History records periodic cycles of fighting among inhabitants of Lanka. Times in between such conflict appear to have been very productive. When large community works had been implemented. Such as complex hydraulic systems among others, which appear to have transcended even the ravages of time nourishing both man & beast. This is the collective heritage of inhabitants of Lanka, regardless of patterns of worship or belief, language or customs in the social circumstance at birth.

Venom inculcated by departing Colonials almost a century ago appear to have gone through full cycle, finally dissipating in the waters of the Nanthikadal lagoon. Though a few infected stragglers appear to be floating around. Consider Rajiva Wijesinha’s piece titled “The Great Game in South Asia: British Dogma versus American Democratic Ideals” for an interesting primer on the same game Colonials played on inhabitants of the Indian sub continent.

With the ending of fighting, we may assume as in the olden days that we are now in the productive cycle. Where we build & create greatness for all inhabitants. With an eye on the wellbeing of generations yet to be born, emulating noble efforts of our ancient kinsmen.

Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam & friends in the TNA should know that, nothing exists between Lanka & Antarctica but the big Blue ocean. If they think that “Tamils are not buying” [the new paradigm] then they could seriously consider going for a good swim?

What would happen if right to self determination was to be applied on an individual level what does this mean. It means CHAOS. Because there will be NO RULE OF LAW.

Because according to RIGHT TO SELF DETERMINATION I could have my own rules that could in theory contradict with everybody elses.

Therefore, surely right to self determination MUST mean for states not self proclaimed NATIONS.

If 1 million left handers get together they could form a lefthanderland……..You get the drift….I hope…..

But Tamils want to call themselves a NATION and then GET the rights of a STATE.

Not every nation is a state and not every state is a nation.
There could be so called nations/groups within a state but there can not be states within nations.

Why should the TNA or anyone representing the Tamils and the Tamil speaking nations in Sri Lanka should give up even articulating their political aspirations in the face of the historical denial and the continued absence of any genuine and honest acceptance, granting of the fundamental rights of these minority nations?
For the fear that the hegemony of all future Sinhala regimes will wipe them off with borrowed weapons from China or for the simple thrill they will be reviewed as modest democrats in future reviews of Dr DJ?

Dayan failed to get his master MR even to listen to him on his 13 + cry. Now he blames the Tamils for articulating thier rights
here we go again: nowhere on the road of democracy in Sinhala Sri Lanka!

It ain’t a seller’s market.

Do you feel me?

Its funny how Dayan Jayatilleka criticizes the people who obviously do not have equal rights. A large percentage of the TNA’s target population languish in IDP camps or in areas with no facilities whatsoever. Furthermore, the government is intended on diluting their voting power by settling Sinhalease in those areas before the IDPs thereby taking away any reminiscence of their democratic power.

Perhaps Dayan Jayatilleka doesn’t criticize the government because he is a Sinhala nationalist. Perhaps Dayan Jayatilleka should criticize the people who have taken away rights from the minorities and intend to make them a minority in every single area in the country. Perhaps Dayan Jayatilleka should spend his time arguing for equal rights as a means to a functioning democracy rather than TNA’s reaction to obvious discrimination by his people. Perhaps Dayan Jayatilleka is just another Sinhala nationalist at hard and not an apologist for discrimination against minority. I trust the last statement proves his intention.

Pragmatically speaking, of course it would make life a lot easier for the TNA to clearly drop any mention of ‘secessionism’. But within and outside Sri Lanka, both psychologically as well as logistically, dropping this demand whole heartedly at this stage (barely 10 months after May 2009); will be difficult, and I am not sure either that they should do it; (I am not even sure that it increases their collective bargaining power re Southern consensus).

TNA and ACTC have put forward their Manifesto for the people to choose. But the UNF, DNA and Rajapaksa’s coalition manifestos do not specify any political solution or its parametres. In the absence of a proposed solution in their manifestos, Tamils anticipate the worst based on past and current experience.

One should not be surprised about the TNA’s stand; nothing politically has changed in order for them to feel secure within Sri Lankan political spectrum.

The state of Sri Lanka has defeated the military wing of the Tamil rebellion; in another words, the Tamil Freedom movement has been defeated on the military front. However, they have not been defeated politically; this is the point many Sinhalese do not recognize or recklessly do not care.

The Tamil Freedom movement has been decimated; they are at the moment regrouping both locally and internationally; there are conflicting viewpoints from varying angles; TNA’s election manifesto is a testament of that. Eventually, there will be a consensus as to what direction it should take and how it will be executed. Whether it will be in line with what GOSL expects or not, will depend on how GOSL prepares the ground situation!

During the war period, MR had been publicly making pledges that he would implement the 13th amendment fully; there is no talk of that since the war victory!

MR set up APRC in order to find consensus for a political solution for the national question; nothing has come out of it; it looks as if it was a smokescreen to buy time until the LTTE is defeated!

MR promised at the victory speech that there will be a homegrown political solution; nothing tangible has been happening since!

MR, once again, promised a homegrown political solution at winning the presidential election; nothing has been happening since!

Now he has been saying that, a solution will be implemented after the parliamentary election; what that solution entails or what form it will take no one knows.

In my view, GOSL does not need the support of the Tamil parties to improve the ground situation politically.

1. Bring an end to emergency laws; establish press freedom.
2. Demilitarize the North and East and facilitate the resettlements of the original inhabitants of the areas.
3. Give utmost care towards the IDPs; resettle them in their original places; give them dignity.
4. Implement the Tamil Language provision nationally; recruit Tamil speaking police officers and engage the Tamil community in Tamil wherever they live.
5. Commence a structured reconciliation process nationally with all communities.

With such programs mentioned above are afoot, you can accuse the TNA for their lack of political vision!