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by Prof. S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole
War usually conjures up images of death and damaged buildings. A drive
through the North-East would confirm this. But perhaps, the worst effect is the
loss of values, destruction of community and the damage to institutions that are
worse in non-personal terms. They take much longer to recover than the loss
of life. They make people nasty and life impossible. While death robs people of
life, these rob people of their humanity.
The Colonisation Example
The colonization schemes of the North-East bring to the fore the choices that
face individuals. The government forced Sinhalese settlers in the North- East
after displacing Tamil villagers through terror. This had been countered by
massacres of the Sinhalese settlers (by most of the active armed Tamil groups
then). For many Tamils it is a stark choice between civilized values and survival
as a community; between surviving as a community with nasty values and not
surviving at all. Many say that it is absurd to suggest that we should pack up as
a community and run instead of killing a few civilians to scare the rest off.
Those of us who take up the view that the killing of civilians is wrong under any
circumstances and insist on an unremitting commitment to human rights and
the dignity of man, are told that it is because they kill that we survive.
In a way it is like the argument of the 1990s - that it is after Premadasa solved
the problem, that we are in a position to talk about human rights. For other
Tamils migration to Colombo or, better still, to far away lands, has been the
noble choice, letting those left behind decide whether to run or become like
animals in the process of fighting.
Sadly those left behind live in a society made all the more grotesque by the
choices it made.
In Colombo
Living in Colombo, every now and then a Tamil discussion comes to the
question "Will there be 1983 again?" There is rarely agreement. But in real
terms, people take on very material pursuits as if they believe it will never
happen again. Parents live in apartment houses bought by their children
abroad. Land prices in Wellawatte are said to have surpassed Colpetty’s
and to be competing with Colombo 7’s because of this huge infusion of
western capital. A pro-LTTE web-site lamented that Rs. 5,000 Crores of "Tamil-
Eelam" money is propping up the Sri Lankan economy through land
investments in Wellawatte. A rough count yields 300 new apartment blocks of
assorted sizes in Wellawatte alone, chiefly occupied by Tamils. The elderly from
these houses make a daily trip to communication centres to place their cheap
Internet calls abroad to their children at Rs. 5 a minute. The wealth is such that
many boys can be seen on the streets of Wellawatte with their gadgets to
impress the passing girls or watching pornography in the many Internet cafes
that have sprung up. The latest scandal involves a boy and his girlfriend
watching filth together in an Internet cafe getting carried away and being
photographed in compromising positions on a cell- phone. These photographs
then made the rounds on e-mail. Silk sari stores from India have their
branches. The latest movies from Tamil Nadu are released simultaneously. So
long as the balloon does not burst, life for the Colombo exiles will go on in bliss.
They say that if not for the militants they would not have this luxury and
immerse themselves in temple poojas of all new sorts, entertainment shows by
imported performers from India and pilgrimages to India. In this escapist climate
the mind is malleable. Anyone can be zeroed by suggesting that he is a traitor,
whatever that means. I am personally aware of ordinary non-political people
killed and labelled traitor, upon which thinking immediately stops. Whether it
stops because it is dangerous to think or because the mind is closed is difficult
to fathom. A classic case is the killing of Mr. Kailanathan recently when he went
to Batticaloa to interview people for openings in his ministry. A non-partisan
public servant, speculation was rife as to whether he was killed because he
worked for the EPDP ministry or with a view to getting the LTTE blamed. It had
become too dangerous to think about. His family is bitter that he went to serve
but is likely to go down in Tamil minds as a traitor simply because in the
perception of many those shot "must have done something treacherous."
In Jaffna
While Colombo's Tamil society buries itself in luxurious pursuits, in Jaffna life is
as old fashioned as ever but with new twists. The old neighbours are gone. The
old ruling families are comfortably ensconced in the West, their houses and
positions taken over by the ordinary. Even the Church congregations are new.
What is common with Colombo however, is the plethora of new temples with
new gods and even new Churches with new theologies. It may be correct to say
that every major street has a new church or temple. The old warmth of the
village is still there. Particularly those not in authority and those who chose to
stay are quite happy to have visitors. For those in authority usually have
compromised themselves in some way.
Underneath the comforting exterior, however, is a strange and dangerous
resentment among many in power that those who ran away will come back and
take over their long-held top-dog positions in the few big institutions there. The
world has passed them by but they do not seem to know it. Most leaders are,
relative to the badly gone South, intellectually dead and less qualified. But
society does not seem to know it. Thus, while expatriates on brief visits are
welcome, those on long-term visits who will work independently are not. While
those in power boast of how they served the people well, they do not want
others to do the same. As a result many positions in the North are vacant. But
there is no attempt to fill them. A doctor still short of the retirement age who was
welcome on short visits from abroad was told, when he offered his services in
the longer term, "If you know younger people, ask them to apply." Others have
complained of vacancies not being advertised regularly as required, credible
applications being not processed, the less competent being selected, etc.
Explained a Dean from the area of business/commerce: "We must give
preference for those who stayed back during the difficult years and keep
positions for them. Those coming back newly must prove their loyalty first
before we take them." How they can do it from outside is the question.
The Gunanandam Case
Dr. Gunanandam is a neurosurgeon who, unlike many university medical staff
in Jaffna, is a real doctor who is academically qualified (with a doctorate) and
professionally qualified. He returned to serve during the war years as the
surgeon and was quite welcome on contract appointments for several years.
When he applied for a permanent position in the University after the cease-fire,
trouble erupted. He was now no longer acceptable as a general surgeon. All
kinds of complaints against him emerged — as bizarre as they are odd for
coming so late. It was disingenuously argued that without Sri Lankan Board
Certification he cannot train interns although many in Jaffna do that without
Board Certification. Even his contract appointment was not renewed as his
applications for a permanent position was refused. Gunanandam went to Court
and the Court of Appeal ordered that he be appointed permanently as a Senior
Lecturer. Having been foiled in their attempts to keep out Gunanandam, the
hospital surgeons pulled their trump card. They said none of them would teach
if Gunanandam is there. The students then went on strike saying their
graduation is being delayed. They approached the President, who said that if
the surgeons would not do their work get them out. But that is a no-no in
Jaffna's sharp hierarchy. Gunanandam was then released to work on setting up
Eastern University's new medical faculty. "No, we will not resume work because
he will come back after 2 years," said the surgeons like spoilt children. In
Jaffna, Court of Appeal orders do not seem to matter. Finally the system was
pushed into promising that Gunanandam's appointment in the East would be
permanent. The episode has been to Eastern University's gain and has
exposed the law and order situation in Jaffna.
The Sabbatical Leave Fiasco
Sabbatical leave - on full pay for the 7th year of service - is specially designed
for academics to let them update themselves. But it takes a strange form in Sri
Lanka. It is for the 8th year and is seen as an earned benefit. Thus it has been
granted even to those academics who want to lounge around rather than
update themselves and is given to registrar grades and librarians too. One
professor got his sabbatical leave to meditate for a year on full pay. During the
war years when Jaffna was closed it was difficult for Jaffna folk to go abroad.
Thus, it became not uncommon for staff to take their sabbatical leave and the
money for the tickets for themselves and their spouses and not go anywhere. It
was an abuse practiced even by the very high and in one case, when a
stubborn Bursar insisted on the ticket money being accounted for, the then
UGC intervened to dispense its customary patronage for those in high positions
and let the professor keep the money, supposedly for his research. In recent
times the system has tried to tighten up but the practice continues. An
administrator got passage money for the US paid to her travel agent and went
on a cheaper tour of closer-by countries. She failed to report the matter to the
University but the VC described her lapse as bona fide in a memo tot he
Council. The VC was cornered by members of the Council who wanted to
demonstrate their authority over the VC and she was accused of fraud.
The tribunal of inquiry was constituted violating many regulations including
circulars on who can serve and rates of payment. Some suggested it was
deliberate to let her escape on technicalities. Perhaps because misusing tickets
was so common, the report was halfhearted. Amazingly badly worded, the
report concluded thus: "All the three members of the Tribunal agree that there
has been lapses atleast in the part of the accused (under interdiction) and the
accused or defence have not proved certain acts of her are within the legal
framework. They recommend reinstatement of the officer" [sic.]. The words of
the conclusion contrasted starkly with the good English of the proceedings.
Combined with the use of the word they for the natural we, the report indicated
that a third party had written it. And her not proving her innocence was legally
irrelevant; for it is the prosecution that had to prove her guilty.
Then the bizarre. Based on this report the Council decided to reinstate her. A
month later, with reinstatement delayed, the Executive Officers struck
demanding immediate implementation of the report. Then other unions struck
demanding her sacking. The Council then, based on the same report that they
had accepted and on which they had decided on reinstatement, decided to fire
her. It is said that the Council perceived one of the unions to have critical
backing. That is Jaffna. The question is whether these institutions can recover
and whether they can attract the qualified personnel required to put things right.
Only an unremitting commitment to due process can restore Jaffna to its old
glorious days. Survival can never be an argument to justify atrocities. For in
trying to survive Jaffna has lost its best face.
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