Professionals Demoted to Politicians

"....the then Governor Cabraal, as well as members of the Monetary Board, namely, Nimal Welgama and Neil Umagiliya, had resigned from office on 9 January 2015, immediately after the presidential election results were announced on 8 January 2015.
These resignations were in contradiction to the Monetary Law Act which stipulates that a governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka or an appointed member of the Monetary Board can be removed from office only by the president of the country and that the governor or a member of the Monetary Board must hold office for a full term of six years.
However, Cabraal, Welgama, and Umagiliya deemed it necessary for them to resign when the new President was elected in January 2015, before completion of their six-year term." - The Sunday Morning article 'Cabraal and family links uncovered' by Skanda Gunesekera

I was a bit concerned to note Nimal's name. Nimal & I studied Accountancy together and to date he is a friend. As a professional, I do expect better from fellow professionals. Until the above knowledge - the Bond problem was 'Common' at community level due to Arjuna Mahendran being a Tamil. The more we share the difficult truth - the deeper our insight. Hence I try not to avoid the truth I know. 

When we make political decisions without belief - their other side surfaces. By resigning, Cabraal, Welgama, and Umagiliya confirmed that they were political appointees and NOT professionals in their own minds. The question therefore arises as to whether we are over-regulated? The law must shape the truth. Anything above that is idle and leads to excitement and depression in those who gamble with the law. 

When does a law become idle? When we fail to believe in those from whom we inherited the law and/or respect those from who we learnt the law. The larger and more diverse the group the stronger the need for reliable higher laws. When politicians are driven by outcomes rather than belief in the law - the law gets demoted to lower level of application when those politicians become the government. Given that most of our common laws are inherited from Colonial Rulers - each time we disrespect them - we weaken our own investment in those laws. The greater the influence of 'outcomes' the stronger the tendency to divide and separate. The more we celebrate Independence as 'victory' the greater the separation from the inheritance of English Law and the Roman Dutch Law. Without belief and without current usage as per intellectual discrimination - we tend to gamble with the law - as the above group seems to have done. It's a negative heritage that needs to addressed if we are to enjoy the values of professionalism.

All of them contributed to the Bond problem

REBEL JOURNALISM

The question 'Should Journalists Be Punished For Exposing War Crimes?' caught my eye. That question was asked in relation to the speech about Julian Assange, by Cailin Johnstone to supporters of the Socialist Equality Party of Australia. 

Here in Jaffna, Sri Lanka - I ask that question as follows - Should rebels who believed that they were right be punished by law to which they are not bound by belief? 

To my mind, the more fundamental question is whether the UK court has any jurisdiction to inquire on behalf of the USA? In the case of Sri Lanka, the USA brought a Resolution through the UN - in relation to whether war crimes were committed during the Sri Lankan war. That is how I interpret it. Hence when Julian the individual is being tried - no court of law in the UK has the authority to escalate it to global level. Likewise, Journalists who are bound by their own ethics need to look within before judging those whom they write about. 

Rebels who have knowledge of law need to condition their minds to accept the punishment of law if they seek official positions through their rebellion. Belief, once expressed, would manifest its other side. That is the law of Nature. If Julian did believe he ought to have prepared himself for the other side to manifest in due course of time. Gandhi applied the law and saved the court's resources - when he acted unlawfully as per his belief. He thus demonstrated his respect for the law. If Julian did likewise, he would enjoy his parallel. The question is did he actually believe?

Truth always supports those who uphold the truth. I believe that that was how my book Naan Australian reached the National Library of Australia without any involvement on my part. That is the way of Truth. Julian needs the support of fellow Australians who have published truth at government level. He has mine in this regard. Natural Justice will do the rest. 

Ownership in Higher Institutions Is God

Tonight is Maha Shiva Raathri (Great Shiva's Night) for Hindus. Here in Jaffna, most Hindu temples will hold special ceremonies to observe  Maha Shiva Raathri. During meditation this morning I focused specially on Lord Shiva - the Lord of the Mind. Maha Shiva Raathri to my mind is about foregoing physical comfort to identify with the true mind.

Later, my mail brought me the message 'Is There a God?' forwarded by Tamil Diaspora leader Yoga Joseph. To my mind this was no coincidence at a time when we as a community are seeking where we went wrong to experience the pain of war. Some of us are seeking externally through relativity, while a few are seeking from within. The former would need proof while the latter would have indicators. 

In her article headed 'Is There a God?'  Marilyn Adamson presents the following picture under the heading 

'Unlike any other revelation of God, Jesus Christ is the clearest, most specific picture of God revealing himself to us.'

[Why Jesus? Look throughout the major world religions and you'll find that Buddha, Muhammad, Confucius and Moses all identified themselves as teachers or prophets. None of them ever claimed to be equal to God. Surprisingly, Jesus did. That is what sets Jesus apart from all the others. He said God exists and you're looking at him. Though he talked about his Father in heaven, it was not from the position of separation, but of very close union, unique to all humankind. Jesus said that anyone who had seen Him had seen the Father, anyone who believed in him, believed in the Father.]

Being a Hindu, my question is what about Krishna and Vishnu - the Hindu parallels of Jesus and Father respectively? In terms of numbers  Hinduism ranks after Islam at global level. In terms of form - Farther is separated from Son Jesus by time. Likewise, Krishna from Jesus due to cultural space. Time and Space variations are confirmed through form. It is when we lose consciousness of outer forms that we identify with the Truth within. To that extent, we realize our Soul which is naturally connect to all Souls. Until then we need to relate to each other through various relationships. The stronger the 'form' in such relationships the less the Soul connection, we are conscious of.

Maha  Shiva Raathri falls on new moon night when our outer world is dark. This is when we look within. Thus it denotes elimination of ignorance through the light of our Soul. The Christian parallel

Easter Sunday preceded by Good Friday.

By relating to other religious leaders, the author confirms lack of realization is yet to be reached by the author.  We need proof at that level. Once we realize our Soul power - we are our own god. 

In Democracy to the extent we are in government, we are Sovereign. Likewise if we are in Opposition - we are Sovereign to the extent our belief is expressed in a different form to the Government. Then we are Equal. But to the extent we relate through outcomes produced by the government - we become juniors - as son is to father. This weakens democracy which is strongest when we produce independent and diverse outcomes based on the same principles. 

Maha Shiva Raathri confirms death and rebirth at a higher level for those who are strongly influenced by their own Soul power. Former is pain and latter is joy. Meditation helps us achieve this higher joy when we control our pleasures through regulated pathways including common law and religion. When we find fault with another, without common belief - we lose the opportunity to become one with that person. When we do have belief as common link - we discipline and there is no loss power. Wars happen due to claiming separations without recognizing oneness that already exists.

Ownership in Highly structured institutions is like god within. We know through indicators and hence Key Performance Indicators. To the extent we need proof - we are outsiders.

SELF GOVERNANCE THE CURE FOR CASTE DISCRIMINATION?

[His work is damning of Tamil officials and intelligentsia for sustaining and perpetuating caste oppression and exclusion. He draws on theorists including Michel Foucault and Antonio Gramsci, to analyse the workings of caste in institutions and the proliferation of caste ideology. Reading Yoharaja one gets a sense of how oppressed caste individuals feel when they walk into government departments or private enterprises; how should they walk in, can they sit down and can they ask a question; all as if their bodies were caged by the micro dynamics of official and class power.] Ahilan Kadirgamar in - Breaking the Silence on Caste

Thunaivi village in Vaddukoddai district where the Vaddukoddai Resolution happened in 1976 and provided the framework for the Rebel Order - is a toddy tapper village which broke away from mainstream Vaddukoddai. I was there on Sunday to ensure that our family temple activities are regulated by the rules structured by our family. To me - everyone who has faith in that temple will be cured of caste based discrimination pain or pleasure largely due to my own feeling of oneness with the folks there. As per my experience - in their area of power we the senior castes would become the oppressed group and this is largely due to the 'freedom' fighters' of that area who now enjoy the pleasures of reverse discrimination - some overtly and others covertly.

One of the rules I had developed was that no cows were to be allowed to graze in the temple compound. Even though we built a cottage for our own accommodation, we no longer stay there after our roof was stoned by the youth against whom I complained to the police. I did this after  long period of forbearance. I believe I got the evidence of Trespass though our security camera which according to the youth was not working after they broke it. To my mind, I got the evidence I needed to discipline them but not to punish them. I believe I had the authority to discipline them due to our common faith in the temple. The Police needed that moral authority to discipline them. But this was lacking in Vaddukoddai which had made the political claim of separation of Rules of Governance.

I believe that it was this belief based insight that gave me the evidence that the gardener was failing to follow my rules about cow-grazing. The cow belonged to the former gardener whose services were 'retired' last year. But when we are no longer there - he takes control and hence the cow was grazing. I spoke to him directly and stated that he was not to do that. He agreed; but after some time he started talking to himself in a loud voice. One complaint was that he was not being treated with respect - even though he had planted the trees in our compound. I ignored him - as he is old and has lost the ability to make logical connections. He is strongly affected by the common sin in that area - that of taking over land that seems to be without owners. To my mind, until these sins are negated - we would lack the moral authority to find fault with others - including the armed forces occupying our lands.

I am highly conscious of these realities which apply in Thunaivi where like Sinhalese Buddhists who used official governance system, the folks have gotten even due to their elevated status in the Tamil community - due to Rebel Governance. Ahilan presents this as follows:

[The broader social changes that began weakening caste relations were eventually silenced after a decade with the rise and eclipse of Tamil nationalism, which mobilised society on the single issue of addressing ethnic discrimination and eventually armed struggle towards a separate state.]

Ahilan presents also the following picture:

[Yoharaja, belonging to the generation that participated in the anti-caste movement in the late-1960s, exiled in Europe during the war years, and present in Jaffna during the post-war years, has been exploring new approaches to addressing caste oppression.

 An important contribution of Yoharaja’s work are his efforts to introduce a new political vocabulary and discourse into anti-caste activism. 

Instead of using terms like upper castes and oppressed castes, he suggests using “backward communities” for upper castes and “marginal communities” for oppressed castes. He believes all those who have a vision of social equality should be called “forward communities”. ]

After Vaddukoddai Resolution 1976, every Vaddukoddai Tamil who did not oppose it and every Tamil who supported the political group that made that declaration has the responsibility to not name those not in her / his apparent group. Mr Yoharaja has the authority to describe himself as per the group he seems to belong to but not both where the terminology does not confirm vertical relationship. In that regard - I call myself Senior and the Thunaivi toddy tapper Junior. Where the outer-form is stronger than the oneness feeling - we tend towards Equality - according to which we cannot speak for the other. Anti-Caste activists thus weakened their vertical relationship and lost their right to name their former juniors.

Discrimination based on strong common value / soul value is positive and results in relationships. Discrimination based on strong physical value without consciousness of Equality - becomes negative and damages relationships. Consciousness of this is essential in postwar development in Northern Province. Whether caste based discrimination is positive or negative is driven by the above principle.

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

01 February  2020

IF RANJAN IS HANUMAN WHO IS RAMA?

Today is my mother’s birth anniversary. I dedicate this to my mother from whom I first learnt about Ramayanam & Mahabharatham. My mother was groomed in Burma. Hence I thank all Burmese Hindus who were the source of my mother’s wisdom. In my mother’s Burma – Muslims and Hindus were ‘free’ to express and practice their respective beliefs.

Ramayanam is myth to one without belief. It is legend to one with belief. Narrating what happened is mere reporting. Using what happened to express one’s own belief empowers that issue, the place and time.

If we complete a relationship by recognizing the Truth at the end of our pathway – we become One through that truth. Otherwise the working in progress is left open and when neglected becomes negative Energy. Those who avoid pain tend to use their imagination to complete the picture and that is when what happened becomes myth.

In his Daily FT article ‘Rama, Ravana and Ranjan’ author Ravi Perera quotes Shakespeare at the beginning:

“Out, out brief candle, life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more: it is a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing” – Macbeth, Shakespeare

As per my reading  the above seems to be  in reference to Ranjan Ramanayake . The same author switches to a difference audience through Ramayanam – drawing parallels with Lord Hanuman:

[The Ramayana tells us of a time when ‘men’ were big, events dramatic and air travel frequent. In this era lived Ravana, the super powerful king of Lanka, with an evil reputation. There is much toing and froing between the massive land of ‘Bharat’ and the little kingdom of Lanka. Flying to Bharat, Ravana sees the beautiful Sita, the wife of the good Rama. Like, all people notable in the Indian legend, they are high-bred, of Royal lineage. Ravana, besotted, ‘abducts’ Sita, flies back to his island redoubt where he proceeds to hide her.

Devastated, Rama searches the length and breadth of the Sub-Continent for Sita, his true love. Learning eventually that Sita is in the clutches of Ravana the evil king, he sends his trusty Hanuman to distant Lanka to locate her. Hanuman finds Sita, and conveys the love of Rama to her. Enraged by the intrusion of Hanuman, Ravana the mighty king of the island, orders a cruel punishment. He tells his men to set fire to Hanuman’s tail, relishing the long lingering pain to be caused to the impudent monkey.

In many ways the Ravana story embodies the Sri Lankan paradox; global in yearnings, insular in outlook. He covets the foreign princess, yet, knows not the price he will pay. For a man of his formidable reputation, Ravana lacked the foresight to anticipate the consequences of his hasty punishment of Hanuman. Panic stricken, Hanuman runs hither and thither, leaping from building to building, his blazing tail setting fire to them all. Ravana’s cruel punishment to the primate, destroys his own kingdom!]

First of all Lord Hanuman had Rama in his heart. To experience Ramayanam – we need to have in our heart – Rama the Divine Power or Ravana the Human Power that had to ask and receive.  Ravana was clever and hence the Air travel from Lanka to India and back. In my yesterday’s article I quoted Times of India 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.]

The above is happening as part of the program to construct Temple for Sita who was brought to Lanka in Ravana’s Pushpaka Vimanam / Flying Chariot. If the proposed services are controlled by a Ravana force – then it would be of negative value to Sri Lanka.

Ravana like the Rajapaksas and Prabakaran was a great king. But he was also born an Asuran – one driven by the physical.  It’s like I say about the disenfranchised communities in Sri Lanka’s North and East. Within themselves they have their own order of hierarchy. We have to become part of them to earn the moral authority to discipline them internally so they would merge naturally at equal level through their own completed experiences. That is the way of an Avatar.

Rama went through the pain of separation from His beloved Sita. But it was a necessary pain to become part of the world under the control of Ravana. The pain was as deep as Rama’s love for Sita. THAT was the level of pain needed to resurrect Lanka from the negative Energy of clever Ravana. Those who feel Rama’s pain as theirs become Divine in their relationship with their spouse. Kings / Presidents who feel Rama’s pain as theirs eliminate from their minds the desire to steel another’s relative including citizens. Unlike the Rajapaksa’s who have their armed forces in North, Rama did not become the king of Lanka after defeating Ravana; Rama handed over the power to Ravana’s younger brother Vibishana. THAT is Dharma.

Each culture is Sovereign. Those who are strongly  Buddhists need to become facilitators of Non-Buddhists. There is no moral authority to usurp the outcomes of the war. In the legend of the Churning of Ocean of Milk – the Asuras steal the nectar. This happens when they come together. In Thailand, where like in Sri Lanka – the king is required by law to be Theravada Buddhist, the above legend is depicted through at Suvarnabhumi (Golden Land) airport in Bangkok. Tourism as the major economic contributor to Thai Economy confirms the value of the prominence given to the above Hindu legend. The parallel of that would be to have Murugan on Peacock with Valli and Theivanai / representing dual cultures united by One Love – at the Bandaranaike International Airport. To my mind, the peacock logo of the National carrier was no coincidence.  It was an indicator of what was needed to be done. When Buddhist government took over – control it collapsed. Buddha renounced Royalty. Lord Muruga renounced His parent’s wealth and established His own Kingdom to confirm His global reign.

I believe I completed my experience at Air Lanka and hence my insight. Anytime I go there I share that Energy with the needy and those who respect me. In most Buddhist temples Lord Vishnu is a deity. In Thirupathi Lord Vishnu is the One in the Altar. As a Buddhism foremost nation – Sri Lanka would not be a money-rich nation. Lankans to whom Ramayana is a legend – would be rich kings/queens of Lanka.