Thirteenth Amendment In Driblets Or Plus Or Beyond

By S. Sivathasan -June 7, 2014 

S. Sivathasan

Minds in Turmoil

“The genius and the mortal instruments

Are then in council, and the state of man,

Like to a little kingdom, suffers then

The nature of an insurrection”. – Shakespeare in Julius Caesar

There cannot be a more apt depiction of the state of mind of Sri Lankans, of the two major ethnicities. A change of government in India taking the form of a resounding victory for BJP and a devastating rout of Congress was known for certain for some months up to May 16. The prospect had inspired hope among Indians and Tamils of Sri Lanka. Anxieties had gripped a major section of the Sri Lankan population ahead of May and more so since the results. Brave talk notwithstanding, whistling in the dark continues. The media mirror explicitly how much their minds are assailed.

Anything does for Tamils

“But there’s never a question

About my digestion

Anything does for me”. The Plaint of the Camel

Tamils have developed an appetite for equality and dignity. Give them something or if you can’t make it worthwhile, give them anything. They are so inured, anything does for them. This is the tenor in which the attitude of the South is couched in its approach to the North. When anything does, why think of something more. While 13A is in place, why talk about 13A+. One particular political analyst continuously advances the thesis that implementation of 13A will serve as a panacea for what Tamils consider are their ills. Why discuss 13A and beyond when they are not necessary. That analyst spreads the dread that if perchance some content is put into the shell, that would spell disaster for the Southern polity. Yes, the relevance of talk of Plus and Beyond  is to pull wool over the eyes of all Tamils and of India. When we have succeeded for past five years what prevents success in the next five or more? This tactic was packaged and taken to Delhi where it was dissected for specifics.

Sickle came across a Stone                                                        Read More