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VOLXIX No. 10 ISSN 0286-4488 is OCTOBER
 

1. Women ging in the October 10
General Elect 2. Raf Hakeem, thesi Lanka Muslim
ongress Leader-threw King Maker 3. Survivor from the BindunuVezwa
Massacre in hospital 4. Mrs Srina Bandaranalike Voting in the
Ensliber | || 5. Leaderso the Janatha Wingkhi 2000 90p
Peramunaal JESS Conference after winning 8 seats

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2 TAMILTIMES
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15 OCTOBER 2000
"I do not agree with a word of what you say, but I'll defend to the death your.
right to say it."
a Voltaire
ISSN 0266 - 44 88 Vol. XIX No. 10 15 OCTOBER 2000
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Dangerous Trends 03 The Bindunuwewa Massacre 04 Journalist Killing Condemned 07 Election Flawed 09 Mrs Bandaranaike Dies O9 Living with War 10 Tigers Hit Trinco Port 11 TULF - Not for Separate State 12 An Uneasy Coalition 13 Elections 2000 in Retrospect 17 People & Politics 22 King Makers of Sri Lanka 24 Sihala Urumaya Breakup 25 Letter from Jaffna 27 Jayalalitha Convicted 28 Classified 29
Danger
The hope that th which the serious pro has not been realise election.
President Kuma provided for enhance by her just managed her grip on the gover fact that she had to Muslim Congress whi having to appoint the The OutCOme oft more happy. Its bidtc than it had before th number of other min accepting its electora governmentin 60 da instability.
The only redeem people of the extremi derisory 1.5 percent ( Within a few wee ofdangeroustrends.' in Jaffna. On 19 Octob group which is aSSOCi killing highlights the g militarised SOcieties. Speak Only the langua to assert and exercise becoming anotherma gun and the bomb pr: Much more heinc Rehabilitation Centre persons numbering in been in existence for Surrendered to the SE ShOuld have been COf ernment not to accept was not something t pressed shock andre sal COndemnation, th investigation with a vi government=s concre totally independent ju What is notewort Welikada prisonin th When Soldiers Went b One Could see full, fai leading and subsequ incident and its detai published giving grap From the facts th sible increating unres nel in charge of the C spontaneous one by evidence of posters a before the attack, Th. places pointing to a C also has been questi Collusion.
SOne COmment those which are aSSO Movement Against T. bolical plan of these f conflagration - a repe eCute WOuld Want SuC - religious leaders, p academics, professio prey to or victims oft
 
 

TAMILTIMES 3
Dus Trends and Crippled Minds
2 October 10 election WOuld bring about a more settled political atmosphere in blems facing Sri Lanka, including the ethnic conflict, would be better addressed i. In fact the situation now is more unsettled and uncertain than before the
atunga sought a mandate from the people to enact a new Constitution that i devolution of powers to the regions, but has failed. The Peoples Allianceled o Cobble up a majority in Parliament in coalition with two minority parties. That hing Coalition is less firm now than before the election is demonstrated by the succumb to the exacting demands by the National Unity Alliance/Sri Lanka chwanted more than its pound offlesh leaving her in the unenviable position of largest cabinet in the World.
he election did not leave the opposition United National Party and its leader any regain power also failed, the party securing less number of seats in Parliament election. Having failed in its attempt to form a coalition government with a prity parties, it is Condemned to remain in the opposition. However, without | fate at least for the time being, its leader is threatening to bring down the is if some of its demands are not met thereby creating a situation of political
ing feature of the outcome of the election was the resounding rejection by the st chauvinist forces represented by the Sihala Urumaya which secured only a if the votes in the whole country. ks of the election, two incidents have occurred which point to the development The first was the brutal murder of a courageous Tamil journalist, MNimalarajan, er by So-called unidentified gunmen. Many have accused an ex-Tamil militant ated with the government of being involved in his assassination. Nimalarajan's rave threat posed to those who exercise the right to freedom of expression in There are many who sensing the threat remain silent or fall in line with those ge of the gun. But there are some others who despite the threat feel it their duty their right to free expression, and Nimalarajan fell into this latter category thus rtyr to the cause of freedom of expression in a society where the culture of the edominate. US was the incident On 25 October when about 30 inmates of the Bindunuwewa were brutally massacred to death and many more seriously injured by a mob of their hundreds armed with all manner of weapons. It is said that the Centre had about ten years without any problems. It housed those LTTE cadre who had curity forces, and most of them were in their early teens. That this outrage mmitted in a government-run rehabilitation centre makes it difficult for the govresponsibility although it might have been carried out by others. The massacre at the government would have even anticipated, and the President had exvulsion at its occurrence and Ordered a full investigation. It has attracted univere Secretary General of the UN, Kofi Annan, leading the call for an impartial ew to bringing to justice all those responsible. The World is watching what the -te response to this atrocity is. A comprehensive impartial Speedy inquiry by a dicial Commission is the minimum that is expected from the government. ny is, unlike in July 1983 when the massacre of Tamil prisoners OCCurred at the midst the islandwide anti-Tamil violence, or on many subsequent occasions erserk killing civilians the media sought to coverup the truth, on this occasion r and detailed coverage in the Sri Lankan media of the massacre, the events 2nt to it. There has been no attempt at a coverup of or to put a gloss over the S. Several reports and articles by journalists and Commentators have been nic details of what happened. at have sofar emerged, it is very clear that external forces have been respontamong the inmates resulting in a confrontation between them and the personentre. It is also clear that the attack on the Centre and the inmates was not a in incensed violent mob, but was pre-planned and premeditated. There is also nd leaflets being displayed demanding the removal of the Centre in the days large mob that had gathered and surrounded the Centre came from distant egree of mobilisation. The role of some of the personnel manning the Centre nable - either they were grossly incompetent and negligent, Or they were in
tors have observed that the forces behind the Bindunuwewa massacre are iated with the Sihala Urumaya- the Sinhala Veeravidahana and the National rrorism with which some retired and ex-military men are Connected. The diarces, which were severely mauled at the elections, is to provoke a Communal at of July 1983. Only Crippled minds with political projects of their own to prosacatastrophe to revisit the island and its people. All decent sections of society liticians and their parties, civil and human rights organisations, journalists, als, trade unions etc. should ensure that the mass of the people do not fall a e diabolical designs of these reactionary forces with Crippled minds.

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4 TAMMES
|GBTVGVV
The Inside Story
DBS Jeyaraj
"This incident will no doubt be a huge black mark on this country's hun killing of prisoners held in Colombo prisons during the 1983 riots brougl Country to the lowest depths, these killings will revive those memories."
Bindunuwewa is an idyllic village less than three miles away from Bandarawela town on the Badulla road. The horrendous massacre of unarmed Tamil prisoners that took place there in the morning of Wednesday, October 25, has now led to Bindunuwewa, Bandarawela being coupled with a barbaric deed that has sullied the human rights record of Sri Lanka in an almost indelible man
ՈՇT.
A frenzied Sinhala mob numbering thousands presumably with the connivance of certain officials besieged a correctional facility in the area and brutally attacked the Tamil inmates killing at least 29 and injuring several others.
In one evil stroke, the showpiece of Sri Lanka's efforts at rehabilitating young Tamils allegedly involved with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), was transformed into a prime exhibit of xenophobic bestiality.
Abandoned “helpers'
The Bindunuwewa project in Bandarawela received a fillip when a large number of youngsters allegedly surrendered to the armed forces after an operation in the Wanni. The LTTE had
apparently withdrawn suddenly leaving
these “helpers' in an abandoned state. Most of them were very young and in their teens. Even as these youngsters were being rehabilitated there was a trickle of similar age group from other areaS too.
All of them were young and also not fully fledged LTTE cadres. Some had allegedly surrendered and others captured. The government also derived much publicity mileage out of these youngsters through media exposure
- Editorial, The
until censured by h sations that accord Humanitarian Law all times be protec public curiosity.”
The LTTE how cepted the assertio these youngsters w fact a statement issu ter the Bandarawel "the victims of th. LTTE members ni dered "child soldie cent Tamil youth a and detained with notorious Preventic These young detail testing against their manding release.”
A correctional fac The Bindunuw Centre was in prin agement comprisin the Presidential Se tection Authority, Ministry of Rehab struction, Nation Council and the D Centre. In practice commandant was ratne of the Army. a sergeant and twe cruited from the ne charge of security. staff of 24, mainly youths were techn the Prevention ofT in reality not priso gent Security.
Bindunuwewa and welfare centre security camp. It v
 

15
an rights record. If the it the reputation of this
sland 26 October 2000
uman rights organiing to International
"Prisoners must at ted against acts of
/ever has never acn by Colombo that ere LTTE cadres. In led by the LTTE af. a incident states that is savagery are not or are they surrenrs.” They are innorested on suspicion out trial under the on of Terrorism act. nees have been prounjust arrestand de
ility
rewa Rehabilitation ciple run by a mang representatives of cretariat, Child ProWinistry of Defence, ilitation and Reconal Youth Services on Bosco Technical the detention camp's Captain Ajith AbeyA police unit under lve home guards reighbourhood were in There was a civilian from the NYSC. The cally detained under errorism act but were hers held understrin
was a rehabilitation and not a maximum vas a correctional fa
cility that allowed inmates a great degree of freedom. This concession had not been abused. Thus the security arrangements were minimal.
The ages of the inmates ranged from 14-23. They were being taught technical skills, ethics, and also Sinhala. They were encouraged to meditate and also afforded psychological counselling. The fluency acquired in Sinhala enabled many inmates to strike up conversations with members of the Sinhala community in the neighbourhood. Since some freedom of movement was allowed, there was interaction between the detainees and the villagers. This happy state of affairs had prevailed until a few months ago. The serpent that entered Eden in this case was in the form of Sinhala chauvinistic ideology propounded by neo-fascist outfits during the election campaign.
A Tiger den
These Sinhalachauvinistic elements had a pet target when doing propaganda in the Bandarawela area. They pinpointed the Bindunuwewa centre as a Tiger den within the Sinhala heartland. According to these merchants of hate, the PA and UNP that wanted to hand over the North and East to Prabakharan also wanted to add Bandarawela to him. Unless and until the kotis (Tigers) at Bindunuwewa were destroyed the whole ofUva ingeneral and the Bandarawela area in particular was not safe, they asserted. The Sinhala people must be vigilant and drive these Tigers out or the whole centre had to be dismantled and detainees transported elsewhere, it was propagated.
The general election results saw the Sinhala chauvinist elements being trounced but nevertheless the venomous hate spewed by them did make an impact in Bindunuwewa and surrounding areas. The correctional facility was viewed with hate and mistrust. Also some Sinhala chauvinist organisations recruited more members from the Bindunuwewa village. The ideology of ethnic hate began to take root. A campaign began agitating for the Bindunuwewa centre to be relocated from their area. The authorities failed to take note of these rumblings.

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15 OCTOBER 2000
Meanwhile the centre too was being subject to new dangers from within. A few of the home guards hailing from Bindunuwewa were now converts to the Sinhala chauvinist cause. They began aunting and irritating the Tamil detaines. They began to threaten and intimilate them and wanted them to leave or be destroyed. Complaints made to the civilian authorities or camp commandant were not taken serious note of The Tamil inmates were for the first time beginning to feel insecure. These feelings were being exacerbated by a yearning for freedom also.
The want of “freedom
For some unknown reason the authorities at the centre had promised the detainees at one time that they would all be allowed to go home after three months. When the date lapsed they were assured that they would get their freedom' after the elections. So the cry for freedom began after elections were over. The inmates also had a leader now and were better organised.
Anthony Johnson of Kalladdy, Batticaloa, had been admitted to the centre recently. He was in his twenties and politically conscious. Under his leadership the inmates began agitating for their release. In the meantime tensions created by the "hawkish home guards were adding to the woes of the detainees. The communication gap between the detainees and the management along with the inability of the latter in comprehending the deteriorating environment was a recipe for disaster in the making.
On Monday, October 23, the Tamil detainees began a protest fast. Their demand was “Viduthalai Sei Allathu Visaaranai Sei" (releaseus or commence an inquiry). In spite of entreaties by the management and threats by the home guards the fast continued. On Tuesday 24, police personnel from Bandarawela were called in. The home guards and some policemen tried to force feed the detainees. This resulted in clashes.
The battle begins
At one point the detainees grabbed
awarden and held him temporarily as a
hostage after barricading themselves in
their sleeping qu selves from the guards. Thereaf Diyatalawa cantc The army was young detainees protest without r army also gave seven detainees i Even as the p ond day posters being circulated surrounding areas inmates with dir poster warned tha not be handed o' that the 'Tamil c would be killed dogs. Some of the premises of the ci On Tuesday ( ter the army had li home guard brou lets to the Tamil uttering obsceniti it. Some youthsg. him. Breaking frc ing revenge.
A mob attack
The Tamil in when a mob sur about 5.30 a.m. ( ber 25. Aided a home guards anc numbering nearly attacking the il swords, axes, kr stones. Some of women. It is said had been transpor vehicles while 1 Bindunuwewa a lages.
Some youths 1 ning away. The 1 palla Demalu duv effortlessly. A f home guards. Ac based Tamil polit who spoke to som unarmed youths mercy of the mob What followe rible replay of armed majority ul unarmed, defence

TAMILTIMES5
rters to protect thempolicemen and home er soldiers from the nment were called in. ble to persuade the
into giving up their
sorting to force. The irst aid treatment to jured in the fracas. otest entered the secand pamphlets were in Bindunuwewa and . These threatened the consequences. One t Bandarawela would ver to the Tigers and ogs' in Bandarawela and their flesh fed to se were visible in the entre t00. 24 October) night af. aft for Diyatalawa one ght one of these leafdetainees and began es and threats waving pt angry and assaulted ’e, heran off promis
mates were all asleep ounded the centre at on Wednesday, Octond abetted by some policemen the mob two thousand started mates with clubs, ives, rods and even the attackers were that some of the mob ted from elsewhere in he bulk were from nd two adjacent vil
ried to escape by runnob shouting “duvapalla' captured them w were shot by the cording to some Uva cians and journalists e of the survivors the vere absolutely at the
| thereafter was a hor983 July where an leashed its fury on an ess minority. Brutally
cruel acts were perpetrated. Ears were cut off, mouths slashed, fingers crushed. In some instances the Tamil youths were stripped and subjected to torturous acts. The centre building too was set ablaze and in some instances the half dead youths were tossed in bodily into the raging inferno. The security personnel attached to the centre remained inactive. Then came additional policemen from Bandarawela who also did not attempt to stop the mayhem. Finally came the army from Diyatalawa. The soldiers also did not fire on the mob but stopped the carnage by firing shots in the air. Attending to the “kotis'
The army then tried to transport the dead and injured persons away from the scene. Again some of the 'veerayas' (heroes) wanted the army to allow them to finish the job. But the soldiers are reported to have said, "You should have done it before we got here,” and proceeded with their duty while the mob dispersed with its fury dissipated and the centre burnt down.
There were further problems when the medical staff at Bandarawela hospital refused to attend to the 'kotis'. Later on minimal attention was provided. Some were taken to the Badulla and Diyatalawa hospitals. Seven seriously injured were taken to Colombo. It is said that medical attention in Uva was expedited only after Chief Minister Weerawanni intervened and ordered the health service to discharge their duties or face the consequences. Weerawanni along with Provincial Councillor Velauthan and former MP T. V. Sennan visited the hospitals personally. Journalists trying to gather news about the massacre were subjected to exercises in obfuscation by police personnel. Initially a completely distorted picture of the events were provided. It was portrayed as an escape attempt, a riot etc. whereas the sordid episode was in essence a barbaric massacre. Details about the number of persons affected are also confusing.
One version puts the number of detainees at 84 with 27 dead, 31 injured and 16 missing. Another count says 40 with 26 killed and 14 injured. A third puts it at 55 with 29 killed and 26 injured. By Friday 27th morning only 13

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6 TAMITMES
dead persons and 23 injured persons had been identified.
Since some of those injured were in a critical condition it is feared that some more would succumb in the next few days. Bodies are lying in Bandarawela, Badulla, Diyatalawa and Colombo hospitals. Relatives of the inmates have not been informed fully of the situation yet. It is also announced that a mass burial would be held with or without family members attending. What is required of the government now is a clear statement stating the true situation and casualty figures.
Subsequent events demonstrated that the perpetrators of this montrosity were neither repentant nor cowed. When a Non-Governmental Organisation delegation tried to visit the scene they were stopped in their tracks by some villagers who told them "we have cleansed the area of Tigers and protected our homeland. Go away and don't report anything that would discredit our Sinhala Buddhist country." When the police took in a few hundreds of people for questioning crowds numbering thousands converged in a hostile manner outside the police stations resulting in the suspension of interrogation.
This made TULF MP for Batticaloa observe to a radio station overseas that double standards were being adopted for the Sinhala and Tamil people by law enforcement authorities both for affording protection as well as enforcing the law.
President Kumaratunga has announced a full inquiry into the matter. She has after a cabinet meeting suspended all the security staffattached to the centre. What is expected in this matter at this stage is two fold. Firstly adequate compensation to be paid to the injured and the next of kin of those killed.
Secondly prompt and stern action in apprehending and punishing those responsible particularly those who masterminded the massacre. If necessary provisions of the PTA as well and emergency regulations should be utilised. By doing so the government may be able to rectify the situation partially at least. A communal conflagration
The 1983 July prison massacres in Colombo where 32 detainees were
killed, on July 25th days later on 27th v an aberration possi former inhumane r. dent Jayawardene. atunga became pre lightened professor tice Minister attack ees have occurred ada, Magazine, Ka prisons. Most of the conduct of prison st Various inquirie but not one person 1 The same pattern is I added worry of a 1 happening again. U tunga government g a communal conflag on the cards.
In the final analy must take responsibi massacre at Bandara issued by the Tamil Front (TULF), sumr aptly: “The TULF the brutal attack on the rehabilitation ( wewa, Bandarawela tainees have been ki ers grievously injure many of the injured serious. The manner has been carried out tive of collaboratio at the camp and pe camp who have pla to carry out the attac "Eventually a m gerous weapon has tack. No efforts hav sist the attack, and tion to the detainees. ports the view that th tion between officia the outsiders who p The security forces : only after the attack "One needs to k rity forces could not earlier and repulse t severe indictment o pacity to provide p) citizens, that Tamil der government cust of rehabilitation sho this manner. The lea

and 19 more two as perceived to be ble only under the gime under PresiBut after Kumarsident and the enPeiris became Juson Tamil detainegularly in Welikutara and Boossa m were due to the affers. s were undertaken Las been penalised. ow visible with the 983 type situation nless the Kumaraets its act together ration is very much
sis the government lity for the barbaric awela. A statement United Liberation is up the situation everely condemns Tamil detainees at camp at Bindunul, in which 25 delled and many othd. The condition of persons is set to be in which the attack is clearly suggesbetween officials ersons outside the nned and prepared ck. ob armed with dancarried out the ate been made to reto provide protecThis strongly supere was collaborals at the camp and lanned the attack. irrived at the camp 'ers had left. now why the secuarrive at the camp he attackers. It is a the country's caotection to all her detainees held un)dy for the purpose ld be massacred in st that can be done
is to conduct a thorough impartial investigation into all the circumstances relating to this inhuman attack and to bring the offenders before the law.
"Sadly our experience is that while condemnation and assurances of impartial investigation are easily forthcoming, the end result is that no tangible action is taken and the offenders carry on with a sense of impunity. The TULF also strongly urges that substantial compensation be paid by government to the families of those who have been killed and to those who have been injured while in government custody.”
Rehabilitating LTTE youth
The Sri Lankan Foreign ministry has published a colourful booklet titled "Impact of Armed Conflict on Children: The Sri Lankan case'. This booklet was distributed in large numbers to delegates attending the International Conference on war affected children at Winnipeg, Canada from September 10 - 17, this year. An excerpt from it states: "The government of Sri Lanka has paid considerable attention to the aspect of rehabilitating and meeting the needs of LTTE child soldiers/youths who surrender. This process which has been in operation since 1996 was initially supervised under a special Presidential Committee on 'Safety and Welfare of LTTE Child Soldiers' which was part of the Presidential Task Force on Human Disaster Management. Two rehabilitation centres had been set up for this purpose. One for male children in Bindunuwewa, Bandarawela and another for female children, named “Methsevana” in Gangodawila, Boralasgamuwa.”
The booklet also says that "In order to carry out a more comprehensive rehabilitation programme, with the aim of reintegrating these children into society, a multi-sectional steering committee chaired by Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar vas constituted by President Chandrika Kumaratunga in November 1999.' It further notes that a Four pronged action plan was drawn up to rehabilitate child surrendees, encourage other youngsters to surrender through assurances of proper rehabilitation and care, build an international
(continued on next page)

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15 OCTOBER 2000
OrnaS, KI
МІdely СопФет
Mayilvaganam Nimalarajan, 38, the only journalist reporting to the international media on war events from the Jaffna peninsula, was killed late night on 19 October in a gunshot and grenade attack on his residence.
A group of unidentified men arrived at his house situated within a highly fortified security zone in Jaffna town and threatened, at knifepoint, Nimalarajan's father who opened the door. One gunman entered the house and pumped three bullets into the journalist who was listening to the BBC Tamil programme Tamil Osai while writing a news story. He was killed instantly. The assassins before departing had thrown two grenades into the house which exploded injuring seriously Nimalarajan's father Sangarapillai Mailvaganam (65), mother Lily Sangarapillai (62) and nephew Prasanna Jeganathan (11). Nimalarajan
was the father of
Minutes befo his wife Parimilar the sound of dog house and come c stranger was arou ticing nothing un their usual chores The area arou behind the Jaffna lfed in darkness as was on while the was in force.
The journalist with their younge a loud explosion a I rushed to Nimal him in a pool ofb father-in-lawʼs ro him also in a poc larshanthi told ne' Parimilarshanthi,
(Continued from page 6) coalition against the recruitment of children by the LTTE and prevent recruitment of children and youth by the LTTE.
Stepping stone to society
According to the booklet an appeal for international assistance in this regard by Kadirgamar to the diplomatic corps and UN representatives in Sri Lanka had been well received and assistance had begun coming in. As a result facilities at the Bindunuwewa centre had been improved and a special project had been undertaken at the Don Bosco Technical Centre in Negombo to enhance its capacity so as to absorb and provide technical skills to those coming from these rehabilitation centres as a "tepping stone to their reintegration into society.' It is quite evident therefore that the rehabilitation centre at Bindunuwewa was an important aspect in the government's military effort against the LTTE. It was a project that received maximum attention and support of President Kumaratunga and Foreign Minister Kadir
gamar. It seems ho laudable intentio government they for international c paganda rather th sults on ground. Cruel jokes
In the light of dunuwewa the l pressed like "Safet soldiers, "rehabili into society' etc. s ertheless a govern Bindunuwewa pr purposes has to b for the tragic mas Moreover its youngsters being rectional facility i legal indictment. rence of such in detainees are kill serious doubts ab well as legitimacy nated state to ma for all of its citiz nicity. More imp the spectre of July
 

TAMILTIMES 7
hree young children. re, Nimalarajan and hanthi (30) had heard s barking outside the ut to see whether any nd the house, but nousual they retired to
nd the house situated Kachcheri was enguthe regular powercut routine night curfew
's wife, retired to bed st daughter. “I heard most as I went to bed. arajan's room. I saw blood. I rushed to my om and again found pl of blood,” Parimiwsmen. According to two days before the
wever that despite the ns professed by the were designed more consumption and proan actual positive re
what happened at Binofty sentiments exy and welfare of child tation”, “reintegration eem cruel jokes. Nevment that held up the oject for propaganda 2ar full responsibility Sacre tOO.
inability to protect rehabilitated at a cors a terrible moral and 'urthermore the recurcidents where Tamil ed in custody raises out the efficiency as of the “Sinhala” domiintain law and order ns regardless of ethortantly it has raised 1983 again. O
killing he had told friends and a Tamil politician in Colombo that his life was in danger as an ex-militant group was unhappy about his reporting about election malpractices.
Braving heavy odds, Nimalarajan had been reporting on war related developments for the BBC Sinhala and Tamil Service radio broadcasts as well as Ravaya and Virakesari newspapers. Nimalarajan had been extensively covering the Jaffna situation including alleged widespread rigging and problems of people displaced by war and was known to have been associated with the Colombo-based Committee for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV). Nimalarajan had been reporting for foreign media for more than six years. In a twist of irony, he had already breathed his last, when his last dispatch on shooting of a Sri Lankan airforce helicopter-gunship by LTTE earlier in the day was being broadcast by the BBC Tamil Service.
The murder of Nimalarajan has attracted widespread condemnation within and outside the country. President Kumaratunga condemning the killing of the journalist ordered a full investigation. Many have directed the blame for the journalist's assassination at the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) led by Douglas Devananda who after the recent elections has become a cabinet Minister. Devananda has categorically denied the accusation in a lengthy interview to the press in which has suggested that the LTTE might have been responsible for the murder of the journalist. But his denial has not convinced the critics.
A senior Tamil political leader, V. Anandasangari MP of the TULF in the peninsula alleged that there was reason to suspect that this attack was the handiwork of the only militant group, namely the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP). Condemning the killing, the TULF MP called for the disarming of armed Tamil groups: "I wish to reiterate my demand for disarming all groups that claim to have returned to the democratic stream. It is because of this confused situation crimes of this nature go undetected. As long as the armed group’s presence is there no one will dare

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8 TAMILTIMES
to come forward to give evidence. I call upon the Government to leave no stone unturned to bring the assailants to book. If we fail to restore democracy in this country at least at this juncture the country will soon get ruined.”
The Free Media Movement, a Colombo-based media watchdog, said it suspected the former Tamil militant group, EPDP for the murder. “There appears to be a clear nexus between the murder and the threats received by the victim from the EPDP,” the Movement said. Condemning the killing FMM said, "Mr. Nimalarajan was a courageous journalist of the highest calibre who had remained in Jaffna through a series of political changes. Throughout the time that Jaffna was under the control of the LTTE, to the period under the Indian Peace-Keeping Forces, and through the various subsequent changes he continued to report from Jaffna, disregarding the intimidation he had to face, bringing the true situation of the north to people in Sri Lanka and abroad. Journalists in Jaffna said Nimalaranjan hadrecently filed reports criticising the EPDP for filing reports for its recorse to electoral malpractices during the recently held elections.'
The murder of Nimalrajan, BBC Jaffna reporter, is a dastardly crime committed to silence the voice of censure, truth and justice. He has paid the highest penalty for his indomitable and intrepid exposures of social and political misdemeanours. He is perhaps the first Northern journalist who has sacrificed his life to uphold truth, human values and dignity. The void created by his murder can never be adequately filled, a statement made by S. Kathirgamathamby, President, North Sri Lanka Journalists' Association, said.
The Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka in denouncing the journalist's killing said, "We welcome the statement of the new Media Minister who has vehementaly condemned this cowardly murder and demand a thorough, impartial and speedy investigation into Mr. Nimalarajan's murder so that the culprits, whoever they may be, are prosecuted according to the laws of the Republic.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists(CPJ)in a letter to President Kuma
A M
The killing of der circumstance mystery and doul the last link betw South, between tl heartland and the lis where decisio war and politics. What is more respondent for set tronic organisati BBC, Nimalarajal as well. For many tions he was the what has almos country.
But Nimalara a journalist on pound or a dolla humane young m ments went beyo concerns. He was the war and the c conflict and soug tions with organ viduals in the Sc wavelength. He journalist and act a man with a col tery of both Tar devoted to the cau lossis monumen I can still reca
ratunga said, “CPJ
nouncement that yo fence authorities to
ate inquiry into the
nonpartisan organiz dedicated to the dei dom around the wc saddened by the as colleague. Nimalar: dinarily courageous at great personal ri consequences of th dents of the Jaffna
In a letter sent minister of defence Republic, Chandr Reporters Sans Fr Without Borders -

15
ALARAJAN - A TRIBUTE Onumental LOSS
Ajith Samaranayake
M. Nimalarajan uns still shrouded in it removes perhaps een Jaffna and the e embattled Tamil Colombo metropons are made about
as the freelance corveral print and elecons primarily the 1 had a global reach of these organisar eyes and ears in t become another
jan was more than the lookout for a . He was a deeply lan whose commitnd his journalistic deeply troubled by leteriorating ethnic ht to make connecuisations and indiouth on a common was therefore both ivist and most of all nscience. His masmil and Sinhala he se of humanity. His tal.
all our first meeting
in 1995 at the Gnanam's Hotel in Jaffna during the period of the cessation of hostilities between the Government and the LTTE. A group of us which included Victor Ivan, D. Sivaram and the BBC's Anandi were in Jaffna during the truce. On our first day Nimalarajan turned up bright and early as we were having breakfast. From then he was our guide, philosopher and friend not forgetting to treat us to toddy either.
The brutal killing of Nimalarajan, the serious injuries inflicted on his family and the damage to their house where he had entertained numerous visitors from the South is an indictment on us all, self-satisfied politicians and journalists alike.
Here was a man who opted to remain, to observe, report and monitor when he could easily have found a job in the South with his knowledge of the languages and Tamil politics. His killing therefore is not merely that of a repoter in a war zone, but also the plucking away of a brave man who did not flaunt his bravery but was the very epitome of modesty. Soft-spoken and humble to a fault he will nevertheless qualify for a place in the hall of fame in this still blood-spattered land.
appreciates the anu have ordered deinitiate an immediassassination. As a ation of journalists ence of press freerld, CPJ is deeply sassination of our jan was an extraorjournalist, working sk to report on the e civil war on resipeninsula....'
to the Sri Lankan and president of the ka Kumaratunga, ontières (Reporters RSF) expressed its
profound indignation after the murder of Myilvaganam Nimalrajan. The press freedom organisation asked Chandrika Kumaratunga to "intervene personally in order that the security services may identify the persons responsible for this cowardly killing'. "If the guilty persons are not identified and punished, no independent journalist will be able to feel safe in Sri Lanka', stated Robert Ménard, general secretary of RSF. “Impunity of journalists' murders has already lasted too long. To prove its credibility the government has to guarantee the protection of information professionals throughout the country," added Robert Ménard. RSF noted that at least 31 journalists have been killed in Sri Lanka since 1988 in practising their profession.

Page 9
15 OCTOBER 2000
The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) has concluded its analysis of the violence and violations that took place throughout the country on election day, October 10, 2000. CMEV stands by its preliminary report submitted to the Elections Commissioner in which the appeal was made to annull the poll in 17 electoral divisions comprising 1081 polling centres, since the nature and extent of violence in these electoral divisions was such as to irrevocably mar the outcome of the poll.
CMEV wrote to the Election Commissioner that the nature and extent of violations have been so widespread and serious in the following electorates as to render the final outcome in these areas utterly meaningless. In addition, the level and degree of violence in these areas during the campaign period too was higher than in other parts of the
Election Faw
says CMEV
country, CMEV, t Commissioner of of the powers veste 48 A, 128 and 129 tary Elections Act nul the voting in t sions, in order to r the electoral proce of the country.
Though these a violent, election-ri fined to these area reports of serious including instance: ing, stuffing of ba of ballot boxes, sys tion and ballot rigg timidation of both voters, and the use ing automatic wea) misuse of state ré military vehicles a 578 polling centre:
Mrs Bandaranalike
With Honours
Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranaike, 84, known internationally as the first woman Prime Minister in the world, died shortly after casting her vote in Sri Lanka's general election on 10 October. She fell ill on her return to Colombo from her home town of Nittambuwa, 25 miles northeast of the city.
To booms of a l9-gun salute, regiments of Sri Lanka's three armed forces led Bandaranaike’s flag-draped casket on a gun carriage in a procession outside the grounds of her family estate in Nittambuwa.
The funeral brought the war-torn island to virtual standstill as Sri Lankans watched the final farewell to 'the mother of the nation” on television. The funeral was the culmination of officially declared two days of national mourning for the shy housewife
turned three-time
Mrs B or Srim larly called, was b husband SWRD family estate, calle
Mourners inc President Krishna taries and local pol leaders, includin K.R. Narayanan a Li Peng, had sent c and tributes to Bal widely known and
Hailing from a ily, Mrs Bandarar husband after he b first political assa. Sri Lanka. He was dhist monk at thei Place in Colombo She accepted a ca
 
 
 

herefore, urged the Elections, by virtue d in him by Sections , of the ParliamenNo 1 of 1981 to anhese electora diviestore credibility to 'ss in other regions
reas were the most gging was not conS. CMEV received election violations, s of murder, bomblot boxes, removal tematic impersonaging, threats and inpolling agents and offirearms includpons, as well as the sources including nd personnel, from s in 101 electorates.
TAMILTIMES 9
This constitutes approximately 6% of all polling centres in the country, and is 11% of the 5203 centres monitored by CMEV in all 22 districts.
In considering this information, it is clear that at the very least the Kandy District needs to be re-polled if any semblance of faith in the democratic process is to be maintained. For instance, the majority of the winning party in the Kandy District is one-fifth of the votes cast in the 182 flawed polling centres CMEV monitored in the district.
It is CMEV's considered assessment that taken as a whole the 2000 General Election was significantly marred by violence and election-related violations. In addition, the ongoing of fensive in the Jaffna peninsula, as well as the de facto deprivation of voting rights to approximately 250,000 Tamil voters in so-called uncleared areas in the North-East Province has resulted in the election being a fraud in this province. In the rest of the country, 35 of CMEV's monitors and observers were threatened and intimidated by supporters of the People's Alliance.
Buried
prime minister. a, as she was popuburied alongside her Bandaranaike on the 2d Horogolla. luded Indian Vice Kant, foreign digniitical leaders. World g Indian President nd Chinese Premier ondolence messages hdaranaike who was
well respected. wealthy feudal famlaike succeeded her ecame victim of the ssination in modern shot dead by a Budr home in Rosmead in September 1959. ll by her husband's
supporters to head the Sri Lanka Freedom Party he founded and led it to victory in the July 1960 elections. Mrs B made history on July 21, 1960, when she was appointed the first female prime minister of the Indian Ocean island. She governed the country as Prime Minister for 12 of the years between 1960 and 1977.
Mrs B was constantly hounded and politically victimised during the 17year regime under the United National party which came to power in July 1977 under the leadership of President Junius Jayawardene who masterminded her expulsion from parliament in 1980 and stripped her of her civic rights for five years.
Mrs B re-entered parliament when her daughter Mrs Chandrika Kumaratunga led the Peoples Alliance to victory in the August 1994 election. Upon her daughter becoming President of the country following her victory in November 1994, Mrs B was appointed Prime Minister. She stepped down on August 10 this year due to poor health.

Page 10
10 TAMILTIMES
Living with the e and flow of Wa
BBC South Asia correspondent Mike Wooldri
14 October - For the flight to the Jaffna Peninsula you report to a military airport in the suburbs of Colombo. The Antonov transport plane is waiting on the tarmac. We are due to fly at dawn.
The monsoon weather has closed in again and we are delayed. So are flights to other airfields in the region where the military are fighting what is generally regarded as the world's deadliest guerrilla movement and I watch the silent, expressionless, soldiers who are also waiting to fly.
This war has cost perhaps 60,000 lives on all sides. There has been a sharp increase in casualties in the last few months since the Tigers launched a fresh offensive to recapture the Jaffna Peninsula and government forces tried to push them back. It doesn't take much
imagination to know diers' minds.
The weather eve we are on our way.
The army ackno Tigers can target t Jaffna's sole air bas lery. They also app aircraft missiles.
When the Anton gines are kept runnin off and troops leavin on. The plane is airb minutes.
The general wh Jaffna forces briefs u turn the conflict arol getting the weapons proving morale amo) Ajournalist colle the case and the Tam
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General Wijendra draws the parallel with Vietnam, perhaps an unfortunate one as this is the eve of polling day. Fighting a guerrilla war is never easy, he says. The Tigers have the advantage of being able to choose the time and place of their attacks.
In Colombo, earlier, President Chandrika Kumaratunga had told us that the advice from her commanders was that the war in the north-east was winnable. Here, in the Tamil stronghold, General Wijendra says there can't be a total victory just by destroying the Tamil Tigers.
We set off towards the town of Jaffna. Some of the houses bear signs of neglect, the road are in need of maintenance and the number of Morris Minors, Austin A35s and other cars from the 1950s and '60s still on the road show that this is a world away from Colombo, but otherwise - apart from the military checkpoints - it's a relatively normal rural scene. Today, anyway.
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Page 11
15 OCTOBER 2000
"they're keeping quiet today". We watch polling officials collecting ballot boxes and voting papers from the Jaffna district headquarters, then board buses that set offin convoy for polling stations in the areas of the peninsula the government currently holds.
A bystander comments that they can find buses for the election but there aren't enough for people to get about ordinarily.
Still within Jaffna and no more than two or three miles from where we have just been watching this election activity, things could hardly be more different. In Colombutherai, there are virtually no civilians to be seen, only clusters of soldiers.
We drive down a road where every house is empty and damaged, the walls are pockmarked with holes from machine gun fire and mortar rounds, coils of barbed wire are everywhere. We are warned to be extremely careful where we tread, because there are mines.
It emerges that the Tamil Tigers were here, so close to the centre of Jaffna, until mid September and were dislodged only after three days of hard, sometimes hand to hand, fighting. And, for all that, not dislodged far apparently. An officer tells us that the new "defence line” is only a mile or so away through the dense vegetation.
The people of Jaffna are used to living with the ebb and flow of the war, and under the control of both the Tamil Tigers and the government. They're used to curfews and deprivation, used to suddenly having to pack up their belongings and move out of their homes because of the fighting. There have been fresh waves of displacement this year.
The Bishop of Jaffna told me it explained the widespread lack of confidence that anything much will change as a result of this election. Hope isn't indeed much in evidence from talking to people in the streets.
We flew out of Jaffna with the plane's lights out and it stayed that way until we were beyond the territory where the Tigers operate. Just in case.
We heard that the next day, polling day, wasn't so quiet in Jaffna and more shelling was reported. A reminder, if one were needed, that the election may not have preoccupied the people of Jaffna - but the war preoccupies the politics of this island nation.
Tamil Tiger su the north-eastern destroying two na ing down a helici October. The atta eral rounds of mor military facility w Trincomalee port The port of Tr Karunaratne said. of the finest natu Asia.
In a statement they used six “B boats to carry out But military offic boats were used, attacked and sunl cause any damage managed to slip i navy gunboat and for transporting tro copter that was gc sailors was broug comalee.
The naval enco malee harbour star spotted four rebe the port at daybre; ex-changed fire, K of the rebel boats r sonnel carrier, he rebel boats took d fire and exploded
Karunaratne sa two rebels in each were killed. At lea: sonnel, including were killed and mo in the attack whi blamed on a secur
A Sri Lankan rier anchored at where the attack ti damaged and si rammed by a suci Sanath Karunaratı terward, an MI-24 to the aid of the em down by the reb Trincomalee, he sa fallen into the sea and two gunners naratne said.
Karunaratne s recovered the bod
 

TAMILTMES 11
Strategic Port
cide squads attacked port of Trincomalee al vessels and shootpter gunship on 23 ckers also fired sevarbombs at a nearby hile the attack on the was under way. ncomalee was safe, Trincomalee is one all harbors in South
the LTTE said that lack Tiger' suicide the pre-dawn attack. cials said only four three of which were c before they could However, one other n and ram against a another vessel used pops. An Mi-24heliring to the aid of the ht down near Trin
punter in the Trincoed when navy troops | boats approaching ak and the two sides arunaratne said. One ammed in-to the persaid. The three other irect hits from navy in the water. id there were at least of the boats and all stsevensecurity perthe helicopter crew, ore than 40 wounded ch military officials ity lapse. navy personnel carTrincomalee port ook place was badly nking after it was de-boat, Navy Brig. e said. Shortly af. helicopter coming pattled base was shot els six miles from id. “The chopper has and the two pilots are dead,” Karu
id navy divers had es of two of the four
airmen whose helicopter was shot dow. He said troops had recovered the bodies of three rebels on 24 October, taking the number of LTTE dead from the attack to 13. However the Tigers said in a statement six suicide bombers had died in the attack on the boats in the harbour. -
Following the attack, the port was closed for civilians as well as civilian employees of the navy a "search operation is under way for rebel infillitrators,” according to a navy spokesman he added.
The attack has been treated as highly significant because it took place in a high-security facility. "This is a very serious breach of security," said one senior military officer. "It's bad enough that the LTTE managed to get into the high security zone in the harbour. That they were able to sufficiently infiltrate Marble Beach to set up mortar positions is unthinkable,” he said
An investigation has been launched to determine how the rebel boats were able to breach the navy's defences.
There have been many previous rebel attacks against Trincomalee - an important strategic location for the navy where all craft patrolling Sri Lanka's north-eastern waters are based. They have usually been carried out by the LTTE's naval wing - the Sea Tigers. In June a navy gunboat was sunk by suicide bombers leaving five dead. In April 1995 rebels launched a suicide attack on Trincomalee port, destroying two navy gunboats at the beginning of the current round of fighting between government forces and the Tigers.
A press release from the LTTE said, "Two Sri Lankan naval vessels - a gun boat and a troop carrier - were destroyed another two passenger ships were badly damaged and a Russian built MI24 helicopter gunship was shot down when the Naval Wing of the Liberation Tigers launched a major assault on the strategic Trincomalee harbour today. Scores of naval personnel were killed and injured in the attack.
"Sea Tiger gunboats and Black Sea Tiger assault boats entered the well guarded Trincomalee harbour around (continued on next page)

Page 12
12 TAMILTIMES
The Tamil United Liberation Front vice- president and parliamentary leader, Mr. V. Anandasangaree, has said his party would renew its campaign both within and outside Parliament for an end to the war, negotiations with the LTTE and a political solution based on the constitutional reforms proposed by the President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunga, in 1995.
In an interview with The Hindu on 23 October, Mr. Anandasangaree said the 1995 proposals needed only a "few rectifications' and that if Ms. Kumaratunga was sincere about bringing a political solution to resolve the conflict, she would revert back to those proposals.
"The TULF is not asking for a separate State. We are only asking for a federal set-up with wide powers to the regions. If the President is sensible enough to go back to the 1995 proposals which she thought were reasonable at that time, it would be a good step,” he said. After a long gap the TULF is representing Jaffna in Parliament. Three of
TULF mot for separate State
its members were e trict in the recentel much-needed polit peninsula. In additi bers from Batticalo The TULF lead be “very difficult" sueits agenda giver of seats it had in Pa would mobilise o outside the countr on the Government begin talks with th “There is a str in the Sinhalese co does not want war, the Sinhalese also v If necessary, we ha port also. There is public opinion, on depend,” he said.
Mr. Anandasar "more than satisfit considering the Go to the EPDP “to h seats as possible'. gave the group fu
(Continued from page ll) 5.30a.m. after an intense mortar attack on naval facilities from Marble Beach on the southern side of Trincomalee Bay. A fierce sea battle broke out inside the naval yard. Two Black Sea Tiger assault boats rammed into a gunboat and a troop carrier and both caught fire and sunk. Heavy fighting continued for nearly three hours. Heavy mortar shelling from Marble Beach 15 kilometres southwest of Trincomalee badly damaged two passengerships inside the harbour.
"Heavy fighti: Marble Beach whe naval units engagec mandos unleashing harbour. Several S were killed and wo ing. A Russian bu gunship, which c ground troops near brought down by sile.
“Six Black Tig killed in the figh malee harbour.'
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15
lected from the disctions, giving it the cal foothold in the on, it has two mem
а. er admitted it would or the party to purthe limited number rliament, but said it pinion within and to bring pressure to stop the war and 2 LTTE. bng public opinion ommunity also that Ninety per cent of vant to stop the war. ve to get their sup; also international which we have to
garee said he was ed' with the result vernment's support elp it win as many
"The Government ll control over the
ng broke out near in the army and the the Sea Tiger commortar fire on the Sri Lankan soldiers unded in the fightilt MI24 helicopter :ame to assist the Marble Beach, was un anti-aircraft mis
er commandos were ing inside Trinco
administration, to appoint a Government Agent (highest civilian authority in a district), assistant government agents. The Government gave them lakhs of rupees, merely for the asking, from the rehabilitation fund. So Douglas Devananda (EPDP leader) had the advantage of making grants to rural development societies, community centres, libraries... The official media also helped him."
He accused the EPDP of impersonating voters who were no longer in the peninsula but whose names were still on the rolls and said his party would have won "eight out of the nine seats in the peninsula” had it been a free and fair election.
Besides attacking the EPDP for alleged electoral malpractice and armed thuggery, Mr. Anandasangaree also explained why his party was not able to put up a better showing.
He blamed the All Ceylon Tamii Congress for fragmenting Tamil votes. He also criticised the "carefree attitude of the Tamils for frittering their votes on "all sorts of parties', and in Batticaloa of not displaying "enough interest” to ensure the success of a Tamil party. The TULF managed to scrape together barely enough votes for two seats in the district where it won three seats in 1994.
The TULF might have fared better had it not been for the threat he and his party members faced from the LTTE.
Denying that the TULF had been reduced to a mouthpiece of the LTTE. he said: "It is a wrong view. Even two weeks before the election, two highranking policemen came to see me in Jaffna and said I was at high risk from the LTTE and warned me to be careful. They asked me not to move about If this is true, the theory that we are agents of the LTTE is absurd. We would have done very much better if we were sure that the LTTE would not interfere with the elections.'
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Page 13
15 OCTOBER 2000
O A New Government
After a week-long haggling which included the breaking of protocol and visiting late M. H. M. Ashraff's mourning widow Ferial at her home, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga installed her cabinet at the auspicious time of 10.30 a.m. on October 19. Six days earlier she swore Ratnasiri Wickremanayake as the Prime Minister.
The wrangle was with the National Unity Alliance (NAU), the front Sri Lanka Muslim Congress's late leader Ashraffhad formed to give him a national image, whose co-leader Rauff Hakeem was keen on wresting maximum concessions and was insisting on a written Memorandum of Understanding. The President who conceded the ministerial demands of the NAU found it difficult to sign a Memorandum of Understanding due to intense opposition from her senior colleagues.
President Kumaratunga went to meet Ferial, the other co-leader, to get over the hurdle placed by Hakeem and succeeded in her effort. Ferial who pledged NAU's support to the President told her that she was opposed to demanding portfolios and placing conditions. "My husband trusted you and told me that you would treat the minority communities well. I place the same trust in you," she told the President.
She was also obliged to satisfy all her partners in the People's Alliance (PA) and the EPDP, the other coalition partner. She satisfied the NAU by giving to Hakeem the powerful Trade Ministry and reserving the Eastern Province Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Ministry to Ferial. She would be sworn in when she comes out of mourning in 4 months.
EPDP leader Douglas Devananda desired the Northern Province Reconstruction and North-East Tamil Affairs and it was given to him. Then there were MEP's Dinesh Gunawardene, Communist Party's Indika Gunawardene, UNP crossovers Dr. Sarath Amu
Peoples Allianc n Uneasy Coaliti with Minority Pa
nugama, Ronnie Mendis, CWC's A man and LSSP’s B pampered all of th dated all the form turned to parliame her former junior duced a few new f net of 44 minister of her 1 16-membe other 44 will be inc isters. Her's is th independent Sri La Though Presid a bad precedent in cabinet, the parlia October 18, bega positive note. It e Deputy Speaker an mittees unanimous nated from the UN propose one of its s Bandaranalike to th leader Ranil Wic veyed their decisic ister And asked v ment would suppo government respo the Prime Ministe Anura Bandarana mesinghe, the Le tion, seconded.
“I am glad the begun its sessions I would like this co Wickremesinghe
Encourage by UNP Parliamental October 18 to wo
SCISUS O T6C2SUT{ racy in the count and means to Wickremesinghe { “We will begin th to other parties a to an end.'
The Prime Mi way's role is ove who affirmed that “Norway's offer Foreign Ministe gamar to Oslo o! Norway to resu
 
 
 
 
 
 

TAMILTIMES 13
ie Mel, Wijeyapala rumugam Thondaitty Weerakoon. She em. She accommor ministers who rent, promoted ten of ministers and introces. She has a cabis, more than a third r crew. At least anlucted as junior minbiggest cabinet in anka. 2nt Kumaratunga set forming the largest ment which met on n its sessions on a lected the Speaker, d Chairman of Comsly. The move origiNP which wanted to enior member Anura hat high office. UNP ckremesinghe conon to the Prime Minwhether the governrt their nominee. The nded positively and r offered to propose ke’s name. Wickreader of the Opposi
11th Parliament had on a consensual note. operation continue," wished.
this consensus the y Group decided on rk out national cons to strength democy and to find ways nd the war. Said it the group meeting: e process of talking out brining the war
ister who said “Nor,' and the President stand by saying that on hold' have sent
Lakshman Kadir
October 16 to ask he its peace effort.
Kadirgamar told his Norwegian counterpart that what was said in the past three weeks were all uttered in the heat of the election.
O Election Results
The Eleventh parliament that will begin its life on October 18 will have the following composition. People's Alliance (PA) will have 94 elected members and 13 National List members making a total of 107 of which 5 are from Sri Lanka Muslim Congress/National Unity Alliance, 3 from Ceylon Workers Congress, 3 from Mahajana Eksath Peramuna, 3 from the Communist Party and one from the LSSP. The balance 92 members are from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.
The government had obtained the support of the 4 members of the National Unity Alliance and 5 members of the EPDP thus making the total 16. In actual fact the strength of the National Unity Alliance (NUA) is 9 and with the representation it is expecting from IPA National List NUA's strength will rise either to 10 or l l . This situation is stressed by political commentators and is being increasingly voiced by the people. They say "Hakeem and Douglas' are going to rule the country.
Hakeem, on October 13, a Thursday, had three meetings, one with the politbureau members of the SLMC, the next with the UNP leaders Ranil Wickremesinghe and Karu Jayasuriya and the third with President Kumaratunga. By the time he went for the politbureau meeting he had had feelers from the President and the UNP. He told the President's men that he would agree to support the PA if three cabinet portfolios, three deputy ministers and some other perks like diplomatic posts and top government appointments are given. "these could be settled at the meeting with the President,” the President's man assured.
Hakeem opened the politbureau meeting with a statement about the PA violence and vote rigging in the Kandy electorate where he contested. He told the meeting how Muslim voters were prevented from voting. He specifically mentioned the incident that occurred at Akurana. "In the night some thugs went round and collected the polling cards,” he said. “The moulavisaw the thugs and raised alarm using the Mosque loudspeaker. They then ran away,” he

Page 14
14 TAMILTIMES
added.
Delegates from other areas also related similar instances and that the antiMuslim PA should be taught a lesson. They insisted that all forces supporting democracy should form a government and prevent the PA from coming to power. "By that way the party could honour the last wish of our leader,' they said and added that they should never join a government in which Fowzie would be made a minister.
Hakeem went to meet the UNP leaders at Wickremesinghe office. At that meeting Wickremesinghe made his position clear. He said he was only interested in forming an interim government for the purpose of strengthening democracy. He would enact legislation to establish an Independent Elections Commission, an Independent Public Service Commission, an Independent Judicial Commission and an Independent Police Commission and the go to polls. This he would do after the completion of the first year of the life of the Eleventh Parliament. The present constitution prevents the dissolution of Parliament before the end of the first year of the life of Parliament. Hakeem
then asked for thre and four deputy m requests Wickrem consider favourab would consult the p Next, he went ti He told her of his m mesinghe and bal posts. He was offer three deputy mini asked the presiden to establish the fou kremesinghe had pointed out that th government's cons and undertook ti pledged his suppoi and announced it day 14 October sc Wickremanayake Prime Minister.
Devananda rec join the governme tober 14. He was a to enable him to n the night. Devanar port to the Presid three requests: a East Rehabilitation Interim Administr
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cabinet portfolios nister posts which singhe agreed to ". Hakeem said he rty and come back. meet the President. 'eting with Wickregained for cabinet d two ministers and ter posts. He then to enact legislation commissions Wictalked about. She sy were part of the (itutional proposals enact them. He to her government the media on Frion after Ratnasiri was sworn in as the
eived invitation to nt on Thursday Ocirlifted to Colombo eet the President in da pledged his supent and then made Vfinistry for Northand Reconstruction, ation for the North
and East and the permanent merger of the north and east. He received positive response.
There were also demands for cabinet portfolios from Dinesh Gunawardene's MEP, Communist Party and the LSSP.
O Conflicting Stances
Hakeem, in his interviews to the media had highlighted the conflict of stances among the parties in the government. He said: "I am totally opposed to what the PM had said during the campaign.” By that he referred to what Prime Minister Wickramanayake said about not talking to the LTTE and destroying it militarily.
He also said he was for the reintroduction of the government's constitution reform proposals to which the Prime Minister and Dinesh Gunewardene are reported to be totally opposed. Devananda holds the view that the government's scheme to devolve power to the regions are inadequate to meet the aspirations of the Tamil people and wants the permanent merger of the north and east, which is anathema to the Buddhist Sangha which the Prime
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Page 15
5 OCTOBER 2000
Minister wants to placate.
O The Campaign
Three days after she failed on August 12 in its gamble to enact the new constitution embodying its scheme to devolve power to the provinces as part of its effort to find a solution to the 17year-old ethnic war President Chandrika Kumaratunga Bandaranaike dissolved parliament and fixed October 10 for fresh elections. The main rivals for power, the ruling People's Alliance and the main opposition United National Party flung headlong into an intense campaign to win the support of the people.
The main issue at the commencement of the campaign was economic, the government claiming that it had managed the economy well- increased the per capita income of the people to USS 840, brought down inflation and the budget deficit and had created more employment. The UNP countered by saying that the government had mismanaged the economy, the cost of living had risen, unemployment had risen and the standard of life of the common man had eroded. It promised all out salary increases to help ease the common man’s burden. President Kumaratunga did a quick calculation of the amount of money that would be required to fulfill UNP's salary rise promise - about Rs. 90 billion a year - and showed that the UNP was not serious of its promise.
The UNP knowing very well that its 35% - 38% voter base could not be eroded went in for minority, especially Tamil votes to boost its voter strength. It announced that it would scale down the war, talk to the LTTE, supply food and medicine to the areas under LTTE's control and remove the hardships of the Tamil people living in the south. Realizing the difficulty of matching this offer and that the Tamil support is with the UNP the PA went in for the Sinhala votes. President Kumaratunga pursuaded her ailing mother Sirimavo Bandaranaike to resign from the post of prime minister and appointed Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, described by Some as a Sinhala chavinist, to succeed her. Through him the PA launched a virulent campaign to paint the UNP as a LTTE ally. The Prime Minister charged that the UNP was hand and glove with the LTTE. He challenged UNP leader Wickremesinghe to deny his charge. He
added that the LTT win.
Five days prio Prime Minister re press conference a called the annexur of Understanding UNP and the LTT fused to beliefit as and its front part w say this document man asked. Prime nayake dodged thi do not say it is ger contents and what ing it looks genui
The document ous steps the UNP take prior to the e election. Prior to t should announce down the war, tal agree to an interi the northeast regic “Why did you a hurry without about its genuinen man queried. “We about three hours should place it be Prime minister an A flaw in the Annexure was Wickremesinghe malspelling mista dent’s staff. Sunda commented: "LT) spelling mistakes munications.”
O Violence
The election w spread violence ag and their support voters and stuffin bitter intra-party ri The Centre for N Violence (CMEV 1726 incidents o 940 were major a close of the Octo paign.
The run upto creasingly violen week 664 inciden 33-day election c an average of 52. last week average day.
The worst inc in the Central Pro cusing finger was

TAMLTIMES 15
TE wants the UNP to
r to the election the leased at a hurried document which he e to a Memorandum signed between the E. The newsmen reit bore no signature as missing. "Do you is genuine?' a newsMinister Wickremaa question saying: "I uine. Looking at its is actually happenne.'
laid down the variand the LTTE would lection and after the he election the UNP that it would scale k to the LTTE and m administration for
. bring it before us in satisfying yourself ess?” another media got at this document ago. We thought we fore the nation,' the swered.
document showed. spelt AnneXture. said this was a norke made by the Presiy Leader newspaper TE never makes such in its letters and com
vas marked by wideainstrival candidates ers, intimidation of g of ballot boxes and vally for preferences. Monitoring Election ) said that it recorded f violence of which nd 786 minor, at the ber 10 election cam
the poll became int and during the last ts were reported. The :ampaign resulted in 3 incidents while the ed 99.4 incidents per
idents were recorded ovince where the acpointed at the Deputy
Minister for Defence, Anurudha Ratrwatte and his son. Complaints against them were made by PA General Secretary D. M. Jayaratne and Hakeem. A Deputy Inspector General of Police reported to President Kumaratunga that a notorious underworld thug was seen in the Kandy district and she ordered his arrest. It was reported that six groups of Colombo's underworld men had gone to Kandy to work for the minister.
Large scale rigging and malpractices were reported in Kandy, Kurunegala, Matara, Galle, Nuwara Eliya, Anuradhapura, Puttalam and Jaffna districts. There was rigging in Colombo too but it made little impact in view of the large number of voters and UNP's huge support.
OVoting
As forecast by poll analysts and gallop polls the voting was very close with the PA collecting 3,900,901 votes against UNP's 3,477,770 votes and JVP's 518,774 votes. Percentage wise this was 45.1% for the PA and 40.21 for the UNP and 6% for the JVP. Compared to the 1994 election both the PA and the UNP recorded a drop in their vote bank while the JVP had showed a marked improvement. In 1994 the percentages were PA-48.94, UNP-44,04 and JVP- 1,13.
UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, who contested the Colombo district, garnered the highest 363,668 preferential votes on October 10 election. UNP president Karu Jayasuriya, collect in Gampaha 257,387 preferential votes. Four candidates, besides Wickremesinghe, harvested over a lakh of pref. erential votes. They are Prof. G. L. Peiris (139, 123), Dinesh Gunawardene (114295), A, H.M. Fowzie (100200 (all PA) and Ravi Karunanayake (145,593 (UNP). Colombo district is the most populous electorate with 1.3 million registered voters. In Gampaha, the second most populous district, besides Karu Jayasuriya, Susil Premajayanth (165,905) and Jeyaraj Fernandopulle (1238,252), both PA, exceeded one lakh of preferential votes. The other seven candidates who obtained more than 100,000 preferential votes were: Ratnasiri Wickremanayake (148,705P.A), Kalutara, Richard Pathirana (1 14,658-P.A), Galle, Anurutha Ratwatte (152,151 - P.A). Kandy, Kehiliya Rambukwela (154,403-UNP0, Kandy,

Page 16
16 TAMILTIMES
Pavithra Vanniyarachchi (108,324P.A), Ratnapura, Gamini Athukorale (107,002-UNP). Ratnapura and Vajira Abeywardhana (104,483-UNP) Galle.
Four ministers, 10 deputy ministers and 33 other MPs suffered defeat at the election. The defeated ministers were: Kingsley Wickremeratne, Hema Ratnayake, Nanda Mathew and D.P. Wickremesinghe.
In this election a father and son, a father and daughter and two sets of brothers were elected to the new parliament. In the Matale district Alick Aluvihara and his son Ranjith Aluvihara who contested in the UNP list were elected. Dharmadasa Wanniyarachchi and his daughter Pavithra Vanniyarachchi who was Deputy Minister of Health in the former parliament, were elected as PA candidates from Ratnapura district. Indika Gunawardene, former Housing Minister and his brother Dinesh Gunawardene were elected as PA parliamentarians from the Colombo district. Mahinda Rrajapaksa, former Minister of Fisheries, and his brother Samal Rajapaksa were elected on the PA list from Hambantota district.
There will be parliamentarians in They are: Fariel As Chandrani Banda Sriyani Fernando ( Vanniyarachchi (F ani Ellavala (Kuru seeli Ratnayake Sunetha Jayasena.
Two sons of far be entering parliam They are presider Sagith and the forn der Gamini Dissan fathers of both we bombers, Premada and Dissanayake 1994. Navin con Nuwara Elya seat the southern Hamb; his own political b. district for the UN litical observers as cal achievement.
O Mrs. B’s Deatl World's first w ter Sirimavo Banda at the age of 84 on tion day. She was neral on October 1
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only seven women the new parliament. hraiff (Digamadula), (Anuradhapura), Puttalam), Pavithra atnapura), Suranglegala), AmarapiyaMonaragala) and
nous politicians will ent for the first time. t Premadasa’s son her Opposition Leaayake’s son Navin, re killed by suicide sa on May 1, 1993 on November 25, tested his father's while Sajith went to antota and cultivated ase and had won the P, regarded by poan unparallelpoliti
roman Prime Minisranaike passed away October 10, the elecaccorded a state fu6.
On the election day she went early to the polling station at Nithampuwa close to their Horogolla home. The election staff got up when she was wheeled in a wheel chair and sat down as she handed the polling card. The of ficer read her name: Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike. As there wee no objections from the polling agents the next officer went up to her and painted her little finger of the left hand with indelible ink. She was then handed over the ballot paper. She was pushed to the enclosure where an officer helped to mark the vote.
There were rumours that she voted for her son Anura Bandaranaike, a UNP candidate. But that rumour was quashed by the officer who helped her to mark the vote. He said I asked her: "Am I to mark for the elephant or the chair?" She instructed: "Mark for the chair. The officer then asked: “For whom should I mark the preference?" She did not want to mark the preference vote. Since the time she entered politics in 1950 till her death she had been the president of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party which her husband had founds - in 1952. O
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Page 17
15 OCTOBER 2000
Elections 200 in Retrospec
D B S.Jeyaraj
Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has formed a cabinet comprising 44 ministers including herself after the Island's eleventh general election held on October 10th resulted in a hung Parliament as in the case of 1994. The unusually oversized cabinet of ministers was necessitated by political compulsions as Kumaratunga had to satisfy several diverse interests and pressures to gain a working majority.
Secondly with the loyalty of many an MP being suspect in a tricky and fluid political situation the more ministers and deputy ministers she appoints the less their chances of them crossing over. With 44 ministers and their deputies at least 77% of those in government ranks would be holding office and therefore less vulnerable to fickle political choices. The poll had resulted in the Peoples Alliance led by Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga coming first with 107 seats but being 6 short of the 113 required to form a simple majority in a Legislature comprising 225 representatives. The chief opposition United National Party whose leaderis Ranil Wickremasinghe came second with 89 Seats.
After intense behind the scene negotiations with smaller parties the PA was able to procure the support of a Muslim and Tamil party with four and five seats respectively and acquire 116 MPs to sit on the side of the Government benches. The Tamil party is the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) which won four seats directly in Jaffna and one seat indirectly in Amparai as an Independent group candidate. The Muslim Party is the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress(SLMC) that contested as the newly formed National Unity Alliance(NUA) in some districts and as part of the PA in two districts. The SLMC won six seats as a component of the PA and also got two seats on the national list. The NUA won three seats plus another on the national list.
The UNP led by Wickremasinghe also staked a claim for governance. It mooted a project of forming a govern
ment for democrat reconciliation. The i government to app commissions forele ices, Judicial servi and also introduce also wanted to lift medicine embargos tions on fishing an North - East. Also deescalated, an inte and talks with the time frame of one y which fresh electio The Tamil Eelam sation(TELO), All C ress(ACTC) and Ta tion Front(TULF) \ favour of supportin to form a governn Vimukthi Peramun the first time secure sounded out, but it ( port the PA or UNE The SLMC an throw in their lot w the latter to secure : ity to form the gove haggling over min diplomatic assignn tion chairperson pos between the SLMC leader RauffHakee formal memorandu was ruled out by M the other co-leader. Another unexpe was the election of A and former Arm Munasinghe as Sp speaker respectively without a contest. able in this was that President Kumarat frontliner while M Given the wafer thir the election of the pected to be the firs tween governmen ranks. Sri Lanka hi in electing a Speak tion ranks. In 1960 singhe of the SLFP tion but elected Sl

TAMILTIEs 17
O t
isation and ethnic dea was for the new point Independent :ctions, Public servces and the Police media reforms. It the food, fuel and and ease the restricd agriculture in the the war was to be -rim council formed LTTE initiated. A rear was fixed after ns were to be held. Liberation OrganiCeylon Tamil Congmil United Liberawere supposedly in g the UNP's effort ment. The Janatha a(JVP), which for d ten seats was also lid not want to sup
di EPDP chose to with the PA paving an adequate majorrnment. After some isterial portfolios, ments and corporasts a deal was struck and PA. SLMC com’s insistence on a m ofunderstanding 1rs. Ferial Ashraff,
cted turn of events Anura Bandaranaike y general Sarath eaker and Deputy 7. Both were elected What was remarkt Anura, brother of unga, was a UNP unasinghe was PA. majority of the PA Speaker was exit confrontation beut and opposition as had a precedent er from the opposiMarch, T B Subawas in the opposipeaker as the then
Dudley senanayake's UNP government did not have a majority. But in this instance Anura was accepted by the government as a "consensual' candidate. The arrangement was said to be a result of a rapprochment between quarrelling sibilings Chandrika and Anura after their mother's death. It however fuelled speculation about a future PAUNP national government.
The Sri Lankan electoral system was based on the British Westminster model earlier. The first past the post winner system was replaced by the Proportionate Representation scheme under the 1978 Constitution. The new PR system itself underwent a number of modifications to be what it is now. The parliamentary election
Procedure in the Island entails 22 electoral districts going to the polls and electing 196 members in the first stage. Each electoral district is divided into a certain number of electoral divisions based on population figures for administrative convenience. The voter is required to vote for the party or an Independent group of his or her choice and also cast 3 preference votes for individual candidates. Each list would have a number of candidates normally in excess of the allocated number of seats to a particular district. After votes are counted each party or group would be entitled to a certain number of seats within each district in proportion to the votes received. The party or group coming first in each district would get a single additional “bonus” seat. Thereafter candidates obtaining the highest number of preference votes within their respective lists would become MP's in descending order.
A further 29 seats would be allocated to each party or group proportionately on the basis of overall votes received on a nationwide basis. Parties are required to submit at the time of nominations a “national list” of candidates from which these MP's would be selected. The candidates in the national list do not face hustings directly.
The 2000 parliamentary election saw 5048 candidates from 29 accredited political parties and 99 Independent groups vying for 225 seats in all. 55,000 police and military personnel were deployed to guard the 9845 polling booths where a record 12,380,704 persons were expected to vote. 9,080,400 or 75.43% of the total electorate cast their votes of which 478,454 or 5.27% were rejected as spoiled votes.

Page 18
18 TAMILTIMES
8,601,948 or 94.73% of the votes were accepted as valid. The PA obtained 3, 892,075 or 45.25% while the UNP got 3,463, 822 or 40.27% of the votes. On this basis the PA won 94 seats directly and a further 13 on the national list making up 107 seats while the UNP got 77 seats with another 12 national lists totalling 89 in all. Both parties however registered a drop in voting percentages in comparison with the 1994 elections. Then, the PA got 48.94% of the votes and had 105 seats while the UNP had 94 seats with 44.02% of the votes.
Apart from the seats won by the PA and UNP, a further 29 were shared by seven parties. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna or Peoples Liberation Front obtained 517,620 or 6.02% of the total votes and gained ten seats comprising eight directly elected and two on the national list. The Sihala Urumaya or Sinhala heritage party garnered 126,137 votes or 1.47% that entitled it to a solitary seat on the national list. It failed to win a single seat in any district. The Sri Lankan Muslim Congress that contested two districts on the PA symbol fielded candidates in several districts under the nomenclature of National Unity Alliance. It won four
seats including one after getting 183,79 Among the Tam erate Tamil United retained the same nu in the outgoing Parl won 5 seats with 1 23% but failed to ge The Eelam Peo Party(EPDP) that h previous Parliamen rectly with 50,702 gained another in nominee on an Inde testing an Eastern elected thereby mak also five. The All ( gress got one sea 0.32% while the T: tion Organization g basis 25,830 votes
The peculiaritie in Sri Lanka has re cal situations wher get seats by virtue percentage in partic being negligible q tional scale. Likew able aggregate a hi; on a national level gle seat because
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on the national list 0 votes or 2.14%. hil parties the modLiberation Front imber of seats it had liament. The TULF 05,907 votes or 1. t a national list seat. ples Democratic ad nine seats in the t won four seats divotes or 0.59%. It directly when its pendentgroup condistrict also was cing the EPDP tally Ceylon Tamil Cont with 27, 289 or amil Eelam Liberaot three seats on the or 0.30%. is of the PR system sulted in paradoxie parties are able to of getting a higher ular districts while uantities on a navise parties may be gh number of votes but fail to get a sinthey lack sizeable
amounts in any district. This situation is of particular advantage to the minority community parties that are able to focus on particular regions and gain representation on a limited scale as in the case of the TULF, EPDP, NUA, TELO and ACTC in the current exercise. None of them except the NUA was eligible to get a national list member while the Sihala Urumaya that gained a national list seat failed to win any seat on the district level. Interestingly the Sinhala nationalist SU split when internal divisions arose over filling the national list seat. Party president S L Gunasekera was sidelined because he was a Christian and Tilak Karunaratne the party's secretary nominated himself.
The results saw forty seven former MP's including four ministers and ten deputy ministers being defeated this time. The highest number of preference votes was recorded by UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe with 363,688 in Colombo district. Professor Gamini Lakshman Peiris, the government minister responsible for drafting a new Constitution was first on the PA list for Colombo with 139,123 votes. Ratnasin Wickramanayake re-appointed as
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Page 19
15 OCTOBER 2000
Prime Minister came first in Kalutara with 148,405 preference votes.
Former Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike, mother of Kumaratunga, passed away on election day. The matriarchal political figure who created a record by becoming the world's first woman Prime minister was travelling to Colombo by car after casting her vote in her hometown of Attanagalle. The 84-year-old Bandaranaike had a heart attack on the road and died when admitted to the Kadawatha hospital enTOutc. -
In keeping with the South Asian tradition of dynastic politics several MP's with family connections continued to retain their seats or won for the first time. Of the new entrants four are of noteworthy importance. Former President Ranasinghe Premadasa’s son Sajith came first on the UNP list in the Southern district of Hambantota with 98,968 votes. Former Opposition Leader and UNP minister Gamini Dissanayake’s son Navin won in Nuwar Eliya with 55,587 preferences. Ferial, the widow of Muslim Congress leader MHM Ashraffwon in Amparai (Digamadulla) with 83,353. Surangani Ellawela won in Ratnapura with 54,517 on the PA ticket. She is the widow of former MP Nanda Ellawela and the mother of another former MP Nalanda who was gunned down in a political fracas a few years ago. Incidentally two persons charged with the killing also won from the same district on the UNP ticket. Two brothers Indika and Dinesh Gunewardene were elected from the PA in Colombo. A father and son combination Alick and Ranjith Aluvihare won from the UNP in Matale. A father and daughter duo Dharmadasa and Pavithrar Wanniaratchi were elected from the PA in Ratnapura.
The ethnic ratio of the 22 electoral districts in Sri Lanka is distributed somewhat unevenly. 10 of them, Gampaha, Matara, Galle, Hambantota, Moneragala, Kegalle, Matale, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kurunegala are Sinhala dominated. Another six Colombo, Ratnapura, Kalutara, Puttalam, Kandy and Badulla have a Sinhala majority with significant Muslim and Tamil segments. The Nuwara-Eliya district has Tamils of recent Indian origin having a slight edge over the Sinhalese. In the East, Batticaloa has a Tamil majority and a substantive Muslim minority. Amparai district has the Muslims in a majority with Sinhala coming a
close second and behind. All three cc or less evenly dis malee with the Mu is near totally Tan is Tamil dominate Muslim minoritie Colombo, Puttalan and Jaffna have si tions of Tamils ant Of these 22 dist in 15 including Nu malee and Ampar first in Colombo, H and Polonnaruwa. the TULF in Jaffna the same to the NU TELO) came first UNP got seats in Country including won in every distri A remarkable p poll was the emerg major political forc responsible for tw 1971 and 1988-89 government forces recent times the JV what to the right in neo fascist tendenci to outdated leftist been critical of bot their “capitulation” The JVP organise against concessio Tamils in the aborte mooted by the PA l; its support from bot as well as urban lu not from the proleta gesture the JVP has lim woman as one list MP's. Its leade rasinghe, in selfFrance is expected up active leadershi The election ha of Sinhala chauvir Sihala Urumaya. I undeserved publici
am media, the SU
come the third forc but fared miserably win a seat on the na however has split u leader S L Gunase eight other central ( quitting. This was objection to Guna representing the Si Parliament as natio party Secretary Til
taken his place. A r

Tamils trailing far mmunities are more ributed in Trincoslims ahead. Jaffna il while the Wanni i with Sinhala and s. The districts of , Gampaha, Wanni nificant concentra
Muslims. ricts, the PA topped wara-Eliya, Trincoai. The UNP came ambantota, Badulla he EPDP edged out while the latter did A in Batticaloa. The in the Wanni. The very district in the Jaffna. The PA also ct except Jaffna. henomenon of this ence of the JVP as a :e. The leftist outfit to insurgencies in was suppressed by un both instances. In P has moved someterms of acquiring es while clinging on cliches also. It has h major parties and to the minorities. d demonstrations ns being made to d draft Constitution ast August. It draws n the rural peasantry mpen elements but riat. In a significant | nominated a Musof its two national " Somawansa Amemposed exiled in to return and take ). s also seen the rise ist outfits like the ionised and given y by the mainstrewas reported to be: in Sinhala politics Still it managed to tional list. The SU thereafter with its era, a lawyer, and ommittee members because of party 2kera, a Christian, hala Buddhists in a list MP. Instead k Karunaratne has lated development
TAMILTMES 19
in this regard is the victory within the PA fold of another set of Sinhala hardliners from the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna led by Dinesh Gunewardene, Some are of the view that the MEP component, JVPand SU in association with PA hawks are likely to obstruct any meaningful action on the part of President Kumaratunga to resolve the national problem equitably.
The EPDP that had nine seats from Jaffna in the last Parliament because the majority of Jaffna voters could not exercise their franchise found its number dwindling to four in the North. The EPDP got 4 seats by polling around 41000 votes of which its stronghold Kayts provided about 12000 votes amidst controversial accusations by rival political parties. The TULF which did not contest Jaffna last time did so this time and got three seats. The oldest Tamil political party in the Island, the Tamil Congress got one seat while the UNP got the other. The Tamil Congress had been out of Parliament since 1977 while the UNP had last won from Jaffna in 1952 when Suppiapillai Natesan defeated Federal Party leader SJV Chelvanayakam in Kankesanthurai.
About 132000 voters or 21 % cast their votes in Jaffna despite the ongoing war.The Wanni saw the TELO win three seats. Its leader and sitting MP Adaikalanathan alias Chelvam gained a lot of Catholic votes. The Muslim Congress contesting as NUA got another seat while the UNP and PA got one each.
The East saw the Muslim Congress component of the PA in Amparai (Digamadulla) district gain four seats on the PA symbol. The sympathy vote generated by Muslim Congress leader Ashraff's demise triggered off a massive PA swing. The UNP got two Sin
hala MPs in while an EPDP candidate
won on an Independent list where Tamil organizations had come together on a combined list to prevent fragmentation of votes and ensure Tamil representation. In Trincomalee Tamils lost representation for the first time in the Island's history of representative democracy. From M M Subramaniam in the Legislative council in 1924 to R. Sambandan in the dissolved Parliament there has been a Tamil representative from Trincomalee. Excessive
Division of Tamil votes among contending parties and Independent groups resulted no Tamil being elected this time. The PA got two Muslims and a

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Page 21
15 OCTOBER 2000
Sinhala while the UNP had a Muslim MP in Trincomalee. Batticaloa saw two TULF and one PA candidate win. Apart from these three Tamils, two Muslims were returned from the UNIP and NUA respectively. A Tamil candidate from the PA won for the first time while the TULF suffered a decline. The TULF that got 75000 votes last time dropped to 54000 with its star candidate Joseph Pararajasingham's preferences decreasing from 43000 to 12000.
A notable feature of the predominantly Tamil and Muslim North and East is the success of Sinhala dominated parties as opposed to the lack lustre performance ofthe TULF and other Tamil parties. There are 31 seats from the N-E of which 15 are from the North and 16 from the East. The breakdown is: PA-9, UNP-6, TULF-5, EPDP5 (4+1), TELO -3, NUA - 2 and ACTC - 1. The ethnic composition of MPs is 12 Tamil, 2 Sinhala, and one Muslim from the North, and 8 Muslim, 4Tamil and 4 Sinhala MP's from the East.
One reason for the drop in Tamil MP's was the outward migration of Tamils due to the war and the inflow of Sinhala settlers sponsored by the state over the past years. A visible pattern in the election was that the plethora of Tamil parties and Independent Groups were fragmenting the limited number of Tamil votes by excessive competition among themselves. Also the Tamil lists were exclusively Tamil in heterogenous electorates like Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Amparai and the Wanni while the major parties fielded multi-ethnic lists comprising Muslims, Tamils and Sinhala candidates.
The Plantation Tamils who had eight elected and two national list MP's in the last Parliament won only five elected MP's this time. In 1994 the Ceylon Workers Congress contesting under the UNP symbol won three in Nuwara Eliya, two in Colombo and one each in Kandy and Ratnapura. Another two were appointed on the national list. The Up Country Peoples Front had one in Nuwara Eliya. This time, the CWC split in two with the faction led by Arumugam Thondaman going along with the PA. It contested on the PA symbol in some districts and separately in others. The other group led by former minister Devarajan contested on the UNP ticket. Also Periyasamy Chandrasekeran leader of the UCPF, Mano Ganeshan of the Democratic Workers Congress and M S Sellasamy of the Natio
nal Workers Con the UNP. Arum Muttu Sivalinga Krishnan Jegathe Nuwara Eliya on CWC failed elsew Chandrasekeran : sivam won from Eliya. Mano Gane seat by 96 votes in however has appo Country Tamils,N Devaraj and K.K. list MP's. The PA muthu from the C list. It also re-appo ter Lakshman Kad Tamil as a nationa The spectre of ral fraudulence ha over the polls this ous type in the Sou district where the and President Ku Anuruddha Ratwa accused of waging tory and corrupt The votes in at leas were nullified by th sioner. Though R: highest number of the district, 152,51 tarnished consider alleged tough tactic and Chanuka. Loh produced in courts including attacks lice Deputy Inspec office and for firiı gress supporters k ing fifty four. Ano ality against who been made is PA Nuwara Eliya Sp Dissanayake.
The preliminal by election monito the PAFFEREL an that elections wer fair in 12 of the 2 monitored by them tern districts. Oft cts consisting of K Puttalam, Matale, Kurunegala and PAFFEREL - MFF "A high level of vi and ballot stuffing stances to an inte itself was reportec Another monitoril stated that voting flawed and that ar

TAMILTMES 21
ress also were with igam Thondaman, h and Shanmugam san were elected in the PA ticket. The here. Likewise only nd Subbiah Sathahe UNP in Nuwara shan failed to win a Colombo. The UNP inted three other Up s S Sellasamy, P P nagaraj as national appointed K. MariWC on the national inted foreign minisrgamar a Sri Lankan 1 list MP. violence and electocast a deep shadow year. The most serith was in the Kandy 'A's "War' minister maratunga's uncle tte's supporters are a violent, intimidaelection campaign. it 20 polling stations le Election Commisatwatte obtained the PA preferences for l, his image has been ably because of the is of his sons, Lohan an was arrested and for alleged offences bn the district's Potor General Herath’s ng on Muslim Conlling two and injurher bigwig personm allegations have strongman from orts Minister S B
y reports submitted ring bodies such as d MFFE have noted ! relatively free and 0 electoral districts including three Easle other eight distrindy, Anuradhapura, Gampaha, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya, the E reports observed lence, intimidation, leading in some inruption of the poll
in these districts'. g body the CMEV in 578 booths was und 700.000 votes
were cast in these booths. As such the CMEV claimed that this would have had a major impact on the outcome of
the polls. The opinion of the local moni
toring bodies contrasted sharply with those of the foreign observer teams that tended to deliver a generalised clean chit to the overall exercise.
If this was the situation in these districts, the scenario in the Tamil dominated Jaffna and Wanni districts was not very different. In fact no organization attempted to monitor elections there. The situation was there was prejudged with Lord Naseby of the UK commenting that it was not possible to have a "full and fair election because of the terrorist activity of the LTTE and the possible unreliability of the voter registers.”
Election day itself saw heavy artillery fights raging between the LTTE and Government troops in several areas of the Jaffna peninsula.
A structural defect in the elections in the north was the disparity between actual voter numbers and figures in the voter registers.This was due to massive displacement and migration of Tamils. Moreover a substantial number of Tamils were living in LTTE-controlled areas and were unable to vote. Other regions like Weli Oya were totally depopulated of Tamils. The TULF complained about this saying that “it participated in the contest in an undemocratic environment'. The TULF also alleged that in Jaffna "one political party was able to behave as if it was the government. It was able to dispense favours even while the election was on,” In a severe indictment of the results in the North - East, TULF Secretary General R. Sambandan observed "we do not look upon the election results as reflecting a genuinely democratic verdict of the people in the north. I would say it is an aberration of existing ground reality.'
There is no denying that the Sri Lankan elections was NOT conducted perfectly and peacefully. While the dif. ficulties of conducting an ideal poll in a war situation have to be appreciated, premeditated violence, election malpractices and the abuse and misuse of power by those in authority cannot be condoned. In fact such fraudulence and violence has to be penalised wherever possible. Nevertheless what is positive in the entire scenario is the overwhelming desire of the Sri Lankan electorate (continued on next page)

Page 22
22 TAMILTIMES
Silence of Disillusion
Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thero has been the most articulate SinhalaBuddhist ideologue in recent years. He is a powerful orator in Sinhala drawing upon to full advantage all the resources from his religious background and learning. In a way, he can be compared to Rev. Ian Paisley (from Northern Iraland) of Sri Lankan politics.
For a man who has donned yellow robes professing to preach the kindly message of tolerance, non-violence, compassion and peace of the Buddha, when Ven. Sobitha speaks in public to large audiences, the sheer violence and intolerance of his message in demagoguery is matched only by the image he presents of the ugly face of religious bigotry. Choosing to become the Defender of the Faith and the Sinhala Nation, Ven. Sobitha occupies many elevated positions: President of the Moubima Surakeema Viyaparaya (Movement for the Defence of the Motherland), President of the Sinhala Veeravidahana, President of the Jathika Sanga Sabhawa etc. leaving one to wonder whether he has any time left to practise his chosen religious vocation. Incidentally this monk, who has eschewed greed (thannava) and given up all worldly and material pleasures in the noble pursuit of attaining nibbana, has filed a case against Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd. (ANCL) for defamation. In this case Ven. Sobhitha Thera is claiming that a certain article published in the Silumina newspaper was defamatory of him and Veeravidahana Organization where he held the position of the President. He says that the said article had lowered his image and therefore he claims Rs. 200 million as compensation. The trial in this case has been fixed for 21 No
(Continued from page 21)
to uphold and maintain democracy in the face of tremendous odds. John Cushahan of the European Elections Observations team summed up this aptly: "The overall result reasonably reflected the political intentions of the Sri Lankan people who demonstrated their own commitment to the democratic process by turning out in such high numbers,”
vember.
Ven. Sobitha dc that there is an ethr Lanka, nor does he nority communities S any grievances as th cording to him, it Sinhala-Buddhists w trayed by the grave i ted against them. He facing Sri Lanka as o rorism' by the Tamil be crushed militarily In recent months, forefront of the cam government's new C on the ground that it the minority commur the Sihala-Buddhists election campaign, h the defeat of the go fear that, if it regaine attempt to enact a 1 and associated hims paign of the ultraknown as the "Sihala was paradoxical was ported the oppositio vocated peace talks gers. The Sinhala-B the coutnry, who cc whelming majority touch the Sihala Uri barge pole, and its c. verely beaten. His set UNP failed in its bic litical power.
Following the Sobitha appears to b ned man. The follov ing and relevant com ist in the Sunday Ob "The Ven. Mad is clearly a very dis In a recent statement it was today a matte of race and country. pose in talking of whatever was serve of not talking of any future, but to step as lent.
One can well u son for the disillusic Sobhitha Thera, a TNL the day before horting the people PA. The result of the shownhim what im
 

15
es not recognise ic conflict in Sri gree that the mihould complain of y have none. Ac
is the majority ho have been benjustices commitsees the problem ne merely of “terTigers who should
he has been in the paign against the ‘onstitutional Bill gave too much to lities and betrayed , During the recent e worked hard for verning party for 'd power, it would new Constitution, elf with the camnationalist outfit Urumaya'. What that he also supin UNP which adwith the Tamil Tiuddhist voters of institute the overdid not want to Imaya even with a andidates were seond best hope, the | for regaining po
elections, Ven. e a very disillusioving is an interestment by a column}Server: uluwawe Sobhitha illusioned person. the Thera hassaid of ridicule to talk There was no purhese. No purpose i. He was thinking such things in the ide and remain si
nderstand the reaonment of the Ven. ter appearing on the polls and exnot to vote for the election must have pact his words, and
so many others wearing his garb, had on the people. This is even buttressed by the farcical performance of the Sihala Urumaya, and its subsequent infighting over a single seat.
The problem that Ven. Sobhitha Thera faces in not in preaching to the people about race and country or "rata and jathiya'. Rather it is in calling on the people to refuse to accept the rights of the minorities and keep them under subjugation, and ensure the permanent dominance of the majority Sinhalese. How this could be the teaching of any person who took to robes after one's initial disillusionment with secular society, and accepted the teaching of the Buddha that there should be compassion towards all beings, is a puzzle to many but to the racists who have made Buddhism their cover.
There is no harm in the Rev. Maduluwawe Sobhitha Thera making a brief retreat into silence so as to contemplate the real situation and gather his thoughts. No one wishes that he will remain silent on all matters. One would be glad to see the day when he resumes from where he stopped about 15 years ago, and preaches the true message of the Buddha to the people, with all it has to say of tolerance, compassion and loving kindness.”
Change of Stance of Tamil Parties
Following the 1994 general election, all the non-LTTE Tamil parties which had parliamentary representation lent their support to the PA government under Chandrika Kumaratunga. What is significantly different now, following the recent election, is that except for the EPDP, all other Tamil parties have refused to support the PA in forming the government. In fact they appear to be more hostile to the PA than towards the UNP. Reading their recent statements, it would seem that these parties would have happily supported the UNP had it secured more seats to be able to form a government.
Only the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party(EPDP), which secured 4 seats in Jaffna and one in the East, has joined the the government in a coalition, its leader Douglas..... becoming the Minister of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Northeast.
Of special political significance is the post-election position of the TULF. Until recently, though not being part of the ruling coalition, it had been supportive of and worked closely with the President and the PA government, par

Page 23
15 OCTOBER 2000
ticularly in connection with the draft constitutional reform and devolution proposals of which one of the architects was the late Dr M Tiruchelvam until his assassination in July 1999. For its collaboration with the government, the TULF paid a heavy price by many of its leading members, including Member of Parliament Thambithurai, two Mayors of Jaffna, Mrs S Yogeswaran and Mr. Sivapalan, becoming victims of assassination.
The stance of the TULF, which won 5 seats (3 in Jaffna and 2 in Batticaloa) in the recently held election, would appear to have undergone a radical transformation. Its Vice President, V Anandasangari, in a statement made after the election said that there was no question of the TULF's support for the government. “We will not touch the PA even with a barge poll. We know well about Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe also. If the UNP gives us a guarantee that it would hold immediate talks with third party mediation, we will give our definite support from outside for them to form the government. All what we need is change in the governance since the Tamil people have suffered enough under the PA government,” Mr Anandasangari said.
The All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), which won one seat in Jaffna, was more categorical in its opposition to the PA. Its General Secretary, N Kumaraguruparan said that his party would support the UNP if it accepted the LTTE as the sole representative of the Tamil people and held immediate talks with the LTTE.
The Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), which secured three seats, also declared its support to the UNP to form a government. Its leader and newly elected MP Mr Selvam Adaikalanathan said that the TELO had been against the PA government from the very beginning. "All what we need is change of rule and we will support the UNP wholeheartedly if it promises to talk to the LTTE immediately with a cease-fire to find a political solution which would meet the aspirations of the Tamil nation. Economic embargo on Wanni should be lifted and the pass system in Vavuniya should be abolished. All these conditions should be implemented within six months. We hope that Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe will give this country a good leadership,” he said.
Though the LTTE did not participate in the elections, the fact that it tar
geted one PA elect chiya, and one SL with suicide attack or call upon or pre ple from voting f or the TELO is al observers as a refl. of political forces v
First Muslim Fen Though the rec ment will have fe of Parliament, it is first Muslim wom ka's parliament Ajan Umma, surp the Janatha Vimuk Ajan Umma h JVP politics since brother who invol tics of the JVP wh by the late Rohana killed after being c rity forces reporte the then Minister Wijeratne.
"This is repr women of Sri Lank this is also a rep Sinhalese, Muslim country,” Ajan Ur the JVP's politica, tributes the preser one produced by "c is opposed not onl also devolution of as manifested in it against the govern Constitutional Bill
Married and a 45-year-old parl walked into Parlial day covering herh Muslim manner, sa has always been su litical activities. "W understanding. He well and also kno' tics,”Ajan Umma dicating a percepti still has a role in litical life.
Ajan Umma ec the JVP when sh much can be achiev government or one ing, “We have a lo be implemented c power.” But as a w "I will support an guards women's ri In a statemen loyalty to the part "I don't seek anyt

TAMILTIMES 23
on rally in MadawaVC rally in the east s, but did not attack vent the Tamil peor the TULF, ACTC so seen by political :cting a realignment lithin the Tamil fold.
ale MP ently elected Parliaw women Members significant that the an to sit in Sri Lans Abdul Rahaman isingly representing thi Peramuna(JVP). as been involved in he 1970s. It was her ved her in the polien it was being led Wijeweera who was aptured by the secudly on the orders of of Defence Ranjan
esentation for the a. On the other hand resentation of the s and Tamils in this mma says reflecting position which atut ethnic conflict as apitalism”. The JVP y to separatism, but bowers to the regions S virulent campaign ment’s aborted new
mother of three, the iamentarian who ment on the opening ad in the traditional lys that her husband upportive of her poWe have a very good understands me very ws a lot about polisays presumably inon that her husband letermining her po
hoes the position of says that nothing ed under the present under the UNP addof plans but all can nly if we come to oman MP she says, y motion that safeghts.”
showing absolute , Ajan Umma says, ling from politics. I
don't need anything more than what the party gives me. I am satisfied with that, I don't need anything more."
One should be happy that another woman, more so a woman from the Muslim community which has been very puritanical as far as rights of women are concerned holding back them from playing a role in public af. fairs, has become an MP because of the derisory nature of women representation in Parliament. However, Umma Ajan comes from a party that had its origins in Stalinism and Maoism and later embracing Pol Pottism. It has been a party that resorted to acts of unbridled terrorism of the most barbaric and cruel kind during the 1988-1989 period. While posturing to following Marxist concepts, the JVP has resorted to tactics of flirting with Sinhala-Buddhist patriotism that was self evident during its recent electoral campaign. In this backkground, whether Ajan Umma will have freedom to articulate progressive ideas in regard to rights of people as citizens and specially in respect of the rights of women in her own right as a woman MP is a doubtful proposition.
Veerappan Fuels Nedumaran Controversy
The recent foray into the forests to rescue Dr. Rajkumar from the notorious sought after fugitive from justice, Veerappan, saw the emergence of a second force among negotiators – P. Nedumaran, leader of the Tamil Nationalist Movement, breaking Nakkeeran Editor Gopal's monopoly, states a recent report in The Hindustan Times by GC Shekar.
However, the report adds thhat Nedumaran's involvement has triggered offa controversyas his pro-LTTE baggage has become a convenient stick for Karunanidhi's critics to beat with.
Even as the Supreme Court and other alarmists envisaged an LTTEVeerappan nexus being facilitated by Nedumaran, Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna sought to distance himself from the new emissary, saying that he was Karunanidhi's choice. On 19 October, Karunanidhi disclosed that Krishna had cleared Nedumaran's choice and had even spoken to him over phone before he left.
Veerappan's choice of Nedumaran as emissary was a surprise since this former Congressman-turned-Tamil radical had not taken any position on the Rajkumar episode. Probably on the
(continued on next page)

Page 24
24, TAMILMES
King Makers
of Sri Lank
By T. Sabaratnam
The late leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, Ashraff was an admirer of Thondaman. He wanted to emulate him. In 1989, he told me: See how Thondaman is serving his people and the country. Why don't our Muslim leaders realize this? Bybeing part of mainstream parties they have betrayed our people?”
That was the time he was negotiating with Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike about joining the People's Alliance (PA) which was formed to fight the Presidential election. Later he joined the UNP presidential candidate R. Premadasa who offered him favourable terms.
During that conversation Ashraff pointed out the pathetic plight of the Muslim leaders in both the national parties, UNP and SLFP, who failed to condemn the police shooting inside the Puttalam Mosque. He said he did not blame them but only pitied them. They could not lift their fingers for fear of hurting the interests of their parties. It was left to Federal Party leader S.J. V. Chelvanayakam to raise the matter in parliament. Ashraff composed a poem in Tamil to express his gratitude to S. J. V for that act.
Savumiamoorthy Thondaman, leader of the powerful upcountry trade union, Ceylon Workers Congress, held the in
terests of his comm cern. In 1978, when wardene invited him Thondaman laid dow would not be bound cabinet responsibility cern the Indian Tami ters he would toe the notable example was strike. The governm on to the plantation raise it granted to After all efforts at per daman led a strike ag. and earned for hims ing the only cabine strike against the go In matters affec took an independent ample was his deft Leader A. Amirthalir whom President Ja brought a no-confide nic question he took ent line.
M. H. M. Ashra" tics as a TULF sup rectly the source of gth: his ability to co of his people. He hac bank at his disposal : he used to make go
(Continued from page 24)
advice given by the TNLA extremists, Veerappan chose Nedumaran hoping that his Tamil nationalistic credentials would carry greater clout with the two governments.
The two state governments had similar hopes about Nedumaran being able to convince Veerappan into releasing Rajkumar. Neither happened.
Nedumaran's transformation from a hardcore Congressman to hardcore Tamil extremist is an unexplained phenomena of Tamil Nadu politics. It was the outbreak of ethnic riots in Sri Lanka in 1983 that saw him getting fully involved in the Sri Lankan Tamils issue. A vehement critic of the IPKF operations, he travelled to the Vannijungles in North Srilanka to meet Prabhakaran at the height of IPKF operations there. Since then he has been viewed
as a staunch advc Even after the gro Gandhi's assassina court, Nedumaran himself from the T “The Tigers ren representative of SI they're giving their Other things do no would justify his s Under these ci volvement in the raised allegations up Veerappan and I him into the pro-L Refusing to a Nedumaran's only sion was impelled ian considerations ations at this jun when the most imp Dr. Rajkumar rele
 

5
nity his main con'resident J. R. Jayeto join his cabinet, none condition: he by the principle of in matters that conls. On all other matgovernment line. A the 1984 plantation 2nt declined to pass workers the salary industrial workers. suasion failed Thoninst the government elf the credit of be: minister to lead a vernment. ting the Tamils he stand. The best exince of Opposition gam in 1981 against yewardene's UNP ence motion. On etha sturdy independ
ffwho entered poliporter assessed corThondaman's strenImmand the support a considerable vote nd it was that power ’ernmentS.
cate of the LTTE. up's hand in Rajiv tion was proved in refused to distance igers. lain the sole and real i Lankan Tamils and lives for the Tamils. t matter,' is how he upport to the LTTE. rcumstances his inRajkumar episode hat he was signing ther extremists with TTE bandwagon. swer that criticism reply was, “My misonly by humanitar
My political affili:ture are irrelevant ortant thing is to get ised.'
Thondaman was supreme as long as he stood as a separate entity. Since 1990 parliamentary election when he contested as part of the UNP he released the very force he was countering earlier. He opened the gates for his people to be slowly sucked into the national parties. In 1994 parliamentary election a considerable section of his people voted with the UNP. The UNP enginee-red splits in his once monolithic organization. M. S. Sellasamy’s defection and the defection of six Central Province Council members were engineered by the UNP to weaken him.
The process of being drawn into the national mainstream strengthened in October 2000 parliamentary election. The CWC contested on its own in Colombo, Kandy, Badulla and Vanni and contested with the PA in other areas. The CWC won three seats under PA in Nuwara Eliya and lost in all other districts. Thondaman's grandson, Arumu-gam, the current leader, former MP Mu-thhu Sivalingam and K. Jegathees-waran, were the successful candidates. IPA had nominated one of the CWC member, K. Marimuthu in its national list. With these four men in parliament as part of the PA, the CWC had lost its king maker role.
That does not mean Indian Tamils have lost their representation in parliament. They have another 5 on the UNP side. Upcountry People's Front leader P. Chandrasekaran, the man who hel-ped in 1994 Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to form the government and who defected to the UNP a year ago is back in parliament with the UNP from the Nuwara Eliya district. So is S. Sathasivam, one of the vice-presidents who defected from the CWC to the UNP after the dissolution of parliament. The UNP had nominated M. S. Sellasamy, P. P. Devaraj and Kanap-athy Kanagarajah in its national list. Thus, there are 5 Indian Tamil MPs with the UNP.
In the last parliament there were from the CWC and Chandrasekaran. Two more entered when Gamini Dissa-nayake and Ossie Abeygunawardene were assassinated. In this parliament 9 had entered and another may get in through death or resignation because Indian Tamil candidates like Mano Ga-neshan missed entering parliament by 96 votes.
In 1994 August election though CWC contested on the UNP list Thon-daman's influence made the Indian Tamil voters to vote for the CWC men. This time with the revolt by the vice-presidents who joined the UNP Indian Tamil votes were split. Badulla and Colombo are good ex

Page 25
15 OCTOBER 2000 ra
amples of how Indian elected representation was lost because of the split and the subsequent joining with the national parties. In Badulla UNP won 5 seats and PA 3 seats, none of them were Indian Tamils. But P. V. Sennan, a former CWC vice president who defected and contested with the UNP, polled 28,049 votes and Aravind Kumar who also contested on the UNP list on behalf of the Up Country People's Front polled 18,738 votes. Thus UNP collected over 50,000 Indian Tamil votes. S. Satchiyananthan who contested in the CWC list polled 91 1 0. A similar situation was evident in Colombo. DWC candidate who contested under the UNP list polled 37,798 votes but failed to get elected. Those votes helped the UNP to swell its total votes. UNP and the PA have acknowledged the fact that they benefited from the Indian Tamil votes and have compensated them by allocating seats foe the Indian Tamils. That only increased the dependence of the Indian Tamils on the mercies of the national parties.
Thus the CWC and the Indian Tamils have lost their clout. They are now in the two major national parties and their voice will naturally be not heard loud and clear. What Thondaman wanted to avert had happened. And it was he who started the process.
Ashraff wanted to emulate Thondaman and he had done it. Muslims voted united and have given the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress 11 MPs. Though he is no more these l l MPs have decided the government. Three weeks before the election Ashrafftold the media that he would be the king maker this time. He was correct.
He has made the same mistake Thondaman had made. His party contested in Ampara and Trincomalee in the PA list and won 5 seats. In 10 districts including Colombo his party contested under the name National Unity Alliance and won four seats. On the PA national list it collected two seats making a total of 11 seats. This procedure of contesting on two fronts had sown the seeds of disintegration of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress. Muslims will soon move back to the national parties from which Ashraff weaned them away.
The drift to the national parties is easier for the Muslims because more Muslims MPs are in the national parties than in the SLMC. In this parliament there are 23 Muslim MPs and only l l of them are in the SLMC. Of the balance 12 Muslim MPs 9 are from UNP, 2 from PA and one from the JVP.
Brea
The Sihala Urum Sinhalese Heritage - three months ago. when there was the p san consensus emerg erning Peoples Allia tion United National new Constitution wh devolution of powell cils. Ganging up wit elements, the SU wa the campaign agains Bill that was to be ment. It claimed to the supreme right Sinhalese and to ensl give preference to th pirations over those ethnic groups. Postu ons of the Sinhalese, ised to restore the rig lost under the UNP opportunistic Sinhal succumbing to minc accused the two mair have ruled since ind ing rights to the min are not entitled to t Sinhalese.
Among the Sri L shift towards the na dent. Jaffna voters el time after nearly EPDP MPs will be W of its 9 Jaffna MPs parties. Amparal's karam Sankar of th with the national pal a substantial number the UNP swelling t tion to two Muslim a Batticoloa elected from the PA thus ca resentation to be rec
TULF with 5 M) Tamil Congress with Lankan Tamil group interests of the Tan have no king maker
The drift into ni ducing the importa minorities and if th tinues their role wou of influencing the n

TAMLTMES 25
k-up of the Sihala
Urumaya
Dr. S. Narapalasingam
laya (SU) - meaning was founded about It happed at a time rospect of a bipartiing between the govnce and the opposiParty on enacting a ich also provided for rs to regional counh diehard chauvinist is in the forefront of it the Constitutional presented to Parliapromote and sustain s of the majority ure that governments heir interests and asof all other minority Iring as the champithe party also promghts of the Sinhalese
and the PA led by ese political leaders rity demands. They political parties that spendence for grantorities to which they he detriment of the
ankan Tamils too the tional parties is eviected a UNP MP this four decades. Four rith the IPA. Thus five are with the national Tamil MP Gunasee EPDP too will be ties. In Trincomalee of Tamils voted with he UNP representaind one Sinhala MPs. S. Ganeshamoorthy using the TULF repluced to 2.
Ps, TELOwith 3 and one are the three Sri s that could voice the nil people. But they
role.
ational politics is reince of the national e current trend conld be reduced to that ational parties. O
The time has come to protect the territorial rights of the Sinhala people and the territorial integrity of their country - Sri Lanka, they shouted. It is, therefore, vital that the unitary political system that guaranteed majority rule is maintained without allowing it to be diluted in any way by the enactment of the new Constitution, they argued. The Tamil people have no grievances, there is no ethnic ethnic problem, the only problem is one of terrorism that should be crushed militarily, they proclaimed.
The hawkish stand of the SU’s was not surprising for its prominent leaders and members came from the National Movement Against Terrorism and Sinhala Veera Vidhana and some bigoted elements from the Buddhist clergy. That the leading Colombo lawyer S.L. Gunasekara(SL), who had been advocating ardently for many years through newspaper articles and speeches in various for a the ideology of strident Sinhala nationalism, should become SU’s founder President did not surprise anyone. He contested the October 10 parliamentary election in the same capacity.
The Sihala Urumaya party was routed everywhere in the country, more severely in the Sinhalese heartland. Everyone of its leaders, including its President SL, was badly beaten. Contesting throughout the country the SU managed to get only a derisory 1.5 percent of the votes. It did not win even a single seat in Parliament. However, on the basis of the share of the total votes it obtained countrywide, SU was allotted one out of the 29 seats on the national list. SL having failed to win by popular vote despite the system of proportional representation, (he was a SU candidate in the Colombo district) was chosen by his party to take the allotted Scat.
There is some controversy about the manner in which the appointment was made on October 12, while a Central Committee meeting convened to prepare and issue a statement following the party's defeat in the elections was in progress. Suffice to note that Champika Ranawaka of the National Movement Against Terrorism (he was earlier a JVP activist), who functioned as Convenor of the SU,

Page 26
26 TAMILTMES
favoured by some SU members is reported to have withdrawn his candidature after one member stated that it was not desirable to take a vote on this matter of appointment. Then, SL "was unanimously selected as the nominee for the National List seat.'
What followed next is interesting. According to SL, less than an hour after the conclusion of that meeting a large crowd of supporters of Champika Ranawaka, among whom Ranawaka too was present, invaded the private office of Tilak Karunaratne, the SU General Secretary and sought to pressurise him into changing that decision. Shortly thereafter a section of that crowd invaded the house of Prof. A.D.V. de S. Indraratne, a Vice President of SU and manhandled him. H is sin was that he had proposed SL as the nominee for the national list seat. Both he and SL later accused this faction from the National Movement Against Terrorism of resorting to sheer terrorism to achieve their aim! What a quick turnaround? The anti-terrorists have become terrorists for the sake of seat in Parliament
SL is said to be a committed atheist, though he is considered a Christian by some as he has been baptised to be an Anglican. When he was advocating his ultra-nationalist doctrines ofmajoritarian rule, he must have overlooked the fact that the majority of Sinhalese are Buddhists. How this came to disable him on October 16, less than a week after he was nominated to represent the SU in the newly elected Parliament is described below. It should serve as a warning to those who might have got carried away by SU's doctrine ofmajoritarian rule because of its emotional appeal. The system is simply unholy, undemocratic and unprogressive and has the potential to undermine unity, peace, stability and the very cultural values that are essential for political, social and economic advancement of any modern society.
Following the dissatisfaction of some key members over the selection of nonBuddhist SL and the pressures brought to bear on the party's General Secretary, an urgent meeting of the Central Committee was summoned on October 16 to review the earlier decision. According to SL, at this meeting he was attacked in vituperative language by some commit
tee members incil Ranawaka who as no merly a leading JVP. come a leader of the N Against Terrorism. T deprive SL of the app thuggery, pressure ar the allegations made that he was an agnos to offer a tray of flov Tooth Relic in April charge being he spea and prepares stateme Tilak Karunaratin retary ofSU who resi earlier this year and v mated as SU’s Nation of SL said, "A leade ground is not welco level since it is alien ple could take him a ting the resignation of members, he said: "N others resigned argui portunity should beg Ranawaka and the S it." He added, "It's a are individuals. We majority.”
SL himself has facts cited to disqual to his rivals in the pa they appointed him SU. It is also clear th ningly used for elec portray the SU asa p rights of all Sinhale failed to attract man the people seemed t inherent danger to th future that exists in Addressing the office on October 1 "it was a struggle b speaking elite and th radical youth of the the majority-minorit former president ofth Zeal promoted Sinh multi-ethnic, multicultural Sri Lanka. as a member of th speaking elite and Sinhala Buddhist etl ien. In short, in the ol Buddhist ultranation does not have the badge of “Sinhales
75047
( EMERGENCYTRAV
 

15 ۔ یہ
uding Champika ted earlier was foractivist lately to beNational Movement he methods used to ointment, included ld intrigue. Among against him were tic and had refused wers to the "Sacred this year.” Another ks often in English nts in English. le, the general secgned from the UNP who has been nomial List MP in place r with such a backomed at grassroots to our culture. Peos an alien.” RegretfSL and seven other Mr. Gunasekara and ng that the first opiven to him. But Mr. angha were against big blow. But they have to listen to the
stated that the very ify him were known rty even at the time as the president of at SL has been cunctoral advantage to arty fighting for the se. Even this tactic y Sinhala votes, as o have realised the he country and their SU's policies.
media at the party 7, Karunaratne said etween the English he Sinhala educated party.” This is how y divide trapped the e SU who with great ala majority rule in religious and multiSL is now regarded 2 minority English an outsider to the nos, and even an alpinion of the Sinhala lists in the party, SL ineage to wear the 2 Heritage'. If this
does not appear as discrimination to attorney S.L.Gunasekara, then all that have happened since independence to the mnorities under "majority rule' will not appear discriminatory. At least, he must realise what it is like to be a member of a minority group under majority domination and importantly when the majorityminority divide is based solely on the person's religious belief and the language he speaks fluently and writes well. At least now SL must admit that the Tamils have problems because of discrimination. now that he knows how problems crop up when people are treated differently based on their ethnic or religious or class identities.
The difference between SL's bitter experience and of the powerless minority Tamils is that unlike the latter discrimination has left him only an unpleasant feeling without condemning him to lead a life that is subservient and insecure. What the Tamils and Muslims knew and accepted as fact several years ago tha: none from their communities could eve: aspire to be the Prime Minister or the President of Sri Lanka because of being non-Buddhist, SL might have just realised only after his recent experience. SL must rethink his stand towards the minorities; all they want is their political. economic, social and cultural rights and the freedom to exercise these under a democratic system in the same way as the majority Sinhalese. They have absolutely no intention to be at the helm shaping the future of the Sinhalese. Surely, it is no: difficult to come up with a political system that is democratic and fair by the minorities and which does not pose any threat to the rights, interests and aspirations of the majority Sinhalese. SL himself can make valuable contribution here. if only he has the capacity to understanc the import of his own recent experience
It has been reported while explaining the consequences of events that lec to his resignation from the post of president of the Sihala Urumaya and the party. SL broke down and held back his tears with great difficulty. Many Sri Lankans including the majority Sinhalese will find it difficult to sympathise with his views on majority and minority rights, but thoss who have suffered as a result of various discriminatory policies and practices wi. surely understand his present feelings. O
LONLY SRI LANKA 676 360
SOUTH INDIA -SINGAPORE

Page 27
is OCTOBER 2000
Dear Periya Annah,
I know you would be waiting anxiously for this letter. You would like to know the detailed results of
the Jaffna election and some spicy material which you can relish relating to your friends, especially those from the islands.
First the results. The EPDP won 4 seats, TULF 3, UNP 1 and All Ceylon Tamil Congress l. There are 9 seats for Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts which together form the Jaffna electoral district. In 1994 there were 10 seats, the decline to9 was dueto the emigration ofthe people from Jaffna and Kilinochchi.
Mother was happy that the Tamil Congress had comeback to the scene and started bragging of G. G. Ponnambalam and his verbal oratorical skill. My uncle and his friends are unhappy that the TULF came a poor second. They wanted it to be the leading political force in Jaffna. My sister and others of our generation are unaware of GG and SJV and ofeven Anandasangari and Mavail Senathirajah. “Who is this fellow Mavai?' she asked after reading his name in a TULF poster. It is not her fault. These people had distanced themselves from the younger generation. They had made themselves forgotten. Seventeen years have passed since they fled Jaffna. The younger generation knows only the various “movements” and their infighting. They were all in Jaffna for the election but only EPDP's Douglas Devananda made the impact.
PLOTE leader Dharmalingam Sidharthan, EPRLF leaders Suresh Premachandran and Annamalai Varatharaja Perunal and TELO leaders Sri Kantha were there offering themselves to serve the people of Jaffna. They naturally kissed the dust. It's their seeking. All of them had pockets of support but never cared to organize a wider base or prepare for the election as Devananda did. To win at an election you need not only supporters but also the mastery of filling the ballot boxes with votes. Devananda mastered that art and naturally he won the highest number of votes.
PLOTE had in Manikkathasan the rival to Devananda but his killing a year ago had left Devananda without rival. PLOTE's capacity to win an election waned after Manikkathasan's death. Sidharthan is too gentle to win an election and he can only send faxes to the Elections Commissioner complaining the misdeeds of others.
EPRLF enjoyed pockets of influence
but their split had s base. Varatharaja entering parliament sentative of the peop lated into reality wi vans singing glory ( decade ago. The pec his disastrous atten National Army. H. their aversion to hi building an armed gr ernment to fight th some support in KK erly organized.
The UNP won a Kilinochchi, after thi elders say they were election campaigns year: of arrack bottle cash. You cannot a of these misdeeds. I "goods" were delive. in various parts of th The turnout at t that spectacular. To 132,733 out of the ers, 622,331. The { polled was 21.33. ( 13,664 were rejecte votes of 119,069. ( lected 41,671 votes: TULF gathered 32,8 seats. UNP came thir Congress fourth wit one seat each. EPD)
in Kayts, Devanand
12.3 l l votes were ( secured 4869 vote 4068 in KKS, 5737 Kopay, 1,662 in Udu Pedro, 1256 in Chav Nallur, 1571 in J Kilinochchi. TULF' was at Manipai whe It did well in Vaddu (4943), Kopay (42 (4180). In Jaffna el sloth due to the artill LTTE and the army. with a shell fired clos which prompted the shift to the ground f ploded in Pannai, Gu kuli prompting the pi places.
Soon after the e ded special messeng to canvas the suppol
 

MaÍsla
TAM TIMES 27
Thursday he was airlifted to Colombo for a meeting with President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. They met in the night at Temple
lintered the support 'erumal's vision of as an elected repree could not be transh a few propaganda fhis valiant deeds a ple still remembered pt to build a Tamil himself rekindles m by talking about oup to assist the govLTTE. TELO had ; but that is not prop
seat, strangely from ee decades and some eminded of the UNP in Jaffna of yesters, sarees, verties and :cuse the UNP only lorry loads of these red at refugee camps he Jaffna peninsula. he election was not tal polled was only total registered vot)ercentage of votes Df the votes polled d leaving the valid Of these EPDP colund obtained 4 seats. 352 votes and got 3 i with 11,431, Tamil h 10,648 obtaining polled the highest a's kingdom, where ast in its favour. It in Vaddukoddai, In Manipai, 5044 in biddy, 1862 in Point kachcheri, 2,560 in affna and 216 at s best performance 'e it obtained 5703. oddai (4035), KKS 18) and Udupiddy ctorate polling was ry duel between the The LTTE started it to Jaffna kachcheri election officials to oor. Shells also exunagar and Chundiople to shift to safer
ction was conclu*rs flew into Jaffna of Devananda. On
Trees where Devananda pledged his support. The reward some say will be a cabinet portfolio and an interim administration for the North-Eastern Region.
Election campaign was full of spicy incidents. I will relate only a few.
First, I will tell you the story of Mrs. Jayanthy Paramalingam who contested on the independent group of government supporters. She traveled to Delft West, her birthplace, on October 1 with her father Ampalam, a former chairman of the Delft Village Council. She carried with her two sacks full of election posters and handbills. She was in the bus to Delft West which stopped at the EPDP checkpoint. The men at the checkpoint told her that election materials were not permitted inside their territory. They wanted to burn it.
Jayanthy pulled out a poster with the picture of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on it and asked: "Do you want to burn the President's picture?" They answered the query by burning the poster. She screamed at them and went home.
This is the translation of what she told the Jaffna Tamil press next day: I was in my home in the night when someone' knocked at the door. I looked out of the window. There were about 20 armed men shouting at me to open the door. I did not. They shouted filth and threatened to break open the door. My father and Iran to the backyard and hid us inside the thicket. In the morning we returned to Jaffna by the first bus,” she said.
The TULF and the UNP seemed not to have got the message. The TULF sent a team to do its campaign in Kayts on October 5. They were turned away. The UNP sent a group of 19 persons on October 8 to be its polling agents at the polling stations in the islands. They were all abducted by the EPDP and when police inquired, on a complaint by the UNP, they were told the people were safe and would be released after the election. To PLOTE the experience was slightly dif. ferent. They just could not find polling agents.
The TULF, PLOTE and the UNP have complained to the Elections Commissioner charging the EPDP of holding the voters of the island captive. PLOTE leader Dharmalingam Siddarthan had de
(continued on next page)

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28 TAMILTIMES
Convicted Jayala Stands Disquali
T N Gopalan
In a body blow to her plans to stage a political come-back, former Chief Minister Jayalalitha Jayaram has been convicted to three years of rigorous imprisonment in the notorious TANSI land deal.
Though she has already been sentenced to a one-year RI in the Pleasant Stay Hotels case, this latest should be particularly galling for the AIADMK supremo. For she now stands disqualified from contesting any elections for six years from now. Under Section 8(3) of the Representation of the People Act(RPA), anyone sentenced to two years or more of imprisonment stands so disqualified.
For herbete noire Karunanidhi,beleaguered as he is by various problems, this prospect of her disqualification should come as sweet news, with the Assembly elections slated for early next year.
Also to be sentenced in the scam were her confidante Sasikala, former minister Mohammed Asif, two senior IAS officials R. Karpoorasundara Pandian and T.R.Srinivasan, and an official connected with the registration department S. Nagarajan.
(Continued from page 28) manded the cancellation of the polling of the Kayts electorate charging the EPDP of massive fraud.
The rivalry during the campaign was between the TULF and the EPDP. On October 4 a procession wended its way to the TULF office and there it turned unruly. They tried to break into the of. fice but the police guard at the entrance prevented it. Then they broke the name board. Anandasangari, hearing the commotion, came out and was greeted in raw filth. It was only when the police threatened to open fire the demonstrators retreated after burning his effigy,
Please write to us Your Younger Brother Anthony
The case relat ing the state-owne Industries Corpor with which Jayal: dante Sasikala h Jaya Publications way back in 1992 the Chief Ministe According to sale of land measu buildings on it, fo of the TANSI, cau crore to the state
The same six a the TANSI cases, Jaya Publications Sasi Enterprises. P.Anbazhagan se a term of three-yez case and to a terr the second case. I was, however, a Enterprises case. ruled that the se rently, they are d sentenced to only
The accused colluding to de committing crimi also of violating t vention of Corr. favour from Anb suspended the ser 7 to enable the c the High Court. relevant papers J free on October return to face thi distant future in RS.66.66 crore
CaS6.
Jayalalitha's rule in the book TANSI cases. I galore were filed, hundred in all, pr on every conceiv demanded trans

15
litha ied
:d to a deal involvd Tamil Nadu Small tion and two firms litha and her confid been associated, und Sasi Enterprises, when Jayalalitha was
of the state. the prosecution, the ring 3.02 acres with iced down the throat sed a loss of Rs.4.08 xchequer. ccused figure in both one relating to the and another to the Special Court judge htenced all the six to irs RI each in the first n of two-years RI in Former minister Asif cquitted in the Sasi Since the judge has ntenceS run COnCureemed to have been a three-year RI each. were found guilty of fraud the state and nal breach of trust as he provisions of Preption Act. A minor azhagan was that he tences till November onvicted to appeal to So after signing the iyalalitha walked out ), Sasikala in tow, to court in the not too the more sensational vealth accumulation
counsels tried every o stall the trial in the terlocutory petitions numbering nearly one 1ying for adjournment able pretext. Sasikala tion of all the docu
ments in Tamil Nadu, fought all the way to the Supreme Court and succeeded. When everybody else implicated in the 48 cases in the Special Courts demanded an equal treatment, the government had to employ an army of translators at a total cost of Rs.45 lakhs. And then there was a petition saying that the reservation norms had not been followed in the appointment of the translators. That was dismissed. Yet again Sasikala said that she was suffering from an eye injury she had sustained some years earlier and so demanded more time to peruse the Tamil documents furnished to her.
And finally when special judge P.Anbazhagan ordered the framing of charges in February last year, on the very day the charges were to be framed, Mohammed Asif managed to obtain a stay from the High Court arguing that Anbazhagan was biased against the accused.
Then the special judge sought to recuse himself from the cases. The drama did did not stop there. High Court judge S.S.Subramani who had granted the ex-parte stay went on to make some caustic remarks against Anbazhagan saying that he had called on him and tried to influence him. As the controversy deepened, Justice Subramani was shifted to another bench, and Asif's petition was posted before Justice R.Shanmugam who finally ordered the framing of charges.
In another turn Jayalalitha was "discharged” from the case by the High Court, but the apex court promptly overturned the ruling.
It was that gadfly Subramanian Swamy who had set the ball rolling. wrenching sanction from the then Governor Chenna Reddy eight years ago.
As nemesis returned to haunt her. Jayalalitha remained predictably grin. right through and later got into her waiting car, ignoring the media crowd A sidelight was the way she gave a hiding right in the court hall, after the judgement was delivered, to the counsel for one of the IAS officials in the dock. Apparently he had told the Court that his client had only executed the orders of the Chief Minister, turning the knife deeper in her wound. The poor

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15 OCTOBER 2000
counsel was squirming, pathetically trying to convince her that he had not done anything of the sort she was charging him with.
But she must have been acutely aware that her characteristic imperiousness could do little to salvage the situation for her. For the first thing she did on reaching her Poes Garden residence was to postpone indefinitely the AIADMK general council meeting scheduled for the next day. It had been called to discuss the party's electoral strategy. She also called off the tour of the southern districts slated for the later part of the month.
After presiding over Periyar EVR's 122nd birth anniversary celebrations in the last week of September, Jayalalitha had scurried off to Thanjavur to perform a series of yagnas to propitiate gods and goddesses. Similar pious deeds seemed to have helped her get an acquittal in the colour TV scam in May last. But this time round the fastidious gods were apparently not too very impressed and chose to allow her to stew in her own juice.
She is certainly at the cross-roads again, because of the disqualification provision. It is still not clear whether the three-year term handed down in the TANSI case does necessarily mean that she stands disqualified from contesting elections, notwithstanding further developments in the case. There are some who seem to feel that if the High Court could stay the operation of a sentence, so also the debarment provision could also be deemed to be placed in suspended animation. If such is the case, all is not lost for Jayalalitha. For as a matter of course, the higher courts put on hold the verdict of the lower courts pending final disposal of the case. But there are others who argue that a "stay” as such is applicable only in a civil case and that only the sentence could be suspended, not the conviction itself.
Whatever the case, the Returning Officer at the ground-level could simply say, stay or no stay, she stands disqualified. After which she has to appeal to the Election Commission itself and then go before the courts if she is still spurned. Whether the courts would like to intervene during the course of
the elections is alsc Again when su uncertainty surroun to contest the electic project herselfasth ister and would the party with the same might show in norm There is no quest still remains hugel. anti-Karunanidhi cc look up to her for lea tap that as well as sh cumstances how wi cards and save her a litical future?
It might be of int only the analysts wh heads trying to find tough questions whe durbar is, or at least feigning indifferenc Right from the Courts were constitu tiated under the Prev tion Act, it was cleal the Machiavelian K seeking to have her contesting elections, timate weapon again Jayalalitha, a weapo need if he wants to transition to his son stage Jayalalitha is touched upon the p qualification with any ers or allies.
Tamil Maanila ( leader Moopanar is moved closer to her i in order to set himsel tive leader for the A the event of her dis many have speculate records though he wa TMC was for a coal in the future.
Now, whatever his intentions, she c help from whichever rope in. But out of naivete, Jayalalitha il recently by proclaimi her party was not for that it would form a self. That she sough later is a different stic

TAM TIMES 29
moot point. n is the extent of ing her eligibility ls, how would she future Chief Mineople vote for her nthusiasm as they Il circumstances? on though that she popular and the Instituency would lership. None can could. In the ciruld she play her nd her party's po
2rest to know it is ) are racking their
answers to such eas the Jayalalitha was till yesterday,
day the Special ted and cases iniention of Corrupto everyone that Carunanidhi was disqualified from that being his ulst the charismatic n he would badly ensure a smooth Stalin. But at no
known to have )ssibility of disof her party lead
Songress (TMC) known to have recent days only up as an alternaIADMK-front in ualification, and on that. For the insisting that the tion government
er suspicions of sperately needs |uarter she could er arrogance or ulted Moopanar g in his presence ny coalition and vernment by itto mend fences y altogether.
The point is that she could not stand the thought of sharing power with anyone, leave alone considering anyone else other than her as the future Chief Minister.
Ideally she might stand to gain by opting out of the elections and projecting Moopanar, with a relatively clean image, as the leader of the front. But no such thing seems to be on the cards. Equally interesting to note that the official organ of the AIADMK, Namadhu MGR, carried an announcement that Sasikala has been made a General Council member, the very evening the TANSI judgement was handed down. Finally the decade-long fiction that she is only her personal aide and has no political role or ambitions has been given a quietus.
In fact rumours were afloat for some time that Sasikala was going to play an increasingly prominent role in the party and that she would contest the Assembly elections too. The other notable from the Sasikla clan, T.T.V. Dhinakaran MP, is in some hot waters of sort, it is said. And hence Sasikala was coming centre-stage, it was said.
Well that was all before the TANSI verdict, everyone blissfully indifferent to the possibility of her conviction. But after the verdict and when Sasikala too stands disqualified, Jayalalitha still goes ahead to announce her confidante's "political entry.”
The fact remains - neither she nor her trusted friend could conceivably be projected - she is suspicious of others. Even if she brings herself to project a Dhinakaran and party chairman, K. Kalimuthu, a critic-turned-sycophant, there is no guarantee that people would be swayed by them. Moopanar or any other ally, no way. Then what would she do? After all she desperately needs a government which would ensure that all the cases against her go for a six in the higher courts.
If she could have, out of sheer pique, foolishly upset the Vajpayee government when it was already telling the Supreme Court that the Special Courts were unconstitutional, inviting so much problems on her head, she could still be trusted to commit one more gesture of harakiri. O

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30 TAM TIMES
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OBITUARIES
Mrs. Ruby Amirtharanee Ratnasing ham, Retired teaCher, C.M.S. Ladies College, Colombo, daughter of the late Mr. & Mrs. S. K. Rasiah of Tellippallai, beloved wife of late Mr. S.J. Ratnasingham, loving mother of Kumaran and late Rajan, sister of the late Selvaranee, late Selvarajah, late Kanagarajah and of The
varanee (London), sister-inlaw of Mani (Australia), Ruby (Canada), linpamani, Rasamalar, Satkunasingham (all of Sri Lanka); late Pearl, Jeyasingham and Jeyarajasingham passed away in Glasgow, Scotland on 21st August 2000 and the funeral took place in Glasgow on 26th August. She will be missed by her close family, relatives and friends,
The members of the family wish to express their sincere thanks to all relatives and friends who attended the funeral, sent floral tributes and messages of sympathy and provided support and assistance in many ways during the period of sorrow and bereave, ment. They regret their inabili ty to thank them individually. 51 Fintry Crescent, Bishop. briggs, Glasgow G64 1 SH SCOtlard Tel 0141 772 859 ard 020 831 1 9967.
 
 
 

Pathmavathy Selvanayagam
Bom:12 Aug 1916- Died; 24 Sept 2000
Mrs Pathmavathy of 105/12 Rasavim Thottam, Jafilha, SriLanka, beloved wife of the late Mr. M. V. Selvanayagam, retired District Court Secretary, loving mother of Baby, Lala, Baba, Jani, Sothy, Pathmana, Luxmi and Thamby; mother-in-law of Soundari, Jeremiah, Jayaratnam and Puvaneswaran, grandmotherin-law of James, grandmother of Selvi, Priya, Vithiyani and Krishna, great grandmother of Jade and Richard (Raj) all of UK, passed away on 24th September 2000 and was cremated at Jaffna at 10 a.m. On 25th September.
The members of her family thank all those Who attended the funeral, sent messages of sympathy and assisted during the bereaVerment.
Sadly missed and fondly remembered by Mr. & Mrs. M. P. Chelvanayagam & family,
UK, Tel 01737 765869, UK/ Mr. & Mrs C. Puvaneswaran & family UK, Tel: O208 357 0935/ Mr. S. Pathmaratnam, Germany, Tel: OO49 1753715908.
(1.6.1932 - 13.09.2000) Mr. Kandiah Gunaratnam, son of the late Parupathipillai and Kandiah, son-in-law of the
خط۔
late Parupathipillai and Murugesu; beloved husbano of Parameswary; loving father of the late Ramani, Niranjir (London) and Nehru (Canada). father-in-law of Dr. Navaneetharaja (London) and Vasanthy (Canada); precious Grandpa of Nishanth and Na vena, brother-in-law Of the late Ganeshalingam (Engneer), Shanmugalingam (District Judge Jafna), Yogalingam (J. F Kilinochchi) and of Vigneswar, Kanagasingam passed awa, in London on 13th September 2000 and Was Crennated on 6th
September.
The members of the family Wish to thank all relatives and friends Who attended the funeral, sent messages of sympathy and floral tributes and assisted them in Several ways during the period of bereaVerment. - 24 Pouillett Road, East Ham, London E6 6EG. Tel 0208 548 4160
(Appreciation on page 33)
Mr. R. Paramaguru, Retirec Judge, born 7.5 1916 of Pulo West, Point Pedro, belovec husband of Annaluxmy, son c'
the late Manonimani anc Velupillai Ramaswamy, Crow r Proctor father of Leelamar Satyabhama, Radhakrishnar Dr. Yasodhara, Anusiyadev father-in-law of the late Parar the late Dr. Sivanesan, Sylvia Dr. Sathananthan, and Dr Dharmarajah passed away or
8.9.2000. His sisters Seethe
vipillai, Meenambal, Par
vathyammal, Pathmanayak
brothers Sivaguru, Charavanapavan (Deputy General Marager, Electricity Board), SathaSivampillai (Assistant Director Agricultural Engineering) pre
continued on page 3

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15 OCTOBER 2000
continued from page 30
deceased him. He is also Survived by his grandchildren Melanie, Sharmila, Premila, Rohan, Clara, Pamela, Mithila, Aynkaran, Brahman and great grandchild Nathaniel Gardner. Funeral took place at UpminSter Crematorium, Or 14.9.2000 - Mount Crest, Widworthy Hayes, Hutton Mount, Brentwood, Essex.
(Appreciations on page 32)
Nallathamby Rajanayagam (formerly City
Kathirgamar
Engineer, Gaborone, Botswana and also was Civil Engineer in Zambia, Nigeria and Sri Lanka) son of the late Mr. & Mrs. Kathirgamar Nallathamby, beloved husband of Kanagasavundary; loving father of Dr. Nirmalan (UK) and Niranjan (UK); father-inlaw of Deepalakshmi grandfather of Aneesha and Prajeshan, brother of Nesamany (Australia), Dr. Pathmanathan (Sri Lanka), late Thangaratnam and late Kanagamany; brother-in-law of Ratnasabapathy (Australia), Thayapathy, Ponnudurai (both of Sri Lanka) and the late Suppiah passed away on 2nd of October 2000 and the funeral took place on 7th OCOber.
The members of the family Wish to thank all relatives and friends Who attended the funeral, sent messages of sympathy and floral tributes and assisted then in Several Ways during the period of bereaVement. - 18 Stratford Court, Kingston Road, New Malden, Surrey KT35NU.
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TAMILTIMES 31
IN MEMORAM
In ever loving memory of Dr. Rasiah Dharmaindra on the third anniversary of his passing away on 18. 10.97.
He is sadly missed and his memory is treasured greatly by his loving wife Vimala, his children Bernard and Angeline, his loved ones and friends who were dear to him. FORTHCOMING EVENTS Nov 1 All Saints Day. Nov 2 Skantha SaShti Viratham ends, All Saints Day. Nov 3 Thirukalyanam, Feast of St. Martin. Nov 4 Feast of St. Charles; South London Tamil Welfare Group (SLTWG) Drop In. Tel: O2O 8542 3285. Nov 5 7pm. Sitat by Maestro Ustad Vilayat Khan with Hidayat Hussain at Royal Festival Hall. Tel 02O 796O 4242. Nov 7 EekathaSi. Nov 9 Pirathosann. Now 11 Full Moon SLTWG WOnnen S FrOnt meefS. Tel: O2O 8542 3285. Nov 12 Karthigai. Nov 15 S a n k a da hara Chaturthi, Feast of St. Albert. Nov 17 730pm Illustrated Seminar on Drawings & Paintings of the famous Sri Lankan Painter & Poet, George Claessen at Main Lecture Theatre, School of Oriental & African Studies, Malet Street, London WC1. Seminar Panel H. E. Prof. Senaka Bandaranayake, Denis Bowen, Harry Eccliston, Martin Russell & Shamil Warnigaratne. All Welcome. Nov 18 6.45pm A Dance in the Dark by Natyanjai (India's only Visually Handicapped Professional Dance Group) in aid of Tamil Orphans Trust at Copeland Community School Hall, Cecil Avenue, Wembley, Middx. Tel: O2O 8908 1101/8422 3943.
Nov 21 Krishna Eekathasi. Nov 22 Feast of St. Cecilia. Nov 23 Pirathosam, Feast of St. Clement. Nov 25 A ma vasa i/SLT WG Drop In. Tel 02085423285. Nov 29 Sathurthi. Nov 30. Feast of St. Andrews. At Bhavan Centre, 4A Castletown Road, London W14 9HQ. Tel: O20 7381 3O86/4608. Fax: 020 7381 8758. Net: www.bhavan.net Nov 9 7pm Kriya Yoga by Paramahamsa Prajnananda. All welcome. Nov 12 12pm-2pm Indian Dance Workshop by Dr. Sunil Kothari.
Nov 25 6.30pm Bharatanatyam & Kuchipudi Dance by Vyjayanti Kashi.
Siyamini's Excellent Vocal Arangetram
The Vocal Arangetram of thirteen year old Siyamini, disciple of Smt Ambika Thamotheram, daughter of Sivananthan and Kala of Edgware, UK and student West London Tamil School took place at the Beck Theatre, Hayes, UK on 30th July 2000. The programme Commenced with the Varnamin Navavagamalika, followed by "Vinayaka' in Hamsadvani Ragam, the Pancharatna Kriti Sathinchane, Kaarunya devi in Kalyani Raga with elaborate Raga Alapana and Swaraprastharam and finally "Nagumo' in Aberi ragam for the first half
The second half consisted of the Ragam, Thanan, Palawi in Kamboji Ragam with Ragamalika Swaras which Siyamini sang with ease. Bharathiyar's “Chinnan Chiru Kiliye” and ‘Alay Payuthe’ came next finishing off with Dr. Balamurali Krishna's Thillarna in Kathanakuthukala ragam to mention a few.
Siyamini's sense of Sruthi and Rhythm was impeccable. continued on page 32

Page 32
32 TAMILTIMES
continued from page 31
She rendered the music with such Confidence, which kept the audience spellbound from beginning to end. Siyamini was accompanied on the Violin by Sri L. Kothandapani, on the Mridangam by Sri Muthu Sivaraja, on the Gatam by Sri R. N. Prakash, on the morsing by Sri K. Sithamparanathan and on the Thambura by Uma Kumarasingam.
The Chief Guest Prof. R. Balarajan from the University of London, in his speech commended young Siyamini and her illus
trious Guru Sint Annbika Thanotheran for
the excellent performance.
The programme was ably compered in Tamil and English by Dr. Smt Kanchana Sivalingam.
Congratulations to West London Tamil School for producing a young artist of high calibre. We hope there will be many more to follow in the future.
Sri Shankar
Mr. R. Paramakuru - Tributes
Judge Ramaswamy Paramakuru, of Puloly West, Point Pedro, Sri Lanka after a brisliant career both at School and at the Law College, entered the legal profession as a Proctor and Notary Public. He followed the footsteps of his father, the late Mr. V. Ramaswamy, Crown Proctor of Anuradhapura. Truly can it be said that Mr. Paramakuru, or Param as he was known among his fellow judges and friends, was a worthy son of a worthy father.
However the legal profession could not hold him for long and he became a Rural Court President. During that period there was an unwritten rule that Rural Court Presidents, who were proctors, would not be promoted in the Judicial Service.
Urged by the desire to reach greater heights in that service, Param got back to the law books and sat the examination for the admission of Advocates. My first contact with Param at a personal level, was When we entered the examination hall for the admission of advocates. The late E. R.S. R. Coomaraswamy President's Counsel, Param and I obtained first class passes at that examination and we were in that order at that examination. It was only because Mr. Coomaraswamy and Param were sitting this examination as proctors, that I was awarded the final examination scholarship that year.
Soon thereafter Param was appointed to the Judicial Service and the rapid rise in the service was stemmed by the fact that his entry into that service had been late. He reached the age of compulsory retirement, while serving as a District Judge. I followed Param into the Judicial Service and our examination hall acquaintance duly ripened to a close friendship. At one time we became neighbours, he occupying the Additional District Judge's bungalow and l, the Magistrate's bungalow at Jaffna. This helped me to meet and come to know his family. Param was a great family man,
proud of his proger nurtured by him and later events have CC their chosen fields. Hindu, Scrupulously and leading his floc life.
As a fellow Judici opportunity and the the techniques and making. He was ev share his expertise V learn even from a ju orable narch of tin tracks and sent to re had the makings oft Duty done, he has e
Farewell, My Frien the hereafter, that fO hard in this World.
Retired Supreme C
(2)
When I read the neW of the greatest Distr Mr. Paramaguru I fel
My first contact wit a law Student. Ther With him became Clo ilege ofappearing bє the District Court of his impartiality as hé on me for espousin case. All lawyers wh appearing before hir qualities of a judicial appeared before hit satisfaction that the temple of justice anc ty his judgement. S Supreme Count ver) aside his judgement Calm and Collected OCCasion demanded stern. His sight was care towards ever highest traditions o having inherited the Ramasamy, Crown pura.
After retirement h. several litigants in th there too he proved cient lawyer. Vadan synonymous with P. circles, the map of 1 the minds of lawyer Paramaguru as a g Son, who did not h one by his words or
We Console Ourse is living in the form dren and grandch, almighty that his according to his Hin deepest sympathie and other members
Att

15
y who were carefully guided to become, as nfirmed, specialists in Param was a devout practising it's tenets towards a righteous
all Officer f found the privilege of studying approach to decision er willing not only to ith another but also to nior officer. The inexe stopped him in his Firement a brain which at of a brilliant Judge. arned his rest.
d, may you achieve in r which, you strove so
M. Jamal ourt Judge, Sri Lanka.
's of the passing away ct Judge of our times, t sad over his demise.
h him was When I Was 9after, my association ser and l had the privfore him as COunsel in Point Pedro. I admired was extremely harsh g the cause in a bad lo had the privilege of n Saw in him, the ideal officeras litigants who n went away with the y had gone before the accepted with humilio much so, even the / rarely revised or set s. He was always cool, l, but whenever the I he was Shrewd and a sight full of love and "One. He carried the f the legal profession m from his father, Mr. Proctor of Anuradha
was sought after by e Jaffna Province, and his prowess as an effiaratchchi has become tramaguru and in legal 'oint Pedro appears in with the picture of Mr. reat and pleasant perirm or disappoint anydeeds. ves by thinking that he of his better half, children. I pray to God soul rests in peace, iu faith and convey my to his wife, children of the family.
P. Sivaloganathan, rney-at-law, Colombo.
MIOT’s “Teardrops”
Programme 2000 MiOT organised their annual Teardrops 2000 programme in two parts. The first part was a postgraduate medical meeting enti. tled 'Effects of war on children' chaired by Dr. P Kukathasan. He traced the suffering our people are undergoing due to the 16 year war and how over 60,000 lives have been lost.
Dr. K. Puvanendran, Consultant Community Paediatrician, South Essex Health Authority gave details of various physical and psychological effects caused in the short and long term by the war in the North and East of Sri Lanka. He explained how even development of foetuses could be affected and the long term problems caused and the ways by which we could overcome these harmful effects.
This was followed by a moving account by Rev. Sr. Christabel, Director of Annai Illam Project, Kilinochchi with case histories of three victims of war, the post traumatic stress they underwent and how the organisation had helped the suffering fanilies in the homeland.
The second part which followed was a cultural programme which commenced with the "Mangala Villaku Etral" by MIOT Vice-President Dr. Easwaran Velauthapillai and the Presidential address by Dr. Mathi Chandrakumar who detailed the various steps taken with other like minded organisations to help the suffering Tamils in the homeland. His reflective enthusiasm and determination to highlight the MIOT cause were reverberated in the welcome speeches by Junior MIOT President Sayesh Maheswaran in English and Kugan Sathiyanantharajah in Tamil. The following Cultural items followed:
1. Flute recital by Senthungan Kulandran and Crishanth Sivarasan – Students of Mr. P. Gnanavarathan, accompanied by Amuthan Chandrakumar on Miruthangam. They won the hearts of the audience.
2. Kadavul Valtu sung by Aishain Puvanendran and Kalaiyashini Puvanendran. Their sweet voices were ideal for the thevarems they sang.
3. Miruthangam performance by Kuruparan Kuhathasan, Rajeęvkumar Kulendran, Amuthan ChandraN Kumar, Nishanth Sivarasan and Rajive Poobalasingham. The youngsters showed great enthuSiasm rich With emotion.
4. Flute and Violin recital by B. Paranavan, S. Pragash, S. Pratheep, S. Sinthuja, U. Mithula, G. Kamsini and Balasaraswathy - Students of Mr. P. Gnanavarathan. A professional show of melodic talent.
After the first half of the entertainment. the Chief Guest Rev. Fr. Professor S.J. Emmanuel made an emotional speech on the importance of remembering the sufferings of the Tamils caught in the war-zone of the North-East region of Sri Lanka and praised MIOT for its own exemplary efforts
continued on page 33

Page 33
15 OCTOBER 2000
continued from page 32 in the battle against disease, poverty, crime and desolation in Sri Lanka. The entertainment Continued.
5. Kavithai was sung by Agalya Sivakumar, Kugan Sathianantharajah, Thanushinthiya Saravanapavananthan and Maharishan Saravanapavananthan.
6. Amusing social drama entitled 'Marakka Moodiyatha Silar' directed by Miss. Nimilini Karunanithi and performed by students of Naalvar Tamil Academy.
7. Dances to Barathi's song and The Freedom Song by Meera Kamalanathan, student of Mrs. V. Ingran, which brilliantly revealed poise, agility and flexibility.
At the end of this delightful and illuminating evening, Gayathiri lllangairatnam proposed a vote of thanks.
Karthic Kukathasan.
Tamil Internet Conference
in Singapore.
The Tamil Internet 2000 conference (T12000) was held from 22nd to 24th July 2000 at the Suntec Convention Centre, in Suntec City, Singapore.
The aims of The Tamil Internet organisation are (a) To address a wide range of issues pertaining to the development and the use of Tamil computing and the Tamil Internet. (b) To attract entrepreneurs and professionals involved in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to exchange ideas and explore business and employment opportunities. (c) To inform and educate the ordinary public on the benefits Of ICT.
The Conference and exhibition, which were highly successful and constructive attracted approximately 35,000 people (30% students, 40% youngsters and 30% adults). People who had been communicating via e-mail met face to face for the first time.
Mr. Sivagurunatha Pillai, Computer Officer, Education Department, Goldsmith College, University of London and Lecturer at South College in ICT presented a paper at the Conference entitled "The role of ICT in Community Language'. At present he is a member of International Forum for Information Technology in Tamil (INFITT) General Council representing Europe. All the papers can be downloaded from the Inter
net. Http://WWW, familinayam. Org
At the end of t T2000 formed a C The purpose of exchange informa technological deve together for the de guage on the inte tees were electe aspects. Mr. Pillai i the WEB educat group.
Email:Siva @gold,
The next Conferer held in Malaysia.
Mr. K. Teacher, A
Social Wor
With a deep feeling to write a few Word. departed friend friendship with Gun, - going back to mc We had a COrnmc thinking and deliber, mon grounds in wo, educational and SOC in the Northern prov Gunan in his own useful member of ou icated to education, betterment of our p Career as a teache lege, Karaveddy Sc Cuit Education Officé Region. Already he ular with his fellow te getting involved in e. sional organisation Province Science (NPSTA) and the Teachers Associatio) very important offic tions, helping them relating to the impro tion and teacher pup: Wher the NPSTA National programme Survey of the Tonda, the twin objectives C Knowledge and Skil and helping the Resources Board, to Wards its SuCCeSS had the distinction research paper. On a at the Ceylon Associ ment of Science on
Gunam had the op creative qualities all ciency when he beca Neİliady Karaveddy(J/NMMW.
At a time when all District were geared academically oriente J/NMMV a model Sc need of the society. first time Agriculture also Horticulture, Po ture and the like cré
 

third and final day, nmittee Called IMFITT. his Committee is to On and ideas about opments and to work elopment of Tamil lannet. Five Sub-Commitf to Cover different COmmittee member of inal INFITT working
C.uk e for year 2001 will be
Gunaratnam - ministrator & Ker - A Tribute
of Sadness, I would like of appreciation of my fr. Gunaratnam. My lm was long and deep re than four decades. in wavelength in our tions, and found Conking together in many ial projects particularly ince of Srilanka.
way had been a very rcommunity, fully dedal, social and Cultural eople. He started his ir at Vigneswara Colon he became a Cir2r for the Jaffna Town nad become very popachers and the public, ducational and profesS like the Northern Teachers Association Northern Province (NPTA). Gunam held as in these organisain all their activities ement of Child educait relationship. initiated a long term - The Hydrobiological nannar Lagoon' - with developing Scientific among the students Government Water Gunam’S COntribution was substantial. He of reading his own section of the project tion for the Advanceghalf of the NPSTA. ortunity to exhibit his i administrative effime Principal of Jaffna Maha Vidyalaya,//
chools in the Jaffna almost totally for an
structure, he made ool exemplifying the e introduced for the s a course of study, try farming, Fish culfing an environment
TAMTIMES 33
for the participation of a large section of the student population and making it meaningfully society oriented. At the same time he was careful in maintaining high academic Standards.
Even when he was in South Africa he did his best to teach Hinduism to Our children resident in that country. Even though Hinduism was not his field of study he felt the need for it and studied the subject for the benefit of our community there.
After coming to the U.K. in 1992 very strangely his health started to deteriorate
and soon he became Confined to the
home. But he never failed in his contribution to our community in the U.K. Gunam wrote on Hinduism in the Kalasam MagaZine for the benefit of our children as he passionately felt that religion is an integral component of child development.
He held very strong political views. He had a very clear analytical mind. Gunam was a thinker and a rationalist, slow to speak, measuring every word he uttered, absolutely steady and confident and a pleasant conversationalist. His ever smiling nature and mild temperament made him quite at home in any company. He had a very wide circle of friends from religious workers to politicians.
His one important interest was to find suitable partners for our youngsters both within the family and outside. He was a very successful matchmaker. Even two days prior to his death he rang from his hospital bed to enquire for some details about a party interested in the marriage of their son. Before I could go back to him I received the sad news from his daughter.
Above all Gunam was a very devoted husband and loving father and grand father. This was revealed from the way he was looked after With much affection and care by the entire family.
I can imagine how much his wife, children, grand children and in-laws will miss him. May his soul rest in peace.
T. Puthirasingam,
Flat in Colombo 3 For Sale or To Let
Modern, luxury, air-conditioned, single room flat, freehold, exceptionally well furnished, with large sitting room, kitchen and long balcony overlooking Galle Face and facilities including car, sauna, gym, Swimming pool, squash, tennis etc available immediately at Chrescat, Oberoi Hotel premises, Colombo 3 for outright sale for £110,000 or on a time share basis or rent at £900 p.m. Please contact London 020 8459 3651 Mobile no: O7713907478 or write to 82 Brondesbury Park, London NW2 5JՍ.

Page 34
34 TAMILTIMES
Mr. Karthigesu Sitampalam Mahadevan - A Tribute
Mr. Mahadeva (Maha to everyone who knew him ) passed away in Wellington, New Zealand on 20th July 2000, plunging the large circle of his relatives, friends and the Tamil community in Wellington in great sorrow. Maha was kind hearted, generous and ever willing to help others and was very popular where ever he lived and worked.
He worked for the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, Colombo climbing the ladder of success to become its chief Administrative Officer. During his working career in Colombo he joined the Y.M.C.A. and took great interest in basket
ball and played for ti Basketball Team. He
at basketball and hel eral Mercantile Divi As a member of the ketball Team he four East Asian Countrie, playing for the Ceylor ing most of the teams leges in Colombo a Colombo and helped championships. He w al Coach and held the
Maha moved With New Zealand and pa children to attain p, tions and achieve go He was an active me ton Tamil Society and President of the New Ciation, he successful and opening of their March 2000.
Maha is my cous brother-in-law after | sister Neelamball. Bil marriage, he was a father and grandfath is a great loss to his friends and members New Zealand.
May his soul rest in
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9 Western Province presented his Bank ed them to win sevon Championships. eylon National Basd most of the South With them. Whilst team he was COaChof the prominent cold the University of them to win Several as appointed Nationpost till 1980.
is family in 1984 to ved the way for his ofessional qualificapd career prospects. mber of the WellingSai Organisation. As Zealand Hindu ASSOy saw the completion first Hindu Temple in
n and became my married his youngest essed with a happy devoted husband, er. His passing away family, relatives and of our community in
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Dr. Indrakrishnan of Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates, the largest, premier single speciality private practice group in Atlanta is a clinical assistant professor of Medicine at the Emory University School of Medicine, a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of London, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. American Colleges of Gastroenterology and of Physicians. He serves as a questions author and relevance reviewer inthe examination board of the American Colege of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology and is in the health and public poticy committee of the American College of Physicians.
Dr. Indrakrishnan, a 1985 graduate of the University of Colombo, an old boy of Roya College, Colombo is the youngest son of 's Mr. R. Bhuvanandram, former director in tre Ministry of Industries and Consultant advisor in the Ministry of Fisheries, Sri Lanka.
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