Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

05 June 2021

 

 

ENGLISH LAW & LANKAN CULTURE

 

Last night, I heard on Samugam TV channel - the discussion regarding the proposed declaration by US Congress  that Sri Lanka’s North & East were traditional Tamil Homelands. I received it as per my investment in Sri Lanka’s multiculturalism. In particular, I was satisfied that there was confirmation of acceptance that the LTTE also was also part of the problem. This morning I read Sri Lanka Guardian article ‘The proposed US Congress resolution: Sri Lanka gets fired by its own bullets?’ by Raj Gonsalkorale. The Energy on which I received Raj’s work included my investment in the Sri Lanka Reconciliation Forum, Sydney where I got to know Raj as an individual. I  read also, the interview of an LTTE leader, by Nilantha Ilangamuwa published under the heading ‘Sri Lanka: Selvarasa Pathmanathan alias KP speaks after years of silence’.

Raj introduces his line of analysis as follows:

[In the immediate period before independence and soon after, a minority on both sides, Tamils and Sinhalese, took comfort in assuming they represented the majority although in reality they were safeguarding the interests of the minority that mattered to them. The Britannica quote “To the great mass of Sinhalese- and Tamil-educated residents and unschooled citizens, these values appeared irrelevant and incomprehensible” says it all. There is no running away from the truth that a fraction of the population, the English educated, land owning class governed the country and all its institutions, while the majority on both sides lived as second class citizens in their own country.]

Taking this as the base, let us apply that rule to Raj’s article – in particular the policy value in it. How many of the ‘great mass of Sinhalese- and Tamil-educated residents and unschooled citizens would understand Raj’s article?’ Not many. But when Raj is accepted by the media, it gives the impression that there is high level reception. Ultimately, when Raj becomes his own reader and does not expect / take any benefits for his work – even in thought, the value gets carried exponentially through various avenues including Buddhism but not limited to Buddhism. Take for example the Sri Lanka Reconciliation forum that both of us were actively part of. To the extent we became common minded through that forum, we would naturally bring the core value of each other’s work into our sharing with wider public. Each one who identifies with the core value – would carry it through to their respective home-groups within the ‘great-mass’. I would take mine to my family and to Tamils – say for example those in Vaddukoddai in Northern Sri Lanka – as my ‘attitude’ towards Sinhalese. Likewise Raj, with his ethnic group.

In his introduction to the interview with KP – the then member of the  LTTE leadership, Nilantha introduces Reconciliation as understood by him, as follows:

[He is a case study in searching for the true meaning of reconciliation. He has shown that reconciliation is not merely a game of rhetoric at international forums to gain personal desires but commitments toward helping society uplift livelihoods of ordinary men and women. ]

I would interpret the above as per my investment in Nilantha as part of Sri Lanka Guardian group whose articles I read and valued and contributed to as a writer.

Nilantha shares with us his ‘intelligence’ as per his interview with KP who stated:

[When I was arrested I thought that they were going to deport me. When I landed here, I thought to myself that my life was over. When I heard of the Defence Secretary who is the President today, I conjured up the image that he was a very serious, stern and tough person. When I landed here I thought they would take me to the cemetery. I said bye to my family in my heart and thought to myself that this life had ended, that maybe in the next life I could meet them again.

They took me to the Defence Secretary’s house. When I entered I noticed in the entrance a statue of the Buddha. When I saw the light I got a feeling that I was safe. I was feeling very low at the time but when I saw this light, I felt a little energised. I sat down with the Defence Secretary and he came and shook hands with me. When he sat down and began to talk, I was thinking to myself, ‘What is going on? This cannot be happening to me. This is the opposite of what should be happening to me.’ ]

 Wikipedia presents KP as follows:

[Pathmanathan, Kumaran Pathmanathan or simply KP) (born 6 April 1955) is a former prominent member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist organisation proscribed as a terrorist organization by 32 countries which, until May 2009, was a party to the Sri Lankan Civil War, and sought to create an independent Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka. Pathmanathan was on Interpol's most wanted list for various charges including arms smuggling and criminal conspiracy. He is also wanted by India's law enforcement agencies in connection with the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 and for violation of the Terrorist Act and the Indian Explosive Act. He was arrested on 5 August 2009. Pathmanathan was released from prison on 17 October 2012, when the complaints against him by Sri Lanka were withdrawn]

If indeed, the Sri Lankan government headed by the Rajapaksa brothers had believed KP to be a Terrorist, they would not have released him. The arrest was therefore to intimidate and pick his mind/intelligence in terms of the LTTE monies and weapons. Effectively KP is recognized as an approver, in favour of the prosecution. How could he be expected to reconcile with those who were uplifted by the LTTE?

The Sinhala only policy had the effect of empowering those who invested more in local Sinhalese culture and less in common culture especially at the workplace. During British rule – the passage of values was through respective leaders from the various communities who were also part of the top group of Administrators who were educated through the British system. This brought relationships with those in wider world who also practised that system. Gandhi who was also part of that system – renounced benefits from that system and hence was able to access the minds of British leaders. Gandhi used that intelligence to benefit his home-group which were those masses.

The sacrifice made by Gandhi in becoming part of the masses – and sharing in their pain – connected him to the Universal power on which Democracy is based. That sacrifice was core Energy which resided as ‘Common Intelligence’ in Gandhi.

Mr SWRD Bandaranaike on the other hand tried to handover power as if it were a ‘commodity’. Hence Sinhala only law which the masses would relate to – to unite physically or oppose physically. That laid the foundation for armed rebellion – including against the Buddhist government. That is the way of Asuras who are driven by lower level mind structures.

As a Buddhist, Raj would identify with the system of karma. Laws help us correct ourselves before the effects of our actions go beyond our control. Once it goes beyond our control – it is part of the system of karma which cannot be directly controlled by us. But to the extent we are true to ourselves, and repent our wrong doings we dilute that karma. Hence ‘Sorry Declarations’ to the victims. Once we invoke global laws but withdraw from the global responsibilities – as per global laws – we allow our wrongs to become sins and our rights to become virtues at that level.

Now America has to be conscious of being with the ‘right’ ones including within the Tamil community. Any direct benefit taken from their latest move to declare their acceptance of North and East as Traditional Tamil Homelands has to benefit all Sri Lankans in common and not for the only purpose of war footing against China.

Tamils invoked India and Sinhalese have invoked China. To the extent these were underpinned by belief – they are healthy. Any benefit taken outside that circle of belief would invite war in Sri Lanka – to support which our respective karmas would be added.

Yesterday I confirmed that I learnt about the ‘Five Whys’ system through Mr Siva Anandaciva’s analysis of the Nightingale hospitals. The five whys work for currently active systems open to correction. When they go into the  system of karma one needs Twenty Five whys in relatively new closures and Six hundred and twenty five whys at the next stage and so on. That is how Nuclear power works.