by N Sathiya Moorthy

In a masterly stroke aimed at improving bilateral economic relations on the one hand, and job opportunities for the Tamil victims of the ethnic war, New Delhi and Colombo have agreed to set up Special Economic Zones (SEZ) for Indian engineering, auto components and pharmaceutical industries in the eastern port town of Trincomalee.

Marking Human Rights Day in Trincomalee-file pic, 2008-pic by: Drs. Sarajevo

The decision, taken at a meeting the visiting Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma had with Sri Lankan Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa at Colombo, provides for the setting up of ancillaries units for auto-manufacturers and other engineering companies, located in Tamil Nadu and the rest of South India.
Continue reading ‘Setting up Special Economic Zones in Trincomalee aimed at Providing Job Opportunties for Tamil victims of Ethnic War’ »

by Amardeep Singh

One of the issues that has come up periodically in the Sikh community in the U.S. since 9/11 has been how to handle the common problem that men in turbans are presumed by many Americans to be Muslims.

Mayor Bloomberg visits Sikh Cultural Society in Queens, NY with Police Commissioner Kelly.
August 6, 2012-Photo Credit: Spencer T Tucker-via: NYC Mayors Office

A man named Balbir Singh Sodhi was shot down in Arizona just a few days after 9/11 for precisely that kind of misrecognition, and there were quite a number of other instances of attacks not as extreme as murder that occurred in those first few months.
Continue reading ‘Beyond Recognition and Misrecognition: the Shooting at Oak Creek Gurdwara in Wisconsin’ »

by Rafiga Gurbanzade

Lobbying is generally defined as the process of seeking to influence a government and its institutions to execute policies that serve interests of a group of individuals.

The Woodstock Theological Center defines lobbying as a “deliberate attempt to influence political decision through various forms of advocacy directed at policymakers on behalf of another person, organization or group” (58).
Continue reading ‘How Ethnic Lobbying Impacts On US Foreign Policy’ »

by John Scales Avery

At the end of the Second World War, when the full extent of the atrocities that had been committed by the Nazi’s became known, it was decided to prosecute Nazi leaders for crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity (such as extermination camps).

pic by: Michael Dawes

There was disagreement about how such trials should be held, but after some debate between the Allied countries, it was agreed that 24 Nazi officials and military leaders would be tried by an International Tribunal in Nuremberg, Germany, a former center of Nazi politics.
Continue reading ‘All Adult Citizens Are Breaking International Law If Complicit In War Crimes Committed By Their Governments’ »

by Robert Fisk

Has there ever been a Middle Eastern war of such hypocrisy? A war of such cowardice and such mean morality, of such false rhetoric and such public humiliation?

I’m not talking about the physical victims of the Syrian tragedy. I’m referring to the utter lies and mendacity of our masters and our own public opinion – eastern as well as western – in response to the slaughter, a vicious pantomime more worthy of Swiftian satire than Tolstoy or Shakespeare.
Continue reading ‘The War in Syria is all about Iran and our desire to crush the Islamic Republic and its Infernal Nuclear Plans’ »

By Shirani Seneviratne

(This is a response to the article written by William Mcgowan in “Foreign Affairs” that was posted on dbsjeyaraj.com under the heading”militant Buddhists are behaving badly in Sri Lanka)

Reclining Lord Buddha in Adams Peak – pic by: Feng Zhong, Feb 2012

It’s deeply disturbing that a magazine such as Foreign Affairs would stoop to publish such an article as this. It is more of a diatribe than a well balanced article that one expects from a magazine such as Foreign Affairs and it is shocking that the publishers would allow a writer to drag the magazine in the mud.
Continue reading ‘Militant Buddhism is a Recent Phenomenon and was not Behind the Civil war’ »

by Hemantha Warnakulasuriya

I was informed by an agent, allegedly working for ‘Digos’, the Secret Police of Italy, that certain video clips were being prepared by the LTTE to bolster its claim that the Sri Lankan soldiers committed war crimes.

This was to be used internationally by the LTTE as proof of atrocities committed by the government of Sri Lanka. According to the informant, Prabahkaran was certain that the LTTE would be able to push back the Sri Lankan army to its pre-war position.
Continue reading ‘How Adrian Anthony Gill Critiqued Channel 4 Documentary on Sri Lanka’ »

pic via: ceypetco.gov.lk

By S. Talpahewa

It appears that Ceylon Petroleum Corporation is now afflicted with the chronic disease of Off-specification Fiascos.

During the short period of the last three years four major “off-specifications fiascos” had occurred at the CPC. They are –
Continue reading ‘Petroleum Corporation has Four ‘off Specification Fiascos’ in Three Years -1’ »

Rtd. Chief Justice Sarath Nanda Silva

Sarath Nanda Silva Interviewed by Dianne Silva

Question:In light of the upcoming provincial council elections; what is your opinion on the provincial council system and the devolution of power, is it effective in a country as small as Sri Lanka? Should the PC’s be given more power?
Continue reading ‘President wanting Centralization of Power and Tamil side wanting a certain sense of Autonomy Causes Sharp Conflict says Ex –Chief Justice’ »

Wetting feet in the sea, with Pigeon Island, Trincomalee – in the background-pic: Drs Sarajevo

by Charitha Ratwatte

Sri Lanka’s dependence on imported milk is a phenomenon that evolved during the time frame of my lifetime.

I well remember as a child, a man used to bring a cow and its small calf to our house – we lived in a Government quarters bungalow in Colombo – and milk the cow, in the presence of my mother, and give her the fresh milk in containers provided by her, for the family’s daily consumption.
Continue reading ‘Dairy Cattle in Sri Lanka Declining due to Rise in Beef Eating Consumption’ »

By N. Sathiya Moorthy

The timely announcement on the setting up of official mechanisms for the implementation of the Report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) should be welcome for more reasons than one.

On the face of it, the Roadmap on the LLRC Report implementation seeks to address the concerns, real and otherwise, expressed in and by the US-sponsored Geneva resolution of the UNHRC. Even more importantly, it has fixed responsibility and accountability on officials across the board and down the line on post-war national efforts at rehabilitation, reconstruction and reconciliation, nearer home, for addressing political and administrative aspects.
Continue reading ‘Is the Sri Lankan Govt Addressing Concerns of the International Community or the Tamil Victims of the War?’ »

By Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha M.P

Having now gone through the LLRC Action Plan, I can understand how sensible it was of the Cabinet to appoint, not politicians, but the Secretary to the President to work on it. And he in turn was inspired to appoint extremely competent public servants who would not be looking over their shoulders to see what political or personal fallouts their recommendations might cause.
Continue reading ‘The need to setup a Land Commission as envisaged by the Thirteenth Amendment’ »

by Sulochana Ramiah Mohan

You have been called the ‘Controversial Bishop’ and recently Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen claimed that you were the ‘cause’ for the clash in Mannar where Muslims attacked the magistrate and the Tamil fishermen in Uppukkulam? What is your explanation?

UK’s High Commissioner John Rankin in discussion with Mannar Bishop Rev. Rayappu Joseph, Jul 12, 2012-pic: UK In Sri Lanka

I am called a controversial Bishop because there are ‘controversial’ issues taking place and when I speak on those issues I turned to be ‘controversial’.
Continue reading ‘An Interview with ‘Controversial’ Mannar Catholic Bishop Rayappu Joseph’ »

Sigmund Freud (6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939)

By Tisaranee Gunasekara

“Have you learned nothing from history?” – Sigmund Freud (The Failure of an Illusion)

The exodus began a few years after the independence. The first to leave were the Burghers.

Realising that the equation of Sinhala with national (desheeya) in the politico-cultural sphere rendered precarious their place in independent Ceylon, most of the Burghers upped and left, in search of more tolerant pastures.
Continue reading ‘‘Rajapaksas in their Dynastic Interest Encourage and Foster Ethno-Religious Extremism and Extremists of all Communities’’ »

by Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

One cannot fail to be amazed at the considerable ingenuity if not wild imagination with which the government’s National Plan of Action to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission has been drafted.

Some responses invoke chuckles of glee whilst other promises invoke far more heated reactions given the sheer chutzpah with which they have been made.
Continue reading ‘Govt National Action Plan to Implement LLRC report lacking Sincerity and Honesty is Another Consummate Exercise in Deception’ »

President R. Premadasa

by S. Venkat Narayan

NEW DELHI, August 4: In July 1989, then Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa had threatened to go to war with India if it did not withdraw the Indian Peace-Keeping Force (IPKF) by the end of that month.

He issued the threat when BG Deshmukh, then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s Special Envoy met him in Colombo on July 12 and 13 to discuss the IPKF’s withdrawal from the island.
Continue reading ‘When President Premadasa Threatened War, India was Prepared to Go to War with Sri Lanka’ »

Minister Bathiudeen

By Tisaranee Gunasekara

“This accursed, shortsighted statecraft!” – Heinrich von Kleist (Prinz Friedrich)

The Eastern province, multi-ethnic and multi-religious, is Sri Lanka’s Achilles Heel. Mishandle the East and the outcome will not be a cleanly bifurcated separatist war.

Mishandle the East and the outcome will be a ‘war of all against all’, involving every ethnic/religious group in Sri Lanka (plus several foreign powers in supportive roles), and infecting every nook and cranny of the island.
Continue reading ‘Those Defending Minister Bathiudeen Because he is a Muslim or a Rajapaksa Acolyte are Feeding the Monster of Impunity’ »

By Nirmala Kannangara

Despite Presidential Security Division (PSD) and Police Media Spokesperson’s claim that Ann Kingston (nee Mariyadas) was not knocked down by a motor bicycle out rider attached to the President’s motorcade the victim’s family claim otherwise.

President Rajapaksa at the opening of Galle Expressway, Nov 27, 2011

Forty eight years old Kingston was knocked down by a speeding motor bicycle alleged to be one of the out riders in the Presidential convoy on July 9, on the zebra crossing in front of the Mt. Lavinia Magistrate Court on the Galle Road.
Continue reading ‘Speeding Motor cyclist in President Rajapaksa’s Convoy Knocks down and Kills Grandmother on Mt.Lavinia Zebra Crossing’ »

by Gamini Weerakoon

Watching pre-Olympic Games programmes on TV made us realise how much the Olympic Games even in this hi-tech age is dependent on torch bearers. For weeks the Olympic torch was carried from town to town in Britain and finally from borough to borough in London. It made us realise that carrying torches too is a part of the Sri Lankan heritage.

pic courtesy of: hambantota2018.com

Never mind the ancient times when our torch bearers were vassals to monarchs who may have had the heads of poor torch bearers chopped off if they did not perform their duties well enough.
Continue reading ‘OLYMPICS 2020 AT MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA MAGAMPURA OLYMPIC VILLAGE IN HAMBANTOTA’ »

By Kumar Rupesinghe

The announcement of the LLRC implementation plan by the Lalith Weeratunge Committee, appointed by the President, must be commended for the hard work that they did to ensure that the entirety of the recommendations have been taken note of, a time plan for the implementation agreed on.

Australian Ambassador Kathy Klugman meets a family of children whose family home is unfortunately surrounded by fields of land mines, Sep 2011-pic courtesy of: Australian Agency for International Development-AusAid

The implementation plan was ratified by the cabinet unanimously.
Continue reading ‘It is Important that we Heal the Wound and Remove the Sense of Humiliation of a Beleaguered People’ »

by Juliet Coombe

(Juliet Coombe writes about Sri Lanka’s magical spots and amazing people with special beliefs and mystical practices)

First there is the question of belief and then belief itself. It was first the Eleatic Parmenides, who in an attempt to understand the phenomena of change by refuting interpretations of Heraclitean and Milesian thinkers, decried that we ‘confuse appearance with reality’.

Zeno talked about the senses, deluding us from the truth by creating the sensation of an illusion; an illusion of fact, an illusion of reality.
Continue reading ‘Genesis vs. Nemesis: Sri Lanka’s supernatural history’ »

By Jayampathy Wickramaratne

Upon becoming a party to a treaty, a State undertakes binding obligations in international law. A State has to submit initial and periodic reports to the relevant treaty body on measures adopted. The country thus becomes open to international scrutiny.

Sri Lanka is a dualist country and treaties do not automatically become the law of land unlike in monist countries such as the Netherlands, Russia and East Timor.
Continue reading ‘“‘We need a bit of Authoritarianism for Development’ is a Slogan of the Autocrat and not of the Democrat”’ »

S.C. Chandrahasan – pic by: M. Vedhan-The Hindu

By Namini Wijedasa

An old man stood resolutely outside a house, facing a roaring, depraved mob. They had weapons. “You kill me,” the man said, in Sinhala, his language. “Then you can go in.”

S.C. Chandrahasan remembers that old man. Where many have chosen to dwell on the savageness and brutality of the 1983 anti-Tamil riots, he focuses on what he calls “some of the remarkable things that happened during bad days”.
Continue reading ‘‘As of now, let me walk Along and Support the Political Process from Outside’ – S.C. Chandrahasan’ »

by Celina Cramer

Namini Wijedasa’s experience on her Terrorism Tour (“Throngs of people on ‘Terrorism Tour’ ”, Sunday Lakbima News, July 22, 2012/Soldiers guide pre-dominantly Sinhala visitors on “Terrorism Tour” of Mullaitheevu district’-.dbsjeyaraj.com) sparked off dormant memories of my short visit to Jaffna.

David Hall, UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office Team Leader for South Asia Department who visited Sri Lanka in Jan 2012 seen here during a had a Mullaitivu-pic: UK in Sri Lanka

This was last August. It was a “very typical trip” in a Rosa bus with our large family headed by the family’s most influential person: a former high ranking officer. You can imagine the VIP treatment: no checkpoints, no queues.
Continue reading ‘You Suffered for Three Decades and Now I come….’ »

by Rauf Hakeem

The Tamil political landscape with the exclusive Tamil Congress and the emerging alternative voice of the Federal party had great legal luminaries as GG Ponnambalam and SJV Chelvanayakam.

Minister Rauf Hakeem delivering The Murugesu Sivasithamparam memorial lecture-pic: TamilWin

The Late Sivasithamparam was a unique blend of all these greats filling the knowledge gaps and emerging as a personality in his own right. That is the picture I glean from rereading his work.
Continue reading ‘Muslim Nationalism has many Lessons to Learn from and be Informed by Tamil Nationalism’ »

By Mike Andree

The incandescent fury emanating from the Executive Committee of the Bar Association glowed around ‘Lady Justice’. The fire they breathed would have even burnt the blindfold of the goddess of justice. Such was the wrath of the members of the Bar when the facts on the Mannar incident kept surfacing.

Sri Lankan lawyers hold placards during a protest outside the main court complex in Colombo. The lawyers are demanding the immediate arrest of a government minister who they say threatened a judge who he disagreed with. Placards read: “Politicos sets fire to courts” and “Interfering with the judiciary is the burial of democracy.” Photo: AP-Courtesy: The Hindu

They condemned the manner in which ‘Lady Justice’ was attacked by the lord and master of the area. Finally, as many feared and few believed, the whole scenario, acted by the principal office bearers, after the initial outbursts of the Executive Committee, turned out to be a damp squib.
Continue reading ‘Appeasing The Lord and Master: The Turncoat Attitude of Black Coated Fraternity’ »

by Ridma Dissanayake

The Sri Lanka Youth Parliament will be set up in Kilinochchi, National Youth Services Council (NYSC) chairman Lalith Piyum Perera said.

“The Youth Parliament was to be established in Anuradhapura. However, considering the peaceful situation in the North, it was decided to set it up in Kilinochchi,” Perera said.
Continue reading ‘335 Member Sri Lankan National Youth Parliament to be Constructed in Kilinochchi’ »

Minister Rishad Bathiudeen

By Stanley Samarasinghe

The Executive Committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) filed a petition in the Court of Appeal , seeking permission to intervene in the contempt proceedings against Minister Rishad Bathiudeen.

Attorney-at-Law, Sanath Wijewardana filed the petition on behalf of the Executive Committee members, in terms of the Article 105(3) of the Constitution.
Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka Bar Association Executive Committee files petition in Appeal Court over Minister Bathiudeen Affair’ »

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

by Prof.Rajiva Wijesinha M.P.

I have noted previously that the failure of government to make its position clear on a number of issues has been one of the main difficulties about Reconciliation.

I say this because, by and large, the government position on most issues has been extremely positive, and inadequacies are more due to inefficiency than policy. But because the system does not encourage transparency, very good practices do not get the appreciation they deserve.
Continue reading ‘‘When Armed Forces Require Land for Security Reasons They must Limit Acquisitions to What is Essential and Provide Adequate Compensation’’ »

by K.S.Sivakumaran

Knowledgeable literati would have heard of a Thamil epic poem called Silappadikaaram. It is one of the five major epics in that language. The other four are Manimekalai, Seevaka Chinthamani, Valayapathi and Kundalakesi.

A Chera Prince named Ilango, who turned a sage professing Jainism, was also a great poet during the Post-Sangam Period in Thamil Literature (4 -7 A.D.). He wrote the epic Silappadikaaram. Chera Naadu was one of the three kingdoms in South India in ancient times. The other two were Chola and Paandiya kingdoms. The present Kerala State was earlier Chera Naadu.
Continue reading ‘Kannagi the Heroine of Silappathikaaram Epic is Pathini Deiyo’ »

by Rick Rozoff

Recent reports detail a Turkish military buildup on the Turkish-Syrian border with various accounts mentioning the deployment of troops, tanks, armored personnel carriers and missile batteries two kilometers from Syrian territory, with 25 tanks from the Mardin 70th Mechanized Brigade engaged in exercises along the border.

The Turkish rationale for the military escalation is that forces of the Democratic Union Party, an ethnic Kurdish group that Ankara accuses of being affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, have assumed control of the Syrian cities of Efrin (Afrin), Kobane and Amude (Amuda) near southeastern Turkey.
Continue reading ‘Kurdish ‘Terrorism’ Factor May Be Used To Provoke NATO Sponsored War Between Turkey and Syria’ »

By S.Senthalir

For the villagers around the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu who are agitating against its commissioning, it is as if they are facing a second Emergency, albeit a silent one.

pic courtesy of: dianuke.org

False cases have been slapped against them, their leaders have been charged with sedition and waging war against the government, prohibitory orders have been issued within a seven-km radius of the plant and the government continues to spread stories that the struggle is being funded by foreign sources.
Continue reading ‘Villagers Around Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu Facing Situation like in Emergency Rule of 1975-77’ »

A Buddhist monk protesting in Colombo, 2010-Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / Courtesy Reuters

by William McGowan

In Sri Lanka last September, a Sinhalese mob led by some 100 Buddhist monks demolished a Muslim shrine in the ancient city of Anuradhapura. As the crowd waved Buddhist colors, gold and red, a monk set a green Muslim flag on fire.

The monks claimed that the shrine was on land that had been given to the Sinhalese 2,000 years ago — an allusion to their proprietary right over the entire island nation, as inscribed in ancient religious texts.
Continue reading ‘Militant Buddhists Behaving Badly in Sri Lanka’ »

by Human Rights Watch

Sri Lanka: Massacre of Aid Workers Goes Unpunished

Six Years On, Government Fails to Prosecute Responsible Military, Police

Mourners present flowers at a Memorial Service for ACF Aid Workers executed by Sri Lanka Troops

The Sri Lankan government’s failure to hold accountable those responsible for the execution-style slaying of 17 aid workers six years ago is indicative of its deeper unwillingness to prosecute soldiers and police for atrocities, Human Rights Watch said today.
Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Govt deeply unwilling to prosecute soldiers and police for atrocities’ »

by Roel Raymond

How is it that concerned parents, activists and citizens of this island find it possible to hand over to a government incapable thus far of even acknowledging injustices to women, children and other marginalized sections of our society, the right to impose death as a penalty for crime?

Do people truly have faith in the government and judicial process that they ask, nay; agitate, for the enactment of the death penalty that will give authorities a citizen-sanctioned right to put to death a member of our own citizenry?
Continue reading ‘How Can we Hand Over to Govt the Right to Impose Death as a Penalty for Crime?’ »

Arts Faculty – Sumangala Building-University of Sri Jayewardenepura

by Prof.Wiswa Warnapala

At the beginning, university education in Sri Lanka began as a middle class preserve, as it, in the very initial period, catered to the demand of the students from a select number of public schools in the country.

university education, in the early period, was built on a theory of elites, which, in turn, represented certain aspects of the then existing class structure.
Continue reading ‘Universities Need To Be Given Better Resources As Higher Education Is An Investment In Human Capital’ »

by Dileni Gunewardena

There is trouble in the universities and trouble in the schools. While frustrated students and academics have taken to the streets, there has been much posturing among those responsible for the state of education and higher education in this country.

This article attempts to counter prevalent misconceptions about the nature, motivation and demands of the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) and the academics they represent.
Continue reading ‘If FUTA Loses Strike the Best and Brightest University teachers will Move to Private Sector or go abroad’ »

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA) yesterday separated its ongoing strike to win a pay hike from the overall push for an agreement with the government on the allocation of 6 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for education.

FUTA Chief Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri asserted that even if an agreement could be reached on salary and related issues, their battle for enhanced allocation for the education sector would continue. The head of the Department of History of the Faculty of the Colombo University reiterated FUTA’s commitment in the wake of the government and the FUTA initiating a fresh dialogue to settle the ongoing strike.
Continue reading ‘FUTA de-links pay hike and education allocation demands in strategic move to resolve strike’ »

S.A. David

by B.Kolappan

“LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran failed to take into consideration the changing geo-political situation”

There is nothing about the wizened old man with a free-flowing beard that suggests he was a sought-after architect, who’d been a senior town planner in Liverpool, United Kingdom, and later became the chief architect and town planner of Mombasa in Kenya.
Continue reading ‘S.A. David: Gandhiyan Architect of Sri Lankan Tamils’ »

Jaffna Mayoress Yogeswary Patkunarajah

by Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar

The administrative area of the Jaffna town is identified with the administrative area of the Jaffna Municipal Council. It’s origin could be traced to the Medieval Tamil Kingdoms of Jaffna which have been strong between the 13th century to the 16th century.

According to Professor K M de Silva in his book A history of Sri Lanka states that Jaffna under the Aryachakkravat’s was much the most powerful kingdom in the island.
Continue reading ‘Jaffna Mayoress Yogeswary Patkunarajah is a Woman of Action’ »

By Abanti Bhattacharya

In the most dangerous turn of events in the South China Sea, on July 23, China’s military body, the Central Military Commission approved the deployment of the People’s Liberation Army to guard the islands claimed by it.

pic courtesy of: VOA News

Earlier in June, China’s State Council had raised the administrative status of the seas to the level of a city, which it calls Sansha and which is located in the disputed Paracel Islands.
Continue reading ‘China is likely to increasingly display unilateral tendencies on territory and sovereignty related issues’ »

by Carmen Wickramagamage

It is no exaggeration to say that one of the social groups that has most benefited from the revolutionary education reforms implemented starting 1947 [which most of us know as either Free Education or Kannangara Reforms] is Women.

students at University-pic courtesy: YATV

In 1946, when the overall literacy rate for the country was 57.8%, only 43.8% of the female population was literate as opposed to 70.1% of the male population (Panditaratne and Selvanayagam, 1973).
Continue reading ‘Women have benefited immensely through education reforms in post independence’ »

Vivimarie VanderPoorten

by Roel Raymond

Vivimarie VanderPoorten is an award winning Sri Lankan poet. Her first book Nothing Prepares You won the Gratiaen Prize for the best piece of English literary work in Sri Lanka, in 2007.

In 2009 she was recipient of a higher honour; the SAARC Poetry Award, which was followed by the publication of her second book Stitch Your Eyelids Shut, in 2010.
Continue reading ‘‘Dont let Privatization of Education Destroy the Free Education System’’ »

By C. V. Vivekananthan | Attorney-at-law

In the year 1983, Vivienne Goonewardene filed a Fundamental Rights Application against Hector Perera and Others.

Cows in Nilaveli, with Pigeon Island in the background-pic by: Drs. Sarajevo

The Supreme Court held that the State was liable for the transgression of fundamental rights the police committed when he was enforcing the law and ordered the State to pay Rs.2,500/- as compensation to Vivienne for infringement of her fundamental rights as safeguarded by Article 13 (1) of the Constitution
Continue reading ‘Calling an area Muslim or Tamil or Sinhala receives no recognition in the use and enjoyment of the sea and seashore’ »

by Thulasi Muttulingam

Hindu devotees will be thronging the thoroughfares of Colombo in colourful processions over the next few days.

Chariot processions, coconuts being smashed, people decked in their brightest colours worshipping with camphor and flame, youngsters dancing the Kavadi dance and many other features of the Tamil Hindu community will be displayed on the streets of Colombo, instead of behind their temple walls, as is usually the case.

This is one of the most important Hindu festivals hosted in Colombo; the Adi Vel Festival, which has a unique history going back to 1874.

While many other pilgrims from other parts of the country are on their way to Kataragama even now, Colombo is one of the few places that brings the famed deity and his annual festival to the doorsteps of its own people.
Continue reading ‘Aadi Vel Festival in Colombo a Colourful Spectacle’ »

Karunasena Kodituwakku

By Vishnuguptha

“All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue, and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter.”—Edmund Burke

The power struggle within the United National Party (UNP) between Ranil Wickremesinghe and the reformists, led by Karu Jayasuriya and Sajith Premadasa, seems to be heading to a disastrous finale with the announcement made on Friday, 20 July, 2012.

Kabir Hashim

It was reported that the Working Committee of the UNP had decided to hold elections for its leader only once in six years, while the General Secretary, Treasurer and National Organizer of the Party would be appointed by the Leader.

This is in stark contrast to the existing mechanism by which the Leader, in addition to National Organizer and Deputy Leader, is elected each year.
Continue reading ‘Karunasena Kodituwakku or Kabir Hashim can unify the UNP by persuading Ranil, Karu and Sajith agree to a compromise’ »

Mattala International Airport-pic: development.lk

by Kath Noble

It’s hard to know when to take official statements seriously. The government isn’t known for taking the quiet, cautious approach.

Indeed, its spokesmen very often make obviously false claims, such as that Mervyn hasn’t done anything wrong or that no civilians were killed during the war. They seem to think the public are idiots.
Continue reading ‘Will costly projects in Hambantota District be worth the investment?’ »

by T.V. Rajeswar

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that it is acceding to a request from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the revival of matches between India and Pakistan in December this year.

The BCCI decided to resume cricketing ties with Pakistan by inviting the Pakistan cricket team for a short series in December 2012-January 2013 while Chennai, Delhi and Kolkata will host ODIs. T-20 matches will be played in Ahmedabad and Bangalore.
Continue reading ‘India should be prepared for more attacks if it hosts matches after resuming cricketing ties with Pakistan’ »

By Udaya Gammanpila

“How do you analyze Sri Lanka’s growing relationship with China disturbing neighbouring India?” I was posed with the above question or a question similar to that by Mano Tittawella.

I was a panelist at a discussion of the Sri Lanka Economic Summit organized by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Tittawella was the moderator.

I explained that China and India are emerging superpower neighbours and border-sharing neighbours would be superpowers after 500 years. I further explained that 500 years ago, when border-sharing superpowers, namely Spain and Portugal had disputes, the Pope intervened to resolve those.
Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka is like a beautiful princess for whom two princes China and India are competing for’ »

by Priya Thangarajah

Last Friday, a few of us were prohibited from entering Silk: a club in Colombo. The reason: “people like you are not allowed” i.e queer women. I remember awhile back when another friend was banned from another club for looking ‘butch’

Should I be happy that the ‘pink’ Rupee has made no impact on Colombo’s economy? Should I bear the burden of my class and dismiss this restriction of my space as an upper middle class elite women’s problem?
Continue reading ‘Dancing Around In Smaller Circles: A Queer Feminist Rant’ »

By Dr. Habib Siddiqui

In his book – Worse Than War – Daniel Jonah Goldhagen says that during mass murders, the murderers themselves, their supporters and those who wish to stand idly by practice linguistic camouflage.

Bangladesh, Arakanese refugee camps, July 23, 2012. Photography by Osman Sağırlı-IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation, Turkey

And this has been the case with the apartheid regime in Myanmar when it comes to its national project towards exterminating or purging out the Rohingyas.
Continue reading ‘Myanmar regime uses five principal methods to eliminate the Rohingyas in Burma’ »

BY Amanda Hodge | Colombo

THE first Tamil man to be deported from Australia since the end of the Sri Lankan war was returned a week after Sri Lanka’s navy chief complained to Australia’s high commissioner of double standards in the treatment of Sinhalese and Tamil asylum-seekers.

The Australian has learned that a reported clash between High Commissioner Robyn Mudie and Vice-Admiral Somathilake Dissanayake at a July 18 meeting in Colombo was sparked by accusations the federal government’s favourable treatment of Tamils over Sinhalese was encouraging the continued movement of boats.
Continue reading ‘More than 150 Sri Lankan Tamils could face deportation in coming months say Australia refugee advocates’ »

By N. Sathiya Moorthy

No debate or discourse in contemporary Sri Lanka or on Sri Lanka will be complete without a reference to India. Depending on the issue, like the ‘national problem’, strategic security or economy, ‘factors’ such as Tamil Nadu, China or aid get a reference.

The same can be said about India’s equations with its neighbours, where Sri Lanka gets more than a brief mention. This has been so despite India’s intractable issues involving Pakistan and/or China.

This was so in the past, it will remain so in the future.
Continue reading ‘Tamil Moderates need political solution to stay relevant now and in the future’ »

Ex Army Chief Sarath Fonseka

Ex Army Chief put on firing line by Rohan Abeywardene

War winning general turned outspoken critic of the government and Leader of the Democratic National Alliance Sarath Fonseka sat with us recently for a no-holds-barred interview. Although he, unlike some big talking politicians, did not rule out any queries, we could not pose a few more questions due to a time limit he laid down at the outset.

Following are excerpts:
Continue reading ‘‘They wanted to catch and assassinate my son-in-law during election time so that my morale will go down’ – Sarath Fonseka’ »

M.A. Sumanthiran MP

By M.A.Sumanthiran M.P

The phrase ‘self-determination’ raises many alarms in Sri Lanka today. The reason for that is the myth that somehow, if the right to self-determination is ceded to the Tamils of this country, it will automatically lead to secession.

Although, various shades of this concept were expressed in different times before the twentieth century, particularly in the American Independence and the French Revolution, it was actually brought to the fore during World War I.
Continue reading ‘Sri Lanka’s Tamils are entitled to the Right of Self-determination’ »

Arrival of the guests

by K.S. Sivakumaran

With an un-enthusiastic frame of mind thinking that the Ramanathan Hindu Ladies College situated in Bambalapitiya on Duplication Road near the Colombo Hindu College and Saraswathi Hall would be yet another Government School I went to meet the Principal, Kothai Nagularajah and her well-mannered and enthusiastic staff recently.

Her staff of more than 100 dedicated and qualified teachers included mainly young and middle-aged Thamil ladies, one or two Sinhala ladies and a few Muslim ladies and two or three male teachers.
Continue reading ‘Ramanathan Hindu Ladies College: One of the outstanding Schools in Colombo’ »

by Phil Lynch

THERE is mounting evidence that Australia’s close co-operation with Sri Lanka on the prevention of people-smuggling and the interception of asylum-seeker boats is compromising our approach to human rights in that country.

CHOGM 2011- Prime Minister Julia Gillard hosts a bilateral meeting with The President of Sri Lanka His Excellency Mahendra Rajapaksa at the Pan Pacific Hotel, Wednesday 26 October 2011. Wednesday 26 10 2011. Photograph by Penny Bradfield/CHOGM-pic courtesy of: Australia Day 2012

It is well documented that the Sri Lankan government was responsible for mass human rights violations towards the end of the civil war in 2009. The Australian government has not done enough, either at the international level or through our bilateral relations, to ensure that these crimes are independently investigated and that perpetrators are held to account.
Continue reading ‘Australia must suspend deportations of Tamil Asylum seekers until and unless there is progress in reducing human rights violations in Sri Lanka’ »

By Dr. Bibhu Prasad Routray

As forty-five people lost their lives and 200,000 people were rendered homeless in the week-long communal violence between the Bodo tribals and the Muslim immigrants, the Assam government in northeast India ummed and ahhed.

A Bodo woman takes care of her new-born at a relief camp at Bijni village in Chirang district, Assam on Thursday, Jul 26-Photo: Ritu Raj Konwar- courtesy: The Hindu

Men, women and children from 500 villages filled in the 128 temporary relief camps and in all probability would stay there for months waiting for the paltry rationed food.
Continue reading ‘Recent Assam Violence rooted in factors of Demography and Politics’ »

by National Peace Council

An action plan prepared by the government with regard to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission was released last week. There are 91 recommendations that the action plan takes cognizance of.

British High Commissioner John Rankin meets IDPs in Mullikulam-pic: UK In Sri Lanka

Each of these recommendations is looked at in terms of specific activities they entail. The action plan also identifies the government agencies that will be responsible for implementing each of these activities within a specified time frame, most of them ranging from 6 to 24 months.
Continue reading ‘Action plan to implement LLRC Recommendations must be developed further in consultation with Civil Society’ »

By Salma Yusuf

Post–war rehabilitation of ex-combatants is a relatively new discipline in the field of international transitional justice. What is even newer is the increasing recognition of the inextricable link between successful rehabilitation programmes and the achievement of genuine and sustainable national reconciliation.

In fact, rehabilitation programmes are now regarded as a sine qua non for any country emerging from the throes of an armed struggle.
Continue reading ‘6+1 Formula of Sri Lanka’s Rehabilitation programme of ex-combatants paving the way to reconciliation’ »

By Dilrukshi Handunnetti

For 25 years, Sri Lankan Tamil refugees have been reaching the shores of Tamil Nadu, the Indian state closest to Sri Lanka, for their safety.

Sri Lankan refugees prepare to disembark earlier from the ferry that brought them from India to Colombo-Oct 2011

It is in these camps and in small settlements in rural Tamil Nadu that they found safety and shelter for years. It is also in these camps that another generation was born and nurtured.
Continue reading ‘Safety becomes a major issue for first time to Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Tamil Nadu’ »

by Azra Ameen

Hundreds took part in protests all over the island after Friday prayers calling on the government for speedy resettlement of the internally displaced Muslims and to take action against conspirators obstructing the resettlement of the Muslims of the North.

Subsequently, the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama and several other Muslim organizations presented a communiqué to President Mahinda Rajapaksa explaining the plight of the Northern Muslims in general and the Uppukulam, Mannar Muslims in particular.
Continue reading ‘Conflicting versions about the courts conflict incident in Mannar’ »

by Lynn Ockersz

‘Collective solution should be arrived at through a process of consultation’:

pic courtesy of: ft.lk

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday that the solution to the issues faced by our communities resides in Parliament, where all relevant parties must parley together and arrive at a consensual remedy, since the problem is of a national nature.

“This is not my personal problem, it is a problem faced by the country. Therefore a collective solution should be arrived at through a process of consultation, involving all relevant parties.
Continue reading ‘President Rajapaksa has Breakfast Meeting with Editors and Senior Media Personnel’ »

By Hemantha Warnakulasuriya

(CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK)

On beingtelephoned by Minister Rishad Bathiudeen , the Mannar Magistrate immediately contacted the Judicial Service Commission and gave in writing a complaint.

In the mean time, Minister Rishad Bathiudeen personally called on the Secretary of JSC and wanted the Magistrate transferred. He was told that the judges could not be transferred without a proper inquiry and that there was also a serious complaint, made by the same Magistrate against him, which has to be inquired into.
Continue reading ‘How a cabinet Minister threatened a Magistrate cum Additional District Judge -2’ »

Rajiv Gandhi | Struck by Sri Lanka Honour Guard Sailor – Jul 30, 1987

By Col. R. Hariharan

Extracts of my answers to questions raised by media on the India-Sri Lanka Agreement 1987 in the last two days are given below.

The Rajiv Gandhi-Jayawardane Accord completes 25 years on July 29, 1987. Many now feel it represents a total diplomatic failure of India. As one who was present in Sri Lanka when Indian forces were operating from 1987 to 90, what are your comments?

Not all, but some of the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora consider it as India’s diplomatic failure. The Agreement represented a strategic rather than a mere diplomatic initiative. The Agreement was signed after India arm-twisted Sri Lanka President JR Jayawardane to sign it.
Continue reading ‘25 years of India-Sri Lanka Agreement: Questions & Answers’ »

By Matias Spektor

Brazilian attitudes toward national sovereignty and non-intervention are in a state of flux. Leaders in Brasília are seeking to actively take part in the current global rethink about the future of humanitarian intervention, and are increasingly willing to deploy men in uniform to distant lands when the lives of civilians are at stake.

From left to right: Dilma Rousseff, Brazil’s president, Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s president, Manmohan Singh, India’s prime minister, Hu Jintao, China’s president, and Jacob Zuma, South Africa’s president, at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, March 29, 2012-pic: Wikipedia

The change is significant because Brazil has historically championed national sovereignty.
Continue reading ‘Brazil wants to make ‘Responsibility to protect’ into ‘Responsibility while Protecting’’ »

by Richard Falk

There has been serious confusion associated with the widespread embrace of ‘soft power’ as a preferred form of diplomacy for the 21st century. Joseph Nye introduced and popularized the concept, and later it was adopted and applied in a myriad of settings that are often contradictory from the perspective of international law and morality.

I write in the belief that soft power as a force multiplier for imperial geopolitics is to be viewed with the greatest suspicion, but as an alternative to militarism and violence is to be valued and adopted as a potential political project that could turn out to be the first feasible utopia of the 21st century.
Continue reading ‘Maximilizing Soft Power by extending Gandhian Principles to the practice of diplomacy’ »

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa

Yasaratne Gamage | In Mannar

‘The resettlement of IDPs in the North will be accomplished 100 percent by mid-August this year. All welfare camps in the North will be shut down, Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said.

Speaking after opening the Army reconstructed two storeyed orphanage ‘Blessed Virgin’s Children’s Home’ at Kaththankulam, Mannar on Saturday, he said: “The resettlement in the North was to be completed by the end of July, but heavily mined Pudukudiuruppu cost us some extra time.
Continue reading ‘All Welfare Camps in North to be shut down by mid-August this year as resettlement of IDPs will be accomplished 100%-Gota’ »

by Ananth Krishnan

CRI Tamil – with a network of listeners’ clubs in T.N. – in talks with Chennai’s FM stations for launch of a daily two-hour broadcast

China’s Kalaiarasi: Zhu Juan Hua, the director of China Radio International’s Tamil station, at a recording of their daily broadcast. File photo: Ananth Krishnan

The state-run China Radio International’s Tamil radio station, the most popular of its more than 60 international channels, marked its 49th anniversary here on Sunday announcing plans to expand its presence in India by launching broadcasts on local FM radio stations.
Continue reading ‘Tamil Broadcast service most popular of China Radio International’s 60+ International Channels’ »

Tamils have consistently made it clear that a unitary constitution and a provincial council system within the confines of a unitary constitution are incapable of fulfilling their political aspirations.

In this regard it is notable that Tamil political parties with a Tamil Nationalist dispensation had chosen to boycott the two provincial council elections that took place in our homeland in the past (1988 and 2008).
Continue reading ‘Appeal by ‘Tamil Civil Society’ to Tamil National Alliance on Eastern Provincial Council Elections’ »

by Amanda Hodge | in Colombo

THE Sri Lankan navy has called for Australia to send back large numbers of asylum-seekers as a real deterrent to people-smugglers, and warned that its efforts to help the Gillard government combat the problem were rapidly draining its scarce resources.

Senior naval officials have also flagged the possibility of Australia lending the island nation an ocean-going operational vessel so it can conduct patrols in a high-seas choke lane used by asylum-seeker vessels – an area currently beyond its capacity.
Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Navy Officials want Australia to deport Lankan Asylum seekers in large numbers’ »

Sri Lanka Navy (file pic)

by Amanda Hodge | On the SLNS Samudura

UNDER a clammy half-moon, the Sri Lankan navy ship Samudura inches towards the intimidating beams of a 330m super-tanker until the two hulls collide with a gentle thud.

The SLNS Samudura is less than one-fifth the size of the Euronav, but it was the navy that was flexing its muscles early yesterday as it successfully transferred 28 failed asylum-seekers from the merchant vessel in a dramatic midnight operation at sea.
Continue reading ‘Sri Lankan Navy brings back Asylum seekers in mid-sea transfer from merchant vessel at night’ »

Israeli–Palestinian Conflict: Central Israel next to the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

by Uri Avnery

“He talks Zionism,” used to be a very derogatory comment when I was young. It meant that some elderly functionary had come to waste our time with a boring speech consisting largely of empty phrases.

That was before the foundation of the State of Israel. Since then, the term Zionism has been elevated to the status of a state ideology, if not state religion. Everything the state does is justified by the use of this word. Some would say that Zionism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.
Continue reading ‘Staunchly Zionist Policy of The State of Israel leads to self-destruction’ »

President Rajapaksa

By Namini Wijedasa

The government made it clear last week that there will be no separate event on National Day to express solidarity and empathy will all victims of the war, as recommended by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.

What would be observed instead was the present practice of continuing to “express solidarity as one nation and one people”, said the National Plan of Action to Implement the Recommendations of the LLRC.

Minister G.L. Peiris

The plan contains a range of commitments along with time frames for implementation. It was approved by cabinet last week and released to the public after a press conference in Colombo by External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris and Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga.
Continue reading ‘Recommendations of LLRC Report and Implementation Proposals of National Plan of Action’ »

By Namini Wijedasa

Sarath Palitha de Silva, the newly appointed attorney-general, said last week there was no political interference in the attorney general’s department and that all officers were able to work according to their conscience.

President’s Counsel Sarath Palitha Fernando was sworn in as the new Attorney General of Sri Lanka before President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Jul 16, 2012-pic: Sudath Silva

Excerpts from the interview:
Continue reading ‘‘I don’t think The Attorney General has been defending every act of The Government’ –Attorney General’ »

Abu Fuard

by Premasara Epasinghe

(legendary Cricketer and cricket administrator Abu Fuard passed away on July 28th at the age of 75.This article written in 2010 is reproduced here in honour of his memory)

He was a man for all seasons. His life is woven around cricket. In early 1950s, he was one of the best schoolboy cricketers representing Wesley College, Colombo. Later, he joined the club circuit, played for Colts CC.
Continue reading ‘Legendary Cricketer Abu Fuard whose life was woven around Cricket’ »

Minister Rishad Bathiudeen

BY Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

Industries Minister Rishad Bathiudeen while denying the allegation leveled against him of trying to intimidate Mannar Magistrate Anthonypillai Judeson says that he has never met or spoken to him.

“I respect courts and I’m a charted engineer and I know it would be wrong to try and intimidate a Magistrate. I would not be engaged in such wrongful acts,” he said.
Continue reading ‘‘I have been accused without carrying out any proper inquiry’- Minister Rishad Bathiudeen’ »

The Ekamuthu Oray Makkal Unity Mission Camp, that looks to bridge the gap between the north and south builds strong bonds

The organisers of the Ekamuthu Oray Makkal Unity Mission Camp have something to be surprised about every year. The camp held last month in Tharanikkulam was their fourth, but if they thought they knew the drill by now-they were in for a surprise.
Continue reading ‘Fourth Ekamuthu Oray Makkal Unity Mission Camp’ »

by Kishali Pinto Jayawardene

Protesting Muslims who thronged Colombo’s streets demanding public attention in regard to the plight of their community in Mannar are as much a part of the democratic process as lawyers protesting against the attack on a court house in Mannar and the Judicial Service Association abstaining from sittings in protest against the attacks on the Mannar magistrate cum District Judge.

Recent protest in Jaffna regarding the plight of Muslims in Mannar-pic: TamilWin

There is little to be perturbed about in such protests. To take a contrary view would be to deny these protestors, the freedoms of assembly and association which are constitutionally guaranteed rights.
Continue reading ‘Reneging of Public Duties in Upholding the Rule of Law by Official and Unofficial Bar’ »

Lawyers in Colombo protest against intimidation of judiciary in Mannar

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

President of the Mannar Bar Association, I. C. Feldano says that action needs to be taken regarding this matter of political interference in the judiciary or else it would be a bad precedent.

He said the order made by the Mannar Magistrate Anthonypillai Judeson was fair since he has given time for the Tamil fishermen to find another location and the land would then be returned to the Muslim fishermen.
Continue reading ‘‘Action needs to be taken regarding in matter of political interference in the judiciary’ – Mannar Bar Association Head, Feldano’ »

District Secretariat-Mannar

(Following is the English translation of the document sent by the Mannar GA to Industries Minister Rishad Bathiudeen highlighting the background to the Mannar incident that started in 2002)

Issues relating to fishermen settled in Thottaveli and tying boats belonging to them at the pier.
Continue reading ‘Report submitted by Mannar GA to Minister Bathiudeen on background incidents in Mannar’ »

By Lakshman Indranath Keerthisinghe

A ruler’s duty in the internal administration of the country is three fold: raksha or protection of the state from external aggression, palana or maintenance of law and order within the state and yogakshshema or safeguarding the welfare of the people. -Kautilya-The Arthashastra

courtesy of: pambazuka.org

This column dedicated to the notion of fulfilling the aspirations of Sri Lankan society turns its spotlight on the recent deplorable political criminal intimidation of a Magistrate at Mannar by a Minister and the emergence of the diabolical specter of mob rule in Sri Lanka as Sri Lankan society would aspire to be rid of such political intimidation and interference with judicial independence in our land.
Continue reading ‘The Deplorable Political Criminal Intimidation Of A Magistrate by a Minister’ »

Rishad Bathiudeen with Basil Rajapaksa

By Tisaranee Gunasekara

“It is society that is dying so the tyrants can live”
Irène Némirovsky, (Suite Française)

A magistrate is not a displaced Tamil, a Sinhala worker or a university student; a magistrate is not even a journalist or a Samurdhi official.

A magistrate is a far more august personage; the representative of an institution which is an indispensable pillar of any functioning democracy.
Continue reading ‘Rishad Bathiudeen takes logical forward step in well-worn path of lawlessness crafted by his political masters’ »

Busy Streets of Colombo Town Hall Ceylon 1915 – pic courtesy of: fxwbxme.discoverlk.com/

by Tisaranee Gunasekara

“There are circumstances in which silence is lying”. Miguel de Unamuno (quoted in Mourir à Madrid by Fredrick Rossif)

Riots are times of mob-rule. And in times of mob-rule, words of sanity and deeds of decency must occur in secret.

That the Black July could not be condemned publicly while the fires were raging and the mobs were in charge was comprehensible. The aftermath was quite another matter. Why did we, people and leaders of the Sinhala South, not react differently once the fires died out, the mobs went home and it was safe to speak out?
Continue reading ‘Modern Ceylon’s first ethno-religious riot targeted not Tamils but Muslims’ »

President Mahinda Rajapaksa with Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan (file pic)

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

A petition has been filed before the Colombo High Court against Deputy Resettlement Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman for allegedly taking over a prawn farm by force; set up by a company, Pearl Farms (Pvt) Ltd.

Muralitharan is also a director of the company with a one third share and according to his partners wielded much power due to his position in the government.
Continue reading ‘Legal Action against Deputy -minister Karuna Amman for Forcible Take-over of Prawn farm in Kokkadicholai’ »

By Farha Iman

Globalization or ‘Globalism’ is beneficial for the dominant and destructive for the submissive. It always streams from developed countries towards underdeveloped and developing countries in three ways:

a) in the form of products and services
b) as cultural dependency and domination
c) and as deceptive thoughts to mould the thinking of the world population.
Continue reading ‘Golobalization benefits the rich and developed nations more than the developing and under developed nations’ »

by Tissa Devendra

I write this article, not as a scholar but as one who has spent his working life in government ‘service’ and hopes that his insights may be thought provoking.

My firm conviction is that there never was, and never can there ever be, an independent public service in Sri Lanka. This panacea of ‘independence’ is often touted by well-meaning “liberals”, far removed from the sticky mud of our political scene, as the cure to all our country’s administrative ills.
Continue reading ‘The Myth of a Independent Public Service’ »

By Ghali Hassan

Every day Australian media outlets, led by the five major TV channels and the Murdoch press, propagate images of Australian soldiers as heroes treating injured Afghan children and doing construction work in Iraq.

“People Die to Come to This Country”-courtesy: Telegraph – via: twitter.com/PoliCartoonAust

The notion that Australia is a “humanitarian” nation could not be farther from the truth. Behind this façade of false propaganda is a true U.S. imperialist mercenary force that is complicit in mass murder of innocent civilians and in the criminal destruction of defenceless nations.
Continue reading ‘Refugees are a political tool to manipulate racist Australians, foment xenophobia and win votes’ »

By Amanda Hodge in Colombo with Additional Reporting by Joe Kelly

EXHAUSTED and showing the strain of a horror week of deportation and interrogation, Dayan Anthony presented just the sobering warning he was intended to be as he fronted a Sri Lankan government media conference to warn of the repercussions of asylum-seeking.

Tamil deportee Dayan Anthony after his release by Sri Lankan authorities yesterday. Picture: Saliya Rupasinghe

In sweat top and pants, his eyes red and hooded with fatigue after 16 hours of questioning, he told a sparse gathering of journalists: “Don’t believe what agents say. You get tempted when people tell stories in Australia about how you can get rich but the boys who go over there will return in handcuffs.
Continue reading ‘Tamil Asylum Seeker Deported from Australia Addresses Govt Media Conference in Sri Lanka’ »

The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka of Sri Lanka has appealed to President Mahinda Rajapaksa that he intervene and resolve the fishing dispute in Konthaipiddy,Mannar between Tamils from Vidathaltheevu and Muslims from Puthukkulam.

The full text of the letter signed by Muslim Council President NM Ameen is as follows –
Continue reading ‘Muslim Council wants President Rajapaksa to resolve Mannar fishing dispute’ »

By N Sathiya Moorthy

The death of an Indian fisherman off the UAE coast in a firing incident involving the US naval vessel, ’USNS Raapahannock’, is only the most recent of such incidents.

Fisherman allegedly attacked by Sri Lankan Naval personnel with relatives and friends at Rameswaram on Nov 15-2011. Photo: L. Balachandar courtesy: The Hindu

Earlier, the Italian tanker, ’Enrica Lexie’ with anti-piracy guards on board had fired at Indian fishermen off the Kerala coast, killing two.
Continue reading ‘India and Sri Lanka cannot discuss shared security concerns in shared seas without addressing shared problems of fishers’ »

by Dr.Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri

6% of GDP for Education: Who is telling the truth?

Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) is asking the government to prioritise education and to invest in education.

Towards this end FUTA has shown a concrete figure of measurement: the allocation on education as a percentage of GDP.
Continue reading ‘FUTA Wants Govt to prioritise and invest in education’ »

By Shastri Ramachandran

Tamil political parties are a strange lot. The plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka seems to stir them more than the plight of Tamils in Tamil Nadu or the rest of India.

This July, they found enough pretexts to ‘show concern’ for their Tamil brethren in Sri Lanka.
Continue reading ‘Plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka seems to stir Tamil Nadu political parties more than plight of Tamils in Tamil Nadu or rest of India’ »

by Col. R. Hariharan

The India-Sri Lanka Agreement 1987, also known as the Rajiv-Jayawardene Accord, completes 25 years on July 29.

Signing of Indo-Lanka accord

As a soldier who actively participated in India’s military intervention in both Sri Lanka (1987-90) and East Pakistan in 1971 (that created Bangladesh), I cannot help comparing the two exercises in the assertion of India’s power.
Continue reading ‘East Pakistan and North-East Sri Lanka: A tale of two interventions’ »

Plato

By Vishnuguptha

“Mankind will never see an end of trouble until… lovers of wisdom come to hold political power, or the holders of power… become lovers of wisdom.” Plato, The Republic

Many arguments are being made for the legitimization and validity of the Executive Presidency system; amongst many and latest of which is the winning of the war against the LTTE.

J.R. Jayewardene, Sep 12, 1979-in Tokyo, Japan-pic by: Kaku Kurita

The 1978 Constitution with its main feature of the Executive Presidency, was J.R. Jayewardene’s brainchild and his main argument at the time he introduced it, was that it would bring in stability to governance of the country.
Continue reading ‘Presidential powers used with caution and discipline by JR became very strong device in the hands of his successors’ »

By Mike Andree

It is very strange how the masses use the ballot to curb the freedoms that they had been enjoying for years. It is only after a long lapse that they come to their senses and realise that they had been led like wild animals to their own doom.

Democracy is a double edged sword which can cut the holder as much as it could cut the enemy. When politicians lead the people and rouse them into frenzy, the herd follows the master or leader and falls into an abyss from which there is no escape.
Continue reading ‘Kodeeswaran Case, Section 29 and Abolition of Privy Council’ »

Story & Photos by Vajira Wijesuriya

A day trip from Anuradhapura, Mihintale is where Buddhism began in Sri Lanka. It is at this location that Arahat Mahinda, who came from India, stopped the Sri Lankan King Dewanampiyatissa from hunting and taught him Dhamma.

Easily underestimated, but with many sites to visit, this place warrants an entire day to be spent roaming about the Mihintale Rock and its immediate vicinity.
Continue reading ‘Mihintale the Cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka’ »

Galle Fort jumping of the ancient citadel walls started in the early 2009 and it is considered an equivalent to the bungee jump, only a lot more dangerous.

The jumpers don’t even use an elasticized rope to pull you back from the near death experience, and do not have a clear landing point. This hair-raising jump takes place on the Fort ramparts at the top of the wall known as Flag Rock between Point Utrecht Bastion and Triton Bastion.
Continue reading ‘The Daredevils who Jump into the sea from the ramparts of Galle Fort’ »

By Risidra Mendis

The Comb Duck, spotted at the Yala National Park after a lapse of over 80 years, was once again being observed in larger numbers at the Wewegama Tank in the Mattala Managed Elephant Range (MER) in June 2012.

The Comb Duck species (Sarkidiornis melanotus), believed to be a native of Sri Lanka, was presumed to be wiped out as there were no recordings of its presence in the country for many years.
Continue reading ‘Comb Ducks spotted in Yala after 80 years are being seen now in Wewegama tank too’ »

By Robert Amsterdam

In Russia, nationalism takes many forms, bearing down even on the food Russians choose to eat.

Politics have resulted in bans on Georgian wine and mineral water, “health concerns” over the sanitary condition of Polish sausages, and now, an easy target, McDonald’s hamburgers are under attack.
Continue reading ‘Russia launches campaign against ‘UnRussian’ Food like McDonald’s hamburgers’ »

by Hevidar Ahmed

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Syrian governmental forces have retreated from the Kurdish regions of Syria without a fight; the liberated cities are now being ruled evenly by the People’s Council of Syrian Kurdistan (PYD) and the Kurdish National Council (KNC).

According to the information obtained by Rudaw, the Kurdish cities of Kobane, Derek, Amoude, Efrin and Sari Kani have fallen under the control of Syrian Kurdish forces.
Continue reading ‘Kurdish Nationalists Liberate Kurdish Regions in Syria after Army retreats’ »

National Languages and Social Integration
Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara

by Nadira Gunatilleke

The UPFA has done a lot for the people during the last eight years. There are landmarks such as ending the war. The people will take into account the macro picture in forming their opinions.

I expect the people to vote for the UPFA in large numbers, said National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara during an interview with the Daily News.
Excerpts of the interview:
Continue reading ‘We Are for Unifying Ideology, Sri Lankan Identity and The Ideology of Devolution of Power – Vasudeva Nanayakara’ »

High Commissioner John Rankin

by John Rankin | High Commissioner for the UK in Sri Lanka

At 9pm (UK time)tonight (July 27th), a newly cast bell that is larger than Big Ben will ring out from London’s Olympic Stadium and the eyes of one billion people across the globe will be upon us. But what will they see? What does modern Britain look like? Well, it’s a mix of things, many of them characteristics that we share with other countries. But together, we like to think they make up a pretty extraordinary whole.

The challenge for Danny Boyle, Artistic Director of tonight’s Opening Ceremony, was to capture all this, with just three hours to portray the British people and British society to the world.

Whether he has achieved this or not, you will judge for yourselves. But I hope that every one of you watching will be able to take something away from it and think of Britain in a new light.

Danny Boyle’s vision for the Ceremony came from thinking about the people of Britain: who we were, where we have come from, what our history and heritage is; and then, who we are now and where we are going. The UK has always been an open society.
Continue reading ‘British People are Incredibly Proud to Welcome The World’ »

By Jagath Gunawardana

The commonest and most widespread of all endemic birds in Sri Lanka is the Small Barbet, which is also known as the Crimson-fronted Barbet, found in many home gardens and even in busy towns, including Colombo.

It is often heard than seen and rather difficult to locate by the call.
Continue reading ‘Crimson Fronted Barbet no longer an Endemic Sri Lankan bird alone’ »

Anura de Silva

by Risidra Mendis

Animal welfare activists have welcomed the speedy development plans initiated by the newly appointed Director, Dehiwala Zoo, Anura de Silva who assumed duty in June 2012.

Visitors who complained about cruelty to animals and other shortcomings at the zoo in the past are now likely to see less cruelty to animals. In addition, a variety of birds and other species are to be introduced in the near future.
Continue reading ‘New Director Anura De Silva initiates speedy development plans for Dehiwela Zoo’ »

Rishard Bathiudeen

By Stanley Samarasinghe

The Appeal Court today (26) ordered the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Rishard Bathiudeen to show cause as to why he should not be charged for Contempt of Court and further ordered him to appear in person on 5 September.

Justice W.L. Ranjith Silva of the Court of Appeal directed the Registrar to issue forth with rule and summons under Article 105(3) of the Constitution on the respondent minister returnable on 5 September2012.
Continue reading ‘Appeal Court orders Cabinet Minister Bathiudeen to appear in person in courts on September 5th’ »

The Law & Society Trust (LST) condemns the mob attack on the Mannar court house, allegedly at the instigation of a Cabinet Minister over a disputed ruling, as well as (reportedly) threatening phone calls to the Mannar Magistrate cum District Judge from the same member of the Government.

An attack on a court house is a serious infringement of the independence of the judiciary.
Continue reading ‘Law and Society Trust Condemns mob attack on Mannar Court House’ »

Attorney-General Palitha Fernando-Pic. by Samantha Perera

By Ayesha Zuhair

Newly appointed Attorney-General (AG) Palitha Fernando, in an interview with the Daily Mirror, outlines his vision for the Department and opines that expeditious disposal of cases is the key to reducing the country’s crime rate.

The AG points out that coordinated efforts are required to combat crime, and appeals to the general public to extend their fullest cooperation to the law enforcement officers so that perpetrators may be swiftly brought to book.
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