JVP INSURRECTION OR DEMOCRATIC PROTESTS?

Today we celebrate Vesak. Lord Buddha forewent luxuries and realised the Truth. Every Sri Lankan realising her/his own truth leads us to self-governance as a nation. Reading and/or someone else’s truth empowers us to realise our own truth. Then truth does the rest. Truth being a Universal power, we cannot ‘tell’ truth what to do. We can submit but not lead nor tell.

ABC Australia has published  as follows in its  report headed ‘Protesters demand arrest of former Sri Lankan PM Mahinda Rajapaksa over attack’

[For months, Sri Lankans have been forced to wait in long lines to purchase essentials such as medicines, fuel, cooking gas and food because of a severe foreign currency shortage.]

Tamil civilians in North & East suffered much worse during the war and yet there were no ‘Protests’ in Colombo. Why ? because their votes are secondary to those driven by majority. This is the reason why rebels arm themselves.

On 11 May, I responded as follows to a Sri Lankan of Tamil origin shared his concerns through the article headed China Plays Tamil Card in Sri Lanka by Indian Journalist  P.K.BALACHANDRAN :

[As per the feedback I get, some in North are open to China. It is not new – considering that we already had the links through Communist Party as highlighted by you. Some as per my current communications play it both ways – pro India as well as pro China. However, majority are pro-UNP now also.

 India continues to invest actively in North but they lack majority support could also be due to IPKF experience.

 The encouraging part is the quiet support for protestors in the current situation. Not sure whether Sumanthiran’s suggestion to arrest MR is helpful. I reject it. Due Process must be followed at all times. That will bring us the blessings of all our ancestors. As of now, I feel that we are protected in North. ]

 The elder responded as follows:

[I agree with you;  indeed , due process must be followed at all times: if not the state will descend into anarchy. The consensus of opinion here is that the JVP is at the moment behind the setting fire to the homes of supporters of  the SLPP . There are 17 universities in Sri Lanka now and 90% of the Sinhalese undergraduates are allied to the JVP & these undergraduates are award of the locations of all legislators , SLPP, UNP et al - not the plebs .]

My response to it was:

I did write on 07 May – under the heading ‘ANOTHER JVP INSURRECTION?’ . After the protestors start reacting, it is difficult to know the difference.]  http://austms.blogspot.com/2022/05/anotherjvp-insurrection-our-staff-in.html

 

Then this morning a Sri Lankan wrote:

[ Ranil is not only crafty ,he is a spineless sod who is not genuine. He is probably the best of the bad lot. They should have gone for Eran Wickramaratne in my opinion or wiped the slate clean & gone for someone from the minority community  ( that would have stirred some SHIT )]

 

I responded as follows:

[Ranil  as part of UNP is the most suitable leader through whom Sri Lankan (not Sinhalese) karma would manifest. Hence the manifestation which represents Sri Lankans. A positive family karma would manifest the most common member of the family. Likewise a nation’s. At the current time, we have to use our global influence. With Ranil, who is wise in global issues – IMF is more likely to oblige. Sajith was currying favour with the Chinese]

 

The JVP influence surfaced through Ceylon Today article headed ‘FSP demands PM arrest Defence Secy’:

[The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) urged Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to arrest Secretary to the Defence Ministry Kamal Gunaratne for issuing shooting orders to the
tri-forces.]

[The members of the party with some other left-wing parties held protests in front of the US embassy in Sri Lanka which was later assaulted by Police officers complaining about the breaking of "health regulations". ^[12]

The party members claimed this was a peaceful protest against the murder of George Floyd and against the signing of MCC deal with the United States.

The members of the FLSP, Premakumar Gunaratnam and a group of supporters of the FLSP started marching down the streets mostly wearing Red to represent Communism and Anti-racism. The members carried posters that read "Racism is a deadly virus" thus referring to the outbreak of the Coronavirus. The police soon crossed the road blocking the road to the U.S Embassy. The police then began to clash with the protesters. ]

I have written about a visitor cutting short the former Attorney General of Sri Lanka Mr Sunil de Silva who stated that caste was also a reason for the JVP insurrection. That visitor to the Sri Lanka Reconciliation Forum, Sydney was Premakumar Gunaratnam, about whom Wikipedia states:

[Premakumar Gunaratnam in politics, is a former JVP leader and political activist in Sri Lanka who later became an Australian citizen and the current general secretary of FLSP.]

 

Back then Premakumar Gunaratnam denied the caste based connection to JVP uprising. He may have registered some other reason. Many Tamils likewise deny the caste based connection to LTTE. But the Truth is the truth. Each time someone opposes it without belief – they weaken the power of their stated belief.

As per my discovery, Communism, like Christianity became an alternate pathway to Northern Sri Lankans escaping caste based discrimination. LTTE highjacked the Race issue and killed the Politicians in the process.

Now Western countries as well as China are trying to woo Sri Lankans. With Ranil as PM the former are more likely to invest in Sri Lanka. Every Sri Lankan, including Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mr Premakumar Gunaratnam who sought to make Australia and other Western nations their ‘home’ owe Democracy.

Protests as per Democracy can only be to express pain as per one’s experience. When political demands are made without the experience of deep pain – it is in breach of Democratic principles. Gandhi is our example of Peaceful Democratic protests. Gandhi fasted when some in his group became violent. The fast was to redeem the whole group.

If the protesting Sri Lankans were true to themselves they would fast to cure the violent amongst themselves. Those who attacked – were also Sri Lankans. Some could have been soldiers or prisoners. But when it comes to economic pain all need to be taken as suffering. Towards this the protestors need to ‘fast’ on behalf of the violent Sri Lankans. Taking the punishment without retaliating is also a form of ‘fasting’.