Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

31 January  2020

LTTE ARE NOT FOREIGNERS TO TAMILS

Majority Sri Lankans  believe in the system of Karma. Most cultures believe in the system under different names and forms. As a Hindu I grew up in an environment where Dharma was important. Wikipedia presents Dharma as follows:

[In Hinduism, dharma signifies behaviors that are considered to be in accord with Ṛta, the order that makes life and universe possible, and includes duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues and "right way of living". In Buddhism, dharma means "cosmic law and order", and is also applied to the teachings of Buddha. In Buddhist philosophy, dhamma/dharma is also the term for "phenomena"]

As per my experience, Dharma explains why something happens. Often we take the last person who manifests an outcome as the reason. But positive or negative there are other influences that contribute to a manifestation at that time at that place. The time and place influences are largely in terms of ‘form’. The root is formless Energy.

Wrongs could be corrected within the boundaries of the structures through which they were manifested. Beyond that they cannot be directly controlled or managed by us. They merge or oppose naturally other Energies.

There is a phrase in Tamil Ramayanam – ‘Indru Poi Naalai Vaa’ / Go today and come back tomorrow. This was stated by Rama to Lanka’s king Ravana who was without Arms. As per the Dharma of War – Rama refused to fight against someone who was unarmed. THAT to me is Dharma.

As per Island report ‘Colombo District Organiser of Viyath Maga speaks bluntly about their prime objective’:

[The new government had put a mega development drive in motion and there would be no turning back without achieving its goal of making the country on par with developed nations, Colombo District Organizer of the Viyath Maga organisation and Colombo District Urban Development Organiser Anura Fernando said.

Addressing a ceremony held at Kotahena on Monday where he declared open an operational office, Fernando said: "When the rest of the world was standing against us we won the war because people were with us. When the final campaign against LTTE was in progress, all patriots supported it from their hearts and minds. They knew it was their last chance to get the country free from the scourge of terrorism. The entire nation was mobilized and was focused on a single goal. We won it and in the very same way we will develop this country within few years. We see the same enthusiasm in people. This is the last chance to develop this nation. We will not get any other chance. All we need is to work for that single goal."]

The phrase ‘When the rest of the world was standing against us we won the war’  was presented by someone who is close to the current President. This means that this Viyath Maga leader  is confirming that he also contributed to winning the war and also that the ‘rest of the world was  standing against them’. This is his interpretation and to the extent he holds high status in common organizations with the President – one is entitled to take that as the President’s status also. That would explain why the current government is indicating withdrawing from the commitment made in relation to accountability in terms of Human Rights breaches during the  war.

In the meantime as per NDTV report ‘Kamal Nath Announces Grand Sita Temple To Be Constructed In Sri Lanka:

[The Madhya Pradesh government has announced the construction of a grand Sita temple in Sri Lanka, apart from an international level Buddha Museum in Sanchi according to Chief Minister Kamal Nath.]

Since the ‘Rest of the World’ includes India – as per Dharma – there ought to be no partnership with India by the Government that won the war despite India being against it. If it was only against the LTTE it was disciplinary action  by the government, similar to the actions against the JVP. To become a ‘war’ the other side was considered  an enemy and the community that the enemy belonged to was ‘foreign’. As per the above report:

[According to news agency ANI, the Chief Minister made the announcement on Monday in a meeting held with the delegation of Mahabodhi society, led by Banagla Uptisa, and Public Relations Minister in the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet, PC Sharma.

According to a press release, Chief Minister Kamal Nath has asked for the formation of a committee, which will have representatives from Madhya Pradesh and Sri Lanka government along with members of the Mahabodhi society, to oversee the construction of the Sita temple in a time-bound manner.]

Wikipedia presents Maha Bodhi Society  as follows:

[The Maha Bodhi Society is a South Asian Buddhist society founded by the Sri Lankan Buddhist leader Anagarika Dharmapala and the British journalist and poet Sir Edwin Arnold. The organization's self-stated initial efforts were for the resuscitation of Buddhism in India, and restoring the ancient Buddhist shrines at Bodh Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinara]

The above plan for Sita Temple seems a quid pro quo confirmed as follows:

During the course of the meeting, Kamal Nath asked for expedited approval for land to construct the Buddha Museum-cum-training and education centre in Sanchi.

PC Sharma also informed the Chief Minister about his interactions regarding the temple with the Sri Lanka government during his recent visit to the island nation.]
 
On 06 January 2020, the Times of India reported as follows :

[‘President Rajapaksa expressed happiness over the proposal of a cultural exchange programme based on folk culture programme based on folk culture between Sri Lanka and India. The President of Sri Lanka also agreed to the proposal of starting Bhopal-Colombo direct air service," said Sharma in a statement here.]

Sita is Hindu deity and the Buddhist President has no moral authority to meddle in the affairs of Hindu culture.  Sita temple is not a trading commodity in the custody of  Buddhists and likewise Buddha Museum is not a trading commodity in the custody of Hindu political leaders. The right comes from the People – the Believers – Hindus in Sri Lanka and Buddhists in India respectively. No government has any greater power than that.

On that basis LTTE belongs to the Tamil community and JVP to the Sinhala community. No government has the right to trade in their memorials. If LTTE were considered Sri Lankan, the actions against them and associated Tamils by government forces would not have been so hideous. The Tamil community does consider the LTTE to be Freedom Fighters and through such we have also eliminated the caste based negative karma that we were carrying until the Armed rebellion. We are now clean of that karma.

To the extent the Sri Lankan Government celebrates victory in that war – it acquires the caste based wins that Tamils took unjustly. It changed form due to community based displacement and hence the current attitude towards Muslims – to which the LTTE also contributed .

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

30 January  2020

SINHALESE NATIONAL ANTHEM?

[I think requesting or threatening someone to write a language as his or her mother tongue is wrong. No one can be forced or lured to write a language as his or her mother tongue. It is important what a person chooses to be] Mr Abdul Khaleque  - Congress MP - Barpeta , Assam

By singing the National Anthem in Sinhala language, Sinhalese confirm that  that they are Sinhala Nationalists. Likewise Tamils in Tamil and Burghers in English. As Mr Abdul Khaleque has stated – it is the citizen’s prerogative to confirm her/his nationalism. Like different religions one is entitled by the Constitution to sing the National Anthem in her/his own language. Article 14 (1) (f) of the Constitution provides as follows:

[Every citizen is entitled to the freedom by himself or in association with others to enjoy and promote his own culture and to use his own language]

But a subdued mind would be brainwashed to please the custodian of power. As per the Telegraph :

[Khaleque’s statement came days after Assam cabinet minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the BJP would create an atmosphere where immigrant Muslims would not dare to say that they were not Assamese, and the Asam Sahitya Sabha and Opposition AIUDF appealed to immigrant Muslims to write Assamese as mother tongue in 2021 census.]

The parallel of this mindset in Sri Lanka was observed in Mr Ali Sabry – the current President’s legal representative. This effectively weakens the provisions under 14 (1) (f).

Sri Lanka is referred to as ‘Matha / Mother’ in the national anthem. If Sri Lanka is to be a nation and this is to be confirmed through the National Anthem – then it must be expressed in each person’s mother tongue. At Government level it needs to be expressed in the languages of all those who contributed to national governance through their own cultures.  If this is cumbersome then as per the principles of democracy the mother language of the smallest minority needs to be used – as in Affirmative action. This is English in Sri Lanka. To the extent we use English law – we use English minds. By using English – we respect those minds and therefore inherit their structures. By artificially painting the surface with our own language of convenience – we fail to develop deep thinking as per the inherited laws.

In his article ‘Why 19A must be revised but not repealed’ Dr Dayan Jayatilleke makes the following :

[In his extensive and repeated remarks on Sri Lanka over decades, right up to the year of his death, the most sagacious of Asian statesmen Lee Kuan Yew praised Ceylon’s independent public service as one of the several factors that put it way ahead of most countries at the time of Independence. We dismantled that public service, starting with the abolition of the Ceylon Civil Service and ending with the scrapping of the independent Public Service Commission with the adoption of the 1972 Republican Constitution]

Mr Lee Kuan Yew was a hard working leader who developed new governance structures on the basis of his own inheritance which included the British mind. Not so the Sri Lankan politicians who were fearful of Tamils amongst them. The fear happened due to converting heritage as benefits. Where the structure becomes weak – our conduct becomes more and more unregulated. This is the reason for moving towards Business Unit approach in Democratic Public Service. The parallel of that is the recognition of each community as an independent unit.

The truth as per my experience  is that I do not understand Sanskrit but with certain mantras  I feel uplifted. The power of the mantra is in the Sound (Energy). The feeling of ownership of a true believer is also an Energy usually Light – as in visual relationship. The two Energies combine when they meet through us.

As per the Island article ‘NPC wants quick decision from President on singing of national anthem in Tamil’:

[The National Peace Council (NPC) yesterday urged President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to decide whether the national anthem will be sung in Tamil on Independence Day as soon as possible.

"An issue that has surfaced and which is causing heartburn among Tamil-speaking citizens is the likelihood that the national anthem will not be sung in Tamil at the forthcoming National Independence Day celebrations. Government members have been making contradictory statements on this issue. Some of them have openly declared that the national anthem will not be sung in Tamil on this occasion whereas Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that no final decision has been taken on this matter," the NPC said in a statement.]

As per Article 157A(1) of the Constitution, which became effective after the Black July massacre in 1983 –

[No person shall, directly or indirectly, in or outside Sri Lanka, support, espouse, promote, finance, encourage or advocate the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka]

Separate State is confirmed when a particular area is given ‘form’ and is completely separated in terms of Government. Since the Sovereignty of the Nation known as Sri Lanka comes from its People – all those who have actually achieved that goal by identifying with their Sovereignty – naturally contribute to that power of the whole. This is inalienable soul-power. Any person or group that acts to deny this power is guilty of separation. The above was not in the Constitution in 1956 when the Sinhala Only language Act was introduced. By objecting to it intellectually and non-violently – Tamils contributed to maintaining the Sovereignty that we had already contributed to. When that which is common is separated – the damage is exponential. Hence the violence.

The above provision through the 6^th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution happened due also to the ‘separatism’ interpretation of the Vaddukoddai Resolution 1976, by rebels who felt they have to ‘show’ to confirm ownership.

After the 13^th Amendment claiming Sinhala Nationalism or Tamil Nationalism is in breach of Article 157A (1). Hence the National Anthem by the Government has to be sung in both official languages or in a neutral language – English.  

There is a difference between Official language and National language. Former is relative and is limited to Government functions. Falsely presenting an official language as National language is to establish a separate Sinhala state which is punishable by law under Article  157A of the Constitution.

The National Peace Council has the Opportunity to apply to the Supreme Court if the Government makes a ruling to sing only in Sinhalese. The Political Party responsible – i.e. SLPP – must be stated as respondent. If found guilty, the penalties are heavy.

Makes one wonder whether Mr Ranil Wickremesinghe did not fight to remain as Prime Minister to manifest this kind of breaches. If he respected the minds of those who gave us the higher structures – then by effect – that becomes the purpose.

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

29 January  2020

CHINESE CHICKEN   PREFERRED OVER SRI LANKAN GOLDEN EGG?

I was at Nallur Temple when the Printers called me. To me that was blessings from Nallur Murugan to publish my book ‘Jaffna is my Heritage Not Dowry’. I took a tuk-tuk to the printers. On the way my eyes were drawn to the painting of Kadayit Swami and I took that also as a blessing. These are like Key Performance Indicators. One who is an insider would recognize strengths and weaknesses as Indicators and not need ‘proof’.  This is a huge reason for separation of powers between the Judiciary and the Executive. The Executive should not need Proof. The Judiciary does up to a point. The Executive is part of an elected government and hence to the extent the election was through Belief – the Executive becomes the senior through whom the citizen/junior sees her/himself. The outcome produced by the Executive is on behalf of the People and no more.  The Judiciary on the other hand is appointed and not elected. Where the Judiciary is required to meet certain intellectual criteria – such as knowledge of law – the Judiciary has the duty to observe first and then if necessary use discretionary powers as if they are the Common Citizen. This however should not contradict the evidence based outcome. Affidavits by litigants are part of this. In democracy, the discretionary power of the Judge has to be Equal or less than the Affidavit power exercised by the common litigant in the matter. Affidavits by lawyers are merely part of the process. They do not go towards empowerment of the Judges to use Discretionary powers.

Kadayit Swami who is Chellappa Swami’s (Yoga Swami’s Guru) Guru blessed my great grandfather A M Pillai to go to Burma/Myanmar. I have included that heritage also in my book. Hence I took the ‘sight’ of Kadayit Swami as a blessing including from my great grandfather. I regularly pay my respects to my maternal uncle Ratnum Durai who was tortured to death in custody by the Japanese Kenpeitai on 22 January 1944. My great grandfather A M Pillai was a very successful businessman in Burma. I attribute that success to the blessings of Kadayit Swami.

It was in that strategic mind structure – that I read the South Asia Mirror article ‘Will China’s strategic embrace of Myanmar spell more trouble for Rohingyas?’ by Swadesh Roy. It is my understanding that Swadesh Roy’s mind is of Bangladesh origin – the way mine is of Sri Lankan origin.   Roy identifies with the suffering of Rohingyas, the way I identify with that of Tamils. Hence the regional depth at which our minds become common. This took me to the Economy Next article ‘Sri Lanka ate the Chinese chicken instead of collecting eggs: Academic’ by Chanka Jayasinghe.

As a true Sri Lankan – the picture that came to my mind through my  insight was how that now I rank higher than the Chinese visitors who in August last year did not have to wait in the queue for hours to get the visa but had special status clearance. Now the situation is as follows:

[Sri Lankan students returning from Wuhan to be transferred to Army camp] Colombo Gazzette.

As per my belief - all manifestations and expressions – eventually become Energy. Negative Energy leads also to negligence, whereas positive Energy protects one from the effects of that negligence. This is why we have memorials – so as to weaken our own negative Energies and to strengthen our own positive Energies.

Chanka reports:

[“The western approach, which we have seen in Africa and Sri Lanka, is like giving you the chicken and you eat the chicken as a chicken soup. That way you will be on huge debt,” he said.

He said China did not trap Sri Lanka in debt.

“Many people talk about the debt. Yes, even China bought money in the beginning, from the Asian Development Bank. A huge amount of money. There is no trap.”  Wang said.

“If it is a trap, then 137 countries should be in that trap now.”

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a global development strategy adopted by the Chinese government in 2013 involving infrastructure development and investments in 152 countries and international organizations in Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the US.

Jayanath Colombage, additional secretary (foreign affairs) to the President,  too backed Wang, saying Sri Lanka is in a debt trap not because of China but due to a poor economy.]

The above is the parallel of the RAND statement that ‘ISIS Didn't Choose Sri Lanka, But Sri Lankan Group Chose ISIS’ http://www.slguardian.org/2019/05/isis-didnt-choose-sri-lanka-but-sri.html

When does that happen? When one sees oneself as a weak player because one lacks confidence due to being small. THAT is when one confirms ‘Separatism’ instead of Independence. LTTE went to India because it sought Separatism so it could be the Royal group. That is exactly what JVP also wanted. JVP copied Sinhala Politicians who ‘saw’ Separatism instead of Commonness. LTTE copied JVP. The  Sri Lankan Government led by Mr SWRD Bandaranaike was the first to claim Sinhala Only State. This was copied by LTTE through the Tamil only state. Such claims without belief deteriorate to become negative Energy ‘in waiting’. They can be diffused by submission to a Positive Energy. They cannot be ‘corrected’.

As per Wikipedia:

[Burmese special economic zone being developed on Kyaukphyu, Ramree Island, Rakhine State. Kyaukphyu SEZ was first announced in September 2013. The project initially began as a joint venture between the Chinese and Burmese governments, but has since transitioned to private developers. Kyaukphyu SEZ will be accessible to the Shwe gas field in the Bay of Bengal. The oil and gas terminal was financed by the China National Petroleum Corporation which built two pipelines for natural gas and oil]

Like Trincomalee in Sri Lanka Kyauk Phyu has Natural Harbour which according to Wikipedia ‘connects the rice trade between Calcutta and Yangon.’ If China had chosen Trincomalee instead of Hambantota – that would have confirmed ‘invasion’. Trincomalee which is the home electorate of the current leader of Tamil National Alliance – the Hon Rajavarothayam Sampanthan – is home territory of Hindus through their belief in Lord Shiva at Thiru Koneswaram temple . It is Natural that through Buddhism – China would consider Hambantota which is the home territory of the Rajapaksas – to be a junior part of itself – especially where relativity through Buddhism is part of the Sri Lankan Constitution through Article 9 which gives Buddhism not Absolute Status as Buddha’s Nirvana – but relative ‘foremost’ status. Using the same rule – China has 244,130,000 Buddhists relative to Sri Lanka’s 14,450,000 Buddhists. Hence, using the First Past the Post system – China has ruling power over Buddhist Sri Lanka. That explains why Hambantota was preferred over Trincomalee which is foreign area to China.

Kyauk Phyu like Hambantota was ‘handed over’ to  China by Myanmar government which lacked the confidence to be senior to the folks to rebelling community in Arakan / Rakhine State. Like the Sri Lankan Buddhists they are also Theravada Buddhists. Theravada Buddhism is very much a cultural thread in the Belt and Road Initiative that the Chinese Government began in 2013. Countries where  non-Buddhist minorities are  discriminated against until they become foreigners to the rulers – naturally become willing donors of those communities to nations where their own religious followers are in Majority. That was how Sri Lankan Tamils were effectively repatriated to India – and Arakan Muslims were repatriated / evicted to countries like Bangladesh.  Those minorities who are in pain lack the confidence to think for themselves. So we run away. Eventually, if we do not feel for our folks who had no place to run to or who had the courage to face the difficulties – we become mercenaries.

All incomplete experiences remain separated as positive Energy and negative Energy. Our respective heirs by character are empowered by the Energy we generate. If their experience is negative ours also becomes negative in a different form due to time and place changes. Thus Arakan Muslims who were unjustly persecuted would have empowered Sri Lankan Muslims who gave up on their Sovereignty. Even if the only space we have custody over is the space we are standing on – we must develop the consciousness that we own it through use of it without disturbing another human being who also has Sovereign power even though s/he may not identify with it. Déjà vu happens due to those incomplete Energies. 

One who discriminates without showing Equality  – separates. One who accepts such discrimination accepts separation and therefore status as foreigner.

So did we Sri Lankans eat the Chinese Chicken due to our lack of confidence that we can lay golden eggs too?

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

28 January  2020

THE HOROSCOPE AND THE PARLIAMENT

Most Sri Lankans believe in the system of Karma. A good proportion believe also in the system of horoscopes. This includes the current Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa. To my mind, the horoscope is the Opening Balance Sheet of our current life. The net value of our operations in this lifetime would then be added to the brought forward values and the new values would be carried forward into the next period/life.

The Constitution and the laws are the horoscope / balance sheet of the Parliament. They are not necessarily the horoscope of the Nation. In 2015, when the UNP led government came into power they set out to include their life in the Bible of Sri Lankan Parliament through its secular section. This included reduction of the Executive Power through the 19^th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution.

In 2015 – through the Presidential Elections the People gave the mandate to have a President who did not have supreme power that Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa had. The pain that Tamils & Muslims experienced, was experienced by the Sinhalese also when there was mental separation of communities after the war. It took more than five years for Tamils to get the courage to even express what they thought was due to them at the political level. Even of Tamil victims and Sinhala victims did not know each other – pain due to similar weakness in the leader – brings them together. Through the  Parliamentary Elections in 2015 Tamils became the leading Opposition due to their continued belief in a political solution. This happened due to the Natural Commonness between the two communities.

During the 2018 Constitutional crisis – Tamils further supported the side that was more committed to Rule of Law. The 19^th Amendment empowered Tamils who were more free than before to follow the Rule of Common Law. Repealing the 19^th Amendment would put the clock back in terms of the Partnership at Political level – which even the Tamil supporters of armed rebellion do not recognize. According to the Independent report headed ‘Sri Lanka president admits for first time that 20,000 missing from civil war are dead’ :

 

[Gotabaya Rajapaksa said death certificates would soon be issued, according to a statement from his office on Monday.

Sri Lanka's civil war, which lasted for 26 years, killed an estimated 100,000 people and left about 20,000 people, mostly Tamils, missing. 

“Most of them had been taken by the LTTE (Tamil Tiger rebels) or forcefully conscripted. The families of the missing attest to it,” the statement said.

“However they do not know what has become of them and so claim them to be missing.”

Mr Rajapaksa made his decision during a meeting with the United Nations’ resident coordinator in Colombo last week, the statement added.]

Relative to the above the Amritsar figures and the psychology of the British Armed Forces in India was presented - by the Irish Times’ article headed ‘The Amritsar massacre: a cold, callous display of colonial evil’ -  as follows:

[When the troops had finished firing, they had used 1,650 rounds, killed at least 379 people (the number the British were prepared to admit to; the Indian figures are considerably higher) and wounded 1,137. Barely a bullet was wasted, Dyer noted with satisfaction.

…..In the horrified realisation of this truth by Indians of all walks of life lay the true importance of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. It represented the worst that colonialism could become, and, by letting it occur, the British crossed that point of no return that exists only in the minds of men – that point which, in any unequal relationship, both master and subject must instinctively respect if their relationship is to survive. ]

It was this massacre that became the turning point in the Independence Movement led by Gandhi who sacrificed much to share in the pain of the less powerful Indian. It is reported that :

[On his deathbed, Dyer reportedly said:

So many people who knew the condition of Amritsar say I did right...but so many others say I did wrong. I only want to die and know from my Maker whether I did right or wrong]

Likewise the Armed leaders of Sri Lanka who ordered the killings in the Sri Lankan war. As per my direct experience of the victims’ pain – the loss was greater due to the Armed Forces than the LTTE. In the Amritsar massacre also – Rebels were thought to be the reason:

[Michael O'Dwyer, then the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, was one of the strongest proponents of the act, in no small part due to the Ghadarite threat in the province]

[Ghadar Mutiny was a plan to initiate a pan-Indian mutiny in the British Indian Army in February 1915 to end the British Raj in India] Wikipedia

Had the then British Raj and now the Sri Lankan Raj been in touch with the law abiding civil society – they  would have not crossed that Border of Sovereignty   within which the relationship between citizen and governor is recognized. Once they cross that Border – they are become foreigners. One needs Truth to see oneself. Senior  who cares about the junior  would become that mirror of truth to that extent. That is the Law of Truth. The next best alternative is Common Experience through which we know each other. The law that flows from that Common Experience – is the measure where such a Mirror is not available.

As per the above author :

[The Amritsar Massacre represented the worst that colonialism could become, and, by letting it occur, the British crossed that point of no return that exists only in the minds of men – that point which, in any unequal relationship, both master and subject must instinctively respect if their relationship is to survive]

The Rajapaksa government was not any more guilty than their predecessors who considered themselves to be the heirs to the throne of Lanka. But they were also excited about ‘winning’ by weakening LTTE  during the 2005 Presidential elections. Money was LTTE’s weakness. They became mercenaries  once they accepted money from the very side they claimed to Oppose. The stated purpose thus was proven false.

The current Government is a foreign government to those who were abandoned by them as LTTE subjects.  The statement [Most of them had been taken by the LTTE (Tamil Tiger rebels) or forcefully conscripted. The families of the missing attest to it,”]

Even if we accept that as true – what about the few of us whose relatives were killed by the Strategy of the Rajapaksa government that failed to protect civilians and also failed to facilitate the Service Groups that the civilians trusted?

Those driven by benefits – are incapable of forming strategy. Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa confirmed this through the 2018 crisis. THIS is the reason why they seek to repeal the 19th Amendment to the Constitution – so they could go back to de facto basis. A true law needs Truth as its root. Articles such as ‘President assigns Immigration and Emigration Dept. to State Defence Minister’ and ‘President’s power to perform duties of a cabinet minister questioned.’ confirm this De Facto basis which is driven by most current outcomes. The arrange ‘facts’ laterally and are the parallels of ‘First Past the Post’ system of counting majority vote power. When majority follow ‘de facto’ system – laws based on True experiences are suppressed.

Understanding 19^th Amendment requires deep learning of Law. UNP may not be in government any more. But their ‘Strategy’ will continue to maintain the lawful relationship between Government and Citizen within the Sovereign borders of a higher order.

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

27 January  2020

THE TRUE REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA IS SECULAR

There is a Tamil saying that ‘whatever we see with our eyes is false; whatever we hear with our ears is false; only that which we thoroughly investigate and learn about is fact’. This is presented by Thirukural as follows:

[epporul yaar yaar vaai ketpinum apporul
mei porulkaanpathu arivu] Thirukural 423

The motto  of the University of Jaffna is ‘Mei porul kaanpathu arivu’ (That which finds truth is knowledge)

That ‘Fact’ is ours because of the research we did. If we merely stated what happened it is of hearsay value. Hence to identify with the truth in a fact – we need to go deeper and deeper into that fact until we become that fact. Then and only then is it our truth.

If Independence is truth – freedom is ‘fact’. The Sunday Observer has presented a picture under the title ‘Heroes who fought for independence’. At the top is a part titled 1815 – The British captured the whole country by signing the Kandyan Convention. The picture ends with the report – The first Prime Minister of independent Ceylon Hon D S Senanayake hoisted the lion flag at the ceremony on February 4, 1948.

On the face of it – both are ‘what happened’. We did not witness either. Hence it is hearsay.

Wikipedia reports as follows about the Kandyan Convention:

[The Kandyan Convention was an agreement signed on 10 March 1815 between the British and the chiefs of the Kandyan Kingdom, British Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) for the deposition of King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha and ceding of the kingdom's territory to British rule. The king, of South Indian ancestry, faced powerful opposition from the Sinhalese chieftains who sought to limit his power. A successful coup was organized by the chieftains, marking the end of 2358 years of self-rule on the island and resulting in the imprisonment of the king in Vellore. The treaty is quite unique in that it was not signed by the monarch on the throne but by members of his court and other dignitaries of the kingdom.

The convention gained a degree of infamy when, according to apocryphal sources, Wariyapola Sri Sumangala, a Buddhist monk of the kingdom, seized and trampled a Union Jack hoisted by the British, demanding the flag of Kandy be left flying until the Convention was signed. ]

Wikipedia states about King Sri Vickrma Rajasingha as follows:

[Sri Vikrama Rajasinha (1780 – January 30, 1832, born Kannasamy Nayaka) was the last of four Kings, to rule the last Sinhalese monarchy of the Kingdom of Kandy in Sri Lanka. The Nayak Kings were of Telugu origin who practiced Shaivite Hinduism and were patrons of Theravada Buddhism. The Nayak rulers played a huge role in reviving Buddhism in the island. They spoke Tamil, which was also used as the court language in Kandy alongside with Sinhalese. 

The King was eventually deposed by the British under the terms of the Kandyan Convention, in 1815, ending over 2300 years of Sinhalese monarchy on the island. The island was incorporated into the British Empire, and Sri Vikrama Rajasinha was succeeded by George III, as monarch of British Ceylon.]

Many years ago I wrote about Sri Vikrama Rajasinha. I was seeking through my feelings as Sri Lankan and to that extent that picture became my ‘fact’. This was confirmed when I ended up in a Guest House at Rajasinghe Road in Wellawatte – a majority Tamil suburb in Colombo. There was the painting of  King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha and his wife – both wearing the Tamil culture ‘Pottu’ – the Hindu representation of Third Eye/Insight. To me it was no coincidence but rather the blessing of an ancestor who was betrayed by his Sri Lankan rivals. Back then there was no demarcation between Hindus and Buddhists nor Sinhalese and Tamils at People’s level. Since I also did not so demarcate – I believe that King Sri Vikrama Rajasinha’s spirit led me to this fact.

When we invest in the Truth / Soul of an issue – there comes a point when we connect to the Soul through our own truth. From then on the Soul  takes over and leads us. These to my mind are ‘miracles’. The information in Wikipedia is the skin of the issue as it happened / manifested in the past. It becomes our fact as per the truth in us in relation to the same issue. The picture in the Colombo suburb was such a miracle. I did not plan nor was I consciously seeking. But the blessings came from the origin.

This report confirms that  Tamil King Ellalan who is reported to have been killed in the war against  Sinhalese King Duttu Gemunu was succeeded by other Kings from South India. Hence according to my ‘fact’ - the last Lankan Monarch was a Hindu of Indian origin. Every Hindu Sri Lankan has the opportunity to inherit this Governance power by believing in Sri Lanka and also by being a Hindu.

The core message in the report ‘Wariyapola Sri Sumangala, a Buddhist monk of the kingdom, seized and trampled a Union Jack hoisted by the British, demanding the flag of Kandy be left flying until the Convention was signed.’  is presented in the Observer picture as well. This means that to the Observer Reporter -  the way Tamil LTTE and Sinhalese Government colluded to get rid of Indian Peacekeeping Forces – the Sinhalese chieftains and the British colluded to eliminate those of Indian origin – be they Buddhists or Hindus. Back then the two religions were part of each other.

So what did we gain on 04 February 1948 that we had in February 1815  but lost a month later? Self-Governance.

In his Sri Lanka Guardian article ‘Freedom! Freedom! Where art thou?’ Zulkifli Nazim quotes as follows:

[Without Freedom of thought and expression I am a slave to the demagogues, preachers and ancient traditions claiming the right to tell me what to think, how to live, what to believe – and that I must not question, but only obey. This is not a full human existence. To be truly free to live, one must be free to think and speak.” 

A. C. Grayling – British Philosopher and Author.]

But what is my moral authority to publish my thoughts and feelings? It is the Truth that I discover and/or the respect I pay of my own free will to one who discovered Truth that is the authority to express/publish. Militants and activists who so express themselves would naturally facilitate opportunities for others to discover the truth. But one who takes such opportunity has to pay the royalty of respect. Otherwise it is mere hearsay and is lifeless rubbish in the mind of the user.

Did the Lankans from 1815 to 1948 – fight for Independence from the British or were they then militants like the JVP and the LTTE? The parallel question for the 2009 war is ‘Did the Government Forces fight to invade Tamil area - Northern Province or did they fight to discipline the LTTE?’ Effectively it is the parallel of repatriating Sri Vikrama Rajasinha with the help of British – whose current parallel was the USA and the UK  and all other countries that listed the LTTE as Terrorists even though they were not directly affected by the LTTE. Those who idly accumulate surface information/ what happened. As leaders in global group – the USA & the UK have the responsibility to do the parallel with the Government Forces. By failing to take responsibility – the Sri Lankan Armed Forces confirm inheritance of the Chieftains’ powers against Buddhism itself. Mr Talduwe Ratugama Rallage Weris Singho, who killed Mr SWRD Bandaranaike was a Sinhalese in the clothes of Buddhist clergy.

The Sinhala Maha Sabha established by Mr Bandaranaike, lacked funds and this led to Buddhism becoming the theme.

As per my own experience – my belief was developed at the primary level when I asked through a particular form of Divinity and I received it. It is difficult to ‘ask’ a language as if it were Divine. Hence the best way was to divide as Buddhists and Hindus and combine former with Sinhalese and latter with Tamils. Rural Sinhalese driven by religion would have naturally lost consciousness of the fact that Buddha was Indian and therefore ‘foreigner’.

The Divide & Rule habit of the British was also inherited by the likes of Mr Bandaranaike who was killed by that very demotion. The more we ‘see’ benefits for our policies the greater the tendency to divide. Chieftains needed to ‘see’ and all armed militants and Politicians who promoted armed war – are/were heirs of the Chieftains. They are not heirs of Buddha or any other religious leader.

Using the name of Buddhism to get votes confirms this excitement of ‘possession’. Likewise, using the name of Tamil homeland without a particular belief in Divinity – makes such fighters Tamil Chieftains. Most Tamils known to me are believers in religion. The above mentioned author Zulkifli Nazim confirms this as follows:

[We Sri Lankans also have a penchant for religion and we should be able to practice any religion - Buddhism, Christianity. Hinduism, Islam or any other. We may print or write whatever we want and express ourselves in a decent manner.]

Every place where one realizes independence through Islam is a Muslim part of Sri Lanka. Likewise others. Where one uses the Secular pathway it is Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka. THAT is the Royal Ruler.  All others are delegated authorities of that ruler.