PROTECT SRI LANKA
Posted on August 12th, 2015
BY M.L.WICKRAMASINGHE
The country takes precedence over any other thing says CBK. This is dead right. This is why Mahinda Rjapaksha despite enormous pressure exerted by the West to save the LTTE and Prabhakaran, took all the pressure on himself and mobilized the Nation to pave the way for the security forces to defeat LTTE terrorism.
Once again Sri Lanka is under threat not due to an impending war by ex-LTTE cadres and or diaspora ; but due to an ongoing internal political and constitutional subterfuge, supported by the LTTE diaspora, some western governments, and Tamil Nadu to pressure Sri Lanka to award a federal government to a combined northern and eastern Province. This is invisible than the Eelam wars; hence more dangerous.
Some would say that this is exaggerated talk designed to confuse people?
It is not; this is evidence based reasoning. There is clear evidence of an impending threat: TNA’s 2015 Manifesto refers to the principle of national self-determination and winning a federal form of government as the electoral goal of the 2015 parliamentary election. At a launch meeting of the TNA Manifesto, it was reported in a few media that the people were psychologically and emotionally persuaded by the organizers to invoke Prabhakaran as a hero who brought Tamils of Sri Lanka into international prominence
The Northern Provincial Council (NPC) Chief Minister (CM) played a different role in establishing pre-conditions for identifying North as an independent entity. He called upon international organizations to provide international assistance directly to the Northern Provincial Council (NPC).To catalyse the ire of the international community the CM made a statement that since D.S. Senanayaka’s time the Sri Lankan governments had committed genocide against the Tamils. The Wickramasinghe Administration did not take up issue on either of the two statements. The second erroneous statement may create an impression that the Tamil people need to be separated from the Sinhalese in order for them to be safe.
Mrs. Vijayakala Mahendran, the UNP’s lead candidate for the Jaffna district, as informed by Dr.Dayan Jayatilaka at a TV interview with CSN, had prevented the raising of the National Flag of Sri Lanka at a cricket event in the peninsula. She is also quoted by Hindu as having told the Paper that the Wickramasinghe administration had agreed to give autonomy to the North. This was followed up by Mr. Sumanthiran in a statement to the ‘Divaina’ Sinhala newspaper of August 10 to the effect that western governments have agreed to establish a Federal Government in the North of Sri Lanka. All these and the below noted international signals tend to give the impression that the North is a distinct entity, and plans are a- foot to strongly publicise such an unfortunate rhetoric.
The most recent is the war crimes investigation document of the United Nations Human Rights Commissioners office leaked to the international media. The most dangerous recommendation said to contain in the document is that the national war crimes investigation should be done by both the Central Government of Sri Lanka and the Northern Provincial Council. If the leaked document is accurate, the implication of this recommendation is that the United Nations has apparently and may be perhaps innocently equated the Republic of Sri Lanka to the Northern Provincial Council in Sri Lanka. However, such unfortunate references may provide an opportunity for extreme groups to push the issue that the north is different and a separate entity. And about 2-3 months ago, the Ceylon Daily News an organ of the State Media reported that the Head of UNDP in Sri Lanka had reported about a ‘Northern province Government or a similar idea. Neither the government of Sri Lanka nor the United Nations had corrected this erroneous comment,( to the best of my knowledge).
The Asian Tribune has raised another serious issue– that is the planned entry of the United Nations Peace Building Fund (UNPBF) to the north and east of Sri Lanka. The Asian Tribune article titled UN in Jaffna: Needs answers from Sri Lanka Government” published on August 06, 2015, states that the operatives within the Tamil Diaspora have been advocating a UN entry to these provinces to administer affairs in the region to lessen the authority of Sri Lanka’s central government”. The article raises the concern that the LTTE diaspora’s hidden agenda for advocating UNPBF’s presence in the north and east may be to advocate for a UN sponsored referendum in the north and east.
It thus appears that many local and foreign interest groups are apparently synchronizing their activities to advocate a federal solution for the north and east. Unfortunately the vast majority of Sri Lankans are currently involved in a game of electoral politics without a concern about the effect of a call for federalism on the territorial integrity of the Country.
We are not questioning the right of political parties and personalities to make statements urging federalism. But we are questioning the attitude of some of the politicians in the government that equate a public discussion of the implications of giving federalism to the north ( and east) to raising communalism and catalyzing communal disharmony in the country. This attitude borders on application of double standards.
Even though Sri Lanka defeated separatist terrorism, it appears that a fresh political and constitutional battle is beginning to be waged against the unitary state of Sri Lanka. What the LTTE could not achieve with its military might, (in Sri Lanka), the LTTE diaspora, western governments , Tamil Nadu, some international agencies , TNA, and foreign funded ‘civil society’ groups are planning to achieve through political cunning. The apparent plan is to dupe the power-eager political elements who want to convert their short run of governance into a much longer run, by offering support to form a political union that would be pressured to provide plums to the north and the east.
The August 17th would really be a choice between those patriotic forces who want to keep Sri Lanka as a unitary country where all citizens the Sinhalese the Tamils and the Muslims can continue to live not in idealistic harmony(which is not available even in the USA) , but certainly in positive harmony as we have been living for centuries, but with the added assurance that aberrations that occurred in the fifties, late seventies and in 1983 would never be allowed to happen. All communities would also be positively and pro-actively supported to enhance the quality of harmony, and fundamental rights, through the introduction of new legal, educational, economic, and human rights measures brought in by a leader who has learnt lessons due to the weaknesses of his previous administration. This group also did start economic renaissance-oriented activities on an unprecedented scale national scale(since the Accelerated Mahaweli scheme), while bringing back universal franchise to the people of the north, which was deprived to them for about two decades.
On the other side are forces that supported the ill-advised draft constitution that attempted to force a Confederal system of governance on Sri Lanka in the mid to late 1990s,and a Post Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P-TOMS) which attempted to give greater power to the LTTE to rule the north and the east. Both were rejected. This same side is also integrally linked to the forces that supported the signing of the 2001 Cease Fire Agreement with the LTTE under Norwegian guidance .The CFA which was designed to bring peace to the country did not succeed in bringing any real and palpable peace to Sri Lanka as proved by the enormous number of contraventions of the provisions of the CFA by LTTE. The ultimate purpose of the CFA was to reach a political solution through peace talks. The LTTE dashed those expectations by unilaterally withdrawing from the peace talks. The majority of Sri Lankans who were better readers of the minds of separatists knew that this would eventuate.
On August 17 people would decide whether the country would move towards the facilitation of a gradual but sustainable ethnic reconciliation process through the maintenance of a unitary system of government combined with the implementation of politically feasible and peace-nurturing new devolution mechanisms, OR take a path leading towards the potential of gradual destabilization, through a series of divisive and emotionally-charged power struggles to bring in a federal system of government with participation of some western international elements and the LTTE diaspora.
It is imperative for all Sri Lankans to understand the issues facing the Country at this crucial time.
August 12th, 2015 at 6:09 am
How on earth can you genocide 85 millions of Tamils word wide?
August 12th, 2015 at 7:22 am
Tamils cannot be controlled, but can be compartmentalized (put in to a box where they cannot seek Indian help in destabilizing SL) Tamils are around the world. Now Tamils have third generation Tamils in Norway, and they have Tamil fathers and Norwegian mothers. So all they want is to destruct and keep it as a very under developed country. This comes from; handed down from father to son grand son great grand son etc. It is time SINHALA TO WAKE UP AND RECOGINISE this issue and counter attack. Only way to do this by the same way there are Swedish Danish, Finnish and Norwegian third generation SINHALA with fathers from SL. They must attack this phenomena, by them selves. No one in SL can help!
August 12th, 2015 at 8:44 am
Sri Lankans have not yet woken up to the socio-economic realities within Tamil Nadu. Till they do, the truth about the situation for Tamils of Lanka & the Tamil Diaspora will not be acknowledged.
That there are some 15 Million DALIT Tamils of Untouchable origin still in Tamil Nadu is the crux of the problem. That they are still discriminated against, in spite of the Prevention of Atrocities Act (1995 – so recent, to combat a 3,000 yr old Caste problem). They are the ones who seek the new homeland, and Lanka, unfortunately, is close enough for them to seek their separate state. Foreign countries seek this to their own advantage.
The last time such a state for Tamils were being formed during the Ranil as PM and CBK as President, was with the Norwegian Peacekeeper in place. What happened then was that mini-submarines were being produced in the North – to what purpose ? For suicide missions on the high seas ?
This is a recurrence happening to the same story. The same players are in place (Ranil & CBK and the some of the TNA old timers such as Sampanthan, with Wigneswaran added on as Chief Minister to the NPC). MR was removed because he is for a undivided Lanka. Only about 23% of the govt funds allocated to the NPC bybb the MR govt was used ! We must ask ourselves why, if not to throw the MR govt into a bad situation that they are neglecting the North.
If a Fed state is formed for Tamils only, with the Eastern Prov attached, they have asked for the right to get loans from foreign countries too. Who will be held accountable for the repayment of such loans ? GoSL, most probably.
It is more than likely that Tamils will become cannon fodder too, and not to the GoSL !!
August 12th, 2015 at 1:52 pm
“Post-Election BRIBES” to Party Jumpers are ALREADY being offered by the UNPatriotic Party DESPERATE to gain POWER somehow, WELL AWARE that it will not be able to win the required number of seats on its own!
The CROSSING OVER of MPs from the Party that Nominated them to Another Party should be PROHIBITED by a Constitutional Amendment!
Such CROSSOVERS, usually for PERSONAL GAIN, BETRAYS the TRUST placed in them as Members of a certain Party by the voting Public, and leads to the creation of TOTALLY UNTRUSTWORTHY Political Leaders!
BAN IT COMPLETELY and BAN IT SOON!
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Sri Lanka PM says SLFP MPs to hold talks over ministerial posts with President after polls
Aug 12,(LBO) The United National Party led government may have to offer ministerial portfolios to SLFP Parliamentarians who support them to form a new government, Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe said. In an exclusive interview with a local TV station Wickramasinghe revealed the current situation. “Even now, some candidates keep telling that they will take ministerial positions after talking to us through the President. It seems like a rift between SLFP and UPFA.”
Wickramasinghe also noted that they are forming a government based on conventionalism even if they are confident of getting the majority.
“This is a decision we took before January 08. We’ll form a government with ‘Lichchavi’ principles.”
According to Mahaparinibbana Sutta of Lord Buddha, Lichchavis followed seven guidelines known as Sapta Aparihaniya Dharma to rule their kingdom about 2,700 years ago.
The main feature of this was the regular meeting of the rulers for consultation and arriving at a consensus.
“We hope to start the committee system in the next Parliament. The whole Parliament will turn into a government to make collective decisions as per Lichchavis,” Wickramasinghe said.
August 12th, 2015 at 3:50 pm
Wigneswaran is WORSE than the Tiger Nominated Agents of the TNA, and supports “radical” Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) … demanding EELAM now!
They SMELL the BLOOD of Mother Lanka in the ELECTORAL WATERS leading up to the General Election on August 17, 2015 and are INCREASING their DEMANDS!
WHO ENCOURAGED, AIDED and ABETTED the SEPARATISTS to bring about this state of INCEASED THREAT now to our Motherland in a SHORT 7-months after that DAY OF INFAMY Jan 8, 2015?
WHO but the Anti-national TRAITORS of the UNPatriotic Party, and its Power Hungry collaborators Somarama Sirisena, Champika Ranawaka, Ratana Hamuduruwo, and Rajitha Senatatne??
DAMN them ALL to HELL!!
EMBALA SINHALAYENI … AWADIWANNA! …. DEFEND Mother Lanka ….Vote for MR/UPFA NOW!
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‘Neutral’ Wigneswaran’s Statement Shows Tilt Towards TNPF
Aug 12 (NIE) COLOMBO- Northern Province Chief Minister C.V.Wigneswaran’s statement on Wednesday telling Sri Lankan Tamils who they should vote for in the August 17 parliamentary elections, seems to be an endorsement of the radical Tamil National Peoples’ Front (TNPF) rather than his own party, the moderate Tamil National Alliance (TNA).
Justifying his “neutrality” in the elections, Wigneswaran said that politicians who had got elected earlier had flouted their promises in regard to the Tamils’ rights such as the right to self-determination. They had done precious little to set right the wrongs done to the Tamils during and after Eelam War IV.
The elected leaders had been stressing the need to “get along” with the leaders of South Sri Lanka, thereby “selling out” to the latter. If they had any intention to make such compromises, they should have said so in their manifestoes, Wigneswaran argued!
That the accusing finger was pointed at the TNA is clear because most Sri Lankan Tamils elected to representative bodies are from that party. The TNPF had boycotted the Northern Provincial Council and Presidential elections. It is contesting the August parliamentary elections, though.
The TNA’s stand has been that cooperation of the South Lankan Sinhalese parties is necessary to secure Tamils’ rights. That was why it backed Maithripala Sirisena in the January 8 Presidential election. The TNPF, on the other hand, spurns cooperation with the Sinhalese parties and believes that support of the Tamil Diaspora and the West is enough.
The TNA believes that India’s support is necessary, but the TNPF differs. Significantly, Wigneswaran’s statement mentions the need to secure the West’s support, but ignores India.
Observers suspect that the pro-LTTE section of the Tamil Diaspora is propping up TNPF and Wigneswaran. The moderate Diaspora, represented by the Global Tamil Forum, is supporting TNA.
Criticising Wigneswaran’s stand, V.Thanabalasingham, editor of Thinakkural said: “Having won with TNA’s support, Wigneswaran has a moral obligation to support it now. He says he is neutral, but it is clear that he is backing a particular party. His stand has caused confusion in voters’ minds.”
Informed sources told Express that the TNA is contemplating action against Wigneswaran after the elections.
August 12th, 2015 at 5:12 pm
“BAN IT COMPLETELY and BAN IT SOON!”
WHO will ban it? Maru Sira the president? NO. Run-nil the PM? NO.
NO ONE can ban it. This is the sad reality of democrazy in SL.