KAMALIKA PIERIS

The Himalayan declaration met with immediate opposition from Tamil Separatist Movement. The Himalayan move drew swift condemnation from TNPF MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam and former MP Suresh Premachandran (EPRLF) while the TNA distanced itself from it.

 An influential section of the Tamil community, and some prominent nationalist organizations, also rejected the Declaration, said Shamindra Ferdinando. Tamil civil society groups consisting of university students, families of the disappeared, religious groups, labour unions, academics, women groups also jointly rejected the ‘Himalaya Declaration’, said others.

One group of signatories said that SBSL and GTF ignored the pain and suffering of Tamils during the conflict and post-war period. This group   did not  want Himalayan action, they wanted the government to 1) Reduce armed forces presence in Tamil areas to the pre-war 1983 levels2) Stop the destruction of Hindu temples, ancient Hindu sites and stop building Buddhist temples in Tamil areas3) Stop government sponsored Sinhalese settlements in Tamil areas and stop land grab of Tamil lands by the government. Release all the civilian lands still occupied by the security forces.4) As requested by the UN, refer Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court (ICC)5) To prevent further bloodshed, hold an internationally conducted referendum to solve protracted Tamil conflict.

The following were the signatories: A. Vijayakumar, President – Student Union, University of Jaffna, Y. Kanagaranjini, President – Association for relatives of the enforced Disappearances, North and East Provinces, Thavathiru Velan Swamigal, Sivaguru Aatheenam – Coordinator, Pottuvil to Polikandy Rally, (P2P), Fr. Joseph Marry (S J) – Batticaloa, T. Thangaraja, President – Employee’s Union, University of Jaffna, Vimaleswaran Srikantharuban, Women United Monitoring Society, North and East Provinces, Thavathiru Adikal, Thenkailai Aatheenam – Trincomalee, Fr. Jayanthan Pachchek OMI, Oblates of Mary Immaculate – Jaffna, Vigneswaren Gajaruban, Student Union, Faculty of Art and Culture, Eastern University, Mithilaichelvi Sripathmanathan, Working Women Society, Fr. Kandaiya Jegathas, Coordinator, Pottuvil to Polikandy Rally, (P2P) and S. Sivachandran, Centre for Women and Development.

Ambika Satkunanathan contributed her view. She said the Himalayan discussion, facilitated by the Association of War Affected Women and funded by the Swiss Government, has earned the ire of the Tamil community, both in Sri Lanka and abroad. The Tamil community   does not know how this Himalayan activity started. Were any agreements reached between the two parties?  If so, do they match the demands of the Tamil community, she asked.

Ambika criticized the broad, vague principles set out in the Himalayan Declaration, and the absence of issues of critical importance to the Tamil community, such as accountability for war time violations, and the failure to consult with victims beforehand. Also the notable absence of statements by the Buddhist group saying why they had joined .

Ambika said that the Himalayan group had excluded the victims and much of the Tamil community, in their discussions. This has naturally created suspicion. Also,  Himalayan planned to establish inter-faith committees in each district to   foster reconciliation. Ambika observed that Inter-faith initiatives were nothing new. They have been attempted before. They were all unsuccessful .

There was growing opposition to the Joint Himalayan Declaration from both sides of the divide observed Shamindra Ferdinando. Retired General Jagath Dias issued a warning against supporting the Himalayan Declaration. Referring to  the GTF-led initiative as an invasion, he urged the people to pressure Parliamentarians not to support it.

Gunadasa Amarasekera observed that the Himalayan move had two motives. Firstly  to  recommence devolution talks between the  GTF and the government. Secondly  Himalayan  would hopefully  create a  rift among the Buddhist clergy.  He  alleged that  the seven monks who backed the GTF initiative did so for personal gain.

Suren Surendiran told The Island that in spite of some unsubstantiated opposition to the ongoing effort, they received public support for the initiative..Himalayan  therefore went ahead with its  plan. 

The plan was to have five  workshops as preparatory district level workshops to  train coordinators for the National Conversation based on the Himalaya Declaration . These five workshops  would  train 150 interfaith clergy and civil society members as coordinators. They will be the key resource persons who will facilitate the planned 25 districts’ conversations.

 These workshops will all be two-day workshops, spread around the country. .Each district will be represented by five inter-religious persons and a civil society member Therefore, from the 25 districts there will be 150 coordinators. Once all five workshops are completed, the National Conversation would begin. All workshops were     facilitated by Visakha Dharmadasa and staff from Association for War Affected Women (AWAW) .Translators were  present at all workshops.

The first inter-religious coordination committee promoting conversations on the merits of the Himalaya Declaration was held in Kurunegala on February 09 2024   for 30 participants. In spite of opposition from various quarters, particularly an influential section of Tamil Diaspora, the organizers went ahead with the project. Participants from Kurunegala, Gampaha, Anuradhapura and Puttalam districts,  attended. The participants comprised clergy from Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Catholic and Christian religions and civil society members. Ven. Madampagama Assaji Tissa , Ven. Prof. Allemande Rathnasara , Ven. Kithalagama Hemasara   and Ven. Siyambalagaswewa Wimalasara a attended from the SBSL.

The second workshop was held at Kandy,  for participants from the five surrounding districts, , Matale, Badulla, Ratnapura, Nuwara Eliya and Kegalle. It had 34 religious leaders of all faiths and some civil society members. Ven. Kalupahana Piyarathana , Ven. Wallathara Sobitha  and Ven. Wadduwe Dhammawansa  led the discussions on behalf of SBSL. The  GTF was represented by Dr. Elias Jeyarajah. Ven. Kalupahana  explained the history of the Nagarkot Dialogue and dispelled many myths surrounding the Himalaya Declaration. Lively discussions ensued, and the statements in the Declaration found widespread acknowledgement among the participants  said the media report.

The third took place in Batticaloa, in  March 2024 . Participants from four surrounding districts, , Polonnaruwa, Monaragala, Ampara and Trincomalee attended. Thirty religious leaders of all faiths and some civil society members participated. Ven. Kalupahana Piyarathana , Ven. Prof. Allemande Rathnasara and Ven. Kithalagama Hemasara   were present and led the discussions on behalf of SBSL. GTF was represented by Velupillai Kuhanendran from the United Kingdom. Six statements in the Declaration found widespread acknowledgement among the participants.

The 4^th workshop was planned for Galle, in April with participants from Colombo, Kalutara, Galle, Matara and Hambantota. The 5^th workshop was planned for 26 and 27 April in Vavuniya,   for  participants from Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Mannar and Vavuniya. ( Continued)