Will TNA ever see anything positive happening in Sri Lanka?
Posted on September 21st, 2012
Asada M Erpini
A TNA team comprising its leader R. Sampanthan and his partners Mavai Senathirajah, Suresh Premachandran, Selvam Adaikalanathan, P Selvarajah and M. A. Sumanthiran ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” who obviously are blind to the massive infrastructure developments going in the North and East, and the demining and resettling of the displaced that is almost complete – is reported to have met the members of the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) and expressed its doubts about the governmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s commitment to implementing the recommendation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). And, what were the points in the agenda of the discussions between the two parties? Lands being taken over ostensibly for development purposes but used for settling the majority community; denial of cultural and religious places to the Tamils; demilitarization; and changes in the demographic composition in the North and the East.
The above report appeared on the same day that the Russian Foreign Ministry Commissioner for Human Rights, Democracy and the Rule of Law, and Ambassador-at-Large, has stated, ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Sri Lankan government is making serious efforts in rehabilitation of former Tamil Tiger combatants, their reintegration into society and reconciliation with the minorityƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. Concurrently, the UK government and its Border Agency are sending back a group of approximately 60 Tamils who had landed in the UK citing the excuse that has given rich dividends to hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankan Tamils – alleged torture, violation of human rights and the possibility of death at the hands of the authorities in Sri Lanka – as they feel that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-those being sent back are not in danger of being mistreatedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ (reported by BBC).
Just the day before, there was an illuminating essay under the title. ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Learning from Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ by a team of university academics involved in scholarly research (http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/learning-sri-lanka-7485#.UFn41Efrang.facebook). The group, led by Arie Kruglanski, states ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-the ruling authorities have done a remarkable job forging reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation with the Tamil minority. This is truly an example of how military victory needs to be followed up by forgiveness and peacemakingƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚.
The Russian Foreign Ministry Commissioner or the Arie Kruglanski et al. team obviously would not gain anything by making positive observations about Sri Lanka and the developments in the country in the post-conflict period, especially in the regions that the media of the West and the TNA are fond of referring to as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Tamil AreasƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, if the true situation is just the opposite as implied by the TNA. Either the TNA and its MPs have not seen any of these reports or, true to their form, find it profitable to pretend never to have seen them andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ continue harping on their favourite ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-discrimination, disappearances, demilitarisationƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ theme.
Anyone who cares to travel around Sri Lanka will see that there are numerous Hindu kovils in every nook and corner, including in some regions that came under the Kandyan Kingdom, the military is present in large numbers in Panagoda, Diyatalawa, Anuradhapura, Pallekele and many other locations, and the demographic pattern in places such as Bambalapitya, Kotahena and Wellawatte has been completely altered by hundreds of thousands of Tamils who have settled in these once predominantly Sinhala areas. Yet, we do not hear the Sinhala or the Moor communities complaining about the developments and do not see them running to the international agencies with loud lamentations. The sooner the TNA realises that it cannot expect to have a mono-ethnic enclave for Tamils, to perpetuate their caste-ridden and outdated cultural or religious practices, the better it is for the TNA itself and the others who tow their line.
It is time that TNA parliamentarians open their eyes and reciprocate, at least symbolically, the benefits that they accrue as MPs at tax payersƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ expense (the majority of whom comes from the Sinhala ethnic group).
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September 21st, 2012 at 3:25 pm
We don’t ban TNA and just play a cat and mouse game. It is dangerous.
September 21st, 2012 at 5:53 pm
Can someone please let the readers know, what happened to the case against TNA, on the 14th September 2012. Thanks.
September 21st, 2012 at 8:58 pm
From what I heard it was postponed again to December 5th.
September 22nd, 2012 at 5:25 pm
Until the GOSL BANS all communal parties, and prosecutes TNA leaders for their TREASONOUS ACTIVITIES during the reign of the SunGod, the TNA will not change its Tiger Stirpes or its CONSTANT AGITATION to GAIN in PEACE through SUBTERFUGE, what they FAILED TO GAIN in WAR through UNLAWFUL VIOLENCE.
As long as there is NO PENALTY and NO DISADVANTAGES in continued undermining of the nation, why should they discontinue their SEPARATIST activities?
The central presumption in Law Enforcement is that CRIMES SHOULD BEGET PUNISHMENT.
When that central premise is not ENFORCED in a TIMELY way, and criminals ESCAPE scot free, violation of laws becomes the new NORM, and law-abiding citizens lose their place in society.
The GOSL should BAN communal parties, and HOLD the TNA ACCOUNTABLE for its Treasonous Activities of the past. Forget about foreign naysayers and ENFORCE THE LAWS OF THE LAND …. the lives of ALL Sri Lankan citizens is at stake!
September 22nd, 2012 at 7:41 pm
LORENZO !!! Thanks for the new date.~~~~ December 15th.
ANANDA !!! Time and again, many contributors to this site have said the same thing that you say, vis-a-vis ~~ The GOSL Should ban all Communal Parties. TNA has been the proxy of the LTTE, then and now. They always brief foreign Interlopers, immediately they set foot in Sri Lanka, and utter damning lies about the Country, and make them say something for which, they have absolutely NO WRIT.
We are all perplexed as to why the Government is ~~~~ backward in going forward, ~~~~~ on this subject.
TNA tried to go to bed with SLMC, but was rejected by saying ” still you have the Tiger Smell. UNP too got the Tiger Smell, they too refused to bed with them. JVP got a kind of mixed obnoxious odour, and they too did not want to bed with TNA.
Now I heard TNA saing the they will enter into any kind of agreement with the Government. It appears that they do not want to miss the BUS this time. They are now at the the door step of Magnamity of the President.
If I was asked to Advice the President, my advice would be, “leave them alone to sail without a compass.”
September 23rd, 2012 at 9:02 am
Susantha,
New date is Dec 5th.
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Without Ethics & Morality, respect for human life or truthfulness to guide them and their flock, TNA is heading over the cliff into NoMansLand. Tamil people ought to be watchful of the TNA who can easily misguide them into disaster. It’s the old Caste bound Jaffna politics that has morphed into the TNA.