19 November 2021
Northern Provincial Council of Sri Lanka
“The Northern
Provincial Council (NPC) has misused the annual allocations from the government
for a long time, Governor of the province, Jeevan Thiagarajah alleged on
Tuesday in Vavuniya.” – Island Report headed ‘Governor Thiagarajah reads riot act to northern
politicians’
From one angle the above
is true. But from another it is false. If Sri Lanka was considered a Unitary
State – then the above is true. If the Council considered itself to be ‘separate’
from Central Government – then it is a false allegation. I’ll use a real
experience to explain. This morning when a Sri Lankan Diaspora leader expressed
appreciation for my article ‘DIFFERENTLY ABLED MINORITY’ I responded as
follows:
[In Thunaivi a young father said that when they felt discrimination
pain and could not ‘show it’ they showed that through football. He used the
word ‘Ohrmum’ . I think this is what happened to Northern Tamils in terms of
education. Our parallel was exam grades. So – why fear when Muruga is with us?]
This morning I read the following in Twitter and responded:
Gaja Param: One has to lose consciousness of 'brother' to
experience the full Energy of National status as Political mentor.
The above was
based on Rebirth philosophy common to Hindus and Buddhists of Sri Lanka.
Accordingly, we take only our virtues and sins as positive or negative Energy
into our next birth. That which is not Energy is left behind – however ‘right’
or ‘wrong’ it may seem in the environment
we die in. The net positive even if we are reborn in the old environment
resides as our intuition/sixth sense. It invokes itself when we need it.
Likewise the net negative when our genuine opposition needs it.
On that basis
, to the extent Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa shows respect
for his elder brother – he loses its value in his current position which is
senior to that of the position held by elder brother Mr Mahinda Rajapaksa. By
referring to the brother as ‘Your Excellency’ the Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa is
automatically switching positions and takes the position of Prime Minister.
Detachment
pain is often rejected by us. When we absorb it as if we are juniors, we
accumulate the intelligence within us.
In the case
of Tamils, armed militants recruited from schools. Parents did not have the
courage to oppose the militants. If Education was ‘foremost’ to them they would
have. The LTTE killed Tamil politicians to takeover power and silence the
People. That is the way their survival was protected. Now they have reversed
the Politician-Army relationship upside down. If the money-rich Diaspora said
Thileepan is a Martyr – those who migrated to economically progressive
countries – would say ‘yes’ I am the only one known to me who has opposed this
as per my own belief. Thileepan was a courageous fighter and in his own way he
surrendered to Nallur Murugan. Those who believe in LTTE more than in Murugan
have no right to his legacy. The problem began with LTTE leader referring to
MGR as Anna/Big Brother. MGR became popular in Sri Lanka also due to his acting.
The less educated who are emotionally driven would have forgotten that he was
acting and would have attributed it to him as a person and hence his election
victory. But Public Administration in Tamil Nadu is a far cry from the times of
our venerated Tamil ancestors. Money divides. Common Principle unites.
During Mr
Wigneswaran’s period as CM, I was able to achieve success in ensuring that a
large group of nursing aids who were promised permanency were made permanent. I
did that after they complained to the Provincial Health Ministry, followed by
the CM but failed. On the other hand I had accumulated that latent power in
2009 – when Central Health Ministry treated me as a ‘junior’ . I then made Lord
Buddha as my senior also and stomached the unjust accusations – as if I was LTTE. I was Tamil and strong minded in Public
Administration. But I naturally opposed the LTTE that killed educated
politicians. Hence I underwent genuine pain. This helped me succeed with the
new government that came to power in 2015 which was also a genuine Opposition
to armed rule.
The Northern
Provincial Council elected by the People who suffered due to the armed war – is
suffering due to its own isolation from Tamil elders in Administration –
including those strongly influenced by British Administrators. The likes of Mr Jeevan Thiagarajah would continue to carry those
common administrators as their mentors. By openly claiming relationship with
LTTE leader, Mr Wigneswaran acted as Mr Rajapaksa has
done. Mr Rajapaksa addressed his junior by position as ‘Your Excellency’. Mr
Wigneswaran elevated himself to Big Brother position in Politics and hence his
investment in Administration as a senior member of the Judiciary became the ‘cost’
taken for that elevation in position. It also meant that he would have ‘feared’
strong administrators who Opposed armed militancy.
This has been
quite rightly highlighted by the new Governor. But the reality in North which
is still under fear of return of war – encouraged by the Diaspora that gives unconditional
money like MGR did – to play their tune – prevents them from focusing on Common
Administration. Between me and an expatriate from Thunaivi - they chose the latter who gave them unconditional
money. Mr Ganesh – the Administrator was the chief guest at the ceremony to
open the building built on our temple land. Mr Wigneswaran was the Chief Guest
for the building built on someone else’s land – by an MGR fan who claimed that
it was his father’s memorial.
Just
yesterday I sent the following message to a senior officer in North:
Dear Madam
Yesterday I
noticed that a group was conducting a ‘class’ to teenagers – mostly girls. I
was informed that you were aware of this NGO session. I have asked the Thunaivi
women’s association representative – Mrs Vasanthi to organize a Time Table in
consultation with the GS so that a smooth order would be ensured in sharing the
Common Community Hall to benefit all concerned. We are already organising to
develop common activities for seniors of Vaddukoddai – with regular sessions at
the common hall. Hence the need for this organized approach.
Regards
Gajalakshmi
As a person
who has been involved there – I have corporate wisdom about Thunaivi. At the
early stages - a guy said words to the
effect ‘From the time of GG Ponnambalam, I have been recognized as a master in
landgrab’ . I promptly informed him that that building was strictly for
Administrative Services. He did not bother us thereafter. But the recent caste
based conflict which was reported to have happened in another part of
Vaddukoddai was filmed in Thunaivi where the Police met the Politician to be.
It was recorded in front of the above mentioned building that Mr Wigneswaran
opened.
Officers are
fearful of coming to that area. NGO’s are temporary and hence less fearful. The
children of citizens who self-isolated are no longer connected to the senior
caste citizens and therefore their heritage in Common Public Administration.
They are easily distracted by quick and easy outcomes through which they become
powerful. I observed this trend in East also during Tsunami Reconstruction
Service. That is our karma for not strongly opposing armed militancy which
effectively opposed mental ownership in common.
The solution
is for strong and committed Administrators to share their Energy as of the
folks in disenfranchised communities. Essential towards this is their
acceptance that we are one of them. Then the sharing is natural.
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