Tamils Yet To Experience Change?
Devananda in Manipay: Denying Space for the New Government
In an article datelined 2105-03-10 by one Mirudhula Thambiah, Douglas Devananda, the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) General Secretary and Parliamentarian, is reported to have told people he met in Manipay that the Tamil people are yet to experience the [sic.] actual change in politics as the Tamil representatives in the National Executive Council (NEC) have failed to solve their issues so far.” Hah!
He added further that “[The] TNA has betrayed the Tamil people; they have failed to fulfil the demands of the Tamil people in the 100-day programme.” Hah! again.
Any astute reader will know that we are only just after the fiftieth day of our new government with a 100-day programme. Many of the solutions to our Tamil problems have been ordered – the return of lands misappropriated by the army, the freeing of Jeyakumari Balendran and her being reunited with her daughter (in the custody of social services from a year ago until today). The release of 257 political prisoners is actively in the works. And this sunshine in our lives we owe to our judges now being free to decide without orders from the stooge chief justice. The dark era of Tamils being locked up without charge on the whim and fancy of the police and armed forces looking for a bribe is over.
Mohan de Silva, FRCS: Tamils Must Feel Ownership
We have got more positive changes. A new UGC is in place under Prof. Mohan de Silva, FRCS, who has a high reputation at Kalubowila hospital and is known as a cricketer and a good human being. The UGC has already begun looking at Colombo University’s misgiovernance and, if FUTA’s informally expressed expectations of him are anything to go by, will look swiftly into the problems plaguing our three universities in the North-East. To Tamils who value education more than business, solutions to our universities’ problems are critical.
Academics are saying the sickness in our universities is beyond Devananda’s corrupt councils. They say that the entire upper university administration including the VC and Deans is infected. These administrators collude to appoint anyone they want and award any tender by arranging for fictitious higher bids say Council members appointed by Devananda and resentful that all the blame is too conveniently put on them. These academic administrators have got used to financial and administrative corruption and most academics are fearful of crossing them.
For example when a Jaffna Arts Dean altered his expense bills and charged more, the Bursar caught it and reported it. But the VC ignored it because he wanted the Dean’s support for all his crooked activities. Others did not fight because the Dean was only “stealing from the Sinhalese State.” President Rajapaksa found this convenient when he appointed Vasanthi Arasaratnam as VC despite strictures against her from the Auditor General for purchase transgressions in the millions. The whole university talked about these things but no one did anything. Tamils need to feel and have ownership in our universities. To make Tamils feel that these are our universities, will be Professor de Silva’s challenge as he attempts reform.
A lot more needs to be done that cannot be done in 50 days. We need to give time and exercise patience. Delays beyond 100 days there will be. But so long as there is movement we should give our new rulers space.Read More
