Yearly Archives: 2018

TG: Veering Backwards

‘Tamil Guardian’ editorial, September 28, 2018 At the end of the UN Human Rights Council’s (UNHRC) 39th session, there can be no more illusions as to whether Sri Lanka will deliver for the Tamils. Although the government queued up its customary showpiece to coincide with this session – this time a revamped counter terrorism bill – all evidence points to… Read more »

Thileepan, Hunger and Remembrance

Why Do We Starve? by Brannavy Jeyasundaram, Tamil Guardian, London, September 26, 2018 Starvation occurs in three phases. First, the body halts consumption of glucose, its primary energy source. Then, it scrapes away at fat deposits. Once those are depleted, it finally cannibalizes muscle mass to feed the brain. The body enters a delicate balancing… Read more »

‘A Private War’

by Wendy Ide, ‘The Toronto Star,’ September 13, 2018 The life and death of Sunday Times war correspondent Marie Colvin. Dir. Matthew Heineman. US. 2018. 110 mins Nimbly edited and directed with brio, this portrait of the legendary Sunday Times war correspondent Marie Colvin represents a sure-footed leap for director Matthew Heineman from documentary to… Read more »

Transitional Justice Efforts in Sri Lanka Fall Short

by Meenakshi Ganguly, ‘Daily Financial Times,’ Colombo, September 20, 2018 The three-decade long civil war ended with a decisive Government victory against the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May 2009. Families of victims of enforced disappearances, frustrated by numerous Government commissions that provided no answers to the fate of their loved ones, have been… Read more »

Plight of Civilians Living under Army of Occupation

An alien, hostile military by Kumarathasan Rasingam, September 24, 2018 Contrary to promises made in Geneva that in the name of peace and reconciliation the Sri Lanka government would dismantle High Security Zones, close army cantonments and return lands seized from the people, the Northern and the Eastern Provinces, considered the Tamil homeland, continue to… Read more »

Daunting Challenges Facing New UN High Commissioner

For Human Rights By: Thambu Kanagasabai,  September 23, 2018 The unanimous approval of 66 year old MICHELLE BACHELET by the United Nations to take charge of the Human Rights Council from September 01, 2018 confirms her unquestionable eligibility and credentials to run this prestigious office which was set up in 1993 to uphold and protect… Read more »

MAP Calls For Independent Evidence-Gathering Mechanism

For Sri Lanka by Colombo Telegraph, September 30, 2018 Sri Lanka Monitoring and Accountability Panel (MAP) called for the UN Human Rights Council to set up an independent evidence-gathering mechanism for Sri Lanka with a similar mandate to those on Syria and now Myanmar. The organization made this request in light of the Sri Lankan government’s continued… Read more »

TGTE Urges UNGA to Create an Int’l Independent Mechanism

to Bolster Sri Lankan Int’l Crimes Investigation RESPONSE TO SRI LANKAN PRESIDENT’S REQUEST TO THE UN TO APPROVE HIS “PLAYBOOK FOR IMPUNITY” UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK, USA, September 27, 2018 /EINPresswire.com/ — The Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) released today its response (Link below) to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena’s September 25th speech before… Read more »

Trial of Guatemala Intelligence Chief for Genocide

Guatemala’s Former Intelligence Chief Acquitted of Human Rights Violations By Reuters, Sept. 27, 2018 GUATEMALA CITY — A Guatemala City court ruled on Wednesday that the crime of genocide had been perpetrated during the darkest hours of the country’s long civil war, but acquitted a former military intelligence chief of the killings. The verdict was the latest… Read more »

ITJP: Sri Lanka & Cluster Munitions

President of the Convention on Cluster Munitions, Sri Lanka, Must Come Clean on Past Use by International Truth & Justice Project – Sri Lanka, South Africa, September 28, 2018 ITJP cluster-munition-press-release 28 Sept 2018

ITJP: Is Sri Lanka Undermining the Office of Missing Persons ?

by International Truth and Justice Project, South Africa, September 24, 2018 Press Release Johannesburg The Government of Sri Lanka is undermining the Office of Missing Persons by appointing a politician to implement its recommendations who has denied war crimes, including enforced disappearances, and who allegedly intimidated a victim. Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe has reportedly been appointed to… Read more »

On Mathangi-MIA

  Her thoughtful discussion at Oxford Union (50 min), UK  [2017]     The following article is about her documentary. I got into a fight with M.I.A. A documentary about the British-Tamil musician’s life is sparking difficult conversations about race and identity – and she isn’t afraid to get heated BY RADHEYAN SIMONPILLAI SEPTEMBER 19, 2018… Read more »

Unsilenced: Male Rape by the Sri Lankan Security Forces

A new report documents the widespread use of sexual torture on male Tamil detainees. By Ana Pararajasingham The Diplomat September 19, 2018   The latest report titled Unsilenced, released by the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) on September 19, makes for grim reading. The report addresses a form of torture that is rarely spoken about despite… Read more »

China Expands Its Footprint in Sri Lanka

China is moving into new geographical areas of Sri Lanka, where Indian influence has traditionally been strongest. By Sudha Ramachandran The Diplomat September 11, 2018   China’s role in Sri Lanka, which has grown remarkably in recent years, is poised to expand geographically as well. Hitherto, Beijing’s projects were confined to the southern parts of the… Read more »

How Assad Made Truth a Casualty of War

by Muhammad Idrees Ahmad, ‘The New York Review of Books,’ September 7, 2018 Was Colvin’s sacrifice worthwhile? It is tempting to say no—that in an indifferent world, no story is worth dying for. But Colvin’s life is itself a rebuke to such pragmatism: she had risked her life before and saved many other lives as… Read more »

Sri Lanka Core Group Statement

by UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, September 11, 2018 This UK statement was delivered at the 39th session of the Human Rights Council during the Sri Lanka Core Group Statement This statement is delivered on behalf of Germany, Macedonia, Montenegro and the UK as members of the Sri Lanka core group. We welcome further recent… Read more »

A Sinking Ship

Tamil National Alliance [Editor’s note – we attempt not to become too involved in politics by supporting one party or another, because we feel there is no reason to make our dirty laundry public.  We rarely post pieces on Tamil politics, but since the opinion stated here is such a common one at the moment,… Read more »

Thoughts on the Matangi/Maya/M.I.A. documentary

by a 1rst generation Tamil American, September 6, 2018 Film trailer. I recently had the privilege to see the documentary of the British rapper, producer, and activist M.I.A. at an advance screening hosted by Cinereach, the studio that produced the film. I’ve long been a big fan of her music, often revisiting her albums Kala… Read more »

Dance and the Sri Lankan Tamils

To this day, there is no Bharatanatyam style that is distinct to Sri Lanka. by Teevin Kulanthai, September 3, 2018 https://entamilculturalconsciousness.wordpress.com Dance is the aesthetic representation of culture through movement. As one of the earliest forms of storytelling, the enduring art form embodies and immortalizes the history and traditions of its creators. Apart from Koothu, which is more… Read more »

‘Kantarodai Civilization of Ancient Jaffna’

Kantarodai Civilization of Ancient Jaffna 500 BCE – 800 CE : A Study in Archaeology and Other Disciplines by Dr Siva Thiagarajah ISBN 9789556595260 Published 2016 by Kumaran Book House, Colombo Book is available at: Tamil Information Centre, Bridge End Cl, Kingston upon Thames KT2 6PZ Phone: 020 8546 1560 and http://www.marymartin.com/web/selectedIndex?mEntry=241252