Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

22 November   2021

Sinhalese are our Opposition – Not Enemy

The sensational news currently in the Tamil Diaspora is at Pro LTTE group disrupts TNA MPs Sumanthiran's & Shanakiyan's meeting in Canada (Video) - NewsWire

It was expected after the ‘Genocide declaration’ in Toronto under the leadership of Vijay Thanigasalam. It was still upsetting due to the painful  reality that we are now a divided Tamil Diaspora.

This morning I wrote in relation to a conflict between two Tamil professionals ‘I agree that ‘victim complex’ is common to both genders. Out of the two I showed Opposition to you but kept my distance from the less mature participant.’

Analysing a conflict through psychology requires ‘commonness’ in the mind of the analyser.  ‘Victim’s complex’ carries the risk of eventual self-demotion. Wikipedia presents the following in this regard:

Individuals may identify as a victim if they believe that:

·       they were harmed;

·       they were not the cause of the occurrence of the harmful act;

·       they were under no obligation to prevent the harm;

·       the harm constituted an injustice in that it violated their rights (if inflicted by a person), or they possessed qualities (e.g., strength or goodness of character) making them persons whom that harm did not befit;

·       they deserve sympathy.

 

Given Vaddukoddai Resolution 1976, which was a political Resolution, we have no reason to claim that the pain and loss to Tamils during the subsequent war years was not because of Tamil Opposition also. Those who genuinely  believe as per one or more of the above are victims. But if as per one or more of these measures – their pain was due to ‘insiders’ rather than outsiders – then the relief needs to come from within. In the case of Sri Lankan Tamils they have to be cured from within. If the ‘obligation to prevent the harm’ is ignored – then whoever caused the pain and loss gets the natural punishment which is often ‘demotion’.

If we relieved ourselves through immigration, to nations that are more democratic than Sri Lanka, then we have the responsibility to ensure we act in such a way as to not in anyway damage that status of our new nations to uphold something from the past. Migration is like rebirth and we have the responsibility to carry only the truth from our Sri Lankan experience when operating as citizens of the new nations. The Genocide claim was false in respect of Tamils who seek political solution and not a military solution. Those who so claim are seeking a military answer in the form of separation.

But the question is what rights do Canadian Tamils have to directly take a stand in this issue? They have the responsibility to act through Sri Lankan Tamils in Sri Lanka and have voting rights. Majority Tamil voters confirmed through their participation in the National Parliamentary elections that they sought a National solution and not separate state. This as per my calculations is 75% of those eligible to vote. That is the real Political solution which automatically rejects military solution and therefore separatism.

As per the above report:

[Pro LTTE supporters disrupted a meeting attended by TNA MPs M.A.Sumanthiran and Shanakiyan Rasamanickam on Saturday (20), demanding a separate state for the Tamil people, and rejecting the Tamil party’s push for a political settlement to Sri Lanka’s ethnic question.]

Tamils of Sri Lanka’s North and East have overwhelmingly voted for a political solution. They have categorically rejected separate Tamil state. Every Opposition by belief is a naturally devolved power. I stated this recently when someone in Thunaivi sought express approval from an officer. I stated that when we know the law and apply it consciously we do not need specific approval for everything we do. But we need to report regularly to that higher authority – so they would decide and take action as per their own assessment of the value of our work.

I opposed the Prime Minister yesterday as follows on Twitter:

Mahinda Rajapaksa

Was blessed to witness & partake in the ceremony of vesting with the sasana, the sacred stupa ‘Sandahiru Seya' in #Anuradhapura, that was commissioned during my tenure as president. The stupa is a tribute to fallen war heroes & to the innocent lives that were lost due to the war.

Gaja Param

Nov 21

Replying to

Does this not give the impression that the heroes as well as the innocent civilians who died, are Buddhists only?

 

 

To the extent we believe – and express – we diffuse the forces as Opposition. Once we separate – we are outsiders without the right to Oppose and diffuse. Canadian Tamils failed this test to qualify as Opposition.