{"id":71017,"date":"2017-10-24T16:54:15","date_gmt":"2017-10-24T23:54:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=71017"},"modified":"2017-10-24T16:54:15","modified_gmt":"2017-10-24T23:54:15","slug":"racist-devolution-not-ordinary-devolution-proposed-for-sri-lanka-by-new-constitution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2017\/10\/24\/racist-devolution-not-ordinary-devolution-proposed-for-sri-lanka-by-new-constitution\/","title":{"rendered":"Racist Devolution (Not Ordinary Devolution) Proposed for Sri Lanka by New Constitution"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dilrook Kannangara<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n

There are two informal types of devolution in the world \u2013 devolution of power to the periphery without regard to ethnicity, and, racist devolution. In racist devolution, power is devolved to states\/republics\/units\/regions based on race or ethnicity and decisions are taken by wholly or mostly mono-ethnic provincial Cabinets. There are not many living examples of racist devolution for obvious reasons! India is the only surviving nation with racist devolution. Successful power devolution (e.g. Australia, USA, Canada) devolve power to multi-ethnic governing Councils.<\/p>\n

What is proposed for Sri Lanka is not the ordinary devolution as found in Australia, USA, etc. but racist devolution found in the relics of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and India.<\/p>\n

Racist devolution is inherently divisive, unstable and tribal. It may work for a collection of a few existing nations to come together temporarily but doesn\u2019t work for others. It is against reconciliation, co-existence and harmony. Even if one supports devolution, he\/she must not support racist devolution as proposed for Sri Lanka.<\/p>\n

NPC Has Always Veered into Ultra Tamil Racism<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Northern Provincial Council and its key members have always veered into ultra Tamil racism. In 1988, India handpicked the members of the Northern and Eastern Provincial Council members from the north from the EPRLF. Eastern councillors were elected. However, within less than two years, the Council veered into ultra Tamil racism and ended when it had to be dissolved for declaring unilateral independence.<\/p>\n

Recently elected NPC has already shown signs of Tamil ultra racism. Even TNA regulars find it disturbing! NPC Chief Minister demeans Sinhalese, insults Sinhala history and regularly makes statements that are not conducive to ethnic harmony. Sinhala villagers in Vavuniya have been totally neglected. Displaced Sinhalese from the north in 1977 and displaced Muslims from the north in 1990 are not allowed to be resettled.<\/p>\n

NPC Cabinet is essentially Tamil-only and belongs to parties with Tamil\u201d only slogans, members and names. A definite failure of reconciliation. If this mechanism continues, there will be conflict. This has happened because the Northern Provincial area is almost entirely Tamil-only and its politics has always been dominated by tribal politics. A province that has a mix of all ethnic groups will not end up like this. For instance, a state in a peaceful nation (USA, Canada or Australia) has a mix of many ethnic groups where politicians must rely on all to win. They cannot afford to be racist.<\/p>\n

India Barely Survives as the Only Living Racist Devolution Example <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

After its close allies Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia demised along ethnic boundaries (and continue to disintegrate along ethnic lines in Ukraine, Georgia, Chechnya, Bosnia, Serbia, Armenia, etc.), India is the only surviving country with racist devolution. However, there are regular and persistent attacks and persecution of minorities in India. A former Chief Minister was complicit in large scale riots in a state, Muslims in Kashmir and most states are variously attacked and killed, churches are burnt almost every month and low-caste\u201d people are denied fundamental rights. If Sri Lanka continues with 13A or worse, adopts the proposed new constitution, these things will happen in Sri Lanka as well. What happened to a train in Gujarat in 2001 will happen to Yal Devi, what happened in Ayodya will happen in Lanka, disputes over river water in South India will take place in the north and east and disputes of places of religious worship will worsen.<\/p>\n

Is this what we want?<\/p>\n

Even India Regrets Ethnicity Based Devolution Now!<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

India appointed the Sarkaria Commission in 1983 to look into centre-state relations. The following are excerpts from the Commission\u2019s report.<\/p>\n

If a particular community, religious or linguistic group claims one region of its country as its homeland, it generates antagonism of other communities or groups both within that region and elsewhere; for the very idea of \u2018homeland within a country implies a pernicious discrimination between the so called original inhabitants, or \u2018sons of the soil\u2019 and so called \u2018immigrants\u2019 or \u2018outsiders\u2019 from other States. Practice and promotion of such unhealthy ideas eventually lead to the creation of two or more classes of citizens all over the country\u201d (page 16, section 1.4.25).<\/p>\n

Among the more pernicious of these motivations (for political power) can be recognized the role of vested interests in converting legitimate aspirations into strident discord and dissent by clever manipulation and encouragement of psychological alienation. <\/strong>The use of the sub-national plank for building of leadership which\u00a0 commands attention at the national level is another strong motivation which is responsible for throwing up the most vociferous leaders. It is from these origins that the more extreme forms of dissent and revolt against the existing order emerge in the form of extremist and terrorist action\u201d (page 16, section 1.4.27).<\/p>\n

–\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sarkaria Commission Report<\/p>\n

http:\/\/lawmin.nic.in\/ncrwc\/finalreport\/v2b2-4.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

This is the dangerous fate that awaits Sri Lanka too. However, Sri Lanka doesn\u2019t have the safeguards India has.<\/p>\n

A Better Devolution Model (Australia, USA, Canada) If Devolution is Needed<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

If Sri Lanka\u2019s power devolution units can be broadened to have a sufficient ethnic mix, then the harmonious and prosperous Australian, US or Canadian devolution model can be implemented. This is real devolution that unites people. There is no room for mono-ethnic enclaves and parties. People of different ethnic groups work together.<\/p>\n

This is not what 13A created and not what is proposed in the new constitution.<\/p>\n

Those who support devolution but oppose racism must demand a devolution model as in Australia, USA or Canada where there are no mono-ethnic enclaves. Otherwise, devolutionists in Sri Lanka are racists in disguise.<\/p>\n

Say no to racist devolution proposed for Sri Lanka. All nations that followed it (except one,) can be found only in museums and history books following bloodbaths. Sri Lanka cannot afford to have another conflict. Devolution units must be defined to have a sufficient ethnic mix for them to be harmonious and peaceful.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dilrook Kannangara There are two informal types of devolution in the world \u2013 devolution of power to the periphery without regard to ethnicity, and, racist devolution. In racist devolution, power is devolved to states\/republics\/units\/regions based on race or ethnicity and decisions are taken by wholly or mostly mono-ethnic provincial Cabinets. There are not many living […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[44,100],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dilrook-kannangara","category-new-constitution"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71017","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71017"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71017\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71017"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71017"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71017"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}