Wednesday, December 28, 2022

The walk towards the Diamond Jubilee of Sri Lankan Independence

 

The walk towards the Diamond Jubilee of Sri Lankan Independence

 Did I term the title correctly, did we walk towards or backwards the time, all exigencies of entire Sri Lankan population point-out that it has been a disastrous walk backward, still is the same way and the contingencies are such that dangerously poised for a longtime of blundering economy by the name of economic recovery.

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 கண்டிKandy 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.   


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