Pillayan’s reformation and the Eastern PC election
May 7th, 2008
By M.S.M. Ayub
The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led electoral front does not seem to be united in the issue as to who should be the Chief Minister, a Tamil or a Muslim in the event it wins the Eastern Provincial Council election scheduled for Saturday. This is a major issue discussed in the Tamil media in view of the composition of population in the province.
MLAM Hisbullah, the former deputy minister, who defected in the wake of the nominations for this election from the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) to the ruling UPFA, said soon after nominations were tendered that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was firm to have a Muslim as the Chief Minister. Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, the leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP), or Pilliyan Group, however stated at an election rally in Batticaloa on May Day that President Rajapaksa wants a Tamil Chief Minister for the Eastern Province.
At another rally on Monday he said that basically Provincial Councils are meant for Tamils, but some people unnecessarily raise the question as to who should be the Chief Minister, a Tamil or a Muslim. This reminds us of a news item published weeks ago in a website often critical of the Government saying that Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa has promised the Chief Minister post to both Pillayan and Hisbullah.
United National Party (UNP) led coalition has successfully averted such a difference of opinion on the Chief Minister post by an electoral pact between the UNP and the SLMC which stipulates that the candidate who will obtain most number of preferential votes will be appointed Chief Minister.
Since the agreement did not specify a member of any community for the post, and the coalition has three prominent SLMC leaders, Leader Rauff Hakeem, Chairman Basheer Segudawood and General Secretary Hassan Ali, in the fray, after resigning their parliamentary seats, it is widely rumoured that one of them would be appointed CM in the event the UNP would win. Despite the fact that the Eastern Province is the only province that has the potential to produce a Muslim Chief Minister it is clear that Muslim leaders in the province are not united as to whom among them should be the Chief Minister.
Apart from the CM issue LTTE’s possible resurfacing is another issue taken up in this election campaign, but understandably only by the UPFA-TMVP alliance. Government leaders discussed this matter at election rallies with the intention of translating the credit of liberating the Eastern Province from the grip of the LTTE into votes.
In fact the very campaign theme of the Government seems to be pointing to the LTTE “Goni Bila” and UPFA leaders attempt to identify the UNP led coalition with the LTTE. President Mahinda Rajapaksa said at the May Day rally held this time in Dehiattakandiya, the farthest place in the North and East from the conflict area, that the LTTE might raise its head again in the east in the event UNP wins this election. Given the UNP’s relative soft attitude towards the LTTE and its criticism of the recent war effort of the Government, President Rajapaksa’s remarks might have some bearing on the Sinhalese villages in the East who were invariably harassed by the LTTE atrocities.This might be one of very few messages that are likely to be fruitful in influencing voters though the political hype or the “Rella” has a bigger say in addressing the voters.
Some ministers argue as another campaign issue that the party in power in the centre must take control of the provincial councils as it was the central government that allocates funds to the provincial councils for their various development projects. By the very argument those ministers admit that their administration in the centre is far from good governance and they convey a message to the world by implication that if a party other than theirs comes to power in the province their administration in the centre will discriminate against it.
This is not a new ploy by a ruling party. It was one of the main trump cards played by the ruling UNP led by Late President JR Jayewardene during the District Development Councils (DDC) elections in 1981. Then the JVP leaders who contested the DDC election retorted that if that was the case UNP must be defeated for the very reason and for the sake of a just society- Dharmishta Samajaya, JR Jayewardene’s motto- not only at the district level but also at the national level.
UNP’s main campaign theme has been the accusation against the Government and the Pillayan group for harassing other parties during the campaign. As most observers anticipated the Provincial Council election in the East is far different compared to the Batticaloa Local Government election where complaints on violence and malpractices were minimal. Already election monitors have expressed fear that violence may erupt on the election day.
However election monitoring has been seemingly politicized and divided this time and two monitoring bodies seem to represent the two main parties. There had been more than one monitoring body sometime back too, but they did not seem divided on political lines, but cooperated with each other instead as in the case with PAFFREL and CMEV.
The recent division among the monitoring bodies came to the surface following the Local Government election in Batticaloa district on March 10.Most people, particularly people representing the opposition parties argued that Pillayan group would use their weapons and anticipated a situation similar to that of North Western (Wayamba) Provincial Council election in January, 1999 when the supporters of the opposition were brutally harassed.
Contrary to their prophesies only some thirty odd election related complaints had been lodged in police stations during the LG polls in Batticaloa and it was seen as relatively a violence free election. When the main local monitoring organization issued the report on the election the main opposition, the UNP criticized it claiming that it sided with the Government and soon emerged another organization consisting mainly Government critics on its hierarchy. Thus we are sometimes going to have two conflicting reports after the election.
Almost all except a few allegations on harassment during this election campaign have been levelled against the Pillayan group. It is going to adversely reflect on their future. For the Pillayan Group this is not merely an election, but a process that would take them far beyond the election. Pillayan at a meeting held in Batticaloa on May Day amidst the election campaign, made a request, which was very vital in respect of democracy, although most champions of democracy ignored it or did not take it into consideration. He wanted all political parties to help his organization to transform itself into a democratic movement.
In spite of the question as to how much this plea was genuine it reminds the political parties that claim that they are keen to solve the ethnic problem one of their paramount duties. However most so-called anti- war activists are unfortunately not on good terms with Karuna- Pillayan group ironically for they have stopped the war with the Government forces. Also they are not as sympathetic towards the TMVP as they are towards the LTTE which is not prepared to accept anything short of Tamil Eelam.
If the Pillayan group can win at least the majority of the Tamil votes in the East this time, it will boost the confidence in their cadres in the democratic process. On the other hand the sense of indignation in their cadres, in case they could not win the majority of the Tamil votes, will sometimes turn them again towards the AK 47 and T56. Also it will further mount their confidence in weapons if they win some seats using them or capitalizing fear of other parties in their weapons. Therefore the Pillayan group’s transformation is not purely on others hands; they too must have a genuine desire to be transformed.
Pillayan’s request cannot be considered to be genuine in the light of some reports from Batticaloa which points to the terrific behavior of his group. They had assaulted a group of JVPers who had been engaged in putting up posters in Akkaraipattu area days ago and it has been complained that they had used the much talked about weapons to intimidate them.
Apart from transforming Pillayan group into a democratic movement the Eastern Provincial Council election is one step forward in Government’s effort to politically banish secessionism from the country. It further politically distances the eastern Province people from their Northern brethren and would be become a wedge in Tamil Homeland concept which includes Northern and Eastern provinces. If Eastern people are prepared to tell the northern hegemonic politicians to mind their own business by way of establishing a separate provincial administration and run their affairs independently no politicians have the right to call for merger of those two provinces any further. And a sizable credit must go in that event to the JVP and the JHU which were instrumental in legally de-merging the two provinces. [dailymirror.lk]
Entry Filed under: transCurrents NewsFeatures
9 Comments Add your own
1. Naga UK | May 8th, 2008 at 2:58 am
Some statements made at the spur of the moment are self-defeating and contradictory by the same grou members leading to confusion in the minds of the voters. People will have to take them with a pich of salt - if indeed the people do have a say, so to speak on this matter.
“Here we may reign secure, an my choice
To reign is worth ambition, though in hell:
Better to reign in hell, than serve in the heav’n”
- John Milton, Paradise Lost.
Indeed we are losing a country that has had all the eligibilities for a “Pararise” on earth, thanks to our mis-leaders!
2. Sinhalese | May 8th, 2008 at 5:19 am
I don’t how JVP can complain about Pilleyan attacking them? They were attacking every body who were doing elections in 1988 -1989 even killing them. Did Somawansha apologised for any of that atrocities? And then JVP keep attacking Wimal and his gang continuously? Oh now they are in receiving end and cry foul.
I Think Pilleyan and TMVP deserve to win this Provisional elections against all these cheaters from UNP+SLMC axis and born again democratic JVP. Eastern Tamils should be given the chance and best way to get that is TMVP. I urge all eastern friends to vote for them. There are no other credible Tamil party there. Tamil cheiff minister a must to end this cycle of violence.
3. Naga UK | May 8th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
The message coming from the east is not so palatable in terms of ethnic harmony or whatever left of it, especially between the Tamils and Muslims, not to mention the Sinhalese. A vicious plot to enlarge the divide between the communities had been unleashed. All the political leaders of all communities should share the responsibility for this. The plot is very clear for the discerning. The ruling party or cocktail of parties wants to create a melee. It tells the Tamils ‘You are the one that deserves to be the ruler of the PC administrations’ They swallowed it ‘hook, line and sinker’ and begin to have dreams, and they quietly sneak to the Muslims the opposite supported by contradictory statements by other political heavy-weights. At best, they are initially confused and at worst they take on each other’s throat!
This is what has happened today and they will walk away with the spoils, which is flaming the hard sentiments already prevailing between the Tamils and Muslims. UNP would not be too unhappy about it given its past history either. The sentiments hitherto between these communities had been akin to what once JFK said ‘ ‘Forgive your enemies and don’t forget their names.’ This does it!
The fundamental problem of coexistence between the two communities had always been the ‘land grab’. Muslims historically were given the option of settling down in vacant lands between Tamil villages and the expansion of areas of Muslim settlements was fast and furious for obvious reasons. The fact that they had the inclination to live as a closely knit society initially tempted them to buy the adjoining lands at attractive, if not exorbitant prices resulted in enormous pressure on the adjoining Tamil villages.
When tactics of buying at attractive prices failed, leaders of sorts sprang up among the Muslims creating dissentions resulting in riots and torching homes used to be the usual practice with handsome offers to drive away the Tamils in some areas to safer havens. Leaders from Tamil community also sprang up to counter the so called atrocities and eventual confrontations. I used to be an eye witness to some of these happenings. Places like Karavahu are a typical example. What used to be a typical Tamil (Hindu) village is no more! Now it is part of Sainthamaruthu as a division. In fact the historical Vigneshwara temple of ‘Karavahu’ that was venerated by all Hindus in Eastern Province at one time was converted initially into a ‘BEEF STALL’ and currently stands as a mosque of sorts. Several riots, torching and killing had taken place to achieve this. This has left an indelible mark between the two communities.
Then came the ‘Pure Muslim’ theories orchestrated by the new political Muslim leaders and the subsequent ‘Jihad’ movement to which Sinhala Governments gave more than enough support salivating on the possible easy colonization and ‘Sinhala Land Grab’ that lead to a head-on collision with my beloved friend late Mr. Ashraff and Ven. .late Soma Hamuduruwo where Ashraff scored an undigestable lot.. Mr. Ashraff as much as I liked him so much, he had no alternative but to turn hooligans like ‘Kitchil & co’ a well known rowdy clan who murdered Tamils openly in the borders of Kalmunai town to counter the Tamils that lead to the divide expanding further.
The purists referred to above went on to destroy the ‘Kadatkarai Palliwasal’ or the concept thereof, that stood as a monument and reminiscent of the mothers of current Muslims who in fact were Tamils and Hindus and respected both by Hindus as well as Muslims attendant with practices common to Hinduism and Islam where Muslim females could go to this mosque and pray as opposed to the conventional Arabic mosques. This was a thorn in the new Islamic Practices coming into surface notwithstanding that their mothers of bygone era came from Tamil Hindu communities to which there is still evidence of ‘Kudivazhamai’ most of the Muslims are steadfastly clinging onto no matter what the newly emerging fundamentalists want to propagate. Remarkably the so called ‘Kudivazhamai’ is similar to that is practiced among the Hindus. In the Tamil culture in EP, they are ‘Sonahakkudi’, ‘Sinhala Kudi’ etc depicting the coherence of these communities of yore. Unfortunately this is dwindling for political reasons.
In my view, take the religious part away from the East, we are all Tamils, we speak Tamil. We have had great Tamil poets from the Muslim communities not so long ago. Only the religion makes the difference. It is disheartening to not that even among the Muslims there are further divisions of ‘Sunni’ and so forth. The recent incidents in Kattankudy setting off sect violence among Muslims are not a palatable development.
We are all Tamils notwithstanding religions. We have a common enemy, not in the name of Buddhists but with Sinhalese who want to exploit these minor differences. This has been happening for decades. Let’s get together and share and bear whatever we have and teach a lesson to those who want to exploit us! Let’s get together and form a unit of devolution demonstrating ‘we’ are there and we can make it work!
4. aratai | May 8th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Whether it’s Pillaiyan or Hisbullah who cares, the Army Chief is the real Chief Minister.
5. samuel | May 8th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
The Pillayan Group as a part of the Karuna Group were responsible for the kidnapping of 14 workers of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation, just beyond the Welikanda military checkpoint in 2006.
Nine were released but the rest were killed - one, a female, after being gangraped.
Earlier, the Karuna group are allegged to have killed 600 policemen during President Premadasa’s time.
At the Feb.22/23 2006 Geneva Peace Talks the Chief Government Delegate, with the concurrence of political,legal,constitutional & military experts who were with him, agreed that the “GoSL will ensure that no armed group or persons other than government security forces would be allowed to carry arms or conduct armed operations”
But this has not happened to this day and the UPFA is contesting the election along with the Pillayan Group..
Hence this is anything but a free and fair election.
6. r.veera | May 8th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Hi every one,
You all have to be patient, our brave tamils teach a good lesson for sinhala mercinaries.
all you have to do wait wait until the results.
We will never accept any thing shrt of tamil ealam, there is no alternative, we tamils desrve better.
7. R.Goonetilake | May 9th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
What I cannot understand is that the writers in this forum and the comments posted by others, all have forgotten that
Pillayan was with LTTE and was killing SL Forces and SRI LANKAN citizens.
How on earth a DEMOCRATICALLY elected GOVT can make pact with TMVP?
When karuna Split from LTTE, the first thing the GOSL/SL Forces should have done is to ARREST them and TRY them under the laws of Lanka.
The worst things is, if UPFA win the elections, By the stuffing that’s going on, they will win. Then, hisullah made CM. Then, Pillayan will work with LTTE.
This will happen very soon. just like Karuna got biffed out, Rajapakshe would try to do the same to Pillyaan. Well, Pillyaan knows this very well and is prepared too…
By this the Eastern Liberation would hve come full circle. DUMB.
Put the TMVP on the deck and serve justice. People of the east will choose democratically, whoever they want to be their representatives..
8. Ratnam Ganesh | May 9th, 2008 at 10:03 pm
Hi
Why not we think or talk about an efficient Chief Minister.Be it Sinhalese,Tamil or Muslim.What is the Point? Are we talking in terms of Ethnicity again and create another July83.This time in the East. ? or Someone who can Run a provincial Govt. effectively and diffuse the tension and bring peace and economically sustainable?
Whatever said and done the Central Govt. will Manipulate the outcome of the provincial government.Can peace,Justice and abscence of fear be achieved in the East.Or this another ploy to make matters worse?
9. Naga UK | May 11th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Hi, Ratnam Ganesh
I must agree with you about the future of east or any other part of the country rather than thinking of licking the wounds and bracing for revenge etc. We must build up a mindset to turn defeats into victory and victory into product social service.
No matter who holds the post of CM – irrespective of his qualifications, he must have the basic ability get the right people to do the right job and prove it to the rest of the country that he can deliver the goods.
The trick lies in getting the right people to do it without resorting to nepotism or gratifying those who towed the line for other reasons – sacrifice necessitated in the best interest of the majority.
We know for a fact, that the Central Administration and the Provincial Administrations in the rest of the country are breaking at their seams with corruption, inefficiency, nepotism, lack of transparency and absence of accountability – free-for-all economy.
If the maiden Eastern PC could show a semblance of distancing itself from these tendencies, half the job is done. A fat hope? So be it!
There is no harm in dreaming. But given the benefit of doubt, even if the new administration wants to do it, how can it be achieved?
Take a careful look at the election results. What are the voters saying? Look at the number of rejected votes. Are they saying that they do not believe in any of the major parties? The majority of postal votes- supposedly from educated lot clearly gives the indication that they cannot accept the system.
What one has to do is to demonstrate to them this can work provided the right agenda of the elected is put in place. They may have been called names by vested interest in the past. Now their destiny has been handed to them into their own hands.
What they are going to do with would decide their future and THEY MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER IT IF THEY ARE TO PLITICALLY SURVIVE!
It would be prudent to look at the agenda of the Government in this process. The way the government heavy-weights behaved is more than despicable.
If this is the trend the Universal Franchise taking in Sri Lanka, it is becoming more and more meaningless to say the least. Reminds me of a programme in the DISCOVERY channel of a pack of wolves (the government machinery) devouring on an animal (democracy in this case) dying in Sri Lanka. For the literal wolves here it represents their own survival. The victim is the democracy.
The UNP for its part has started whining for its able gangsters like SB had been put out of action by CBK & Co for which MR should be grateful. Ranil, with his outstanding ‘soft-speaking’ political image (he thinks he is contesting in the UK or USA and expects the majority to understand) has forgotten or ignored his priorities.
Ranil when he became the Prime Minister he appointed Dayaratne as the Health Minister that baffled everyone. Even as a Minister befitting his qualifications as an Electrical Engineer earlier he did nothing to write home about. As a Health Minister he was less than nothing. I am still trying to sort out what he did have in his mind putting him there in the first place. He messed up everything.
Blunders of this sort keep Ranil suffocated for which he has to blame only himself.
His grass-roots in the Pradheshiya Sabha levels are the worst rascals violating all norms of justice and fair-play. Under these circumstances he is unlikely to get people believe his words. He has to look into this first if he has to go ahead with his western plans. Be a Roman when you are in Rome!
So, be it Pillayan or Hisbulla or whoever. Remember this is the bread-basket of the country. Every possible, imaginable resource is available. You have the responsibility to make or break. Forget who manipulated to get you there, you have your own future and that of the people in your hands. DO NOT LET THEM DOWN AND WIN MORE ENEMIES TO YOUR SIDE.
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