Ajit Randeniya

Ashis Nandy, the Bengali social theorist who gave up medical training to study social sciences and psychology, and was named amongst the top 100 public intellectuals of the world by the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Foreign PolicyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ magazine in 2008, has written extensively on a variety of topics including public conscience and dialogues between civilisations.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In the 1983 book, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”The Intimate Enemy: Loss and Recovery of Self Under ColonialismƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, Nandy argues that the fundamental character of colonialism is not so much economic or technological domination, but the cultural arrogance of the colonisers and the cultural subservience it creates in the minds of the indigenous peoples.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Specifically, Ashis Nandi refers to the continued tendency amongst the westernised, English educated elite in post-colonial societies to see themselves through the imagery of race, class, and religion propagated by the colonisers as the more devastating effect of colonialism on the colonised at a personal level.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The incomparable Palestinian-American intellectual, the late Edward Said had earlier coined the term ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”OrientalismƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ in his 1978 book by the same name to describe the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”causeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”effectƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ Nandi was referring to. In this classic work, Said dissected the pervasive, dishonest, and in some cases plain ignorant, Western academic and artistic tradition in the 18th and 19th centuries of portraying the East, and the colonised societies in general, to their ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”enlightenedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ society back home in the most degrading ways: the dishonesty was, of course, self-serving because such portrayal of the sophisticated cultures and civilisations they were brutalising served as a justification for the murder and plunder they were perpetrating on these peoples!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”The OrientalƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ was a sweeping generalisation, a stereotype, of the colonised people as separate, silently different, sensual, eccentric, backward, and passive, barely human forms of life. Through this imagery, the Oriental man was depicted as feminine and weak, yet strangely dangerous because he posed a threat to white women due to his sexual prowess; the Oriental woman was depicted as strikingly exotic, with loose morals and eager to be dominated.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The collaborators and other educated elite classes they created in the colonies were fully ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”colonised in the brainƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ with these images, using language as the main tool. The poorer classes were less affected, thankfully due to lack of access to education, especially English education.

Thomas Babington Macaulay’s infamous Minute of 1835 which advocated the creation of a class of anglicised Indians to serve as cultural intermediaries between the British and their Indian subjects was one of the rare occasions when this conspiracy was inadvertently revealed.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What these two academics are saying (and many others have confirmed) is that almost all societies emerging from colonisation display two key characteristics: total subservience to the colonial master, and utter contempt for their own peoples. They also conclude that the depth of their subservience is dependent not on its duration, rather on its ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”depth and textureƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Unfortunately, Sri Lanka is no exception to this rule.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ One only needs to monitor the local debate in the English Language media in Sri Lanka, invariably run by the most affected group, on the US and EC impositions on contrived, abstract topics such as Human Rights, war crimes and such other ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”universal valuesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ used to brain wash the developing world.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The editorial, and a column by an EC award-winning journalist, in last SundayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”LakbimaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ newspaper on as to how the Sri Lankan government should be responding to western pressure on trumped up ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Human Rights abusesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ charges, exerted through the UN illustrate the point. Their discussion and proposals, provides a case study on ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”thinking within the straitjacketƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of preconceptions of ourselves planted in our minds by the West, as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”the OtherƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, the conquerable, and the inferior.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ What is troubling is that this is not even ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”The Sunday LeaderƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ where ignorance reigns because the majority their think that they are superior ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”remnantsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of the colonial era!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ First the Lakbima editorial: it seems to be that the editor himself is as annoyed as any right thinking person that Milliband, Navi Pillai, Ban Ki-moon and some local NGOs are attempting to bully the government, demanding ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”accountability mechanismsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ on the war. His conclusion that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”the bid will not workƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ also demonstrates displeasure with the nuisance.

But the reasoning throughout the editorial demonstrates the post colonial mindset of self-blame and feelings of inferiority and vulnerability, as revealed through admissions that the Sri Lankan government is ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”far from perfectƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ on Human Right ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”violationsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and that the governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”survivabilityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ is threatened by the increasing international scrutiny.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The influence of neo-colonialist brainwashing also emerges when Sri Lanka is contrasted with Zimbabwe as a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”rogueƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ regime ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”needsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ the special scrutiny of the UN or the European Union, or the government of the United Kingdom. This argument is furthered by citing recent World Bank IMF assistance to Sri Lanka, and the performance of the Colombo stock exchange. Ironically, the good Lakbima editor then blames the Colombo ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”elite driven business circlesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of trying to bring back a non-SLFP government into power.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Had Mr Abeynayake known that the only ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”crimeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ committed by Zimbabwe, and its leader Robert Mugabe, was trying to re-possess their land illegally colonised and still being possessed nearly 50 years after the so-called independence, by British farmers, predominantly Jewish ones, he would have thought twice about making the disparaging remark about Zimbabwe.

Then comes some rigorous ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”caningƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of the governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s foreign policy, for being aggressive, antagonistic and inept; this colonial ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”boyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ would have made Thomas McCauly proud!

The wishy-washy defence of the government offered by the Lakbima editor is based on admissions of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”human rights violationsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ (their language again!), but the violations being less serious than in many other countries is the ultimate cop out! This is exactly the sort of grist the western conspiracy mill thrives on.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Another journalist of the same newspaper, a Ms Namini Wijedasa, in an article titled ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Discretion better part of valourƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, poses the question: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Do we go combative on the UN and with all those ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”hostileƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ nations, or do we engage?ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This particular writer compares the governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s foreign policy as too Gotabayaesque (bit of French influence here!) with its approach to the LTTE, but warns that: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”it canƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t possibly do that with the rich, developed world, even with friends like China, Iran, Libya and Myanmar (bit of intended sarcasm there!).

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ She is cocksure that: defiance will not be sustainable in the long run ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-unless we are a nuclear nation, an oil-producing one or some other ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”rich and powerfulƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. She advocates, wait, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”time-buying strategiesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. Judging by the familiarity Ms Wijedasa has displayed with the issues at play here, we should best leave such decisions to people like Dr Kohona who is better placed!

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ These examples illustrate the phenomenon of mental servility that is bugging our societies. Newspapers, even those with limited circulation, have the potential to shape national thinking. Journalists, seasoned ones and their charges, need to understand better than most others the brain washing capabilities of language.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We have been trained to refer to the Gulf region as the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Middle EastƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, and to Australia and New Zealand as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”WesternƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ nations: only when we see a map of the world do we realise as to how stupid we are being, using this terminology that is totally contrary to geographic coordinates. (Ashis NandyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s two part book ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Psychology of Colonialism: Sex, Age, and IdeologyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Uncolonised Mind: A Post-colonial View of India and the WestƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ is essential reading for anyone interested in the pernicious psychological effects talked about here).

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Similarly discerning approach needs to be used before using ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”theirƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ language to refer to particular countries as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”pariahƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”rogueƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ states, and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”war crimesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and Human Rights ‘violationsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢. Each of the countries against whom such denigrating language is used, from Iran to Myanmar to Zimbabwe, has a story that is kept away from the world by western, Zionist owned and controlled media. How do we justify not calling the bombing of a wedding party in Afghanistan a war crime or a Human Rights violation, but raise a great hue and cry about China or Iran putting down a street riot by a few hundred US-paid hooligans?

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Third world journalism needs to be about bringing out these stories rather than simply parroting western propaganda. Ignoring the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”relativityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and dishonesty involved in such descriptions make us accessories to the crimes they are committing in the name of safeguarding the so-called ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”universal valuesƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Fortunately, at the end of the day, all this is bound to be ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”a storm in a tea cupƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢: Ban Ki-moon, like any UN Secretary General or a US President, is in a difficult position, wanting to safeguard a multi-million dollar salary package by doing the dirty work of the US and UK who appointed him due to the need to continue the south Korean occupation against the will of the people in that country: Ban is simply trying to buy himself time by appointing a committee to advice him.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The real world opinion is well and truly with the statement by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the largest collective of nations outside the General Assembly. (remember Sri Lanka was an inaugural member of NAM?).

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That is what matters.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Ms Wijedasa is right in relation to one thing: Ban has ensured the Rajapaksa governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s (leave the dirty word ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”regimeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ for Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu) re-election with a thumping majority by trying to revive the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”international conspiracyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ That is something to be grateful for!