Implementing a Rajapaksa decision, students in Jaffna are ordered to sing the SL anthem in Sinhala only in a SL President attended event in Jaffna Sunday. Students of Jaffna Hindu College became the first to succumb. The move comes contrary to news in a section of press that Rajapaksa cabinet never took any decision on the issue as India and USA were opposing the move. A few days ago, when the Inner City Press asked for clarification on the SL cabinet decision from the spokesman, there was no reply. Meanwhile, Eezham Tamils should never demand the right to sing the SL anthem in Tamil, as it is contrary to the spirit of Eezham Tamil nationalism. Rather, every time they are asked to ‘sing’ the Sinhala anthem they should remember the colonial legacy of the Portuguese, Dutch and the English of the past and should be reminded of the need for liberation, said a student activist in Jaffna.
In a function to observe ‘national disaster management’, remembering the Tsunami day to be held in Jaffna Sunday at Veerasingkam Hall, the school children are asked to sing the SL anthem in Sinhala only by Colombo’s colonial military administration in Jaffna.
Earlier, they had been asked to prepare themselves to sing it in Sinhala and Tamil, but in the last moment when the rehearsals took place Friday at Veampadi Girls School, they were asked to sing it only in Sinhala.
Students of Jaffna Hindu College ‘sang’ the Sinhala only Sri Lanka anthem.
The rehearsal event was supervised by the Government Agent of Jaffna, Imelda Sugumar and by officials of the education ministry.
The Sunday’s event will be attended by SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa, SL Prime Minister D.N. Jeyaratne and by other officials of Colombo.
Colombo’s colonial governor for the north, Maj. Gen. (retd) Chandrasri and the EPDP minister Douglas Devananda look after the organisation of the event.
All private vehicles were prohibited to pass through the Jaffna esplanade and security was tightened for the rehearsals Friday.
Commenting on the Sri Lanka anthem, a Sinhala journalist said that the poet Anada Samaracone who composed it in the 1940s died as a frustrated man. He never meant it as a ‘national anthem’ and he was opposed to the move of making it a ‘national anthem’, the Sinhala journalist said.
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