We Need New Remedies To Old Problems

By Rauff Hakeem –July 23, 2016

Rauff Hakeem

We are today determined on investigations on human rights abuses. In effect, what he asserts is that the process did not deliver closure per se. He rightly points out that the work of the South African TRC in dealing with human rights abuse was a middle path that steered between an uncompromising insistence on prosecution and a defeatist acceptance of amnesty and impunity on the other.

Following is the text of the 93rd Birth Anniversary memorial oration of Late Leader of Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) M Sivasithamparam at the Karaveddy, Thachchai Araneri School,  Jaffna made by Leader, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and Minister of City Planning and Water Supply, Rauff Hakeem:

Sivasithamparam

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thoughts of Annan Siva evokes memories of his impressive physical appearance and his reassuring authoritative voice. In the twilight days of his parliamentary career he was confined to a wheel chair, which hindered access to the front row which was his rightful place as leader of his party. Instead, in his wheel chair in the aisle of the last row, he used a mike to address parliament with that singularly commanding resonance which earned him the Tamil anonym ‘Simmakuralone.’ His booming vibrant voice gripped the attention of his listeners. He passionately condemned the brutal expulsion of Muslims from the North at the 12th Delegates Conference of the SLMC. He made the profoundly moving declaration then, that he would not set foot in the peninsula until all displaced Muslims were resettled in their original habitations. He kept his word and also it explains how his last rites were performed at Karaveddy on 9th June 2002. Although I have prepared my address in English, I realize that all previous speakers made their remarks in Tamil. Therefore, I will also endeavor to render my views in Tamil as I proceed with my lecture in memory of Annan Siva.

The title of my lecture today is, ‘we need new remedies to old problems.’

The immediate inspiration for my title is the profound advice of Sir Francis Bacon, a celebrated philosopher and former Attorney General of England who lived in the 15th century. He warned, “he, that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils”. Indeed, we do have two old problems. Our first problem is that we don’t know what our problem is. In order to find a solution we must first acknowledge that the problem exists. Once acknowledged, we must define it. Then we must finally commit ourselves to solving the problem.

His Excellency the President, Maithripala Sirisena redefined the problem when he addressed the nation on the 67th Independence anniversary celebration, the first under his presidency at the parliament ground, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte. After a long lay off, the accredited Tamil leadership, led by Annan Sampanthan participated (after a long lapse) at the occasion. On that occasion, the President said this: “the biggest challenges we face today, is that of bringing together the minds of the people of the North and South, and through a process of reconciliation bring about coexistence and national understanding, and thus take our great Motherland forward as a land rich in human affection and understanding”.

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