09 August 2023

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

 

 

EDUCATE THE GOVERNMENT TO RECONCILE

 

Truth and Reconciliation Commissions are recommended as medication for Racial pain.  As per my findings, Truth automatically unites. Hence Reconciliation is for those who are yet to realise their own truth.

 

In his article ‘Reconciliation process misnomer in absence of trustful meeting of minds’ Dr Jehan, Director, the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka, states:

‘By way of contrast, the reconciliation process at the present time is a narrower process led by the president with less consultation with other political and civil society actors.  This is especially with regard to the issue that has got most prominence in recent times—the 13th Amendment and devolution of powers.  It is only the president who is standing tall and making the case for it.’

 

The all Party conference highlighted that the President was bargaining and did not identify with the truth of Tamil politicians in the group. One who is true to her/himself would identify with the truth of the opposition.

 

I shared this as follows with a Sri Lankan group, about love, which applies to truth also:

 

Religion is one pathway to realise god. Family is another. Workplace is also such a pathway. When I reach the destination of Love, I am no longer conscious of relativity and therefore fear. Recently, I was faced with a situation where I was an important person in a group made up of two cultures. One was traditional Hindu culture and the other was of contemporary Australian middleclass culture. Both were of Sri Lankan origin. My relationship with both groups was healthy.  But like in Sri Lankan politics the older religion-conscious group had majority power due to age and numbers.  The need was with the minority side.

I divided myself into two. I acted as if I had the need to keep both sides together. So, with the majority I took instructions as if I were their junior and with the minority group I acted as their friend. This worked to diffuse tensions by the majority power and prevented separation. It was effectively separation of powers  that prevented separatism.

 

The source of my intelligence is the Hindu legend of churning the Ocean of Milk. Once I believe, that belief becomes my guru.

 

The 13^th Amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution has the poison as well as the nectar from churning Sri Lanka’s ethnic issue. When the problem / poison is consumed by the true  President, in every  member of Parliament, the nectar/opportunity  will surface.  If this is hijacked by those driven by brawn, Truth needs to take the form of their friend and redeem the Opportunity and hand it over to the intellectuals.

 

If driven by outcomes, 13^th Amendment will defeat Sri Lanka.