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by Afreeha Jawad

The periphery is waking up and in it are the diverse ethnic groups, women, children and the underclass. All of them are fighting for their voices to be heard and for their woes to be put right.

Against this backdrop it's worth recalling how a centralized administrative system with its institutionalized framework called government was responsible in the creation of such peripheral traumatic experience. In the aftermath of 'democracy' - 'believably' the best form of governance followed by 'majority rules', where the majority decision is sacred and the bureaucracy with its structured, divisive lay out whose top level decision making is nothing but 'right', it is evident how a once peaceful people were relegated to depressive levels of isolation coupled with social and moral frustration.

Come to think of it, Anton Balasingham was not wrong when in Thailand he proudly proclaimed that the LTTE's ten year socio-economic administrative system was in line with Tamil aspirations. "We don't need an interim council. We have a massive administrative structure of our own," he firmly declared.

Certainly, this was not to say that he was expressing anti-Sinhala sentiments. No, not at all. From this one could infer how far the South have 'benefitted' from an alien administrative structure. The administrative system itself the South welcomed into their fold after giving up in toto a system of their own that built up this country's chequered history and civilization.

Which white architect and engineer designed and built the Somawathie Chaithya, Ruwanweliseya, Thuparamaya and Mirisawetiya? This apart, Ceylon was blessed with magnanimous rulers among whom were saintly kings, medicalmen and agriculturists - Sirisanghabo, Dhatusena, Mahasen and Parakramabahu - to name a few. The pluralism which the west is now trying to introduce to us is nothing new. The Tamil Kings are evidence of those high levels of pluralism only to end up in British introducing the legislative council's communal representation triggering off ethnicity - today's outstanding socio/political malaise. This writer has heard of some say, "Oh! don't, please don't bask in the glory of the past. Let us live in the present and fit into modernism."

These expressions are acceptable to those who gave us their system of governance in order that they achieve their goals of financial empire building. The West is only looking out for those appendages in indigenous communities and the Asian elite no doubt are their pet poodles including those in Sri Lanka for purposes of goal achievement. Mr. Balasingham does not want to be a part of that system. He is trying to wean his people away from that system.

Some in the North prefer the Siddha system of medical treatment while some in the South are hankering after allopathy in star class hospitals frowning on Ayurveda - perhaps 'something of the past and best forgotten!'

Our business tycoons build up their pecuniary reserves and are unmindful of social justice like their international masters resorting to unfair trade practices against the third world. What's more, they get government protection as well. However, the LTTE grabs from the rich (termed ransom - a term originating from the west) and directs such taxation towards social betterment.

In fact the prophet of Islam made zakat compulsory - one of the five pillars of Islam where 2 1/2% of one's earnings is expected to go to the poor - taxation indeed! not at gun point but as a matter of moral conscience. If the rich cannot voluntarily take to social wellbeing someone has to get them to do it. After all Saradiel did something similar when he robbed the rich and gave the poor. However good Saradiel's intentions were, he was seen as a criminal in the eyes of the system in order to protect the system's dummies - 'the wealthy elite'.

The worldwide common governing system replaced the existing ones in each 'native' soil. As someone said the other day, "as far as donor institutions are concerned indigenous communities do not exist". All this business of 'state' and ethnic divide came into operation after world war II on the eve of colonies demanding independence. If Mr. Prabhakaran's call is to meet Tamil aspirations why can't the Southern rulers move towards meeting Southern people's needs. In fact one could ask whether the centralised state fulfils the socio/economic/political and cultural aspirations of the South. It does of the elite but not of the poor. It has brought in blood thirsty elections and hooliganism into Parliament. It has brought about an inefficient bureaucracy. Corruption is rampant.

So it's time for more power devolution and withdrawal of centralized state interference so that indigenous communities can have administrative systems of their own to suit their needs.

Mr. Prabhakaran referred to his Muslim brethren to whom he promised substantial accommodation - substance indeed for analytical thinking. Now let it not be a recurring decimal. The Tamils became a periphery for majority rule. In like manner let it not end in Muslims becoming periphery for Tamil majority rule.

Parity of status for both Muslims and Tamils in whatever administrative agreement that is selected instead of 'substantial accommodation' - two words with subtle nuances and numerous inferences, would not fall short of elegant and refined governance of the North-East.

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