A Reply to Kautilya
Posted on December 13th, 2017
Charles.S.Perera
Kautilya represents a People’s Forum which supports the Yahapalanaya .
Kautilya, before you hasten to reply to my article , you should have understand what I said. I said that SWRD Bandaranaike’s SLFP died on the 16 January,2015, when the then President of the SLFP – the President Mahinda Rajapakse thrust the Presidency of the SLFP on the President elect Maithripala Sirisena. In other words when the President Sirisena became the President of SLFP, it was no more the SLFP of SWRD Bandaranayake.
Why ?
Because when SWRD left UNP, it was never to come back to the UNP fold again. SWRD disagreed with the political ideology of the UNP as being a party which is a stranger to Sri Lanka’s religious, cultural and social values. Which is amply evident today from the actions being taken by the UNP Prime Minister with a UNP dominated Cabinet with an aggressive pro Western capitalist Agenda.
I really cannot understand what nonsense you keep writing contradicting what you write in one paragraph with what you write in the next. You write there was no reason for SWRD to leave the UNP in 1952, and you follow up with,
SWRD realized that the UNP was not breaking the sickles after gaining independence. Sri Lanka failed to follow the pattern of India. It continued with the same colonial politics The only change being that the country was not ruled from Britain.”
You just write without trying to reply to what I wrote in my article, therefore it’s best ignore what you have written and expand what I meant when I said SWRD’s SLFP died when its leadership was handed over to Maithripala Sirisena.
For many politicians in Sri Lanka being a politician is like being a boutique keeper. Just run the business. For them there is no philosophy in it. But SWRD coming from a rich and a distinct family, who had studies at Oxford where he had a brilliant education, he inherited a clean comfortable job” reserved for him in political boutique keeping. But he was different. He came back after his studies with certain political philosophies , ideologies. He was not made to silently sit in the State Council with his political buddies, and do politics as the rest of them.
He knew that was all he could do with them . But he had a greater vision for his country, which was to make it an Independent Sovereign Nation, like England, France, Italy, Spain, China, Russia and even India. A Nation which is named after its majority, with its historical, cultural, religious values safeguarded and making them the Identity of the Sovereign Nation with one flag, one language and one National Anthem. The 75 percent of the Sinhala were after all the majority in his country., and therefore Sri Lanka is a Sinhala country, as England is English, France is French, Germany is German, China is Chinese and India would be Indian.
But the 12 percent or so of Tamils then stood against him demanding equal rights with the Sinhala, as the Tamils continue to do today. SWRD was faced with something he did not expect. But the political vision he expressed in launching the SLFP was to give the rightful place for the pancha maha bala vegaya, and through it unite the country to bring about a united nation of Sri Lankans with all communities sharing in its future prosperity, peace and security.
SWRD could not understand this Tamil opposition to a greater Sovereign Nation of Sri Lankans. But, unfortunately his great ambition for his country was stopped by a foolish man’s bullet. That ended the hope for an Independent Sovereign Sinhala Nation. There was nothing wrong in that, it is not racism, but it was raising back to its feet a nation that was brought down by colonialism.
People try to argue that things have changed and that we are in the 21st century. But has Sri Lanka reached the 21st Century as a true and Independent sovereign State, or are we being pushed backwards by those who gave us independence from colonialism, to the status of an undeveloped colony of the West ?
SWRD’s dream was integrated in the political party he organised- the SLFP, until its leadership was thrown on the 16th January,2015, to Maithripala Sirisena, who was not even a member of the SLFP, having left it rejecting the ideology of SWRD on his own, to join the UNP and the right wing political groups.
Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike as the leader of the SLFP carried out lot of political changes to the country along with the policies of SWRD embedded in the SLFP, but her taking Felix Dias Bandaranayake into its fold may not have been in keeping with SWRD’s political revival.
But SLFP under Chandrika’s leadership failed to retain her father’s vision. There was a lot expected from her, but she failed to give the people and the country what was expected of her. She had not only the Tamils creating problems, but also the Muslims failed to give her the required political support. The vicious and cruel anti Sinhala UNP without any positive vision for the country was a barrier to Chandrika, hemmed between Tamil terrorism and Western agitations to do much for the development and progress of Sri Lanka
Today the things are no better, Ranil Wuckramasinghe, Ravi Karunanayake, Chandrika Kumaratunga, Mangala Samaraweera, Karu Jayasuriya, Ajith Perera, are all Agents of the USA and the West doing evry thing to please them.
Maithripala Sirisena is entrenched in a deep gratitude to Ranil Wickramasinghe and Chandrika for taking him away from SLFP to make of him a President. His allegiance to those who gave him what was beyond his imagination will never make of him a real leader of the SLFP with SWRD’s political ideologies entrenched within it.
President Mahinda Rajapakse on the other hand was no political boutique keeper. He had his own political visions and extended further the political ideologies of SWRD. He took over the leadership of the Country and the SLFP with definite political views, first to eliminate terrorism, then to end the thirty years of suffering of the Sri Lankan people , and give bring to the country and the people much needed peace and security. He had to fight against not only the Tamil terrorism , but also Tamil politicians, UNP and other ambition political parties, and the West.
It is a pity that Mahinda Rajapakse was not re-elected as President in 2015, to finish the work he had yet to finish. Of course there will always be those who will continue to accuse him without any evidence for every fault under the sun, though he has done none of them as his ambition had been to free the country of terrorists, and then unite the three Communities to make Sri Lanka an Independent Sovereign Nation, as SWRD himself wanted it to be. For a politician the family is his political tool bag” . It may be a hindrance, a great help, or both.
There may be lot of political analysts, objective” journalists, and others who will argue against this, but Kautilya that is what I believe- the SLFP under Maithripala Sirisena’s leadership is not the SLFP of SWRD Bandaranaike. Just forget about it and join the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna” that replaces the SLFP which died on the 16th January,2015.
December 13th, 2017 at 5:50 pm
” I said SWRD’s SLFP died when its leadership was handed over to Maithripala Sirisena.”‘
Genocide of Sinhalese started with India getting hold of Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranayakam.
December 13th, 2017 at 5:59 pm
Hi Charles;
The Arthashastra is an ancient Indian treatise on statecraft, economic policy and military strategy, written in Sanskrit. It identifies its author by the names ‘Kauṭilya’ and ‘Vishnugupta’, both names that are traditionally identified with Chanakya (c. 350–283 BC), who was a scholar at Takshashila and the teacher and guardian .
British made India and Indian Colonial Parasites are following it today.
Can you please give the WWW address to this Kautilya.
December 13th, 2017 at 9:35 pm
Who the hell is this Cow-till-yar?
Must be some Endian UNP supporter.
December 14th, 2017 at 2:51 am
Christie he sends emails to a Gmail email Forum in which my email address has been adde. This list contains fifty two addresses.
Kautilya’s address I think is:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/16049ba093ced9af?projector=1
charles
December 14th, 2017 at 3:31 am
Constituents should prevail upon their MPs
Meandering on hazardous tracks: a professional speaks her mind Constituents should prevail upon their MPs to vote against new Constitution if brought in –Dr. Anula Wijesundere
Dr. Anula Wijesundere, a consultant physician involved with the work of the Nationalist Movement in Sri Lanka, speaks about the constitution making process, women’s rights and the impact of the price reduction of beer as proposed in the Budget.
She is the president of the organization ‘Society for the Upliftment and Conservation of the Cultural, Economic and Social Standards (SUCCESS). Alongside, she is the vice president of the Temperance Association of Sri Lanka. Besides, she is also the co-chairman of the National Joint Committee, an umbrella organization of around 20 patriotic organizations. Excerpts of the interview:
UNP is hell-bent on bringing it by hook or by crook
We have lost faith in the JVP although we thought it is fair-minded
We believe JVP will vote for a new Constitution
Mere quotas for women candidates will not be helpful without creating an atmosphere for them to come into politics
Constitutional recognition of LGBT rights will break up the family structure
Sri Lanka’s concept of extended family is very important
It is a foolish decision by Finance Minister to reduce tax on beer
It will encourage young people to drink stronger beer in large quantities
It is against Yahapalana policies
Q How do you see the current constitution making process?
People are not asking for a new Constitution. It is being done due to the machinations of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the Tamil diaspora, LTTE loyalists and NGOs. It is also influenced by the governments of the United States, Britain and India. There is no mandate for the President to bring in a new Constitution. The President only said he would bring in amendments to it [ constitution] that warrants the approval of the people by referendum. This is just to please the federalists and the Tamil diaspora. The LTTE has been destroyed militarily; but, its mindset is still present.
If you look at the constitution making process, it was the Lal Wijenayake Committee Report that came first. They advocated a federal state. It said Sri Lanka should be a secular state. In fact, it said the national flag should not reflect any religion and proposed that the four Bo-leaves were removed. It sought to legalize the LGBT rights.
All religions, practised in Sri Lanka do not condone LGBT rights because they break up the family structure. We know it exists. But, we should not give a provision in the Constitution to recognize it. It will encourage people to enter into such relationships if we do so. Some countries have legalized it, But, it is against all religions. Every religion values the family as an institution.
They had deliberations for one- and-a- half years. They went about the country; we went and gave our suggestions. These were purely their own ideas and not the ideas of those who made representation to the committee. They have acted regardless of views expressed by the people who made representations. We totally rejected this report.
Q After that, there were six sub-committees appointed. They also submitted reports. What are your views on them?
There was one committee to work on the centre-peripheral relations. It was headed by TNA MP Dharmalingam Sithanathan. Why was a TNA MP appointed to head such an important committee? It should have been given to an MP from the majority community. That is the most important of all the six committees.
Every sub-committee report has been scrutinized by TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran and Government MP Jayampathi Wickremaratne. They are total federalists. They appear to have incorporated their own ideas into these reports. Why did 29,000 war heroes sacrifice their lives and another 40,000 war heroes got disabled? That is to maintain the unitary status and territorial integrity of our country. What the LTTE could not achieve through military means is now going to be given to them on a silver platter.
In the report by the sub-committee on the centre-peripheral relations, it has been proposed to give land, police, finance and administration powers to the periphery. There is also power on taxation proposed to be devolved. That way, all the vital powers of the Central Government are proposed to be given away. Then, the President and the Central Government will have no powers absolutely. Then, the entire power is devolved to the provinces.
Police and land powers must be maintained with the Centre that must also have powers in taxation, finance, health etc.
If you devolve health further, it will lead to a further crisis. Already, the health sector is in crisis. There are dangers in the devolution of police power. If a person commits a crime in the Western Province and goes to the North, the police will find it difficult to take action. The provincial IGP is responsible to the Chief Minister, not the Governor. The Governor can be appointed only with the approval of the Chief Minister concerned.
Q In your opinion, how can we achieve reconciliation among the different ethnic groups then?
You talk about reconciliation. The Education Minister of the Northern Province refused to hoist the national flag at a school function in Vavuniya in front of all the students. The Northern Governor Reginald Cooray should have taken action. And all have taken an oath of allegiance to the State. The Governor should have dismissed him. Is that reconciliation?
Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran wants all the Buddha statues to be removed. Today, reconciliation is one sided. It is only with the Sinhalese. If there is genuine reconciliation, the Sinhalese who lived there as bakery owners and carpenters should be allowed to resettle. In the South, all three communities live in harmony with each other. In the North, it is not so. Can a Sinhalese put up a business there?
All the Sinhalese, who were driven out should be allowed to return. Earlier, there were four Sinhala medium schools in Jaffna. Now there is not a single school. As for the Grade 5 scholarship examination, there is a cut-off point for the entire country covering the Tamil medium. For the Sinhala medium, there is no cut off point for three districts.
No legal document is worked out in Sinhala in the North and East. Correspondence is done only in Tamil at government institutions in the North.
We met the President and brought to his notice the common problems faced by all the communities in terms of education, land, employment, food and water etc.
In Navakulli, there were 30 Sinhalese families. Now, there are only ten; the rest have left because there are no schools for their children.
Q In what way are you planning to defeat the constitution making process?
That is a major problem. As you see, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is hell-bent on passing this new Constitution. He is determined to do it by hook or by crook. So UNP MPs will not vote against the party policy. We have lost all faith in the JVP. We thought they were fair-minded but the JVP will also vote with the government. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is always there for it.
We are going to ask people at electorate level to prevail upon the members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in the government to vote against the new proposal. People should tell them not to come to their areas asking for votes if they vote in favour of the new Constitution.
Q As part of reconciliation, there is a lot of talk about the need for empowerment of women by NGOs. There is discussion on women’s emancipation from a western point of view. As a woman activist, how do you look at it?
It is the Buddha who espoused the supreme place for women in society. He advocated complete equality between males and females. The Buddha always highlighted virtues of women as mothers, spouses and so on, in different Suttas. In the medical profession which I represent, there is no gender discrimination at all.
Q In politics, the government ensured a certain quota for woman candidates. How do you look at it?
Women do not enter politics because it is considered a dirty game. There is so much of corruption. Most politicians are there to amass wealth for future elections. There may be a few who are honest but the majority are dishonest.
It is good if women take part in politics. Then, they will speak up for the rights of women. When Renuka Herath was the Health Minister, she got maternity leave extended for women.
A mere quota will not work properly without creating a conducive atmosphere for women to enter politics. Politics must be a fair playing field. It must be on clean ground.
Q In your view what are the pressing concerns of women?
Most women are educated now. So they can get gainful employment to supplement the family income. What is important is to strike a balance between family life and career life. To achieve a balance, the support of the husband is necessary.
The concept of the extended family in our culture is important. You do not find it in Western countries. In those countries, when parents age, they are sent to live in elders’ homes. There is such a tendency in our country too. Yet, it is still a small percentage. In most countries, parents live with their children. When parents are away for work, grandparents look after grandchildren. The presence of grandparents is also important to ensure spirituality in the family. Their influence enhances the religious atmosphere. It will certainly help character building of a child.
It is against our culture to send aged parents to elders’ homes. Every religion in our country emphasizes the importance of looking after parents during their old age. They have sacrificed so much to give us a better life. It is the imperative duty of children to look after their parents during the sunset years of their lives.
Q As a medical specialist, what are the grievances of women you have identified?
Poverty is a main feature in rural Sri Lanka. Poverty is caused by drunkenness among men. When men are addicted to alcohol, they spend a lot of money on it leaving little for other expenses such as for food and children’s requirements. Drunkenness also triggers sexual harassment of women. Alcohol Dependence Syndrome is a major problem. I have written many newspaper articles about it.
Q What is your view on the budget proposal to reduce tax on beer?
I have raised my voice against it. I wrote about it and I have made representation in this regard. I spoke against it representing the Sri Lanka Medical Council and the Temperance Association of Sri Lanka. Today, a price of a coconut is Rs.95. Once tax is reduced, a can of beer will be Rs.85 making beer less expensive than a coconut. The Finance Minister says the reduction of tax on beer will reduce the consumption of hard liquor and kasippu. He must realize that people who drink beer are different; they are of a different segment of society.
One cannot expect kasippu drinkers to take to beer, but more young people will start drinking beer. They will drink beer with an alcohol percentage of 8.5, not beer with the alcohol at 5 per cent. It means they will drink a larger quantity of stronger beer at low cost. It is a very foolish decision on the part of the Finance Minister. On top of that, Labour Minister John Seneviratne proposed to reduce the price of gal arakku as a solace to plantation workers.
Sri Lanka will enter the Guinness Book of Records as the country that promotes the habit of drinking among its people. When the price of beer was reduced once in the past, the consumption increased by many folds.
It is also against Yahapalana policies and it is against the National Alcohol and Tobacco Control Policy. Now, the Presidential Task Force in this regard has no task and force. The President spoke in Parliament; but speaking alone is not enough. He must rescind the relevant gazette notification.
Q You work for the conservation of archaeological sites in the North and East. How is the situation now?
Archaeological sites in the North and East are being vandalized; they are being bulldozed. Recently in Trincomalee, a site in Randala Vihare has been bulldozed and converted to a burial ground. Another archaeological site has been made into a children’s park.
December 14th, 2017 at 3:31 am
Christie I am sorry the address I have given is wrong: Kautilya is a pseudonym used by some one representing a Yahapalanaya Peoples’ Forum the address of the forum is :
peoplesforumsrilanka@gmail.com
Charles