Comments on: The Duality of Language : Marking International Mother Language Day https://groundviews.org/2016/02/19/the-duality-of-language-marking-international-mother-language-day/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-duality-of-language-marking-international-mother-language-day Journalism for Citizens Fri, 01 Apr 2016 04:49:44 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.1 By: puniselva https://groundviews.org/2016/02/19/the-duality-of-language-marking-international-mother-language-day/#comment-60651 Sun, 28 Feb 2016 12:03:00 +0000 http://groundviews.org/?p=19091#comment-60651 All the animals that can produce noise can only use various forms of it along with other physical gestures/force to communicate with each other. Evolution of spoken and written LANGUAGE has been proving to be a blessing and a curse for mankind.
Successive Sri Lankan governments have been using pompous language at international fora to hide the lack of political will to serve justice and equality to Tamil-speakers. That has risen to a sophisticated level as seen in the speeches made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs recently at UNDP and USIP in the US. But what actually happened was the he was making statements the President and the Prime Minister should have been making inside the country.
The Tamils voted for the President without conditions in Jn’16. They voted in the TNA in Aug’16 who are anxiously waiting for the government tomake the right move. How long can they wait?
If the government can translate those speeches meant for international audience into Sinhala and emlighten the Sinhala masses as to why we should find a political solution to the ethnic problem we are almost sure of finding justice/equality, peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka.

]]> By: puniselva https://groundviews.org/2016/02/19/the-duality-of-language-marking-international-mother-language-day/#comment-60636 Tue, 23 Feb 2016 20:41:00 +0000 http://groundviews.org/?p=19091#comment-60636 In reply to puniselva.

Official Language Act precipitated what started with disenfranchisement of Upcountry Tamils. Those who’ve been half asleep for 8yrs were jerked up in 1956 by the Act .
The Ministry of National Reconciliation is meaningful if all the other Ministries implement the Official Language Amendment of 1987.

]]> By: puniselva https://groundviews.org/2016/02/19/the-duality-of-language-marking-international-mother-language-day/#comment-60634 Tue, 23 Feb 2016 11:01:00 +0000 http://groundviews.org/?p=19091#comment-60634 ”The divisiveness could be said to have begun with the Official Language Act of 1956”?

A faction of All CeylonTamil Congress (which was with the D.S.Senanayake government) broke away and formed Federal Party in 1949 after Tamils of Indian origin in the estates were disenfranchised in 1948/9. In 1953/4 Tamil farmers were shown discrimination in the GalOya Development Project. ………

]]> By: puniselva https://groundviews.org/2016/02/19/the-duality-of-language-marking-international-mother-language-day/#comment-60632 Tue, 23 Feb 2016 05:14:00 +0000 http://groundviews.org/?p=19091#comment-60632 ”It is an encouraging sign, however, that so many have come forward calling for unity(and reconciliation), even in this unsettled environment”

Yes. But then UNITY is the abstract result of many concrete steps: employment, economc development, environmental protection, ……
So it’s time after 68yrs to raise questions like ”Are there equal opportunities for all?” ”How can we come to have equal opportunities for all?” ……………..
But the government appoints a Ministry of National Reconciliation instead of asking each of the scores of Ministries to look at their practice where Tamils can have equal opportunities in getting employment in their offices or in getting their services.

]]> By: puniselva https://groundviews.org/2016/02/19/the-duality-of-language-marking-international-mother-language-day/#comment-60627 Mon, 22 Feb 2016 09:05:00 +0000 http://groundviews.org/?p=19091#comment-60627 In reply to puniselva.

Tamil areas in Sri Lanka are the pockets of poverty in the recent report by World Bank:

Poverty has Fallen in Sri Lanka but Fiscal, Growth, and Inclusion Challenges Need to Be Tackled to Sustain Progress, 16 Feb 2016, http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2016/02/16/poverty-has-fallen-sri-lanka-but-fiscal-growth-and-inclusion-challenges-need-to-be-tackled-to-sustain-progress

]]> By: puniselva https://groundviews.org/2016/02/19/the-duality-of-language-marking-international-mother-language-day/#comment-60625 Sun, 21 Feb 2016 14:11:00 +0000 http://groundviews.org/?p=19091#comment-60625 ”This stemmed mostly from the nationalist perspective that Sri Lankan Tamils had a disproportionate share of power in terms of educational opportunities and positions in civic administration” is a myth used by politicians to grab political power.
By publishing the ethnicity of the government employees in the British empire with the help of advanced ICT, we can lay the myth to rest.

]]> By: puniselva https://groundviews.org/2016/02/19/the-duality-of-language-marking-international-mother-language-day/#comment-60622 Sat, 20 Feb 2016 07:23:00 +0000 http://groundviews.org/?p=19091#comment-60622 Very innovative gestures by young Sri Lankans.
Politicians will have to follow with concrete results in the North and the East: employment, economic development and environmental protection. Implementation of Official Language Policy of 1987 is very much intertwined with all these.
Will the Prime Minister start with the Circulars on his website please:
http://www.pmoffice.gov.lk/download.php?d_type=Circulars&p=7
Will the President(Minister ofMahaweli Development and Environment0) translate thepublications/circulars posted by his predecessor please
http://www.environmentmin.gov.lk/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=175&Itemid=291&lang=en

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