Rhetoric, reality and reflections on Raviraj
November 14th, 2006
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
The daylight murder in Colombo of Tamil National Alliance MP for Jaffna district Nadarajah Raviraj and his bodyguard Police sgt. Lokuwellamurage Shantha Laxman Lokuwella has placed the Government of President Mahinda Rajapakse in great difficulty. The on going killings of Tamils in the North – East and Colombo by “unknown assassins” has been a regular phenomenon in recent times. While the murders of relatively lesser known people can be glossed over by the Rajapakse regime the Government finds it on the defensive when a well – known Tamil Parliamentarian is murdered on a public road. The concern showed by the International community in this matter has increased pressure on the Government.
[Nadarajah Raviraj's last press conference, which was held at hotel Renuka in Colombo, on September 23rd 2006]
TNA parliamentarians described derisively by the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party’s (EPDP) Douglas Devananda as “Tiger nominated agents” have been increasingly vulnerable after Mahinda Rajapakse became President. There was a time when moderate Tamil politicians were on the hit list of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). With a new re- alignment the Tamil moderates grouped as the Tamil National alliance became to the LTTE what the Sinn Fein was to the Irish Republican Army. While danger from one direction was diminished after this “alignment: new threats from other directions have emerged.
On Christmas eve last year veteran Batticaloa Parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham was shot dead at the St. Mary’s cathedral during midnight mass. Pararajasingham had just received holy communion at the altar from Batticaloa Catholic Bishop Kingsley Swampillai. Another Batticaloa MP Jeyanandamoorthy’s house was deliberately targetted by Rocket propelled Grenades in another incident. The family survived miraculously. The TNA nominee to fill Pararajasingham’s vacancy Viknewaran was shot dead in Trincomalee while at work.In another incident Wanni district MP Sivanathan Kishore’s house in Vavuniya was attacked with hand grenades. Now the anti – TNA violence has spilled over into Colombo.
Attempts are being made by vested interests to convey an impression that the Raviraj killing was a consequence of the internecine warfare between the LTTE and its break away Karuna faction. In order to buttress this impression a purported statement from the “seerum padai” has been given publicity. The idea is to show that the Rajapakse regime had nothing to do with Raviraj’s killing and that it was purely an intra – Tamil affair. It is hard to believe that these “running dogs” of the Sri Lankan state could have had the temerity to target a high – profile MP like Raviraj in Colombo without the tacit support of the state. In any case as organizations like the Sri Lanka Democratic Forum (SLDF) have pointed out ” The onus of investigating
the assassination of MP Raviraj, a fierce critic of the current government, rests on the government. There are strong allegations of state complicity in this assassination.”.
The LTTE and its media minions have capitalised on Raviraj’s killing. The overseas tiger media is going on ad nauseam about Raviraj. It is projected as a great loss to the Tamils. The state is being portrayed as anti – democratic for assassinating an elected representative of the Tamils. The “Sinhala” oppressors are being accused of promoting a culture of killing Tamil politicians. Raviraj is being depicted as an Eelam separatist patriot. The conferring of “Maamanithar” (great man) ward by LTTE chief Veluipllai Pirapakaran is described as the highest ever achievement of Raviraj. The tiger media constantly refer to him as “Maamanithar Raviraj”.
The LTTE leader makes glowing references to Raviraj in the citation issued in connection with the “Maamanithar” ward bestowed upon Raviraj post – humously. Pirapakaran observes thus – ” A great soul who carried the ideal of the liberation of our homeland as a burning flame in his heart has been made a victim of the Sinhala oppression.” The tiger supremo also says ” “he (Raviraj) whole heartedly accepted the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and their goals and served the nation. He contributed on several fronts in this freedom struggle”.
There is however a great hiatus between this LTTE rhetoric and the reality of who Raviraj was. The TNA was certainly functioning like an appendage of the LTTE but MP’s like Raviraj were not people who subscribed to the LTTE philosophy or goals. There was a convergence and similarity of views in certain respects but there was certainly no identity of interests between both. Due to political compulsions of broad Tamil unity and personal imperatives of physical security people like Raviraj went along with the LTTE but they were not tigers.
The LTTE leader describing Raviraj as one “accepting the LTTE goals ” and wanting ” the liberation of our homeland” is incorrect to say the least. Raviraj certainly felt deeply about the Tamil predicament and wanted the Tamil people to be free but he was not for separatism. He was a Tamil nationalist but not a racist or extremist. What Raviraj wanted was a united but federal Sri Lanka. He never ever subscribed to the LTTE slogan of “Puligalin Thagam Thamil Eelathayagam”.(The thirst of the tigers is the Tamil Eelam homeland).
Pronouncements and views expressed on ones deathbed or prior to death are treated as sacrosanct. Raviraj did not know that he was going to be shot at 8. 40 am and that he would die at 9. 20 am on Nov 10th. His final media interview was between 7. 30 – 8. 00 am that same morning . Some of the views he expressed then could be regarded as his last testament and will (in political terms”.
What does Raviraj tell “Derana”?
” The people in the north-east aspire to live together. They aspire for the merger of the two provinces, it is a basic human right of those people. In the ancient times, there were Sinhala and Tamil kingdoms in Sri Lanka. It is not new to our people. That is mainly an area of Tamils from ancient times. It does not mean that we want to divide the country. We believe that North and east be considered as a one unit. That should be the base if to find a solution to the ethnic crisis.”
“In 1947 when India achieved independence, Mohamed Ali Jinnah demanded Pakistan to be separated. We asked for 50-50 and then a Federal system and now the LTTE is fighting for separate state. However, as politicians we still believe in a united country”.
Those who know Raviraj intimately will realise that these words of Raviraj came from his heart. The LTTE leaders rhetorical statement may describe the dead MP as a separatist. But the real Raviraj was the man who boldly distanced himself from the LTTE on TV and said “It does not mean that we want to divide the country” and also observed ” now the LTTE is fighting for separate state. However, as politicians we still believe in a united country”. The rhetoric and reality are different.
LTTE propaganda makes out that Raviraj was a tiger in TNA garb. The reality however is that the evolution and early growth of Raviraj’s political career was steeped in anti – tiger politics. It was not the LTTE but the moderate TULF which Raviraj joined at the age of 25. His advent into Jaffna municipal politics was in courageous defiance of the LTTE. This column is appreciative of his courage in taking up municipal office in Jaffna after two TULF mayors and a would be mayor were assassinated by the LTTE. It was with great harship that Raviraj survived in those years living in fear of the LTTE.
Things changed! The TULF along with other Tamil parties formed the TNA and began toeing the LTTE line for political and physical survival. Even then Raviraj like his political mentor Veerasingham Aanandasangaree remained “independent” at heart. The first “crack” between Sangaree and the LTTE came when the TULF president issued an effective rejoinder to some insulting remarks made by Anton Balasingham about the party. Raviraj’s initial reaction was ” Annai katchiyin Maanathai Kaappatrineengal “(Elder brother you have saved the self – respect of the party) Yet circumstances compelled Raviraj to break with Sangaree and be subservient to the LTTE.
The LTTE and pro – LTTE rhetoric harps constantly on the “killing culture” (kolai Kalacharam) setting in as a result of state sponsored terror. Those with different political views are being killed by agents of the state.It is true that the state terror killings are exacting a heavy toll on the Tamil people and those perceived as being supportive of the LTTE are being gunned down.
The reality of the situation is that the culture of killing Tamils with different political opinion was ushered in not by the Sinhala dominated state but the LTTE. It began on July 25th when Jaffna mayor Alfred Duraiappah was shot dead at the Ponnalai Varatharajap Perumal temple. Pirapakaran has publicly claimed credit for the killing. From that day onwards the culture of killing those with different political views continues among Tamils. Other Tamil groups too have engaged and continue to engage in this practice. Yet the pioneers and the greatest exponents of this “culture”both qualitatively and quantitatively are the tigers.
LTTE and pro – LTTE rhetoric also laments about a democratically elected Tamil Parliamentarian being killed bu agents of the state. This certainly is true and the state deserves condemnation for this and other murders such as that of Joseph Pararajasingham. But again what is the reality? The LTTE has killed more Tamil MP’s and ex – MP’s , ex – DDC chairmen, ex – mayors etc than the state or other Tamil groups. Appapillai Amirthalingam, Vettrivelu Yogeswaran, Sam Thambimuthu, Arunasalam Thangathurai. MEM Maharoof, Neelan Tirichelvam, Nimalan Soundaranayagam, Yogasangari (EPRLF) Shanmuganathan (PLOTE) Sarojini Yogeswaran, Pon. Sivapalan, “Pottar” Nadarajah, Sambandamoorthy………
History is often distorted by the victors and powerful. The lesser narratives are submerged or obliterated by the greater narratives. The subaltern is overwhelmed by the dominant. The LTTE narrative about Raviraj depicts him as a tiger fighting for Tamil Eelam in Colombo. The Sinhala hawkish narrative portrays Raviraj as tiger stooge working against a united Sri Lanka while living in Colombo. Both sides “agree” on this being the cause of death.
As is the ironic case in extreme viewpoints both narratives seemingly converge in this instance.But what is the reality of the lesser narrative as opposed to this rhetorical greater narratives?
Raviraj lived and worked in Colombo. His bodyguard who died along with him was a Sinhala Policeman. Raviraj’s mother describes the bodyguard as “part of our pfamily” and laments about the dead cops wife and two young children.Raviraj’s teen aged daughter Praveena in speaking about her father says ” He thought the Sinhalese loved him and he loved them in turn. He didn’t see ethnic differences, but he saw that it was red blood which unites us all,” Raviraj’s wife Sashikala says about her husband ” He was a genuine, open person with a good heart who had close ties with people of all backgrounds.”
Peace activist and reputed columnist Jehan Perera describes Raviraj in a manner that may very well serve as his epitaph -
” Raviraj was a Tamil leader who helped to educate the non Tamil population about the perspectives of the Tamils and their sufferings. On Tuesday November 14 he had agreed to be a speaker at a Religious-Political Dialogue organised by several civic organisations. He was friendly with all, and always prepared to engage with others, even with those of a very different political mind set. Although the Sinhala language skills at his disposal were limited, he courageously made use of them to debate the representatives of the nationalist Sinhalese political parties and provide another perspective on current and national issues. With his killing this important avenue of information is likely to close for both the general public and the international community to whom he spoke with a measure of credibility.”
This then is the real Raviraj. These little narratives provide an insight as against the greater narratives of the LTTE and the anti – LTTE sections that distort reality.
Raviraj worked wih all sections of the people, involved himself in many issues and helped build bridges between the Tamils and other commuities. He was a connector of people and not a divider of communities.This is the difference between rhetoric and reality. The fact that a large gathering of people from diverse , multi – ethnic backgrounds paid their respects demonstrates that ordinary people understood that difference. Ravi’s death is a loss to us all and diminishes humanity.
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Entry Filed under: MinorMatters
