Tamil leaders say “Sinhalese colonization in North” What about Tamil Colonization of South?
Posted on April 25th, 2016

Shenali D Waduge

The Northern Provincial Council has boldly passed a resolution contravening its mandate claiming ‘Sinhalese colonization in the North’. Leaving aside what the Government should do about the NPC violations, the counter question is what about Tamil colonization of the South steadily taking place. Why are those supporting the Northern colonization claim silent on the Southern colonization by Tamils for it will only be a matter of time that the same demands being made in the North for self-rule will start being voiced in the South as well. Let us not forget that Tamils account for 76million and illegally entering Sri Lanka from Tamil Nadu while Sinhalese are less than 14.8million making Sinhalese a minority endangered ethnic group requiring international protection since UN has classified Sinhalese language as endangered.

Colonization refers strictly to migration.  Colonization was linked to the spread of tens of millions from Western European states all over the world to the Americas, Australia and New Zealand. These settlements were done using the legal maxim of terra nullius (empty land). This was a Christian Church doctrine used via Papal Bulls to take over any lands/territories that were not Christian. Therefore Americas, Africa, Asia and Australasia which were inhabited by non-Christians lost their lands because they were not practicing Christianity.

There is nowhere that says that colonization refers to movement of people from the same state within the state. A government cannot be accused of colonization of one’s own territory especially in an island nation. The TNA is making a fool of themselves with these bogus claims.

 shenali2504161our opposition leader is busy carrying ‘stop genocide against Tamil’ placards!

The Constitution of Sri Lanka guarantees equal rights to all citizens as well as freedom of movement and residence. It is a fundamental right of a citizen to live and work anywhere he likes.

A plethora of campaigns surround the claim of genocide. None of those putting their names to campaigns have bothered to look at the population statistics of Tamils to question whether genocide can take place without deaths? Migration statistics of Tamils moving out of North to South have never been properly studied either. How many have looked at the housing population in the South in particular Colombo and suburbs where the Tamil population is slowly increasing as are the Indian arrivals?

In 2014 the Northern Province Chief Minister called for Sri Lankan and foreign experts to re-write Sri Lanka’s history obviously because he and his racist coterie could not prove with evidence a key argument now being raised that Tamils who were always known as Malabars (coming from India’s coastal regions) and were later known in 1911 as Ceylon Tamils had no rightful claim to any part of Sri Lanka. The self-determination, self-rule, autonomy were all sham quests just so that a handful of caste/class conscientious Tamil leaders could wrest political control over their own people in a return to slave-master set up.

The colonization claim does not hold water as sufficient historical and archaeological evidence prevails to showcase Sinhala Buddhist heritage in North Sri Lanka and Sinhalese and Muslims have every right to even without historical proof decide to reside in the North if they so wish.

Tamils have no right to jump up and down claiming ‘genocide’ and ‘colonization’ as gimmicks to stop Sinhalese & Muslims from exercising their fundamental rights to live where they like especially return to their original habitats from which they were chased by LTTE and IPKF.

GOSL should not be scared and refrain from assisting the Sinhalese & Muslims who wish to return to live in the North and new comers who also wish to reside in the North. If Tamils can live in the South why can’t Sinhalese & Muslims live in the North.

In fact the GOSL is bound to help such people because of the threats they may face by quarters of the TNA who by some obnoxious logic think they can reside anywhere and everywhere in Sri Lanka while Sinhalese or Muslims cannot enter the North because it is Tamil territory.

There is and was and will never be any such demarcated territory. There is no such territory demarcated and called Land of Tamils in Sri Lanka. There is a State for Tamils found in Tamil Nadu where the state official language is Tamil too and it is from where Sri Lanka’s Tamils originally came from too.

In making genocide and colonization claims the TNA and Chief Minister of NPC are violating Section 120 of the Penal Code :

“Whoever by words, either spoken or intended to be read, or by signs, or by visible representations, or otherwise… attempts to raise discontent and dissatisfaction amongst the People of Sri Lanka, or to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different classes of People, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years”.

Let us look at the statistics and demographic change taking place.

  • As per population census of 2001 taking to account 18 districts

o   Sinhalese population was 13.8million

o   Sri Lankan Tamils was 732,149

o   Indian Tamils was 855,025

o   Muslims 1.3m

o   Burghers 35,283

  • As per population census of 2012 taking all 25 districts

o   Sinhalese population was 15.1million

o   Sri Lankan Tamils was 2.2million of which the population of Jaffna, Mannar, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya & Kilinochchi came to 987,692 which means that of the 2.2million only 987,692 are living in the so-claimed ‘Tamil homeland’ area!

o   This is very interesting because it also questions the genocide claims. How come Tamils are increasing if they are supposed to be getting killed????

o   Of the 2.2million Sri Lankan Tamils, 231,318 are living in Colombo, 80,071 are living in Gampaha (majority Sinhala area), 71,640 are living in Kandy, 47,523 living in Puttalam, 54,658 in Ratnapura

o   We need to seriously ask where these Tamils are coming from if there is supposed to be genocide taking place because the Indian Tamil population numbers are taken separately.

o   Indian Tamils account for 842,323

o   Indian Tamils are located in Nuwara Eliya-375,795, Colombo-27,336, Kalutara-23,611, Matale-23,400, Matara-11,984, Polonnaruwa- 1,190, Moneragala-4,590, Ratnapura-62,595, Kegalle-41,468

There is also another factor that has gone unnoticed. Who is keeping a tab on the rising apartments, condominiums coming up like mushrooms with every single storeyed house now being turned into a flat. Who are living in them, who owns them, how many foreigners and Indians are living in them – do the authorities know how many tourists are overstaying, how many tourists are working and then taking money back, how many illegals are entering or have entered since LTTE times? How many of these illegals are now posing as Sri Lankan Tamils or have even married and acquired land? How many Maldivians are now living in Sri Lanka and ownership of land by them through marriage to locals. Is there a competent authority in Sri Lanka that is looking into these concerns as we see a very subtle demographic change taking place where soon there will be no Sinhala-majority areas while minorities are using every dirty trick possible to claim rights to land as only theirs when they have no historical right to claim so. What is the situation likely to be when the present government has removed ownership rules for foreigners and we don’t know who is coming from where and what they are upto? If this situation is not addressed this will qualify for colonization when people who do not belong to Sri Lanka are entering to change the demography of the country while our politicians are having sleepless nights on how to stay in power.

All parties & individuals that aligned to the TNA & Chief Minister’s genocide and colonization calls are exposed for their silence in not representing the Sinhalese and Muslims for their rights to live in the North and to return to their original habitats.

Shenali D Waduge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29 Responses to “Tamil leaders say “Sinhalese colonization in North” What about Tamil Colonization of South?”

  1. anura seneviratna Says:

    “Tamil leaders say “Sinhalese colonization in North” What about Tamil Colonization of South?”

    The title of this letter itself is a subservient and foolhardy acceptance of Sinhela colonization! How ludicrous for anyone to say Sinhela colonize in their Sinhela National Country but the fact for this continuous drab is, when we EVEN accept Sinhela colonization and go to the extent of asking what about Tamil colonization of the South. This is ample fodder for the Tamil invasive claims within the Sinhela Country to march on eyes closed for the eventual total capture of the Sinhela Island Country. Why it’s so difficult to understand our sole propriety to our National Island? Do we treat our freehold house and land too with the same trend and remain as a lost cause?

    ” The Constitution of Sri Lanka guarantees equal rights to all citizens as well as freedom of movement and residence. It is a fundamental right of a citizen to live and work anywhere he likes.”

    When comes to “equal rights”, also, we have a major mental blockage in understanding how it’s practised universally. In every national country, every national citizen including settler communities in host countries merges into a single nationhood. Only in the Sinhela Country nicknamed as SL, where this justifiable law is up side down by allowing settler communities to have their foreign national rights within the Sinhela host Country too, inviting insidious invasions.

    ” There is and was and will never be any such demarcated territory. There is no such territory demarcated and called Land of Tamils in Sri Lanka. There is a State for Tamils found in Tamil Nadu where the state official language is Tamil too and it is from where Sri Lanka’s Tamils originally came from too. ”

    Indeed, this is the statement we must make constantly and sternly for the world to hear – and this is where we can make the truth as it is for any settler communities to heed plus the so called rulers also to fall in line to Uphold the Sinhela National Sovereignty over the whole Island. For all nations to understand their inalienable national sovereignty is a simple thing, while the Sinhela nation is unable to get the head round it, hence, certain members of settler communities with unrefined humanity are exploiting it.

  2. mario_perera Says:

    On the subject of colonization of the north there is a historical factor which tends to escape our attention.

    The vital question is: how did the army come to occupy these lands? Whose lands were they before the army occupation.

    The answer if crystal clear. They were lands expropriated from the Tamils by the Tamil army the LTTE and their political allies, foremost the TNA. The LTTE expropriated those lands and occupied them with the full consent of their political allies without the least concern for those to whom they belonged. Under the Tamil military cum political rule the Tamils thus deprived of their lands had no say and way in that matter. They lived wherever they could. They had lost their rights to their land.

    The Ealam war was principally about TERRITORY. It was about driving away the Tamil army from the lands they held during several decades. This was accomplished. The Tamil army was driven out of the lands they occupied, belonging both the State and to the Tamil citizens. What the State army took over were lands under Tamil army occupation. The private land occupied by the Tamil army was confiscated land. The Tamil owners had no more say in the matter. They had sacrificed their land for ‘a greater cause’, the establishment of Tamil Eelam.

    Now what right have the earlier owners to reclaim that land? After the Tamil army occupation of that land, the previous ownership had been annulled. It had become land of the Tamil army. What the State army took over was land that belonged to the Tamil army.

    The political allies were the political wing of the Tamil army. They were part and parcel of the Tamil army. When the Tamil army was vanquished, its political allies the TNA and others were equally vanquished. They lost their land to the conqueror. The previous state of things was wiped off the slate.

    The situation is similar to what the British did with the land appropriated from the Sinhala peasantry for habitation by imported Tamil labour. The Sinhala peasants lost their lands ‘for good ‘.

    The land occupied by the army is now STATE LAND. That is the end of the story.

    By their support for the Tamil army, the LTTE, the TNA that has now changed colours like the chameleon has no right to claim with the left hand what they expropriated with the right hand, when hand in hand with the Tamil army, the LTTE.

    Mario Perera
    Kadawata

  3. mjaya Says:

    It is not Tamil colonization of the south. It is Tamil colonization of Sri Lanka.

  4. dingiri bandara Says:

    Sad but true.Colonization and migration to the South by Tamils and Muslims are possible because the Sinhalese sell their property and move away to buy cheaper property in other areas whereas the Muslims and Tamils in most cases will sell only to their people. One reason for it they are prepared to pay more and the other is most Sinhalese do not care to whom they sell. Muslims and Tamils want to live in the South despite what say they know it is safe live among the Sinhalese.
    Recently I sold a property close to the Kotte MC. There were many Muslims who were interested, I was told it was because of the close proximity to a Mosque. Although, I had to undergo many obstacles as the buyer did not have cash and had to get a bank loan. It took five months for the buyer to get the loan approved.
    I do not dislike or hate Tamils or Muslims. Some of my best friends in Uk are Tamils and in the USA are Muslims. It is their attitude of in general, towards Sinhalese I don’t like and the attempt to form enclaves. I suppose that is what they taught to do.
    Our housing scheme was started by sixteen Sinhalese Families, both Buddhists and Christians. Many of the housed are now sold. There are 3 houses and 3 plots belonging to Muslims and they are interested in buying the rest. If they succeed that will be another Muslim colony. May be I spoiled it. When I encountered the delays and impediments, my friends advised me to sell it to one of the Muslims, but I refused.Had I sold it to a Muslim, I would have got more money but I simply could not do it.
    I was also told that the Muslims are helped by their banks and the Mosques to buy prime property and mine was one.

  5. Fran Diaz Says:

    Cannot help but say that it is probably the fault of successive govts of Sri Lanka where laws have been put in place to make Sri Lanka an open invitation card to come and settle down in Lanka, mostly illegally.

    One such law is the Tamil language (Special Prov) Act of 1958 (SWRD), enhanced by the enforced under Duress 13-A (1987) by INDIA in which piece of illegal legislation the Tamil Language is an Official Language too.

    As Lanka is situated so close to Tamil Nadu where languish some 15 Million Tamils of DALIT origin (stated on their birth certificates), this is a fairly suicidal thing to do.

    Tamils come illegally and change to various religions – some to Catholicism, to Islam, and some even to Buddhism, whilst the rest stay on as Hindu as the Prevention of Disabilities Act (1957 – SWRD) as well the Tamil Language laws are in place with the various free Education, Health Care, possible Jobs, Land & Housing, etc. tagged on. The most attractive factor to migrate illegally to Lanka is that there is no mention of Caste in the birth certificates, as done in Tamil Nadu.

    NGOs and various other institutions abroad likely aid the religious bodies with new converts.

    Kindly Buddhist Lanka, as they say, is the “sitting duck” that probably fell for the plantations cheap labor from Tamil Nadu gimmick, along with imported Cold War politics to ex-Colonists.

    At least at this late stage, the 13-A should be removed by the UNP led Yahap govt.

  6. Ananda-USA Says:

    Completely agree with Anura Seneviratna!

    It is LUDICROUS to say the Sinhalese are “Colonizing” any part of Sri Lanka; it is our Country in its ENTIRETY, and we are FREE TO LIVE ANYWHERE within the territory of Sri Lanka!

    Furthermore, successive governments created and administered by the Sinhala Majority have magnanimously and graciously EXTENDED THAT RIGHT they enjoy to EVERY OTHER CITIZEN of Sri Lanka. EQUAL RIGHTS for ALL when they could have denied them some of those rights as the Israelis do in Israel/Palestine.

    It is because of the exrecise of these EQUAL RIGHTS that local concentrations of not only Tamils but also Muslims have emerged and grown without let or hindrance in Sinhala Majority regions of Sri Lanka!

    Given that FACT, how dare these TNA/Tamil Racists/Demagogues of the NPC now DEMAND a “Tamil Lanuage Majority” status for a part of our country, and an exclusive zone for Tamil-speakers-only in a merged Northern and Eastern Province!

    That VIOLATES the very NOTION of a SINGLE NATION with citizens EMPOWERED TO LIVE ANYWHERE within it, IRRESPECTIVE of ETHNICITY, RELIGION, LANGUAGE, CASTE and indeed SEX!

    This is a SERIOUS VIOLATION of our CONSTITUTION, and is NOTHING SHORT of RANK SEPARATISM!

    These TRAITORS who make these DEMANDS should be PROSECUTED for TREASON to the FULLEST EXTENT of the LAW!

    The current Yahapalanaya Government must be COMPELLED by the PEOPLE to ENFORCE THE LAW and PROTECT the NATION by PROSECUTING these CRIMINALS for TREASON!

  7. Dilrook Says:

    It is fair to say Sirisena and UNP are Tamil sympathisers. Both are in competition with each other to secure lucrative Tamil votes at the 2019 presidential election without which they have no chance of winning.

    However, the silence of the two Joint Opposition leaders Mahinda and Dinesh is intriguing. They must be condemning these actions in harshest possible manner. Racist action of Sampanthan (storming an army camp and complaining about Sinhala ‘colonisation’ of the north and east while Tamils colonise Colombo in larger numbers) and the Northern Provincial Council passing a resolution calling for federalism and merging with the Eastern Province are illegal.

    Weerawansa and Gammanpila have criticised these (after Rishard Bathirdeen condemned the NPC resolution first) as party leaders of NFF and JHU. What about the JO leaders? Are they held hostage by Vasudeva, GL Peiris and other well-known separatists and Tamil sympathisers within the JO?

    JO cannot be a rainbow alliance of patriots and separatists. It must stand for one policy as the two positions are not reconcilable. It is foolish to think getting on-board all available rubbish would tip the voting scales in Mahinda’s favour. It will not. More will desert him and the JO if this joke continues.

    Sarath Weerasekera, Venerable Ellawala Medhananda and other former MPs with a nationalist fervour, along with likeminded people must form a separate political party and contest all elections against both UNP and the JO. If the JO is serious about protecting national interests, they can join together. If not the new party should contest separately.

    Tamils and now Muslims have rival parties (ACTC verses TNA and SLMC verses ACMC). This ensures their interests are not taken for granted. Even if JO claims to be patriotic, another patriotic party is essential to keep them under check. In 2004, JHU was blamed for running UPFA’s chances for defeating UNP comprehensively. However, JHU with 9 MPs held the balance of power at the 2005 presidential election. Mahinda had to agree to JHU demands of exterminating Tamil terrorists else he would have lost as JHU planned to field its own candidate.

  8. Ananda-USA Says:

    Dilrook,

    Why do you identify GL Peiris as a separatist? I am interested in your reasons because I don’t think so, although he has changed sides in the distant past.

    The JHU played an important role supporting the war-effort and rallying the Sinhala Buddhists against the Tigers, but sadly the JHU leaders today are neither defending the Jathika Urumaya, nor the Hela Urumaya.

    JHU leaders, such as Champika Ranawaka and Ratana Hamuduruwo, are also responsible for TOPPLING theMR/UPFA GoSL by dividing the Sinhala Buddhist vote, and today are only interested in the acquisition of personal power and wealth. In short, they have SOLD OUT our URUMAYA and become “bath gottas”!

  9. Dilrook Says:

    Ananda, GL Peiris was instrumental in drafting the regional councils federal structure in 1995, taking forward Thiruchelvam’s Political Package after he was killed in 1999, he even gifted luxury cars to prelates in an attempt to win their support for the package in 1999 (they turned them down), participated in talks with the LTTE (even addressed the terrorist ideological leader with phrases reserved for national leaders) and totally ran down the foreign ministry which ruined our efforts to counter war crimes allegations (Sajin Vaas also played a role but as minister, GL could have either done better or fixed the problems).

    JHU became a party of jokers by 2015 no doubt. However, my example relates to 2004-2010. Had it not been for JHU holding the UPFA hostage in 2004 until 2009, the war effort would not have been so effective. It was JHU monks that put Mahinda in a crisis in July 2006 forcing him to go to war or suffer an untimely government collapse. However, had Mahinda agreed (or not allowed those demands to emerge by conduct) to most demands of JHU in November 2014 (which were reasonable), Mahinda may have won the 2015 election. Greatest damage was done not by the JHU but by the Mahinda camp by joining Sirisena in July 2015. Had they contested separately, they could have at least produced the opposition leader. Even now, they have been incapable to registering their own party.

    Similar to the JHU in 2004, the Sinhala Maha Sabha allowed the UNP to win the election in 1947 under strict conditions beneficial to Sinhalese. Otherwise the UNP would have eneded up like what it is today at a crucial time when Independence was discussed.

    I don’t think there is a single MP in parliament whose primary motivation is Sri Lanka’s welfare. They have personal stakes. However, they can be forced into taking a stand if a sizable amount of Sinhala votes can be selectively shifted as a bargaining tool.

  10. Dham Says:

    Excellent ! Thank you Dilrook.
    You spoke for me.

    One cannot earn big without taking risks. People have taken the risk in 2015. Now there are a bunch of hungry warriors to fight. We should make use of them. Force them , not pamper them.

    Unfortunately foolish people pamper these politicians( if don’t worship) and their heads become big. Crowds at Hyde Park bringing adverse reactions now. Basil has taken charge. He declare May day rally before WW and the rest. Basil + JLP in action with DJ supplying moral support. Even Nalin expressed his fears. I am very worried India will soon buy them.

  11. Fran Diaz Says:

    If Lankans (Politicos, Academics, Business folk, Voters, etc.) do not address the Root Causes of Tamil Separatism, we are all bound to suffer the consequences for a long, long time.

  12. Senevirath Says:

    fran රූට් කෝසස් පැහැදිලිකරන්න කෙටියෙන්
    ලෝකේ තමන්ට වාසභුමියක් නැති නිසා දුබලයන් ගේ වාස භූමියක් අයිතිකර ගනීමට අවශ්‍ය වීමය් හේතුව එක දෙන්න ඕන ඉන්දියාව අපේ දේශපාලකයෝ එක හඳුනා ගත්තත් කල හැකි එකම දේ එක කියන එකය් ” සිංහලත්වයට හිමි තැන දීමට උන් අකමැති එක හැර වෙන ප්‍රශ්නයක් නැහැ .ලේසියෙන්ම මේක නතර කරන්න පුළුවන්කම තිබුන ප්‍රබා මාරු වෙලේම මහින්දට. දුලන්ජලීට සහන සලසුවට සිංහල ජාතියට එයා සහන දුන්නා මදි

  13. plumblossom Says:

    Many Sri Lankans are gravely concerned about the TNA proposal to partition Sri Lanka into four pieces with a huge chunk (28% of the land area, 66% of the coastline and 66% of the ocean comprising the North and the East of Sri Lanka) going to the TNA racists and separatists as a merged North East federal state (but craftily disguised as ‘unitary’) with full powers.

    We are wondering why did over 43,000 both Sri Lankan Forces and civilians die at the hands of the LTTE and that megalomaniac Prabhakaran, if now, the TNA is being handed over an ‘Eelam’ so easily constitutionally?

    When looking at a GIS Map of Sri Lanka, it is amply clear that most of the forested areas of Sri Lanka are situated in the North and the East. Do not these forests belong to all the citizens of Sri Lanka? Do not the same principle apply to the ocean too or even the whole island, that the oceans and the whole island belong to all the people of Sri Lanka? Mr. Vigneshwaran has ‘created’ a fake history (stating that Tamils lived in Sri Lanka for 2000 years). Yet, there are no ancient ruins in Jaffna, in the North nor any ancient Dravidian writing to prove these fake claims. History of the Tamils commence mainly with the Dutch and the British bringing in large numbers of people from Tamil Nadu to work in tobacco plantations commenced by the Dutch and the British. There was the so called Jaffna Kingdom set up by an invader just prior to that but then Jaffna was only very sparsely populated. Our question is, can people such as Mr. Vigneshwaran ‘create’ his own fake history like this? He is ignoring the many Buddhist ruins, the many ancient Buddha statues, ancient Sinhala prakrit writing, the many ancient irrigation reservoirs built by Sinhala kings in the North and the East which proves an earlier indigenous Sinhala habitation in the North and all over the island. We would like to tell Mr. Vigneshwaran to be objective when it comes to history and archaeology and accept once and for all the fact that the Sinhala people lived all over the island for thousands of years and continue to do so. I would like Mr. Vigneshwaran to note that the provincial boundaries were drawn up by British colonialists for their administrative purposes with no input whatsoever from the Sinhala people and does not tally at all with the earlier history of the island which was unitary in nature.

    The Kandyan Kingdom (1400AD-1815) comprised almost all of the island inclusive of the East and almost all of the North. The earlier Kingdom of Rajarata (600BC-1400 AD) comprised the North Central, North Western, Northern and Eastern Provinces or the dry zone of Sri Lanka.

    We are gravely concerned regarding the drawing up of a new constitution where due to the pressure of the TNA, the US, EU, UK, Canada, Norway, Sri Lanka is in grave danger of being divided up on ethnic lines into four, five or even six different pieces. Is this not crazy?

    The TNA proposals were drawn up by experts which the TNA hired from the UK, Canada, Belgium, Canada, US and the like. Is this not an interference in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs by foreign powers, even to the extent of trying to draw up Sri Lanka’s constitution?

    Can any organization in Sri Lanka go to the supreme court and stop, once and for all, the merger of the North and the East since it is critical to stop this once and for all? Can any organization in Sri Lanka also go to the supreme court and stop, once and for all the, dividing up of this small island on ethnic or any other lines?

    The only way to stop this madness is to go to the supreme court and get a verdict which would prohibit the merger of any provinces and to stop once and for all the dismemberment of this small island on ethnic or any other lines.

  14. Fran Diaz Says:

    plumblossom,

    We agree with all you say here.

    But the N&E WERE de-merged legally earlier. Now the same song is being sung to re-merge the N&E !

    We have to address the Root Causes of the so called Tamil Problem. No other way for Peace in Lanka.

  15. Ananda-USA Says:

    Dilrook,

    The points you make regarding G.L. Pieris’s role in prior governments is absolutely true, particularly when he was in CBK’s Govt he made me LIVID with anger with his devolution proposals made at CBK’s behest. However, I think his role in MR’s Govt was positive, and generally followed MR’s directions. In other words, he seems to bend whichever way his bread is buttered, and serves who he works for. In MR’s Govt, and now, he is playing a positive role.

    You and I AGREE on JHU’s role during the war years; there is no disagreement between us there.

    The greatest mistake MR did was in NOT REPEALING the 13th Amendment and DISSOLVING the Provincial Council System right after the LTTE was defeated in 2009. We again agree on that.

    However, I understand his problem; it was that he had promised devolution during the last phase of the war … including a 13A Plus …. to keep the Western Powers and India at bay and gain the freedom of action to demolish the LTTE. After the war ended with that accomplished, he found it difficult to backtrack on those promises to the Western Powers and India and also thought he could retain the support of the Sinhala Buddhists by deferring action on the 13A and not DISSOLVING the PC system. He was WRONG on the latter assessment; he could have put the 13A to a National Referendum and let the Sinhala majority REPEAL it, shifting the responsibility to the voters from his own shoulders. He could have said that he is bound to honor the WILL OF THE PEOPLE, but he DIDN’T because he felt he had sufficient control to defer the matter until the ECONOMY & GLOBAL POLITICS shifted in his favor to allow him to to it.

    You and I also disagree on the role played by the JHU in the July 2015 elections; that was a power play by JHU leaders to grab more power and wealth for themselves forgetting and sacrificing the interests of the nation. This Buddhist Monk Party as it is often referred to, ABANDONED the Sinhala Buddhist in their own personal interest.

    Regarding the mistake of Mahinda joining Sirisena in July 2015, I tend to AGREE with you that “Had they contested separately, they could have at least produced the opposition leader. Even now, they have been incapable to registering their own party.” MR still hopes to gradually capture and take away from Sirisena/CBK/JHU combo the support of the BULK of voters and leaders the UPFA, and the SLFP in particular. I hope he succeeds, and that his political judgment is better than ours.

    Like you I would like to see Mahinda CREATE A NEW UNAMBIGUOUSLY PATRIOTIC PARTY RIGHT NOW that people can work for and elect to power.

    The vague Joint Opposition without EVEN A IDENTIFIABLE PARTY NAME is CONFUSING the voters, and even the Patriots! The ONLY beneficiaries of that CONFUSION will be the UNPatriotic Party, the separatists, and the assorted unpatritic minorities now controlling the Cabinet and moving to gradually dispossess and subjugate the Sinhala Budhist majority.

    NOTHING GOOD will come from this state of affairs! I PREDICT VIOLENCE in the NEAR FUTURE!

  16. Dilrook Says:

    Ananda,

    I tend to agree with your explanation about the predicament Mahinda is in. He is still in that trap as the powers that may be have planted their feelers within the JO. Mahinda is unable to shake them off. The country is badly in need of few good men. Your last two paragraphs say it all. This is why the political equation must be threatened with nationalists from another front.

    There are enough patriots outside parliament include Sarath Weerasekera, Venerable Ellawala Medhananda and other former MPs with a nationalist fervour. They along with likeminded people must form a separate political party and contest all elections against both UNP and the JO unless the JO agrees to nationalist demands.

    To take what you said a step further, I fear for the life and policy of patriotic frontrunners including Wimal and Udaya. As these two are the only MPs bold enough to call a spade a spade, incarceration, silencing (through family harassment) or murder will land the JO in the same fold as the UNP and SLFP. This is why an ideology, not persons, is important. Their inability to agree on an ideology is the reason why they are a loose group called the JO.

    Grabbing power by whatever means is not an ideology.

    People are feeling the pinch of the economic crisis. After May 2, they will feel it even more. With monthly inflation running at 2.2%, annual inflation is going to be a horror at 30%. The danger is people will make choices based only on cost of living with no regard to national interests. JO politicians will focus only on that as it is enough to propel them to victory. When this happens, national interests always get disregarded. Examples include 1970, 1977, 2001 and 2015.

    Protecting national interests, unitary status (one national development, economic and governance plan everywhere with no provincial obstacles), political stability, sufficient military strength, keeping the nation’s guard up and diluting separatist campaigns in time are the ones that bring long term economic growth. So even if the focus is on the ‘stomach’, national interest is at the heart of it and cannot be disregarded.

    I too see violence ahead as political parties avoid taking up real issues but force people to choose between very bad choices. However, violence must be stopped at all cost by giving people hope and a good choice they can be proud of supporting.

    At the very least Mahinda, Wimal, Dinesh and Udaya must be joint leaders of the joint opposition without allowing Vasudeva, GL Peiris and Basil any say at the top. It was their ministries (reconciliation, foreign affairs and economic affairs and north-east development) that ruined Mahinda in his second term. This lot was followed by Patali, Hakeem, Sajin and Sirisena overlooking petroleum, justice, foreign ministry monitoring and health. Thankfully these people are not close to Mahinda today.

  17. Dham Says:

    Dilrook,
    Photographs and videos floating around say it all. MR, GLP, Basil are together forms the ruling group. WW,UG,Dinesh appear like former JHU (nationalist wing). Basil gave a talk how good they treated Muslims in the East and they were mislead to vote the opposition in 2015. Strategy appears to be Muslim and Tamil votes to be won by Group 1 and Sinhal votes by Group 2. It may work well in an election, but will it serve the national interests ?

  18. Dham Says:

    Surely promises to India for support and subsequesnt excuses will be the song of the future plus nude dancing and night clubs for cubs.

  19. Ananda-USA Says:

    Dilrook,

    I agree with all that you said in your last post above. Your post summarizes the situation very well.

    Regarding inflation and the rapidly rising cost of living in Sri Lanka, I am impacted by that because I am supporting many poor families with children that I have “adopted” with the primary objective of educating the kids in English and Science and getting them into professions formerly reserved for the elite.

    As you quite rightly point out, they are all feeling the pinch of inflation and the cost of living.

    My response has been to help them cope in the short term by increasing the funds, but my real lomger-term strategy is to convert them into self-sufficient entrepreneurs, each according to his/her abilities and interests. I set them up with means of making a living by which they can pass on the increased costs to others through the services they provide and the goods they sell.

    Growing up in Sri Lanka in a professional family, it was vividly clear to me that salaried employees dependent on salary increases to cope with inflation suffered heavily in inflationary times, while business entrepreneurs simply passed on the costs to their customers, and thrived in both good and bad times.

  20. Fran Diaz Says:

    Hope all the PATRIOTS saw this one :

    SL military has a crucial role to play-UK
    2016-04-26 11:54:32

    from the DAILY MIRROR

    Britain said that Sri Lankan military has a crucial role to play in country’s commitment to addressing long-standing issues of reconciliation, accountability and human rights.

    “The UK is supporting the Sri Lankan government in these efforts to build a peaceful, prosperous and united future,” the British High Commission in Colombo said issuing a statement on the visit of newly appointed UK non-resident Defence Advisor for Sri Lanka, Captain Stuart Borland and a team of defence delegation from UK Ministry of Defence last week.

    The appointment of a UK non-resident Defence Advisor for Sri Lanka was announced last year following a meeting between Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and UK Prime Minister David Cameron at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Malta.

    At the invitation of the Sri Lanka Navy, Captain Borland and Deputy High Commissioner Laura Davies toured the Naval and Maritime Academy (NMA) in Trincomalee. Captain Borland also laid a wreath at the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery in Trincomalee.

    In Colombo, Captain Borland accompanied the High Commissioner to Sri Lanka James Dauris, to meetings with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Commanders of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

    Captain Borland also accompanied a delegation from the UK Ministry of Defence, led by Deputy Head of International Policy and Plans (Military) Patricia Parkin, to meetings with representatives from the Ministry of Defence, civil society and the diplomatic community. Discussions focused on opportunities for defence engagement activities in areas of mutual interest and concern.

    Captain Borland said: “ I very much look forward to working with all three Services of the Armed Forces through defence engagement activities designed to support the Sri Lankan Government’s commitments to reconciliation, accountability and human rights.”

    —–

    NB : Please also note that BRITAIN OFFERED TO TRAIN THE SL ARMY.

  21. Fran Diaz Says:

    In the light of present day Economics as per the UNP, we highly commend Ananda’s (USA) course of action with his help/advise for some poor families and their kids.

    This is a good formula for expats and others to emulate.

  22. Vijendra Says:

    I agree with Anura. The title of this letter itself is a subservient and foolhardy acceptance of Sinhela colonization!

    The right question to pose in my opinion is “Tamil leaders say “Sinhalese colonization in North” What about Tamil Colonization of the North?”

    North was Sinhala territory until the Tamils colonized it. The colonial masters consolidated this. The Sinhalese also legitimized this inadvertently by using the tamilized place names when reporting events from these places.

    Idiotic Sinhala politicians never has a strategic objective to integrate the tamils, ignored the racial slurs of the Tamil politicians. As a result of not being able to understand or communicate in Tamil with the people of the north in their own language and engaging them, they continued to ignore them. They did not know the language either to communicate facts to them or to hear their grievances. This led to their alienation over the years, thereby leaving the racist and opportunistic Tamils to lead them with their own political agendas.

    Sinhalese must learn a lesson from this and make sure that at least the future generation knows Tamil to communicate with them and get them into the main fold. This is the only way forward to get rid of this fissure between the two communities. Perhaps the Sinhala politicians should take a lesson from the muslim politicians, who can speak fluent Sinhala.

  23. Ratanapala Says:

    Recently I too sold a property at 5th Lane, Nawala. There were several offers from Muslims but I was adamant the property passed onto a Sinhalese and sold it at a loss of 1.3 Million. However I am not sure the one who bought may not sell it to a Muslim in turn. The politicians only want Sinhala votes, afterwards they sell the Sinhalese to all and sundry. It is a pathetic story.

    Properties in Colombo and elsewhere are being grabbed by Muslims for Rupees which only has a transient and depreciating value against property which is real and appreciating all the time. That is why it is call Real Estate!

    When Col Gadaffi came to attend the 1976 Non Aligned Conference in Colombo, he gave a radio interview over the SLBC. There in he advocated the Muslims to

    a) increase their population – it was about 5% at the time
    b) buy land adjoining main road routes – you can see who owns land alongside all the roads leading away from Colombo and other cities. This is where commerce takes place and where they earn money to buy more land
    c) to construct mosques so that the wailing from one mosque can be heard from the next mosque and so on.

    They now select entire suburbs and very aggressively buy into land using the money clout.

    Recently Rishard Badiudeen said they are against federalism. It is obvious they make better ‘killings’ – meaning acquiring of land from within a unitary Sri Lanka than from a divided Sri Lanka. Muslim game is buying land legally. They are the one’s who are retailing and wholesaling goods throughout Sri Lanka, next to Tamils. They always have excess cash and also they are helped from across the seas by the Jihadist regimes in the Middle East.

    Money should not be the only criterial for selling land. There must be other considerations such as ethnicity and demographics. While the Tamils are forcibly preventing Sinhala buying land in the North, they buy prime land in the most developed areas in the South without even a whimper from the Sinhalese or their so called leaders.

    A scene for future bloodshed is being created at present unless the authorities take notice and prevent ghettofication of Sri Lanka. Europe is already experiencing the results of uncontrolled migration of Muslims into Christian Europe. Soon there will be unprecedented bloodshed (that will make Nazis blush in shame) taking place in Europe.

    “Those who forget history are condemned to re-live it!” – Santayana

  24. Dham Says:

    Ratnapala,
    I too had a property adv on lankapropertyweb.com for rent 2-3 years ago. Flooded the Maldives and Muslims. Finally I had to settle with a Sinhala catholic. No Sinhala Buddhist came. I asked them to vacate 1 year ago and now empty. I have to sell it soon but I am sure Muslims offers will be too good to refuse. I am contemplating on giving away to a monk to build a temple.
    As you said, even if you sell it to a Sinhala Buddhist there is no guarantee of him not selling back to a Muslim. They have “drug money” for a long time now. My area is surrounded by Muslims.

    Rishard Badiudeen is a National Enemy, but MR + Basil will grab him soon if they win. I am 100% sure.
    Our country will go to Muslims, if not for Tamils.
    Listen to this video carefully.
    “http://lankacnews.com/sinhala/main-news/142881/”

  25. Dilrook Says:

    Agree with Ratanapala and Dham. This is the most important topic we all avoid for fear of hurting the feelings of minorities.

    There are 2 issues here. One more controllable and the other uncontrollable. Ratanapala put it right that Muslims don’t want federalism as unitary helps them grab the entire land. Tamils want federal for north and east and still want to colonize the rest of the country. A Singapore style ethnicity based land transactions cannot be imposed in Sri Lanka given the vast disparity in population growth of ethnic groups. The solution to this problem is going federal!

    I invite nationalists to look at this very difficult choice objectively leaving aside for a moment what we think of the dreaded F-word (federal). We have to do a U-turn on federal to save the little that is left for us before we lose that too.

    As the proverb goes, with a twist, ‘watuna hakurata nadanne, thiyena kiri tika raka ganne’. The north is lost to us completely. Most of the east is also lost to us. However, as at today, we have the rest. Within the next 50 years, we will lose the Western and Central provinces too if we go on like this. Tamil coastal encroachment is very visible if you look at an election map.

    The Indian federal model can save the rest for us. Let Tamil be the sole language in use in the north. Tamil and Sinhala can be used in the east. However, as Hindi is the only language in use in UP, Marati and Hindi in Maharashtra, Gujarati and Hindi in Gujarat, Sinhala must be the only official and national language and the language in use in the other 7 provinces. Extensive devolution of power must be made to the north and full internal finances (including tax collection for the expenses as with Tamil Nadu) and east while in return Sinhala language only in the rest.

    This is a position acceptable to USA, EU, India and most local politicians. Their interests are mostly protected. Our leaders have shown they are not capable and unwilling to go against these powers.

    The longer we delay securing the 7 provinces with the false hope of regaining fully the 2 rebellious provinces, the more we lose everywhere. This was the right choice made from king Wijayabahu-3 onwards to move Sinhalese southward. Although we may call it cowardice, given the choices then, that was the most sensible thing to do. Had Tamils spread in the wet zone, Sinhalese would not have survived. Kings did well to confine Tamils and Muslims to the north east dry zone.
    Complete Tamil Eelam nation cannot happen as the Muslim majority east and Hindu majority north cannot merge and both heavily depend on the rest economically and for water flow. Indian central government manages national security and borders in India and these are not devolved. We follow the same.

    I find 13A supporters and Indian RAW agents also strongly oppose the Indian model (as Rishard may be thinking). Their plan is to create Eelam for India, not just Tamil Eelam by totally obliterating Sinhalese from the island. They use the sham unitary label to cover up de facto federal powers to Tamils while allowing them to spread in the rest as well so that in 50 years Western and Central provinces will be like the East and North.

    The other advantage of the Indian model is it has an end. In Sri Lanka, there is no end to Tamil demands and we have no reference point to stop. If we match it to India, unless India devolves more powers (extremely unlikely), we will not either. Yet another advantage is India’s ability to sub-divide states to destroy Independence movements. Sri Lanka cannot do it. Andra was sub divided to Talagana and India has threatened to support Kongu Nadu separation unless Tamil Nadu toes the line.

    It will also stop Jaffna district freeloading at the expense of other provinces. Most amount of taxes will have to be collected from within the province and a mandatory contribution for central functions will have to be made. VAT would be collected from goods going to the north even without consent as sellers include it in the price and pay to the government.

    The Indian election system ensures the party that can win the majority of the majority rules the entire nation (e.g. BJP).

    Sinhalese are held hostage to unitary preference whereas in reality there is no unitary status either (apart from the label).

  26. Dilrook Says:

    The Indian federal model allows the central government to take over any land, etc. for the purpose of military installations. Those who pose a threat to national defence is severely dealt with even if politicians want to soft paddle it. Most TNA and SLMC activists would be behind bars if they were in India. Certain south Indian politicians ended up in jail for posing a threat to Indian security when they protested against small neighbour Sri Lanka. Even this has never happened to own politicians threatening Lankan security.

    The secular sham of the Indian constitution is not needed as India in reality is not a secular country. Sri Lanka will not be a secular nation either. Autonomous territories are also not relevant.

  27. Dham Says:

    Dilrook,
    I disagree on your proposed compromise.
    Your proposal is based on “The north is lost to us completely. Most of the east is also lost to us.” assumption. This government has rejected F many times. It is impossible for them to give them any meaningful “power sharing” as there is so much opposition to it including Maha Sangha.

    To me it is simple matter of getting a new, powerful , honest person to power, it could as well be outside politics.
    However, I am really worried about Muslim land grab and creation of Wahabi Cities. If you had listened to Basil those Muslims in the east already have paddy lands over 100 acres each. I am sure they too are slowly clearing forest areas and capturing more land. In Colombo, they but over legally.

  28. Fran Diaz Says:

    We agree with Dilrook – Secure the 7 Provinces.

  29. Fran Diaz Says:

    A few Suggestions to Secure Sri Lanka :

    * Any group of people in Lanka, using unethical means, who may get special areas to call their own, say, a Federal State, will have to get some sort of work permit to work in other areas, and also get special licenses and permits to own houses, buildings, land, etc. in other areas, outside their Federal State.

    The mania for Separatism has to stop. Only special deterrents will stop them. Appeasement will never work – matters will only get worse. Sorry to say this, but that is how things are in Lanka.

    * A GoSL that cares about the People of Lanka will also remove the 13-A.

    * A group of 5-8 persons, proven trustworthy with past experience, educated and loyal to Lanka, should govern Lanka. The Parliament and Supreme Court for added benefit to the Country & the People.

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