groundviews » Bala Tampoe on war and the erosion of democratic governance in Sri Lanka

Bala Tampoe on war and the erosion of democratic governance in Sri Lanka

February 22, 2008 at 9:26 pm · Categories: Colombo, English, Peace and Conflict, Politics | by groundviews

Well known and senior trade union leader Bala Tampoe speaks on the war in Sri Lanka and the state of governance in the South.

He notes that even militarily defeating the LTTE does not mean guerilla warfare or their terrorist attacks against civilians in the South will cease. He goes on to note that:

“…on top of that they are talking about a political settlement. [The Rajapakse regime] can never achieve a proper political settlement till and until they recognise the right of self-determination, which is a democratic right, of the Tamil people and the Muslim people in the North and East, and establish some kind of proper constitutional basis for them to exercise that right within the framework of a democratic constitution. But they cannot have a democratic constitution in the first place when the rest of the country is under a Presidential Executive which amounts today to a virtual military police dictatorship under the Emergency.”

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N. Ethirveerasingam said,

February 22, 2008 @ 11:01 pm

I have admired Bala Tampoe for many decades for his contribution for the betterment of the workers and for their rights. You are an icon for all communities in Sri Lanka. You are a thread that links not only communities but also different generations. Your work over a many decades has demonstrated the sovereignty of individuals. I hope the leaders of Sri Lanka will listen to your advice on the rights of Self-Determination of peoples.

Sam Thambipillai said,

February 25, 2008 @ 7:33 pm

When we look at the events of the past 60 years, it becomes crystal clear that the political leaders in the south were either unable or unwilling to grant the legitimate rights of Tamils in the North East to rule themselves. They do not have the character even to rectify it.

When we compare with the events in America, When Dr Martin Luther King Jr was speaking of his dream being deeply rooted in the American dream in 1963, our leader SJV Chelvanayakam was speaking of the Tamil dream, where Tamils and Sinhalese, would live with equality and justice, without any economic neglect and discrimination under a federal constitution of the island.

Non violent sit-in movements and direct action demonstrations were carried out by Tamils from 1950’s to 1970’s. The people of North East exhibited volcanic show of solidarity. The state often replied with degrading attack using Sinhalese mobs, the police and the armed forces. Tamils were dehumanised and either jailed or put under house arrest.

During the 1960’s, John F Kennedy was never desperate to please his white constituency. He gave public support to the sit-ins by Dr Martin Luther King Jr. In contrast, all the leaders of the south of Ceylon were competing desperately with one another to apeace the Sinhalese constituency.

Degrading discrimination of Tamils became a common practice and increased in vigour daily. Competition amongst the political leaders to make discrimination constitutional, produced the discriminatory unilateral constitution of the rebel state of Sri Lanka in 1972 in the south, illegally annexing the North East.

This action ignited the fire for freedom and a freedom movement for the North East was born. By self referendum, the people of North East mandated the birth of Tamil Eelam as an independent sovereign state.

The problem in Ceylon became the problem of two countries; Tamil Eelam and Sri Lanka. All the governments portrayed falsely, the problem in the island as ethnic problem and terrorist problem to the international community. Even the USA administration has erroneously understood the real problem in the island.

The political ideology of sit-ins in America and India yielded results because the citizens of America and Britain valued freedom, equality and justice for mankind. High morals and values were running in their blood streams and culture.

The sit-ins in Ceylon had a contrasting effect because the Sinhalese do not value human freedom, equality and justice. This made the state to gear up Tamil discrimination, violence, murder and displacements, forcing the Tamils to abandon non violent methods. Resistance against Sinhalese violence remained the only option available for survival.

Now, the cycle of violence has culminated into state terror and counter terror.

Morality cannot be legislated and laws cannot change attitudes. Military support to a country engaged in state terror is dangerous.

For these reasons, the present government should not venture to make the faulty constitution right. Independence should be initiated to the state of Tamil Eelam by Sri Lanka, before the other countries do it.

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