By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Nallavan” (not his real name) is a Tamil youth living in a Northern village. He was a former member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) organization who had surrendered to the armed forces in May 2009. He was incarcerated for a period of time and released after undergoing a process of …
Continue reading ‘Overseas LTTE Backed Plot To Assassinate TNA MP Sumanthiran in Jaffna Revealed’ »
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Sri Lanka will Celebrate its Sixty-eighth Anniversary of Independence from the United Kingdom this Thursday. The country then known as Ceylon obtained full freedom from the British on February 4th 1948.Independent Ceylon/Sri Lanka / has faced many challenges and problems in the past 68 years. We have had military coup attempts, communal …
Continue reading ‘68 Years of Independence, Nation Building and the Future of Tamils in Sri Lanka’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj History was made 70 years ago when the film ‘Kadawunu Poronduwa’ (Broken Promise) premiered at the Kingsley Theatre in Colombo on 21 January 1947. The Chief Guest was D.S. Senanayake, Minister of Agriculture and Lands under the State Council system of governance during the penultimate stages of British rule. Senanayake went on to …
Continue reading ‘First Sinhala Talkie “Broken Promise” was Released 70 Years Ago on Jan 21 1947’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj January 17th 2017 was declared a holiday in the southern Tamil Nadu state of India. This was to acknowledge and celebrate the birth centenary of Marudur Gopalan Ramachandran or MG Ramachandran who served as chief miister of Tamil Nadu for 10 years from 1977 to 1987. It is the political party he founded …
Continue reading ‘Magical “MGR” Charisma of Kandy- Born Actor-Politico M.G.Ramachandran.’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Sinhala Cinema’s Line of Destiny Re-drawn By ‘Rekava’ 60 Years Ago – 2 “Rekava”(line of Destiny)directed by Lester James Peries premiered 60 years ago at the Regal theatre in Colombo on December 28th 1956. It was a path breaking venture in Sinhala cinema that notched many “firsts”. Among these was the singular honour …
Continue reading ‘Lester’s “Rekava” Was First Sinhala Film To Compete At The Cannes Film Festival’ »
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Seasons Greetings From D.B.S.Jeyaraj
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj December 28th 1956 remains a red letter day in the cinematic history of Sri Lanka formerly known as Ceylon. The maiden feature film of a 37 year old director called Lester James Peries premiered at the upmarket “Regal”theatre in Colombo on that day.It was a black and white Sinhala film named “Rekava”. Though …
Continue reading ‘Sinhala Cinema’s Line of Destiny was Re-drawn By “Rekava” 60 Years Ago’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Spotlight” beams this week on Gamini Fonseka the first super star of Sinhala cinema. I had begun preparing this article many months ago to mark the 80th birth anniversary of Sembuge Gamini Shelton Fonseka who was born on March 21st 1936. My old schoolmate and journalistic colleague Prasad Gunewardene had been extremely keen …
Continue reading ‘Action Hero Gamini Fonseka Was The First Super Star Of Sinhala Cinema’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Ten years ago in the third week of November 2006 I received a telephone call from London.It was from Anton Stanislaus Balasingham the political adviser and strategist of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) Organization. I was surprised as we were not on speaking terms for nearly three years due to sharp political …
An Interview with Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka by D.B.S.Jeyaraj Dayan Jayatilleka needs no introduction. He is one of the most prolific writers and powerful commentators on current political affairs in contemporary Sri Lanka. The ex-diplomat’s stylishly forceful writings reflecting his present political stance evokes mixed reactions among readers. Some rave about them while others rant against them.Dayan’s …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj November 27th 1989 was the day on which the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE)first observed its annual “Maaveerar Naal” or Great Heroes Day (GHD). Twenty –seven years have passed since then and the 27th anniversary of the event is today Nov 27th 2016. The event continues to be observed on a large scale …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Former Tamil National Alliance(TNA) Jaffna District Parliamentarian and Lawyer Nadarajah Raviraj and his Police bodyguard Sgt.Lakshman Lokuwella were gunned down on a Colombo street in broad daylight ten years ago. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Investigation report on Sri Lanka (OISL) presented at the 30th session of the UN Human …
Continue reading ‘Murder Most Foul of Moderate Tamil MP Raviraj Ten Years Ago in Colombo’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Last week’s shooting incident in Jaffna in which two male Jaffna varsity undergraduates lost their lives because of alleged Police firing has given rise to a raging political controversy.Initially it was announced officially that the deaths were due to an accident but subsequently it was stated that the Police had to open fire …
Continue reading ‘Controversial Shooting of Two Jaffna Undergrads by Policemen in Kokkuvil’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Sri Lankans were shocked and disturbed in the first week of September by two violent incidents directed against a Buddhist prelate and a senior diplomat in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur(KL). In the first incident on Saturday September 3rd the chief Adhikarana Sangha Nayaka of Malaysia – Sri Saranankara Nayaka Maha Thera …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj An official Ambassador is defined as a diplomat of the highest rank accredited to a foreign Govt as the resident representative of his or her own country. The equivalent designation to an Ambassador among Commonwealth Nations is the High Commissioner. Since an Ambassador or High Commissioner is the premier representative of his or …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj September 16th 2016 is the sixteenth death anniversary of Mohammad Hussein Muhammad Ashraff, the uncrowned sultan of the Amparai district Muslims and legendary leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC). The pioneering president of the SLMC was Ahammed Lebbe of Kattankudi with whom Ashraff co-founded the party in September 1981. It was …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Former parliamentarian and presidential adviser Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra known as “Lucky Aiya” was gunned down along with three of his bodyguards in Mulleriyawa on October 8th 2011. The past few years have been a taxing period of struggle for Bharatha’s daughter Hirunika Premachandra –now a Colombo district MP – as she sought justice …
Continue reading ‘Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra’s Murder and Hirunika’s Quest for Justice’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Dharussalam” meaning “abode or house of peace” is the name given to the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) headquarters at 53 Vauxhall lane in Slave Island or Colombo 2. The impressive seven storey structure was constructed mainly through the untiring efforts of M.H.M. Ashraff the legendary leader of the SLMC. “Dharussalam” was officially …
Continue reading ‘“Dharussalam” in the Eye of a Political Storm Within The Muslim Congress’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Exactly ten years ago on August 20th 2006 a member of the Catholic Clergy along with a member of the Catholic Laity went missing in the north.The clergyman was Fr.Thiruchelvam Nihal Jim Brown who was serving as a priest in the Catholic Diocese of Jaffna.The Layman was Wenceslaus Vimaladhas a social worker. The …
Continue reading ‘When a Tamil Catholic Priest went Missing in Jaffna Ten years Ago’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj August 11th 2016 was a day of well-deserved pride for the people of Sri Lanka. The Island nation’s parliament on that day passed legislation to set up an office of missing persons(OMP) in the country. Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs minister Mangala Samaraweera hailed the passage of the OMP bill as “historic”. Addressing a …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Let me begin this article with a few paragraphs excerpted from William Mcgowan’s book about Sri Lanka “Only man is Vile” – “The Kandyan jungle seemed so at peace just after dawn on that October morning in 1989. In the twisted thicket of palms, bamboo and bougainvillea that blanketed the hotel, a handful …
Continue reading ‘Shelton Ranaraja: Principled Politician was Conscience-Keeper of the Nation’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Violence reared its ugly head again in the Northern city of Jaffna on Saturday July 16th 2016 when student groups fought each other within the Jaffna varsity precincts in Thirunelvaeli known generally as Thinnaivaeli. It was basically a confrontation between two undergraduate factions of the University of Jaffna. There was also an ethnic …
Continue reading ‘Jaffna Varsity Violence: What Really Happened and Why!’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The marathon protest march “Jana satana Pada Yathra” launched by loyalists of former President and current Kurunegala district MP Mahinda Rajapaksa is currently underway in Sri Lanka. The march organized by pro – Mahinda polititical stalwarts known as the Joint Opposition began in Kandy on July 28th 2016. The five day march is …
Continue reading ‘Colombo to Kandy Protest March Launched By JR Jayewardene in 1957’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The finest phase in the history of peaceful political protest by Sri Lankan Tamils was in 1961. A non – violent “Satyagraha” campaign conducted by the Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi(ITAK) virtually paralysed administration in the pre-dominantly Tamil districts of the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka at that time.Though the civil disobedience …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Marikkar” Ramdas has passed away! Sadness spread among numerous fans of Sri Lankan origin scattered widely in different parts of the globe as news of the demise of the popular artiste reached them. S. Ramdas, known as “Marikkar” Ramdas was a radio, stage and screen actor cum writer who was a household name …
Continue reading ‘“Marikkar” Ramdas: The Brahmin Artiste who Transformed Into a Muslim Character’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “All changed,changed utterly” – The memorable lines from Irish poet Yeats came true on the morning of July 2nd 2016 for Dr.Indrajit Coomaraswamy after he received a telephone call at 6. 30 am. The early caller was none other than Malik Samarawickrama the minister of Development Strategies and International Trade.Indrajit Coomaraswamy was functioning …
Continue reading ‘Inside Story About Indrajit Coomaraswamy Becoming Central Bank Governor’ »
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj The Central bank Governor crisis has been dominating the political landscape at a national level for the past few weeks. However other issues too have surfaced at sub – national level. For instance the question of Muslim political leadership has been causing much controversy at a regional level in the Eastern province. …
Continue reading ‘Muslim Congress Leader Rauff Hakeem Faces Political Challenges in East’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Kollanta Pavement, Kellanta Garment” was a humorous saying frequently repeated during the days of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa. It was an allusion made in lighter vein about the proliferation of garment factories employing girls in most parts of the country during President Premadasas’s rule. The inference was that while young women were being …
Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s “Textile Revolution” Ushered in by Ukku Banda Wijekoon’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (Two years have passed since violence was unleahed by Bodhu Bala Sena (BBS)instigated goons against the Muslims of Aluthgama and Beruwela on Sunday June 15th 2014. This article was written by me shortly after the incidents in the ensuing week in 2014.It is being re-posted without any changes to denote the second anniversary …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj “Joyous, and clear, and fresh, thy music doth surpass… how could thy notes flow in such a crystal stream?” – Percy Bysshe Shelley, ‘Ode to a Skylark’ An indispensable feature of Indian language films are the song sequences. The songs are usually picturised on actors or actresses who lip-synch them on screen. …
Continue reading ‘Southern Skylark Susheela Soars To ‘Record’ Heights In Singing Film Songs ♫♥’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (Former National List MP and Prominent Academic – Author Rajiva Wijesinha has a reputation for speaking out forthrightly on issues affecting the nation at large. In this exclusive interview with the “Daily Mirror” Prof.Wijesinha responds to questions on a number of matters including the track record in governance of the present Govt, ethnic …
By D.B. S. Jeyaraj Asoka Handagama’s latest film ‘Let Her Cry’ is currently being shown in theatres on a limited run from 13 May to 10 June. The director apparently preferred to utilise the gap in between already-scheduled releases and screen his film rather than wait for 16 more months in the queue to get …
Continue reading ‘An ‘affair’ of the mind between a nubile undergrad and her ageing professor’ »
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj ( Dan Brown’s best selling novel “The Da Vinci Code”published in 2003 created much controversy. Ron Howard’s block buster film based on the novel with the same name was also equally controversial. “The Da Vinci Code” starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou was banned in Sri Lanka in May 2006 by then …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Jayalithaa “Amma” has done it again! The supreme leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham (AIADMK)has triumphed at polls held for the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Elections were conducted on May 16th 2016 for 232 out of 234 Constituencies in the state legislature known as the Legislative Assembly. The …
Continue reading ‘AIADMK Leader “Amma” Jayalalithaa Has Tamil Nadu At Her Feet Again’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Rajiv Ratna Gandhi – India’s Prime minister from 31st October 1984 to December 2nd 1989 – was assassinated at Sriperumbudur in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu exactly twenty – five years ago on May 21st 1991. Rajiv Gandhi as he was generally known was in Sriperumbudur to address a propaganda meeting in …
Continue reading ‘“One-eyed Sivarasan” The Mastermind Behind Rajiv Gandhi’s Assassination’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Twenty – Five years ago on this day (May 21st) Rajiv Gandhi was killed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil eelam(LTTE). The date of Rajiv Gandhi’s death has poignant significance for me personally. May 21st is the date of my birth. My birth and his death, which happened thirty – seven years later, …
Continue reading ‘Remembering Rajiv Gandhi on the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of his Death’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Former Sri Lankan army commander Sarath Fonseka came out with a bombshell statement some days ago in Parliament. The ex –army chief now a Cabinet minister in the Sirisena – Wickremesinghe Government accused his erstwhile comrade -at – arms and former Secretary of Defence Gotabhaya Rajapaksa of having “stage managed” an assassination attempt …
Continue reading ‘Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, The “Pithala Handiya” Explosive Attack And Sarath Fonseka’ »
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj A widespread security crackdown has been underway in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. Over 20 former members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)organization have been reportedly taken into custody over the past weeks in a staggered security operation spearheaded by the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID)of the Police.Almost …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The “Good Governance” Government of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has embarked upon a historic exercise to enact a new Constitution for Sri Lanka. The consensual approach being adopted will see Parliament convening as a Constitutional Assembly as and when required to engage in Constitution making. The Speaker Karu Jayasuriya …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj Sishtla Sreeramamurthy Janaki popularly known as S. Janaki celebrates her 80th birthday on April 23rd 2018. The well known Indian singer of film songs who is praised as the “nightingale of the South” was born on April 23rd 1938 during the British colonial period at Pallapatla in Repalle. The Repalle town is …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj A 44 year old Kandyan Sinhalese widow of aristocratic “Radala” lineage gained global fame for her country in 1960 when she became the world’s first woman prime minister. She was none other than Sirimavo Bandaranaike who was sworn in as Prime minister of Sri Lanka known then as Ceylon on July 21st 1960. …
Continue reading ‘“Stateswoman” Sirimavo Made History As World’s First Woman Prime Minister’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “If we adopt the Auteur theory to look at the body of work of Lester what stands out is his humanism, we are here concerned mostly about humanism as it developed in western society after the Renaissance and became a strong influence on Lester James Peries” – Dr.Sarath Amunugama (2012 Lester James Peries …
Continue reading ‘“Maestro” Lester James Peries: Doyen Among Sinhala Film Directors .’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Mangaiyarkkarasi Amirthalingam known widely among Tamils at one time as “Mangai Akka”(elder sister Mangai) passed away at the age of 82 in Britain where she had been residing for the past 27 years. She was taken ill and admitted to the Royal borough of Kingston upon Thames Hospital in Surrey on Tuesday March …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Our sister paper “Sunday Times”revealed details last week about an incident of friction between a senior cabinet minister and a senior military official that had occurred in Jaffna a few weeks earlier. The Sunday Times Political column scored a scoop by referring to an exchange of words between Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs minister …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj The Birth Centenary of Sri Lanka’s third Executive President Dingiri Banda (DB) Wijetunga was celebrated last week. DB Wijetunga was born during British rule on February 15th 1916.He passed away on September 21st 2008 at the age of 92.DB as he was popularly known served as President from May 1st 1993 to …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka, Sri Lanka’s one and only Field Marshall is very much in the news these days. The former army chief who was once described as the “world’s best military commander” by former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is now a national list Parliamentarian of the United National front for Good Governance …
Continue reading ‘Revisiting the Forcible Arrest of Sarath Fonseka by the Army on Feb 8th 2010’ »
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj If Philip Upali Wijewardena was among the living he would have reached the Seventy-seven on February 17th. Alas, this was not to be as he disappeared 32 years ago on Feb 13th , just four days before his 45th birthday . This article written years ago is updated and posted here as …
Continue reading ‘Upali Wijewardena: Memories of Sri Lanka’s Unforgettable Indigenous Tycoon’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Sri Lanka Thaayae, Nam Sri Lanka, Namo, Namo, Namo, Namo Thaayae…” (Sri Lanka Mother, our sri Lanka, We Salute, Salute, Salute, Salute Thee) – Sri Lankan National Anthem in Tamil Sri Lanka known as Ceylon gained Freedom from Britain on February 4th 1948. I was born six years later in Independent Ceylon on …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj An adorable actress with lovely looks being swept off her feet into a grand wedding by an efficacious entrepreneur with dashing features is the romantic stuff modern fairy tales are made of. No wonder then that Indian newspapers were full of news stories last week about the wedding between the Punjabi Hindu …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The premier political configuration representing the Tamils of Sri Lanka in the Northern and Eastern provinces is the Tamil National Alliance(TNA). According to newspaper reports the TNA seems to be disappointed over perceived delay in setting up an appropriate mechanism to draft a new Constitution for Sri Lanka. It is also worried about …
Continue reading ‘Power Sharing Quest of Sri Lankan Tamils After Independence’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj A news report from the Vatican Information Service(VIS) datelined January 14th 2016 stated that His Holiness Pope Francis has accepted the resignation presented by Bishop Rayappu Joseph upon reaching the age limit, from the pastoral care of the diocese of Mannar, Sri Lanka.The VIS report further said that Pope Francis has appointed Bishop …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj For more than two decades the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress(SLMC) has remained the foremost political party of the Sri Lankan Muslims. The SLMC co-founded and led by the legendary MHM Ashraff is headed by Rauff Hakeem who succeeded him as party leader after Ashraff’s demise in 2000. In recent times the dominant position …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “A thousand and one objections could be raised against the system, but when the objections are dissipated, I am convinced that some form of Federal Government will be the only solution’” – S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike in 1926. “We suggest the creation of a federal state as in the United States of America” – Kandyan National …
Continue reading ‘Tamil Leaders Opposed When Sinhalese Leaders Proposed Federalism’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The new year has dawned on a note of hope and optimism for Sri Lanka! On January 9th 2016 President Maithripala Sirisena is scheduled to present a resolution in Parliament that proposes to convert Parliament into a Constitutional Assembly. The envisaged Constitutional Assembly is different to the Constituent Assembly that drafted the 1972 …
Continue reading ‘Political Settlement Based on the “Federal Idea” in a “New” Sri Lanka’ »
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj Lasantha Manilal Wickrematunge and I were colleagues at The Island in the eighties of the last century. We were also residents of Kotahena then. Later I was for many years a columnist at The Sunday Leader writing from Canada. Above all “Lassie Boy” as I called him was a friend in every …
Wishing Everyone a Happy, Peaceful,Bright and Prosperous New Year – D.B.S.Jeyaraj
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Blessings of Christmas are once again upon us all!Even as we immerse ourselves in this universal season of peace and great joy, my thoughts hark back to a terrible incident which marred the spirit of Christmas and sanctity of a Church a decade ago. It was an instance of murder most foul …
Continue reading ‘Murder Most Foul of a Tamil MP In Church During Christmas Worship’ »
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERY ONE AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR! From D.B.S.Jeyaraj
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “How do you solve a problem like Maria? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down? How do you find the word that means Maria? A flibbertijibbet! A will-o’-the wisp! A clown!” “Many a thing you know you’d like to tell her Many a thing she ought to understand But how …
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj An intergral part of the Tamil Film tradition has been humour. While a few films have been devoted to comedy alone the bulk of Tamil movies have had actors playing out amusing roles evoking mirth and laughter. These roles are generally supplementary to the main roles of the hero and heroine. The actors …
Continue reading ‘“Nagaichuvai Mannan” Nagesh: Monarch of Humorous Actors in Tamil Movies’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel.Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar lov’d him!This was the most unkindest cut of all;For when the noble Caesar saw him stab, Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms,Quite vanquish’d him: then burst his mighty heart” – William Shakespeare “Julius Caesar”(Act 3 Scene 2) Political tensions …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The eighth death anniversary of a man named Manjeri Narayanan Nambiar or M.N. Nambiar fell on 19 November. He was 89 years of age at the time of his death. Nambiar was a terrible villain who could terrify people by merely grimacing and scowling. M.N. Nambiar was arguably the greatest screen villain of …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Mahendra Percy Rajapaksa known to the world at large as Mahinda Rajapaksa reached the magical age of 70 on November 18th 2015. The age of seventy or three score and ten regarded as the span of life has a special aura about it. The Bible (psalm 90 verse 10) says “ The days …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Twenty – Fifth Anniversary of Muslim Mass Expulsion From North by LTTE The Investigation launched by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has in accordance with its terms of reference probed the period of time from the 2002 February ceasefire until the end of the war in May …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Thamil Makkal Viduthalaip Puligal (TMVP) leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias “Pillaiyaan” is currently being detained and interrogated by the Police over his suspected involvement in the twin assassinations of Tamil National Alliance(TNA) Parliamentarians Joseph Pararajasingham and Nadarajah Raviraj in December 2005 and November 2006 respectively. Chandrakanthan who made history in 2008 as the first …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The Human Rights Investigation report on Sri Lanka compiled by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights released last month has revealed much information about the alleged activities of the Sri Lankan armed forces, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and state affiliated para – military outfits such …
Continue reading ‘Tragic Phenomenon of Forcible Recruitment of Tamil Civilians by the LTTE’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Yaarlpaanam” (Jaffna/Yapanaya) regarded by many as the cultural capital of the “Ilangai Thamizhar” of Sri Lanka hosted an international film festival from 15 to 21 September. Jaffna, the capital city of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, is probably the only city in the world named after a musical instrument. The Tamil name ‘Yarlpanam’ is …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Sembuge Gamini Shelton Fonseka, known generally as Gamini Fonseka – the uncrowned monarch of Sinhala cinema – passed away at the age of 68 on 30 September 2004. Gamini was one of my favourite actors since the age of eight when I first saw ‘Ranmuthuduwa,’ a film starring him at the Gamini …
Continue reading ‘Gamini Fonseka, Lester James Peries and the Milestone Movie ‘Nidhanaya’’ »
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj The long awaited UN report on Sri Lanka compiled by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights released last week has predictably evoked much excitement and controversy. The UN investigation report on Sri Lanka abbreviated as OISL has provided much information about the alleged activities of the Sri …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera disclosed in Geneva a series of proposals envisaged by the Sri Lankan Government of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to ensure, promote and facilitate Justice, Truth, Accountability, Human Rights Enforcement and Ethnic Reconciliation at the 30th session of the UN Human Rights Council in …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Karunarathne Jayasuriya popularly known as Karu Jayasuriya was elected unopposed on September 1st 2015 as the speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament.His name was proposed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and seconded by Nimal Siripala de Silva who functioned as leader of the opposition in the last days of the last Parliament. As …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Elections are over and a new Parliament has been elected. The political excitement however is yet to subside. ‘Spotlight’ returns after a brief interval to focus on films, film personalities and film-related matters. The focus this time would be on an alluring beauty who made a successful name for herself on the cinema …
Continue reading ‘Gorgeous Actress Geetha Kumarasinghe Stars in New Role as Galle District MP’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Yapa Sirisena was elected President of Sri Lanka on January 8th 2015. The general secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party(SLFP) had broken away from his party and contested the Presidential elections as the common opposition candidate. Maithripala Sirisena defeated his former leader Mahinda Rajapaksa.The victory was hailed as a …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj Cannes is a city on the picturesque French Riviera-Mediterranean coast in South-Eastern France. It is classified as a French commune which is an administrative division roughly equivalent to a municipality. The pride of Cannes in contemporary times has been the annual international film festival held in the city. Known as the Cannes …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who is also the leader of the United National Party(UNP) and the United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) is determined to form a National Government if returned to power after the August 17th Parliamentary Poll. Since most political observers opine that the next Parliament would be a hung …
Continue reading ‘How the UNP Formed a Seven Party National Government Fifty Years Ago’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The Tamil National Peoples Front (TNPF) which is contesting the 2015 Parliamentary polls under the cycle symbol of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) unveiled its election manifesto in Valvettithurai on August 2nd 2015. The date coincided with the 26th anniversary of the VVT massacre of 1989 where over 30 civilians were killed …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj 6,151 Candidates from 21 registered political parties and 201 independent groups are contesting the Sri Lankan Parliamentary elections scheduled for August 17th 2015. Of these 3, 653 are from the 21 parties and 2,498 from independent groups. Predictably the spotlight in general has been on the major political parties both nationally and regionally …
Continue reading ‘Tigers as Spiders! Ex – LTTE Cadres Contesting as Independent Group in Jaffna’ »
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Spotlight’ will move away from its usual focus on movies and movie-related topics this week and beam on an illustrious personality of Sri Lanka whose 10th death anniversary falls on 12 August. Sri Lanka’s finest Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was assassinated in Colombo by a suspected sniper of the Liberation Tigers of …
Continue reading ‘Remembering Lakshman Kadirgamar on his Tenth Death Anniversary’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Valvettithurai is a place that has figured prominently in the politics of Sri Lankan Tamils. Valvettithurai is a coastal town along the Vadamaratchy littoral region of the northern Jaffna peninsula.VVT as Valvettithurai is generally referred to acquired a notorious reputation at one time as the hotbed of smuggling. In later years Valvettithurai became …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Election mania spreads rapidly in the country with Parliamentary polls being scheduled for August 17th 2015 and the Tamil inhabited areas of the Northern and Eastern provinces are also afflicted. Currently the premier political configuration of the Sri Lankan Tamils is the Tamil National Alliance(TNA) consisting of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (This is the second and final part of an article published in the “Daily Mirror”of July 18th 2015 under the heading “Bring back, Oh Bring Back, Bring Back Mahinda to “Temple Trees”) The Nugegoda Rally demanding the return of Mahinda Rajapaksa to politics was the opening gambit in a planned series of political …
Continue reading ‘“Bring Back Mahinda” Movement Accomplishes First Part of Its Mission’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “My Bonnie lies over the ocean My Bonnie lies over the sea My Bonnie lies over the ocean Oh, bring back my Bonnie to me”… “Bring back, bring back Oh,Bring back my Bonnie to me, to me Bring back, bring back Oh,Bring back my Bonnie to me” – Traditional Scottish Folk Song “My …
Continue reading ‘Bring back, Oh Bring Back, Bring Back Mahinda to “Temple Trees”….’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Watching Tamil movies on screen and listening to Tamil film songs over radio was an integral part of life for me as a child growing up in Colombo. The Tamil ‘Varthaga Oliparappu’ or Commercial service of ‘Radio Ceylon’ was a treasure trove of film songs. Apart from broadcasting the latest Tamil film songs …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj In writing last week about legendary film actor Tony Ranasinghe, I referred to the comment by Malani Fonseka about Tony being the greatest romantic lover in Sinhala films. The queen of Sinhala cinema who has acted in about 40 films with him said of Tony Ranasinghe “I find him the most romantic …
Continue reading ‘♫ Kaadhal Mannan ♫ Gemini Ganesan, Romantic Actor King of Tamil Cinema ♥’ »
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj “Tony as an actor is the best character-based actor not even witnessed in the Indian screen. He has an actor within himself who emerges at the correct moment. Tony Ranasinghe is the best character actor in Asia” – Gamini Fonseka. “Tony Aiya was a well-read man of wisdom. Not only as his …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Sri Lanka’s ebullient Foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera is currently in the forefront of a move to review and possibly remove the ban imposed on certain Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora organizations and individuals designated as “terrorist” under provisions of the United Nations Act No 45 of 1968. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) and …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj An event of great significance occurred within the sphere of minority community politics in Sri Lanka on June 3rd 2015. Three political parties representing sections of the Tamil people living outside the Tamil dominated Northern province and Tamil majority Eastern Province announced at a media conference held at the Taj Samudra Hotel in …
Continue reading ‘Tamil Progressive Alliance and the Tamils Living Outside the North-East’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj There was a time when I was afflicted by the supernatural in the form of ghost stories and horror movies. Being terrified by terrible tales of ghosts, devils, vampires and monsters was an enjoyable type of agony then.It was a self-inflicted period of craze for the macabre. This phase in my life began …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj “Both here and hence pursue me lasting strife, If once I be a widow, ever I be a wife!………” The lady doth protest too much, methinks” – William Shakespeare :Hamlet Act 3,Scene 2. Politicians are a breed thriving on publicity –negative or positive. Their preference is to bask in the limelight always. …
Continue reading ‘Ananthy Sasitharan in the Eye of a Controversial Publicity Storm Again’ »
By D. B. S. Jeyaraj Thambirajah Subathiran alias “Robert” was assassinated in Jaffna by a sniper of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Twelve years ago on June 14th 2003 while the Norway facilitated ceasefire between the Sri Lankan Government led by then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the LTTE was in force. “Robert …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj A perennial classic in the sphere of Tamil film songs is ‘Kaatriniley Varum Geetham’ based on the Sindhubhairavi raga.It is sung by the nightingale of India MS Subbulakshmi in the film ‘Meera’ where she plays the title role.This song was a favourite of one of my aunts who would be singing snatches from …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj (The brutal gang rape and murder of 18 year old schoolgirl Vidya Sivaloganathan in the Northern Island of Pungudutheevu has resulted in widespread revulsion and condemnations. It has drawn attention to the burning issue of sexual violence against women in general and Tamil women in particular. This is a recurring phenomenon with …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj I was pleasantly surprised this week when a South Indian journal asked me to revise an article I had written earlier about the singer Porayathu Leela – popularly known as P. Leela. The request for an article to denote Leela’s birthday was most unexpected as she had passed away 10 years ago …
Continue reading ‘♬ P. Leela, ‘Forgotten’ Singer Who Sang Unforgettable Songs In Tamil Cinema ♥’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (Kandiah Balasegaran alias Balraj the legendary military commander of the LTTE died of a heart attack on May 20th 2008.This article is an updated amalgamated version of articles written by me in 2008 and 2011 about him. It is being published here to denote the seventh death anniversary of “Brigadier” Balraj – DBSJ) …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj Today May 21st is the 24th death anniversary of former Indian Prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. He was killed on May 21st 1991. The date of Rajiv Gandhi’s death has poignant significance for me personally. May 21st is the date of my birth. My birth and his death which happened thirty – seven …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj 12 May was the birthday of an actress who was described by the American Film Institute as the “greatest American screen legend” among female stars. Katharine Hepburn, known popularly as Kate Hepburn, with her regal appearance and distinctive patrician-sounding accent, strode majestically across stage and screen in an acting career spanning more than …
Continue reading ‘Katharine “Kate” Hepburn holds Oscar record for most wins in acting category’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ, Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line, Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it” – Omar Khayyam in the Rubaiyat (translated into English by Sir Edward Fitzgerald) The month of May is significant …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj The ‘Spotlight’ column returns after a lengthy interval. The focus this time is on American actor Gregory Peck. There is no particular reason other than nostalgia for writing about this former Hollywood idol at this time. Born in 1916, Peck passed away in 2003. So this year 2015 does not mark any …
Continue reading ‘Gregory Peck’s flu cured by ginger-coriander tea when filming in Ceylon’ »
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj The successful passage of the 19th Constitutional amendment in Parliament with an overwhelming majority has resulted in the Executive Presidency ushered in by the 1978 Constitution losing some if not all of its powers. This in turn has focused the spotlight on the first Executive President of Sri Lanka –Junius Richard Jayewardene …
Continue reading ‘How JR Jayewardene Ushered in the Executive Presidency in 1978’ »
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj The tenth death anniversary of well-known columnist D.P.Sivaram who wrote under the pseudonym of “Taraki” falls this week. Dharmaretnam Puvirajakeerthi Sivaram who wrote in English and Tamil was abducted on April 28th 2005 at Bambalapitiya around 10. 30 pm.His body was found about four hours later by the Police on the banks …
Continue reading ‘“Taraki” Sivaram: From Gun Toting Militant to Pen Wielding Journalist’ »
By D.B.S. JEYARAJ “And everybody praised the Duke Who this great fight did win.” “But what good came of it at last?” Quoth little Peterkin. “Why, that I cannot tell,” said he, “But ’twas a famous victory.” – Robert Southey -“ The Battle of Blenheim” Fifteen years ago on April 22nd 2000 the strategic Elephant …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Friday April 17th was the 99th Birth Anniversary of Sirima Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike who created history as the world’s first woman Prime minister. The 55th anniversary of her being appointed as the then Ceylon’s premier falls on July 21st this year.The Island’s elder stateswoman was in active politics for almost forty years .She …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj The traditional April new year dawned on a sad note for me last year.I woke up to the news that well –known singer of film songs Prathivadi Bayankara Sreenivas (P.B.S) had passed away in India. He was one of my favourite filmsong singers.I grew up with the Tamil film songs of people …
Continue reading ‘♥ Remembering PB Sreenivas and His Enchanting Duets With S. Janaki ♫’ »
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Tamil New Year will once again be officially observed in Tamil Nadu in midApril instead of Thai Pongal day in midJanuary as being done now Although Tamil new year had been observed in April by Thamizhians for centuries the DMK govt of M.Karunanidhi changed it officially in 2008
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Actions speak louder than words! A very effective message regarding the contentious issue of the national anthem being sung in Tamil also was sent out early this week to the nation in general and the Tamil people in particular in the form of exemplary concrete action by the triumvirate comprising President Maithripala Sirisena, …
Continue reading ‘History of the National Anthem of Sri Lanka has been Mired in Controversy’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Once upon a time there was a Beautiful Island with wonderful people that was regarded as God’s own country. After gaining Independence from a colonial power the modern nation with an ancient civilisation adopted a national anthem of its own.The anthem was written in the language spoken by the majority of its inhabitants. …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The phenomenon of “Traitorization” in Tamil Nationalist Politics has raised its ugly head again. I use the word traitorization instead of treachery or treason in order to differentiate between those who are actually treacherous or really committing treason as opposed to those being accused or labelled as “traitorous” or traitors. The reality is …
Continue reading ‘Recurring Phenomenon of “Traitorization” in Tamil Nationalist Politics’ »
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj The Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) was formed in 1949 by a dissident faction of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC) led by well –known lawyer G.G. Ponnambalam. The new party was called the Federal party in English though its name in Tamil stood for “Ceylon Tamil State Party”. The break away group …
Continue reading ‘Imperative Need to Support Tamil Moderates in the Struggle Against Extremists’ »
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Tamil National Alliance(TNA)Leader Rajavarothayam Sampanthan MP and TNA National list Parliamentarian MA Sumanthiran won many hearts and minds by participating in the official Independence day ceremony held in Battaramulla on February 4th. The diplomatic community in Colombo hailed it as a commendable symbolic gesture towards ethnic reconciliation in a land torn asunder …
Continue reading ‘Tamil “Extremists” Target Sampanthan and Sumanthiran of the TNA as “Traitors”’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Former Supreme court judge and current Northern Province chief minister CV Wigneswaran met with President Maithripala Sirisena at the presidential secretariat in Colombo on Thursday February 12th and discussed a number of issues including the controversial resolution passed by the Northern provincial council accusing successive sri Lankan regimes of committing genocide of the …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (Former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) political commissar for Batticaloa and Amparai districts Eliyathamby Nagenthiran Lingarasa alias Kausalyan was assassinated on February 7th 2005. This article published in “The Sunday Leader”then is reproduced to denote his 10th death anniversary…..DBSJ) It was the third day of March last year. Around 125 to 150 senior …