Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

02 December  2019

KARMA OF ETHNIC ISSUE

 Professor Ramu Manivannan emphasized the need for Sri Lankan Tamils to challenge and remove politically, blocks to our path to self-governance as a Tamil Nation. I identify with the value in this. Towards this we need to – as a community – ensure that that pathway is not polluted. Many leaders were last month questioned about memorial services in honour War Heroes.

To me it is no coincidence that the memorial is in November – the month dedicated to souls as well as Lord Murugan by Hindus.  Kathirgamam in Southern Sri Lanka, near  Hambantota  is considered sacred due to Lord Murugan. Tamil militant community as dedicated  27 November to honour its heroes.

Like the Gay community, militant communities have become a special group with their own positives and negatives. Where they are able to function on their own, without being unlawful – it is beneficial to the Government to facilitate their diversity – the way gay communities are protected by law in many developed nations. To my mind the positive reason is victims of injustice accumulating positive karma by living within their own little space. When alienated their power is lost to the whole.

The current President of Sri Lanka was elected to share his governance power with the whole of Sri Lanka and not just the Sinhala-Buddhist community. His expressions have confirmed that in his natural mode – he would act to fulfil the wishes of the Sinhala-Buddhist community. But by stating that the 19^th Amendment to the Constitution which curtailed the Executive powers of the President was a failure (Colombo Page report – Sri Lanka President ready to abolish 19^th Amendment if given two thirds majority in Parliament) the President further subdivides and limits himself to only a section of that Sinhala Buddhist community. Majority in that group led by Mr Wickremesinghe,  which  improved the democratic value of Sri Lanka through the 19^th Amendment are also Sinhala Buddhists. Their contributions are being brought to the gallows. But their spirit will continue as sacred or ghost.

The President is reported to have stated ‘The 19th amendment (passed in 2015) is a failure and if we get 2/3rds majority in parliament we will drop it from the constitution. The only way you can even make the 19th amendment work is with two brothers’

As per my interpretation, the 19^th Amendment, prevented the Rajapaksa regime coming to power through the backdoor. It upheld Democracy. It prevented also the current President from taking on the position of Defence Minister – which would be a promotion from his war-time position. To my mind, UNP invoked the power of Sri Lankan politicians who were committed to the law  and whose contributions to Sri Lanka have become absolute powers. Belief is absolute power. Every true Sri Lankan would invoke this power naturally when s/he/Sri Lanka  is in need. The 19^th Amendment became a reality due to such power.

Recently when discussing our own family issue in relation to a testamentary matter – I said to my husband, that even though we have spent and not received money – we have clearly established that the ‘system’ must declare our share and not our ‘juniors’ who are indebted to us. This applies not only to politicians who ‘tell’ law-abiding citizens but also to a leader elected by majority in relation  to an unelected governor who governs her-himself. The 19^th Amendment confirmed our democratic space – however small it may seem, relative to majority opinion.

As for the 13^th Amendment, the new President is reported to have stated as follows:

[He said full devolution of powers as promised by the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1987 could not be implemented "against the wishes and feeling of the majority [Sinhala] community."

"Anyone who is promising something against the majority's will is untrue. No Sinhala will say, don't develop the area, or don't give jobs, but political issues are different."]

The 13^th Amendment, so long as it remains in force – confirms the ‘Sovereignty of the People’ as stipulated by Article 3 of the Constitution.  It considers  the whole of Sri Lanka taken as One.  If someone does not Feel that  Tamils and Muslims are a part of her/himself – s/he is NOT Sri Lankan by belief.  To fill that ‘gap’ law requires conscious inclusion – like in any commercial agreement with China.

Article 3 :

[In the Republic of Sri Lanka sovereignty is in the People and is inalienable. Sovereignty includes the powers of government, fundamental rights and the franchise.]

To my mind, neither Sinhala Nationalists nor Tamil Nationalists are Sri Lankan Nationals confirming Sovereignty referred to in Article 3. Radicalization happens when one gives up travel along the common pathway living in small space for example an independent gay person living exclusively within the gay community – but exerting power outside that local area. The bigger group is poorer by excluding such community – especially where as small community group – they are honest with each other – confirming  sovereignty of relationships.

If the Tamil community is such a community,  Sinhalese who alienate them are losers. The voting pattern in the recent Presidential elections have clearly confirmed that Tamils & Muslims believe that they are such a group.

This need not be proven to anyone. To the extent they  use common Sri Lankan resources – they have the duty  to contribute consciously to common life through stated laws. But there is no compulsion for us to live as Sri Lankans or to obey Sinhala nationalists. The same law would therefore be interpreted by the diverse groups as per their own karma.

Karma is the truth of our past. Karma leads us when our current efforts are weak. To the extent Mr Gotabhaya Rajapaksa by belief did not consider LTTE and its community to be Sri Lankans – he needed to ensure that the law was strictly applied during the war. If jungle rules were followed – civilians ought to have been first vacated from the war-zone. To the extent this did not happen – every civilian who died added her/his value raised to the power of Sovereign Sri Lankan. Not so the government soldier who used power that s/he had not earned by belief and / or commitment to the Sri Lankan law – including the 13^th Amendment which was already in force during the 2009 war. Accordingly as per article 22 of the Constitution – the war Administration ought to have been in Tamil:

[22. (1) Sinhala and Tamil shall be the languages of administration throughout Sri Lanka and Sinhala shall be the language of administration and be used for the maintenance of public records and the transaction of all business by public institutions of all the Provinces of Sri Lanka other than the Northern and Eastern Provinces where Tamil shall be so used ]

Did the soldiers use Tamil during the war? Every breach demotes the person who took oath. That karma precedes one who lacks wisdom in the current structure.

Like English being the link language – Sri Lankans are the bridges between genuine Tamil and Sinhala nationalists. Like community laws that ‘include’ gays and protect the mainstream from their curse – militants also need laws to protect their special achievements.

Like the person and place – every issue also has its karma. The ethnic issue carries its karma independent of the leader.  One who respects the truth of the past would be supported by positive karma. One driven by benefits and losses of the past – would be punished by the Karmic system