Individuals and Brokers won’t help to find a political solution: Wigneswaran at the 2nd meeting of TPC
“Any race which fights for liberation must move forward its activities focusing on the people of grass root levels. Individuals and Brokers won’t help to find a political solution”, said the Chief Minister of the Northern Province C. V. Wigneswaran at the 2nd meeting of the “Tamil People’s Council” held on 28 Dec 2015 at the premises of the Jaffna Public Library.
He farther mentioned in his speech:
“Since the day of establishment of the Tamil People’s Council, I have been observing few peculiar reactions and curious criticisms. One news says there is a dawn of a new party against TNA under the leadership of C.V. Another news says C.V has made companionship with those who failed in the election. There are so many e-mails from North-East which refer that they would support the new party. I assure that these news and opinions were expressed in the basis of bad impression.
I met Sampanthan in Colombo. Both have shared many matters. Then, I had obviously explained the motto and the vision of the ‘Council’ to Sampanthan”. At that moment, Sampanthan responded that, they would welcome a movement which blooms as a people’s movement. He impressed that, the true meaning of democracy is to facilitate the people in grass root level to bring out their concerns and ideas. Both of us conversed many matters. The essence of his opinion should be kept on in the minds of all.
It’s crystal clear, that the purpose of the origin of “Tamil People’s Council” is a formation of people movement –for the people, of the and by the people; A movement which would integrate the people in all levels, to regain our rights. This particular objective has been mentioned in the manifesto of 2013 for the provincial council election.
Many have raised question on participation of politicians in ‘ Council’. At this moment, “I would like to narrate a story. In 1959, Vijanantha Theganayake who served as an Interim prime Minister, for 3 months. Having established a new party and contestants, in the parliamentary election, with many (100) contestants, but he failed and none of them were elected from his new party.
All were defeated including Thaganayake, who had served as P.M. He did not frustrate, himself. But he walked in procession from Devandramunai or ‘Donra’ to Pointpedro for worshipping many temples and meeting many people. In the next election he tremendously won. So those who are defeated in the election are not untouchables, this kind of sense should be wiped out. Our ideology is prominent. Ideology whichever it may be, if they are benefitable, can be accepted, without looking into who are the creator of the particular ideology.
There is a story about some youths who fly their kites at Galle face. A youth says to another youth sarcastically “My kite would go up to the top than yours.” At the moment there was a little lad who says “It won’t happen”. Then the youth came and blasted that lad with indignation, and asking him, “why do you say so”. Soon that lad said “Anna (Elder brother) unless you came and blast me, you would have fallen down”. Then only that youth-came to aware that he came at the blink of the heap of the sand. If he had stepped up further he would have fallen down. Then he realized, that as he had come to bland the lad, he was safeguarded.
It must be stopped saying bywords in uncivilized manner such as merely a lad nor merely a minor employee nor the one who was defeated in the past election. Suppose once a contestant is defeated there is no assurance that he /she will be defeated always. Alternative opinions are important in a people’s movement. All kinds of opinion should be considered and reviewed. It’s utter foolishness thinking that ‘we won, therefore our opinion is right’. It’s our obligation to give preference for the opinion of the people. Our people movement has engaged in finding opinions. We did not underestimate the leadership of individuals. But we raise the question whether our Tamil speaking future generations’ life entirely depend on the individual’s willingness, hatredness, knowledge and ignorance. So far the consecutive governments have gained success in trapping of their webs the individuals. Suppose there is a great backing of people behind the individuals and the same people like individuals collectively come to a conclusion deliberately. The governments will not engage in political bargaining with individuals. Instead of that the government may have to engage in communication with the community of victims. Thus considering the “Tamil People’s Council” the TNA, one of the prominent parties of parliament must accept the TPC as a positive companion body. It would function in similar way. My ambition is that TPC will act as a people’s body which would emerge its political strength of linking the grass root level with hierarchy.
There has been a slight fearfulness in south saying all Tamils attempt to unit each other. At the same moment there is prevalent view in south that they should not give a room for such unity. We must realize a matter in this tension. Whatever the party it may be that there is a common opinion among the Sinhala people which we must infer in the Sri Lankan political arena. Since the last century there has been a thinking among the Sinhalese parties that they should keep some Tamil individuals under their influence to control the Tamil people.
Therefore, there is no doubt that there will be a panic and turbulence in the south, due to the establishment of a people’s movement under co leadership. But it is a sad thing that there has been a negative impression even among the Tamils. I would like to emphasize three important aspects. Any race which fights for its people liberation should launch their fights on the basis of its own people. Individuals and brokers will not help to find a political solution. The establishment of a people’s movement uniting the people who are literate and the illiterate would form a platform for our political leaders to get a political solution on behalf of us.
Secondly, political ideology and political practices both are different. So far our people have been bound up and stagnated in the politics of practice. People have had a concern on this party or that party or this man or that man. But in south the basic principle of the political parties about Tamils have been common. When one party shows green light the other party opposes, but they have common consent of not to give anything to Tamils. There is vulnerability among the Tamils who can easily fall down under flattery and hypocracy though they are well educated. In 1930s it is said that a mathematics professor who guided the Sinhalese to organize a Sinhala only cabinet. This resembles a story of a fox which praises a crow, holding a vaddai in its mouth. As the fox had requested, the crow began to sing and the vaddai fell down. The fox and crow story still prolongs. So in the ground of cheating foxes there are singing crows. Our expectation is that crow must not lose it grip on vaddai. Thirdly a new era has dawn, so that people should beyond the parties. Here I did not say no need of parties. The administration, organization principle and objectives all must be frankness in practice. In case of failure of parties to do so, the council may have to facilitate the parities to go in the right direction.
For example, suppose a foreign representative who comes to Jaffna may raise about the data of the presence of the military in distract basis, I believe the Council would be in a position to answer the query. The Tamil People’s Forum is not against the Tamils parties nor against Tamils benefits of the Tamil people. It is a people movement which always seeks people’s benefits. Its leadership was not built up on the influence of the individuals but on the people who know the people and live among the people.
