Human Rights Luxuries of 2 Million Tamils Verses the Right to Life of 21 Million Sri Lankans
Posted on November 30th, 2013
Dilrook Kannangara
Too much has been said about human rights of a mere 2 million Sri Lankan Tamils in the past few years. Most of these are absurd allegations as Tamils in Sri Lanka enjoy the same level of human rights as Tamils in Canada, UK or India. However, nothing has been said about the right to life of 21 million Sri Lankans (including Tamils). When a choice has to be made, the right to life of 21 million Sri Lankans at all times must come first despite the human rights of a few. This is the approach taken by all civilised and democratic countries around the world. There is no reason why this order of priority should change in the case of Sri Lanka.
In a war situation a compromise must be made between the full protection of human rights of a smaller group of people and the right to life of everyone. No war has been fought without human rights violations or civilian casualties. But when the resultant peace benefits all, it is a worthy sacrifice.
Denied Right to Life of 21 Million Sri Lankans by Tamil Nationalists
There was a time not so long ago when Tamil Nationalists (both armed and unarmed) terrorised other Sri Lankans. People were afraid to take a short bus trip to their work fearing Tamil bomb attacks. Mother and father of children used to travel in separate buses so that in the event of a Tamil attack, at least one parent will be there for children. School buses transporting Sinhala children were attacked by Tamil nationalists throughout the country. Trains were bombed killing hundreds of Sinhala civilians by Tamil nationalists. How about the victims’ human rights and more importantly their right to life?
Muslims and Sinhalese were not safe even at places of religious worship. Tamil nationalists attacked them killing hundreds desecrating places of religious worship. The most sacred places of worship in the country were attacked by Tamil terrorists. How about the victims’ human rights and more importantly their right to life?
The more relevant topic is the human rights violations of ethnic Sinhalese by Tamil nationalists. Until that is addressed, no meaningful discussion on Tamils’ human rights can be made.
Tamil Nationalists Denying Rights of Low Caste Tamils
All human rights busybodies and their kith and kin survived the war. Tamil nationalists dragged low caste Tamils and their children into war, held them as a human shield and disposed them when in sickness. No one talks about human rights of now rehabilitated Tamils because none of them belong to the Jaffna high caste crowd. For human rights warriors, their rights are unimportant. They are expendables.
The Tamil society needs an internal revolution to dismantle its severe caste and station problems that plague the Tamil community. Although LTTE managed to iron out some differences, it is back in operation today. It makes perfect sense for the government to help downtrodden and low caste Tamils to do this social upheaval. Then the real human rights issues of Tamils will come out that are kept hidden today by influential high caste Tamils.
People’s Right to National Sovereignty is Also a Human Right
According to the UN Declaration of Human Rights, people’s right to a nation’s sovereignty is an inalienable human right. However the conduct of the Tamil UNHRC Chief, British Prime Minister, the Canadian Prime Minister and Indian ministers is a direct violation of this human right of Sri Lankans. None of them has any right to impose their rules over the people of Sri Lanka.
It is time this right is asserted vigorously against those outside meddlers. President’s angry assertion, “we are not a colony” is a good starting point. The United Nations and the UNHRC must be informed of the deliberate violation of protocol by arrogant foreign delegates.
Enact the UN Human Rights Charter into the Constitution as 19th Amendment
Tamils in Sri Lanka enjoy more than their due share and entitlement of human rights and other rights. This must be cut to size. It can be done by adopting the UN Human Rights Charter as part of the Sri Lankan Constitution, word to word, subject to a few obvious exceptions. When the Constitution guarantees 99% of the UN Human Rights Charter word to word, no one will be able to complain about structural or inherent human rights violations or discrimination.
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/
For instance a piece of personal law exists by the name “Thesawamei Law” which is an adaptation of an identical law in ancient Kerala, India. This piece of law discriminates persons based on ethnicity and origin which is contrary to the UN Human Rights Declaration signed by Sri Lanka. By bringing the Charter into the Constitution, it will make it obvious the “Thesawamei Law” is immoral, unconstitutional and therefore illegal.
Another instance is the deliberate violation of national sovereignty by groups of NGO activists, Tamil politicians, Tamil members of the clergy and foreigners against the will of the majority expressed at elections. However, under current laws they are not punished. UN Declaration of Human Rights clearly recognizes this right. Such a provision which matches word to word with the UN Declaration of Human Rights can shut the doors to Indian and other interferences too. Internationalisation of internal issues becomes an offence under its application.
By using human rights to shut up biased human rights activists and Tamil nationalists is the best cause of action available to Sri Lanka.
Yet another instance is the usage of Tamil language as a national and official language. As per the UN Declaration of Human Rights, there is absolutely no need to be so! It only mandates the personal usage and promotion of every human’s language. There is no need to offer a language national language or official language status. This is why USA, UK, Australia, Norway or most other developed countries don’t violate the human rights of their minorities. Sinhala was made the only official language in 1956 following a clear people’s mandate and that’s how it should remain. Tamil, Malay, Arabic, Vedda language and other languages must be allowed to be used, practiced and promoted by their respective speakers privately. That is all that is required under the UN Declaration of Human Rights. English can remain a national and official language.
Using Their Tools to Control Them
The jargon in use or the buzzword of the day is human rights stemming from the UN Declaration of Human Rights. So why not use it to improve, control, cut to size and put into perspective and practice human rights? At present Tamils in Sri Lanka are entitled to human rights privileges but are not bound by responsibility to uphold human rights of others. By constitutionalising the UN Declaration of Human Rights Tamils will also become responsible for respecting and upholding others’ human rights.
That will show to the world Sri Lanka is a top class human rights protector as required by the UN Declaration of Human Rights – nothing more and nothing less.
November 30th, 2013 at 4:22 pm
Another fantastic piece to complement Charles’s article.
Tamil assumptions.
1. Sinhalese have no right to live UNLESS Tamils get Tamil Elam.
2. Muslims have no right to live UNLESS Tamils get Tamil Elam.
3. ONLY Tamils should live in north and east and Colombo.
4. No matter what GOSL does Tamils lack human rights.
5. Apartheid mentality.
“White minority in SA should control the black majority.”
“Black minority (Tamils) in SL should control the white majority (Sinhalese and Muslims).”
Tamils think all Sinhalese will become their slaves like Koviyar caste whose lands were robbed by Tobacco Tamil deportees. Just like in South Africa.
November 30th, 2013 at 5:46 pm
SOMEBODY HAS TO TAKE CONTROL OF THIS TAMIL MENACE. Parliament imbeciles are dumb struck, and are in hibernation. Loud mouth Parliamentarians, where are they ? The Tamil rats are at play, when the Parliament cats are away. There has to be PLAN. There has to be a clean up. This never ending menace has to be put to an end. What aqre these Human Rights they are talking about ?
The Tamils, (just one small set ) are always talking about the Tamil Problem, Tamil Determination, Tamil Homeland, Tamil Dignity, Tamil Toilets, Tamil Toilet Paper, etc. They appear to have a ‘bee in their bonnet ‘.
I think there has to be someone in Sri Lanka, who can clean this Tamil Dirt. Who is going to bell the cat ?
November 30th, 2013 at 6:20 pm
Another fantastic piece to complement Charles’s article – Lorenzo.
I humbly join my voice to that of Lorenzo to thank Dilrook and Charles for relentlessly opening our eyes to the plight of this country.
But as Susantha says: is there someone to clean up this Tamil dirt? How long is this waiting game going to continue? Now Vigneswaran has come out of his shell and showing his Tiger stripes. It is obvious that the vicious circle has been set in motion again.
Yesterday Basil Rajapakse stated in Parliament that the Rajapsakses will rule this country for the next twenty years. Up to now they have only been pandering to foreign concerns as regards a purely internal issue. Why have recourse to a majority vote of the country and then cringe in fear of foreign diktats? Will this damnable situation continue for the next twenty years?
The way the TNA intent is unfolding no need to think of twenty years, the coming year will show the dramatic turn. The next year will be crucial all because the Rajapakses did not read the writing on the wall.
All I can say is: SHAME. The majority population of this country has been emasculated because it is ruled by a bunch of Eunuchs. Road construction is continuing at high speed, but the paths of the minds of the rulers have shrunk to the point of being impassable. the country is being held to ransom and our voices cry out to the heavens for vengeance.
Mario Perera
Kadawata
November 30th, 2013 at 6:31 pm
YES MARIO !! VENGEANCE WILL BE THERE FOR SURE, NEXT YEAR. RAJAPAKSES ARE LIVING IN A FANTASY WORLD. THEY CANNOT SEE THE WRITINGS ON THE WALL.
November 30th, 2013 at 6:43 pm
Lorenzo says,
“But people should NOT hate Tamils for it. HATE is NOT the solution. Instead DON’T LET TAMILS HAVE THEIR WAY.”
ABSOLUTELY!
Don’t hate ALL Tamils, just the Eelamists.
And don’t stop there: FRUSTRATE them at EVERY TURN …. MAKE THEM FEEL HOPELESS …. for the NEXT 50 years … for ETERNITY if need be!!
Right now, the Eelamists are HOPEFUL, thinking that India FORCED Sri Lanka to Empower them in the Northern PC, and MORE can be had with MORE Blackmail.
With the CHOGM fallout, they have become even MORE HOPEFUL that an Eelam can be achieved. Colombo & Diaspora Tamils are writing BIG CHECKS for the Eelam project now, just as they did at the HEIGHT of Prabhakaran’s power. They lost ALL of that INVESTMENT when the SunGod received his come-uppence along the banks of the Nanthikandal Lagoon.
That led to IMMENSE FRUSTRATION & HOPELESSNESS. NOW is the time for us to RE-CREATE that mental state.
Now, AFTER the Colombo & Diaspora Tamils have “Donated” their money as an INVESTMENT in Eelam Project, it s TIME TO FRUSTRATE THEM AGAIN by,
REPEALING the 13th Amendment,
DISSOLVING the PC System and replacing it with Appointed Government Agent run District System,
INCREASING the stationing of the Military in the North & East PERMANENTLY,
SETTLING Sinhalese in the North & East under a Policy of Ethnic Integration for permanent peace & security in the land,
DEPORTING as many as 1.6 Million Kallathonis who flooded into Sri Lanka even as the SunGod exported 1.5 million Sri Lanka Tamils into the Diaspora taxbase, and
ERADICATING ALL INVOLVEMENT by India in Sri Lanka’s internal matters, its economy, its military, and all Cultural links with Tamil Nadu.
Let the Eelamists in Colombo and in the Diaspora watch their current MASSIVE NEW INVESTMENT in the Eelam Project ALSO GO UP IN SMOKE to the four winds, just as their funding of the SunGod’s military machiine disappeared into thin air, generating the DEEPEST OF DEPRESSIONS and a sense of UTTER HOPELESSNESS that the Eelam Project will EVER SUCCEED!
In this way, the ONLY AVENUE, other than EMIGRATION, LEFT OPEN to the Separatist Eelamists to better their lives should be to ACCEPT ordinary Sri Lankan citizenship, slowly transforming themselves into that mindset, perhaps in 50 years, bereft of ALL HOPE of a separate Racist Tamils-only existence in Sri Lanka.
The Patriots of Motherlanka must GIRD their LOINS and PREPARE to wage this battle AS LONG AS IT TAKES … GENERATIONS IF NEED BE …. to FRUSTRATE and RENDER HOPELESS the Machiavellian Machinations of the Perfidious Eelamist!
November 30th, 2013 at 6:52 pm
Who is this Pestiferous Catholic Christian Priest hiding in a Tiger Striped Cassock?
………………………..
Swamy urges Jayalalithaa to nab LTTE operative
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Nov 30 (Hindu) BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Friday urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to take immediate action on the Home Ministry’s communication to her seeking the State government’s assistance on the whereabouts of an LTTE operative, a Catholic Christian priest.
BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Friday urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to take immediate action on the Home Ministry’s communication to her seeking the State government’s assistance on the whereabouts of an LTTE operative, a Catholic Christian priest. FBI charge In a statement, Dr. Swamy said the priest had been named as accused by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in a complaint filed before a court in the United States for terrorist related activities. He as a LTTE operative in the U.S. had tried to bribe U.S. under-cover State Department officials to obtain material assistance for the LTTE two years ago. “Warrant issued” Dr. Swamy said: “Subsequently, warrant for his arrest had been issued and the FBI is now on a lookout for him. He has since escaped to India. Recently he surfaced on a NDTV & CNN IBN panel discussions on Sri Lanka. And hence it is clear that he is hiding somewhere in Tamil Nadu. Therefore the Ministry of Home Affairs alerted to this LTTE terrorist on the run and has sought the help of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister in nabbing him so that he can be dispatched to the U.S. for facing criminal prosecution.”
November 30th, 2013 at 6:54 pm
FULLY AGREE WITH YOU ANANDA. TIME TO REVERT BACK TO THE GOVERNMENT AGENT SYSTEM. IT WORKED SO BEAUTIFULLY.
November 30th, 2013 at 7:56 pm
Great article Dilrook! One request they are NOT NATIONALISTS – THEY ARE FASCISTS!!!!
Enough is enough! If the Rajas don’t get the message, we have to develop a new nationalist leadership.
Dump the UNP, JVP, SF, UPFA useless politicians who have ruined our country long enough.
Tamil fascists should get this message:
WE WILL NOT GIVE AN INCH OF LAND TO YOU. WE WILL NOT GIVE A SMIDGEON OF A PRIVILEGE MORE THAN OTHER CITIZENS. IF YOU WANT YOUR WAY JUST GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY AND GO BACK TO WHERE YOU CAME FROM!!!!
December 1st, 2013 at 12:01 am
Dilrook, one correction, instead of 2 million (Tamil Fascists) vs 21 million Sri Lankans
It should be
2 million Tamil Fascists Vs. 19 million Sri Lankans
December 1st, 2013 at 6:01 am
Until Vanni under control of LTTE all we belived Vanni Area is LTTE. After may 2009 we know how many Tamils
really supported LTTE in Vanni. Diaspora also in the same situation. Powerful (Money and Education) Tamils
who enjoy their life in western countries do everything against GOSL. They want to show they are leaders of Tamils
how their parents werr in SrinLanka. At the same time they built relationship with politicians to lift up
their status. They do nothing for Tamils in Sri Lanka or in western countries.
we need to work among western communities to expose these Heartless Terrorist who cheat their own community and the whole world.
December 1st, 2013 at 9:07 am
Attempt to pay tribute to terrorist leader:
MPs want no confidence motion against TNA MP
by Manjula Fernando
SundayObserver.lk
December 1, 2013
Members of Parliament are agitating for a no confidence motion against TNA MP S. Sritharan for violating the Constitution in an attempt to pay tribute to a terrorist leader of a banned terror outfit in Parliament.
MP Sritharan in a statement read out on Tuesday in Parliament, when the second reading of the 2014 Budget debate was in progress glorified Vellupillai Prabhakaran as a freedom fighter.
His speech coincided with Prabhakaran’s birthday on November 26. It is also the day the LTTE commemorates the terrorists killed in battle, Mahaveer Day.
Plantation Minister and President’s Human Rights Special Envoy Mahinda Samarasinghe said the TNA MP could not take cover under parliamentary privileges to violate the laws of the country.
“Such conduct should not be condoned by anyone, especially parliamentarians because a number of MPs from both sides of the House had been brutally killed under Prabhakaran’s dictates or himself.”
He said the MP had violated the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution in making a speech in which he glorified a terrorist leader of an organisation which is banned in Sri Lanka and 31 other countries.
This statement is also an insult to India whose Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was brutally killed by the LTTE. Minister Samarasinghe said the UNP must help the Government to take stern action against this MP, since the LTTE also killed President Ranasinghe Premadasa, a UNP leader.
“I know for a fact that there are a number of instances in other Parliaments of the world where action had been taken despite privilege being given to Members of Parliament when they have crossed the line endangering the law and order of the country.”
The Minister said MP Sritharan is known to have close links with the LTTE diaspora and the statement was premeditated to commemorate Prabhakaran’s birthday and get the maximum publicity.
Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody said that a ‘no confidence motion’ can be moved against the TNA MP who made the ‘mistake of glorifying a proscribed terror outfit in Parliament’.
December 1st, 2013 at 9:29 am
GOOD EFFORT to INVITE Expatriates, but it won’t work …..Not as long as they DENY Dual Citizenship to even Patriotic Expatriates!
How can Successful PATRIOTIC Expatriate Sri Lankans, who are often Citizens of Other Countries, contribute to Sri Lanka, if they have to RUN TO RENEW their PASSPORT VISA every month?
RIDICULOUS EXPECTATIONS by the GOSL!!
INVESTIGATING the PATRIOTISM of applicants, for Dual Citizenship, and DENYING IT to Anti-National enemies of Sri Lanka … often FAKE REFUGEES who demonized Sri Lanka to enter other countries, is ESSENTIAL; but placing DESTRUCTIVE INSURMOUNTABLE BARRIERS to the RETURN of PATRIOTIC expatriates who WANT TO HELP Sri Lanka’s growth and development with their skills and their money is ABSOLUTELY ASININE!
Many PATRIOTIC expatriates, now living in retirement and owning real estate and investments accumulated over the most productive periods of their lives abroad, want to take the bulk of their assets to Sri Lanka and live out their last days helping the Motherland …. but CANNOT DO SO under the current immigration laws governing their return to their Motherland.
ENABLE Dual Citizenship NOW with APPROPRIATE Safeguards against ABUSE by TRAITORS!
…………………….
WorkInSriLanka 2013 conference aims to attract expat professionals to country
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 01, Colombo: WorkInSriLanka, a volunteer-led initiative to advocate Sri Lanka as an attractive destination for highly skilled individuals and high caliber businesses, will hold its 2013 conference to on December 23rd, 2013 at the Taj Samudra Hotel.
The “Work in Sri Lanka 2013: Asia’s Next Knowledge Hub” will bring together recent returnees, expats living in Sri Lanka as well as people considering returning or moving to Sri Lanka to discuss the opportunities and challenges in making Sri Lanka the a preferred work destination.
First session of the conference will layout the public and private sector vision for Sri Lanka for 2020. Returnees and expats are expected showcase their stories and a panel of experts will discuss the challenges in making Sri Lanka a top work destination and what is being done about each of the challenging areas.
A panel of leading CEOs will discuss opportunities that exist in various industry segments for knowledge based work and entrepreneurial activity.
The conference will conclude with a cocktail event to provide ample opportunity for attendees to network with each other.
WorkInSriLanka Chairperson, Gillian Daas will open the conference. Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Governor of Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Secretary, Ministry of Defense and Urban Development Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and, CEO of Brandix Lanka Ashroff Omar are scheduled to address the conference in the first session.
WorkInSriLanka, a “brain gain” initiative of SL2College, was launched on May 14th 2013 in partnership with key public sector officials, industry leaders, heads of international NGOs and government institutions, and civil society experts. The initiative aims to attract world class professionals, especially Sri Lankans, to return and become a part of Sri Lanka’s economic development.
December 1st, 2013 at 9:35 am
Sri Lankan government re-introduces Land Acquisition and Re-settlement Committees
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Dec 01, Colombo: The government of Sri Lanka has re-introduced Land Acquisition and Re-settlement Committees (LARCs), according to a local media report.
The LARCs have been re-introduced to decide compensation for those losing private property in 18 major road-widening and construction projects, Sunday Times reported.
The government disbanded the LARCs in 2009 and the Land Ministry assigned the Valuation Department to directly decide the compensation to be paid to the land owners.
However the Road Development Authority (RDA) has received hundreds of complaints from land owners who were not satisfied with the compensations and felt that they were being treated differently to those whose compensation payments had been calculated before 2009.
In regulations passed this month, the Land Ministry has laid down criteria for payments to property owners and tenants, to proprietors of businesses and even to encroachers.
Those who object to the amount of indemnity they receive can appeal to an additional body called the “Super LARC” which will be based at the Road Development Authority (RDA).
The projects listed in the regulations are the Colombo-Katunayake Expressway, the Colombo Outer Circular Highway, the Southern Transport Development, the Colombo-Kandy Road, the Orugodawatta-Ambatale Road, the New Kelani Bridge Approach (Kelanimulla to Angoda, Koswatta Road),the Matara-Kataragama Railway and the Deduru Oya Reservoir project.
Ratnapura-Balangoda, Balangoda-Bandarawela, Padeniya-Anuradhapura, Tampalagamuwa (Tampalakamam))-Kinniya, Matara-Godagama, Horana-Pamankada, Southern Expressway-Madurugoda and the Kirulapone-Godagama Roads are the other projects. Also listed is the 5/2 Bridge Katugastota-Kandy-Jaffna Road.
December 1st, 2013 at 9:40 am
Poaching in Sri Lankan waters: Ministers decry Tamil Nadu’s inhuman approach
by P. Krishnaswamy
SundayObserver.lk
December 1, 2013
While the Northern fishing community is up in arms against Indian poaching which deprives them of their livelihood, Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne and the Provincial Fisheries Minister Balasubramaniam Daneeskaran have also come out strongly against the inhuman approach of political leaders across the Palk Straits.
As a mark of protest, the Federation of Mannar District Fishermen Societies (FMDFS) boycotted the World Fisheries Day on November 21 and presented its three-page representation to Minister Senaratne.
FMDFS President Noor Mohamed Alam told the Sunday Observer that they relied on Minister Senaratne to resolve their livelihood problem because he had taken up their cause internationally and locally.
Even after the restoration of peace over four years ago, Sri Lankan fishermen had been unable to go fishing due to problems posed by the poachers. The poachers also contributed to the depletion of fish resources, he said.
The FMDFS has called upon the Minister to secure the immediate release of the 154 Sri Lankan fishermen and their 37 fishing vessels in Indian custody. The Federation of Northern Fishermen’s Societies (FNFS) led by its General Secretary S. Sooriyakumaran also boycotted World Fisheries Day.
Minister Senaratne in a strongly-worded media communique said that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jeyaram and other political leaders there had raised human rights issues on behalf of the Northern Tamils only for their political gain while in reality, they are indifferent to their humanitarian problems.
They have conveniently ignored the loot of the Northern fishermen’s livelihood resources by their fishermen. This loot had continued for over 33 years depriving the Northern fishermen of their livelihood, he said.
Minister Daneeskaran said that poaching should be stopped and both sides should adhere to the maritime boundary lawfully declared in 1976. The Indian side has asked to be allowed to fish for one day in a week in Sri Lankan territorial waters but that too cannot be permitted considering the livelihood problem of the Northern fishermen who had lost everything and suffered untold misery for over three decades, he said.
December 1st, 2013 at 11:07 am
I agree with Dilrook & Susantha. Judging by the responses, it is clear that many are patriots & suggesting methods to TELL THE STORY about Tamils. There is NO DISCRIMINATION at all, ONLY Tamils want more out of Sri Lanka, while the majority suffers.
The point about enacting a 19th amendmenet to Lankan constiitution will help immensely. Other suggestions are also valid, BUT always we must have a PLAN. A leader or group to present our case to the ruling MINISTERS & PM< & PRESIDENT.
I know we all write & express our anger, BUT UNLESS we unite in our aproach nothing will get done, and also the GOVT. would not listen to a bunch of expats clamouring of the shortcomings of the ruling party.
WE ALL dispise 13th amendment & want to get rid of it. BUT India is firm now, HOW DO WE NEUTRALIZE INDIA & her interference in internal affairs of a SOVEREIGN STATE?.
If we all put our suggestions to practice, there will be some STOPPAGE of DRAIN of the economy by TAMILS & FASCISTS in Sri Lanka.
There should be Sri Lankans in Sri Lanka NOW, who should start this process with backing of the EXPAT community.
I too write hoping that one day OUR COMPLAINS will be answered and acted upon. So far it has NOT happened, because we ARE NOT ORGANIZED. Let us see that 19th amendment be implemented & somone sugested about INDIAN POACHING in our waters. His suggestion was to talke INDIA ICJ or some organization.
It is in Sunday Times paper this week. Perhaps our patriots can read that news item and follow up…..Thank you all, it is heartening to see so many expats are concerned about our Motherland….GOD BLESS UNITED SRI LANKA….J
December 1st, 2013 at 3:12 pm
Ananda you commented..
[GOOD EFFORT to INVITE Expatriates, but it won’t work …..Not as long as they DENY Dual Citizenship to even Patriotic Expatriates!
How can Successful PATRIOTIC Expatriate Sri Lankans, who are often Citizens of Other Countries, contribute to Sri Lanka, if they have to RUN TO RENEW their PASSPORT VISA every month? ]
This did bring a smile….
The word “Patriot” has been grossly devalued (especially on this site)when you say patriot expatriate sri lankans who have taken an oath of allegiance to another country have to run every month to get their visas renewed.
Why not these so called “patriots” renounce their overseas citizenship and take up Sri Lankan citizenship. Period!
How can you call your self a “patriot” when you have taken an oath to become a citizen of an overseas country.
There was jargon term used by the External Affairs a few years ago for such people which i will not repeat here.
Ananda, you complain about running to the visa office to obtain an extension on your US passport, have you even considered the difficulty of real sri lankans on SL Passports obtaining visas to western countries or the most difficult being China.
I’m indeed against giving dual nationalities for johnny come lately so called expats (tamil or sinhala) with a few million dollars to invest in real estate that deprives the real sri lankans in the same.
Where were these co called patriots during the war period? Did they come with their nest eggs to invest Sri Lanka?
Where were they to counter the LTTE propaganda in US, Canada, UK, Aust during the height of the conflict?
Interestingly, there appears to be a name list of ‘patriotic’ Sri Lankans who are to be enlisted to counter the LTTE/West propaganda to the run up to the UNHRC Mar 2014.
Here’s an opportunity to put forward yourselves to counter a very tough battle coming up in March 2014.
December 2nd, 2013 at 12:48 pm
Marco,
Regarding your reply to my comments CRITICIZING the DELAY in implementing Dual Citizenship for Expatriate Sri Lankans, your jaundiced comments are what I have come to expect from you. They are INVARIABLY designed to UNDERMINE the patriotic forces of Sri Lanka and ERECT BARRIERS to Sri Lanka’s survival and rapid development.
You even take exception to the use of the term PATRIOTIC to distinguish those who love and support a unitary Sri Lanka from those anti-nationals who don’t …. just as President Mahinda Rajapaksa himself does.
You are also laboring under the misconception that by Patriotic Expatriates I am referring only to those with deep pockets. That is far from what IN WHAT I SAID & WHAT I MEANT. PATRIOTISM, like Sri Lankan Citizenship, is NOT the EXCLUSIVE PRESERVE of any community differentiated according to ethnic, religious, linguistic, sex, caste or wealth attributes. Every Sri Lankan has the capability to be a PATRIOT, in however small or large a way, if honor, duty, courage, love, compassion and gratitude motivates him or her.
For whatever reason a Sri Lankan Expatriate left Sri Lanka, temporarily or permanently, I KNOW that MOST PATRIOTIC expatriates, have helped their families, their country, and even the WAR EFFORT, IMMENSELY & FAR BEYOND what they would have been able to do had they remained in Sri Lanka earning a PITTANCE, and being a BURDEN instead of the ASSET they have now become. There is NO VIRTUE in remaining helpless and unable to extend a helping hand.
Today, even those who go to the Middle East for modest jobs, send back home over $8 billion/year in hard currency to their loved ones, and build homes for themselves, and even businesses in Sri Lanka. But that is not all; they have injected substantial funds into the productive economy, bringing their money, knowledge and skills acquired abroad to bear. Suffice it to say that EVEN I have invested over 50% of my earnings in Sri Lanka, since I left Sri Lanka as a young man, to support war veterans, their families, my family, and to create ventures, without asking for anything in return from Sri Lanka!
You ask, where were the “so called patriots” during the war years? IN which deep hole have you been hiding? Have you not heard of all the Sri Lankan organizations throughout the globe, that raised funds for war veterans and war bereaved, formed political action groups to resist the Tamil Diaspora propaganda machine with little organized help from Sri Lanka embassies, that created websites and blogsites like LankaWeb, SPUR, SriLankaDefenceForum, DefenceWire, SPUR, etc etc, spending their valuable time typing at keyboards like I am doing now? There are tens of thousands of ordinary people like us who shirk from blowing their own horn for personal credit.
For those who have to run to the VISA office monthly to renew and languish there interminably to get it renewed, know full well how difficult that is, and the uncertainties and barriers it erects to making sustained investments and creating enterprises in Sri Lanka. NOTHING will be done if you have to worry about your visa EVERY MONTH! Only those with family members who are able to act on their behalf on a full time basis will be willing to undertake that effort. It is so easy to visit as a tourist and leave before the visa expires without making any contribution to that oft repeated goal of transforming Sri Lanka into the New Wonder of Asia.
They say, there are NONE SO BLIND as those who REFUSE TO SEE!
December 3rd, 2013 at 1:07 pm
Ratio of 2 Million Tamil folk to 21 Million Others in Sri Lanka. This ratio never changes. How come even after ONE MILLION
Tamil folk went west after the trumped up 1983 Riots.
December 3rd, 2013 at 3:40 pm
Fran,
It was not the 1983 Tamil-Tamil riot that sent Tamils overseas. It was the WAR.
There were Tamil-Tamil riots in 1927, 1939, 1958 and 1977. But Tamils didn’t leave SL.
IPKF period and the period after IPKF saw MOST Tamils leaving. IPKF did UNTHINKABLE acts of disgusting violence against Tamil WOMEN, men and children.
IPKF in SL is Endia’s FIRST and ONLY large troop deployment abroad. They were inexperienced in living without their wives for so long.
MOST LTTE child soldiers are IPKF produced with Tamil women. That is why the Tamil community HATES these child soldiers and wants them DEAD. MOST died during OPERATION JAYASIKURU. The remaining were all adults by 2008 and died in war. Their mothers HAPPILY gave them away to LTTE to turn the stigma into honour.
Some Tamil war heroes’s widows are actually IPKF mistresses. They were NEVER married.
But more Tamils came from Tamil Madu during war. Now even more Tamils come from Tamil Nadu, bribe GS and get citizenship.
December 4th, 2013 at 9:39 am
Lorenzo,
The Tamil Diaspora in Canada was there long before the last war with the ltte. The start of the Exodus of Tamil folk started as REFUGEES right after the 1983 trumped up Riots. Canada, the main country of choice, easily accepts REFUGEES, a rule they had
from WW II. Being a REFUGEE is the easiest access to Canada. REFUGEES get looked after in Canada straightway, with allowances in Candian $$s, shelter, health cards etc etc. That is why the Tamil sob stories to gain sympathy – it’s the REFUGEE thing. That’s why the self created rioting.