Rhetoric and reality Part I

Duke recites a litany of woes against her. Complaining loudly, he paints himself as the aggrieved party and places his dead wife in the dock.

At one point we realise that he had ordered her execution. Though the Duke tries to justify his action, it is he who stands condemned as the guilty one in the eyes of the reader.
The memory of My Last Duchess came back to me after I saw on TV, heard on radio and read in print the Great Heroes Day (GHD) address by Velupillai Prabakharan this year.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Leader, in his speech, was sharply critical of the Sinhala nation, state, political parties, India, the international community, etc., for the present predicament of the Sri Lankan Tamil people.

Duke trying to absolve himself for the crime he committed by accusing his wife, Prabhakaran too tries to absolve himself by condemning others. The Duke depicted himself as the victim and then blamed the real victim, the Duchess, for her fate; Prabhakaran points out that Tamils are being victimised but blames all others except the Tigers for this tragic situation.

Prabhakaran was not delivering an impartial and objective analysis of the current political situation. He was speaking in his capacity as LTTE Leader. His speech, therefore, was predictably lopsided. The partisan rhetoric was understandable from that perspective. It would however be a grave error to accept that GHD address as gospel truth. The revisionist rhetoric needs to be effectively challenged.

There are, however, some fundamental observations to be made before that.

The LTTE Leader had cried when news of the death was conveyed to him by Pottu Amman and Pappa. Prabhakaran was accompanied by his son Charles Anthony when he paid his respects.

In a conspicuous departure from the past, Prabhakaran issued a special statement about Thamilselvan. The GHD speech too made special mention of him.

The other dampener was the security situation. The Sri Lankan Air Force had conducted a series of aerial attacks throughout the week. In several instances, civilians were the victims. This prevented large-scale, public functions. Prabhakaran himself was a prize target.

So the usual public ceremony was scrapped and Prabhakaran participated in a low-key, clandestine one. His GHD address itself was pre-recorded. Thus, when the Air Force bombed the Voice of Tigers broadcasting station at H-hour thinking Prabhakaran was there, the Tiger Supremo was absent. Only a few cadres, civilians and civilian employees were killed or injured.

Ceasefire Agreement
There were other reasons too for the restrained tone and content of the GHD speech. Though a full-scale war is raging, neither the Government of Sri Lanka nor the LTTE have formally discarded the ceasefire.

Despite all the bravura, neither side is willing to formally abandon the ceasefire. There is an inability or unwillingness to state certain matters. This was reflected in the GHD speech.

Another reason was the attempt to address different target audiences through one speech. LTTE cadres and supporters, the Sri Lankan Tamil people, Lankan Tamil diaspora, the larger worldwide Tamil community including those of Tamil Nadu, the Sinhala people and government, India and the international community, etc., were all addressed, in different degrees.
These constituencies were varied and the discourse required to address such constituencies were to some extent contradictory, constraining and countervailing factors.

Prabhakaran is wrong when he says the Sinhala nation is trying to destroy the Tamil nation as a whole. It is true that there is a lunatic fringe among Sinhalese which would like to destroy the Tamil people. Some of these elements are in positions of power under this government but it is unfair and incorrect to blame the Sinhala people in their entirety.

Also what about those Sinhalese who have consistently stood up for Tamil rights in spite of the risks involved?

Sinhala hostility
Sinhala hostility is mainly directed towards the LTTE and not the Tamil people. Many resent the break up of the country but accept that power has to be shared among all ethnicities. The Sinhala hawks equating devolution with division and unitary with unity are a different breed that has to be tackled separately.
The Rajapaksa regime wants to destroy the LTTE and many Sinhalese would like that too, but very few want to see the Tamil people destroyed. At the same time the Rajapaksa regime would like to undermine and dis-empower the Tamil people and for this it is likely to receive support from some Sinhala hardliners. But total destruction of the Tamil people is not on, as Prabhakaran says.

In addition, the Sinhalese are not the only ones who want to see the LTTE destroyed. Sections of the Tamil and Muslim people would also like it to happen for different reasons. So too would many Tamils in India and around the globe. Many segments of Indian and international society would like that to happen too. This too is about the LTTE and not the Tamil people.

Prabhakaran says the Sinhala nation, by trying to destroy the Tamil nation, is destroying itself in the process. There is no denying the fact that the Sri Lankan nation on the whole is destroying itself by this fratricidal conflict.

But what Prabhakaran ignores is the fact that the LTTE, by seeking to demolish the Sri Lankan state through war, is steadily diminishing and gradually destroying the Tamil people.

Racism
In the first place, Sinhala cannot be equated with Buddhism alone just as much as Tamil cannot be done so with Hinduism alone. There are Christians on either side of the ethnic divide.
Hinduism too preaches tolerance and non-violence like Buddhism. Followers of Hinduism too are engaging in violence like their Buddhist counterparts. Likewise, there are Christians in both the Sri Lankan armed forces as well as the LTTE. There have been armed Muslim groups too.

Therefore, violence in this country is not the sole monopoly of one religion alone and violent elements among Buddhists are not the only ones violating core beliefs and tenets of their religion.
If the Sinhala people are to be blamed collectively for the poison of racism, then what excuse is there for the poison of racism among Tamils? How does one explain, let alone justify, the mass expulsion of Muslims, massacres at mosques, misappropriation of Muslim owned property, massacres of young Buddhist monks, attacks on the Dalada Maligawa and sacred Bo tree, among others?

During the long history of the Tamil struggle, first through non-violence and later through armed struggle, the Sinhala mindset has remained unchanged. The Sinhala nation did not change even after so much destruction and lost lives. It continues on the path of violence. It only desires to find a solution to the Tamil question through military might and oppression. It cunningly evaded efforts to seek peace and is boldly taking forward its military plan.

Selective view
This is a selective view of recent history by Prabhakaran. It is certainly true that Sinhala dominated governments were intransigent and unwilling to concede Tamil rights when non-violent protests were made. The few agreements reached were observed mainly in the breach.
The violent political struggle of the Tamils spearheaded by the LTTE succeeded in bringing about a change of heart in the power corridors of Colombo.

The last days of J.R.

No! It displayed many instances of flexibility and a desire to change. The silent majority among both the Sinhala and Tamil people is not for war but peace and justice through political negotiations.

The spoiler on the Tamil side has been the LTTE. It is the Tiger mindset which remains unchanged. It is the LTTE that did not change its mind despite Tamil destruction and loss of lives; it was the LTTE that continued on the path of violence instead of the path of peaceful settlement; it was the LTTE that relied on its so-called military might to resolve the Tamil question; and it was the LTTE that cunningly evaded efforts to seek peace and boldly pursued its military plan.

Indian dimension
The Tiger Supremo also chides the international community for letting itself be deceived by the Sinhala state. He refers to both India as well as the international community in this respect. Let me focus on the India dimension first.

These one-sided involvements of foreign powers are not new in our prolonged struggle. India intervened in our national question then as part of its regional expansion. India signed an accord with the Sinhala state without the consent of the Tamils. The Indo-Lanka Accord was not signed to meet the aspirations of the people of Tamil Eelam.

India tried to enforce that accord with the strength of more than 100,000 Indian forces, with the power of the agreement between two countries and with the assistance of treacherous Tamil paramilitary groups. However, even this ill-considered solution, which did not even address the basic national aspirations of the Tamils, was blocked by the chauvinistic Sinhala State.

Indian role in Sri Lanka is like the proverbial saying about trying to hide a whole pumpkin in a plate of rice. We have heard of history being revised.
But it is grotesquely absurd for Prabakharan to distort events that took place only two decades ago. Many of us who witnessed what happened then are still around.

Indian intervention
Prabhakaran is partially correct when he says India intervened as part of its regional expansion. It was not, however, the only reason. Furthermore, the complicated factors involved cannot be explained so simplistically.

Indian intervention in Sri Lanka was primarily due to its enlightened self-interest. All states act in terms of their self-interest. But there are instances where there is a congruence of interests with different entities.

If the overall purpose is a good cause, then such interventions are benign. National sovereignty can be overridden.

Sri Lanka then.

Contributing factors
Firstly, there was the paranoia about the Jayewardene regime being in the US camp. New Delhi was suspicious about a Washington-Tel Aviv-Islamabad axis. India wanted external influences out of its backyard. So India wanted to clean up the mess here.
Secondly, there was the Tamil Nadu factor. The state, which once had a flourishing separatist movement, was now firmly integrated into the Indian fabric. Continuing anti-Tamil violence in the island was likely to cause unrest there. The presence of thousands of Tamil refugees on Indian soil provided the locus standi for Indian involvement.
Thirdly, there was the personality factor. There was pronounced antipathy between Indira Gandhi and Jayewardene. The TULF had been sympathetic towards her during the years Indira was in opposition.

Kautilyan. Both Sinhalese and Tamils were victims
But if handled properly, there would have been light at the end of the tunnel. Jayewardene displayed commendable statesmanship and revised his policy towards New Delhi. By stooping slightly, he salvaged the country from chaos and ultimately snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

But the LTTE, on the other hand, went about it the wrong way. After agreeing initially, though with reluctance, the LTTE then went back on its word.

Indo-Lanka Accord
Though a separate state was out, it was in the best interests of the Tamil people to go in for an India-guaranteed political settlement. But the LTTE revolted and ultimately snatched political defeat from the jaws of victory for the Tamils.
Prabhakaran is not being truthful when he says that the Indo-Lanka Accord did not have the consent of the Tamils.

The TULF, PLOTE, EPRLF, TELO and EROS signed a document enabling New Delhi to sign on their behalf. They also submitted some reservations.

The LTTE too consented overtly. As a result, the LTTE was given a monthly grant of Indian Rupees 50 million. The Tigers were also given pride of place in the interim administrative council. In a touching expression of India guaranteeing Tamil security, Rajiv Gandhi personally presented Prabhakaran with a bullet-proof vest.

If Prabhakaran were to read his famous Sudumalai speech after his return from India, he would find that he has implicitly stated his acceptance of the accord. He also predicted in the speech that Sinhala racism would devour the agreement. Ultimately, it was the LTTE that stymied the accord from being implemented properly.

The LTTE Leader is either an ignoramus or charlatan to make such a comment. I do not think the self-styled national leader of the Tamils is an ignoramus.

B-C pact
In the first place, the B-C pact of 1957 did not outline specific powers to be devolved to the periphery. The pact was only an embodiment of agreed principles in the spheres of decentralised administration, language, land alienation, etc. There was much work to be done in terms of administration and legislation on the basis of principles enunciated in the B-C pact.

This was not done and the pact was unilaterally abrogated by S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike. One cannot therefore compare the B-C pact of 1957 to the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987.

His dismissal of the Indo-Lanka pact as worthless deserves strong criticism. The Indo-Lanka pact was not without its flaws. It was not perfect either, but it did go a long way in accommodating Tamil aspirations and redressing grievances.
The accord acknowledged for the first time that Sri Lanka was a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual nation; it recognised the Northern and Eastern Provinces as areas of historic habitation of the Tamil and Muslim people; it merged temporarily the Northern and Eastern Provinces into a single Tamil linguistic province with the proviso of a referendum to determine its final status; it brought about the establishment of devolutionary units of power in the form of provincial powers; and it also elevated Tamil as an official language of Sri Lanka

The Indo-Lanka Accord was not perfect, but it did go a long way by way of helping to resolve Tamil problems. A responsible Tamil organisation would have cooperated with India to help implement it. Instead, the LTTE began sabotaging and then opposing the accord.

LTTE at fault
Prabhakaran also accuses the chauvinist Sinhala state of blocking the agreement.

Indian Army that was stationed in Sri Lanka to ensure, among other things, the smooth functioning of the North East Provincial Council.
After getting aid from Premadasa to fight the IPKF, the LTTE got him to send the Indian Army away. The Tigers then exterminated the civilian volunteer force set up by the Indians. Then it exerted pressure on Premadasa to dissolve the North East Provincial Council.

(To be continued next week)
(D.B.S. Jeyaraj can be reached at djeyaraj@federalidea.

First we should pay attention to let the children good rest.

Recent studies show that eye experts, local eyes of sympathetic and parasympathetic function lost balance is the formation of pathological myopia children basis.

Because children insufficient sleep, can cause systemic autonomic dysfunction, and general autonomic dysfunction bound to affect the sympathetic eyes with the local deputy sympathetic, which led to regulate eye ciliary muscle dysfunction, resulting in the formation of myopia.

At present, the Eye experts have already caused the insufficient sleep as children, low to moderate myopia The most important reason, and then watch TV for too long, lying down reading books, and other elements in zinc deficiency.n

In recent years, the incidence of myopia students increased year by year, Shanghai now has 55 percent of primary and middle school students, 70 percent of college students have different degrees of myopia. Apart from a few are caused due to genetic factors, the majority is acquired.

Students too heavy homework burden is a reason for students every day carrying large bags, a lot work to be done at home, under the lights in Wenshan that the pressure was unbearable, more and more poor eyesight, so reducing students homework burden, so that the children could do more outdoor activities, the prevention of myopia is an important measure, some parents in order to conserve electricity, let the children in the dim lighting doing homework, regardless of the child s eye health, it is outweigh the benefits. Game damage is a major youth vision killer.n

Early drop DoubleStar pseudo myopia can be prescribed eye drops to relax ciliary muscle cramps, and some can be restored through treatment, but this is only a small number of cases, the majority of myopia still have to wear glasses. Before the first accurate allocation of glasses optometry, should go to the optical shop in the informal or hospitals to optometry.n

Active children the best allocation of resin lens, not damaged, can protect the eyes.

You know myopia trouble? Eyes myopia will give their own life, study and work brought many inconveniences. To prevent myopia, it is necessary to achieve the Fourth, we should, not to do four things.

Fourth, we should, that is,

-- To controlling eye Time: read and write 60 minutes after resting eyes, the best Viewed from afar green plants 10 hours a day watching television or using the computer not more than one hour.n

Should strengthen their eyes nutrition, as many as possible will be vegetables, fruits.

Four not to _ that is,

-- Do not bleak in light of the lack of places to read and write.

-- Not under direct sunlight to read and write.

-- Not lying down reading books, not walk, to read when traveling.

-- Not a long time watching television and computer operation.

Additional information :

From www.nation.lk:
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