By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Sri Lanka’s United National Party (UNP) suffered a humiliating electoral defeat in the 2020 Parliamentary elections. Electoral debacles were nothing new to the UNP which is referred to by some as the grand old party. In 1956 the UNP got only eight seats in a Parliament of 101 MPs. In 1970 the party …
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj (P. Leela was the uncrowned queen of song in the realm of Tamil films during the fifties and sixties of the last century.Born in 1934, Leela passed away in 2005.This Article written in 2015 is re-posted here without any changes to denote Leela’s 90th Birthdy on May 19) I was pleasantly surprised …
Continue reading ‘♬ P. Leela, ‘Forgotten’ Singer Who Sang Unforgettable Songs In Tamil Cinema ♥’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Sri Lanka’s last official census was taken in 2012. According to that census, Sri Lanka’s majority ethnic community the Sinhalese comprises 74.9 % of the island nation’s population. Numerically, the second largest ethnicity is the Sri Lankan Tamils who are 11.1% of the population. The third largest ethnicity is the Sri Lankan Muslims …
By Veeragathy Thanabalasingham When the Colombo High Court sent Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera to prison two months ago, it was not unexpected that intense efforts would be made to get him out as soon as possible. The Chief Prelates of Sri Lanka’s three main Buddhist chapters have jointly …
By Kshama Ranawana Each year in May, since the military defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009, Tamils gather together to remember their dead. And every time they are harassed by the police, even to the point of being arrested. It was no different this month; media reports stated that four …
By Kishali Pinto-Jayawardene Amidst the not-so-happy transformation of Vesak from the serene marking of an incomparably sacred event in the Buddhist calendar to an indulgent if not excessive race to compete with the ‘biggest pandal’ or the largest ‘dansal’ (generous gifting of food to the public), President Ranil Wickremesinghe has sublimely remarked that the long …
டி.பி.எஸ். ஜெயராஜ் இலங்கையில் உத்தியோகபூர்வ சனத்தொகை கணக்கெடுப்பு 2012 ஆம் ஆண்டில் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டது. அந்த கணக்கெடுப்பின் பிரகாரம் இலங்கையின் பெரும்பான்மை இனத்தவர்களான சிங்களவர்கள் சனத்தொகையில் 74.9 சதவீதத்தினராக இருந்தனர். எண்ணிக்கையில் இரண்டாவது பெரிய இனத்தவர்களான இலங்கைத் தமிழர்கள் 11.1சதவீதத்தினராக இருந்தனர். மூன்றாவது பெரிய இனத்தவர்களான இலங்கை முஸ்லிம்கள் 9.3 சதவீதத்தினராகவும் நான்காவது பெரிய இனத்தவர்களான ‘ மலையகத் தமிழர்கள் ‘ என்று அறியப்படும் இந்திய வம்சாவளித் தமிழர்கள் 4.1 சதவீதத்தினராகவும் இருந்தனர். எண்ணிக்கையில் சிறுபான்மை இனத்தவர்களான இலங்கைத் …
BY MEERA SRINIVASAN When Antony Jesurathnam Mariapushparani, 62, recalls the horrific final days of Sri Lanka’s civil war in striking detail, it is hard to believe it has been 15 years since its end. “That is where we prepared and had the kanji (porridge); that is where we headed to cross the Vattuvagal bridge; that …
By Lionel Bopage Sudath Mahadivulwewa’s latest film, now in cinemas, is openly political and experimental. A major aspect of the film is a debate between the old view of revolution and a more modern one Sudath Mahadivulwewa, the producer of the film ‘My Red Comrade’, is well-known for his various feature films, documentaries, theatre work …
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “A state of permanent war…where violence pervades all spheres of life, where the rich flourish and the poor live in misery; a state that will be deserted by the best of its children?” Yuri Avnery (Countercurrents) In Sri Lanka of 2024, kanji is a four letter word. During the long Eelam war, …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj This is the fourth article in a series focusing on Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and his evolving strategy to contest the forthcoming 2024 Presidential elections. In a political climate where deliberate attempts are being made to mislead people about Wickremesinghe’s presidential election plans and prospects, the objective of this series is to …
Continue reading ‘Tamil and Muslim Voting Trends in Past Presidential Elections.’ »
By Meera Srinivasan Thousands of Tamils on May 18 converged in Mullaivaikkal, along Sri Lanka’s north-eastern coast, to pay homage to their relatives killed in May 2009, in the final battle of the island’s protracted civil war. As the war escalated before its gruesome end, lakhs of Tamil civilians were pushed to this narrow strip …
By Kishali Pinto -Jayawardene If the Sri Lankan State tried with all its might and main to look ridiculous in the eyes of the world, it could not do better than the preposterous performance of law enforcement agencies in the North and East during the formal remembrance of those who died during the ending of …
By Veeragathy Thanabalasingham Fifteen years have passed since the end of Sri Lanka’s brutal civil war, which lasted for about 30 years. None of the main political problems have been resolved. The country is not progressing economically either. Instead, we saw that all the problems worsened and the country reached a state of chaos and …
By Kshama Ranawana It’s high time Diana Gamage took a hard look at herself in the mirror! When the Supreme Court ruled in favour of petitioner Oshala Herath, that Diana Gamage is not a citizen of Sri Lanka, she told a media conference that she does not accept the ruling. She also went on to …
By Patrick Lawrence I had the most salutary email the other day, a reviving lift amid these, humanity’s darkest days, surely, in the memory of anyone living. It was from George Burchett, an Australian painter who resides in Hanoi, the city of his birth. George was born in Hanoi because he is the offspring of …
By M.A.Sumanthiran MP This week we commemorate the 15 year anniversary of the Mullivaikkal killings and other atrocities. It was a time when our people were locked into a narrow strip of land with no avenue for escape and had to survive only on kanji, while losing many loved ones and seeing many others maimed …
டி.பி.எஸ். ஜெயராஜ் 2024 ஜனாதிபதி தேர்தல் எதிர்வரும் செப்டெம்பர் 17 ஆம் திகதிக்கும் அக்டோபர் 16 ஆம் திகதிக்கும் இடைப்பட்ட ஒரு திகதியால் நடத்தப்படும் என்று இலங்கை தேர்தல்கள் ஆணைக்குழு கடந்தவாரம் அறிவித்தது. ஏற்கெனவே தெரிந்த விடயத்தையே தேர்தல்கள் ஆணைக்குழு திரும்பக் கூறியிருக்கிறது. பிரத்தியேகமான திகதி ஒன்று அறிவிக்கப்படவில்லை என்றபோதிலும், தேர்தல் செப்டெம்பர் பிற்பகுதியில் அல்லது அக்டோபர் முற்பகுதியில் நடத்தப்படக்கூடிய சாத்தியம் இருக்கிறது. கடந்த காலத்தைப் போன்று ஜனாதிபதி பதவிக்கு பலர் போட்டியிடுவார்கள். சிலர் தேர்தலில் போட்டியிடும் …
Continue reading ‘கடந்தகால ஜனாதிபதி தேர்தல்களில் தமிழர்களும் முஸ்லிம்களும் வாக்களித்த போக்குகள்’ »
By Ranga Jayasuriya Like the rest of his ilk in this part of the world, Mahinda Rajapaksa overstayed his welcome in power. He ran the economy to the ground as he did with the national carrier, which he re-nationalized out of a fit of rage after its Emirates management refused to deplane fee-levying passengers to …
(Text of speech made in Parliament by ITAK Jaffna District Parliamentarian M.A.Sumanthiran during Adjournment motion debate on 14 May 2024) Thank you deputy speaker for the time allocated for me to speak on this very important, adjournment motion that has been moved by Honorable Rauff Hakeem. I wish to approve of and support the sentiments …
By Meera Srinivasan The recent arrest of four Tamils in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province — when they commemorated their loved ones killed in the final phases of the civil war in 2009 — has put Tamils’ right to memorialise in sharp focus yet again. The police said the arrests were based on magistrate court orders …
By Kishali Pinto- Jayawardene Leaving apart the typically hysterical political brouhaha about the unseating of Diana Gamage, former (and largely unlamented) Member of Sri Lanka’s Parliament, what is greatly interesting about this otherwise distasteful saga is the different approaches taken by the Supreme Court and a majority decision of the Court of Appeal with profound …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj May Day was at one time a significant event of the workers,for the workers and by the workers. It is not so nowadays where the working class has been relegated to the back seat. The political class has taken over. The rhetoric however echoes and re-echoes on May day but the reality is …
Continue reading ‘“Ranil Ralla”: Will Wickremesinghe ride on a Winning Wave?’ »
By Veeragathy Thanabalasingham The Sri Lankan Supreme Court’s landmark judgment last week that State Minister of Tourism Diana Gamage was legally ineligible to serve as a Member of Parliament (MP) on the grounds that she was not a Sri Lankan citizen raises some crucial questions. The Supreme Court gave the ruling after hearing an appeal …
by Krishantha Prasad Cooray There is no day in the calendar that can be called ‘Mother’s Day,’ not as far as mothers themselves are concerned. They don’t cease to be mothers on days that are not called ‘Mother’s Day.’ And yet, the 12th of May or rather the second Sunday in the month of May, …
ம. ஆ. சுமந்திரன் பா.உ 2009 மே மாதம் நிகழ்ந்த முள்ளிவாய்க்கால் படுகொலைகளை இந்த வாரம் நாம் நினைவுகூருகிறோம். யுத்தத்தின் இறுதிக்கட்டத்திலே எந்தத் திசையிலும் தப்பியோட முடியாமல், தொடர்ச்சியாக அன்பானவர்களை இழந்தவண்ணமாக, வெறுங்கையர்களாக எமது மக்கள் , உணவில்லாமல், கஞ்சி மட்டும் குடித்தபடி, பாரிய நெருக்கடியிலும், துயரத்திலும் கழித்த நாட்கள் இவை. துப்பாக்கி, வெடிகுண்டு சத்தங்கள் மௌனித்த பின்பு, தாம் அகப்பட்டிருந்த இடத்திலிருந்து மக்கள் வெளியேறிய போது, பலர் அரச படைகளினால் சுட்டுக்கொல்லப்பட்டதும், மற்றவர்கள் பல விதங்களில் …
Continue reading ‘முக்கால் நூற்றாண்டு போராட்டமும் எமது தேசத்தின் எதிர்காலமும்’ »
Embattled former State Minister Diana Gamage yesterday expressed her refusal to accept the recent Supreme Court ruling that disqualified her from Parliament, due to the political conspiracy behind it. Addressing the media for the first time following the ruling, Gamage levelled accusations against Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) leader Sajith Premadasa, SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma …
By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka has agreed to purchase power at $0.0826, or 8.26 cents, per kWh from Adani Green Energy, which is executing a wind power project in Mannar and Pooneryn in the island’s Northern Province. The country’s Cabinet cleared a proposal on Monday for a 20-year power purchase agreement with Adani Green Energy …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The protracted struggle by Sri Lankan Tamils to achieve justice and equality in the Island has brought into prominence several colourful and controversial personalities. Among such persons was a Tamil Nationalist political activist who adopted the nom de plume “Eelaventhan”meaning King of Eelam. Eelaventhan whose real name was MK Kanakenthran was active in …
Continue reading ‘The Tamil Nationalist Who Dubbed Himself as the “King of Eelam”.’ »
By Tisaranee Gunasekara On every side are seen the burial ground of dreams.” Faiz Ahmed Faiz (The Subject of Poetry) President Ranil Wickremesinghe expects Lankan rupee to appreciate further and reach 280 per dollar by June. Namal Karunaratna, a leading light of the NPP/JVP, states that rupee will start sliding soon, reaching 400-500 per dollar. …
The Supreme Court in a unanimous verdict delivered yesterday unseated State Minister Diana Gamage. The Court held that Gamage was disqualified to be a Parliamentarian as she has no Sri Lankan citizenship. As a result a new seat in Parliament opens up for Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). Justice Janak De Silva reading portions of the …
By Meera Srinivasan A fortnight after Sri Lanka switched to a new visa issuing system, authorities are facing a backlash over higher visa costs that could deter tourists, “Indian involvement”, and “corruption” in the subject minister’s push to outsource visa processing. Beginning April 17, 2024, Sri Lanka’s Department of Immigration and Emigration directed travellers to …
By Kishali Pinto – Jayawardene Do the actions of the Wickremesinghe Presidency and his Cabinet reflect strategic decision-making on the cusp of majorly significant national elections in Sri Lanka?\ The Government’s markedly asinine behaviour The latest controversy to erupt is over the Cabinet outsourcing the handling of on-arrival visas to foreigners at the national airport …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj The first part of this article published in the “Daily Mirror”of 20 April 2024 under the heading “Ranil Wickremesinghe caravan moves on despite barking dogs” has evoked a lot of reader responses. In a climate of Ranil-bashing many seem to be happy that Wickremesinghe’s courageous decision to accept the challenge of leading …
By Meera Srinivasan With a presidential election expected later this year,the May Day rallies o fall main political parties in Sri Lanka seemed a prelude to their poll campaigns. Leaders of various political camps made a direct pitch to the people in their respective public events, seeking their support in what would be the first …