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    e THE TOTAL ART — xamatika Pieris @ LANKA GUARDIAN Vol 18 No.5 July 15, 1995 Price As.10.00 Registered at GPO, Sri Lanka QD/S3/NEWSI94 ISRAEL AND THE P. A. CRISIS - Mervyn de Silva $f CYANIDE CAPSULE IN CANKAM WORLD — Michael Roberts JOYCE: THE EXILE AND LANGUAGE Regi Siriwardena V. O. A.: THE P. A.’s IRANA-GATE — Dr. Mervyn de Silva HUMAN RIGHTS: A WESTERN WEAPON — Renato Constantino PONNAMPERUMA: TRIBUTE TO A SCIENTIST — Sachi Sri Kantha Black Knight Its your move NEWS BACKGROUND Charisma and Credibility — going, going Mervyn de Silva tis not often that a gavering parly in a poor, developing country is suddenly seizad by a major intemalcrisis vera foreign policy issue. Whan the 66 Febels are joined by five Cabinet Minisiers, the backnench revolt becomes a serous challenge to the government, and iis lea der, the Executive President, When the ‘SLFP-lod govornmontis an 8party'“grand Coalion® ithe "Peoples Alliance’ with Ro secure majority in Pariament, the gov- ‘ernment has @ major crisis cn its hands. The Cabinet Ministers who oppose the restoration of DPL relations with Israel inckide the Media and Tourism Minister, Vr. Dhanmasii Senanayake (a frontrank: SLFP'er) Mr. Mehinde Rejepakse, Labour minister and the SLFP's southern prov nee stalwart, Mc. MIH.M. Ashraf, leader ofthe SriLanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the P.A.'s Eastom province clalwart Me. Bemard Soysa, the veleren leader 0! the oldest Leftst party in the country, and finally the SLEP's Youth Affairsand Sports minister, Mr. S.B, Dssanayake. ‘And this crisis made front page news lust when public atenton was focussed na far moro ceriouspoltical-concttutio- hal issue — the dismantling of tne JA. Jayawardens-inslaled Bonapartist-Gau- list Executive Presidency cf 1878."The Sri Lanka Freedom party's POLICY STATE- MENT hada brief para whichbogan: "Our piimery objective s toabolish tne execut- \Ve Presidoncyand to estabich an oxscut ve body whichissubjectto Parlamentand. in such manner 2s would safeguard the soversignty of the people. ()._ The Executive to be appointed by and answerable to the Parliament. ifs tenure of office to depend on continuing suppor by Parliament. (ll) The post of President to be above party poliics and separaio from the postion of the chie! executive of the ‘goverment, PLO Stance {twas the report in the Sunday Leader that provaked discussion in political and DPLciroles. na frontpage ead’ story,the paper reported: “The Palestinian Liberalicn Orgenisa- tion (PLO) ‘epreseniative in Sri Lanka Athellah Khubiahad also wamed the gov- ‘emment that any attermpt to bring in the loreeis to Sri Lanka would serious affect the country’s relationship with the Arab world He nad said he would call on Foreign Afsirs Ministor Lakshman Kadrgamar along with the envoys of other Arab coun- {nies to Voice strong protast ifthe effors to bring the leraelis to Sti Larka were resumed, the SL. added, Naturally this hasalarmedtheP.A. High Commendand the Foreign Ministerand cf course all VP's identiied by the pro-Palestinian gioup as keen advocates of a stiong S1i Larka- Israel connection. Students of contemporery Sti Lankan pollics and foreign pclicy are zlso cerian fo recognise the changing charactor of “the Israeliissue” in local pollcs, paricu- latly in the context of UNP-SLEP rivalry Though Mr. Banderanake permitted Israel to establish a legation in Cclarrbo, his suceessor-as SLEP loador, Mrs Ban- daranaike suspended relatons. The ony concer then was Sri Lanka's interest, in maintaining fiendly ties with the Arab and Moslem worid. The tea market was the overiging economicinterest. lerco| hardly matered — excepl when a resolution came up in the UN. Security Council or General Assembly. The Nonaligned had Nthingto dowith Israel, Soourpoley was clectly defined. The Egyptian recognition of Isfael wes the first event 10 signal important shifts in inter-state rolaions in the region, with Isiael es the common factor: Ip cur region, it was India’s decision to ‘open an embassy in Israel that provoked ‘new thinking in non-Moslem South Asia, The most outspoken advocate of DPL relations with lerae! is Foreign Minister Lekshiman Kacirgamar,an Oxford-cuca- fed acvocaieeyenmoreaiiento the SLEP ethos than Prof, G.L. Pietis. Mr. Kacliga- mar is the only Foreign Minister (or lear nied lecturer} | have heard who could ‘speak in the finest English on the many achievements of Jawaharal Nehru for over a hour without mentioning Krishna Meron! OF course “orelgn policy” is nol the issue. What this revoltreveals isthe mou- ning strains withinan 8 party coaition hat was cnly united in its ant UNPism and driven by the deste for ofice, thougn it does have many more honest, dadieated Politicians than the U.N,P. The inexperie- Nice of the President has become a pro- blom too, though her immense popularity Keeps the PA. going. The diversity ofthe alliance is a stronger force than the unily of the 8 parties. Personaities, Keclogical inclinations, regional interests and most (of al constitusncy prossures have started To erode the unity ofthe PA, This explains why neithorthe President nor her top adviser, Constituional Avfals Minister G.L. Pietis seems to regard the aboition of the Executive Presidency a high priorty. Prot. Pieris sicsing his cred billy, faster than President ‘Chandrika is losing het charisma. GUARDIAN Vol. 18 No.5 July 15, 1995 Price Rs. 10.00 Published fortnighily by Lanka Guardian Publishing Co. Lid. No. 248, Union Place Colombo - 2: Ediio: Mervyn de Silva Teephone: 447584 Printed by Ananda Press 82/5 Sir Ratrajothi Saravenarnuitu Maviatha, Colombo 13 Telephone: 405975 CONTENTS. The Ant lerael 66 2 The lrana-gate Scandal ng tha PA Somersaut a LTTE Suicdes anda CankamVioré ct Devetien 5 |ASouthorn View of human Fights 7 Joyce (2) 9 Islamic Fundamentalism 14 America ve. ran 16 Lees 19 Beoks 20 P.A. STATEMENT The Anti-Israel 66 Je, the undersigned members. of atlamert whose signatures appesr tebow appraise the goverment the nds tmenioned actor. Elvan year ago, on hun 1984, fo ner Presiden JR, leyavarcene,slegoaly Etaosero ofr county was vlirgtohe)> Sr Lan to contain fooler war which wes then essary mi fst phase, pox Iie the opening of the ‘saat nites. Suitone i Goomrba wit te chpedtve of apg Of Laniate cush he LTTE. ion af ex yars of activo lal inva venortin St Lara te sac miliary hep, Ease or ivoterant dd ro! suoc2=0 eotlahing fe LTT, The lacs could fot sucosed in ing’ the war anywhere towards a Sri Lankan goverment Victory, whereas ever ater sicyears of lralliwo: Nement the wat sippad in favour of the USE, and reached Eelam Wer The rel elpin S1iLankahednotbeen a success fact admitas even ty isaais ihomelves s evidencod nthe bod "The Israel Connection Whom trae) Ars and Why" ante by Benamn Bek Hala fin, & Jewel entre in he Universi of Hat, tre! ‘Ato sx yoars of eral ature, X was the UNE. adinnnistaliontsell fi torminae ‘ed diploma eaons wih rad on Zh Kp to0e rs. Stimavo Bandaranata in a stao= mont publsvecin fo Sf Lanian papers of St octeber 981 ndwichacevec mor Wide publety pattcuay in tre Nlo- Edom course etsted trae (@) “When fe SLFP. came to power in1870,one fhe et stope vie ook twasto Gove down the isrel Erba Sy and send te salt ut of he county. rng & press inenfew in Hong Kong repoted Ine papers of ta Sune tse, Present levawarcene Setod that nla Secret Srv Ge Orgenistion ced Mossad ss Tefsing the qovernmento pat ue {Store The so cad teaed ie ten Socion wes ony a face ron forterotaeus dln tero can Salon saled. Mossad’ wsch has Seon tesponsblefer hetorure mu fdlon and.-rassecre of untold numbers ot Palestrians vngin the Wort Baneane the Goza Sp (©) “The. Islnd on 28 Sentombor (1901) ead en accourt ofa rece hniewew wth tne exhossad Ofer Victor Ostroysiy in which ha has sategoreally stated tal ral prove God's vary of equpmert (0 he Tigers ghing alist of gy scohist ©) catedweapons, Hopointscuttha'the deadly use of landmines which has killed and continues to kil our own, beldlere in largo numbers everyday Is the handiwork of the Israel lsraci supply of ams to the LT-T.E, hae ‘been confirmed by the Austalien Federa Police ia reportpublished in February 1992 in the ‘Talegraph Mirror’ of Sydney, which Teporied the Australian Federal Police cia- ‘cking a massive aine ticketing fraud invol- taken place in lerael wih arm dealers forthe purchase of weapons which had been sent fo Tamil ueriias in'Sr Lanka, according to the investigations. A former Qbserverjouma: list Muditha Dias had fled a teport from ‘Sychey which was pubisnedinthe Chserver Df 6th February 1992, undarthe ite Austra- lian Police contin leraci supply of arms to LITCTE, aocomding to which some of the Sydney’ based businessmen had visited [rac thrice ‘9 1001 to arrango ehipmorts ofamsto the LTTE. ‘ying come businessman in Syeney. Accor. ding (0 this repart, sectel meetings had (Continued on page 18) Australian Police confirm Israeli supply of arms to LTTE Har edonce of el supra armsto the Liberaton Tors ct familar (LITE) wasrevedled who hustelan Fees Poco sacked 2 meseve aidine teeing fae rining nd millers cf [Alsbaian dolar ty Gh Larken Tens businosemen in Syne. ‘Sema of them had vised teas hoe dig ine: Ferrer Obserearjaumalst Nuss Dias rots fom Syiney thal a roter-naw ofthe owner ‘ata sdhg sncoring azalnCalorbo is oaolthe busrassmen nvolved rhe aud. The Telearach ror st Sydney rapated that he four-een Sparaton eas: Si Larkan Tamil usinessren aie ‘ivAuatalla tom the Unied Kiegdom via Garrary, 2 Funde rom tho taal fraud canto Swico and ‘Garman bank secounis. 3 Sec ovings in trae withers dealers orputchese dl wespors and “4 Guns sent o Taml Guerlasin Snr Lark. Inti "Austaa’s biggest rer ave mud” e2 doscrbod by the navopeper. Two SiviLarkan “Tam bisiessmen hac esabssd two lavel agers In Sjurey. Alor oaing IATA lcere=, thay had cefaded ax major ates icucng fe KLM of tha Netherancs io tne une of milons ‘ldolars, Theyhad alo pretad600 O00{ateNatiral AustalaBankend Ameren Exresstaveless ehequos took more than fourmonths fr te Petes to uncover ine complete operaion, Poles have used cebdtene survsiancn isi Supreme. Cou apneec gone tags ha saat vestigation Iroling more tha 80 fears tom New South Wales, the Verran Fraue Squaa, Federal Poca tho Nanel Ctime Asthanty and bterpol agents in Euepe, Thay had aloo ought ha aeitanco olthe Sis pc. Fedora Pelca lound oulthatthvasrunde of epoiatons has skanplan in lerellerhapurchacas ‘ol erns abe supple to Tami Tiger n Sh Lari, The our month prose code rared "Cporaen Trawales Choos,” Was ded by ihe innigalon Depatinent, Cus, the Gonsumer Aller Deparment arines and tanks. ‘ast year o arange shirmerts ol ans 1 tho “The [nticate seam has ok dozens of Ausilian vevallers sanded overzeas ard ipped off more tan axatines ade New Souh Wales TavelConpersalon Fund ot alr! ve lion Australien oblar. Las Deconbe, armed wih search waren, detectives raided the rave agenses aloged bbe ‘he cents of he pos, These vo agences wert smo voUnlrybqUdallon and closed Sip ater ‘efisingte alow independent aust na ter books. Interpol nas been caled Jo elp Auslan au otis Wack down ene of fe capris who had -képped the courty anc now bolaved i te in Germany. Meanie, more iisdeo0s ofthe CTE In Inc ard Ganaca ae also bang uncovered row. Te Forign Nina n Colose eeaived # ropar tom Shs Lanian Deputy High Commisiorar lo Maca tht Insion Cartel investigason Buran (CEI) has unserthed a maceve rac ergariced by sorte LTTE membes to Send St Lankan Tarlo Eucpe and Made Gest wth forged ave coeuments “The leader he group Nadaselh Sola, an LTTE acts wih a Geman paceper hes bean ‘resin by he GBl, Tho report said a Polce Offea!aached o te Nats Cony Bureau ot “Tamil Nadu has aso ben aresied fer ang tne LTTE gang in tis operation. he ivestgators {ound 190 forone passpos, vis seals ofmary Evrcpean and Nicdle East courires. 2 ropor fom Otawa sat that he Canadian eumoriog wore keooing a cose wala on some “Tamil inmigrats fo see whaler thay wer ivoWed in va racks to at llgal imrigant into the county Garman auhortes, to, have luneye = snfarrwestgaten. ‘ecorcing tothe Foreign Minis, there are about 10,000 Siri Lankan Tamsin Europe, he ‘Nica East USA, Canada and AUstala apar fom te esimated 20 000 Tamil reugessin ira. (ns aacrant was se stud wth the Stone ole 6) The Irana-gate scandal and the People’s Alliance somersault Dr. Mervyn de Silva, ExVP, (SLFP) evar in the shor history of postindependent Sri Lanke hes poltical party taken such a dametrically ‘oppositesiand on an important and sensi tive issue as the PA-covernment. While Jn the 1$89-94 opposition ang during the ast election campaign, iis leaderand the members of parliament representing this predominantly catholic coastal bolt lent ‘sifong support to the struggles of the franawila solidarity group. The pledges held out by the Alliance rade them ihek ‘ardent supporters and incensed them to become fearless in their agkation. Two ppalriolic persons sacrificed thelr lives and the people have not forgotten it as yet, Although, the PAhauled their votes onthe promise of abrogating the VOA 1983 ‘agement, forall tneir rhetoric and poit- cal gimmicks, They have now gifted on aplalterto the USA government the main ¢lement of the VOA faciity so that it can ernbar on lis qzopolticel veniures. Thus, the PA within a short span sinceassuming ‘fice in August 1994 has gone back on ile word leaving tho poople of Iranawila and other concemed people of this coun try in the lurch without the slightest sign of remorse. Its political acions in contrast to earlier sermons and its apparent con- tempt for the moral obligation to honour the main election promises areno second tothe UNP government of J Jayawarde- nie that broke the election promises with impunty. Thelrane-gate alfa lared-up whenthe government of Sri Lenka and the USA signad a number of egreements permi- {ing the estling up of a more technologi- cally sophisticateé and expanded VOA facilty in Iranawia, Chilaw. Acomparison of the main features of the facilty under the ofiginal agreement of 1951 and the new-agreement of 1983, civen below, clearly points tothe strong suspicion that the feclity could be used for a hidden agenda beyond the innocent purported senvica to the third werld pooples. Any slucent of the current issues of word polis wil find ithardto blievs the claim of the USA government, judging from ts past rocerds, One correspondent mace the point succinily with the remark “whe ther welike itornct SriLankahas becorre the laughing stock of the International community asa place. Where aliens can have their fun and natives play the role of owns”. The latter role evident in the framing of governmentpolicies seems to continuetoday as e geneticalinhes tance from the 17 year UNP regime. Th strong infusion of the UNP/DUNF pol tleal genes and outright UNP grafts in the Alliance is a good explanation for tho curront stato of affaire and how they are tackied. Politcians, scientists, environment lists, the general public and, the paople of ranawia have condemned the VOA ‘expansion facilty from time to te focu- ‘sing on the fears of the local residents, its se as a weapon of disinformation and destabilisation, and blatant cultural inva- sion and information domnation etc. and, nothing needs to be added. Apart from it demerits and dangers what is meant to be deat wih here is also the continuing practice of poltical partes taking people for a ride by promising to do What they neverintend ‘ofulfl —the Iranawia opiso- deis an example par excellence. The PA spoke of transparency, decency, and of doing away wih lies and deception. How {sit to be judged today nthe fight of the stand it has taken on the Irana gate soa- ‘dai, one of its senior cabinet ministers who raised the issue in pariament as a member of the opposition demanding is abrogation and now voling against iis abrogation, and the pattem of veting by PA members on the piivaie members motion of an LSSP member of pariamont to abrogate the VOA agreement? — see hanzard extracts in next page: the US. embassy, villagers’ protests. local residents said site checks, ‘Africa and the Middle Bast. Villagers, waving placards and shouting anti-American slogans, American Independence Day with a rally against « Voiea of Ameriea plan 1 go ahead with a new broadcasting station ut Trunawila. Iranawila villagers protest against VOA arked About 209 villagore, shouting “Clinton go homs", domons‘rated outside Parliament voted ia May to continuo with construction ofthe transmitting, station at Iranawila, about 50 miles (80km) north of Colombo despite the “The Tranawila People's Solidarity Forum has decided to observe this, day as ¢ day of mourning besausaof the porsistent attitadeofthe American, authorities to go ahead with this project," a spokesman said. When construction of the chortwavo relay station began in early 1994, tation yould te used es 2 cover for military communicetions, emit radiation and disrupt vlloge lif. Foreign Minister Lakshman Kedirzemar saidat the timetheconstruction, praject was an international agreement that could not be torn up. In January, the government signed a new agreement with the United States adding safeguards euch as the monitoring of radiation ond regular The US. Embassy says the new station, replacing 40-year-cld trans- mitters elsewhere on the island, will improve VOA broadcasts to Asia, Restor Comparison of 1951-1983 VOA agreements Feature 4) Exiont of and 2) Powarct iransmiters 3) Owership 4) Administration operation ‘and maintenance 5) Censcring of broadcasts 6) Noc! foreign personnel 7) Supply of electiicity 8)” Poxiod of Agrsement Hanzard of 8th September, 1993 Mr. Nimel Siripala De Silva, MP. (@) Willthegovernmentptaccbotorothis House, for the information of the general public, all the agreements thathave been enterediniobetween the government of SriLanka andthe ‘government of USA, (8) Wilthe government, without delay, inquire into the allegations made by various bodies regarding the corti- ‘nualionofthe project and tha harmful effects saidto accrue fromit?Furher will the government take steps to close downimodify it and thus pre- Yent the harmiul effects referred to above, (6) Walthe governmentiake steps tohalt the unlawful deployment of security personnel orestiainctizenswhioare only exercising their democratic tights to peacefully protest against this project. Hazard of 6th October, 1963 — Vasudeva Nanayakkara, MP. | challenge you to hold a referencum onthe VOA in‘ranawila, You will dare nct. Inthe meantime, when protestrrarches ere in progress the Ravaya supported the cause end the PA byachievinga major ‘scoop and publishing a translation of tha 1983 agreement. Today, he samejournal hasteken the vow oj silence on the lrana- gate scandal VoA-1951 10ecie io5kwis Sri Lanka government Sr Lanka government SL government hes the ight one (1) from Nationa grid 10 years Ave these examples cf the collective conduct of a ruling party that gave ser- mons on poltical and public morality that are beingshowntoourtestless anddsilu- sionad youth? And, do you think itwill bo possible to keen inem within the democra- tic framework, wnich liso isa joxe (UNP Nationalist Thondaman inPAcabineteio); ‘and in this manners, the body polity is ‘getting newer and more potent dosos of hypocrisy, corruption, and dsnonesty, and, injustice marches ‘rlumphantly ‘across the country? The next paragraph iHustrates this point further. Recent in pariament the majorty of PA members votod against the private ‘membersmotion brought before tha Hou- se by an LSS? rational list member 10 abrogate the 1983 VOM agrcomont. At division only tour (4) voted for the abroga- tion and 125 votedageirsttheabrogetion. In other words, in the Sri Lanka Parliz- ment of 225 members only 4 were for the abrogation and 125 in favour of tho agreement as it stands. The FA that vehomenily opposed the agreement 9-months ago has through the device of a private members motion "Coverly” approved" the VOAagreementand have become the favoured end ovedient cod childron of the US govemment (uncle Sam). Nevertheless, (1) arowo toboliove that there was seriousness in wanting the Agreement to be abrogated? (2) Are we to believe tha! the mover of the mation Was no innocent as to be unaware of the consequences of a defeat of the motion? voA-1983 1000 ecres: 2500 kets USA government USA government SL government loses right igh (8) from National grid of from US. installed power plant 20 years plus one or more extension of 10 years (3) Are we to believe that, so he would rot have taken the trouble loascertain tie voling pattern of the Allianca before pla ing the motion for debate? (4) Are we to bolieve that the motion was moved without the consent of the PA hierachy and its leader? (6) Are weto believe that he cid not foresee the consequences cf a defeal which would result ina covert ‘madiis operandi to have the VOA agree- ent rallied by pariament? (6) Are we to believe that not with standing its slender majority in parliament, he would Moye @ mation on such a controversial subjact without the knowledge ofthe PAs minister of constitutional affairs and its leader? Ifthe now goverrmentusedthiemathod cf achieving end cf appeasing a foreign government then, t hes los is credibilly and so-claimed transparency. Ifthe UNP. regime of 17 years attacked ine founda- tion of democracy and democratic Institu- tions, than the PA would seem 5 on a mmission to desiroy their edifices as well lock stock and bartol. The time is ripe for the emergence of ‘a ralionalst, patfoic, decicated, and ca- pable band of poopie who are honestand ‘Sound from centre to circumference, tnie to the hearts core io lead the country as ‘one single unitod nation, Someone of a high calbve of Integrity and trust can fil the present vacuum for a strong leader, a man who wil never be for sale and whose love and concem for the country is deep and sirorg, LTTE suicides and the Cankam world of devotion Michael Roberts Antuopology, Universty or Adela ince the Tigers, the Liberation Tigers for Tamil ‘Eelam, have hit the headines, their penetrating use of suicide bombers and the cult of cyanide suicides which has informed the practices of their military cadre have caught the ‘ward's attention, Whatever he forebodings elsewhere, tothe jimmadiate constituoncy which the Tigerieaderchip addressee the pictures of armed warriors with cyanide capsules on chains ground thelr necks have been sling messages, good fodder for mablisation. it would seem that the mythologies from the Temi past, especially from the Cankam (pronounced Sangam) and Chela (Gola) peticds, have been utlised by the Tiaer leadership over the years to develo a cuit of martyred action and miltary iscipine. Indeed | am reliably informed that the Tigar high command (is assiduously searching for material trom the ‘Canker Iteratura fo eustain their ideological work. This is an instrumentalist carification on my part. Wate not incorrect itis nevorthaloss incomplata; itis not the whole story. ‘The very endeavour on thepat ofthe Tigerleadership indicates that lime end heritage are a measure of value. And the: instrumentalist thoory of ioological manipulation cays naught ‘bout the reasons why specific themes from the Cankam Itereture (from amidst a range of possibliies) have been solected in the first place, Nor doas it larity why thesa thomes. have such mileage, such resonznces, among its audience of Tiger recruits — who we should not be treated as robots. The signficence of the Gankam literature for the under- standing of Tiger laology came home to me in the course: of a conversation with Professor Ravinder Kumar. From his: postion as a secular North Indian, Ravinder Kumar had found) the temper of Cankam poatry quite chiling, even tightening, lis emphasis on filal devotion, he felt, 100k religosiy and ts bondages some leagues deeper than the religiostios with \Which he was familiar (personal communication). | am not able to comment on the comparison. But the translations and commentary in A.K, Ramanujan's Pooms of Love and War (Oelni 1985, CUP) highlight the theme of martyred devotion fo a cause/king whici is one strand in the heterogeneous: corpus of Cankam postry, Forthe mostpart Cankam poatry can be distinguished along two dimensions: the akam, meaning “interior, heart, house: hold,” and the puram, meening “exterior”, outer pas of the body, yard outside tha house, public. While being different Gentes akam, and puram, poem's aiso have “many things in ‘correnon, inhabit the same world” Ramanujan 1985-233, 234), ‘Thus thelr relationship is not an oppostion so much as a ‘consubstantial" difference — so that ihe syntactical arttice to mark the ralatonchip should not be a colon, of a stroke, ut a hyphenated continum: as ‘“akampuram, a form that shougbe extended tothe “naturecutre" elation n held world for which akam-puram is a gloss. My interestis in the purara pooms. While “akam poems aro love poems,” “puramareal other kinds ofpoems, usually about war, values, community, itis the ‘publis' poetry of the ancient Tamils, celebrating the ferocity and glory of kings, lamenting the death of heroes...” (Ramanujan 1985: 235). Thus, says. Ramantjan, the “entre cociaty in the puram poems, is geared tote values of war to fashionng a warior Tike achariol wheel" Horiour (puka), fame, a good name (veyai) in lile or jn death... are what a man cooks: a sonse of shame (nan) Ccontro’s that seeking from within” (1985: 289) ‘Three ilustative poems, selected from a range of sirrilar possiillies, are worth pondeting over. A Tirumal In fre, you are the heat In lowers you are the seent. ‘Among stones, you are the diamond In words, you are the truth ‘Among virtues, you are love Inwaniors wrath, you are the strength, Inthe Vedas, you are the secret. Ofte elements, you are the first. Inthe scorching sun, you ara the light. Inthe moonlight, you are the sofiness Evorything, you are everything, the sense, the substance of everything. (roan Perpata 3: 63-68in Ramanujan 1965: 218) Not rice, Not water ‘Only the king is the lfe-breath ofa kingdom. And itis the duty of aking ‘with his army of speers toknow he’s the lie cf tho wido, blossoming kingdom (Frem Furanantru 186in Pamansisn 1985; 158) Mothers (3) ‘The old women's shoulders were dry, unflashad vwitn outstanding veins; her low belly was ike alletus pad. ‘When people seid er eonhad takon fright had turned his back on bate and died, She raged ‘and shouted, “fhe reaty broke down inthe thick of battle Ti siash these breasts, that gave him eucl and went there, sword in hand. Turning over body alter ‘allen body, ‘She rummaged through the blood-red field til she found her son, quartered in pieces andsiie rejoiced more than en the day she gave himbirth (From Purananuns278 Ramanujan 1965: 182) ‘These were the sort of sentiments that Ravinder Kumar, found s0 ice-cold awesome, thelr intenssty cf filal devotion to a heroic centre so flercely fcrebading. It remains for scholars of Eelamist and Tiger ideoogy (the two everiap without being synonymous) to decipher theirtexs, Jn ways which test my suggestion that tho rovived Cankam traditions of the ninetheenth century-and-altermay have nspi- Ted and girded the ongoing suicide cutt of martyrdom among the Tigers. This analytical work will have to be located within the broader context in which the suicide rate in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka has always — that is, since statistical tine — been among the highest incidences in Sri Lanka. in this testing work the foous should be on the Eelamist thinking, ‘and especially he poetry of Kasi Ananthan etal, in the 19705 and early 80s rather thanthe state deologyolthecortemporary post 1986-87 LTTE regime. Here, the thinking and practice ol Ponnudarai Sivakumaran Will be cilcal, From Narayan Semiy's recent book on the Tigers it appears that he was among the earliest of the Eelamist ianls, and as a teen-ager unsuccessiuly allempted 10 aseassinato Sorraweera Chandrasir and Alfred Durappan in the eatly 1970's, When comered by the police aitera botched- paitempt ata bank robbery on the sth June 1974, Sivakuma~ ran swallowed a cyanide pil His act, then, wes the exemplary cyanide suicide, Given the retrospective mythicizations itis unlicely that one ‘can ever decanstuuct the inspiratone within Sivakumaran’s thinking, But one ean analyse the legends which develooed —Immiedavey, as with Jan Palach’sselFimmolaton inPrague in 1969 — around his act. Sivakumerar’s funcrel in Jaina, it should be emphasised, was a landmark event. The shops were shut, eulogies were disinbuted in pamphlet form anc @ mulitude gathered. Several youths slashed their fingers and. inscribed bloody dole on thei forenoads, while “come youths: attacked moderate Tami poilcians wih slippers when they. began speaking about Sivakumaren “(Narayan Samy {994:29), Here, then, we see nctonly thereligio-poliical fervour ‘of martyrdom, but the crystalising peaks to which funerals ‘elevate’ persons. In probing the eonneetions between the purem pootry of the Carkam period and the suicide cult of Sri Lankan Tami! Eelamists, of course, cne must be mrindiul of the differences. in geo-poltical context, notably that between the dynastic kingdoms of ancient tines and the nation statas withna global order of repid communication, Ramanujan wams us that in the Cankam poetty. Not even the rousing abstraction of a whole nation or a ingtlom is the subject of song — though a Tamilterrtory, Tamnllakam, is mentioned, Only the individual king or horo, his batles, hie bounty, his justice, and tis life, ara poeiic subjects. Loyalty is loyalty to 2 master, no! to an Idea or a community (1985:288). However, the opposition wnich Ramanujan rightlymarks can be merged, consubstantiated. Just as I was possible in medieval times for the capital in Asia and South East Asia to sland forthe whole kingdom, inthe Incieworld pastand present it has been possbée for a single iconic figure to represent a nation or a cause (which is why statue building is of such ssymtalic impor in Sri Lanka). In my argument, then, as the Tigats have emerged as the principal ‘guaran’ of the Jafina ‘paople in the face of ravages rom the threatening Sn Lankan. slale, Prabhakaranhas become —for the Luebelevers raier than all the Sri Lankan Tamil people — the embocimen! of Eelam and the emisodiment of the “Tamil people”. (For this sort of reasoning the contours of the latter term do not need precise speling ou). In our deciphering ofthis reasoring what Tmatters is the iconie consubstartialty between the three idealised images. To those personnel crewing sirengih from their filal devotion, in bate, in life, in death, Eelem-Tamritian- Prabhakaran become one, an “ambrosia” of fulfilment. A Southern view of human rights Renato Constantino Tkis imperative, argues the well-known Filipino critic, that questions of democracy and human rights should be worked out among Southern nations in order to prevent the co-option of this issue by the North for its own purposes. he human rights issue has bean co-opted by Noithein states and is being used as an excuse for iniervention ‘and asan economic weapon egainst Sou- thern nations who defy Northern policies Hurnan rights violations affecting indivie uals are the most common subjects of accusations by Nonheinsiaies andgene= raly tha targoisareSouthern stateswhich are summarily adjudged guily by inter ‘ralional public opinion mobilised by Nexthern media, But before going inio how the human Tights question has been utlised by Nor- thetn powers for thelr own purposes, let usmake 2 briefhisiorical reference to the ‘evolution of the concept of human nights which goes beyond the rights of indiv- duals and the violations theceot A historical porspoctive Abistofealand holistic approach would reyealhumanrights asadynamicconcept undergoing twansforration and oxpan- slonwith every epoch, Whatwas narrowly conceived as incivicual cvi and political figuls in relation to stale power in the transition from a feudal to a capitalist social order became informed by new ideas originating from socialist though. It was no longer erough to talk about freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedem af worship, the rightto vote, the tightto due piocess, ec. There was need 19 include in the discourse tho right to Work, loshelter, education anémedical care, Thus, humaa rights became mare higistie and comprehensive, covering not ‘rly ivi and political rghts but also social ‘apd ecorome rights. The poltical tree- dems and civil lberies of which the US Ig pioud consttute only one-thitd of the global human righis agenda which inclu- des national sovereignly end economic justice Aensio Consiantho & the aulhor of numieious books on the Philipines and one of the ‘bestkrown sock ces. In tha 1960s, Third Wosd states ban- ding logelherwihhinthe ambiloitie United Naiions articulated the concems of the newly Indepencent peoples in a situation continually Ihrealened by ever greater exploitation and domination by their fo- rmer colonial masters under new terms and conditions. Mostimportartly, the Co- venantonPoltical Rights and Givi Rights and the Covenant on Economic, Social ‘and Cultural Rights guarantee 2s acolo lve right ofa pecple theright io self-dete ‘mination, which isthe right to freely dete. mine their pollical status and ireely pu: ‘sue their economic, social and cultural development’. In other words, the primo: ‘ial human right of a people is national sovereignty. During the last few decades, socal movements added more voices to the human tights clscourse. The civil rights movement demanded the recognition of the rights of coloured people and suc- cossiully dismantied racial segregationin the US although it has not completely erased racial discrimination in that ‘counlry. The labour movement worldwide ‘sought the recognition of a large com- penciui of workers’ rights. The feminist Mmovernent prociaimed thal women's fights are human rights, and caled for an ‘end to all forms of sexual exploiiaion and gender violence against women: for exe mple, rape, incest,

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