Understanding The Demographic Decline Of Tamils In Sri Lanka

By Krishna Kalaichelvan – July 29, 2014 

Dr. Krishna Kalaichelvan

“A virtuous wife should never do anything displeasing to the husband who took her hand in marriage, when he is alive or dead…When her husband is dead she may fast as much as she likes, (living) on auspicious flowers, roots, and fruits but she should not even mention the name of another man. She should be long-suffering until death, self-restrained, and chaste, striving (to fulfil) the unsurpassed duty of women who have one husband” – The Laws of Manu, verse 156-158.

Since the destruction of the LTTE in May 2009, the Eelam Tamil polity’s constant solicitude is all about its lost collective power projection.  The crisis was exacerbated by Mahinda regime’s deliberate policy of instilling insecurity in the post-war Tamil regions by continuing military occupation. Also the Tamil public space has been inundated with the troublesome prospect that the Tamil population is on the decline in Sri Lanka, especially in the North and East. In the backdrop of Tamil nationalists’ claim of ‘Structural Genocide’, they view the shrinking of Tamil population as politically ominous to their project.

It is in this context, the Jaffna Science Association organized “popular talk” titled “Future of Tamils: A demographic perspective” by Dr Murali Vallipuranathan was held at the University of Jaffna campus on 26/06/2014. Though the transcript of the speech was not available in the Internet, but few online Tamil media outlets reported that speech in detail. The UK based Global Tamil News (GTN) website originally reported Dr Vallipuranathan’s speech, and few other Tamil websites had reproduced that reportage. Dr Vallipuranathan, a distinguished public health professional attached to the Ministry of Health, has provided links to these websites favourably in his Facebook, therefore I presume that the GTN reportage on the speech as accurate, since he didn’t claim of any erroneous reporting by the GTN.

The purpose of this note is to highlight the salient points of Dr Vallipuranathan’s presentation, and intend to problematise some his claims and suggestions. The texts in italics are translation of the GTN reportage. Towards the end of this note I present my critique.

The primary objective of Dr Vallipuranathan’s presentation seems to be to ring alarm bells on the declining trend of ‘Sri Lankan Tamils’ (here after Tamils) population size and the risk of ‘Sri Lankan Tamils’ being pushed down to third place by the continuously growing ‘Sri Lanka Moor’ (here after Muslims) population. He provides us with population trajectories for each ethnic group based on current growth rate by utilizing the historically available census data.

According to this projection, by 2031, the Tamils population will be 10.3% and the Muslim population will be 10.8% of the total population. In other words Tamils are facing the prospect of being pushed down to third place in Sri Lanka’s demographic ranking. Obviously this has many political implications, and likely to complicate the balance of power in the North and East. However, I cease the discussion on the political ramifications of this demographic shift, and continue to focus on Dr Vallipuranathan’s presentation.

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Street Justice Vs Queen’s Justice

July 28, 2014

We live in a cheaters’ paradise. Often the cheater, the embezzler, is rewarded for his crime. Women who cannot find suitors often get caught to young handsome men who reply their advertisements, or receive responses to their own advertisements and in their frustration and their inability to find a suitor, they fall head-over-heels and marry or get engaged to the handsome young man who might be even younger than the bride. The time that it takes to show the true colours of the young Valentino depends on how gullible the bride is. Sooner or later the bride finds that all her wealth, every cent she has saved for her dowry, has disappeared with the Valentino. The sob stories of these women appear in the media, but more and more women get duped.

Street Justice vs Queen’s Justice by Thavam

Gota’s guerilla war plan to fortify himself : to launch “Ranaviru Prajamula service” chain Islandwide
(Lanka-e-News-29.July.2014, 3.30PM)  Defense secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse , in order to fortify his own position had arranged to launch a program under the name of “Ranaviru prajamula service” Island wide even without the knowledge of Mahinda Rajapakse, it is learnt.

This program had been planned within a short period during this week by Hendavitharne Soysa and a group loyal to Gotabaya .The plan is to keep the families of the three forces and their relatives who joined the forces, under the thumb of Gotabaya by offering them sops and sugar coated tablets. There are about 250,000 serving in the army alone. If there are four members in each family of theirs, the total number will be one million. 

If another family of the same number of a relative joins , the total number will swell to two million. In this way , through the “Ranaviru prajamula service,” it is planned to build a chain across the whole country for Gotabaya.

The preliminary interviews in this connection are due to commence in Moneragala district in line with the up coming Uva provincial council elections .

Following the conclusion of the war ,strangely Sri Lanka (SL) is a country that spends most out of the national income towards war expenditure . 3 % of our national income has been set aside towards war expenditure.

SL is in as high as the 30 th position among the countries of the world as regards war expenditure. The per capita income of a Sri Lankan is Rs. 260 per day which is an index of the extreme poverty stricken state of the country drowned in debt burdens.

It is to be noted with regret that the latest maneuvers of Gota to fatten the relatives of the forces (the latter apart) are at the expense of the abysmally despairing and suffering people , and not out of the income of the hundred illicit companies of Gotabaya. It is most deplorable and reprehensible , the rulers who say they have no wherewithal to allocate 4 % for education of children have no qualms about allocating 4 % for war expenditure .

Gotabaya And I Were Right

By Rajiva Wijesinha -July 29, 2014

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

A Presidency Under Threat – Promoting Alienation

I was privileged, a couple of weeks back, to attend the release of the Northern Education Sector Review Report at a ceremony held at Vembadi Girls School. I had last been at Vembadi in 2008, when the then Commander of the Special Forces in Jaffna, General Chandrasiri, arranged what was termed a Future Minds Exhibition. It was at the height of the war, but the General had already begun to plan for the future, and sensibly so for he stressed the need for the development of human resources.

I was struck by the irony now, with the controversy over his continuation as Governor. I will look at that issue elsewhere, but here I will dwell on the fact that the Provincial administration had invited him as Chief Guest, to be given the first copy of the report, and all the speeches made were in a spirit of cooperation. In particular the chair of the committee that had prepared the report, the distinguished athlete Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam, still described as the Olympian, emphasized that the recommendations of the Review were all within the framework of National Policy.

That having been said, the Review is masterly, in clearly identifying many of the problems we face, and suggesting simple remedies. But obvious though many of the pronouncements are, I fear that such an essentially sensible work could not have been produced in any other Province.

There are many reasons for this. I do not think there is any essential intellectual difference between those in the North and others in the country, but I do believe that the urgency of the problem with regard to education is better understood in the North. After all it was simplistic tampering with the education system that first roused deep resentments in the younger generation in the North (Prabhakaran’s batch were the first victims of standardization), and the incapacity or unwillingness of successive governments since then to provide remedies has entrenched bitterness. And whereas Chandrasiri way back in 2008 understood the importance of action in this field, and entitled his Exhibition accordingly, he has since had to serve a political dispensation that cares nothing for the mind.                                      Read More  

Backdoor diplomacy with Zuberi

By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan


July 27, 2014

Sri Lanka's approach with the US on a 'lobbying spree' what is said to be 'to continue to disseminate the accurate factual views of the Sri Lankan peoples and 'continue the education process of key law makers in the executive and legislature of the USA and their staff' is indeed running into millions of US dollars if not billions!

Backdoor Diplomacy With Zuberi by Thavam

NGOs and their mandate

• Space for civil society

July 29, 2014 

Lanka’s National Secretariat for Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) issued a statement on 1 July, reportedly stating that: ‘It has been revealed that certain NGOs conduct press conferences, workshops, trainings (sic) for journalists and dissemination of press releases, which is beyond their mandate. We reiterate that all NGO should prevent from such unauthorised activities with immediate effect.’ The newspapers state that this circular has only been issued to NGOs registered with the National Secretariat for NGOs.

NGOs and Their Mandate by Maria Anderson

Investigate NGOs including their objectives, activities, sources of income, expenditure - SPUR

 Tuesday, 29 July 2014 

Society for Peace, Unity and Human Rights for Sri Lanka Inc says to investigate NGOs including their objectives, activities, sources of income, expenditure, derived benefits and periodic reporting in their press statement released on 25th July 2014.

The full text of the press statement as follows

The non-government organizations (NGOs) operating in Sri Lanka which are mainly funded by foreign sources are a direct threat to the social cohesion, peace and harmony of Sri Lanka. They should be investigated immediately so as to separate those abiding by the law and delivering benefit from those that are acting as agents of foreign agents subverting the harmony and democracy in Sri Lanka while swindling the vulnerable public.

Furthermore, transparent reporting would put to end corruption that is rampant in this sector.

The history of the conduct of some of the NGO activities demonstrate contemptible efforts to not only swindle the nation of benefits expected by honest sponsors of some of these NGOs but also undermine the social fabric of the Nation. Some of the initiatives funded blatantly white ant democracy by promoting organisations running anti- national and anti - government agenda. Examples of such activities include but not limited to:

1. Supporting Tamil Tiger terrorism directly and indirectly.
2. Underwriting media efforts of LTTE sympathetic fronts.
3. Strengthening of the separatist ideology for the balkanization of Sri Lanka.
4. Denigrating the Sinhala Buddhists and launching programs to destroy the country’s heritage thus weakening the Nation.
5. Assisting directly and indirectly, plans to destabilize Sri Lanka and her people.
6. Direct and indirect involvement in unethical conversions and the formation of radicalized extreme religious groups.
7. Direct involvement with forces which are seeking “a regime change” thus undermining
the democratically elected Government.
8. Funding of the media and other foreign agents parroting misinformation.
9. Associating and working in partnership with anti-Sri Lankan foreign organizations contrary to the conditions of NGO registration in Sri Lanka.
10. Illegal, improper and questionable receipt of funds and expenditure of the NGOs
11. Misuse of funds so received contrary to the conditions of registration of the NGOs in Sri Lanka and the constitutions of these NGOs.

In a recent article, an eminent Sri Lankan journalist pointed out that foreign donors funded
three NGOs, namely the Centre for Policy Alternatives headed by Pakiyasothi Saravanamuttu,
the National Peace Council of Jehan Perera , and Transparency International to the tune of Rs 618.33 million. We ask these NGO’s to demonstrate the tangible benefits achieved with this expenditure. We also would like to point out that expensive vehicles, opulent lifestyles, palatial accommodation and cocktail functions are not considered by the Sri Lankan civil society to be ‘tangible benefits’.
Now that a set of regulations has been introduced by the democratically elected government in Sri Lanka to guide the activities of NGOs in future, the damage caused to the Nation and her people to-date and the monies wasted on whimsical ideological tamashas etc must be investigated, expenditure details and achievements evaluated and culprits exposed.

If any NGO is found to have misused or swindled donor monies, the full wrath of the law should be applied and perpetrators if found guilty, punished according to law.

The NGOs claim to present a democratic national outlook when they are little more than courtiers of social instability promoting cheap and narrow objectives.
Their action plans filled with acts of sabotage against the sovereignty and the security of the Nation are typical of those who scramble for crumbs at the tables of slave masters.

The Government of India has demonstrated their commitment to national sovereignty by having strict laws governing NGO operations. The Sri Lanka Government lead by President Rajapaksa should be commended for having the courage to place the interest of the Nation first before the filthy lucre thrown around by regime-change centric agents of skewed democracy.

We urge the Government to strictly apply the NGO law as it stands, strengthen it further if necessary to be in sync with Indian law and implement it fully without fear or favour.

Rajapaksa Boycotts WWI Commemoration In Glasgow – Campaigners Welcome His Absence

July 29, 2014

Following President Rajapaksa’s decision to skip the Commonwealth Games that started just a little over a week ago, it has been reported that he would also not be attending the Commonwealth’s official First World War Commemoration Service in Glasgow next week despite being the Chair of the bloc.

President Rajapaksa’s absence at the First World War Commemoration Service was reported in an article published in Herald Scotland, which quoted the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) as stating that although an invitation was extended, he would not be attending and would instead be represented by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the UK.

Although his decision to refrain from attending the Commonwealth Games was attributed to security concerns, it was obvious that the underlying reason were his fear of demonstrations that were to be staged upon his arrival against the backdrop of mounting allegations on human rights allegations and the culture of impunity against his regime.

Meanwhile, the Herald Scotland also reported that campaigners have welcomed President Rajapaksa’s decision to refrain from attending the event held to remember those killed in conflict.

The article had quoted Fred Carver – campaign director for the Sri Lanka Campaign For Peace And Justice, as stating: “The President of Sri Lanka, the chair of the Commonwealth, is clearly an international embarrassment, and that in turn is an embarrassment for the Commonwealth,” adding, “It is not enough for those responsible for war crimes to merely be shunned on the international stage. The British Government needs to work to bring them and their henchmen to justice.”

The Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander had also welcomed the confirmation, adding: “I have expressed deep reservations about President Rajapaksa’s suitability to represent the Commonwealth, especially as Sri Lanka remains a designated ‘country of concern’ in the UK’s annual Human Rights report.”

Sri Lanka: First contry to agree on Maritime Silk Route of China

29/07/2014 

Sri Lanka stands to gain from the proposed Maritime Silk Route policy of the Chinese government as the island’s location puts it in a prime position to act as a hub for South Asia and link to Africa and the Middle East, the Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka Wu Jianghao has said.

“We are confident to say that Sri Lanka will see a lot of development opportunities and will play a very important role during the cultivation and building process of the new Maritime Silk Road,” the Chinese Ambassador has said.

In an exclusive interview with China’s official news agency Xinhua, the Chinese Ambassador has said that engagements are already proceeding and a special delegation from the Chinese government is visiting Sri Lanka to explore the role the Sri Lankan government can play in the process of building the Maritime Silk Road.

Sri Lanka was the first country to express its support for the Maritime Silk Route policy.

The ambassador has noted that China and Sri Lanka’s cooperation has grown significantly and greater trade relations and mutual understanding would further enhance bilateral ties.

Noting that during his two year tenure, Chinese business delegations to Sri Lanka have increased in frequency, Wu focused on the need to enhance cooperation between the companies of the two countries by working closely as members of business councils and other organizations.

“I really hope that Sri Lankan companies could join hands with their Chinese partners to develop and benefit together during this process of promoting and realizing the development of Sri Lanka,” Wu told Xinhua.

Chinese companies in Sri Lanka are predominantly working on massive infrastructure projects in partnership with the Sri Lankan government.

The infrastructure projects include a US$ 1.2-billion coal power plant in Norochcholai, a new international port and an airport in Hambantota in the deep south, and several highways and railways.

Speaking of the trade between the two countries, the envoy has noted that at present the balance of trade is overwhelmingly in favor of China.

“This is absolutely not what we seek. First of all, China should continue to improve the circumstances to facilitate Sri Lanka’s exports to China. We have kept making efforts in this regard and with the installation of FTA in the future. Secondly, the Sri Lankan side also needs to make some efforts. Frankly speaking, the variety, quantity and quality of exports from Sri Lanka to China have not reached ideal level yet,” he explained.

Wu has pointed out that there are two solutions to even out the trade balance.

“One is that Sri Lankan enterprises make their own efforts, and the other is to expand the scale of production and improve product quality through the cooperation with Chinese enterprises,” he added.

A Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries is expected to be signed by the end of 2014 and the ambassador believes this will promote trade between the two countries.

Since the end of the three decade long armed conflict in 2009, China has become the island nation’s largest supporter with an estimated US$ 4 billion in loans for a number of mega development projects.

Courtesy : President Media Unit

The international advisory panel, Indo-Lanka ties and UN inquiry

July 29, 2014 

Half a loaf being better than none, the presidential expansion of the remit of the Disappearances Commission and the appointment an advisory panel of three persons distinguished in international law are to be welcomed. Of course, the final test will be that of credibility.

The International Advisory Panel, Indo-Lanka Ties and UN Inquiry by Maria Anderson

Sri Lanka: Extremist Buddhist groups in a rampage against Religious minorities –US report

[REPORT: International Religious Freedom Report for 2013Sri Lanka]

29/07/2014 

In Sri Lanka, the Sinhala Buddhist group Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) continued to promote its anti-Muslim campaign, which was linked to violent activities during the year. Local media and NGOs noted strong linkages between the BBS and the government. According to numerous reports, the BBS was behind a growing wave of anti-Muslim activities carried out by other violent Buddhist nationalist groups. Nationalist groups were allegedly involved in a series of attacks on mosques, protests over animal slaughter, and a sustained attempt to further marginalize Muslims by outlawing the halal system of meat certification. On December 1, Buddhist monks reportedly led a mob of 200 villagers that destroyed the Methodist Church of Habarana, located in Anuradapura District. Two Criminal Investigation Division (CID) police officers arrived at the scene and ordered the church to shut down, saying that it had no legal recognition to operate

Sri Lanka Extremist Buddhist Groups in a Rampage Against Religious Minorities –US Report by Maria Anderson

Confronting Extremist Thugs In Buddhist Religious Robes

By Siritunga Jayasuriya --July 29, 2014 

Siritunga Jayasuriya

Let’s Build a Left and Trade Union Platform against Racism

The United Socialist Party wishes to thank all those Left Parties,  Trade Unions and individuals who extended  solidarity to us at the time of the launch of our initiative ‘Socialist peace March against Racism & Communilism’. We also thank all left parties who organised the press conference to condemn the brutal attack on USP Motor cycle  march on 26th July. And USP is greatful to all those who showed us the sympathy and support to us after we were attacked and ambushed by the “Sinhala Ravayaand other extremist” thugs in Buddhist religious robes.

The initiative ‘Socialist peace March against Racism & Communal ism’ of the USP was to highlight the growing tendency of racism and religious fundamentalism in our country. The communalists who advocate majoritarianism are hounding the religious and ethnic minorities causing enormous damage to the unity of the people in this country. The USP through this initiative of peace march attempted to spread the message of unity and peace across the country including the villages

We the Socialists and Left forces irrespective of the party flag and identities stand for a peaceful, united country where all religions, languages and ethnic minorities can live in harmony with full dignity as equals. Hence to decry the growing attacks both physical and ideological on these values of our society, we the USP launched the initiative marching against racism through a Motor Cycle Rally to Aluthgama-Dharga town from Colombo-Narahenpita..

Though it was symbolic, we wanted to send a message of confidence to those vulnerable section in our society that there are forces to defend their interests in this country. But the communalists such as Bodu Bala Sena, Ravana Balaya and others can not digest this move for unity, they want to play the cancerous politics of sectarianism, and further push this country to a bloodbath by their murderous activities.

While we condemn this gruesome attack the initiative of ‘Socialist peace March against Racism & Communalism’, we feel it is a challenge that has to be met by all of us on the side of the left. ‘An Injury to One, is an Injury to All’, we call upon the left in general, Trade Unions, Socialist Parties, Groups, (big and Small ) to come together along with all other progressive sections of our country  to form a united platform of ‘Left & Socialists against Racism in Sri Lanka”and take on the challenge posed by the communalists and religious fundamentalists in this country.

*Siritunga Jayasuriya - General secretary- United Socialist Party

Action From The Richest Religion : Vatican Can Wipe Out Entire Third World Debt & Poverty

| by Shenali Waduge

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day;

teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime

( July 29, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Vatican City is a land locked state inside the city of Rom, Italy and governed by the Pope (Bishop of Rome). It is the world’s smallest sovereign on just 110 acres. The Pope is not only head of 2.3billion people but he is also head of a global financial empire. The Vatican that promotes giving and sharing is notoriously secretive about the riches it hoards

Action From the Richest Religion  Vatican Can Wipe Out Entire Third World Debt & Poverty by Maria Anderson

Dravidian parties uneasy with BJP's policy shift on Sri Lanka

Tuesday, 29 July 2014

The BJP-led government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems determined to press the reset button on India’s policy towards Sri Lanka. Equally perceptible is the displeasure of the Dravidian parties from the ruling AIADMK to the DMK as well as the Kazhagams that constitute the BJP’s National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state.

Special privileges to Indian representatives! 

 Tuesday, 29 July 2014

The Rajapaksa family has made a big attempt to grant ample business privileges in Sri Lanka to the five-member team of unofficial representatives of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling Bharatiya Janatha Party in order to promote India’s goodwill towards Sri Lanka, reports say.

Dravidian Parties Uneasy With BJP's Policy Shift on Sri Lanka by Maria Anderson

Constitution amendment bill from government

 Tuesday, 29 July 2014 

The President Mahinda Rajapaksa has thus advised former Justice Sarath Nanda Silva to formulate an appropriate constitution amendment bill due to the objections raised by the opposition and certain parties of the government regarding the presidential system.

It is said that draft proposal formulate by National Movement For a Just Society of Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero with regard to the abolishment of executive precidential system, the propositions of Ven. Athuraliye Ratana Thero and United National Party (UNP) are also to be taken into consideration in the process.

Former CJ Sarath Nanda Silva has recently met several opposition bigwigs to collect their opinions.

The President has been contemplating on this after the recent seminar held on this topic by the National Movement For a Just Society.