Sri Lanka Northern Elections: Deciphering the Tamil Voter Mentality
Posted on September 22nd, 2013
Shenali D Waduge
No critic can say Sri Lanka is moving to -Ëœauthoritarian-â„¢ rule given that a free and fair election has been held, the people of the Northern Province has voted for the 2nd time since the defeat of terrorism in 2009. What is important at this stage is to decipher the voter mentality of the Tamils and to wonder how many of them are -Ëœseparatist-â„¢, -Ëœracist-â„¢ or -Ëœcastetist-â„¢ because they have placed their vote in a party that would use the vote of the people to interpret things that suit their party and their party only.
Did any Tamil voter remember 5000 soldiers who died to save them?
What is upsetting about the vote results is not that we are surprised that the people voted for the Tamil National Alliance but that no Tamil seems to have spared a thought or cared about 5000 heroic soldiers who braved fire, landmines and harsh weather to bring to safety close to 300,000 Tamils from the clutches of the LTTE and the scores of other soldiers who took care of them thereafter. These soldiers were sons, husbands and fathers to children who now have no one to call a father. As defenders of the nation they had to only eliminate the enemy -” the LTTE but they went an extra mile to bring scores of malnutritioned, wounded and starving Tamil men, women and children to safety. Many of these men handed whatever food provisions they had with them for their own consumption -” have these very human and touching offerings not meant anything for the Tamils going to vote? They did not need to place their lives on the line but they did so because they had a very clear vision and mission from the Defence Secretary downwards and that was why the conclusion to the war victory was called both a War on the LTTE and a Humanitarian Rescue Operation coupled together.
Are Tamils not thankful to the development and freedom they enjoy?
Anyone visiting the North immediately after the war victory would have seen the state of the North. Despite so many NGOs and humanitarian organization collecting thousands of dollars from kind hearts abroad there was absolutely nothing to see of any work that had been done by them. The North looked as if nothing had changed since the 1980s and after making USD300m annual profits LTTE had only sophisticated bunkers, posh offices, a swimming pool in the middle of the jungle and nice houses for the mahaveer families. That LTTE did not share their wealth appear not to have been a problem to the Tamils of the North for never had they questioned the LTTE on why no roads were built, why no electricity was given, why children could not study properly and now with freedom handed over nothing that the Government does seems to be enough. Is it because the Tamils feel that the Government is compelled to do what they did post-LTTE defeat? But the Government is also compelled to look after the rest of the provinces too and the South has still may roads, many infrastructure that has yet to be even addressed and even after showcasing the state of areas through private television programs the State has preferred to concentrate on the North diverting even the funds of the South to the northern development from loans taken. Who pays these loans -” it is not the Government it is the majority populace and their needs have not been taken care of.
When Tamils were themselves subject to taxes, inserting their names and particulars on LTTE databases to regularly get monthly reimbursements -” all that ceased with the elimination of the LTTE. Now Tamils are able to take the bus from Colombo and reach Jaffna without any fear. That freedom was given not by the TNA but by the armed forces and the Government. The Tamil people may like to remember though too late that the TNA never asked the LTTE to release Tamils kept to be used as human shields, TNA never gave a bag of rice even and the TNA never wanted the LTTE to be defeated.
If there are crimes taking place in the North such as rise in liquor consumption, abuse of women and rape it is not done by the army. Rapes, abuse are all now part and parcel of the peace dividends and committed by members of Tamil families upon their own. Many a time these crimes have been attempted to be brushed on the army but the army has been alert enough to find the culprits and end the spread of fabrication and lies spearheaded by the TNA and taken to the international podium by local stooges and biased humanitarian organizations.
Are Tamils -ËœSeparatist-â„¢
There are some questions that need to be asked. At times it is better to call a spade a spade than to wait until someone has the pluck to do so. For many years we have kept to the logic that All Tamils were not LTTE but ALL LTTE were Tamils. This was because we still believe many Tamils did not agree to the murderous ways of the LTTE. But then the question arises whether they disagreed with only the methodology applied by the LTTE but the objective was agreeable to them. So again we need to ask how many Tamils wherever they live actually think or believe the Tamils should have a separate land of their own. The answer to this separate land the Tamils need to accept is not in Sri Lanka because it was some imported Christian called Chelvanayagam who came to Sri Lanka and infested the minds of the Tamils with this idea. The roots of the Tamil language, Tamil culture are found in Tamil Nadu and that is rightfully where a separate Tamil Eelam finds its place and that can be legally argued as well, for the -Ëœself-determination-â„¢ term is applicable to when British offered former colonies this option and Sri Lankan Tamils may like to read a bit of history and discover that Tamils in India demanded an independent state on the grounds that India was never India until the British for their own convenience converged territories and boundaries and declared a new nation called India.
Nevertheless, the TNA comes with a lot of bag and baggage, its entry to politics itself controversial with the LTTE placing them in the Sri Lankan parliament to do their bidding at the political level which the LTTE could not given its status quo as a banned international terrorist movement. TNA is shrewd enough not to claim openly for a separate state for it knows well that the rest of the country is not willing to buy their notion of the rest of the Tamils living as they are. No sooner TNA calls for a separate state the majority populace will demand that the Tamils living in the South also join their -Ëœpeople-â„¢ in the North and it is something that Tamils should now think about and ensure that the TNA is not allowed to promote separatism but turn a new leaf (if possible) and govern the North sans separatist ideology.
Are Tamils -ËœRacist-â„¢
If we are to accept that most Tamils are not for separation despite voting for the TNA, it then brings us to the question, are Tamils -Ëœracist-â„¢. By racist we are implying that Tamils do not wish to vote for anyone else other than a Tamil whether the candidate or party is right or wrong. This same accusation is put to the Muslims in the manner they vote for the Muslim Congress. They have also voted for the UNP given that the platform of the UNP has always been to voice only for the minorities. If by the same logic, people claim the Sinhalese are racist -” they would need to count the votes of Sinhala political parties to nullify that claim.
Nevertheless, if Tamils or Muslims are -Ëœracist-â„¢ in the manner they vote, the whole -Ëœintegration-â„¢ -Ëœreconciliation-â„¢ -Ëœmulticulturalism-â„¢ bogeys become a joke. They are good for western forums where what is discussed is never what the agenda is about.
The fact that in every polling division the TNA has received over 80% of the total votes certainly makes us to wonder whether people voted for TNA based on its separatist agenda or simply because TNA is a Tamil political party and the Tamil people wish to vote for ONLY TAMILS. This would lead to a very precarious situation if so. In fact, whether Tamils voted based on separatism, racism the end result is that the TNA would use this as it sees fit irrespective of what the Tamils actually thought when casting their vote.
Are Tamils -ËœCastetist-â„¢
In thinking of desiring a separate land have Tamils also thought of the differences that prevail between them and how far every Tamil is prepared to live according to the high class/low class, caste/low caste system that prevails rigidly amongst Tamils. Even in Colombo, Jaffna Tamils do not share the same cups of tea with Tamils of Batticoloa, Tamils of Jaffna would never marry anyone from the East and marrying a Tamil from the Estate community would lead to being shunned from the family forever. This feature is often hidden under the carpet but this factor is essential to understanding the trend changing in the expat community. A good look at the manner the Tamils voted for their government- in-the-sky -” the TGTE shows that despite the numbers voting being hardly representative of the number of Tamils living abroad the new generation of Tamils are not interested in following the rigid caste system as many are even marrying foreigners too. Most probably once the older generation carrying the caste factor ages with time this may disappear or it may also gather momentum for caste factor has always been a tool to keep people enslaved and politicians are excellent at keeping such factors alive to make use of for their own existence.
The election analysis cannot omit mention of the UNP having contested the North and also taking note of the harangue made about Prabakaran not allowing Tamil voters to vote to secure an election victory for Ranil Wickremasinghe at the 2005 presidential election. However, UNP known to be always pushing the interests of Tamils and Muslims only have faced their ultimate embarrassment with the present Northern Provincial Council votes.‚
In all of the 10 polling divisions of Jaffna the highest vote given by a polling division to the UNP has been 173 votes and 35 postal votes.
In Kilinochchi district too, the UNP has secured just 53 votes and postal votes account for just 1 vote.
In Mannar district, the UNP has 180 votes with just 7 postal votes.
In Vavuniya, UNP obtained 1,704 votes and 65 postal votes.
In Mullaitivu UNP secured 195 votes and just 2 postal votes
This is a stark contrast to when UNP aligned with Sarath Fonseka at the 2010 Presidential Election wherein the Sarath Fonseka camp also had the blessings of the Tamil National Alliance. The entire north voted in cohesion for Sarath Fonseka, the former army commander giving him a resounding victory over President Mahinda Rajapakse at the 2010 Presidential Election just months after the War victory. Comparison of the election results of 2010 against the present Northern Provincial Council election results reveal that even the displaced voters of Jaffna and Vanni voted for Sarath Fonseka over Mahinda Rajapakse -” though the logic behind that is somewhat difficult to understand given that Gen. Sarath Fonseka was the army commander that led the army to victory and eliminated the LTTE.
The present election leads us to question exactly how Tamils think because we continue to think that they cannot be thinking like the TNA -” which is why the questions were posed to ask Tamils whether they are separatist, racist, castetist or all. If so, how would they propose to live in harmony. The gauntlet is certainly in the hands of the Tamils for it is they who now decide whether they lead the TNA to its separatist ways, it is the Tamils who will decide what type of rule the TNA will follow. It is in the interest of the nation and its people that we urge the Tamil people to help the TNA remove itself from its current separatist ways and get them to serve the people first as elected officials and ensure they all move to reside in the North amongst the people of the North and not remote control governance living in the South.
Someone in the Tamil community need to now start grooming new young leaders who will decolonize the minds of the Tamils from this brainwashed notion of Tamil Eelam because there is no such thing in Sri Lanka -” it is a political tool being used to fool the Tamils.
As for the Government there are some pending inactions that need to be now taken up for consideration without delays for political advantage as the interest of the nation must come first.
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September 22nd, 2013 at 2:10 am
I would consider under “pending actions” the TNA expectation of Tamil Self Determination for a Separate State via a referendum although unlikely on a local 2/3 majority. Despite this it is now not an immediate issue, but GoSL should not leave any pathway for that TNA target in the future. As it has been said before, ” if you wish to amputate your leg, you do not ask the leg but the rest of the body!” So the GoSL should set up the Constitutional framework for a compulsory Island wide Referendum and NOT a provincial referendum, if this issue is ever pushed forward by the TNA. The question of whether to separate OR not has to be put to all those so affected by it ie the WHOLE of Sri Lankan nation and Not just a province. Any foreign examples to the contrary shall be ignored – S de Silva – London
September 22nd, 2013 at 5:08 am
The victory of the TNA proves one thing.
The ungrateful will always be ungrateful!
September 22nd, 2013 at 5:38 am
“Someone in the Tamil community need to now start grooming new young leaders who will decolonize the minds of the Tamils from this brainwashed notion of Tamil Eelam because there is no such thing in Sri Lanka – it is a political tool being used to fool the Tamils.”
SW, please be REALISTIC.
That will NEVER happen. Please stop dreaming about it.
Tamils will be Tamils = ungratefuls will be ungratefuls.
September 22nd, 2013 at 5:49 am
This is almost a landslide Victory for the TNA and is almost like the 1956 SWRD Bandaranaike victory after he offered to make Sinhala the national language of the nation within 24 Hrs, forgetting that the Tamils brought to the country mainly during colonial rule were now a permanent and distinct ethnic group in Sri Lanka. Similarly, TNA appealed to the tribal instincts of Tamils and offered a separate homeland for them, who have only meagre hopes of getting independence for Tamilnadu, their original homeland in India. The consequences of this communal victory, we are yet to see and hope it will not drag the country down to another long drawn out conflict destroying everybody’s dreams since the defeat of LTTE terrorists. Will the Sinhalese, especially the Buddhists, tolerate their historical land being carved out according to the whims and fancies of the descendants of minorities that subsequently settled down in SriLanka with the blessings of Colonial masters? Is this the normal practice in other parts of the world? Will the minorities in other nations also think of carving out separate nations for themselves, in their respective countries?
September 22nd, 2013 at 5:54 am
It is pointless and disastrous to talk of a concept of a “Separate State” or interpret the term “Tamil Self Determination” as separatism with the land slide victory of Elankai Tamil Arasu Lachchi at the Northern Provincial Councils election. It is wise enough for all the citizens of the country and their Government to strictly to adhere to the Legislative Provisions governing the Provincial Councils. All the Provincial Councils need and must adhere to the assigned administrative and development tasks entrusted and it is the binding duty of the Central Government to monitor the activities of such Local Government Institutions.
Forget the call for Self Determination and Separate States and also the interference by the Foreign States or Diaspora. The Government has to be STRONG and be VIGILANT at all times to see that the Provincial Councils are performing according to Parliamentary Legislation. If any one or many of the Provincial Councils are working OUTSIDE the purview of the Central Government dictates, move in swiftly and decisively and DO NOT HESITATE TO DISSOLVE and bring all violators to justice. Do not allow them to have a DEVIL DANCE.
In my opinion, the above must be the LOUD AND CLEAR CALL of the PEOPLE to their Government.
September 22nd, 2013 at 8:28 am
If this TNA illegal circus is allowed to continue, Sri Lanka will be like the tuna that got swallowed by a minnow !
Solution is to first charge & remove the TNA candidate Wigneswaran as contesting illegally (under ILLEGAL TNA Manifesto) and also breaking the Law (on a number of counts) under the 6th Amendment. Also remove the Separatist friendly 13-A.
That’s about the long and the short of it. Prognosis, if continuing with 13-A : Not good at all.
September 22nd, 2013 at 8:53 am
Does the result show ‘ Sinhalaya modaya, kavun kanna suriya’ ?
September 22nd, 2013 at 10:24 am
NOW more than ever, it is necessary for HE Presdent Rajapaksha to plan a program with the help of defence secretary.. Dr. Gotabhaya & implement it to move Tamils & Muslims from Colombo to North & East. This should have been done many years ago, just after euphoria of winning the battle in May 2009.
STILL it is NOT too late..because allowing the prime land along the sea coast to be occupied by Tamils & to a lesser extent by Muslims is ONE way of depriving Sinhalese, their ancestral lands & gaining employment. Colombo has become a seat of ALL anti govt. & many other races which are not conducive to Sinhala Budhist people.
Gradually Tamils & Muslims have to leave & move inwards or completely out of Colombo district. We have no opposition to different natioanls practicing their faith, BUT they need NOT congregate in the CITY of COLOMBO. I am sure UDA can think of a plan to commence this immediately.
NEXT will be to DECLARE SriLanka as pre-dominenltly a BUDDHIST Nation. Buddhism must be made official Religion & such incidents as foreign nationals asking WHY a Buddhist Flag flies in our Independence Square.?
We tend to allow too much freedom to our new comers which IMPLY that we can be taken for granted. Proper laws are there, ONLY we have been too slow to act on them.
There is NO reason for tamils to occupy Colombo District when their place of residence is North, as such they should move voluntarlyly, before GOVT. takes action to do so. Mere 4- 5% of the Tamil population cannot ask anymore favours, previleges, BEST thing for them is to ssimilate with other Sri Lankans, Sinhalese, Muslims, Burghers etc.
Tamil language SHOULD NOT be a state language although the needy & rural communities can communicate with the govt,. of the day in Tamil. IT should be enshrined in our PSHYCHI…because they are NOT a significant minority.
Muslims occupy at least 7% of the pouplation, THEN they the Muslims have the authority to meet our President & TAMILS can form a SUB GROUP as they are now a minority declined to 4 – 5% from 12% few years ago.
We ned to be more vigilant on HOW these foregn nationals mostly from India behave when they arrive in Lanka,because some bring so much baggae & are SPIES coming on Biz Visas, just to create problems for the other communities.
These measures, for a start will be ample to start changing the face of Sri Lanka & hopefully economic development can follow after. ABOLITION of 13, 13 A or any form, MUST be implemented either through a Referandum or President’s 2/3 majority.
That is MOST important, the very reason India keeps on HARPING about, this is the ONLY issue they can use to intervene in Sri lanka’s domestic affairs.
Forget about the TNA winning NP it is irrevelant as they want to have ELAM in North….Thank you all…. May the Noble Triple Gems guard you all & our Motherland…..ONE NATION< INDIVISIBLE, UNITED & FREE, UNDER ONE LEADER< ONE FLAG….J
September 22nd, 2013 at 11:57 am
September 21, 2013 will be a DAY OF INFAMY, comparable to that infamous day of March 14, 1815, when a junta of treacherous gullible chiefs of Sri Lanka handed over Sri Lanka’s hallowed Crown to the Perfidious Albion!
On September 21, 2013, the very UPFA GOSL, that WAGED and WON a WAR of National Liberation and Reunification of Sri Lanka ABJECTLY CAPITULATED and handed over in PEACE control of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province to the political PROXY of the defeated Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. This capitulation to the LTTE, militarily crushed in battle at great cost in blood and treasure, to comply with a Constitutional Amendment RAMMED DOWN Sri Lanka’s protesting throat by India … the very power responsible for inciting and fostering Tamil terrorism in Sri Lanka, boggles my mind.
On September 21, 2013 the Tiger Nominated Agents of the TNA HAVE TAKEN CONTROL of the Northern Province and IS BEGINNING its incremental campaign to create the Separatist State of Eelam, that will inexorably seek UNION with Tamil Nadu in India.
This unbelievable TURN OF EVENTS, breathed new life on this Day of Infamy, September 21, 2013, will spawn the Eelam War V, for the PATRIOTS of Sri Lanka will NEVER ACCEPT the Division of Sri Lanka into a patchwork quilt of Communal States.
Those leaders of Sri Lanka who stood by and allowed this tragedy to occur will be Swept Away and Consumed in the ensuing maelstrom, for they who seed the wind shall reap the whirlwind!
It is NOT the SURVIVAL of LEADERS that is at stake here, but the SURVIVAL of the NATION & ALL of its PEOPLE.
RISE UP … O PATRIOTS of Lanka … to DEFEND & PROTECT your Motherland: REVOKE the 13th Amendment; DO NOT DEVOLVE POWER to Self-Proclaimed Separatists!
Lorenzo is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT: Eelamists will NEVER CHANGE their Tiger Stripes! Basil Rajapaksa should be tarred & feathered as a congenital IDIOT!
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Sri Lanka’s victorious Tamil party ready to work with government in power devolution
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Sept 22, Colombo: After emerging victorious in a landslide at the polls for the Northern Province yesterday, Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said it is ready to work with the government to solve the ethnic problem.
Addressing a media briefing in Jaffna following the party’s landslide victory, the TNA leader R. Sampanthan said his party is ready to participate in the Parliament Select Committee appointed to resolve the national issue if the government agrees to a meaningful measure to devolve power.
He said the party is ready to assist the government to fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
Sampanthan said that the new council will move forward step by step.
The newly elected Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council C.V. Vigneswaran said the Council needs to work with the government in some areas and once the Council is in operation they will discuss the pressing issues that need to be addressed such as the land and police powers.
Meanwhile addressing a media briefing in Colombo Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, who was in charge of the development in the war-torn North, said the government is willing to work together with the TNA within the framework of the Constitution.
Minister Rajapaksa stressed that now the TNA has received the power they have responsibility to fulfill the needs of the Tamil people. He expressed hope that the Tamil party would not lead the northern people to another separatist struggle.
September 22nd, 2013 at 2:30 pm
Eelam is dead and can never be brought back for a variety of reasons. Since the end of the war:
– Colombo has gone on a campaign of building a state of the art highway system that connects all parts of Sri Lanka. The original reason that the Autobahn was built and extended by Hitler was the use for the rapid uninterrupted transport of troops and military hardware. This was the
same reason why the US built the massive highway system in the 1950’s and during the growing cold war with the Soviet Union where a nuclear attack was a palpable reality.
– President Rajapakse and defense Minister Gotabaya Rajapakse have against all odds maintained a strong military presence in the Northern and Eastern provinces and has refused the Tamil National Alliance, the UNHRC and New Delhi to remove this military presence clearly stating that by doing so the forces for a separate nation will win. If so the military will maintain their presence since the Tamil National Alliance won with such a large margin.
– Sri Lanka has signed a “Cooperative Strategic Partnership” with the fastest growing power in the world, China who along with Pakistan supported Colombo during the war while India supported the LITE. They supported Colombo not for any love of Sri Lanka but to make sure that India’s proxy war failed for had Eelam been created India would have crushed Sri Lanka’s power and had an unfettered access to the Indian Ocean. The War started in full force in 1983 during the last years of Indira Gandhi who had earlier successfully divided Pakistan to create Bangladesh and successfully annexed Sikkim to become a force along the Himalayan region with Nepal and Bhutan. Under her RAW was already training LITE cadres before 1983 so India’s reasons were clear: divide Sri Lanka using the LITE then replace the LITE leaders of Eelam with hand picked politicians by New Delhi and by that get access to the port of Trincomalee which would have gone to Eelam.
This expansion of India’s power was negated by both China and Pakistan and by the new “Strategic partnership” with Sri Lanka it allows China to be an integral force if the forces of Eelam were to arise. It would be within the compounds of that agreement for Colombo to allow China’s navy to dock in all ports that would go to Eelam in a second try using force. If that happens both the LITE forces and New Delhi would be check mated for any war against Sri Lanka is a war against China. lets not count Pakistan out of this situation.
-If the forces for Eelam were to bring this issue to the UN to get Eelam using the pen instead of the sword their allies the US, Great Britain and France would be negated by China and Russia in the Security Council where such matters are addressed and not in the general assembly. China and Russia have used this new power of a joint veto many times before for issues that matter to them. Both Russia and China have promised this support in the UN to Sri Lanka before the second round of human rights motions enacted by the US under the pressure of India.
Even the accusations of human rights by India and the US were nullified when all the nations in the region supported Colombo making India a laughing stock.
Outside of using force again or using the UN Sri Lanka cannot be divided. There is no other channel left for the pro LITE forces. That is why I state that Eelam is now a dead issue and those hell bent on still pursuing this path do it at their own peril.
September 22nd, 2013 at 4:21 pm
“Lorenzo is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT: Eelamists will NEVER CHANGE their Tiger Stripes! Basil Rajapaksa should be tarred & feathered as a congenital IDIOT!”
Thank you Ananda.
Patriots come to realize. We have been taken for fools. Govt. should STOP wasting more resources on the north. Just stop the damn thing.
Look what TNA is doing NOW.
Now they want to WORK WITH the government FROM A POSITION OF POWER. Now their bargaining power both locally and internationally is HUGE. This they will use to screww the govt. They will complain to the international community the govt. is not cooperating and the only option left to them is separation. IF the govt. cooperates, they will get separation PEACEFULLY.
Either way SL is stuffed unless these threats are physically eliminated with the use of non state actors.
September 22nd, 2013 at 4:32 pm
Fran,
“Hitha honda gani hemathama budding”.
When we use peaceful solutions to resolve a VIOLENT problem (breaking up the nation is an act of violence) it ends up serving TNA ALWAYS. Govt. will not remove 13 amendment now. Supreme court will NOT do anything against TNA. Election department will not do anything against TNA. Now it is to late for that.
These threats must be physically eliminated with the use of non state actors (so no war crimes).
JR was the greatest leader. Despite IPKF invasion he didn’t collapse. He somehow screwwed the system to bust the PC system in the north resulting in violence again. Out of that violence, SL was saved. Soon LTTE (supposed to be dead when IPKF attacked them) started killing NE PC councilors. Even Dayan J resigned out of FEAR. Premadasa HELPED the LTTE do it. Finally Perumal was cornered and collapsed.
If you rule out violence as a solution, don’t expect others will FOLLOW. They will NOT. It is their choice. They use violence against you and you will be exposed. This is why ancient Sinhalese used it every time the nation was at risk.
September 22nd, 2013 at 4:33 pm
BW,
“Eelam is dead and can never be brought back for a variety of reasons. Since the end of the war.”
Not true at all.
TNA victory is a sure sign of Elam project getting a new jab of life.
Roads, development, etc. cannot sway Tamils. Only RACISM can.
September 22nd, 2013 at 6:01 pm
Lorenzo,
Use the Courts for Justice.
The TNA leaders have broken with the Law of the Land (6 -A broken) with their Separatist Manifesto as well with words from
Mr Wigs. Sri Lanka would be doing a perfectly legal thing to take them all to Courts.
After that remove the 13-A via a Referendum.
Why kill anyone ? Long jail terms as well as seizure of property will suffice.
September 23rd, 2013 at 2:13 am
RESPECTED ALL,
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH…..LET THEM HAVE THEIR HOME AS THEY WANT….PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO BREAK THEM AGAIN….THINK AS A HUMAN WITH A HEART
September 23rd, 2013 at 3:21 am
In the Northern Province, of the total number of Registered Voters, 67.52% cast their ballots last Saturday.
Of this number, 78.48% voted for ITAK.
This means that of the total number of Registered Voters in the Northern Province, nearly 53% voted for ITAK
This implies that about 1 in every 2 Voters in the Tamil Heartland was not sufficiently motivated to lend their support to the policies of ITAK.
Is it correct then to say that “Tamils Voted Overwhelmingly For Self-Determination” ?
September 23rd, 2013 at 4:17 am
வடமாகாணசபைத் தேர்தல் தமிழ்தேசியக்கூட்டமைப்புக்கு கிடைத்த வெற்றி அல்ல. ஒரு நீண்டகால ஜனநாயக மீட்சிக்கான போராட்டத்துக்கு கிடைத்த வெற்றியாகும். ஆனால் கடந்த காலங்களில் புலிகளின் கொலை வெறிகளுக்கு மாற்றுஇயக்க உறுப்பினர்கள் தமது உயிர்களையும் பலி கொடுத்திருக்கிறார்கள். தமிழர்விடுதலைக்கூட்டணி பல மூத்த தலைவர்களை இழந்திருக்கிறது. ஏன் தமிழ்தேசியக்கூட்டமைப்பின் தலைவர் சம்பந்தன் கூட பாராளுமன்றில் இவ்வாண்டு ஆரம்பத்தில் பேசியதுபோன்று அவரது பெயரும் கூட புலிகளின் கொலைப்பட்டியலில் இருந்தது என்பது உண்மையானது. ஆனால் இன்று எவரேனும் சுதந்திரமான அரசியல் செயல்பாடுகளில் ஈடுபடும் சமாதான சூழலை ஏற்படுத்திக் கொடுப்பதற்கு அரசாங்கமே வழிவகுத்தது.
சுமார் 1977ம் ஆண்டின் பின்னர் எந்த ஒரு வேட்பாளரோ வெற்றிபெறும் உறுப்பினர்களோ சுட்டுகொல்லபடமாட்டர்கள் என்ற ஒரு சூழல் இன்று நிலவுகின்றது. இதனை உண்மையென்று தெரிந்தாலும் பகிரங்கமாக ஒத்துக்கொள்ள நமதுமனம் இடம் தராது .மாறாக வடமாகாண மக்களுக்கு இந்த அமைதியான சூழலை உருவாக்கி கொடுப்பதற்காக நிச்சயமாக தமிழ்தேசியக்கூட்டமைப்பினர் ஒருதுரும்பைக் கூட எடுத்துப் போடவில்லை என்பதே கசப்பான உண்மையாகும்.
1987ல் உருவாக்கப்பட்ட போதிலும் இந்த மாகாண சபை முறைமையை சுமார் 25 வருடங்களுக்கு அதனை வடக்கில் இயங்கவிடாது தடுத்தது புலிகளின் இருப்பேயாகும். அந்த வகையில் புலிகளை அழித்தொழித்து இன்று வடமாகாண சபையை உருவாக்கியதிலும் இலங்கையில் எப்பகுதியிலும் இல்லாதவாறு சுமார் 70% வடக்கு மக்களை அதில் உற்சாகமாக பங்கெடுக்க செய்தமையிலும் எல்லாவற்றிக்கும் மேலாக தமிழீழமே தமது தாகம் என்றிருந்த புலிகளால் புலிகளுக்காக உருவாக்கப்பட்ட இந்த தமிழ்தேசியக்கூட்டமைப்பினரை மாகாண சபையை ஏற்கசெய்து அதை அவர்களிடமே ஒப்படைத்திருப்பதிலும் அரசாங்கமே பெருவெற்றியீட்டியுள்ளது.
தமிழ்தேசியக்கூட்டமைப்பினரால் ஆளப்படபோகும் வடமாகாணசபை தன்னால் செய்யமுடிந்த அபிவிருத்தி பணிகளில் நாட்டம்கொள்ள போவதில்லை. தமிழ்மக்கள் பெரும்பான்மை ஆதரவு தந்தமை வடக்கில் இருந்து இராணுவத்தை வெளியேற்றவே காணி அதிகாரத்தை நாம் பெற்று கொள்ளவே என்று தீர்மானங்களை நிறைவேற்றி வீரபிரதாபங்கள் பேசுவதிலேயே காலம் கடத்துவர். எந்த வகையிலும் இந்த தேர்தல் வெற்றி தமிழ் மக்களின் வாழ்வில் ஒளியேற்றும் வெற்றியாக இருக்க போவதில்லை என்பது மட்டும் நிச்சயம்.
தமிழ் மக்களின் கடந்த கால இழப்புகளையும் அழிவுகளையும் நினைவு படுத்தியே தமிழ்தேசியகூட்டமைப்பினர் இந்த தேர்தலை எதிர்கொண்டனர். இறுதி யுத்தம் முடிந்த பின்னர் சமாதானம், சமூக நல்லிணக்கம், இனங்களிடையேயான ஒருமைப்பாடு என்பன மெல்ல மெல்ல முளை விட ஆரம்பித்தன. சுமார் 4 வருடங்கள் மீட்சி பெற்று வந்த இயல்பு வாழ்க்கைக்கு இந்த இரு மாதங்களுக்குள் கூட்டமைப்ப்பினர் ஆப்பு வைத்துள்ளனர். இந்த தேர்தலில் கூட்டமைப்பினர் இனங்களிடையேயான வெறுப்புணர்வை, பகைமையை, பழிவாங்கும் உணர்வை மீண்டும் தூண்டி விட்டுள்ளனர். வாக்குகளை பெற்று கொள்வதற்காக மிக மோசமான முறையில் இனவாதமும், இனவெறியும் கூட்டமைப்பினரின் பிரச்சார மேடைகளில் அரங்கேற்றப்பட்டன. அதுமட்டுமன்றி தமிழ் மக்களை மீண்டும் ஒரு யுத்தத்துக்கு தயார் படுத்துவது போன்று இராணுவத்தினருடனான முறுகல்களுக்கு தூண்டிவிட்டனர். இந்த மிக மோசமான வழி முறைகள் ஊடாகவே சிங்களவர்களுக்கும் அரசுக்கும் எதிராக தமிழ் மக்களின் மன உணர்வுகளை சூடாக்கி அதனை தமக்கான வாக்குகளாக அபகரிப்பதில் கூட்டமைப்பினர் வெற்றி பெற்றுள்ளனர்.
இவ்வெற்றியானது 30 மாகாணசபை உறுப்பினர்களை பெற்றுக் கொள்வதில் கிடைக்கின்ற தத்தமது சுகபோகங்களைத்தவிர வேறு எதையும் பெற்றுத் தர போவதில்லை. மக்களின் அமைதியான வாழ்வு குழப்பியடிக்க பட்டிருக்கிறது மீண்டும் சிங்களவரோடு நாம் சேர்ந்து வாழ முடியாது என்கின்ற அவநம்பிக்கையை மக்களின் மனதில் மீண்டும் விதைத்திருக்கிறது. இறுதி யுத்தத்தில் இடம்பெற்ற படுகொலைகளுக்கு நியாயம் கோருவோம் என்று மார்பு தட்டி இனவாத அணிதிரட்டலின் ஊடாக வாக்குகளை சுருட்டிக்கொள்வதில் தமிழ்தேசியக்கூட்டமைப்பு காட்டிய வேகம் தமிழ் மக்களை இன ஒற்றுமைக்கு எதிரானவர்களாக பழியுணர்ச்சி மாறாதவர்களாக சிங்கள மக்களுக்கு சித்தரித்து காட்டுவதில் போய் முடிந்திருக்கிறது. எனவே எப்படி கடந்த 30ஆண்டுகாலமாக புலிகளின் வெற்றி தமிழ் மக்களின் வெற்றியாக இருக்கவில்லையோ அப்படியே வட மாகாண சபை தேர்தலில் தமிழ்தேசியக்கூட்டமைப்பு பெற்றுக்கொண்ட வெற்றியும் தமிழ் மக்களின் வெற்றியாக இருக்கபோவதில்லை. புலிகள் எப்படி தமிழ் மக்களின் அனைத்து வளங்களையும் வீணடித்தார்களோ அப்படியே தமிழ்தேசியக்கூட்டமைப்பும் தமிழ்மக்களின் வாக்குகை வீணடித்துள்ளார்கள்.
September 23rd, 2013 at 6:15 am
Fran,
It CANNOT be done through the courts. It NEVER works. If the president and the parliamentarians are TOO CHICKEN to do the right thing, how can judges do it?
Learn from history.
Could the court STOP the 13th amendment? NO.
Could the court STOP the CFA or scrap it after it was signed? NO.
Did the court STOP ILLEGAL TNA manifesto, illegal TNA, etc.? NO.
Going to court over Tamil racism is a WASTE OF TIME. It NEVER worked and it will never work.
As a TOP judge Vigneswaran has many catches in the system. This is in addition to the problems the court has. MOST judges and anti-nationals. They get paid 100,000 a month which is peanuts. They get paid 500,000 a month from NGOs, political parties, etc. That is real money.
September 23rd, 2013 at 6:23 am
LORENZO WAS ALWAYS CORRECT …TAMILS ARE RACISTS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WILL NEVER CHANGE THEM WHAT EVER GIVEN TO THEM THEY WILL TAKE AND WILL CRY FOR EELAM. SOME SINHALESE WILL FORGET 30 YEAR WAR TIME AND CRY FOR MORE FOOD AND LUXURIES TAMILS FIGHT FOR A SEPATATE COUNTRY SINHALESE FIGHT FOR LUXURIES AND NOT FOR THEIR COUNTRY
NOW .WE WILL NOT BE EASY TO ABOLISH 13 A. IF WE TRY THE WHOLE WORLD WILL GO AGAINST
September 23rd, 2013 at 6:41 am
Govt should get cracking in this.
EVERY PC member has to make the following oath.
“I . . . . . do solemnly declare and affirm-swear that I will uphold and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Sri Lanka.”
TNA dirt will take oath in front of Sambanthan. However, govt. should RECORD them taking it and play it to Tamilian Diaspora jokers. Can’t describe their anger!!
IF TNA dirt don’t take this oath, they cannot function as PC members.
September 23rd, 2013 at 7:52 am
“I . . . . . do solemnly declare and affirm-swear that I will uphold and defend the Constitution of the Republic of Sri Lanka.”-
every TNA will take Oath !
Sampanthan is openly saying solution is in undivided Sri Lanka !!!
September 23rd, 2013 at 9:17 am
Tamil speaking Sri Lankans have learned to swim as fish and fly as birds but they have not yet learned to walk as brothers and sisters. The real welfare of human race is to share love, peace, and prosper. “Tamil Exclusiveness” concept is one of the main causes for ethnic tension in our motherland. Mono ethnic enclaves should not be encouraged. That’s the reason to non-tolerance of other cultures. Everyone should have a common Sri Lankan identity. Sri lanka is for every son and daughter of the soil, whether speaking in English, Tamil or Sinhala. Equality,liberty and freedom to exercise one’s religion, language and culture is all that matters. We are all Sri Lankans and Sri Lanka belongs to all its children. Every Sri Lankan citizen has to be treated equally, should be allowed to move around freely without any restrictions and when they do so they should be encouraged to procure these assets at market prices. Please do not create mono ethnic enclaves. There are no ethnic homelands in Sri Lanka… only Sri Lankans and Sri Lanka.If the Tamils can live other parts of Sri Lanka, then why Sinhalese don’t have the same right. Sri Lanka is a free country; Anybody from Dondra Point should be able to live in Point Pedro and vice versa as well. Co-inhabitant is the best solution to national integrity and makes different ethnic groups to understand each other.
September 23rd, 2013 at 11:09 am
Jaffna Tamils lost their social culture when they started supporting political murders. Prabhakaran led LTTE was intensely fascinated by death and dead bodies. Jaffna Tamils and Tamil Diaspora are yet to reform and still suffering from victim-hood mentality.
September 23rd, 2013 at 11:24 am
Sunil Mahattaya Says:
September 22nd, 2013 at 10:48 am
What a laugh!
If Sri Lankans have trepidations about the TNA ~ once an open front for the LTTE, winning the Northern Provincial Council their fears should be allayed as this is not a National election victory! The Northern Province is but a miniscule segment of the nation’s periphery still under the control of the GOSL. It could hypothetically be viewed as rope for the TNA and their misguided Tamil supporter to chew on regardless of how the US, UK, EU or any other Western Power wants to interpret it. The TNA win should be interpreted as a means for the SL Administration to overview the real direction of the TNA where any indications or moves towards secession should be pounced upon and by the majority powers vested in the Government through the overall mandate of the Sinhala Nation crushed inasmuch as it did the Tamil Tigers. This will in all probabilities be the eventuality as the TNA has no other course in their agenda other than to re-initiate the so called Tamil struggle which in simpler terms points to none other than secession.How the Government manoeuvres through this needs careful deliberation and at no stage should it bow down to the whims and fancies of those who imagine that the TNA has won a victory that grants them the control they need as well as carte blanche towards their Nation disrupting shenanigans! None of this would have happened had the Government taken the legal move to debar them from participating in active politics on the basis that they have been found tangibly to be none other than a front for the Tamil Tigers which the TNA could never deny ! It is a culpability the Government seems to have overlooked and heaven knows why! The GOSL ~They’ve got promises to keep and miles to go before they sleep surely,
September 23rd, 2013 at 11:34 am
Lorenzo,
Any violence will beget more violence and hatred – that is the universal law.
No, we have to do things the right way. There is a lot more than meets the eye here. Wait and see.
Truth wins, always, however long it takes.
September 23rd, 2013 at 7:50 pm
The elections in the North once again confirms that Tamils are always united. They will only support other Tamils. Once they get a high position, they hire only their own kind.
The Tamil diaspora will pump money in to the TNA unless they have not done it already and they will buy the whole country unless the Sinhalese wake up! Sinhala is spoken only in Sri Lanka. So we are the minority. Someone ought say these things to Navi Pillay.
I agree with someone who said that the Government should have an island wide referendum.
September 24th, 2013 at 2:20 am
Fran,
“Any violence will beget more violence and hatred – that is the universal law.”
Rubbish! There is NO such universal law.
e.g. King Dutugemunui used violence to bring peace but it didn’t beget more violence.
e.g. USA bombed Japan into dust but no more violence after that.
e.g. Russians whacked Germans violently and that brought ONLY peace.
e.g. SL killed JVP and LTTE terrorists violently it didn’t create any further violence.
Hatred is a human feeling. It can have ANY reason or NO reason.
e.g. If SL doesn’t give Tamil Elam to Tamils they will HATE SL.
e.g. If SL doesn’t allow TN fishermen rob fish from SL they will hate SL.
e.g. If Assad doesn’t go USA will HATE him and Russia.
There is NOTHING I can do for another not to hate me.
It was violence that brought peace to SL ALWAYS.
September 24th, 2013 at 3:19 pm
“Any violence begetting more violence and hatred – is true
RE-e.g. King Dutugemunui used violence to bring peace but it didn’t beget more violence. IT WAS WAR TO DEFEND HIS COUNTRY INCORPORATING THE VIOLENCE AS A MACHINE OF WAR~ IT HAS NOT BROUGHT PEACE TO SRI LANKA AS YET. IT MERELY DEFEATED ELARA AND TEMPORARILY SUBJUGATED THE tAMILS
RE-e.g. USA bombed Japan into dust but no more violence after that. NO MORE VIOLENCE MAYBE BUT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS DEAD AND GENERATIONS SUFFERING FROM RADIATION LINKED DISEASES AND A SUFFERING HITHERTO UNKNOWN TO MANKIND. YET OUT OF THE ASHES OD DEVASTATIO JAPAN HAS RISEN AS A PHOENIX INTO BECOMING A SUBSTANTIAL NATION OF RESILIENCE AND PROSPERITY.THEY HAVE CHANNELED THEIR VIOLENCE INTO PEACEFUL MEANS OF LUCRATIVE PROGRESS.
RE-e.g. Russians whacked Germans violently and that brought ONLY peace~ IS RUSSIA A PEACEFUL NATION TODAY? HARDLY! AS IT LIVES IN FEAR OF MEGALOMANIAC PUTIN THE GREATEST THREAT TO THE FREE WORLD!
RE-e.g. SL killed JVP and LTTE terrorists violently it didn’t create any further violence. NOW YOU ARE TALKING!!! YES THIS WAS A LEGITIMATE VIOLENCE DIRECTED AGAINST INTERNAL ARMED INSURRECTION BY TERRORISTS AGAINST SOVEREIGNITY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY.BUT ARE YOU DREAMING THAT IT DID NOT CREATE FURTHER VIOLENCE? OPEN YOUR EYES. THE JVP AND THE LTTE ARE STILL VERY MUCH ALIVE IN OTHER FORMS OF MANIFESTATION WHERE THE G.O.S.L. NEEDS TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS AND WARY ABOUT A RESURGENCE OF VIOLENCE AT ANY FIVEN TIME.
RE- Hatred is a human feeling. It can have ANY reason or NO reason. ~ HATRED IS AN EMOTION PREVAILING IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM INCLUDING HUMANS AND THE HIGHER PRIMATES IN PARTICULAR. THERE CAN BE NO ATTRIBUTES OF REASON RELATED TO IT ALTHOUGH THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE IT CAN BE CONFRONTED THROUGH LOVE AND QUELLED.
IT IS A BLIND INSTINCTIVE INHERANT TRAIT.
RE-e.g. If SL doesn’t give Tamil Elam to Tamils they will HATE SL.~THE VERY THOUGHT OF GIVING THE NATION OVER TO EELAMISTS WHILE BEING A DERANGED ONE COMES ONLY FROM DISTORTED AND IMPAIRED MENTAL VISION. ALREADY THERE ARE MANY TAMILS WHO HATE SL THAT NEED TO BE SHIPPED OFF TO TAMIL NADU PERHAPS!
RE-e.g. If SL doesn’t allow TN fishermen to rob fish from SL they will hate SL. THE TERRIRORIAL BOUNDARIES FOR FISHING BETWEEN INDIA AND SRI LANKA IF NOT PROPERLY DEFINED, GUARDED AND CONTROLLED THE PROBLEM WILL BE CONTINUOUS REGARDLESS OF WHO HATES WHOM!
RE- e.g. If Assad doesn’t go USA will HATE him and Russia. ~ ASSAD WILL EVENTUALLY BE OVERPOWERED BY THE RESISTANCE REBELS WHERE NO EXTERNAL INTERFERENCE APART FROM STRENGTHENING THE REBELS TO A MAXIMUM SHOULD BE ATTEMPTED. THE USA ALREADY VIEWS RUSSIA WITH CONTEMPT ANS VIEWS ASSAD AS DERANGED AND DANGEROUS
RE- There is NOTHING I can do for another not to hate me.~ THERE IS MUCH ANYONE WITH COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING AND PERCEPTION COULD DO FOR ANOTHER IN ORDER TO WIN HIS OR HER ADMIRATION AND RESPECT.THINK ABOUT THE TEACHINGS OF THE LORD BUDDHA, JESUS CHRIST, THE HINDU ASCETICS,THE LOVE OF MOTHER TERESA, THE COMPASSION OF DR. MARTIN lUTHER KING JR. THE RESILIENCE OF MAHATMA GANDHI AND SO MANY MORE WHO HAVE PROVED THAT HATE CAN BE OVERCOME WITHOUT VIOLENCE.
RE- It was violence that brought peace to SL ALWAYS ` IT WAS VIOLENCE THAT DESTROYED THE TRANQUILITY OF RESPLENDENT SRI LANKA~ VIOLENCE INHERITED FROM THE DEVIL HIMSELF “WHERE EVERY PROSPECT PLEASES AND ONLY MAN IS VILE!” IN THE WORDS OF AN ANCIENT HYMN AND SO TRUE.
September 24th, 2013 at 3:35 pm
Sunil,
King Dutugemunui used violence to bring peace but it didn’t beget more violence. – War was violent. It DID bring peace to SL. The UNIVERSE is a violent place. What matters is RELATIVE PEACE which followed the good King’s violent victory!!
SL had 16 Endian invasions. ALL were repulsed using violence. That was how SL was a PEACEFUL country!!
Same applies to all the rest.
SL is at GREAT RELATIVE PEACE today thanks to VIOLENCE (war) we unleashed on our enemies.
USA-RUSSIA-JAPAN are a MILLION TIMES more peaceful AFTER their VIOLENT war victory than before when millions of people were killed every MONTH!!!
NO ONE can ever achieve 100% peace. That is not in this violent universe. What matters is RELATIVE peace. Relative to times of worse violence and invasion.
So in conclusion, violence when directed WORKS. It does NOT BY ITSELF breed further violence.
September 24th, 2013 at 3:38 pm
I forgot Germany. It was a place where MILLIONS of people were killed for nothing before DRESDAN, etc, etc. etc. violent incidents stopped it for good!!
These are facts not just opinions.
SL had a terrorist group called LTTE that went bombing, killing, abducting, ethnic cleansing, etc. etc. Many peace moves were attempted but the bombing, killing, abducting, ethnic cleansing, etc. etc. went on.
Finally the brutal war that WIPED THEM OUT VIOLENTLY brought peace to SL.
Again another FACT not an opinion.
September 25th, 2013 at 8:24 am
I GET YOUR DRIFT lORENZO !
jUST THAT I OBJECT TO THE CONCEPT OF VIOLENCE TO RESOLVE ANY CRISIS.
THE SIDE EFFECTS AND THE PAIN AREN’T WORTH IT IF THERE ARE BETTER WAYS THROUGH PEACEFUL MEANS.
September 25th, 2013 at 3:55 pm
I agree with Sunil. Violence will only bring the international bodies crashing some more on Lanka. Peaceful methods are best.