Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

13 April 2021

 

 

 

MINORITY POWER

 

Yesterday, I received a New Year message from our Australian Prime Minister – the Hon Scott Morrison. This is a first for me in relation to cultural diversity being recognized directly by the PM and I took it was reward for my regular communications to the PM also. A fellow Australian Tamil said he did not get one and stated that I got one due to my regular interactions with the government. In this instance it is like the Postal Rule according to which an offer is taken as accepted when the acceptance is posted. In 1999, at the invitation of the then Minister for Communications – Senator Richard Alston, I also made my contribution to Electronic Transactions law. The Right to Information Act of Sri Lanka, to my mind, has similar base principles as the Electronic Transactions Act 1999 of Australia. I believe that such contributions made on the basis of extending my need as if it were the need of my nation, gives me insight into the issue itself. This was commented on by academics at the University of NSW.

It was as per that insight that I wrote on 08 April, under the heading ‘ TAMIL ONLY LAWYERS’ :

 

[The current government is writing the Balance Sheet of the previous government’s transactions – in terms of Easter Bombings. As per the 1987 Balance Sheet of Colombo – it recorded a deep loss including 113 civilian deaths. The Easter Bombings happened on the anniversary of the 1987 bombings by ‘foreigners’ to Colombo. When we feel ownership in a place it will talk to us and share with us its own narrative of the experience. ]

Was it a coincidence that the Easter Bombing happened on the Anniversary of the 1987 attack by LTTE ? Not to my mind. Both were by minorities who were upset against majority. When the pain is genuine those experiencing the pain come together, through the Universal Power of Truth. As per that Universal power – there is a natural manifestation to maintain the balance of Universal force. If action is taken to punish victims who get even in their own way, as per their truth – then the revenge actions continue.

As I said today, Saint Yoga Swami said ‘Summa Iru/ be still’ to facilitate this balance. It’s a way to maintain the balance of already completed experiences. Hence ‘Eppavoh Mudintha Kaariyam/matter already completed’ . By 2019 the fight with the LTTE was ‘Eppavoh Mudintha Kaariyam/matter already completed’. Hence the power of the victims was free to take another form. Now it has become a Muslim issue and is no longer a Tamil issue due to revenge attacks.

In her Al Jazeera article ‘What is behind the anti-Muslim measures in Sri Lanka?’ Professor Farzana Haniffa, Head of the Department of Sociology at the University of Colombo, highlights as follows:

[Since it gained independence from the British in 1948, Sri Lanka has witnessed tumultuous relations between the Sinhala Buddhist majority, which makes up about 70 percent of the population and the Hindu and Christian Tamil minority, which accounts for roughly 12 percent. During the war between the military forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), other minorities, like the Muslims, who make up around nine percent of the population, were targeted less frequently by ultra-nationalist Sinhalese groups.]

This is similar to the claim by Tamils also. In both instances – British Rule that prevailed in 1948, is taken to be the right one that maintained the Balance. Back then Sinhalese were part of the minority force ruled by the Empire. If therefore Jaffna was to be ruled by Tamils – then the rebellion by minorities would be against Tamils. People tend to avoid closure to continue to lament as per their interpretation of what happened to them.

The truth will continue to manifest itself to maintain this balance. This is why we get saints and Avathars /divinity on earth. Article 3 of the Sri Lankan constitution provides as follows:

[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]

Whoever believes in the above would work the system as per that belief. Government, fundamental rights and the franchise – need to reflect their own sovereignty. Article 14 (1) (e ) provides as follows:

[14 (1) Every citizen is entitled to –

(e) the freedom, either by himself or in association with others, and either in public or in private, to manifest his religion or belief in worship, observance, practice and teaching;]

Those who believe in the Sovereignty of the Constitution, would therefore fight as per their belief to protect their religious rights as per their belief. In other words, they need to believe in their own religious laws which then would confirm the belief in the whole of Sri Lanka – which is taken as the Universal power. Towards this one has to be clean of any external interference – for example from Muslim countries and from India or the Diaspora. That is true Minority Power which will be supported by Universal Force.