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Sri Lanka president-elect drops running mate from prime minister job
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Fairplay
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 20 Nov 2005 21:55:19 GMT Report for Abuse
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Dear Ms.Gaja,
I am very much interested in knowing your thinking behind what Mr.Expatpulli refers to as Colombo Tamils having an edge over NE Tamils. Could you please read what he has written under the thread Latest Summary Results.
Your opinion could be very different to mine and that is appreciated.
Thank you.
Fairplay |
Gaja
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 20 Nov 2005 22:33:27 GMT Report for Abuse
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Ok Fairplay. Will do so and come back to you
Thank you deeply
love
gaja |
Gaja
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20 Nov 2005 22:35:56 GMT Report for Abuse
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Thank you Bonggo for the response. I felt that your reference to the family affluence of Mahinda and Ranil was an expression that money influenced status. It does with those who do not invest in principles.
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Gaja
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20 Nov 2005 22:51:01 GMT Report for Abuse
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Dear Fairplay,
Expatpuli has brought out many 'internal' facts amongst the Tamils. If Tamils get a separate State, they would divide on this basis. That division will happen wherever there is subjective decision making.
It's true that Colombo Tamils tended to think they were superior to Jaffna Tamils - the same way White Australians thought they were superior to Aborigines and expat Tamil thinks in relation to resident Sri Lankan Tamil. To a degree this is based on money and fashion, which includes fluency in English language. Expatpuli - if he is Oldpuli -himself is not likely to feel this with resident Sri Lankan Tamil. But majority expat Tamils would and do feel superior to the individuals they meet in Sri Lanka.
It is not all the fault of the majority - the one who 'looks' superior on the basis of money and position. It is also the person who 'looks' inferior. It is alright to 'look' inferior for a common purpose. But it is wrong to feel inferior. It takes much maturity and determination to not feel inferior in an overpowering presence of someone who looks superior.
Money based superiority or inferiority is the most temporary type of difference. It is also the most mobile type. It is a good tool to use when one is careful to not compromise on standards and higher values. Gandhi did not use this at all. I do when I find that the other side is driven by money. I have enjoyed material pleasures and hence am comfortable with the use of money. As an accountant I have also learnt the skills to use it effectively and within the laws governing the material world.
Colombo Tamils tended to build their own world in Colombo with little connection to the current thinking of their origins in Jaffna. They are like the Tamils here in Sydney who send largely their money back to Sri Lanka but very little of their core time. My response today to Nada under 'latest summary results' includes a letter to Jaffna College Alumni here in Sydney - which shows up that disconnection - especially by older members of our community. This is what happened in Colombo also.
It is not easy to live physically in two worlds. It's like having two wives who are almost equal to you in the material world. It's alright to have more than one wife until the collective power of those wives is equal to you. Any more than that will overpower you. Likewise, involvement in activities outside the core activity here in Australia. If Colombo Tamils had invested equally in Jaffna, Tigers would not have had a legitimate mandate for their war and now to be funded by expatriate Tamils. Only those Tamils who contribute to their countries of residence through core activities - give this legitimate status to their people in other parts of the world. Otherwise they would be cheating their new country to help their old country. This is wrong because the money comes from the core social welfare system of these richer countries that help us not worry about the poor here.We must therefore first make our contribution to that base that facilitates our 'hobbies'. Those who earn in the middle east and other countries without the citizenship status have the right to send back as much as they want to, without participating in the political and base system of that country. Likewise those who come purely on employment and business status.
Most Tamils have come here on the basis of permanent security - especially in old age. They have a primary obligation to first contribute to this system - directly through their work and / or through their hobbies. Then and only then should they seek to help those back home. It is like young married couples helping their parents. What we do not do at family level, should not be done at national level except objectively for specific purpose only.
During the time of JCCP - a forum similar to this managed by Japanese, I honoured a Colombo Tamil - my aunt Mrs Pathma Sanmugaraja when she passed away. Her husband was the head of Ceylon Electricity Board. Unlce Shan was passionate about our voting rights and he urged us to exercise our votes. He also was courageous enough to protect many of us during the 1958 riots. He did not seek the assistance of others to do this but led himself and his family and friends to protect themselves. He also refused to leave Colombo during the riots. My father shifted us to Jaffna. I therefore attribute much of the base of my Colombo life to Uncle Shan and Aunt Pathma. Hence the tribute I wrote when my aunt passed away. But a strong Tiger supporter writing from USA was strongly against this. He could not let me have space in the forum that he could not have had. It was not on individual basis - but on the basis of their commitment to Colombo life.
Tamils such as Expatpuli need to appreciate this about Colombo Tamils. They gave the base for Jaffna Tamils to later move to Colombo. Had they gone back to Jaffna after the 1958 riots, there would have been no refuge to come to.
Jaffna Tamil also sees Trinco and Batticaloa Tamil as being inferior to himself. It's a kind of caste system built on educational standards. To the extent they are on the basis of practiced principles, they are right. Beyond that they are equal to or worse than money based grading.
In all instances it takes both sides to give it form. Until recently, I gave those in higher positions the higher respect. This happened to be White-Australians here. In Sri Lanka I did not work in public service and hence I was not conscious of the race factor except during civil riots. Not one Sinhalese or White Australian who knows me has attacked me as an individual.
Part of the problem was also expatpuli who does not want to look beyond his world. Within his world Oldpuli is a beautiful person.
love
gaja
Edited By - Gaja - 20 Nov 2005 23:22:48 GMT |
Fairplay
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21 Nov 2005 15:15:35 GMT Report for Abuse
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Dear Ms.Gaja,
Thank you very much for a rapid response. This shows how much you care to preserve the understanding amongst Tamils.
I certainly hope that another one of our brethren does not come up with some other issue differentiating between Tamils from everywhere in Sri Lanka.
Expatpuli is UNAWARE that even Mr.Chandrasekeran of Upcountry Tamils is supportive of the NE Tamils.
Fairplay
Edited By - Fairplay - 21 Nov 2005 15:16:12 GMT |
Gaja
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21 Nov 2005 21:20:18 GMT Report for Abuse
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Thank you Fairplay for the expressions of appreciation. You find on both sides, people who are driven by only what they know directly. It's like the blind men and the elephant story. If I touch and feel the leg of the elephant - that leg is the elephant for me. Likewise for the Jaffna Tamil to whom Jaffna is Sri Lanka.
It's when they stretch it artificially to apply to all Tamils in Sri Lanka that they are wrong. One person could be Colombo Tamil for some issues and Jaffna Tamil for others. Then we must talk Objectively or limit our discussions to that part only - for example the leg of the elephant only. It's like a direct narrow route to our destination without any other distractions on the way. But the moment we keep adding others on the way, we dilute our focus and hence may never reach our destination - but accept something less on the way.
The physically driven must strictly keep to the narrow path - not seeing or hearing anything else. If they seek to expand before reaching the Truth / Spirit - they ought to do so laterally - so they have company on the way.
The intellectually driven on the other hand are able to lose consciousness of the physical barriers - based on time and space - and hence are able to think about the whole at the higher level. The indicator is their lesser attachment to physical level wins and losses - pleasures and pain. They grow up vertically.
Thank you for appreciating.
love
gaja
Edited By - Gaja - 22 Nov 2005 03:38:06 GMT |
Gaja
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22 Nov 2005 03:40:39 GMT Report for Abuse
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Fairplay,
Thank you deeply for appreciating.
love
gaja |
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