Gajalakshmi Paramasivam
27 November 2020
QUEENS OF TAMIL NATION
A Truly Independent Person would look within for Truth and
then identify with others’ Truth through her/his Truth. One who depends on
Others’ mistakes is a relative dependent on those others to complete the picture. Such a person
is not yet independent.
The
five Pandava brothers in the Hindu Epic Mahabharatham were recognized as Great
Heroes. Yet when their wife Throupathi was to be stripped naked in the King’s palace,
they could not prevent it. Why? – because their obedience to elders became
ritualistic and out-dated. As per that legend, Lord Krisha supplied endless
sari confirming that He was the ultimate Judge and Authority. Krishna later
stated that He did not stop what happened because what had to happen must be
allowed to happen. But when a believer pleads, the Universal Power manifests
Itself to protect Its believer. Before pleading to Krishna, Throupathi pleaded
with the King – stating that she was not a substance and that her husband had
no right to place her as a stake. The
king was blinded by his attachment to his son.
I
believe/d that the above happened if not as a single incident – as a regular occurrence
at that time in India and that the above
was the consolidated form of a wife being treated as a ‘substance’ . The local version (Northern Sri Lanka) of this
as it happened to me in 2013, is in the Appendix. Later when I learnt about Vithiya
Sivaloganathan’s rape and murder in 2015 and 6 year old Regina’s rape I knew
that I had done right by speaking up which was on behalf of all women in that
area. Like Throupathi I had courage of my truth. Like Krishna supplied endless sari, Swami
Sathya Sai Baba provides endless wisdom of why something that bothers me has
happened. Hence I write on the basis of my own painful experiences – so all in
our group will be protected.
Yesterday, a common
Sri Lankan wrote to me in response to my article ‘ OBAMA & LTTE ‘
[Be
that as it may, a majority of right thinking Sri Lankans will accept the fact
that for the country as a whole to do well, there should be equal
rights and privileges to all Sri Lankans.
Our
problems of the past hinges on that. The sooner our Leaders realize that the
better for Sri Lanka. ]
My response was [True. Wherever we are able to we need to take the lead]
During JVP uprising in Southern Sri Lanka Ms Premawathi Manamperi was also stripped naked in the Holy
area of Kathirgamam:
[On 5 April 1971, JVP insurrection started and Kataragama was a center of
insurgent activity. The small Kataragama police station, under Sub Inspector
Udawatte was attacked several times by insurgents and the police withdrew from
Kataragama. Colonel Derrick Nugawela was appointed military coordinating officer, Hambantota District on 11 April 1971, began organizing the military
units in the area to counter the insurgents and reestablished government
conrtole in the district. Having entered and established control of the town of Tissamaharama, a platoon of troops from the Gemunu Watch held by Lieutenant Alfred Wijesuriya, a volunteer
officer moved on Kataragama on the 16 April under the orders of Colonel
Nugawela. They entered Kataragama and established camp at the Kataragama
Pilgrim's Rest with limited opposition. Inspector Udawatte and his policemen
were ordered to move into the army camp, as the police station was damaged in
the attacks. On the 16 April Inspector Udawatte and three police constables
came in a jeep and arrested Premawathie at her home. That day several girls,
including Premawathi, who were believed to be involved with the rebels were
arrested.
Premawathi was tortured through the night to no avail revealing nothing about
her activities. Infuriated the lieutenant made Premawathi take off her clothes
and walk across the town nude while been beaten by him and another officer.
Finally stopping near a post office, the officers opened fire on the girl and buried her alive.
They returned on two separate occasions to finish her off. She ultimately died
from a bullet to the head from a rifle of an unknown soldier.] Wikipedia
The Hambantota District which is
the home area of Rajapaksas carries the above sin committed during the time the
first Woman Prime Minister in the world was heading the government. UNP leader
J R Jayawardene politically took
benefit from the above Tragedy
[Her murder attracted national attention and was a major issue
addressed in the 1977 election. UNP candidate J. R. Jayewardene discussed the attack in great detail and condemned Sirimavo Bandaranaike's handling of the crime to discredit his opponent.]
To the extent J R
Jayawardene profited from the weaknesses
in the Armed Forces – it became his legacy – which manifested in 1983.
To the extent the LTTE
profited from the 1983 pogrom it shared in the above karma which resulted in
LTTE reporter Isaipriya being put through similar treatment as Premawathi. To my mind, the LTTE which blocked Tamils from
voting in the 2005 Presidential
Elections so Mahinda Rajapaksa of Hambantota would win, became part of the
forces that shamed Isaipriya whom they failed to protect. During the 2009 battle, when some girls escaped
the LTTE custody I learnt that they went into hiding and could not be part of
the civilian community in Vavuniya – because they could be identified through
their short hair – cut by force by some sections of the LTTE.
Nimal Vinayagamoorthy – an LTTE heir – invites through his
Colombo Telegraph article ‘Maveerar Naal – ‘The Need For A
Collective Memorialization In Tamil Eelam’ – claims as follows:
[This day helps promote the Tamil community’s
social recovery from the violent conflict, and bring to light the injustices
and discrimination the Maaveerar and us as a population have been through.
Hence, Maveerar Naal is a Tamil National memorialization day which must to
accepted and respected. It is a public day and needs to be observed at a public
place to grieve someone very dear. ]
If unjust discrimination is the
measure – then Tamil women of junior castes are the queens who lead this Tamil
Nation. To my knowledge I am the only Tamil who has questioned the Tamil
Leaders – from LTTE to Judges including one who turned Chief Minister. One who
has transcended relativity is the truly independent leader. All others are
relatives of such leaders in the group.
Appendix – Excerpt from Naan Australian –
Chapter 29
As I picked up my file I said to our lawyer ‘I am really disappointed
with you.’ At that moment Mr. Yogendra who was standing next to our lawyer – at
the head of the bar-table also looked in my direction – and I said to him in
Tamil ‘
/ ‘I am not a prostitute’. So saying, I walked towards the Public end of the Court.
Then I heard our first lawyer Mr. Nadarajah say to me that I was being
summoned. I turned around and walked back to the witness box and removed my shoes. But I did
not get on to the box because no one asked me to. Then the Judge asked me in a stern voice ‘
/ What is this place?’ I was confused. I was wondering whether the Judge was referring to me not being accepted as a Ceylon Tamil??? I did say
in Tamil, when giving evidence. My mother spoke Indian Tamil as she was born and brought up in Burma. I was wondering whether I was showing signs of my mother through my IndianTamil for the word Yes.
is Indian for Yes. 
is Ceylon Tamil.
Besides, Swami Sathya Sai Baba came in my early morning meditation and blessed me. Given that Swami was Indian – I may have brought that pronunciation during the court session. All this was running fast in my mind when the Judge said ‘
’ (This is Court house – Don’t you know that you should not show street behavior here in Court? You claim to be educated and sought Administrative authority. But now through your conduct you have proven that you do not deserve that. It’s not good enough to say in words. More importantly your conduct must confirm your claim)
I looked blankly at the Judge for the first part of the above outburst by
the Judge. Then the penny dropped – that somehow the Judge had got knowledge of
my statement to Mr. Yogendra. It’s often mind reading.
So – on top of being effectively labeled as a prostitute and a cheat – I
was now being accused of street behavior. I just stared at the Judge. The woman in me broke down and cried –
silently inside. It really was too much at this point for that soft woman
within.
Then our lawyer spoke out and said to the Judge ‘I apologize on her
behalf but her behavior is understandable given that her second marriage was
brought before this court again.’ The
Judge immediately showed a smiling face to the lawyer and explained that it was
not given consideration. Our lawyer then
said to me ‘You better apologize’ . I looked him straight in the eye said ‘No I
won’t. I spoke the Truth. I have no reason to apologize for.’
No one said anything for a few
moments and I took my file again – this time from the floor and my bag next to
it, wore my shoes and walked away. At the other end of the bar table I bowed to
the Judge’s chair – where my real Lord
was seated as per my mind to the extent I spoke the Truth relevant to honor my
dead relative, and walked out of the
Court room.
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