“Uduppiddy Singham” (Uduppiddy Lion) “Em” Sivasithamparam was a Champion of Tamils’ Rights.

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (This article is a modified version of an Obituary published in the Indian Newsmagazine “Frontline” in June 2002) Former Parliamentarian, Deputy Speaker and President of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), Murugesu Sivasithamparam passed away in a Colombo hospital 21 years ago on 5 June 2002. Sivasithamparam hailing from Karaveddy in the Vadamaraatchy …

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“Kalaignar” (Artiste) Karunanidhi; From Tamil Film Script Writer to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Today June 3rd is the 99th birth anniversary of Muthuvel Karunanidhi, the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu, the closes Indian state to Sri Lanka both geographically and historically.Karunanidhi who passed away on 7 August 2018 was the leader of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham (DMK) for nearly 50 years.His son M.K. Stalin is …

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Trying to unleash another round of religious bloodletting over a few inapt words is not just un-Buddhist; it is the very antithesis of what the Buddha taught.

By Tisaranee Gunasekara “He who controls his hand, controls his foot, controls his speech and is well-controlled in all respects, delights in meditation, is composed, solitary, and content – him they call a bhikku.” The Buddha (Bhikku Vagga, Dhammapada) In 2005, the Newsweek magazine reported that officials at Guantanamo flushed a Koran down a toilet …

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“Justice for All” alarmed by the undemocratic measures pursued by President Wickremasinghe and his Govt that continue to undermine the rule of law, fundamental rights and democracy in Sri Lanka.

(Text of statement issued by “Justice for All” on 7th June 2023 about the current political and economic state of our Country) We are alarmed by the undemocratic measures pursued by President Ranil Wickremasinghe and his government that continue to undermine the rule of law, fundamental rights and democracy in Sri Lanka. Of particular concern …

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Jaffna District MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam who was Arrested in Colombo by Maruthankerni and Jeyapuram Police Is Released After being Granted Rs 500,000 Surety Bail by Kilinochchi Magistrates Court

Tamil National Peoples Front (TNPF) leader and MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam who was arrested over an incident in Jaffna between him and the police, was gran ted bail by the Kilinochchi Magistrate’s Court. He was granted bail with a surety of Rs. 500,000.

Tamil Congress Jaffna District MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam Arrested On June 7th Morning at his Colombo Residence;Will be taken to Maruthankerni Police Station In Jaffna Peninsula for a Statement to be Recorded Regarding Earlier Incident of Friction With Police

By Ruwani Fonseka MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, who is accused of obstructing the duties of police officers, was arrested this morning (June 07). The parliamentarian was taken into custody by a team of officers attached to Maruthankerny Police at his residence in Colombo. The Jaffna District MP, who represents the Ahila Ilankai Thamil Congress (AITC) or …

Continue reading ‘Tamil Congress Jaffna District MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam Arrested On June 7th Morning at his Colombo Residence;Will be taken to Maruthankerni Police Station In Jaffna Peninsula for a Statement to be Recorded Regarding Earlier Incident of Friction With Police’ »

Chandrika Kumaratunga asks why no action has been taken so far against Galagadia Aththe Gnanasara Thero for Insulting other Religions; his words were more vicious than Comedian Natasha Edirisooriya says Former President

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga yesterday took to Twitter to question why no action was ever taken against Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera and others who insulted other religions practised in the country. Kumaratunga said their words spreading hate against Muslim and Tamil citizens of Sri Lanka were far more vicious than those uttered by Standup …

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Tamil National Alliance Breaks up with TELO and PLOTE Challenging ITAK.

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi(ITAK) known in English as the Federal Party(FP) is in the grip of two problems. The premier political party of the Northern and Eastern Sri Lankan Tamils is presently facing an inter-party crisis as well as an intra-party crisis. The inter-party crisis relates to the recent split in the …

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Is the proposal to establish a Broadcasting Regulatory Commission yet another ploy for the Govt to control the ‘public mind’ in the economically hard times ahead?

By Kishali Pinto -Jayawardene The unsightly and itchy rash of ‘bad laws’ being proposed by the Sri Lankan Government seems to be never-ending. The Government’s unconvincing explanations Hot on the heels of the appallingly crafted Anti-Terrorism Bill and the Anti-Corruption Bill comes a proposal to establish a Broadcasting Regulatory Commission replete with major contradictions. A …

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Jaffna District MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam Alleges Police Official in Sports Attire loaded and aimed his pistol at him; TNPF leader says he has registered complaint with the Human Rights Commission in Jaffna;Claims he did not go to Police Station to Complain because his life was at risk there.

Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles yesterday ( June 3) called for a report into the incident where Tamil National People’s Front Parliamentarian Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam’s life had allegedly been threatened by a Police officer at gunpoint. When contacted, Minister Alles downplayed the allegations that MP Ponnambalam had been assaulted and stated that a report into …

Continue reading ‘Jaffna District MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam Alleges Police Official in Sports Attire loaded and aimed his pistol at him; TNPF leader says he has registered complaint with the Human Rights Commission in Jaffna;Claims he did not go to Police Station to Complain because his life was at risk there.’ »

“We will not allow anyone to drag our motherland back to where we were a year ago. Today,some individuals seem to have forgotten the hardships endured by Sri Lankans during that time.”- President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Special Statement to the Nation

(Text of Special statement by President Ranil Wickremesinghe on June 1st 2023 explaining to the nation, the national transformation road map to re- build the country) Since the day I took charge of our nation’s economy, I wanted to ensure that Sri Lanka’s actual economic situation was made clear and transparent. Over the recent months, …

Continue reading ‘“We will not allow anyone to drag our motherland back to where we were a year ago. Today,some individuals seem to have forgotten the hardships endured by Sri Lankans during that time.”- President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Special Statement to the Nation’ »

Centre for Policy Alternatives Expresses Deep Concern over recent Arrest of Comedian Natasha Edirisooriya under ICCPR act; “the latest move to stifle freedom of speech in the guise of protecting religious harmony’says CPA

(Text of Statement on Recent Arrests under the ICCPR Act & Shrinking Space for Dissent issued by the Centre for Policy Alternatives) The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) is deeply concerned with the recent arrest of comedian Natasha Edirisooriya reportedly under the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Act (ICCPR Act), …

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“Malaiahath Thamilar” (Hill Country Tamils ) Aspire to  a  Non-territorial  Community Council

By       D.B.S.Jeyaraj   President Ranil Wickremesinghe  has commenced  a series of discussions with Parliamentarians from the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka with the  objective of resolving the Tamil national question. Currently talks are underway with Tamil MPs from the  five Northern and three Eastern administrative districts. These MPs are from both the Government …

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Jayantha Dhanapala – the Diplomat, the Advocate of causes, and the Mentor.

By Ravinatha Aryasinha ( Text of tribute paid by former Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha at the funeral service for Late Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala, at Trinity College Chapel, Kandy, on 29 May 2023) I am humbled to have been asked by the family of the late Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala to speak a few words on this …

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The Burning of the Jaffna Public Library on June 1st 1981 was a Heinous act Committed Deliberately by a Group of Policemen

(Text of Editorial appearing in the “Daily FT” of June 1st 2023 under the heading “Not too late to bring to book those responsible for Jaffna library burning”) Among the many tragic stories that Sri Lankans are familiar with, the burning of the Jaffna Public Library, 42 years ago, stands out as one of the …

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Mano Ganesan Questions Impunity Given to Buddhist Clergy and Activists who Engage in Hate Speech against Other Faiths;“If Pastor Jerome and Nathasha Edirisuriya are breaking the law with their speech then the same law should be applied to monks who have sprouted hate speech against fellow religions. The law can’t be one-sided anymore!” Tweets TPA leader

Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader Mano Ganesan, taking to Twitter yesterday called for the laws relating to hate speech to be applied equally to Buddhist clergy as it is applied to civilians and those of other religious faiths. Directing his tweet at President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and the National People’s Party (NPP) …

Continue reading ‘Mano Ganesan Questions Impunity Given to Buddhist Clergy and Activists who Engage in Hate Speech against Other Faiths;“If Pastor Jerome and Nathasha Edirisuriya are breaking the law with their speech then the same law should be applied to monks who have sprouted hate speech against fellow religions. The law can’t be one-sided anymore!” Tweets TPA leader’ »

Sri Lanka is clearly spiralling towards further ethnic and religious divisions further exacerbated by an economic crisis. Sadly Sri Lanka has not learnt a single lesson from its bloody history

(Text of Editorial appearing in the “Daily FT”of May 30th 2023 under the heading “No right to laugh”) In yet another brazen violation of a citizen’s right to free speech a stand-up comedian was arrested by the police for a joke she made on stage. Nathasha Edirisooriya was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) …

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Stand-up comedian Natasha Edirisooriya has been arrested and remanded for her comic performance. The role of stand-up comedy is to amuse and to offend testing the limits even to mild discomfort bordering irrelevance.

By Ranga Jayasuriya I have written on these pages that when the fuel queues disappear and a semblance of old times dawns, Sri Lankans themselves will return to their old habits. The usual charlatans would crawl back from their hiding spots, promising to protect the country and Buddha Sasana from an imaginary enemy. Conspiracy theorists …

Continue reading ‘Stand-up comedian Natasha Edirisooriya has been arrested and remanded for her comic performance. The role of stand-up comedy is to amuse and to offend testing the limits even to mild discomfort bordering irrelevance.’ »

How the Customs Revenue Task Force Apprehended Puttalam MP Raheem Ali Sabri Attempting to Smuggle Gold,Jewellery and Smart Phones Into Sri Lanka From Dubai.

By the “ Sunday Times” Political Editor Honoured as Very Important Persons (VIPs), most users of the hallowed gateway to the world, the VIP Lounge at Bandaranaike International Airport, are Members of Sri Lanka’s Parliament. Officials dare not ask questions when they arrive or depart. An added perk for these VIPs is the free refreshments …

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The  Killing of Former Indian Prime Minister  of Rajiv Gandhi on 21 May 1991

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj     Former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) on 21 May 1991. He  was killed at a place called Sriperumbhudur in  the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Death came in the form of Dhanu a young Tamil woman from Sri Lanka. Dressed in …

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Maithripala Sirisena created the opening for Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s political entry.He empowered the usual culprits and conspiracy theorists who have peddled anti-Western conspiracy theories and racist dog-whistling to grab power.

By Ranga Jayasuriya Last time, when the world’s richest industrial nations, G-7, met in Japan, the only Asian country in the group, in 2016, then president Maithripala Sirisena was invited for the outreach meeting, alongside regional heavyweights from Indonesia, Bangladesh and Vietnam. The invitation to Maithripala Sirisena was in recognition of the democratic reforms in …

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Sri Lanka’s historically marginalised “Malaiyaha” [hill country] Tamil community Seeks greater recognition, political rights, and improved living and working conditions

By Meera Srinivasan Marking 200 years since their arrival in Sri Lanka from southern India, to work in the British-run plantations, members of the island nation’s historically marginalised Malaiyaha [hill country] Tamil community have sought greater recognition, political rights, and improved living and working conditions. “Design, resource, and implement a 10-year development plan that is …

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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau encourages everyone” to learn more about the impact of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka, and express solidarity to all those who suffered or lost loved ones.”

(Text of Statement issued by Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on 18 May 2023 for Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day) May 18, 2023 Ottawa, Ontario “Today, we reflect on the tragic loss of life during the armed conflict in Sri Lanka, which ended 14 years ago. Tens of thousands of Tamils lost their lives, including at …

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Any other public official would have caved in under government pressure, but Janaka Ratnayake has proved that he is made of sterner stuff.

(Text of Editorial appearing in “the Island”of 24 May 2023 under the heading “Badger and mastiffs”) The Rajapaksa-Wickremesinghe regime’s shameful efforts to oust Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), Janaka Ratnayake, remind us of some gory western flicks, where swashbuckling, trigger-happy scumbags hang public officials who refuse to carry out their …

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Though Gotabaya Rajapaksa Resigned last year the Former President’s Staff who are mostly Political Appintees Continue to be retained in the President’s Office under a newly created unit called ‘special projects’.

By Jamila Husain Just over a year since former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned from office following nationwide protests demanding him to step down, evidence has come to light that the former president’s staff who are mostly political appointees continue to be retained in the President’s Office under a newly created unit called ‘special projects’. Even …

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Contrary to President Wickremesinghe’s claim that the new Anti-corruption law ‘will be the best in South Asia’, the anti -corruption law is a ‘riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma’

By Kishali Pinto -Jayawardene When French Prime Minister during World War I, Georges Clemenceau rousingly said that ‘war is too important to be left to the generals,’ Sri Lankans may be justified in muttering to themselves more than a hundred years later that, ‘laws are far too important to be left to the lawyers – …

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The motive force for the War was the hellish union between political opportunism and religio-racial extremism That union is far from dead and its current partners are waiting impatiently to return to political mainstream. Unchastened by our blood-soaked history, they want to repeat it.

By Tisaranee Gunasekara “Not only our actions, but also our inactions, become our destiny.” Heinrich Zimmer (The King and the Corpse) This week marked the 14th anniversary of the ending of the long Eelam War. This week also saw the re-emergence of BBS head-honcho Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara to save the nation from that enterprising entrepreneur …

Continue reading ‘The motive force for the War was the hellish union between political opportunism and religio-racial extremism That union is far from dead and its current partners are waiting impatiently to return to political mainstream. Unchastened by our blood-soaked history, they want to repeat it.’ »

13 May 2006: Night of Terror for Civilians in the Northern Islands

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The lengthy brutal war between the armed forces of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) came to an end in May 2009. Even as the 14th anniversary of the war’s end is being observed, the Island nation continues to grapple with the consequences of the conflict. The causes that led …

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Little-known Facts About Legendary LTTE Leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The demise of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran occurred fourteen years ago. The tigers as the LTTE was known were defeated militarily by the armed forces of Sri Lanka in May 2009. Prabhakaran’s dead body was found on the shores of the Nandhikkadal lagoon in Mullaitheevu district on 19 May …

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Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa Denies Having Links with Pastor Jerome Fernando Or Zimbabwe’s Uebert Angel: says he met both only for a Prayer Meeting at their Request when serving as PM and Religious Affairs Minister

By Jamila Husain Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is alleged to have links with controversial Pastor Jerome Fernando and Zimbabwean Pastor Uebert Angel yesterday said he had no connections with either and had met them only on one instance when Pastor Jerome’s office had sought a meeting when Rajapaksa was the Prime Minister. Rajapaksa further …

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Colombo Fort Magistrate Issues Travel Ban on “Prophet” Jerome Fernando Who is Reportedly in Singapore and Will Travel to Malaysia;”He has not Fled the Country but only gone for an Event Planned Earlier”Says Glorious Church Spokesperson

By Susitha Fernando Prophet’ Jerome Fernando, the man in the middle of controversy over his statement on other religions including Buddhism, is reported to have left the country. It is learnt that Fernando has gone to Singapore and he is planning to travel to Malaysia. However a spokesman for Glorious Church led by Jerome Fernando …

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If the IUSF and other fellow travellers plot a state capture, the govt has every right to curtail it. But, overreaction and high-handedness by the govt would only provide validation to groups who are on the fringes.

By Ranga Jayasuriya Security has been beefed up in Colombo after ‘unspecified intelligence’ that the Inter-University (IUSF) Students Federation was massing students to the Capital to launch a fresh ‘Aragalaya’. Additional security forces were mobilised, and check-points were put up on the roads leading to the Capital. Army and Police were deployed around the universities, …

Continue reading ‘If the IUSF and other fellow travellers plot a state capture, the govt has every right to curtail it. But, overreaction and high-handedness by the govt would only provide validation to groups who are on the fringes.’ »

Talks Between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Tamil Parliamentarians Representing the Northern and Eastern Provinces End in a Stalemate without any Positive Outcome

By Meera Srinivasan The talks on power devolution between Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Tamil legislators yielded no positive outcome, according to the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the largest grouping of MPs from the island’s north and east. Following his renewed pledge on May Day to address Sri Lanka’s long-pending national question, President Wickremesinghe …

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LTTE Military Commander “Brigadier” Balraj’s Incredible Military Feat at Ithaavil

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The focus of this two part article is former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) deputy military chief Kandiah Balasegaran alias “Brigadier “Balraj regarded as the finest commander the tigers ever had. Balraj was a much admired military tactician reputed for leading from the front.He died of a heart attack fifteen years ago on …

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Govt wants to take in all the Samagi Jana Balawegaya MPs soon says Harin Ferando.“We do not want to take in one MP at a time. Instead, we want to rake in the SJB in its entirety”States Tourism Minister

Minister of Tourism and Lands Harin Fernando yesterday said the Government aims to recruit the entire parliamentary group of the main opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) soon. “We do not want to take in one MP at a time. Instead, we want to rake in the SJB in its entirety,” he said.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya Vice President and former Anuradhapura MP P. Harrison announces his decision to resign from all posts in the SJB and rejoin the United National Party ; extensd his unconditional support to President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Vice President and former MP P. Harrison yesterday announced his decision to resign from all posts in the party to rejoin his former political party, the United National Party (UNP) and extend his unconditional support to President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The former MP held a press conference in Anuradhapura over the weekend …

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If Dual Citizen Basil Rajapaksa wants to Contest in the Sri Lankan Presidential Elections, he has to Renounce his US citizenship first; But a potential legal investigation by the US Justice Dept may complicate his plans.

By Ranga Jayasuriya Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, once reportedly quipped the Sinhalese have short memories. Prabakaran’s nihilistic terrorist struggle for a separate state that lasted for twenty-five years cost the country as much as the current Gross Domestic Product if a conservative estimate of 2 per cent of …

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Apart from the ‘same old, same old’ rhetoric by the Sri Lankan opposition, where is the fiery energising of the Sri Lankan citizenry? Is that not precisely what an Opposition is supposed to do?

By Kishali Pinto -Jayawardene There is a stark difference between Sri Lanka’s multifaceted ‘aragalaya’ (the peoples’ struggle) of 2022 and the current unrest in Pakistan, with the deploying of the army throughout the land. A different trajectory of similar struggles To be blunt, that difference is the role of the Opposition in both countries. Common …

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India’s Congress Party wins 137 out of 224 seats in South Indian State of Karnataka Elections while Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party Gets only 63 seats. Janata Dal(S)-20 and Rest -04.

By P.K.Balachandran The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had been hoping to recapture Karnataka State to help it over-run South India and complete its conquest of India in the coming years, received a crushing blow in the Karnataka elections. ‘India Today’ reported Saturday evening that the Congress had secured 137 seats, the BJP 63, the …

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Conspiracy theories of various kinds merely serve to accuse an identified public enemy without providing any reliable evidence. Just like gossip and rumour, conspiracy theories serve to spread fake news and false alarms in ways that divert public anger towards identified targets

By Kalinga Tudor Silva Sociological explanations frequently serve as a counter point to popular conspiracy theories. Historically, sociology evolved as a subject that tried to prove that social reality cannot be reduced to the separate actions of the individuals who make up that society, such individual motivations or what was understood as the standard way …

Continue reading ‘Conspiracy theories of various kinds merely serve to accuse an identified public enemy without providing any reliable evidence. Just like gossip and rumour, conspiracy theories serve to spread fake news and false alarms in ways that divert public anger towards identified targets’ »

Hindu Brahmin Actor Ramdas Became Famous for his Muslim “Marikkar” Role

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Devoting the first Saturday article in each month to a film, film personality or film-related topic is a practice being followed by this column. As such this week’s column focuses on a Sri Lankan actor who made a name for himself in radio plays, stage dramas and movies. The actor known popularly as …

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“Brigadier” Balraj was the Finest Military Commander the LTTE ever had

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Let me begin this article by relating a little known incident that occurred in 2003. The peace process facilitated by Norway prevailed then between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE). The LTTE Deputy military chief at that time was Kandiah Balasegaran alias “Col”Balraj. The legendary tiger military …

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Journalists have duties that are separate from those of govts, politicians and powerful establishments. A journalist’s job of presenting the first draft of history is incomplete if it only presents one state-approved View.

By Suhasini Haidar “Who do you work for? Which Indian agency has sent you here?” I could tell from the tone and rising voices of the mob around me that things could get very sticky very quickly if I didn’t move. I was at Lahore airport in 2011, attempting to take a flight back to …

Continue reading ‘Journalists have duties that are separate from those of govts, politicians and powerful establishments. A journalist’s job of presenting the first draft of history is incomplete if it only presents one state-approved View.’ »

Tamil Nadu Chief minister MK Stalin Moves Palanivel Thiaga Rajan (PTR) from Finance to Information and Technology Portfolio after release of two of PTR’s purported audio clips alleging that Stalin’s family has earned Rs 30,000 crores.

By Lakshmi Subramanian In a major reshuffle of portfolios of his cabinet, Tamil Nadu Chief minister MK Stalin on Thursday moved Palanivel Thiaga Rajan (PTR) out of the Finance portfolio and allocated it to senior leader Thangam Thennarasu. The industries portfolio held by Thennarasu has been allocated to Mannargudi MLA TRB Raaja, who has been …

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One Sri Lankan Family’s Experience Aboard the Sri Lankan Airlines UL318 Flight to Malaysua from Colombo

By Krishantha Prasad Cooray There are three things that matter when it comes to air travel. Punctuality, baggage not being lost and inflight comfort. There’s been a lot of chatter recently on the national carrier SriLankan and I want to add my own experience in the interest of the silent majority. Too often the opinion …

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Sri Lanka Supreme Court rules that a Private Members Bill seeking to Amend Penal Code and decriminalise homosexuality is “not inconsistent with the Constitution” thereby clearing the way for a Parliamentary debate and vote .

By Meera Srinivasan The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has ruled that a Bill seeking to decriminalise homosexuality is “not inconsistent with the Constitution”, clearing the way for a Parliamentary debate and vote on the subject. “The Supreme Court is of the opinion that the Bill as a whole or as any provision thereof is …

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Will Mahinda Rajapaksa, his family or the Rajapaksa ‘patronage networks’ ever Learn?Will they ever acknowledge that Sri Lanka toppled into the abyss as a result of their cumulative greed, ignorance and racism?

By Kishali Pinto -Jayawardene Exactly twelve months ago to the coming Tuesday, state goons led by key Rajapaksa Ministers attacked peaceful protestors at Galle Face Green leading to the incendiary flaming up of what was perhaps, the single most potent peoples’ uprising in Sri Lanka since independence. May Day musings on Rajapaksa wrongs As Rajapaksa …

Continue reading ‘Will Mahinda Rajapaksa, his family or the Rajapaksa ‘patronage networks’ ever Learn?Will they ever acknowledge that Sri Lanka toppled into the abyss as a result of their cumulative greed, ignorance and racism?’ »

President’s Office Directs Four Provincial Governors Including Eastern Province Governor Anuradha Yahampath and Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda the North -Western Province Governor to Step Down Due to Complaints Received from MPs

The President’s Office has directed four provincial governors to step down following complaints received by parliamentarians representing the provinces. Accordingly, the decision has been conveyed to Eastern Province Governor Anuradha Yahampath, North Western Province Governor Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Uva Province Governor A.J.M. Muzammil and Sabaragamuwa Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has Cordial Conversation with King Charles III at Marlborough House on the Eve of his Coronation with First Lady Prof.Maithree Wickremesinghe also in Attendance

Charles III was crowned monarch of the United Kingdom and 14 Commonwealth realms yesterday at Britain’s first coronation for 70 years, during a ceremony steeped in a millennium of ritual and spectacle. The day before yesterday’s coronation, King Charles III met Commonwealth leaders at the Commonwealth Secretariat at Marlborough House. During the event, President Ranil …

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What kind of a Monarch will King Charles III turn out to be? Would he Replicate his Mother Queen Elizabeth’s style rather than deviate from it? – “The Economist”

He came to praise his mother—and to bury suspicions. On September 9th King Charles III gave his first public speech as monarch. Explicitly, it honoured the queen—“my darling mama”—for her dedication, service and duty. Implicitly, it answered questions about what kind of king he is going to be and spoke, quietly, to some of the …

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Prominence Given to Basil Rajapaksa at SLPP May Day Rally Irks Party Seniors while Some Pohottuwa MPs Launch Campaign to Promote Basil as Party Leader

By Jamila Husain A tussle has erupted in the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) camp after BasilRajapaksa was given a notable welcome at the May Day rally and his picture was shown on the main SLPP banner on stage alongside party leader Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Daily Mirror learns. Senior SLPP sources said that strong objections …

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Ranasinghe Premadasa’s Rocky Road to Sri Lankan Presidency

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Former President Ranasinghe Premadasa was killed 30 years ago on 1 May 1993 at 12:45 p.m. along with 17 others in a bomb explosion that also injured 38 more persons at the Grandpass Road – Armour Street junction in Colombo. He was inspecting a May Day procession of the party. The assassin was …

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Freedom,Safety,Order and Democracy are the basic pillars of a liveable life. So far, all attempts to reignite the Aragalaya have failed, because Wickremesinghe has got enough of the combination right. A kind of normalcy has replaced generalised chaos.So it is too early for Aragalaya Season 2.

By Tisaranee Gunasekara “Too many things have happened that weren’t supposed to happen and what was supposed to come about has not.” – Wyslawa Szymborska – The Century’s Decline For a few hours in early April, 2022, Wikipedia page of Ajith Nivard Cabraal described the then Governor of Central Bank as: “A chartered accountant and …

Continue reading ‘Freedom,Safety,Order and Democracy are the basic pillars of a liveable life. So far, all attempts to reignite the Aragalaya have failed, because Wickremesinghe has got enough of the combination right. A kind of normalcy has replaced generalised chaos.So it is too early for Aragalaya Season 2.’ »

V.V.Ganeshananthan the American writer of Ilankai Tamil descent, Seeks to dismantle the very language of terrorism in her Sophomore Novel “Brotherless Night”.

By Avantika Shankar The opening line of V.V. Ganeshananthan’s sophomore novel, Brotherless Night, will give you pause. Maybe you’ve settled down in an armchair with a cup of tea, or maybe you’re leaning against a shelf in a bookstore, on the prowl for your next big read. Either way, the opening line will disarm you. …

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Shanakiyan Rasamanickam Raised His Voice in Solidarity with Muslims in Parliament when Ali Sabry Served as Justice Minister in the Gotabaya Regime which Targeted the Muslim Community with Atrocious Policies like Forced Cremation.

(Text of Editorial appearing in the “Daily FT”of 2 May 2023 under the heading “Undiplomatic Tragicomedy”) Sri Lanka’s top diplomat, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry made news last week for his most undiplomatic conduct in Parliament. In an exchange with Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, the Foreign Minister resorted to unparliamentary language which had to be …

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“If we are to address the issues faced by the Tamil community in this country, let us collaborate within this system, particularly in the Parliament as part of the government. To the Tamil parties, I say that it is futile to distance oneself from this endeavor.”- President Ranil Wickremesinghe

(Full Text of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Address Via Electronic Technology to the May Day Rally held by the United National Party(UNP) at Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on may 1st 2023) “After assuming the presidency, I have had the opportunity to address the United National Party and all of you who support the party. When I took …

Continue reading ‘“If we are to address the issues faced by the Tamil community in this country, let us collaborate within this system, particularly in the Parliament as part of the government. To the Tamil parties, I say that it is futile to distance oneself from this endeavor.”- President Ranil Wickremesinghe’ »

Revisiting the Killing of Catholic Priest “Kili Father” by the Army’s LRRP

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The nasty,brutish and lengthy ethnic conflict has resulted in a large number of deaths and disappearances. Among these victims were several Catholic priests. Clergymen like Fr. Mary Bastian. Fr. Wenceslaus, Fr. Chandra Fernando , Fr. Nicholaspillai Packiyaranjith and Fr. Xavier Karunairatnam have been killed. Others like Fr. Herbiet, Fr. Selvarajah and Fr. Jim …

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Sri Lanka’s Greatest Film Director Lester James Peries Was Creative Pioneer of Authentic Sinhala Cinema.

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (This Article was written in 2018 after the demise of Maestro Lester James Peries on 29 April 2018. It is being reposted here without any changes to commemorate the ace filmmaker’s fifth death anniversary) It is with great sorrow that I write of the death of Sri Lanka’s greatest film director Lester James …

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Why do Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and Ven. Omalpe Sobhitha Thero want ‘international justice’ Selectively for some and not for others?

By Kishali Pinto – Jayawardene Protests issued by the Government of Sri Lanka over the United States Government decision to ‘blacklist’ former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda and his wife from entering the US are farcical, to say the least. The Foreign Ministry must up its game First, there is little that Sri Lanka can do, …

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“Ponniyin Selvan 2” : Ace Filmmaker Maniratnam’s cinematic adaptation of Kalki’s Epic Novel with the interpersonal dynamics and drama between its main characters make a Satisfactory Watch

By Srinivasa Ramanujam The events of Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan: 1, which released late last year, left audiences not just on a high, but also with many questions: What really happened to Arunmozhi Varman? Who is the mysterious lady who makes fleeting but impactful appearances? And most importantly, what happened to the succession battle for …

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How the “Wanda Pethi” Canard Fomented Anti-Muslim Violence at Amparai in 2018

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Five years have passed since anti-Muslim violence erupted in Amparai/Ampara town in February 2018. Soon afterwards in the first week of March, there was anti- Muslim violence in Digana.Thereafter it spread to other areas in Kandy district like Teldeniya, Pallekalle, Katugastota, and Akurana. The damage in Amparai was very much less when compared …

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US State Department Designates North Western Province Governor Wasantha Karannagoda due to his Alleged involvement in a gross violation of human rights during his tenure as a Naval Commander.

(Full Text of Press Release Issued by the US State Department on 26 April 2023 Under the Heading “Designation of Sri Lankan Governor Due to Involvement in a Gross Violation of Human Rights”) The United States is designating Wasantha Karannagoda, Governor of North Western Province in Sri Lanka, pursuant to Section 7031(c) of the Department …

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“I must tell the President that he should walk the talk,” Opposition Leader Premadasa.“I will walk the talk but I would like to tell you that those in SJB will start walking with me,” Responds President Wickremesinghe.“ I assure that no one in SJB will walk with you,” Sajith Tells Ranil.

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana In response to a request made by the Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa to walk the talk and thereby put into practice what he had talked of, President Ranil Wickremeinge today told Parliament those in Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will walk towards a common journey with him soo “I …

Continue reading ‘“I must tell the President that he should walk the talk,” Opposition Leader Premadasa.“I will walk the talk but I would like to tell you that those in SJB will start walking with me,” Responds President Wickremesinghe.“ I assure that no one in SJB will walk with you,” Sajith Tells Ranil.’ »

“We have no other option but the IMF agreement. If there are no other alternative suggestions, let’s approve this. I also urge the opposition to work together.Let’s get both parties together and pass this.”- President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Special Statement to Parliament

(Full Text of Special Statement made in Parliament on 26 April 2023 by Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe) I would like to address the concerns that have been raised in the media and elsewhere about the economic and financial issues that our country has faced. In July 2022, Sri Lanka was hit with riots, arson, …

Continue reading ‘“We have no other option but the IMF agreement. If there are no other alternative suggestions, let’s approve this. I also urge the opposition to work together.Let’s get both parties together and pass this.”- President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Special Statement to Parliament’ »

Why Ranil Wants To Have Provincial Council Polls in North and East Before Presidential Elections

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj   Sri Lanka’s eighth executive president  and United National Party(UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has a remarkable capacity for generating innovative, out of the box ideas. His creative mind is an inexhaustible mine emitting a number of plans and proposals to cope with crises or surmount problems. The latest in this regard is President …

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Ancient Hindu Shrine on Kurunthoormalai Hill was Destroyed by Soldiers led by Minister Vidura Wickramanayake states Jaffna District MP Sumanthiran in Parliament;Urges Govt not to Continue in Racist Direction

(Excerpts from Speech made in Parliament on 25 April 2023 by Jaffna District TNA Parliamentarian MA Sumanthiran PC) I am mentioning this Kurunthoor malai issue and according to the code of conduct I am making a disclosure that I have an interest in that matter, in that I appear for two members of parliament and …

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Independent Television Network Chairman Sudarshana Gunawardana appoints External committee Headed by Woman Lawyer to investigate reports on social media about alleged sexual harassment faced by a former ITN news anchor Ishara Dewendra.

BY Sahan Tennekoon The Chairman of the Independent Television Network (ITN), Attorney Sudarshana Gunawardana has appointed a committee to investigate into reports on social media about the alleged sexual harassment faced by a former ITN news anchor Ishara Dewendra. This was revealed by the Minister of Mass Media Dr. Bandula Gunawardana in Parliament yesterday (25) …

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Sri Lankan Tamil Parties Perturbed over escalating attacks on Hindu temples in recent weeks ; this is a trend that is part of the State’s “ongoing Sinhalisation project” in the island’s north, they note

By Meera Srinivasan Tamils in Sri Lanka have witnessed an escalation in the attack on Hindu temples in recent weeks, a trend that they note is part of the State’s “ongoing Sinhalisation project” in the island’s north. In recent weeks, Tamil media reported multiple incidents of vandalism at temples, where Hindu deities were found missing …

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The govt’s determination to push the ATA is creating new political fault lines the economy could ill afford. Sri Lanka has avoided Lebanon’s fate and achieved a modicum of stability thanks to President Wickremesinghe’s economic policies. ATA is a diversion from that sensible path

By Tisaranee Gunasekara “On land a tiger, in the water a crocodile.” A Bengali proverb In Sri Lanka terror means Tamil or Muslim. When the J.R. Jayewardene government responded to the ethnic problem not with the promised political reforms but with repression and the PTA was born, the concept of terror (and its prevention) invoked …

Continue reading ‘The govt’s determination to push the ATA is creating new political fault lines the economy could ill afford. Sri Lanka has avoided Lebanon’s fate and achieved a modicum of stability thanks to President Wickremesinghe’s economic policies. ATA is a diversion from that sensible path’ »

“Please Abandon the Current Anti-Terrorism Act Draft Bill and draft a new Acceptable Anti-terrorism law that could be Passed Unanimously by Parliament”; a Journalist appeals to President Ranil Wickremesinghe

(Full Text of an Open Appeal to Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe by Journalist D.B.S. Jeyaraj) President Ranil Wickremesinghe 19 April 2023 Dear President Wickremesinghe I write to you in my professional capacity as a journalist writing on Sri Lankan affairs for newspapers published in Sri Lanka about an issue of deep concern to all …

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Could the 2 019 Easter attacks have been prevented if the 2023 Anti-Terrorism Bill been law at the time? The answer to that question is a resounding ‘NO.’

By Kishali Pinto – Jayawardene Two years after Sri Lanka’s former Attorney General (AG) claimed on the eve of his retirement, that the savage attacks on churches and hotels by homegrown ‘jihadists’ in April 2019 discloses ‘a grand conspiracy,’ the country’s Minister of Justice has issued a flurry of directions to state agencies to ‘summon’ …

Continue reading ‘Could the 2 019 Easter attacks have been prevented if the 2023 Anti-Terrorism Bill been law at the time? The answer to that question is a resounding ‘NO.’’ »

Jaffna District TNA Parliamentarian MA Sumanthiran Due to Table his Private Members bill in Parliament for first reading on 25 April 2023; if bill is adopted, long awaited elections to Lanka’s nine provincial councils could be held very soon

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The long delayed elections to Sri Lanka’s nine provincial elections could be held very soon if a private members bill submitted by Jaffna district parliamentarian MA Sumanthiran is passed by the House next week. Sumanthiran is due to table the bill in Parliament on April 25th 2023 for its first reading After the …

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Former Parliament Secretary General Priyanee Wijesekera Responds with Facts to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa’s Demand for a new Presidential Election to seek a Fresh Mandate

With reference to the comments by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on the legitimacy of the mandate of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to hold that office and the demand for a Presidential election to seek a fresh mandate, Former Parliament Secretary General Priyanee Wijesekera has responded with the following facts. “Our Constitution, by article 40 provides for …

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Sri Lanka marks 4th anniversary of Easter Sunday terror attacks with Families of Victims Marching for Justice and Christians Standing Outside Churches Protesting Delay in Probe

By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka on April 21 marked the 4 th anniversary of the Easter Sunday terror bombings that shook the island nation on April 21, 2019, even as families of victims marched, and many gathered outside churches, demanding truth and justice. Nearly 300 persons died and hundreds were injured in the coordinated serial …

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Ranasinghe Premadasa’s Revolt and Dudley Senanayake’s Demise

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj   Dudley Shelton Senanayake known as Dudley Senanayake and Dudley passed away 50 years ago om 13 April 1973 at the age of 61. . The former leader of the United National Party(UNP) served as Prime Minister (PM) of Sri Lanka known then as Ceylon four times.In those  pre-executive presidency days the Prime …

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Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) Conducted by the Institute for health Policy(IHP) for March 2023 Reveals JVP/NPP has 41% Support Among Voters currently While SJB has 30% and UNP 8%

(Excerpts from Media Release Issued by the Institute for health Policy(IHP) Regarding the latest Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) polling in March 2023 ) The latest Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) polling in March 2023 reveals little change from February, with NPP/JVP at 41% of likely voters maintaining a clear lead over the …

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) Conducted by the Institute for health Policy(IHP) for March 2023 Reveals JVP/NPP has 41% Support Among Voters currently While SJB has 30% and UNP 8%’ »

Chinese Embassy in Colombo refutes Purported Disinformation in Media about Export of 100,000 Toque Monkeys from Sri Lanka to China : Chinese National Forestry and Grassland Administration not aware of the request and has not received such application from any side.” Says Press Release

(Text of Press Release Issued via Twitter by the Chinese Embassy in Colombo on the toque macaque monkeys issue) The Embassy has noticed recent disinformation on local and foreign media about Sri Lanka to export “100 thousands” of “endangered” toque macaque monkeys to a Chinese private company for “experimental purpose”, as well as detailed clarifications …

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Proposal to Export 100,000 Monkeys to China Severely Criticized by Conversationists in Sri Lanka; With only 300,000 Toque Macaques Existing in the Island,they are a threatened species points out primatologist Wolfgang Dittus.

By Meera Srinivasan Zoologists and conservationists in Sri Lanka on April 19 slammed a recent government proposal exploring the export of monkeys to China, terming it an ad-hoc, illegal, and short-sighted response to a long-standing human-animal conflict. Earlier this month, Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera said the government was studying a proposal from a Chinese …

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Sirima Bandaranaike: “Weeping Widow” who Became World’s First Woman Prime Minister

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (This Article Written in April 2015 is re-posted here without any changes to denote the 107th birth anniversary of the World’s first Woman Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike on 17th April 2023) Friday April 17th was the 99th Birth Anniversary of Sirima Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike who created history as the world’s first woman Prime …

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“The Anti-Terrorism Bill is fundamentally flawed and if passed will not only help govts suppress democracy in the name of fighting terrorism but also tarnish the country’s image internationally. It has to be ditched forthwith.”- The Island

(Text of Editorial Appearing in “The Island”of 17 April 2023 Under the Heading “Bin the bad Bill”) The Rajapaksa-Wickremesinghe government has chosen to bite off more than it can chew. Now, it is planning to present its controversial Anti-Terrorism Bill (ATB) to Parliament on 25 April, according to media reports. Why it is in a …

Continue reading ‘“The Anti-Terrorism Bill is fundamentally flawed and if passed will not only help govts suppress democracy in the name of fighting terrorism but also tarnish the country’s image internationally. It has to be ditched forthwith.”- The Island’ »

Sri Lanka After 75 Years of Independence has become a Failed State says Chandrika Kumaratunga;“We are incapable of managing the affairs of the state,” tates the Former Sri Lankan President

By Meera Srinivasan Despite possessing enviable social indicators at the time of Independence in 1948, Sri Lanka, at 75, is a “failed state”, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said on Sunday. “Seventy-five years is a long time for a nation to achieve considerable progress. Even after 450 years of destruction by colonial rulers, at Independence, …

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TPA Leader Mano Ganesan Moots Proposal to set up a “Tamil Caucus ‘in Parliament that would Enable Tamil legislators to express the “collective desire” of the island’s Tamil speaking peoples.

By Meera Srinivasan In a bid to ensure Sri Lanka’s main political parties do not “take numerical minorities for granted” anymore, Opposition MP Mano Ganesan has recently mooted setting up a “Tamil caucus” in Parliament. The “caucus”, he said, would allow Tamil legislators to express the “collective desire” of the island’s Tamil speaking peoples. Although …

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Setting up a remote satellite receiving ground station system in Southern Sri Lanka through a collaborative effort between the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the University of Ruhuna Raises Security Concerns in India

By Dinakar Peri The construction of a military facility on Coco Islands in Myanmar and a proposed remote satellite receiving ground station system in Sri Lanka, both coming up with Chinese help, have raised concerns in India of possible surveillance across the region. Recent satellite images show the construction of a military facility on Coco …

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Gathering Political Storm Threatens Sajith and the SJB

by D.B.S.Jeyaraj Leader of the opposition Sajith Premadasa and his party the Samagi Jana Balawegaya(SJB) are very much in the news lately. There have been many reports in the mainstream as well as social media that a large number of MPs from the SJB are planning to join the ranks of the Ranil Wickremesinghe Govt …

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“Narendra Modi led BJP Govt Rewrites History in School Textbooks According to the “Hindutva”Vision of Reimagining India as a Purely Hindu land’; Muslim Contribution to India is being Expunged in History Books”-The Economist

At the start of the academic year this month, 12th-year students of history and politics at tens of thousands of schools across India returned to a syllabus and textbooks that had been significantly altered. Tweaks are good when they reflect new thinking in a discipline or correct blind spots. Those overseen by the National Council …

Continue reading ‘“Narendra Modi led BJP Govt Rewrites History in School Textbooks According to the “Hindutva”Vision of Reimagining India as a Purely Hindu land’; Muslim Contribution to India is being Expunged in History Books”-The Economist’ »

Lakshman Kadirgamar departed too early, with no lasting legacy penned in his own words, and no narrative whether fact or fiction to sit on library shelves for posterity

By Ajita Kadirgamar This article is written on the occasion of Lakshman Kadirgamar’s 91st birth anniversary which falls on 12 April. With every year that passes and every person in their nineties that departs this earth, we lose precious memories and stories of times gone by. This was made painfully clear to me with the …

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“Despite differences in political affiliation, ethnicity and religion, a fresh beginning is imperative to create a brighter future for us and our nation, in this New Year.”-President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his April New Year Message

(Text of Press Release with President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Message for the April 2023 New Year) The dawn of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year subsequent to the transition of the Sun from the house of Pisces to Aries, is considered as an extremely momentous occasion by the Sinhala and Tamil communities in the country. On …

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The Govt ought to abandon the Anti-Terrorism Bill (ATB) and formulate a new law with the help of all stakeholders to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) – “The Island”

(Text of Editorial Appearing in “The Island”of 13 April 2023 under the heading “It’s ATB, stupid”) Government politicians are blindly supporting the proposed anti-terrorism Bill (ATB), which has been put on hold. It is doubtful whether most of them have ever seen the ATB, much less read it. But Foreign Minister and former Justice Minister …

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SJV Chelvanayakam: Christian who Led the Predominantly Hindu  Tamils for Over 20 Years

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj     The first three  decades of  post-independence Sri Lanka known then  as Ceylon  witnessed a prolonged   struggle by the  Tamils to  have their lost rights restored and to  achieve political  equality through acceptable power sharing arrangements. This struggle was   conducted  within the ambit of democratic dissent.It’s singular hallmark was the adoption of …

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Clauses 10 and 11 of the 2023 Anti-Terrorism Bill are Clearly aimed at all media Including print, electronic and web-based.

By Kishali Pinto- Jayawardene If the Executive Presidency was foisted on Sri Lanka by her ‘Old Fox’ President, JR Jayawardene in 1978 tying the country’s constitutional systems up in knots that could not be entangled decades later by far lesser minds, the 2023 Anti-Terrorism Bill under the (parliamentary endorsed) Presidency of Ranil Wickremesinghe promises far …

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President Wickremesinghe States he is not in a rush to Take Opposition MPs into Govt as he has a Comfortable majority in the House; Ranil says Opposition MPs who want to Cross Over must do so voluntarily Without Expecting Portfolios in Return

By Jamila Husain President Ranil Wickremesinghe will contest the next Presidential Election and has hinted at a possible presidential poll to be held early next year, the Daily Mirror learns. In a meeting held with minority political party parliamentarians this week, Wickremesinghe informed them that he would contest as a presidential candidate and would call …

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Repealing the PTA is an urgent need. Unfortunately, the anti-terror law the Government intends as its replacement contains within it even greater potential for abuse.

By Tisaranee Gunasekara “The main obstacle to the creation of a well-informed public is its own indifference” – I.F. Stone: ‘The Best of I.F. Stone’ When the IMF deal came through, some presidential supporters turned silly and lit crackers. The IMF facility is no panacea. Nor is it the poisoned chalice of the Opposition’s fervid …

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Samagi Jana Balawegaya Leader Sajith Premadasa Meets Party MPs and Tells them that he has heard a group of MPs including Harsha de Silva are talking to the President and Urges them to Stay Together in the SJB

By Jamila Husain The opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya is in a quandary following the Daily Mirror article tilted “Sajith loses grip on a dying SJB?” which was published on April 4, 2023 in its newspaper and online platform. While MPs such as Harsha De Silva, Eran Wickremaratne and even Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa himself were …

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With IMF Boost, Ranil is Confident of Winning the 2024 Presidential Election

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Friday March 24 was the 74th birthday of Ranil Sriyan Wickremesinghe. The Sri Lankan president was born in Colombo on 24 March 1949. This Birthday would have been a delighful one for Ranil for two reasons. This is the first birthday he celebrated as the executive president of Sri Lanka. The other reason …

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Sajith Premadasa Tries Desperately to Keep Samagi Jana Balawegaya(SJB) Intact as many Party MPs Engage in Discussions With the Intention of Crossing Over to President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Government

By Jamila Husain In a desperate attempt to keep the main opposition – the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) alive, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa invited all SJB Parliamentarians to dinner at the Monarch Imperial in Battaramulla last evening in order to coax them into remaining in the party which is now on the verge of collapse. …

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Lasantha Wickrematunge: The Fearless Editor who Spoke Truth to Power

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj ( Former “Sunday Leader”Editor and my Friend Lasantha Wickrematunge was born on 5 April 1958. This article published in January 2023 is re-posted here to commemorate his 65th birth anniversary) Friends,Family members, colleagues, schoolmates and admirers of Lasantha Wickrematunge converged on Sunday January 8th at the Kanatte cemetery in Borella. . They gathered …

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Lester James Peries and the Double Gold Winning “Gamperaliya”

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (This Article published in May 2022 is re-posted here without any changes to denote the 104th Birth anniversary of my favourite Sinhala film Director Lester James Peries on 5 April 2023.) This column focuses this month on my favourite Sinhala film director Lester James Peries and his award winning film “Gamperaliya” . Lester’s …

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New Bill Signed Into Law by US President Joe Biden may Prevent Ex-Sri Lanka President Gota Rajapaksa from Returning to his Home in California

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Jeyaraj’s Jottings US President Joe Biden has signed into law the historic “Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act” giving the US Department of Justice (DOJ) jurisdiction to prosecute persons present in the U.S. for war crimes committed anywhere in the world regardless of the nationality of alleged perpetrator or victim. This law, …

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JVP led National Peoples Power Scents the Sweet Smell of Electoral Success.

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (Peoples Liberation Front)led Jathika Jana Balawegaya (National Peoples Power) has gone to courts seeking elections to local government bodies. A fundamental rights petition was filed in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka by Parliamentarian Dr.Harini Amarasuriya, former MP Sunil Hadunneththi and National Peoples Power (NPP) secretary Dr. Nihal Jayasinghe …

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If the Anti-Terrorism Bill passes the seal of Parliament as currently framed, Sri Lanka will pass from a de facto police state to a de jure police state. The political consensus must be to reject the Anti-Terrorism Bill wholesale.

By Kishali Pinto – Jayawardene Will the booing of Ministers by disgruntled voters run the risk of being classified as an ‘act of terrorism’ under the Anti-Terrorism Bill recently gazetted by the Sri Lankan Government? Clever Presidential sidestepping and public anger Can that be construed within the Bill’s prohibition of ‘wrongfully or unlawfully compelling’ the …

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Is Jaffna booming, blooming or busting is the question that arises in the minds of those familiar with Jaffna’s heritage, historical background, culture and socioeconomic development patterns.

By C.Narayanaswamy (The writer is formerly of the Ceylon Civil Service and Retired Senior Professional of the Asian Development Bank) The recent visit to Jaffna, after several years of forbidden travel due to the pandemic, provided an opportunity to revisit areas of interest and observe the changes, including positive and negative developments, in both the …

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“I had no power in Parliament. I had no MPs from my Party to call my own. Even though I had none of these, I had just one strength. This was my conviction that I was capable of rebuilding my country. I accepted the challenge with the conviction that even if I failed, the country would not.”- President Ranil Wickremesinghe

(Full Text of statement delivered by President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Parliament on 22 March 2023 following the agreement with the IMF. Press Release Issued by the Presidents Media Division on 22nd March 2023) I wish to officially inform this august Assembly that we have been able to secure the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) of the …

Continue reading ‘“I had no power in Parliament. I had no MPs from my Party to call my own. Even though I had none of these, I had just one strength. This was my conviction that I was capable of rebuilding my country. I accepted the challenge with the conviction that even if I failed, the country would not.”- President Ranil Wickremesinghe’ »

Rahul Gandhi Sentenced to Two Years Imprisonment and Granted Bail in Criminal Defamation case by Courts in Surat,Gujerat;Alleged to have said ““How come all the thieves have Modi as the common surname?” in 2019 Election Meeting

By Mahesh Langa Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was sentenced to two years imprisonment by a local court in Gujarat’s Surat on March 23, 3023, in a criminal defamation case filed against him over his remark on the “Modi surname” that he had allegedly made during campaigning for 2019 parliamentary polls. He was granted bail. The …

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“Brigadier” Theepan; Heroic Saga of a Northern Warrior

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) formed in May 1976, conducted a 33 year long armed struggle until May 2009 , to establish a separate state in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. Although the LTTE known as the “tiger organization ” was basically a guerilla outfit, it adopted positional warfare …

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From “Namo Namo” to “Sri Lanka Matha”: How Lanka’s National Anthem was Amended Due to Superstition.

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Sri Lanka is experiencing a tremendous economic crisis. Several knowledgeable persons describe the current period as the worst ever phase in the Island nation’s post-Independence history. Many acts of omission and commission are being faulted for this calamity. Mercifully none have blamed Lanka’s national anthem as the cause so far. This however was …

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Remembering Jaffna MP Yogeswaran who was Popular Among Tamil Youths.

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Many Sri Lankan political leaders have been assassinated by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) in the past. Several of these LTTE victims were known to me in my professional capacity as a journalist. Some of them had over the years become personal friends. I remember them all with sadness and feel their …

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The Fake News Fraud: Funds Collected in Europe Through Falsehood that Tiger Leader Prabhakaran, wife Madhivadhany and Daughter Duvaraka are alive and Require Cash Urgently.

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Members of a dozen Sri Lankan Tamil families gathered in the evening at the residence of a fellow Tamil in Switzerland in early November 2022. They had all been ardent sympathisers of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) when the tigers were militarily active in Sri Lanka. Most of them were from …

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The Royal-Thomian is here Again! Let the “Big Match”healing Begin.“We were so much younger then, and we can only be as young again on the three days in March when we attend the Royal Thomian.’

By Krishantha Prasad Cooray The season of big-matches is upon us. These cricket encounters are big for the respective schools, not for others. In fact as far as the particular schools are concerned they are huge. It’s THE event of the year. Today there are big-matches in all parts of Sri Lanka, so many that …

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Sri Lanka has debated the need to abolish the All Powerful executive presidency for decades but Country is yet to find a leader who is ready to renounce this power

By Meera Srinivasan The main ask — and the most popular chant — of the ‘Janatha Aragalaya’ [people’s struggle] witnessed in Sri Lanka last year was “Gota go home”. Scores of angry citizens, who took to the streets to protest acute shortages of essentials and long power cuts, squarely blamed the country’s most powerful leader …

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After decades of relentless agitations, and an armed struggle, Sri Lanka’s war-affected Tamil community in the north and east are still demanding justice, equality, and dignity. And the long-pending political solution remains elusive

By Meera Srinivasan Early February, a group of saffron-clad Buddhist monks gathered near the Sri Lankan Parliament and burnt a copy of the 13th Amendment. They were registering their rage and protest after President Ranil Wickremesinghe vowed to implement the law in full. He had told an all-party conference that it was his “responsibility” as …

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M.N.Nambiar : The Virtuous Villain of Tamil Cinema who Terrified People by his Grimaces and Scowls

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (Popular Tamil film actor M. N. Nambiar who excelled in playing “villain”roles on screen was born on March 7th 1919. This article appearing in the “Spotlight” cinema Column of the “Daily FT” on November 28th 2015 is being re-posted here with minor changes in the first paragraph to denote the 103rd birth anniversary …

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