As far as the TNA is concerned there is no second thought about contesting elections
Visvanathan
As usual you lost no time in holding a brief for the TNPF which lost deposits at the last 2010 parliamentary elections. In fact by dividing the pro nationalist votes,
it gave an additional seat to Douglas Devananda’s EPDP in a platter.
You claim that “Under these circumstances the Tamil parties are in a dilemma of whether to participate in the Provincial Council (PC) elections or boycott it. Participating in the PC elections implies that the Tamils are accepting the 13th Amendment and the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord.” As far as the TNA is concerned there is no second thought about contesting elections. It will be the same when elections are held for the Northern Provincial elections which the government now says will be held in February 2013.
In 2008 the TNA did not boycott the elections. They did not contest the elections because of the absence of law and order due to the heavy presence of armed para-military groups like the TMVP led by Pillaiyan. If it is your contention that the TNA should not contest the provincial elections created under the 13th Amendment, then by the same token the TNA also should not contest the parliamentary elections under the 6th Amendment. What is sauce for the goose should also be sauce for the gander!
With all the limitations like executive power being vested in the Governor (appointed by the President) and not the provincial cabinet, it can still exercise levers of power over land, police etc. This was clearly demonstrated when the government attempted to amend the Town and Country Planning Act to enable the centre to declare land areas as conservation areas, protected areas, architectural and historical areas and sacred areas.
The Supreme Court ruled that the bill intended to amend the Town and Country Planning Ordinance on the grounds that it has been placed on the Order Paper of Parliament without complying with the constitutional requirement that it be first referred to the Provincial Councils (PCs) for their views.
The three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayaka said there was no submission made by the Deputy Solicitor General to Court that the bill under reference had been referred to the Provincial Councils by the President as stipulated in Article 154 (G) (3) of the Constitution.
The Court said the bill was about a matter set out in the Provincial Council list and shall not become law unless it had been referred by the President to every PC. “As the bill has been placed in the Order Paper of Parliament without the compliance with the said provision in the Constitution, the court would not make any determination at this stage on the other grounds on which it was challenged,” the court said.
The court said the bill dealt with integrated planning in relation to the economic, social, historic, environmental, physical and religious aspects of land and noted that land is a subject on the Provincial Council List with PCs being given rights in or over land, land tenure, transfer, alienation, use and improvement.
The Court determined that since such procedure has not been complied with as regards this bill, it should not become law unless it was referred by the President to every PC as per the constitutional requirement. Ironically it was the Sinhalese dominated North Central Provincial Council which refused to give consent to the bill, where as the slavish and backboneless Pillayan readily battered away the rights of the Provincial Council to keep his job. The current election is a golden opportunity to weed out the traitors among us.
The TNPF has an obsession with boycotting elections. It boycotted the presidential elections and Pradesha Sabha elections. In a parliamentary democracy with all its deficiencies boycott of elections is the most stupid thing to do. It is political hara-kiri! The boycott of the State Council elections by the Jaffna Youth Congress in 1931 cost us dearly. It only helped the control of the State Council by the majority Sinhalese legislators.
You claim that the TNPF was sensible enough not to field their own candidates that would have split the Tamils. This is a ludicrous argument. How can TNPF contest the elections after asking the TNA to boycott the elections? Instead field independent candidates? The fact of the matter is TNPF has near zero support in the east as witnessed
at the last parliamentary elections. Incidentally, one of their ‘star’ candidates at the 2010 parliamentary elections in Trincomalee is a TNA candidate (Anandasangaree’s TULF) this time around.
So it is not generosity or political astuteness but sheer lack of support that keeps the TNPF out of the ring!
What the Tamil Civil Society says in nothing new. Anyone with even a modicum of intelligence knows the problems faced by the Tamil people.
The problem is to find the solutions. Thiru Sampanthan’s address to the national convention of the ITAK at Batticaloa on May 27th is TNA’s blue print or road map for future action.
I find S.K.Sittampalam has lent his signature to the Tamil Civil Society which is a front of the TNPF. He is trying to ride on two horses at once.
The learned Professor is one of the Senior Vice President of the ITAK and why he is trying to ride on two horses baffles me.
Thangavelu
From: Visvanathan Sivam [mailto:nathan762010@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, July 30, 2012 5:44 AM
To: Nathan
Subject: Tamil Civil Society Memo to the TNA regarding the Eastern Provincial Council Elections
Dear Friends,
After the Mullivaaikkal Genocide in May 2009, the Tamils in Eelam were reduced to a desperate state of helplessness. The only force that stood against Sinhalese chauvinism, the LTTE, is no longer there, thanks to India and the so-called the International Community composed of US, EU, Norway and Japan. Days are gone when the US and Europe had to face Hitler’s Nazism; now it is the turn of the Tamils to cope with Sinhalese Nazism directed by Rajapaksa Brothers and their cronies, who are ably assisted by Tamil opportunist – the paramilitaries.
Under these circumstance the Tamil parties are in a dilemma of whether to participate in the Provincial Council (PC) elections or boycott it. Participating in the PC elections implies that the Tamils are accepting the 13th Amendment and the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord. Rejecting the election will enable the enemies of the Tamils to take over the Provincial Council and further subjugate the Tamils.
Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), one of the Tamil parties, is of the view that Tamil National Alliance (TNA) should field independent candidates for the election instead of the candidates standing under the TNA symbol. In spite of their advice, TNA fielded 14 candidates under the party. TNPF was sensible enough not to field their own candidates that would have split the Tamil votes.
Led by Rt. Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph, the Bishop of Mannaar and Professor S.K. Sitrampalam, the Tamil Civil Society has now stepped into the fray with the following memo signed by about 90 members. The signatories included 6 professors, several university lecturers, student union leaders, retired principals, doctors, lawyers, priests, leaders of fishermen associations, other professionals and trade unionists. Sixteen of the signatories were activists and leaders of grassroot organisations from the East.
Tamil Civil Society Memo to the TNA regarding the Eastern Provincial Council Elections
Tamils have consistently made it clear that a unitary constitution and a provincial council system within the confines of a unitary constitution are incapable of fulfilling their political aspirations. In this regard it is notable that Tamil political parties with a Tamil Nationalist dispensation had chosen to boycott the two provincial council elections that took place in our homeland in the past (1989 and 2008). There can be no doubt that a Tamil political party with a Tamil Nationalist dispensation can never run a provincial council autonomously, something that even Tamil parties aligned with the Government could not achieve. The Chief Ministers who ran the provincial councils subsequent to the elections of 1989 and 2008 have confirmed that nothing substantive can be achieved through the provincial council system which is in the firm grip of the Governor and the Central Government.
Participating in an election is acceptable if such participation furthers our political goals. To the contrary if participating in such elections would adversely affect the attainment of our political goals, then alternative strategies should be considered. To think of such alternatives with foresight and vision in the wake of an election being forced upon us is important in pushing forward Tamil Nationalist politics in the right direction within the present context.
That the people want to use elections as a vehicle through which they could express their anger and frustration against the oppression being meted out against them is understandable. On the one hand, while elections might be an opportunity to demonstrate such opposition and anger, on the other hand it is important to also take into account the political costs of taking part in an election. It is the responsibility of all committed to Tamil Nationalist politics, to weigh the above explained phenomenon carefully, to consider the multi-dimensional nature of the challenge and to consider the different alternatives available, in the lead up to deciding on the question of electoral participation. The Tamil people will never allow the bartering away of their political fundamentals for the sake of attaining an immediate political strategic objective – that of preventing a Government backed Tamil political party capturing the provincial council in the Eastern Province. However given the hard reality that the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has decided to contest the Eastern Provincial Council Elections directly, we wish to make the following suggestions as to what to include in their election manifesto for the forthcoming elections:
1. The present unitary constitution and the provincial council system within such confines should be rejected. The 13th amendment cannot be even considered to be a strting point towards achieving a political solution.
2. The North and East are the traditional homelands of the Tamil speaking peoples. Any political solution should recognise a merged North and East as the relevant territorial unit. The confidence of the Muslim people should be sought to make this a reality. It is important that the Muslims and Tamils realize that working together is essential to safeguard the existence of both communities.
3. A permanent political solution can only be attained by recognizing the right to self determination of the Tamil people and by recognizing Tamil Nationhood. There is no point in a political process that refuses to acknowledge the above.
4. Despite four months since passing the Geneva resolution injustices and oppression against the Tamil people have not reduced, rather they have increased. The land grab project continuing unabatted, Tamil political prisoners continuing to linger in prison, lack of any progress in tracing missing persons, the continuous destruction of the economic and cultural fundamentals of the Tamil nation, the ever increasing role of the military in the daily lives of the Tamil people, the ever increasing interference into the independence of different sectors of life including education, higher education, health, agriculture and fisheries, the conversion of high security zones into permanent high security zones (including the Sampur High Security Zone), a significant number of Tamils continuing to live as displaced people in IDP camps, the continuous neglect of the livelihood of those resettled are examples of these injustices and oppressive practices. Further there is no progress in holding accountable those responsible for the genocide and war crimes committed against the Tamil people. The International Community has to realize that solutions to these problems cannot be found using the LLRC report as a road map. Both the report and the action plan have been designed to hoodwink the International community and to buy further time. The International Community has to realise that such time is being sort to provide space for the Government to complete its project of destroying the existence of the Tamil people.
We believe that by including the above in their election manifesto that there is a possibility that the TNA can lessen the impact of the argument that the Tamil people have accepted the Provincial Council system and a demerged North and East by participating in these elections. It is very important that our rejection of the provincial council system and a demerged North and East is clearly communicated to the International Community.
Rt. Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph
Bishop of Mannar
Ms. Shantha Abimannasingham P.C
President’s Counsel, Jaffna
Prof. K. Kandasamy
Dean, Faculty of Science
University of Jaffna
Prof. S.K. Sittrampalam
Emeritus Professor of History
President, Hindu Religious Council
Prof. R. Kumaravadivel
Senior Professor of Physics
Formerly Acting Vice Chancellor,
University of Jaffna
Prof. R. Vigneswaran
Prof of Mathematics
Vice – President, Federation of University Teachers Association
Mr. V. Kamalathas
Batticaloa District Civil Society Activists Alliance
Mr. S. Arasaratnam
Retired Banker
Amparai Tamils Society
Mr. T. Rasaratnam
Rtd Chief Clerk, Natpitty Munai.
Mr. T. Rajan
Batticaloa District Civil Society Activists Alliance
Mr. T. Gurukularajah
Rtd Assistant Director of Education
Killinochchi
Prof. A.S. Soosai
Department of Geography,
University of Jaffna
Dr. (Mrs). S. Uthayakumar
Consultant Physician
Teaching Hospital, Jaffna
Dr. S. Sivansuthan
Consultant Physician
Teaching Hospital, Jaffna
Mr. S. Kanthaswamy,
Senior Attorney-at-Law, Point Pedro
Mr. A. Panchalingam
Retired Principal
Jaffna Hindu College/ Kokuvil Hindu College
Mr. K. Santhiralingam
Retired Principal
Amaprai Tamils Society
Prof. V.P Sivanathan
Dean, Faculty of Arts
University of Jaffna
Mr. T. Ramakrishnan
Secretary, Amparai Tamils Society, Kalmunai Branch
Mr. A. Rasakumaran
President, Jaffna University Teachers Association, Lecturer, ELTC.
Mr. K. Rooban
Batticaloa District Youth Activists Association.
Mr. P. Saravanapavan
Batticaloa District Youth Activists Association.
Mr. T. Kalayarasan
President, Navithanveli Pradeshiya Sabah
Mr. A. Ganeshamoorthy
Rtd Public Health Education officer, Natpittymunai
Mr. Pon. Selvanayagam
Rtd. Divisional Educational Officer, Paandirippu
Mr. K. Suriyakumaran
Representative, Jaffna District Fishermen Societies’ Federation
Representative, Vadamaraatchi North Fishermen Society
Dr. S. Raviraj
Consultant Surgeon & Senior Lecturer, University of Jaffna
Rev. Fr. C. Jeyakumar
Parish Preist, Kayts
Dr. D. Gunarajasingham
Department of Physiology
Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna
Dr. S. Premakrishna
Consultant Anaesthesist
Teaching Hospital, Jaffna
Dr. P. Lakshman
Consultant Cardiologist
Teaching Hospital,
Jaffna.
Dr. P. Sathiyalingam
MOH, Vavuniya
Mr. Sivasubramaniam
Representative, Northern Alliance of Fishermen, Jaffna
Rev. Fr. E. Ravichandran
Director
Director, Youth Animation Centre,
Jaffna
Dr. S. Kumaravel
Teaching Hospital, Jaffna.
Mr. S. A. Jothilingam
Attorney-at-Law, Political Analyst
School Teacher
Mr. V. Puvitharan
Senior Attorney-at-Law
Colombo
Mr. B.N. Thamboo
Attorney-at-Law, Colombo
Mr. K. Guruparan
Lecturer, Department of Law,
University of Jaffna & Attorney-at-Law
Dr. S. Kannadasan
Department of Patholgy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna.
Mr. V. Arasaratnam
Former Assistant Commissioner, Cooperatives
Amparai Tamils Society
Mr.. N. Inpanayagam,
President, Rural Workkers Association
Jaffna
Mr. K. Rajeevan,
Batticaloa District Civil Society Activists Alliance
Mr. P. Nishanthan
Batticaloa District Cilvil Society Activists Alliance
Dr. K. Sureshkumar
Consultant Obstertrician and Gynaecologist
Teaching Hospital, Jaffna.
Dr. S. Baheerathan
Teaching Hospital, Jaffna
Dr. A. Kamalanathan
Teaching Hospital, Jaffna
Dr. G. Hyrin Arc
Teaching Hospital, Jaffna
Dr. P. Nanthakumar
MOH, Tellipalai
Dr. S. Mohanakumar
Teaching Hospital, Jaffna
Mr. J.T. Simson
Teacher, Mannar
Mr. S. Jeevanayagam
President, Karaichchi Rural Development Societies Confederation, Killinochchi.
Mr.C.P. Sathiayseelan
Social Activist, Vavuniya
Mr. S. Jeyachandran
Manager, Teachers Development Centre, Vavuniya
Mr. M. Kapilnath
Human Rights Activist, Vavuniya
Mr. S. Suthareswaran,
Senior Banker, Jaffna
Mr. V. Sritharan
Senior Lecturer in Accounting, University of Jaffna
Dr. B. Nimalathasan
Senior Lecturer in Accounting,
University of Jaffna
Mr. A. Saravanapavan
Lecturer in Human Resources
University of Jaffna
Dr. S. Suthakaran
Mental Health Unit, General Hospital, Vavuniya.
Mr. S. Janarthanan
Jaffna Economists Association
Mr. S. Beeshman
Jaffna Economists Association
Dr. E. Sivashankar
RDHS, Jaffna
Mr. T. Vigneswaran,
Lecturer in Political Science
University of Jaffna
Mr. S. Thiruchenthuran
Lecturer in Political Science,
University of Jaffna
Mr. S. Raveenthiran
Lecturer in Geography,
University of Jaffna
Mr. M. Gratein,
Attorney – at – Law
Killinochchi
Mr. P. Krishanthan
Attorney at Law
Trincomalee
Mr. S. Iruthanayagam
Soosaiyappar Fishermen Society Mathagal
Dr. K. Ilangognaniyar
Teaching Hospital, Jaffna
Rev. Gerald Roosairo
Colombo (OMI Church)
Fr. S.M.P. Ananthakumar
Secretary, Jaffna Catholic Priests Association
Mr. S. Ariharan
Former President, University Students Union,
University of Jaffna
Mr. V. Pavaananthan
President, University Students Union, Jaffna
Mr. P. Tharshananth
Secretary, University Students Union,
Jaffna
Mr. K. Jenemajeyamenan
President, Arts Faculty Students Union, University of Jaffna
Mr. A. Prasanna
President, Science Faculty Students Union,
University of Jaffna
Mr. S. Sabeskumar
President, Management and Commerce Faculty Students Union
University of Jaffna
Mr. Sanjeevan
President, Agriculture Faculty Students Union
University of Jaffna
Mr. S. Janahan.
President, Medical Students Union
Jaffna
Mr. Xavier Wilfred Jeyaruban
Surveyor, Jaffna
Dr. K. Pratheepan
Teaching Hospital, Jaffna
Mr. Thiruveni Sangamam
Rtd Provincial Council Servant
Kaaraitheevu, Amparai.
Dr. M. Vasudevan
Teaching Hospital, Jaffna
Dr. S. Kunatheesan,
Teaching Hospital, Jaffna.
Mr. A. Sittrampalam
President, Maathagal Farmers Alliance
Mr. A. R. Mathilalagu
President, Maathagal Fishermen’s Society
Mrs. A.M. Jeyamany
Secretary
Maathagal West Womens Development Society
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