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by Ajai Sahni

“If such an outcome were to be secured in Iraq or Afghanistan or, now, even in Pakistan, it would be embraced by the West as an unadulterated and righteous triumph.

In Sri Lanka, however, it appears to have provoked, across much of Europe and among the most prominent international agencies – including the United Nations (UN) – a seething and barely concealed outrage
Continue reading ‘India appears to have done everything possible to push Colombo into Beijing’s stifling embrace’ »

Text of a press Release issued by PMANE on April 1, 2012

The People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) entered into a negotiation with the Tamil Nadu State officials on March 27, 2012 with the assistance of some credible and respectable mediators.

Koodankulam: pic courtesy of: thehindubusinessline.com

As per that mediation, the Tamil Nadu State Government assured to release all the imprisoned people through due process and withdraw all the cases that have been registered against us.
Continue reading ‘Tamil Nadu State Govt delays implementing pledge given to PNAME about releasing imprisoned protesters and withdrawing cases’ »

Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka

By D.B.S. Jeyaraj

In an unprecedented and controversial move Sri Lanka ’s Ministry of External Affairs has threatened to charge the country’s Ambassador to France Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka under the Penal code!

It is learnt that the External ministry’s overseas administration division Acting Director General Mr. W.G.S.Prasanna has sent a lengthy five page letter to Dr.Jayatilleka outlining certain charges relating to alleged “wrongdoing ” by Dr.Jayatilleka in the conduct of the affairs of the Embassy in Paris.
Continue reading ‘External Affairs Ministry threatens to charge Dayan Jayatilleka under Penal Code’ »

by Marwaan Macan-Markar

For Aung San Suu Kyi, next week’s by-election is an attempt to reach out to the people and affirm her credentials as a unifier of Myanmar.

Aung San Suu Kyi on the campaign trail at a village near Myeik in southern Myanmar on March 24-AFP photo-courtesy: The Hindu

The political fortunes of Myanmar’s famous dissident rest in the hands of an impoverished community, many of whose members come from the country’s Karen ethnic minority.
Continue reading ‘On the campaign trail in Burma with Aung San Suu Kyi’ »

By Marwaan Macan-Markar

(As Burma heads for an election on April 1st this analysis written in January is reproduced here due to its current relevance. The writer is a Sri Lankan journalist now working for IPS in Bangkok - DBSJ)

BANGKOK, Jan 23, 2012 (IPS) – As he dismantles a 50-year military dictatorship without a shot being fired, Burmese President Thein Sein is resorting to the political art of compromise.

Burma Democratic Concern ‘s Human rights day Demonstration in london 13 March 2012- pic By- Burma Democratic Concern (BDC)

The raft of reforms the former general has unveiled in less than a year has been reciprocated by Aung San Suu Kyi, the respected icon of the Southeast Asian nation’s pro–democracy movement, who has spent 15 of the past 22 years as a political prisoner.
Continue reading ‘Dismantling a dictatorship peacefully in Myanmar’ »

Ambassador Tamara Kunanayakam

by D.B.S. Jeyaraj

Many Sri Lankans watching live proceedings of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on the fateful Thursday of March 22nd 2012 were puzzled by the composition of our representatives when the spotlight was on Sri Lanka in Geneva.

With our learned minister of External Affairs himself being present in Geneva it was but natural to expect that Prof GL Peiris would deliver the official response of Sri Lanka. Instead we saw the Plantations Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe functioning as leader of delegation read out from a prepared text in what was visibly a lack- lustre performance.

A wide view of the High-Level Segment of the 19th session of the Human Rights Council. 27 February 2012. Photo by Jean-Marc Ferré
Continue reading ‘Tamara Kunanayakam: Fighting for Lanka in Geneva’ »

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha

by Ayesha Zuhair

In an interview with Ayesha Zuhair for the Daily Mirror, Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, MP, Presidential Advisor on Reconciliation, discusses the resolution against Sri Lanka adopted at the 19th Session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Question:

Why was Sri Lanka unable to defeat the resolution brought against it at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) last Thursday? Was it because India turned against Sri Lanka due to domestic compulsions or were there other factors at play?

The Representative of China askes for the floor at the 19th Session of the Human Rights Council. Room XX, Palais des Nations, Geneva. Monday 27 February 2012. Photo by Violaine Martin
Continue reading ‘‘We Opposed the Resolution Because of Our Respect for the UN HRC’-Rajiva Wijesinha’ »