23 Responses to “Tissa, Vasudeva and Dew have become reactionaries, while Gotabhaya Rajapakse with foresight explains danger of 13 Amendment.”

1. Lorenzo Says:
   October 26th, 2012 at 4:05 pm

   Good, bad and ugly in EVERY community.

   But we should all get together to SCRAP 13 amendment. Those who don’t agree to scrap 13 are the traitors in the new battle.

2. mjaya Says:
   October 26th, 2012 at 4:11 pm

   Tissa, Vasudeva and Dew – are simply rejected buffoons who need the national list to get into parliament.

   Just ignore them.

   NO 13A. NO 13A. NO 13A. Its the will of the PEOPLE. LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE!!!!!!!

3. Susantha Wijesinghe Says:
   October 26th, 2012 at 4:26 pm

   GOTA IS A GOOD STRATEGIST. HIS REQUEST TO REPEAL THE 13TH SHOULD BE RESPECTED AND ACTED UPON.

   THOSE WHO SPEAK AGAINST THE REPEAL, ARE BORN TRAITORS.

4. dhane Says:
   October 26th, 2012 at 5:12 pm

   Yes Charles you are correct. If non of the Political party can bring motion to scrap 13 may be they have hidden motivation and have to consider as traitors in the new battle.
   Let some MP who has the back bone bring this parliament and see the faces of those real traitors. No need to wait until next election is closer to bring this motion. People still remember elimination of LTTE and still praise those who contributed. Therefore do it now before some hidden power light the fire behind. Rabukwella’s brain is fallen off from the Melbourne Hotel Balcony. He is now brain less and talking nonsense.

5. Ananda-USA Says:
   October 26th, 2012 at 7:26 pm

   The CREDIT for the EFFUSIVE PRAISE for Sri Lanka’s CLEANLINESS in this article must go to that INCOMPARABLY EFFECTIVE PATRIOT of Lanka Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

   Whatever he takes on … HE ACCOMPLISHES in STYLE!

   ……….
   We can learn a thing or two from Sri Lanka

   By Ravindran Raman Kutty
   The Malay Mail
   October 26, 2012

   MEETINGS and work brought me to Sri Lanka last week. Colombo was a pleasant surprise for me, as I was thinking weapon wielding army officers will be welcoming me. I was wrong. Colombo airport was small but cute and clean. The immigration officers were the most courteous immigration officers that I have ever encountered. Both air and ground airline staffs were kind, humane and courteous.

   It was even more enjoyable when I took a quick dash to Kandy, wanting to visit the highlands of Nuwara Eliya. The Queen’s Hotel which, I spent a night was squeaky clean, though it was an old Viceroy’s palace aging more than 100 years old. The lacquered shiny floors were immaculate with the colonial Dutch design making a permanent impression on the guests. The service by the front office was exemplary and extremely hospitable.

   It was a journey back to history, where I was fortunate to revisit the epic Ramayana. I visited the Hanuman Temple at Ramboda where Hanuman was searching for Sitadevi, Chinmaya mission of Sri Lanka has built a temple. The image of Lord Hanuman here is 16 feet. I also visited Sita Eliya, where Sita was kept abode by Ravana, the king of Lanka. The exact spot where, Sita was kept abode is now marked with the idol of Sita flanked by Rama and Lakshamana. The epic Ramayana was related in a very simple yet effective way by the caretaker of the temple. He made it a point to point to the Footprints of Lord Hanuman which were so obvious, as they were now painted with a coat of yellow paint. He also pointed to the river in which Sita was bathing. The hill just along the river is what Lord Hanuman burnt in his escapade to rescue Sita from Ravana. The Ramayana was certainly exciting to read, but to view the exact spots at the Nuwara Eliya was awesome and was very exciting. The cool breeze, the foggy low lying clouds, the scenic tea plantations were all breath-taking.

   As a tea freak, I made a point to visit a tea plantation on the hills. I ordered my tea with a luscious chocolate cake, which was a magical combination for the cold and freezing weather at the hills. I managed to drink three cups of the “Mackwoods” tea and was almost feeling “one too many” after the third cup. The satisfaction that I derived was unexplainable, as the cup had no drops to prove.

   Sri Lanka

   BACK IN TIME: Sculptures of Rama, Sita and Hanuman among others at Sita Amman Temple

   The drive down the hills was picturesque all the way. Beetroots, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, reddish, cabbage, cauliflowers were the main items in every stall, bidding good bye or inviting one to stop to buy. The weather was so cold that we did not use air-condition, on our Toyota Hybrid which was our rented car.

   The scene maybe quite similar to Cameron Highlands, but the ambience, hospitality, warmth and honest people of Sri Lanka must be mentioned and applauded. We have to learn much from the Sri Lankan who were besieged by war for more than 30 years. The country may have lost many thousands of lives and several politicians including some prime ministers. Their quest to return to normalcy is very evident. Colombo, Kandy is the two places that I visited.

   They were immaculate and clean. The roads were clean and overall appearance of the city may look like some parts of India, but it’s pleasant, safe and clean. The roads are wide and the ride to the Highlands has better roads than our Cameron Highlands. We must learn about hospitality and humility from the Sri Lankans who are extremely pleasant and caring.

   My visit to the Pettah market was even shocking. It was an exact scene of Calcutta in terms of traffic. But the roads were clean. The walkways were spotless. The safety level was undeniably great. I even visited a toilet in the Pettah Cross Street and was shocked to see, a clean toilet, with running water and a functioning cistern pump. The doors latch was still secure and there was no stench or stain for anyone to puke or close your nose. I am certainly impressed by the condition of the toilet, even if I want to compare with our Taman Tun Dr Ismail market’s toilets.

   Malaysia we are more modern. We have the twin towers. We have the largest highways. We may have the longest bridge. Our FDI and GNI are worlds apart to Sri Lanka. We have fantastic public infrastructures to pride on, but Sri Lanka has one thing…their roads are clean, their markets are clean, the people are emphatic, they are courteous and they are in a hurry to recover the 30 lost years of development. I hope we can learn these simple traits from Sri Lanka and become a greater nation by afar!

6. Dr.Rajasingham Narendran Says:
   October 26th, 2012 at 8:16 pm

   Those who demand the abolition of the PC system, while retaining the postive and workable aspects of the 13th amendment (I include myself in this category), should also move into a more positive terrain by suggesting alternatives, that would bring about more particpatory politics in Sri Lanka, while also empowering the provinces.
   I proposed the following alternatives -out of the box thoughts- in 2110 (http://transcurrents.com/tc/2010/11/post_591.html). Are there any takers? Can we view possible alternatives to the PCs, in terms of more efficient tool, and less in terms of our communal politics?

   Devolution in Sri Lanka: ‘Some of out of the box’ thoughts

   ” How much more legitimate is it to say with the wise Plato, that the perfect felicity of a kingdom consists in the obedience of subjects to their prince, and of the prince to the laws, and in the laws being just and constantly directed to the public good!”-Jean Jacques Rousseau in his essay on ‘The social contract’.

   The possibility of an independent Tamil Eelam within the island of Sri Lanka is as dead as a ‘DODO’ now. Those who yet expect it to become a reality are living in a world of fantasy. Those yet actively scheming to resurrect the Tamil Eelam project should be aware that they are also simultaneously digging a mass grave for the Tamils in Sri Lanka. What are the alternatives?

   Devolution of powers to the periphery, particularly to the northern and eastern provinces, has once again assumed centre stage in the debate on how to manage the majority-minority equation within the island. Full- fledged federalism, with extensive devolution of powers, has to be ruled out because the Sinhala polity is convinced it is tantamount to separation.

   Sri Lanka is at present defined as a unitary state, a position that will not change for decades to come, in view of rigid perceptions that have emerged in the context of the call for a separate State for the Tamils of the north and east and the war fought over it. To the majority Sinhala community, unitary is united. This position is rigidly cast in reinforced concrete.

   A quasi-federal state like India, suggested by Mr.V.Anandasangary, is also not a serious alternative, as the Sinhala polity does not see it as any different from a federal state. It may take decades, if not centuries of inter-communal peace and relative prosperity in the island, for levels of trust and confidence to be established, permitting these rigid positions to change.

   The Sinhala people are now indifferent to the 13th amendment, which gave birth to the Provincial Councils, under Indian pressure. Though severely emasculated through various devices deployed by successive governments, it remains a symbol of insult to Sri Lankan sovereignty for many. These Councils as presently constituted perform some services, but have no major impact on the people they serve. The Colombo government continues to be the puppeteer, which orchestrates all matters great and small in Sri Lanka. Even the Municipal Councils, Urban Councils and the Gam Sabhas (Village Councils) have progressively lost their independence. There has been a trend towards greater centralization, rather than decentralization or devolution over several decades despite the national turmoil and a war for a separate State for the Tamils. The recent decision that the defense ministry will regulate billboards in Colombo here after, is a pointer to the direction we are moving.

   Devolution, as an exercise to empower the minorities in Sri Lanka, cannot be imposed on an unwilling/ unconvinced government and a disinclined Sinhala polity. It is pertinent to note that there was no demand for devolution from the Sinhalese and the Provincial Councils were thrust on the seven (out of nine) provinces where they are a majority, in order to accommodate the demands of the Tamils. Any greater degree of devolution grudgingly accepted because of external pressures, is likely to be rendered meaningless, as the 13th amendment. It is futile to waste our time discussing, debating and demanding the full implementation of the 13th amendment with +/-, or any other devolution mechanism in the prevailing circumstances. Seeking Indian pressure on the Sri Lankan government on issues relating to devolution and power sharing will definitely prove counter-productive for the Tamils.

   Governments in Sri Lanka, irrespective of the persons heading them, have been masters at the art of dodge and swerve, show and hide, and hide and seek, to buy time to avoid confronting the issue of devolution head on. If the reigning government offers devolution, the opposition will be against it. This is our history. It is a well-synchronized game! The powers that be in Sri Lanka have never shown the inclination or the will to devolve power. The present government headed by President Mahinda Rajapakse is no different. Even if this government is inclined to tread the path of devolution to any meaningful distance, a Sinhala polity that has lived with the consequences of the separatist war and rejoiced at its brutal end, will not countenance it. For them once again, devolution is equivalent to separation. Mahinda Rajapakse, the populist politician, is no fool to swim against the tide.

   The Tamil politicians of today as those of yester-year have miserably failed to understand the Sinhala psyche. As Tamil demands escalated, culminating in the demand for a separate State and a war, the position of the Sinhala politicians and polity, also progressively hardened. The reverse is also true. The Tamils or those who claimed to represent them waged a prolonged war for a separate State, which ended with no gains, but debilitated the Tamils to an unimaginable extent.

   Is it time for the Tamils and their politicians to seek a different path towards securing their place within Sri Lanka? Is it time to think out of the box? The political objectives of the Tamils should be defined clearly at this stage. Do the Tamils want power for powers sake or for the sake of improving their lives? If the latter is true, what is it that the Tamils need most now?

   Primarily the Tamils need help to recover from the devastating effects of the prolonged war. They also need security –of person and property- to live as a free people without fear, equal citizenship rights and equal opportunities in all aspects of life. They have to be guaranteed their cultural and linguistic rights as individuals and a people. During the coming years, the northern and eastern provinces should be developed to provide means of livelihood and higher standards of living for the people. Could there be another way of achieving these objectives?

   There are yet Tamils who have failed to understand the current situation in Sri Lanka. The Tamils have been debilitated to an extent that day- to- day survival has become a priority to a very large number. Language, culture, religion and concepts of homeland have become distant considerations. The need to find food, shelter, health-care, livelihood and other basics of human life far outweigh the need to exercise power over their affairs as articulated by their so-called leaders. The hunger for power felt by their so-called leaders and leadership aspirants does not reflect the sentiments of the Tamils at large. The basic needs of the Tamils are so acute and the northern and eastern provinces so impoverished that only the central government with whatever international assistance it can procure is capable of providing relief.

   Provincial Councils in most provinces are very dependent on the central government for their finances, and in the north and east, under the present circumstances, they are more so. Those aspiring to positions of power within the Tamil community at present are largely the dredges of society (proportionately higher than in the Sinhala community), who should not be trusted with any power. In these circumstances, do we need a second tier of government?

   The Tamils yet persisting with the demands of yester-year do not also understand that the Sinhala attitudes towards the minorities have changed. They no longer feel a disadvantaged majority. They are a confident people, who now feel their destiny is firmly in their control. They can no longer be described as a ‘Majority with a minority complex’. Issues of language and religion no longer are their greatest concern. The ordinary Sinhala people have found their place in the sun. The extreme elements among the Sinhalese are firmly under the control of this government. They are incapable of rousing divisive passions any longer and cannot strike a chord with the Sinhala people.

   The Sinhalese are now seeking development and economic prosperity above everything else. They understand that unless there is peace in the country these objectives cannot be achieved. They now have a stake in the economic pie. They want to learn English now to pursue their ambitions, in a culturally and economically globalizing world. English is no longer the ‘Kaduwa’ (sword) they once despised. The other welcome development is that a very large number feel the grievances of the Tamils, with respect of equal citizenship and language rights need to be addressed within the framework of a unitary Sri Lanka. Having experienced the war and seen the aftermath, they empathize with the Tamils. The Rajapakse government resonates to these sentiments. When the Rajapakse government talks of a homespun solution, it is articulating a desire to find a solution that will reconcile the set positions and current sentiments of the Sinhalese with the needs of the minorities. Models of devolution imposed from outside may not satisfy these criteria.

   The window of opportunity that has opened for all minorities including the Tamils should not be permitted to slip. Politics is the art of the possible and compromise is its essence. Of course, many Tamils influenced by the politics of confrontation of the past would ask why the Tamils should compromise. My answer would be that it is common sense to do so and the height of hypocrisy/ stupidity not to accept current realities. If Tamils cannot reach the sky, as they had wanted and fallen into a quagmire of misery, they have to climb to the top of the nearest and strongest tree available, to avoid drowning. Tamils have to compromise their historical stance for new and effective political arrangements that would serve the needs of the time. The Tamils cannot talk the language of a minority with a majority complex any more. History, as perceived by many Tamils may prove that they had an independent Kingdom before the Portuguese invasion and hence they have a right to self-rule of sorts, if not a separate State. Unfortunately, history that is more recent has pointed the Tamils in the direction to find their place within a unitary Sri Lankan State. Rather than accept flawed and debilitated Provincial Councils, it may be prudent for the Tamils to seek alternate arrangements, which would be easily acceptable to the Sinhala polity and cater to their current needs and those of at least the next few decades.

   In my opinion, it is better for the representatives of the Tamils and Muslims to participate in the politics of the center and pursue the interest of their people through mechanisms that will be acceptable to the majority Sinhala polity. Such an approach will also take advantage of the current sentiments prevailing in the Sinhala polity. This approach may require jettisoning the Provincial Councils set up under the 13th amendment, and taking a diametrically opposite direction.

   I suggest in broad outline approaches that have the potential to ensure for the minorities what they seek:

   1. A bill of rights, covenant or social contract in the constitution that will enshrine as an entrenched principle that all citizens are equal and have inalienable rights to,

   a. Security of person and property, wherever they freely choose to live in the island.

   b. Equal opportunities in education, chosen profession and employment, based on merit.

   c. Live in accordance to their culture; be educated in the language of their choice (Sinhala, Tamil, English or a combinations of these) and practice their religion.

   d. Total and unqualified equality in the eyes of the prevailing laws and administrative mechanisms.

   e. Non-discrimination based on professed identity, language, religion, beliefs, political affiliations and place of residence.

   f. Preserve and develop their distinctive identity and its associated visible symbols.

   g. Deal with the government at various levels and its agencies in either Sinhala, Tamil or English.

   2. The above bill of rights, covenant or social contract should be given effect through appropriate laws that have teeth and which cannot be abridged by other clauses in the constitution or other laws.

   3. Elected members of parliament from each province should be constituted into bodies (nine in total) that serve as the political link between the legislature, executive and the provinces. They could be called the ‘Provincial Advisory Councils’

   These bodies:

   a. Should be permitted to monitor and report on various aspects of provincial life-administrative services, police services, education, health care, transport services, industries, agriculture, forestry, water conservation, infrastructure, tourism, land use, ecological issues etc. – to the legislature and the executive.

   b. Should constitute themselves into committees, to address various aspects of life in the provinces coming under their preview.

   c. Should propose development projects and administrative improvements in respect of their provinces to the cabinet.

   4. A member of parliament from each province, acceptable to the president (other criteria may be defined), should be appointed as a minister in the cabinet. Thus, there will be nine additional cabinet ministers, each representing a province, in the national cabinet.

   They would:

   a. Serve as a link between the provincial grouping of parliamentarians and the executive.

   b. Serve as the links between the provincial bodies

   c. Pursue the interests and concerns of their respective provinces at cabinet level.

   d. Participate in national affairs at cabinet level.

   e. Chair meetings of the body consisting of the members of parliament from each province.

   f. Not have any executive functions in their respective provinces, but would have the right to co-ordinate with various subject ministers in the cabinet and access information from the existing provincial administrations and co-ordinate with the District Secretaries (Government Agents) on issues of concern

   This proposal if fleshed out, refined and better defined, would serve several purposes:

   1. Permit the minorities to participate effectively in national governance.

   2. Permit the minorities to have a say in the affairs of the provinces they reside.

   3. Permit the provinces to have a greater say in the affairs concerning them.

   4. Make the government more aware of the needs of the provinces.

   5. Make members of parliament aware of the needs of their provinces.

   6. Reduce the cost of administration (no separate Provincial Council administration).

   7. Eliminate a tier of governance that has proved to be or rendered ineffective.

   8. Eliminate the position of an appointed Governor in the provinces and give elected members of parliament greater say in provincial affairs, through interactions within the cabinet and the legislature.

   9. Make members of parliament answerable to their electorates in terms of performance.

   10. Make members of parliament earn their keep

   11. Make members of parliament learn to work together, irrespective of party affiliations, for the common good.

   12. Make cabinet ministers (other than the provincial ministers) participate in affairs of the provinces as members of parliament from a particular province. This will pave the way for another dimension of province –centre interaction.

   Aspects of these proposals pertaining to members of parliament from the various provinces can be implemented initially through ad-hoc arrangements, without constitutional sanction. However, constitutional amendments to entrench the bill of rights, covenant or social contract and consolidate the system proposed would be imperative at the earliest. I am not sure whether a two third majority in parliament and a national referendum would be required to accommodate these proposals in the constitution. I do not however foresee any problems regarding these, as the governments commands a two third majority at present and the public has no reason to reject these proposals. These constitutional arrangements should supersede the 13th amendment.

   My hope is that this proposal will encourage a focused debate and discussion that would permit complementary or alternate ideas to emerge to untangle a proverbial Gordian knot.

   “யாதும் ஊரெ யாவரும் கேளீர்
   தீதும் நன்மையும் பிற்ர் தர வாரா” – புறநானாணூறு

   Translation (mine):

   “All ye hear! All cities/ towns/villages belong to every one and
   the bad and the good are not begotten from others”

   The above lines from the Puranaanuuru (Sangam Tamil poetry), points that we Sri Lankans have to accept Sri Lanka is the home for all her peoples and that the bad and the good we beget are our own making. We should broaden our outlook beyond our parochial identities and work to achieve a unity in our diversity. This is the lesson we have to learn from the blood history of our 62- years as an independent nation.
   The approach I am suggesting here may be the first step in the direction of national reconciliation and nation building.

   Posted by transCurrents on November 4, 2010 11:38 AM | Permalink transCurrents.com Contact Email: editor@transcurrents.com

7. Ananda-USA Says:
   October 26th, 2012 at 8:47 pm

   Senior Minister D.E.W Gunasekara, I am sorry to say, does not know what he is saying. He is suffering from SENIOR onset of Alzheimers disease … and should retire gracefully for treatment … before he forgets everything that happened in the last 30 years.

   The “armed movements in the North” DID NOT “lay down their arms” and “enter the democratic political process due to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution”.

   Refusing to lay down their arms until the end, the LTTE HAD TO BE CRUSHED MILITARILY, and EVERY LEADER and SEPARATIST STILL BEARING ARMS killed. In no way, shape, or form does that amount to voluntarily “laying down arms” to “follow the democratic process” which they rejected when they resorted to murder and mayhem.

   TheTNA, the surviving “Political Proxy” of the LTTE, is now PRETENDING to have entered the “political process” and is attempting to win through BLACKMAIL in PEACE what the LTTE FAILED TO WIN by VIOLENCE IN WAR! They were CRUSHED militarily, they didn’t enter into ANYTHING voluntarily. This Minister is talking GOBBLEDYGOOK!

   The TNA rejected all offers while the LTTE was still a military force, so how can they be “CHEATED” of anything when they did not agree to anything? They were not CHEATED, they refused what was offered, and LOST EVERYTHING in WAR! Those refused offers are NO LONGER AVAILABLE to them.

   Come on, GIVE US A BREAK from this ASININE DOUBLE TALK!

   …………………
   Abolishing 13th Amendment is an invitation to separatism, Sri Lanka senior minister warns

   ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

   Oct 26, Colombo: A senior Sri Lankan minister warned that abolishing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution would be an invitation to separatism.

   Senior Minister D.E.W. Gunasekera making a special media statement has said that emphasis should be laid on the situation in post war Sri Lanka.

   He has said that armed movements in the North had laid down their arms and entered the democratic political process due to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

   He has noted that forgetting this fact by many who call for the abolishing the 13th Amendment is regrettable.

   According to Gunasekera, the abolishing of the 13th Amendment would be an invitation to separatism and terrorism and the Tamil Diaspora would be happy with such a situation.

   Consensus is growing in Sri Lanka against the 13th Amendment that evolves power to the provincial councils. However, the government said yesterday that it has not taken a decision about the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

8. M.S.MUDALI Says:
   October 27th, 2012 at 12:13 am

   Traitors are calling others as traitors. What a Sinhala Buddhist joke! UNP and its hooligan supporters are the traitors but none of them open their mouth in Lankaweb. Treason is a way of life in Sri lanka since the Portugeuse times.

9. NeelaMahaYoda Says:
   October 27th, 2012 at 7:15 am

   Mudali
   Instead of writing abusive words, if you are an educated man, write facts and arguments why Sri Lanka should adopt 13A or 13+ . Otherwise we will consider you as one of those corner shop owner who is blindly supporting Tamil terrorists.

10. Fran Diaz Says:
    October 27th, 2012 at 8:20 am

    Sri Lanka’s Old Guard politicians are bogged down in -isms and old fashioned ideas, I am sorry to say. No offence meant, but the 13-A is a life & death situation for Sri Lanka, and needs mass participation from rank and file. Perhaps they are just using the opportunity as a bargaining chip ?

    It’s time to think out of the old and discarded ‘boxed’ up theories and bring fresh new ideas into governance of a small country caught in the 13-A trap. See the other article on a fresh new idea from Dr Nath Amarakone (ELMS).

    At any rate we must proceed with great Caution – study all the aspects and possible repercussions before jumping into action, make alterations & additions. If the pluses override the minuses, then proceed with our blessings.

11. Marco Says:
    October 27th, 2012 at 11:53 am

    Why is MR dithering on getting rid of the 13th?

12. Charles Says:
    October 27th, 2012 at 1:55 pm

    Probably they still have pact with India !

13. M.S.MUDALI Says:
    October 27th, 2012 at 9:18 pm

    Charles:
    You live in Canada which has a Federal system. At least the people who bark at 13 must think about the country where they live to get their food.

14. Ananda-USA Says:
    October 28th, 2012 at 2:18 am

    Dr.Rajasingham Narendran,

    On reading your Proposal, I came away with two conclusions.

    1. Most of the “rights” of citizens in Items #1 & #2 that you want to be included in a separate “Bill of Rights” are ALREADY embedded in, and guaranteed by, the existing constitution of Sri Lanka. Therefore, what additional advantages would accrue from of REARRANGING the Constitution, and relocating that text into a separate “Bill of Rights”? I don’t think there are any additional advantages whatsoever in doing that.

    Moreover, there are several several items among these rights that pose problems. For example,

    #1-c: While the right of an individual to “be educated in the language OF THEIR CHOICE (Sinhala, Tamil, English or a combinations of these)” sounds good, enforcement of equal rights in, for example, employent depends on ability to communicate in the required language at the place where the job is located. If the job is denied, then it will raise cries of “discrimination”. Therefore, the Government has to have the right to establish and enforce a language policy, such as a Tri-Lingual policy, that will produce a population to which it can deliver equal rights.

    #1-f. The right to ” Preserve and develop their distinctive identity and its associated visible symbols” should be
    deleted in its entirety because that can be used to implement various discriminatory practices and to pursue separatist agendas contrary to the development of a common shared Sri Lankan identity.

    I am certain there are other issues in the rights you have proposed.

    Furthermore, while the RIGHTS OF CITIZENS are proposed for inclusion in this “Bill of Rights”, the RESPONSIBILITIES and DUTIES of CITIZENS to their COUNTRY are missing. They include the responsibility to abide by the laws of the land, to avoid treasonous conduct, to serve in the military service when required, to avoid inciting communal discord, and so on. These RESPONSIBILITIES should also be listed in a separate “Bill of Responsibilities” of a citizen.

    2. In Item #3, you propose that “Elected members of parliament from each province should be constituted into bodies (nine in total) that serve as the political link between the legislature, executive and the provinces. They could be called the ‘Provincial Advisory Councils’ . Then you proceed to define in detail the functions, and powers to be vested in these Provincial Advisory Councils.

    You are in effect RECONSTITUTING the existing Provincial Council System through the backdoor under another name. Such a “Provincial Advisory Council” System, created by Law, would effectively have the same scope of functions as the existing Provincial Council System, and pose the same problems as the former does.

    It would insert another unnecessary bureaucratic barrier between the Central Government and the citizenry, enable Communal Parties seeking regional power bases to dilute and undermine the authority of the Central Government, and it would attempt to acquire executive power denied it initially by complaining and agitating that its “advice” and “recommendations” are not being implemented. We are in effect, replacing one bone of contention with another similar bone.

    Such an UNELECTED body would not only undermine the Executive Branch of the Government, but would also usurp the function and role of the ELECTED Representatives of the National Parliament by presuming to represent the people who elected them. Instead, perhaps, the ELECTED Members of Parliament should be given more power to benefit their constituencies.

    In addition to this “Provincial Advisory Council” system , you are proposing an even greater level of Provincial Representation through MANDATORY membership in the Cabinet of Ministers. Since the beneficiaries of such representation are very likely to be the Ethnic and Religious Minorities now seeking autonomy in the North and East on COMMUNAL BASES, you are in fact advocating the de-facto creation of a patchwork of Nine Bantustans each FREE TO PURSUE its own anti-national agenda.

    The basic problem, that the Provinces are too large relative to the Central Government, and when endowed with power at the level of provinces through any system organized on that size level, they pose a threat to the stability and integrity of the country, has not been addressed.

    You must understand, that the majority of Sri Lankans do not want the nation to be divided into separate Ethno-Religious regions in OVERT DIRECT, or COVERT INDIRECT ways.

    While Sri Lankans are committed to EQUAL RIGHTS for ALL citizens, and EQUAL RESPONSIBILITIES from ALL citizens, they also believe that the right to vote for one’s Representative to the National Parliament is sufficient FRANCHISE for any law-abiding citizen enjoying those RIGHTS and RESPONSIBILITIES. No administrative units beyond Districts administered by appointed Government Agents, and elected Municipality, Town and Village Councils are needed.

    Only those with ULTERIOR SEPARATIST MOTIVES continue to cry “discrimination”, and seek to divide the people of Sri Lanka along communal lines. In that quest by promoting a false notion of APARTHEID DIVERSITY, geared to perpetuating the 13th Amendment and the Provincial Council System through various overt and covert means.

15. Kit Athul Says:
    October 28th, 2012 at 9:16 am

    M.S. MUDALI, You half Tamil half Sinhala, Charles lives in France. Far away from Canada.

16. Fran Diaz Says:
    October 28th, 2012 at 9:26 am

    I would like to post a comment on Ravindra Rama Kutty write up re his visit to the Hanuman Temple (in Comment above by Ananda USA). Mr RRK says : “The Ramayana was certainly exciting to read, but to view the exact spots at the Nuwara Eliya was awesome and was very exciting”.

    To gain some clarity into the great epic tales from India, I would like to state the following :

    The RAMYANA is an ALLEGORICAL TALE showing the Spiritual Battle within each human being. Though the tale may be wound around Guru Rama and his wife Sita and may be a clever King called Ravana in Lanka, it is really a myth, a beautiful epic tale about the human spirit.

    Rama = God,
    Sita = the Atman/Heart, the pure sliver of the Godhead within each human being (God/Truth/Allah, within us all)
    Ravana = the Mind within each human being, that which helps survive the travails of life, the survival gear
    Hanuman = Other Survival gear available on earth

    The same is true for the MAHABHARATA this time set in Kurukshethra, India (fortunately, not in Sri Lanka), another wonderful epic tale from India, depicting the same spiritual journey/story. Here the centerpiece is the Bhagavad Gita where Krishna is the Guru, and Arjuna is the human ‘warrior’ battling for the spiritual truth, killing the Klesas (Anger, Lust, Greed, Hatred etc.) to gain Enlightenment. The Klesas are our ‘relatives’ within us who Arjuna has to ‘kill’ to gain Salvation or Enlightenment. The Battle is conducted by Arjuna with Krishna as the charioteer, keeping the battle alive through the Breath of life. “I cannot do battle for you, Arjuna, but I will drive your chariot” says Krishna.

    Similarly, in Buddhism, the “MARA SAENA” shown by artists in our Buddhist Temples is the Mind (doubts, negative thoughts) “attacking” the Buddha. As children, we were never told that this was just a simile, an allegorical tale.

    Sri Lanka authorities must realise, for the sake of SECURITY IN SRI LANKA, that : IT IS IMPORTANT TO DISTINGUISH MYTH FROM REALITY IN RELIGION BOUND STORIES, PARTICULARLY FROM INDIA. CHILDREN WILL BELIEVE WHATEVER THEY ARE TAUGHT AT A YOUNG AGE, AND CARRY SUCH BELIEF SYSTEMS INTO ADULTHOOD.

    Mr RRK believes the Ramayana to be a true story and there may be thousands, even millions, of others who do the same. The ancient storyteller(s) meant only Good to come from the wonderful Allegorical tale of the Ramayana.

    Question: What does the Ramayana depict about Sri Lanka ? Does the Ramayana, quite unintentionally, depict Sri Lanka as a Good or Bad place ?

    FOR THE SAKE OF SECURITY ISSUES IN SRI LANKA, all this must be carefully noted by Sri Lanka authorities and acted on in our mad rush for more Tourism here. The Hanuman Temple Upcountry : How many tourists go there believing the Ramayana to be a true tale ? I hope this place is not trouble in the making for Lanka.

    Also please note that the ‘Seetha Gangula” means “Cold Spring” in Sinhala. I know a young man who actually fainted due to the cold when he jumped into the ‘Seetha Gangula’, the water was that cold !

17. Fran Diaz Says:
    October 28th, 2012 at 10:50 am

    Also, Mr RRK writes : “It was a journey back to history, where I was fortunate to revisit the epic Ramayana. I visited the Hanuman Temple at Ramboda where Hanuman was searching for Sitadevi, Chinmaya mission of Sri Lanka has built a temple. The image of Lord Hanuman here is 16 feet. I also visited Sita Eliya, where Sita was kept abode by Ravana, the king of Lanka. The exact spot where, Sita was kept abode is now marked with the idol of Sita flanked by Rama and Lakshamana. The epic Ramayana was related in a very simple yet effective way by the caretaker of the temple. He made it a point to point to the Footprints of Lord Hanuman which were so obvious, as they were now painted with a coat of yellow paint. He also pointed to the river in which Sita was bathing”.

    This shows that Mr RRK really BELIEVES that the ALLEGORICAL story really happened.

18. Ananda-USA Says:
    October 28th, 2012 at 3:26 pm

    Fran Diaz,

    You have nicely outlined the SPIRITUAL ESSENCE of the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha epics, divorcing it the from the physical and factual realities of peripheral importance.

    I would like to emphasize that the Mahabharatha is set within the context of a war, perhaps allegorical, in which “good” is glorified and the “bad” is deprecated, in pursuit of the storyteller’s goal of identifying guiding principles for our own journey through life. My goal in doing so is to point out one big difference between Hinduism and Buddhism that arises in this epic. As Hinduism’s central spiritual tale, it legitimizes “good” wars for Hindus, where as Buddhism, abhors all violence and, therefore, is less practical for survival in the real world.

    That, perhaps, is the real reason why the Eelamist terror was allowed to last for 30 long years in Sri Lanka, whereas in most other countries, it would have been ended early through the application of overwhelming military force. That force could have been applied in Sri Lanka, had the WILL existed. It was through massive application of force, in the US civil war, a war with the highest casualty rate ever, a war in which the Union was on the point of losing before the Battle of Gettysburg, that was ended in 4 short years. The prime mover for that policy was Abraham Lincoln, credited by most for his compassion towards his Confederate enemies, both military and civilian. But, yet, he urged Sherman’s devastating March from Atlanta to the Sea, to break the will of the enemy people, and bring the war to a rapid conclusion. Would Buddhist Sri Lankan’s be capable of such decisiveness? Apparently not, for it took 30 years, and 150,000 deaths, before a Government could summon the will and the support to wage war that could defeat the evil embracing the land, and rescue its people.

    In Sri Lanka’s own history, the Mahavansa story of how Buddhist monks of the day shed their robes and took up arms to join king Dutugamunu’s war of liberation of Lanka from Chola invaders, crystallizes the eternal conflict between the ideal of religious teachings, and the practical world we live in and must survive. We recall how angry Dutugamunu himself was with his father Kavan Tissa’s reluctance to take up arms against the foreign enemy occupying the Raja Rata of his people.

    The conflict is embedded in every soldiers decision to leave his family and go to war: he DOES NOT WANT TO LEAVE his family knowing he may not come back to care for them, but he also knows that he MUST, while every fibre of his being tells him not to, BECAUSE his family survival in the long run hinges upon it. Compassion for loved ones, arising from the ability of human to reason, usually is the motivating force driving men to war.

    Finally, let me congratulate you on the identification of physical locations in the Hill Country with the Ramayana tale, in pursuit of Tourist revenue, as creating potential National Security pitfalls for Sri Lanka in the Years ahead.

    Just as Ayodhya, the birth place of Rama, in India has become a Bone of Contention between Indian Hindus and Muslims, and a SECURITY THREAT to India, Sita Eliya has the potential to become a similar problem for Sri Lanka, given the covetous eyes Indian Tamils of Tamil Nadu cast upon Sri Lanka, and the preponderance of Sri Lankan citizens of Indian Tamil extraction who live there.

    The Ramayana also resonates in the mind of the majority of Indians who are Hindu. If the opposition that the Sethu Samudra Project to create a maritime channel for large ships in the Palk Strait has raise in Tamil Nadu, because of the Land Bridge created by Hanuman, is any measure, the Sita Eliya issue could easily spiral out of control.

    Will the Sita Eliya create a manufactured foreign claim, embedded in the Ramayana epic, on the Hill Country of Sri Lanka, or will it make friends for Sri Lanka among the Hindus of India? Your guess is as good as mine.

19. Dr.Rajasingham Narendran Says:
    October 28th, 2012 at 9:37 pm

    Ananda,

    There are many ideals stated in the current Sri Lankan constitution and in the preceding ones. Our constitutions are full of loop holes and exceptions. They are designed to look good, but not work well. They are designed by ourpoliticians to work for them and not the country nation. The exceptions have been the rule! This why where we are now. We have never viwed the constitution as a blue print of the principles that should guide governance. Liv9ing in the USA, I am sure what I mean.

    Further, a covenant is a formal, solemn agreement between two or more people or groups. We have to have such a covenant between peoples to provide guidelines to inter-communal relatioships. Such a covenant approved by all the people in Sri Lanka, as individuals and communities, should be incorporated into our constitution as an overiding, inalienable and unchangeable principle. It should be sacro-sanct both in the hearts of the peoples and in law.

    Dr.Rajasingham Narendran

20. Dr.Rajasingham Narendran Says:
    October 28th, 2012 at 10:06 pm

    Ananda,

    You are very correct in your interpretation of the Ramayana. The Ramayana and the Mahabharatha are epics that will stand the test of time. They are for eternity, because they relate to battles and circumstances every human faces daily in his life. We fight the battles described in these epics every day, within ourselves , with others, as communities and nations. Whether, they have a historical basis is irrelevant.

    One story from within the Mahabharatha is probably relevant to the intercommunal relations in Sri Lanka. When Lord Krishna pleaded with Duryodana (the eldest among the Kauravas) to concede at least five villages to the Pacha Pandavas (his cousins), the request was denied. This led to the terrible war in Kurulshetra. We have had our terrible wars too as a result of intransiegence and lack of accomodation.

    Dr.Rajasingham Narendran

21. Fran Diaz Says:
    October 29th, 2012 at 7:05 am

    Ananda USA,

    Thank you for response. Yes, I agree with all you say re the Ramayana & the Mahabharata. These epic stories, taken at another level, can be interpreted to glorify actual battle as well as battle at different levels in life. Indian leaders throughout the ages can use/have used this to good purpose to protect the land and their people. I started off at the Centre of the Stories, the battle at the Spiritual level.

    Ltte terrorism went on for so long due to several reasons, and certainly not only due to Buddhism in Lanka.

    There is a contradiction re Buddhist attitudes and war. In our early history, even Buddhist priests went to war to protect the Nation from invaders. I presume it was then taken as an act of high sacrifice by the Buddhist priests, where the Karma of such actual battle was assumed as absorbed by the Buddhist priests turned warrior for a season of war. After some 500 yrs of Colonization, and Democratic norms after Independence, a more “conciliatory spirit” (given to finding solutions for conflicts other than war) has set in, away from weapons and war.

    How can Buddhism be interpreted in present day complex situations to protect the land and its People ?

    Regardless of whatever high ideas we discuss here re Religon, the ordinary people everywhere, whatever religion, are fed on a daily diet of ‘religion in pill form’, Buddhists being the least affected by this modern malady. Buddhists are perceived as following the path of ‘Ahimsa’ and will always be the most vulnerable among hawkish others, especially in S.E. Asia. That is why a strong army will always be needed in Sri Lanka with strong Laws in place to protect all of Lanka’s citizens, especially the Buddhists and Buddhist places of worship.

    —————————

    Re Upcountry matters:

    Added to the dangers in the Upcountry area being artificially connected via the Ramayana story, is the fact of illegal migrants, especially from Tamil Nadu. Can a small country such as Lanka afford illegal migrants ?

    * Recently, there was a news item that about 50,000 acres of Upcountry land belonging to the Tea Research Institute has been occupied by Squatters. Who are these
    Squatters ? Are they Tamil illegal migrants ? . If they are illegal migrants, I presume that these are people who entered Sri Lanka via the Mannar route when the ltte held power over those areas (time Fr. Reyappu Joseph’s Mannar). Sri Lankan citizens need to have answers to these questions.
    * A friend tells me that I should be more specific about Seetha Gangula. This stream of cold water is called “Seetha Gangula” in Sinhala because of the very cold water. Calling it ‘SITA gangula’ is WRONG. ‘Seetha” & “Sita” sound similar, but these two words do not mean the same thing. Sita (Rama’s wife) never bathed there. Perhaps it should be re-named “SEETHALA Gangula” to make clear that it means ‘Cold spring’ and NOT ‘Sita spring’. Or else the creeping sickness of Land Claim will set in.

22. Fran Diaz Says:
    October 29th, 2012 at 8:45 am

    Ananda,

    Giving the subject at hand, the epic stories of India, more thought :
    In my humble view, all outer wars manifest due to the Inner war in human beings which I referred to earlier. So the epic stories of India really refer mostly to the inner war.

    Here Buddhism explains how Thought processes give rise to Action, to Good Action and Bad Action, and resultant Action, and so on. Here too Hinduism (Raj Yoga) has no duality with Buddhism.

    I favor Preventive Care in everything, in Security as well as in Healthcare, etc.

23. Ananda-USA Says:
    November 1st, 2012 at 5:10 pm

    The fact that the Chief Justice delivered the Decision on the DiviNaguma Bill to the Secretary General of the Parliament instead of the Speaker seems, at face value, to be a minor, remediable, technicality.

    The REAL ISSUE here seems to be the RULING of the Supreme Court (SC), under the Chief Justice’s leadership, that the NATIONL DiviNaguma Bill, which cuts across Provincial boundaries, is UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

    The Chief Justice seems to be BLIND to the fact that the 13th Amendment which created the Provincial Council System, and which forms the basis of the SC decision on the DiviNaguma Bill, is itself UNCONSTITUTIONAL!

    The 13th Amendment was ILLEGALLY imposed upon Sri Lanka by India, ignoring VOCIFEROUS PROTESTS from the majority community, and most citizens, of Sri Lanka, under the THREAT of Permanent Military Occupation of Sri Lanka by Indian Forces.

    If the Chief Justice cannot find the LEGAL PRECEDENT for delivering a Judgment that QUESTIONS the LEGALITY of the 13th Amendment itself, she DOES NOT BELONG in her position as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, for she lacks either the necessary JUDICIAL KNOWLEDGE to DISCOVER those PRECEDENTS, and/or the necessary personal commitment to preserving the Integrity and Sovereignty of Sri Lanka.

    In my own comments at LankaWeb.com and the SriLankaDefenceForum.blogspot.com , I have identified many International Legal Precedents (for example, the infamous Munich Agreement that was abrogated by Czechoslovakia after the defeat of Nazi Germany) that can be used for that purpose.

    Therefore, let this MYOPIC & USELESS judge be removed from the Supreme Court, using any and all evidence that exists of her unsuitability for her position on the Supreme Court, for she has failed her FOREMOST DUTY to Defend & Protect Sri Lanka.

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