Letter to Mr.Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam of All Ceylon Tamil Congress, from Kanthar P Balanathan, Melbourne, Australia
Dear Mr.Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam
SRILANKA, TAMILS & AMATEURISH POLITICS
On the 1st June 2012, the journalist from Inbaththamil Radio in Sydney interviewed you. The discussion went on for more than an hour with lengthy answers given by you, which may or may not have convinced the Tamil Diaspora.
This interview has been the driver for me to write this letter to you. Please read the letter in full. I also courteously request you to do a bit of research on Jaffna, Baticaloa, Tamil Nadu, and India in general of social development and communities. If you disagree, you are welcome to reply me via my email please.
My view is that most Tamils are congenitally imbecile and do not want to dissect, analyze and address issues with diverse & multi-directional perceptions. My understanding is that, the literates gain knowledge of problem analysis by restructuring it to see it in many different ways. I am sure you would have read on Leonardo da Vinci’s theories on problem analysis.
Every Tamil should have the right to suggest a lead to a solution, wherever he or she lives. The reason is some members of the Tamil community feel that Tamil Diaspora is there to support your political ideology, which I strongly disagree and demur. I can confidently state that there are significant numbers of Tamils who feel the same way, provided the Tamil politicians lead Tamils to an acceptable solution within a unitary SriLanka with one governing body. I propose to discuss in detail my views, on the situation of Tamils in SriLanka.
I request you to appreciate my main theme that politics should not be limited to single group of people (elites) and that others should follow them like a cattle herd, which has unfortunately been the pattern over centuries with regard to many issues. Well, during my period at Hartley College, politics cuddled my curiosity & attentiveness. I watched the political dominance and supremacy of some Attorneys and elites. If a low caste person disagrees or proves a point better than those elites’, they were man handled by force or indirectly made to vacillate. That is Jaffna man’s culture. Jaffna man thinks that politics is not for lower caste people. This same pattern prevails in India today. Although we boast of democracy, the public do not practice democracy. Even in normal discussion, a low cast person has no right to contribute or add a valid point. These are my observations during my eight-year period at KKS, notwithstanding living among the Diaspora.
I closely watched Federal Party’s political passage, trivial hostility, and skirmish for Sri Lankan licence plate numbers on vehicles. As a pupil, I pondered this cheap politics by the Attorneys at Law, who were politicians. Those politicians did not consider the socio-politico-economic or technological importance for Tamils or for SriLanka, but only their self-centered selfishness of financial position and political survival. Federal Party was indoctrinating the Tamil speaking people in the N&E compelling the Tamil populace to go on a wild goose chase.
Pre-Independence Era
Although the details are timeworn, I wish to bring it to the following for information.
Donoughmore and Soulbury drafted the constitutions during the British period. During this period, in the State Assembly elections held in 1931, 1936 & 1947, upcountry Tamils elected eight assembly members of Parliament. (Ref: The National Question and the Tamil Liberation Struggle by Satchi Ponnambalam). This may be the reason for the Elite Jaffna Tamils to spawn hatred towards the highland Tamils and/or the discrimination because of the caste or social differences?
The Ceylon National Congress was formed in 1919. Sir P. Ramanathan represented the Legislative Council of Ceylon as a member, only for the Educated Ceylonese between the periods 1911 to 1921. Between the periods 1924 to 1930, he represented the LC for Valikamam North. Sir PR died at the age of 79 in 1930. The crux I wish to accentuate is that Sir PR represented only a few elites Tamils. Their racial ethnic group was not at all interested in the general Tamil speaking populace. Sir PR did not represent the entire Tamils, and did not politically work towards liberating the Tamil populace from slavery and caste oppression.
A reference is relevant to the fact that your grandfather, late Mr. GG Ponnambalam voted in favor of disfranchisement. (Ref; The National Question and the Tamil Liberation Struggle by Satchi Ponnambalam). However, recent writings by Mr. Vinayagamoorthy of ACTC deny that GGP vehemently opposed it. Does it mean that history is rewritten or is untrue? Which is the truth? Could we then assume or believe that Elite Tamils were the main driver for the disfranchisement of persons of Indian origin in Sri Lanka?
Further two MPs (SJVC & Vanniasingham) resigned from the Tamil Congress and founded the “Federal Party” in 1949. The Tamil name for this party is Thamizh Arasu Katchi, meaning, Tamil Kingdom Party. This was the first step of obliteration Tamil Politicians national identity.
However, for the last 64 years Tamils have been screaming, crying and politically slandering GSL that the Sinhalese were responsible for the disenfranchisement of the Tamils, which definitely is not the truth.
If we address and analyze the events from different perceptions, we could conclude that the snobbish superiority complex, self-importance, and egotism of the Tamil elites, and their deep-rooted hard rock caste consciousness were the main driver for the present impasse leading to the creation of the racial abomination within the SriLankan community.
GGP elected to State Council in 1934
The ACTC founded in 1944. GGP asks for 50-50% representation, which is imprudent and thoughtless demand.
GGP enters as leader of ACTC on 29-08-1944
SJVC Deputy leader in 1944
SJVC elected to parliament in 1947 (first time)
Citizenship act passed on 20-08-1948
Citizenship act became law on 15-11-1948
FP was formed on 18-12-1949
Tamil politicians define the Tamils are of a distinct Nation in 1951
SLFP formed by SWRDB in 1951
The sequence of episodes give directions to SJVC starting the racial thrust by forming a federal party (Tamil Kingdom Party), notion on Tamil nation, and phrasing his political party to carry a different meaning to convince the Tamils. The majority took counter-productive measures from those episodes: – SWRD Banda founded the SLFP and the Sinhala only.
However, Tamils, with all their intelligence placed on the pinnacle of education nurtured by London, did not demand a Federal System prior to Independence from the British? Every elite Tamil from Jaffna was sucking the British for their growth in the public (elite) domain with education, employment and recognition. Somehow, they got what they wanted. When they received what they wished-for, did they ever think of N&E, and its development, advancement of the common people in the N&E. They were obdurate to progress and apart from maintaining their caste system to enable them to accrue more wealth for their off springs. They ran to the South, and majority of the elites settled in Colombo, which could be tantamount to clustering the South. Most of Tamil elites studied in Colombo and the UK.
Post-Independence Era
It may be ambiguous that the British may have granted a separate state prior to independence, if demanded, by the Tamils, because of the resources and economic sustainability of the N&E. When SJVC formed the FP, some politicians from the center left quarters raised a sniggering query directed to SJVC, whether he could run the Federal governance with the onion and chilly economy.
The Tamils were quick enough to educate themselves and get government employment, in the administrative, legal and clerical sector. Most of elites were educated in Colombo schools and the UK, while others, some in Colombo, best schools in the North, and settle in government jobs. The Tamils were also quick enough to cluster the South, and diversify their portfolio of skills in the trade sector. The Tamils all over Srilanka dominated food stalls and eating-houses. Well, it commands to conclude that Tamils were not interested in developing the North & East, but to more than satisfy to settle in exalted government jobs and settle in the South, particularly in the capital. No educated Tamil wanted to invest in any form of industry or venture out in the North & East. Your grandfather was wise enough to initiate and erect three factories in the N&E. Majority of Tamils family lived in the N&E while men were living in the South generating their wealth for the family, which accrued from the government of SriLanka. We had free education, free health and heavily subsidized services and provisions.
I quote from an article published by a prominent and leading journalist & a researcher in political science: Mr. HLD Mahindapala in Lankaweb titled “Insane fury” of Tamil leaders terrorised, bloodied and oppressed Jaffna: It was this Jaffna-centric culture that was expressed unequivocally in the popular adage: “The sons shine in Colombo while the father reaps the harvest in Jaffna.”
Please refer.
Reference: (i) http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/category/h-l-d-mahindapala/
(ii)http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2012/06/16/insane-fury-of-tamil-leaders-terrorised-bloodied-and-oppressed-jaffna/
Please refer to Kumari Jayawardhane’s book titled; “Ethnic and Class Conflicts in SriLanka”, Center for Social Analysis. Non-Sinhala people dominated trade and commercial sector in SL during pre-independence era, which continued after independence with Muslims dominating larger sector of trade. It may be clear to understand the driver for the 1915 “Mankollai” riots between the Muslims and the Sinhalese.
We should understand that Sinhalese are the sons of the soil of SriLanka, however, with the British and Indian support, trade and commercial sector was dominated by Non-Sinhalese in the 19th & 20th century.
As a pupil, I grew up in Kamburupitiya and Matara in the 1950s. My understanding of the character of the Sinhalese is that high proportion of the Sinhalese are, gentle, kind, caring, sympathetic, and embrace all humans with open arms, irrespective of race, religion or ethnic group. Sinhalese preach & practice Buddhism, which is measured a humane philosophy also practiced by billions of humans around the world.
Majority of the Schools in the South had Tamil medium streams with Tamil teachers. While in Kurunagala in 1966, I met teachers who were teaching Tamil to students. Well, to generalize, I can state that in any part of SriLanka, Tamil stream was available for Tamil students. Not to mention, every part of SriLanka had spice shops and Tamil eating-houses. Wherever, Tamils clustered, we have a humdrum tradition of building Temples and opening up eating-houses & shops. This does not mean that they have lived there for centuries, but occupied.
Mostly Tamils held positions in all government offices. You can be sure that you can stroll into an office to meet the Chief Clerk who will no doubt be a Tamil. However, Tamils being a minority ethnic group, has anyone analysed how they were able to populate offices and liveable areas in the South and other places?
Tamils held majority of the top jobs in the past. This may be due to the system designed in such a way for Tamils to gain access to all streams. The Sinhalese people built this nation –SriLanka. The Sinhalese developed their language, culture, customary practices, preached and practiced Budhhism. They should be proud of what they did develop, cultivate and achieve. We should perceive that they did not borrow or copycat from the Indians. Tamils should recognise this truth, and not boast that their language and character is superlative to the Sinhalese. Focusing on Tamil culture, language and religion; Tamils in SL did not have anything to invent, but borrowed the whole ball of wax from Tamil Nadu.
We seem to boast that everything that is famous or good belongs to the Tamils without reading history. Villages were formed in the Indus Valley(IV) as early as 600BC. (Town of Mehrgarh). Ref: Ancient Civilisation by Judson Knight, Stacey A. McConnell & Lawrence W.Baker. Does it mean that the Tamils are intending to claim I-V region as their Nation?
I quote from AJ Wilson’s book titled “Politics in SriLanka”:- Economic rivalries— “SriLanka is a mosaic of ethnic, religious and social groups in which Sinhalese Buddhists (Low country and Kandyan) form the sizeable majority.* This majority had been neglected during the long years of western rule. Nor were their grievances looked into with sympathy by post-independence governments of the 1948-56 phase. Further these Buddhists, in particular their indigenous-oriented elites, entertain fears In respect of two important minority groupings”.
Well, being the majority and the ancient, unique generation of the island, naturally discrimination and oppression of the Sinhalese people by the minorities should be dealt in full. Don’t you agree Mr. G.G Ponnambalam. With the 60million Tamils just across 22 miles from the North, the Jaffna man thought that they could intimidate the majority of the land (Sinhalese), which is inhuman and against human norms. Tamils are quite selfish and they want everything for themselves.
I quote another information published by Professor Daya Somasundaram. Quote: Prof Daya Somasundaram in his publication has given a statistics of Tamils in service in SriLanka. (Ref: MCGILL FOREIGN AFFAIRS REVIEW, Volume II, Issue 1 – Winter 2010).
Table 1: Percentages of Tamils employed in Sri Lanka, by sector.
Year 1956 1965 1970 2002
Administration 30 20 5 8
Clerical Service 50 30 5 9
Professionals 60 30 10 10
Armed Forces 40 20 1 <0.01
http://mcgillfar.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/mfar-vol-ii-issue-1.pdf
Let Tamils convince themselves in their mind and soul that Tamils were less than approximately 11.5% of the total population in Ceylon. Nevertheless, Tamils were holding 50% of the jobs in clerical service, 40% in the armed forces, and 60% Professionals in 1956. Does this indicate that Tamils were discriminated, or does it indicate that Tamils were dominating?
Political Confusion
Nation Theory
In your interview, you emphasized that SriLanka is an island, one country of two nations, and that Sinhalese people are colonizing Tamil areas, with government acquiring Tamil lands.
Analysis of the definition of a “Nation”.
While the terms country (synonomyous with “State”) and nation are often used interchangeably, there is a difference. A country is a self-governing political entity while a nation is a tightly-knit group of people which share a common culture. Nations are culturally homogeneous groups of people, larger than a single tribe or community, which share a common language, institutions, religion, historical experience.
When a nation of people have a State or country of their own, it is called a nation-state. Places like France, Egypt, Germany, and Japan are excellent examples of nation-states. There are some States which have two nations, such as Canada and Belgium. Even with its multicultural society, the United States is also referred to as a nation-state because of the shared American “culture.”
(Reference: geography.about.com/library)
A large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular state or territory: the world’s leading industrialized nations a North American Indian people or confederation of peoples.
one nation
[often as modifier] a nation not divided by social inequality:one-nation Tories. (Ref: Oxford Dictionary)
According to Joseph Stalin writing in 1913 in Marxism and the National Question: “a nation is not a racial or tribal, but a historically constituted community of people;” “a nation is not a casual or ephemeral conglomeration, but a stable community of people;” “a common language is one of the characteristic features of a nation;” “a nation is formed only as a result of lengthy and systematic intercourse, as a result of people living together generation after generation;” “a common territory is one of the characteristic features of a nation;” “a common economic life, economic cohesion, is one of the characteristic features of a nation;” “a common psychological make-up, which manifests itself in a common culture, is one of the characteristic features of a nation;” “A nation is a historically constituted, stable community of people, formed on the basis of a common language, territory, economic life, and psychological make-up manifested in a common culture.” According to Stalin, this would exclude Jews as they have no common territory. (Ref: Wikipedia.org)
Mr.Ponnambalam,
The assumption of SJV Chelvanayagam on the question of North & East being a nation in 1949 was positively and unconditionally incorrect and your current theory is downright and unconditionally offensive and indecorous.
We should not bring in the monarchy system, as monarchy is a system of government in which sovereignty and power is actually vested or nominally embodied in a single individual. Bringing in historical evidence of monarchy forms is not conducive to the 21st century form of governance. Particularly the region defined by Tamils was not governed by one monarchy. The East was under the kandyan kingdom, while Jaffna had its own monarchical governance in Nallur, and Vanni monarchical governance. Within the Northern area, several petty Chieftains paid taxes to the main ruler in Nallur. Vanni was totally a separate area. However, both the rulers paid taxes to the Sinhala kings in the South.
With revolutionizing the governance by the western world by means of a democratic system, the monarchical systems were amalgamated to one central government and Municipal Council, Urban Council, Town Council and Village Councils within the Country.
Several racial groups habit the North. The ethnic group in the N&E consists of Malabar, Tamils, Telugus, Marathi, Karnataka, Portuguese, Dutch, Irish, Pilipino and what not. Although all speak a common language (Tamil), ethnically, they are different races. We can see significant difference in culture, spoken language, colloquial language, words, appearance, religion, customary practices and their domestic and commercial values and commitments. I need not emphasize that Vanniyars is a race that still exist in Tamil Nadu; however, the Vanniyars in SL and TN speak Tamil in public. History states that people in Chavakatchcheri (Java-cheri) and Vanni in SL migrated from Indonesia.
Baticaloa is another region, which was colonised by Mukuvars, Malayalis and other races. Although they are identified by caste, the caste system evolved behind their race. Most Mulsims of Balicaloa are Mukuvars assimilated with Pattanis of the Arab. (Ref: Wikipedia.org)
The difference in their race was palpable when LTTE was formed with 25 or more groups formed opposed to LTTE as their rivals. Has anyone asked the question: why did we have multitude of armed groups running around Jaffna and Baticaloa?
Religion:
Tamil speaking people in the N&E worship different gods. Murugar, Shiva, Vishnu, Ambal, Jesus Christ, and St.Mary. Origin of religion in India was Saivism (Siva) dominated by various tyrants. Eg. Suryavarman built the Angkor temple in Cambodia. (Ref: http://archaeology.about.com/od/angkorwatcambodia/qt/angkor.htm). Suriyavarman is from the Khmer empire with Pali and Sanskrit as their language. Still most Tamils think and claim that Suravarman is a Tamil, which is untrue. This is an indication of the shortfall of knowledge of the Tamils in history.
1. As the Tamil speaking people of the North and East do not constitute a race united by common descent, history, culture, or language, we cannot specifically identify that the region is a “NATION”. This is evident from (i) the multitude of armed groups who gave birth, purely because of their caste, not on one common race (ii) the racial hatred and inter-rivalry between castes (race), Maddakkalappan, Vanniyan, Theevan, Vadamarachiyan & Thenmarachiyan etc. You will agree that the caste oppression then continues even in the 21st century in SL, and among the Diaspora.
2. Every part of Jaffna has its own culture & traditions, differing from each other. For example, Tellipalai is different from Araly, Karainagar, or Padaitherippu. Tamils worship different gods. Although the Indians were wise enough to merge Vaishnavam & Saivism, make Vishnu the Brother-in-Law of Siva and brought all within one umbrella known as “Hinduism”, which nexuses all the divergences, resulting the religious hatred between them to fade away.
The compositions of the different races who speak Tamil do not add up to even 10% or the strength is inadequate to be around even 1.5 million. Among this 1.5 million people, it is alarming to note the differences. We can see it as a multi-culture in the North, than a unique culture.
Tamils never, ever wanted to develop the region they claim. Everyone wanted a government job and run to the South. More number of Tamil speaking people is in the South than the North.
Therefore, the Tamil speaking people can be part of the people in SriLanka as one country; SriLanka. The Malayalis, Telugus, Vanniyars and Karnatakas etc who came over to SL learned Tamil and started to speak Tamil, why not add to learn Sinhalese and be part of the SriLankan race. The melting pot should be within SriLanka and not any other way.
Refer an article “Race and Ethnicity” published in Calameo; http://en.calameo.com/read/0010728051e7e9a8e19dd
Colonisation
Colonization (or colonisation) occurs whenever any one or more species populate an area. The term, which derived from the Latincolere, “to inhabit, cultivate, frequent, practice, tend, guard, respect”, originally referred to humans. During the 19th century, bio geographers appropriated the term to describe the activities of birds, bacteria, or plant species. Human colonization is a narrower category than the related concept of colonialism. Colonization refers strictly to migration, for example, to settler colonies, trading posts, and plantations, while colonialism deals with this as well as the ruling of new territories’ existing peoples. (Ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonization)
1. In this context, I wish to emphasize that SriLanka was historically a Sinhala country with Sangamitta, (King Asoka’s sibling daughter) later went to SriLanka to spread the teachings of Buddha at the request of King Davanampiya Tissa (250 BC – 210 BC) who was a contemporary of Ashoka (304 BC – 232 BC).
The Jaffna Kingdom, (1215-1624 CE), also known as Kingdom of Aryachakravarti, of modern northern SriLanka was a historic monarchy that came into existence around the town of Jaffna on the Jaffna peninsula after the invasion of Magha, who is said to have been from Kalinga, in India. The rival Kotte Kingdom eventually overpowered the Jaffna kingdom around 1450. Magha is not Tamil, and Kalinga is definitely not Tamil. It associates with Sinhala people.
Subsequently the Javanese, Cholas, Pandyans, and the Jing bang invaded SriLanka and colonised. We can concurrently acknowledge that Tamil Language and colonisation followed by force, displacing the Sinhalese people and their religion. Dutugamunu freed his territory from the Cholas. Colonisation continued subsequently to the East and West from Kerala, and North from Cholas and Pandyans. Along with the colonisation, people from Karnataka and other places were brought for slave labour.
Therefore, in real terms the Tamils invading the Sinhalese territory initiated Colonisation.
2. The different administrations were unified under one administration in 1833 for convenience, which the Tamil politicians accepted. Since then the Sinhalese and Tamils raised their freedom voice in parallel with the Indians, Tamils never wanted separate administration. In fact, history states that Tamils vociferous voice was louder against the British for the independence. Since 1833, Tamils accepted the island as one country. When Indian labour was brought as plantation workers, no one objected. Why did not Tamils from the N&E move to work in the plantation sector? It’s the elites wanted the labour to be in the N&E for their own oppressive labour work. Shifting Indians to the plantation is another form of colonisation as it was from another country. British bringing European workers are another form of colonisation. The Portuguese, Dutch, Welsh, Irish etc. who were settled is another form of colonisation. Most of them settled in SriLanka.
3. As soon as Tamils sensed declaration of independence or even before that, Tamils, began to move to the South. The elites did not think the move as colonisation as this was within one country. Tamils thought and felt that they have the right to move and settle in any part of the country. So be it, it happened, Tamils moved to every corner in SriLanka. I have seen Tamils in Kamburupitiya, Tangalle, and Deniyaya etc. Right from North to South and East to West. Yes, this was accepted because the movement and settlement was within one country.
However, when the GOSL initiated addressing the demographic pattern, to maximise productivity through exploitation of resources, Tamils started to screech & scream, ”Colonisation of Tamil areas”.
Careful study will reveal that demographic movement of people within a country, to maximise productivity to achieve economic sustainability, is not be construed as colonisation. If politicians do continue to address this as colonisation then, they have a shortfall in the interpretation of the real meaning of colonisation in political terms.
What do we have in SriLanka? The Tamils are quite multitalented with the practice of ethnic polarisation and racial polarisation.
Within the Northern region, Tamils are agile in practicing racial polarisation via caste distinction. People belonging to different races set together to live in cluster groups isolated from the rest of the society. Every town, village has cluster groups of different caste people living as a community identified as lower caste. The Primitive, Mediaeval system is being continued to be practiced by the congenitally imbecile Tamils. During the Dutch rule, Tamil elites scurried to enact a law known as ‘Thesavalamai Law” to protect their area. This means that a lower caste person cannot purchase a land in the upper caste area. Jaffna consists of places identified as Dhobi area, Barber area and so on.
Such discriminatory practice in the first place identifies Tamils as abstruse denigrate race. While Tamils preach and squabble on human rights in the United Nations HRC forum, they practice the worst form of oppressive demeanour living standard in SriLanka. Tamils have taken their right of such practice not only in SriLanka but also to foreign countries. Tamil Diaspora follows the worst form of discriminatory living standards.
Addressing “ethnic polarisation”: Tamils think that they have the right to live anywhere in SL, build temples anywhere in SL, but have mind clogged with a notion that they have to protect their land from invasion, which is a hypothetical imagination, because such land does not exist.
Well, SriLanka was a country, which represented ethnic polarisation of the North and South, with exception of Tamils dominating the trade and commerce throughout the island.
It is ridiculous and difficult to understand the selfishness, self-importance, superciliousness and superiority complex of the Tamils.
Therefore, the North & East of SriLanka is not imperilled to any formula of colonisation or invasion from any other country, which is a threat to its sovereignty.
What is happening in SriLanka is internal movement (demographic) of citizens on a human geographical perspective to maximise productivity.
Neo-Colonialism
As defined by Dictionary.com: The policy of a strong nation in seeking political and economic hegemony over an independent nation or extended geographical area without necessarily reducing the subordinate nation or area to the legal status of a colony.
Prior to independence Indians colonised the economic and trade circles. As stated by Kumari Jayawardhane in her book points down to these people dominating the trade, commerce and the economic center and transfer some or all proceeds to their own country, which is neo-colonialism. After independence, Indians, Tamils and Muslims dominated the economic, trade and commerce.
The people supressed and affected are the Sinhalese.
Tamil Society
Tamils have been trailing along on trivial issues with lack of comprehension on co-existence. Although on certain occasions I had to sympathise with the Tamil politics, I had to fine-tune my thoughts in line with the real world. I had my views, which are resolute in that Tamils were making a big mistake, vexing & perturbing SriLanka.
Vaddukoddai Resolution
The Tamil Manavar Peravai (TMP) was gaining recognition among the Tamil masses. I am a native of Vaddukoddai. Mr. Amirthalingham was well known and notable for poor human qualities and the people decided in 1966 to dump Amirthaligham. Vaddukoddai people took up the challenge, and he was defeated and chased out of Vaddukoddai in 1970. The defeat humiliated him and ran to Tellipallai. In general, FP sensed vacillation of popularity and support among the Tamils. I was at KKS during these periods.
The liberation groups and TMP’s vision and mission were to establish a separate Tamil land. This is when Amirthalingham wanted to regain his political identity and supremacy among the Tamils, and had a convention for the Resolution. Can anyone give one good reason? (i) why FP chose Vaddukoddai as the Town for the convention (ii) Declaration of a separate country of Tamil Eelam.
Analysis reveals that the convention had to be a necessity to prevent FP’s downfall. Vaddukoddai Resolution was a formula Amirthalingham and Co developed for FP’s political survival. To regain as FP’s political icon, Amirthalingham, chose Vaddukkoddai for the VR. This was the third catastrophic failure Tamil politicians instigated, just because they wanted to regain political importance. The first is the SJVC’s Federal Party, second being TMP and LTTE taking up arms.
Tamil Diaspora – (TD)
Tamils categorized as a kind of nomads and drifters look for greener pastures. General characterization is that we have a habit of not staying in one place, but wonder to other greener pastures. Tamils from India invaded and colonized Indonesia and Ceylon. Well, historically South Indian Kingdoms, and travellers via the Indian Ocean stormed Ceylon. The world should sympathize with the SriLankan Sinhalese, as they are people who suffered the most over several centuries with sudden unpredictable assaults from South India, Muslims, Moors and Europeans.
In Ceylon Tamils were identified as “Kallathonies”, which is true. Even after Ceylon got independence, people from South India (Tamil Nadu, Andra) were creeping illegally by boats. Government established a unit in Palaly to eliminate illegal immigration.
However, in the 21st century, Tamils from SriLanka are entering European countries, New Zealand and Australia illegally by boat. They enter as refugees, but after they receive permanent residence, they go back to SriLanka on holidays. Can they be actually refugees?
Today some of the Tamil Diaspora, may be approximately 25-30% are perceived with a mindset of Tamil Ealam and TGTE. Notwithstanding, wherever they have colonized in Australia, they have built several temples in different suburbs in the different states. Significant number of curry houses and eating-houses are been opened up. Some of them are ambitious to enter local politics. Are these migrants willing to change and integrate with the Australians or is there a possibility of demanding a separate governing body for the Tamils in Australia.
The result is several millions of dollars wasted each year for their TE campaign, with nil result.
Tamil Nadu Poly-tricks
We all are aware that Tamil Nadu (TN) politicians originated separatism calling for an independent Tamil Nadu as soon as they got independence. Later they abandoned the demand for their own selfish reasons. Their motive was to develop their state, which they accomplished. However, they could not rid from the racist mindset, which resulted in the birth of Dravida Kazhagam. Today there is significant number of political parties, which embeds the word “Dravida”. In Tamil Nadu, majority of people are not educated, but inflicted with myths through cinema. After 64 years, TN is crowded with migrants from other states, who have settled and call themselves Tamils. Majority of the TN people can speak Hindi in TN. Some from neighboring states have found an easy method of entering politics. These individuals found that cinema is a sound channel of entering politics. Most of illiterates in TN, saturated with idiosyncrasy, hero-worship cinema actors and vote for them. The term “Democracy” has no meaning in TN.
Those frustrated leftovers and some politicians, rather addressing their issues, direct their grievance and attacks to the Central Government in Delhi, via the Tamils in SriLanka. India promoted LTTE, trained them and gave them weapons to fight GSL. They had two motives. (i) satisfy their local state TN politicians (ii) to control and thumb down GSL.
Today TN politicians are moaning and crying that N & E is colonized In SL. No one speaks about Tamils clustering the South. Well, these TN politicians are either politically & socially immature or their plan is to destroy SL.
Those frustrated cases like; Nedumaran, Seeman, Vaiko, who are unable to enter into powerful political positions in Tamil Nadu politics are directing their anger and frustrations towards SriLankan politics. Just a trivial case, which we all have to ignore.
Provincial Council
Creation of Provincial Councils (PC) proliferate government expenses, bribery and corruption. The question is could the PC generate revenue within the PC region. What is the mode of inflow of capital to the Provincial Council? Inadequate inflow results for them to beg the Central Government for funds. Well, it could be that the PC will have only limited power, but they cannot generate adequate revenue to run the Council. Can we manage with the onion and chili economy? Embracing Power is not going to improve people’s living standards and enhancement of knowledge in socio-politico-economic and technology. We are in the 21st century, not the 12th century with rearward monarchy system.
If Provincial Council system cannot solve economic and technical issues, can we assume that a Federal System will solve? A Federal System will be a catastrophic tragedy to the entire SriLanka. On a 10-year horizon, SriLanka may accelerate to be another third world nation.
Tamil Diaspora embraced with the myth of a separate nation has not understood the implications and unreality of such a perception. If PC and Federal System were not feasible, then a separate nation would be treacherous debacle. A separate nation (TE) would be a threat to the entire South East Asian nations. TE would be an airport for foreign terrorists, drug traffics and smugglers. Such illegal means may become a reality on a 15-year horizon.
TGTE propagates that Tamils need to govern themselves free from oppression and discrimination. Those elite Tamils have not perceived that they have been oppressing and discriminating lower cast Tamils for centuries and the tradition continues. It is the SriLankan government opened up opportunities for all Tamils to gain access to good schools, Universities and employment. A separate country (TE) will maximize oppression and discrimination of the lower segment of the Tamils by the Elite rulers under the pretext of democracy. Even a PC with power may lead to absolute discrimination and oppression of the lower segment (majority) of the Tamils by the Elites.
Most educated literate members of TGTE gained free primary, secondary, University education plus free food through coupons.
Most of those are the very same educated people now calling themselves Tamil Diaspora, are working against SriLanka to destroy SriLanka economy, sovereignty and esteem.
Analysis on PCs
Dr. Laksiri Fernando in his article in Asian Tribune on the 15th April 2011 has highlighted the following:
The recurrent expenditure in the provincial councils was dramatic; increasing from 28,856 million in 2000 to 111,336 million in 2009 (Source: Central Bank). This was almost a fourfold increase. While personal emoluments constituted around 77 percent of this expenditure, these personnel were employed apparently to deliver certain services both economic and social. The cost for provincial administration was only 6 percent. Therefore, the argument of the ‘white elephant’ is not completely correct as far as the administrative expenses are concerned.
Well, my point is that if one could do a Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) on a 30 year horizon, with the capital (costs) expended in the year itself: ie without considering inflation, the result would be a high Negative – Net Present Value (NPV), might be in the order of Negative Trillions.
There have been Provincial Councils functioning for the past donkeys’ years. You may answer the questions to yourself to achieve complete satisfaction:
Have the Provincial Council administration over the past two decades shown any improvements, enhancements on, Education, Technology, Health, Industrialisation, Science and Environment, Accountability & Transparency, improve infrastructures and improve and stabilize income accrual to operate the PCs.
What have the PCs achieved, which are the only transparent bits and pieces: PCs have been only complaining on lack of funds, Proliferation of bribery & corruption? The PCs want more power, but does not want to improve their provinces.
What our politicians want is political power for their own self-esteem and personal economic well-being.
TNA & Future
May be, TNA is the sole representatives of the Tamils in SriLanka. TGTE is an organisation, which floats in air. TGTE can never claim that they are either the representatives or any other organisation overseas. The following are not feasible on a socio-economic perspective of the Tamils.
1. Provincial Council
2. Federal system
3. Separate country TE
There can be only one government (GSL) and Tamils could be part of the government. If Tamils need power sharing, please think of an option of joining the governance holding portfolio(s). Tamils must realise that we are quite a low minority and power-sharing request should be reasonable. TNA could request the appropriate changes to take effect by irrevocable act of parliament.
Power or the issue of language will not produce food for people to survive. Tamils need to be pro-active, constructive, productive, practical, positive, helpful, thoughtful, and considerate in their political ideology and performance to achieve peace and build SriLanka, a powerful nation in the Indian Ocean.
Kind Regards
Yours Sincerely
(Kanthar Palany Balanathan)
Email: nrnmind@gmail.com
Web page: http://www.nrnmind.blogspot.com
