The fortune intruders and the plight of Sinhala refugees
Posted on April 28th, 2014
S. Akurugoda
According to The Sunday Observer dated 27th April 2014, 73 families who had encroached on the Wilpattu sanctuary causing widespread protests by environmental and Buddhist groups will be relocated outside the national park with the assistance of the Mannar District Secretary’s office.
Mannar District Secretary has said a 50-acre plot of land, one mile away from the spot where they currently stay, had been allocated for the 73 families and these families will be relocated shortly. The families told the electronic media last week that they were willing to move out if alternative accommodation is given to them
Bodu Bala Sena stormed the Wilpattu sanctuary recently alleging that the Muslim settlements within the national park were illegal and moreover, the occupants were wilfully destroying the ancient Buddhist ruins in the locality. A spokesman for the Environment Conservation Trust, an independent green NGO in Sri Lanka last week said that over 500 acres of protected forest in the Wilpattu North Sanctuary had been cleared for human settlements but the authorities were turning a blind eye to it.
It is clear from the above news item that the said 73 families are intruders and not refuges as some politicians are attempting to justify their settlement. By allocating 50-acre plot of government land to move out these intruders as alternative accommodation, instead of enforcing law of the land in equal terms to all communities, it appears that the government is, knowingly or unknowingly, providing special privileges (for mere political gains) to those who break the law and grabbing state land.
Lamentations about “the plight of the Tamil and Muslim refugees” are often heard. Organizations sympathetic to their plight and rights on humanitarian grounds, both within and outside Sri Lanka, are freely available.
The fact is, of course, that there are others who have become refugees in their own motherland and no one is there even to mention them or to have any official representation. It appears that no government institution bothers even to keep any records.
According to an article in The Sunday Times in 11 April 1999 under the heading “Forgotten and discarded the Sinhala Refugees” by Kumbakarana, 12,000 Sinhalese people have been chased out from Trincomalee town itself. A total of 18,000 Sinhalese have been displaced in the Trincomalee District alone.
According to the same article in Mannar, there were 8.700 Sinahalese in 1981, and in Vavuniya there were 15,816. As far back as 1946, there were 11,850 Sinahalese in the Batticaloa District. In 1971, the Sinhalese population was 20,402 or 2.9%. With the riots in 1977, 1978, 1981 and 1983 most of this population was permanently driven out. The ethnic cleansing was completed on October 6, 1987, when the last Sinhalese were chased away. In 1981, the Sinhalese population in Mulliativu District was 3,948 or 5.9%. As per The Sunday Times article, the only Sinhalese people in this District in 1999 were limited to few hundred living in the Weli Oya area.
Considering the number of Sinhalese people who lived in these districts before 1981, allowing for the natural increase, the writer of the said article has estimated that there are around 90,000 Sinhalese who have been driven out of their homes in Northern and Eastern Provinces. It is not known how many of these refugees have been allowed to go back to their homes.
When we consider the way the UN and other various human rights champions are behaving, to be eligible to be considered as a loss of human rights in Sri Lanka, one has to be a non-Sinhalese or, if Sinhalese, he or she should be a supporter or promoter of Terrorism.
In the face of opposition from various political parties formed on the basis of racism and also due to opposition from outside forces, even the so-called “liberated’ North and East remain out of bounds to the Sinhalese who lived there.
On the other hand, Muslims and Sinhalese live comfortably with the Sinhalese in the other parts of the country. As a result, the Sinhala population within Colombo, the Capital city, has dropped down to third place within the last twenty years and no Sinhalese will be able to be the Mayor of Colombo any more..
The fortune intruders of the day and the plight of the Sinhalese refugees are indications of the influence that various racist groups and outside forces exert on the Sri Lanka government.. It is interesting to note that, while providing incentives to those who encroach state land by providing state land from a nearby spot and housing (probably as a part of resettlement ) free, the government is setting up special police force to deal with religious incidents in the country. Although the writer is not in favour of any religious group taking the law into their own hands, the possible root cause of the issues should also be taken into consideration when dealing with incidents of such nature.
April 28th, 2014 at 4:01 pm
It is obvious by this article that the Badu Bala Sena has much more work to do once the Wilpatu issue is resolved. The Buddhist Sanga is a powerful force in Sri Lanka who can represent the voice of the displaced Sinhalese and demand that these displaced Sinhalese regain their rightful ancestral lands in Trincomalee to Jaffna.
April 28th, 2014 at 4:34 pm
The root causes of this APARTHEID situation is because,
1. Our govt. has NO BACKBONE. It is crapping in panties fearing Tamil opposition to resettling Muslims and Sinhalese in what Tamils call TAMIL HOMELANDS.
MR is commander in chief. GR is UDA and MOD chief.
Shall we please call a spade a spade?
2. Vesawalami law still continues. MR, BR, GR is scared to change it.
When the king is naked, he is NAKED. He is NOT wearing special dresses only the “intelligent” can see!
What else do you expect?
CORRECTION:
“On the other hand, Muslims and Sinhalese live comfortably with the Sinhalese in the other parts of the country.”
Should be changed as,
“On the other hand, Muslims and Tamilians live comfortably with the Sinhalese in the other parts of the country.”
Now Rizard has found a new ploy to get state land for FREE. Invade and squat on a natural reserve and the govt. will give you free land from GOVT LAND. Nice tactic. Sinhalese should also do it. Oh! I forgot. When Tamils and Muslims invade land they have no right to, they get it FREE. When Sinhalese ask for water (even for payment) they are KILLED.
e.g. Weliweriya
April 28th, 2014 at 6:02 pm
“A spokesman for the Environment Conservation Trust, an independent green NGO in Sri Lanka last week said that over 500 acres of protected forest in the Wilpattu North Sanctuary had been cleared for human settlements but the authorities were turning a blind eye to it.”
If we replace “authorities” with MR, are we to keep on applauding and paying homage to our beloved president.
These atrocities against the Sinhalas are happening with this bugger’s knowledge.
He is committed to 13 Plus ( this is not my words this is what he kept saying and has not withdrawn) and pursuing “Plus” after 2009.
April 29th, 2014 at 6:31 am
450 years of colonialism set the stage for ethnic friction during the post independence period. Do belief systems prevalent in Tamil speaking Sri Lankans from Jaffna, matter in affecting their social integration with Sinhala speaking Sri Lankans? Tamil speaking Sri Lankans from Jaffna who bring values that depart very substantially from those of the the majority of the country may always lead to the creation of social boundaries that are difficult to transcend. To pre-empt polarized ethnic enclaves ethnic integration must be promoted. By maintaining a multi-ethnic environment, the government can maintain social stability, communal harmony and religious tolerance, and keep Sri Lanka safe, secure and prosperous for all ethic groups.
Hindi is the official language of the Indian Union (although it also recognises 15 or 16 other regional languages as official). Still, it is the native language of only about a third of all Indians. Those who don’t grow up speaking Hindi must learn it at school. Very little Hindi is spoken in the south of India, where the dominant languages are completely unrelated to those of the north.
Urdu is the official language of Pakistan. It is also the official language of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir and one of the two official languages of the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
Like Hindi, Urdu is not the native language of most Pakistanis. For only about 10% of Pakistanis, primarily those living in Karachi and other cities of the Sindh province, speak it as their mother tongue. The remaining Pakistanis grow up speaking Punjabi, Sindhi, Baluchi, Pashtu, Kashmiri or other languages and must learn Urdu at school. In fact, India has about ten times the number of native speakers of Urdu as Pakistan.
But this situation is changing because the Pakistani state has so thoroughly suffused the country with Urdu. Many of today’s young Pakistanis for whose parents Urdu is not the mother tongue, have grown up speaking Urdu as though it was.
Similarly a majority of Sri Lankan kids with Tamil speaking parents are now living in traditionally Sinhala speaking areas and growing up speaking Sinhala as well. Language will not become a subject of racist division in few years if all the Sri Lankan children learn Sinhala and Tamil.
It has been the proud privilege of the Sri Lankans to live in harmony with one another. That has been the basis of Sri Lanka’s culture from the days of Asoka, 2300 years ago. This has been repeatedly declared and practiced. Let us endeavour to rebuild the brotherhood that once existed between the Sinhala and Tamil speaking Sri Lankans. It is the only way forward to usher in peace and prosperity once more to this beautiful country of ours that has been torn apart by war and strife.
“Thoppigala is just a rock,, the military map is in English and it is named as Baran’s Hat… I wonder these people have read the military map” – Ranil Shriyan Wickremesinghe
“Our commander of army is not even suited for salvation army” – Mangala Pinsiri Samaraweera
“Any bull can wage war” – Lakshman Bandara Kiriella
“Once these people go Pamankada saying Alimankada,,, Other time the go Madawachchiya saying Kilinochchiya” – Ravindra Sandresh Karunanayagam (Also known as Ravi Karunanayake)
Ranil Shriyan Wickremesinghe, Mangala Pinsiri Samaraweera and their coterie have no love for anyone, but for themselves. These are very dangerous people, the will do anything to gain power.
Ruban Canistus Jayalath Jayawardena, his acolytes along with the LTTE backers did round the clock anti-war propaganda during the war, calling for peace with LTTE. And after the war, at the drop of a hat, Ruban Canistus Jayalath Jayawardena ran to India to complain against Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Catholic Church is heavily involved with the LTTE from the 1970s. Catholic Church played a major role in the genesis of the LTTE . Why the Catholic Bishops in other parts of Sri Lanka are silent in this matter. Whoever has the ultimate responsibility and obligation to The Vatican should have taken to task, the Catholic clergy that has given comfort to the brutal LTTE. Instead of being cremated in accordance with Hindu religious custom thousands of Hindu LTTE martyrs were buried in mass cemeteries. The Catholic Bishop of Jaffna, the Rev Father Thomas Savundranayagam unashamedly made several false accusations about conditions for Tamils in Sri Lanka with absolutely no conscience whatsoever. When Jaffna Muslims were ruthlessly chased away, the Catholic Church remained silent.
S.J.Emmanuel who was appointed, with the consent of the Catholic Bishops and the Vatican, to be the first rector that the Jaffna Major Seminary wrote a book “Let My People Go” and elaborated a ‘liberation theology only for Tamils’. S.J.Emmanuel called Velupillai Prabhakaran Jesus Christ, the LTTE soldiers of Christ, the suicide bombers, martyrs of the Catholic Church to whom the Church provided a Catholic burial, and self proclaimed himself, the Moses who would lead the Tamil nation from the bondage of the Sinhalese-Buddhists to the land chosen for them by God.
Do people call Kandy, Nuwaraeliya or Milagiriya Sinhala Towns?
Why this ethnically designated towns only in the North?
Who ‘colonized’ Wellawatte and Milagiriya?
Given that millions of Tamils are living in the South and South is too cramped with people so we must say it is okay to allow new settlements (no matter what race are they) in the North and East.While population of the rest of the country increased rapidly, with some once small towns like Galle and Matara becoming mega cities with population bursting at the seams, the population in the North has dropped by more than half.
Tamils know that Sinhalese are great neighbours and even better than German, French, Italian or British. Tamils are living in harmony with Sinhalese in the South. In Sri Lanka there are many LAWS in the books. Kandyan Law, Mukkuwa Law, Islamic Law, Roman-Dutch Law, Low Country Sinhala Law and Thesawalamai.
Why we have Islamic Law but no Buddhist or Hindu Law?
“Thesawalamai” is not practiced much in Jaffna. If that is practiced people from Pungudutivu or any low castes cannot buy lands in Jaffna!
Now that the Tamils are relocating to Canada, UK etc etc Sinhalese should relocate to the vacant areas left by the Tamils.
In Singapore EIP – Ethnic Integration Policy – is enforced to balance ethnic composition.
Any Sri lankan should be able to live where ever they want, as long as the law of the country is respected and follwed.
When racists use “Tamil Areas” it implies that there are some areas exclusive for Tamils.
This “Tamil Exclusiveness” concept is one of the roote causes for ethnic tension in our motherland. Mono ethnic enclaves should not be encouraged. That’s the reason to non-tolerance of other cultures. Everyone should have a common Sri Lankan identity. Sri lanka is for every son and daughter of the soil, whether speaking in English, Tamil or Sinhala. Equality,liberty and freedom to exercise one’s religion, language and culture is all that matters.
Time has come to stop all this nonsense of being Tamil and Sinhalese. We are all Sri Lankans and Sri Lanka belongs to all its children. Every Sri Lankan citizen has to be treated equally, should be allowed to move around freely without any restrictions and when they do so they should be encouraged to procure these assets at market prices. If the Tamils can live other parts of Sri Lanka, then why Sinhalese don’t have the same right. Please do not create mono ethnic enclaves. There are no ethnic homelands in Sri Lanka… only Sri Lankans and Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka is a free country; Anybody from Dondra Point should be able to live in Point Pedro and vice versa as well. Co-inhabitant is the best solution to national integrity and makes different ethnic groups to understand each other.
April 29th, 2014 at 7:11 am
In Sri Lanka, who is classified as a Refugee ?
Is a ILLEGAL MIGRANT a Refugee ? Refugee from what ?
I think Sri Lanka has an ILLEGAL MIGRANT PROBLEM.
* Lankaweb readers report that there are over 50,000 Maldivians in the Mt Lavinia, Ratmalana areas alone. These people say that they have come to educate their children !!
* Also, we have to count in the Pakistani Catholic people now in Lanka (open figure is 600 plus).
* Then add the mostly Tamil illegal migrants that came in during the LTTE rule of the North/East. The figure of Tamils of Lanka have remained the same even with some one million migrating out of Sri Lanka. The Tamils account for most of the illegal migrants. The Army reckoned that there are 100,000 int the “human shield” of the LTTE, but it turned out to be over 300,000. So there we have proof positive of Tamil illegal migrants.
All these illegal migrants will, in the end, depend on taxpayer/govt. free education, health care, even housing and state land.
It is a massive problem, yet not acknowledged at Parliament level and the public not fully aware.
In the meantime, the President and the Parliament have been ‘silenced’ with the UNHRC charges of HR violations. Operation
‘splitting Lanka’ is continuing.
April 29th, 2014 at 7:25 am
In Sri Lanka, the plight of the DISPLACED SINHALA population is pathetic indeed. The UNHRC or other ‘foreign bodies’ care a tuppence about this travesty of justice.
First, the Upcountry Sinhala people lost their ancestral land due to land seized by Colonists for coffee and tea plantations. Now, it is a case of land lost by the Sinhala people due to Terrorism/Separatism/Illegal Migrants.
Are the Sinhale REFUGEES in their own country, chased out by minorities ?
It is time for the BBS to expose the true nature of matters in this regard and expose the facts and figures to the public.
April 29th, 2014 at 12:19 pm
What is all this “HULLABALOO” about settlement in Wilpattu Sanctuary?
Today the news say it all. The Divisional Secretary of Mannar, Mr. S. Keetheswaran said all the settlements have been done with the approval of the “Presidential Task Force” established in terms of the LLRC. He further says, the parties who make a huge cry should have checked with the authorities how and why these settlements were done. So, BBS, over to you to do things correctly in future without doing “PUHU GOSA” (empty sounds) and bring discredit to our President. BBS; Please check this news and cry out. Of course, the fact remains that certain “unauthorized dwellings” have been put up and those are few meters away from the limits of the sanctuary. Who are these “unauthorized dwellers”? Perhaps they could be the Sinhala people.
Nanda: The 13th PLUS is already in full swing in the Northern Province. On 28th April, 2014, the Provincial Council presided by Mr. C.V.K.Sivalingam passed 23 Resolutions unanimously. One was against providing employment to youth in the Jaffna District by the Sri Lanka Army. It also urged the Chief Minister to take appropriate action against those persons involved with such recruitment.
Even the UPFA Councilor Mr. Bathiyatheen made a comment and said “Don’t invite the Sri Lanka Army for any functions. He also said; in case the Army insists that they have to be invited for functions, then don’t be afraid and see that they are moved out”. Is he the “ETHER” provided by the UPFA?
April 29th, 2014 at 2:12 pm
The NPC passing a resolution opposing the recent GOSL ban on SEparatist Terrist groups abroad, is CLEAR EVIDENCE of TREASON against Sri Lanka.
What is the GOSL still waiting for? Declare it TREASON by UNREPENTANT DEDICATED TERRORIST SUPPORTERS, DISMISS the NPC, REPEAL the 13th Amendment as INIMICAL to Sri Lanka’s National Security and Sovereignty, and ENFORCE the 6th Amendment by ARRESTING, PROSECUTING, CONVICTING and SEVERELY PUNISHING these terrorist Hoodlums for their TREASONOUS activities during the last 30 yeearsthat is STILL continuing in FULL SWING!
What more EVIDENCE of TREASONOUS INTENT do you need? It is CLEAR that empowering these SEPARATIST TRAITORS to CONSPIRE with Sri Lanka’s enemies both WINTHIN and WITHOUT, will ultimately DESTROY Sri Lanka. GOSL … uphold your duty to Defend and Protect the Nation and its People NOW!
………………….
Northern PC passes resolution opposing Sri Lankan government’s ban on pro-LTTE organizations
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Apr 29, Colombo: The Northern Provincial Council in Sri Lanka has adopted a resolution against the government’s decision to proscribe 16 international Tamil diaspora organizations alleged of functioning as LTTE front organizations.
The Council controlled by the major Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Monday passed 23 resolutions including a resolution demanding the government to withdraw the ban on the 16 overseas Tamil organizations.
The resolution moved by the Council member M.K. Sivajilingam has been passed unanimously.
However Provincial Councilor A. Jayathilaka has told local media that the UPFA members in opposition objected to the TNA resolution.
The government on April 01 signed the UN Resolution 1373, which sets out strategies to combat terrorism and to control terrorist financing.
Among the organizations proscribed are, the LTTE’s Trans National Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) headed by New York lawyer Visuvanathan Ruthirakumaran, Global Tamil Forum (GTF), which is headed by Fr.SJ Emmanuel and active in Europe, and the UK-based British Tamil Forum (BTF).
The Tamil groups claims the government banned the diaspora groups to thwart the international investigation into Sri Lanka’s alleged human right violations requested by the UN resolution.
Sivajilingam said that also a resolution to thank the countries that supported the US-sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka adopted at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva last month.
April 29th, 2014 at 2:16 pm
Douglas has given some “NEWS” we didn’t know.
So now we have a few more. WHO IS BEHIND THIS and who is INACTIVE? ALL points to one lot of people.
1. So who is NOT resettling Sinhalese and Muslims in Jaffna?
2. Who is NOT scrapping VESAWALAMI LAW?
3. “all the settlements have been done with the approval of the “Presidential Task Force” established in terms of the LLRC”
4. “the UPFA Councilor Mr. Bathiyatheen made a comment and said “Don’t invite the Sri Lanka Army for any functions. He also said; in case the Army insists that they have to be invited for functions, then don’t be afraid and see that they are moved out”
Tamils have TOTALLY LEFT the UPFA. Muslims have 95% left the UPFA. Only Sinhalese remain with it. But if UPFA start fooling Sinhalese like this will not the Sinhalese also leave it?
UDA under MOD made a 1 BILLION rupee loss resettling Tamilians and beautifying Colombo!
Hail our DEAR LEADER – Kim Jong Raja!!
April 29th, 2014 at 2:20 pm
“What more EVIDENCE of TREASONOUS INTENT do you need? It is CLEAR that empowering these SEPARATIST TRAITORS to CONSPIRE with Sri Lanka’s enemies both WINTHIN and WITHOUT, will ultimately DESTROY Sri Lanka. GOSL … uphold your duty to Defend and Protect the Nation and its People NOW!”
Yaaawn!
I’m a prophet! I can foretell NOTHING WILL HAPPEN to TNA, NPC or 13 amendment. They will STAY!
April 29th, 2014 at 2:21 pm
Fran,
Yes. Operation ‘splitting Lanka’ is continuing.
1. Government banned LTTE operative abroad and Eelam Council passed resolution against it.
2. Muslim Brotherhood, with the permission of MR, cleared the jungle to settle Tamil speaking Muslim Kallathonis.
3. Meanwhile in Bahrain, minister of External Affairs, Prof. G. L. Peiris, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Rishad Bathiyutheen, Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare, Dilan Perera, Deputy Minister of Labor and Labor Relations, Sarath Weerasekara ,Western Provincial Councilor, Nowzer Fowzie and Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Bahrain Anura Rajakaruna were present for the awarding along with members from the business delegation.
4. MR’s friend, BIL of Bijjeswaran , Vasu wants to abolish executive presidency.
April 29th, 2014 at 2:27 pm
Ananda,
Please don’t complain.
MR knows everything and he is doing everything according to a plan. If BBS or any other found out , too bad, I am UKKU BABA only, ” settle them in nearby MY LAND !”.
Please be patient , faithful to MR and watch the Operation ‘splitting Lanka’ unfold.
April 29th, 2014 at 6:14 pm
We cannot but hope that matters will change for the better for Sri Lanka after the Indian elections are over and the new Modi govt will most probably come in.
April 29th, 2014 at 6:17 pm
Nanda,
I was not complaining, but advising and recommending, and appealing to a government that has achieved much for the patriotic law-abiding people of Sri Lanka.
I know you don’t know the DIFFERENCE; all you do is INSULT and HUMILIATE the President at every turn, accusing him of ulterior motives, the way Eelamists and his Political opponents, who want to OUST HIM at all costs, do.
For you, NOTHING he does is good enough, because the UNDERLYING MOTIVE is to undermine and disparage him …. just like the Eelamists!
It is easy for you, without the responsibility for the lives of ALL PEOPLE of Sri Lanka to make demands, irrespective of the consequences, but the President, being aware of all the facts, has to move more cautiously.
For him, failure is NOT AN OPTION for the lives of people rests in his hands; but for you barking in the wilderness comes free of cost!
April 29th, 2014 at 6:47 pm
Fran,
NO! Things will be MUCH WORSE under a BJP govt. They are HINDU RACISTS helbent on converting SL “back” (as they believe) to Hinduism.
April 30th, 2014 at 12:42 am
Ananda,
You made many appeals.
Only good thing MR did recently is banning those LTTE operatives overseas.
Please tell me just 1 other good thing he did after war ended to improve the structure of governance. Just 1, for me to surrender !
April 30th, 2014 at 4:21 am
Lorenzo: It is time for SL to play a “Diplomatic Game” with BJP led Modi. We have to take advantage of this situation developing in India. USA is presently placed at a very uneasy situation because of Modi. This man was banned from entering USA one time and Modi is having a unforgiving grudge. This is a long story and I believe the SL Government must study the facts and it is opportune to craft a well thought out plan to get near Modi with long term aspiration to teach a good lesson and a run to US. This fear developed in the minds of US was very clear when their diplomats expressed willingness to negotiate with SL on “Defense Strategies” and also the developments taking place in their Senate. Hope our “Pandiths” will take advantage and develop a well crafted diplomatic game with Modi.
April 30th, 2014 at 5:08 am
Douglas,
I fully agree with your assessment but what can GOSL do?
Even with the best diplomatic brains there is VERY LITTLE SL can do to influence or take advantage of Modi and the new developments. Modi follows MY WAY OR HIGHWAY approach. BJP will win 1 or 2 seats from TN. That psycho Vaiko is with Modi. That anti-SL TN actor whose name rhymes with Vagina-Cunt is also with Modi. It will be very difficult for our fools.
April 30th, 2014 at 6:17 am
Lorenzo,
No, things will be better with the Modi govt. This will be so because of the 100 smart Cities which will modernize the whole of India, including Tamil Nadu. Mr Modi has said “NO’ to Eelam. I also heard that 50 Walmarts have been accepted into India which means peace with the powers that be.
————-
Hinduism in the practice of the Four Great Yogas is acceptable to the entire world. Raj Yoga especially is akin to Buddhism.
It is the pagan stuff from ancient times that we cannot stomach, such as Caste and animal sacrifice, plus too much rituals. The Core Teachings of all religions are the same. Christ said the “The Kingdom of Heaven is within You” and that the “Meek and the Humble shall inherit the Earth” …..
I was just thinking the other day that my few pieces of fine Chinawear will out live me !! “All component things decay” said the Buddha.
April 30th, 2014 at 7:57 am
Philosophy aside, I am all for :
* Deporting ALL illegal migrants and for zero illegal migration into Lanka.
* Also no more ‘visa on entry’ per SAARC.
* No refugees into Lanka either -sorry, cannot afford it.
* Remain NON-ALIGNED and NOT get involved in Cold War games from outside.
April 30th, 2014 at 11:02 am
Lorenzo: Thank you. You asked “……what can GOSL do?”
There were very many we did not do, but could have done. That we have discussed through this web page very many times even at the risk of at the receiving end of brick bats. However, I personally feel it is not too late to put things into correct perspective, provided our “Rulers” act as “True Professionals” in the matter of Governance. To me, Professionalism means; (a) True and Correct View (Samma Ditti) (2) True and Correct Thought (Samma Sankappa) (3) True and Right Speech (Samma Vacha) (4) True and Right Livelihood (Samma Ajiva) (5) Right and True Effort (Samma Vayama) (6) True and Right Bodily Action (Samma Kamantha) (7) True and Right Mindfulness (Samma Sati) and (8) True and Right Concentration (Samma Samadihi)
Unfortunately our “Rulers” and very many “Guardian Auxiliaries” do not possess at least a few of the above qualities and act in the correct way. All are in general “SELF SERVING”, “EGO CENTRIC” WARLOCKS. These types of people in PLATO’s words are BASTARDS. That is where and how we have gone wrong.
So “What we do?”. We will discuss it, in an appropriate and relevant presentation. Thank you for your comments.
April 30th, 2014 at 1:44 pm
Douglas said
” It is time for SL to play a “Diplomatic Game” with BJP led Modi. We have to take advantage of this situation developing in India. USA is presently placed at a very uneasy situation because of Modi. This man was banned from entering USA one time and Modi is having a unforgiving grudge. This is a long story and I believe the SL Government must study the facts and it is opportune to craft a well thought out plan to get near Modi with long term aspiration to teach a good lesson and a run to US. This fear developed in the minds of US was very clear when their diplomats expressed willingness to negotiate with SL on “Defense Strategies” and also the developments taking place in their Senate. Hope our “Pandiths” will take advantage and develop a well crafted diplomatic game with Modi.”
I agree with Douglas COMPLETELY on Modi: Modi is a relatively UNKNOWN quantity with many POSITIVE personal characteristics; Sri Lanka should REACH OUT to hiim.
It is by no means clear that he will adopt an anti-Sri Lanka posture. Sri Lanka and Modi share many common problems and views.
1. Modi is from a low caste and wants to replace the caste-bound political leadership of India with one that is free of that evil. In Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka, we share that view and have gone a long way towards eradicating caste from our society.
2. Modi is more an Indian nationalist than a Hindu nationalist, and Buddhism which arose in a Hindu environment, is an “Indian” religion that shares many beliefs with Hinduism. With his low caste background, and awareness of Ambedkar’s conversion to Buddhism as an escape from discrimination for the Dalits of India, he is very likely to have a very favorable view of Buddhism as a tolerant religion. On the other hand, Modi strongly opposes the CREEPING propagation and growth of Christianity in India by Western nations at the expense of Hinduism, and we all know of his minimal tolerance of Islam.
3. Modi favors free market capitalism, just like Sri Lanka does now. He wants an efficient administration with wide distribution of wealth to all people of India through a voluntary free-market system guided by a benevolent government acting in the public interest. That is what we have in Sri Lanka as well.
4. Modi was blacklisted by the US for his alleged role in the Gujerat anti-Muslim riots in India. He has been exonerated of that charge by the Supreme Court of India, yet the US and UK government continue to demonize him, with the Economist magazine leading the charge in Britain. Perhaps these governments are wary of his anti-foreign, anti-Christiam missionary, Indian nationalist posture, and the looming loss of the Italian Lady’s help at the helm of the Congress Party in their agenda to PIT India AGAINST China.
The anti-Muslim riot charge they use to demonize Modi is just a PRETEXT for not-supporting Modi for these other reasons. They are fearful of India upsetting their current policy to ensnare India in becoing a barrier to China, and convert India into a majority Christian country, and keep India weak by sustaining those who support the caste system until their divide and conquer strategies bear fruit through accelerated conversions … just like in South Korea.
5. I think Modi will divest India from the US-UK embrace, and from close defense cooperation against China. At the same time Modi will push India’s growth as a guided-democracy with a free market capitalist system, instilling discipline into India’s corrupt administration.
Also, he is likely to strengthen the Central Govt of India at the expense of the State Govts to weaken and contain the centrifugal forces that are threatening to disintegrate India. He will also pass and enforce legislation geared to eradicating caste-based discrimination and dominance by the rich who benefit from it. In acting against caste discrimination he will go against the Hindu Establishment, despite his “Hindu” credentials.
Therefore, it should be CLEAR that Modi is not a ONE-Dimensional man. Modi and Buddhist-majority of Sri Lanka share so many beliefs and views that can benefit of both countries, and free ourselves of DOMINATION by the Neo-Colonialist WEST still practicing the strategy of DIVIDE & CONQUER that they used to seize control of our two nations in the past.
April 30th, 2014 at 2:04 pm
Unfortunately Douglas that is not the case.
1. Modi is backed by RSS which continues to demand HINDU IMPOSITION.
2. USA will soon reach out to Modi. Travel ban has been lifted. USA + Endia + Modi will be a hellish combination against neighbors.
3. Modi has already threatened SL.
“The Press Trust of India quoted Modi as saying at an election rally in Chennai that a strong and determined government was the need of the hour as small countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh were poking India and have to be met eye-on-eye and dealt with strongly.”
“Accusing the Congress-led UPA government of failing to help the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils, he said there was no progress in devolution of powers as per the 13th Amendment in Sri Lanka. “The UPA lacked the diplomatic skills to handle such sensitive issues,” he said and added that the BJP, on coming to power, would strive for early devolution of powers and a political settlement.”
Endia wil be a bigger bully under Modi.
Vigneswaran and Modi will join forces. They have many things in common.
But it is inevitable. Modi is Endian PM.
April 30th, 2014 at 2:11 pm
Ananda,
Look at the threats he made against SL EVEN BEFORE becoming PM.
“The Press Trust of India quoted Modi as saying at an election rally in Chennai that a strong and determined government was the need of the hour as small countries like Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh were poking India and have to be met eye-on-eye and dealt with strongly.”
“Accusing the Congress-led UPA government of failing to help the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils, he said there was no progress in devolution of powers as per the 13th Amendment in Sri Lanka. “The UPA lacked the diplomatic skills to handle such sensitive issues,” he said and added that the BJP, on coming to power, would strive for early devolution of powers and a political settlement.”
He has already bent to USA.
SL will be in a very difficult situation when he becomes PM.
Endian Buddhists have demanded an apology from Modi’s brother for comparing Modi to Buddha for leaving his wife!
April 30th, 2014 at 2:25 pm
Fran,
“President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s comment at a business forum where the annual report of the Central Bank was released that about 10,000 foreigners who had come on tourist visas are employed in various categories, has been questioned by the secretary of the Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union (FTZ & GSEU) Anton Marcus.
Marcus told The Island Financial Review that a survey carried out by the Labour Department between October 17, 2012 and February 18, 2014, covering 110 companies, had counted 2317 such workers employed. He said that the breakdown includes 681 in steel and iron factories, 431 in the construction industry and 1205 in the hotel and garment sectors.
He said that the FTZ & GSEU were bewildered as to why the Controller of Immigration has not arrested and deported the 10,000 workers mentioned by President Rajapaksa. He said that the President had said that companies that need professionals and skilled labour not available in Sri Lanka could request approval from the BOI.”
-island.lk
These are FORMAL JOBS ALONE!! Tens of thousands in informal jobs.
April 30th, 2014 at 3:04 pm
Lorenzo,
I thank you for the above information.
—–
Some further thoughts on the after :
I am very glad that the President himself has made this observation and implied what ought to be done. However, the bottom line solution is that SAARC member country citizens ought not to be given ‘visa on arrival’ which is what is causing outsiders to easily seek employment in Lanka. But, why must the President himself correct every wrong in the country … ?
Just how many Lanka born people are deprived of jobs due to foreign illegal migrants workers usurping their jobs ?
It is possible that workers Union regulations and demands are easily bypassed by employers taking in foreign illegal labor. So it takes two to tango to make Lanka shine re Labor. Labor too must be reasonable. For Lanka buseinsses to follow German Labor regulations, at least in part, may be good idea to avoid future internal strife.
Lanka is a sitting duck for illegal activities as the law of the land is broken or not followed through by some folk in powerful govt. jobs. This easy come, easy go attitude in Sri Lanka has to stop. Lanka should be governed as done in Singapore, or else pay a heavy price for lax attitudes which leads to disharmony and internal strife.
I am all for private enterprise that puts Lanka people before profit, operating only for reasonable profit.
April 30th, 2014 at 3:04 pm
read as : Some further thought on the matter :
April 30th, 2014 at 5:33 pm
Akuragoda: Sorry we dragged unwittingly outside your subject matter. Please bear with us.
Lorenzo: It is possible. What we need is a clear vision and a will to work out a strategy. As per the information I have, USA has already launched the “mechanism” through their hidden agenda and also trying us as a pawn in the chess board through various channels. I suspect the “invitation” by Baharain to MR and granting the highest order “Al Kaliffa” is a well “orchestrated ceremony” by the US and UK agents well planted in defense fields in that country. Anyway this is a well thought guess; but yet I have to verify my information. Please don’t get me wrong wrong on this.Lifting of the Travel Ban on Modi is another move. But Modi will bear that in mind and we have to see that it does not go out of him. He has to be contacted soon, not directly by the “Big Wings”, but by a well trained, selfless professionals on our side, before TNL and other agents get near him. One good sign is Modi is not for a “Separate State” in S/L.
Ananda: You are in USA. You know better than us. Let us keep S/L on track with this big development in India and tackle her in our best interest. Thank you all.
April 30th, 2014 at 9:02 pm
Lorenzo,
Modi will say all kinds of things to gain the support of Tamil Nadu politicians and Indian Tamils just BEFORE the Lok Sabha elections.
What he will do AFTER the election, if he forms the next Indian Govt, is quite another story.
For ALL Indian Politicians, Sri Lanka is a NO-RISK punching bag for getting votes, We Sri Lankans KNOW that very well; that is why Sri Lannka has to distance itself from India, and escape the Indian Embrace that threeatens to envelop Sri Lanka.
Having said that, when it comes to developing future relationships we have to keep an OPEN mind regarding Modi, understanding his need to scramble into power right now.
Modi understands very well that both Jayalalitha and Karunanidhi are high-caste racist demagogues who are exactly like the high caste opponents he fought and overcame in Gujerat. He is playing the game of kissing upto them now, but he knows they will turn on him as a low caste person at the first opportunity. This is a very smart guy … he knows who he is dealing with!
If he wins and forms a NECESSARILY COALITION Govt, his posture towards Sri Lanka, and his support for the Racists of Tamil Nadu, will depend on the majority he commands in the Lok SAbha, and how independent of Tamil Nadu votes he is. That is the MAIN FACTOR tthat will determine his Sri Lanka policy.
That is also why Sri Lanka MUST BECOME INDEPENDENT of India and NEVER become overly dependent; we simply cannot forever be subject to the RANDOM VAGARIES India’s internal politics.
If India’s policy becomes FAVORABLE … Well and Good; but we MUST anticipate the possibility of an UNFAVORABLE policy, and MUST put ourselves in a position to COMFORTABLY WEATHER it.
……………….
You say Modi has ALREADY made overtures to the US. I don’t think so, therefore please provide the references to support your statement.
On the other hand, the US is clearly making haste trying to mend fences with Modi and hedge its bets … just in case Modi takes control of the Indian Govt in May when the votes are counted. That is just kissing the hand they can’t bite off and preparing a backup position!!
April 30th, 2014 at 11:46 pm
Ananda,
“If he wins and forms a NECESSARILY COALITION Govt, his posture towards Sri Lanka, and his support for the Racists of Tamil Nadu, will depend on the majority he commands in the Lok SAbha, and how independent of Tamil Nadu votes he is. That is the MAIN FACTOR tthat will determine his Sri Lanka policy.”
AGREE.
It is best any devil gets an OUTRIGHT MAJORITY than rely on minority Tamil racist parties to form a govt.
Yes. We have to escape from Endia’s deadly embrace like a wife carefully escaping from her abusive husband.
Modi has made several overtures to USA.
Nancy Powell US ambassador met Modi at his HOME recently. Obviously it was mutual.
“A group of Republican representatives from the United States Congress traveled to Gujarat to meet the state’s controversial chief minister, Narendra Modi.
Representatives Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, Aaron Schock of Illinois and Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington all said they were eager to work with Gujarat.”
– New York Times (March 2013). With a pic of the delegation with Modi.
May 1st, 2014 at 4:00 am
Lorenzo,
PRECISELY! You made my point for me: It was not Modi who made overtures to the US, but the US (eg. the Congressional delegation which went to India to meet Modi) which made overtures to Modi (in case he wins).
It is NOT OBVIOUS that it was mutual, as you assume. That is, it is the US that is interested in doing that, bit not Modi, who will show his hand only after the elections and he is firmly in saddle. My guess is that he will be VERY COOL towards the United States, not so much because the US insluted him, but because he is a Indian Nationalist who does not want India to be a puppet of the United States, and does not see India’s interests as necessarily coinciding with those of the United States, for all of the reasons I stated earlier. On the other hand, the Congress Party was ready to play second fiddle to the US.
May 1st, 2014 at 6:17 am
Ananda,
USA and CONGRESS Endia relationship is at ALL TIME LOW.
So Modi-USA relation got to be better.
Modi was NEVER against USA. It was USA that refused him visa. Modi has never made anti-US statements compared to his anti-SL statements.
So in my view (may be wrong. We can see after 2 weeks) Modi will be on US lap against Pakistan, China and SL.
May 1st, 2014 at 6:20 am
In a promising development US state department has linked Tamil diaspora with LTTE AGAIN!!
So which idiot says GOBI was a GOSL created fairy tale!! Now INTEROL and USA believes GOSL. Only Tamil fools deny it.
“The United States State Department states that the LTTE uses its international contacts and the large Tamil diaspora to procure weapons, communications, funding, and other needed supplies.
In its latest annual report on terrorism, the US State Department Bureau of Counterterrorism says the LTTE employed charities as fronts to collect and divert funds for their activities.
“Despite its military defeat at the hands of the Sri Lankan government in 2009, the LTTE’s international network of sympathizers and financial support persists. In early 2009, Sri Lankan forces recaptured the LTTE’s key strongholds, including their capital of Kilinochchi. In May 2009, government forces defeated the last LTTE fighting forces, killed LTTE leader Prahbakaran and other members of the LTTE leadership and military command, and declared military victory over LTTE. There have been no known attacks in Sri Lanka that could verifiably be attributed to the LTTE since the end of the war, but LTTE’s financial network of support continued to operate throughout 2013,” the report said.”
– adaderana.lk
May 1st, 2014 at 6:20 am
Here is another bit of good news. Sri Lanka authorities always act at the eleventh hour it seems – this is one more such case. Better late than never !
” Cap on Places of Worship in Lanka to Bring Down Religious Conflicts
Thu, May 1, 2014, 09:32 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
May 01 (NIE) In a bid to curb growing religious conflicts, Sri Lanka has put a cap on the building of places of worship, along with the establishment of a Special Police Force to deal with communal tension. M D K Dissanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Religious Affairs, told media, that there are 10,000 Buddhist temples, 5,000 Hindu temples, 2,500 churches and 2,500 mosques, and that these are sufficient for Lanka�s size and population.
“Anybody wanting to build a new public place of worship will, henceforth, have to take permission of the Ministry of Religious Affairs,” he said.
The measure follows conflicts between pro-government Buddhist organizations and sections of Christians and Muslims. The former object to the proliferation of unconventional Christian churches believed to indulge in “unethical” conversion of Buddhists and Hindus. They also object to the building or expansion of mosques in some areas.
Government-backed Buddhist outfits had launched agitations against the existence of a mosque in the Buddhist “sacred area” of Dambulla and against the expansion of a mosque in a crowded area in Colombo. These violent incidents have found mention in UN reports on alleged “religious intolerance” in Lanka. According to Colombo-based opposition Muslim leader, Asad Sally, police have not investigated 284 complaints filed by Muslims.
The proliferation of mosques is said to be irritating the highest echelons of power as it is feared that the spread of Islamic fundamentalism of the Wahabi kind, may help breed Islamic terrorism here.
There is an entrenched fear about “unethical” conversions by the non-conventional churches operating with money from the US and the West. In recent years, Buddhist outfits have destroyed or damaged several makeshift places of worship put up by these evangelical groups.
Buddhist organizations and government have become very protective of Buddhist symbols.
Last week, Naomi Coleman, a British tourist and a practicing Buddhist, was arrested and deported for sporting a tattoo of the Buddha. A leading Buddhist monk has sought a ban on newspapers carrying pictures of the Buddha as shopkeepers use newspapers to wrap profane stuff”.
——–
It is the influx of Indian illegal LABOR (mainly Tamil Nadu Tamils) that Lankans have to be watchful about, whatever the govt. in India. As Sri Lanka has allowed the Tamil language to take root, it is the Tamil illegal migrant who will continue to land in Lanka, using the SAARC ‘visa on arrival’ factor which has to be removed. All these Tamils will be quite secure with any Indian
govt. protecting them as they are perceived as Hindu and Indian origin. Sri Lanka authorities and business folk seem very short sight sighted in this regard. It is the hapless SINHALA AND OTHERS in Lanka who will be eventually deprived of jobs, land, housing, education, etc.
It is ironical that language is the safeguarding factor for the different sub-states of India. Sri Lanka has not protected itself in this regard using the same method. The sub-states adjoining Tamil Nadu viz. Andrapradesh, Karnataka and Kerala do not use the Tamil language extensively, thus automatically protecting themselves. Sri Lanka should do the same and use English extensively as the link language and Sinhala the main language.
Mr Modi should be approached on the fact that Sinhala people too are people of Indian origin. India keeps a kinder eye on PEOPLE OF INDIAN ORIGIN (PIO). Tamils (legal & illegal arrivals) have made themselves fall into that category. So should the Sinhala people, as genetically speaking that is a fact. Apart from the Buddhist heritage from India, the PIO fact should be emphasized for the Sinhala people.
Keeping India at a comfortable distance re the Lankan ECONOMY & LABOR NEEDS is a good idea. Self Sufficiency as far as is possible should be our motto.