THE OPPOSITION IN SRI LANKA: RESTORE VIABILITY, RESOLVE CRISIS
What prevents the ruling coalition from unveiling a new ‘first past the post’ electoral system and going for a mid–term parliamentary election? Judging by current trends and data of a decade, the UNP, if it remains under Ranil Wickremesinghe, would be overrun and crushed to a pulp, not even reaching double digits in terms of seats.
How can a UNP which is unable to ditch an ineffectual and effete Ranil Wickremesinghe, convince the majority of voters that it can dislodge an infinitely more popular and stronger leader, Mahinda Rajapakse or what it decries as ‘Rajapakse rule’ and the ‘Rajapakse dynasty’?
How can a UNP which cannot dislodge Ranil from Sirikotha, convince the citizenry that it can dislodge an administration which dislodged Prabhakaran and his army from the North and East?
For the present the country is in the best available hands. Mahinda Rajapakse won a thirty years long war and has been justly rewarded by the electorate, which had earlier awarded second terms to those who had not achieved half as much. An electorate which rightly chose Mahinda over Gen Fonseka, was nonetheless disheartened, again rightly, by the treatment of the man who was most responsible, next to Mahinda and Gotabhaya, for the historic military win. This disenchantment manifested itself in the comparatively low poll at the parliamentary election. At that election too, the voters made the right choice of the coalition and party which had won the war over one which, under its present leadership, had sat on the fence, if not worse. Within the UPFA, the voters chose well: mainly for the SLFP and strictly marginally for the sectarian-fundamentalist element of the coalition. Doubtless the UPFA’s margin of victory at both elections and certainly the second one, would have been far less conspicuous had the UNP been led by a personality not quite so remote from the popular mood, i.e. an electoral asset rather than a liability. Given that Sri Lanka is still under pressure from actively secessionist Tamil formations based overseas, and a new, overtly pro-Tiger political manifestation in neighbouring Tamil Nadu, it is best to have President Rajapakse and his party at the helm of affairs. As Mao is reported to have said to Hu Yao Bang, “with you in charge I am at ease”. With Mahinda in charge, we the people can be far more at ease than if Ranil were. The new Foreign Minister and his deputy are the best for the job, while on the whole the Cabinet is moderate and fairly good.
What, however, of the future? The struggle against the siege that offshore Tamil secessionism hopes to put us under cannot be won either by caving in or turning Sri Lanka into a ‘garrison state’. We can continue to rightly accuse the West of hypocrisy on human rights when its own Special Forces engage in massacring civilians in Afghanistan and had done so in Iraq, but we fail to recognise our own hypocrisy, because these revelations are made precisely in the Western media and are possible only because of media freedom in the West. In politics and foreign policy as in economics, neither free market and neoliberal globalisation nor closed economy protectionism work. To beat the secessionist Tamil Diaspora, Sri Lanka has to return to what it used to be at various times in the past: a model. We were once a model of social welfare, two-party democracy and non alignment; at another time a model of the early opening up of the economy in the South Asian region; and in the early ‘90s a model of poverty alleviation, housing programmes, high HDI rating and growth with equity. Today in some quarters of the world we are a model of counterinsurgency warfare. That’s good but not good enough. We must once again be a model in soft power terms, which, simply put, means we must be a model which not only deters (the enemy) but also attracts (friends, former foes and fence sitters).
One of the ways in which this can be done is by distinguishing between a ‘trade unionist’ Tamil nationalism, which is what the ITAK/TNA is, and Tamil ultra-nationalism. The ITAK is the equivalent of the SLFP. It must be negotiated with and accommodated, just as Douglas Devananda and the EPDP which is even more moderate, progressive and constructive, must be politically rewarded and strengthened. The ITAK without the LTTE is not, or is no longer, the enemy or a component of it.
The Global Tamil Forum and the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam are our enemies. Sri Lanka has no enemies within our shores; no enemies among our citizens. If we do not understand and believe that, we will become paranoid and our country will become a garrison state.
The bald fact is that in order to beat back the threat of globalised Tamil separatism, as well as to capitalise on peace and plug into the Asian economic miracle, Sri Lanka will have to reverse some of the policies of discrimination and levelling down, that successive SLFP administrations adopted, especially in the fields of public administration and education/higher education.
This means that while Sri Lanka’s present is best served by a Rajapakse administration, Sri Lanka’s future prospects are best served by a certain sort of UNP leadership. I emphasise ‘a certain sort’ for two reasons. Firstly and most plainly, Ranil Wickremesinghe or a Ranil clone cannot get a UNP government elected. Barring one parliamentary election he has lost every single election, held at every level, since 1997 and ensured a second term for the second successive SLFP leader (Mahinda, after CBK). With the margin of this last defeat, he has now opened the road for an open ended Constitutional change which can remove the two term limit and open-endedly entrench the incumbent.
Secondly the UNP needs a leader who would balance off the necessary modernising reforms with those that immediately ensure greater equity in the distribution of the fruits of that growth (what President Premadasa called, “not trickle-down but cascading down”). As Ranil Wickremesinghe demonstrated during his two years as Prime Minister, he is manifestly not such a leader. True, he was evicted by President Kumaratunga, but she followed it up with an election and Ranil was soundly defeated by a SLFP-JVP coalition created by the social backlash to his security policies in the Northeast and socioeconomic policies in the South. (Respected researchers Sunil Bastian and Mutukrishna Sarvananthan wrote devastating critiques of the economics of the CFA phase; critiques confirmed by the study headed up by Jonathan Goodhand of SOAS).
The view that the UNP in opposition cannot afford an inner party struggle and that such debate would debilitate it further appears true at first glance, but flies in the face of the UNP’s own history as well as the record of the recovery of mainstream democratic parties the world over, from prolonged stints in opposition. The titanic victory of the UNP in 1977 and the near miracle of its retention of power after a traumatic decade, through reinventing and rebranding with the Premadasa presidential candidacy, were only possible and were the result of bitter yet clarificatory inner-party struggles which convulsed the party in 1970-5. The UNP that was so wracked by inner party struggle was not, on the face of it, a party that could have afforded it. It was a party that was down to a mere handful of seats, for the second time since 1956. This didn’t prevent an earlier generation of UNP personalities from engaging in a sharp struggle within the party. However in comparison with today’s UNP politicians, those men were giants.
The struggle within the UNP featured three, not just two groupings: a pro JR Jayewardene tendency which turned out to be dominant, a Senanayaka-ist tendency headed by Rukman and supported by J.R.P. Suriyapperuma, Jinadasa Niyathapala and Ossie Abeygoonesekara and Mr Premadasa heading the Puravesi Peramuna, supported by Sirisena Cooray, Gamini Fonseka and Rev Meetiyagoda Gunarathana thero. It is the open clash of ideas between these factions that resulted in the winning policy synthesis that went into the manifesto of 1977 and the second victorious manifesto, that of candidate Premadasa in 1989. As important, it resulted in the change in party leadership from the Senanayake to JR Jayewardene and more correctly the superb JR-Premadasa combination, and the radical transformation of the UNP into a truly national mass party, almost a mass opposition movement, without which the overturning of the powerful United Front coalition government would have been impossible.
Does the UNP have a personality who can fit the bill? Someone who is educated enough to lead the country into an Asia that is led by an educated elite; has sufficient experience of the West to understand it and mend fences but trusted by Sri Lankans never to sell out the nation? Is there someone who is solidly Sinhala Buddhist but not narrowly chauvinist or communal minded and can therefore win the minorities without repelling the majority as Ranil does? Is there someone who is so knowledgeable in economics that he can plan and pilot our sustainable take-off, while simultaneously alleviating poverty and thereby pre-empting a social backlash?
The answer is obvious and it is yes, there is. Sajith Premadasa, educated at a British public school and the LSE, (specialising in economics) is certainly far better educated that Ranil Wickremesinghe or any of his supporters. He is almost certainly far more popular, both among the party members and voters and in the country. He has at least two drawbacks though. He lacks his father’s self-propelled drive and autonomy. As a teenager, Ranasinghe Premadasa organised the Sucharitha movement and as a junior politician he took on Dr NM Perera in Ruanwella at the 1956 elections (with the UNP on the way out) and lost by only a few thousand votes. As a politician in defeat he formed the Puravesi Peramuna and publicly demanded change in the party. He never awaited conferment of responsibility from the leadership but created space for himself, ‘seizing the time’. He liked the title of Jerry Rubin’s autobiography because it matched his innermost slogan: “DO IT!”
So, Sajith Premadasa can do it but will Sajith Premadasa DO IT? Does he have the drive to save his party and his country, which can match Ranil Wickremesinghe’s tenacity to stay on as leader of his party? Does his motivation match and overcome that of Ranil? Sajith must also know that he cannot do it alone. At all stages, Ranasinghe Premadasa had a core of loyalists and lieutenants with him, and that was because he had given them enough reason to believe in him, and his drive to get to the top. “Every hurdle turned into a stepping stone as I reached it” he once mused to me.
In 1988, when Mr Premadasa was unsure that he would get UNP nomination, he was fully prepared to leave the party and contest at the head of a new formation, between the discredited elitist UNP and the Bandaranaikes’ SLFP. Is Sajith prepared to do the same? In the event, out of sheer need for survival, the UNP in 1988 reluctantly handed over the leadership to Ranasinghe Premadasa. Will it be ready today, and for the same reason, to hand over the reins to his son?
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This is an article promoted by a wimpy UNP supporter. He is still glorifying JRJ for all the evils he has done. The very constitution which creating so much pain to the constituents, the undated letters of resignation from MP, the extension of first parliament of JRJ, depriving of civil rights of opposition leader in order to keep her away from contesting elections are well suppressed.
Then sale of public enterprise for a song to create those fat UNP mudalali is also conveniently suppressed to give the illusion to the reader. So many squandered national resources and pocketed vast sums of money. There were the garment mudalai who made millions by depriving the workers their due wages. The defense contractors who had amassed huge commissions. Then the sharks that plundered state coffers and bought government assets for a song. Practically UNP made very rich people at the expense of the average citizens.
Then at the last election to have supported Sarath Fonseka they made the biggest crime. How on earth the opposition made those fabricated accusations to win the elections. The west provided the funds for this effort. UNP who slandered the war effort and was trying to derail the achievements also joined hands with all unholy characters. We remember the voices of Ravi, Mangala, Mano, Jayalath, and Ranil during the war.
Dayan,
“it resulted in the change in party leadership from the Senanayake to JR Jayewardene and more correctly the superb JR-Premadasa combination,”
Was this the same ‘superb’ combination that started the war in 1983?
Dear Wijayapala,
The superb combination ended with the assumption of Presidential office by JRJ and the demotionof Premadasa to a virtually powerless PM. This is not my view. When RP accepted the party’s nomination and leadership at the Sugathadasa stadium in Oct 1988, he said in his speech that he had enjoyed the ‘powers of a peon’ as PM.
Papadam,
you are truly ignorant . I was indicted in absetia in the High Court of Colombo on 23 counts under the PTA and Emergency by JR Jayewardene for trying to overthrow his regime. What were you doing at the time and where were you?
Correction:
That should read 14 counts.
In fact the the responsiblity of failiure of UNP can not be soley taken by Ranil Wicramassinge as Opposition leader.Therefore urging by part members to say good bye to leadership can not be justified.On the contrary they leaders of the party should be more practical in politics .UNP would have accpted the invitation of formaing an alliance contested together with DNA.it was the aspiration of the ordinay voters .If so they would have secured more number of seats.and stood stronger opposition by nowThose who opposed the idea of forming the alliance should be blamed for defeat of UNp
The persistent attempts by Dr. Dayan Jayatilleke to promote the interests of Minister Douglas Devananda, worries me. It appears he has some or other lost his objectivity . The question of what the majority of Tamils in Jaffna think about the minister and his party has not been taken into account. The results of the general elections did not endorse him as ‘THE’ Tamil leader, although he got the highest preferential votes among the meager votes cast.
He opposed the LTTE and stood with the government over several decades. He had to risk his life to do this. These have to be appreciated, although the motives may have not been totally altruistic. What he and his cadres had to do, either by choice or the lack of it, have severely compromised Mr. Devananda in the eyes of many Tamils.
It will take much effort of the ‘Righteous” kind for him to be accepted as a visionary, trustworthy and decent Tamil leader. The Tamils should be given the space to recover and come to grips with current realities before any more elections and ‘leaders’ are thrust on them.
I have no personal animosity towards Mr.Devananda, and am glad he has taken the stand to work with the government to resolve ‘issues’ concerning the Tamils. Unfortunately, he carries a heavy baggage from his past and Tamil perceptions of him and his party, do not bode well for him the medium term.
Dr. Jayatilleke should understand the depth of Tamil feelings and their needs before peddling individuals and agendas in his many and most times, useful articles.
A decent summary of two party politics in SL.
What Dayan failed to add is the possibility in the next presidential election ( If the constitution remains as is,Which is unlikely in itself) ,a three way contest SLFP/UPFA, UNP and DNA/SF.This opens up real possibilities for all aspirants.
The aspirants has to have broad appeal which will include the ability to be acceptable to the minorities as well.
True electoral democracy at work will bring necessary reconciliation at least at election time.Beyond that SL need a TRUE STATESMAN to bring national reconciliation.
Sure MR. if he desires so, at present time can be the STATESMAN who can leave a legacy as the great peace time leader of SL after winning the war and be the great war time leader.
As for Doglas Devananda he needs to do some sole searching and be more introspective .He need to shed his identity as a militant group leader with armed gangs much like a war lord image..Just like TNA which managed to shed some of it’s ultra nationalist and became more centrist by accommodating and electing a sinhala MP from Digamadulla.
The armed groups have to be disarmed and demilitarization of all parts of the country is important if SL wants DEMOCRACY to thrive through the length and breath of the country.Yes garrison state is not true democracy.
Narendran,
Tamil businessmen are still being abducted for ransom. One of the recently abducted businessmen in Colombo told me that his abductors were the EPDP. It is not simply a case of carrying a ‘baggage’. It is a case of being rotten to the core, reeking of blatant criminality and mafia style thuggery. That the Rajapaksa mafia, in absolute control of the government apparatus, knowingly permits such thuggery, is hardly a new finding. People like you are deluding yourself by thinking that you can have dealings with the Rajapaksas and come out with clean hands. You cannot pussyfoot the issue. Any support to the regime makes you complicit in its crimes. There is no way around it.
Dear Dr D,
Yet another scholarly article from you; it might be that, your role in the Tamil massacre is take a toll on you slowly but steadily. I can assure you that you will be alone; just by yourself need to deal with it; MR got what he wanted from you and you are now alone.
It is not a secrete in these forums that you absolutely loath RW; I do not thank that there is even a single thing that you like about the man; not sure what exactly he did to deserve this treatment! I know nothing about the man, but he comes across as a leader who can unite the peoples of the nation given a chance.
I agree that one has to be elected to change things, which means in Sri Lankan context, one has to appear ultra nationalist. This has been the pattern throughout the Sri Lankan post independent political history. The opposition always pandered to the Sinhala Buddhist Nationalistic sentiments; so, do you feel that RW is not capable of doing just that? What exactly RW has been lacking after all he won a parliamentary election that CBK dismantled again pandering to the Sinhala Ultra Nationalists. So, do you feel that, RW is not nationalist enough for the rural Sinhala Buddhists?
Dear Wijayapala,
I would appreciate your comments about my post to you in the following forum:
http://www.groundviews.org/2010/04/13/mahinda's-triple-whammy-the-opposition's-organic-crisis/#comments
I would like to know your views on the following:
Political Settlement
Extent of power devolution if any
One nation
I would like to also know as to how you see Sri Lanka in the future in the context of secularism, Buddhism and a common Sri Lankan identity.
Burning_Issue,
Thank you for the reminder. I gave a response.
If you’d like to discuss secularism and Buddhism, I recommend contributing to the Akon and Buddhism thread, where the secularists are diverting from the topic.
“I know nothing about the man, but he comes across as a leader who can unite the peoples of the nation given a chance.”
RW was given a chance in 2002. If he had really united anybody, he would not have lost the snap election in 2004, wouldn’t he?
“The opposition always pandered to the Sinhala Buddhist Nationalistic sentiments; so, do you feel that RW is not capable of doing just that?”
He had done more than that. He was part of the government in 1983 that slaughtered thousands of Tamils in one week. He also ran a torture camp in Batalanda.
“What exactly RW has been lacking after all he won a parliamentary election that CBK dismantled again pandering to the Sinhala Ultra Nationalists.”
You left out a few facts, namely that RW failed to return to power in 2004 because the majority of Sinhalese (not simply the ultranationalists) no longer supported him, and that he lost the 2005 election because the LTTE did not allow Jaffna Tamils to vote. Actually, you did not mention at all how the LTTE contributed to RW’s political ruin.
Dear Dayan,
I comprehend your arguments but alas I think you feel the euphoria of the common populace in that having vanquished the LTTE this government not-withstanding its abyssmal human rights record has won the majority support to carry on till 2016.
Do you for one second ponder that Mervyn De Silva was chosen by Mahinda as Media Minister? The very person who attacked Sirsa and who attacked Rupavahini reporters?
As an intellectual and think-tank very hard to find among our own ilk I am disappointed you are trumpeting a power regime which came to prominence not on its human rights records but on its vacuum promises to the un-intelligible masses who never had the opportunity to inter-act with the North and the East.
The new cabinet is made of charlatans and sycophants. Do correct me if you can justly say Mahinda has any interest of the minorities at heart.
He has firmly entrenched his family into the cabinet and he will party till kingdom come. To hell with the ordinary masses.
Ranil is no saint. But UNP under Premadasa did provide housing for one million since he knew deep in his heart that he wanted the down-trodden to have a better standard of living.
Here we have a South centred Sinhala chauvinistic regime bent on making itself a right royal heritage. Mahinda has no interest for the whole of Sri Lanka. He has his own narrow dynastic ambition in that he wants to go one rung better than the Bandaranaikes, Senanayakes and the Obeysekeras.
theories of management state that people dont want change. Majority of UNPers say they think Ranil should go, but they ask who can we get after that? they dont want to try or even do trial and error.
look at SL cricket, how did Sana or T.Dilshan come to play in the vital spot, through trial and error. so let CHANGE RW and see without be so scared of it?
I disagree with the writer when he says that SL’s present is best served by a Rajapakse administration.
Is the writer aware that the MR administration is utterly corrupt and nepotism(more than Sirima’s time) is rife?
Is the writer aware that many journalists have fled the country in fear and some have perished over the period 2005-2010?
Is the writer aware that the MR administration has seriously messed up its relations with the West when it was possible to have fought the LTTE and won without jeopardising our relations with Western countries. e.g The CBK administration fought the war without messing up its relations with the West. That administration had Lakshman Kadir as its Foreign Minister and that made a huge difference.
Reply :to Agnos:
I have and those closely associated with me have ‘Kept our hands clean’ despite our meetings with the government. I do not agree that everyone dealing with the government have to get their hands dirty. We have also not ‘Pussy footed’ around issues and not hesitated to convey ‘What’ had to be conveyed. We did not also hesitate to tell the ‘Truth’ as we perceived it, to the government. We also were prepared to listen to what was said by those we talked to and understand the facts from their perspective. These were honest dialogues conducted in a civilized manner. The gist of what happened at these meetings have been published. Please do not try to throw mud at everyone who tries to find a solution to our problems, because your disagree with it or you have an axe to grind against individuals. This would only help those with ‘Dirty and Bloody hands’ and ‘tricky minds’ to hang on.
Mr.Douglas Devananda and the government know very well my opinion and those my close colleagues on the EPDP, Devananda himself and the undesirable ‘Role’ they play in Tamil and Sri Lankan politics. My using civilized language in the article, does not mean I am not aware of facts. The word ‘Righteous’ was used to emphasize the direction required of Devananda and the EPDP, in relation with what they have been hitherto doing.
Dear Wijayapala
I quite commend your posts/views which have a great sense of truth and centric thought. And thanks for the welcome to me in the other thread by the way. Although I wanted to respond to your post on the other thread, I somehow didn’t want to deviate from the topic and left it there.
Coming back to you post, while I agree with most of what you say, it still seemed to me that Ranil was probably the best uniter of all politicians. He went all the way to reach out to LTTE in 2002 thru those Norwegian negotiators, made so much compromise and didn’t he even visit some places in NE including some Hindu temple somewhere? All his good efforts were totally spoilt by a bad attitude shown by LTTE. At the end of it all, the tigers didn’t even want people to vote for him (to dig their own graves eventually). While what you say may be true, I am still impressed with his efforts to reach out in 2002 (or 2001 whenever it exactly started), that too in the middle of a civil war and a very polarizing atmosphere.
And on the lighter side (with reference to Ranil being silent in 1983 when the killings happened), you must know the story of Khrushev I guess. After Stalin’s death, Khrushev said in a politbureau meeting that Stalin’s policies were wrong. Someone in audience said “Why didn’t you open your mouth when Stalin carried out those killings?”. Khrushev pulled out his gun and said, “Who asked the question?”. The whole room was quiet. Then Khrushev continued, “This was exactly how the situation was when Stalin ruled”. So, my point is, when situation is out of control, some leaders prefer to keep quiet, for it is better not to add more fuel to fire or even jeopardise their own political future. In India for instance, I haven’t seen any Congress leader opposing Rajiv Gandhi when his party was happily carrying out massacres of Sikhs all over North India. Same is probably true of many countries in the region. Ofcourse, all of this is not to support Ranil, but to outline the larger problem with the state, and its leaders at the top not doing their job correctly. Very unfortunate!
Niranjan says
“Is the writer aware that the MR administration is utterly corrupt and nepotism(more than Sirima’s time) is rife?”
Niranjan
Are you aware that the MR administration is “utterly corrupt”? If so, please let me know how to find the evidence for your claim.
Krish, thanks for your comments.
“While what you say may be true, I am still impressed with his efforts to reach out in 2002 (or 2001 whenever it exactly started), that too in the middle of a civil war and a very polarizing atmosphere.”
Arguably, Ranil’s utter failure paved the way for the current Rajapakse regime, which seems to have avoided all the mistakes that he made.
“And on the lighter side (with reference to Ranil being silent in 1983 when the killings happened),”
I don’t think I implied that Ranil was simply silent. There were many Tamils killed particularly in Kelaniya, which was Ranil’s electorate/turf.
The fact is:
There are ONLY very few Sinhalese that do want special treatment because they are Sinhalese within Sri Lanka. This proportion is smaller than those in the Tamil community who think that there should be a separate state for Tamils only within the Northern and Eastern province in Sri Lanka.
So what the government needs to do is put up a plan that give equal opportunities for ALL in the country. Then use merit based mechanisms previously broadcast to everyone to select people for the government jobs.
To do that the government needs to put in the correct structural frame work to fill the positions.
No matter what threat of separatism within or outside there is IF we carry on reform giving opportunity for ALL. THen ALL separatists will disappear. Even if there are separatists they will not have any traction in the world outside Sri Lanka which these separatists ALWAYS run to like their mothers.
Continue reforming the state to give the country a sustainable development.
Dear Sinhala_Voice,
“There are ONLY very few Sinhalese that do want special treatment because they are Sinhalese within Sri Lanka. This proportion is smaller than those in the Tamil community who think that there should be a separate state for Tamils only within the Northern and Eastern province in Sri Lanka.”
I am not sure as to how you arrived at the conclusion that proportion of the Sinhala wanting special treatment is smaller then their Tamil counterparts! Why not take away the protection of Sinhala Buddhism in the constitution and see what effect it has on the Sinhala Buddhist population? The fact is that, the Tamils are at the receiving end and extremely insecure with no state protection. If you were to reverse the Tamils and Sinaha positions, what would you see?
Latest news is that a constitutional amendment to allow three terms for an executive president is to be made as a matter of priority. Thus the Rajapkse regime is to be entrenched for another 12 years.
This continual Ranil bashing and Rajapakse glorification is sickening.
The desertion of 17 UNP MPs in 2004, and earlier order by LTTE not to vote for him – facilitated by MR’s emmissaries to Prabakaran with a large ‘inducement’ – and Chandrika’s sabotage of Ranil’s government, were not Ranil’s fault. Now a new champion educated in UK and therefore said to be “more educated” than Ranil is being promoted – just as Thondaman was earlier proposed as a leader for the tamils.
The writer thinks that all of are fools.
Narendran,
“We also were prepared to listen to what was said by those we talked to and understand the facts from their perspective. These were honest dialogues conducted in a civilized manner. The gist of what happened at these meetings have been published.”
Well, I vaguely recall seeing what you wrote after your meeting with the Rajapaksas. But I don’t recall seeing any valid facts from their “perspective.” Not that it is possible for the Mafia, neck-deep in crime, to have a valid perspective. The buck stops at the Commander-in-Chief’s office. There can be no other interpretation. If anyone makes the argument that the orders from the Commander-In-Chief and the Defense Secretary are not enforced, have you asked the question as to why the victims are always critics of the government, people in opposition or in the media, and powerless minorities? Why are people who toe their line, or those who are their sycophants, never harmed?
A state’s monopoly on violence comes with the responsibility to ensure that the state does not engage in crimes. Those who proclaim from the rooftops that there should be “zero tolerance” for terrorism, such as our Mr. DJ, run away and hide when the argument is turned around: “Why shouldn’t there be zero tolerance for state terrorism.”
If Sri Lanka is to ever achieve real peace, there has to be a total shunning of people who have even a hint of criminality. That means shunning, isolating and punishing not only the direct perpetrators—the hands that hold the guns and the swords—but the heads that order it, as well as those like DJ and Rajiva Wijesinha, who try to use their diabolical spin under the cloak of intellectuality, to give these crimes cover. Who killed Lasantha Wickrematunga? Where is Prageeth Ekanaliyagoda? Who beat up Keith Noyahr? Who killed Raviraj? And who gave a 20 year sentence to Tissainayagam? Who keeps that thug Mervyn Silva unleashed? These questions ought to be asked of not just the Rajapaksas, but their supporters as well. And if they can’t tell us and evade the issue of command responsibility, but still support the regime, the supporters are just as culpable of these crimes. Because DJ has been sidestepping and running away from these issues but is still giving Rajapaksas character certificates, as it were, he deserves be to counted as a criminal as well.
As for your claim that “…This would only help those with ‘Dirty and Bloody hands’ and ‘tricky minds’ to hang on,” the validity of that argument can be easily tested by results achieved. You are welcome to try it for a time, but I know full well, as the case of Anandasangaree shows, that talking to the Rajapaksas has produced zero results. The simple reason is that the rot is at the top; in the end, you will be hung out to dry just as Sangaree was.
Burning_Issue,
I am a Sinhalese and a Buddhist and a Sri Lankan you may take this in which ever order you like to take it.
The issue you raised “Why not take away the protection of Sinhala Buddhism in the constitution…..” you must mean the foremost place given to Buddhism in the constitution….Am I correct….??
Can you name a single instance that this provision in the constitution being used to discriminate any other religious entity or an individual of non-Buddhist world view in Sri Lanka by specifically using this provision in the constitution……????……..I EAGERLY AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS…..
Personally, I believe that ONLY Buddhists can protect Buddhism and the related education system and system of living values. You can not expect the state to protect Buddhism (At least NOT politicans).
In Sri Lanka the head of state can be a NON-Buddhist. So How Does the executive give foremost place to Buddhism in such a scenario. That is when he is not a Buddhist himself.
I believe we had more religious/world view freedom before putting this statement…Simply because this statement is there to muffle, fool, nullify the SInhala-Buddhist people in Sri Lanka. Me, personally as a Sinhala-Buddist DO NOT WANT ANY SPECIAL TREATMENT from the government
BUT we and I EXPECT THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO INTEREFERE IN BUDDHISM and PRACTICE OF IT in any shape or form.
AND I BELIEVE there is NO USE in having the FOREMOST PLACE TO BUDDHISM in the constitution….Because at state level it is NOT practiced. You see ALL the world view groups represented in ALL if not MOST state functions in Sri Lanka.
This is a carry over from the Kandyan Convention. But we have to realise that Kandyan Agreement was with a NON-Buddhist executive in King of Britain and the Chiefs as representatives of the SInhala people. BUT today we are (the majority) is in charge. So there is no real requirement.
It is as I said up to Buddhists to protect Buddhism. We can not rely on Hindus or Muslims or Christians or Humanist-No world view groups to protect Buddhism. It should be a private matter of the individuals and the group made by such individuals.
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The other question/Answer:::::>>>
My conclusion is imperically based on my own surveys both in Sri Lanka and looking at overseas diasphora politics. And political party setup and voting pattern in Sri Lanka. The hardline Sinhala Buddhist parties do not get many votes from Sinhala people in majority SInhala areas.
Whereas , in Tamil majority areas parties that support separatism and/or federalism gets a higher percentage of votes. So the proportion of this among the Tamils is greater than that type of voter in the Sinhala-Buddhists areas. Eg: JHU, Sinhalay Mahasamatha Bhumiputhra Pakshaya hardy gets any votes in the regional rural areas. If the Sinhala-Buddhists were such chauvanists mass voting should be for such parties……?????
TNA is the Sinhala equivalent of Sinhalay Mahasamatha Bhumiputra Pakshaya.
Sinhala-Buddhist vote is for equal oppportunities and freedom NOT for hegemonic designs. As refered to by the Tamils from 1930.
The Tamils have to understand that in Sri Lanka in the future, in the North and the East and in the Central high lands Sinhalese people are going to move in and out. The so called colonisation schemes exists not only to make North and East Snihala but to give people to own and live in part of Sri Lanka. The Sinhala people consider whole of Sri Lanka to be their homeland without any restrictions. No one I believe has the right to stop any one from living in ANY area of Sri Lanka for whatever legal purpose.
justista, what’s the point of amending the constitution to allow 3 terms if the people won’t vote for him a 3rd time? hang on, are you speculating/afraid he is that popular among the people? you’re worried people of the land will go ONE MORE! hahaha. just rumours.. rest easy, we all know damn well now MR is not a silly person.
Agnos,
“If Sri Lanka is to ever achieve real peace, there has to be a total shunning of people who have even a hint of criminality.”
Does this mean that we should also shun the TNA, even though they have been democratically elected into office?
“The simple reason is that the rot is at the top; in the end, you will be hung out to dry just as Sangaree was.”
The only alternative for people like Anandasangaree was to either tie up closer with the Douglas or TNA types, or simply to leave politics. After this disappointing election result, he might choose the latter. I respect Anandasangaree for the principled stand he took compared to other political actors, and I regret that he has been punished for it both by the powers that be and the electorate.
“Is the writer aware that the MR administration is utterly corrupt and nepotism(more than Sirima’s time) is rife?”
Are the readers aware corruption was a “buzz” word used excessively devaluing it, just like Genocide (TM). The fact that those who that accuse of utter corruption cannot produce a single shred of incriminating evidence to back up their claim. A massive failure on their part, if they go far enough to make such wild accusations. Despite repeated requests by inquisitive people such as my self and others hungry, yearning for a piece of paper to maybe give sway to these claims.
Of course there are corrupt politicians (actually all of them on all sides) but not to the extent that these “interest groups” claim to be. I have witnessed more development under the current administration during an economically crippling war than during UNP days. Am I not right? Have you seen the roads? Why do you think Basil got such an endorsement from the people despite being the president’s brother? The guy actually delivers!
Now that the cabinet has been scaled back, MR came through to prove to us that he inflated the cabinet to only keep a stable government during a critical period such as a war.
200,000 IDPs released back to their homes just the other day.
http://news.google.com/news/more?pz=1&cf=all&ned=au&cf=all&ncl=duC2ApZdOAfSusMCMVBDfyLvkQLhM
I distinctly remember saying realistically IDP issues will take close to a year to resolve given the circumstances right after the war. MR administration is coming through on many sides. Just hang on to your panties for a little longer and rest will follow through as well
To Agnos:‎
Thanks for your response. ‎
I have lived and been a keen observer of the political scene long enough, to give up trying ‎to influence it, in sheer exasperation. I have yet not done so, because I believe in a God ‎and hence feel there is yet hope. History teaches that things change, when the time is ripe. ‎The ‘ripening time’ is fast approaching in Sri Lanka.‎
I have witnessed the deterioration in the values of the ruled and the rulers over decades. ‎Every individual and group that has held power has contributed his, her or their mite. The ‎Rajapakses are the rightful inheritors of a rotten system and have been astute to exploit it ‎deftly and scientifically. The story is one of progressive decline, which has continued ‎also under the Rajapakses. ‎
Terrorism of increasing virulence crept into our political system slowly, insidiously and ‎steadily, and has now become a monster of sorts. Terrorism did not begin with ‎Prabakaran and had not ended with him. Terrorism of all sorts is prevalent in our society ‎‎. It is a part and parcel of our lives.‎
D.S.Senanayake practiced ‘State terrorism’ of the ‘White- Collar’ type, with the ‎connivance of some Jaffna Tamil leaders, when he disenfranchised millions of citizens of ‎Indian origin. SWRD did the same when passed the ‘Sinhala only’ act and permitted ‘ ‎Blue -Collar’ terrorism to raise its ugly head in the 1958 riots. Sirimavo Bandaranaike ‎practiced both white- and blue-collar terrorism, when she enacted her edition of the ‎constitution removing the safeguards for the minorities and used brute force to quell the ‎JVP insurrection. JRJ made terrorism on all fronts of our national life a ‘fine art’. He was ‎the master terrorist who also orchestrated the 1977 and 1983 riots and destroyed the ‎essential decency built into Sri Lankan society. Premadasa took terrorism a step further. ‎The manner in which the second JVP insurrection was destroyed and his enemies ‎disappeared would remain a special chapter in our history. Premadasa and Chandrika ‎Kumaratunge were also accused of massive corruption. Chandrika was accused of murdering Kumar Ponnambalam! Ranil Wickremasinghe has been ‎also accused of terrorism of the ‘Batalanda’ variety. Prabakaran and his ilk were bank ‎robbers, thieves, murderers, drug peddlers, people smugglers, credit card cheats and ‎terrorists of world class. They did all this to liberate the Tamils! Chelvanayagam, ‎Amirthalingam, and company who fertilized the grounds for groups like the LTTE to ‎appear and thrive were also terrorists of a kind.‎
To pick the Rajapakses for special criticism would be unfair, because of our post-‎independence history. They are both victims and beneficiaries of a political system in ‎decline and serious decay. We have to deal with the government, whether we like it or ‎not. The Rajapakses have the political skills, the basic decency and the numbers in ‎parliament, to do what is right, if they have the will to do so. We have no other ‎alternative but to work with and influence the government to move in the ‘Right’ ‎direction. Whether our dialogues over the past year, would bear fruit, has to be seen in ‎how the government acts in making constitutional changes and developing the north and ‎east. If we had failed, it was not for the want of trying. We will continue to try, as that is ‎the only alternative available.‎
‎ ‎
Dear Observer,
I am only stating what is reported in the Daily Mirror – see for yourelf – about a third term. Do you approve of a third term for ANY president?
Sinhala-Voice,
I am a Tamil, Hindu, and born & Bred in Jaffna; I class myself as an atheist and feel that being smothered by religious interferences from all angles. Hence, I strongly believe that a state must elevate itself above all theological constraints.
“you must mean the foremost place given to Buddhism in the constitution….Am I correct….??”
Absolutely correct; when a state explicitly and constitutionally undertakes to protect and foster Buddhism that amounts to giving special place for Buddhism in Sri Lanka over and above all the other religions. Since, all Buddhists in Sri Lanka are exclusively Sinhala; the Sinhala get special treatment!
“Can you name a single instance that this provision in the constitution being used to discriminate any other religious entity or an individual of non-Buddhist world view in Sri Lanka by specifically using this provision in the constitution……????……..I EAGERLY AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS…..”
If you had followed some of the discussions that I had with Wijayapala and OffTheCuff, you would have seen the specific situations that I quoted in respect of this. As you know that many Buddha statues are being planted within North and East at the very moment; I believe those activities are being financed by the state. What do you say to this?
During the CBK’s tenure, a Buddha statue was planted overnight illegally in the centre of Trincomalee town aided by the military. In the end, it was deemed that, it was constitutional. At one point, the Attorney General directed the district Judge to remove the statue, but had to backtrack as a result of Supreme Court ruling. I tell you that no Buddha statues, once planted, can be removed if a Buddhist were to challenge it legally! This is the situation in Sri Lanka.
“Personally, I believe that ONLY Buddhists can protect Buddhism and the related education system and system of living values. You can not expect the state to protect Buddhism (At least NOT politicans).”
Your personal opinion is admirable, but that is not what being practiced in Sri Lanka. It may not seem as if a big issue, but for the trampled upon minority it is a constant fear of being made to feel as aliens in their own country!
“In Sri Lanka the head of state can be a NON-Buddhist. So How Does the executive give foremost place to Buddhism in such a scenario. That is when he is not a Buddhist himself.”
Are you sure about this? How can a non-Buddhist undertake to protect and foster Buddhism?
“I believe we had more religious/world view freedom before putting this statement…Simply because this statement is there to muffle, fool, nullify the SInhala-Buddhist people in Sri Lanka. Me, personally as a Sinhala-Buddist DO NOT WANT ANY SPECIAL TREATMENT from the government”
I am sorry; it is there for a purpose; you will see the effect of it in the days, months, and years to come.
“BUT we and I EXPECT THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO INTEREFERE IN BUDDHISM and PRACTICE OF IT in any shape or form.”
Who are “we”? If it is not that important, why not remove it and make the Sri Lankan constitution a true secular one? This is the challenge for the Sinhala Buddhists; can they do it?
“This is a carry over from the Kandyan Convention. But we have to realise that Kandyan Agreement was with a NON-Buddhist executive in King of Britain and the Chiefs as representatives of the SInhala people. BUT today we are (the majority) is in charge. So there is no real requirement.”
The Sinhala Buddhist Nationalists portrayed the Kandyan Convention as if it was meant for the whole of Sri Lanka; in reality it was not the case. I have shown all the evidences to this effect in one of the forums.
“It is as I said up to Buddhists to protect Buddhism. We can not rely on Hindus or Muslims or Christians or Humanist-No world view groups to protect Buddhism. It should be a private matter of the individuals and the group made by such individuals.”
Of course, just like the Hindus, Muslims and Christians, the Buddhists should also undertake to protect their own religions. People should know that, along with the religious people, there are people like myself and agnostics who want to get on with their lives as best as they could in pragmatic manner. After all there is Magasangha with good infrastructure and authority to do just that, why should they need state patronage; isn’t this a special privilege over and above the others?
“My conclusion is imperically based on my own surveys both in Sri Lanka and looking at overseas diasphora politics. And political party setup and voting pattern in Sri Lanka. The hardline Sinhala Buddhist parties do not get many votes from Sinhala people in majority SInhala areas.”
I am afraid; your survey was confined in narrow areas! The 1948 Constitution was endorsed by all sections of the then Sri Lankan polity. The Constitution had provisions to protect freedom of religions and minority rights. If such a Constitution had remained or improved upon, your conclusion based on your impartially survey would seem plausible. But, the reality is totally different. You should know that, in the first general election, the North & East Constituencies returned representatives for UNP, LSSP, and Independent candidacy. In 1952 election, the KKS electorates defeated SJVC in favour of Nadasan, a UNP candidate. There was no appetite for Tamil Nationalism until the SWRD Sinhala Only within 24 hours episode.
You know all about the mind-blowing discriminatory policies in favour of Sinhala that were introduced by MRS SWRD. You know all about the SJVC pacts with various Sinhala leaders that were ditched as a result of Agitating Sinhala Buddhist hardliners. You know all about how the Sinhala language is thrust upon the Tamils in the North and East. Of course, the Tamils appear more nationalistic than Sinhala. It is not surprising when the mainstream Sinhala parties execute Sinhala nationalistic measures, the Sinhala do not need to vote for JHU.
“If the Sinhala-Buddhists were such chauvanists mass voting should be for such parties……?????”
It is not a rocket science to know that, if the mainstream parties were to move to the centre and embrace more inclusive secular governance, the likes of JHU will enjoy mass support; this is a fact that you very conveniently overlooked. This is why I asked you; what do you see if the positions of both Sinhala and Tamil are reversed!
“TNA is the Sinhala equivalent of Sinhalay Mahasamatha Bhumiputra Pakshaya.”
This is the result of failure of nation building; the fact is that, if the 1948 Constitution had reinforced the Sri Lankan identity impartially, the Tamil Nationalism would have disintegrated to the oblivion.
“Sinhala-Buddhist vote is for equal oppportunities and freedom NOT for hegemonic designs. As refered to by the Tamils from 1930.”
Are you being serious?
“The Tamils have to understand that in Sri Lanka in the future, in the North and the East and in the Central high lands Sinhalese people are going to move in and out.”
Of course I agree; as long as people move freely by their own will.
“ The so called colonisation schemes exists not only to make North and East Snihala but to give people to own and live in part of Sri Lanka.”
Are the colonisation schemes exist only for the Sinhala? Why not the Sinhala be equal to the rest and move freely. There are no restrictions in North and East; there are lands for sale, why not they go and buy them; no one is stopping them. Why is it that, the Sinhala only get the special treatments?
“ The Sinhala people consider whole of Sri Lanka to be their homeland without any restrictions. No one I believe has the right to stop any one from living in ANY area of Sri Lanka for whatever legal purpose.”
Sure; I agree.
Sinhala_Voice,
“I am a Sinhalese and a Buddhist and a Sri Lankan you may take this in which ever order you like to take it.”
Which order do you take it? I thought that the Maharajathuma said that there are only people who love their country and people who don’t.
“BUT we and I EXPECT THE GOVERNMENT NOT TO INTEREFERE IN BUDDHISM and PRACTICE OF IT in any shape or form.”
Then is it ok for the government to interfere with Hinduism and practice of it in any shape or form?
SLA blocks Hindus performing rituals in Keerimalai
http://www.thecolombotimes.com/featured-news/12853–sla-blocks-hindus-performing-rituals-in-keerimalai-.html
Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities in Jaffna have obstructed Hindus performing religious rituals to their ancestors in the temple pond as well as dissolving the ashes of their cremated relatives in Keerimalai seas around the historically famous Nakuleasvaram temple claiming that Keerimalai has been declared as a tourist spot and no one should pollute the springs and sea therein, sources in Jaffna said.
This infringement on religious rights which had been observed by the Hindus for ages has angered the Hindu organizations in the peninsula, the sources added. Keerimalai is one of the major tourist attractions in Jaffna peninsula and SLA has imposed this restriction in order to please the Sinhalese tourists who continue to pour in their thousands after the opening of A9 road, representatives of the organizations said.
Who is the better Opposition Champ: Dehiwela Chimp or Colombo Wimp?
Wijayapala,
“Does this mean that we should also shun the TNA, even though they have been democratically elected into office?”
I don’t think so because the TNA’s fault was in acquiescing to the LTTE’s fascism and keeping quiet out of mortal fear; while that is unprincipled politics, it is a stretch to say people like Sampanthan or Senathirajah or Vinayagamoorthy have been involved in any criminality. I have heard from many people that for a long time the LTTE considered Senathirajah an Amirthalingam loyalist and regarded him with suspicion. I don’t know enough about the past of the relatively newer faces in the TNA or the former TELO people.
Also, if you read my sentence on the state’s monopoly on violence, you will see that it allows some room for violent resistance when the state abdicates its responsibility to not indulge in crimes for a prolonged period. I don’t have time to expand on that.
Anyway, both Sampanthan and Sangaree are too old for politics new leadership will have to emerge soon.
Narendran,
Thanks for your comments. So I think it all comes down to our different world views–you believe in God, I don’t. And that difference impacts everything, including one’s sense of justice and how that can be ensured.
I had been a devout Hindu until Grade 9, but then I had something like a lightening hit my mind, and that was the realization that all religions were misleading people. After nearly 30 years, I haven’t seen anything to contradict that view. Here is why: The existence of any contradiction in human life (say, for instance, you say there is a God and someone else says there isn’t) goes against the omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence of God. Both people are impelled by the same God. That both have their own free will is a self-evident truth. Can anyone take issue with this simple proof by contradiction?
I regard religions as a source of conflict because religions allow people to argue any way they want; when people don’t stick to rationality, they don’t have the same frame of reference, they perceive the same things differently, and there is inevitable conflict.
Apart from such logical reasons, there is also the issue of how to explain catastrophic suffering–of the thousands of innocent Tamil people caught between the LTTE and the SLA in the Vanni , or of the millions of Jewish people in Nazi Germany. To say that a benevolent God to whom people can pray caused all that human suffering to totally innocent people, is to be so infuriatingly naive. Indeed, many of those innocents murdered, being believers, would have asked their Gods “why me?” before being tortured and killed.
Justice cannot be done by throwing up one’s hands in an appeal to a non-existent God. It will come only when societies become increasingly rational, demand accountability and build rock-solid institutions that can deliver justice.
I recommend for reflection the following remarks on the UNP’s wrong turnings and continuing crisis, made by an authentic UNPer, which are in stark contrast to those Ranil defenders (mostly ‘civil society’ fellow travellers) on GV.
The whole country is asking for Sajith — Rukman
interview by C. A. Chandraprema, The Island , Thursday, April 29, 2010
“Q. You say the party leader was keen to get you out. What signs did you see of that?
A. When the conflict between the LTTE and the government was at its height, I took up the position that we as a party must support the war effort, because that’s our duty. I took as an example, the way both Dudley Senanayake and J.R.Jayawardene supported the Sirima Bandaranaiake government during the JVP insurgency of 1971. My contention was that if in a democracy certain individuals take up arms to achieve political power, they are not freedom fighters, but terrorists. There can be freedom fighters in a dictatorship, but not in a democracy. The stand I took angered the party leader a lot. He asked me, why are you doing this? And I said “Sir we have to take up a position like that for the sake of the country”.
Q. What was his response to that?
A. You know that he does not confront people. His face was just dead pan when I said that. Then about the Janaka Perera murder, I openly said it was done by the LTTE. But the party was trying to foist the blame on the government. What I said was, don’t whitewash the LTTE because you are playing with fire. He had later made a comment to a person known to me that Rukman had spoken against him. This was one indication that he was displeased with me. Then since 1994, the party has been deteriorating steadily, and I pointed out to him that the Sinhala Buddhist vote has gone against us completely. So I told him, that we must go back to the grassroots level and rebuild this party. At one point I told him, to share power. “You be the opposition leader and let someone else be the party leader, like the arrangement between Dudley Senanayake and J.R.Jayawardene in the early 1970s”. I said all these things in his presence at the proper forum – the working committee.
Q. You were a part of the UNP reformist group in 2006. However when Mr Karu Jayasuriya and those 18 MPs left, you opted to stay back. Now you see that most of those who left, are doing very well. They were in government for four years and most of them have been re-elected. In fact, had all those people remained within the UNP, more of them would have failed to get re-elected this time. Do you regret not having joined them in 2006?
A. I have no regrets because the UNP is in my blood. I have been sidelined because of a person who is not fit to be in politics.
Q. What do you intend doing about what has been done to you?
A. I don’t know how one can reverse what has been done to me. But for the sake of the party, all members must get together and throw this man out. It has to be done, otherwise this party is finished. The whole country today is asking for Sajith Premadasa. If you talk to ten people, nine would want Sajith to take over. Right now what is happening is that we are losing even the base we had. We have been completely wiped out at the parliamentary election and for the party to get its confidence back we need a change of leadership. I am going to do everything possible to make that a reality.
Q. You were referring to the internal situation of the party. What about the external factor? You are faced with the strongest government that we have seen independence. J.R.Jayawardene may have more MPs in parliament but never the same proportion of votes. The if you take the ruling family, they are not prone to messing things up on a grand scale. The mistakes they make are marginal. So you may not see the popularity of the government plummeting in the short term. Even if you change the leadership of the UNP what is the guarantee that you can win the next election?
A. In 1970, Mrs Bandarasnaike won with a two thirds majority. But by 1977 we were able to get a five sixth majority…
Q. But you don’t have the conditions, the economic hardship, the shortages etcetera that led to that situation today.
A. Our debt servicing payments are now bigger than our income, so there can be problems in the future. In any case these problems can be utilized against the government only if there is a powerful opposition. With Ranil Wickremesinghe around, we will not have even a fighting chance. Whatever chance there is to come into power will depend heavily on who is in control of the party.
Q. Some say that you were removed because you did not work for the presidential election. What is the truth in that?
A. At that time, I openly said that our not contesting the presidential election was a mistake. I pointed out that the UNP rank and file suffered under the JVP in the late eighties and to go into a joint progrtamme with the JVP was suicidal. Then we dropped our party symbol to which people were emotionally attached. Despite these misgivings, whenever I was asked to go for a meeting, I went.”
Observer,
Lack of evidence does not mean that there is no corruption in Government.
President Premadasa embarked on a development drive with Gam Udawa, housing schemes, road building etc during his time. He had only a short period in office though otherwise he would have developed the country further.
The reason why people(including journalists) are not producing evidence of corruption is that they will probably disappear if they do so. The war is over but people still live in fear.
To: Agnos
The ‘God’ I believe in is rational, logical and just. As a biologist, I see ‘God’ in the meticulous detail that has gone into making life-DNA upwards. This cannot be an accident. The ‘God’ I believe in does not intervene and interfere. This ‘God’ has set the rules and lets the ‘ Laws of nature’ or ‘Karma’ take its course. We have to pay the price for what we do. There is no escape from this. Tamils are paying the price for many sins of the past. We have been ‘Cruel’ in the way we treated other humans in the name of caste. We have been ‘Cruel’ in our selfishness and self-centered approach to life. We have developed our religiousness based on rituals and ‘Acts’ that amount to bribing our ‘Gods’. We have taken the facade and left the essence out of the religions we practice. We have tolerated and encouraged ‘Wrong’ in the name of liberation. We have been also shameless cowards and absolute hypocrites. We have paid money to get others killed, while safeguarding our own. We have lied shamelessly and blatantly, in order to seek green pastures. The other communities in Sri Lanka also have contributed their share of sins. Divine or ‘Natural’ justice will take its time, but will definitely and surely enforce its penalties! We have to see ‘God’ in our fellow humans and all the life around us. That will be our salvation.
“There is no escape from this. Tamils are paying the price for many sins of the past. We have been ‘Cruel’ in the way we treated other humans in the name of caste. We have been ‘Cruel’ in our selfishness and self-centered approach to life. We have developed our religiousness based on rituals and ‘Acts’ that amount to bribing our ‘Gods’. We have taken the facade and left the essence out of the religions we practice. We have tolerated and encouraged ‘Wrong’ in the name of liberation. We have been also shameless cowards and absolute hypocrites. We have paid money to get others killed, while safeguarding our own. We have lied shamelessly and blatantly, in order to seek green pastures.”
Yes, I totally agree; however, one does not need to believe in god to know all the above!
Agnos,
“I regard religions as a source of conflict because religions allow people to argue any way they want; when people don’t stick to rationality, they don’t have the same frame of reference, they perceive the same things differently, and there is inevitable conflict.”
I concur with you totally; however, the world without religions would be far more chaotic than otherwise. I think that, the conflicts and killings in the name god that we see today is negligible in comparison to a world without faiths. I am an atheist, but recognise the role that religions play in keeping order; this is to do with peoples than existence of a God!
Agnos,
“I don’t think so because the TNA’s fault was in acquiescing to the LTTE’s fascism and keeping quiet out of mortal fear”
The TNA did not simply keep quiet. Its members declared that the LTTE was the “sole representative” of the Tamils and tried to get the LTTE deproscribed in foreign countries. They also participated in LTTE events. Why do you think Anandasangaree wanted to leave this bunch???
Narendran,
“As a biologist, I see ‘God’ in the meticulous detail that has gone into making life-DNA upwards. This cannot be an accident.”
This argument looks at an aspect of life and totally ignores the obvious contradictions of believing in such a God. It jumps to conclusions that are unwarranted. I wish I had more time on my hand but I will just end this thread with some info in case you didn’t know this already–there has been some debate between Francis Collins, the geneticist and NIH head who believes in God, and Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist who wrote the book “The God Delusion.” You can google Collins vs Dawkins and it should take you to the Time magazine site that hosts the debate.
Burning_Issue et al,
So you think that the presence of Buddha Statues, Bayan (Bo) trees is an eye sore for non-Buddhists , therefore, they should not be erected in any place where there are no MAJORITY of people of Sinhala, Buddhist world view in a area.
WHAT ABOUT MINORITY RIGHTS ?
If this is your point of view I can understand what would happen to minorities in a Tamil majority country. You will say CONFORM or LEAVE.
At this very moment in time 54% of Tamils live in areas other than Northern and the Eastern Province. (either voluntarily or forced due to conflict).
DO YOU HEAR ANY ETHNIC RIOTS HAPPENING DAILY IN SRI LANKA NOW. (Even during the LTTE era )
What if the Sinhala-Buddhist were to form this same view and say Mosques, churches, Kovils are an eye sore to them and should be removed.
Have the Sinhala-Buddhist taken any actions to do such things. Travelling around the world you will realise that Sri Lanka is one of the MOST TOLERANT places on earth when it comes to religions or world views.
If you go to Saudi Arabia you will be asked “Not what your religion is ..?” But why you are not a Muslim….We don’t do that in Sri Lanka do we ????
YES I AM ALL FOR REMOVING FOREMOST PLACE FOR BUDDHISM provided that adequate representation is provided in the Legislature and/or senate. Sinhala-Buddhists have not gained a single thing due to this statement appearing in article 2 of the constitution of SL.
In fact, Buddhist are better off in a level playing field of world views because then we can have intelligent debates and arguments. Buddha says come and experience his Dhamma or doctrine if you don’t like it leave it.
The rise of Tamil Nationalism if not 1956. Nor is it 1948. Even way before that Tamils wanted to either :
In June 1935 Jaffna Association wanted a separate state.
1. To control the whole island as they thought the Sinhalese are stupid, uneducated fools.
2. If there is a reaction to this then independent self-ruling unit.
3. If that fails federalism.
4. Unification with Tamil Nadu. This would have happened already if Tamil Nadu was an independent country. The outcome of the war with LTTE would have been different if Tamil Nadu was an independent country. They would have annexed North and East by now.
Let me quote a segment from a letter from M.Kanapathipillai secretary of the
ALL CEYLON ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS’ ASSOCIATION, Jaffna. (in 1940)
2. The whole of Ceylon was originally a Tamil Country. The Tamils also called Dravidians were the aboriginal inhabitants of Ceylon and ruled the whole land.
3.The Sinhalese came to Ceylon from Central Asia by way of Begal. They (Sinhalese) are therefore foreigners to Ceylon. The Indian Dravidians (Tamils) belong to the same race and are entitled to the same rights as the Dravidians of Ceylon.
——-This goes on and on. THIS IS PART OF A SUBMISSION To the secretary of the states for the Colonies, Downing Street, London, England……..
So please don’t tell me ALL MOVEMENTS for separatism started with making the Sinhala ONLY in 1956. I believe in 24 hours is NOT REASONABLE at ALL. It should have been phased in over the years with English as well. (English and Sinhala) with Tamils and English for Tamil speakers.
To Agnos and Burning Issue:
Thanks for bringing an article on mundane issues by Dayan Jayatilleke into the realm of spirituality. The ‘God’ I referred is not a person somewhere in the skies meting out rewards and punishments. ‘God’ is the principles/laws/rules that underline life, the elements, the earth, our solar system and beyond. I had told my circle of friends that the alphabets G,O and D, whether spelled as ‘God’ or ‘ Dog’, if referring to rules of nature, would mean the same thing. We were taught as children that ‘God’ is every where- including the pillar and the piece of fibre (‘Thoonillum, Thurmbilum’-Tamil). The Hindus reduced the principles underlying ‘Nature’ into statues, to make them simpler to understand. The statues have become more important than the principles they represent! Unfortunately, this has led to the whole religion being rendered ‘Foolish’. This is the very ‘Mayai/ Maya’ that Hinduism tries to remove, to make us us see beyond facades. ‘Karma’ is a philosophy based on ‘Action and reaction’. We reap what we sow. Life is like a ‘Boomerang’ – acts that one does come back to roost. We see this all around us. You destroy nature and you are destroyed! You foster nature and you benefit and so on!
I am not an atheist, but I believe in a universal principle that governs everything around us, which Hinduism permits. Hinduism is built around recognition of these ‘Rules of nature’, but has been hijacked by rituals, foolishness and idiocy. Faith has also overtaken rationality. Lord Buddha tried to remove these cobwebs from Hinduism and failed!
I however agree with ‘Burning issue’ that religions as they exist today are necessary to exercise at least some control on individual and social behaviour. However, I also strongly believe that the ‘Religion’ is ultimately something that should concern individuals. Religions become a source of more dissension and
discord as organized entities. The institutions in this instance become more important than the principles they are supposed to stand for.
narendran, i don’t for a minute think there is no corruption in the government. i believe that most of them do fatten their pockets. at the same time i cannot heed to the wild speculation that is rife among the opposition and tamil nationalist propaganda machinery. my argument is, if such a blatantly high level of corruption exists then there is bound to be some proof. these people are not wizards to hide such massive schemes. and most of all where do the accusers get their information from? i bet it’s something heard from someone else who heard from someone who is in on it.. hahaha.. us lankans of all know how gossip starts. why not share their reliable sources? rather than spurt out rubbish? i am quite frankly sick of the mud.
oh and don’t even give that excuse.. for god’s sake take a lesson from the recent wiki leaks episode of US war crimes evidence. here;s how to do it for u n00bs
1. set up a secure VPN with a contact outside. by secure i mean encrypt it.
2. then post the damn content to wiki leaks or email to who ever.
but really, you can publish in our local media. don’t get so dramatic. i bet the sunday leader will jump on it like fleas on cow dong… administration tolerated accusations of war crimes..on the leader… im sure it will tolerate accusations of corruption too. they get it anyway..regardless. so go ahead!! evidence first, then accusations. otherwise please do us all a favor, respect our intelligence and save the propaganda for the lesser critical observers…
Niranjan says:
“Lack of evidence does not mean that there is no corruption in Government.
[…]
The reason why people(including journalists) are not producing evidence of corruption is that they will probably disappear if they do so. The war is over but people still live in fear.”
This is a very dangerous stance to take for a blog with a vision
`To lead, by example, the creation of citizen journalism in English, Sinhala and Tamil languages to enable civil, progressive and inclusive discussions on the future of peace, reconciliation, social justice, fundamental rights and equality in Sri Lanka.’
This kind of tabloid “news” (“Kale Paththara” in Sinhala) will not be published or propagated by any serious and honest news organization. (Read the book “All The President’s Men” by Bernstein and Woodward to see how far they went to gather evidence for “Watergate”.)
I do not buy the argument that journalists are not producing evidence because of fear. I asked Niranjan to produce evidence if he has them on this blog. I do not see why a journalist with evidence cannot produce that evidence here under a pseudo name like “Niranjan”.
Sinhala_Voice, you didn’t answer my questions to you above about the SLA preventing Hindus from practicing their religion in Keerimalai.
“So please don’t tell me ALL MOVEMENTS for separatism started with making the Sinhala ONLY in 1956.”
They may not have began after 1956 but they became POPULAR after Sinhala-Only.
Dr. Narendran and Agnos, why not shift the secular vs religion discussion to the Akon thread? There is already a discussion in progress there and you would be able to add to it:
http://www.groundviews.org/2010/03/27/akon-and-buddhism-in-sri-lanka/
Dear sinhala_voice,
“So you think that the presence of Buddha Statues, Bayan (Bo) trees is an eye sore for non-Buddhists , therefore, they should not be erected in any place where there are no MAJORITY of people of Sinhala, Buddhist world view in a area.”
The GOSL has just beaten the LTTE, who fought a 30 year war claiming that the Tamils have been discriminated against and remedy is a separate state. The very army that defeated the LTTE that has been busy planting Buddha statues while the IDPs still languish with despair; if this not blatant aggression and extreme expression of majorityism I do not what is?
In a democracy, there are rules, which one follows to build a house or a temple or erection of a statue in a public place. A need for place of worship arises when people settle in an area or migrate to another area. That is not what has been happening in the North in particular. I am not against people setting up temples even erect Buddha statues; they need to happen in a civil manner. My objection to this is to do with majority aggression and it has nothing to do with Buddhism or Sinhala settling in the North and East. You need to understand and distinguish the issues rather than jumping into conclusions!
“If this is your point of view I can understand what would happen to minorities in a Tamil majority country. You will say CONFORM or LEAVE.”
You did not grasp my point of view!
“At this very moment in time 54% of Tamils live in areas other than Northern and the Eastern Province. (either voluntarily or forced due to conflict).”
Please tell me under which government sponsored colonisation schemes that were used to settle those 54% Tamils? Of course, like the Tamils, the Sinhalese should also move freely to North and East, buy lands, and build houses rather than waiting for government colonisation programs; do you get my point? You may say that, the Thesawalami law will prevent the non-Jaffna Tamils buying properties! If so, please provide examples.
Cont….
I spoke too soon.. cannot post anymore on the Akon thread. Here was my last comment:
OTC,
“Where did the Buddha say that you cannot avoid Karma? Where did the Buddha advice to be resigned to one’s fate passively?”
The Buddha never advised to be passive. However, Dhammapada verse 127 says this about avoiding kamma:
Neither in sky nor surrounding by sea,
nor by dwelling in a mountain cave,
nowhere is found that place in earth
where one’s from evil kamma free.
Here is what Bhikkhu Bodhi had to say (his entire article on the Dhammapada is worth reading):
http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma/dhammapada.html
Our moral intuition, our innate sense of moral justice, tells us that there must be some principle of compensation at work in the world whereby goodness meets with happiness and evil meets with suffering. But everyday experience shows us exactly the opposite. We all know of highly virtuous people beset with every kind of hardship and thoroughly bad people who succeed in everything they do. We feel that there must be some correction to this imbalance, some force that will tilt the scales of justice into the balance that seems right, but our daily experience seems to contradict this intuition totally.
However, in his teachings the Buddha reveals that there is a force at work which can satisfy our demand for moral justice. This force cannot be seen with the eye of the flesh nor can it be registered by any instruments of measurement, but its working becomes visible to the supernormal vision of sages and saints, while all its principles in their full complexity are fathomed by a Perfectly Enlightened Buddha. This force is called kamma. The law of kamma ensures that our morally determinate actions do not disappear into nothingness, but rather continue on as traces in the deep hidden layers of the mind, where they function in such a way that our good deeds eventually issue in happiness and success, our evil deeds in suffering and misery.
The word kamma, in the Buddha’s teaching, means volitional action. Such action may be bodily or verbal, when volition is expressed in deed or speech, or it may be purely mental, when volition remains unexpressed as thoughts, emotions, wishes and desires. The actions may be either wholesome or unwholesome: wholesome when they are rooted in generosity, amity and understanding; unwholesome when they spring from greed, hatred and delusion. According to the principle of kamma, the willed actions we perform in the course of a life have long-term consequences that correspond to the moral quality of the original action. The deeds may utterly fade from our memory, but once performed they leave subtle impressions upon the mind, potencies capable of ripening in the future to our weal or our woe.
According to Buddhism, conscious life is not a chance by-product of molecular configurations or a gift from a divine Creator, but a beginningless process which repeatedly springs up at birth and passes away at death, to be followed by a new birth. There are many spheres besides the human into which rebirth can occur: heavenly realms of great bliss, beauty and power, infernal realms where suffering and misery prevail. The Dhammapada does not give us any systematic teaching on kamma and rebirth. As a book of spiritual counsel it presupposes the theoretical principles explained elsewhere in the Buddhist scriptures and concerns itself with their practical bearings on the conduct of life. The essentials of the law of kamma, however, are made perfectly clear: our willed actions determine the sphere of existence into which we will be reborn after death, the circumstances and endowments of our lives within any given form of rebirth, and our potentials for spiritual progress or decline.
At the second level of instruction found in the Dhammapada the content of the message is basically the same as that of the first level: it is the same set of moral injunctions for abstaining from evil and doing good. The difference lies in the viewpoint from which these precepts are issued and the purpose for which they are taken up. At this level the precepts are prescribed to show us the way to achieve long-range happiness and freedom from sorrow, not only in the visible sphere of the present life, but far beyond into the distant future in our subsequent transmigration in samsara. Despite the apparent discrepancy between action and result, an all-embracing law ensures that ultimately moral justice triumphs. In the short run the good may suffer and the evil may prosper. But all willed actions bring their appropriate results: if one acts or speaks with an evil mind, suffering follows just as the wheel follows the foot of the draught-ox; if one acts or speaks with a pure mind, happiness follows like a shadow that never departs (vv.1-2). The evil-doer grieves here and hereafter; he is tormented by his conscience and destined to planes of misery. The doer of good rejoices here and hereafter, he enjoys a good conscience and is destined to realms of bliss (vv. 15- 18). To follow the law of virtue leads upwards, to happiness and joy and to higher rebirths; to violate the lead leads downwards, to suffering and to lower rebirths. The law is inflexible. Nowhere in the world can the evil-doer escape the result of his evil kamma, “neither in the sky nor in mid-ocean nor by entering into mountain clefts” (v. 127). The good person will reap the rewards of his or her good kamma in future lives with the same certainty with which a traveler, returning home after a long journey, can expect to be greeted by his family and friends (v. 220).
Wijayapala,
“The TNA did not simply keep quiet. Its members declared that the LTTE was the “sole representative” of the Tamils and tried to get the LTTE deproscribed in foreign countries.They also participated in LTTE events.”
That was really a surreal period in which many Tamils didn’t know how to handle the LTTE. The TNA had many parties in it and some were close to the LTTE; others were coerced. You can say the TNA’s actions were self-serving, cowardly and utterly unprincipled, but you can’t compare their actions to the State’s crimes–the TNA didn’t have any access to the vast power of the State; nor was it to the LTTE what the Sinn Fein was to the IRA.
“Why do you think Anandasangaree wanted to leave this bunch???”
I don’t think Sangaree’s actions were as principled as you make them out to be. I think it was more of an internal power struggle in the TNA between Sangaree and Sampanthan. Although the latter’s acquiescence in the LTTE’s actions made for a convenient story, it was too late in the game when Sangaree left the TNA. He had been part of the TULF through the years when the TULF was saying the only solution was a separate country; its words were intended to encourage youths to fight, without fully thinking about the consequences.
When dealing with impressionable, idealistic youths, TULF should not have played with words, when it in fact had no intention, and no plan, to achieve a separate country. As a barely 10 year old boy, I, too, spoke at a TULF election meeting in 1977. Amirthalingam and SJV’s son Chandrahasan also spoke at the same meeting and they all said that they were seeking a mandate from the people for a separate country. I don’t particularly remember if Sangaree was there as well, but he contested on the same TULF platform. So when Sangaree now says some things, or when Chandrahasan now comes back to Sri Lanka from India and says he wants non-confrontational interactions with the Rajapaksas, why should I take them as principled?
Agnos,
“You can say the TNA’s actions were self-serving, cowardly and utterly unprincipled, but you can’t compare their actions to the State’s crimes–the TNA didn’t have any access to the vast power of the State;”
How was the TNA better than Dayan or Rajiv Wijesinha, whom you’ve condemned?
“I don’t think Sangaree’s actions were as principled as you make them out to be. I think it was more of an internal power struggle in the TNA between Sangaree and Sampanthan.”
DBS Jeyaraj did not mention this in his write-up of the TNA. In his version, Sangaree left relatively early after it was clear that the TNA would serve as an LTTE mouthpiece.
“So when Sangaree now says some things, or when Chandrahasan now comes back to Sri Lanka from India and says he wants non-confrontational interactions with the Rajapaksas, why should I take them as principled?”
In the world of politics, it’s not a matter of who’s principled or not but who has the most credibility. Sangaree and even Chandrahasan stand heads taller than anyone in the TNA, even its reformed version.
“As a barely 10 year old boy, I, too, spoke at a TULF election meeting in 1977.”
What did you say? Does that make you “unprincipled?”
.”How was the TNA better than Dayan or Rajiv Wijesinha, whom you’ve condemned?”
Well, I don’t think there was any coercion that forced the latter two into supporting the Rajapaksa regime and whitewashing and defending its crimes. Given that the LTTE gained momentum only after the State’s atrocities became intolerable, I do not feel it fair to hold the TNA to the same standard, when the State has not yet shown any inclination, even now, to stop its crimes and make Tamils feel they are citizens with equal rights.
“Sangaree left relatively early after it was clear that the TNA would serve as an LTTE mouthpiece.”
I think it was clear from the beginning that, given the LTTE’s role in the formation of the TNA out of different groups, they were going to be subservient to the LTTE. It became a public issue when Sampanthan wanted to install Thurairatnasingham on the National List, and Sangaree wanted someone else.
“In the world of politics, it’s not a matter of who’s principled or not but who has the most credibility.”
It was you who started by saying Sangaree was principled. In some ways even Sangaree and Chadrahasan hold some responsibility for the plight if the Tamil people today. And all of them have a duty to raise the question of what really happened in the final stages of war when thousands of people died. The UTHR reports make it clear there were war crimes by both sides. So Sangaree and Chandrahasan owe a duty to the Tamil people to make sure these crimes are properly investigated and justice is done. Until they do so, when they deal with the Rajapaksas as if nothing had happened, when they don’t condemn the regime for its crimes, their credibility will remain questionable. This doesn’t mean there should not be limited cooperation on matters like taking care of the victims of the war, resettlement of the IDPs, dismantling HSZs, political solution, etc.
>>What did you say? Does that make you “unprincipled?” >>
I said that youths were working hard for the liberation of Tamil people; that the people should support the youths and give a chance to the TULF. I was simply moved by the idealism and energy of the youths then, but I was not a member of any group. Within a couple of years, my thoughts were into more fundamental issues like why it is hard for different people (including Sinhalese vs Tamil) to see the same things (including injustices) the same way. As I said in my arguments with Narendran, I had this lightning like hit that believing in a God raised so many contradictions that there has to be a fundamental change in societies. I also became skeptical of written history. From then on, I was kind of estranged from all politics, though I continue to be an observer and have an emotional link to the struggle for justice by the Tamil people. Does it make me unprincipled?
” My objection to this is to do with majority aggression and it has nothing to do with Buddhism or Sinhala settling in the North and East. You need to understand and distinguish the issues rather than jumping into conclusions! ”
IF a person has an objection to ANY symbol of Buddhism or Sinhala people, I find it difficult to believe that they will form a TOLERANT view of the OTHER.
Please REMEMBER this is EXACTLY what is asked of the Sinhalese by Ethnic group by the Minorities within Sri Lanka. That is to form a TOLERANT VIew of the OTHER. (That is OTHER than yourself. )
Thesawalami law or any other law that has ethnicity linked to property and that affect the re-sale value on a common market should be scraped. One land ownership law for ALL. One Tax System for ALL. THese are the basics we have to get it right.
ONE LAW FOR ALL. (This is how you create EQUALITY IN A MULTI-ETHNIC,CASTE, WORLD VIEW POPULATION and carry out the administration of that law diligently.–I AM ALL FOR IT)
Do you think the Tamil Majority country would have been better at handling what the Sinhala majority has to deal with ?
How would you deal with this yourself ?
Ofcourse I understand there are local government bodies and rules and regualtions governing local building regualtions. —THis can be manipulated by politicans to create xenophobia (fear of the other)
DO you think in Sri LAnka ALL laws are adhered to by ALL Ethnic minorities. And ONLY people who disobey the law are Sinhala-Buddhists ?
What is the population density in Northern and Eastern Province ?
Because there are Tamils living in the Northern and Eastern Province doe it mean that un-occupied, non-dwelling land also belong to the Tamils community ??
Isn’t this an extention of the Thesawallamai to whole 2 provinces within Sri Lanka ?
If there is unused land then that must belong to the state of Sri Lanka–state land….And the state can re-distribute it to the landless people. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PRINCIPLE ?????
Are ALL Kovils , Mosques, Churches ALL construted after due consultations with local communities in Sri Lanka ???
The resettling of IDP should be the immeadiate priority of the government.
They the government must:
1. Verify or establish the identity of the person.
2. Issue Identity card for them if they don’t have one.
3. Establish next of kin of the person involved.
4. Work out where they originated.
5. Settle them with a proper land title and a way to live.
This should be the process followed.
Wijayapala,
ALL have the right to follow their religious festivals. I can not see and would not like to see any festival banned unless there is a National Security issue at stake. In which case it must take priority. THis by the way includes Buddhist festival as well…..
The LTTE activities in the last 30 years prevented ANY sinhalese living in the Northern Province. Those few who used to live there had to leave after 1981-85 period. THe LTTE and the Tamil separatist movement is ALL ABOUT keeping Northern and the Eastern Province a MAJORITY Tamil Area. So they would oppose any migration of SInhala people.
On the government side they never set up proper infrastructure or business that would attract Sinhala people. The farmers need the support of the government to setup farming if they move…THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL COLONISATION.
The Tamils whilst enjoying and living life within a Multicultural Areas in Sri Lanka protest vehimently and make it difficult to develop the country.
If it was not for the LTTE there would never have been 1983 riots.
If it was not for the LTTE ALL communities in Sri Lanka would be better off than what they are today in 2010.
If it was not for the LTTE lot more Tamils would be living in Sri Lanka right now.
The least multicultural areas in Sri Lanka are where the Tamils live.
It is interesting to note that even in foreign countries the Tamil community functions as a close knit community with very little interaction with other fellow Sri Lankans. Perhaps the insular, grandiose, know it all mentality within the Tamil community is also making difficulties for non-Tamils. (Perhaps).
Regarding
I was GOSL’s Permanent Representative to the UN (Geneva). Is Ranil Wickremesinghe GOSL’s Permanent Representive to the UNP?
Dear Sinhala_Voice,
Please do not write for the sake of writing.
You said:
“There are ONLY very few Sinhalese that do want special treatment because they are Sinhalese within Sri Lanka. This proportion is smaller than those in the Tamil community who think that there should be a separate state for Tamils only within the Northern and Eastern province in Sri Lanka.”
I pointed out with examples that the Sinhalese are getting preferential treatments while the IDPs languish with despair. You have no answers. The need of the hour for the GOSL and SLA is to plant Buddha statues wherever possible within the North & East. Big Sinhala only colonisation programs are afoot. If these activities do not amount to special treatment for the Sinhala I do not know what is! You made the claim that the Sinhala do not want special treatments but the reality is totally different.
You said:
“In Sri Lanka the head of state can be a NON-Buddhist. So How Does the executive give foremost place to Buddhism in such a scenario. That is when he is not a Buddhist himself.”
I said:
“Are you sure about this? How can a non-Buddhist undertake to protect and foster Buddhism?” You have no answers!
You said:
“Can you name a single instance that this provision in the constitution being used to discriminate any other religious entity or an individual of non-Buddhist world view in Sri Lanka by specifically using this provision in the constitution……????……..I EAGERLY AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS…..”
I have given you examples of the effect of Buddhism in the constitution; you have no answers! Instead you have twisted the issue and accuse me of being intolerant! You do not view the erections of Buddha Statues and colonising exclusively Sinhala within North and East as aggression on the part of the majority! You do not understand that the majority are Sinhala and Sinhala are the state; you can do anything with impunity and no one can even utter a work. Do you call this as fair?
Wijayapala asked you a question about Keerimali and Hindu custom; you have no idea as to what the Tamils have been going through.
Agnos,
“Well, I don’t think there was any coercion that forced the latter two into supporting the Rajapaksa regime and whitewashing and defending its crimes.”
The TNA’s collaboration with the LTTE similarly was not the product of coercion. If Sampanthan and Co. did not want to take Sangaree’s high road, they could have simply opted out of politics altogether. Instead, they became willing participants. Hence they should be held to the same standards as others (non-Tamils) whom you condemn.
“Given that the LTTE gained momentum only after the State’s atrocities became intolerable”
Do you agree that the Rajapakse phenomenon “gained momentum” only after the LTTE’s atrocities became intolerable?
“Until they do so, when they deal with the Rajapaksas as if nothing had happened, when they don’t condemn the regime for its crimes, their credibility will remain questionable.”
How would you compare Sangaree’s credibility with the TNA’s, taking into consideration that Sangaree asked the govt to avoid bombing the Vanni and supported a ceasefire to allow the people to escape?
“From then on, I was kind of estranged from all politics, though I continue to be an observer and have an emotional link to the struggle for justice by the Tamil people. Does it make me unprincipled?”
No, I was joking on that last bit about being unprincipled, although I was not joking about my curiosity regarding what you said at the TULF meetings as a 10-year old.
Burning_Issue,
YOU SAID >>>>
—————–
“I pointed out with examples that the Sinhalese are getting preferential treatments while the IDPs languish with despair. You have no answers. The need of the hour for the GOSL and SLA is to plant Buddha statues wherever possible within the North & East. Big Sinhala only colonisation programs are afoot. If these activities do not amount to special treatment for the Sinhala I do not know what is! You made the claim that the Sinhala do not want special treatments but the reality is totally different.”
WHAT I SAID in Reply>>>> (ANSWER)
——————————————
The resettling of IDP should be the immeadiate priority of the government.
They the government must:
1. Verify or establish the identity of the person.
2. Issue Identity card for them if they don’t have one.
3. Establish next of kin of the person involved.
4. Work out where they originated.
5. Settle them with a proper land title and a way to live.
I don’t know whether you understood this BUT as I said I do not need the statement of giving foremost place for Buddhism in the constitution as it is a meaningless statement that appeared only in the 1972 Republican Constitution for the first time. It is just an electoral gimmick to fool the masses. Not effective therefore remove it. Buddhist us know what is the world view and life style we should follow.
YOU SAID>>>>>
“Wijayapala asked you a question about Keerimali and Hindu custom; you have no idea as to what the Tamils have been going through.”
MY ANSWER>>>>>>
Wijayapala,
ALL have the right to follow their religious festivals. I can not see and would not like to see any festival banned unless there is a National Security issue at stake. In which case it must take priority. THis by the way includes Buddhist festival as well…..
I SAID >>>>THE FOLLOWING ………….
“In Sri Lanka the head of state can be a NON-Buddhist. So How Does the executive give foremost place to Buddhism in such a scenario. That is when he is not a Buddhist himself.”………..
I gave this as an example to show the ineffectiveness of the Article 2 of the Sri Lankan Constitution. There is NO requirement for the President of Sri Lanka to be of a particular faith…(Eg: in United Kindom Queen is the head of state she is the head of the Anglican Church, In Thailand King is Buddhist, he is the head of state….) In Sri Lanka the president is elected on popular vote based on politics not religion. So there is a possibility that the President can be of a NON-Buddhist faith….IN THIS SCENARIO HOW DOES THE HEAD OF STATE GIVE FOREMOST PLACE TO BUDDHISM ????That was my question ?????
I clearly see an AVERSION in you towards Sinhalese and especially those that are of the Buddhist world view.
If you still have not worked this out yet:
I don’t support any community living under another community.
I don’t support any geography allocated excusively for any ethno-religious world view group.
No matter what they claim have been done against them by anyone.
I am ALL for Equal Opportunity for ALL.
I am ALL for merit based activities such as jobs , promotions and appointments.
ONE LAW FOR ALL. (This is how you create EQUALITY IN A MULTI-ETHNIC,CASTE, WORLD VIEW POPULATION and carry out the administration of that law diligently.–I AM ALL FOR IT)
Dear Sinhala_Voice,
“I clearly see an AVERSION in you towards Sinhalese and especially those that are of the Buddhist world view.”
I have aversion towards all fundamentalists including the Tamil nationalism. In the Sri Lankan context, I do target the Sinhala Buddhist Chauvinists as I do not know as to when they will stop. The Tamil community is already under the impression, justifiably, that they are under a military rule. Then they see that the same military is planting Buddha statues in various places; this makes them feel vulnerable and helpless. I am all for creating conditions for people to move freely and settle wherever one wants to live; but, what has been happening in the North & East is an act of unleashing majorityism with impunity. What protections are there for Tamils to settle in Sinhala Heartlands?
The Sinhalese are the Majority and Buddhism is the majority religion; why do they need to behave in such a way? Don’t you think that what the GOSL is doing amounts subjugation of the Tamils than accommodating them with equal status? This is what you support under the guise of equal opportunity and status; you support majority views prevail come what may!
Dear Sinhala_Voice,
Please read; an artcile on the following link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/04/sri-lanka-must-respect-war-memory
Wijayapala,
Though the TNA should be condemned, there is a clear asymmetry between the TNA and the supporters of the regime which I stressed and which you seem to continue to ignore. So I won’t spend more time on that.
“Do you agree that the Rajapakse phenomenon “gained momentum” only after the LTTE’s atrocities became intolerable?”
This is clever wordplay, and though there is some truth in that more Sinhalese rallied behind the Rajapaksas after the LTTE’s actions during the ceasefire period, my criticism is not directed at the ‘Rajapaksa phenomenon’ per se, but the crimes of the State, starting from when Srimavo was the PM.
My memory goes back to 1984. I was at a market in Jaffna, the SLA suddenly came in armored vehicles and stayed there for a few hours, threatening and arresting ordinary youths passing by. I saw a youth being arrested by a SLA soldier– the soldier was pointing his gun to the youth’s head, forced him to face a wall where there was a bill containing Marxist slogans, along with advertisements. The soldier forced the youth at gun point to lick and remove the bill, without understanding any word of it–it was some harmless Marxist slogans in Tamil by one of the leftist groups then, likely the EPRLF. It was clear that the SLA was not arresting him for any crimes or based on any intelligence input, or even that he had stuck the bill there, but simply to humiliate a Tamil youth wearing a sarong and to ‘teach the youths a lesson.’ The people at the market looked on in stunned silence, visibly outraged. The LTTE by then was not well known at that time; it still had only a few people.
You can also go back to 1958, 1965, 1977 and 1983 to see that the crimes of the State against Tamil people did not start or gain momentum “only after the LTTE’s atrocities became intolerable.”
I won’t make further comments on Sangaree as it is pointless and a waste of time. I don’t think he has any political future as an independent and may seek to join the ITAK again. Such is politics.
Dear Somewhat Disgusted,
“To me, ending suffering is an important priority. But somehow, the Buddhist version of ending suffering doesn’t quite do it for me. You know, looking at people and going, oh too bad for that dude’s karma, must have been a serial killer in his previous life, good lesson for all of us. Let’s just sit under a bo tree and meditate for Nibbana….They don’t even know what in the world they are paying for so they can never really correct themselves! Aaww… These universal laws are so unfair! Life sucks. Let’s meditate!…No thank you. I prefer suffering to end through provision of earthly comforts to those in need due to *no fault of their own*, followed by intellectual liberation.”
Yet again your incredible secular agnostic capacity for STRAW MAN arguments has rendered me speechless.
Clearly my knowledge of Buddhism is vastly inferior to yours, ***as I was never taught nor have I ever learned on my own that Buddhists are supposed to ignore the suffering and misfortune of others, or that Buddhists should look down on people because of their kamma.***
Apparently your knowledge of the Dhamma is so vast that it exceeds even the Buddha’s! As the Vinaya says, the Buddha and Ananda tended to sick monks that others ignored, saying “He who attends on the sick attends on me.”:
http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/sick.html
I know it’s asking a great deal for a “secular rationalist” to cite evidence, but would it be possible for you to show me the exact teaching of the Buddha’s that tells us to be blissfully detached from others’ suffering?
And to take things further, could you share with us your personal experiences in providing “earthly comforts to those in need due to *no fault of their own*?” After all, you would never make an empty claim, right?
Let me turn your argument in your own face: why would secular agnostics who reject kamma and samsara have any interest in helping others, when they can use the time and effort on themselves? After all, we Buddhists are bound by the dogma that the effects of responding to or ignoring others’ suffering will manifest either in the same lifetime or a future birth. If I were in your place, I wouldn’t worry about any of these effects as everything would end with death. What did Epicurus say about altruism?
“In fact, current research bears out the notion quite well. Please read “The Happines Hypothesis: Finding modern truth in ancient wisdom” by Jonathan Haidt.”
Before I read this book, why don’t you cite some of this pathbreaking research?
“IMHO, The main priority for humankind should be finding out the reasons for our existence – i.e. Finding Yapa’s elephant. This is not a problem for Buddhists, because someone has already found it,”
Really, Mr. Straw Man? Who found the reasons for our existence, or whom do the Buddhists believe found them (since I clearly don’t know)? Certainly not the Buddha; the answers he generally gave to these kinds of questions gave the impression that he wasn’t interested in simple existence as compared with samsara, a condition which you do not accept (based on your faith).
“If you can point to anybody else who laid out the means to find the end of suffering without requiring faith”
End of suffering? Without requiring faith? Oh dear Wijayapala. I’m unable to compute as usual. Could you kindly explain?
I already explained that Siddhartha Gautama clearly did not invoke any kind of faith to become a Buddha (whoops caught myself.. I almost referred to him incorrectly as THE Buddha), as there was no clear path for him to follow. He just tried different things- although not in a sporadic or undisciplined way- until he found something that worked. As a Buddhist I have to accept the tragedy that Siddhartha probably somewhat resembled you “unable to compute” secular agnostics, although his priorities were clearly different- finding the end to Dukkha.
“I already knew that!! Is this supposed to be the Fifth Noble Truth or something???”
If you already knew that, why do you keep demanding the same response?
Because you are?
“You can do better- you can provide evidence of your own to back YOUR claims! At least you can practice what you preach!”
Sure thing. What is it that you want me to back up? You don’t seem to fundamentally understand that an agnostic’s position can *never* be undermined. For the simple reason that they do not believe in anything if there is not enough *reason* to believe it.
What is your *reason* for believing that the mind is an illusion? You never explained that one, instead relying on your identity as secular agnostic to serve as an authority unto yourself (rather hypocritical given your tall claims of demanding evidence to accept things!).
“Current evidence? Our post-life responsibility is to provide nutrition to maggots.”
And here we come to the next weapon in the Secular Agnostic’s arsenal, Circular Logic:
1) Physical evidence is the only evidence we can accept, because
2) only physical phenomena are real, the rest are illusions;
3) our proof that only physical phenomena are real is that they’re the only evidence that we can accept…
“Thank you again for answering my own point. How did the Sinhala-Buddhists become the “single most powerful entity in SL?””
What other group makes up 70% of the population and are capable of making or breaking government?
Sigh.. as usual, you aren’t able to compute! I didn’t ask whether the Sinhala Buddhists are the “single most powerful entity in SL” but how they came to be.
“Read Dawkins. Hitler was a catholic.”
Instead of simply name-dropping, why don’t you list the arguments in favor of your position (here, that Hitler was a practicing Catholic)?
Wikipedia claims that Dawkins took Hitler’s statements out of context:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitler%27s_religious_views
In the below quote, the first two sentences are often left out, as has been done by Richard Dawkins,[33] for example, leaving the context to seem as if, as opposed to mocking Christianity and Christian belief, Hitler were making some public statement of his own embrace of Christianity. In response to Lerchenfeld, Hitler – feigning respect for Lerchenfeld – mocked both Lerchenfeld and Lerchenfeld’s beliefs and then skillfully turned the life of Jesus on its head for the purposes of furthering National Socialism. At the Bürgerbräukeller on April 12, 1922, Hitler said:
“I would like here to appeal to a greater than I, Count Lerchenfeld. He said in the last session of the Landtag that his feeling ‘as a man and a Christian’ prevented him from being an anti-Semite. I say: My feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter. It points me to the man who once in loneliness, surrounded only by a few followers, recognized these Jews for what they were and summoned men to fight against them and who, God’s truth! was greatest not as a sufferer but as a fighter. .. How terrific was His fight for the world against the Jewish poison.[34][35]“
“Stalin was an atheist. But *neither of them* killed in the name of atheism. But there have been enough wars where people have killed in the *name of religion*. Not a difficult point to grasp I believe.”
The least difficult point to grasp is Tool #3 in your Secular Agnostic box: Shifting the Context of the Argument When it Isn’t Going Your Way.
I asked what you guys would do if Buddhism in SL were threatened. You answered, “As for the secular rationalist brigade, they might not fight, no. Fighting, killing and murdering is best left to religious people,” stating that “secular rationalists” do not fight, kill, or murder people the way religious people do. I demonstrated that they most certainly do, in the name of “secular rationalist” belief systems like Naziism and Leninism-Stalinism.
“As absolutely reassuring as that is, I’m afraid that here I have to say that I don’t believe that you will.”
Doesn’t matter either way. But FYI, in that last thread, I was promoted to General by no other than Mr. Yapa over here. For fighting against the unethical Christians – no less! Now that I am ready to accept the Yapa-Godel synthesis, doubtless another promotion is due – maybe chief of Buddhist defense staff?
I entirely agree with your statement that your intentions/beliefs don’t matter. But is the rest of your above statement Tool #3 at work again?
“Please explain, in concrete, NON-ABSTRACT terms how Sri Lanka is not a “secular” or whatever you want country, how that is harming non-Buddhists, and what should be changed that will prevent this harm. Be SPECIFIC, and please avoid generalities that you can apply to any country.”
Currently. I think Sri Lanka looks good on paper as usual. First, I would like it to *at least stay that way*. In practice, we both know that this whole Sinhala-Tamil problem was at least partly fueled by the identity crisis of the Sinhalese. We both agreed that in turn was fueled at least partly by Buddhist paranoia. So that is clearly hurting Tamils – who are non-Buddhists. I don’t know how this harm can be prevented, but we can jolly well start by dismantling this insane conceit.
What “insane conceit” are you talking about?
The problem with your argument is that “this whole Sinhala-Tamil problem” is not the same now as it was before the war. The Tamils today are in no condition to threaten Buddhism (or anything else) largely thanks to V. Prabakaran’s destruction of Tamil society. This is certainly not to say that the Tamils ever had any hostile intent towards Buddhism, but simply to point out that even a complete idiot would be hard pressed to justify suppressing Tamils today.
“And I’ve repeatedly explained, we branched into this topic on Yapa’s claims of Buddhists being guardians of holy, absolute truths.”
What does any of this have to do with Akon? Akon’s rejection was primarily the result of Dr. Mervyn Silva wanting to settle a score with Sirasa TV, and the video provided a convenient excuse to hold a thug convention. Akon’s use of the Buddha statue explains why most people did not speak out against Mervyn’s actions- why defend something which you find to be insulting?
“As long as these delusions of grandeur persist, I fail to see how we can talk about secularism, without dismantling the conceit! Didn’t Yapa claim that religion and state cannot be separate, because that would be akin to separating the absolute truth from the state?”
What is your fixation with Yapa anyway? You seem far more interested in interacting with him than me or OTC. Do you consider us to be less Buddhists than Yapa is?
Yes. Who would dare separate the truth from the state eh?
“Didn’t you argue earlier that Kamma and rebirth were an essential part of Buddhism? How did it suddenly become something “directly observable by experience”?”
Uh, how are those two statements contradictory, and more importantly how did YOU resolve those contradictions?? After all, Sur pointed out your own claim that the Four Noble Truths- which inherently accept the phenomenon of samsara as the key problem- “are all understandable phenomena which can be subjected to a reasoned analysis based on our own observations.” (your words not mine)
Hi Burning_Issue,
“Wijayapala asked you a question about Keerimali and Hindu custom; you have no idea as to what the Tamils have been going through.”
To give a very quick response, it is precisely my religious Buddhist identity which sparked a sense of outrage within me after reading about what’s happening in Keerimalai. Perhaps if I were an agnostic like you or Agnos, I wouldn’t feel anything as I would consider Hindu customs to be superstitious foolishness (one of you ridiculed the practice of cremation in UK). But as a Buddhist, who does not share these customs, I can still empathize as I can ask myself how I would feel if my customs were being trampled upon in this manner.
I would further argue that it is not Buddhism nor Buddhist identity which is threatening these Tamil Hindu traditions, but rather the disregard and ignorance of these traditions by Sinhalese. “Secularizing” Sri Lanka will not cure this mentality. If Mahinda or Gotabhaya were in front of me right now, I would demand to know why any Buddhist would tolerate this behavior.
Agnos,
“my criticism is not directed at the ‘Rajapaksa phenomenon’ per se, but the crimes of the State, starting from when Srimavo was the PM.”
Why not start with SWRD Bandaranaike, who started Sinhala-Only and presided over the 1956 and 58 riots? Why exclude him?
My problem with pinning everything on “the State,” as opposed to individual leaders, is that it doesn’t delve very deeply into the nature of anti-minority politics nor does it lend itself to a solution. What should we do, not have a State and be like Afghanistan or Somalia?
In my view, there is no such thing as the Sri Lankan “State.” It died in 1972 with the Republican Constitution. What you have instead are a series of Regimes dominated by individual personalities.
You pointed out that Sinhalese such as myself underestimate the role of Mrs B in producing the subsequent war (which I would strongly dispute- scholars like K.M. de Silva and Dayan Jayatilleka put the blame for the war largely on the Bandaranaikes/SLFP while minimizing the role of Jayawardene’s UNP). I would respond that I perceive that many Tamils on the internet appear to put the 1974 police baton charge on the same level as the 1977 or even 1983 riots, treating these events simply as items on a laundry list of grievances rather than phenomena that require probing study to prevent future occurrences.
“My memory goes back to 1984. I was at a market in Jaffna, the SLA suddenly came in armored vehicles and stayed there for a few hours, threatening and arresting ordinary youths passing by.”
Thank you very much for sharing your personal experience. I appreciate your patience in trying to get me to understand what you have been through. I am surprised though that you did not bring up the burning of Jaffna Library. Were you there at that time?
Here is a different experience from someone in 2010:
http://www.groundviews.org/2010/05/07/jaffna-after-the-war-observations-by-a-visitor/
While some people are happy with the army others are not. Those who are happy say “The solders are now friendly with us, they even speak Tamil”. Others say, “We are afraid of the army. They come and question our young boys and girls who have retuned from IDP camps. These young people are not admirers of the LTTE. They feared the LTTE would drag them away from their homes and make them fight. Today they are happy there is no LTTE. But the army suspects them and keeps harassing them. We spend sleepless nights because it is at night that they come.”
Although it is obvious that Jaffna would be better with the SLA not there, the above description is very different from yours. The soldiers who are “friendly” now seem to be a far cry from the uniformed thugs whom you encountered in 1984. If the State is simply the State, how would you account for the differences?
“You can also go back to 1958, 1965, 1977 and 1983 to see that the crimes of the State against Tamil people did not start or gain momentum “only after the LTTE’s atrocities became intolerable”
What happened in 1965?
Wijayapala,
“To give a very quick response, it is precisely my religious Buddhist identity which sparked a sense of outrage within me after reading about what’s happening in Keerimalai. Perhaps if I were an agnostic like you or Agnos, I wouldn’t feel anything as I would consider Hindu customs to be superstitious foolishness (one of you ridiculed the practice of cremation in UK). But as a Buddhist, who does not share these customs, I can still empathize as I can ask myself how I would feel if my customs were being trampled upon in this manner.”
I admire your stand on this matter; however, I do not feel that one has to be religious in any sense to feel like you do! If one is a democrat and believes in freedom would feel exactly the same. I respect customs that do not undermine freedom, equality, and progression. Rituals and scattering ash in Keerimali Sea is an ancient custom of the Jaffna Hindu Tamils that was being practiced unhindered for centuries. Though I class myself as an Atheist, I too participated in these rituals; it is important to maintain customs and a sense belonging in a family and community.
“I would further argue that it is not Buddhism nor Buddhist identity which is threatening these Tamil Hindu traditions, but rather the disregard and ignorance of these traditions by Sinhalese.”
I disagree; I would say that, such ignorance and disregard is politicised and institutionalised within government machinery. This is why; there is nothing one can do about it!
““Secularizing” Sri Lanka will not cure this mentality. If Mahinda or Gotabhaya were in front of me right now, I would demand to know why any Buddhist would tolerate this behavior.”
A secular country does not mean intolerance towards religious practices and customs at all. A secular constitution and governance in a multi-faith and multi-cultural country can treat all equal. It is beyond clear that the Buddhist hardliners have been given free hand to do anything that they wish within the North and East; this will not be possible under a secular constitution. You can ask MR and GR whatever you like, but the Tamils will be Second Class nonetheless!
Burning_Issue, I responded to your post at:
http://www.groundviews.org/2010/05/07/the-agnostics-vs-the-believers-regarding-karma-reincarnation-nirvana-as-described-in-buddhism-being-real-aspects-of-this-world/comment-page-2/#comment-1858
You’ll find other people there- secular Sinhalese- who may agree with your ideas. I’m hoping to show you that things are not as simply “Sinhalese vs Tamils” as you may think.