Kanthar.P.Balanathan DipEE(UK), GradCert(RelEng-Monash),DipBusAdm(Finance-Massey), C.Eng.(UK), MIEE(Lond) Retired Director & Specialist Power Systems Engineer

28^th January 2017

Dear Mr SP. Vasantharajah,

1.I came across an article of you suggesting, towards a meaningful political solution”. Well I respect your views. However, I have significant amount of reservation and concerns over your suggestions. The values and norms of someone should be respected, however, one should analyse whether they are positive, meaningful solution towards stability, and that will not give birth to transient issues, and irrational behaviour of people. It would be welcome if some issues are analysed using Leonardo da Vinci method. Look at the problem at various angles and come up with a solution. We Tamils do not do that. We try to focus through one direction only.

By birth, most of the Tamils are racists with high degree of caste conscious. You are aware that the Jaffna man was running an Apartheid system of social environment in the North and the East for centuries, and currently they have exported it to the outside world

The four plus the capital territory was suggested by a gentleman thirty years ago. He has been suggesting the solution most of the time via media etc. However, no one bothered to hear him or support him. May be he was not from the Vellala or the high Pandaram caste. Now you have come up with the old recommendation. And some people may view this as a meaningful solution. The originality of your theory / suggestion is questionable now.

When Prabakaran started the LTTE group, about twenty-five other groups were formed from various Tamil quarters, based on caste. Ultimately LTTE gathered superiority and others aligned with the government and became pro-governmental groups. What answer have you got for this act by the caste groups? Various NGO’s infiltrated into LTTE in Mullivaykal, including Tamil NGOs, not with the intention of helping the LTTE, but to eliminate them by spying on them. Its history now.

When educated people move out of SL and become diasporas, their eager is to gain popularity among the diaspora, to become Presidents/Chairman etc. Some of them have plundered LTTE funds and become filthy rich. I think you are aware of that.

2.Let us analyse your suggestions.

1. What a great blessing if we could consider ourselves as Sri Lankans and toil hard to make our country self-sufficient with sovereign power enjoying prosperity and economic development in our lifetime somewhat like Singapore”

This is a positive statement. However, the moment you want a division based on race, then your statement is nullified.

Let us all whole heartedly dispel all fear, suspicion and jealousy among ourselves and contribute whatever potential we have for the smooth running of the government in power. It is with this earnest desire I pen these lines”.

Who is born with the above characteristics? Tamils have an inborn, integrated fear, suspicion, megalomania and caste differential attitude. Every family quarrel is because of suspicion. Why did Chelvanayagam form the Federal Party in 1949? He was the deputy president of All Ceylon Tamil Congress. He resigned and formed the FP for reasons of not getting a portfolio. People now give some flimsy excuses for his act. (Please read my letter to GG Ponnambalam– http://nrnmind.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/letter-to-mrgajendrakumar-ponnambalam.html). It would be preferable if you read the letter to understand the events in SL among the Tamils. Please read my comments on this later on this reply.

2. With a view to minimise unnecessary expenditure why not the Nine Provinces we have now be reduced to Four by merging, namely Southern Province, Central Province, North Central Province, North East Province and keeping Western Province with Federal Government”

If you remember someone else suggested this 30+ years ago. However, his proposal was Ruhunu, Nuwara, Rajarata, Jaffna, and the Capital Territory which is your western Province. Hence your stuff is an old one; however have significant dot points to discuss.

Unnecessary expenditure: Yes it was foolish to have nine provinces. The question for the Tamils is not the province or state. Its Tamil power they want. Full autonomous power. The Tamils politicians in SL are unable to digest their food and have a good night sleep because of the Tamil Nadu power and the wealth of the politicians. The population in TN is over 70 million. But the CMs and ministers are mostly from other states. No Tamil apart from Kamarajar and Rajakopalachariyar has ruled TN.

The instant you have stated N&E, then you are rooting on ultra-racial and xenophobic perspective. You want a racial state. Tamils will not be satisfied afterwards. They will create somehow, some crooked formulas and method to divide SL, so that they can lead and form an independent republic called Tamil Eelam”. The UN is there for them to run, cry, beg and tell lies. If your argument is that we can live with no fear within a separate state, then what makes you think that we cannot live within one republican country?

You may not be aware of the Apartheid system of social setup we had in the N&E. It still prevails in SL, and the worst is that Tamils have exported it to wherever they migrated. Nobody will accept any flimsy excuses people will on this. A good high quality social setup is quite important for a country to government and people to live integrated in harmony without any differentials and fear. Further Tamils and Sinhalese must get out of the Xenophobic attitude. The Sinhalese have a fear because of the historical massacre of their people by the Tamils over twenty centuries from India, Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand. SJV Chelvanayagam, who was born in Malaysia, amplified and generated a transient fear by forming the FP and naming Tamil Kingdom Party. Tamil MPs were running to India then. We cannot blame the Sinhalese, because of the 70 million people just 20 km across Palk Strait.

Yes I agree that it is a waste having nine provincial councils. However, a federal state will note liability much more than what they cost now.

Further, just give some thoughts; what was the foreign exchange earnings before? All that was spent on health, education, technology etc. was generated in the South. We all had free education, free PhDs, and free MSc etc. Free health with no bribery. Did our fathers or grandfathers generate foreign exchange to cover the costs?

3. Devolution of powers for these provinces can be done in the way how our neighbouring country India does with its states. A healthy and friendly relationship can be maintained among the four provinces if this move is followed. Those who have sound political vision in Sri Lanka can find out from other countries that have devolution of powers with their provincial states and advise those in power to adopt the same method in Sri Lanka. This would be done with consent of both major communities in Sri Lanka. Peace and harmony will emerge if this desirable step is taken. This is my candid opinion”.

We definitely cannot compare Tamil Nadu or India for that matter. India has a large population of over 1.1 billion people with;

India’s population as of 5 pm today: 127, 42, 39,769 and growing i.e. 1.274239769 billion

GDP per capita                                    – 1,498.87 USD ‎ (2013)

Gross domestic product                      – 1.877 trillion USD ‎ (2013)

Do you follow Tamil Nadu politics? Its garbage. Cinema is the entry to politics, because Tamil comedian public, vote for cinema actors and actress. Please never ever compare TN with SL. In SriLanka 49% of the Tamil population, may be more now, dwell outside the N&E. Of the 51 % of the people TNA does not represent the 51 % of the people. 90,950 Tamils live in Gampaha alone. See the distribution of dwelling of the Tamils here: (http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=94075)

With this distribution, it is a dumbfound belief that Tamils want a separate state or a separate country. Power for Tamils cannot bring anything to the Tamils. They wanted a separate administration. SL gave one. Can you categorically point out one development work NPC has completed apart from giving one bicycle, one goat etc. just to fool the fools in paradise. I have sent letters and articles to CM, and the ministers pointing out their corrupt practice and zero development. You could read them in www.nrnmind.blogspot.com

A healthy and friendly relationship can be maintained among the four provinces if this move is followed”.

My dear cde, Tamils cannot maintain a healthy environment among themselves. Caste differentials, regional differentials etc. Vadamarachiyan, Vanniyan, Maddakkalappan, Theevan etc. Do you know why? The so called Tamils in the N&E are not Tamils. We all speak Tamil, however, majority are Malabar, Andra Vadukar, Karnataka Kadam bans etc. Late centuries more people assimilated with the Portuguese, Dutch, Irish, and Welsh etc. I think, in my view Tamils hate each other among Tamils. It’s the politics that keeps them in an imaginary solidarity. The Tamils themselves are not united in SL and overseas. They only come to a focal point when they talk of Tamil Eelam and power. Mostly to rip the group on collection of funds. Even then most of the lower caste people are even now oppressed by the Tamil elites. Who is CV Wigneswaran? A relative of P Ramanathan. Couldn’t TNA find anybody else?

It is my view that there is no politician who has a clear vision of consolidating the country. They want to get a tap on the shoulder from the west and have dinner there. Once Tamils have been elected, they work towards re-election and forget their objectives, vision and mission. That’s what they are doing now.

3.” Whatever rights the Chief Minister is prepared to grant to the minorities in one of the amalgamated provinces, the same shall be granted to the other three provinces. Such a desirable solution will enhance Economic Development and Industrial Enterprises.

Political leaders from all parties should enhance those members who have a communal mind to rise above this petty feelings and work for a united Sri Lanka. This wise step will bring about peaceful solution to most of our problems and be a guideline to the posterity in the years to come.”

My dear mate, I am 74 years old now, I have lived in Jaffna, worked at KKS cement factory, and have seen the way Tamils treat the low caste workers. It is shattering and devastating. We talk of human rights; however, we are the worst human rights violators in the world, practicing Apartheid. Now they enjoy their HR violations in overseas countries. Can one politician stand up and propel that Tamils should eliminate their dreadful caste conscious from their mind? What do they say? Hey it has been there for donkeys’ years. We can’t eliminate that. Are the elites prepared to give equal rights to a toddy tapper or a barber? Basically the Tamil fools do not understand that a toddy tapper is running a business of his own, like that of a Sole Trader” in Australia. He does not work for anyone. Same as the barber, fisherman etc. I need explain no more. They fall within the microenterprises scheme.

Peace, Unity, Love and Harmony starts at home, then in your village, then in your city, then your Town and to the country. When Tamils are not united at home, how do you expect a united SL.?  I will talk about a solution later in this document.

You stated; Introduce stringent laws against racism and execute them without bias or prejudice. There by genuine peace situation will prevail.”

You have forgotten our fundamental issue within our own sector, which is the caste issue. May be you do not read the events in Tamil Nadu and India in general. Just an example; Dalit students were killed within the Chennai Law College campus in the presence of the police.  In Assam, a girl was stripped naked; Dalits were killed on the road in the presence of the police. It is that same ghastly mind and thoughts that has saturated the minds of the Jaffna man. We are a differential community and NOT an integral community.

Best Solution

If we are what we are and what you want, then we shall not divide the country on the basis of race, because that is fundamentally a rudest community. If anyone demand or preach separation or federalism on racial basis, then he/she is a racist. SL is a small country with basically little or no raw materials and natural resources. The only resource we have is Human resources. Tamils are basically not commercially focused, and do not want to live in a competitive environment. Basically they love monopoly. Sydney was an example, however now Tamils in Sydney have learn to live in a competitive environment. However, we need to change culturally, socially, and entrain into the learned civilized stream.

SriLankan should advocate having only one government and all shall learn and practice to live within the one government.

Tamils should refrain from naming their political party starting from; Tamil Eelam…”. No Sinhala party carries the name Sinhala… Tamils love racism, because in Tamil Nadu, every flipping political party carries the name stating with Dravida…”.

Sambanthar is the Leader of Opposition (LOP) now. Tamils should change their political culture and join the governing force and accept portfolios. If Sambanthar can be the LOP, then what prevents him from accepting a portfolio. For example; Sumanthiran is better choice for the Ministry of Justice, Wouldn’t you agree? What prevents them from accepting portfolios? It’s the black sheep’s within our own political community who will campaign against those who are in the cabinet, in the name of power and separation. Suresh Premachandran is a typical example; Media state that a politician wanted his brother to be given a minister post in the NPC.

All citizens in SL shall learn all three languages, and the three languages must be made compulsory up to O” level in schools.

Tamils must refrain from opposing building Buddha temples in the N&E. After all Tamils have and are building Hindu temples all over the world, and in the South. Well the Peradeniya University area has a Murugan temple.

Why do the Tamils consider them as superior and can do anything, and should not be questioned. Tamils must refrain from opposing Sinhalese people occupying the N&E. After all the estate workers are from India and government provides them with work, housing scheme, health and education. Why cannot the Sinhalese settle in the N&E? Do you know that the North and Vanni was a Sinhala area earlier? The last king of Jaffna was a Sinhalese. Proof; Waligamam is Weligama. Can you find the meaning for Waligamam? NO. However, it has a meaning in Sinhala. Araly etc. We are occupying the Sinhalese country.

Tamils must learn to co-exist and socially integrated. Give up their inborn race and caste differential attitude. Tamil Diaspora must refrain from preaching separation. They have shifted to overseas and have no interests in SL. They must learn to live in the country of domicile and socially integrate with the society. Not try to push Tamil language into the administration of the country. Tamil language is not a scientific language. It is not rich in science and technology.

SL should amend the constitution to include a section/clause on caste discrimination as a criminal offence.

SL constitution has a clause for punishment for anyone who preach separation, SL must implement to arrest anyone who preach separation. Section 157 A.

[Inserted by the sixth amendment to the constitution

127[157A. (1) No person shall, directly or indirectly, in or outside Sri Lanka, support, espouse, promote, finance, encourage or advocate the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka.

(2) No political party or other association or organization shall have as one of its aims or objects the establishment of a separate State within the territory of Sri Lanka.

(3) Any person who acts in contravention of the provisions of paragraph (1) shall, on conviction by the Court of Appeal, after trial on indictment and according to such procedure as may be prescribed by law, –

(a) be subject to civic disability for such period not exceeding seven years as may be determined by such Court;

(b) forfeit his movable and immovable property other than such property as is determined by an order of such Court as being necessary for the sustenance of such person and his family;

(c) not be entitled to civic rights for such period not exceeding seven years as may be determined by such Court; and

(d)if he is a Member of Parliament or a person in such service or holding such office as is referred to in paragraph (1) of Article 165, cease to be such Member or to be in such service or to hold such office.]

In accordance with the above clauses, all those diaspora or locals, if they engage in separatist activities or preaching, they are to be punished anyway.

We, the Tamil diaspora must learn not to pollute the minds of the Tamil politicians or the people in SriLanka.

You are a mathematician; Why not carry out a probabilistic, (reliability) study on the risks associated with separate power for Tamils, for a period of 100 years? Data can be collected from past events. If you believe in Statistics, the results should be valid.

Finally, let us not provoke anyone in SL, and live in harmony and socially integrated, as a single country of governance, with Tamils and Sinhalese holding portfolios in Colombo.

Tamil Diaspora should forget SriLankan politics and get on living under their current domiciled laws and enjoy, with achieving their objective of educating their children. If not, we Tamils may start a war in the west.

NPC should start developing the North. Construct a reservoir in the Thondaimannar Vallai area. If Tamils think that developing the N&E will attract Sinhala settlers, then we are a bunch of self-centered, selfish hoodlums. NPC shall act on my recommendations submitted to, CM-NPC, Mavai Senathirajah, and MAS.

At the same time, Sinhalese and the government shall also note, accept that Tamils are an integral part of the society in the country, and N&E is part of SL, and shall promote development of the N&E with focus on microenterprises, jobs, private enterprises, and industrialization. Racial differentiation will not promote economic development and economic growth. It applies to both parties. We all are here to stay in SL and nowhere to go.

Thank you

Kanthar Balanathan

Melbourne, Australia