By B.Raman The Indian media has reported last week the arrest of a suspected spy of an ISI officer posted in Colombo by the Tamil Nadu Police. Our media has stated as follows: “The arrest of Dhameem Anzari, the alleged spy nabbed while attempting to pass on sensitive information to the ISI in Colombo, has …
by Karu Jayasuriya M.P. The onslaught on this country’s democratic establishments and rule of law institutions by the incumbent regime, warrants attention and unreserved condemnation by all those who aspire to higher democratic standards.
The connecting of the Jaffna peninsula to the national electricity grid after a period of 25 years will take place today under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapakse.
Meera Udayakumar, wife of S P Udayakumar the leading activist of the anti-nuclear protests in Koodankulam, talks about her hopes and fears: “I meet him once every month. Since the past few months it has been like that. I would go to Idinthakarai with my two sons and meet him. I have commitments here. My …
Continue reading ‘Koodankulam is about India’s hopes- Meera Udayakumar’ »
By Thulasi Muttulingam Ernest Macintyre is one of the most famous names in Sri Lanka’s golden era of theatre but having emigrated to Australia in 1973 to provide a better education for his children, he might not be so familiar a name to the generations that have come after. Acting and directing plays since his …
Continue reading ‘Ernest Macintyre: Half a century of Theatre in Sri Lanka and Australia’ »
By Risidra Mendis The death of yet another victim of a crocodile attack, has once again brought to the surface, the human-crocodile conflict, and the need to introduce stringent measures to protect the large aquatic reptiles, whose population is rapidly diminishing in the country. Crocodiles are strictly protected under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance …
Continue reading ‘Coping with Human – Crocodile Conflict and Hosting Global Crocs Confab’ »
By Chackravarthy SLMC’s going with the government in the East is not a surprise. This order was written by the higher ups. Present day SLMC is a party where cadres and leaders think differently. While the former is prepared to shed blood for the party the latter is accused of looking for a cushy political …
Continue reading ‘Will the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress run into an Eastern storm?’ »
by Ajith Samaranayake (This article was first written to commemorate the 87th birthday of Hector Abhayavardhana and is reproduced from the “Daily News” of January 5th 2006 to honour the life and memory of the veteran LSSP theoretician who passed away yesterday) At the age of 87 today Hector Abhayavardhana is the last of the …
Continue reading ‘Hector Abhayavardhana: The wise elder of the Left’ »
by Jayantha Somasundaram If a man does not keep pace with his companions, Perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music that he hears, However measured or far away. – Henry Thoreau (1854) Last month the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP), the country’s oldest political movement, celebrated its …
Continue reading ‘Hector Abhayavardhana: The Internationalist’ »
by Dilrukshi Handunnetti The name Menik Farm, can only conjure up memories of one kind; of displacement, overcrowding, unhealthy conditions and even flooding. Three years after the war, and after multiple deadlines for its closure, the camp that grabbed international headlines will be finally empty this week. Recently returned IDPs meet with Ambassador Michelle J. …
By Vishnuguptha The process that started with the easy passage of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka, seems to continue without any break towards a certain death of democracy and freedom. The right to information is acknowledged as a universal right of each and every human being. Of all SAARC countries, only …
by MA Sumanthiran M.P. For many persons of Sri Lanka, survival is daily struggle. In Mullaitivu fishermen aren’t allowed to fish. In Kilinochchi, homemakers and housewives are displaced from their homes and houses; In Kanguveli farmers are denied access to their farms. Rally on Aug 23, 2012: pic courtesy of: VikalpaSL It is easy to …
By a staff writer The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) yesterday passed two strong resolutions. One resolution condemned interference in the work of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), Bar Association President Wijedasa Rajapakshe said.
The death occurred yesterday of Mr. Hector Abhayawardhana, a founder member of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party and perhaps the last of the party’s old guard from its glory days. He was over 90-years old at the time of his death but was in command of his faculties almost to the end of his life. …
Continue reading ‘Veteran LSSP Theoretician Hector Abhayawardhana Passes Away’ »
by Raja Senanayake The official language refers to the language in which records are maintained in official records. British colonial rulers used English as the Official Language, and Court proceedings were recorded in English even when witnesses spoke in Sinhala and Tamil. Lawyers too spoke in English. It was the same in government offices – …
Continue reading ‘Sinhalese Politicians Oppose Devolution For Fear of Losing Power and Control’ »
By Waruna Rajapaksha After the prolonged nationalist war the reality confronting the masses from all national communities should be explored carefully. ‘Stop Disappearances and Abductions’ ~ [International day against disappearances] ~ in Vavuniya – 2012 August 30, Organized by-Committee for Investigation of the Disappeared- pic: courtesy of: VikalpaSL The Rajapaksa regime manipulates the so-called victory …
by Kishali Pinto Jayewardene D0ictators do not believe in half hearted measures. This is an essential lesson that Sri Lanka is now learning at a painful cost. Lawyers protest against white van abductions in the court premises-Feb 2012-pic: courtesy: VikalpaSL We were immeasurably too ignorant, too consumed by self interest or too stubborn to realize …
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “…they were cunning, ignorant and cruel like old beasts of prey and…if we let ourselves be overcome by fear or piety, they would finally destroy us”. – Jose Luis Borges (Ragnarök) The king can do no wrong’ was a foundational premise of absolute monarchy. The Rajapaksas have taken this anti-democratic concept to …
by Gamini Weerakoon Groucho Marx an outstanding comedian for about four decades of the last Century described ‘Military Intelligence’ as a ‘contradiction in terms’. Groucho’s perception can be appreciated. In his time the gentlemen in khaki were not considered to be blessed with much intelligence. And those with intelligence – ‘nerds’ as we call them …
by Gnana Moonesinghe I accepted the invitation from Sri Lanka Unites to participate at the Fourth Season of the Future Leader’s Conference to be held in Jaffna with interest but without any notion of what course the meeting on reconciliation will take. That it turned out to be an invigorating experience, an event that made …
by Randima Attygalle “There is no friend as loyal as a book.” -Ernest Hemingway Colombo International Book Fair 2012, Sri Lanka’s premier and best attended consumer fair marked its 14th milestone last week, with crowds flocking to BMICH. Spearheaded by Sri Lanka Book Publisher’s Association in 1999, the Fair has grown into a much sought …
Continue reading ‘Colombo International Book Fair 2012 Underway at BMICH with over 400 Stalls’ »
by Kamani Hettiarachchi Despite several political upheavals the government last week managed to appoint the new chief minister to the Eastern Province, Abdul Majeed Mohammed who polled 11726 preference votes contesting under the UPFA banner in the Trincomalee district. He also created history in the annals of the PC polls in Sri Lanka by becoming …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj Mohamed Najeeb Abdul Majeed made history when he was sworn in as the chief minister of the Eastern Provincial council before President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday September 18th 2012. After the swearing in ceremony at “Temple Trees” , Najib as he is generally known has become not only the first Muslim chief …
By Uditha Jayasinghe The Government has leased the iconic Transworks House land to India’s Krrish Group for 99 years at $ 49 million, whilst the $ 450 million mega project is slated to be completed by 2014. The land encompasses the Transworks House, a colonial building that once housed the former Public Works Department (PWD). …
In clear signs that Sri Lanka’s trade with India is set to grow further and recent noise about Sri Lanka in Tamil Nadu has almost no impact on the surging Business-to-Business (B2B) linkages, a 45-member strong biz delegation led by S. Rethinavelu, Senior President of the Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industries (TCCI) is …
by Sandeep Dikshit With Sri Lanka’s human rights record coming up for review towards the end of the year, India believes that Colombo should accept the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) as a credible interlocutor and get down to discussing a road map for political devolution of powers as this will send a positive signal world-wide …
By Salma Yusuf The release of the publication titled Faithing the Native Soil: Dilemmas and Aspirations of Postcolonial Buddhists and Christians in Sri Lanka, authored by Dr. Shanthikumar Hettiarachchi, specialist in religion, conflict and community engagement, is timely for its potential contribution to the ensuing discourse on post–war reconciliation in Sri Lanka.
by Vishnuguptha Could we envision a country that is devoid of racial discrimination, where each citizen is judged, in the immortal words of Martin Luther King Jr., “not by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character”? Can we envision a nation that is free of racial prejudice and ‘white vans’ …
Continue reading ‘Could we Envision a Country That is Devoid of Racial Discrimination?’ »
By G. Ananthapadmanabhan On 24 January 2010, Prageeth Eknaligoda, journalist, cartoonist, father of two, stepped out of his office near Colombo. Prageeth had been actively reporting on the country’s forthcoming Presidential Election. The previous week, he had done a comparative analysis of the two main presidential candidates, coming out in favour of the opposition candidate, …
Continue reading ‘India Despite its Dubious Human Rights Record Must Exert Pressure on Sri Lanka’ »
by Sanjeewa Ranaweera During the 90s, I was a boarder at the Royal College Hostel. We, the hostellers were supposed to shift dormitories annually. And once, I was in the dormitory called ‘Galoya – III’. (Yes, all our dormitories were given the names of these well-known water reservation projects – Victoria, Kotmale, etc. And I …
by S.Dorairaj In his literary career spanning six decades, Dhandapani Jayakanthan, ‘JK’ to his friends and comrades, has won acclaim for wielding his pen against social injustices and economic inequality. An inimitable orator, committed film-maker, accomplished journalist and fearless activist besides being an outstanding writer, he has never hesitated to join hands with the votaries …
Continue reading ‘An Interview with ‘JK’ Jayakanthan the Award-winning Tamil writer’ »
By Thulasi Muttulingam The peninsula of Jaffna is famous for its unique and flavourful cooking. The cooking style is heavily influenced by the neighbouring regions of Kerala and Tamil Nadu but there are a few items considered to be uniquely Yarlpaanum; savouries made from the palmyrah fruit such as Panangai Paniyaarum being one example. Here …
Continue reading ‘Jaffna Titbits: Pt.Pedro Thattai Vadai and Panangaaip Paniyaaram’ »
by Taylor Dibbert Barack Obama inherited a mess, but his presidency has been, by most historical standards, a massive disappointment. Obama has had some foreign-policy successes, but most Americans could not care less about foreign policy. Besides, he has alienated the left-wing of his party by perpetuating (and even expanding upon) many of the counterterrorism …
Continue reading ‘Some Thoughts on a Frustrating Presidential Race’ »
OneIndia: What can India ideally do to force the Sri Lankan government in the process of reconciliation of the Tamils? Irrespective of the Tamil politicians’ fury, the fact is that Sri Lanka is an independent country and we have already paid a price of intervening in the late 1980s and early 1990s. India can only …
(Text of Press communique Issued by the TNA) A delegation of the Tamil National Alliance met with Mr Hanny Megally, Chief, Asia, Pacific, Middle East and North Africa Branch, Field Operations and Technical Cooperation Division of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and his team of officials on 20th September …
Continue reading ‘Tamil National Alliance Briefs Visiting UN Human Rights Team’ »
by P S Suryanarayana Abstract The real storyline of the Chinese State Councillor and Defence Minister’s latest talks withIndian leaders in New Delhi is in the timing and the broad-based themes of his visit to India –the first in eight years by a military dignitary in his position.
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias “Pillaiyan” who served as Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council from 2008 to 2012 is now obstructing the appointment of a Tamil provincial minister in the envisaged administration of new Eastern Chief minister Najeeb Abdul Majeed. Although Pillaiyan expected to be chief minister again and was disappointed, the ex-chief …
Continue reading ‘Puerile Pillaiyan Blocking Tamil Provincial Minister Appointment for East’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj United Peoples Freedom Alliance(UPFA) national list MP Kamala Ranatunga is to be “requested” to resign her seat “willingly” by the Rajapaksa Government in order to fill the vacancy created with Former Eastern province parliamentarian and recently elected Provincial Councillor SMM Ameer Ali. This move is being enacted in a bid to appease two …
by Charitha Ratwatte The Government has gazetted a Bill, on 27 July 2012, to set up a Divi Neguma Department, which will take over the existing Samurdhi Authority, the Southern Development Authority and the Udarata Development Authority (successor to the Kandyan Peasantry Commission). The Bill will also set up a Divi Neguma Community Based Organisation, …
by Dharisha Bastians The Silvas are at it again. A week dominated by news of political brats on the rampage once more, this time directing their rage at an Army Major, ended with the soldier recanting his story and the two main suspects in remand being transferred to prison hospital on “medical” advice.
By Kath Noble Mahinda Rajapaksa must really love elections. Since he came to power, at least some part of the country has gone to the polls almost every year, sometimes more than once. We had local and provincial council elections in both 2008 and 2009, parliamentary and presidential elections in 2010, more local elections in …
Niromi de Soyza Speaks to Shanika Sriyananda “We had lost our footwear in previous skirmishes; but we still had our ‘kuppies’, the cyanide capsules we wore around our necks. We were better prepared for death than for life.” This is what a 17-year-old child soldier holding the AK-47 thought to herself while moving forward to …
Continue reading ‘“War Doesent Determine Who is Right -Only Who is Left”’ »
By Fr JC Pieris Like the low black monsoon clouds heavy with unshed rain ominously raising a dark fearful mood is the state of mind of the normal, good and decent citizens of Sri Lanka who are depressed and infected with discontent, discouragement and the frustration of helplessness with the disgusting situation in the country. …
by K S Sivakumaran Writers in Tamil in Lanka include Tamils, Muslims, and Malays. They are from different parts of the island. One such place is Mannar in the Northern Province. Almost an icon in the area and a widely known writer, poet, journalist and critic is Kalai Vaathi Kaleel. He hails from a traditional …
Continue reading ‘“Kalai Vathi” Kaleel : A versatile Muslim Writer from Mannar’ »
by Dr. S. P. Udayakumar Ph D Just like a hapless wife brutally assaulted by her male chauvinistic and drunken husband, like an innocent little child beaten up by his abusive parent, our honest, hardworking, and pious people have been violated, their possessions vandalized, their 400-day long nonviolent movement vilified. By our own government! By …
Continue reading ‘The Global Nuclear Mafia Sees our People as Their Sworn Enemies’ »
by Col R Hariharan (Retd.) Al Qaeda in Yemen has asked Muslims to step up their protests and kill more U.S. diplomats after the U.S. ambassador to Libya was killed when violent anti-U.S. protestors attacked the U.S. embassy in Benghazi. In a significant statement, the Libyan Prime Minister has said the attack on the U.S. …
Continue reading ‘Use of social media for “war by other means”’ »
By Col R Hariharan Post Conflict Sri Lanka: Rebuilding of the Society Edited by VR Raghavan Vij Books, New Delhi, 2012, pp 194, Rs 850 Sri Lanka army ended 25 years of Tamil separatist insurgency on May 19, 2009 when it defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). But the victory in what the …
(Text of a press communique issued by the Tamil National Alliance) Following on an invitation from Mr Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the President to the TNA leader Mr. R Sampanthan on the night of 1th September 2012, for a meeting at the Presidents House on 18th morning, a mee ting took place between the President …
by Sachin Jayawickreme (The writer is the elder brother of Rehan Wijeratne-Jayawickreme who is at the centre of the controversy regarding the assault on an Army Major outside the JAIC Hilton.) First of all I must say that I was indeed surprised when I read the Sunday papers early this morning. I was expecting a …
by Sachin Jayawickreme (The writer is the elder brother of Rehan Wijeratne-Jayawickreme who is at the centre of the controversy regarding the assault on an Army Major outside the JAIC Hilton.) First of all I must say that I was indeed surprised when I read the Sunday papers early this morning. I was expecting a …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj President Rajapaksa Finalises Eastern Provincial Matters Amidst Deep Muslim Party Discontent The prickly issue of forming a new administration for the Eastern Provincial council was finally resolved by the direct intervention of Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa after a high level meeting held at “Temple Trees” in Colombo on September 17th. President Rajapaksa …
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By Salma Yusuf The race to the Whitehouse has begun. With the conventions concluded, attention is turning to the upcoming debates. It is less than two months until Election Day, November 6. Thus far the quality of the discourse has been disappointing as the major party candidates have seemed to focus much of their efforts …
By Radhieka Peeris “Ganga addara ma sihil senehi sanahi…” an all time favourite hit song from the 1980 Sinhala classic movie Ganga Addara starts playing in the background. Vijaya Kumaranathunga comes to mind on the banks of the Kelani river, balancing on his left palm a miniature boat made of dried leaves, extending it towards …
Continue reading ‘Sumitra Peries Celebrates her Fiftieth Year in Sinhala Cinema’ »
By Anukshi Jayasinha When Jacqueline Fernandez won the title of Miss Sri Lanka Universe in 2006, Sri Lankans across the island knew she would somehow bring fame and success to our tiny island. Unlike former beauty queens who went on to win titles only to retire in obscurity a few years later, Fernandez, popularly known …
Continue reading ‘Dazzling Lankan Beauty Jacqueline Fernandez Shines in Hindi Cinema’ »
by Sir Alan Haselhurst (Text of the he Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecutre 2012 delivered by Sir Alan Haselhurst M. P. Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Executive Committee on 12th September 2012 at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute) It was a huge surprise, but a great honour to be invited to deliver the sixth Lakshman …
by P S Suryanarayana Abstract The X-factor that makes China view India more seriously now than at any time before is the rising interest in both Washington and New Delhi for reciprocal defence cooperation. There is,of course, no direct evidence, at the official levels, to suggest that the United States and India have already begun …
Continue reading ‘X-Factor in Sino-Indian Detente and Deterrence’ »
by Rex Clementine Sri Lanka’s struggles to gain Test status were many, but since becoming full members of the ICC in 1981, the three decade period has been an eventful one. Sri Lanka became World Champions in ODI cricket in 1996 and on four other occasions reached finals of various ICC events, once ending joint-champions …
Continue reading ‘Kumar Sangakkara’s Secret of Success: ‘Work,Work and More Work’’ »
by B.Kolappan Thyagaraja Vilas, the house of the grand old man of Tamil literature (Tamil Thaatha), U.V. Swaminatha Iyer, and one of the city’s landmarks, will soon disappear. The descendants of Iyer have reportedly sold the property at Thiruvatteeswaranpet and the buyer is demolishing the house. The inner walls have been brought down. Nameboards bearing …
by Kishali Pinto Jayewardene It is a profound paradox of sorts that while Sri Lankans fight to save a hapless Sri Lankan housemaid from public execution in Saudi Arabia, this government itself is readying the hangman’s noose for implementation of the death penalty after more than two and a half decades of being a de …
Continue reading ‘Activation of the Death Penalty is no Solution to Our Problems’ »
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “And the people bowed and prayed, To the neon god they made” Simon and Garfunkel (The Sound of Silence) How more blatant can it get? President Mahinda Rajapaksa had reportedly wanted a special exposition of Kapilawastu-relics at Temple Trees. ‘Relic diplomacy’ is a standard weapon in the arsenal of those in possession …
by M.A. Sumanthiran MP The Tamil People of this country have one big complaint. They’ve had it for over sixty years. The ‘democracy’ that is practised in this country since ‘independence’ in 1948 is nothing but majoritarianism. When the colonial masters left, we were handed over to the Sinhalese to rule over us. Not even …
Continue reading ‘Skewed Democracy Enables Defeated UPFA to Form Govt in the East’ »
by Tisaranee Gunasekara “What sheer unfeeling idiocy”. Rolf Hochhuth (The Deputy) In Sri Lanka ‘War Hero’ reigns supreme; he is feted and honoured, loved and respected, invoked and venerated. In the abstract! In the concrete, flesh and blood war heroes plant grass and pull weeds, sweep sidewalks and carry garbage, build and maintain exercise tracks …
by Namini Wijedasa A top US official passed through Sri Lanka last week with a fresh dose of pressure on everything from the business environment and elections to accountability and demilitarization. Significantly, this is US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake’s last visit to Sri Lanka before the US presidential election. An observer of US-Sri …
Continue reading ‘Blake Visit Shows Continuing Concern of US About Sri Lanka’ »
by Ahilan Kadirgamar With the university teachers on strike for over two months, what has been most impressive about this struggle is its national character and independence from party politics. The public debate created by the breadth and commitment of this struggle provides great hope for rethinking our political culture and people’s participation in shaping …
Continue reading ‘FUTA Strike Action and Trade Unionism at Jaffna University’ »
by Frederica Jansz Rehan Wijeratne was the first to arrive at Apartment 15/03 at the JAIC Hilton on Saturday September 8. The time was around 6 p.m. The apartment had been rented for a day by his best friend and buddy Malaka Silva. The two boys have told their friends that they had done so …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The Tamil National Alliance(TNA) which won eleven seats in the recently concluded elections to the Eastern Provincial Council is currently facing a serious crisis of a bizarre nature. The premier political formation of the Sri Lankan Tamils that garnered almost 90 % of the Tamil votes in the East has to now cope …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj While parties such as the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal(TMVP), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC)and the All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC) want to gain the chief ministership of the Eastern Provincial Council, the United Peoples Freedom Alliance(UPFA)led Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa seems to have chosen Najeeb Abdul Majeed from Kinniya in Trincomalee …
(London, September 15, 2012) – The United Kingdom should immediately suspend deportations to Sri Lanka of ethnic Tamils with real or imputed links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) or who have engaged in activities the Sri Lankan authorities might view as anti-government, Human Rights Watch said today. The next scheduled deportation of …
An Interview with Hirunika Premachandra by Hafeel Farisz Q:There were many “pretty faces” that spoke on different issues with the same venom that you have in the recent past like for instance Anarkalee, Upeksha, Malini Fonseka etc. What makes you different from the rest? Do you have anything beyond a “pretty face”? All of them …
by Mike Andree When Giuseppe Verdi wrote the lyrics and composed the music of ‘la donna è mobile’, for his opera ‘Rigoletteo’ and it was sung by the famous ‘Raffaele Mirate’, it became an instant hit. The very next day, the whole of Venice, including the gondola boatmen and thereafter the whole of Europe, was …
by Navamalar Kanagasuntherie Jaffna Holy Family Convent alumni from around the world are on their way to Sri Lanka to celebrate their alma mater’s sesquicentennial in October this year Starting with a dinner in Colombo on the 21st of October, hosted by the Colombo Branch of the School’s Past Pupils Association the celebrations will move …
Continue reading ‘Jaffna Holy Family Convent Celebrates sesquicentennial in October’ »
by Risidra Mendis A study conducted by the Joint Secretary of the Ceylon Bird Club (CBC), Kithsiri Gunawardana, on ground nesting Terns at the Adams Bridge Islands in Mannar, has revealed that many species are breeding and producing young successfully. The Adams Bridge Islands and Thalaimannar have become a breeding ground for a wide variety …
Continue reading ‘Ground-Nesting Terns in Mannar are Breeding and Producing Young Successfully’ »
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Sinhala and Tamil are Constitutionally recognized as Official languages in Sri Lanka but there are many miles to go before Tamil achieves parity of status with Sinhala in the Island. While the necessary legislation for language equality exists on paper and has been accepted by all shades of political opinion in Sri …
Continue reading ‘Equality of Languages to be Enforced on Currency Notes and Pharmaceuticals’ »
By Jagath Gunawardana To many in Sri Lanka, bird watching denotes a long excursion to a far-off location to observe some unusual, illusive and rare birds. But, unknown by many is that all areas of the country, including busy and urbanized cities, still support a lot of wildlife, especially birds. This situation is even true …
Continue reading ‘Birdwatching in an Urban Environment is Possible’ »
By Pranay Sharma The Road To Antipathy -August 13: DMK-sponsored TESO conference in support of Tamil minority in Sri Lanka held in Chennai -Sept 2: AIADMK leader and state chief minister Jayalalitha ask Sri Lankan football teams to leave TN -September 3: Sri Lanka issues travel advisory, asks its nationals to stay away from Tamil …
Continue reading ‘Anti Sri Lanka Wave in Tamil Nadu is Born of New Political Compulsions’ »
by Dharisha Bastians On Friday (7) afternoon, the eve of provincial council elections in three provinces, a certain gathering took place at 101, Rosmead Place, which houses the corporate offices of Democratic National Alliance (DNA) National List Parliamentarian, Tiran Alles. Consultations that lasted for hours, took place between Alles and UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa …
Continue reading ‘Political pickles and quicksilver fortunes’ »
by Madhulika Gautama Sri Lankan artiste Ashanti has a string of sobriquets attached to her name. She is affectionately called the ‘Darling of Sri Lankan Music”; sometimes more formally “The Queen of Sri Lankan Hip Hop”. But none impress as much as her distinction of being the youngest and only female artiste from the island …
By S.S. Selvanayagam The legal battle between Ceylon Biscuits Ltd, the manufacturer of the ‘Munchee’ brand of biscuits, and biscuit titan Maliban Biscuit Manufactories Ltd. has been amicably settled. The settlement was arrived at as the Defendant Maliban Biscuit Manufactories agreed to change its trade dress, which the Plaintiff Ceylon Biscuits Ltd. alleged had been …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) which has the power to determine which political formation could form a viable administration in the Eastern Provincial Council is yet to arrive at a decision formally. However informed sources revealed that unofficial discussions are currently on between the party and Government circles and that the …
By M. S. Shah Jahan writing from Tamilnadu Is Tamilnadu hostile to Lankan visitors? No not at all! It is only a splinter group known as Eelamists do involve in such activities to gain publicity. Politically this group including the ardent Tiger supporter, Vaiko’s MDMK has no strength in the state even to save deposit …
by C.N.Annadurai (Former Tamil Nadu Chief minister “Arignar” C.N.Annadurai, M.A. Delivered his first English Speech over the All India Radio on Bharathi:THE PEOPLE’S POET” in the Year 1948. The text of that speech is posted here to commemorate the 91st death anniversary of the bard on September 11th) Mandolin Instrumental ~ Bharathiyar Song ~ Kaaikkai …
Continue reading ‘Subramania Bharathiyar: The People’s Poet’ »
by Camelia Nathaniel Local election monitoring bodies Sunday ruled the Provincial Council Elections in the North Central, Eastern and Sabaragamuwa Provinces as neither free nor fair. Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE), People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) and the Network for Election Monitoring of Intellectuals for Human Rights (NEM-IHR), at the …
by Mahinda Rajapaksa (Text of address by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the 58th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Colombo on September 11th 2012) As the current Vice Patron of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, I am pleased to welcome all delegates to this 58th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Colombo and honoured to address you on this occasion.
By Salma Yusuf Walking into the auditorium of Jaffna College Vaddukodai last week was not overwhelming as a sea of smiling faces came way. Rather, what instantly struck us was the effervescence that filled the air in a room of nearly 500 youth from all ethnic and religious communities, who had come together from the …
Video Interviews from FUTA Citizen Channel Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri explaining why arbitration is unacceptable in resolving the issues regarding the FUTA trade union action and the main decisions of the FUTA executive committee meeting held on the 11th of September 2012:
by Leena Manimekalai One has no options but to be aghast of the fact that even after 64 years of Independence and a 30-year civil war, there is negligible devolution of power to the Tamils under a rigid unitary constitution of Sri Lanka. Even after the horrendous genocide committed by the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, which …
by Pritish Nandy Middle class India has few heroes. Once in a while we find someone. But even before he can settle in, we are disenchanted. Either he fails to live up to our high expectations after the first burst of success, like those guys who win crores on KBC and then vanish into the …
By Gagani Weerakoon Aggrieved Sri Lankan Tamil parents, whose children have been forcibly taken away by Norwegian Child Welfare Authorities and placed in foster care, are planning to launch a hunger strike, taking their campaign for justice and to get back their children, to the next level and create a broader global awareness about the …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias “Pillaiyan” is likely to be appointed as Chief Minister of the Eastern Province for the second time if the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance(UPFA)forms the Eastern Provincial Council Administration again. Chandrakanthan alias Pillaiyan is the head of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalaigap Puligal(TMVP)which is a faction that broke away from …
Continue reading ‘‘Pillaiyan’ may become Eastern Province Chief Minister for the second time’ »
by Col R Hariharan Chinese defence minister’s visit to Sri Lanka: an Indian perspective China’s Defence Minister General Liang Guanglie’s visited Sri Lanka for five days from August 29, 2012. The first-ever visit by a Chinese defence minister to Sri Lanka with an entourage of 23 members indicates the ever increasing Chinese interest in the …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Chairman & 2 Ministers – TNA; Chief Minister & 1 minister – SLMC ; 1 Minister – UNP The Tamil National Alliance(TNA)which contested the Eastern Provincial Council elections under the House symbol of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi(ITAK) has initiated moves to form the Eastern provincial administration despite the party coming second …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj Jaffna described as the cultural capital of the Sri Lankan Tamils has for decades been a war affected region. The absence of military conflict in recent times has afforded an opportunity for the ravaged people to re-build their battered lives. Many hands of concern and amity have been extended in friendship towards …
Continue reading ‘Post-War Jaffna Children Feel The Healing Touch of Music’ »
Sri Lanka cricket legends Mahela Jayawardena and Kumar Sangakkara launched the 2012 Murali Harmony Cup on Saturday by opening the newly-built IODR Oval in the previously war-affected northern town of Oddusuddan in Mullaitivu Province. The school cricket ground is the flagship venue of the 20-team reconciliation tournament staged to promote community-building and friendship in post-war …
Continue reading ‘Murali Harmony Cup Cricket Tournament in the North launched by Mahela and Sanga’ »
by M.A Sumanthiran .M.P. A Protest rightly understood is a form of mass communication with the intent to persuade policy change. The freedom to protest is characteristic of a healthy democratic society. It is a safeguard mechanism for the rights of the marginalized. Bertrand Russell argued that the most salient facts in a nationally contested …
Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka: Noisily Divided House is Waking up its Neighbours’ »
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “We were given a King; Come, Rally, All as One.” (UPFA Propaganda Song) Last week Sri Lanka won her first Paralympic Medal. Sooner, or later, the credit for that triumph would be laid at some Rajapaksa-door, though Lankan Paralympic-entrants were left to fend for themselves even more than Lankan Olympic-entrants. As the …
Continue reading ‘The Myth of a Rajapaksa Family of Supermen’ »
by Leon Berenger The travel industry is feeling the crunch of the government’s ban on pilgrim tours to Tamil Nadu where scores of pilgrims have been stoned by mobs. Indian media reports have accused supporters of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Jeyalalithaa Jeyaram, who is spearheading an anti-Sri Lanka campaign of carrying out the attacks. However, …
Continue reading ‘Travel Industry Feels Crunch of Govt Ban on Pilgrim Tours to Tamil Nadu’ »
by C.A.Chandraprema As the provincial election campaign came to a close, the incident where some Sri Lankan pilgrims were attacked by Tamil extremists in Tamil Nadu overshadowed everything else. The election was completely forgotten due to this incident.
By L.C. Arulpragasam This article deals with the patterns, problems and some stories of Sri Lankan immigration into Italy during the period 1970 to 2000. Although it focuses on immigration into Italy, the problems discussed are common to most “new” countries of immigration. The latter are the non-English speaking countries, which have become Sri Lankan’s …
Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Immigration to Italy: Reflections and Anecdotes’ »
by Dr A.C.Visvalingam, President, CIMOGG The composition of the population of Sri Lanka is such that no one can ordinarily become its predominant leader unless he happens to be a Sinhala Buddhist. Needless to say, the leader would make his own assessment of the stance that most Sinhala Buddhists would be likely to take in …
By Vishnuguptha “Voting is the most precious right of every citizen, and we have a moral obligation to ensure the integrity of our voting process.” -Hillary Clinton Voting for Provincial Council elections in Eastern, Sabaragamuwa and North Central Provinces are scheduled to begin in 24 hours. Voters in these Provinces will walk and line up …
By P.K. Balachandran The Munneswaram Kovil in Chilaw is presently at the centre of a controversy over animal sacrifice. Although animal rights activists are among those, who are fighting for the end of this practice, the opposition voiced by the standard bearers of Sinhala-Buddhism like the Janthika Hela Urumaya (JHU), a section of Buddhist monks, …
Continue reading ‘Munneswaram in Chilaw: Heritage of Ethno-Religious Harmony and Plural Worship’ »
By A.D. Ranjith Kumara The movie Outcasts of the Islands was a 1951 film directed by British filmmaker Carol Reed based on a novel by Joseph Conrad. It was shot on location in Ceylon in 1950, and premiered on January 2, 1952. It also went into the annals as the first British movie that was …
Continue reading ‘Ranjana Thangaraja who Danced in the Carol Reed Film “Outcasts of the Islands”’ »
by Kishali Pinto Jayewardene Making an extraordinarily acute observation, veteran broadcaster and scriptwriter Tilak Jayaratne who passed away this week after battling a killer disease with characteristic courage, pointed out in a telephone conversation with me on the phone barely two months ago that there was little point in ‘grumbling about bad political leaders or …
Continue reading ‘Tilak Jayaratne: Indomitable Broadcaster with a Stubborn Conscience’ »
By Ayesha Zuhair It was the most high-profile diplomatic gathering in Iran since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. As leaders from 120 non-aligned nations converged in Tehran for the 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) they were defying calls from both the US and Israel to shun the event. It was a turning point …
Continue reading ‘Tehran NAM summit a Turning Point for Iran and all Third World Nations’ »
by Rajavarothayam Sampanthan (Text of letter sent by TNA leader R.Sampanthan to President Mahinda Rajapaksa) R.Sampanthan, Member of Parliament, Trincomalee. President, Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (I.T.A.K.) Parliamentary Group Leader, Tamil National Alliance (T.N.A.) 176, Customs Road, Trincomalee. 5th September 2012. His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapakse, President, Democratic Socialistic Republic of Sri Lanka, Presidential Secretariat, Colombo. …
by Reemus Fernando Soldier Pradeep Sanjaya proved his coach Jansz Dissanayake’s prediction right, when he won the bronze medal in the T46 400 metres at the 2012 Paralympics in London on Wednesday, to become the country’s first Paralympics medalist. There were many doubters, when Jansz predicted that his unassuming protege would be a prospect at …
by Meena Kandasamy A visiting football team sends out the superficial message: all is well in Sri Lanka. It does not reveal that 4,000 university teachers have been striking for the past two months demanding better wages and greater spending on education, or that the government ordered the closure of all universities last week. It …
We the undersigned are aghast and anguished by the recent decision of the government of Tamil Nadu, acting on the Chief Minister’s orders, to send back two sports teams from Sri Lanka that were in Chennai to play matches against local school teams. Two days after the Chief Minister issued her orders, members of a …
By Chitra Weerarathne The Court of Appeal yesterday committed Cabinet Minister Rishad Bathiudeen to stand trial on Contempt of Court charges following his pleading not guilty. Trial was fixed for February 13, 2013. Bathiudeen has been charged on three counts. The first charge is telephoning Mannar Magistrate Anthony Judeson on July 17, 2012 and attempting …
by Dr.M.A.Mohamed Saleem “You are with us or against us” and many other slogans President Bush used after 9/11 to force an alliance. In the forthcoming local elections, The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) position is better described as ‘with you and also against you.’ The SLMC joined the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) to …
Continue reading ‘Muslim Congress Assumes People can be Fooled All the Time’ »
by Kath Noble The government has been trumpeting its success in resettling IDPs to all and sundry of late. Hardly a week goes by without some reference to the official statistics, which indicate that at the end of July there were only 5,443 people remaining at Manik Farm, while another 7,329 were staying in welfare …