President Rajapakse wants “APRC River” to Flow Backwards
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj
“Rivers do not flow backwards” was a favourite saying of Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike. It was almost as famous as his “trials of transition” used frequently to justify all what was going wrong during the revolution of 1956 that he ushered in.
SWRD’s 1956 revolution has spawned many political off-spring. President Mahinda Rajapakse is perhaps the greatest product of that revolution. Last week however saw this “Panashaye Daruwo” (child of 56) going against the wisdom of SWRD when he tried to make the “APRC river” flow backwards.
[President Mahinda Rajapakse-Pic: Sudath Silva]
When President Rajapakse convened the All Party Conference (APC) and its related All Party Representative Committee (APRC) in 2006 he solemnly pledged that he would abide by its decision and implement them. A multi – ethnic panel of experts was appointed to assist the APRC.
There were many who doubted President Rajapakse’s sincerity and suspected the APRC of being a time buying exercise till the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was concluded victoriously. Others felt that Rajapakse would utilise it to evolve and push through a weak scheme of devolution as his Political solution.
The APRC under Prof. Tissa Vitarana’s dedicated leadership progressed positively and well. When the President and his Sinhala supremacist cohorts found the APRC proceeding smoothly they began adopting an obstructionist course. Blatant attempts were made to manipulate the APRC into delivering downgraded devolution both substance and unit wise.
There emerged a cold war between the hawks and doves within the APRC. The President instead of maintaining impartial neutrality placed himself in the hard – line camp. Thus the nation and world at large witnessed the jocular sight of a President trying hard to sabotage the work of a committee appointed by him.
The enlightened steering of Tissa Vitarana has prevented so far the APRC changing course drastically, going off track or being derailed.
In a way all this is old hat and the progress of the APRC has been traced consistently by this writer in a series of columns in the “Nation” and another newspaper.
Even last week this column spotlighted the fact that the APRC was under great pressure to evolve a “solution” consisting basically of “enhanced” powers under the existing Provincial Councils set up in terms of the 13th amendment to the Constitution.
It was a case of “13th amendment plus” being projected as the solution.
Here are some relevant excerpts from last week’s column on current APRC developments -
“What is President Rajapakse’s response going to be to the APRC product?
This question assumes tremendous importance in view of what the President wants from the APRC. If Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) leader and Social Services Minister Douglas Devananda is to be believed the President only wants powers under the 13th amendment to be enhanced.
Many APRC participants were in for a shock on December 17th when Devananda addressed them. Devananda told the APRC that there was no point in formulating an elaborate scheme as it required a two – thirds majority in Parliament. Since the Govt did not enjoy such a majority it was not practical , Devananda said to draft a new scheme.
The pragmatic approach he said would be to go along with the existing devolution provided under the 13th amendment. Presenting his three – stage formula , Devananda suggested that powers under the 13th amendment could be upgraded without a two – thirds majority.
For this, Devananda wanted Interim Administrative Councils to be appointed for the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The interim councils will have five members each. There will be another committee to co-ordinate activity between both provinces. There will also be a panel of experts to advise the interim councils.
What really upset the APRC was Devananda’s request that the APRC abandon the power sharing draft it was working on and approve the interim admnistration idea with 13th amendment plus powers as the APRC proposal.
There was no point in formulating a scheme that needed two – thirds majority in Parliament he said. So the APRC should recommend 13th amendment plus , Devananda argued.
Devananda dropped his bombshell. “His excellency the President wants the APRC to adopt 13th amendment plus as the interim solution and present it as the APRC report” the EPDP leader said.
When APRC members observed that President Rajapakse had not indicated anything of the sort to them , Devananda said that the “His excellency” had asked him to convey this message to the APRC when he met “His excellency” the day before yesterday (Dec 15th).
Several APRC members were upset at this. Exchanging “off the record” comments among themselves the delegates noted that the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) had “saved” the Government on Dec 14th by abstaining on the budget vote.
Since the JVP wanted the APRC dissolved many members felt that the President had arrived at this decision as part of the alleged “deal” with the Crimson comrades.
What Devananda was telling the APRC was that the President wanted it to commit “hara – kiri” in Samurai style. In LTTE parlance he wanted the APRC to “Kuppiyadi” or swallow a cynaide capsule.
Prof. Vitarana then said that the APRC was scheduled to meet with the President soon and will discuss the issue with him then. When Devananda mooted the interim administration proposal to be endorsed by the APRC , Vitarana pointed out that it could be set up under existing laws and that it need not go through the APRC.”
The above extracts from last week’s column provides an insight into the pressures exerted on the APRC.
Now to focus on latest APRC developments this week.
President Rajapakse met with party leaders and APRC members on the 9th of this month. It was the moment of truth for the APRC .
The meeting began around 4 .30 pm and went on for nearly two hours. Prof. Vitarana apparently met the President a little earlier to brief him on a one to one basis.
When the meeting began the President seemed to be in a belligerent mood. According to some participants at the discussion, Rajapakse seemed upset over some provisions in the APRC draft on Constitutional reform.
He seemed to be of the opinion that some of the proposed powers to the Provincial units were not desirable and would lead to secession. Funnily enough some of those powers were already in force.
“The impression I got was that the President had been wrongly briefed by interested parties. He seemed prejudiced” a minority party leader told this columnist.
At one stage the President wanted to summon Treasury secretary PB Jayasundara to find out about fiscal devolution issues.
Rajapakse however is a lawyer and an experienced politician. As discussions continued he seemed to realise that the yet to be finalised APRC draft was not detrimental to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Country.
He became much more relaxed when made aware of adequate safeguards being incorporated to prevent any threat of secession..
The President then requested the APRC to expedite matters and finalise the report within two weeks. He set Jan 23rd as the deadline for handing over the final report of the APRC.
The President was his amiable self again and tensions eased.
But this was a deceptive lull.
Like a magician pulling out a rabbit from a hat the President displayed a document. It was in Sinhala and Rajapakse began reading from it.
Within minutes he realised that there were several Tamil and Muslim members in the meeting who could not understand the official phraseology in high flown Sinhala.
Rajapakse then produced an English version and asked Tissa Vitarana to read it out.
The four page document was titled “A Political Proposal – The Way Forward”. It had twelve sections. Only the last one referred to the APRC work in progress.
APRC participants discovered to their shock that the document was an endorsement of “13th amendment plus”. The document recommended that the 13th amendment be implemented with enhanced powers. It called for the setting up of advisory councils.
The advisory councils were an euphemism for an interim administration. The word interim was being avoided because the President felt it was discredited after the LTTE wanted an interim authority.
Three other points made by President Rajapakse upset many APRC members. One was that the APRC should work out proposals based on “The way Forward” document and adopt it as the APRC’s formal proposal.
The second was that this should be presented to him on Jan 23rd as the “Preliminary Proposal”. The APRC could work out their own proposal thereafter at a leisured pace.
The third was that the provisions in the preliminary proposal were to be implemented first. “Thirteenth amendment plus” was to be implemented in full. There would be a moratorium on accepting or implementing any other proposal or scheme.
Douglas Devananda chortled with glee at the visible discomfiture of certain APRC members in the gathering. Devananda had made the same suggestion and been rejected. Now he sat there with a smirk.
It was crystal clear now that Devananda was telling the truth on Dec 17th when he told the APRC that “His excellency wanted this done”.
This was indeed Mahinda Rajapakse’s brainchild.
He had sent Devananda earlier to bamboozle the APRC but the EPDP leader had failed to convince the APRC.
Now the President was personally trying to bulldoze the proposal through.
When some minority party representatives began to express reservations the President got tough. Exuding a sense of steely determination, Mahinda Rajapakse made it obvious that he would not tolerate dissent on this matter.
It was his wish and had to be regarded as a command. The APRC had to toe the line or else ………………………………….
This column has often pinpointed the inherent weakness of the APRC. Almost every party in the APRC was a constituent of this Government. The respective party leaders were all cabinet ministers. There was a conflict of interests here.
The chief opposition United National Party could have made a vivid difference if it had not pulled out of the APRC. If the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader was present he may have objected strongly to Rajapakse. But Rauff Hakeem was not invited.
Seeing that the President was in no frame of mind to lend ear to alternate views most participants demonstrated the “eloquence of silence”.
Mahinda Rajapakse’s rationale for suggesting the “13th amendment plus” solution was that any far reaching proposal would require a two – thirds majority. This he said was impossible because the UNP and Ranil would never support it. So one had to be practical and improve on what was available said the President.
The President found unexpected support for this viewpoint from Karu Jayasuriya. ” Ranil Wickremasinghe will not support it” Jayasuriya affirmed.
What Rajapakse and Jayasuriya failed to mention was the reason for this state of affairs. The UNP had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). Wickremasinghe agreed to cooperate on arriving at a bi – partisan consensus.
The situation changed suddenly when Basil Rajapakse enticed 18 UNP Parliamentarians into Government ranks by dangling offers of ministerial office. It was none other than Karu Jayasuriya himself who led this herd of rogue elephants away from the UNP kraal.
It was this that caused the UNP to revise its stance. The party pulled out of the APRC too. Yet the UNP position is that it may support a viable scheme of genuine devolution if evolved by the APRC.
Minority party pressure and requests by the International community could make the UNP supportive of a comprehensive package proposed by the APRC. But it has to be genuine power sharing.
The probability of the UNP supporting a genuine APRC proposal cannot be ruled out. At least not yet.
But Rajapakse aided by Jayasuriya were jumping to the conclusion that the UNP will not support and so a two – thirds majority was out of the question.
Nobody can predict the final outcome buit it is certainly premature to arrive at such a negative decision about the UNP. Particularly when it was the ignoble conduct of the Rajapakse regime and UNP crossers over who caused the situation.
It was obvious that the President’s reasoning for jettisoning the quest for greater power sharing was flawed. The reality was that Rajapakse was reluctant to go in for comprehensive power sharing amounting to quasi – federalism. He was emotionally and intellectually opposed to such a concept
Besides there was pressure from the Janstha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP). Mahinda Rajapakse has visions of conquering the LTTE and imposing a sub – standard solution. In Mahinda’s mind the conviction that the Tamil people and not the tigers require maximum devolution has not sunk in.
Thus President Rajapakse wants the APRC to revert to the 13th amendment. After 47 meetings of the APRC’s expert panel and 58 meetings of the APRC itself, the President of Sri Lanka wants to go back to the 13th amendment. If that was to be the final solution it could have been reached years ago.
The meeting with the President ended on a troubled and confused note. An emergency meeting of the APRC was held and the matter discussed . Many options were proposed but no firm decision was arrived at. Prof. Vitarana hopes to have at least three more meetings of the APRC before Jan 23rd.
It remains to be seen as to what desision is ultimately taken by the APRC. Notwithstanding the pressures of the President most APRC participants realise that they are skating on thin ice . The political credibility of minority party participants is at stake here. They cannot afford to let their constituencies feel that they have been taken for a ride by President Rajapakse.
This is applicable in the case of Tissa Vitarana too. His political and personal credentials have been impeccable so far. It would be a tragedy indeed if all his worthwhile efforts come to nothing as a result of Presidential perfidy. In the case of the veteran Sama Samajist , there is a historical precedent too.
The Laka Sama Samaja Party ’s (LSSP) Dr. Colvin R de Silva was one of the most enlightened and progressive intellectual to straddle the Sri Lankan political arena in the 20th century. The great Trotskyite fell from grace when he piloted the 1972 Republican Constitution through.
Despite his progressive outlook Colvin let himself be pressured into including certain obnoxious clauses into the Constitution. Some of those like doing away with section 29 of the Soulbury Constitution, Giving Official language status to Sinhala Consdtututionally, providing foremost place to Buddhism, entrenching the unitary state constitutionally were controversial to say the least.
SLFP pressures particularly from Felix R Dias Bandaranaike compelled that these provisions be included in the new Constitution and Colvin adhered reluctantly. Yet it is Colvin as acknowledged architecht of the republican Constitution who is blamed nowadays.
Likewise Prof. Vitarana would surely realise that if he gives in to unreasonable demands of the President , posterity will blame the Science and Technology minister. Would Dr. NM Perera’s nephew like to suffer the fate of Dr. Colvin R de Slva ?
While the APRC is yet to finalise matters there were inspired leaks in sections of the media that the 13th amendment was going to be the APRC solution. This upset significant sections of the diplomatic community in Colombo.
The International community views the APRC as the only glimmer of light at the end of a dark, dark tunnel. All this time the IC nourished the hope that the light at the end of the tunnel emanated from an Angelic halo. But now, news reports suggested that the glow was from a fire – breathing dragon’s nostrils.
Diplomats from many countries now wanted to know from the Government about what was going on? Why was the APRC regressing? Why was the search for a political setlement going forward to the past?
There were many queries and once again it was troubleshooter Basil Rajapakse’s lot to engage in damage control. Obfuscating media interviews were given.
It is highly unlikely the sharp diplomats would be taken in by these puerile exercises.. It is becoming increasingly clear that “games” are being played. The natural course of the APRC is sought to be reversed for cheap political gain.
The way forward document was actually showing the way backward!
Mahinda Rajapakse may want the APRC river to flow backwards but as SWRD said “rivers do not flow backward”. Scientifically too it is not possible.
According to engineers “Water always flows from a higer level to a lower level The only way it can be made to flow backwards is to oppose the flow with a powerful tidal current (as can be observed in estuaries during high tide. This effect is used in tidal power generation projects). But the effect, as it is an externally forced one, is transient, unnatural and unsustainable.”
Mahinda Rajapakse’s crude attempt to force the APRC river to flow backwards is unscientific as it is ahistorical. The APRC chairperson being a scientist understands this fully well.
Related: A Political Proposal: The Way Forward
DBS Jeyaraj can be contacted on: djeyaraj@federalidea.com
Anil said,
January 13, 2008 @ 4:32 am
“certain obnoxious clauses into the Constitution. Some of those like doing away with section 29 of the Soulbury Constitution, Giving Official language status to Sinhala Consdtututionally, providing foremost place to Buddhism”
Sorry, but in my opinion providing foremost place to Buddhism was hardly “obnoxious.” I am for devolution,
but if any attempt is made to meddle with this I will stand against devolution tooth and nail. Just like minorities have “aspirations” so do the majority. Buddhism was the official religion of Sri Lanka for thousands of years until the colonials came and replaced it with Christianity. It’s current position in the constitution is actually a demotion of its historical role. Any constitution even in a federal set-up will have to affirm the primacy and historical role of Buddhism in the island whilst granting all other religions all the rights to practice their faiths. I would advise the the APRC not to throw a spanner in the works by meddling with the position of Buddhism.
Sen said,
January 13, 2008 @ 9:01 am
I hope at least now international community have realised the true light of the Mahinda Sindana and how the Rajapakse brothers were conning the IC and taking many of them for ride. Form the first day, I knew the APRC actually was All Partners in Ridicules (or Racial) Circus to con the IC including Indian leaderhip. Hope the whole world realise this too and declare Sri Lanka as a terror state.
Mahinda Sindana is the by product of mahavamsa mentality. For 60 years, the sinhale leadership has cheated Tamils and used their tactic of buying or burying some Tamil leaders to run their agenda. If any one believes that Rajapakse brothers are going to offer Tamils a fair solution, after defeating LTTE, they must be dreaming on the hot summer day. The only man, who does believe it, is the Douglas Devanda (DD, a criminal cum paramilitary, who does the dirty work for Rajapakse brothers. DD wants to be the other sole representative for the north and east Tamils, by being a slave to MR.
Wsta said,
January 13, 2008 @ 9:59 am
Spot on DBS.
You couldn’t have be further than the truth if you had included, JVP factor into this article a bit more.
Well done DBS.
As long as JVP support required to govern, Rajapakshe will be made to make bold decisions.
The International Community wouldn’t want to deal with a JVP govt in the future. But all things considered, JVP would replace SLFP and eat away grass-root support base of UNP.
Why do you think, JVP do not pressure Rajapakshe about high COL? This is their trump card for next elections.
The war WILL NOT end this year. LTTE will survive with very minimal areas under its control or South will burn like never before. Already sky rocketting COL will hit the sky and poor man would force the GOSL to stop the war.
Either way 2008 will be decisive. LTTE had planned for this eventuality since 2004(Read Iqbal Athas Column – funds collected overseas for FINAL WAR), 4 years of planning and bulk of the weapons have safely arrived.
India as usual playing double game on the side of GOSL has blessed GOSL for an all out war,thinking the war will put an end to LTT.
ratna said,
January 13, 2008 @ 10:21 am
Water do flows backwards.
In New Brunswick (Canada) there are places where water flows upwards (illusion), and during high tide, river flows backwards.
Selva said,
January 13, 2008 @ 9:36 pm
Hi Jeyaraj , I don’t know how come Devananda now supporting Mahinda after so many months telling there should be a devolution package similar to that of India. Of cause his dream was to take the position of Varatharajaperumal. ( Varatharajaperumal wanted to build an office in a state land in Trinco but J.R. never gave permission.) In his resent interview Devananda had been telling about that he had been asking about this interim administration from President Chandrica Bandaranayake Kumarathunga but she never gave. Except Chandrica all the Sinhalese politicians has a secret agenda of making each and every corner of Sri Lanka into a Sinhalese dominant area. So any devolution must have enough provision for that. That is why Rajiv Gandi sent the troops after signing the agreement. Unfortunately we lost that oppotunity too. I don’t think the Tamils will ever get that golden oppotunity again.
Tullius said,
January 13, 2008 @ 9:54 pm
Will the government of Sri Lanka put out a political package through the APRC process or other means. All indications are that these governments want to ‘pass their time’ in power. They cant neither wipe out extremism in Tamil nor Sinhala quarters, and people will suffer.
dias said,
January 14, 2008 @ 12:44 am
In response to #1, as a Buddhist I feel terribly insulted that my time honored religion has been subjugated to a rating system by a mortal being by providing my religion only the “foremost” position in the Sri Lanka Constitution. Why not a “supreme” position or an “absolute” position or a “matchless” position or whatever mortal terminology that could never come even close to attributing any “position” whatsoever to any of the world’s great religions that stand alone all by them selves, in their very own space, way high above any the space of operation of mortal beings.
May be it is this realization that attempting to bestow “positions” to religions is essentially blasphemous, that may have caused constitutional architects such as Thomas Jeffereson to leave religions exactly where they are – alone – and not mix them with man-made constitutions.
Oh yes, for the terribly insecure and phobic driven Sinhalese, they have to explicity brag about their greatness of being Sinhalese and Buddhist – anything less would keep them unfulfilled and feeling empty in their stomachs.
WIth seamless casualness, the reader claims that Buddhism was the official religion of the island as if though religions can be officiated. S/he further states that the Buddhism was later to be replaced by the religions of the colonialists possibly never recognizing that Hinduism which is much older to Buddhism (Buddha himself was born a Hindu) must have been on the island at least as long as the Sinhalese and Tamils have inhabited the island.
Thirdly, from a practical standpoint, thanks but no thanks, my religion Buddhism does not need the classification by a constitution nor the Sangha need any protection of any government. To the contrary, its the human derived constitutions that should measure up to righteous pronouncements of major religions, Abhi-dhamma, the Bible, the Koran, the Bhagavat Geeta and other – such as the American constitution’s assertion that “all men are created equal”, a fundamental teaching also of Buddhist dhamma. Furthermore, the Maha Sangha certainly does not need any protection from governments, as it is often the politicians who run to the Maha Nayakes whenever the former needs protection and not the other way round! Note that both, Buddhism and the Maha Sangha have survived for time immemorial without any officiating of their respective positions. Not only has Buddhism survived, but as per the popular American spiritualist and author Deepak Chopra in his latest book, “Buddha”, confirms that “Buddhism continues to thrive” around the world – and especially in America, Australia and other Western nations where consitutions are highly egalitarian.
A thriving religion world wide Sri Lanka’s Maha Sangha nor the Sinhalese Buddhists need to feel that the religion is in the wane – and they can de-burden themselves from their self-created sense of importance that they are the chosen guardians of the religion. IT is doing just fine elsewhere without them.
Not withstanding the fact that the poorly drafted constitutional clause implicitly marginalizes other religions, for the sole reasons listed above, the clause should be permanently removed from the Sri Lanka constitution. It is not only insulting to believers of other religions but mostly to Buddhists.
The need of the hour is to focus on solutions that integrates our values, brings us closer, promotes mutual respect, and discover common ground that makes us all equal stake-holders to out little island. At this very difficult cross-road in the nation’s evolution, the challenge is a moral responsibility that would take sincere soul searching and at the core, a sense of compassion – a quality that Buddha emphasized on.
Submitted by a Sinhalese-Buddhist instrumental in building Buddhist temples in the West.
Athos said,
January 14, 2008 @ 7:22 am
Through a process of unnatural selection, leadership from all sides capable of negotiating have been assassinated, humiliated and scared away by Tamil extremists. The current Sinhala leadership was also selected by LTTE. So if you are Tamil, then understand these are the Liberation Movement’s fruits of labor.
Everyone is barking up the wrong tree for power devolution and solving of grievances. You really need to bark up LTTE’s tree for both these things.
Daran said,
January 14, 2008 @ 9:18 am
DBS thanks for your article. At least now, the world will see the real face of typical sinhala politicians. Still do you have any hope for a reasonable solution from SL gov?
Mahan said,
January 14, 2008 @ 5:28 pm
Now only I understand why LTTE wanted MR to win as a President.
Estavez said,
January 14, 2008 @ 10:36 pm
It’s unbelievable that APRC should sit 500 times around the table and be “Planted” with a solution by the president.
Of course, the way forward is to have a proposal and IMPLEMENTATION of a power sharing solution from the Sri Lankan point of view.
You cannot expect the ethnic conflict to subside by “Planted” solutions. As with East Timor, Macedonia, Kosova, Eritria, Somaliland, UN held Referendum to identify the wishes of the oppressed community. The same “DEMOCRATIC” option must be given to Tamils decide their own fate. This is the first step. With the outcome of this referendum, the second phase of solving the issue can be taken up via APRC.
APRC is not “All Party” as TNA/UNP/JVP are left out. This amounts to more than 50% of the island residents’ representatives are excluded.
UN should get involved now…or it will be too late!
Sam Thambipillai said,
January 14, 2008 @ 10:37 pm
I read the proposal put forward by Prof Tissa Vitarana. It looks more of an eye wash to please that something is being done It fails to address the political grievances of the Tamils for the following reasons;
Firstly, the people of North East were not at all a party to the present constitution of Sri Lanka. Instead they demanded a separate sovereign state. This proposal does not address that primary issue. It talks of an amendment to a constitution unilaterally declared by the Sinhalese South and totally rejected by the people of North East.
Secondly, having in mind the right to sovereignly rule themselves, the people of the North East should have at least their land, legislature with greater powers, foreign relations, military protection etc.
The professor should really suggest the creation of Tamil Eelam, instead of beating aroung the bush.
Athos said,
January 15, 2008 @ 1:10 am
Refering to 11, aka “Estavez”
/*
Of course, the way forward is to have a proposal and IMPLEMENTATION of a power sharing solution from the Sri Lankan point of view.
*/
Easier said than done buddy. Imagine everyone taking part in the power sharing solution being under constant death threats. This includes drivers, clerks and everyone else trying to make the system a success. Do we provide an armed convoy and body guards for everyone? It simply isn’t possible.
I think the only option left for Tamil people now is go for total separation from the Sri Lankan state with the help of LTTE. Then you can have a nice place all to yourselves free from Sinhalese and working hard efficiently and be prosperous than the Sinhalese. Who knows, the Sinhalese will also get a visa or even seek asylum in Eelam to escape the tyranny and the corruption of the Sinhala state. The rest will be jealous Tamils are doing so very efficiently and all. You can also have a specially trained border force to make sure the Sinhalese population never go above that of the Tamil population. Because If that happens you totally defeat the purpose of having a Tamil homeland which so many have sacrificed over the years.
Gayan said,
January 15, 2008 @ 3:04 am
Well there is a river in A’pura that flows upwards built by a king (i cannot remember the name) during the glory days of sri lanka .Even modern western engineers say its next to imposible to replecate it.
If peace can be made in such ways then so be it.
Upul said,
January 15, 2008 @ 7:47 am
Scotland, Croatia, Kazakstsan were all part of a bigger country but now they have their own parliament and laws. The tamils and sinhalese have a very different language, religion and traditional homelands and need to be separated by the UN. 100% sinhala army and ethinc riots in 83 make it a very compelling right.
Hector Sangasae said,
January 15, 2008 @ 12:31 pm
DBS is correct. The tamils and sinhalese who have a different religion, culture and original areas must have their own assembly similar to to separate countries
Nalan, Trincomalee said,
January 16, 2008 @ 2:04 am
GOSL and Douglas Devananda are on Self Delusion.
This is not the year of the rat as per the Chinese calendar rather year of the Tigers as predicted by Mr. M.R. Rajagopalan of the Kumudam Jyothidam.
My only regret is that our Eastern Liberator will not be a participant in the historic year of 2008, rather merely a helpless spectator from his prison cell. He must be remembering these two phrases quite often: “Unda veetiku erandaham pannathey” and Uppitavarey ullalavum ninay”!.
Remember late Franjo Tudjman? history is going to be repeated in 2008!
Estavez said,
January 16, 2008 @ 3:25 pm
Athos is wrong!!
LTTE did not even one vote. They may have stopped Tamils voting in the elections. That is due to the fact,that, Tamils voting in a sinhala elections has no consequences for Tamils as Tamil nation is separate from Sinhala nation.
If sinhalese were smart enough to realize this, they should have voted for wickremasinghe enmasse, to keep the country from being split. They didn’t as the Sinhalese believe in Tamil Liberation Movement Annihilation by FORCE. This is NOT going to HAPPEN.
we’ve seen this time and again for over thirty years. This time around, the southern populace will pay a bigger price and will starve as in the days of 1971 – 1977. The funds and materials that SL Forces have, will fall into LTTE hands as it did during “Jayasikurui”.
Sure, both sides would be limping after two years and back to CFA-II with a twist this time that it would be based on ISGA.
Fonseka would be long gone by then and so will MR and his clan.
Future is a funny thing to foretell..!!!
Gee Sampanthan said,
January 16, 2008 @ 4:44 pm
Water may even flow backward.. because , forward and backward are only relative terms. I was just last night reading something on relativity in the website of Max Plank Institute /Einstein On-line. So it is fresh on my mind. But whatever the truth here, it is trivial small talk. APRC or no APRC, we know the history of Sri-Lanka even before SWRD Bandaranayake made his profound and meaningless statement. It is meaningless, because SWRD himself tried to make ricers flow backward..and so does his Panashaye Daruwo. Does it all matter ?. Mahinda doesn’t have to do it because the IC or the big arms salesmen masquerading as diplomats.
Sri-Lanka needs devolution or maximum devolution to become a modern country in a political sense and also to provide equal opportunity for all parts and sections of the country. The phrases like ” …..the conviction that the Tamil people and not the tigers require maximum devolution….” has brought the Tamil into this situation. Mahinda or any Sinhala leader knows well that Tamils will talk and write like this and they can continue their business as usual. Until we know what is wrong in us.. they will do whatever ….because no one can stand on the way of the Niagara water fall… as it always flows in one direction , in the direction of the “Lowest Potential” .. forget the up -down or forward – backward analysis…think of potential and Mahinda’s river is just doing that… flowing in the direction of the lowest potential, because we, the Para-Demillas are still bickering…and bickering .. non-stop from do-no-more constitution to these days….and the Indians , Pakis , Chinese and the nicely dressed and civilized looking Ambassadors cum Arms merchants are happily going about their business. So.. it is not whether LTTE or Tamil people in Sri-Lanka wants devolution, it is whether Sri-Lanka wish to go-forward in this world and harness the human potential to the fullest and develop the country, instead of exporting workers with a full time Human expert ministry masquerading as ministry of foreign employment. Until Tamils can speak with one voice.. Devananda can steal the show today … and Ponnaa (GG) used to steal the show in old days .. then came Kumarasooriar …looking for a mother… then came Kataragama looking for a sister….I don’t know what is DBSJ looking for .. may be fame … he knows everything. I notice he has a good fan club also. Whether rivers or politics , think of potential …. the work needed to go up .. or against a conservative field like gravity. Those who only know politics …there are so many resources in the web to look up on the rudimentary aspects of potential energy and conservative fields. But Mahinda knows well and able to manipulate his potential….so he may even convince that he is making river flow backward..that is because he thinks we are gullible.
Seyon said,
January 16, 2008 @ 7:02 pm
DBS wrote a true statement or message on the typical Sinhala DUBIOUS drama of politics to fool the world until they wipe out all Tamils, Muslims and Christians in the island.
The Sinhala Fundamentalist Srilanka even kill the Great Buddha if he came alive and preach peace.
What one expect from a Sinhala Terrorist Srilanka who even use the Great Buddhism and ststues of Buddha to justiy and continue ETHNIC CLEANSING of Minorities????????
Even one talk billion years with Sinhala Terrorist Srilanka, he/she will get no where to solve the issue because the Srilankan Sinhala polity still with the MAHAVMSA mentality.
Gee Sampanthan said,
January 17, 2008 @ 1:30 am
7. dias ,
I wish I could write the way you wrote. You are absolutely on the mark…I simply and humbly wish to second your comment…Let us be friends and think of some way to work for a peaceful Lanka for all. It is a beautiful place and home to our fore fathers. It hurts to see all the bloodshed and destruction in the name of …mmm in the name of what ?. I am lost.
Gayan said,
January 17, 2008 @ 8:54 am
While LTTE leader Prabakaran swims in a river of Blood..downwards
Amin said,
January 17, 2008 @ 1:54 pm
Buddhism cannot be crushed in Sri Lanka. If any attempt is made to remove it from the constitution, people can kiss good bye to a solution to the problem besetting the country. This is one thing that the minorities will have to accept whether they like it or not. Sure, they can start another war if they like and blow themselves up and attack trains and buses, but the Sinhalese will not budge here. They will not waver when it comes to Buddhism. Buddhism must and will have to be accorded a special position in any new constitution.
The reader ‘dias’ can preach sanctimoniously as much as he likes about what a great Buddhist he is and what not, but what I speak is the truth — the ground reality — and not the silly idealism and philosophizing that is so common among those who like to see themselves as the intellectual elite.
Failure to provide a special position to Buddhism will result in the failure of any political settlement to the conflict. That’s why Chandrika Kumaratunga strengthened this section when she came out with her devolution proposals. She knew that without it there was an absolutely no chance her proposal for federalism would be accepted by the majority. And they weren’t. So please do not believe for a second that the majority will agree to any federal set up where Buddhism is demoted.
The Buddhists fought too long and hard to under the colonials (and Tamil Hindu invaders) to protect, preserve and foster the position of Buddhism in the country and they certainly aren’t going to let Tamils, or anyone else for that matter, take it away again. Clearly dias has forgotten the oppression that Buddhism has faced in Sri Lanka, and it certainly wouldn’t have survived had it not been for state sponsorship at crucial times (such as higher ordination from Burma/Thailand).
Further, The Buddha never was a Hindu. There was no such thing as “Hinduism” during the Buddha’s time. “Hinduism” is a very modern term given to the multitude of practices in India. During the Buddha’s time, some worshipped the sun, others the moon, others were athiests, yet others were Nigantas. You will not find any mention of Shiva, Ganesh, Ram, Vishnu in the Pali Tipitaka. There is no evidence whatsoever to suggest the notion that the Buddha was born a Hindu.
5 said,
January 18, 2008 @ 5:30 pm
Amin with what evidence are you claiming that Buddha was not born a Hindu? I understand your thoughts as a defender of the Buddhist faith in sri lanka but accept the truth and do not use such a great human being such as Buddha to deny minority Tamils their rights. The collective beliefs of Buddha’s era in the Indian subcontinent is known as Hinduism. please educate yourself in south Asian history and stop preaching hate using such a peaceful religion.
Amin said,
January 19, 2008 @ 9:22 am
In reply to comment 24 by “5″
First of all, please do keep any sanctimonious preaching to yourself. I never cease to be amused by people who seem to believe that they are paragons of virtue and never miss an opportunity to sit in their ivory tower. Please practice your religion completely and utterly down to crossing the Ts before pointing fingers at me. If Tamils regard Buddhism being provided foremost position in the constitution as a denial of their rights well I’m afraid that is tough luck. The issue of religion certainly doesn’t seem to prevent them from running off to the Scandinavian countries or England where Christianity is given the foremost position and other religions are not even orecognised nationally. Perhaps the Sinhalese regard federalism/confederalism as a denial of Sinhalese rights. Then what?
What I’m saying is that the Sinhalese will NOT compromise on the position of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. You and anyone else for that matter can preach about “peace” and “principles of Buddhism” as much as you like, but in my opinion the Buddhist masses in the island will not accept any solution where Buddhism is demoted or sidelined.
You point fingers at others over “denying rights” but Tamils have been attacking Buddhism in Sri Lanka from time immemorial. This long standing tradition is continuing today at the hands of the “sole representatives” of the Tamil people. The massacre at Aranthalawa, the bomb attack on the Dalada Maligawa, the massacre of pilgrims at the Sri Maha Bodhi, the demolition of the Naga Dipa Vihara, the attack on Seruwila, the killings of numerous Buddhist monks, and the screaming and shouting over a Buddha statue (when Tamils get to freely build their kovils and shrines wherever they want to in Sri Lanka) are just a few examples of the hatred that Tamils themselves carry towards Buddhists and Buddhism.
It was this Tamil hatred that has tied the Sinhalese and Buddhism together. It was the continuing Tamil invasions into Sri Lanka from South India and the attacks on the Sinhalese people and their Buddhist places of worship that brought into existence Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism. Tamil Hindus were the ones responsible for laying waste to the great Buddhist city of Anuradhapura; they were the ones who looted, burned and destroyed monasteries and chased the Sinhalese to the south. For thousands of years, the Sinhalese were fighting for their identity, land and religion against (maurauding) Tamil Hindus who wanted to wipe them out. The same deal took place when the colonials invaded the island and started oppressing the Sinhalese and the Buddhists. And what did the the colonials do? They forcibly converted Buddhists, denied them an education until they converted, refused to recognise marriages unless they were Christian, banned Vesak and Buddhist holy days, executed Buddhist monks who came into areas they controlled and looted, burned and destroyed Buddhist monasteries just as the Tamil Hindus had done. As a result, Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism took off again because of these attempts to wipe out Buddhism and replace it with Christianity.
Buddhism has historically been the official religion of Sri Lanka. It is the soul of the country. The ethos of Sri Lanka is Buddhist, just like the ethos of England is Christian and the ethos of Tamil Nadu is Hindu. Any move to sideline the position of Buddhism in the country, for which the Sinhalese people have shed their blood over thousands of years is not going to succeeded. Such a move will be defeated just like what has happened in the past. If Tamils want a peaceful solution, they would be well advised to leave Buddhism alone.
In reply to your question, the term ‘Hindu’ itself is a modern term of Persian origin given by the Persians when they invaded the subcontinent. It is not even Sanskrit which is considered to be the sacred language of Hindus. The term does not appear anywhere in the Pali Tipitaka. What does appear in the Pali Tipitaka however is evidence to suggest the existence of numerous groups of spiritual traditions that were prevalent in India during the Buddha’s time — these included people who worshipped the sun, those who worshipped the moon, those who worshipped stars, those who worshipped fire, those who worshipped and propiated tree deities, those who offered animal sacrifices, those who lived on faeces and air, those who walked only on one leg, those who starved themselves, those who believed in a supreme God, those who believed in materialism (egathiests), those who believed in predetermination etc etc. There is no mention of Shiva, Rama, Ganapati, Murugan, Saraswati, Kali Amma, Vishnu, Parvati, Hanuman anywhere in the Pali Tipitaka. What is made specific mention of though, is the Jain community who were known as Nigantas. There is no mention whatsoever of the Buddha’s parents or extended family worshipping any gods or godesses or any lingam or yoni. If you have evidence to the contrary please bring it forth, I’m sure the entire Buddhist world would love to hear about it.
The claim that the Buddha was ‘Hindu’ comes from Hindu chauvinists who cannot stomach the fact that Buddhism forms a different tradition; the same Hindu chauvinists who claim Jainism and Sikhism as Hindu traditions and their leaders as Hindus. The same Hindu chauvinists who used Bodh Gaya as cattle grounds and the Buddhist ruins as toilets. The same Hindu chauvinists who later claimed that the Buddha was an avatar of Vishnu.
You say “The collective beliefs of Buddha’s era in the Indian subcontinent is known as Hinduism”
Right, so Jainism is Hinduism is it? And the same for the Buddha’s teachings as well eh? All I hear in that statement are the words of a Hindu chauvinist and nothing more. Please try harder.
But let us satisfy your Hindu chauvinism by saying that the Buddha was born a Hindu. I hope you do realise then, that he then rejected Hinduism and went onto found a magnificent spiritual tradition that gave India its golden age and influenced almost all of Asia and continues to do so in the west. It’s no wonder then that there are Hindus who want to claim The Enlightened One as their own.
5 said,
January 19, 2008 @ 8:53 pm
Amin your comments alone prove that you wish to use the Buddhist faith as a weapon against the Tamil community by depicting them as invaders and illegitimate Sri Lankans. I do agree Buddhism was the official religion of the Sinhalese kingdoms but Sri Lanka is not a Sinhalese kingdom and if you want sri Lanka to maintain its territorial integrity why do you wish to label the country as a Sinhalese state by placing Buddhism at the top of the hierarchy and i recall the fact that Buddhism itself teaches against such divisions in societies. You seem to have hatred towards Hindus because you believe that Hinduism is a threat to Buddhism’s survival. Buddha did not reject Hinduism, he choose to reform it as did the founders of Sikhism and Jainism. You also seem to have a flawed perspective of some western nations that they place Christianity at the top of their constitution but if you read their constitutions you will clearly see that the church is separated from state and no religion is given priority over others. I did not mean to offend you by commenting that you should educate yourself in south Asian history. it is quite clear that you are well educated in history but your interpretation of history has led you to believe that Tamils and Hindus are the enemy. I do commend you as a Sinhalese Buddhist for considering a federal solution but as you say the masses will not accept the demotion of buddhism, how do you expect the Tamil masses in the north to accept such as solution which will eventually lead people to the conclusion that they are bowing to the demand of the Sinhalese in their own land. This will only fuel the LTTE’s popularity. Do not be afraid that Buddhism will vanish if it is not protected by the constitution because the Sinhalese people have protected their religion throughout the centuries without such constitutional protections. I would also advise you once again not to use Buddhism as a weapon against minorities by spreading hate filled words depicting them as alien invaders of Sri Lanka.
Vijitha said,
January 28, 2008 @ 2:03 pm
கெப்பிட்டிக்கொல்லாவவில் அடையாளம் காணப்படாத 16 சடலங்களும் புதைப்பு
[திங்கட்கிழமை, 28 சனவரி 2008, 08:30 பி.ப ஈழம்] [கொழும்பு நிருபர்]
சிறிலங்காவின் அனுராதபுரம் மாவட்டம் கெப்பிட்டிக்கொல்லாவ கிரிகித்கொட என்ற இடத்தில் இருந்து மீட்கப்பட்ட 16 சடலங்களையும் விசாரணைகளுக்காக மீண்டும் தோண்டி எடுக்கத்தக்க வகையில் புதைக்குமாறு அனுராதபுர மாவட்ட நீதிமன்றம் இன்று திங்கட்கிழமை உத்தரவிட்டது.
கிரிகித்கொடவில் உள்ள இரண்டு புதைகுழிகளில் இருந்து கடந்த 24 ஆம் நாள் மீட்கப்பட்ட இந்த சடலங்கள் கடத்தப்பட்டு காணாமல் போன தமிழ் மக்களினுடையதாக இருக்கலாம் என்ற சந்தேகம் பல்வேறு மட்டங்கிளலும் வலுவாக இருந்தபோதும் இன்று வரை அவை காணப்படவில்லை.
இந்த சடலங்கள் உருக்குலைந்திருந்ததால் அதனை அடையாளம் காண்பதில் சிக்கல் நிலை இருந்ததாக தெரிவித்த அனுராதபுரம் மருத்துவமனை மரண விசாரணை அதிகாரி சரத் வீரபண்டார தெரிவித்தார்.
இது குறித்து அவர் மேலும் தெரிவித்ததாவது:
மருத்துவமனைக்கு பலர் வருகை தந்த போதும் அவர்கள் தெரிவித்த தடயங்களும் சடலங்களில் இருந்த தடயங்களும் ஒத்துப்போகவில்லை. சடலங்களை புகைப்படம் எடுத்தும், வீடியோ எடுத்தும் வைத்திருக்கின்றோம். தேவைப்படும் பட்சத்தில் அதனைக் காணாமல் போனவர்களின் உறவினர்கள் பார்வையிடலாம் என்றார்.
சடலங்கள் அடையாளம் காணப்படாத நிலையிலும் சடலங்கள் குறித்த மரண விசாரணையை பதவியாவைச் சேர்ந்த காவல்துறையினர் மூன்று பிரிவாக மேற்கொண்டு வந்தனர். அந்த விசாரணைகளின் அறிக்கையை இன்றைய நாள் அனுராதபுரம் மாவட்ட நீதிமன்றத்தில் காவல்துறையினர் சமர்ப்பித்தனர்.
துப்பாக்கியால் சுடப்பட்டே இவர்கள் அனைவரும் படுகொலை செய்யப்பட்டிருப்பதாக இந்த அறிக்கையில் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது. இவர்களில் 10 பேர் சடலங்கள் மீட்கப்பட்ட நாளுக்கு 10 நாட்களுக்கு முன்னர் சுட்டுக்கொல்லப்பட்டிருப்பதாகவும், ஏனைய 6 பேரின் சடலங்கள் மீட்கப்பட்ட நாளுக்கு சுமார் இரண்டு கிழமைக்கு முன்னர் சுட்டுக்கொல்லப்பட்டிருப்பதாகவும் அந்த அறிக்கையில் மேலும் தெரிவிக்கப்பட்டிருந்தது.
இந்த மரண விசாரணை அறிக்கையை ஆராய்ந்த அனுராதபுர மாவட்ட நீதவான் சிவந்த மஞ்சநாயக்க, மீண்டும் விசாரணை நடத்த வேண்டிய தேவை ஏற்படும் பட்சத்தில் இந்த சடலங்களை மீண்டும் தோண்டி எடுக்கக்கூடிய வகையில் புதைக்குமாறு உத்தரவிட்டார்.
இதனையடுத்த இந்த சடலங்களை புதைப்பதற்கான நடவடிக்கைகளை அனுராதபுரம் காவல்துறையினர் மேற்கொண்டுள்ளனர்.
இந்த சடலங்கள் குறித்த செய்தியை பாதுகாப்பு அமைச்சின் இணையத்தளமும், இராணுவத்தின் இணையத்தளமும், தேசிய பாதுகாப்பிற்கான ஊடக மத்திய நிலைய இணையத்தளமும் வேண்டும் என்றே இருட்டடிப்புச் செய்தமை குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.
தென்பகுதியில் சிங்களப் பொதுமகன் ஒருவர் துப்பாக்கிச் சூட்டில் காயமடைந்தால் அதற்கு பெரிய முக்கியத்துவம் கொடுக்கும் அரசாங்கத்தின் இந்த இணையத்தளங்கள் மேற்படி செய்தியை வேண்டும் என்றே இருட்டடிப்புச் செய்துள்ளமை சந்தேகத்தை தோற்றுவித்திருப்பதாக மனித உரிமை ஆர்வலர்கள் தெரிவித்துள்ளனர்.