Front Note On July 29, 2015, the Afghan government announced that the Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar had died in April 2013. Quite a few may remember that 14 years ago, this same Mullah made a wave in Colombo’s political circles, when he ordered the demolition of the huge standing statues of Lord Buddha in… Read more »
Yearly Archives: 2015
Joint Letter to UNHCHR re OISL Recommendations
Joint Letter to HC Zeid_August18 2015 August 18, 2015 Dear Sir, OHCHR INVESTIGATION ON SRI LANKA [OISL] We, the undersigned representatives of the Tamil Diaspora, in exile from the island of Sri Lanka[1] , and Tamils from all around the world, would like to express our gratitude to you and your office on the task… Read more »
TAPI Press Release re Elections
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tamils Welcome Free, Fair Parliamentary Elections in Sri Lanka Prime Minister, Ruling Coalition Win Parliamentary Election WASHINGTON, DC (August 20, 2015) – Monday’s election in Sri Lanka saw President Sirisena, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe of the UNP and the UNFGG alliance win the parliamentary election, thereby allowing them to form a national government… Read more »
CTC Statement on Elections
For Immediate Release August 18, 2015 Canadian Tamil Congress Congratulates the Tamil National Alliance The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) congratulates Mr. R. Sampanthan and the Tamil National Alliance on their resounding election victory in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka. The Tamil people have given the TNA, and its leader Mr. R. Sampanthan,… Read more »
ATC Statement on Elections
2015_08_19_ATC on Parliament Election Australian Tamil Congress Congratulates the Tamil National Alliance Wednesday 19th of August | 15:30 PM | The Australian Tamil Congress (ATC) congratulates Mr. R. Sampanthan and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on their resounding election victory in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka. The Tamil people have once again… Read more »
TNA Third Biggest Party in Sri Lanka
by ‘Tamil Guardian,’ London, August 18, 2015 Results from the Tamil-dominated North-East reveal an overwhelming victory for the Tamil National Alliance. Receiving the greatest number of votes in Jaffna, Vanni and Batticaloa, the TNA has secured16 parliamentary seats, which places it as the third biggest party in Sri Lanka. As the results of the preferential… Read more »
New Era for Sri Lanka
by James Crabtree, Financial Times, London, August 18, 2015 As former president Mahinda Rajapaksa comes to terms with his second electoral defeat in eight months, many in Sri Lanka are also predicting what once seemed unthinkable: the final political demise of a leader who, until just a year ago, seemed to hold an iron grip… Read more »
MGR Remembered – Part 29
by Sachi Sri Kantha, August 15, 2015 MGR Remembered Part 28 Three Other Actresses I should acknowledge that, my convenient choice of heroines and muses in the previous chapter does disservice to three actresses who had been regulars in MGR’s movies. They are, M.N. Rajam, C. R. Vijayakumari and comedian actress Manorama. All three, in… Read more »
Tainted Peace
by Freedom from Torture, UK, August 14, 2015 Full report [PDF] — Freedom from Torture Sri Lanka report All material on report — http://www.freedomfromtorture.org/features/8481 Torture has long been used in Sri Lanka to persecute minorities, crush dissent and stifle civil society. It is deeply entrenched in the fabric of the state and has persisted across the decades regardless… Read more »
Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative
Ports & Power in the Indian Ocean How naval power, porting agreements, and access will shape the future of the Indian Ocean Map & more Colombo, Sri Lanka Today China has been involved in the construction of an artificial island near the Colombo South Harbor, to be known as Colombo Port City. After President Maithripala… Read more »
Framed Memories of Black July
http://30yearsago.asia/portfolio/framed-memories/ Mary Gunawathy Varatharajah Mary Gunawathy Varatharajah (alias Poonga), did not want to become a teacher or a doctor or an engineer as the Tamil community in Sri Lanka aspires to be, instead she has broken the traditional barriers, and chosen to be a fighter. She joined the armed struggle after “Black July” to fight… Read more »
ICG: Sri Lanka Between Elections
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Full report [PDF] A half year after Maithripala Sirisena’s stunning defeat of President Mahinda Rajapaksa raised hopes for democratic renaissance, the complexities of partisan politics, and Rajapaksa himself, have returned to centre stage. Sirisena’s initial months with a minority government led by the United National Party (UNP) have opened important political space: robust debate… Read more »
Sri Lanka’s Missing Persons
by Pichayada Promchertchoo, Channel NewsAsia, Singapore, August 13, 2015 JAFFNA, Sri Lanka: The summer monsoon air was hot and clammy as it swept through a small room inside an old building on the northern tip of Sri Lanka, filling it with the smell of the Indian Ocean. Separating it from a sun-lit garden, a wooden… Read more »
Redefining the Mission of EROS
EROS requests the Tamil speaking people of North East and upcountry, to vote for EROS that is committed to providing a qualitative shift to the Tamil leadership in terms of honesty and integrity and provide a transparent and dynamic leadership, committed to the welfare of the people living in North East and Sri Lanka. EROS MPs will concern themselves with the powers of the central and concurrent lists without infringing on the powers of the Provincial list and will not corporate with ministries of the central government which seek to undermine the powers of the provincial government.
From Sachi’s Files – Chapter 2
Front Note by Sachi In Chapter 1, I had transcribed the travelogue essay of Julian West about his visit to Jaffna in early 1991 (Asiaweek, March 8, 1991). This item elicited three responses from the readers of Asiaweek. Two were from Sinhalese, and the other one was from me. For completeness, I provide these three… Read more »
Sri Lanka Massacred Tens of Thousands of Tamils
by Callum MacCrae, VICE, New York, August 5, 2015 Sri Lanka Massacred Tens of Thousands of Tamils While the World Looked Away August 5, 2015 by Callum Macrae This article appears in the August Issue of VICE Magazine To the Tamils of northeast Sri Lanka and to much of their global diaspora, Isaipriya was a… Read more »
Major Sri Lankan Parties Reject TNA’s Demand for Federalism
Major political parties in Sri Lanka have flatly rejected the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)’s demand for federalism. The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)-led United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA); United National Party (UNP)-led United National Front for Good Governance and the Janatha Vimukthi Perumana (JVP) have, in unison, said the demand, if accepted, would lead to division… Read more »
India Must Ensure Decentralization in Sri Lanka, Modi Told by Tamil Nadu CM
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take steps to expedite decentralization of power in Sri Lanka — for the cause of Tamil Eelam. Jayalalithaa presented a memorandum listing various demands to Modi when he went to her residence after launching the National Handloom Day and India Handloom brand here. The meeting between… Read more »
UN Security Council Dynamics on Syria
http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/monthly-forecast/2015-07/ Expected Council Action In July, Council members expect to receive their regular monthly briefings on the chemical weapons and humanitarian tracks in Syria. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura is also expected to report back to Council members on the political track. At press time, several initiatives by various Council members on the… Read more »
NPC Chief Minister Speeches in US & UK
Speech to Federation of Tamil Sangams in North America convention, San Jose, July 4, 2015 Transcript of speech in Tamil — CVWigneswaran-Speech-FeTNA-July042015 Transcript of speech in English — CVWigneswaran-Speech-FeTNA-July042015-TxEng Speech in London hosted by International Association of Tamil Journalists, July 17, 2015