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Value of dual citizenship

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Dual citizenship issue has become prominent in Sri Lankan politics. The Sri Lankan Government has taken extraordinary steps to allow dual citizens to serve their country without losing citizenship status of their adopted country. This is a forward and visionary step taken by the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government, considering its numerous benefits to this developing nation.

Sri Lanka needs foreign experts for developing the country for the benefit of current and future generations. Many Sri Lankan expatriates have a high level of skills, knowledge and necessary linkages in vast technical areas, for supporting Sri Lanka in its development efforts. Such Sri Lankan expatriates must be considered as trading arms in countries such as Australia, USA, Britain, Canada, France, Italy,New Zealand etc.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa has a good understanding of the advantages of having dual citizenship, and disadvantages of not allowing its dual citizens to engage in state affairs. He himself was a dual citizen with adopted American citizenship. However, he had to give it up to contest for the presidency. We believe allowing dual citizens to enter the Sri Lankan parliament helps not only secure individual support but also connect the Sri Lankan expatriates in their respective countries, thus allowing them to influence their adopted countries when needs arise.

Those who argue against the decision to allow the Sri Lankan expatriates to engage in state affairs, should not forget that the country was supported by dual citizen holders when LTTE activities were high in countries such as Australia, USA, Britain and Canada. When President Mahinda Rajapaksa continued the war against the LTTE, we gave him a helping hand, influencing Australian politics.

As an Australian citizen, I was given an opportunity to contest at the Local Government election of Penrith City Council in 1999, from the Australian Labour Party. This connection opened avenues for me to study the LTTE activities in Sydney, and control their activities, using their supporters in the Australian Labour Party. With my influence, ALP Senator Steve Hutchins blasted the LTTE on the floor of the Federal Parliament of Australia on 16th June 2006. Addressing Australian Parliament Senator Steve Hutchins said “Acts of Violence were not the actions of a group seriously attempting to consolidate peace. Those were the actions of cold-blooded killers not interested in bringing to a conclusion the conflict that was tearing their country apart. If they were serious about making peace there would be no child soldiers, no suicide bomb attacks on civilians, and no assassinations of members of the governments. Senator Steve Hutchins further said, “My friends in the Sri Lankan community here, and High Commissioner Balapatabendi, are always in touch with me regarding Sri Lankan affairs.”

Considering my contribution to protect my motherland from the LTTE, the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka wrote to me, “I deeply appreciate your untiring efforts. Your timely intervention, followed by the address by Steve Hutchins of the Australian Labour Party, will bring encouraging results”. President Mahinda Rajapaksa was aware of my contribution on the issue, and congratulated me over the phone, as this was a helping hand for him to completely wipe out terrorism from Sri Lankan soil.

Those who are criticizing dual citizenship must understand the value of dual citizens. They have contributed protection to the Sri Lankan nation over the last decades, contributing their energy, time and money. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa used every support available for him in Sri Lanka and overseas, to protect the people of Sri Lanka . Now both Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa have immense tasks ahead for protecting Sri Lankan people from economic war. Many Sri Lankans are below the poverty line and disabled people have been ignored. Consecutive Sri Lankan Governments failed to solve these problems. They failed to maintain equal opportunities for all sectors in society . This kind of discriminatory behaviour of the Sri Lankan Government must be addressed without delay. It can be achieved through getting support from wealthy countries such as Australia, USA, Canada, Britain, New Zealand, France, Germany , Italy, etc. through influence from Sri Lankan expatriates on these countries.

It is our view that the Sri Lankan government is on the right track in extending government tentacles, attracting Sri Lankan expatriates to its development efforts. We are happy Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has proposed an election commission to provide voting rights to Sri Lankan expatriates. This is another visionary action of Mahinda Rajapaksa to protect the nation from the economic war, by removing discriminatory behaviour of the government that excludes Sri Lankan citizens abroad from voting rights.

As Australian citizens with Sri Lankan heritage we will work with the Australian Government to help and support the Sri Lankan Government for winning economic war, providing Australian Development Assistance to Sri Lanka during next decades, until Sri Lanka becomes a developed nation from its brand of a developing nation. Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims must work together, respecting each other and maintaining equity in the society.

 

SUMANE LIYANAARACHCHI JP

Sydney, Australia



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Opinion

“Ye are the light of the world.”

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A mystical approach to Easter

by Hiran Perera

The resurrection of Christ is the corner stone of Christian mystical thought. As such, there are no neutral or idle thoughts for the spiritual seeker. In this way, all thought produces form at some level but they are either true or false. For the spiritual aspirant, the resurrection, correctly speaking, is the highest level of thought; for it acknowledges that there is no thought but God.

Christ’s thinking differs from mortal man’s insofar as the latter dissipates his creative energy by thinking of everything else other than God. Christ is one-mindedness and his creative energy is a constant in God and his mind is filled with no thought but God. Our ordinary senses depict a world of duality whereas all mystical experiences overcome this dichotomy.

The Bible uses a term such as to “Know” God which is similar to a direct experience of unspeakable love. A close parallel to understanding this concept was documented by Huxley after having ingested a hallucinogenic substance when he thereupon directly experienced becoming the flower he observed — breaching the dichotomy between the observer and the observed.

In some religious disciplines, meditation, which is replete in Buddhist scripture has the purpose of attaining one-mindedness or a state of stillness as a prelude to enlightenment. Thus, the body becomes neither a hinderance nor an aid to in this process.  Purpose is.

Spells and possession

In Christian thought, the resurrection is about transcendentalism of the body. To be body-conscious and to identify one’s self with the body is an unnatural state for those in quest for the kingdom of God. As thought produces form, lower vibrational thought is expressed as dense matter being physical in nature, whereas, in a higher state of consciousness, it engenders spiritual light and translucency of energy.

Spells cast on people or even demonic possessions occur to them resonating at lower frequencies, but, for them who are on a higher plane, those spells boomerang on the initiator. The black arts work only against people who have already condemned themselves and who operate at the lower level of the psychical field.

For this reason, it is important to understand that the original sin of man — or the decent from a sublime plane to a lower one — represents the mind’s decision to replace the Knowledge (Thought) of God with perception. In the latter realm, the body symbolises the expression of duality or a perceptual state of separation from God and every-body, which is experientially real. The “Word,” therefore, cannot in a real sense become flesh because the Word is God (higher plane) whereas the flesh (lower plane) is outside the domain of His kingdom and are in two different orders of reality.

The closest analogy to reconcile the irreconcilable is that “God is light (the word) and in Him there is no darkness” (the flesh). But in experience, the physical plane is very real with souls (light) appearing to be trapped in bodies (matter). No wonder, Einstein’s famous equation E= MC2 equates matter to being trapped light! On the other hand, when translucency is attained the resurrection restores this misperception by raising the thought vibration where the physical and material are completely undone. Thus, “Ye are the light of the world,” the Holy Bible proclaims with certainty and clarity.

Meditation

Most religions either exalt the body or condemn its purpose. Some exalt its beauty while others scorn its appetite. Worse still, in meditation, some focus on its impermanence, corruptibility and disintegration while others venerate its supposedly strange powers and abilities. This preoccupation with the body makes the error real and diverts the energy of the spiritual aspirant.

Such extreme distortions actually happen from a psychological standpoint of resistance or fear to mask the true nature of man — who is Spirit — and, therefore, this action perpetuates the sense of victimisation and vulnerability and, in some bizarre way, justifies this notion to be true. In contrast, the resurrection demonstrates invulnerability.

By unnecessarily focussing on the body, the mind continues to harbour lower frequency thought forms with self-aggrandisement of needs. The only way out of this dilemma is the middle path prescribed by Lord Buddha: we must neither exalt nor degrade the body but use it as an instrument to transcend its earthly trappings so that we re-align the purpose of mind to attune with its true nature of being while relinquishing the ego.

False construct of reality

Concepts such as Absolute Reality where nothing but God exists is difficult to grasp in post-separation world. In contrast, this post-separation world is based on perception, and perception is highly variable and always uncertain. This uncertainty always demands a need to fill the vacillating mind with illusory thoughts.  In a group study of behavioural perception, a renowned psychologist played a chanting of, “That is embarrassing!” several times.

Then he scripted a message on the screen while the same chant was played, “That isn’t my receipt.,” and the audience were bewildered to hear that this same chant fitted the words on the screen. The eyes take on an electrical signal based on expectations and reconstructed the chant to fit the message. He concluded that we see nothing that is real but that we construct our own false reality.

To correctly perceive the body, we should become aware that it exists outside the mind. Properly speaking, the mind of man is a function of the Mind of God. Here there is no dichotomy and thus cause and effect are therefore really one and the same thing. Since God has no body, man yet believes he exists as a body but he is free to believe infinitely even in a lie no matter how strong the impression is. Strictly speaking, this thought is an illusory one, at any rate. Therefore, from the mystical perspective, we cannot accord the body any reality because only God is Real. Either the body exists or God ceases or vice versa.

Focussing wrongly on the body in this sense is a barrier to knowing God. Yet God is not mocked according to St. Paul. This may run contradictory to formal beliefs, but there are compellingly reasons to see it in another light. As the body is a separation device, “The wages of sin (cause) is death (effect).” The resurrection is therefore the overcoming of death, which is simply the re-establishment of the separated mind with that of God’s. It is akin to a state of oneness-joined-as-one.

Reversing cause and effect

Birth and death have no special merit except that they both re-enact and perpetuate the separation notwithstanding the entry into or the exit of the world at a lower state of vibration. Life in the physical plane manifests as though thought has no power or causal effect. We are buffeted and bruised by everything external and the impact of them is experienced by the body where it “perceptually” witnesses to this schema.

Thus, from a state of mindfulness to a state of mindlessness, the descent which reflects the separation from God, the body becomes the hallmark of all who “have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” But the resurrection, on the other hand, is one of great importance since it restores the function of Causation to cause in the mind. Accordingly, the Bible says, “If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye, shall say unto this mount, remove hence to yonder place and it shall be removed and nothing shall be impossible.”

The practice of mindfulness is therefore essential to the path of redemption. Here a reversal of thought — cause and effect — is urgently required so that what was an external infliction is no longer perceived that way but is instead perceived as a projection of mind. All misperceptions have to be healed within the mind, for there is no external world “out there” to adjust and manipulate. This idea also resonates with modern scientific thought.

The awakening

In summary, it must be understood that the body is a projection of a misthought — an illusory thought, so to speak. Only thoughts, which are in accord with God’s are Real, whereas all others are outside His Realm.  Once a misthought is corrected — or the sleep of forgetfulness which weaves a dream-like world is undone — it inevitably gives rise to the “wakened” state of mind akin to the resurrection.

In this wakened state was Jesus crucified on the cross. Logically, if you take a cause and show it has no effect then the cause ceases to exist. The body symbolises the separation (effect), but when Christ demonstrated that the resurrection was possible, he reversed cause and effect that — sin had no effect — thus reestablishing the relationship between man and God. As a result, man is no longer under the spell of the separation or bondage but is set free from bondage if he now chooses so.

Our purpose in this world is to choose the resurrection where we join with Christ and seek his power of thought to restore our minds to their original glory.

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Opinion

What is wrong with Sri Lanka?

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By Dr Laksiri Fernando

It is not the country per se, but the politicians and the people who are wrong. While politicians should take 70 percent responsibility, the people also should take 30 percent. It is true that these wrongs on the part of the politicians or the people are not limited to Sri Lanka. Even in a country like Australia where I now live, there are intermittent corruption, crime, gender abuse, killing, and misguided politics. However, the difference is extremely vast. Sri Lanka’s wrongs are perhaps 50 times higher than a country like Australia.

One may pinpoint this to the economic difference or development. There is some truth in it. However, the whole truth is not that. It is rooted in the political culture and social culture in general. That is one reason why Sri Lanka was not being able to develop after independence like Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, etc. India also has come to the forefront of development today. Sri Lanka became caught up in a vicious cycle where political culture prevented development, while underdevelopment influenced the political culture.

What is this political culture? It is mainly renovated feudalism with family at the core of politics that dominates the political culture. It is also the same in social culture, families dominating business, religion, entertainment, and the media. Only female members are set apart. It is in a way natural for members of a family to follow their fathers, brothers, or other close members. Or it can happen the other way around, fathers or uncles helping and promoting their siblings.

Even in America or the UK, this could be seen. The Kennedy family promoted members into politics. However, in Sri Lanka this is overwhelming, some families completely dominating politics and social arena. While the Rajapaksas are the most prominent example with abhorrent practices, the Bandaranaikes, the Senanayakes and the Jayewardenes (Ranil Wickremesinghe with links) were also playing the same game. In Australia, I have not come across this process. When John Howard was the Prime Minister, his brother Bob Howard continued to serve as an academic at the University of Sydney whom I used to meet often.

In 1995, I decided to come back to Sri Lanka to serve the country. I applied and got the appointment as the Director of the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) through a competitive interview. It was a great institute with many capabilities and the people working there were quite flexible and committed. However, when it came to filling vacancies and expanding the staff for new tasks, I came across political influences and pressures.

I managed to overcome them luckily as the SLFI came under the purview of Chandrika Kumaratunga as the President and as she did not make any interference at least in my case. However, I resigned and came back to Australia within six months as the situation was unbearable. People who tried to influence me were either top ministers or bureaucrats.

Again, when I finally came back in 1997, I first joined the University of Colombo before undertaking any other appointments. By that time, I had fairly learned how to overcome political influence. The university system was fairly reasonable (not completely) and on that basis it was possible for me to follow my impartial principles. However, there was at least one instance where a former friend of mine tried to blame me publicly, claiming that I myself asked for favours! It was heartrending.

Sri Lanka’s public service is large and widespread. There are around 1.5 million people working in its various institutions, departments, and branches. Although there is the Public Service Commission which is supposed to be independent, even in its appointments political and other influences are paramount. The most discriminated people in this service are Tamils, Muslims, and Women. Although there are over 15 percent of Tamils in the population, their presence in the public service is less than 10 percent. Apart from discrimination on the reason of ethnicity and gender, there are discriminations on the basis of caste, religion and region. The dissolution of Provincial Councils since October 2019 has enlarged these discriminations overwhelmingly.

It is mistakenly claimed that the ‘large state sector’ is the primary defect of Sri Lanka’s economy. It is not the size of the sector that has mattered but its inefficiency, incapacity, unproductivity, and sometimes duplication. In Australia, out of the total workforce, 20 percent are in the state sector. But it is sufficiently productive and provides necessary services even to private enterprises. In Sri Lanka, if we count 12 million as the workforce (adult population 14 million), the state sector comprises only around 12 percent.

The state sector undoubtedly should be restructured, and the workforces should be retrained or even dismissed. There is no point in keeping people like Sirimanna Mahattaya in the public service if we take an example from the teledrama, Kolam Kuttama (Funny Couple)! Even privatising certain (loss-making) state enterprises is in order. However, there are certain sectors and services that the state should hold on to. Education and Health are the most priory sectors among others, depending on national dialogues. It could allow the private sector to participate, but the state should not give up its primary responsibilities.

There can be other strategic sectors where the private sector could be allowed like the ports, airports, airlines, electricity, gas, oil, and even water, but the state should not give up its responsibilities completely. Public-Private partnership can be a model in certain areas in this respect.

The stagnation of the education sector has been a primary problem area in Sri Lanka now for a long time. This applies both to school education and university education alike. In the case of university education there have been some curricula and teaching methodology changes but those are not up to modern and current needs.

We still get a huge number of Arts students while the country’s need is in the direction of Science, Technology, Medicine, Nursing and Business Management. Those who come from the Arts streams in schools, if it is not possible to change in the short run, should be able to move to scientific areas, if capable. In Australia, there is no prohibition of changing the stream if the students show high capability in whatever area that they qualify in. School education should be totally reformed with emphasis on scientific and international knowledge.

The discarding of English education (since 1956), in my opinion, has been the major mistake that the country has committed in degrading the educational system, the economy, and the country’s international profile. In recent times young generations are trying to overcome these barriers through private education, tuition, and social media. However, this is mostly limited to the well to do. English should not be considered as a superior or imperial language, but a practical and international language.

While this short article, with word limits, confine to only few areas of ‘wrongs’ that Sri Lanka is committing, a possible conclusion is to call for an overall change in the political and economic system in the country. Those political leaders and parties responsible for the country’s present political and economic crisis should be completely ousted.

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Opinion

Plan to transform country into an export economy

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Dear Mr. President,

A Presidential Media Division statement, titled “Country set for rapid transformation into an export economy” quoted remarks made by you at the inauguration ceremony of a historic temple in Kegalle.

As a caring citizen I said, “three cheers”, happily thinking that at last, the country was on the correct governance path focusing on the creation of new strategic leadership options and policy changes to encourage present and new investors to produce tradable goods and engage in external services. I was delighted that the statement began with a reference that Sri Lanka can no longer continue to rely on borrowings (presumably external?) to address the imbalance between imports and exports, which if pursued will inevitably lead to another economic crisis within a decade.

As I read the rest of the statement, I noted that your plan for achieving such a transformation by holding discussions with the World Bank, ADB and the IMF to initiate a programme and passing two new laws in April. The only other reference even as a vague statement was in relation to implementing an agricultural modernisation programme, where you anticipated results only after 6-7 years. Are you planning in addition to leverage the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) and its Secretariat as a part of your implementation strategy[ii] ?

I am sure that many highly competent Sri Lankan trade economists (including those who have guided you in the past), will be able to advise you on more important winning strategic policy/implementation and change management options.

They would surely stress the relative importance of developing strategic networking options with supply chains in the region, assisting capable SME’s to upgrade quality/productivity, and enhancing public infrastructure productivity; along with the need to remove para tariffs, enhance ease of doing business, and one stop facilitation center benchmarking services in South Indian states. These can bring big gains, well before dreaming as your short-term goal, leveraging Free Trade Agreements with India, China, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam and attempting a high jump by  joining RCEP.

Chandra Jayaratne

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