Dr Sudath Gunasekara. Hanthana Pedesa, Mahanuwara .
The Secretary,
The Lessons Learnt Reconciliation Commission,
The Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations Studies,
Horton Place,
Colombo – 07,
Sri Lanka.
2nd Dec. 2010
Sir,
I do not know whether the content of this submission will be directly relevant to the mandate of your Commission. Nevertheless deliberately I have attempted to look at your mission from a broader perspective without confining it to the so-called ethnic conflict that is being widely debated at the moment. Looking at the proceedings of your Commission so far, I think my submission wants be out of place either. In this note what I have tried is to look at the root causes that have brought about the present unfortunate situation in this country. Because I strongly believe that it is only by treating the cause of the disease rather than the symptom, as we normally do, we can find the remedy to this chronic malady.
Therefore I hope my submission will make it possible for your Commission to perceive your noble mission in a broader perspective so that you will be able to recommend some long lasting solutions to take his country out of the present mess.
Text of the Submission
Historical background
1.Sri Lanka is the only country in the world that had been ruled under one geopolitical framework for 2242 years from 247 BC to 1815 AD.
That was the Tun Rata,
Ruhunu
Pihiti and
Maya.
1 This geopolitical division had been the underlining bed rock that has sustained theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ stability of this State for such a long time in history.
2.South Indian Tamils had been the sworn enemies of this Island Nation from theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ inception of history who had created problems for the political, economic and social‚ progress and prosperity of this country.
3 The fundamental cause of our inability to emerge as a vibrant nation in the modern world was the destruction of that solid geopolitical foundation by the Colonial Britishin 1815 and the division of the country in to ethno-centric Divisions called Provinces by British and the seeds of communal politics they planted to achieve their divide and rule‚ policy and promotion of Tamil elite through education, employment etc
4 We have not been able to emerge from the collapse of the Rajarata civilization for centuries after the devastations done by the Kalingha Magha invasions in the 13th century up to date.
.Since IndependenceƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
5 The main cause of all our present day political problems was the failure on the part of our politicians to install a meaningful, realistic and sustainable political, economic and social system in 1948
For example they should have
Restored the State of Sinhale that was there from 643 BC to 1815 until it was ceded to the British in 1815
b)Made Sinhala the official Language of this country which had enjoyed that status from 643 BC to 1815 AD. Even after 1815 Sinhala had been the Language used by at least 90 % of the population in this country.
c)Should have asked the British to hand over the country as it was given to them in 1815 by taking back all immigrant labourers brought by them to work on their plantations as it was done in Burma
d) Banned all communal political parties including the Ilankai Tamil Arusukachchi ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ (Sri Lanka Tamil State Party) that was formed in 1947 and the Tamil Congress and made legal provisions to have only national parties until such time a National Political System based on local traditions was designed
Have we learnt any lesson from these failures and blunders?
NO
Post 1977
1 Political parties had been the root cause of our inability to emerge as a vibrant nation in the modern world. This had been worst since 1960s. The main cause of our downfall
2 Granting monstrous powers to the President like Immunity by the 1987 Constitution and the constitutional provisions enabling him to appoint all to appointments like Ministers, Ministry Secretaries, Judges, ambassadors and ViceChancellors of Universities etc. and even organizers of electorates reducing them toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ mere hostages, puppets and Alsatian dogs of the President. This situation has made them totally dependent and subservient to the President. This dependency syndrome makes every one absolutely ineffective and benumbed. ArenƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t we heading for total anarchy?‚
3 Politicization of Public Service and even the Judiciary a main cause of the down fall of our public service which has reduced them to a status of domestic servants of the partyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in power for the time being 4 The 13th Amendment to the 1987 Constitution imposed on us by India specially
a) The provincial Council System
b) Making Tamil also an Official Language
Granting citizenship to more than 500.000 Estate Tamils under an affidavit Besides the Western world
5 Opening the door for International Schools that have ruined our National EducationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ System
6 Starting a domestic slavery system in the Middle East and other Countries especially for poverty stricken women
7 Introduction of the Proportional Representation system of elections
8 Nepotism, corruption and appointment of defeated politicians with no education and professional qualifications to public positions like corporations and diplomatic service
9 Leaving everything in the hands of politicians
10 Absence of checks and balances in the Political, Administrative and Judicial system
11 Proliferations of Ministries, Government Department and Corporations
12 Absence of law and order and the rule of law
13 Absence of work norms and targets in Public Service, absence of time and cost management, excess staff and excessive Public holidays (2010=107). At the moment there are about 1.3 m public servants in this country and every 16 persons have 1 public servant. But the service they render is appalling. Most of the time they are out of office and the output is almost negligible. So much so today Public Service in this country has got reduced to a mere domestic Service of the political party in power paid by the public. Both politicians and public Servants therefore have ceased to be the servants of the public. But no one seams to be concerned about it. Everything under the Sri Lankan sky appears to be under the tight grip of a monstrous political mafia.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Have we learnt any lesson from these failures and blunders?
NO
Two things learnt in recent history and remedied
1That the LTTE cannot be trusted and therefore it has to be defeated militarily. That mission is now achieved, though there are many more things to be done to ensure that Tamil Separatism does not again raise its ugly head. The present President should be given the credit for this bold decision. And the Three Forces for implementing it to the letter led by Secretary Defense (But this marvelous achievement has been badly marred by the action taken against Sarath Fonseka by the President, the hero of the ground war).
2 That we have to have new friends like China and Pakistan to counter western Imperialism and neutralize arrogant India. This also has been now achieved.
The way to permanent reconciliation
1 All communities must accept that there is only one nation in this country. You don have a Tamil Nation or a Muslim Nation in this country. India is the home of the Tamil Nation and you don have a Muslim Nation any where in the world for that matter. They are only a religious group spread over many countries that have their own Nations. Tamils and Muslims should concede to the fact that this was the country of the Sinhalese Nation at least from 643 BC up to date. Therefore they are the only people who can claim to be a Nation in this country.
2 Sinhala should be made the only official Language in this country, Tamil a regional Language and English the link Language.
3 Tamils and Muslims should renounce their identification with India and Arab countries as their motherlands. Those who want to be citizens of Sri Lanka should renounce this mentality and consider this country as their motherland
4 Tamils should renounce their claim of a Traditional Homeland in the north and East.
5 No community should claim exclusive rights for any particular section of the country.
6 All communal segregation should be banned and integration should be encouraged
7 Bring the whole country under one law
8 Ban all political parties based on ethnicity, religion or region. Because political parties are the mechanism that has set the Tamils against the Sinhalese, Muslims against the Sinhalese and finally Sinhalese also against the Sinhalese and ruined the country. Average people of all Communities are not communal and they do not want separate rights and countries. Politicians are the people who instigate the average.
9 Minority communities should refrain from provocative public display of identity like dress etc. Even European countries have banned such action.
10 All minority communities in Sri Lanka should admit that there is no other country in the whole world where minority groups have got more privileges.
11They should be prepared to respect and admit that this was the Land of the Sinhalese from time immemorial and they are the architects of the civilization in this Country.
12 Finally the present system of government by the politicians, for the politicians and of the politicians and their families and cronies should end and a government by the people, for the people and of the people and their families sans political parties should emerge to bring permanent reconciliation to the current political crisis in this country and to restore sanity, prosperity and peace.
If you wish me to elaborate on these issues before the Commission please let me know.
Yours truly,
Dr Sudath Gunasekara. Hanthana Pedesa, Mahanuwara .