Gotabhaya, Defence Secretary on 13th Amendment
Posted on April 3rd, 2013
P.A.Samaraweera, Melbourne
During recent times Tamil Nadu had shown its animosity towards Sri Lanka in various ways. The latest being that Sri Lankan cricketers are not allowed to participate in the IPL games in Chennai. Thus Tamil Nadu had created aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ‘crisis’ and is dictating terms to the Central government. New Delhi appears to be at the mercy of Tamil Nadu. With regard to Jayalalithaa’s and Karunanidhi’s intimidating demands,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the Defence Secy, recently indicated that they are flogging a dead horseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and insteadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ asked them toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ fight for Eelam in Tamil Nadu. He had also added that the Tamil Nadu crisis had bolstered anti-devolution views in Sri Lanka.
Based on what is going on between Tamil Nadu and New Delhi, the tail wagging the dog, the Defence Secretary hadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ declared that in Sri Lanka as well, there woud be similar probemsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ifƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 13A is implemented.The govt would be at the beck and call of the provincial councils, as demonstrated by Tamil Nadu.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Looking at the current crises created in Tamil Nadu, devolution in Sri Lanka will end up in secession causing political upheaval. Further, having gone through a 30 year war, a hostile provincial council would be a serious threat to the country’s sovereignity.
Then, in Sri Lanka,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ there are ‘invisible hands’ planning a regime changeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to destabilise the country. TNA was the mouth piece of the LTTE. They defended the terrorists who were fighting for a separate state, both in and out of Parliament.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Devolution would be a victory for the GTF and the LTTE rump. They would with the support of the so called ‘international community, INGO’s, NGO’sƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and so onƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ will use their resources to disrupt Sri Lanka. It will be worse thanƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the current crisis created in IndiaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ by Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu intimidation of New Delhi hadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ cast shadows over Sri Lanka.
With regard toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Tamil Nadu taking anƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ upper hand, the Defence Secretary had quoted the former Indian Foreign secretary Kanwal SibalƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who said, “…If our foreign policy towards Sri Lanka should be based on the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu today, then sentiments in West Bengal should dictate our foreign policy towards Bangladesh tomorrow, and those in UP and Bihar should determine what we should do with Nepal day after…” This is food for thought for Tamil Nadu politicians.
April 3rd, 2013 at 3:28 pm
Mr. Samaraweera!… as usual we come to the same subject……..abolishing 13th amendment to the constitution. No sooner this is abolished the better.
This is the way the so called int. community ( ie. India) trying to interfere in affairs of a demoratically elected Soovereign country ( Sri Lanka).
Learned people like you should get organized and demand what the defense secrtary has already pointed out. He will be your ears & confidant in matters concerning India & our constitution.
So as much as we write & express our concerns, concrete action can only be taken by powerful ministeries in Sri Lanka. After all mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksha is also a former US citizen.
Thanks for your continued interest in our Motherland……ONE COUNTRY< ONE NATION< INDIVISIBLE, UNITED & STRONG…..another expat expressing his free speech…..~
April 3rd, 2013 at 4:56 pm
BUT he only talks! Where is ACTION?
During the war he had ONLY action, no talk.
April 3rd, 2013 at 8:44 pm
jayasiri, Please correct your self. Goatbhaya IS A US CITIZEN and not a former US citizen. Basila’s wife is a US citizen and Mahinda Rajapakse’s family has at least six people who are US citizens. Issue here is that the exposure to the surrounding enviornment in Australia is different from that of United States. Australia to me is still a British Colony, that has a governor. The problem with Mr. Samaraweera is that they cannot see how Mahinda Rajapkse has won every battle he fought walking on a fine tight rope. The title of Mr. Samaraweera’s article is 13th Amendment, but the article does not state any thing about the 13 A. I call this “Sri LANKA Politics in the era of Political Ignorance”.
April 3rd, 2013 at 8:49 pm
Lorenzo, Gota has done the action and now he can talk. Again I call this “Sri Lanka Politics in the age of Political Ignorance”. No offence to you but please think. No noe can do any thing until Sinhala start to boycott Indian goods.
April 4th, 2013 at 1:45 am
Another parasite found from the north!
“Of all of the creepy and crawly things that you can think of, tarantulas probably are near the top of the list when it comes to scariness.
Well, get ready to add another terrifying arachnid to your list, because a new type of tarantula has been discovered in northern Sri Lanka.
Ranil Nanayakkara, a local researcher, and his team found the tiger spider and named it Poecilotheria rajaei, after a local police investigator, Michael Rajakumar Purajah.
Purajah helped the team of scientists navigate the remote area where the spider was found.
The genus Poecilotheria is known for being fast, colorful, and venomous. But why does this newly discovered species stand out from all the rest in its genus?
It’s huge, for one thing. Its leg span is up to 8 inches across, about the length of your face. It also has distinctive markings on its underside and legs that are geometrically patterned and described as daffodil-yellow and gray.
So what do these spiders eat? They have a taste for small snakes, birds, and mice. Nanayakkara explained why they were able to find P. rajaei in an unusual place – an old doctor’s office. “They prefer well-established old trees, but due to deforestation, the number have dwindled and due to lack of suitable habitat, they enter old buildings.”
One thing is for sure – unless you’re a spider lover, you would not want to cross paths with this guy. He just might stop you in your tracks.”
April 4th, 2013 at 1:56 am
TN is pushing for a referendum on Eelam (13th Amendment). This is America’s game plan as well. MR was clearly stalling for time to develop the NE rapidly and win popularity there so as o WIN a referendum to repeal the 13A. Unfortunately we are running out of time and judging by recent trends, the treacherous TNA seems to have the edge – so Tamils in the NE are likely to out of fear or racism, vote a yes to the 13th A. Asking to include all Sri Lankans in a referendum is unlikely to satisfy the “International Community” (aka USA and its Western allies) because it would go against precedents for Scotland, Timor etc. This could be a diplomatic “Elephant Pass” if GOSL isnt careful. Not doing anything may result in sanctions and R2P next year. If they insist on a “Tamils Only” referendum, one option MR could insist on is for the referendum to be in tandem ie a Yes vote also means Tamils in Colombo and the South must pack up and go and live in the Northeast. They might sill vote Yes and refuse to move out of Colombo claiming “discriminatiom” and wanting Sinhalese evicted from their province. The whole exercise becomes VERY messy. The only winner from this is India! Og god I wish Tamils in SL would quickly wake up and realise India is just using them!
April 4th, 2013 at 10:51 am
Why are we still talking about a requirement for a referendum as the only method to ditch the 13A? Nice to do that but it will be expensive and will take time. Why can we not have the 13A simply voted out in the Parliament with a 2/3 majority? – Can some reader please explain? – S de Silva -London
April 4th, 2013 at 1:04 pm
Yes the SCOTLAND thing will become the BIGGEST problem in SL after 2014.
Scotland referendum is held ONLY in Scotland, not elsewhere in the UK. After that UN members will demand same in SL.
Now our fools can split hairs of the difference between Scotland and TE but what matters is how the “international community” approaches it.
Unless 13 amendment is SCRAPPED by NEXT YEAR, we will see 13 amendment leading to Tamil Elam referendum.
But even if we SCRAP it, then the “international community” will demand a “political solution”. So we are stuffed either way!
The ONLY solution is Sinhala settlements in the EAST and NORTH.
April 4th, 2013 at 1:07 pm
“a Yes vote also means Tamils in Colombo and the South must pack up and go and live in the Northeast.”
ABSOLUTELY!
If they don’t do it voluntarily, they must be compelled to do so by whatever means.
April 4th, 2013 at 4:19 pm
Voice123, Then what do you propose to with the upcountry Tamils? Send them back to India?
The most practical thing is not to go for a referandum. The 13A must go, but not immediately. A nothern provincial council also can just hang around for a little while just as the impotent rest. Let India ride its rough first and then abolish it. There cannot be any UN sanctions without UN security council approval,which is highly unlikely and America can impose sanctions of their own with or without a referandum. The R2P had a still birth.
April 4th, 2013 at 9:25 pm
We are yet to see the full evils of 13A.
Comparing one to one, a Tamil controlled northern provincial council will have more power and will be closer to autonomy than Tamil Nadu, India. 13A coupled with rapid demilitarisation that has already happened to a great extent will create an even more dangerous situation.
Knowing very well the outcome of the northern provincial council election due in less than 5 months from now, government aligned parties have resorted to violence against TNA and its news media. These tactics make the government even more unpopular in the north. This is an unwinnable election and a pending disaster. 13A must be repealed now through the parliament. The provincial council system and 13A will become more established in another 5 months time making it impossible to repeal it.
April 5th, 2013 at 6:58 pm
It is very simple. 13A means a border within Sri Lanka and a perpetual war until Sri Lanka capitulates to Tamils and through them to Tamil Nadu. Eventual balkanization of India and unimaginable blood bath in the Indian subcontinent. The writing is on the walls and it is time to repeal this unholy, unpatriotic, disastrous amendment. We have seen this border is dynamic and has moved ever southwards in a pincer movement to engulf the south. See 1980 Eelam and 2009 Eelam maps.
It it time Sri Lanka became an Assertive nation doing what it thinks is right for the nation unilaterally and take consequences as they come. This is the only way Sri Lanka can become a respectable nation and take her place among other nations on an equal footing. There is simply no way out! We must go for militarisation – after all as Mao said America is only a Paper Tiger!
The current UNHRC resolution has nothing to do with what happened at the end of the Eelam War. Even if we had zero casualties the Christian West would have still found something wrong and prosecuted Sri Lanka for not adhering to their agenda – dismember Sri Lanka and eventually balkanise India.