The walk towards the Diamond
Jubilee of Sri Lankan Independence
The perspective of the heading
is to point out the backwardness of the time travel of Sri Lanka, and it is
quite simple that the forward march is indispensable, and whys and
wherefores
Finding a Solution for Language based Conflict
All the successive governments shall bear the
responsibility of a simple language problem to be grown-up as a conflict that
protracted for 30 years – and walked the nation 30 + years backward – and still
the spill-outs of that protracted war walking nation further backward; classic
example is that the entire nation has run hysterically into the menace of
doping and underworld gang proliferation. Those who constructed and concluded
the mechanical warring in the North 13 years ago, still
continuing suppressing the Tamil’s
cultural traditions and economic revival – the police and security forces
occupying private lands, overtly overlooked or being part of – drug trafficking
proliferation within the northern province – despite reporting it to parliament
– the attitude continued and now the menace has engulfed the entire nation –
school children and University Students the future generation are dangerously
exposed to doping. Another unequivocal example for the political drama to
suppress one section population will affect the entire population.
Though
it can be welcomed that the present government has taken a positive step
towards resolving the language-based conflict, but based on post-independent
history the process is just only a speculative hope. The language conflict that
began 74 years ago with the colonization scheme, towards marginalization of
entire Tamil speaking minorities in the East but it had been the just a launch
for different means marginalization throughout with single objective. Though
Tamil politicians throughout the post independent period genuinely and
foresightedly interacted with Sinhalese politicians to resolve the emanating
worsening situation in years to come - unfortunately Sinhalese leaders who have
been overwhelmed by euphoria of independence, never wanted give up the
opportunity making the issue a political milage to date, portraying aggression
towards minorities in order to portray themselves as nationalistic patriotic
among the gullible mass of voters, never interacted genuinely towards resolving
the issues and led to the protracted war.
Now they’re very reluctant to address the problems created by the war
itself because rulers not ready to give up the domination by majoritarian
rule. Instead of involving in genuine
dialogue to resolve issues – created and creating by inducting Sinhala
nationalists to maintain volatile against minorities and now targeting
historically important Saiva Temples and the lands attached to them, on various
pretexts and it has become a challenge for the Saivist to protect them survive
their cultural rituals.
It is here reminded to the ruling political leaders providing
opportunity for uninterrupted access for food and education for the entire
population equally is the responsibility of the government and that
responsibility cannot be counted against – any civilians’ rightful
demand for living free of fear and anxieties, - which Sri Lankan rulers
miserably failed to provide to Tamil speaking population throughout post
independent history of Sri Lanka. This has been amply explained in
my blogger Regression to Bankruptcy by
System Politicization of May 8th 2022. Whenever Tamils demanded and struggled for living free of fear and anxieties and respectfully, rulers never understood
this fact and counted the rulers’ responsibilities as countering argument. Have
the rulers understood this core of the issue prevailing now?
When the struggle erupted in Sinhala predominant area with all
ethnics participating on April 9th 2022, for fearing inability to
feed their loved ones uninterruptedly and anxiety over scarcity of kitchen
commodities – rulers are branding them as drug addicts and terrorists. When
core of the issues is not understood resolving it as well fails and culminates
in system failure. Struggle for survive the language and cultural entities of a
race culminated in entire population struggling for essential commodities for
daily living and for livelihood affecting poor of the majority community.
The Backwardness of Under
Estimating a Language
On the 13th of
December 2022, I watched a TV program telecasted by Vasantham TV a Tamil
channel of Independent Television Network (ITN) of Sri Lanka, it is a name
selected by Sri Lankan authorities to just only to portray that it is an
independent organisation – never an independent entity of – no second
to the National Telecasters Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) in
reflecting the heavily politicalized views of the rulers. The program I watched
quite accidently – though advertised – was inserted replacing originally
scheduled popular program, was presented by majority community Singhalese who had
just passed out from learning Tamil Language for official and professional
purposes through an instructor by the name of Wickeramaratne. Why this has to be telecasted through a
popular Tamil channel – a reflection of an aggression mindset depicting
that they have conquered the Tamils/Tamil language; while I congratulate those innocent students for acquiring knowledge in conversing
capacity of Tamil language – even though the presented program was good
in the perspective of their mother tongue is not Tamil – it was with of flaws
full pronunciations not fitting into a channel recognized as for Tamil Language
speaking audience. Wickeramaratne could have benefitted more if this program
had telecasted in a Sinhala medium channel.
This criticism as well is very
fitting to all the majority community politicians who tries to speak in Tamil
they know, in order to attract the Tamil voters through a comedic manner, a common
mistake many politicians make internationally as well, they speak in a language
foreign to them, but not ready to give due recognition to the same
language in the governing system. The cheap stun-tic marketing mind-set
of politicians is well understood by all Tamils whatever origin of this nation,
that this uttering of Tamil words coming with the authority of aggression and hoodwinking
mindset. These witty non-Tamil politicians
who make the singing the National Anthem in one of the Official Language Tamil as
a big issue but comically want to address the Tamils in Tamil.
Singing of National Anthem in
their own language, attracts those section of population into the governing
system patriotically specially when there is accepted and recognized
translation is readily available since the Independence of this Nation, which
is an official language as well and banning the singing of National Anthem in a
language that has been acclaimed globally as oldest language in use, is an absolute
backwardness distancing the reconciliation within the volatile society– cannot
be explained however, how such singing
will damage the reputation of Sinhalese, unless it is for domination
mindset, with intention of marketing it to the gullible Sinhalese majority.
Before finding a political solution
for Tamil grievances, the accepted and recognized Tamil version of the National
Anthem should be allowed to be sung in official functions where ever needed, otherwise
the any political solution becomes useless. Respectfully using
the Tamil language which is an official language along with majority communities’
mother tongue Sinhala, within the entire governing system of the nation is
important for the governing system and for meaningful reconciliation within
volatilized community.
Sinhala has been made Official
Language very correctly, but Tamil the Globe’s oldest language including Sri
Lanka where it most probably originated 5 thousand years ago – though of completely
through a different geographical landscape has to struggle get its official status.
This is because visionary lacking politicians targeting the voter base only – also
imagine foolishly (or made the gullible so) that suppressing Tamil – will
thrive the Sinhala language, but in contrary it has been proven historically and
scientifically that is a myth of political goons for fooling the gullible mass.
The scientific fact is higher the number of genuinely spoken language within a
region – better for each language used.
When the governing system
fails to recognize and to give due respect to all the official languages
equally – it reflects within the entire society – friction begins – this is our
post independent our history - Department of Official Language can play a
pivotal role in bringing about natural reconciliation that paves way for rapid
development of the nation should take the Centre stage as Department of Official Languages Implementation.
It is very regrettable to note
that many public name boards and sign boards reflects the mind-set of the designer
of particular wrongful sign rather than depicting the directing the public it
is intended for; these wrongful designs cannot be ignored as just mistakes of
the designer or the authority who ordered the sign board – but as depict of collective
attitude of the society that represented by the designers. (Deliberately
ignored by power grabbers)
I will explain the above phenomenon
with some examples below, as these so-called mistakes are found only with Tamil
Language-not with Sinhala Language. Here
I am referring to sign boards that all-three languages are used in Government
and semi-Government institutions and in the public transport system for the
public to get access to public service easily. It has been noticed in many
places Tamil letters does not carry the instruction that is supposed to carry –
and rather misdirecting! There are some signs boards that carry part or partial
of a Tamil alphabet that do not form a Tamil letter or word – which supposedly
reflects that as of the Department of Education has barred the teaching Tamil Language.
After all this is a country which the ruling system deliberately disturbed an International
Academic Scientific Research Conference, for the reason the research subject was
of Tamil Language – an outcome of politicization the right of Language use
(1958 to 1974).
The Tamil version above
picture of an admission card for the convocation ceremony depicts
two former Prime Ministers being beleaguered in utter filth by the person or by
the University itself or whoever prepared that admission card! It is very
difficult to consider it as just mistake, for it has originated from one of the
Sri Lankas high esteemed University of Moratuwa.
Following video taken from public domain You tube which has been virally circulating internationally for some time as Tamil being Popular Language depicts how the system of Language Implementation in Sri Lanka become a comic internationally
https://www.facebook.com/100000241185632/videos/316363160266090/
The above is the name board of
Colombo North Teaching Hospital (Ragama) which is a component of Medical Faculty of the Kelaniya
University. It seems Kelaniya University badly require Tamil Language
knowledge. Here the entire purpose of a name board for an important unit of public
seeking health- aid is completely lost – especially for the public who does know
only Tamil, and do not understand Sinhala or English. Ragama is a larger town, resided
by of quite a considerable number of Muslims and Tamils who knew only Tamil
spoken, and Ragama Teaching Hospital is teasing those people – not to come to that “hochpidal” according to that “English”
written using Tamil letters!
In the
picture below According to the Tamil version CEB is selling fish instead of
supplying electricity and there are partial alphabets that do not form a
letter; in the next one below a
government institution is providing prostitution
service! -There
is no such word as ‘பெருனர் ‘ in
Tamil, the correct one is பெறுனர்… Before I wind up this prolonging list of illustrations here, which
otherwise become a book running into many pages. In the video clip above a bus plying between
Kandy and Monaragala carries destination board in Tamil “குண்டி” instead of correct கண்டி – Kandy is a town that
always attract large number of tourists, tourists of any origin easily
understand the meaning of “குண்டி” and hence will understand the sadism carried by the painter/designer of
that name board as well as the political implications within Sri Lanka,
irrespective of whatever picture Sri Lankan rulers tried to paint.
Language is a mean of expressing the feelings of anyone, hence it is a very
sensitive issue, especially when the language globally recognized oldest living
language that still carries its virginity where it has most probably
originated. Are Sinhalese being Jealously
of this fact and don’t want to hear about those research findings?
Department of Official
Language should have a key role in appropriate use of letters and words in
preparing the sign boards without just leaving to the relevant peripheral units
which creates un-uniformity and inappropriate sign boards. Department of
Official Language shall open up an online Official Language
Implementation Unit (SLOLIU) using all modern technology
providing translation readily for any purpose except for books, required
by any public service. For e.g. If a
public transport system requires translation for destination board, head of the
unit contacts the SLOLIU and on the spot correct lexicon is provided
within matter of seconds, like wise a Registrar of a University can contact this for any doubt for letters
to be used in cards; even private sector can use this facility for a fee. Expenditure incurred in implementing SLOLIU
shouldn’t be a constrain since ensuring all three-language usage very
respectfully ensures understanding among the each other ethnic communities -
the failure of which have kept afloat the friction against each other throughout
the 74 years as result of failed strictness by the Department
of Official Languages Implementation.
Panadura Base Hospital had a
unique system (not sure whether still intact) to implement the all
three-language policy; Hospital authorities formed an internal committee and a
Tamil Doctor looked after the Tamil for all sign boards, within the Hospital. Likewise,
all institution should be inducted to form internal committee for official
languages policy.
Department of Official Languages Implementation (Dept.OLI) shall notify all peripheral governing
system in public service that all units shall interact with Dept.OLI whenever name/sign
board designing is needed through SLOLIU and shall understand that
conversing capacity of person in a language does not anyway confirm that person
is capable of writing correctly of any language.
Resolving the Ethnic Problem
born out Language Ethnicity
The Indian prescribed model was seen as best at the hype of escalated a war
at that time. Ironically
the people who opposed Indian involvement in political solution, are the same
people who created and creating Sri Lankan ground situation volatility, are now
perilously trying to expose the nation as battle field for India and China. All
these points out to the necessity of expediently grating a viable political
solution for Tamil speaking peoples’ problem so that nobody uses it for voter
base.
Proper use of Mother tongues
of all ethnic population and a common language that originates and enhances the
scientific and professional knowledge are very important for faster development
of a nation. Introduction of English from grade 1 and reintroduction of English
as Language of medium in Law College is welcomed, Schools educating English
from Grade 1 should be used as a tool for school level reconciliation.
The rulers must understand
that any language or the religion cannot be forced upon to any community not inborn
to them neither by connivance nor by honey topped tongue, after all the 74
years of marginalization aggressively at all possible opportunities. The 74
years old habit for whatever connive objective along with politically hanging
onto the power mongering for conveniently looting the nation – to push the 11.08
million people of this Nation to the poverty level, have to be diverted towards
the genuine forward march towards prosperity of Nation Sri Lanka.
I have only one question
pertaining to ethnic issues towards the rulers – do you all still wanted stay
struck into thick mud of single language and one religion majoritarian rule singularity
drag the country further backward or really come out of that drowning thick mud
with the visionary light of recognizing the pluralistic society’s respectfulness
to each other without fear, suspicious and anxiety to one another and become a pinnacle
internationally?
If you stay in that mud it
is continuing to waste your time and resources into the unabated squabbling -
depicting improper governance and system failure of the rulers.
Therefore,
finding a political Solution for conflict born out of Language based ethnicity
is inevitable and should be expedited to recognize the pluralistic society’s respectfulness to each other
without fear, suspicious and anxiety to one another and to be visionary of prospering
Nation Sri Lanka, and that is way out of present wretched situation.
When Sinhala only Language policy was tabled in Parliament in 1958 Late Dr.
Colvin R. de Silva reacted by saying “One Language two nations but Two
Languages Single Nation” – prophesying the mediocracy of turmoil that has been rolled
out for next 74 years. But in 1972 that prophesying was swallowed up into the mediocracy
system of marketing to the Gullible and became the enactor of very controversial
1972 constitution that completely marginalized Tamils – rolling out the
mediocracy.
At the present context only, a Federal System would be the best solution for
Sri Lanka to be viable and to fast tract the unreversible economic recovery. The
13th Amendment to the constitution never satisfied the aspirations
of the minorities, its clauses are such that the mediocracy of the majoritarian
rule to continue, with a stroke of a pen the majoritarian rule overhauls the
entire purpose of devolution objectives. Therefore the 13+, the political
leaders are coining now, should be formulated as Federal System – that covers
all the aspirations of minority Tamil speaking population.
In such a setup, council of North
and East should be amalgamated and the powers for land, police law and order
along with Judiciary should be bestowed to the elected Federal council. Federal council shall have powers towards Agriculture,
Irrigation, Electricity Generation, Export, any income generation projects and
to receive foreign aids directly. The last one to
receive foreign aids directly is very imperative in the context of the past, majoritarian rule have diverted
the medical equipment and aid funds towards North and East – including tsunami relieve
funds to the majority community and or to pickpocket – a habit of aggressive marginalization of 74 years.
Do not fear the word
Federal, but understand the coherent meaning it carries globally within it,
fearing federalism even after eliminating the separatists who became deadliest by
the protracted war is underestimating the soldiers and their capacity of bravery
for any challenges. If anyone claims that demand of federalism as trying to achieve
separation that couldn’t be achieved through the war, - it reflects that buildup
of protracted war has been for ethno-cleansing, continuing the aggressive marginalization
and politicians have not understood the coexisting system or pretending to be
so to continue the deceiving the gullible mass their own voters.
Give us (North and East) the Federal System
that
We will teach how Electricity Generation could be cheap for the entire
Island
We teach how to utilize the foreign aids what it is meant for without siphoning
and pocketing
We will prove how to manage a Governing System efficiently without wastage
We will prove that ruling personal does not need commission for foreign
funded projects and be a Governing System that wins accolades for further
foreign aids and projects
We will demonstrate you how an agriculture revolution could be done with minimum
utilization of Chemicals and become completely green gradually,
We will teach how to improve dairying industry with cattle population available
We will prove how to manage the irrigation system with limited resources
for all the people equally utilize resources, without thwarting it for
political reasons
Recognize entire Tamil Speaking Population’s right to live peacefully and
perform their rituals within a Federal State within Sri Lanka and led that entity
prove the rest of Sri Lanka the efficiency and be effective part prospering Sri
Lanka.
