Lalith vs Austin on the 13t Amendment in the CT July 3, 2013; A comment.
Posted on July 20th, 2013
Dr Sudath Gunasekara President Senior Citizens Movement Mahanuwara
20.July.2013. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Apropos Austin FernandoƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s critique on Lalith WeeratungaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s twitter comment on Provincial Councils established under the 13th A (that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”they are white elephantsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢) appeared in the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Colombo TelegraphƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of July 3, 2013 ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ under the title ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”Provincial White Elephants and ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-SaddanthaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ White Elephants in ColomboƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ I thought it pertinent to make few comments for the benefit of those who are seriously concerned about the subject of Provincial Councils.
Though I fully agree with AustinƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s comments on SaddanthaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ White Elephants in ColomboƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ and also on his reference to the jumbo Cabinet, hundreds of advisors around, non-functional Senior Ministers etc at the centre as Saddantha (Mammoth) white elephants, I regret very much to note that such vituperative aspersions are utterly irrelevant to the subject under discussion, that is the subject of the credentials on Provincial Councils. I find Austin appears to have missed the wood for the tree. It is also true that the center is thoroughly disorganized, wasteful and even lacks systematic and intelligent allocation of functions to Ministries and even in naming them. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ However, I do not think the wastefulness of Pcs, and their ills have anything toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ do with the size or inefficiencies at the centre. On the other hand they are only inherent characteristics of these alien institutions that have intruded our administrative and political system which have failed to perform any useful administrative or governing function over a period of three decades. PCs have only proliferated political institutions and parasitic politicians and benefitted political parties and politicians. As such they have not served any purpose that benefits the people. Therefore I fully agree with Lalith when he says that Pcs have not served the purpose (devolution of power for better governance as they put it).
Lalith has made two very valid observations on PCs. He being he Secretary to the President of this country, experienced and knowledgeable on the subject and who is deeply caught up in this boiling pot and furthermore his comment had not been rejected or refuted by the President or any other person who matter, his comments under reference are very important from a national point of view. His first conclusion is administratively the 13th Amendment is a white elephant and the second is that at sub-national level Provincial Councils (PCs) have not served the purpose. Instead of the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”13th AmendmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ I would have preferred ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”the Provincial CouncilsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ are white elephants. The 13th A that made provisions for Pcs is a nuclear bomb dropped by India on this country followed by the Rajiv-JR Accord of 29th July 1987 to destroy this Island nation. More than Pcs being administrative white elephants by wasting a major portion of the national income they have completely messed up the whole political and administrative machinery in this country. Furthermore this system has even made the Sri Lankan constitution a toothless document and made the governing and judicial process an Augean mess. Moreover PCs were designed by Indian Brahamins to divide, destabilize and destroy this country by both politically and economically, by carving out an independent mono-Tamil EElam in the North and East. India also did this to take revenge from the government and the people of this country. Therefore I do not think that even a man with a wee bit of brain can reject these two comments as baseless. No one can dismiss it as a squint of the eye or as a statement made to fall in line with the political wind.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It is a pity that Austin has not understood the simple and plain truth Lalith has stated on PCs though it is the gospel truth as understood practically by everybody in this country. According to Austin it is the government which has made them white elephants. He hails them as useful instruments of reconciliation. Those who defend and passionately talk about the merits of PCs like Austin, I think, are groping in the dark and do so without knowing the actual background, the far-reaching disastrous dimensions and the serious and long term political and other implications of the PCs on the countryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s future. The sinister and diabolical intentions and ghosts behind this move by India in inventing these PCs, their future implications on the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence, political stability of this Island Nation and the threat they impose on the very survival of the Lankan Nation is apparently beyond the comprehension of these vocals. One wonders as to what would have happened to this country if a man of AustinƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s caliber continued to be Defense Secretary of this country in place of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at the time of the 2009 war.
AustinƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s whole argument seems to be centred round a passionate case for PCs. It looks more a hilarious pro- Eelam call in defense of divisive communal politics than an attempt to safeguard the general interests of the country. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ I doubt he will be offered the post of Defense Secretary in the State of Eelam even if it is formed one day. His frequent use of hacked terms like Majoritarianism and reconciliation clearly shows that he is arguing on behalf of the Tamils and Muslims ignoring the political realities in this country and betraying the Sinhala Buddhists for which he should be ashamed. Thereby he also falls to the category of men and women who hold the views hat majority rule is not democracy and regional autonomy is the only answer for reconciliation in this country.
It is true that Devolution and decentralization are two systems. In constitutional jargon the word devolution is used to mean transfer of legislative power (Principle of Subsidiary) ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and delegation and decentralization refer transfer of administrative power to the periphery. This way devolution and decentralization mean two different thingsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
Both devolution and decentralization are also often defined as transfer of power from the center to the periphery; may be a local authority or a government department to facilitate better local or regional administration.
AustinƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s reference to statute making at the Provincial level is very dangerous. This negates the sovereignty of Parliament. This should be read along with Article 3 and 4(a) of the Constitution. Though people at village level and the periphery should be given the opportunity to manage their affairs from an administrative point of view within the concept of one country and one nation I donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t think any administrative unit should be given the right of independent governance including self determination and making laws independent of the central government.
The rest of his entire article extensively couched in legal and administrative stuff is wholly devoted to accuse the government for not giving power to PCs and therefore utterly irrelevant to the core issue under discussion. I pity the writer for burning the midnight oil for an unworthy cause.
As for me I have been strongly and totally against this draconian piece of legislation right from its inception in 1987 and I call all Dicks, Toms and Harries, whether he/she is a Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim or any other, belonging to SLFP,UNP, TNA, MC or any other political party in this country who defends the 13th Amendment and its ugly legacies including the disastrous and calamitous Provincial Council system, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ traitors of this Island Nation and the Motherland, who shall never be pardoned as long as the sun and moon shall rise over this blessed Island.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
July 20th, 2013 at 4:13 pm
LATEST TAMIL GRIEVANCE
“(CNN) — A riot on a tiny island in the Pacific that killed no one would usually go unnoticed by the world.
But when some 100 asylum seekers burned down their shelters in an Australian refugee processing center Friday on Nauru Island, it did not. Instead, it drew attention to a new restrictive law made in Australia the same day banning “boat people” from living in the country.
“As of today asylum seekers who come here by boat without a visa will never be settled in Australia,” said Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in a statement announcing the law.”
Poor Tamils.
Now even Australia shuts its doors to Tamils coming by boats. MOST Tamils in Australia are boat people.
This is NOT GOOD for SL because it is like CONSTIPATION for SL.
July 20th, 2013 at 6:56 pm
Even PNG is good for them compared to SL and TN where they are subjected to torture.
In PNG they will be killed and eaten though.
July 20th, 2013 at 7:39 pm
I have submitted the following as a stand-alone Article to be published at LankaWeb. I am presenting it here as a comment because the issue is important and needs to be urgently addressed.
…………………….
STOP the PC Elections NOW: Census 2012 Data Shows Massive ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION of Indian Tamils into Sri Lanka during LTTE control of the North & East in the last 30 years!
By Ananda-USA
July 18, 2013
The 2012 Census indicates NO REDUCTION in the Tamil Population of Sri Lanka, after allowing for the net natural population increase due to more births than deaths.
If 1.5 million Sri Lankan Tamils EMIGRATED, legally and illegally, to foreign countries, over the last 30 years, and many of them currently hold Sri Lankan passports, why is the EXPECTED REDUCTION in Sri Lankan Tamil population not reflected in the 2012 Census figures?
The only possible explanation is that during the Eelam War years about 1.6 MILLION Indian Tamils illegally entered Sri Lanka with the connivance of the LTTE and Tamil Nadu.
Were the 300,000 Tamils herded by the LTTE as a “human shield” actually some of the ILLEGAL Indian Tamil Immigrants brought into Sri Lanka who would be DEPORTED back to India if the SECRET of their ILLEGAL Immigration status was revealed? Were they WILLING participants in the human shield for that reason?
The article below by IRIN bemoans the difficulties faced by “war returnees” due to the lack of National ID cards, The reason why they don’t have Sri Lankan National ID cards may be because many of them are ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS who were never citizens of Sri Lanka, and NEVER HAD Sri Lankan National ID cards issued to them.
This should be INVESTIGATED IMMEDIATELY by the Government of Sri Lanka to IDENTIFY and DEPORT these 1.6 Million ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS from Sri Lanka, as soon as possible! No National ID cards should be issued until the legal citizenship status is established through detailed background investigations.
Now it becomes clear why the TNA, the Tamil Nadu Politicians, and the Government of India are in SUCH A HURRY to hold Provincial Councils Elections and install the TNA in the Provincial Government, and Devolve Police and Land powers to them.
If the TNA is endowed with Police & Land Powers, they can easily FALSIFY REGISTRATION RECORDS, issue documents certifying Sri Lankan citizenship to these ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, and COVER UP the MASSIVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION that has taken place!
If this MASSIVE Immigration SCAM is allowed to take effect, the DEMOGRAPHICS of Sri Lanka would change INSTANTLY to favor the Tamil Community, with the induction of 1.6 MILLION new citizens!
Until this ISSUE IS RESOLVED, NO PC ELECTIONS should be held, and NO POWER should be DEVOLVED to these CROOKS! DO NOT ISSUE PERMITS to Illegal Immigrants that allow them to to vote in Provincial or National Elections; that will give them another official document to buttress their claim to citizenship.
There is NO ISSUE OF GREATER IMPORTANCE to Sri Lanka’s National Security than the protection of the legal status of native Sri Lankans by keeping illegal immigrants out of Sri Lanka.
STOP THE PC ELECTIONS … NOW!
……………
No ID, no security, the dilemma of Sri Lanka’s returnees
ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
July 17 (IRIN) COLOMBO- Close to 100,000 returnees in Sri Lanka’s north lack national identity cards (NICs), more than four years after the end of the country.s decades-long civil war.
“Many people cannot resume their lives as NICs are the passport to accessing multiple services and were made mandatory for voting in 2006,” Suresh Premachandran, a member of parliament (MP) with the Tamil National Alliance, one of the largest national parties representing minority Tamils from the north, told IRIN.
According to the United Nations, more than 460,000 displaced persons have returned to Northern Province – which is home to more than 1 million inhabitants – since government forces declared victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who had been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland since 1983.
In Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts alone, an estimated quarter of the districts’ 200,000-plus inhabitants are without national IDs.
Without such documentation, many residents struggle to access public services such as health and education, and well as government assistance programmes.
They also face the risk of questioning and delays by police and security officials.
Not a priority
Under the law, NICs are compulsory for all Sri Lankans 16 years or older, and authorities may detain suspicious individuals who fail to show any form of legal identification – a legacy of the war.
“Without an NIC, you are always at risk,” said Shereen Xavier, a north-based lawyer and executive director of the Home for Human Rights (HHR). “Without it, the impediments can be many.”
Even to enter many government buildings, one must produce an NIC, people complain.
But moving ahead on this issue is proving a challenge.
Despite the identity cards’ importance, the government has yet to prioritize the issue, with much of its effort focused instead on large-scale infrastructure and development projects in the north.
Many returnees do not have the required documentation to apply for an NIC, and with no local offices for issuing NICs, applications can take several months to process.
“The processing of papers can prove time-consuming,” Shanthi Sachithanandan, chairperson of Viluthu, an organization promoting good governance in the north, explained.
Temporary IDs
After the war, the government was keen to have its voter lists updated.
When these lists were updated ahead of presidential and local polls in 2010 and 2012, temporary IDs were issued to over 40,000 people to allow them to vote, a process that continues today.
At that time, around 90,000 people from the north failed to indicate their NIC number, Deputy Elections Commissioner M.M. Mohammad confirmed.
“Temporary IDs were issued to many, especially to facilitate their participation in the presidential and local government elections that were held,” he said.
But many returnees say such IDs are looked down upon. Those holding temporary ID have difficulty accessing government services and are sometimes treated with suspicion by officials, they say.
Now, with the first provincial council election in Sri Lanka’s former war zone scheduled for September, returnees and politicians alike are again urging the government to improve the issuing of NICs.
“The government has started issuing temporary IDs, which is a time-consuming process. People have to contact the local government officials and process papers, which is not easy for returnees,” MP Premachandran said.
But according to the department responsible for issuing NICs, given the amount of time and documentation it takes to process such applications outside Colombo – and specifically in the former war zone – temporary IDs may still be the best option available at this point.
“This is the best solution to the present problem,” maintained M.S. Sarath Kumara, commissioner general of the registration of persons, noting that temporary IDs issued to facilitate voting could also prove useful to people without any other form of identification.
“A temporary ID is a practical idea, and it can be revalidated through reapplication,” agreed Rohana Hettiarachchi, executive director of People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections, an election monitoring body that has been helping eligible voters to obtain national identity cards through a mobile clinic effort.
But for those returnees without an NIC, still struggling to establish some semblance of normalcy in their lives after years of conflict and displacement, the idea of anything temporary offers little solace.
“A temporary ID is useful for those who wish to cast their vote at the forthcoming northern provincial election. [However,] for us former IDPs [internally displaced persons], returning home after being displaced for a decade, there are much bigger issues than getting involved in a political battle,” explained Muttuvel Kadirmani, a 46-year-old father of three from Mullaitivu. He urged the government to issue NICs instead of temporary forms of identification.
“It will be useful in every aspect of life and provide us with a sense of security,” he said.
Read More:: IRIN (Source)
July 20th, 2013 at 8:36 pm
Dr.S.G.’s article pinpoints with unerring accuracy the predicament this country is in. It all broils down to the implementation of the 13A – the death knell of the UNITARY Mother Lanka. What the Tamils and their alien sponsors call UNITED LANKA is a stepping stone to DIVIDED Lanka. Let us not forget the perennial guiding light of separatism mongers: a little now, more later. UNITED is the little for now and DIVIDED, their end game, is the more to come.
Yet Dr.S.G.’s article places us in a conundrum. While secretary Lalith W has hit the nail on the head of the issue, why has his big boss pulling that nail out by holding elections within that boiling cess pit that is 13A? Why is the big boss not of ‘one mind, one heart and especially ONE TONGUE’ with his immediate subordinates?. His village type policy of ‘say one thing to one and another thing to another’ has precisely put the country in the cess pit of the 13A.
The critical need of the hour is not what Lallith W or Basil R or Gota R has to say on the matter but what their big boss, the man with the red scarf puts his foot down on. Whatever the one or the other has to say or has said, their big boss has determined that elections would be held in the North under the 13A. With that decree the country has been plunged in a situation perhaps envisaged by Thomas Gray’s ‘elegy written in a country churchyard’
The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
The lowing herd wind slowly o’er the lea,
The ploughman homeward plods his weary way,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me.
All this means to us is ‘the last ball has been bowled and the match is over.
With his insane decree, ‘the curfew that tolled the knell of parting day’ and he has indeed left our world, the UNITARY motherland to DARKNESS, a darkness that has engulfed each and every one of us with no kindly light to lead us out of the tunnel.
Mario Perera
Kadawata
July 21st, 2013 at 2:27 pm
Thank you Dr. Sudath Gunesekera…….It is nice to hear from you, in this DARK PERIOD of Sri Lanka. Solutions to problems must be thought out well as we are dealing with many problems & some are interconnected.
Vast majority of Politicians in PCs, & leading politicians in the centre too have voiced their opinion MAINLY it affects their KITH & KIN stepping into lucrative jobs, at the expense of Sri Lanka’s private sector. In any country the Govt. sector even though DOES NOT make profit, they are providing a service to people at large.
To support the Govt. corporations, including PCs, the ONLY TAX payer is ONE, the mases of lanka, under many hardships & pay taxes. & indirecly they support corruption introduced by INDIA, as in the USA. USA has said they can buy any political leader at any price. India follows USA footsteps fully, because INDIA wants to immitate USA at the expense of India’s naighbours.
Another level of GOVT. in addition to the wastage that occurs is mind bogling. We cannot get anything done without BRIBING politicians, or their supporters even NOW. Just imagine another level of Govt. to serve the people, WITHOUT any consideration to the cost to the country.
INDIA has damaged lanka, & some Indians call Sinhalese are FOOLS. They are correct, we are fools to run around like HEAD CUT OFF chicken when an Indian leader make a pronouncement. IF OUR leaders have GUTS to say NO, at least ONCE India would have realized that SRI LANKA is not for the taking. What is the point in having a parlmentary majority, IF WE cannot implement what the majority of Sri Lankans wants & needs.
We have to get organized to make represenations to President & other leaders who are inflentual SO that some action will come from the PRESIDENT.
I see some DONKEYS still say after all these ANTI LANKA votes by India & others, we SHOULD NOT ANTAGONIZE India. Why is India GOD?? Let them have some of the burdens PUT on us as a country, a sovereign state, which has achieved MUCH even with negative forces, doing their part BLOCK our progress.
FOR ONCE, let us do things WITHOUT INDIA, and even if India makes any suggestions WE SHOULD IGNORE & go ahead and do it our way. What India thinks, & does is irrevelant to us NOW.
People like you Dr. Sudath & other patriots should BAND together & mke suggestions to our RULING ELITE, it is time to GO IT ALONE, as we did when we nationlised USA oil companies, FINISHED the war, when Int. Community asked us to STOP. We are a HARDY people all lankans if THEY ARE DIRECTED in a proper manner, the MANNER ordinary people in LANKA understands.
My sincere HOPE is that ONE day we can say WE DEFIED India & managed our affairs according to the will of our people. Comimentig on Ananda’s plea to STOP NPC elections, it is not a wise idea NOW, as e have to wait till Commonwealth Conference is over.
Re: Illegal immigration, we all NEW that they are cooking books, & South Indians are coming to Lanka, ILLEGALLY for years. Our leaders are FOOLS to allow this to happen. GOS BLESS LANKA & May the Noble Triple Gems GUARD our Motherland.
Just expressing my views & joining your discussion……..another expat from Canada~ J
July 21st, 2013 at 6:23 pm
First of all, I want to apologise for commenting on someting not relevant to the subject matter but I think this is a good opportunity for me to air my views.
In a comments to a previous news article I talked about “Sulanga Enu Pinisa” and stated that Loonie Leftists like the late Tissa Abeysekera highly commneded that film while Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera condemned it as an insult to heroic armed forces. Similarly Dr. Dayan Jayatileke has written an article in the Island of Monday, July 22nd criticizing the ban of “Flying Fish” under the tittle “Flying Fish and the Constriction of th Arts” while Mr. C.A.Premachandra has higly criticized it in this weeks “Vam Ivura” in the Divaina. I kindly invite all our readers to read both the articles and see the similarity of what I mentioned about “Sulanga Enu Pinisa”. Thanks!
July 21st, 2013 at 6:50 pm
When Austin Fernando was the Secretary to the Defence in then Ranil Wickemasinghe’ s UPF govt. he addressed LTTE’s Pulidevan “Machan”. Furthermore, when Pulidevan was sick and hospitalized, AF, the Secretary Defence at that time visited him to the hospital with a bag of expensive Australian apples. Can we expect something better from a person like that?
July 23rd, 2013 at 1:15 pm
READ
DEKMA IN SUNDAY DIVAINA BY PROF NALIN DE SILVA
AND VAM IVURA-MONDAY DIVAINA BY CHANDRA PREMA
NEVER MISS THESE ARTICLES
July 23rd, 2013 at 1:56 pm
When Austin was the defence secretary, THOUSANDS of patriotic Tamil DMI operatives were killed by the LTTE thanks to his leak of information.
I know this very well due to very strong personal connections.
Now he shamelessly support the LTTE again. This type of JUNK is best flushed off than allowed to poison the country. We can see what a USELESS defence secretary he was comparing against Gota.
July 23rd, 2013 at 5:46 pm
Lorenzo, I agree with your comment though I’ve a small reservation about the number of operatives killed by LieTTE.
One such brilliant operative murdered by the terrorists is “PLOTE Mohan” who was lured to come to Colpetty
without proper guard in the guise of creating a business deal. He was so important to SL Army and the whole country Mr. S.L.Gunasekera dedicated one of his political masterpiece to PLOTE Mohan! His name should be written in gold in the anals of EElam War!!!
July 23rd, 2013 at 9:23 pm
Indrajith,
Yes it was actually HUNDREDS not thousands.
But to gain MAXIMUM PROPAGANDA MILEAGE, we have to exaggerate these. Let the Austin loser defend his incompetency by saying “it was in hundreds not in thousands” for all to hear.
The hundreds of TOP Tamil LLRP, DPU, DMI, MI, SFI, TID, CCD, etc. operatives were worth a few thousands.
Also the few Muslim operatives PAR EXCELLENECE.
LTTE (true to its RACIST ideology) didn’t kill MANY non-Tamil-speaking people in that operation for fear of RETALIATION which actually came AFTER the tsunami.