Diplomats promoting communal politics
Posted on July 20th, 2012
S. Akurugoda
According to media reports, a Colombo based senior Norwegian diplomat had been trying to forge an electoral alliance between the TNA and the SLMC since the government dissolved the Eastern Provincial Council and the diplomat is believed to have the blessings of the countries campaigning for a war crimes probe against Sri Lanka.
Although in a subsequent statement made to the press, Norwegian embassy has denied any involvement in the countries elections or internal party politics, those who are aware of the past of these Norwegians and their interference in internal affairs and partiality since they assumed the role of facilitator of the so-called peace process need no further clarification from any one. The IslandƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s editor, on the other hand, has reconfirmed the accuracy of his news item and the GoSLƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s awareness of this initiative.
The purpose of allowing foreign embassies to operate in a country is not to interfere in the internal party politics and elections. No country will tolerate such activities from foreign diplomats to the extent that we are facing today.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The diplomats here in Sri Lanka, representing the so-called superpowers, are behaving like self-appointed governors.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Provincial Council, especially the Eastern PC, scheduled to be conducted soon is a typical example of politics based on communalism. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Provincial councils were formed under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution to satisfy the demands of racial separatist groups.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The decision to amend the constitution for this purpose was not originated within the country. It was forced on us by India and the Indian High Commissioner at that time was the man who introduced foreign interference into diplomatic circles in Sri Lanka disregarding the all forms of diplomatic norms we have seen before.
Although IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s main concern was to divide the political power on racial basis by providing one administrative region (North and East) to Tamils to satisfy separatist groups supported and trained by themselves, the Sri Lankan Government went ahead and extended the PC system to other areas as well.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We have not forgotten how the first and the last Chief Minister of the amalgamated North and East Province elected under the PC system declared a separate state few months after the election and fled to India where his group was once trained and armed. TNA, by all means, is waiting to see their chance of achievingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ what they could not so far on racial ground when the North Provincial Council is formed.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Meanwhile, Tamil politicians of recent Indian origin are forming various forms of political alliances just to win their racial quota in areas other than North and East. Formation of PCs is something similar to what we called ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-providing ladders to jumping monkeysƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
As long these political groups are allowed to do politics based on racial ethnic, racial or religious means, the segregation of people cannot be avoided. Permitting the formation and registration of political parties based on racial demands. (Such as Tamil Liberation, Tamil Elam etc, Tamil Vimukthi Koti, Muslim etc ) is highly detrimental to reconciliation.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ While misguiding their own communities, the politicians of those parties have failed to learn how to guide their communities to live with the majority community of the country in peace.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mutual respect among all communities is essential, majority should respect the minorities and vice versa.
While talking about supporting peace and reconciliation, the Norwegian diplomatic mission has once again proved their true colour by trying to forge an electoral alliance between TNA and the SLMC, the two well known players of communal politics in Sri Lanka today.
If the government is aware of these involvements of party politics, it should call for explanation from the diplomats involved and should make them ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”persona non-grataƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in order to set an example to other high handed foreign diplomats who are confused over the limits of control of specific territories.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
July 21st, 2012 at 12:14 am
Besides what happened in Mannar and the thuggish actions of the governing Party Muslim Minister need to be considered serious. too. As I heard, Muslims had been away from that area for 20 or 30 years. During that time, Tamils had settled in that area. As the Magistrate instructed Muslims did nit want to wait for a few weeks until Tamils move out. I think, Muslims expected Tamils to evicted right away. That did not happen and that is why they threw stones at the courts. I think, the govt neglects and let governing party ministers and politicians to behave as they please it does not matter whether actions are criminals or otherwise, nothing will happen. Police is silent
Simply, Tamils Muslims and Christians are busy disecting Sri Lanka the way they want. The majority cannot talk they will be called racists, extremists and all sort of names.
July 21st, 2012 at 12:29 am
Libiya, a country run by terrorists, arresed ICC lawyer and detained her for weeks for doing her job but reasoning she was spying.
If these so called “diplomats” in disguised spies do their job, they should be arrested in our National Security Vehicles (NSU).
July 21st, 2012 at 12:31 am
Where our country is heading at the present time is very uncertain taking all the foreign influence into careful consideration. All the western super powers and India are trying their best to subjugate the majority Sinhalese to the whims and fancies of their own ideologies. We can still remember how that Indian clown Dixit was acting as if he was the sole authority of Sri Lanka. Our country is like a public toilet where anybody can use any time without any permission from anybody.
You are hundred percent correct to say diplomats representing so-called super powers are behaving like self-appointed governers. They think that we Sri Lankans are some kind of primitive tribes and our legislators also do not care whatsoever as long as they enjoy their luxary life with their families and henchmen. Where is our sovereignity, statehood, supremacy, dominancy when those diplomats are interfering with internal affairs of the country.
Knowing very well of the dirty games played in the past by those Vikings what the heck our government is doing without kicking them out of Sri Lanka? Are you all political high-ups waiting for your wake up call?
July 21st, 2012 at 3:32 am
I blame it on the government.
Muslims are the majority in the East. If the 13A based power devolution to stay, a Muslim must be the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province, not a Tamil. If this was allowed, there is no need for SLMC to even talk to TNA.
This is obviously not the ideal situation but between the two sub standard options, the most undesirable option must be avoided.
If the government continues to block Muslims from the top post, an island-wide TNA-SLMC-UNP understanding is inevitable. Scheduling the election to mid September was another trick to disallow Muslims from campaigning effectively during their holy month of Ramadan which started today.
Towards reconciliation, 13A must be removed completely from the Constitution. It is not rocket science to understand the violent aftermath of the Eastern Provincial Council election. There will be ethnic clashes that will take a few lives and possibly spread to other parts of the country. This is why ethnicity based power devolution is dangerous. Unfortunately given the ethnic composition of the Northern Province and the Eastern Province and inherent racism in ethnic groups of South Indian origin, clashes are inevitable. Both TMVP and radical Muslim groups in the East have weapons provided and/or allowed by the government which will aggravate the situation.
It will provide India the ideal opportunity to interfere. At least following the violent aftermath, the provincial system should be done away with.
Norway and India have been inimical to national interests always.
Norway played a key role in CFA by the insistence of India.
July 21st, 2012 at 3:36 am
It is up to the people to give them their wake up call by voting out the UPFA at the provincial level.
That will also be a good reason for the government to abolish the entire PC system.
July 21st, 2012 at 7:08 am
Akurugoda has highlighted some very important points here. While certainly recognizing the economic development efforts of the GOSL, sadly, it should be pointed out that they seem to be ignoring or do not some other social and political aspects vital to the freedom, independence and integrity of SL.
Firstly, I see that the GOSL is very lethargic in acting towards the foreign warmongers who are in SL as “diplomats”. It is true the GOSL has to walk a very tight line regarding this, but as pointed out very well here by Akurugoda, these “diplomats” behave like “governors” of the country. We are yet to see the government taking any meaningful action in this regard. If this is allowed to go on, by default, we would let the foreign countries run the affairs of our mother land.
Secondly, as the President declared after the eradication of terrorism in 2009, SL belongs to all Sri Lankans, and as such anyone should be able to live anywhere of their choice. There should be no “homelands” or any other enclaves for Tamils, Muslims or Sinhalese. This is good in theory, but it is up to the GOSL to make it happen by policy direction and incentivising the movement of people in the country to bring about a relatively harmonial redistribution of the ethnic groups within the country, without allowing secluded pockets of one ethnic community to the exclusion of the others. The main policy of the ltte over 30 years was based on the separation of the Tamils from the Sinhalese. So, the GOSL has to act wisely now to counter the ill effects this has brought on the country and to prevent a future claim of one part of the country by any ethnic group. The Sri Lankan identity must be instilled in all Sri Lankans.
Thirdly, we all know that problems of SL must be discussed and resolved inside SL by Sri Lankans with no interference from any foreign “do gooders”. However, there is not much GOSL can do about the behaviour of foreign “diplomats.” However, it certainly can bring about policies and legislation internally to prevent Sri Lankans acting as traitors by externalising internal problems outside the country to bring discredit and hardship to the democratically elected GOSL and the Sri Lankans. Such acts must be made punishable by law with severe penalties. The civic right to remain in politics of any politician caught being a traitor by taking internal problems outside the country to create international backlash must be abolished. Remember how JR, very cunningly, abolished the civic rights of Mrs. Bandaranayake?
July 23rd, 2012 at 7:55 am
ABOLISH the 13-A NOW. No other way out of the ethnic mess in Sri Lanka. To save the integrity of this country, ABOLISH 13-A now.
GoSL should not wait any longer. The masses are behind the GoSL for abolishment of the 13-A. Go GoSL ! We are with you. You won the war with the ltte, now win the war for Lanka’s integrity. There is ample evidence to justify abolishing the 13-A.
July 23rd, 2012 at 11:54 am
Dilrook, as you say “Muslims are the majority in the East. If the 13A based power devolution to stay, a Muslim must be the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province, not a Tamil. If this was allowed, there is no need for SLMC to even talk to TNA”.
We think that there is also NO need for an election for the post of Chief Minister either. If SLMC chooses a candidate, that appears to be sufficient for the choice of post of Chief Minister. That is, if we are to choose a Chief Minister from the majority ethnicity in any Province.
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What a mess this 13-A is ! We ought to just get rid of it.
July 23rd, 2012 at 1:21 pm
The 13-A was imposed on Sri Lanka under Duress and therefore Null & Void in any court of Law, anywhere in the world. So, why the delay in getting rid of it in Sri Lanka ? Is Sri Lanka some zombie state where experiments can be carried out ?
July 23rd, 2012 at 2:03 pm
A Muslim chief minister will NOT be ANY better than Tamil one. One is worse than the other!
Can a Sinhala chief minister be appointed to the EPC?
If no, just SCRAP the bloody racist 13 amendment.
We tried with 2 or 3 Tamil CMs in the east. FAILED! Now we try with a Muslim CM. FAILURE again!
You can turn this 13 amendment DIRT to ANY SIDE but it is still DIRT. By turning sides it doesn’t become any more useful!!
July 23rd, 2012 at 8:57 pm
Why not try a Lansi CM ? Why we forget about this beautiful Sri Lankans ! Lorenzo may be one of them !
July 23rd, 2012 at 9:28 pm
Fran:
Unfortunately 13A is here to stay at least for sometime.
Politics among Tamils and Muslims are based on ethnicity, especially in the North and the East. Common South Indian origin is the root cause of this mentality. Anyhow There is absolutely no justification for a Tamil to be the Chief Minister in a province where Tamils are not the majority anymore.
Muslim congress is not the only party fielding Muslim candidates. UPFA and UNP also field Muslim candidates. People should elect the most suitable one.
If Pillayan or any other Tamil is appointed the Chief Minister, that will cost the nation very badly. Two chief ministers of the east and the north will work together towards Tamil Elam supported by India and Tamil Nadu with no restriction or difference of opinion. Some TMVP politicians have crossed back to TNA. In 2007 TNA had an understanding with TMVP not to contest the Eastern PC election thereby allowing TMVP to get a larger (than otherwise) Tamil vote.
July 23rd, 2012 at 11:41 pm
Sinhalese in the Eastern province support a TAMIL Chief Minister and not a Muslim. The commentators in this thread have no idea of East but barking their pre-concieved colombo based RACIST politics.
Further 13 cannot be removed by any governemnt of Sri Lanka. UNP Sinhalese are happy to bring more WHITE intervention like the Norwagian one. When Nordic Parangiayas openely support LTTE, UNP sinhalese cried “peace arrived”. “Thottalnga Mahattaya” JRJ and his malayali/kongani clans ran a communal riots, Sinhala modayas were happy. When India arrived in the scene, racist Sinhalese are crying about sovereignity.
Sovereignity is not a licence to kill Tamils. India will bark or ask! So, better find ways to live in peace instead of barking at India.
July 24th, 2012 at 8:25 am
Dilrook,
If, as you think, the 13-A is here for sometime to stay, that means that our Democracy is in jeopardy. In a Democracy, the major vote wins. If therefore the wish of the majority of people in Sri Lanka to remove the 13-A is not done, then our Democracy appears to be in tatters, especially as the 13-A may lead to division of this island nation, apart from a colossal waste of money on PCs which appears to be a hoarding ground for some folk with no talent for leadership or solving a Provinces problems in an innovative way.
If we are indeed stuck with this monster of a 13-A, then we ought to add some extra items to it so that we are ensured of maximum performance for the money spent on Chief Ministers, PCs, etc. (results or remove basis, and put anyone attempting division of the country into a Traitors List with suitable punishments. That is how Democracies operate in the west. Since the concept of Democracy started in the west, we may as well use it as the west does.
July 24th, 2012 at 10:43 am
Re Muslims : Another point of interest is that ex-President Nasheed of the Maldives stated in an interview with the CNN recently that his main concern was Global Warming (Climate Change) with sea waters rising to drown the islands of the Maldives. We can interpret his concern to : where do the Maldivians go to, if the islands are going under sea water ?
We hope they are looking to Indonesia with its large land mass, and not Sri Lanka.
Re Tamils : As for Tamils of low caste/Dalit origin in Tamil Nadu , during the British & Dutch Colonial periods, they got used to coming to Sri Lanka (crossing sea water) to lose caste. It will take a while to lose this habit. Tamil Nadu has enough resources to take good care of all her people. There is no need for Lanka to absorb TN’s people.
So, Lankans guard your island home with zeal, through the Law, GoSL and the armed forces. Do NOT ever use violence – that will only serve to divide the nation. Use the Law.
July 24th, 2012 at 4:30 pm
Mu-Dalit,
Too bad you don’t have a country! :((
July 24th, 2012 at 6:25 pm
Fran:
Absolutely. 13A is a mockery of democracy. Worse, it forces similar mockeries to control its damage. There is no need for Sri Lanka to put up with Tamil Official language (imposed by 13A) and provincial councils (imposed by 13A).
Sri Lanka has a higher population density than India and Maldives. It is absurd to take anymore Indians or Maldivians into the island. Unfortunately 13A which makes Tamil an Official language makes Sri Lanka more attaractive to Tamils than Tamil Nadu itself where Tamil is not an official language.
July 25th, 2012 at 4:17 am
Dilrook,
Totally agree with you.
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We also think it is high time the concerned public of Sri Lanka demanded the removal of the 13-A, through PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS. The various Unions hold demonstrations mostly only for higher pay, but never to remove the real dangers to Sri Lankan integrity. Our citizens turn to violence when the problems become insoluble, and play into the hands of the ‘enemy’. Our vote seeking politicos from every quarter are to be blamed for this tragedy.
July 25th, 2012 at 6:03 am
Also, we must bear in mind that both the Maldives and Indonesia were predominantly Buddhist states, now Islamic. Doing the ‘Honda Hitha’ act in Sri Lanka will not work in the long run – we must put in place Laws to protect the Nation, and act on them.
To this end, we will have to remove the 13-A, and also have the District as the unit of governance.