transcurrents

Mervyn: The Man who United Up Country Tamil Parties

August 9th, 2005

Helen of Troy succeeded in uniting the warring Greeks in common cause against Troy to regain her
from Paris.

Mervyn Silva the hero of Hambantota has succeeded in uniting Up Country Tamil political parties in
common cause against him.

It was fair Helen’s beautiful “face” according to Marlowe “that launched a thousand ships”.

In Mervyn’s case it was his caustic “loose” tongue that launched a five thousand protesters in
Colombo on August 8th.

The Ruhunu Puthra has been a source of mirth and amusement for all Sri Lankans from the time he
entered Parliament. Now the deputy minister of Labour relations and Foreign Employment has
demonstrated that there is some good in him too. He has succeeded in bringing Arumugam
Thondaman, Priyasamy Chandrasekeran, Mano Ganesan, MS Sellasamy. V Puthirasigamani, Muthu
Sivalingam and a host of lesser known Up Country Tamil political leaders to the streets of Colombo in
protest demanding Silvas removal or resignation.

The demonstration was jointly organized by the Ceylon Workers Congress, Up Country Peoples Front
and Western Province Peoples Front. Others like Vasudeva Nanayakkara and members of the TNA
and UNP too participated. Many shops in Pettah and Kotahena were shut.The protesters assembled in
Fort and marched to Kollupitiya.Efforts to present a petition directly to the President failed. Premier
Mahinda Rajapakse however met some of the protesters and received a memorandum directly.He
promised to deliver it to cabinet and urge follow up action. “We will not allow any one to insult others on
the basis of their race and religion,” he told the demonstrators

But Mervyn made of sterner stuff was unfazed. The man who refused to tender an apology for his
insulting remarks continues to be defiant.
” I am not afraid of any protests made against me by anyone, I am a true Sinhalese” he told Norman
Palihawadene of the “Island”.” I did not insult the Indian people but the UNP is behind all these
demonstrations” he charged.

It all began when Malaka Manoj the mighty son of Mervyn showed off his martial prowess at a five star
hotel in Colombo. “Mama Mervynge Putha” he thundered when punching some narcotics busting
Policemen.

The Police narcotics bureau filed charges and the case was heard initially at the Fort Magistrates court.
The valiant father of the valiant son was at the courts too. He picked a quarrel with some journalists at
the court premises and launched a verbal tirade.

According to journalists Mervyn Silva tried to assault Surenthiran the “Virakesari” staff photographer.
His choicest abuse was reserved for journalists of MYV. Sakthi and Sirasa. Apparently Mervyn was
annoyed by a Sisira TV sound byte concerning his son aired the previous night.

After pitching in right royally Mervyn took on “Maharajahs Organization” the owners of all MTV, Sakthi
and Sisira. Assuming in his infinite ignorance that Maharajahs was “Indian” Mervyn put his foot in his
mouth truly, madly and deeply. The founding family of Maharajahs was not from India but from
Sandilipay in Jaffna. They are very much the children of Sri Lankan soil like Mervyn and like the deputy
minister did not need visas to stay in the Island.

This point however was of no consequence to Mervyn who seldom gets his facts correct. Perhaps he
thought these Maharajahs were related to the Air India Maharajah !He proceeded to warn Maharajahs
harshly in undisguised racist overtones.

” Those cursed immigrants of Indian origin. This is Sri Lanka. Those who came from foreign countries
and are exploiting those living in the country, cannot live here the way they want to,” Silva ranted
referring to the Maharaja Organisation.

” Go tell the top people, the Maharajas, that if they want their visas to Sri Lanka to be cancelled, then
ask them to clash with me. Those cursed immigrants,” he raved. Unfortunately for Mervyn his
threatening remarks were unknown to him being duly recorded for posterity’s benefit.

This was not the first time that Mervyn shot his mouth off and it certainly wont be the last time either.
Leopards dont change spots nor tigers their stripes. The Mervyns of this world do not change their
ways nor fools their folly.

Even Mervyn had gone a little too far this time or so it seemed.

Initially it was the journalistic fraternity that took umbrage against the deputy ministers antics. A one
hour demonstration was held opposite the Fort railway station by journalists. Placards were waved and
slogans raised that Mervyn should apologise to the media and respect media freedom.

Soon the issue went out from the realm of media freedom. The matter became part of the politics of
racism. All Sri Lankans except for the Vedhas, Burghers and Malays share a common Indian heritage.
Sadly those of more recent Indian origin have been victimised by those whose ancestors came set foot
here earlier. Their citizenship was cancelled and franchise denied. Various agreements were signed
without their representatives being consulted. Families were uprooted arbitrarily and transplanted on
Indian soil.

The Plantation Tamils or Up Country Tamils as they are called remain the most backward and most
exploited ethnic community in the Island. Theirs is a pathetic plight despite toiling for centuries in the
tea and rubber estates. They were stigmatised as illegal immigrants and stateless people. “kallathoni”
was a racial slur employed against them.

Mervyn Silva hit a raw nerve when he erroneously referred to the Indian ancestry of the Maharajahs.
Community based organizations began reacting against the perceived “anti Indian” remarks of Mervyn.
Area branches of trade unions began passing resolutions condemning it. Tamil political leaders began
criticising Mervyn. Letters were sent to Mervyn, the SLFP and President Kumaratunga.

Western Province Peoples Front leader and Colombo district MP Mano Ganesan wrote a strong letter.
Representations were also made to the Indian High Commission urging intervention as the national
honour of India was compromised.

A public apology was demanded. Action against Mervyn was called for.

The man who claims that the blood of Dutugemunu runs in his veins remained unrepentantly “dutu”. It
would have been graceful and dignified to have apologized. The matter would have ended there. But
Mervyn refused to do so.

Instead he expressed regrets in his own clownishly convoluted style
Mervyn sent a letter of apology to Mano Ganesan, leader of the Western Province Peoples’ Front;. He
said he did not mean to hurt the Indian Origin Tamils.

Later, on another public occasion, Silva said that he respected the people of Indian origin and added
that like the Tamils, the majority Sinhala community were also immigrants from India.

“The Sinhala community to which I belong are Aryan immigrants from North India. I was an Indian in my
last birth,” he said, displaying his Indian connection.

But he adamantly refused to withdraw his idiotic remarks and tender an unqualified public apology..

Meanwhile neither President Kumaratunga nor the party hierarchy showed any sign of reprimanding
Mervyn or making amends. For the Bandranaikes this man was a sycophantic joker not to be taken
seriously. They may have even relished his unfettered slavishness. The way he backs out from their
presence, prostrating himself at Chandrikas feet, offering a perfumed “present” to Anura etc were all
indicators of this.

In fairness to the President she may have thought that no one on earth would have taken Mervyn
seriously. She may have never have imagined that “apey” Mervyn was worthy of being a target of a
massive protest demonstration.

But then this is what Jawarhalal Nehru thought too when he described the pronouncements of Dravidian
patriarch “Eeveraa” Periyaar as “nonsense”. The Dravidian followers felt insulted and launched a
massive protest compelling Nehru to apologise gracefully.

Likewise the Up Country parties too seem to have given Mervyn an importance he hardly deserved.

There are many serious issues facing the up Country Tamils. Reasonable wages, adequate work
hours, housing, schooling, sanitation, child labour, security etc are but some. Then there is the Kotmale
project.

The Up Country Tamil parties have taken up different stances at different times. They are yet to form a
united front to address these serious issues facing the plantation proletariat.

But they were able to protest unitedly and vehemently over Mervyn. Truly Silva has achieved the
impossible.

The poor plantation people can only hope that the unity achieved to avenge an insult will continue and
help redress the fundamental grievances of livelihood.

But let us wait and see whether some action will be taken against Mervyn or whether the issue will
simply fade away.

With elections around the corner the Mervyn issue seems to be one that all Up Country Tamil parties
would focus on. Other weighty matters require solutions that these parties cannot deliver. But Mervyn is
one big punching bag for everybody to take a whack.

Who knows the issue may even bring all Up Country parties to the UNP fold for the next polls.

No one knows whether Mervyn Silva will be penalised in any way for his remarks. But one thing we know
he will be with us not only in this birth but in the births to come too.
As he told a press conference – Should he be killed, however, he would like to be reborn in Sri Lanka
“in this holy land”– as none other than Mervyn Silva.

Until Mervyn transcends “Sansara” Sri Lankas destiny is intertwined with that of his.

Entry Filed under: MinorMatters