Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

23 June 2021

 

 

PARLIAMENTARIAN - I PROMISE TO DIVIDE SRI LANKA

 

They say that time and place are change agents. As per my discovery when we freeze both we would experience the absolute. To my mind meditation helps us achieve  this. Most of us would find it easier to travel through one or the other. As per my conclusion, when we freeze time, we become more global through lateral travel; and when we freeze space we become more ancestral.

Someone in a Tamil Male alumni group wrote to another yesterday:

 

[I thought like xxx you are  a Medical doctor, Now I have a doubt whether I misunderstood you.

Doctor of what?  Tamil Literature & Poetry?  I am amazed by your தமிழ் புலமை கண்டு!  நின் தமிழ் திறமைக்கு எனது வாழ்த்து ! (I admire your proficiency in Tamil)

இந்த கூட்டத்தில் அமர்ந்திருப்பது xxxxx என்றறிந்தும் அந்த கஜலக்சுமியுடன்   நிற்றிக் கண் திறப்பினும் குற்றம் குற்றமே என்று வாதாடிய நின் தமிழ் திறமைக்கு எனது வாழ்த்து ! வாழ்க நின் தமிழ் தொண்டு (Even though xxx is in this group, you argued with Gajalakshmi that even if you are burnt by the Third eye, a wrong was a wrong. Long live your service to Tamil!]

 

The above discussion happened in response to my article headed ‘LANGUAGE OF COLOMBO PORT CITY’. The heading itself was changed to [LANGUAGE OF COLOMBO PORT CITY; LANGUAGE AND ETHNIC ISSUES IN CHINLANKA], by the person who was praised. I was rather upset by it and the show of disrespect for me that ensued.

 

To me the reality of the above group is that they have gone back to the time when they were in Jaffna. Space was thus frozen to their school which is Tamil only school.

 

Then this morning Valentine Kursusumuthu who from time to time expresses appreciation for my work and who is in my media email list wrote to me under the topic ‘LANGUAGE OF COLOMBO PORT CITY’ without any change. The response was copied to the whole group of about 72 media related persons. Valentine wrote:

 

[Madam..(அம்மனி), sister (சகோதரி), Tamil woman ( தமிழிச்சி).. வணக்கம், Namaste,guten Tag,schalom, good day, Allahu agbar, aibowan..!

தாங்கள் ஓர் தமிழ் அறிவாழராக நான் கருதுகிறேன்,.. தங்கள் கருத்துக்களை எவரையும் புண்படுத்தாமல் ஆதாரத்துடன் (evidence), விஞ்ஞான ரீதியாக (in a scientific way) எழுதுகிறீர்கள். (I consider you to be a Tamil intellectual. You write scientifically and with evidence, without hurting anyone.

நன்றி..பனி தோடரவும். Thank you and let the service continue.

ஆனாலும்"ஏட்டுச் சுரைக்காய் கறிக்கு உதவாது". (But book vegetable cannot be cooked. )

ஆகவே தங்கள் படைப்புகளை ஆங்கிலத்தில் மட்டுமே அன்றி.. சிங்கள.தமிழ் மொழிகளில் பகிர்ந்தால் இப்பிரச்சனையுடன் சம்பந்தப்பட்டவர்கள் வாசித்து.. சிந்தித்து..சகல இனத்தவர்கள் உடன் பரிமாறி ஒற்றுமையாக வாழ வழிகாட்டும் என நினைக்கிறேன். (Hence please do not limit your writings to English only . If shared in Sinhalese and Tamil  - so those affected by the ethnic problem would read, think, share and feel  united.

.It is up to you,my humble request... that's all.

Take care and be safe and clever]

 

Valentine is confirming lateral / global spread which is the current need for Sri Lankans. The mind is inclusive of other cultures. This is essential in multicultural democracy. The alumni group on the other hand, has become local in terms of language and gender. This leads to the question whether Tamils who were educated in multicultural environments such as Colombo or Kandy / Peradeniya contributed to the ethnic war in Sri Lanka, even before the LTTE took-over power. In fact did it happen because educated Tamils failed to pay their dues to Commonness?

 

In his article ‘Myanmar: Kyaukphyu Port-The Dragon Enters in a Big Way’

Dr Chandrasekharan honoured my work as follows:

 

[This reminds me of a well thought out remarks by an analyst of Sri Lankan origin Gajalakshmi Paramasivam, in connection with the projects in Sri Lanka.  She pointed out that “Borrowing without the ability to repay results in slavery.  One who is a slave does not  have the capacity to work sovereign powers anytime, anywhere!”]

 

Dr Chandrasekharan who made immense contribution to India’s regional leadership, has since left his mortal coil. But his Energy continues to support many of us at the time of our need. It was this Energy that led me to look into the Xinjiang conflict, and learn through my Sri Lankan experience, the plight of Uyghurs, who are presented by Wikipedia as ‘ a Turkic minority ethnic group who constitute a plurality of the region's population’

 

Of special interest to me was the fact that Uyghurs claim of Nationalism as opposed to common ideology with China. The latter is the parallel of Unitary State claim in article 2 of the Sri Lankan constitution. This means that any subdivision needs to uphold parity with every other part. Article 9 of the constitution states:

 

[9. The Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, while assuring to all religions the rights granted by Articles 10 and 14(1)(e).]

 

Parity on the basis of religion is disturbed by article 9. The average thinker may ask as to how that would be a problem when it is not actively used in Administration or Court of Law. It is quite common for Buddhist clergy to get involved in Sri Lankan politics. At the surface level majority memory rules over minority memory. The more common we are the more equal manifestations would be. The above article divides Sri Lanka into two Equal parts.

 

One may ask as to how an inactive law could affect manifestations. Each time the constitution is the basis of the oath – one who so takes oath promises to divide Sri Lanka. The Constitution is the written manual of our ancestors. When oath is taken by a Buddhist – Buddhist ancestral powers are invoked. When a non-Buddhist takes oath s/he promises to uphold the other half. Once invoked we cannot instruct our ancestors. They would go to work through their Absolute Power.

 

Xinjiang conflict has become active for the same reason. The Uyghurs are Muslims and to the extent they realised the Absolute power through Islam, they would invoke their ancestral powers native to that area where they practiced their religion. But a Han Chinese would not have that kind of access in that area. The way Northern Sri Lankans are geographically and culturally close to South India, Xinjiang  Uyghurs are close to other Muslim countries in that area, including Afghanistan and Pakistan.

 

China’s government’s  interest in that area would be more relative especially due to oil in that area. Hence even though  China’s government has strong armed power, it would be relative and could be overridden by global powers that are democratic and are committed more deeply to Human Rights.