The Russian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that an employee of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Russia has died on the night of June 11 in Rostov-on-Don during a dispute with employees of a transport company engaged in transporting the baggage of a Sri Lankan delegation, which had arrived in this city, according to a statement posted on the Ministry website.

“In the course of the conflict, the driver of a lorry ran over an administrative-technical employee of the Embassy, Ronaviru, who died at the scene of the accident. Second Secretary of the Sri Lankan diplomatic mission, Ratnayake, received a traumatic injury of the chest,” the report says.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Embassy Employee Ronaviru Killed and Second Secretary Ratnayake Injured in Russia in a Dispute with a Transport Company’ »

by

Kumar Rupesinghe

Erik Solheim, the Norwegian peace facilitator, has stated that he will go before the war crimes inquiry on Sri Lanka initiated by the U.N. Human Rights Council and give testimony as to how many people were killed in Sri Lanka. In his recent statements, he argues that the war could have been solved through peace talks without military action he has claimed “We were very close to peace in Sri Lanka”.

These statements by a senior minister of the Norwegian government, deeply involved in the protracted conflict in Sri Lanka, throws up issues of importance for the field of conflict resolution and the ethics that have to be followed by a neutral facilitator.

To be a facilitator or a peace broker is a job which requires very high ethical and moral standards. The facilitator should not make value judgments as to the course of the conflict, its ups and downs, the conduct of the parties and the violence perpetrated by both sides. Of course he should and would have expressed his views to both parties but never in public. A facilitator or mediator wins the trust and confidence of both parties by maintaining a public silence about his own opinions as regards the conduct of a conflict, for his task is to bring the parties to the table and to seek all means of resolving the conflict. In this light, Solheim’s public utterances bring into question the issues of accountability in conflict resolution.

Continue reading ‘Is it Proper for Norwegian “Neutral”Peace Facilitator Erik Solheim to Reveal Confidential Information Before a UN Probe on Sri Lanka?’ »

A number of high profile women have joined together at an event at the Canadian High Commissioner’s residence in London this evening to give their voices to Sri Lankan rape victims. Bianca Jagger, MIA, Cara Delevingne (by video link) and Bond Girl Maryam D’abo read out the testimony of victims of rape in Sri Lanka, speaking their words as it would not have been safe for them to do so themselves.

@MIAuniverse in support of #StopTorture #TimeToAct

The news comes as Foreign Secretary William Hague announced that he would investigate claims that victims of rape were being deported from the UK back to Sri Lanka . However, those at the event felt more needed to be done in support of these victims.
Continue reading ‘Singer “MIA” Maya Arulpragasamm,Activist Bianca Jagger, James Bond girl Maryam D’abo and Model Cara Delevigne Read Out Testimonies of Sri Lanka Rape Victims at London Event’ »

By

Bianca Jagger

The Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict begins today, June 10-13, 2014, on the banks of the Thames here in London. The Summit is organized by Foreign Secretary William Hague and Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Angelina Jolie.

According to the UK government, it will be the biggest meeting ever held on this subject and the conference will launch an International Protocol to help strengthen prosecutions.

Bianca Jagger

Delegations from over 140 countries are here to participate, along with legal experts, academics, religious leaders and many others. There are many survivors present.
Continue reading ‘Why has the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict forgotten the Sri Lankan survivors?’ »

By
Shamindra Ferdinando

President’s Counsel and UNP MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe yesterday said that the government had no option but to face the proposed UN investigation conducted in terms of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council resolution 25/1.

The former President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) Rajapakshe was responding on behalf of the UNP to the SLFP’s decision that Sri Lanka’s participation in the investigative process would be decided by parliament.

The government had absolutely no discretion in this matter, MP Rajapakshe said, urging the government to successfully counter serious accusations or face the consequences.

Continue reading ‘“Govt Must Face UN Probe or Face Consequences;Opinion of Parliament is Irrelevant”-Wijedasa Rajapakshe’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

The international investigation launched by the staff of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay’s office would violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka, a group of ruling party MPs said in a motion handed over to Parliament yesterday.

Nine UPFA MPs delivered the motion to Parliament Secretary General Dhammika Dassanayake yesterday, citing reasons for not granting access to Sri Lanka for Pillay’s team of investigators.

Continue reading ‘Nine Govt MP’s Submit Motion to Parliament Opposing UN Human Rights Commissioner Office Probe on Sri Lanka’ »

By
Vishwamithra 1984

“The time is long overdue to stop looking for progress through racial or ethnic leaders. Such leaders have too many incentives to promote polarizing attitudes and actions that are counterproductive for minorities and disastrous for the country.”
~Thomas Sowell

Velupullai Prabhakaran had a dream until it turned out to be a terrible nightmare that kept on haunting the forlorn hearts and minds of the people in the North in particular and the majority Sinhalese in the South for nearly thirty punishing years. After many thousands of young men and women have perished, some as fighting soldiers on the battlefields in the North and East and others, innocent civilians, as victims of suicide bombings and indiscriminate slaughter, the dust doesn’t seem to have settled.

The two communities, Sinhalese and Tamils, are as divided as ever, more so politically, than in the ordinary spheres of culture and economy. The distrust and lack of empathy for each other in both communities are growing invisibly. The rhetorical utterances, especially those made by Sinhalese Government politicians, are most closely backed by their allies in the clergy but these utterances have become empty words, with more noise than voice; nothing more, nothing less.

This play-acting by both communities is mainly for the consumption of the foreign media and overseas leaders. While portraying themselves to the global marketplace as fair-minded and compassionate, the governing circles, particularly those who are closely identified with the First Family as well as the TNA leadership, are posing to the indigenous audience as diehard nationalists whose only purpose of political existence is the safeguarding and the well-being of their respective communities.

Continue reading ‘Tamils Agitating for Anything Beyond or More Than The Thirteenth Amendment Would be a Futile Exercise’ »

By

Sagarika Ghose

A ruler stood on the battlefield surveying the wages of war. A personal choice was made or perhaps a politically strategic decision was taken that changed a country’s history forever. Ashoka turned his back on conflict, embraced Buddhism, and gave his kingdom efficient governance for four decades.

History books chronicle the roads, edicts and Ashoka’s philosophy of dhamma. The pre-transformation Ashoka, the apparently heartless warrior before the Kalinga war, does not get a mention in textbooks. History judges Ashoka by his post-Kalinga war transformation, and he remains one of history’s greatest examples of a genuine change of heart.

Continue reading ‘Can Narendra Modi Emulate Emperor Ashoka in the 21st Century?’ »

By

Upul Joseph Fernando

President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited Jordan on a special official tour early this year. He was not seeking the support of Jordan to vote in favour of Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), where a resolution was passed against Sri Lanka in March as Jordan was not among the voting States of the UNHRC this year.

In 2012, Jordan abstained from voting at the US-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka. However, Sri Lanka’s expectation was that Jordan would vote in favour of Sri Lanka. It is said that Prince Al-Hussein was behind Jordan’s decision to abstain.

Continue reading ‘Can Sri Lanka “Label” New UN Human Rights Chief Prince Zeid Al-Hussein a “Tiger” as it did Earlier with Navi Pillay?’ »

by

Meera Srinivasan

The scars created by terrorism and conflict are yet to heal in Sri Lanka, outgoing U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Tuesday.

Addressing the 26th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, her last as High Commissioner, Ms. Pillay said her office has put in place a staff team that would be supported by several experts and special procedures mandate holders, to conduct the comprehensive investigation — mandated by the Council — to advance accountability, and thus reconciliation. “I encourage the [Sri Lankan] Government to take this opportunity to cooperate with a credible truth-seeking process,” she said.

Continue reading ‘Outgoing UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay Asks Sri Lanka to Cooperate with Truth Seeking Process and Heal Scars of War.’ »

Hundreds of Sri Lankan nationalists on Tuesday staged a demonstration near the Indian High Commission in Colombo and burnt the effigy of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to protest against the “undue influence” from India on Colombo to implement the 13 th amendment.

picture courtesy of: Straits Times-twitter.com/STForeignDesk

Activists from the Nationalist Organisations gathered opposite the Indian mission carrying portraits of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jayalalithaa.

Protesters later burnt the effigy of Jayalalithaa.

Continue reading ‘Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa Effigy Burnt in Colombo by Sri Lankans Protesting “Undue Influence by India on Sri Lanka”.’ »

By

Meera Srinivasan

Hundreds of protestors gathered outside the Indian High Commission here on Tuesday, demonstrating against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for “interfering in Sri Lanka’s domestic affairs”.

Holding placards that read “Modi don’t be foolish,” the protesters shouted slogans outside the mission located on the sea-facing Galle Road.

Continue reading ‘Hundreds of Sri Lankans Protest Outside Colombo Indian High Commission Against Narendra Modi for”Interference in Domestic Affairs”.’ »

by

Shamindra Ferdinando

The parliament would decide on Sri Lanka’s participation in proposed UN probe on atrocities allegedly committed by the military and the LTTE on the Vanni east front, during eelam war IV, ministerial sources said yesterday.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Central Committee (CC) presided over by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on Monday night. Parliament will meet next Tuesday (June 17).

Soon after the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted a US-led resolution 25/1 in March 2014, the government declared that it wouldn’t cooperate with the external probe under any circumstances. The government took up the position that the proposed investigation had no mandate to inquire into accountability issues here.

Authoritative SLFP sources told ‘The Island’ that its CC had decided to consult parliament after having received a detailed briefing by External Affairs Minister, Prof. G. L. Peiris regarding the planned investigation.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Parliament will Decide Through Majority Vote Whether to Cooperate with UN Probe on War or Not.’ »

The Government of India will be constructing a Cultural Centre at Jaffna at a cost of Rs. 1.2 billion.

A Memorandum of Understanding for implementation of the project was signed by the High Commissioner of India Y.K. Sinha and the Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Development, Dr. Nihal Jayathilaka. The MoU was signed in the presence of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

The Cultural Centre is to be built in the next 36 months, on a plot of land adjacent to the Jaffna Public Library, made available by the Jaffna Municipal Council. The Centre and the adjoining water body – the Pullukulam will be transformed into an integrated cultural space that can also accommodate open-air performances with the help of a floating stage.

The purpose of the Jaffna Cultural Centre is to provide suitable social infrastructure for the people of the Northern Province, especially for the people of Jaffna, to help them to reconnect with their cultural roots as well as to the rest of the country and to rejuvenate and nurture the ancient cultural heritage of Jaffna. The Centre will enable the people of Jaffna to enjoy various local and international cultural productions. It would also serve as a delivery centre for training, instruction and education in a variety of cultural disciplines.

Continue reading ‘India to Build Cultural Centre With Floating Stage in “Pullukkulam”Pond in Jaffna for 1200 Million Rupees.’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

Sri Lanka yesterday categorically refused to cooperate with the UN investigation into alleged war crimes and major rights abuses in the last seven years of the war, and called into question the credibility of senior UN staff that will be leading the probe.

Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ravinatha Aryasinha told the UN Human Rights Council’s 26th Session that opened in Geneva yesterday that the US-led resolution adopted by the Council in March this year violated the principles of international law.

“I reiterate Sri Lanka’s categorical rejection of Resolution 25/1 and our non-cooperation with the OHCHR driven ‘comprehensive investigation’ emanating from it,” Ambassador Aryasinha emphasised.

He said the resolution that calls for a “comprehensive investigation” to allegations of major human rights violations by both sides to the conflict was based on “profoundly flawed premises, inimical to the interests of the Sri Lankan people”.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Reiterates Rejection of US Sponsored Resolution and Categorically Refuses to Cooperate with UNHRC Investigation.’ »

By

N Sathiya Moorthy

Responding to UNP Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s comment on President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s maiden meeting with India’s new Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris has told Parliament: “We made it crystal clear that devolution of police powers is not acceptable.

We want to find a solution that will stand the test of time.”

According to media reports, Prof. Peiris, who participated in the bilateral talks that followed PM Modi’s inauguration, also said that the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), set up last year which lacks credibility with the UNP, TNA and JVP boycotting it not necessarily in that order, was the best way to address the devolution issue. Though not pronounced in clearer terms, it was a suggestion to India to get the TNA to participate in the PSC.

Coupled with subsequent media briefing by Cabinet Spokesman, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella that the Government was willing to implement 13-A without police powers, there is some revived hopes now for a political solution to the ethnic issue.

Continue reading ‘TNA Must Not Follow the LTTE and Fail by Losing Tactic to Strategy and Strategy to Tactic.’ »

By

M.K.Bhadrakumar

The arrest of 33 Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka on Saturday hot on the heels of the release of all Indian fishermen (who were exactly 5 in number, as it transpires) by Colombo just a week earlier, ostensibly as a ‘friendly gesture’ toward the new government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comes as an embarrassment to Delhi. The international media has been quick to link it with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Raja[aksa’s ‘Modi talks’ in Delhi last Monday.

In sum, after releasing five Indian fishermen last Sunday as a gesture to Delhi and getting much kudos from gullible Indian analysts (and politicians), Colombo has now locked up this Sunday over six times that number — 33 Indian fishermen. It’s a macabre joke, vintage Rajapaksa.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Capacity and Political Stamina to withstand Indian Pressure Should not be Under Estimated’ »

BY

MEERA SRINIVASAN

With more Indian fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of poaching — the arrests totalled 82 on Sunday morning — Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Centre to “strongly and decisively deal” with Sri Lanka on this issue.
Eighteen trawlers of Tamil Nadu fishermen have also been seized by the Sri Lankan Navy, even as the arrests had been made in different places since Saturday evening.

Forty one fishermen were taken into custody off Thalaimannar, 32 for alleged illegal fishing off the Delft Islands, and nine others off Thalaimannar in the early hours of Sunday, officials of the Indian Consulate in Jaffna said. A total of 16 trawlers were seized from the first two groups (eight from each), according to Sri Lankan Navy Spokesman Commander Kosala Warnakulasuriya. Two trawlers were impounded from the third group.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Navy Arrests 82 Indian Fishers Poaching in Waters off Thalaimannar andNeduntheevu and Seize 18 Trawlers and Fishing Gear.’ »

By

Smriti Daniel

Salman Rushdie

pic via: twitter.com/SalmanRushdie

Considering the timing, it’s a pity Salman Rushdie isn’t giving interviews. It’s been 25 years since the fatwa that turned his life inside out was issued by the Ayatollah, it’s been 10 years since he founded PEN World of Voices Festival in response to 9/11 and it’s been two years since ‘Joseph Anton’, a memoir about his life as a fugitive writer, found its way to bookstores. 2014 itself will not be without milestones. After a decade-long stint at the head of World of Voices, Rushdie stepped down, declaring on the festival’s opening night in New York City recently that “there was something a little North Korean” about being chairman for life.

Journalists watching may have itched for 10 minutes with the celebrated winner of the Booker of Bookers but those taking notes from a distance were still rewarded with a few incendiary quotes. Rushdie, this time circumspect in respect to his own life and work, chose instead to focus on issues of media censorship and the ever multiplying challenges to freedom of expression – and he made it more than clear that he considers India’s new Prime Minister elect among the latter.

Continue reading ‘Salman Rushdie Describes Indian PM Narendra Modi as a “Highly Divisive Figure”and a “Hardliner’s Hardliner”.’ »

At least 23 persons, including 10 terrorists have been killed when heavily armed militants attacked the Jinnah International Airport’s old terminal in Pakistan’s financial capital Karachi.

The terrorists were cornered and killed after they attacked the old airport terminal building late last night, posing as Airport Security Force (ASF) personnel.

Continue reading ‘23 Killed in Pakistan During Terrorist Attack on Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.’ »

Prof.Charles Santiapillai

The war began when “Archie Duke shot an ostrich because he was hungry.” – Private Baldrick in:
Blackadder Goes Forth

In the summer of 1914, three great empires dominated Europe: Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary. Four years later, all of them had collapsed in the aftermath of what happened in Sarajevo on the morning of June 28, 1914.

Against all advice Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the throne of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, accompanied by his pregnant wife Countess Sophie von Chotkova, Duchess of Hohenberg, decided to make a state visit to Sarajevo, the capital of Austrian province of Bosnia-Herzegovina, to inspect the army at the request of the Governor Oskar Potiorek and to dedicate a new hospital. This was despite the fact that his father, the Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph had explicitly forbidden him to be seen in public with his morganatic wife who came from a Czech aristocratic Bohemian family but was nevertheless a mere commoner and not royal.

The couple arrived by train at 9.28 a.m. on Sunday, June 28, 1914. The Slav newspaper Srbobran had printed the details of the state visit well in advance. On that bright, sunlit Sunday morning, the Royal couple came to Sarajevo in their Austrian-manufactured, open-top, Graf & Stift motorcar borrowed from Count Franz von Harrach and chauffeured by Franz Urban. Its license plate read AIII-118, which can be interpreted as referring to the Armistice Day A 11-11-18: November 11, 1918, the day World War I ended.

Continue reading ‘The shot that was heard around the world:How the First World War Began’ »

Narendra Modi: A Leader Who Is What He Wears

By VANESSA FRIEDMAN

Even by the standards of a world that has seen blogs devoted to Michelle Obama’s dress sense, the pre-election makeovers of François Hollande and Dilma Rousseff, and the canonization of Nelson Mandela’s shirts, the image-craft of India’s new prime minister, Narendra Modi — and its fashion fallout — has been something of a case study.

pic by: PTI

Indeed, even by the standards of India itself, where leaders have perhaps understood the use of clothing as a communication device better and longer than any of their international peers (see: Mohandas K. Gandhi’s adoption of the dhoti, Jawaharlal Nehru’s jacket, and Indira and Sonia Gandhi’s saris, made from traditional Indian khadi), Mr. Modi stands out. Literally and strategically.
Continue reading ‘“Modi Kurta” the revised style Kurta Upper Garment worn by Indian Prime Minister Modi gains International Popularity.’ »

(Text of Statement issued by Hon. Karu Jayasuriya,M.P and Chairman of the Leadership Council, UNP)

According to Buddhist belief, natural disasters such as famine, floods and untimely rains occur in a country when it is ruled by unjust, wicked, corrupt and dishonest rulers. Isn’t that what is happening in our motherland today? I have no intention whatsoever to gain any political advantage from the disasters that our land is facing today, yet it must be emphasized that the pitiful victims of all these disasters are our innocent people who have been subjected to untold injustice and they remain helpless. If one pays even scant attention to what’s been happening recently in the country, it is patently obvious that the rulers of today have totally forgotten the fact that it was on the shoulders of the people they rode to power.

Instead of being sensitive to the needs of the people and attempting to solve many a problem that the people are confronted with today, the ruling cabal has chosen to ignore the people, their dire desires and problems and wants. But history bears testimony to the undisputed fact that those rulers who disregard the needs of the subject people would not rule for a long time although those rulers might think and plan otherwise. In that context, it looks like the end of the coalition Government led by the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has begun in earnest.

Continue reading ‘“Today’s Rulers are Utterly Incompetent to Bring About Solutions to Many Problems Faced by the Country Today”-Karu Jayasuriya’ »

By Staff
Torstar News Service

Prof. Marco Fiola

For separating couples, it’s confusing enough to try to distinguish between shared custody and split custody in plain English. For people who must rely on, say, a Tamil interpreter to explain legal terms like those, it’s an even bigger struggle, fraught with the possibility of big mistakes.

In response to a provincial report raising concerns about the quality of court interpretation and the lack of Tamil interpreters, a Ryerson University language professor has launched Canada’s first English-Tamil legal glossary to fill the gap.
Continue reading ‘Prof. Marco Fiola Creates Canada’s First On Line English -Tamil Legal Glossary’ »

by Deepak Sinha

The pathetic condition of Lankan Tamil refugees in India shows how little Chennai really cares about their cause

The collective hypocrisy of Chennai’s politicians towards the Tamil cause in Sri Lanka was once again evident in their response to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s presence at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony.

Even though India has been badly burnt by the shenanigans of the LTTE, Tamil Nadu leaders are reluctant to acknowledge. The fact that the LTTE turned on the Indian Army’s Peace Keeping Force that was attempting to implement the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987 to which the LTTE had also acceded, albeit reluctantly, earned the group only ill-will.
Continue reading ‘Hypocrisy of the political leadership of all hues in Tamil Nadu is completely exposed on Sri Lankan refugee issue’ »

By

Sulochana Ramiah Mohan

An ardent supporter of the present Sri Lankan Government and President Mahinda Rajapaksa, India’s former Union Cabinet Minister, Harvard PhD in Economics, Dr. Subramanian Swamy, who believes in the motto, “I give as good as I get,” says India can only urge Sri Lanka as a friend and cultural sibling to implement the 13A as early as possible, so that the 1983–2009 memories become a distant nightmare and the chapter is closed.

Excerpts of the interview:

Continue reading ‘Vaiko has Become Neurotic and Anti-national Because LTTE Supremo Prabhakaran Became a dead “Eli”(rat)from a “Puli”(tiger)-Dr.Subramanian Swamy’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

The die is cast, unofficially at least for a presidential election in January 2015.

When the poll is declared, President Mahinda Rajapaksa will create history in Sri Lanka as the only incumbent to contest a presidential election for the third consecutive time. The 18th Amendment to the Constitution, passed by a two-thirds majority garnered artificially by the UPFA in September 2010, paved the way for this third time candidacy in 2015.

In the first flush of the Rajapaksa administration war triumph, coalition allies including the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, Jathika Hela Urumaya, LSSP and the Communist Party – all of them now straining at the leash – voted in favour of the draconian 18A, which not only vested more powers in an already-powerful presidency, but guaranteed President Rajapaksa the right to contest an infinite number of terms in office.

Critics have called the passing of 18A one of the darkest days in Sri Lanka’s democratic history. Executive presidential systems, in which vast power is vested in a single individual, carry term limits for a reason. Even in mature democracies with strong checks on executive power, term limits are key to prevent individuals becoming synonymous with state institutions. In imperfect state systems, when checks and balances are weak and the propensity to abuse power is strong, unlimited executive terms become a recipe for authoritarianism. Individuals get entrenched, democratic institutions weaken, cults of personality get created and the political playing field stops being level.

Continue reading ‘Rajapaksa Camp Believes That a Poll in Jan 2015 will Give the President a Fresh People’s Mandate to Counter International Investigations.’ »

By

Fabian Cornelius

PETALING JAYA: About 30 representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), led by Suaram, protested at the police headquarters in Bukit Aman against the deportation of three Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.

Two of the three have United Nations High Commission on Refugee (UNHCR) status while the other’s asylum request is still pending.

At 11.30am, representatives of Suaram and the NGOs marched to the police headquarters to protest against the action taken against the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.

Continue reading ‘30 NGO’s in Malaysia Led by SUARAM Stage Protest Against Police for Deporting Three Sri Lankan Tamil Refugees.’ »

by

Peter Oborne

Veteran political correspondents like me recall Michael Morris, Deputy Speaker of the Commons from 1992-97, with a great deal of affection.

He carried off the role with plenty of brio and style. Michael Morris has since been deservedly elevated to the House of Lords, where he has taken the name of Lord Naseby.

As sometimes happens, he has gone sharply downhill since entering the upper house.

Most troublingly he has become an apologist for the Sri Lankan government.

Continue reading ‘Lord Naseby now an Apologist for the Sri Lankan Govt Makes Misleading Statements to Parliament.’ »

Archaeologists have unearthed several Buddhist artefacts including slates, ancient bricks and Sri Pada symbols in excavations carried out in Kilinochchi, Sivanagar and Uriththirapuram, the army said.

Major General Sudantha Ranasinghe, Commander of SFHQ-KLN had requested a team of archaeologists to visit the site after an army troop came across the site a few days ago.

“Archaeologists have recovered stacks of ancient layers of bricks believed to be from a pagoda, slates with the Sri Pada symbol and stone posts with prints of the Sri Pada, confirming the existence of a Buddhist temple from the Polonnaruwa period in Kilinochchi,” the army said.

Continue reading ‘Archaeologists Unearth Buddhist Artefacts in Kilinochchi’ »

by

Vishwamithra1984

“In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?”
~Saint Augustine

Thirty seven years ago, in 1977, when the country was in the grip of a rule by one single Family, the Bandaranaikes, the country chose in an overwhelming manner to dispel that ‘Family’ from power. The scourge of the Family Tree was most starkly and succinctly illustrated in the political booklet by the name “Scourge of the Seven Years” (Hath vasaka saapaya) and each time a new edition was printed, it was sold out within a very short time, in fact within a few weeks.

In Bibile-Jun1, 2014-pic: facebook.com/KaruJayasuriya

Those who subscribe to the thinking that Sri Lankans, as a whole, are quite used to and well entrenched in embracing ‘family rule’ as a form of governance from ancient times of Kings and Queens, are merely offering excuses for their own subservient attitudes and social serfdom and political impotence.
Continue reading ‘“Country or One Family”? Karu Jayasuriya’s Clarion Call Reverberates Throughout the Sri Lankan Nation!’ »

By

Seely de Silva

The public areas of Colombo are being taken care of, with the boundary walls surrounding government buildings and offices coming down, good roads, lovely pavements, beautiful areas for walking and relaxing, lovely lawns and paths and gorgeous trees and flowers to feast our eyes on. It is absolutely marvellous when the true natural potential of a country is brought out into the open. Well done and many thanks for all this!

Colombo’s residential areas used to be quiet and peaceful with no hassle. Colombo’s residents deserved a beautiful trouble free haven to live in, for most were hard working professionals helping the economy and giving jobs to hundreds of people, owning and running estates, factories, businesses and most importantly, paying taxes to the government.

But now, very, very tall buildings are allowed to be built right in the middle of quiet residential areas, sometimes right on the boundaries of bungalows. How vulgar! These monstrosities block out the wind and fresh air and sunlight, making homes dark and gloomy. They also cause cracks and damages to the neighbouring houses and destroy the privacy of home life. Is it not time to prevent people from building tall structures in residential areas? All buildings should be constructed at least four feet away from the boundaries so that no two houses are pasted together creating water leaks between the buildings making walls damp, and so that one does not have to step into your neighbour’s premises to repair your roof, gutters or paint your wall etc.

Continue reading ‘Unbridled Commercialism is Rapidly Invading and Destroying Colombo’s Beautiful and Peaceful Residential Areas.’ »

by

Karthick S

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa has taken a firm stand on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue despite conciliatory gestures by the Island nation in recent times, including release of Indian fishermen from the jails in that country.

In a memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday, the chief minister reiterated her stand. She demanded the Centre sponsor a resolution in the UN condemning the genocide in Sri Lanka and to hold all those responsible for it accountable. She said the resolution should demand a referendum among the Tamils in Sri Lanka for the formation of a separate Tamil Eelam.

Continue reading ‘Jayalalithaa Wants India to Sponsor Resolution in UN Condemning”Genocide”in Sri Lanka and Conducting Referendum Among Sri Lankan Tamils for Separate Tamil State.’ »

By

Ori.Z. Soltes

In the ongoing discussion of a “two-state solution,” one Israeli and one Palestinian, an obvious, little-discussed issue—at least not publicly—is that even a viable Palestinian state offers a logistical problem given that its two parts, the West Bank and Gaza, will be separated by Israel. One could argue that, under sincere peace conditions, untrammeled passage across that stretch of Israeli territory can in the long run become as uncomplicated as crossing from Germany to France in the aftermath of the shaping of the E.U.

But I would not wait for that long run to eventuate, and would propose a slightly different solution. It is modeled on the experience of India and Pakistan, which were shaped as modern states at around the same time that Israel was being established. Having primarily Muslim Pakistan divided into two parts by primarily Hindu India proved disastrous for decades, until finally the two Muslim states were disconnected from each other, leaving one as Pakistan and the other as Bangladesh. Why not do the same with non-Israeli Palestine? Instead of a two-state solution, I am proposing a three-state solution.

Continue reading ‘Three State Solution Comprising One Jewish State in Israel and Two Arab States in Gazaa and Westbank Like Trifurcation of India as Pakistan and Bangla Desh.’ »

By

B. Muralidhar Reddy

Ruling out joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa, however, kept the door open for support to the Narendra Modi government in the Rajya Sabha, where it has no numbers to be anywhere near a simple majority to ensure passage of Bills.

After a 50-minute-long meeting with Mr. Modi in Delhi, Ms. Jayalalithaa maintained that the issue of formal association of her party with the NDA does not arise, as the BJP-led grouping has more than a simple majority in the Lok Sabha.

Continue reading ‘Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Submits Memorandum Listing Redress from Centre for Various Issues Concerning Tamil Nadu State in 50 Minute Meeting with Prime Minister Modi.’ »

by

N Sathiya Moorthy.

By calling for general elections based on ‘proportionate representation’ and blaming the Election Commission for the poll-eve ban under Section 144 as the near-exclusive cause for the party’s debacle in the Lok Sabha polls, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu has once again sought to deflect serious issues that are eating into the vitals at the grass-roots as never before.

The high-level committee’s meeting called by party patriarch M Karunanidhi a day ahead of his 91st birthday (June 3), supposedly to address the poll debacle, papered over the concerns of the cadre.

Not only has Karunanidhi lost touch with the younger voter, but also the party cadre who comes from the same stock. He has been repeating the statement that a ‘Tamil should rule Tamil Nadu’ ad nauseum from the days of late bête noire M G Ramachandran, a Malayalee, and continued into the days rival All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who used to be a domiciled Kannadiga of Tamil-Iyengar Brahmin descent.

Continue reading ‘DMK Leader Karunanidhi Passes 90 Year Milepost While the Party he led for 45 Years Declines Due to Nepotism and Corruption.’ »

by Konrad Marshall

Leo Seemanpillai met his new ”mum”, Cathie Bond, almost a year ago on a cold night in Geelong.

Cathie, a retired art teacher and volunteer, was handing out

”welcome packs” to new asylum seekers, distributing food and toiletries, undies and socks, ”to give them some dignity”.

Remembrance: Leo’s Australian ”mum” Cathie Bond (centre), Sue Longmore and Veronika Quinton. Photo: Justin McManus

Leo was her helper at each house, unloading the car and interpreting. The 29-year-old had been on the Bellarine Peninsula for a few months and although barely settled in his new life, he wanted to help others. Cathie drove him home.
Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Tamil Asylum Seeker Leo Seemanpillai Self-Immolates in Australia Due to Fear of Being Sent Back to Lanka’ »

by

N. Sathiya Moorthy

Independent of expectations to the contrary from various stakeholders to the ‘ethnic issue’ in neighbouring Sri Lanka, the personal touch of India’s new Prime Minister Narendra Modi alone could be a departure, if any, from the well-considered Indian policy from the past.

That India’s Sri Lanka policy can do with a purposeful departure of the Modi kind, on the lines of his personality-driven political administration as the chief minister of Gujarat, is what could make the difference between success, that has eluded the nation in the past, and failure, that can still be a possibility.

Long before Modi made Sushma Swaraj as his external affairs minister, she as his Bharatiya Janata Party’s Leader of the Opposition in the previous Lok Sabha had endorsed the views of then prime minister Manmohan Singh’s government, nearer home and abroad.

Continue reading ‘The Success or Failure of BJP’s Sri Lanka Policy Depends on the Strength and Purpose of Narendra Modi’s Political Character.’ »

By

ADAM LIPTAK

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday turned down an appeal from James Risen, a reporter for The New York Times facing jail for refusing to identify a confidential source.

The court’s one-line order gave no reasons but effectively sided with the government in a confrontation between what prosecutors said was an imperative to secure evidence in a national security prosecution and what journalists said was an intolerable infringement of press freedom.

The case arose from a subpoena to Mr. Risen seeking information about his source for a chapter of his 2006 book, “State of War.” Prosecutors say they need Mr. Risen’s testimony to prove that the source was Jeffrey Sterling, a former C.I.A. official.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, in Richmond, Va., ordered Mr. Risen to comply with the subpoena. Mr. Risen has said he will refuse.

“I will continue to fight,” Mr. Risen said Monday.

Continue reading ‘US Supreme Court Turns Down Appeal by NY Times Reporter Facing Jail for Refusing to Identify a Confidential Source.’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

The UN team probing major human rights abuses by both sides during the last seven years of the Sri Lankan war will comprise at least 13 members, supervised by two experts, including at least one high profile personality in the international arena, the Daily FT exclusively learns.

The experts and sections of the investigation team, which will include forensic experts to study digital evidence, will travel to Sri Lanka and the Asia Pacific, North America and Europe over the next eight months, to gather witness and victim testimony and access ‘other sources of information’ to complete its findings, the Daily FT learns.

Continue reading ‘UN Team Probing Last Seven Years of War in Sri Lanka Will Interview Victims and Witnesses Living in Europe,North America and Asia -Pacific Countries’ »

In a dramatic twist, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has avowed to enter politics one day, if his entry is approved by his brother and President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Speaking to our newly launched Sunday sister newspaper Deshaya, the Defence Secretary said that while he had no personal interest in politics, he would enter the fray if that was what the President wanted him to do.

Continue reading ‘Gotabaya Rajapaksa Will Contest Elections From Colombo if his Brother the President Wants him to do so.’ »

By LIGAYA MISHAN

The shiny black table reflects blue sky, banana fronds and distant birds with eyelash wings. Outside, signs for mortgages and driving lessons loom over this tired stretch of Hillside Avenue in Jamaica, Queens. But inside Spicy Lanka, clouds drift, as does the mind.

Spicy Lanka opened in February in Jamaica, Queens. Pratheepan Selvachandran, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Marie, painted the mural on the walls and ceilings-pic by Nicole Tung for The New York Times-courtesy-NYTimes.com

The murals on the walls and ceiling were painted by Pratheepan Selvachandran, who runs the restaurant with his wife, Marie De Silva Selvachandran; he also created a counter out of his 10-year collection of beer-bottle caps for the liquor-license-less bar at the back. The Sri Lanka natives (he from Jaffna, in the north, she from Wattala, outside the capital) grew up on Staten Island, home to New York City’s largest Sri Lankan immigrant community and almost all of its Sri Lankan restaurants.
Continue reading ‘“Spicy Lanka”: Sri Lankan Restaurant in New York Run by Husband from Jaffna and Wife from Wattala’ »

N. Sathiya Moorthy

If anyone thought that they could fool around with India’s new, ‘inexperienced’ and ‘un-tested’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi on foreign policy issues in particular, news reports about his post-inauguration meetings with visiting Heads of Governments from SAARC nations suggest otherwise.

Not only were those meeting more than a courtesy call, PM Modi is also reported to have discussed bilateral issues with each one of them in some detail. It was no different when Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa met with Prime Minister Modi. Nor would it be any different as and when a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation calls on the new Indian Prime Minister, for which they have already sought an early appointment.

The Indian position is a balanced approach – and will continue to remain so. A political solution to the ethnic issue should thus be found within a ‘united Sri Lanka’. Translated, India will not encourage/countenance any more talk of a ‘separate State’ within the Sri Lankan territory. It is easy for ‘Sinhala-Buddhist nationalist’ hard-liners in the Government and outside to argue that 13-A was ab initio unacceptable. No law or rule becomes acceptable to all sections of any society at any point in time. In context, for larger and lasting ethnic peace, the Tamils too need to be told that the Sri Lankan State wants them, too, in a ‘united Sri Lanka’.

Continue reading ‘The TNA has Nothing to Lose and Everything to gain by Participating in the Parliamentary Select Committee.’ »

By

Sulochana Ramiah Mohan

India should not unilaterally and directly deal with the Sri Lankan Tamil population, Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and economist, Dr. Subramanian Swamy, told Ceylon Today. Dr. Swamy, who has always been a diehard fan of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and admires him for not wavering or wobbling in the face of international pressure, said: “Without the willing support of Sri Lanka, India cannot solve any Tamil problem.”

Asked why the Tamil issue wasn’t a national issue and could talking only with the government bring a long-term solution, Dr. Swamy said, “Certainly we must talk to the Sri Lankan Tamils but talking to them without the concurrence of the SL Government is breach of sovereignty. Does India have a right to directly talk to Hindus of Bangladesh, just because we helped create that country? Or Pakistan talk to Muslims in India,” he queried.

Continue reading ‘“India Must Deal with the Tamils of Sri Lanka Through the Sri Lankan Govt and not Directly or Unilaterally”-Dr.Subramanian Swamy’ »

By

Gnana Moonesinghe

“The real destroyer of the liberties of the people is he who spreads among them bounties, donations and benefits.”

– Plutarch

“It’s no crime to light a lamp in the darkness,

And bees need a flowering orchard.”

– Tsou Ti Fan

Following his victory in the battle of Kalinga Emperor Asoka stood on the battlefield and looked around. All he could see was the devastation caused by the war – the wounded, the crippled and the dead scattered over the battlefield – the destruction and mayhem caused by the war was there to see. He immediately understood this to be the result of his greed; of his miscalculated policy decision to go to war to annex the resource rich territory of Kalinga. He made up his mind to convert to Buddhism and thereafter conduct his affairs in accordance with the Buddha Dharma; the dharma based on co- existence, tolerance, compassion and non-violence. He set up a reign that would highlight the values both of state morality and individual morality. Right speech, right conduct, right action were to be his tools for governance. A total transformation took place within him. There was no room for triumphalism; he could only despair over the toll the war has taken. He was humbled by his victory.

Continue reading ‘Humbled by Victory Emperor Asoka Directed Attention from War to Peace by Trying to Create a Just and Fair Society.’ »

By
C.A.Chandraprema

It was reported that the new prime minister of India Narendra Modi in his first meeting with Sri Lanka’s president after his swearing in, had asked the latter to “expedite the process of national reconciliation in a manner that meets the aspirations of the Tamil community by fully implementing the 13th Amendment to the constitution and going beyond”. Why are we not surprised? As this writer pointed out even before Modi assumed office, Sri Lanka is just a file in the Indian foreign office. Every Indian prime minister or external affairs minister who assumes office looks at this file and simply says whatever they find on the top most paper. Thus we are back to the well worn theme “meet the aspirations of the Tamils by implementing the 13th Amendment.” This 13th Amendment was brought in over a quarter of a century ago and there is today no Indian politician or official who actually knows what Sri Lanka’s 13th Amendment is.  

All they know is that the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution was forced on this country by India and that if a past Indian government has forced anything on a neighbouring country, then it has to be ipso facto good for India. What his first day in power showed was that Narendra Modi will also be parroting the refrain we have heard for more than a quarter of a century through successive Sri Lankan and Indian governments. There are instances like this in international affairs. If we look at it reasonably, what else can India tell us to do? They have no new ideas to tell us to do this or that, and indeed even we do not have any new ideas to suggest to the Indians. For the lack of anything better India keeps harping on the 13th Amendment.

Continue reading ‘India and Sri Lanka Should Turn the Call for Implementing the 13th Amendment into a Diplomtic “Mating ritual”.’ »

By

David Ebert

The sloth bear’s reputation for being one of the most elusive animals in Sri Lanka’s wilderness is a well-earned one. Very rarely would you catch one off guard while it strolls along the many roads that criss-cross Yala National Park Block 1, as with it being quite a shy animal, it would rather prefer to avoid human contact at all costs.

Pix by Daminda Harsha Perera

This is what I found out when I joined Cinnamon Nature Trails on a trip to try and catch a glimpse of Melursus Ursinus Inornatus during one of the bear’s most favourite times of the year – the ‘palu’ season. Palu or ‘Manilkara Hexandra’ is probably the sloth bear’s only little guilty pleasure.
Continue reading ‘In Search of the Elusive Sri Lankan Sloth Bear at Yala.’ »

By Richard Kay and Geoffrey Levy

Bedtime for the Queen on recent chilly spring evenings has not been complete without one of her most cherished pleasures — a hot water bottle, placed snugly between the silken sheets.

“There is no doubt that the Queen depends on [Mrs Kelly]. She likes the fact that Angela irons out problems – and that she’s very good at picking up gossip which HM loves to hear’-DailyMail on Facebook

Imagine Her Majesty’s shock, on retiring to her large first-floor bedroom overlooking the gardens at Buckingham Palace just the other evening, to find her bed ice-cold. No bottle.

Instead, it was lying to one side and was unfilled, so the Queen, who has always been a practical sort, made a hot water bottle for herself.

She clearly saw the funny side, turning the incident into a huge joke when telling her close senior aide Angela Kelly about it.

For Melani Dimple, however, the housemaid who forgot to put the bottle into the bed while performing other duties, the consequences were anything but funny.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Housemaid Melani Dimple in Hot Water Over Hot Water Bottle Incident After Serving Queen Elizabeth for Five Years at Buckingham Palace.’ »

By
Sathya Liyanasuriya

She may not have made headlines in Sri Lanka yet but Sushma Swaraj, the first woman to be appointed as India’s Minister of External Affairs will be a key player in forging that country’s foreign policy towards Sri Lanka over the next few years.

Swaraj was sworn in for the vital portfolio by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday and her appointment should be considered a bonus for Sri Lanka which must be relieved at the prospect of a strong government in New Delhi that does not have to bow to the dictates of parties in Tamil Nadu.

Swaraj, unlike her immediate predecessors Salman Khurshid, S.M. Krishna and Pranab Mukherjee, is one of the few politicians in New Delhi that Sri Lankan leaders have developed a close rapport with. She also has a keen interest in Sri Lanka and has repeatedly supported Sri Lanka’s unitary status.

Continue reading ‘India’s First Woman Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj will be key player in Forging India’s Foreign policy Towards Sri Lanka over the next few years.’ »

(Full Text of Letter Sent to Tamil Nadu chief Minister Ms.Jayalalithaa Jayaram by Tamil National Alliance Leader Rajavarothayam Sampanthan M.P.)

Chelvi J Jeyalalitha,
Chief Minister, Tamil Nadu,
Chief Minister’s Office,
Tamil Nadu.

Dear Chief Minister,

I write to you as the Leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), democratically elected to substantially represent the Tamil People, particularly in the North East of Sri Lanka, for instance in the last election held for the Northern Provincial Council (NPC), despite the election being held under the intimidatory presence and invlovement of the armed forces as concluded by both international and local observers, the TNA secured 30 out of 38 seats in the NPC.

Continue reading ‘Tamil National Alliance Seeks Appointment to meet with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jayaram at her “Earliest Convenience”.’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

President Mahinda Rajapaksa may have metaphorically leapt into new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arms this week, but in the beginning there was Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh.

The Congress Party won Parliamentary elections in 2004, returning the Gandhi family dynasty to the helm of Indian politics after a hiatus of eight years and heralding a new dawn for Sri Lanka’s battle against terrorism.

The change had come only three years after America had faced its own demons in the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon, forever altering how the world would approach and combat terrorism. Already, appetite for the LTTE’s brutal politics of terror had waned completely in the Western world. By assassinating Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, the LTTE had made one of several historic mistakes. When Rajiv Gandhi’s widow Sonia led the Indian National Congress to election victory 13 years later, the stars began to align for the eventual defeat of the Tamil Tigers. Mahinda Rajapaksa’s hair’s breadth victory in the 2005 presidential election – a direct result of the LTTE enforced boycott of the poll in the territories under their control in the north and east – would create the perfect confluence of factors to defeat the Tigers in the jungles of Mullaitivu only four years later.

Continue reading ‘If Rajapaksa Regime Continues with Broken Promises and Intransigience the “Honeymoon”with New Modi Govt Will Not Last Long’ »

by

Col R Hariharan

[This is a summary of author’s comments made on May 27 to English and Tamil newspapers and magazines as well as on TV news channels.]

Modi kneels down and kisses the step of India’s Parliament as a sign of respect as he arrives for a meeting of the party’s newly elected lawmakers in New Delhi, May 20, 2014-pic via: facebook.com/narendramodi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had faced more flak and investigations than any other aspirant stepping into the shoes of a prime minister, has shown on Day-1 that he is a man of his own mind. His spectacular election victory owed it to his planning, execution and management of his election strategy. His relentless campaign against odds has shown as a one who leads from the front, not losing sight of overall goals, and an uncanny knack to get his way through overcoming his detractors both within and outside the BJP. Last but not least is his ability to pick a team and motivate them to give their best.

Many of these qualities came to the fore on his Day-1 in office. The BJP accustomed to its geriatric leadership functioning was infused with energy; of course the elderly leaders despite all the bowing and touching of feet were put to the pasture as younger leaders took over key functions. They had put their faith in him and it was pay off time. But under Modi they will have to emerge as achievers.

This was in marked contrast to cabinet making process of Dr Manmohan Singh. It was directed from the top with little opportunity for the Prime Minister to demur. Naturally it had disastrous impact upon the PM’s hydra-headed team’s performance and accountability.

Continue reading ‘Absolute Majority in Parliament has Given Modi an Opportunity to Structure a Holistic and Vibrant Sri Lanka Policy.’ »

By MARGALIT FOX

Maya Angelou, whose landmark book of 1969, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” — a lyrical, unsparing account of her childhood in the Jim Crow South — was among the first autobiographies by a 20th-century black woman to reach a wide general readership, died on Wednesday at her home in Winston-Salem, N.C. She was 86.

In a recording, Angelou reads her poem “Still I Rise.”-via NPR.org

Maya Angelou (Apr 4, 1928-May 28, 2014)| In her writing, Ms. Angelou explored identity and resilience through the multifaceted lens of race, sex, family, community and the collective past.

Her death was confirmed by her literary agent, Helen Brann. The cause was not immediately known, but Ms. Brann said Ms. Angelou had been frail for some time and had heart problems.
Continue reading ‘Maya Angelou: Lyrical Witness to Jim Crow, and the Caged Bird’ »

Well known Carnatic vocalist Jayalakshmi, one half of the famous Radha-Jayalakshmi duo, passed away in the early hours of Monday May 26th. Ailing for quite a while, she had been hospitalised in Chennai for about a month when the end came.

Jayalakshmi of the Radha-Jayalakshmi duo, known for her timbre and ‘briga’-laden voice stood out in the worlds of Carnatic and film music, died on Monday. She was 89.

Continue reading ‘Carnatic Vocalist and Playback Singer Jayalakshmi of Famous Radha-Jayalakshmi Duo Passes Away at Hospital in Chennai.’ »

By

Karu Jayasuriya M.P.

(Text of Statement issued by Hon. Karu Jayasuriya, Chairman of the Leadership Council, UNP)

It is patently clear that the Government coalition led by the United National Freedom Alliance (UPFA) is embroiled in a crisis. The crisis has reached such a zenith, one can hardly feel, sense or detect any authentic legacy left behind by its central leader- the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). The UPFA coalition is led by some who consider the Bandaranaikes, the ones who pioneered the SLFP, as their enemies and one simply cannot disregard as trivial the pressure that is being brought upon the Coalition by some genuine SLFPers.

Instead of paying sensitive attention to those who clamor for authentic SLFP policies and principles, those who hold high office in this administration are engaged in a vain attempt to destroy the unity among the opposition parties which are making an attempt at a genuine united front. It reminds one of a person entrenched in muck and excreta pointing to the lack of a hairdo of a well-dressed man.

Continue reading ‘Criticism of Opposition by UPFA Govt is like a Person Entrenched in Muck and Excreta Pointing to Lack of a Hairdo of a well-dressed Man.’ »

The Ravana Balaya staged a protest inside the Religious Affairs Ministry today against the new police unit launched to investigate incidents related to any religion.

Continue reading ‘“Ravana Balaya”Mob Including Bhikkus Storm Religious Affairs Ministry Demanding Dissolution of Special Religious Police Unit.’ »

The Sri Lanka Business and Biodiversity Platform of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce together with Hatton National Bank and Dilmah Conservation – Patron Members of the Platform – hosted a successful public event to mark the United Nations International Day for Biological Diversity which fell on 22 May under the declared theme for this year – Island Biodiversity.

The keynote address was delivered by Dr. Madhava Meegaskumbura of the Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya. Illustrating why Sri Lanka has been declared a biological hotspot together with the Western Ghats of India, Dr. Megaskumbura used the ‘Frog Story’ to highlight the predicament Sri Lanka is in, in continuously losing her valued species richness. The phenomenal richness has arisen primarily from evolutionary radiations resulting in endemic genera and species, supplemented by land bridging repeatedly with the Indian mainland.

Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka has lost 20% of its Amphibian Fauna while 55% of the Remaining species Face Risk of Extinction.’ »

by

N Sathiya M0orthy

The presence of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa was not the only reason why Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa stayed away from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, says N Sathiya Moorthy.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa kept the nation waiting for a while before deciding to skip the historic swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Jaya, like most other Tamil Nadu politicians, cited the invitation of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Rashtrapati Bhavan forecourt ceremony, but the reasons in the case of each one of them could be many.

Having become used to seeing their leader draw the centre-stage in Delhi whenever she visited the national capital, party cadres would have been upset and demoralised to see ‘Amma’ as a one-in-five thousand crowd. After all, they too had worked alongside to hand over 37 Lok Sabha seats to her out of a total of 39 from the state.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Issue Provided Jayalalithaa and Vaiko a Convenient Excuse to Avoid Swearing in Ceremony of Narendra Modi.’ »

(Kuala Lumpur) – Sri Lankan authorities should ensure the safety of two refugees and an asylum seeker whom Malaysiaforcibly returned to Sri Lanka in violation of international law, Human Rights Watch said today. All three were under the protection of the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, which recognized two as refugees and was in the process of determining the claim of the third for refugee status.

Although Malaysia is not party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, customary international refugee law and international human rights law require it to respect the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits countries from sending anyone back to a country where their life or freedom would be threatened or where they would face a real risk of torture or other ill-treatment.

Continue reading ‘Two Refugees and One Asylum Seeker Forcibly Returned to Sri Lanka From Malaysia in Violation of International Law at Grave Risk-Human Rights Watch.’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, whose Government has been euphoric about the BJP victory, held his first official talks with the newly-sworn-in Premier of India yesterday, but found that Narendra Modi echoed the call of his predecessors for full devolution under the terms of the 13th Amendment and beyond for Sri Lankan Tamils.

pic via: facebook.com/PresidentRajapaksa

The two leaders met for their first bilateral discussions at Hyderabad House in New Delhi at 10:30 a.m. yesterday.

Continue reading ‘Narendra Modi Calls for “Full Implementation of the 13th Amendment and Beyond”in his First “Official”Meeting with Mahinda Rajapaksa.’ »

By

Upul Joseph Fernando

Mahinda Rajapaksa is a pragmatic politician. When the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was close to win the election in India, he called on Shiv Sena Leader, Uddhav Thackeray, who is close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also strengthened ties with Leader of Janatha Party, Subramaniam Swamy. He invited this ardent critic of LTTE to Sri Lanka. It was similar to his association with The Hindu editor-in-chief, N. Ram, during the Congress Party rule. Mahinda planned to get closer to the foreign policy planners of the Indian Government through Thackeray and Swamy. His first aim was to garner an invitation for an official visit to India. He wanted to disprove the pro-opposition analyses that he would be in hot water when Modi came to power.

pic via:facebook.com/PresidentRajapaksa

Mahinda also wanted to teach a lesson to the leaders of Tamil Nadu, who were expecting to control the policies of the Modi Government regarding Sri Lanka. He wanted to meet Modi and to defeat the ideas of the opposition and Tamil Nadu, before the next Presidential Election. Meanwhile, Modi’s decision to invite the leaders of the SAARC countries for his swearing-in ceremony was an unexpected win for Mahinda. He left for India proudly mocking the opposition and Tamil Nadu. He invited Northern Province Chief Minister, C.V. Wigneswaran, to be part of his delegation to New Delhi, in a plan to further upset the Tamil Nadu leaders. However, he failed in that strategy as Wigneswaran rejected the invitation.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka May Become the Political Headache in the Region for Narendra Modi of India!’ »

By

Harin Fernando M.P.

If ever there was a contest to determine the best comedian amongst the members of the Cabinet, the accolade would undoubtedly be conferred on Wimal Weerawansa.

Even though many of the Cabinet members are all comedians, Weerawansa is a clear cut winner in comic acting; so much so that he can be placed on par with veteran comedians such as Rowan Atkinson and Robin Williams.

His comedy is so supreme that local veterans like Freddie Silva and Eddie Jayamanne would have been out of job had they still been around.

Continue reading ‘Clown in the Govt Circus Wimal Weerawansa is Undoubtedly the Best Comedian Among Cabinet Ministers.’ »

By

Vishwamithra1984

“You believe today’s paradigms are not going to change…. Ask the caveman then if his paradigms changed or not. Think for yourself, you lose. Think for coming generations you win”.
-Sameh Elsayed

The Indian National Elections that concluded on May 16, 2014 were, in more than one sense a landmark victory for democracy.

The largest democracy in the world, both in terms of number of voters and complexity of the process, India held its National Elections over five weeks, from April 7 to May 12, 2014 but the count was concluded in just a few hours, of course via electronic devices.

A new government and a new Prime Minister were declared winners, much to the joy of the supporters of the winning Bharatiya Janatha Party (BJP) and its allies and the distress of the Indian National Congress (INC) and the extended Nehru/Gandhi family.

As in 1977, the Mother/Son combination of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, suffered an unprecedented loss, although both of them managed to retain their respective constituencies unlike in 1977 when Indira Gandhi lost her Lok Sabha seat to a total outsider.

But it was more so at the hands of the Indian voter than at the whims and fancies of their opponents led by Narendra Modi and his loyal supporters.

Continue reading ‘Will Rise of Nationalistic Values over Secular Liberal Principles in “Modified”India Affect Opposition Parties in Sri Lanka?’ »

By

N Sathiya Moorthy

By inviting SAARC Heads of Government for his inauguration, prime minister-designate Narendra Modi has demonstrated a firm grip over the emerging foreign policy scenario(s) and his vision of and for an India of the future. With the much-hyped Pakistan conundrum taking a shape of its own, more so in the so-called national media, centred near-exclusively on India’s northern land borders, nowhere else will the new government’s approach to foreign and neighbourhood policy be more visible and immediate than in the case of southern Sri Lanka.

Considering that the Mauritius leadership too would be present at the swearing-in, the emerging Indian view on the scope and possible expansion of ‘South Asia’, if not SAARC, too may have become that much more visible. Only months back, the outgoing Manmohan Singh Government had restructured the divisions in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), to club together Mauritius and Seychelles to Sri Lanka and Maldives after shifting the un-related Bangladesh and Myanmar from the original division, to form a new one for the southern, Indian Ocean neighbourhood.

On Sri Lanka, it’s not as if Modi the politician would not have anticipated reservations from his poll allies from Tamil Nadu, or the even more vocal friend and State’s AIADMK Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, to any continuing initiative of the predecessor Congress kind on the Sri Lankan front, if it involved the Government and leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Modi the Prime Minister is proving to be different from the more difficult Modi the politician.

Continue reading ‘Whatever BJP Leaders in Tamil Nadu may say,Narendra Modi Govt Approach Towards Sri Lanka is Continuation of Manmohan Singh Govt Policy.’ »

By

Chamitha Kuruppu


“Going as part of President Rajapaksa’s entourage would give the impression that all is fine between the Northern Provincial Council and the Government of Sri Lanka, when in fact it is not,” said Chief Minister of the Northern Province, C.V. Wigneswaran.

Wigneswaran, who hit headlines last week following his refusal to join a Presidential delegation to New Delhi to attend Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony, pointed out: “It is unfortunate that public affairs have become an exercise in tokenism. We act for world consumption but not with sincerity. I declined the invitation because I did not want to become a party to tokenism.”

In an email interview with the Daily FT, the former Judge turned politician stressed: “Sinhalese leaders make a lot of fanfare attempting to speak in Tamil but do not recruit adequate translators in Courts. There are cases which have languished for more than 20 years purely because there are no translators. Tamils are not allowed to sing the National Anthem in the language they understand. We try to take shortcuts and attempt to sweep the main issues under the carpet.”

Following are excerpts from the interview:

Q: Why did you reject President Rajapaksa’s invitation to join his delegation to India’s Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi’s swearing in ceremony?

Continue reading ‘“Why I Refused to go with President Rajapaksa to New Delhi for Swearing in Ceremony of Narendra Modi”-CV Wigneswaran’ »

By

Fabian Cornelius

PETALING JAYA: Human rights watchdog Suaram today claimed that the Malaysian government had deported three Sri Lankan refugees secretly to their homeland without adhering to the proper legal channels.

“Yesterday the government secretly deported the three Sri Lankan refugees to Sri Lanka,” said Suaram’s spokesperson R Thevarajan at a press conference today.

Thevarajan said the three refugees – Kirubaharan, Kirubanathan and Gushanthan – were not given the avenue to appeal but were indeed subjected to forced deportation which could put them at risk in the hands of the Sri Lankan government.

Continue reading ‘Malaysian Human Rights Organization”Suaram”Alleges Three Tamil Refugees were Secretly Deported to Sri Lanka Without Proper Legal recourse.’ »

By

Supun Dias and Sanath Desmond

Three LTTE suspects, who were arrested by the Malaysian Law Enforcement Authority on May 15, were handed over the Sri Lankan Police, police said.

Police Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said that the three suspects were brought to Sri Lankan last night and they were being questioned by the Terrorist Investigatio0ns Division.

Continue reading ‘LTTE Suspects Arrested in Malaysia Kirubanandan,Sangalingarajah and Kirubakaran are Being Questioned at TID Headquarters in Colombo.’ »

by

Sangeetha Amarthalingam

GEORGE TOWN: Death awaits the three Sri Lankan Tamils arrested in Kuala Lumpur if they were to be deported to their home country, said Deputy Chief Minister (II) P Ramasamy.

He said the police have disrespected the refugee status given by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to the three who fled Sri Lanka during the civil unrest.

Ramasamy also questioned the police on what other grounds the three men were arrested apart from the possession of a laptop, about RM20,000 cash and alleged Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) paraphernalia.

Continue reading ‘Penang Deputy Chief Minister P.Ramasamy says Death Awaits in Sri Lanka for Three LTTE Leaders Arrested in Malaysia.’ »

by

Chee Yuan Gho

PETALING JAYA: Three foreign men suspected to be the members of the Sri Lankan Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorist group were picked up in Selangor last week.

Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar confirmed the arrest in a statement today, elaborating that the trio were nabbed at different locations in Klang and Petaling Jaya in a special operation carried out by the Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter-Terrorism Division (CTD) on May 15.

According to Khalid, the three men were holding United Nation refugee agency (UNHCR) cards. The suspects had been using UNHCR cards to avoid deceive the authorities.

Continue reading ‘Three Suspected LTTE Operatives with UNHCR Refugee Cards Arrested in Malaysia Possessed Tiger Propaganda Material.’ »

Three Suspected members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) who were arrested in Malaysia on May 15th 2014 were handed over to Sri Lankan Authorities it is learnt.The three persons arrested in three different places in Selangor Province had been registered as refugees with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Malaysian authorities deported the three to Sri Lanka where the trio was taken into custody by Sri Lankan officials. Details of the three persons were provided by Sri Lankan officials to their Malaysian counterparts on the basis of information supplied by Nanthgopan senior deputy leader of the LTTE faction led by Perinbanayagam Sivaparan alias Nediyavan.Nanthagopan was earlier arrested with the cooperation of officials in Iran and Malaysia and handed over to Sri Lanka.Nanthagopan is currently being held and questioned at the Police Terrorism Investigation Division(TID)headquarters in Colombo.

Following is an earlier news story filed by AFP about the arrests

Continue reading ‘Three Top Tigers Arrested in Malaysia with the help of Information Provided by LTTE Nediyavan Faction Leader Nanthagopan Handed Over to Sri Lankan Authorities.’ »

By

B.Kolappan

“Pattukottai” Kalayanasundaram

Everyone probably has their own unique reason to be in Chennai. But a poet’s mind clearly explains the city’s charm.

When he was struggling to get a toehold in the film world, late comedian N.S. Krishnan advised lyricist ‘Pattukottai’ Kalayanasundaram to leave the city instead of languishing in poverty.

The lyricist rejected the comedian’s advice in a song, with the lyrics Puzhal eri neer irukka, poga vara car irukka, Ponnusamy soru irukka, poveyno Chennaiai vittu thangamey thangam. (There is water from Puzhal Lake. There is adequate bus service. Food can be taken care of by Ponnusamy hotel. Will I ever leave Chennai?)

Continue reading ‘Documentary Titled “Makkal Kavignar Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram” Portrays Life of Popular Peoples Poet “Pattukkottaiyaar”’ »

Angry and widespread protests, including attempted rail rokos, were staged across the State on Monday to protest the participation of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the swearing-in of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Cabinet in New Delhi.

Tamil enthusiasts and Eelam supporters such as the Naam Tamizhar Katchi, besides the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), the Marumalarchi Drvaida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), staged demonstrations in several places.

Continue reading ‘Widespread Protests Against Mahinda Rajapaksa in Tamil Nadu Result in Hundreds of Demonstrators Being Arrested in the State.’ »

Pon. Radhakrishnan, the only minister from Tamil Nadu in the Narendra Modi government, has his political roots in the RSS in the late 1970s, when Kanyakumari district witnessed political mobilisation on religious lines.

Born into a rich family at Alathankarai in the district, Mr. Radhakrishnan, a lawyer by training, quit the profession to become a full-time politician. He worked closely with Rama Gopalan when he launched the Hindu Munnani.

BY

B. KOLAPPAN

Mr. Gopalan organised a series of Hindu Unity conferences in the 1980s in the district, and on one occasion, the ban on a procession resulted in police firing. One person was killed.

The Mandaikadu riots and the conferences organised by the Hindu Munnani led to Hindu assertion in the district, and the RSS launched its activities in many villages. The district first elected V. Balachandran, a candidate supported by the Hindu Munnani, in the 1984 Assembly elections from Padmanabhapuram.

Mr. Radhakrishnan functioned as office-secretary of the Hindu Munnani, before becoming an active leader of the BJP. He was general secretary of the party in the district and became the zonal coordinator of Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts.

Continue reading ‘Solitary Tamil Nadu Minister in Modi Govt Pon.Radhakrishnan has his Roots in the “Hindu Munnani”and RSS.’ »

BY

B. KOLAPPAN&SRUTHISAGAR YAMUNAN

For the first time in 18 years, Tamil Nadu will not have a Cabinet-rank Minister at the Centre.

It has to be content with a single ministerial berth.

BJP State president Pon. Radhakrishnan, elected from Kanyakumari, has been accommodated as a Minister of State (MoS) in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet.

From 1996, either the DMK or the AIADMK was part of the United Front, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) governments and were given important portfolios.

Continue reading ‘First Time in 18 Years,Tamil Nadu has No Cabinet -rank Minister at the Centre only a Single Minister of State Post.’ »

BY

PRAVEEN SWAMI

Looking at the calendar of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s high-powered national security team, it is tempting to think there are good times ahead for them: Brasilia, in July, for the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa BRICS summit; the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September; Nay Pyi Taw in October, for a summit of the Association of South East Asian Nations; a meeting of the G-20 group of major economies in Brisbane.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj—the troika who will implement Mr. Modi’s strategic vision — will be seeing lots of the world, but it is unlikely to be fun.

Continue reading ‘Arun Jaitley Being Made Minister of Defence and Finance Indicates that Modi Wants India to Have “Military Teeth”to meet Challenges.’ »

BY

SMITA GUPTA

Not surprisingly, the lion’s share of berths in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Council of Ministers went to States north of the Vindhyas, with a mere half-a-dozen to the four southern States. And, of the northern States, Uttar Pradesh that delivered 71 of the 336 seats that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won in the general elections, got the biggest chunk: eight Ministers, of whom four find a place in the Union Cabinet.

Continue reading ‘Majority of Ministerial Posts Under PM Modi go to North India with 4 South Indian States Getting only 6.’ »

Corporate India has come out to express confidence in the new government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the hope that the business scenario in India will see better times soon. Corporate India, led by the Ambanis, Mittals, Munjals, Adanis, Hindujas and Ruias, was in full strength at Mr. Modi’s swearing in ceremony in New Delhi.

Ajay Shriram, President, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), said that the Prime Minister’s stress on growth and development had translated into an unequivocal mandate for change, and industry would look forward to a new era of reform and liberalisation of the Indian economy.

Continue reading ‘Corporate India Led by Ambanis,Mittals,Munjals,Adanis,Hindujas and Ruias Hope Business Scenario will Improve Under Modi’ »

Marking the beginning of a new era in Indian politics, Narendra Modi was today sworn in Prime Minister at the head of a 45—member coalition government after the elections that saw the BJP gain absolute majority in 30 years.

63—year—old Modi, the first leader to get a landslide victory for the BJP, became the 15th Prime Minister in a virtual ‘coronation’ ceremony in the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan before a 3000-strong gathering, the largest audience at the swearing in a of new government.

Continue reading ‘Narendra Modi Sworn in as India’s 15th Prime Minister Heading BJP Led 45 Member Coalition Govt’ »

MDMK chief Vaiko was today detained along with 100 of his party cadres for deSri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.fying prohibitory orders after he led a demonstration here against the visit of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa for Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony.

A section of the protestors also set the Sri Lankan national flag on fire, besides burning portraits of Rajapaksa on Parliament Street here.

Continue reading ‘MDMK Chief Vaiko with over 100 Party Cadres Detained in New Delhi for Protesting Against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.’ »

Narendra Modi, who will be sworn in as India’s Prime Minister on Monday, will have a 45-member strong Council of Ministers. Out of these, 24 are Cabinet Ministers. Ten are Ministers of State with Independent Charge, while the rest are Ministers of State.

Sources say Modi is set to retain Defence portfolio.

Continue reading ‘Narendra Modi to have 45 Member Council of Ministers with 24 Cabinet Ministers,10 State Ministers with Independent Charge and 11 Ministers of State.’ »

MDMK chief Vaiko, an NDA ally, on Monday held a protest in the national capital against the visit of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa for Narendra Modi’s swearing-in ceremony.

Mr. Vaiko held a black-flag demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

Continue reading ‘MDMK Party Chief Vaiko Leads Black Flag Demonstration Protesting Against Mahinda Rajapaksa at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.’ »

Tamil superstar Rajnikanth, who had been invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi on Monday, will not attend the function, sources close to the actor said.

They said the actor was not in town and, therefore, would not attend the ceremony, which will see Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, among other dignitaries, grace the occasion.

Continue reading ‘Tamil Cinema Super Star Actor Rajnikanth Though Invited by Narendra Modi Skips Swearing in Ceremony After Student Outfit Protests Near his Residence.’ »

Reacting to the invitation to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has decided not to attend the swearing-in of Narendra Modi.

She is not sending any party MP either to represent her.

The Sri Lankan Tamils issue has outweighed other considerations in her decision, sources in the AIADMK said.

Continue reading ‘Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jayaram Decides not to Attend Swearing in Ceremony of Narendra Modi due to Sri Lankan Tamils Issue.’ »

By

Meera Srinivasan

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Sunday ordered the release of five Indian fishermen in custody in Colombo as a “goodwill gesture” that comes a day before he leaves to India.

On Monday, he will attend the ceremony where BJP leader Narendra Modi’ will be sworn in as Prime Minister of India.

Unlike the earlier batch of fishermen that he released soon after India’s abstention at the Human Rights Council in March — who were arrested on charges of illegal fishing — the five who are to be released now were arrested in November 2011 for allegedly smuggling narcotic drugs into Sri Lanka. At present there are no Indian fishermen in Sri Lankan prisons facing charges of trespassing, but there are six others arrested at different points in the last two years on charges of smuggling drugs, according to officials at the Indian High Commission here.

Continue reading ‘President Rajapaksa Orders Release of Five Indian Fishermen Detained for Smuggling Narcotics as Goodwill Gesture Before Going to New Delhi.’ »

by

DILRUKSHI HANDUNNETTI

The newly-elected Bharathiya Janatha Party (BJP) will introduce a ‘baggage-free’ foreign policy that will allow India to foster relations with each SAARC member country and in that discourse, Sri Lanka – India’s strategic neighbour – will enjoy a special place, Spokesperson for the Bharathiya Janatha Party (BJP), Nirmala Sitharaman, told Ceylon Today.

In an exclusive telephone interview with Ceylon Today, Sitharaman said, Prime Minister-elect, Narendra Modi’s decision to invite leaders from all SAARC countries indicated his open-minded approach which is not coloured by the past.

Continue reading ‘BJP Govt Under Modi will Initiate Fresh Dialogue with Sri Lanka and Push for Devolution Under 13th Constitutional Amendment’ »

By

Stanley Samarasinghe

M. Kairul Nisa Awoof, a practising Muslim woman, filed a fundamental rights application before the Supreme Court, seeking permission to enter the premises of Nawala Janadhipathi Balika Vidyalaya clad in the Islamic attire.

According to the petition, filed through her lawyer, Gowry Shangary Thavarasa, the petitioner, a mother of four children, shifted to Colombo from Hambantota to further the education of her children.

Continue reading ‘Fundamental Rights Application Filed in Supreme Court Seeking Permission to Enter School Premises Clad in Islamic Attire.’ »

BY

FAIZER SHAHEID

Members of the medical fraternity are seemingly disconcerted by the silence of the authorities in relation to the National Medicinal Drugs, Devices and Cosmetics Regulatory Authority Bill (NMDDCRA) currently being studied by a consultative committee.

Approximately 15,000 or more registered medicinal drugs are being distributed in Sri Lanka, of which a majority is imported into the country, according to statistics from the Drug Regulatory Authority of Sri Lanka. Over time there has also been a massive influx in new drugs, a majority of which had been deemed unnecessary and expensive.

Continue reading ‘Rational Principles Enunciated by Prof.Senaka Bibile on Distribution of Medical Drugs are Being Violated’ »

Opposing the invitation to Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa for Narendra Modi’s swearing—in as Prime Minister, BJP ally MDMK on Saturday announced a black flag demonstration against the head of the island republic in Delhi on May 26.

A similar protest will be held in Chennai the same day, he said.

Continue reading ‘BJP Ally MDMK Party Led by “Vaiko”Will Stage Black Flag Protest Demonstrations in New Delhi and Chennai Opposing Mahinda Rajapaksa.’ »

The Government has issued an order to freeze all funds, other financial assets and economic resources of persons, groups and entities designated and listed in March on suspicion of terrorist financing. The 39-page list was promulgated in terms of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSRC) 1373 and contains the names of 424 persons and 16 entities, nearly all of them Tamil. The Government claims they are responsible for the continued financing of terrorism.

The latest gazette was issued on Thursday under the signature of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Competent Authority for the implementation of UNSC Resolution 1373. It gives effect to a freeze on “all funds, other financial assets and economic resources belonging to or owned or held by any natural or legal person, group or entity designated and listed”.

Continue reading ‘Gotabaya Rajapaksa Orders Freeze of Funds, Assets & Economic Resources of 16 Entities and 424 Individuals Listed for Alleged “Terrorist Financing”’ »

By

Keith Jones

India’s corporate media has proclaimed the victory of the Hindu communalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in India’s just-concluded general election a massive popular endorsement for sweeping pro-market “reform.”

This is a lie. While the BJP, with 31 percent of the popular vote, became the first party in three decades to secure a majority in India’s parliament, it and the NDA were victors by default. They were the utterly unwarranted beneficiaries of mass popular anger with the ten year-old Congress Party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government—a government that India’s workers and toilers rightly associated with rampant inflation, mass unemployment, endemic poverty, and ever widening social inequality.

Any pro-BJP “tsunami” was restricted to the corporate boardrooms, the most avaricious sections of the upper middle class, and the enraged petty bourgeois of the RSS and its network of Hindu supremacist organizations.

Continue reading ‘Corporate India Spent Billions of Rupees to Secure BJP electoral Win and Instal Narendra Modi as Prime Minister.’ »

THE most important change in the world over the past 30 years has been the rise of China. The increase in its average annual GDP per head from around $300 to $6,750 over the period has not just brought previously unimagined prosperity to hundreds of millions of people, but has also remade the world economy and geopolitics.

India’s GDP per head was the same as China’s three decades ago. It is now less than a quarter of the size. Despite a couple of bouts of reform and spurts of growth, India’s economy has never achieved the momentum that has dragged much of East Asia out of poverty. The human cost, in terms of frustrated, underemployed, ill-educated, unhealthy, hungry people, has been immense.

Now, for the first time ever, India has a strong government whose priority is growth. Narendra Modi, who leads the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has won a tremendous victory on the strength of promising to make India’s economy work. Although we did not endorse him, because we believe that he has not atoned sufficiently for the massacre of Muslims that took place in Gujarat while he was chief minister, we wish him every success: an Indian growth miracle would be a great thing not just for Indians, but also for the world.

Continue reading ‘Muslims Comprise 15% of India but India’s new Strong Man Modi is yet to mention their name-Economist’ »

BY

HARTOSH SINGH BAL

The year 1984 is being invoked a lot in the wake of the Narendra Modi victory. Even though the circumstances were different then, it was the last time a single party won an absolute majority in an Indian election. That election saw another new prime minister, bearing the stain of majoritarian violence and speaking for the young, come to power offering technocratic solutions that would move India beyond caste and religion. The failure of that project, which was burdened with heightened expectations, should remain a cautionary tale, but that is not the reason I want to invoke 1984.

Continue reading ‘Failure by Narendra Modi to use words”Muslim”or”Minority” in his Victory speeches is Disturbingly Striking.’ »

By

C.A.Chandraprema

Last week, we saw Sri Lanka positioning itself in the new world order as we watched. President Mahinda Rajapaksa attended a summit meeting of the hitherto little heard of ‘Conference on Interaction and Confidence building measures in Asia,’ an organization with the acronym CICA. Everybody has heard of the Non-Aligned Movement, of NATO, ASEAN, EU, the African Union the Arab League and other such bodies but this is the first time that we Sri Lankans heard of a body called CICA. One may say that this is the first time that the awareness of the existence of this body dawned on the world, not just Sri Lanka. But the fact is that Russia and China chose this forum to announce their historic natural gas deal. When Putin went to Shanghai to attend the CICA Summit, Western media said that China and Russia were nowhere near finalizing a deal that would immeasurably increase Russia’s staying power in its conflict with the West over Ukraine.

The Western media in fact had good reason to think that negotiations for the China-Russia natural gas deal which had been dragging on for a decade with no conclusion in sight would drag on for a few years more but a day or two into the conference, Russia and China announced that they had concluded the deal. The timing sends an unmistakable message to the West that China will back Russia to the hilt. That the Sri Lankan president was having meetings with the Chinese leadership during this very same CICA meeting was also a strong signal to India before Narendra Modi becomes prime minister. In the meantime, Modi himself has taken the initiative to invite all leaders of SAARC countries to his swearing ceremony and President Mahinda Rajapaksa has indicated that he will be attending.

Continue reading ‘Should Sri Lanka Cement Closer Relationship with China to Counter Tamil Nadu’s Influence with Indian Central Govt?’ »

“The Nation” newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief Malinda Seneviratne was awarded the Gratiaen Prize 2013 for Creative Writing in English for his collection of poetry: ‘Edges’. The winner of the 2013 prize was announced this evening.

Continue reading ‘Malinda Seneviratne Wins Gratiaen Prize 2013 for Creative English Writing for his Collection of Poetry”Edges”.’ »

By

D P Satish

New Delhi: Dr Subramanian Swamy, a senior BJP leader and a strong critic of the LTTE, has asked the Prime Minister elect Narendra Modi to bring all our neighbours together on the day of his swearing-in. Speaking to ibnlive, Dr Swamy said, “it is a masterstroke. It is a Modi masterstroke. He has invited all SAARC countries to his swearing in ceremony. Earlier except Bhutan, all other neighbours were against us. We can now change that.”

Talking about the AIADMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s opposition to inviting Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to Modi’s swearing in, Dr Swamy said that foreign affairs is the domain of the Centre.

Here is what he said:

Indian Tamil leaders shouldn’t interfere in Lankan Tamil issues: Swamy

Continue reading ‘“If India Wants to do Anything for Sri Lankan Tamils it has to Deal with the Elected President of Sri Lanka”-Subramanian Swamy.’ »

(Full Text of a Statement Issued on behalf of the Tamil National Alliance by its leader Rajavarothayam Sampanthan M.P.It was released to the press by the TNA Media office)

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) wishes to unequivocally condemn the recent action taken by the Government of Sri Lanka to designate several Tamil diaspora organisations and individuals under Gazette Extraordinary No. 1854/41 of 21 March 2014. This Gazette notification was issued under the United Nations Regulations No. 1 of 2012 published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 1758/19 of 15 May 2012.

These measures come in the wake of the passage of Resolution 25/1 on ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka’, adopted at the 25th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on the 23 March 2014.
Continue reading ‘Tamil National Alliance “Unequivocally Condemns” the Designation by Gazette of Tamil Diaspora Organizations and Individuals.’ »

(Text of a letter sent by Tamil National Alliance Leader Rajavarothayam Sampanthan M.P. to India’s Prime minister elect Narendra Modi.Letter was released by the TNA Media office)

Shri Narendra Modi,

New Delhi,

Dear Prime Minister

I write to you as the leader of the Tamil National Alliance, the political formation in Sri Lanka democratically elected at different levels of government, to substantially represent the Tamil people particularly of the North East in Sri Lanka.

We extend to you on behalf of the Tamil People is Sri Lanka our warmest congratulations on your resounding victory at the recently concluded elections to the Loke Sbha and on your appointment to the high office of the Prime Minister of Bharat – India. We extend to you and to your government our very sincere best wishes for the successful discharge if your onerous responsibilities.

Continue reading ‘Tamil National Alliance Complains to Narendra Modi About “Aggressive Agenda”Pursued by Sri Lankan Govt.’ »

by

Tahir Mehdi

In Pakistan, apprehensions are rife about Narendra Modi’s flamboyant success. But fervent Modi supporters in the Indian middle classes prefer to place him in the economic governance arena. Dawn recently talked to renowned Indian writer, Arundhati Roy, in Delhi to explore what Modi’s rise means for India.

“The massive, steeply climbing GDP of India dropped rather suddenly and millions of middle-class people sitting in the aircraft, waiting for it to take off, suddenly found it freezing in mid-air,” says Ms Roy. “Their exhilaration turned to panic and then into anger. Modi and his party have mopped up this anger.”
Continue reading ‘“India has a Democratically Elected Totalitarian Govt Now” Says Arundhati Roy’ »

By

Dharisha Bastians

In an apparent bid to reach out to the Tamil National Alliance, President Mahinda Rajapaksa invited the Northern Chief Minister to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Indian Premier designate Narendra Modi, but the former Supreme Court Judge has declined the overture.

“I am pleased to extend to you an invitation to be a member of the Presidential delegation attending the ceremony, at which the Oath of Office to the Prime Minister-designate of India will be administered,” External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris wrote in a letter of invitation to Northern Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran yesterday.

Continue reading ‘Mahinda Rajapaksa Proposes Trip to New Delhi but CV Wigneswaran Disposes.’ »

BY

MEERA SRINIVASAN

The Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, C.V. Wigneswaran, on Friday declined to join a delegation headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday.Responding to a letter from Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris — who wrote to Mr. Wigneswaran on the President’s behalf — the Chief Minister said accepting the invitation would make it seem that a strong, cooperative spirit prevailed between the Centre and the province, contrary to the current situation.The people of the Northern Province, he said, were engulfed in fear over heavy militarisation. “I would be guilty of facilitating tokenism were I to accept such an invitation,” he said in this letter.

Continue reading ‘Northern Chief Minister Wigneswaran Refuses to Join Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa’s Delegation for New Delhi Swearing in Ceremony.’ »

BY

S. Vijay Kumar & B. Aravind Kumar

The chorus against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s participation in the May 26 swearing-in of Narendra Modi as Prime Minister grew louder on Friday, with DMK chief M. Karunanidhi and PMK founder S. Ramadoss seeking reconsideration of the invitation.

MDMK general secretary Vaiko met Mr. Modi and BJP president Rajnath Singh in New Delhi and made a fervent appeal that the Sri Lankan President be prevented from participating in the event. Mr. Modi is learnt to have assured him that no bilateral issues will be discussed with Mr. Rajapaksa.

Continue reading ‘Protest Against Sri Lankan President Participating in Swearing in Ceremony Gathers Momentum with DMK and PMK also Joining Chorus.’ »

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa has described as ‘unfortunate’, the Prime Minister-elect Narendra Modi’s invitation to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa for his swearing—in ceremony on May 26.

Ms. Jayalalithaa has expressed her ‘dismay’ and ‘anguish’ over the move, saying the ‘ill-advised’ move could have been avoided.

Continue reading ‘Jayalalithaa Expresses “Anguish”and”Dismay” Over Narendra Modi’s “ill-advised”Move to Invite Mahinda Rajapaksa.’ »

By

By inviting the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) leaders to his swearing-in ceremony, Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi has sent out a powerful message on foreign policy.

After an electoral campaign where “Candidate” Modi had made several disquieting statements about the region — from criticising Bangladesh for its treatment of the Hindu minority and on illegal immigrants, to threatening Pakistan over the export of terror and firing at the Line of Control (LoC), it would seem as if Prime Minister-designate Modi wants to start on a fresh page. After all, the irony would be lost on none; that after criticising caretaker Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for “serving biryani to the former Pakistan PM,” Mr. Modi will now preside over his first banquet in office to which he has invited the Pakistan Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif. To then give the South Asian neighbourhood such importance right at the start of his term is indeed a significant step.

Continue reading ‘Narendra Modi Sends Powerful Message on Foreign Policy by Inviting SAARC Leaders for Swearing in Ceremony.’ »

BY

P. Ramajayam & Sandeep Shastri

The Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu confirmed two important trends: the voters in the State were not necessarily influenced by what are often termed as ‘national’ issues, and the tradition of one of the two Dravidian parties or alliances sweeping the elections was emphatically endorsed. The party in power in the State, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), swept the elections, winning all but two of the seats. The leading Opposition, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) could not open its account; nor could the Congress. On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led alliance won two seats. The voting pattern indicates a massive vote share difference of 14 percentage points between the AIADMK and the DMK. Both the parties took a strategic decision not to ally with any of the national parties. This allowed the electoral battle in the State to be fought largely on local issues.

Continue reading ‘Lok Sabha Election Results Indicate That National Issues Facing India Did not Influence or Impact on Tamil Nadu.’ »

By

Praveen Swami

Friday’s terrorist attack on the Indian consulate in the western Afghanistan city of Heart is threatening to turn into Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi’s first major foreign policy test, with concerns over possible Pakistani involvement in the strike threatening to derail his invitation to its Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, to attend his swearing-in on Monday.

Continue reading ‘Attack on Indian Consulate at Herat in Afghanistan is a Foreign Policy Test for Narendra Modi.’ »

Tamil Nadu is a preferred destination for Chinese investments as it has good governance and infrastructure, and is known for its industrial-friendly climate, according to China’s Ambassador to India Wei Wei.

Continue reading ‘Tamil Nadu State in India is Preferred Destination for Chinese Investment Because of Industry-Friendly Climate.’ »