Tamils: Log on to southern situation
Posted on February 1st, 2016

By Gomin Dayasri Courtesy The Daily Mirror

errorism has left a trail amongst the northern Tamils, feeling of a need for a separate state; brainwashed by the LTTE and kept alive by the remittances of the Diaspora.

With the Provincial Council positioned, dawned on the North the outdated Indian prescription was not the answer sought. A home remedy kept to present needs is wanted for the North: Should be baked in Colombo and flavoured in Jaffna to be sold.

Tamil pride was wounded, when the Sinhala army overran homegrown terrorism. Affected South, naturally revelled at it.

Though in captive hands the North felt humiliated, over – reacted by over -subscribing to the defeated captors. Realized the benefits democracy offers over terrorism. But it took time to comprehend due to backwardness. In retrospect, appreciates terrorism is not akin to their way of life. The North is primitive compared to the worldlier South. South needs to understand them.

Triumphant South should be magnanimous in attending to the genuine grievances of the Tamil people in the north.

 

“SLFP suffers from a permanent inferiority complex induced by its ancestors; needs a Bandaranaike or a Rajapaksa to lead -rest are plebs: SLFP-is toilet trained to accept this doctrine and Sirisena disproved the fake cult. Within the famous families there are bickerings to undo the other.”

Constitutional changes will not bind the communities but offer opportunities for failing politicians to revive their careers by fanning communal politics. A Constitution, unlikely to be born, offers no solace. Tamils must consider joining mainstream politics after the local government elections to work together to gain mutual benefits.

The reconciliation process is accelerated if the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) joins the central government where the centre holds a majority in parliament and is not dependent on the TNA for survival and accepts prestigious places in the Cabinet.

Coming to uplift a failed government, belatedly is counter-productive, instills suspicion in Sinhala minds. There may never be another hyphenated UNP-SLFP” regime.

To appreciate the value of the centre, it must be tasted and be available for tasting. Any amalgamation is more feasible during the lifetime of its leader Sampanthan where Sumanthiran can play an engineering role. Longer the TNA lives with the UNP or SLFP or both, in a coalition government-the concept of togetherness becomes meaningful. Need is to promote a Sri Lankan identity to live as one family with distinct and different cultures that require safeguards. Notions must change with the war being an event of the past.

Joint means majority Sinhalese in the UNP/SLFP, combines with the minority Tamils of the TNA – sizeable amount of the voters.

 

“Tailor made to lead, hailing from solid SLFP stock is Gothabhaya [Gotha] Rajapaksa, the doer, who did his assignments to perfection, wiped out terrorism and gave Colombo a fresh coat of paint that seems to be fading fast due to neglect. “

It displays TNA has jettisoned separatism and is prepared to share power at the centre. The TNA should extract the benefits originating from the centre by taking the opportunity to distribute benefits to their people with power in their grasp. Confidence building between communities is a preamble to reconciliation

TNA should gain the trust of the Sinhala people in the UNP and the Sirisena faction; Ministers of the TNA can attend to the genuine grievances of their people under a power sharing unitary Constitution.
There must be fresh thinking after ending the war and credit must be given to Mahinda Rajapaksa [MR] for enabling a situation where the TNA can function effectively in a democratic framework.
If the Tigers were active would not the TNA dance a jig to survive? Would there have been a Provincial Council presided over by an elected Wigneswaran displaying many infirmities if the LTTE was in control?

Difference may arise among the Tamil politicians with extremists choosing to remain outside the borders of moderate politics. The TNA must ensure that benefits flow to the Tamil people than to Tamil politicians – as

Improperly envisaged by the 13th Amendment tailored by India to attract the LTTE to the democratic fold through a wasteful Provincial Council system where the elected extracted a lion’s share of benefits due to the electors.

The Northern politicians must keep watch on southern politics before taking the plunge for it is indeed a precipitous journey.

President Sirisena need not travel a distance if he finds a comfort zone in the UNP. They made him what he is. A man of the people, a factor UNP hierarchy fails to comprehend. He is a welcome asset to the UNP as a foil to Ranil Wickremesinghe’s uppity upends.

Will Sirisena align with the Rajapaksa wing? Unlikely before the local government elections are held.
Sirisena may have to watch dismally elected representatives of the SLFP make the crossing to the new party. To await the results may mean the loss of a red carpet laid for him to cross. He should remain in the green corner safeguarding his dignity.

A three cornered contest is unlikely as Sirisena will come a poor third-will do worse at a Parliamentary Elections.

UNP may adopt the favourite sons of Sirisena’s SLFP under a new voting system. UNP will eclipse Sirisena’s candidates at the vote count. The new party may offer a stiff challenge to the UNP but defeat the SLFP of Sirisena, where exit gates will open wide after the results.

The President can make or break a government.

Sirisena has grown in stature being his own man. He is an asset but carries a diminished image with the entry of his loathed merry men in parliament He needs a prop to lean on. He cannot do it alone. As president, Sirisena can score an ace to help the side he backs: limited since his candidates are made of dead wood.

Taking Sirisena’s candidates on board means UNP adopts the unwanted, not providing lustre to any list. The party governing at the Centre normally wins the local elections comfortably.

UNP must win big to successfully usher a new constitution otherwise the coalition will undergo a slow death and commence a reign of a weak parliament for the balance three years due to the crazy 19th Amendment that can bring governments to their knees.

UNP cannot be as selective as MR in picking the winners from the SLFP: vote catchers are likely to defect to the new party. SLFP of Sirisena will lose more than gain on the aggregated votes the SLFP picked at the last General Elections.

MR must not expand his list to gain publicity with the unwanted of the Sirisena camp, distasteful to the floating voters – will make them stay at home on Election Day. Mahinda wing needs new faces to cover the many old faces that will never part till their dying day, in lust for office and its perks.

Dubious elements feature in the national lists, some on offering hospitality enclaves. They are selected on the quality of food and drink provided at hierarchical gatherings.

Quack doctors operate on guests at dinner tables in an age where gardeners held titles as special advisors.

Sirisena’s trusted elected representative may leave him in the lurch and shift to the opposing wing to win back the SLFP vote- last reachable vote to secure a berth in local authorities. UNP’s rank and file will never vote for carpetbaggers of the SLFP. Floating voter is a thinker, will not walk to vote for candidates that shifted sides to enjoy office.

Mahinda Rajapaksa can bide his time to pick the cream of the SLFP while Sirisena may try hard to retain them by offering custard.

Constitution making is a convenient excuse to exit as gallant knights that saved the nation from being divided by undercutting the Constitution from within and becoming heroic to charm the Opposition voters.

Sirisena carries a bunch of defeated SLFP candidates: they joined a UNP led Cabinet as appointed MPs on the aggregate SLFP vote that was cast predominantly for Mahinda Rajapaksa. How many UNP votes can they muster to offset the minimal SLFP votes?

Striking 75 years on the eve of the next Parliamentary Elections, does Mahinda Rajapaksa appeal to the young faces in the Facebook? Rather not, after losing twice. Respected as a perambulating elder statesman, giving leadership to a new force that displaced the venerable SLFP is sufficient glory for a twice – elected president: politically astute should know their limits.
SLFP suffers from a permanent inferiority complex induced by its ancestors; needs a Bandaranaike or a Rajapaksa to lead -rest are plebs: SLFP-is toilet trained to accept this doctrine and Sirisena disproved the fake cult. Within the famous families there are bickerings to undo the other.

Tailor made to lead, hailing from solid SLFP stock is Gothabhaya [Gotha] Rajapaksa, the doer, who did his assignments to perfection, wiped out terrorism and gave Colombo a fresh coat of paint that seems to be fading fast due to neglect.

A new face to politics decorated in war paint, first time on contesting, gets the thumbs up sign. He is preferred to any other carrying the Rajapaksa name.
Carrying military bearings is attractive to the Sinhalese and its youth. Nevertheless, can drive the minorities to the brink of no return. He carries the bulk of the floating votes but much depends on the voting pattern of the UNP’s patriotic Sinhala majority as the minorities. They can undo Gotha by tactical voting.

Gotha needs to learn the nuances of local politics from the common man otherwise he could become another Fonseka. Envy lurks from his senior colleagues. His success depends on the team of advisors he selects, as he is a novice in politics without experience.

Tamils must watch the politics of the South more than of the North.

– See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/104770/Tamils-Log-on-to-southern-situation#sthash.G5GHu6qt.slhPNMQC.dpuf

One Response to “Tamils: Log on to southern situation”

  1. Dilrook Says:

    Tamil voting whether in Tamil Nadu or Sri Lanka depends on racism. The most racist party in the run gets the vote. For this reason, TNA cannot be part of the government and settle for anything less than Tamil Eelam. ACTC is waiting to grab the opportunity if TNA fails to extort the entirety of the demand.

    If Gotabhaya contests the next national election, he must discount 85% Tamils and Muslims. They will not vote for him no matter what. The remaining 15% will vote not because they like him but as a protest against the UNP government. He needs to win 62% of Sinhala votes to win 50%. For that, he must have a strong and bold manifesto devoid of devolution and other Tamil appesements in addition to his hands-on image.

    Absolute rejection of merging the east with the north can be played to win Muslim votes and drive TNA away from the UNP. The UNP will be in a dilemma trying to win both Tamil and Muslim votes if the north and east merger dominates the election campaign.

    BBS and other distractions must be kept out. JVP must be won over despite agreeing to difficult conditions as it carries 4% of Sinhala votes. JHU should also be in the coalition.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

 

 


Copyright © 2024 LankaWeb.com. All Rights Reserved. Powered by Wordpress