Going beyond Sarath Fonseka in achieving democracy for people
Repost This ArticleA visibly shaken wife in tears, Anoma Fonseka told the media “this is the gift my husband got for finishing a 30 year war”. Gen Sarath Fonseka was arrested, or detained, or taken into custody or may have been even abducted by a military group late in the evening on Monday from his office, in Colombo. What ever label one gives for such exercises, they eventually end up as legal arrests in Sri Lanka, as was earlier proved in the case of Uthayan and Sudar Oli editor N. Vidyadaran’s abduction, on 26 February, 2009 while the war was on and Gen Fonseka was the army commander.
Apparently the end of the war has not changed it to be any better. As for what’s now happening, the reading was on the wall. Quite plain and clear while the two opposing candidates fought their battle for presidency with rhetoric sans politics. Accusing each other, of plotting to kill each other.
The presidential elections thus cleared and prepared the ground for such blatant violations of the law and DEMOCRACY, irrespective of who won the elections. The war hyped on Sinhala patriotism enabled the State machinery to be as ruthless as it is now, when Gen Fonseka is removed from where he was. Make it so elusive, that none would know how journalist Ekneligoda went missing. “Lanka” news paper editor is detained under emergency law that was unconditionally supported by the JVP also. War that gave it all teeth and might to violate the law and still make the big bite, legal and justified.
Irony of fate it is now, that Gen Fonseka has to go through similar violations of rights and be treated this way. Yet, it should not be. Gen Fonseka, has a right to be treated fair according to law and within democratic norms of justice. Allowing this regime to continue to act with impunity is not punishing Gen Fonseka for his part in erecting this brutal regime, but giving into a regime that would continue to punish any or all who would stand for rights and democracy.
While there is urgency in demanding justice for Gen Fonseka, there is also the need to discuss how law and order and democratic life could be achieved in this country. It is this political necessity that the UNF is ignoring, trying to make electoral gains for the upcoming parliamentary elections through loud noise and larger numbers. The necessity now is not just to have a large alliance but to have a strong democratic programme for the next parliamentary elections. It is the political programme that should decide the alliance.
What should this programme include as current and urgent ?
Today it is urgently necessary to identify democracy, law and order and development, as key issues and as core problems in living a safe, decent and a satisfied life in Sri Lanka. Democracy and law order can not be achieved as “only for the South”. Unless Tamil democratic life is assured, there can be no democracy, no law and order for the Sinhala and Muslim people only. Its just common sense. Its only one centralised and repressive State that takes on all ethnicities.
The Sinhala society therefore has to be told that their right to law and order, democracy and development have been hijacked by substituting a “Sinhala patriotic” voice that has only kept them burdened with an ever growing repressive State and socio economic problems all through the 62 years, after independence.
The Tamil society has to be provided with a leadership that need not necessarily be Tamil in ethnic terms. This was so, when the old LSSP stood for parity of status. It would be Tamil, to the extent that it represents their present, post war aspirations. Thus the issue of IDPs would have to be taken in real political terms, a political factor that is not being addressed by the Opposition in the absence of a credible Tamil leadership, strong enough to voice their concerns.
The issue of especially the Eastern Muslim population and their right to undisturbed livelihood in a democratic environment sans guns and grenades, is one tied to their cultivable land as well, that is in dispute all through the war and even at present. These could only be sorted out within democratic structures in a law abiding society.
The total programme thus would have to have a “people’s face” with the voices of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim societies.
That programme should therefore in brief include,
01. Call for ethnic and social reconciliation for all war affected people to leave their burdens behind and become active members of a unified society
This is a necessary democratic process that has to be allowed to independently establish and grow outside State intervention, but with a political undertaking by the government and the opposition to honour its recommendations and conclusions.
This is a socio political necessity, as allowed in South Africa with “Truth Commissions” that healed its deep rooted social wounds from apartheid rule in the face of war crimes accusations, that any government in such crises would have to deal with.
02. Call for immediate demilitarisation of society to allow freedom to people’s undisturbed daily life and policing of law and order
The issue of maintaining law and order in a non-political environment in society is almost directly linked to the extent the society is left under undue security concerns and how politicised the organs of the State are. Today, with the war declared over, the necessity for people’s elected representatives to move about with armed security is wholly unnecessary and leads to their alienation and for arrogance in relating to social issues. Therefore the removal of armed security assigned to elected representatives has to be immediately called for starting with Provincial Council members. The disbanding of para military groups has to be called for immediately to ensure that the legal State security forces are held responsible for social security.
The police should be turned into an independent department under an independent Commission established according to the 17th Amendment to discharge its duties and responsibilities in the manner it is meant for – maintaining law and order in civil terms.
03. Call for a “Road map” for resettlement and rehabilitation of IDPs to be presented in parliament with budget allocations, to make the process responsible to parliament and accountable in terms of public money
The issue of the IDPs is not one of Tamil concern and Sinhala compassion. It is a political issue that has to be settled within democratic politics. The Tamil people have the universal right to freedom of movement and the right to settle where they were, prior to the war or to chose where they wish to settle. Therefore, the government is duty bound and morally responsible to tell the people what its programme is and the time frame for implementation. The government also has a responsibility to tell the public, Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim, how much money would be disbursed for the purpose as public money is being utilised for all such work. The call therefore should be to present a programme in parliament for resettlement and rehabilitation of IDPs with due allocations of money and responsibility.
04. Call for Democracy for lost development in the South
This would explain that the Unitary State, under all 3 Constitutions – Soulbury, Republican and the Presidential – have failed to deliver an economically viable society to the South. Districts in the South are the most poorest of all districts with 53% of the national wealth accruing in the Western Province with Colombo as its centre. People though electors of legislature, loose their representative power in deciding where their money go and how. A massive majority of migrant labour from the undeveloped rural areas, earn 35.9% of the foreign exchange for this country and still live among over 37% of poverty in the rural areas. It is thus a prime necessity to promote a participatory system of power sharing for the provinces to decide provincial development within a national policy framework. This would also raise the necessity of a new “constitution” with strong devolved power.
05. Call for a “national development plan” with emphasis on rural development, education, health and public transport
The issue of “National Development” has always been limited to budget proposals that never get discussed seriously even in parliament and never have follow up interim discussions, even in parliament. Most other “development” projects are totally outside the budget and are implemented by ministries on their perceived importance and availability of donor assistance. This has led to a situation where the labour market in a regional perspective is never surveyed and the rural economy plays no part in job creation, with education seeing no reason to have any relation to “development”. Thus the necessity to open up a social dialogue on national policy, taking into serious concern the provincial necessity of meeting local needs, for which the 13th Amendment needs to be honoured.
The suggested programme has much to commend it. It is a shame that it seems that government ministers are more concerned with political retribution and investigation of conspiracy allegations thantaking the time to deal with the the real issues facing Sri Lanka. Taking each of the proposals in turn:
#1: Absolutely agree. Looking for revenge and punishment is not going to solve any of the problems caused by the past 30 years of conflict. I think the government could easily silence its international critics if it put in place something similar to the “Truth Commissions” of South Africa. In the Sri Lankan context, these commissions should cover not only the LTTE related violence and human rights abuses, but those conducted during the JVP insurgencies of the 1980s.
#2: Again very important. In addition to de-militarisation, I think it is also necessary to start a process of de-politicisation of state institutions and the civil service.
#3: The Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights already produced such a road map. See:
http://www.dmhr.gov.lk/uploads/231_Sri%20Lanka%20Reintegration%20Framework.pdf
However, there is no indication that the President has done anything about it. I have not seen any news reports of it being discussed in parliament, or the government allocating the resources necessary to implement it.
#4 & #5: Making elected officials representative of local areas (be they provinces or districts) and having mechanisms for holding them accountable to the local people would help this.
Sorry, the report I linked to in my response to item 3 above relates to rehabilitation of ex-combatants, not IDPs. Totally agree with Kusal Perera that a plan for IDP rehabilitation is also needed with the appropriate budget allocations and resourcing.
What is happening to one of your Generals, is an eye opener for many in the West. If your government is treating a Sinhala War hero like this, I can imagine the state of the Tamils. I have great respect for the Sinhala people.
Some mentioned that North East of the country was part of the Sinhala Kingdom. This is a complete lie. There was no Sinhala in Sri Lanka before 300BC but there were Tamils in Sri Lanka even before that.Sinhala language has 4000 borrowed words from Tamil.
Sinhala people are neither inferior nor superior to the Tamils. Just because you are the majority, it doesn’t prove that the country belongs to them. Some Sinhalese claim that they are the descendants of Arians so how can they be the inhabitants of this south county. No matter who came first, all the people in Sri Lanka should be treated equal.
I don’t need to come and see Sri Lanka. I have seen enough photos, videos and even satellite images of the atrocities that are still being committed by your armed forces.
Many Sinahlese believe everything written on Mahavamsa which is a book with full of myths and fantasies. This book claims that you all descended from a lion and this cannot be true.
Seyon, the foriegner,
You put it nicely. So if Mahawamsa is full with Myths and fantasies how about the bile or the Quran? By the way, since you are in the west I refer you to what the west has for world piece and creating Al Qaueda in 1979. Also a good lesson for you: Al Qaeda Doesnt exist-1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek7ZHenQnu4
Al Qaeda Doesnt exist-2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnV_pNe_BB0
CIA Director Richard Helms on Ways to Kill Castro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6RuM1DZSJQ
What do you think about what your people have to the world?
the voice of moderates and independents speaking out against govt misdemeanours such as this article appears to fall on deaf ears.How can one overcome such a formidable crisis? Civil society has been trapped by the regime into a situation of state sponsored intimidation and violence resulting in subservience and fear among civil society. The two anti govt verdicts by the judiciary concerning anti govt protests and the validity of FR application by AF are heartening and give us some hope in the rule of law re-emerging strongly. The Mahanayakes have also taken the cue after the public appeal by the six Bishops and have boldly criticised the conduct of the regime which is long overdue but a welcome surprise at this moment. The power of the judiciary and religious leadership in guiding the destinies of this nation away from crisis is critical at this juncture. We can only hope their power will prevail.
Arrests and disappearances and killings, Yes as a wee one knew a dear person called Richard De Zoysa.
01. Yes but all the people were affected by war but I agree IDP were more so.
02. Prooved that I do not know as much as I think I know about Sri Lanka, Para military? or are you pulling my finger.
03 04 05, yes develop the country.
While SF is a real issue to many, thank you for pointing out right issues.
The suggested inclusions in the ‘programme’ are all good, but in reality it’s kinda like wishing for the moon….
So another woman starts crying in SriLanka. Fists it was Sirimavo Bandaranaike then her daughter Chandrika kumaratunga and now Anoma Fonseka. If you all had safeguarded your husbands by moderating their behaviours this would not have happened. The Bandaranaikes destroyed the country by their racist policies and created division. Now Fonseka divulged state secrets and publicly stated he will be a witness before the war crimes tribunal in Geneva. Dont cry for me SriLanka!
All the LTTE coolies are shedding crocodile tears for Fonseka.
What is more disturbing is the reaction by Mahanayakas. They have gobbled up (dana) given by JVP namely, “Karuna rajagedarata and Fonseka hiragedarata”. Karuna did what he can do to defeat the LTTE. Mahanayakas should appreciate what Karuna did too. He was accepted and forgiven in the Buddhist traditions of the country and he has been a good citizen of the country since then.
Fonseka too did a role in defeating LTTE. But it should not give him a free ticket to violate laws of the country, especially the laws of military.
If Mahanaykas really feel sorry for Fonseka then make a case without bringing in Karuna. This is totally inappropriate and goes against the very Buddhist traditions of the country.
SF´s arrest to my eye was an abduction. So the many including myself ask the question, why was it allowed within the lanken legal system. He was even assaulted as eye witnesses describe the situation even if the media minister vehemently denied about being assualted at the time taken to custody. Can anybody of you comment on this please, why has not the justice minister or any responsible authority did not make clear about this arrest whether it was a legal or illegal one.?
My children have got several questions in this regard and your comments could be helpful to me explaining them better why SF was dragged away, although it could have been carried out in decent manner if he has enough charges to be caught. This could happen to any citizen in sl when they are arrested. So the general public have the right to know why SF was even beated on his lap or head while was taken him to custody.
And secondly, Ranil has clarrified this as an illegal while Kehelia insisted on the arrest on a different manner as GOVT´s appointed spokesman in this regard.
There are many reasons for west to interfere across borders such as economical, political and social interests. Economical and political interests are interdependent and are the most common motives of all, while social interests are less interested unless they feel as an obligation or indirectly underpin economical and political interests. Those envoys came because of the pressure of Tamil Diaspora, perhaps. So they felt bit of obligation to avoid a “blood bath”. A man’s got to do, what a man’s got to do. MR did what he got to do. Eliminated LTTE. Good job!
General Fonseka can be seen in many perspectives. A patriot, traitor, nationalist, eelamist, extremist, gentleman, warrior, strategist, cammander, civilian; depending on the angel you look at him.
He was a patriot/nationalist/extremist/warrior/stategist/ commander/when he said “Sri Lanka belongs to Sinhalese”
He was a traitor/gentleman/ civilian/eelamist, when he said “I will testify for war crimes.
What is our national interest? Hiding war crimes by blocking investigations or promoting invetigations to find if it actually happend and find methods how to avoid in the future and eliminate mistrust of Tamils of Sinahalese genocide Tamils?
Since war crimes/abductions/killings are avoided, more and more crimes happen everyday. Perpetrators are encouraged to continue. If investigations are held and perpetraors are punished, then only you can reduce crimes in a society because of fear of consequences.
But, I am not in favour of having war crimes investigations in Sri Lanka, because it was an exceptional circumstance fighting the most ruthless terrorism for more than a quarter-century. These terrorists should be killed with or without white flags. It was a tumor. When you remove a tumor, bit of good flesh might also be removed unintentionally.
General Fonseka is a patriot. Period. We can trust him. The issue is a personal one, with GR/MR. He said he is convinced that no war crimes happend during war. He said he (or SL Army) is not prepared to protect criminals. Thats how a gentleman like commander should be. He encourages desciline of his Army. That doesnt mean he betrayed the nation or military.He didnt plot a coup either.
We need to learn trusting people. Respect democracy, respect people’s freedom of expression. We dont need Taliban laws in Sri Lanka! We must be united and fight against our enemies. Not against our heroic commander! We dont allow war crimes invetigations in Sri Lanka! General Fonseka shouldnt testify for war crimes either! Release General Fonseka Now!
If democracy to thrive there has to be an active opposition/alternative party. From the 1994 this has been missing. If it is not MR it could be Mr Z who is the president and can rule the country the same way. The absence of the checks and controls for a vibrant democracy is the real issue for bad, corrupt and now criminal governance in SL. We have lost the independence of the public service, police, election commission, media and maybe the Justice system too. (let us see what verdict the Supreme Court gives on 23rd, this would give a hint of the independence of the supreme court). One of the main reasons for this state of affairs is the main opposition party namely UNP has been slow, out of touch with people, non-aggressive, inconsistent with their policies and has had a real bad choice of timing in their decisions. Does this reflect on the UNPs voter base or the leadership ? Before we think of getting MR and the siblings out we should do ourselves some good by asking mr Ranil W to relinquish his leadership. Give it to Sajith. He is young and he will take his own time to come to terms and get the party re-organised. But it’s better he start now than close to the next general or presidential election. Yes we know RW is non corrupt and is a gentleman compared to many other politicians, but the problem is; he has not delivered or many believe he will never deliver. Which reminds me of the famous Sinhala quote “Yuddeta nethi Kaduwa Koss kotanda ?”. If we have a good and strong alternative party it will do a lot of good to SL.
Few questions about RW behavior after the presidential poll; why has he been subdued ? Why did he not demand a meeting with the Elections commissioner as the leader of the opposition just after the presidential poll results ? If he believes that SF was arrested illegally and in an unjust way why is he not leading the protests ? Why is he allowing the JVP to lead the protests ? Why did he not meet the Mahanayake’s ? Instead why did he go and meet MR and give him an opportunity to say that the due process of the law will be followed in the case of SF’s arrest and allow MR to gain some credibility ? Why ? Just like MR & co has to answer a lot to the general public mr RW too has to answer for his inability to lead the opposition as an alternative party.
As for SF’s arrest and his contribution, he did not deserve what he got. And all who fought and led the army during the war are heroes, let us not forget that. Also remember this is a soldier (general) who nearly lost his life while fighting on behalf of the country. While he can cause treason towards the country, there is no greater treason or betrayal by the country, rulers and general public if we choose to forget SFs own contribution towards victory. In the same breath UNP and JVP, do not forget that Gota & MR did give political leadership to the war (where JRJ, RP, CBK and RW miserably failed). This too was not a small achievement. But they were voted to power to achieve that victory. Now that is over, there is no excuse to blame the past or see ghosts of victory everywhere and misrule the country. Now get on with good governance or get out gracefully. SL is not anybody’s present or dowry. May Justice and peace rein in SL.
Disabled soldier, supporter of S. Fonseka abducted, beaten up, dumped on the wayside in Ragama.
He was rushed to the Ragama hospital with severe injuries, a JVP spokesman said.
He was reported missing last night after he had left his home in Thuduwegedra, Ragama.
Few questions about MR behaviour following Presidential results; why has he been behaving as a loser rather than an election winner? Even if the media brought several articles that the election was not at all a free and fair, but he did not make arrangements so that the general public would not feel that it could be a free and fair one. Election commissioner´s delay to come forward and issue his statements took longer than any previous results announcements. EC has commented on the results and abuses related to the election bringing two different stories. CAFFE repeatedly reported that EC was just neglecting to forward the carbon copies to assure the nation, although Colombo University´s computer expert confirmed about having no chances in terms any kind of manipulation in the finalisation of the results.
As one who has followed the aftermath incidents of this election closely, I think RW immediately reacted while even being in India pointing out that SF´s arrest was not a legal one, he even came with paragraphs of the constitution. For me, (I m not a party sympathiser) all opposition parties have come together, to protest against SF´s abduction. So there I don’t see any subdued reaction of RW. Even if many commented on that SF could have taken to custody in a decent manner, was not clarified by the govt until today. SF was beaten by those who abducted in that evening. Even if the defence minister of the country is the head of the state, but he did not comment on the issue yet. People of the country feel following this incident that the manner he was treated was simply brutal, while media minister confirmed that he was not assaulted while being taken away by force. Here the evidence provided by senior supporters have been neglected; this shows even if you have evidences to prove a case, citizen of the country are helpless in a lawlessness environment.
And the second point is the war against LTTErs was not started during the last 4 years. Since the fact that many of the country seem to be suffering from terminal amnesia when they leave comments on these issues, it held during all the last 3 decades. Each and every leader of the country took their kinds of steps to solve the problems. At the time, CBK was elected, not only LTTE terror but also JVPers from the southern areas were also somewhat militant and in the late 80ties some 50k youth of the country were reported to have either killed or went missing. She had to address those problems too in her terms. So the defeat of LTTE during last 4 yrs, was a collective task where the previous regime too played a big role; late great son of lanka –Kadirgamar´s great service could get LTTErs banned in the Europe,India, Australia and America. If it was not banned in those soils, winning a war against them would have been even unthinkable. And the other factor that people have totally forgotten is Ltte´s political leadership was weakened during the last 4 yrs since Balasingam and other leaders were no more there.
During the disgraceful days, when chains were rattling on the hands and feet of slaves in America, the ruthless Virginia Slave Code of 1705 stated “if any slave resists his master correcting such slave and should be killed in such correction, the master shall be free of all punishment…”.
Clearly, no judicial process was required, if a master killed his slave and said ” the slave was resisting me”.
After 200 years of civilisation, the Govrnment of Sri Lanka(GOSL), has the same attitude as in Virginia slave code and says “when Tamil civilians are killed by Sinhala soldiers neither judicial process is required nor punishment of the murderers is necessary”.
The chains of tyranny are rattling on Tamil hands and the Sinhalese are contended instead of being disturbed.
The president of SL, after his recent election “victory” said arrogantly that no enquiry whatsoever would be held for the war crimes committed against Tamils.
Also Gotabaya Rajapakse, in an interview with BBC on the 4th Feb, the dominion day of Ceylon, defiantly said that the GOSL will not allow the UN to hold an enquiry for the war crimes committed.
But during December 2009. Dublin War Crimes Tribunal, comprising a panel of 10 international jurors, concluded that the GOSL was “guilty of war crimes” and “crimes against humanity”.
Obviously, the UN and the International Community have miserably failed in SL as in Rwanda, to take timely action to prevent genocide.
The UN resolutions on SL were watered down to be ineffective. And rogue nations including China, India, Pakistan and Russia, complicits in Tamil genocide, could block any useful resolutions.
The rogue regime of Rajapakse has corrupted the UN, even more, with a view to deny justice to Tamils, enslave them and disallow their legitimate rights.
Tony Blair, the former British Prime Minister, said during the recent “Iraq war inquiry” that the “invasion of Iraq would have been not necessary if the UN route had worked successfully. He also said “the post 9/11 UN framework could not be relied upon”.
The UN Secretary General has a big mouth for a “new world order” though, the UN cannot bring order to save humanity anywhere, let alone SL.
Humanity is obligated to eliminate the “slavery” enforced on the Tamils and bring the war criminals to justice in SL.
Tambipillai,
I do agree, slavery law of 1705 is a baberic law, but I disagree equalling slaves to terrorists. I do disagree equalling a Tamils to terrorists. You are disgracing millions of peaceful anti-Eelam Tamils . You are generalizing Tamils as terrorists.
Most civilians who were injured or got killed were belonged to civilian force(Makkal Padai) of LTTE, they defended terrorists and attaked advancing Army. Those who willingly stayed as a humanshield and let terrorists to shell army are legitimate targets for an army. We dont need to read law books to understand that simple logic.
“if any slave resists his master correcting such slave and should be killed in such correction, the master shall be free of all punishment…”.
It is useless talking about any reforms to establish peace or development with a corrupt and ill bred politician whose main interest is to swindle the country of its wealth and further the interests of his family. This person who has grabbed the executive post of the country is a greedy liar who would bribe and get people to help him be in power.There are a lot in our country who would sacrifice the freedom of their countrymen to gain something for themselves.They will only realize their folly the day their own freedom is curtailed and then it is too late.Sri Lanka would be another Mynamar if a miracle does not happen to recue the country from this miserable man’s grip.
Dear seyon;
…………….”There was no Sinhala in Sri Lanka before 300BC but there were Tamils in Sri Lanka even before that.Sinhala language has 4000 borrowed words from Tamil…………………”
Interesting story to hear! Can you please give some reliable evidence to the effect that Tamils were in Sri Lanka before Sinhalese?
(This is one of the biggest lies sown by Eelam propagandists all over the world through many media including internet. So many webs contains this myth. These Eelam propagandists were able to convince this myth to the westerners and many western people are of the view that Sinhalese have forcibly taken this land from Tamils. This is one of the reasons that international community’s influence against Sinhalese people. Whole Eelam concept was built on such myths, strengthen with unreasoned propaganda.)
Thanks!
Mr Yapa,
does it make any difference? who were there first and who came later? Does this give the right to the first ones to chase the latter out of the country or deem him as a secondary citizen like what happening in Israel/Palestinian?
You ask for “reliable evidence” but at the same time denying the credibility of any evidence in advance. This is the root for the war in SL. It is the same way how the Sinhalese nationalist cheated and manipulated the Sinhalese public since the independence to win any election to cement their power and wealth like the Tamil nationalists in SL and anywhere abused the rights of the Tamils to reach power and wealth. Stop running blind after the egoistic politicians and think twice. See what is happening now in SL. LTTE terrorism is eliminated, but the country is still divided and running chaos. And still under emergency rule to allow whatever the ruling clan like to do. The IDPs are forgotten now SF is the enemy. How long it is going to take that some unidentified mob knocking at your door to take your beloved son away because he was seen with wrong friends or having his cup of tea in a wrong cafeteria?
And to Mr NoElamInSL,
It is true the terrorism either from LTTE or JVP did no good for the country. But
in your first statement you say “It was a tumor. When you remove a tumor, bit of good flesh might also be removed unintentionally” and you mean the collateral damage done during the war; the civilians were killed. Then in your reply to Thambipillai you deny this by saying all these killed were “civilian force(Makkal Padai) of LTTE”. How do you know that? there had never been an investigations in this regard and all attempts were blocked by the regime and people like you. You believe everything what the regime propagates like a child and parroting it like a parakeet. And if you are so sure why are you blaming SF being ready to answer any investigations? “there has been no civilians killed or not unavoidable” So you are not sure about what actually happened, isn’t it? The worst is if at anytime if it is going to be proved that indeed Tamil civilians were massacred during the elimination of the LTTE, what are you going to tell your children? how damned and blind you are to support such killing spree!
What do you think? were the Germans who were supporting and following Hitler in the II WW and in the killing of 6 million Jews more patriotic than the ones who stood against him and even lost their lives? I am sure your opinion is definitely other than that of the civilized world or this does not interest you at all.
Idiot Islanders Rejoice! You may have lost the GSP+…but you have gained ME and my Royal Family of 300+…
Dear Zorro;
The questions in your first para should be asked from Seyon, and Eelam propagandists who say Tamils are the original inhabitants of this island. Seyon’s post is at February 12, 2010 @ 7:34 pm on this thread. Why didn’t you ask these questions from him, whose post was published before mine? Haven’t you seen the same idea has been spread by Eelam propagandists through many webs? You should have made your protests to them. Have you ever done so? You don’t question who say blatant lies, but question me who responded to counter them? Who taught this justice?
One the other hand on what basis do you say historical perspective has no value or relevance? Aren’t Eelamists claim 1/3rd of land and 2/3rd of the sea as their traditional homeland on the basis of history saying they were living there for some time? If this history is forgotten and we start from today, disregarding who came first and who came later, is there any logic for Eelamists to claim a traditional homeland?
Is this not a case of you yourself contradicting your own statement?
There is a Sinhala saying that “kanna ona unama kabaraya thalgoya wenavalu” which means, when you want to consume, monitor becomes an iguana.
For us History is monitor and it is iguana for you, is this your position?
( You also can request the educational authorities of the world to stop teaching History in their schools, universities and other educational institutes)
When people go bias they become blind.
Further, I would like to challenge anybody to prove Tamils lived in Sri Lanka before Sinhalese. Further more, I would like to tell those who has such an idea to challenge the idea of Tamil Historian and scholar Karthigesu Indrapala, which is reproduced below.
………..”Looking back on the body of evidence that is available to us, we have to conclude that there were no widespread Tamil settlements before the Tenth Century”.– (Early Tamil Settlements in Ceylon)…………………………………….
“Maluva kata hinda nahinavau” (Fish perishes because of its mouth!)
Thanks!
Dear Zorro and those who advocate for Tamil Eelam;
Please read;
DRAVIDIAN SETTLEMENTS IN CEYLON
Excerpts from Karthigesu Indrapala’s PhD thesis University of London1965.
* Until the ninth century,with the exception of the megalithic remains of pomparippu and the possible exception of those of Katiraveli, there is no definite evidence regarding and Dravidian settlement in the island. (page 51)
* No definite evidence regarding any significant Tamil settlement in the Batticaloa district of the Eastern Province, which is now a predominantly Tamil area, or in other parts of Southern Ceylon has so far come to light. It is possible that there were some Tamil settlers in the Battialoa district for, from the thirteenth century onwards, we get archeological, epigraphic and literary evidence pointing toTamil settlements in the area. (page 233)
* It may be recollectedt hat several writers on the history of Jaffna, basing their studies on the traditional legends found in the late Tamil chronicles, have put forward certain theories claiming the establishment of Tamil settlements in jaffna in the period of he Anuradhapura rulers. These theories are not accepted by serious students of history as there are not based on trustworthy data. Many of these have been convincingly dismissed by scholarsin recent years. It is therefore, not our intention to analyse thers theories and take serious notice of witings which at best could be described as popular. (page 266)
* Jaffna peninsula does not help us to know anything about the identityof the people who lived there in the pre-Christian centuries. The Pali chronicle informs us that the port of Jambukola (Camputturai), on the eastern cost of the peninsula, was the main port of embarkation to Tamralipti in Eastern India from at least the time of Devanampriya Tissa (250-210 B.C.). The two embassies from the island to the court of Asoka embarked on their voyage from Jambukola. Sangamitta arrived with the Bo-sapling at this port. The Samudda-panna-sala, commemorating the arrival of the Bo sapling, and the Jambukola Vihara were built there by Devanampriya Tissa. These facts only reveal that the northern most part of the island was under the suzerainty of the Anuradhapura king in the third century B.C. and that Buddhism had begun to spread by that time in that part of the island as in the other parts. But it is in the second century AD that we get some evidence regarding the people living there.
The language of the gold plate inscription from Vallipuram, the earliest epigraphic record discovered in
the Jffna peninsula, is the early form of Sinhalese, in which inscriptions of the time in other parts of the island were written. This may suggest that the Sinhlese were settled in the Jaffna peninsula, or in some parts at least, in the second century A.D. There were perhaps Tamil traders in the port of Jambukola but there is no evidence that points to Tamil settlements in the peninsula. (page 268)
* The gold plate from Vallipuram reveals that there were buddhists in that part of the peninsula in the second century A.D. At the site of this inscription the foundations are in the premises of a modern Visnu temple. There is little doubt that the Visnu temple was the original Buddhist monument converted in to a Vaisnava establishment at a later date when Tamils settled in the area. Such conversion of Buddhist establishments into Saiva and Vaisnava temples seems to have been a common phenomenon in the peninsula after it was settled by Dravidians. In the premised of another Visnu temple at Moolai were discovered some ‘vestiges of ancient remains of walls’ and a broken sedent Buddha image. Again in a Saiva temple at Mahiyapitti a Buddha image was found under a stone step in the temple tank. A lime-stone Buddha image and the remains of an ancient dagaba were unearthed at Nilavarai, in Navakiri. Among the debris were two sculptured fragments of shaped coral stones with a stone railing design. According to D.T.Devendra, who conducted the excavation at this site, the dagaba can be dated at least to the tenth century A. D. Near these ruins are the foundations of an ancient building and in the middle of thesis a modern Siva temple. It has been conjectured, and rightly so, that the old foundations are those of the vihara attached to the ancient dagaba. Buddha images have also been discovered in Uduvil,
* Kantarodai and Jaffna town. Kantarodai has yeilded very important Buddhist establishment in the region in early times. Such artifacts as the glazed tiles and the circular discs discovered here have helped to connect the finds with those of Auradhapura. The Sinhala nampota, dated in its present form to the fourteenth or fifteenth century, preserved the names of some of the placed of Buddhist worship I the Jaffna peninsula, kantarodai is mentioned among these places. The others are nagakovila (Nakarkovil), Telipola (Tellippalai), Mallagama (Mallakam), Minuwangomu Viharaya (Vimankaram). Tanjidivayina
* (Tana-tivu or kayts), Nagadivayina (Nkativu or Nayinatovu). Puvangudivayina (Punkutu-tivu) and Kradivayina (Karaitivu). Of the Buddhist establishments in these places only the vihara and Dag at Nakativu has survived to this day. It is justifiable to assume that the Nampotalist dates back time when the Buddhist establishments of these placed were well known centres of worship. This was probably before the thirteenth century, for after this date the people of the Jaffna peninsula were mainly Saivas. The foregoing evidence points to the inevitable conclusion that in the Anuradhapura period, and possibly till about the twelfth century, there were Buddhists in the Jaffna peninsula. Although it may appear reasonable to presume that these buddhists were Sinhalese like those in other parts of the island, some have tried to argue that they were Tamils. While it is true that there were Tamil Buddhists in South India and Ceylon before the twelfth century and possibly even later, there is evidence to show that the Buddhists who occupied the Jaffn peninsula in the Anuradhapura period were Sinhalese. We refer to the toponymic evidence which unmistakably points to the presence if Sinhala settlers in the peninsula before Tamils settled there. In an area of only about nine hundred square miles covered by this peninsula, there occur over a thousand Sinhalese place names which have survived in a Tamil garb. (page 270-273)
* The Yalppana-vaipava-malai, the Tamil chronicle of Jaffna, confirms this when it states that there were Sinhalese people in jaffna at the time of the first Tamil colonisation of the area. Secondly, the survival of Sinhalese elements on the local nomenclature indicates a slow and peaceful penetration of Tamils in the area rather than violent ocupation. This is in contrast with the evidence of the place names of the North Central Province, where Sinhalese names have been largely replaced by Tamil names. The large percentage of Sinhalese element and the occurrence of Sinhala and Tamil compounds in the place names of Jaffna point to a long survival of the Sinhala population and an intimate intercourse between them and the Tamils. This is also,borne out by the retention of some territorial names, like Valikamam (Sinh. Valigama) and Maracci (Maracci-rata), which points to the retention of the old territorial divisions and tell strongly against wholesale extermination or displacement of the Sinhalese population.. (page 276)
* The earliest evidence regarding the presence of Tamils in the Jaffna peninsula is possible the Tamil inscription of Parakramabahu I (1153 – 1186) from Nainativu. We have seen earlier that till about the ninth century our evidence points to minor settlements of Tamils in such important ports as Mahatitha (Mannar) and Gokanna (Trincomalee) as well as in Anuradhapura, where there was a considerable number of mercenary soldiers. In the ninth and tenth centuries some villages in Rajarattha seem to have accommodated Tamil settlers but these were by no means numerous. it seems unlikely that there were many Tamil settlers in the Jaffna peninsula or in any part of the island other that the major ports and the capital city before the tenth century. As we stated earlier, there were perhaps some Tamil traders in he ports of Jambukola and Uratota, in the Jffna peninsula. But we have no evidence on this point.. (page 282)
* The Sanskrit inscription from Trincomalee, discovered among the ruins of the Konesvram temple, refers to a personage names Cadaganga who went to Ceylon in1223. Paranavitana had identified this person with Kulakkottan. The inscription is fragmentary and is engraved on a part of a stone door jamb. Among the decipherable words is the name Gokarna, the ancient name of Trincomalee and the root from which the name of the temple is derived (Gokarnesvara). (page 331)
* In the Tamil Vanni districts only a few Dravidian style Saiva temples of the thirteenth century have been found. Among these the temples at Tirukkovil, Kapuralla, and Nallatanni-irakkam and the Saiva remains at Uruttirapuram and Kuruntanur are notable. These certainly indicate the existence or Tamil settlementsin those places in the thirteenth century.
But monumental remains of a different type attest to the destruction wrought by the invaders and the conversion of Buddhist institutions in to places of Saiva worship, effected by the new settlers, thus confirming the statements in the Sinhala sources. The many scattered ruins of Buddhist monasteries and temples all over the Vanni region preserve the memory of the Sinhalese Buddhist settlements that once covered these parts. Several of the pilimages (image houses) atached to the monasteries in places like Kovilkadu, Malikai, Omantai, Kankarayan-kulam, Iracentiran-kulam,Cinnappuvaracankulam and Madukanda were converted into Saiva tempels, often dedicated to Ganesa.Buddha images or incribed slabs from the Buddhist structures were used to make the Ganesa statues (J.P. Lewis, Manual of the Vanni Districts, pp. 297, 303-306, 311). A number of small Saiva shrines have been found in association with Buddhist remains. The destruction of several of the Buddhist edifices and the conversion of pilimages into Saiva temples may have begun at the time of Magha. In the North central Province too, we find evidence of such activities. On Minneriya Road, close to Polonnaruwa, were discovered a few Saiva edifies which were build of materials from Buddhist structures. A door jamb from one of the Saiva shrines there was found to bear part of an inscription of Parakramabahu 1. A broken pillar shaft with Sinhalese writing of the tenth century was recovered from the enclosing wall of another shrine. In one of the Visnu temples of Polonnaruwa, fragments of Nissankamalla’s stone inscriptions were found. In the same place, two fragments of a broken pillar with Sinhalese writing about the tenth century served as steps o one of the Vaisnava shrines. A pillar in the mandapa of Siva Devale No. 5 at Polonnaruwa was discovered with a Sinhala inscription of the eleventh century on it. In Siva Devale No.7 a square stone asana with an inscription of Nissankamalla was used as a base for a linga. Another of the Saiva shrines unearthed at Polonnaruwa yeilded a pillar with a Sinhalese inscription of Jayabahu 1. These examples leave us in no doubt that materials from Buddhist structures were used in the building of Saiva and Vaisnava temples. The date of most inscriptions found on the pillars and slabs is the twlefth century. The date of the construction of these Saiva and Vaisanava shrines is certainly later than that. (page 361-364)
The invasion of Magha with the help of Kerala and Tamil mercenaries was far more voilent that the earlier invasions. Its chief importance lies in the fact that it led to the permanent dislodgement of Sinhalese power from northern Ceylon, the confiscation by Tamils and Keralas of lands and properties belonging to the Sinhalese and the consequent migration of the official class and many of the common people to the south
western regions. (page 395-396)
I think most of the Tamils don’t know these facts and believe what they were taught by greedy Eelamist fake Historians. When they know the truth I think they will curse those who taught them these lies, repenting on what they lost due to these false propaganda.
Thanks!
“Sri Lanka would be another Mynamar if a miracle does not happen to recue the country from this miserable man’s grip.”
Spot on.It is close to becoming a Myanmar. What is missing are the trade sanctions and the total stifling of the Opposition. Once the UNP becomes totally obsolete, the picture will be complete… suffice it to say, the “Opposition” can be replaced with monks. Those who were bowing down to effigies of “King” Mahinda after the war will not take any issue with the new status quo.