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LANKA
GUJAR
VO. 17 No. 3 June 1, 1994 Price RS.10.
COMMUNAL CONFLICT: RE
RICHARD NIXON: A
MRS. B. AS (
- the Mahan
MANDELA - triump
MUSLIMS RN Il
 
 
 

DIAN
Registered at GPO, Sri Lanka QD/33/NEWS/94
) y
老
DEFINING MINORITY RIGHTS
- Nihal Jayawickrema
BRIEF ENCOUNTER
- Chanaka Amaratunga
CANDIDATE
ayakes' move
- Mervyn de Silva
of the human spirit
- Neelan Tiruche/Vam
VISIBU6 MINORITY
- zeth Hussain

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OUALITY AT AFFC
TMJ () ,JUJ STICE W
COLON

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E SUPERMARKET
DRDABLE PR|CES
AKBAR MAWATHA
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Page 3
TRENDS
Eelam bank
They орелеd ал Еelam Валk in Јаfїла, RешІеггерогӀed. It is Ihe separatists' first Corrifiercial bark - the Tami Eglan77 Sawings Bank — Reuter said, quoting a rebel radio broadcast. The Jaffna peninsula already had in addition its own military, police and Judicial systems, the report said quoting LTTE spokesman Anton Balasi
ghā,
Nominations for good boys only
Only those MPs who hawe been good Will be nominated again, UNP sources said. General elections are due shortly after the Presidential elactions at the end of this year. A corrflee appoined by the President will assess each MP's performanca, Those who hawe been "indisciplined" or Those who have been critical of the ruling party's present leadership will not be given nomination, according to Sri Kofola SOLMrCēs.
ICRC WİSitS “Sothithi"
TegTrä/CTTeef) Red Cross visited the recently much publicised gang boss Sothth Upali andother underworldfigures row hald in defention by the posice in a crackdown on gangland killings, Solhihi Upali, claimed by a cabinet minister to be "one of our boys", is an Colombo committee member of the ruling United National Party. The ICRC was checking Lupo Con the Creasure Comforts of the gangsters in defension. Sothihi Upal, for instance, was earlier pernfied to smoke inside a police station, a privilege now denised, it was repored
The SLFP's mixture
The private sector will be foplay "a leading role" in the economy while the poor will be cushioned with welfare /egislation. This is the Tixture a forthcoming SLFP-led government will fer a ling allo, according fo SLFP General Secretary Dharmasir Sananayake. He said that the (SLFP led) People's Alliance will form the next government and that benefits derived from its economic policies will fier down so he hawe-rols.
The General Secretary said that this Гшture goveппллелf would апсошгage more foreign investment but such investment would be carefully monitored
About the North-East issue he said that the SLFP led government would
falk Wilh alITali resforing civilladr7 ргоvinces.
EBRIEFLY
Trinco Free
A furth Free T Set Up. It Will bE Province sea port a 6OO-acre site ir the harbour. The to generate dire about 50,000 pi employment forar Habarana-Trincor be rehabilitated at гupees, а 9overпп said.
President ke
The portfolio of given to anybody E B. Wijetunga whe nges he makes, said, President W Minister of Finaric PreTadaSa bêCaT ntinues to hold the hle himself Was el dency.
"Full press Now, under Pre: пga, full press fr ensured, Dr Wick Secretary to the Mi nning and Flan Im the media, Anyboc use of the media E government, he sa
The Secretary a dia to reWealth || Tings of the gove government could
Tigers to Tamil Tigers bu Ta Til Sin Toronto, ( A Tamil group a nment against the mbo that activists Forum, a front of Tigers, was respo in Toronto who r published a Tamil dam (Search).
Anti-UN
The newly form the DUNF and the modalities for Con the forthcoming SLFP sources said is led by slain D Athulathmudal's W

lares ingreSedn rlistrafion In Ihe Wo
Trade Zone ade Zone is to be
near the Easter of Trincomalee, on close proximity to roject is expected temployment for ople and indirect Other 150,000. The alee road will also a Cost of 112 fillion erit är OLJČert
eps Finance
Finance Will not be lse by President D. tewer Cabimet i chainformed sources ijetunga has been e from the tir The Mr. epresident and Coportfolio even after :vated to the presi
s freedom" sident D. B. Wijetueedom had been rema WeeraSuria, nistry of Policy Plaplementatation told lly Could now make vem to Criticise lhe id:
lso invited the meaults and shortcoTiment so that the eform itself.
ch library
nt a library run by Canada, on May 24. sisting the goveLTTE said in Coloif the World TI ganisation for the Sible. The Tari|S n the library also Ournal called The
Pfront
Laith Factio of SLFP will work out lon Candidates at eneral elections, The Lalith Faction NF leader Lalith jOW SrirTi, The
two sides Will also discuss matters of policy, the spokesman said.
Raids on porn
The police are cracking down on the sale of pornographic publications. Wendors hawe been jailed and fined. IGP Frank de Silva has ordered his policemen to go all out to wipe out obscene printed matter. Any officer found negligent in this drive will be dealt with, he Warred.
Tax amnesty extended
Government has extended the tax arrinesty to cover all land and houses irrespective oflandarea and floor space. Earlier the amnesty applied only to høLISBS With a fløør afBā []f|BS5 thBf1 125 square meters and land of less than quarter hectare.
Strike averted
Higher Education Minister Anura Bandaranalike with Education and Cultural Affairs Minister W. J. M. Lokubandara met university employees union representatives and averted a strike scheduled for the following day. After a four hour meeting a settlement was reached on a 10 percent salary increaSC,
GÜARDIAN
Wol. 17 No. 3 June 1, 1994
Price Rs. 10.00 Published fortnightly by Lanka Guardian Publishing Co. Ltd. No. 246, Union Place Colombo -2.
Editor: Mervyn de Silva Telephone: 447584
Printed by Ananda Press 825, Sir Ratnajothi Saravanamuttu Mawatha, Colombo 13. Telephone; 435975
CONTENTS
News Background 3. Indian Prime Minister's
Interwig W Reflections on an invisible
Minority The Political Transition
in South Africa 9 Richard Nixon 11 Separatist Mowerinents
in South Asia (4) 13 Correspondence 16 The Right of
Self-Determination (2) 18

Page 4
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Page 5
MEMWS BACKGROUND
Mrs. Bandaranalike mob
Mervyn de Silva
t is opposition leader Mrs. Sirima
Bandaranaike not her daughter Chandrika Kumaratunge who will contest the presidential election in November. The all-islandational Committee of the SLFP was reminded of this party decision by Mr S. Badara laike When the COTITittee met this Week.The Peoples" Alliance (PA), the SLFP-led United Front, had already endorsed this decision, Mrs. Bandaranaike told the Supreme policy-making body of the party. The SLFP left-wing allies who may hawe preferred the radical Sorbonne-educated Chandrika remained discreetly Silet.
It was a different story at the 1970 polis When Mrs. Bardaranaike led the selfsame "united front" to aspectacular victory. The leaders of the Trotskyist-Titoist LSSP and the pro-Moscow Communists were given four portfolios in the Bandaranalike Cabinet. With the break-up of Yugoslavia and the Soviet implosion, the Marxist Left is in total disarray. But these quondam MaExists would certainly hawe preferred Chadrika as the Candidate of the COTbined opposition. Not because Chandrika reTains an unrepentant Socialist but becauSe She is nO COTVert to IMF-World Eark philosophies.
Up to last Week however the choice of an opposition presidential candidate was a toss-up. In fact the betting favoured Chandrika, certainly after she led the "Peoples Alliance" to a spectacular victory at the Southern province polls. The South is the most important province after the Western province, with Colombo as its capital. And Chandrika is Chief Minister of this province. Besides, the UNP's defeat in the preponderantly Sinhalese south proved to be the psychological tuning point. The UNP which has won every major contest for 17 years could be beaten. Its defeat Shattered UNP morale and gave a sagging Opposition self-confiderice, a Tuch-needed boost.
But it is not just th and left-inclined sup nk-tanks that haWeb. party's choice of M the Cadidate. The rties can scarcely Col ppointment. Chandri been bold enought Settlement of the isla Cift. Ti Ti (Sinhalese-dominate Outside the War-torr yGamed for a Sinh speak for devolutic provincial autonomy ngement. Chandrika just when President cly deviating from the cessor, Mr. Premad existence of an "et the "Conflict" was r terrorist problem.
Mrs. Bandaranaik of a "negotiated set hardineron the que is firmly opposed to a WĠ if the Musli T är teld districts of the ett MUSiTad Siria from a merged nort gers" (LTTE) reject anti-LTTE (pro-India If-hearted in theirpul territorial re-aптап these moderate Tal Ildrika far Tore åCCE dararaike. Like F MfS. Bändaramaika the central highlands is an aristocrat whe was a Tiddle-class regard the (Indian) t nearly a million, as : presence in their "tri
It is not her positio her obvious claims maturity that Won S

bilises the big battalions
BSLFP'SleftistallieS port-groups and thieen dismayed by the TS. Bandaranalike as non-LT TE Tamil pancealtheir deep disaka Kumaratunge has call for a negotiated nd's harrowing ethnic community in the }d)_Sewen prowlf1Ces north-and-east has alla Voice that WOLuld om de Ciên tralisation, and territorial re-arraspoke that language D.B. Wijetunge, publi: policies of his predeasa, denied the wery li: Flict". TJiT lothing more than a
e is also an advocate Elertent" but she is a stion of territory. She ny north-east merger ld Sinhalese-populanically mixed (Tamil, Se) eastare excluded -St. Whiled "tisuch re-carving, the )рагties are also haolic response to such gements. However "mil parties find Chapitable than Mrs. Baresident Wijetunge, is a "Kandyan" from S. Mrs. Bardara laike ereas Mr. Wijetunge public servant. Both ea plantation labour, arl Lur1WelCOrThe TarTıil aditional homeland".
as party leader TOT to experience and SirirTa Bardaramaike
this critical battle against her daughter Chandrika. It is now no Secret that the "Mahanayakes" made what they themse|veSWOLuldregardasa benigninterwention in national politics. The two Mahanayakes who reside in Kandy, the central province Capital Exercise erorIThous influence despite the fact that Buddhist in Sri Lanka is by no means institutionalised like the Christian. While the Mahanayakes are not political activists their counsel is respected on matters of vital interest to Tiajority (70%). Sinhala-Buddhists. The Tamilquestion is one such issue.
Evidently, the Mahanayakes have told the SLFP that they are deeply perturbed by press reports that the SLFP, or certain influential pressure groups that support Chardrikä, hawe reached a LurderstSnding With the Tamil parties on the national question. If that is true, the maha Sangha (higher clergy) may be duty-bound to publicly campaign throughout the island to denounce this "sell-out" to the "separatist Tamils". Such a step would certainly help President Wijetunge, the nationalist hardliner, Mrs. Bandaranaike's announcement that she will be the party Candidate is the direct outcome of the maha Sangha's interwention.
Sri Lanka is 10 theocratic State but the Sangha (the clergy) knows that it was Mrs. Bandaranaike who compelled Dr. Colvin R. de Silva her marxist Constitutional affairs minister, to include a special provision in the 1972 U.F. Constitution which states that "the republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place, and accordingly it shall be the duty of the state to protect and foster Buddhism while assuring to all religions the rights granted by section 18". Mrs. Bandaranaike has mobilised the big battalions to retain her position in the party before she fights the big battle in Nove
Tiber.

Page 6
Intervieu)
Seven questions to Prime
by Mervyn de Silva
Q: 1992-1993 saw a steady improWennet in Indo-Sri Lankan relatiOS. Do you agree? If so how do you account for this welcome change?
OUT Telations With Sri Lanka hawe traditionally been close and cordial, basedamongotherthingson geographiCal proximity and Cultural Commonalitigs. These relations hawe been further strengthened during the last few years, which have witnessed increasing interaction at high levels between the two governments. We Warmly recall the state Wisit of late President Premadasa in October 1992 and his subsequent visits to India for pilgrimage, before his tragic assassination. In January 1992, Wglada frUitfUfiStSeSSiOOft Jort Commission at the level of Foreign MiniSter Sir Delhi. Prie Minister Rai|| Wickremesinghe chose India as the first country for a bilateral visit in June 1993, after assuming office. Our two countries have been actively pursuing proposals for econotic, COTTercial and technical Co-operation, Under the auspices of the Joint Commission. It is satisfying to note that the second session of the Joint Commission which took place in New Delhi on April 21-22 has further underlined the desire of the two Countries to extend co-operation in trade, industry, Culture, education and Science and technology. Specific proposals have been agreed upon and We look forward to their speedy implementation.
Q: How far is your government's policy on Sri Lanka and the Island's Tamil problem affected by political process and opinion in Tamil Nadu?
For obvious geographical and historical reasons, ethnic similarities and feelings hawe existed forcenturies between
the people of Tamil community in Sri Li bee O'Luro desiree thal should positively Cor faceted relationship hawe consistently W prosperity in this be: country. We hopeth to the ethnic is pri Within the framewc Lanka, through negc parties eschewing t
C: "Peace-kee major item on the nda. What IBSSOS from the IPKF exp
ka?
The Indian PeaCE sent to Sri Lanka, a GWEITEert of Sri Indo-Sri Lanka. Agr tween the two gove 1987. The Agreепт attempt to find an a to the ethnic proble legitimate aspiratio sovereignty and ter armed forces discha bilities in Sri Lanka tion and professiona haltark. The sacr defence personnel. ration are a histori sincerity. An amica ethnic problem, as Would be the true rel fiCeS.
C: III a recent : mister Of External "the internatio should foCLIS atter which is the greate rights, especially

Minister Narasimha Rao
Nadu and the TaTi anka. It has always ! these cultural links
triboLute tOOLU TL IltiWith Sri Lanka. We ished for peace and autiful neighbouring at a political Solution oblem is achiewed, Jrk of a Liited Sri otiations involving all he path of violence.
ping" is now a international ageS hawe been leart
perience in Sri La
I keeping Force was it the request of the
Lanka, under the eement signed bernments on July 29, lent Was a sincere TiCable SettlerTest IT and to fulfill the ls of Sri Lanka to ritorial integrity. Our arged their responsiWith utrost dedicalalision, which is their ifices made by our iuring the IPKF opec testimony to our ble Solution to the I mentioned above, Ward for these Sacri
statement your MiAffairs Said that nal community tion on terrorism, !st threattO human
Whe aided and
abetted from across national boTider:S." The SAARC ministerial Treeting made the same point recently. What practical measures can be adopted to make the common effort more effective in South Asia, aparticularly violent region?
SAARC - leadėrs at the Second SAARC Summit held in Bangalore in November 1986 noted that co-operation among SAARC States was wital if terrorism was to be prevented and eliminated from the region. At the Third SAARC Regional Convention held in Kathmandu in 1987, the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism was signed and the SAARC leaders considered it a historic step towards the prevention and elimination of terrorism from the region. The Convention came into force in August 1988, after ratificatiom by all SAARC Member Countries. Seweral - SAARC Member Countries hawe emacted the necessary enabling legislation to give effect to the SAARC Convention on Suppression of Terroris. At the SEWEeth SAARC SLITmimit held in Dhaka in April 1993, the SAARC Leaders reiterated the need to give high priority to the enactment of enabling legislation at the national level to give effect to the SAARC Regional Conwention on Suppression of Terrorism, while urging the Member States which had not yet done so, to make every effort to finalise this matter before the Eighth SAARC SLUTTit.
| hawe no doubt that the provisions of the SAARC Regional Convention om Suppression of Terrorism and the warious recommendations made by experts if pursued sincerely by all Member States, Would ensure that SAARC Can actasan efective Supportive instru

Page 7
ment to the steps which are already being taken to combat terrorism in our геgion.
Q: Do you believe that NAM is still relevant? If so, does it require re-structuring in a new international Situation? Does the Current World Situation require NAM to abandon platforms and programs like the New International Economic Order and New International Information Order? Are the critiques on which these programs were based, still waIId? If so Will India take the initiative in the radical re-examining and restructuring of these programmes?
The far reaching changes in the international scenario particularly the end of the Cold War and the blocs, imitially triggered a debate on the continuing relevance of NAM and its future agenda. Although the blocs hawe disappeared today, the problems of disparities between the rich and poor nations, the problems of environment that hawe ariSem and Other iSSUES have Caved Out a neW role for the Mo WeTlent. The ESSE= nce of non-alignment being the assertion of national sovereignty and independence of judgement and action, NAM does not become irrelevantjust because the bipolar situation in the World has changed.
This issue was Squarely addressed at the 10th NAM Summit in Jakarta in September 1992. The Jakarta Summit reiterated that the Movement retained a continuing relevance that essentially stems from the desires of members to preserve their freedom of action and independence of judgement in the new LLLLLLLLL LLLLLLLLLS LLLL S S LLLLLL
Da Sed COSETSUS WAS Teached that the improvements that have occurred in the international politicaicinate area windication of the Walidity and relevance of the Movement and its basic approach to international problems and development. India fully subscribes to this view.
NAM's agenda embraces issues of
global Concern Su and the Creation of economic order. T to pursue this agen WIlicil d|50 l ||LIde Survival, environ issues and South
C: The IndiaKashmir have fa ggest Some C TeaSureSthat COL and pave the Way at high level?
The Kashmir iss Naturally, differer issue do mot lend til Tesolutior. We, OTI tted to resolving d and through bilater the Shimla Agreer complexissues are ssed in an atmosp Confidence buildin te am appropriate I a ConduciWeatr ThOS dialogue. In fact, in Prie Minister Ber office after general proposed a com -ranging dialogue mutual concerni related to J & K. for Warded to Paki concrete proposal Outstanding bilater lising relations. W Pakistan OUr COIT dialogue within th Shimla AgreerTen a Continuation of th.
|eWe talkS betWee| We hawe urged || positively.
: The Gr
trial has started has beеп charge present level O tween India and S
of Counter-terror not, how could nbatteľTOriSIT1 b

h as disarrnamEnt, a just and equitable here is urgent need da on a priority basis es issues of human Tent, North-South South Co-operation.
Pakistan talks on iled. Can you Suonfidence-building Jld reduce tensions for reopening talks
ue is a Complex One. Ces related to the hemselves to a quick our partare commiifferences peacefully a negotiations under ment. However, Such ! always better addrehere of mutual trust. gmeasures constituTECharlisfT to Create phere formeaningful October 1993, When lazir Bhuttoa:SSLurThed elections in Pakistan, rehensive and Wideto address issues of including differences In January 1994, We stan six specific and s aimed at resolving all issues and Orta'e hawe conveyed to littlet to bilateral
le framework of the t апd have proposed eForeign Secretary
India and Pakistan. Pakistan to respond
dhi aSSaSSination
Ind the LTTEleader i. Do you regard the f co-operation beSri Laka il the field ism satisfactory? If co-operation to coe strengthened?
The сопсегпеd Iпdiапаgeпcies have received full cooperation from their counterparts in Sri Lanka in this field. Both India ad Sri Lanka in thBir detETTİra
tion to fight the scourge of terrorism,
have passed enabling legislation on the SAARC Conwention against terrorisT1. The authorities concerned in the two COLuntries hawe also institutionalised measures, such as exchange of information, periodic meetings, etc., regarding various illegal activities across the
border.
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Page 8
Reflections on an Invisit
Izeth Hussain
OW seriously are we to take the
"ethnic revival" which has been proceeding apace across the globe? Some like Daniel Moynihan hold that ethnicity is the Tajor factor in the politics of our time, both domestic and international. They would argue that ethnicity was at the root of the two World Wars of this century, and they would give a central importance to the fact that in recent decades a majority of Countries hawe - experienced, if not actual ethnic conflict, at least some degree of ethnic dissonance, Ethnicity for them is the Wawe of the future, and we can ignore or underplay it only at our peril.
The opposite case has been argued in a brilliant book, Nations and Nationalism, by the British Marxist historian Eric Hobsbawm. His basic argument focuses on the inadequacy of the nation-state to meet the aspirations of all ethnic groups, more particularly of "nations" which aspire to hawe their own States, and for that and other reasons he anticipates its disappearance. It will taketime, but in a future World order ethnicity is going to have far less salience than at present.
But Hobsbawm would certainly agree that whatever may be the shape of the future World, it Would be extremely foolish to ignore ethnic grievances at the present time. A striking example of what can then happen was provided by the rebellion of the Mayan Indians in the Chiapas prowince of Mexicoat the beginning of this year. It was Sudden, spectacular and totally unexpected, and it shook the whole of Mexico. The grievances of those Mayans were not heard for five hundred years but suddenly they acquired a critical mass, the guns of the Zapatistas barked, and then they were heard.
The failure to recognize those grievarices is perhaps excusable because MexiCO and most Latin American Countries, with exceptions like Peru, have not been experiencing ethnic upheavals in recent times. But What is one to Take of the Curious case of a Country which has been notorious for OWera decade for One of the Tost intractable and most Wiolent of ethnic conflicts, and yet ignores the grievances of a minority? The curious case I have in
6
mind is Sri Lanka, thē Sri Lankam Mus|
It can be arguedt are in fact seen as problem of sorts, but to the Tamil proble their problem is se institutional arrange their interests in tr follow on Sinhales tiOnS 2about tho Nort gnized that only ath in the North-East, a that area, the majo! fact, hawe griewanci accuTulating overt of recognition beco riошs because of thЕ disturtled Sinhalese
The evidence is til incidents ower the yı mportant and Some which fail to figure ir news is only what y as neWS, and CO SE in public conscious Se public Conscious that it is best to igno least someti TheS, | thern might prove to WorSern rmatterS. Bu the explanation for til due iTiportanceto: btful because there failure to recognize riot for what it really
I want to argше і failure to recognize Muslim minority, and Ze that a Serious et ethnic riot, are parts ntaining the power o' ty ower a minority. T a consciously Worke facta strategy of dor For that purpose, lw details and Take SO
The riots had the thugs, involving no Muslim family which y-lending had appa Commitment to a

ble Minority
and the Tinority are [T1S,
at the Muslims here onstituting an ethnic that is only in relation n. More specifically, еп as one requiring ments to safeguard e situation that Will -Tamils accortioda-East. It is not recorad Cof the MusliTS are ld that those outside ity of the Muslims in es Which hawe been he years. That failure mes all thd Thore Cuevidence pointing to -Muslim relations.
o be found i Se Werul ears, sometimes uni-times quite serious, the media because ou choose to regard aguently fail to figure ess, at least Sinhalesness. It is arguable re such incidents, at because publicising be inflammatory and it is doubtful that is he failure to give their Such incidents. Do Luhas been a shocking 3Wen a Serio LJS ethnic is, an ethnic riot.
this article that the the grievances of the the failure to recognihic riot is a Serious of a strategy of maithe dominant majorihough it may not be dout strategy, it is in inance all the same. Il firstly provide some The Comments or it.
origin in an affair of thnic factor at all. A had taken to TOnerently reneged on a Sinhalese borrower,
who in a state of fury doused the lady of the house with kerosene preparatory to burning her. That was prevented by her brother, who took the law into his own hands and organized his group of thugs for retaliatory action. It led to the killing of a Sinhalese youth who was believed to have bean involved in the affair.
Allegedly the arm of the State thereafter entered into the fray. It is suspected that the police gave the greenlight to Sinhalese thugs to make Terry at the expense of the Muslims, but only for a stipulated brief period. Predictably that period got extended, and the riots spread to a fairly wide area centred around Goonesinghepura. Three Muslims died, many more were given thrashings, and the damage to Muslim property and looting Were Very extensive.
Around thirty per cent of the Muslims fled their homes and at the time of Writing, that is five months later, around ten per cent have still not returned. They are trying to find buyers for their property, obviously at greatly depreciated prices.
Some other details are Worth noting. A crowd of Muslims returning from Friday prayers were deflected into an alley, at the end of which armed Sinhalese thugs were awaiting them. They ran back in alarm along a route which took them past the police station. A stone or two were thrown, but apparently the OIC acted very responsibly by asking his men not to retaliate. However tear-gas bombs were brought into play, which led to further stone-throwing. The lesson to be drawn is that Cornered animals tend to lose Controland start fighting.
Another noteworthy detail is that Tamils of the area showed sympathy towards the Muslims, which led to suspicions that the Muslims were getting weapons from Kochchikade where the LTTE is supposed to be in clandestine operation. If that is true, the lesson to be drawn is that corneredanimals cantum to anyone in selfdefence. Anyway a fair amount of Tamil property was also looted or destroyed.
It is to the credit of Speaker Mr MH Mohammed and his son that they interve

Page 9
ned to establish agreement between the groups of thugs to prevent any further trouble. Apparently no Sinhalese politiCian bothered to intervene, Which in no Way signifies that they are anti-Muslim. It may be that the Pajeropolitics of the UNP leaves time for little else.
In the afternath of the riots, the police asked the victims to identify the thugs who looted their belongings, but their response Was that no purpose would be served by the identification as they did not believe that their belongings would be recovered, Probably they also feared that they would not get adequate protection against retalatory action after the identification. HoWever, Some arrests Were made, and the Government is probably satisfied that the police acquitted itself creditably enough.
It might be useful to ponder over the question of what Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore Would have done in a comparable situation. He would not hawe been Satisfied over the inability of the police to identify the thugs themselves, because they were not brought into the area from outside, and besides thug action in a riot is not meticulously planned as in the case of a murder to avoid detection. Arrests Would have taken place very briskly, perhaps without too scrupulous a regard for legalniceties, and after trials there Would have been some hangings and more whippings and stiff jail sentences. Brutalmaybe, but thereafter there would have been no question whatever of another ethnic riot taking place in that area. We order such matters differently in Sri Lanka.
The above account of the Hulfstdorp riots should convince anyone whose mind is functioning normally that something Very grave occurred there, showing that there is in fact a Muslim ethnic problem in Sri Lanka which is not confined to the problems of the Muslims of the North-East. People like Moynihan, at one end of the spectrum of the etnic debate, and Hobsbawm at the other, will readily recognize that fact. And they will be stunned by the reactions, or more precisely the lack of reactions, among the Sinhalese to what had happened.
The only reaction, if it can be called that, was in the press which provided sketchy reports and predictably concluded that it Was rid more than a Case of fraCas between thugs, definitely not ethnic riots. There was no statement from the Gove
rnment and, agair slighest show of beyond of course : Muslirt MP's raised Tent, which too Wa according to wides ptions the major fur is to serve the inter Party masters, not Muslims. There Wa from the SLMC. at the only authentic Muslims. As for tho rights problems, el promotion of ethni nothing to suggest Tuch more of an Thinds and Sersibil duck's back.
It is interesting
compensation forth sen. It is an import: in Muslim perceptio have OCCurred if n. arm of the State, th ssion to the Sinhale rampage. Any respo cting Governments a matter of course, find out whether or are Correct, But We such thing in Sri La the question of Com se because the poli Sri Lanka are the pi minority that is in imp ble, The Muslinis O' LLUT to Allah.
After those coln Huiftsdorp riot. I will
Tent that the failu grievances of a Thi recognize evеп-а S what it is, are part of ning the power of th over a minority,
| hawe used abo purdah and invisibil metaphor used by novel The Invisible M Illing Work in all black to describe the basic nship between the d the oppressed mi Indians of southern N in the sense that thei noticed at all, until the guns and fought, at l ble became the Wisit great many invisible

predictably, not the onсепп on its part, uppressing the riots. no questions in Parliapredictable because read Muslim percection of most of the sts of their SinhaleSe the interests of the O state tent either hough it claims to be epresentative of the se involved in human nic studies, and the harmony, there is
that the riots slåde
impression on their tỉBS tham Water On a
hat the question of e WictirTS has Tot ariint question because is the riots Would not it for the fact that an a police, gawe permise thugs to go on the nsible and self-respehould be expected, as to hold enquiries to hot those perceptions cannot hope for any nka. The truth is that pensation cannot aritics of the Muslims of olitics of purdah, of a ortant respects invisiHuiftsdorp can only
ments on a particular OW pursue my argure to recognize the nority, the failure to erious ethnic riot for a strategy of maintaihe dominant majority
re the metaphors of ity. The latter is the Ralph Ellison in his lan, the most compeAmerican literature, reality of the relatioominant majority and hority. The Mayan exico were invisible, grieWances Werenot Zapatistas fired their which point the invisile. There Tlust be a hinorities in the World
today, Some of Whom at least Will become visible tomorrow. The Sri Lankan Muslims are probably one of them.
The factor of invisibility in the Huiftsdorp riots was very visibly displayed in the newspaper verdict that it was only an affair of thugs, not ethnic riots. Presumably that Verdic SbaSed On the fact that the riots resulted from a quаптe|between annoneylender and a borrower, a quarrel which had no ethnic di Tension to it at all, and the further fact that thereafter all the violence was perpetrated by thugs who constitute no more than a miniscule fraction of the Sinhalese in the area. It was not as if a majority of the Sinhalese came into conflict with a majority of the Muslims. Therefore the conclusion that it was an affair of thugs, not ethnic riots.
That argumentis not acceptable becauseit would meam that there is no suchthing as an ethnic riot, or hardly ever. We can take it that in practically all ethnic riots, with rare exceptions, only a miniscule fraction of ethnic groups are actually involved in acts of violence. Sometimes the State, or more precisely the police, is also involved through acts of commission or omission. But that would not Warrant the conclusion that there is no such thing as an ethnic rigt
The test of Whether or nota conflict has an ethnic character is whether or not people suffer consequences merely because of their ethnicity. In Bosnia the Muslims are savaged by the Serbs merely because they are Muslims, and for no other reason. In Huiftsdorp Muslims were killed, beaten up, and their property looted or destroyed, merely because they were Muslims, and for no other reason. Those riots were therefore ethnic riots. The reluctance, or more often the inability, to recognize so obvious a fact points to the factor of invisibility in Sinhalese-Muslim relations.
| will now make some general observations, about discrimination against Muslims, something of the greatest importance because ethnic problems are almost always caused by perceptions of discrimination. Muslims by and large have very strong perceptions of discrimination, and are sometimes outspoken about it. Tono avail whatever because the strategy of invisibility is applied to the problem with devastating effect.
There are three tactics employed in
7.

Page 10
pursuit of that strategy, the first of which is to ignore charges of discrimination altogether. Speaker Mr. MH Mohammed, although himself one of the most promiTIETIt LINF politiciãT15, has mũTE thärn Crice in recent months made charges about discrimination against Muslim officials, particularly at senior levels, charges which Were given brief publicity in the newspapers. I myself have analysed Ambassador appointments in an article to show that the UNP is an anti-Muslim racist Party. Subsequently a statement was made at the highest level of the UNP to refute the charge that the Government had adopted a chauvinist anti-rminority line. Interestingly, in regard to the Muslims it was pointed out that the Muslims here have been allowed to go on Haj pilgrimage, unlike under the last SLFP Government, and Musli T1b LusineSSeS hawe not been taken over, again unlike under the SLFP. Nothing about discritination in the Statement. The problem was reduced to invisibility by being ignored.
Should the charges of discrimination be actually confronted, two tactics are usually brought into operation. It will be argued that the UNP ChairTan is a Muslim, the Speaker is a Muslim, there are two Muslim Cabinēt Ministers, there are several Muslims holding high political and other positions, and therefore the Muslims, so far from being subjected to discrimination, are in fact over-privileged. The argument amounts to saying that because some Muslims, an infinitesimal fraction of the total Muslim population, are awarded political favours there cannot possibly be any discrimination against any of the other Muslims, numbering over one and a half million. Practically everywhere else in the World it is quite Well understood that a familiar ploy of racist governments is to make show-piece appointments from along a minority, and discriminate against the rest. The idea is a lowel one to Tost Sinhalese, even at the most sophisticated intellectual levels.
The other tactic call the "Bobby tactic". Some years ago race relations workers in London found that the Bobbies, that is the policemen, explained away charges of discrimination against the coloured by taking up each case separately and shoWing that in each of them there were always special circumstances to explain What superficially looked like racism. But statistical data pointed strongly to racism, and the Bobby tactic fell into disrepute.
BLut Tot So ir Sri Lair Well, and vigorously anti-Muslim (discrimi singly and explained special circumstant Unfair treatment may lese themselves ar treatment, but racist Ninetynine hypothes in each Case but the ra CiST), İS eXcludedf
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ka, where it is alive, kicking. Charges of nation are taken up away as due to very ces in each case. "be, justas the Sinhaa subjected to such dišCrimiration lewer. les may be exar'TliTIE[] |Lundreth, anti-Muslim TOT the Outset.
The account of the Huiftsdorp riots given in this article, the analysis of the failure to recognize them as ethnic riots, and the further analysis of the tactics used to make charges of anti-Muslim discrimination practically invisible, should suffice to establish that the factor of invisibility is an important dimension of Sinhalese-Muslim relations.
Tabe cantinued)
The Scholar’s Tale
Part 14
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LJ. Kartunatillake

Page 11
The Political Transitic
Neela Tiruchewan
Introduction
The law and Society Trustis very pleased to contenorate this important moment in the constitutional and political history of South Africa which has fired the imagination of those who cherish human rights and democratic ideals throughout the World. In this presentation, I would like to focus on (a) the process of national reconciliation, (b) the process of Constitutional reform, and (c) the role of Nelson Mandela as the historical figure who shaped both these processes and brought them to a successful conclusion,
Hilary Clinton has described the inauguration of President Nelson Mandela as the greatest day of the twentieth century. You are all aware that ANC had to travel on a long and arduous road before they reached the top of the mountain. One of the important objectives was peaceful transition to black majority rule, the institutionalization of a multi-party Systern, and the enthrone Tient of a constitutional order grounded on the principles of equality and respect for human dignity. In a deeply polarized nation where township violence had consumed the lives of 15,000 people and had lefta trail ofblood and destruction, the process of national reconciliation Was as important as the outcome. It is in this context that the National Peace Accord which was concluded in September 1991 assures critical importance.
The Peace Process
The National Peace Accord Was entered into by all of the participants in the political process in South Africa. It included political parties, organizations and governments who carne together for a COTITnon purpose to bring am end to political violence and set out the Codes of conduct, procedures and Techanisrt Sto achieve this goal. The peace accord embodied three key elements. Firstly, a Code of Conduct for political parties; Secondly, a code of conduct for police officers including an agreement on the security forces; thirdly, guidelines for Social reconstruction and the development of the community. In addition the code defines the peace structures which are the mechanism and institution design to iTiplement the accord. The objective is to aid the transition of a deeply divided and segmented Society from a state of confrontation to a culture of cooperation.
National Peace Accord is an imaginati
Dr. Tiruchewan is Director of the I.C.E.S.)
Ve doCLTent With0 L. in countries which C high degree of po Accord took as giv and inadequacies of it recognised that it' tute to the pro-C35S COuld hawe best ad symptoms of politic O WerConTeits StrLCtLII Cat success Wast pment of peace CC securing an ideologi the principle politic tolerance", and in b procedures and TI management. It was ty initiative and thep nationaland regioni ted by relatively SuCI politicians, and ch! predominantly white spoke no African l; however perSons emergetic and ever mediating between
ft ANC ad tief and in restraining th
The Peace struct nal Peace Secretar dispute resolution C mittees mediated mmunity level, and mitor's Who ObJSëWel erals and defused situations. The pea hawe completely elir nce in SOLuth Africa WioleCe Would haw Abowe all they foi community levelar SSeS in WhChl Ole CK
The Natio P important compone cture. It represente ship at the nation; the peace structure aCCOUntable. This f. ntability was criticali Wher the Statė itSelf wely eroded of its cr Weness. The interTh; presented by the European comпnt Wealth, and the O Unity also played : supporting the pe; times intervening to principal political ac stic processes app

Dn in South Africa
it any real precedent Jntinue to experience litical Violence. Thë em the imperfections political systems and could not be a Substiof political reform. It dressed. Some of the Ca| Wiolence but rlOt iral causes. Its signifieprogressive develoInstituencies, and in ical commitment from al actors to political eing able to establish Chall ST15 for CriSiS primarilya civil Socieeace structures at the alle Vel Were d0Tiinacessful business then, шrchппеп. They were and almost inevitably anguage. They Were who were extremely I at tirT2S effective - ir he political leadership ikatha Freedom Party Ie security apparatus.
Lure includes a Natioiat, regional and local OTmittees. These Coon dispute at the Coappointed peace mod marches, rallies, futense and explosive Ice TonitorS may mot minated politicalviolebut Without the Til the e been much greater. "ged linkages at the ld established proceLuld hawe Cofidelce.
Ce Committee Wasan int of the peace strued the political leadea level and to Whort a would be ultimately om of political accouinaperiod of transition f was being progressiedibility and its effectiational community re
United Nations, the unity, the Commorganisation for African a complementary role ace process, and at mediate between the OS Westle dorseea E O HWe exha Lu
sted til ETSelvES. There Were alSO nus Therous non-governmental organisations who supported the process of Constitution Taking, national reconciliation and social reconstruction.
Alinchpin of the peace accord has been the Goldstone Commission which is empowered to inquire into incidents of public violence and its causes. The Commission's bold uncovering of the third forces 'consisting of rightist elements in the intelligence and security apparatus' sometimes directing and encouraging township violence contributed to a reorganization of South African security forces, The Commission has been "a symbol of justice and fairness in a new South Africa'.
The Making of a Constitution
A major turning point in South Africa was the release of Nelson Madela after 27 years of incarceration which he himself has described as "the lonely wasted years of his life". Soon thereafter in December 1991, we saw the commencement of forial negotiation at the Convention For a Democratic South Africa (CODESA). These negotiations were stormy, tense, physically and emotionally demanding on the principal negotiators on both sides. There were moments. When the talks roke down and there Were other TOments when the negotiators almost broke down inexhaustion. The early issues that stalled the negotiating process related to the status and the rights that should be conferred on the Zulu monarch King Goodwill Zwelithine and the issues relating to incorporation of independent homelands. There were however agreement on an interin government, composition of the national assembly and the Senate and on the general constitution principles upon which further negotiation were to take place. Subsequently, it was agreed that the party negotiate an interim constitution which Would lead to the election of an interim legislature and constitution making body. This body would thereafter debate on a permanent constitution and resolve several of the outstanding issues. A critical issue in the constitution making process related to the issue of power sharing both at the national and the regional level. This Was an issue which Was Critical to both the National Party representing the Substantial interest of the minority whites and the Inkatha Freedom party which represented the interests of the Zulu people.
We can now highlight some of the key
9

Page 12
features of the Interin Constitution. The first issue relate to the composition of the bicarineral legislature, it was decided that the Lower House of Parliament called the National Assembly consisting of 400 Inembers Would directly be elected on the basis of proportional representation, and the Second Chamber called the Senate consisting of 90 members would be elected by the provincial legislatures. SeCond, each province Would be conferred significant measure of autonomy and Would be entitled to draft its own Constitution. Provincial constitutions could preScribe the structure of each provincial legislature and the executive. There Would be devolved on each province powers relating to education, health, Welfare and policing. The center Would howeVer regulate National Economic Policy and matters relating to security. Third, there would be an executive President Would be elected by the National Assembly. The first Deputy President Would act as a Prime Minister and would act as a representative of the majority party and the second Deputy Prime Minister represent the second largest party. The cabinet of ministers Would consist of 27 persons drawn from all parties which Would win more than 5% of the national Wotes. There was a debate as to whether the President could act with only 2/3 majority Wote of the cabinet, and it was decided that the President would be required merely to consult the cabinet in a consensus Seeking spirit on major issues.
Fourth, there Would be a comprehensiWe Bill of Rights including guarantees for the freedom of speech, movement, religion, political activity and guaranteeing fair trials. Constitution further prohibits torture and forcelabour and discrimination on the grounds of gender and race. Fifth, there would be a constitutional court consisting of 11 jurists who would be appoiinted by the President for seven years. Constitutional court will interpret the coinstitution and resolve disputes between the different levels of the government. It Would consist of four members appointed by the President and 7 to be chosen from a list of 10 persons submitted by the Judicial Service Commission. Sixth, the Constitution further guarantees the rights of jobs and pensions of white civil servants and White soldiers. It further provided for the integration of the South African army and anti-apartheid guerilla forces into a single army. It was agreed that there Would be 11 official languages including English, Afrikanas and Xhosa.
Subsequently, with a view to appeasing the right-wing and the Inkatha Freedom
O
Party, President Ma COCeSSions, it inic dgement of the primi Tlation of Ethnic mir open the possibiliti negotiating a horn ctions. Further powe the provinces includ finarCES. The ANC final COStitutiOlto E in any way diminis provinces agreed to tion accepted last N. concession to then and the Zulu peopl a COinStitLuticola | Statu Zulu king Goodwillz
Although there is: ria that the elector: Concluded relatively rtant to recognise arduous process ofC tion preceded it. T team was strong in forge Consensus lar Which would be inclu forces within South. Thains steadfast in it inciples while beingre in accommodating When the process down, Nelson Manc moral stature, politic ctual imagination to Ssions to Take Surt
TOWe for Ward,
The Ole Of Nelso
The political trans must ultimately view deronstrated the tri spirit against the mo Was no doubt spearh rdinary man who ha resolve and the comp course of history. Th history 20th century COUSe of human de: of them who changed history, hawe been ab: moral stature and LU dirilished. There Mahatma Gandhi, thi the apostle of noninstrumental in facili of the British Empire ntinent. One may incl Luther King whosent ntled the inhumanes in the United States.
Wimmie Madella C there CoLuld be no stI ring. In the Euphoria | e Vents, it may be te

indela offered further luded the acknowle Ciples of Self-deter Tihorities and even left ES of the Afrikärie:S eland after the elleBer's Were de'Wolved Orth ing the power to raise also agreed that the be adopted Would not h the powers of the in the interim constituWernber. As a further katha Freedom party te, it was agreed that is be accorded to the Wel Luthirle.
a great deal of euphoa process has been peacefully, it is impo
that the long and Constitutionalnegotiahe ANC negotiating
its determination to devolve a process sive of all the political African society. It res commitment to pri3alistic and pragmatic
сопрeting groups. WaS ab Out to break lela COTTaided thĒ alwision and intelleTake critical concea the process would
Mandela
istiÖr in SOLth Africa ed as an event Which iLumph of the h Lurmar st incredible Odds. It leaded by an extraoad the courage, the bassion to change the ere were many in the Who changed the stiny. But how many the course of human Ile t0 erhSLure that their authority remained is one clear example S'half-naked Fakhir, Violence, Who Was ating the liquidation in the Indian sub-coLide Is this list Martin Oral Courage dismaystem ofsegregation
inCertientioned that luggle without suffeof the recent political mpting to forget the
dark and brutal aspects of apartheid and the cruel oppression which represented that regime. But as Milan Kundera has cautioned us the struggle for rights is a struggle of memory against forgetfulness'. While We may legitimate to forgive, it Would be morally inappropriate to forget.
We remember the Sharpeville massaCree of 69 black demonstrators in 1960 and the Soweto uprising in June 1971. We must remember the murder of Steve Biko Who Was killed undertorture in 1975 When he Was 31 years. It Was Biko Who spearheaded the black Consciousness movement and reminded South Africans than an oppressor’s Tost potent Weaponis the domination of the mind of the oppressed. In 1982 Ruth First, the wife of the leader of he Communist Party, Joe Slowo became the victim of a letter bomb widely believed to be the work of the South African security forces. Ruth First was in the Vanguard of the anti-apartheid movement. And last year Chris Hani, the chariSmatic and widely lowed Secretary of the Communist Party of South Africa was cruelly murdered by the extreme right.
Mandela and Walter Sisilu were tried on 9th October 1963 in Pretoria on charges of being responsible for 222 acts of sabotage. At the end of the trial, Mandela addressed the court for more than four hours. It was an intensely personal and moving statement at the end of which he stated - "During my life time I have dedicated myself to the struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live togetherin harmony With equal opportunities. It is an ideal for which I hope to live for and to achieve, But if need be, it is an ideal for which II am prepared to die". Mandela Wassentenced to life imprisonment together with his colleague Walter Sisilu. Among those who pleaded forther mitigation of sentence was Allan Paton, the author of the 'Cry, the Beloved Country. Mandela and his friends being political prisoners were confined to Robben Island which has been Compared to Solznetzyn's Gulag Archipelago. Prisoners were made to build their own prison. Mandela slept on the floor of a cell which was approximately 7ft square. He was given tasteless food, allowed one letter of 500 Words and one half hour of a visit every six months. Winnie often had to travel 1000 miles from Johannesburg to Cape Town for the 1/2 hour meeting. They were initially forbidden exercise, locked for the whole day in solitary confinement. During the Sumter, chained and

Page 13
manacledatthe ankles, they had to engage in backbreaking hard labour in the lime quarry. The authorities tried every method of breaking their morale and their spirit but Mandela preserved his dignity and integrity, continuously struggled for improvement of the prison conditions. He took advantage of every opportunity to further his legal knowledge and his understainding of contemporary developments. He befriended his jailors at leastone of whom Sargeant Gregory shed tearson his release. After 27 years of his ordeal, he bore no bittermess, no ha tred, no hostility toWards those who tormented him and deprived him of some of the best years of his life,
Anotherincident which is deeply etched in the Collective consciousness of the Xhosa people took place during the middle of the 19th century. It is the story of a young girl Nongqawuse who prophesied the regeneration of the living and the resurrection of the dead. "She was able to lure an entire people to death by starvation pathetic victims of a beautiful but hopeless dream. Tens of thousands of Xhosas died; tens of thousands fled their homes and hundreds of thousands of cattle slaughtered and crops destroyed. While the Xhosanation was lying prostrate, Sir George Gray trampled on this human Wreckage. He exiled the starving, crushed the survivors and seized more than half of Xhosa land for a colony of white settlement". (See J.B. Peires. The Dead Will Arise'-Nongqawuse and the Great Xhosa Cattle-Killing Movement of 1856-7).
The processes of ethnic and national reconciliation in South Africa is relevant to Countries which face similar problems. The constitutional reforms provideus with the important models, concepts and ideas for power sharing. They include not only the federal/quasi federal arrangements at the provincial lewel but also the prospect of proportional representation in the coTposition of the national Cabinet. It also reminds us of the importance of civil society processes and the need to forge linkages between Communities at social, politiCal, economic le Wels. Constitutional Structures need to be firmly anchored in the collective Wills of cortunities to co-exist. The South African experiment reminds us how futile it is to give way to despair and to abandon hope. It reminds us that no problem is truly intractable and given the right leadership any Society can rise abowe the trauma of violence, hatred and destruction and collectively frame a vision Of the future which is positive ad errobling.
Richa
Chanaka Ann
iChard Milh0L R 22nd April ATmerican Presiden re our meeting he of a fierce schoolb survived Watergat autographed a Copy andthis remairls or ssions. Although, r far from my mind, often cruel, yet ofter for me a special p something of my ow had died with Rich:
| was ten yearsol WaSelected PresidE of America. rester пеwspapers and T his election. Then a äti-COTuristir tional relations alth. in favour of the W simplistic and did aCCOUnt of the Wes its Committents to huппап rights. Fгоп it is unsurprising strongly supported image was that of a maintain astrong Ar ncy progressed, Ri Congressman and -ter IT Wice Presider D. Eisenhower had to be a relentless became more subt rtained his Corint United States of AI free World but his CO was predicated on the peace and arec happen only if the could be sure that t ctures would not be which began with presidency conduci of strength and W.

d Nixon: Valedictory
ratunga
Nixon Who died
1994 was the only | hawe ewermet. Befohad been the subject Wadmiration that even !. At our meeting he of his TerToirs for Te e of my valued possescently, he had been his passing from this Wonderful, World, had oignance. It felt as if in boyhood and youth rd Nixon.
When Richard Nixon nt of the United States ber vividly reading the IME Magazine about Snow I Was a staunch youtlook on internabugh my partisanship fest Was then rather Tot take Sufficient t's failures to live upto iberal democracy and 1 such a perspective that I should hawe Richard Nixon whose President Who Would herica. Ashis presidechard Nixon Who, as Senator and as twotito President Dwight lemonstrated himself foe of Communist, e. He certainly maiitment, to a strong erica and to a strong duct of foreign policy he need to preserve Ignition that this could Oviet bloc and China eir own political struIndersmined. Detente, ixon, was during his 2d on fron a position is not the "one-way
Soviet street" which some would accuse it of becoming subsequently.
Nixon was nota pin-up of my generation or of the ones immediately before mine in the way that John F. Kennedy Was. Perhaps he played less consciously to those who take the superficial, glamour-based attitude to public affairs and Set his eyes instead on the mature verdict of mature historians.
He brought domestic calm as Well as amore commanding position to the United States after the fierce internal debates ower Wietmann and the international ramifications of this conflict which all but Owemwhelmed the Johnson Administration. While it is as a consummate Taster of foreign policy that Nixon will long be remembered he did preside over a period of economic stability if not spectacular advance, at home, and won the biggest ever victory at an American Presidential EleCtio Orl is re-election ir 1972.
The totally amoral atmosphere that characterised his White House was his undoing and led to his igiominious resi
- gnation from the Presidency two years
later. But it is worth remembering that Nixon was accused only of being guilty of the cover up not of the bugging itself. When one thinks of the impunity with which telephones are ordered to be tapped by successive governments in Sri Lanka the conclusionisinescapable that no leader of this country since Dudley Senanayake could have continued in office, if this country expected the same high degree of rectitude of its leaders as the American people expected of theirs.
Nixon had the extraordinary ability to Tlakêfriends into Enemies. Whiletosome degree this was based on personal diploinacy and the relationships he was able to strike with individual personalities, with
11

Page 14
Chou En Lai with Mao Tse Tung With Anwar Sadat, Nixon's personal diplomacy was buttressed by a powerful Congruence of rational long-term interests. It is these long term interests that made the new American relationship with China and Egypt transcend the departure of the leades or both sides who had first established good relations.
The treaty which was meant to end the WietnamTl War Was Orne of the more flawed of Nixon's achievements. Within a year of his resignation and two years after the Treaty was signed the whole of the former French Indochina, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos passed under the political COtrol of ruthle SS COTTUunist dictat OrShipOS. It has, however, been argued that this collapse for which the pig-headed refusal of the U.S. Congress to grant any further military credits to South Wietnam may been primarily responsible, Would not hawe taken place had Nixon still been in charge of affairs. It was widely known that his successor Gerald Ford wholly lacked the constand of foreign affairs and the stature to carry Congress with him,
Such reflections had often passed my mind in the years when Nixon occupied a greater place in Ty thoughts than he has in recent years. It was from Such a perspective and with considerable pleasure that awaited our meeting.
was twenty years old, an undergraduate at Oxford and was Secretary of the Oxford Urio When Richard Nix On a CCEpled an invitation to address us in what was his first major public engagement since his disgrace. It was 1978. Before his speech the four officers of the Union (the President, Librarian, Treasure and Secretary) were accorded a privilege which made us the object of envy among Our fellow union members, the opportunity of having tea with President Nixon. He arriwed promptly, having been flown to Oxford from London in a helicopter and was dressed in a grey suite and Wore black shoes that were secured by little silver buckles. He was presented to each of us
모
by the President, and of his memoires for
tea he conversed Witl
When it was my
attention, Was astol of memory, When het a Sri Lankan he plun into an account of h
1954 Wee Was President. He recallel lawala Was FrimEMir described a receptior Prime Minister's priva amenagerie of anima referring to Kandawe to the places he hac Kandy, Nuwara Eliya The dateS arda places had come Unh understandably in Tripori for names such as KC dhapura could not
retained огргопоuпк accuracy by aп Апп O3 Who Lust hawe i
tries and let sort:
Nixon's speech te dľEW for hirT a Stärdi lade wery rarely grar familiar with the art o' of debate. There is O. speech which remai til at WBS i Ole V
President Nixon's wis,
Brezhnev doesn'
he declared with an a
TlCe. Tham With thẽ +
of the World.
Oh, he wants th doesn't Want War
In the sixteen yea the Oxford Union, successfully rehabili built a reputation ha: a high-minded states mean repute. His Wo War and his study of famous, people of ders as Well aS his

autographed copies all four of us. Over
TLS
tur to ā50r iS Inded at his powers discovered that was ged enthusiastically is visit to Ceylon in Eisenhower's Wice
that Sir John Koteİsterthenandwiwidly in the garden of the te house which had ils (he Was of COUrse la). He also referred | visited, mentioning and Anuradhapura. mes, persons and esitatingly. It was an essive performance, telawala and Arturabe expected to be ced With reasonable erican, leave alone wisited S0 many COLпypeople.
the Oxford Union ng Owation, an a CCOited by that body so foratory and the skill nly one line from that ns. Wiwid in my mind, Which der Törlstrated
idSense of theatre.
it Wat War
irofoutraged innoceair of a roguish man
e World - but he
rS since | Tlet him at Richard Nixon wery tated himself and reSaSerious, ideed ran and Writer of no
rks such as The Real the great, or at least is time entitled Leamany essays and
lectures principally on the theme of foreign affairs were very Well Written and greatly enhanced his intellectual reputation. His Memoirs were regarded as candid and convincing.
In 1992 listened to another speech of Richard Nix On Which WES Critical of the Western World's churlishness and reluctance in providing economic assistance to Russia and the nations of Central and Eastern Europe. With great prescience he warned of the dangers of extreme nationalism in those areas newly liberated from Communism, before the World had heard of Wladimir Zhirinowsky:
Let us reeler that in Eastern Europe Communism has lost but liberal democracy has not yet won.
On a personal note recall now at his own death, his loyalty to those who stood with him, in particular his honourable gesture of visiting the deposed Shah of Iran in Mexico. When he had becote an interational outcast, and later still, his attedar CE of the Shan'S State furlerali irħ Cairo, when that pathetic opportunist, Jimmy Carter, then in office, was even contemplating handing over the Shah to his famaticalenemies so that he may hawe obtaid te releaSeOf the AeriCT hostages in Iran and hence some desperately needed domestic popularity.
Despite my distate for What I have already described as the amoral atmosphere of the Nixon White House, and my disapproval of the pragmatic streak in his foreign policy most vividly perSonified by that appalling arch-pragmatist Henry Kissinger, the embryonic politician and coTrentator retains much of the Schoolboy's admiration for Richard M. Nixon.
It was therefore with genuine regret, mingled with nostalgia and satisfaction at the honours paid to hirt at the end that | Watched on the blessed channel on television which now makes this possible, the funeral of, a flawed but great stateSrTan — the Orly. AnTherican President
EWE ThÉt.

Page 15
PART4
Separatist Movement
Lynn Ockersz
South Asia-A Divided House
Ethnic Wars in South Asia have had the effect of destabilising the region, undermining interstate relations and amity and pitting one state against the other.
The majority of regimes that are found in South Asia are "existential" ones. That is, these regimes have to be constantly on the lookout, lest they fall foul of their electorates on issues that weigh heavily With them. If they are seen as being Weak-kneed or inept in connection with such issues, their opponents are bound to exploit SLIch Opportunities and dann thern in the eyes of the electors. This is particularly true of ethnic issues. And ethnicissues have the potentialtopitone Country against another because of inter-state racial or religious affinities.
Thus, We hawe the Case of India and Pakistan. They have already fought two Wars over Kashmir and are currently on a fresh collision course with regard to it. India accuses Pakistan of fomenting unrest in the Indian part of Kashmir and arting and training the Moslem insurgents.
Pakistan denies these charges but remains a staunch moral backer of the uprising. It is feared in the West that Kashmir could ignite a nuclear war be tween the two regional giants. It is this fear that has prompted Washington to bring pressure on India to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Recently, for the first time, Kashmir figured in a US President's address. In his speech to the UN General Assembly, President Bill Clinton said that:
'Bloody ethnic, religious and civil Wars rage from Angola to the Caucasus to Kashrfisr."
There is, indeed, cause for alarm. Just before handing over to newly-elected Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on 19 October 1993, caretaker Premier Moeen Qureshi is reported to have emphasized the "close link' between the Kashmirissue and Islamabad's desire to keep a nuclear capability. The Writing, then, is on the Wall: South Asia could experience the horrors of a nuclear War if the Kashmnir issue Termain|SurreSOlwedd.
Sri Lanka's relations with India during the eighties provide another good exa.
mple of how ethnic SOur interState rela
Ethnic Wars in S splay "spill-overe turToilione COut SOCIO-ECOnomic te ring State particula Sition hawe i ethnic, affinities. The A TE rth-East Sri Lanka, Таппil population in State, are of the San also have strong ties. The Moslern re Kashmir similarly h in Pakistan.
The Tamil gueri th-East Sri Lāka tгalпіпg camps iп ” Very inception-the It was almost custon to escape to South rrow Palk Strail aft tiOS Sri Larka. Tamil guerillas wer Sections of the Tam even Some of its pli the task of Containi rebellion very diffic authorities.
Consequenty, in which the Tamil gue ge and Support in anger, particularly Community in Sri La Tar Til NadLu Luthorit Ta,Til Nadu. It Was Nadu contributed SL ble TS in Sri Lārikā. were allocated fort ling the seas betwe and the task of Cuttin links. With Tail N priority by the Lanka
However, in the situation only Wors JayeWardene's procy irked Indian Pre Wh0Se administratio n-aligned foreign pc pro-Soviet tilt. In ol pressure – опthe
Timent, the Congre Tl Terttured a blir ting training camps irħi Tar Till NadL. Mega SÓLuthern Sri Laikai

S in South Asia
Wars Could strain and OnS,
juth Asia, usually, difects. That is, ethnic y triggers political and isions in a neighboufly if the states in quecultural or linguistic mils inhabiting Nofor instance and the 1 India's Tamil Nadu teethnic origins. They inguistic and cultural bellion in Jammu and as provoked empathy
las operating in Nohad safe houses or Tamil Nadu from the tis, the late Seventies. nary for Tamil militants | India across the naer carrying Out operaThe SUCCOur that the e thus receiving from til Nadu populace and olitical leaders, made ng the incipient Tamil ult for the Sri Lankan
direct proportion to rillas received a refu
Tamil Nadu, public among the majority nka, grew against the ies and the people of believed that Tamil ibstantially to the proConsiderable funds he purpose of patroan Sri Lanka and India goff the Tamil rebels' adu, Was given top in authorities.
years to come the aned. President J R Western foreign poliThier Indira - Gandhi, n Was following a nolicy, although With a "der to keep up the layewardene Govess (). Central Govedeye to the proliferaof the Tamil guerillas Lnwhile, the press in Carried stories about
these training camps, from Indian sources, thereby fuelling public resentment in the South against even the Indian Central Governmentauthorities. Very soon, anti-I- ndian sentiments grew in leaps and bounds among sections of the Sinhala public, particularly among the chauvinistic ele Tents.
Besides the pro-Western foreign policy of the Sri Lankan Government, the Indian Central Government's position on the training camps was fashioned considerably by the Congress(I) regime's political interests in Tarnil Nadu. The ADMK, which was governing Tamil Nadu under the leadership of M.G.Ramachandran at the time, was anally of the Congress(I). The ADMK was publicly showing concern for the Lankan Tamils. To retain the support of the AIDMK, the Congress () had no choice but to deny the existence of guerrilatraining campson Indian soil and publicly proclaim that it was concerned about what was happening in Northern Sri Lanka, although it neversupported the separatist cause publicly.
Besides its political interests in Tamil Nadu, the Congress(I) administration was also concerned about the alsTOst Contnuous influx of refugees from Northern Sri Lankato Tamil Nadu. Increasing refugees meant more and more Welfare expenditure and this factor was beginning to weigh heavily on New Delhi.
Indo-Lanka ties hit rock bottom when, in July 1987, Indianaircraftflagrantly violated Lankan airspace, and airdropped relief supplies to the people of Northern Sri Lanka. At that time, anti-Indianism among certain sections of the Sri Lankan public grew to hysterical proportions. This was a measure of the damage ethnic Wars could perpetrate.
Pakistan's alleged support similarly for the Sikh rebellion in India's Punjab state considerably damaged Indo-Pakistani relations. India alleged that it had sound evidence that Pakistan was training Sikh extremists. In the 1980s, for instance, interrogation of several extremists, it was believed, revealed that Sikh extremists were being trained in camps in Pakistan with the help of the Pakistan Military Intelligence Agency.
The former Chief Minister of Punjab, Surjit Singh Barnala, said in December
13

Page 16
1985 that his administration had "concrete proof that extremists trained in Pakistan had crossed over to India. Former Indian President Zail Singh, once maintained that if Indo-Pakistanties were to improve, Pakistan Tust end its support to anti-raLLMLS LDDLT LL0LLLTLL aCCMLCCCL LT T Punjab'.
Many more examples can be given of the manner in which suspicions regarding external help to Sikh rebels have damaged Indo-Pakistanities and even brought thern to the brink of fresh armed hostilities. The point to remember now is that South Asia, despite SAARC, is 'a divided house' and that the region's ethnic wars have contributed considerably towards this state of affairs.
North-South Confrontation Takes New Form
As in the case of individual Societies which display glaring internal divisions based on affluence, power and status, a "centre-periphery relationship manifests itself even at the global level, with the industrialized West enjoying increasing wealth, might and influence in the World system and the Third World sinking further into poverty, death and disease.
Fгее пmarkelecoпоппies — а пеwрапаcea for Third World ills peddled by the IMF - World Bank Combine - while integrating the Third World more closely into the World System, further aggravate the miseries of the 'South', by perpetuating an exploitative relationship between the rich and poor nations. For instance, by opening their economies to foreign investment and profit-seeking multinational organisations, the Third World is only helping the richer countries to spirit away the little resources that it owns, the short-term gains notwithstanding
Having relegated the Third World to the periphery", could the powerful West sit back and enjoy its wealth? Could it afford to be complacent that it wouldn't be troubled any more by "the Wretched of the earth? If the West answers these questions in the affirmative, it is living in a fool's paradise. For the World's poor are already at their gates.
Today, racism is raising its ugly head in some important Western capitals. Antiimmigrant riots and protests are undermining the democratic and egalitariam cultures that the West has been nurturing over the centuries.
Hundreds and thousands of people are fleeing the "killingfields' of the Third World and are presenting themselves as refugees, asylum seekers and War victims in western capitals. Ethnic wars in the Third World are indeed taking a very heavy toll.
In the reCeSSion-hit West, these refu
14
gees and illegal ir геd a parasitic pr tolerance among Western public is opportunities and
nking. Thereforeth to be wiped out'. If r go to the Whites w these immigrants
Work for any wag reSOLIrCBS are bei unWelcome visitor: Welfare and suppo wealthy Whites are
Today, anti-imm are developing in and Britai. The CC quite unsettling. A Conducted in the E instance, revealed citizens think that Crea Siġ in the CLI rre; 27 per cent saidth same, and only si should be increase
The anti-foreigne Concrete results in in the US. Some already introduced, in the State legisla Welfare benefits fic them driving licence funds for the educal alier" studerts an rights. Of these Bi been enacted.
Recent opinion p tain also revealtha that country. The In recently said that : of people interview programme 'Bloody cial tension betwe Il-Whites is irnCrea: céltbéliawed the Sit while 31 per cent fi The report goes of cent of responden grants 'should not housing lists on the born in Britain'.
Growing racism is societies and bring blerns inits Wake. Fl reports of attackso extremist groups in mbers of the Anti-N Against Racism in police during a dem More than 70 peop
There are als001 Lumresolwedd ethnic WM are generating law the West. The Ind reported that ппепт Communities in the

nigrants are considesence. The level of rtain Sections of the sliding because job ay packets are shri: 'alien' presence "has l, the jobs that should uld be gobbled up by who are prepared to 2. Besides, Valuable g'wasted" on these with the result that | systems for the less being Crippleid.
grant constituencies countries like the US nected data Could be CNNVUSA Today poli arly part of 1993, for hat 65 per cent of US here should be a dent immigration levels, ey should remain the x per cent said they
rSemtirTnent haS bOrne states like California
23 Bills hawe been according to reports, ture to cut dow. On hr irT migrants, refuse is ban the use of State ion of "undocumented d limit many of their Ils, five hawe already
olls conducted in Britracism is growing in dependent in a report total of 51 per cent ed for the Channel 4 Foreigners', said raEn Wtes and Nosing. Another 13 per uation was improving, it it was unchanged. I to state that 51 per s argued that immieadmitted to Council same terms as people
also dividing Western ng law and order prorinstance, there Wеге foreigners by White Britain. Recently, The|ziLeague and Youth Europe, clashed with onstration in London. 2 were injured,
her ways in which the Siin the Third World nd order problems in pendent once again Jers of Some ethnic hird World, including
Sikhs, were extorting money from their compatriots in London. Early last year (1992), the press in Canada revealed that certain members of the Sri Lankan Ta Til community in Toronto were mass-producing forged travel documents with the airn of operating refugee-Smuggling rackets. The newspapers said that White Collar Crimes of this nature had become number опе пnoney spinners.
A closely related issue is the spread of Narco-terrorism in the World. The Tartil Tigers, for instance, are believed to be purchasing arms for their war by trafficking in hard drugs. They are primarily responsible for the spreading of the drug habit among youngers in Sri Lanka. Ethnic Wars can, therefore, engulf a good part of the World in ewil.
Little realising the part they have played in stoking ethnic tensions is South Asia, the West, of late, has taken it upon itself to pгоппоte and safegшагd hшman rights in the Third World. Governments trying desperately to quell ethnic revolts in their Countries hawe, of course, COTT"litted human rights violations, and they have to be taken to task for this, But it is the frank opinion of this Writer that the West doesn't hawe the moral authority to do this. Such tasks are best left to international bodies that enjoy some legitimacy in the international community. The West, particularly the US, which has adopted double standards on the human rights issue, may be ill-suited for this purpose.
However, the West believes in questioning the human rights credentials of the Third World states; particularly those COLntries which receive itsaid. Recently, India was pressurised into establishing a Human Rights Commission. Sri Lanka is constantly questioned about the human rights situation in that country by aid-giwers. A few years ago Britain suspended economic aid to Lanka Over its human rights record.
So, the outlook for the entire World is bleak on account of South Asia's ethnic Wars. These ethnic Wars are not only dividing communities. They are also dividing regions and the World as a whole. The polarization between North and South is widening on account of these wasting Wars, and peoples are turning against each other.
In the final analysis, each country must healitself. This study began with the focus on good government and statesmanship. It is to this theme that We must return in conclusion. Until political leaders rise abowe narrow interests and act with enlightenment and courage, scourges like ethnic Wars will continue to divide and devastate countries, regions and the World.
Concluded

Page 17

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Page 18
CORRESPONDENCE
Liberalism, Fascism ar
Chanaka Amaratunga replies
Had no previous intimation of the sad Confusior that inhabits Izzeth Hussain's mind Would have been surprised by the bizzare wholly unsustainable analogy he draws between the politics of the Russian ultranationalist, demagogue and neofascist Wladimir Zhirinovsky and my own. As it stands, I did have a warning that Mr. Hussain Was, in his political judgements and more particularlyin his politicalclassifications, getting very hazy indeed when, Sometime early last year he wrotes an article to The Island declaring that the two parties which were the greatest champions of Sri Lankan liberal democracy were the DUNF and the Liberal Party. The Complement he had paid to the Liberals I realised with a profound shock was an exceedingly dubious one. Imagine what John Stuart Mill or Lord Actor whom Mr. Hussain refers to approvingly and have been always the inspirations for my own politics, being perhaps in something approximating to a secular pantheon, Would have felt if someone said that they and Karl Marx Were the greatest champions of liberty! How could any but the lost confused mind assert that Lalith Athulathmudali and Were both defenders of liberal democracy?
This Confusion is compounded when One recalls that Mr. Hussain did Write a mowing appreciation of the political contribution of Tly colleagues and I on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of Sri Lankan Liberalism, which was published in The Island of 14th April, 1991. In this article Mr. Hussain says that it is the Liberal Party that was instrumental in bringing home to this country the immense dangers of the unlimited exercise of power by the Government which emerged in 1977. That Government was, of course, the UNP Government of President J.R. Jayewardene and the late Mr. Athulathmudali with whom last year, Mr. Hussain Would have had me share the plaudits for defending liberal democracy, was a leading figure of that government, a contribu
16
or to all the Cols manipulations, not Wiolations of huma infamous governm
To hawe forgotter glossed over it, Wa:
Tent indeed.
The inconsisteric tical peregrinations from his 1991 tribu
in Conventiona Party may be r But it may cont future that it h infinitely more
tion i to our poli
Party.....
1991.M.Huss Party was God's gif this statuS Was sha parly which was ew UNP for the appal which Mr. Hussain ral S are seen to bet has happened durir ke these ConfL Sed|
The сопрагison Wholly specious. W a fascistare histoW the political practise fedbeligf5 Olte dl. which earned the pl in 1991, ewen in 19 the dubious pleasur Mr. Athulathrudali dent J.R. Jayewar appallingenemyc The programme of mains what it has a Iliral COWiction oft myself) remains the Hussain, a concern against the arrogan intolerace, meam reever they may be
One of the central

hd the Confused Mind
titutional and political to ention the brutal n rights in which that entindulged.
that, stil||more to hawe SVery unsound judge
yof Mr. Hussain's polialso becomes evident le to the LiberalS:
terTS the Libera agarded as a failure. e to be seen in the as been making an important contribuitics than any other
ain thought the Liberal t to Sri Lanka. By 1993 red with the DUNF, a ery bita5 guilty as the ling developments to refers. By 1994 Libebeyond the pale. What ng these years to eworesponses?
With Zhirinovsky is hat make Zhirinowsky declared beliefs and of his party. My declaTerhand remain those audits of Mr. Hussain 93, though then had e of sharing them with Who apartfon Presi"deme was the Tost If liberal democracy. the Liberal Party reilways been. The cehe Liberal Party (and : one admired by Mr. to limit power, to fight же оf power, to oppose ess and cruelty, whe
in this country,
errors of Mr. Hussain
is that he confuses men and measures, institutions andacts. The UNPhasnoore unalterable identity which makes it impossible to Work with it at all times. While We could never have Worked with it during the Jayewardene years, for reasons clearly set out by my colleagues and on several occasions (I could refer Mr. HuSsaim to my article on President Premadasa in The Island of 1st May 1994 as the latest source) We did find it possible to Work with the UNP of President Pretlada
S.
The other confusion of which beg Mr. Hussain and others of his ilk to diSabuse themselves, is that in a liberal democracy, it is betrayal of one's own ideals to form political alliances with others who may not share many of those ideals. In the West to which Mr. Hussain makes reference, Liberals are often allied with ConservatiWes, Social Democrats, Socialists, Christian Democrats, Regionalists and warious others. This does mot Tear that Liberals have in anyway abandoned their own deepest convictions. The same is true of alliances here. The fact that Liberals formed an alliance with the UNP of President Premadasa does not meam that We believe the late President to be the soul Tate of John Stuart Mill and Lord Acton.
Finally, Mr. Hussain is careless in the use of political terminology. The UNP certainly, has had, and has now, elements Who are racist-but it is agrossexaggeration to call a party that does accord a significant place to members of ethnic minorities within it, and which however inadequately has devolved a measure of power and has enfranchised many who Were previously disenfranchised, as a racist party. The UNP has certainly indulged in electoral Talpractises and violence in the conduct of elections especially in the years prior to 1990 when we oppoSedit, which I do find deplorable, but a party which does tolerate a Considerable degree of political dissent and does mai

Page 19
ntain a liberaldemocratic structure, howewer flawed, cannot be called a fascist party.
Accuracy of terminology and accuracy of judgement are essential ingredients for the pursuit of civilized discourse. Mr. HuSSain does no good to our political debate if he acts the role of the Confused and the inconsistent, firing badly aimed broadsides With thezest of aloose cannon. D]
Language Usage
As one who is living in Japan (and also married to a Japanese), I wish to bring to your attention that the caption "More Japaid for TV" (LG, May 7) is not in good taste. The Word, "Jap" (an Americanderogatory slur for Japanese) is now detested by Japanese as American arrogance of World War II wintage. Ewen American businessmen who carry begging bowl to Tokyo these days would not dare to use it in public. The irony is that, your news brief mentions a benefical act of the Japanese to Sri Lankans and you use a derogatory slur to highlight your patron!
In the SanTie Weir, I also hawe noticed your regular (but irritating) use of the Tamil Word-thottam, when referring to miniSter S. Thordana's actiwities. I reTEmber One Caption which went like, "Trouble in Thonda's Thottam". If you hawe fancy for that beautiful Tamil word (which literally means, "garden"), I appreciate your taste for alliteration. But, you should also note that among Tamils, the word "thottam' had been used in the past (such as thCotta-kaataarn) ira derisive Sense to refer to plantation workers. Suggest, why not stick to the standard English word plantation", when referring to Thondaman's activities?
Sachi Sri Kantha
Word
Mr. S. Thondaman, a long-standing friend of the L.G., loves the phrase "ThoIndia's Thottan". Other Tail|readers hawe never raised any objections though WE note that Some Tamils in Tokyo may find it as jarring as "Jap" to Japanese ears. Yes, "Jap"should not appearin the pages Ofithe LG.
- E.
Bosnian M An Expl
|-appreciate M.A. (LG, May 15) on my about the plight of which was published Rather than tryingto' of Bosrhiarns Cor" to e» the sufferings" as N red, Wrote that bri Or1 lzeth HuS5air"S al
lt IS rlÖt S0 rTEarir to interpret events in a "Muslim perspectiv bE wieWEdirl abfOAC
WOTE
Garadiaris Cam të as the first-ever Uri Human Rights CorT Ms. Coomaraswarm Who is known as at
Ms. CoolTaraswa is huge and comple) and consequences bOLJITELJICat S to tak
It might be hardt. because they are W In India, thera är b AfriC" COL"tri ESG ar the state is the per frr:LuSES WWT) i think they have a rig
In the past year, g into the larger huma Who the UN Gerg against Women. It Worthy of internatior
For far too long, can be excused for
Reforming interns world'sageпdaагај ET COL"ri:Si Where
Ms. Coomaraswa targets and she car enjoy being held up Coomaraswamyshc
No one person C: hawe made violenCE But the nations of-th halisa Crucial step Worther is another.

USlimS - anation
Nuh Tian's Criticis "previous COITTent, Bosnian Muslims, I in the LG of May -1. "justify the sufferings (plain the causes of ullar had WOdgaf note as a parody rticle.
first, rather thanogling through the "myopic goggle"as "Muslim perspective". My commententitled, "a Hindu perspective" Was directed to that cacophonous cant of Izeth Hussain and not at all to the sufferings of MuslinTS in Bosnia. Camot Nuhman distinguisha parody from profanity?
While was in Sri Lanka, I had enjoyed Nuhman's poetry in Tamil. But I wish that he better read the source of my criticism
first before casting his stone on me. gful (in Tly opinion) Curret Bosnia for "e". Suffering should der humanistic angle
Osaka BioScience Institute, մaբan.
In get a forceful new advocate
ike pride in the appointment last month of Radhika Coomaraswamy ted Nations special rapporteur on violence against Women. The UN mission created the post in response to a Canadian-led initiative. , who was named by the UNHRC, is a 40-year-old Sri Lankan woman rilliant and forceful advocate of human rights.
imy Will need those qualitles, and then some. The task she faces . It is to Collect infortation or Wiolence against Women and its causes to recommend ways to eliminate it; and to try to gët other UN more notice of hur Tarn-rights violations against Women.
know where to start. In every country, women suffer violence simply formen, In North America, women are murdered by their husbands. iride burnings related to dowries. There is genital mutilation in some in Southeast Asia, women are being sold into prostitution. Sometimes Jetrator of the violence. More often, the state fails to protect women exploit their economic and Social Wulnerabilities, or from Tien who ht to Control their wives, daughters and sisters.
real strides have been made toward integrating women's rights issues n-rights picture. Perhaps the most important one came in December, ral Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence recognized that violence against Women is a human-rights abuse lal attention.
such violence has been seen as a private matter or sorTething that religious of Cultural reasons.
itional law and putting the issue of violence against women onto the ust a start. It will be much harder to reform national laws and practices liscrimination and violence against women are part of everyday life.
Imy cannot hope to tackle every problem. But she can choose her
try to embarrass governments into taking action. Few governments as abusive or as countries that tolerate human-rights abuse. Ms. uld not be shy about naming countries that allow or perpetrate abuse,
an sweep away the laws and social attitudes around the World that I against Worlenendemic. Change may be painfully slow incoming. e World at least hawa acknowledged that there is a problem. In itself, forward. The naming of a UN special rapporteur on violence against
- El Gaggi
S3 Srl Kit
7

Page 20
ΡΑΡΤ2
The right of self-determ for rein Vention and ren
Nihal Jayawickrama
The case of Sri Lanka
ri Lanka (or Ceylon, as it was
formerly known)isa multi-racial, multireligious and multi-linguistic country, in Which legendandhistory are not only quite difficult to disentangle, but also often for II the basis for political decision-making. Of its 17 million inhabitants, about 74% are Sinhalese, descendents of the original settlers of the island who are believed to have arrived froTNorth India in about 544 BC. The Sinhalese speak an Indo-Euroреап language, Sinhala. They are predominantly Buddhists, but many of the families that lived in the maritime provinces during 450 years of Portuguese. Dutch, ad British Colonial rule hawe becoTe converts to Christianity. About 13% of the population are Tamils who speaka Drawidian language and probably migrated from south and south-West India between 400AD and 1500 AD. SUCCessiwe Wawe:S of invaders from southern India also conquered the northern parts of the island and established independent kingdoms, and it is there that the Tamils have continued to reside, although at least one third now live and Work in the predominantly Sinhalese areas further south. The Tamils are mostly Hindus, except those among them who were converted to Christianity by American missionaries in the early 19th century. About 7% are Moors, mainly descendents of Arab merchants and seafarers who first arrived around the seventh century and established themselves in the eastern and southern ports. They are of the Islamic faith, and usually speak the predominant language of the region in which they live. About 5% are Indian Tamils who were brought by the British from South India in the 19th and early 20th centuries as cheap indentured labour for the coffee and tea plantations of the central highlands, and many of whom still Continue to live and work on the plantations, away from the mainstream of life. The remaining 1% comprise Burghers (the descendents of the Portuguese and the Dutch), Malays (of Indonesian and Malaysian descent who first arrived as soldiers in the Dutch army), and the rich Indian nerchant communities of Sindhis, Par:Sees ard Borah S.
18
But despite this a heritage, there is E distinct Sinhalese SrieSSir the islar Sinhalese have hart quite domant, gri Tamils for having "Dhamma-dweepa" have been brough specific purpose ol pristine form the tea EWentS frOrm the shai Which are often rec of Conflict and fore title Of the Sil Celebrated battle, ki single combat Sinhalese-Buddhist Whole island. I TOT British experimente tutionalforrrls aridin the indigenous e Sinhalese-Buddhist rfaced. The Sir nSciousness Washi ttling of a million So rkers in the fertile an of the Sinhalese, in dy been marginalize plantations; the recrl administration of ext TiberS Of TarTils int and the steady migra and industrious Tart into pockets in the search of higher ed yment and trade. Th northern Waters, onl state of Tamilnadu i a population of OWE gawe rise among th rious minority compl
Ceylon emerged i 1948 with a constitu bed by one cort Ter antrenchEd in it all sions for Tinorities could dewise", "olim ! preceded independe Tert Wanted to the Westminster-WF Constitution that was power Would be us majority in collabora

hination - a time
eWall
pparently rich cultural und has been, a Wery -Buddhist COSciOUi. For centuries, the Joured a historical, yet eVanCE against the settled in a part of ': a nation believed to it into being for the keeping alive in its chings of the Buddha. red historical tradition, Ounted, are episodes most among them is alese king Who, in a led the Tamil king in ard re-established sovereignty over the e recent titles, as the with Western constistitutions, and altered conomic structures, ConscioUSTeSS SUhaleSe-Buddhist COeightened by the seLuth diar Tamil WoSalubricus heartland which they had alreado make Way for the uitment by the colonial raordinarily large nUO the public service; ation of the assiduous ils from the arid n'Orth high density South in Jcation, elitist emploefact that across the y 20 miles away, the in India Was home to ir 50 lili TāTi, e Sinhale Seto a Se
帕翼。
nto independerlce in tion that was descritator as having "had the protective provithat the Wit of man the negotiations that ince, the BritishgoweSatisfied that under hitehall export model being provided, state ed by the Sinhalese tion With the minori
ties. A Constitutional settlement was reached in 1946 on the basis of which the minorities agreed to subject themselves to majority rule. The Settiement, in consideration of which indepenīdence was grainted, consisted of six primary compoTentS:
1. Multi-member constituencies to ensure minority representation in the House of Representatives.
2. Six nominated members of the House to represent un represented
огіпadequately represented inte
t.
3. A second chartber - the Senate -to afford the minorities an instrument for impeding precipitate leg|- Slatior, as Well as a forUIT for handling inflammatory issues.
4. An independent Public Service Commission to guaranteee strict impartiality in all matters affecting public appointments.
5. A prohibition on Parliarient from enacting legislation either to confer a privilege or to impose a disability on persons of any particular community or religion.
The sixth component was not reflected in the independence constitution, but had been previously agreed upon in the legislature, namely, that Sinhala and Tani should, within areasonable time, be made the official languages of independent Ceylon.
In independent Ceylon, however, it was Soon discovered by Sinhalese politicians that the constituency to be targeted for the purpose of winning general elections was essentially Sinhalese. It was often possible for one of the two principal political parties - the right-wing United National Party or the centrist Sri Lanka Freedom Party-tosecure a majority in the legislature by Concentrating on the sewen provinces which were overwhelmingly Sinhalese and ignoring the other two, even to the extent of not fielding any candidates at all. On those rare occasions when the mood of the electorate was difficult to gauge, or When the electorate showed itself to be indecisive, it was not impossible for one of the parties to reach pre-election or

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Page 22
their right of self-determination.
Redefining the right of Self-determination
The rationale for restricting the right of self-determination of a minority ethnic group living within a sovereign state appears to be the desire to maintain intact existing national boundaries. But many such boundaries are man-made, having been de Tarcated at peace Conferences during this century by the victors of the great Wars. In the case of former colonial territories, most boundaries, particularly in Africa, had been drawn in a very artitrary manner, slashing across ethnic settlements regardless of the cultural affinities that had existed from time immemorial. Indeed, it is true to say that most ethnic groups precede contemporary national boundaries by hundreds, if not thousands, of years. This desire to sanctify and perpetuate a few artificial lines drawn on a map of the World by a succession of politicians, diplomats, explorers and even adventurers, often Without reference to the people living on the land, appears to be misconceived in the Context of the international human rights regime which exists today.
Restricting the right of self-determination of a minority ethnic group in this manner also results in condemning that group to a state of permanent subservience to the dominant ethnic group in the country. Where, for example, a constitutional settlementarrived at prior to indeperidence is unilaterally abrogated, as Was done in Sri Lanka, the minority group no longer has the right or the opportunity to renegotiate, on the basis of equality with the dominant group, the terms upon which the different peoples Tay co-exist with honour and dignity. Instead, it has to depend upon the "tolerance" or the "goodwill" of the majority, and hope for "concessions" and "accommodations" from others for its continued existence and liwelihood.
Moreover, the qualification that a ninority ethnic group may exercise the right of self-determination only when it is discriminated againstand excluded from goveinment ignores the supreme truth that all human communities are in a constant state of evolution. No particular political, social, or economic system or ideology can claim legitimacy for itself when it fails to provide the framework for such evolution. In the after Thath of the Second World War, the international community was called upon to respond to the aspirations of colonial peoples, and it did so admirably by denouncing colonialism as illegitimate, Today, as We stand on the threshold of the 21st century, we see the resurgence
2O
of ethnicity. It isman every continent. It i. is not necessarily sp tion, nor generated to participate in the g listic State. It may an ethnic group sint its own identity. The nity must now recog respond realistically such ethnic groupsi they remain hopeles confines of heterog lives of people must integrity of territorie age when the sovere nce Of ministates Wi tions hawe already E
Imagine for a non law was to respond torial integrity to the to self-deter Tiinatior nciple that all cohe irrespective of their are entitled to freely Cal status. After all, Һappened поt very 63% Czech and the of Czechoslovakia a te identities: the intE approved and the Ur Zed their exercise of rmination. The appl principle to other pal bly Asia and Africa, y iTTillediate and dran First, it will introduc of law which recogni individual and accor of status in all respE beings. Secondly, it ssary for a minority E discrimination by th of its claim for self-d therefоге, гепove causes of Commun today, a corrosive politic that breeds SL Thirdly, acceptance Tear that it Willino to resort to terroris violence simply to a lf-determination.
The recognition of shift the focus from rtion of rights to the exercise of formula conditions of co-exis small ethnic group, the right to secede, the viability of secess and most importan These consideratio mpel SUCCh a group existing state, but or

esting itself on nearly a phenomenon that wned by discriminayan unfulfilled desire overnment of a pluraften be the result of ply wishing to assert International Cortiunize this actuality and to the aspirations of stead of insisting that sly trapped within the eneous States. The surely transcend the . This is, after all, an ignty and independeh minuscule populaeen recognized.
lent that international y subordinating terriright of "all peoples" | by recognizing a pгіisive ethnic groups,
numerical strength, detemine their politithat is what actually long ago when the 31% Slovak people sserted their separaErnational community ited Nations recognithe right of self-deteication of that Same 'ts of the world, notaWill probably produce natic consequences. a fair and just rule zes the dignity of the is him or her equality !cts with other fellow Will make it unnecethnic group to allege State as the basis eter Tination and Will, one of the primary a friction that exists canker on the body Ispicion and distrust.
of this principle will onger be пecessагу or other for Its of ssert the right of se
this principle will also he ranCOTOUSaSSefar more productive ing the terms and :ence. A numerically :onscious that it has will begin to examine on in political, Social, у, есопomic teпппs. s will probably coOremain within the terms negotiated by
it with the dominant ethnic group. On the other hand, where a numerically small ethnic group has valuable resources, such as rich homelands, prosperous manufacturing centres or unique expertise, the dominant ethnic group will need to offer very attractive terms to induce the minority to remain within the fold of its territorial unit. In either event, co-existence will be a voluntary act as in the case of Switzerland, and not under Compulsion, whetherby the imposition ofan aulocratic ideology as was the case in both Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union, or by the force of arms as is the case in Sri Lanka today.
The recent events in Europe demostrate how anachronistic the relevant principles of international laware. On the one hand, existing states are being fragmented under the pressure of resurgent ethnicity and, on the other hand, sovereign states, both old and young, are abandoning traditional notions of sovereignty and seeking new unions and relationships with each other, motivated primarily by the need for mutual co-operation. At the same time, the violent manifestations of ethnicity on practically every continent demonstrate how urgent it is that international law should recognize and accommodate this major phenomenon if recurring violence is not to be the predominant feature of life in the next decade as Well.
It is now time to use the emerging European tapestry to fashion a new rule of law, rather than attempting, as the United Nations is doing at this very noment, to refine and further define the rights of minorities and of indigenous persons. It is time to redefine the right of self-detemination, not only by stipulating that it is indeed a continuing right, but also by extending its application to numerically outnumbered but cohesive groups of minorities as well as indigenous persons. Such redefinition will not only strengthen the international human rights regime, but will also help to create a new legal framework within which countries like Sri Lanka can attempt to bring decades of interneci
he Warfare to an end.
To be continued
NLCS
16. Sir Charles Jeffries, Ceylon - The Pathfa Indepe
inderce (Londor: Pall Mall Prass, 1962) at 115. 17. Mr. M. Tiruchelwan, C.C., who was Mirister of Local
TeLLLLLLLLL LLLLHHL 000S0S LG0L 0 CCOLOLMYLLLLLLS
18. The constitution of the Federal Party of Ceylon, as
eeLLLLLL L LSLS LLaLLLLSLLLeeeeM LLLLLLSLLLLLLLL L OLOLL LLLYL Since Independerica-ABEWography(New Delhi: Na Wrang, 19BB) al 146.
19. Mrs. Sirirna RD Bandaranaik, M.P.Prime Minister, as quoted in The Ceylon Daily News (16 July 1970).
20, Ga. Res. 2625 (XXV), supra note 14.

Page 23
Why there's sc in this rustic
There is laughter and light banter amorgst these rural damsels who are busy sorting out tobacco leaf in a barn. It is one of the hundreds of such
barns spread out in the mid and upcountry intermediate zone where the arable land remains fallow during the offseason.
Here, with careful nurturing, tobacco W is a lucrative cash crop and the green leaves turn to gold... to the value of over Rs. 250 million or more annually, for perhaps 143,000 rural folk.
 

ENRICHING RURAL LIFESTYLE
und of laughter tobacco barn.
Tobacco is the industry that brings employment to the second highest number of people. And these people are the tobacco barn owners, the tobacco growers and those who work for them, on the land and in the barns,
For thern, the tobacco leaf means meaningful work a comfortable life and a secure future. A good enough reason for laughter,
CeylonTobacco Co. Ltd.
Shoring and caring for our land and her people.

Page 24
PEOPLE
Celebrating
(
Dynami
In 1961. People's Bank ventured out in thi
of only 46... and a few hundred customer
Today, just 33 years later
People Resource exceeds 10,00
Customer Listings at a Stagge.
Branch Network in exceSS of 3
in Sri Lanka
In just three decades People's Bank has
in the SriLankan Banking scene. Their spe
resources at their command dedicated
dedication that has earned them the title
PEOPLE'S BANK
Banker to the Millions

'S BANK
Three DeCadeS
Df
C Growth
2 challenging World of Banking with a staff
t
P.
)0
ring 5.5 Million
28, THE LARGEST
JrOWn to become a highly respected leader Ctacular growth is a reflection of the massive
to the service of the Common man - a
"Banker to the Millions'