The TNA’s Federalist Fantasy
By Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
M. Sumanthiran and S.M. Krishna
If the Southern Opposition is dwindling or dying, the Northern Opposition is deluded and in deep denial. These wings or streams of the opposition seem to be marginalising themselves to the point of irrelevance. In a new interview, lawyer and civil society activist Sumanthiran, billed as the TNA’s Colombo Tamil civil society whizz-kid, has dug his heels in on federalism and a re-merged North and East, rejected the 13th Amendment, and is derisive about unity with the Tamil Political Parties Forum (TPPF) because they disagree on ‘fundamentals’. Here is the core of what he says:
“We have very specifically said that these reforms… must take the form of a federal structure… Well, the 13th Amendment is a reform made in 1987, which the TNA’s predecessor, the TULF had rejected. After negotiations with India, it was considered insufficient… The 13th Amendment obviously is not the answer… Therefore, we take it that any solution that goes beyond the 13th Amendment naturally must include the merger of the North and East… I don’t see any issue if the North and East are to become a merged province again.
“…But we are also conscious, that one cannot compromise on fundamental principles in the name of unity. We have been elected by the people with a mandate, and people have voted for us at an election which was conducted under extremely difficult circumstances. They have reposed some kind of confidence in us. They have rejected most of those parties that are part of this forum. We must not dilute or betray the confidence the people have placed in us by readily joining hands with forces who have been rejected by the people.” (The Nation, August 29, 2010)
With an LTTE intact and Prabhakaran alive, the TULF’s respected parliamentarians in exile in India, MGR as Chief Minister in Tamil Nadu, seventy thousand Indian troops on Sri Lankan soil, the Sri Lankan army either withdrawn or confined to barracks in the North and East, and no China card for Colombo to play, federalism could not be prised out of the Sri Lankan state, which conceded nothing more than the 13th Amendment, a temporary merger of the N&E and a promissory note (from JR!) to Delhi to improve upon the amendment.
Now, with a decimated and decapitated LTTE, a hundred thousand Sri Lankan troops in tight control of the North and East with every sign of constituting a permanent presence, dwindling numbers of Tamil voters in the area, and a reduced percentage of Tamils in the demographic makeup of the island, the TNA’s most sophisticated spokesperson scorns the 13th Amendment and clings to federalism with re-merger.
How does Sumanthiran’s TNA hope to obtain that which Chelvanayagam, Prabhakaran, Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, and MGR were unable to secure from the Sri Lankan state? My old man told me of a visiting US Marine who wanted to see a film and when taken to the New Olympia cinema, exclaimed, “Man, if this is the New Olympia, I’d sure have hated to see what the old one looked like”. Similarly, if Sumanthiran is the smartest the TNA (or is it the CPA?) can come up with, I’d hate to hear how the dumb ones sound. Luckily for the Tamil community, it has far superior (and realistic) minds such as Profs Ratnajeevan Hoole and Karthigesu Sivathamby and political and civil society activists Dharmalingam Siddharthan and Ahilan Kadirgamar.
There are no domestic drivers for federalism of any sort. The multiplier effect of the outright military triumph and the domestic drivers are all in the direction of the undermining of even the devolution available on the statute books and the reconfiguration of the realities on the ground in the hope of foreclosing space for territorially based Tamil (sub) nationalist politics. The TNA doesn’t seem to realise that it is fighting a desperate defensive struggle; not one that permits political fantasies or dogmatic and demagogic sloganeering.
What audience could the TNA be playing to and what factors or forces could it be counting on? If it is the Tamil Diaspora, the TNA should recall that it doesn’t vote at Sri Lankan elections and that Prabhakaran fatally overestimated its international leverage (tactical as distinct from strategic, or more cynically, a major nuisance value).
Could the TNA be hoping for India to pull a federal rabbit out of the hat? This seems the case, going by Sumanthiran’s interview. If so, the TNA should meditate on the phraseology of S.M. Krishna, India’s respected Foreign Minister, in the Lok Sabha, when he referred to a political settlement in Sri Lanka; “within and beyond the ambit of the 13th Amendment”. So, in Delhi’s calculus, that’s the base line: no less and no more.
I can’t recall when I last heard the term ‘merger’ or ‘re-merger’ (leave alone ‘troop pullback’) from Delhi. S.M. Krishna’s formulation sounds to me like 13 Plus, not in the least like federalism (with or without re-merger). How then does the TNA hope to secure that which way outside the parameters of the possible as laid out by Delhi for its policy towards Sri Lanka and the Tamils of the island’s Northern and Eastern provinces? Going by the view of an ‘enlightened moderate’ like Sumanthiran, the TNA looks askance at the Tamil Political Parties Forum because it represents “forces which have been rejected by the people”. Now there’s a bit of a problem there. The TNA has been accepted by a majority of the Tamil people of the North, which is why no one can rightly argue that either the TPPF or the Government of Sri Lanka should not enter a dialogue with it or consider it a prospective partner. By the same token, the TNA is unacceptable to the vast majority of people on the island, i.e. in the polity taken as a whole, while the TPPF or its leading elements are acceptable to that vast majority. Being acceptable to the Tamil people is simply not enough. Any serious Tamil politics has to be acceptable to at least a bare majority of the Sinhalese, if not the overwhelming bulk of them, if these political demands are to be achievable. Thus Tamil politics requires a coming together of those Tamil parties acceptable to the majority of Tamils, with those acceptable to a minority of Tamils and a majority of Sinhalese. Sumanthiran is ready to accept that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has a mandate, but he says that the TNA has a mandate too. True, but the mandate of the Executive deriving from the electorate comprising the whole country and its peoples cannot but supersede a mandate derived from a far more restricted and parochial electoral base. The two mandates cannot be passed off as equal because we are not dealing with two sovereign and independent political units. It is this politico-ideological Freudian slip that reveals the secessionist residues (a cynic may say the recessed secessionist project) of the TNA.
With Lasantha’s death it appears that the sunday leader has forgotten the promise made by that great man in his last editorial. We are seeing Dyan Jayathilaga’s articles indicating that Tamils should be satisfied with army occupation, 13th amendment is the best we could get and such nonsense. Tamils know that it Dyan who misled UN last year. Yet world politics had never been static. One day or other Tamils will prove the genocide we have faced and will have self determination. All culprits who are selfish and selling Tamils in the name of peace are appreciated by Dyan.
Tamil separatists caused havoc in the country, so now its pay time and also wonder why northern terrorist don’t realize that their population is around 8% , roughly 1 against 7 ..
@Mossad,
how dare u give a statement like northern terrorist?
u racist……….
just have this racist ideology n send ur mothers n sisters to work in arab countries while those arab dudes nail in their hands n legs.
n poor mothers throwing their babies in river coz cant feed them.
just get out of this racist ideology.
all men r equal
just come back to 2010,
dont stay in vedha times, u live happily n let the person next to u live happily,
is it too much to ask?
MAGODIS’ THEORY OF SL POLITICS ::: Whatever “BULL-$HIT” whoever says, ALL innocent people must be given equal status and treated equally.
Dayan, what kind of a political settlement do you foresee in Sri Lanka? It is not clear from your recent articles written after you were unceremoniously removed from Geneva, what your stand on this issue is. According to you, the minority Tamil should be satisfied with whatever pittance they receive from the majority. As you claim in this article, when the majority is in a more powerful position than before, it can decide the level devolution of powers/freedom the minority Tamils are entitled to. Is this demoracy for you? You call yourself a moderate Sinhalese. If this is what the Sri Lankan public gets from a self proclaimed moderate like you, I shudder to imagine what the nationalist/racist Sinhalese will spew out on devolution of powers.
nicholas,
Dayan has a valid point. Tamil population cannot impose a solution democraticaly without the consent of the majority sinhala population. Just like Obama could not become the president without a fair number of white population voting for a black president. Tamil and Sinhala people should work together without antagonistic feelings and one day we could have a Tamil president in Sri Lanka. Soon I hope, and Tamils should see that only focusing on Tamil rights and an Tamil only enclave will not be sufficient to gain the confidence of the Sinhala population. Join the processes that are shaping the country and be a part of it and by all means voice your views too, and things will work out for all…for the better
Tamil prez for sri lanka ?? A dream. The racists have ensured that no armed forces chiefs, no house speaker etc can be a non buddhist.. Look at Singaore instaed. Even their national anthem is in Malay. Thats how they develop and we just go down and down and down..
Thambi we don’t won’t that type of development, you can have that in your dream PEELAM , we prefer the development which safe guard the country’s true traditions and occupants.
Dear Weeraya,
Looking at Singapore alone is not sufficient, but have to look at what is best for our country. I realise we need to be more transparent and fairer how and who will occupy positions of power. There are good things happening too in Sri Lanka. Be a part of it where you can, make a little contribution where you can to the good of the community. Be realistic- a Tamil only enclave is not possible in Sri Lanka. Nobody anywhere will accept ‘What is mine is mine only, but I’ll have a share of yours.” As Tamils can and they do live everywhere; so should others be able to if they so choose. The Tamil Ealam dream has become a nightmare for the dreamers. Time to wake up from the slumber and be part of the new invigorated Sri Lanka.
Mossad, what type of development don’t you want? Please explain.
There are many sinhalese who will accept Tamils, Muslims and others as brothers ans sisters. I am one of them. I don’t expect anyone to forget the bitter past but please give the future a chance,
Weeraya
Singapore is a Great & Fabulous City State….
But You have NO idea of Political – Economical – Social Singapore…
When Singapore broke off from Malaysia in 1965….only British Forces in Singapore…stopped an invasion from Malaysia…
Surrounded by Islamic Malays in Malaysia & Indonesia…
Singapore used Malay Language in National Anthem & Islamic symbals in Flag to integrate in Malay / Islamic area….
Today Singapore is controlled by its Chinese Majority of 75 %….
immigration is controlled…so that this 75% is always maintained….
Girls from China working in factories…encouraged & allowed to stay if married to Singapore Chinese citizen…
Indian labourers in simlilar situation are deported….
Armed Forces – fighting units are ethnic Chinese with an ethnic Indian added for decoration…
Malays are in the non-fighting Transport units…
Air Force…NO ethnic Malays are allowed to be pilots…..
All study English…in addition Chinese must study Mandarin….
Malays must study Malay…Tamils must study Tamil….
So ONLY Chinese are in Diplomatic & Trade / Business posts with China….where Mandarin is spoken….
Ethnic Malays & Indians…occupy the lower rungs of Singapore Government positions….meet them as Immigration & Customs officers at Airport….
Foreign Corporations also hire educated ethnic Indians….
Large Chinese Banks & Corporations….
DoorMan is ethnic Sikh Indian…Maintenance staff – ethnic Indian & Malay….
White Collar office staff is 100% Chinese….
Socially – most ethnics keep to themselves…
All neighbourhoods integrated – with Chinese majority…
ethnic Tamil & Malay enclaves NOT tolarated…
this is so also in Geylang ( Malay ) & Serangoon ( Indian ) neighbourhoods….
main business street full of shops / restraurants of the relavant ethnic group…walk in 3 block…its Chinese….
( BTW – 2 of the biggest “Red Light” ares are in Geylang & Serangoon )
Hardly any inter-racial marriage between Chinese & other ethnic groups…but Chinese will marry Caucasians (White)…its an Status Symbol…
Thus there is NO integration among the ethnic communities….
Go to Canada – USA – UK – Western Europe – Australia……
see how the various ethnic communities intergrate thru inter-racial marriage….
Singapore has been able to maintain its ‘Squecky Clean” image…by “Smoke & Mirrows”
Chula W is absolutely right!!!
Sri Lanka should take the Singaporean example…
Majority of Sri Lanka is Sinhalese and that’s how it should be!!!
All the rest can do 2nd rate jobs, just like in Singapore, and certain media companies have to be broken down or nationalized…
At this moment certain Tamil companies are “producing” fertilizer and all kinds of chemical spays for the Sri Lankan agricultural sector and by doing so, killed the natural life in the Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, districts and in all other districts. Only the Sinhalese will always be loyal to the country, and ONLY the Sinhalese Buddhists, not the Sinhalese Christians.
Strangely, the Muslim population is more patriotic than any other “minority. Tamils are not at all patriotic!!!
Tamil parties and T–mil-only schools are NOT needed in Sri Lanka.
Either they assimilate or go away to T–amil N–aadu or even to Canada…
Good riddance!
They can take D–ayan J with them…
you are a caricature of your father
tamils will never learn!
@ billy
a correction to ur statement
being a tamil, i know TNA, Sambanthan n co r clowns.
TNA and Sambanthan dont represent the whole tamil community.
its just that we r out of options when it comes to politicians.
we dont prefer UPFA, fine(even the UNP,JVP,SF supports dont prefer), so we have to vote for TNA as we have no option.
so conclusion is tamils dont have proper practical clever politicians, hence we vote for Sambanthan n Clowns.
How about Karuna Amman and Douglas Devanandan? I have heard that some Tamil people consider these two “Cats” as traitors. Is it true? Anyway, I could guess the answer.
Why are people wasting their time trying to decipher Dayan Jayatillaka’s endless drivel?
The simple reality is that he is part of the Rajapaksa cavalcade singing for his supper in a marginally more sophisticated fashion than those of the JHU, NFF, Mervin Silva (Dr) etc. They are all really birds of a feather.
DJ has at last shown his true colours – support for the dynastic ambition for Rajapakse and his clan for full dictatership for many decades.
The UNP-Ranil bashing all these days was to divert attention from this.
He hopes to get his job back.
Justitia,
Well said! What better word than drivel to use for these writings based on a shameless ego!
To everyone else but himself, Dayan has been bared as an opportunist who was kicked out by his former master for his pains and now holds forth from out of the country where he is ( we hope!) nursing his wounds in futile academia. The emperor is naked indeed. Pathetically so!
[...] Link: http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2010/09/05/the-tna%E2%80%99s-federalist-fantasy/ [...]
Chula, after the riots the very naive Tunku Abdul Rahman gave away Singapore to the cunning Lee Kuan Yew as a consolation for the atrocities commited on the Chinese by the Malays. Please don’t twist the facts with your poor understanding of history.
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There is a quick fire solution to all this disgruntled tamils who doesnt want to share Sri Lanka wiht the majority sinhalese.
Since Canada is accepting any terrorist, a sympathiser, or even an ex convict so long as they wear ‘ I am a Tamil’ badge, the government should arrange free transport with several ships and send them packing to any country which accepts them.
Even if you sent 10,000 it means 10,000 jobs for the true Sri Lankans (including Tamils), 10,000 less mouths to feed and should not forget in another 20 years this 10,000 would have produced at least another 20,000 grumblers demanding elam!!