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Pillaiyan, Prabhakaran and Angulimala A Vesak thought
Monday, 19 May 2008 - 4:45 AM SL Time
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What unfolded at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday had the trappings of a story in the Buddhist literature. Pillaiyan, a former terrorist who had been instrumental in unleashing violence against people, transmogrified into a democratically elected chief minister tasked with looking after the interests of the very populace he had once helped his erstwhile boss keep under the gun. Buddhist monks at his swearing-in ceremony blessed him and tied pirith nool round his wrist. Ironically, a decade back, his former organisation, the LTTE, had massacred about thirty Buddhist monks, including Samaneras at Aranthalawa in the Eastern Province.
One is reminded of Angulimala, who went on a killing spree at the behest of his guru to make a garland with his victims fingers, only to be tamed and transformed by the Buddha, whose life he sought to take finally, into a good human being again.
The universe is in a state of flux and people keep changing. However, in some cases, old habits die hard and Pillaiyan may still be influenced by his past experience. But, he has proved he is capable of becoming a normal human being and he needs assistance and encouragement.
Sadly, even after he has entered the political mainstream and qualified to become a chief minister, some politicians are on a vilification campaign against him. In so doing, they contradict their position that the best solution to the conflict the country is embroiled in is to share political power with those dependent on terrorism to achieve their political ends. Why is it that the proponents of a political solution to be evolved through negotiations and devolution are trying to pillory Pillaiyan and his group and drive them back into jungles? How can anyone who condemns Pillaiyan even after his entry into democratic politics invite Prabhakaran to accept a political solution? Such double standards militate against their much flaunted commitment to a negotiated settlement.
The May 10 election where Pillaiyan was returned with the highest number of preferential votes was certainly not perfect. But, it was, no doubt, much better than the 1982 Referendum that the UNP used to extend the term of its government without losing its five-sixth majority and the 1999 Wayamba PC polls under the SLFP-led PA government the worst ever election this country has had so far. We hadn t had anything charitable to say about Pillaiyan until he started releasing child soldiers in his ranks but as for election violence, rigging etc. we wonder how anyone who didn t oppose notorious criminals contracted by the UNP and the SLFP to terrorise the South during elections in the past, could seek to give Pillaiyan a bad name and hang him.
Greed begets sorrow and fear. Fourteen years before Pillaiyan became Chief Minister of the East, Prabhakaran had an opportunity to become Chief Minister of the Northern Province without an election, in 1994 Pillaiyan must have been a 16-year old child combatant in the LTTE at that time. President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga offered the entire North to him sans any elections for a period of ten years, if he agreed to eschew violence. He not only contemptuously rejected her offer but also plunged the country back into war in 1995. Had he been wise enough to overcome greed, accept that offer, give up violence and rule the North democratically, he may have been able to become Chief Minister of the North and East both and gain more devolution, with the passage of time. (He could also have become the first Chief Minister of the North-East Province, if he had subscribed to the 13th Amendment and contested the PC polls in 1988.) Remember President Kumaratunga, who genuinely believed in devolution by way of a solution, took a tremendous political gamble by offering to establish regional councils, which went way beyond the existing Provincial Councils in terms of power sharing. Prabhakaran had rejected her proposal before it was shot down in Parliament. Thus, he missed an opportunity to save thousands of lives of his combatants, the members of the armed forces and civilians and prevented the country from beating swords into ploughshares.
What has Prabhakaran achieved today?
He has proved greed and hatred don t pay. He is trapped in an area encompassing less than two districts with no hope of bouncing back unlike in the past. A foray by the military into Kilinochchi is hanging like the sword of Damocles over him. Today, we report that two of his top Tigers of the calibre of the renegade military commander Karuna have perished at the hands of the army long rangers operating behind the lines. He is getting badly beaten at his own game. He may try to avenge the loss of his colleagues by taking a target elsewhere but his terrorism is not going to pay dividends in a country which has learnt to live with it. This country has survived even a killer tsunami and many people have forgotten the year of its occurrence. The same goes for dastardly terror strikes which are far too many for the people to remember.
We only hope that sanity will prevail and Prabhakaran soften his stand helping avoid a bloodbath in the Wanni. Sometimes, there are things that teachers should not hesitate to learn from pupils. It is no shame for Prabhakaran to learn from Pillaiyan how to transmute bullets into ballots.
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Roshan2007
Joined: Dec 2006
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 19 May 2008 12:18:58 GMT Report for Abuse
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| JHU asking Muslims (who always backed GOSL) to go to KSA, while Pilliyan who was part of terrorist organisation responsible of so many atrocities against Sri Lanka are welcomed in Dalada Maligawa. |
Magnum357
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 19 May 2008 12:50:19 GMT Report for Abuse
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sanity will prevail and Prabhakaran soften his stand helping avoid a bloodbath in the Wanni
Sweet dreams! |
gajaba55
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 19 May 2008 14:41:28 GMT Report for Abuse
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Appointing Pillayan as chief minister of the East is the biigest step towards eradicating terrorism. This shows that there is no ethnic problem in the country. Now he has to prove that Tamils themselves are truly concerned about their own people.By doing so he can eliminate the suffering they had for years due to LTTE factor.East can flourish again using the new developments that are on the way.A big salute to the president and the masterminds behind the whole operation.
Ruwan |
nava
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19 May 2008 15:03:27 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Now pillian should try to get the maximum coorparation from Hisabulla to develope eastern province to give a better life to all who suuferred all these years. mahen. |
Senaa
Joined: May 2008
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 20 May 2008 17:40:25 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Sri lanka is becoming a land of killing.(LTTE,INFLATION,EAST TIGERS,UNPLANED WAR) |
Gaja
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 20 May 2008 21:52:20 GMT Report for Abuse
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Sometimes, there are things that teachers should not hesitate to learn from pupils.
Provided pupils in substance have demonstrated their higher authority. It should not be for quick benefits.
It is no shame for Prabhakaran to learn from Pillaiyan how to transmute bullets into ballots.
Ultimately it is not about Prabakaran's ego but about the dignity of the People they believe they are representing. As per my observations, Tamils of North are more independent than Tamils of Batticaloa. The solutions cannot be extended indiscriminately especially given that the two areas now stand divided. To the extend GOSL firmed up that division, it has to work harder to find a different solution for North.
As we sow, so shall we reap.
Gaja Lakshmi Paramasivam - Australian Tamil
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AlfredSen
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 21 May 2008 02:18:41 GMT Report for Abuse
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Choosing the Path of Dhamma is No disgrace
Niranjan Wijeratne is no more the custodian of Dalada Mandirya. Visiting him once he mentioned that he was born to be the custodian of Dalada Madura from all his previous births and now repent the loss of the same. Even hails from highly respected Wijeratne Family, and the respect he was receiving from the people of the nation now has sunk for good solely on his polluted low thinking branding him to a lower state. This karma has deprived the very position once he enjoyed.
Buddha s pupils, devotees and all Sravakas of various races, casts, creeds including the untouchables or harijans were embraced with loving kindness and open arms to the path of Dhamma. Niranjan, I only mention Angulimala here. Mr. Wijeratne, thou shall not jump the track making a dangerous derailment of your train. You have lost the respect of all Buddhist devotees. You are only ridiculing Maha Sangha. Perhaps you may be trying to teach Maha Nayakas Dhamma you think you know! Even if you want to insult the present Chief Minister of Eastern Province never ever even in a dream to disgrace Maha Sangha with such low mentality. While Chandrakanthan seek the path of supreme Dhamma, you seems to be heading towards the path of Avichi Niraya. |
dpeiris
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22 May 2008 18:31:31 GMT Report for Abuse
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| So there are incompatibilty issues among Tamils too, according to the learned lady. And, is the hardliner's stand endorsed to be the only solution to the problem? Just curious. |
Sintamus
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 22 May 2008 22:00:28 GMT Report for Abuse
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During the early days of Varatharaja Perumal's ascendancy to Chief Minister post in 1988 more praise was heped on him. But the following year he was a disaster in the very eyes that created him as a rival to VPrabakaran. Then president JR Jayawardene refused to budge in giving him the power nor the money to carry out his development projects. He was forced to declare Unilteral Independence of Eelam that VP could not dream of doing. He was ordered to be arrested. Within an year of glory the disaster struck because the Sinhalese leadership wanted to keep a tight lid on everything the CM embarked on. 13th Amendment vests all the powers and monetory control of the PC not with the CM but with the (Sinhala) president at the centre.
Sinhalese colonialism with Pillayan as the puppet will have a shorter period than Perumal's as the stakes with Muslim rivalry is higher now. Pillaiyan's holding to his guns may turn out to be a deterrent to his arrest when things take unexpected turns.
Edited By - Sintamus - 22 May 2008 22:07:40 GMT |
Gaja
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22 May 2008 22:16:51 GMT Report for Abuse
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Sintamus,
Sinhalese colonialism with Pillayan as the puppet will have a shorter period than Perumal's as the stakes with Muslim rivalry is higher now.
Not if Pillayan has on his side clever and strong fiscal managers.
love
gaja |
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