be referring to the Sinhala part of the Island as Sri Lanka. But history says otherwise:

[Kudiramalai shares the legends of the Tamil queen Alli Raani with Mannar; during her rule, major changes to the western coastline occurred. According to legend, she often travelled from Kudiramalai to Mannar and traded Mannar pearls for horses from Arabia; this is how the port town acquired its name. Although the Gulf of Mannar inundated much of Kudiramalai in a cyclone or tsunami, a portion of the walls of Queen Alli's palace are still visible. An ancient, cave-like structure is at the upper part of the palace wall's entrance. According to Alexander Johnston, he had a history of Queen Alli (who ruled northwestern Sri Lanka 1,800 years before him ]

Alli as per my understanding is flower in  lotus family. Raani = Queen.

Sir Alexander Johnston was the third Chief Justice of Ceylon. Wikipedia confirms Sir Alexander Johnston’s neutrality as follows:

[Johnston was responsible for bringing the Mahavamsa, Sri Lanka's historical epic, to European attention when he sent manuscripts of it and other Sinhala chronicles to Europe for publication during his tenure as Chief Justice.  Jonhston encouraged the translation of the Mahavamsa and other works in order to bring British colonial law into alignment with local traditions and values]

The land never forgets. Those who are true to the land will be protected and supported by that land. If we systematically follow the pathway of truth experienced by us – we would cross the border between current and past. That truth that we carry from the present would then provide the insight through the structures of the past. If the current President of Sri Lanka was carrying such a truth of current Sri Lanka – he would have identified with the following structure of  Tamil  Rule in Ceylon which continues to carry the karma of war from the past:

[By the medieval period, the capital moved from Kudiramalai to Nallur. Nearby Puttalam was the medieval Jaffna kingdom's second capital during the pearling season, and increased fishing activity was noted along the banks between Kudiramalai and Mannar.

Mukkuvar Tamils began migrating from Kilakarai in mainland Tamilakkam to Kudiramalai and other Malabar cities (such as Puttalam and Jaffna) of the northern kingdom during the eighth century. The Shaivites fled to the west coast from mainland Tamilakkam to escape forced conversion to Islam. In return for aid from Arabs in a struggle with a rival chief, many embraced Islam. During the 16th-century increase in Portuguese influence, many of the Mukkuvars converted to Christianity.]

The connection between Easter Bombings and the karma of this area through Alli-Raani is highlighted  through the account of Alli-Raani traveling from Kudiramalai in West to Akkaraipattu in East:

[Alli Raani ruled over the in western and northern coasts of Sri Lanka and controlled there the pearl fishery.  According to local traditions did the gulf of Arasadi have no opening towards the north, but communicated with the sea by a channel running in the line of the present Chilaw canal. Alli Raani used to proceed from Kudiramalai to Akkaraipattu by land. A great flood submerged greater parts of land, subsequently leaving Arasadi on a narrow split of land, forming the present Puttalam Lagoon and destroying her palace]

As per New York Times article ‘These Attacks Could Target Catholic Churches’: The Warning That Sri Lankan Officials Failed to Heed:

·       [Information has been received that persons known as Zaharan Hashmi and Shahid are currently in hiding in Oluvil in the Akkaraipattu region after the incidents of damaging religious statues in Mawanella in December 26, 2018.

·       A person known as Rilwan has been identified as a younger brother of Zaharan, and the main recruiter of followers around Zaharan - by the name of Mohamed Cassim Mohammed Rilwan NIC No. 903432624V residing at [address redacted], of the Kattankudy Police Division

It has been found that this individual is currently in hiding after a clash between NTJ and another religious organization in Kattankudy on March 10, 2018. Even while in hiding he has been working to build followers for Zaharan in Akkaraipattu, Kuliyapitiya, Puttalam, Mawanella and Thihariya and is currently residing in the home of one his close associates in the Oluvil Region.]

The Muslim connection to those who came to Kudiramalai from India’s Kilakarai is highlighted above. Mukkuva Law applicable to Batticaloa Tamils is the Batticaloa parallel of  Thesawalamai law applicable to Jaffna Tamils. The land based relationship from India is thus carried by Tamils and Muslims living in harmony in Kilakarai where a third dimension is not activated.

The Peloponnesian War in relation to which Tsunami has been mentioned by Ancient Greek historian Thucydides was between Athens & Sparta. It happened during the war period (431–404 BC) of 27 years and like in the case of Sri Lankan war, is also referred to as a 30 year war. Wikipedia reports as follows:

[The Malian Gulf tsunami was caused by one of a series of earthquakes in the summer of 426 BC which affected the course of the Peloponnesian War by forcing the advancing Spartans to abort their planned invasion of Attica.  Strabo reported that throughout Greece parts of islands were submerged, rivers permanently displaced and towns devastated.  The tsunami itself hit the coast of the Malian Gulf at three different places, reaching towns as far as three quarters of a mile inland.  The force of the tsunami was such that at one place a trireme was lifted out of its dock and thrown over a city wall.

Thucydides gave the following account, noting the characteristic sequence of quake, receding water and huge wave:

About the same time that these earthquakes were so common, the sea at Orobiae, in Euboea, retiring from the then line of coast, returned in a huge wave and invaded a great part of the town, and retreated leaving some of it still under water; so that what was once land is now sea; such of the inhabitants perishing as could not run up to the higher ground in time. A similar inundation also occurred at Atalanta, the island off the Opuntian-Locrian coast, carrying away part of the Athenian fort and wrecking one of two ships which were drawn up on the beach. At Peparethus also the sea retreated a little, without however any inundation following; and an earthquake threw down part of the wall, the town hall, and a few other buildings.

...

The cause, in my opinion, of this phenomenon must be sought in the earthquake. At the point where its shock has been the most violent the sea is driven back, and suddenly recoiling with redoubled force, causes the inundation. Without an earthquake I do not see how such an accident could happen.]

That is the past connection to Tsunami about which the Sri Lankan President spoke. Mr Sivajilingam seems to have been more focused on War Heroes and hence the summons from TID.  Wikipedia  presents the Funeral Oration of the Greek war as follows:

[The Funeral Oration is significant because it differs from the usual form of Athenian funeral speeches.  David Cartwright describes it as "a eulogy of Athens itself...".  The speech glorifies Athens' achievements, designed to stir the spirits of a state still at war.

Proemium  

The speech begins by praising the custom of the public funeral for the dead, but criticises the inclusion of the speech, arguing that the "reputations of many brave men" should "not be imperilled in the mouth of a single individual".^[11] Pericles argues that the speaker of the oration has the impossible task of satisfying the associates of the dead, who would wish that their deeds be magnified, while everyone else might feel jealous and suspect exaggeration.

Praise of the dead in war

Pericles begins by praising the dead, as the other Athenian funeral orations do, by regard the ancestors of present-day Athenians, touching briefly on the acquisition of the empire.

At this point, however, Pericles departs most dramatically from the example of other Athenian funeral orations and skips over the great martial achievements of Athens' past: "That part of our history which tells of the military achievements which gave us our several possessions, or of the ready valour with which either we or our fathers stemmed the tide of Hellenic or foreign aggression, is a theme too familiar to my hearers for me to dwell upon, and I shall therefore pass it by." Instead, Pericles proposes to focus on "the road by which we reached our position, the form of government under which our greatness grew, and the national habits out of which it sprang". This amounts to a focus on present-day Athens; Thucydides' Pericles thus decides to praise the war dead by glorifying the city for which they died.

The greatness of Athens

"If we look to the laws, they afford equal justice to all in their private differences...if a man is able to serve the state, he is not hindered by the obscurity of his condition. The freedom we enjoy in our government extends also to our ordinary life. There, far from exercising a jealous surveillance over each other, we do not feel called upon to be angry with our neighbour for doing what he likes..."^[14] These lines form the roots of the famous phrase "equal justice under law." The liberality of which Pericles spoke also extended to Athens' foreign policy: "We throw open our city to the world, and never by alien acts exclude foreigners from any opportunity of learning or observing, although the eyes of an enemy may occasionally profit by our liberality..."^[15] Yet Athens' values of equality and openness do not, according to Pericles, hinder Athens' greatness, indeed, they enhance it, "...advancement in public life falls to reputations for capacity, class considerations not being allowed to interfere with merit...our ordinary citizens, though occupied with the pursuits of industry, are still fair judges of public matters...at Athens we live exactly as we please, and yet are just as ready to encounter every legitimate danger."

In the climax of his praise of Athens, Pericles declares: "In short, I say that as a city we are the school of Hellas; while I doubt if the world can produce a man, who, where he has only himself to depend upon, is equal to so many emergencies, and graced by so happy a versatility as the Athenian." Finally, Pericles links his praise of the city to the dead Athenians for whom he is speaking, "...for the Athens that I have celebrated is only what the heroism of these and their like have made her...none of these men allowed either wealth with its prospect of future enjoyment to unnerve his spirit, or poverty with its hope of a day of freedom and riches to tempt him to shrink from danger. No, holding that vengeance upon their enemies was more to be desired than any personal blessings, and reckoning this to be the most glorious of hazards, they joyfully determined to accept the risk... Thus, choosing to die resisting, rather than to live submitting, they fled only from dishonour..."^[18] The conclusion seems inevitable: "Therefore, having judged that to be happy means to be free, and to be free means to be brave, do not shy away from the risks of war". With the linkage of Athens' greatness complete, Pericles moves to addressing his audience.

Praise for the military of Athens

In his speech, Pericles states that he had been emphasising the greatness of Athens in order to convey that the citizens of Athens must continue to support the war, to show them that what they were fighting for was of the utmost importance. To help make his point he stated that the soldiers whom he was speaking of gave their lives to a cause to protect the city of Athens, its citizens, and its freedom. He praised Athens for its attributes that stood out amongst their neighbours such as its democracy when he elaborates that trust is justly placed on the citizens rather than relying only on the system and the policy of the city. Where citizens boast a freedom that differs from their enemies' the Lacedaemonians. He regards the soldiers who gave their lives as truly worth of merit. That if anyone should ask, they should look at their final moments when they gave their lives to their country and that should leave no doubt in the mind of the doubtful. He explained that fighting for one's country was a great honour, and that it was like wearing a cloak that concealed any negative implications because his imperfections would be outweighed by his merits as a citizen. He praises the soldiers for not faltering in their execution during the war. That the soldiers put aside their desires and wishes for the greater cause. Because as they are described by Pericles, Athenian citizens were distinct from the citizens of other nations – they were open minded, tolerant, and ready to understand and follow orders. Where their system of democracy allowed them to have a voice amongst those who made important decisions that would affect them. Therefore, he proceeds to point out that the greatest honour and act of valour in Athens is to live and die for freedom of the state Pericles believed was different and more special than any other neighbouring city]

To my mind, Tamil Community backed by India is the parallel of Athens and Sinhalese government  limited to its own forces is the parallel of Sparta

Dr John  Nash of Australian National University opens his paper - SEA POWER IN THE PELOPONNESIAN WAR – as follows:

[The Peloponnesian War (431–404 BCE) was one of the defining conflicts of the ancient Greek world. It involved almost all the Greek city-states, aligned with one of the two main protagonists, Athens and Sparta. Conventionally it is seen as a war between a great land power, Sparta, and a great sea power, Athens. The effect of viewing the war in this way is to give less prominence to the place of sea power in the conduct of the war, with that element viewed as relevant to only one side. Many scholars acknowledge that Athenian war strategy was primarily a maritime strategy and that Sparta only defeated Athens once the former had embraced the use of sea power against the latter.]

The following by Wikipedia further confirms that the Tamil community’s LTTE lead forces are the parallel of Athens:

[The Peloponnesian War reshaped the ancient Greek world. On the level of international relations, Athens, the strongest city-state in Greece prior to the war's beginning, was reduced to a state of near-complete subjection, while Sparta became established as the leading power of Greece. The economic costs of the war were felt all across Greece; poverty became widespread in the Peloponnese, while Athens was completely devastated, and never regained its pre-war prosperity.  The war also wrought subtler changes to Greek society; the conflict between democratic Athens and oligarchic Sparta, each of which supported friendly political factions within other states, made war a common occurrence in the Greek world.]

That which we humans lose control over becomes Nature, for better or for worse. We can protect ourselves from the devastation of Nature by learning from others and/or our own past. To my mind, like the Ancient Greek war – the Sri Lankan  war is closely linked to Tsunami as an effect. Hence when the President advises us to prepare against Tsunami – we need also to prepare against another war.