(London, February 1, 2013) – The Sri Lankan government continued its assault on civil society and failed to take meaningful steps towards accountability for war crimes during the country’s armed conflict that ended in 2009, Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2013 released today. In its 665-page report, Human Rights Watch assessed progress …
By Dharisha Bastians Former Chief Justice of India Jagdish Sharan Verma will arrive in Colombo today(feb 1st), leading a high-level international fact-finding mission that will study the impeachment of Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, Daily FT learns. The delegation has been commissioned by the International Bar Association and will include a member of the House of …
By Chamitha Kuruppu Human rights violations have been part of this country’s history particularly in recent times, says Minister of National Languages, Ethnic Affairs and Social Integration Vasudeva Nanayakkara. The Minister pointed out that the West targets countries like ours citing concern about human rights violations while turning a blind eye to what is going …
By Uditha Jayasinghe The Government is confident of India’s support in facing a second US-backed resolution despite the powerful neighbour voting against it in the first round last year and is resolute it will not affect foreign investment. Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was insistent that India would side with Sri Lanka despite Indian media reports …
By A Special Correspondent Making her position public for the first time on the row over Vishwaroopam, a film made by Kamal Haasan, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Thursday said the decks could be cleared for the screening of the movie if leaders of Muslim organisations and the actor arrived at an amicable agreement …
By Karthik Subramanian Rajkamal Films International, Kamal Haasan’s production house, and the primary opposition to the film Vishwaroopam – the Federation of Tamil Nadu Muslims Social and Political Organisation and the Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamaath – have agreed to sit and negotiate terms for the release of the movie. Both sides have requested the State …
By Shoumojit Banerjee Thanking Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa for offering to break the impasse over the release of his film Vishwaroopam, actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan on Thursday virtually ruled out moving the Supreme Court on revoking the Madras High Court order that stayed the film’s release. “I thank the Chief Minister. I am grateful to …
By Gibson Bateman So it looks like the US will bring another resolution on Sri Lanka at the next session of the UN’s Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva this March. Quite frankly – I am shocked. US foreign policy as it relates to Sri Lanka has been confusing and is replete with complications and …
By Tisaranee Gunasekara – “…a regime of rare destructiveness”. Michael Burleigh (The Third Reich: A New History) Constitutions cannot resist tyranny. People do; or don’t. Preventing the formation of a critical-mass capable of resisting the Rajapaksa- Behemoth would be of paramount importance for the Ruling Siblings. An opposition which unites Lankans across ethno-religious/class-caste divides would …
By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka However bad things are in Sri Lanka today and however bad things may get, there is almost nothing that cannot be reversed in three years when elections come around. That election may however be the last chance at reversal of the negative aspects, preventing their cumulative growth from embryonic structure to stable …
By P.K. Balachandran The US$ 272 million (Rs 34.4 billion) Indian Government project to build 50,000 houses for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, and for plantation workers of Indian origin in the Central and Uva Provinces, is proceeding apace with the Indian authorities confident of completing the task by 2 …
By Anishka Perera My family and I have come from Australia for a holiday and we paid a visit to your zoo. From a tourist’spoint of view, I thought it was my duty to advise you to fix some major problems. I am writing this letter of complaint to express my grievance at the condition …
Continue reading ‘Animals are not Happy due to Appalling Condition of Dehiwela Zoo’ »
By Dharisha Bastians “I received information from a third party. Either myself or the Government does not know anything about Eknaligoda – it is only God who knows” – Former Attorney General Mohan Peiris, in a statement before the Homagama Magistrate on 5 June 2012 On Tuesday, 29 January 2013, three years and five days …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj It was in January 2006 that some employees of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) were abducted and later killed by members of the breakaway faction of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) led by Vinayagamoorthy Muraleetharan alias Karuna. While the Karuna faction later became known as the Tamil Makkal Viduthalaip Puligal (TMVP) …
Continue reading ‘Tragic Fate of Seven TRO Employees at the Hands of the TMVP Seven Years Ago’ »
Kamal Haasan Speaks his heart out
Veteran actor Kamal Haasan has agreed to modify his film Vishwaroopam following objections from certain Muslim organisations.
by Karthik Subramanian Putting up a brave front in the wake of reports that the screenings of Vishwaroopam were cancelled abruptly in several parts of the State on Tuesday morning, actor and filmmaker Kamal Haasan said he is likely to face the third complete bankruptcy of his life and that if he found no place …
On a day of dramatic developments, actor Kamal Haasan suffered a setback on when the Madras High Court stayed the release of Vishwaroopam in Tamil Nadu even as he agreed to make changes in deference to Muslim sentiments while threatening to exile himself from the State. The relief given to the actor by Justice K. …
By Prof.Carlo Fonseka (The following is an extract from the address delivered by Prof Carlo Fonseka at the launch of Edward Gunawardena’s book ‘Memorable Tidbits Including the Jaffna Library Fire’) Ladies and gentlemen, the striking front cover of Edward Gunawardena’s Memoir proclaims that among the tidbits of his memorable, eventful life of some seventy-eight years …
By Patali Champika Ranawaka The fate of Rizana Nazeek, languishing in a prison of Saudi Arabia, made headline news during the past few weeks. Based on optimistic utterances of certain ministers, organizations and news reports, I was of the view that Rizana would be freed without being paid any blood money to relevant parties. Minister …
January 29, 2013 Washington, DC- Today, U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) called for an independent, international investigation into potential war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE during the civil war in Sri Lanka. In a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the Senators said such an …
By Sulochana Ramaih Mohan Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF), which was entrusted with the task of giving a final report on whether South Indian actor Kamal Hassan’s film Vishwaroopam is suitable for screening in Sri Lanka, said the movie should be banned because it depicts Muslims as ‘barbarians,’ the ‘most hated,’ ‘notorious people’ and …
By Dr.Vickramabahu Karunaratne The article of the leader of opposition, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has become an item of discussion among those who are interested in Sri Lankan politics. Many have praised it as an essay that explains many things from a liberal point of view. On the other hand there were those who blamed him for …
by Nanda P Wanasundara In a pre-screening article the film is said to be “an attempt to chronicle the heart wrenching and mind challenging story that lies as the centerpiece of Buddhist faith”. It claims modestly to be an attempt. The film is a success, no doubt about that. Not only will cinema goers of …
by Kath Noble As I said last week, it is easy to become disheartened with the way that things are moving in Sri Lanka. One disappointment follows another, and each is more extraordinary than the last. The impeachment of the Chief Justice was particularly disturbing. It demonstrated just how little space there is for dissent. …
By K.T. Sangameswaran and R. Sivaraman The Madras High Court late on Tuesday night stayed the Tamil Nadu government’s ban on the screening of actor-director Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam, paving the way for the film’s release in the State. Justice K. Venkataraman stayed back late and passed the interim order after 10 p.m. after hearing marathon …
by DBS Jeyaraj The recurring phenomenon of orchestrated demonstrations against “Halal”labelled foods, Muslim owned businesses and Muslim places of worship by organized groups of Buddhist Clergy and Laity took a different turn in Sri Lankas Northwestern Province of Wayamba on Thursday January 24th. A protest demonstration was staged by a group of around 150 persons …
By Nirmala Kannangara Following the arrest of Kanagasabai Ranjan, Director (Preventive), Prevention Division Directorate, Sri Lanka Customs on January 3 for an alleged bribery charge of accepting Rs.1 million to release five containers of full car units, he was given bail by the Colombo Chief Magistrate Rashmi Singappuli on Thursday, January 24. Kanagasabai was to …
By Ranga Jayasuriya The United States would sponsor a resolution on Sri Lanka at the forthcoming United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR) session in March, the visiting US Government delegation told the media, yesterday. The resolution is expected to ask the Government of Sri Lanka to live up to its own commitments, including the implementation …
By Dharisha Bastians Undeterred by mounting pressure on a bloated Cabinet, criticism over poor governance, rising costs and inefficiencies, President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday figuratively scored a century making it a team of 102 Ministers following a fresh round of appointments. The much anticipated reshuffle which analysts described largely as an act of rewarding those who …
By Tharindu Muthukumarana Recently, Sri Lanka Customs seized a massive quantity of illegal ivory. The container which the ivory was transported in was being shipped to Dubai from Kenya via the port of Colombo. Probes revealed there were 600 raw tusks which would have been worth millions of dollars. Today, officials have decided to donate …
Continue reading ‘Smuggled Ivory Confiscated by Customs Should be Burned and not Given to Temples’ »
By Sumanasiri Liyanage There is an unusual and unexpected calmness in Hulftsdorp in the post-impeachment days in spite of the fact that all traditions and conventions were put aside in the appointment of the new Chief Justice in place of Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake. At the time of appointment as the CJ, Mr Mohan Pieris was …
by Daya Sirisena (Daya Sirisena is President Board of Trustees Sirisena Dharmamandiraya Meditation Centre, Moratuwa) Sri Lanka customs confiscated blood ivory from Kenya last year. The tusks were being smuggled to Dubai from Kenya. The tusks weighting over 1,500 kilos have been valued over Rs 400 million. More than 200 African elephants had been massacred …
by K.Hariharan The ushering in of liberalisation in the Indian political economy under the leadership of Rajiv Gandhi and the emergence of Mani Ratnam as a filmmaker in the mid-1980s are eerily simultaneous. However, trying to study the resultant impact of Rajiv Gandhi’s so-called liberal politics on the films of Mani Ratnam would be too …
Continue reading ‘Maniratnam: The Liberal Voice of Indian Mainstream Cinema’ »
by Vasundhara Chauhan I’d heard that Sri Lankan food was a cross between that of our South, and of South East Asia; that ingredients, processes and spices (pepper, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric) were like ours. But that a twist of freshness came from a slightly different store of aromatics like lemon grass and pandanus. So choosing …
Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Food Savoured by a North Indian Visitor’ »
(Veteran playback singer S. Janaki declined the Padma Bhushan, saying the honour had come too late to her. S. R. Ashok Kumar catches up with her) S. Janaki, whose name is synonymous with music, has been singing for more than five decades. She has been in the news for the past few days following the …
(Text of an Editorial Appearing in “The Hindu”of January 25th 2013) In banning the screening of Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam for a period of two weeks, the Tamil Nadu government has recused itself from a fundamental responsibility — that of protecting the right to free expression. It has relied on the old chestnut — maintenance of …
By a Special Correspondent After a stoic silence, support grew for Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam on Saturday from both the political arena and the film fraternity in Tamil Nadu. In a statement here, similar in tone to actor Rajinikanth’s remarks made on Friday, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president and former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi advocated an amicable …
By a Special Correspondent The ban on actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan’s magnum opus Vishwaroopam threatened to spread from Tamil Nadu to neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka on Friday, even while it ran in several screens in the smaller towns of Kerala.
By a Staff Reporter The eagerly awaited outcome of the hearing on Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam did not materialise on Monday, as the Madras High Court adjourned the case by a day.
Poem by Dr. M. Ashaq Raza (Dr. M. Ashaq Raza is an Academician, Peace worker, Human Rights Activist, Poet and volunteer based in Jammu, India.His Poem addressed to fellow Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir is applicable to all Oppressed Groups in all parts of the World)
(As the missiles and tanks are geared up to be paraded at the India Gate on the country’s 64th Republic Day, people’s faith in the promise they did to themselves is missing. Is it just a government discredited by corruption and inability to ensure basic safety and freedom to its people, or the very idea …
By Rosslyn Hyams The International Commission of Jurists and a group of senior judges and legal officials from Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America have called on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, to reinstate the country’s Chief Justice, Shirani Bandaranayake, sacked and replaced Bandaranayake after the parliament impeached her.
By Stanley Samarasinghe The ceremonial sitting on 23 January to welcome the newly appointed Chief Justice, Mohan Peiris, began on an inauspicious note, which along with 2,000 odd lawyers of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka boycotting the sittings also saw the fundamental rights of the Fourth Estate, being violated. More than 30 journalists from …
By Arjuna Hulugalle The Anglican Bishop of Colombo has called his fold to observe Sunday the 3rd of February as a “Day of Lament” as he is unhappy with the turn of events in Sri Lanka. Will this act or his message make any contribution to making Sri Lanka a better place to live in …
Text and pix by Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai Bullet wall with bullet marks Jallianwala Bagh is a picturesque public garden in Amritsar in the State of Punjab of India, and houses a memorial of immense national significance.
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “This frenzy of stupidity….” Ernst Toller (Wotan Unchained) Are we, the Sinhala people, so addicted to war, that we cannot do without one? Or are the Rajapaksas trying to manufacture a new threat and a new conflict as camouflage for their dynastic project? A well organised and financed anti-Muslim campaign has burst …
By M.A.Sumanthiran MP On 15th January 2013, by no less than violent means, Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake was de facto removed from her post. This was done despite a ruling by the apex court of this country that the purported process by which she was sought to be removed was illegal and unconstitutional. The purported …
By Chris Kamalendran A Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Member of Parliament has called on the Inspector General of Police to conduct an impartial probe on a raid carried out on his office in Kilinochchi by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID), where they claim to have recovered explosives, pornographic CDs and condoms. Sivagnam Shritharan, dismissing the …
By Chris Kamalendran The Government has withdrawn more than Rs 560 million allocated for development work to Northern Province local councils controlled by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). The move comes in a year during which Northern Provincial Council elections will be held as pledged by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The report on recommendations of the Board of Officers appointed by the commander of the army, on implementation of the recommendations made by the the LLRC was officially handed over to the Secretary of Defence and Urban Development Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa today morning (24th January) at the ministry premises. Taking cognizance of the recommendations made …
By Dhaneshi Yatawara Today, the transformation in Mullaitivu is in full swing. Roads that were once dirty have been fully carpeted. Shops, banks, investment institutes, saloons, eating houses and tailorshops are coming up as the towns turn into commercial centres. The haunted feeling that prevailed three years ago is no more. Marks of the battle …
By Ranil Wickremesinghe (In this exclusive article to the Sunday Times, Opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickeremesinghe insists that adherence to Commonwealth principles and core values is important to avoid being labelled a pariah state by the international community. “It is time for President Rajapaksa and his government to think of the country and its …
by Randima Attygalle When five French resistance fighters after failed action against the Vichy occupying forces are tortured, we in the audience flinch. When Lucie, a young woman among the captives, is raped, we weep in our minds with her. When she returns with the lifeless body of her young brother, Francoise, we endorse the …
Continue reading ‘Dharmasiri Bandaranayake Stages Satre in Sinhala at New Delhi Drama Festival’ »
By M . M. Afzal Cader Muslim around the world will celebrate the Holy Prophet Muhammad PBUH’s birthday on the 12th day of the Islamic month of Rabi Al Awwal. This day is called by Arabic term Meelad Un Nabi, which means the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet. On this day the Muslim’s recite …
Continue reading ‘Meelad Un Nabi – Celebrating Holy Prophet Muhammad’s Birth Anniversary’ »
By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema (Former Foreign Minister and UNP parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera says the impeachment fiasco will give more credence to the war crimes allegations. “The way Police and the Army behaved giving cover and protection to the goon squads who went on the rampage was shocking,” he said, adding that the country would have …
By Indika Sri Aravinda Hirunika Premachandra, the daughter of the late parliamentarian Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra has decided to enter politics and contest the next elections under the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA).
by Nirmala Kannangara The sacred city of Kelaniya has become a haven for drug peddlers, extortionists, prostitution, intimidators and murderers, says Prasanna Ranaweera, Chairman, Kelaniya Pradeshiya Sabha. According to Ranaweera, the main causes for the desecration in the electorates is the notorious Silva. “This infamous Silva has not spared even school boys and have destroyed …
By Gamini Weerakoon There are at least two codes of ethics for journalists in the print media but there appears to be none for journalists in the electronic media – i.e. radio and TV. The first code for journalists in newspapers came in 1973 when the United Front Government under the pretence of ensuring greater …
By N.Sathiyamoorthy SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem has called for an end to the ‘hate campaign’ against Muslims. His statement indicates an increase in such numbers and refers to a small group of Sinhala-Buddhist hard-liners for the incidents. As Justice Minister, he should know. The reference was to a recent incident in Maharagama, where some men …
The well known playback singer S. Janaki has rejected the `Padma Bhushan’ award given to her this year by the Government describing it “too late to come to her”. The Veteran south Indian playback singer has declined to accept the Padma Bhushan award as she feels that the honour has come late in her five—and—half—decade …
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj In a significant gesture welcomed by residents of Shafi Nagar in Moothoor the Sri Lankan Army has commenced work to build a new house for the family of Rizana Nafeek who was unjustly executed in Saudi Arabia on January 9th 2013. In a simple ceremony attended by residents of Rizana’s village Shafi Nagar,officials,Religious …
by Pranab Mukherjee (Address by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee on the eve of Indian Republic Day January 26th 2013) My Fellow Citizens: On the eve of our 64th Republic Day, I extend warm greetings to all of you in India and abroad. I convey my special greetings to members of our armed forces, …
(Text of editorial Appearing in the “Economic and Political Weekly) The past week and more has witnessed a rising chorus of increasingly strident and, at the same time, confused demands on the Government of India to take strong measures against Pakistan for its act of killing and mutilating two soldiers at the Line of Control …
By Ranga Jayasuriya Sri Lanka appears to have avoided the prospects of an emergency meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), but the country would feature in the regular CMAG meeting scheduled for March and the forthcoming visit by the Commonwealth Secretary General would set the tone for the CMAG response, well-placed government sources …
Continue reading ‘Canada Spearheading Moves For Action Against Sri Lanka in Commonwealth’ »
by Karthik Subramanian If you are a Tamil film fan over 30 years of age, chances are you are a Kamal Haasan or a Rajinikanth fan, or maybe both. Chances are that you probably grew up feeding on the movies of these two icons, often taking sides, arguing yet appreciating their contributions. And chances are …
Continue reading ‘Viewers of “Vishwaroopam” say Contents of Film do not Denigrate any Community’ »
by B.Kolappan While a few individual voices including that of Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani and actor Rajinikant have expressed concern over the ban on Kamal Hassan starrer Vishwaroopam, mainstream political parties in Tamil Nadu have maintained silence over the ban. Describing Kamal Haasan as a humanist, “alternative thinker in the field of art” and …
by Sampath Very recently I travelled to Panama – a remote village between Arugam Bay and Kumana – to meet my old village friends and to visit Kumana National Park. Kumana NP is not so overcrowded like Yala and I was fortunate to photograph a leopard in very close proximity. This may be the most …
By Saman Indrajith Leader of the House and Irrigation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told Parliament yesterday that a special Parliamentary Select Committee would be set up to address growing concerns on the rise in racial intolerance and religious fundamentalism in the country. “This is a very important question. We cannot take party lines when …
By Camelia Nathaniel Three hundred and thirteen former LTTE combatants who were rehabilitated, were reintegrated into society allowing them to celebrate Thai Pongal with family and friends. The programme initiated by the government to rehabilitate former LTTE cadres has so far reintegrated 11,770 ex-LTTE cadres (males and females). Rehabilitation programmes have been conducted at the …
by Tisaranee Gunasekara “Dreadful symptoms of the coming dissolution”….”Thomas Mann (Buddenbrooks) In a classified cable written on 24th February 2010 (and revealed subsequently by Wikileaks), theUS Ambassador identified Supreme Court Justice Shirani Bandaranayake as a supposed ‘Rajapaksa-loyalist’. The vicious and illegal impeachment of the same Shirani Bandaranayake, just two and half years later, demonstrates that …
by Jayantha de Silva Chief Justice Mohan Peiris PC at the ceremonial sitting inducting him to office yesterday said his doors were open to anyone with a cogent need and he was prepared to listen to them. Addressing judges, officials of the judiciary and members of the legal fraternity at the Superior Court complex, he …
By Shamindra Ferdinando A parliamentary committee has proposed a new version of the national anthem to be sung in both Sinhala and Tamil at the 65th Independence Day celebrations in Trincomalee on Feb 4.
By Madura Ranwala The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), in its report had made a number of recommendations with regard to the institutional, administrative and legislative measures that need to be taken in order to prevent any recurrence of terrorism and to promote national unity and reconciliation among all communities. Taking cognizance of the …
Continue reading ‘No restrictions on Tamils Joining the Army-Lt.Gen Jagath Jayasuriya’ »
by Sathya Liyanasuriya The political fallout from the impeachment crisis has affected not only the ruling United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) but also the main opposition party, the United National Party (UNP) as well and its ‘former’ deputy leader Sajith Premadasa appears to be an unfortunate victim. J. R. Jayewardene did not hesitate to elevate …
by Dharisha Bastians Concerns are being raised internationally about the growing intolerance of Muslims, led by a Sinhala chauvinist group calling themselves the Bodhu Bala Sena with a heavy contingent of saffron-robed monks at their helm. The group is agitating against what it calls Muslim infiltration of the Sri Lankan food and cosmetics industry, the …
By Dharisha Bastians “The old world is dying away, and the new world struggles to come forth: now is the time of monsters” – Antonio Gramsci One week after its installation, the new order at Hulftsdorp is making sweeping changes to the administration of the country’s apex court house. The Supreme Court Registrar Duminda Mudunkotuwa …
by D.B.S.Jeyaraj The Sri Lankan Government headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa is engaged in enacting a number of positive measures to honour the memory of Rizana Nafeek and to help uplift her poverty stricken family. The pathetic plight of Rizana Nafeek who went from Moothoor in Eastern Sri Lanka to Saudi Arabia in April 2005 …
Continue reading ‘Reconstructed Road in Moothoor to be Named After Rizana Nafeek’ »
In a big setback for actor-producer Kamal Haasan, the Tamil Nadu government has banned the screening of his film Vishwaroopam in the state till further orders following protests by minority organisations. The film was slated to release on 500 screens in the state this Friday.
by Alan Keenan (Text of Keynote Speech Delivered at Canadian Tamil Congress Thai Pongal Dinner Event via Skype by Alan Keenan of the International Crisis Group) Good evening, it’s a pleasure to be speaking to you – though I am disappointed not to be able to be there with you in person. Unfortunately, London isn’t …
(Full text of the Pastoral Letter of Rt.Rev Dhiloraj Canagasabey,Anglican Bishop of Colombo is as follows) My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I write this pastoral letter to you as your Bishop as we approach the 65th anniversary of our national independence. It is with a heavy heart that I write it, the reason …
His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapakse Honorable Speaker of the Parliament Chamal Rajapakse Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte Sri Lanka January 23, 2013 Concerning the removal of Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake
By The Lawyers Collective The Lawyers Collective has carefully considered the events that led to the removal of the Chief Justice. Our struggle to protect the independence of the judiciary has entered a new phase, with the government (the Legislature & the Executive) going through with a purported impeachment despite the determination of the Supreme …
By Kath Noble Last week, I discussed the campaign of a tiny fraction of the majority community against Muslims, and the way in which the Government is creating space for them by neglecting sensitive issues like the allegations of interference in the Law College Entrance Exam. Some people claim that groups like the Bodu Bala …
Continue reading ‘We can only Conclude that the Government needs Mervyn Silva.’ »
By Ruki Fernando I had never met Prageeth Ekneligoda. But after he disappeared, on 24th Jan. 2010, I read some of his articles. I found them to be thought provoking and cover many issues related to freedom of expression, human rights in general, democracy etc. But what struck me most was some of his cartoons. …
Text and pix by Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai Amritsar, which literally means “pool of ambrosial nectar”, is popularly known for Harmandir Sahib (Temple of God or Abode of God) as it’s formally called or the Golden Temple. It is the most sacred temple, and a place of pilgrimage for Sikhs. Sikhism emerged in the north western state …
Continue reading ‘The Sacred Golden Temple of Sikhs at Amritsar’ »
By Upul Joseph Fernando “If the US withdrew the training programmes China would replace them.” Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa made this remark at an event at the National Chamber of Commerce recently. At a time when three US Deputy Assistant Secretaries are scheduled to visit the country, these remarks have assumed an added significance. It …
By Sqn. Ldr. J.T. Rex Fernando (S.L.A.F. Retired) The news of the beheading of Rizana Nafeek the Sri Lanka housemaid in Saudi Arabia on 9 January 2013, has been received by all Sri Lankans and virtually across the world with profound grief and shock. Having been forced to spend eight years behind bars in an …
By H.A. Seneviratne The guillotine is installed. It is to punish those who oppose injustice and to safeguard the political underworld thriving on injustice. It has been set up through a parliamentary process, using the two-third majority that the government had obtained by hook or by crook. The process itself indicates the gravity of the …
Continue reading ‘The tragi-comedy of “Last Thing we do, let’s Kill the Judiciary”’ »
By Rohantha.N.A.Athukorala I still remember going for the Sri Lanka vs England cricket fixture with my father when I was around 10 years old, where I happened to meet a giant of a man who was well over six-and-a-half feet tall. I got his signature. It read Tony Greig.Years went by and when I joined …
Continue reading ‘Tony Greig Transformed Cricket Into a Market Oriented Game’ »
By Dr.Vickramabahu Karunaratne According to the UNP, the government impeached Dr. Shirani Bandaranayke in a clear attempt to gain full control of the Judiciary and to administer it according to its whims and fancies. Further it said that the removal of Dr. Bandaranayke from the post of Chief Justice was illegal and therefore Mohan Peiris …
By Harim Peiris Hats off to the Rajapaksa regime, the Machiavelli of Medamulane has pulled it off. Sacking a Chief Justice and getting away with it is no easy task and few governments succeed. The Fijian generals who periodically overthrow that tortured nation’s democratic governments usually follow up by sacking judges, Mugabe’s Zimbabwe has found …
by Kumbhakarna Rizana Nafeek’s tragedy is that she was a Muslim and a poor Sri Lankan. As a result, she gets little sympathy from either her fellow Muslims or from non-Muslim fellow countrymen. This becomes quite clear when you read comments published after her death by beheading in Saudi Arabia recently. Many Muslims held the …
Continue reading ‘Will Anyone Remember Rizana In Sri Lanka or Saudi Arabia by Next Year?’ »
The Jaffna Music Festival returns to Jaffna Municipal grounds in March 2013. This time around the festival will host an eclectic array of music – including folk, contemporary and classical to name a few. This is a sister event of the Galle Music Festival, which attracted an audience of over 22,000 people over two days …
Continue reading ‘Jaffna Music Festival on March 1st and 2nd:Eclectic Array of Vibrant Music’ »
by Ishara Jayawardane From the most humble of beginnings ending up as one of the most influential people in Sri Lanka, Vijitha Yapa’s is a success story. He has been a leading journalist and editor and is now a publisher. Vijitha Yapa is a well known name in Sri Lanka being the Founder, Chairman, and …
Continue reading ‘Vijitha Yapa: Journalist, Editor, Bookseller, Publisher’ »
by Dharisha Bastians Following its assault on the Judiciary, the Government is now gearing up to attack and destroy the Auditor Generals’ Department, UNP Gampaha District MP Karu Jayasuriya charged yesterday. Addressing a media briefing at his Kirulapone office yesterday, the former UNP Deputy Leader said that media reports about officers from the Auditor General’s …
by Shamindra Ferdinando Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday alleged that the US government was persecuting Sri Lanka on the basis of false information and wrong assumptions. A case in point was their recent decision to deprive Maj. Gen. Sudantha Ranasinghe of a US military programme on the basis of his being the General Officer Commanding …
By Camelia Nathaniel Despite the government claiming to have recalled Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ahmed Aflal Jawad, as an immediate reaction to the execution of Rizana Nafeek on 9 January, he is still serving in Saudi as the Ambassador, United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian, Ranjan Ramanayake, charged yesterday.
By Dilrukshi Handunnetti (The appointment of Mohan Peiris as Chief Justice is regrettable, though not surprising, in the backdrop of growing authoritarianism and undermining of the county’s Constitution, says Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, Executive Director, Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) in an interview with Ceylon Today)
by Latheef Farook Ever since the senseless beheading of Rizana Nafeek without a proper trial, questions are being asked about Saudi Arabia’s tribal rulers, who, for far too long, have exploited Islam to entrench their autocratic regime, which many people regard as un Islamic and the most oppressive in the planet. A tribal system of …
Three fundamental rights applications bearing Nos. SC (FR) 665/2012, SC (FR) 666/2012 & SC (FR) 667/2012 filed by an artist, a trade unionist and a trade unionist cum lawyer seeking declarations from the Supreme Court that Standing Order 78A of the Constitution is ultra vires and null and void and of no force or effect …
by Fr. Augustine Fernando Even in the midst of dire poverty, some physically and politically weak women show a strength of character and self-respect that put many economically, politically and physically strong men to shame.
By Rauff Hakeem MP (Text of Statement Issued by Minister of Justice and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem over the Protest Demonstration launched by Buddhist sections against a Muslim owned Textile store in Maharagama) I wish to convey my dismay and displeasure regarding the apathy displayed by the law and order machinery in …
by National Peace Council The appointment of a new Chief Justice following the impeachment of the former one has brought the public protest campaign to an end. There were strenuous efforts on both sides to demonstrate they had people’s power with them. The work of bridging the ethnic and political divides and bringing reconciliation and …
By NAN We were invited to lunch at a friend’s home in Battaramulla on Black Friday as January 13th is named for it was the day that Parliament accepted the decision of the Select Committee that Her Ladyship the Chief Justice was found guilty and impeached in indecent haste. (I don’t know on what grounds, …
By Athulasiri Kumara Samarakoon Some nations turn their tragedies into fortunes while others fall from one tragedy to another. Sri Lanka, which at present is facing the Bergmanian ‘hour of the wolf’, is an apt example of the latter. Instead of steering the post-LTTE phase towards the creation of a united Sri Lankan nation and …
by S.L.Gunasekara The impeachment of a judge of a superior court is indisputably a tragic event to be dealt with due solemnity and wholly divorced from all considerations of extraneous matters such as party affiliations and `loyalties’; prospects of rewards; political gain etc. It is a solemn occasion where Members of Parliament are required and …
(Text of Letter Sent to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms.Navaneetham Pillay by Sri Lanka’s Acting Secretary of External Affairs Ministry Ms.Kshenuka Senewiratne) Ms. Navanethem Pillay, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva. Dear High Commissioner, The Government of Sri Lanka notes, with deep regret …
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “Never to submit and never to oppress…”. Camus (Reflections on the Guillotine) Last week Fr. Tissa Balasuriya died. Fr. Balasuriya, in and through his life, personified what is best and most humane about Christianity. ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’: that …
by M.A.Sumanthiran M.P. “To bereave a man of life, or by violence to confiscate his estate, without accusation or trial, would be so gross and notorious an act of despotism, as must at once convey the alarm of tyranny throughout the whole kingdom; but confinement of the person, by secretly hurrying him to jail, where …
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By D.B.S.Jeyaraj In a significant gesture that shamed many Sri Lankan Muslim politicians the mother of Rizana Nafeek has rejected any offer of direct or indirect aid from Saudi Arabia the country in which her eldest daughter Rizana was wrongfully beheaded on January 9th 2013. Despite the impoverished circumstances of the family that suffered bereavement …