Implementation of the 13th Amendment may Create Separate Ethnic Provinces.
Posted on July 22nd, 2009
Written by: Dr. Sellakapu S Upasiri de Silva
PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s opinion.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ President Mahinda Rajapakse very wisely ruled out separate ethnic provinces in Sri Lanka. As the supreme ruler of the country he is in a very good position to judge, what is best for the country, in creating a peaceful environment for all Sri Lankans after the LTTE is defeated. The President may have taken this wise decision after much deliberation and consideration of the opinions of the wider public debating about the Amendment 13.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ President is well aware that the implementation of the 13th Amendment may create Ethnic provinces and it may lead to more unrest among the general public and the chances of another terror campaign by ill-informed and disgruntled people.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Further he has ruled out any demographic changes in the North but informed the reporter who was interviewing him that demographic changes are taking place in the Sinhala majority Colombo. He said he is not going to stop any migration of Eastern Muslims or Northern Tamils coming to Colombo as every one has a right to live in any part of the country during his interview with the American magazine Time.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Should we divide the country on ethnic lines?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka should not be divided along the ethnic lines as forced by India in 1987 by introducing the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord signed under military threats to the then President J.R.Jayawardena. In 1987, Sri Lankan government with our efficient Tri-service personnelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s, that included the present Secretary of Defence Lt. Col (Retd) Gotabaya Rajapakse and the Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath FonsekaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was at the verge of capturing LTTE leader (late) Prabakaran. As Indian Government who trained and armed the LTTE tried to settle a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-personal feudƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ with the then Sri Lankan President, and intervene in Sri Lankan affairs by force. They dropped ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ParippuƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ after ordering the Sri Lankan government to stop the Armed ForcesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ advance against the LTTE and forced this Accord on the then GOSL according to General Ranatunga.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Indo-Sri Lanka Accord.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Indo ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”Sri Lanka Accord signed on July 29, 1987 is now seems to be VOID due to the fundamental breaches created by the Indian government in a forceful and deliberate manner. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Fundamental breach is the failure by one party to perform a primary obligation under the contract so that the other party is deprived of substantially the whole benefit that he or she was to have received under the contractƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Indian government purposely failed to up-hold and breach many other clauses but their failure to uphold the Cl. 2.16 (a) to (e) to take necessary steps to ensure that Indian Territory is not used for activities prejudicial to the unity, integrity and security of Sri Lanka. Since the signing of this agreement and the Indian forces were forced out by the LTTE, and for the last 20 years of the 22 years they provided material help to LTTE by supplying fuel, arms and medicineƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and also allowing those Tamil Politicians of the TNA to denounce Sri lanka and support the LTTE to continue their Terror activities.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Now this Accord is not worth the paper it has written, and there are no legal or other considerations to implement the Amendment 13 after we completely annihilated the LTTE terror outfit, which was a major requirement at the time of signing the Accord.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In 1987, Indian government took this decision to force Sri Lanka to submission as the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was trying to take his revenge for insulting his mother Mrs.Srimathi Gandhi by then President J.R.Jayawardena, of Sri Lanka, according to very reliable sources.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Which was to humiliate the Junius Richard Jayewardene government in Sri Lanka and teach it a hard lesson about the dangers of being disrespectful to IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s status as the pre-eminent power in the Indian Ocean? Jayewardene was too Western-oriented and behaved as if he never read about the Monroe Doctrine when he read history in Oxford. We didn’t like at all his dalliance with the Israelis and the Americans in our very backyard.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ So, we fostered Prabhakaran and built him up as a prick on Jayewardene’s vanities – like Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale of the DeccansƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. (Rise and Fall of Prabakaran, 05-07-2009 by Indian Ambassador M.K.Bhadrakumar, national Express Malaysia)
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Why India invaded Sri Lanka.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This reliable source, a very senior diplomat from the Indian High Commission in Kenya, closely related to Gandhi family, said somewhere inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ August 1979, that the Indian Prime Minister Mrs. Srimathi Gandhi and the Sri Lankan PresidentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ J.R.Jayawardena had a very serious discussion where the Sri Lankan President was very rude to the Indian PM.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Sri Lankan PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s undiplomatic manner in treating Mrs. Gandhi, the then Indian Prime Minister and the Leader of the largest democracy in Asia, created a very bad dent in the Indo Sri Lanka friendship. According to the information (late) Prime Minister of India Mrs. Indira Gandhi, has tried to intervene and prevent the removal of (late) Mrs. Sirimavo BandaranaikeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s (former PM of Sri Lanka and her friend of many years) civil rights by the Jayawardena government. Mrs Gandhi, has telephoned (not once but three times) to President Jayawardena and has requested him not to remove the civil rights of Mrs. Bandaranayaike. The Sri Lankan President was very rude and spoken to her in an unpleasant manner asking her to mind her own business and not to interfere in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This strong verbal accusation leads to Mrs. Gandhi allowing RAW to train the Tamil youths later they became the LTTE. The personal rivalry of the UNP and the SLFP was the root cause of the 32 years unwanted trouble death and destruction in Sri Lanka.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ As a result of this rivalry, her son the then Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi wanted to teach a lesson to the (late) President Jayawardena and used his powers to stop the war with LTTE and drop ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-ParippuƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ for Tamil people. This animosity of the two leaders has cost Sri Lanka billions of rupees in loss revenue and over 150,000 lives, and the assassination of one President and many Ministers in Sri Lanka and assassination of Prime Ministers Mrs. Srimathi Gandhi and Mr. Rajiv Gandhi (by LTTE) of India with over 1600 lives of Indian soldiers (IPKF) lost unnecessarily.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ India must not interfere.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When any, sane, intelligent and educated persons analyse the action of the then Prime Minister of a great country like India, trying to teach a lesson to the President of a neighbouring country, by training a Terror outfit, and imposing condition to devolve power seems to be a ridiculous act. Anybody with a good knowledge in (Contract) Law will understand that the hastily prepared Indo ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Sri Lanka Accord is poorly written and not meeting the rule of the law and many conditions in that accord is unilaterally forced on the Sri Lankan government.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This agreement or the accord was forced on the Sri Lankan President to create separate ethnic provinces ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”North and the East ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” for the Tamil people, even though the Cl 1.1 of the accord is to preserve the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. But, the Cl 1.4, 1.5 and the rest of the clauses up to 2.14, has infringed and violated the expectations included in Cl.1.1. Clause 2.15, create a fundamental breach of this agreement as the conditions discussed from 4.5.1986 to 19.12.1986 is excluded as an annexure or attachments and not forming a part of this agreement. In general terms this agreement or the accord is a hastily prepared document without any consultation with the GOSL Legal people and as such the Government of India should withdraw this agreement in good faith to strength the traditional friendship of Sri Lanka and (as the animosity created by the former President has now forgotten), allow the present President Rajapakse of Sri Lanka to settle the ethnic problem in the country without creating ethnic enclaves in the North and the East.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ As the greatest Democracy in the Asia, India must set and example and leave Sri Lanka alone to mind her internal disputes the way the people of Sri Lanka thinks fit.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Diplomats should avoid political comments.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India C. Romesh Jayasinghe on 8th July 2009 has commented that President Rajapakse is committed to a political solution despite the elimination of the LTTE, would now implement the 13th amendment on devolution of powers to the Tamil provinces. A very efficient High Commissioner like Romesh Jayasinghe should not have uttered these words without checking with the President as on 30th June, 2009 he stoped every one talking about the amendment 13. Further he said Mr. RajapaksaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s promise that he would give the Tamils ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-13th Amendment plusƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ as per Indo-Sri lanka accord of 1987 is an inappropriateƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ remark after President Rajapakse has on few occasions has requested every one to stop discussing this Amendment 13.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ On 30th June 2009, President has instructed all those political Ambassadors like Dayan Jayathilake andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Hemantha Warnakulasooriya to keep their private opinion to themselves as he is taking the responsibility of taking the final decision on 13 A.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ambassador Hemantha Warnakulasooriya, a political appointee has stated that those of us who oppose the Amendment 13 are the supporters of the Eelam. We never heard about Hemantha Warnakulasooriya as a person fighting the LTTE before he got this appointment.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But most of us, who are furiously fighting against the implementation of the Amendment 13 to prevent ethnic enclaves and a separation possibility, were fighting this LTTE Propaganda war for the last 30 year by spending our own money, time and our energy. It is very unfortunate Ambassador Warnakulasooriya to utter unwanted remarks to the patriotic people some are only born Sri LankanƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s to discourage their work in the future. Presidential Advisor Mr. Sunimal Fernando whom I met when I was working at Tangalle doing some research (your home town) may not agree with your remarks. Appointment as an Ambassador doesnƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t give Hemantha the right to disgrace people who are against Eelam as supporters of Eelam.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 13 amendment ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…”can it be another Trojan horse.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Relying on PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s statements to justify the implementation of 13 A is also absurd. The President himself is confused and makes contradictory statements about 13 A! There is no way, other than by magic, 13 A can bring people together. It can only separate people based on race which will lead to another round of Eelam war from a more advantageous position. 13 A is a plan to win the same things LTTE failed to win militarily.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Imagine the situation of a Northern Provincial Council (NPC) with all 13 A powers. There is nothing to stop the old Vadukkodai School separation winning the election and taking control of the NPC. They are still there and their part is still very active, may be more active now. NPC will be the platform on which they will start building the Tamil EelamƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (Real Reasons for the 13 A Implementation, July 17th 2009 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Dilrook Kannangara)
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ As stated here, President is not confused. But the Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Ministers and other Politicians make President confused by uttering their own versions about the Amendment 13, and creating an unwanted hype among the citizens of Sri Lanka.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Most Tamil Leaders from the TNA and TULF like Mr. Anandasagaree are now trying to replace Prabakaran, the slain LTTE Leader and become another Prabakaran and trying to achieve the Eelam, Prabakaran was fighting for the last 30+ years, after all our brave soldiers sacrifice their lives to unite the country. They are trying to use a Trojan horse called the Amendment 13, to achieve that.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What is 13 A.?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The 13th Amendment enacted by the Parliament of Sri Lanka and certified on 24-05-1988, says: To make provisions for the establishment of a Provincial Council for each Province; for the establishment of a High Court for each Province and to make Tamil an Official language and English the link language.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ [ Is this refer to all the NINE (9) provinces or only the North and East ?]
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ When I read this Amendment I get a eerie feeling that why North and East is excluded but mentioned as Provinces, and Tamil to be the official language. If any Legal person reading this should have notice this and should have questioned whether this included all the 9 provinces. If we implement this Amendment 13 or 13+ then we will loses the entire country, if the Vadukkodai boys take this matter to the High Court. I think it isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ high time the Attorney General should have a very close look at this Amendment 13.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This Amendment 13, if critically analyse according to the law of the country it will prove that the use of Sinhala, the main official language in the country is excluded as the language of the Provinces and for the Court system and all other official work should be executed by using Tamil and the link language (only if required) the English.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Many will argue that as long as Sinhala is the main Official Language (Tamil is also now an official language) why should we worry about the use of Tamil in the Provincial Councils in any other provinces. If Sinhala and Tamil are both recognise as official languages in Chapter IV Article 18 and 19, of the Constitution, why it is necessary to include ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-exclusivelyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- Tamil as an Official language and English as the link language in this Amendment ?
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But this Amendment clearly establishes Tamil as the language of the Provinces as well as the High Courts. Now the Governor, Major General Chnadrasiri or any other Governor of any other Province should be able to work in Tamil. As said by Dilrook Kannangara if the Old Vadukkodai school boys take charge of the Provinces, then what Prabakaran was fighting for 32 years by killing 80,000 people and 6700 service personnelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s, 25,000ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ wounded service personnelƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s and many other innocent Sinhala and Tamil citizens loosing their limbs and lives including their assets going for waste, and the Vadukkodai boys will establish their Eelam and raise the Eelam Flag. Those who supported the implementation of the amendment 13 like LTTE buddy Minister Rajitha Senaratne MP, Prof. Vitharana, Ambassadors and all others crying for the rights of the poor Tamils in the IDP Camps can be happy of their achievement.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ As President said there should be no separate ethnic provinces in Sri Lanka for the sake of unity and for all the citizens to live as Sri Lankans.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sydney, Australia.
July 22nd, 2009 at 3:56 am
Hi Upasiri, it is a good peace of writing with some very good research work done by you. But, can you keep on fighting for the cause by continuously residing away from the place where you need to be, Sri Lanka?
dear Upasiri, it is high time for all our intellegentia who are serving foreign soils to get back at this hour of need. Your motherland needs you! Please get all those who have the will, capability, professionalism, courage, leadership, discipline, and capability and discuss with authorities on how to make their contribution and get going as fast as possible.
Good Luck
Tissa
July 22nd, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Dr Upasiri,
You have hit the nail in the head.
No less than Dayan himself has responded. Of course he is disillusioned.
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2009/07/lies-and-deception.html
Implementation of the 13th Amendment WILL Create Separate Ethnic Provinces. There is no two words about it.
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:06 am
This is an interesting article. As well, comment made by Tissa is also interesting. Though I could be one of the least concerned about the current government or what it does, I cannot stop thinking about the legacy left behind by the English Occupiers. As I see, these marauders have not only set in motion a kind of living hell in the form of a government enthusiastically aided and abetted by their local collaborators, but installed the worst among them to run it. Since 1948, the historical performance of this dysfunctional outfit tells it all. Those who depend on it always have to choose between a rock and a hard place, or in more locally attractive terms changing ginger for chillies and vice versa. English are very famous for selecting the worst and making a mockery of them before discarding them to oblivion. Personally, I am more interested about the Sinhala people watching this self-made debacle knowing very well that it has little impact on them over the long term. As this writer intimates, they are yet to find that illusive silver bullet. At a personal level, I believe that they will never come out of this shit hole alive. On the other hand, they have no shame to trust Hindustan to solve this problem though they are the kingpins who manipulated the minorities to advance their own interests. The scope of this article remains tied to peaceful approach from one side while the other side uses all the tools available to them.
As Tissa seems to envisage, are there other options available to solve the demands made by ethnic Tamil migrant community? Yes, not just one, there are many other solutions. Is it worth telling them? I say on behalf of Sinhala people an emphatic NO because we are helping the scum to prolong their existence who betrayed their own people, collaborated with the worst of their enemies who slaughters their kith and kin, and continue to follow the foot steps of those invaders with the same objectives. Even if they implement 13th amendment or go further and let Tamils have a separate Tamil Eelaam (Eelaa+m means Land of Sinhala (Ila)), is it going to solve the aspirations of Tamils or do any good to Tamils at large? Do they think that Sinhala people are just going to accept the legitimacy of their acts and forget the north of their country, which was the home of their ancient monarchy until the alienation of their throne? We have forgotten the other options available to solve this problem. The current situation in the country is a result of an unstable system produced by the use of barbaric force, first by English with full support of Tamils, then by their local collaborators, and lately by Tamils with the full backing of Hindustanis. Under these circumstances, unless all parties agree to a peaceful solution, obviously this is a trivial proposition, final solution will come from other means available to all concerned.
This feeling of strangeness/discrimination from others where they live, as faced by the Tamil-speaking migrants of later generations, is not something unique to Lanka. This is a very common feature among all other migrant groups with cultural links carried forward from their original ethnic groups now living inside a dominant but alien culture. Unfortunately the second and later generations of migrants do not carry the historical burden of the original migrants fleeing their countries. Those who preach peaceful means must encourage and facilitate these agitated people of migrant backgrounds to return to their natural environments to come to peace with their original identity. Though I am unable to give reasons for this comment based on extensive R&D on such groups, the other option available for them is suicide or delivery of death in response. But for those bent on invading, occupying, annexing and plundering the resources exclusive used by other communities to sustain their lives, I strongly believe elimination is the only solution available to limit their impact on future generations of the humanity.
While being intimidated and forced into submissions, do those running Lanka allow anyone else to do what it takes to come up with countermeasures to stand up and negotiate like equals instead of behaving like humble dogs to the outside world while fighting among themselves just for the leftover? I have not seen that happening to this date. So, I like to ask all concerned about what is going on in Lanka, is there any point in trying to help these selfish individuals holding the population and its resources by deceit? At the end they are the ones who are going to loss everything just like their predecessors. With reference to Lanka, why we should not let them go to hell alive for being failed to give such opportunities for those who are genuinely concerned even about this crisis superficially affecting Sinhala people?