TAMIL NATIONAL FORUM
Selected Writings -
Fr.
Chandiravarman Sinnathurai
Pinching the child: rocking the cradle
[see also
LTTE Political Wing Leader Interview with NDTV]
8 July 2006
As a measure of desperation President Mahinda is calling the Tamil Tigers for
talks. Any body who knows about Sri Lanka politics would know that this is a
call to play musical chairs. The question is to whose music Mahinda is dancing
this time round.
Talking the talk without walking the talk is the biggest problem in Sri Lanka.
The question is: But what is left there to talk without tackling the core issues
of the crisis? Since independence from the British in 1948 the previous Tamil
leadership have repeatedly talked and made peace-pacts with Sinhala governments.
All attempts have ended in colossal failure. No promises were kept by the
Government. All pacts were never honoured. The Sinhala state however, continued
with the concealed agenda of the
slow-genocide of Tamils. Things were much easy going for the Sinhala state
then, because the Tamils of yester-years did NOT have a Tamil Armed Resistance.
Mahinda is putting it simply that he and Prabaharan (LTTE leader) are Sri
Lankans and therefore they can both sit and talk and sort out the differences.
O! What a splendid suggestion. Has he forgotten that Prabaharan is the head
(Talivar) of a
Defacto state called Tamil Eelam? Had Mahinda been truthful and honest in
his dealings, one would think, the Tamils would grab this opportunity with both
hands. But that is not the ground reality unfortunately.
How would the proposed �Mahinda talks� play a different note from other talks?
♫The current unitary constitution gives
pre-eminence to Buddhism as state religion hence safeguarding the following
Trinitarian agenda: 1) Buddha Sāsana 2) the majoritarian Sinhala Buddhist people
3)
foremost official status to Sinhala language.
{Sāsana: which underpins Sinhala chauvinism and hegemony. Its foundations are
believed to be Vinaya (discipline), Nitiya (just laws), SatYa (truth).}There are
unfortunately no safeguard to Tamils. Hence
state-sponsored pogroms and terror is normative for nearly half-a-century!
The State never has awakened to the fact that Sri Lanka constitutes
multi-ethnic; multi-cultural; multi-faith communities.
The understanding of the Sinhala masses is that the President first and foremost
is the guardian of the Buddha Sāsana. That is to say, that the President must
ensure that the Theravada strand of Buddhism is not tarnished. That is why the
highest office in the land is securely given in the hands of not just a Sinhala,
but a Sinhala Buddhist! In the past the Bandaranayake, the Senanayake and the
Wijewardne (out of which sprang JR Jeyawardne and Ranil Wickremasinghe) clans
had to reconvert back to Buddhsim for that was the political vehicle that could
grant them political power. So, let none be deceived that Sri Lanka is none
other than solely a Sinhala Buddhist state!
It is the utmost duty of the President to safeguard the interests of Buddhism
Not the constitution. (This was explained by Harischandra Wijetunge, a famous
lawyer. Reported on The Island 23.05.90) How would now Mahinda make a paradigm
shift in terms of a well entrenched Sinhala-only mind frame?
♫The devolution of power to the Tamils is an idea that
has
over run its �sell by date� in Sri Lanka. Trying to resurrect such a sour
grape of an idea will be laughed out of Tamil minds. What Mahinda needs to be
convinced of is that the Tamils are not prepared to be hood winked. As �Sunaa
Pana� (Mr Thamil Chelvan � LTTE political wing Leader) rightly pointed out that
this devolution idea has been rejected by the Tamils out rightly because the
Tamils saw the duplicity of the Sinhala State. Has Mahinda got any fresh and
convincing ideas up his sleeves to advance?
♫The
killing,
raping,
involuntary disappearances and
bombing of the Tamil civilians are continuing while Mahinda is stretching
his hand of �peace�. The Mahinda regime has sheltered and armed various Tamil
paramilitaries including the Karuna faction. Mahinda regime is living in denial.
And they have refused to disarm such groups. Why? The State has employed these
quisling groups to
liquidate Tamil
intellectuals, human rights and
humanitarian workers,
parliamentarians
� Any opposing voice against the State is silenced! Will Mahinda wake up from
his slumber and selective amnesia?
♫The Tamils are not just a minority in Sri Lanka. The Tamils of the East and
North are
indigenous people of ancient culture, unique tradition, distinct heritage,
history and they have their
inalienable right to live in their traditional homelands. What the State has
done for half-a-century is to adopt a
policy of secret colonisation. Of course, the Moslems have a voice. They are
Tamil speakers too. No Tamil would deny the right of Moslem brethren to live in
harmony. But what is not acceptable is for the State to play the �Minority
rights of Moslems� card against the Tamils. One would expect the Tamil-speaking
Moslems of the North-East to be vigilant and not to be tempted by such cheap
baits and fall into the suicidal trap of Jihadi terror. Mahinda regime is being
accused of covertly arming the Moslem Jihadis.
Now what would the proposed Mahinda Talks achieve? The Tamil public would wish
that the transformation of the following ground reality in the North-East would
pave way to a negotiated settlement:
Illegal settlements to be evacuated
Restrictions on civilian movements to be removed
Involuntary disappearances to cease
Eco-terror: Destruction of trees and crops to stop immediately
Tamil fishermen not be harmed and permitted to engage in deep sea fishing
Returning of SL Armed Forces to barracks as they are a threat to peace in
Tamil territories
Disarming of Paramilitaries
Restoring water supplies, power supplies, health provision and
non-disruptive education
Safe return of internally displaced people to their villages and towns
Suitable dwellings provided to people who are currently in refugee camps
Compensation to all whose properties were bombed or bulldozed
Next of kin to receive compensation for civilian killings by the state
forces
Re-drawing of map
The general perception however is that the Mahinda regime is presenting the
�Peace Child� to the world with double tongue and twin face. The Tamil Tigers
are two steps ahead of such a duplicitous strategy.
The Sri Lanka peace question is more than a national crisis. The International
community must monitor Arms supply to the ruthless Sinhala regime. It is also
believed that the EU is selling arms to Sri Lanka. The Mahinda regime has
killed over 420 Tamil civilians since the Geneva Talks in February 2006 and the
state has refused to view the Tamils as its own citizens.
One thing is for sure. The opportune time is running out swiftly for President
Mahinda Rajapaksha.
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