We have nothing to learn from South Africa: Comment on the South Africa-Sri Lanka Dialogue.
Posted on November 3rd, 2013
By Garvin Karunaratne former Government Agent, Matara
‚ Follow South Africa for reconciliation says Minister Peiris, at the South Africa-Sri Lanka Dialogue(Sunday Island26/10/13). unaware of what happened in South Africa. Nelson Mandela to gain his release from prison sacrificed the future of his own people the blacks and was rewarded with the Noble Peace Prize. . That was not what President Rajapaksa did to liberate Sri Lanka from the terrorist LTTE . He defeated the LTTE, wiped them out from Sri Lanka. He did not follow the path of Mandela, which Chandrika Kumaranatune tried to do in the PTOMS agreement with the LTTE, where the LTTE was accorded a greater place than the Government of Sri Lanka
‚ Minister Peiris needs to realise what happened in South Africa.
‚ Nelson Mandela was a black leader who was incarcerated by the Apartheid White Government of South Africa for 27 years. South Africa was a colony of the UK where a small number of whites had wrested 87% of the arable land by force without paying any compensation to the black communities. The Blacks lived in slums and took up arms against the Whites. Nelson Mandela had to agree to the terms laid down by de Clerk the South African ruler to gain his release from prison. He had to agree that the new Government of the Blacks cannot acquire any of the land held by the Whites. It was a master stroke by President de Clerk to continue to enjoy all the prerogatives enjoyed by the Whites this time under a Black Government led by Nelson Mandela. This Black rule has now lasted two decades and let us see what happened to the Black population.
‚ While Nelson Mandela and the Black leaders enjoyed power they were powerless to help their own black population.
‚ In the words of Grasian Mkodzongi, a Researcher,
‚ -South Africa remains a very strange place, a divided society. The transition from Apartheid majority rule involved what Patrick Bond calls elite transition for the beneficiaries of the New South Africa are mostly White.- two countries one a small mediterreanean archipelago with beautiful bungalows perched on hill tops, Whites Only beaches, where blacks are there to serve the rich; the other stereotyped African country with overcrowded slums, high unemployment, extreme poverty, extreme wealth live side by side-
‚ (From -ËœThe Next Frontier for Land Occupation- :http://pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/63718
‚ Mkodzongi adds: -The ANC Government was more interested in calming nervous White land owners and foreign investors than addressing the root causes of landlessness and social injustice.-
‚ As Nelson Mandela-â„¢s former wife an active member of the ANC(African National Congress states:
‚ -Nelson Mandela let us down. He agreed to a bad deal for the blacks. Economically we are still on the outside. The Economy is very much White.-(-ËœWinnie Mandela accuses Nelson Mandela of betraying the blacks of South Africa- in Mail On Line, Aug.6,2010)
The British conquered South Africa in 1795 and by the Native Land Act of 1913 the ownership of land for the blacks was severely restricted.. 80% of the land went to the Whites. That meant 96% of the arable land.
‚ In the words of Andile Mngxitama, founding member of South Africa-â„¢s landless Peoples Movement,
‚ -Government programmes have delivered only 5% of land to the people since 1994-¦. Actually government land reform processes reproduce apartheid and racism-¦ the programme does not recognize that land held by whites is stolen property. It is a part of the 1994 deal to surrender the economy to the Whites in exchange for political office. Basically Blacks are buying back their land with assistance and loans from the Government and even then landowners sell only if they want to-¦. With laws that proclaim to protect farm workers we have allowed White farmers to evict more than a million black farm workers. (From The Africa Report,23/11/2009)
As a consequence , unemployment among the Blacks is very high. almost 50%. The country is riddled with violence, crime, murder and pillage.
‚ In my own words to Nelson Mandela,
‚ -Instead of trying to advise Sri Lanka, please look after your own people, not the South African Whites, but the Blacks, They are the real people of South Africa whom you have forgotten. You and the ANC had sacrificed their right to have land and become successful farmers. It is a fact that while the foreign debt of South Africa which at independence was around $ 24 billion under ANC rule this has increased to as much as $80.5 billion by 3011. The ANC spent this foreign exchange for the luxury life of the rich minority and not for the majority that yet live in slums, landless and unemployed-(From, -A Letter to Nelson Mandela, his Elders Mary Roboinson and Navi Pillai,-in Lanka Web 9/4/2012)
‚ On the contrary President Rajapaksa never sacrificed the people who were hounded and murdered by the LTTE. He liberated them from Prabhakaran and his terrorist outfit. He delivered to the People of Sri Lanka the ability to live peacefully. To the Tamils who were incarcerated by Prabhakaranm he delivered them to freedom from the monster Prabhakaran who ruled with the gun and forced their children to become child soldiers. .
‚ There is nothing that South Africa can contribute to Sri lanka.
‚ It is sad that the leaders of the Northern Provincial Council do not realize what the Government did achieve for the Tamils in the Northern Province. The TNA and the Chief Minister of the Provincial Council should note that if not for President Rajapaksa they would yet be under the yoke of the LTTE, be unable even to walk and talk.
‚ Garvin Karunaratne former Government Agent, Matara
28/10/2013
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:15 pm
South African blacks are as miserable as ever.
Apartheid Europeans escaped war crimes investigations thanks to Mandela and the Nobel Prize.
November 3rd, 2013 at 3:57 pm
Thank you for the article which is an eye opener.
This is NOT TRUE.
“On the contrary President Rajapaksa never sacrificed the people who were hounded and murdered by the LTTE. He liberated them from Prabhakaran and his terrorist outfit.”
President Rajapaksa agreed to Endia, UN and Navi Pee-illey to let Tamils KEEP LAND STOLEN FROM SINHALESE.
MR is no different to Mandela.
Mandela was in prison for 27 years. MR in prison for 27 hours.
There were 25,000 Sinhalese in Jaffna alone. Where are their lands?
There were 100,000 Muslims in Jaffna alone. Where are their lands?
They are with Apartheid Tamils!!!
South Africa is still controlled by Aparthied Whites.
SL is still controlled by Apartied Blacks from TNA.
Like South Africa, SL has VESAWALAMI LAW!!
Our Mandela Rajapaksha has not done anything to SCRAP it.
The JOKE of reconciliation of South Africa and SL.
If MR and Viggi shares Noble Peace Prize, I will not be surprised.
I PLEAD to all objective thinkers to call a spade a spade.
November 3rd, 2013 at 3:58 pm
Correction – Nobel Peace Prize. Or the dynamite prize.
November 3rd, 2013 at 4:35 pm
correction again ! NO-BELL peace price.
November 3rd, 2013 at 5:16 pm
LORENZO !! Good Question.
THERE WERE 25,000 SINHALESE IN JAFNA ALONE. WHERE ARE THEIR LANDS.?
THERE WERE 100,000 MUSLIMS IN JAFFNA ALONE. WHERE ARE THEIR LANDS.?
If Rajapakse does not help them get it back, HE will be considered a traitor to them, PERIOD. Mahinda Mandela.
November 3rd, 2013 at 7:44 pm
check out the following as well….
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/apartheid-did-not-die/
It is the western media propaganda that claims that SA is shining star…….
November 4th, 2013 at 7:11 am
Yasmin Sooka who wrote UN report about Sri Lanka also comes from South Africa. She is another Indian colonial parasite like UNHRC Nawanatham Pillayan.
Yasmin Sooka was a member of the Truth Commission of South Africa. She was very nasty towards Zulus who gave evidence about the atrocities commuted by ANC.
The Indian colonial parasites do very well in South Africa like their counterparts in Sri Lanka.
ANC never fought against the Indian apartheid that is in South Africa like in Sri Lanka.
November 4th, 2013 at 12:10 pm
Lorenzo is right – the Land in the North have to be returned to the rightful Sinhela & Muslim owners.
———
The British & the Dutch both ruled South Africa. South Africa got a double dose of Apartheid from those two ex-colonists. There were milder forms of Apartheid for native Sri Lankans in capital of Colombo. The main Colonial Club in Colombo carried a notice board that said : “Dogs & Natives Not Allowed”.
November 4th, 2013 at 12:22 pm
Thank you Mr. Gavin Karunaratne…for your article. Happy to see you again. SOME idiot here is messing with my computer. It always happen, when I am cxrritical of LTTE & Tamils.
Anyway let me start by sayiing, WE DO NOT have to learn from ELDERS ( so called have beens from So. Africa or Ireland). BOTH countres had enough problems for ages.
OUR elders are in Sri Lanka, Mr Gomin & Gavin Karunaratne & few others experts in Sri Lankan affairs are there. We need not go to South Africa to listen to a stupid man TALKING FOR EVER, but no substance. All money that talks NO ACTION.
We MUST get rid of 13th amendment & declare Sri Lanka is predominently a BUDDHIST SINHALA NATION. Special previleges already given MUST be clawed back, becasue TAMILS do not appreciate what we have done to save them from LTTE.
As Russian President Putin said, if anyone wants to live in Russia adapt to Russian way of Life OTHERWISE STAY away. We tell to Tamils, if you cannot live in Sri Lanka, LEAVE NOW. Tamils have done enough damage to our Motherland.
I appreciate our patriots take the trouble to voice their opinion……..As usual I am writing from far, BUT hope our silent majority in Sri Lanka will act to save Sri Lanka from MUSLIMS & TAMILS…….Thanks you all……J
November 5th, 2013 at 12:30 am
Indian Tamils should end discrimination against their own people instead of worrying about Sri Lankan Tamils, as CASTE WARS continue unabated in the Tamil Valhalla.
In the article below, note that the attackers are referred to as “Caste Hindus” in contrast to the Dalits. According to the Indian Hindu caste system, Dalits are untouchables and “Outside” the Hindu Caste System that assigns to them the status on non-humans!
This are the Ethical Underpinnings of the JayaLolitas, Karunanidhis, Vaikos, Ramadosses and Thirumavalavans who DARE TO ACCUSE Sri Lanka of Discrimination against Tamils!
Monstrous Hypocrites …. ALL of them!
…………….
Attacked by caste Hindus, Dalits knock collector’s door
By Express News Service – TIRUCHY
NewIndianExpress.com
November 5, 2013
Dalit villagers, who were allegedly attacked by caste Hindus on Deepavali day at Anthanallur in Srirangam constituency, approached Collector Jayashree Muraleedharan on Monday seeking to initiate action against their tormentors. They appealed her to shift a PDS outlet claiming that it is located at a place dominated by members of the other community.
A large number of Dalits, including those injured in the alleged attack, thronged the collectorate.
Explaining the chain of events, they told the collector that a section of people from their community were waiting at a bus stop at Mullikarumbur on Deepavali day when a group of caste Hindus approached them and picked up a quarrel. Mullikarumbur is a place dominated by caste Hindus.
According to the Dalits, the caste Hindus used filthy language and addressed them by their caste name. When asked why they were targeting them, the group allegedly assaulted them. “They came there with an intention to attack us and as planned, they rushed towards us with lethal weapons and iron rods and assaulted us,” a victim said.
The injured Dalits were rushed to the GH and were given treatment. Meanwhile, Dalit members lodged a complaint with the Somarasampettai police station, but the police allegedly refused to entertain the complaint.
Meanwhile, when the caste Hindus learnt that a complaint has been lodged against them, they stopped the Dalits once again while they were waiting at the bus stop and warned them of dire consequences.
In the petition to the collector, they also expressed fear that the situation may worsen if the people from their colony go to the ration outlet located in anarea dominated by caste Hindus. “People from our area, especially women, fear to go there to buy things and we appeal to open a PDS outlet so that we may live peacefully”, the petition further said.
The Collector received the petition and asked police officials to look into the issue.
November 5th, 2013 at 12:16 pm
Tamil Caste Wars are the basis for most of Lanka problems.
But this subject has never been addressed in the Lanka Parliament, past and present. Likely it will not be brought up at CHOGM
either. What a lot Sri Lanka leaders, past & present, have swept under the carpets – a costly thing to do. It does not help protect Sri Lanka’s most important interests, this covering up of Tamil Nadu Caste/poverty weaknesses.
May 19th, 2020 at 4:18 pm
I suggest that everyone who proposes that we learn South Africa reads ‘My Traitors Heart’ by Ryan MALAN. Only then can you understand both the brutality of the South African regime and the nature of the ANC that came to supplant the former . The formative stages of ANC and the techniques they employed to suppress rival movement ‘Black Consciousness’ was gangsterism of the worst sort employing kids trust entering teenage years, much worse than JVP Bhishana time.
Madam Suka who lived through that in South Africa must be seeing parallels in Sri Lanka based on what Mangala and other cohorts feed her. Ranil was part of the terror campaign on the UNP side and Rajitha too was a recruit, bur humanitarian operation to free LTTEe human shield could no way be. Compared.