Mavai Senathirajah MP
Senathirajah Outperforms SJV; Devananda Spins
Minister Douglas Devananda, addressing the press from Sridhar Theatre which he “nationalised” and occupies as his own, says that the Local Government Elections of 23 July have “abundantly proved the Tamil people’s confidence in the government.”
On the contrary, the election results were a rout for him and a resounding success for Mavai Senathirajah, a rare Mr. Clean in politics today, who worked quietly without the normal posters and public meetings to garner a percentage share of the vote which even S. J. V Chelvanayagam did not muster in 1977.
And this with massive electoral fraud by the PA-EPDP combined – buying votes, intimidation including assaults by the army, chasing off polling officials and election observers, etc. Even Prof. P. Balasundarmapillai, closely associated with Devananda as his advisor, admitted to me on 22 July in Colombo that “some of the allegations of rigging are true, some are exaggerations.”
Cautions For The TNA
Yet, despite the resounding success, there are warnings in this for the TNA which contested under the FP symbol. The turnout was low signifying the large number of voters who are dissatisfied with the TNA’s honeymoon with the LTTE.
The TNA has diminished credibility over some MPs’ association with the Shabra Ponzi scheme ruining many lives, running off with EPRLF money and joining the LTTE while former colleagues were murdered by the LTTE, children being handed over to the LTTE for training, etc. Senathirajah and Sampanthan have addressed this only partly by kicking out in 2010 then MPs Gajendran, Mrs. Sithambaranathan and Gajendrakumar (the LTTE’s core team in the TNA) before the last election of 2010, where they hardly secured 6000 votes between themselves. Gajendran’s drubbing in 2010 established that his 2004 high preferential vote was by ballot stuffing.
Further repairs were done in 2011 through deals with the TULF’s Anandasangaree and TELO’s Sivajilingam who were asked to contest Poonaryn and Valvettithurai under the TULF symbol where they performed well. All this paid off handsomely last week. But so long as the tainted MPs remain, Senathirajah cannot claim the moral high ground over Devananda in scams and murders.The Government “victory” being through intimidation, does not count; the FP did not even try.
PA-EPDP Mess Up: Running Jaffna As The LTTE Did
After the military victory of May 2009 the government had been on the upward swing. Few were surprised therefore when the EPDP captured the Jaffna Municipality in August 2009 and did pretty well at the parliamentary elections in April 2010. So enamoured with the government was a stalwart federalist who spent time in an LTTE jail that he chided his son for participating in the recent FUTA strike saying it is against the government. I too once admired Devananda – his gumption – in standing up to the LTTE and getting so many votes.
Where did such support vanish on the 23rd?
Explained a university teacher who, like others who spoke for this article, did not wish to be quoted out of absolute fear: “We gave them the Municipality. The UGC appointed all University Councillors from Douglas’ list. And they have ruined both institutions. They deny the mass killings in Mullaivaikal as if we are fools. A simple apology would have been enough. But they take us for granted.” Added a Dean, “Douglas has 600 armed cadres to feed. He needs to make money.”
So the LTTE’s Eelam Bank Executive Gowri Hubert now works out of Sridhar Theatre for Devananda’s Maheswary Trust with exclusive rights over building sand like the LTTE earlier. The LTTE’s preferred contractor in Mullaitivu, Ramathasan, was once with his dreaded brother, PLOTE’s Manickathasan, then with the LTTE, and now with Devananda. Many at Sridhar Theatre are former LTTE tyrants. They are consistent only in being with the winner to make money.
Sexual Molesters, Fraudsters And The Unqualified For Jaffna University
Devananda successfully recommended totally unaccomplished stooges to be VC. Jaffna’s Associate Professor N. Shanmugalingam sang in praise of Prabhakaran on LTTE TV and then on Devananda’s recommendation was appointed VC by President Rajapaksa and then sang for him. This despite a Council inquiry by The Very Rev. Justin Gnaparagasam for being found naked with a student in his office and several credible allegations like that by an elderly English Lecturer who almost jumped out of a trishaw in Colombo when he accosted her for sex while on official work.
The present VC, Vasanthy Arasaratnam as then Dean, was severely indicted by the Auditor General who queried Jaffna’s then VC, Associate Professor S. Mohanadas (also recommended by Devananda) about “Unauthorized payment for the procurement of Computer Network Facilities to the Medical Faculty” (His Ref. NE/JF/A/JU/2004), adding “The Dean … has deviated from the procurement procedure … and ordered equipment at a total cost of Rs. 3,000,000 whereas the procurement by a Dean is limited to Rs. 100,000.
When the availability of grants was Rs. 963,000 order was placed for Rs. 3,000,000. No tender/quotation was called … to obtain the lowest and efficient bid. A sum of Rs. 722,550 … had been paid without any supporting documents … The price quoted by Delven Computer had been reduced to half of the original prices after negotiation made subsequently. It shows that the price had been quoted arbitrarily… All equipment purchased was not installed… The entire expenditure incurred could be considered irregular, unauthorised and fruitless.”
Mohanadas issued no punishment. The President has appointed Devananda’s friend Mohanadas to the UGC as the unofficial Tamil Member as if an Associate Professor with one foreign journal paper is the best the Tamils have. The UGC lists Mohanadas as “Professor” to hide the inappropriate presidential appointment.
Such appointments served the government and, in its time, the LTTE well because unqualified appointees are pliant. Others of equally inadequate capacity made common cause with these VC’s to become professors in violation of the ordinances, and together now dominate Jaffna’s Senate. The political authorities do not care if the people at the helm are academically very ordinary or womanisers or fraudsters so long as they are obedient. The university is in ruins as Devananda spreads his tentacles. Tamils are angry. ManyTamils think it is deliberate.
Tamils Not Ungrateful – Merely Want Responsive Government
It is obvious why the government which does not understand us Tamils was routed. The South talks of our ingratitude. But we are not LTTE lovers. We simply do not like corrupt, oppressive governments. Some of us did not oppose corrupt Tamil totalitarianism then, only to support corrupt Sinhalese totalitarianism now, even if fronted by a Tamil. We want the government to be responsive to our needs and feelings before it asks for our vote. We are not toilet paper to be used and thrown away.
Our institutions are to be built up, not used for politics. Does the President who ruins our best institutions through key appointments, really care for us? We are people with feelings, feelings reflected in our vote. He must work with us, the people and our representatives, not Devananda who brings him only ruin.
Corrupt Local Councils
Similarly the municipality recently violated all rules in awarding a massive building contract which after the noise had to be cancelled. In an emerging nexus between business and politicians to expand regardless of cultural considerations, hotels are authorised with Prof. Balasundarampillai’s dutiful support on yet to be explored archaeological territory at the last Jaffna King’s palace grounds. At the famous Mun Kumbaan Beach (Sand Dunes Beach) which also is under an EPDP Council, the dunes have been sold off and an LTTE cemetery razed to the ground for John Keells to build a supermarket.
Devananda’s Religious Card
Devananda had already played the religious card in denying Jaffna’s mayorship to Mangalanesan, a Christian well below Devananda’s Vellala caste, who had secured the highest preferential vote in the municipal elections. Devananda had assaulted Mangalanesan in front of his family when he protested and locked him up at Sridhar Theatre till the present mayor was safely installed.
He played the religious card again when I was up for appointment as VC in telling the President that if I were appointed, Hindus would be angry with him. Kandiah Neelakandan, Mrs. Kumar Ponnambalam and the present Dean of Medicine Prof. K. Sivapalan (who had vanished from the university for years to work full-time for the LTTE) echoed these sentiments.
Subsequently, says M. Sivajilingam, Neelakandan voted for the Bar Association’s resolution condemning the UN Report and Sivapalan testified at the LLRC against the LTTE. Devananda repeated the President’s claim that there were zero casualties in 2009.
Prof.S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole is UGC Coordinator For Engineering, University of Jaffna. This article appears in “The Sunday Leader” of July 31st 2011
This is a disgraceful state of affairs.
…… Prof. P. Balasundarmapillai, closely associated with Devananda as his advisor….
It seems like a good choice.
/ Flashback: ….. An emirate professor from Jaffna used to live a rented high-end house near to the Jaffna campus. When the owner of that house wanted to sell his house then the Professor refused to leave and demanded a large lump sum to vacate the house. Finally the Professor got his money.
/
Hoole says “…which even S. J. V Chelvanayagam did not muster in 1977.” I think that is not right. SJV died before the general elections of 1977. So I think he meant the KKS by-election sometime in the mid 1970′s.
Hay Prof,
Don’t rock the boat as you have a family unlike a single man, and I wll do the same if I were to be young, fight the corruption but remember you are not in USA nor any Democratic Country where Law and order prevail.
Wonder what the Govt expected with this type of corruption, mismanagement and cronyism. It is good that these things are getting exposed and people are intelligent enough to vote witha conscience.
Most Jaffna people want quality university staff and don’t worry about the religion. It’s a few selfish people who do the dirty work for politics that play the religious card and ”win” in the Rajapakse regime.
Prof.S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole
Deeply appreciate your brave stand against the ruthless thugs likes of Douglas Devananda.
We need more people like you who had the guts to speak out against the many injustices happening in society.
Continue your good work as a servant of humanity and the heart beat of democracy. May the good Lord bless you & keep you strong.
“LTTE’s preferred contractor in Mullaitivu, Ramathasan, was once with his dreaded brother, PLOTE’s Manickathasan, then with the LTTE, and now with Devananda”, says the Professor. This information is partially correct.
Obviously, Professor is talking about Markandu Ramathasan, the MD of Euroville (http://eurovillelanka.com), an influential Sri Lankan company. Engineer Ramathasan has a number of business ventures, with ‘powerful’ people in his box. As Professor said, he was with LTTE as well in the early days. For example, Euroville has Mr. CVK Sivagnanam as one of its Directors.
This link describes the connections of Engineer Ramathas.
http://adadaa.net/13953-horrendous-fraud-by-the-government-on-the-development-of-the-north/
The next link describes the dimension of the contracts Engineer Ramathasan gets. The details in that link and other similar information must have mislead the Professor. PLOTE’s Manickathasan is NOT a brother of Engineer Ramathasan. Then, the other link even characterises the multi-millioner as ‘Tamil militant N. Ramathasan’.
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2010/09/government-awards-contracts-to.html
http://www.srilankaguardian.org/2010/09/euroville-given-freehand-by-presidents.html
There is an interesting connection though. The younger brother of Engineer Ramathasan was Markandu Thevathasan, who was in PLOTE and was very close to Mr. Umamaheswaran in the early days. Markandu Thevathasan was known as Maran in PLOTE circles, and was thought to be a good chap. He was in Vavuniya when Manickathasan (Nagalingam Manickam Rajan: http://www.plote.org/heroes.php?cate_id=15) was ruling the town with his terror tactics with the help of army.
Markandu Thevathasan (Maran) had a sad death at the end.
Way to go Professor. Please watch out – it is a nasty world out there!!
Many thanks for this once again courageous piece. Douglas D is a war lord and common criminal with cases against him in India. He is also a rent-seeker who plays politics to enrich himself and this family members just like the Rajapakses whose patronage he enjoys. He should be extradited to India to stand trial and to pay for all the murders he is directly and indirectly responsible for. Rjapakse will have to go to the Hague some day for a war crimes trial.
You are quite right that Rajapakse is under and de-developing Jaffna university – he is also doing this to the southern universities. Rajapakse fears and dislikes qualified and accomplished intellectuals because they think freely and voice their opinions. Of course most of the university academics have behaved disgracefully too and gone along with his agenda rather than criticizing it. They speak of brain drain because of poor salaries. But what about the brain drain because of ethnic discrimination? The striking Dons say nothing about this. The fact is that the best people leave the system due to corruption, envy and jealousy of their own colleagues Most university Dons, except for a few like Dr. Hoole are as responsible as the Rajapakse goons for the crisis in Higher Education and the sub-standard academics in the university system in Lanka at this time! It is time, Dr. Hoole, for people like you to develop a White Paper on Comprehensive reform to develop and revamp the Higher Education sector in Lanka and build a critical thinking, MERITOCRACY in the sector.
The Tamils living in North amounts to 6% of Sri Lankan population. The GOSL will always act for welfare of all Sri Lankans. This tiny minority should never be allowed to dictate national policy.
PA-EPDP Mess Up: Running Jaffna As The LTTE Did
After the military victory of May 2009 the government had been on the upward swing. Few were surprised therefore when the EPDP captured the Jaffna Municipality in August 2009 and did pretty well at the parliamentary elections in April 2010. So enamoured with the government was a stalwart federalist who spent time in an LTTE jail that he chided his son for participating in the recent FUTA strike saying it is against the government. I too once admired Devananda – his gumption – in standing up to the LTTE and getting so many votes.
This type of analyse is not logic,
During the municipal election and 2010 Parilamentarien election how many people voted, as it was a time where most of the people did not believe on politics
This victory for TNA is a victory against douglas who was brought into sri lanka by the Indian inteligence to counter LTTE and get the peoples support and the only peoples support of Douglas are from the islands where all these gunmens of douglas are.
In the main land what is douglas doing, robbing , kidnaping, raping all with the sri lankan army.
Today as the UN has given a report, channel 4 are giving and still bringing out evidence the people have some hope and this hope let to the victory of TNA
It was a vote against murderers and the tamil traits who helped to kill the
tamils in mulliyvaikal
and simple sorry is not going to solve this
Tamils Not Ungrateful – Merely Want Responsive Government
——————————–
I can understand the grief of many moderate , intelligent & patriotic tamils in north.
Your hopes for good governance after years of been under the gun is been shattered.
I hope & pray that the independent voices of persons of the caliber of Prof.S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole will be heard. The messenger should not be targeted either.
How much tolerance will there be?
Its best to kneel down & pray for divine intervention as things turning out to be beyond human power.
Ezekiel 22:30;”I look for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none”
Please stand in the gap & intercede on behalf of N&E.
Dear Sir
Do you have any common sense?Don’t you know what is going on in this tiny Island ? Are you in a fantasy world ?Don’t behave like cat drinking milk.I had some good opinion about your goals .Please don’t mess-up university politics and the Tamils aspirations.A person who lives under enormous hardships took such a courage to vote against the concept of reconciliation under armed oppression.They doesn’t know who is VC and Who is not.If you have a rational thinking you must have identified what kind of politics going in Sri Lanka under Mahinda regimen.Please voice against the corruption that happening in the whole country.They are ruining our country.As you speak against Pirabakaran ,can you speak against the dictatorship ,corruption and oppression of Colombo?
Devanantha, “Space Oddessy 2001″? An aberration in the human genome?
.
I like to see the response from Dr. Dayan J. on this matter!
It is great to see that Tamils can speak their mind now without the intimidation of LTTE. This is the first step towards democracy in the north.Please appreciate that.
This is the kind of idiotic thinking that has made Sri Lanka the laughing stock of Asia!
As Lee Kuwan Yew said…”In 1965, we had 20 years of examples of failed states. So, we knew what to avoid – racial conflict, linguistic strife, religious conflict. We saw Ceylon.”" http://marikkar.blogspot.com/2010/03/ceylons-mistakes.html
Tiny Singapore with 1/5 of the Population of Sri Lanka has 2 1/2 times the GNP. SL GNP $95Bill, Singapore 248Bill.
Check out how your Sinhala dominated Governments have ruined it for you Sinhalese and Tamils. http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/indicators/NY.GNP.ATLS.CD/compare?country=lk#country=my:sg:lk:th:vn
Please God, No!!!!!!!
I have already given the same advice and warning to Ratnajeevan. I warned him of the possibilty of the white van coming looking for him after his recent audacious lecture in Colombo. He is playing with fire ignoring the fact that his family too is with him now in Jaffna. I appreciate his guts though.
Time for the media and everyone else to stop calling EPDP armed militia and call them for what they really are, terrorists, nothing less. Terrorists propped up and supported by the Rajapaksa regime.
Does the professor have any energy left to helping create engineering faculty at Jaffna University? He is shooting in all directions. How he can coordinate new engineering faculty if he is spending his time politics and also fighting with everyone who has any power? He should be negotiating with Basil and have Douglas and the new VC on his side. How can he achieve this if he antonogising everyone?
Prof Hoole,
You can become the target of the Mafia gang in Lanka. If I were you I will send the family to safe haven before exposing these criminals.
Your are not the LeotheLion but LeotheDOG. Wake up to the modern world.
Any way, our great great grandfathers said”TAMILAL SARI PEETH SARI” see now ex-hardcore LTTE leaders are which side.For example KP.
‘This Tiny Minority’ should never be allowed to dictate national policy.
In this entire message sent by the prof the racist LeotheLion talks about the tiny minority.shows the racist mind with only an atom of intelligence to understand the Prof message.
Sivag
Why get upset just because a part of Prof.R.Hoole’s informative article contains some details about the seedy going ons in the Jaffna University.He has done so in his capacity as a UGC Coordinator for the Engineering Faculty in the said university, and rightly so.In that respect his common sense is not lacking.
It is important that people in the country know what is happening in the premier educational institution in the North in Jaffna now that there are students and lecturers from the south are now part of it unlike in the days when the LTTE’s edict was operative. It is high time you understood the basic fact that LTTE’s aspirations were always at variance to Tamil aspirations.
Tamils are not and never were Hindu religious fanatics just because they are a majority when compared with Tamil Christians and Muslims who also speak Tamil.Are you aware that an educationist like Nevins Selldurai was the Principal of the Jaffna Hindu College many years ago following it’s inception?
If the Muslims were evicted from Jaffna because of religion by the LTTE that is another reason why LTTE is extinct and the Tamils not.
It is sad to know the identity of those people who opposed the appointment of Prof.Hoole, like Kandiah Neelakandan a self proclaimed Hindu leader who has nothing better to do than court importance and knows which button to press to gain popularity, the savoir-faire Mrs.Kumar Ponnambalam,and the selfish LTTE apologist the Dean of the Faculty of Medcine Prof.K.Sivapalan.It is even sadder to learn that Neelakandan had supported the Sri Lankan Bar Association’resolution condemning the UN Report merely for the sake of earning a few pieces of silver.
Well – this seems to be the parting shot from the Professor. According to an unsourced news item, he intends to leave the country in August!
because he is a loose cannon
Yeah – But the Singhalese can’t speak, I guess. MPR seems to have made a phone call to a paper to be ‘unafraid and unbowed. Not long ago, the same paper received a phone call from GNR, who stated openly that he wouldn’t be responsible if members of a certain attacks a female editor.
Asoka,
KP is a prisoner.
Ramathasan was a central committee member of PLOTE
Prof.S.Ratnajeevan.H.Hoole is bitching about everyone because he didn’t get his vice chancellor position. Present VC(vice chancellor) , Vasanthy Arasaratnam is more suitable person compare to this cry baby.
He needs some anger management classes.