by S. Rameswaran; published December 29, 2003 Celebration of a ‘Death’; a war-theme short story by S.Rameswaran Introduction by Sachi Sri Kantha War-theme fiction in Tamil language is a new genre which arose in Sri Lanka, since the Black July 1983 holocaust. This particular genre could not have been generated in other lands (Tamil Nadu, Malaysia… Read more »
Monthly Archives: December 2003
Queens, NY Immigrants
by Corey Kilgannon; New York Times: December 29, 2003 Authors Never Left Queens on Three-Year Trip Around the World http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/29/books/29ETHN.html At a certain subway station in Queens [a borough of New York City], a highly decorated dancer from Tajikistan runs a Bukharan dance studio. At a Jackson Heights table tennis club, a former member of the… Read more »
ISGA Proposals and Precedence
by Arvalan; originally published December 28, 2003 On October 31, 2003 the LTTE, on behalf of the Tamil people, announced their proposal for an Interim Self-Governing Administration (ISGA) of the Northeast of the island called Sri Lanka. This proposed ISGA is a significant step toward a peaceful resolution of the decades-long conflict between the Tamil and… Read more »
Christmas Message from Father Emmanuel
Christmas 2003 May the Birthday of this Universal Liberator Enliven the Hope of our own LiberationThe time of Liberation was at hand. Joseph and Mary, destined to carry the divine Liberator into this world Journeyed faithfully into their own land of Bethlehem, They came in obedience to the laws of the Ruler, but the Ruler… Read more »
Federal Solutions Amidst Chaos
by Dr. Robert C. Oberst; Daily Mirror, Colombo, December 19, 2003 Federal solutions amidst government chaos in Lanka Over the last 20 years, neither side in the Sri Lankan civil war has shown a willingness to negotiate the conflict with the other side. Until Norwegian mediation, there were few direct meetings between the two sides and… Read more »
Good Cop, Bad Cop
by R. Cholan; originally published December 19, 2003 Good Cop… Bad Cop… The drama being played in Sri Lanka reminds me of a tactic employed by Police Departments all over the world, during interrogation of crime suspects. Usually, at these interrogations, there are two Policemen present. One acts ‘kindly’ towards the suspect and the other acts… Read more »
Asian Balance & the Subcontinent
by C. Raja Mohan; The Hindu, December 18, 2003 Note from the person who kindly brought this article to our attention: Singapore journalist/academic Cherian George (born and bred Singaporean keralite)wrote an article a few years back titled “Replacing British Empire [in India] with an East Asian Empire.” In my view it can happen with the help… Read more »
Bloody Past – The ‘Disappeared’ Remain a Fundamental Issue
by Tamil Guardian editorial; originally published December 18, 2003 Bloody Past -The ‘disappeared’ remain a fundamental issue Though guns in Sri Lanka’s protracted ethnic conflict have been silent for over two years, the legacy of many bloody years remains. Last Wednesday the issue of ‘disappearances’ was highlighted yet again when a human rights organisation held a… Read more »
The Sri Lankan Scene: Peace Talks on Hold
by T. Sabaratnam; originally published December 15, 2003 Weekly Review The Sri Lankan Scene Peace Talks on Hold Hit Wicket I will begin this column, as I did last week, with cricket, not with Muttiah Muraleetharan capturing eight wickets in the second test with England, but with the phenomenal ‘hit wicket’ performance of Sri Lanka Cricket… Read more »
Status of Healthcare in the Vanni
by a Sangam member; originally published December 14, 2003 Many of my friends and colleagues have traveled to NorthEast of the island of Sri Lanka since the ceasefire agreement was signed between the LTTE and the government of Sri Lanka. There have been extensive reports of the destruction of 20 years of war, but none to… Read more »
‘The Swineherd’
Hans Christian Andersen’s Tale ‘The Swineherd’ Front Note by Sachi Sri Kantha Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), the Danish story-teller, is internationally known for his delightful stories such as Thumbelina (1835), The Emperor’s New Suit (1837) and The Ugly Duckling (1844). One of his lesser-known stories was The Swineherd (1842). I see parallels between this story and the events in contemporary Colombo. Readers are… Read more »
Winter Tamil Classes
Vanakkam! Many of you have expressed your interest in attending the first ever Winter Holiday Tamil classes. The Tamil Students Association of the University of Toronto, with the help of a dedicated team of teachers from the United States, including Sendhil Cheran (founder of tamilclass.com), are working hard to ensure that these classes be the… Read more »
A Reply to ‘TE Proposals and Beyond’
by Wakeley Paul, Esq.; originally published December 10, 2003 A REPLY TO ‘TE PROPOSALS AND BEYOND’ ANOTHER CHANCE TO JETTISON TALKS AND RESUME WAR?Mr. Mahanama Prematilaka’s article entitled “TE proposals and beyond” published December 8, reminds us of that famous saying ‘We had to destroy the Town to save it.’ Prematilaka’s suggestions for dealing with the… Read more »
Examining the ISGA Proposal
by A. Sri-Jayantha; originally published December 10, 2003 The proposal for an Interim Self-Governing Authority (ISGA) for the NorthEast of Sri Lanka was made public by the LTTE on Nov.1, 2003. The constitutional crisis in the South precipitated by Pres. Kumaratunge on Nov. 4 has allowed us to mull on this proposal and to react to… Read more »
What is a Refugee?
originally published December 10, 2003 IRC Brown Bag: How can we educate others about refugees? Tuesday, December 16th “A refugee? Someone who lives in a slum, maybe?” -Answer given by an American to the question “What is a refugee?” in Will They Ever Go Back?, an IRC-sponsored documentary How can we educate others about refugees?… Read more »
The Commonwealth Secretariat – On Thin Ice
by Neville Chinivasagam; published December 9, 2003 Today the Commonwealth Secretariat’s historic and glorious prestige has been put on thin ice by Sri Lanka. Hopefully it will quickly melt with British acumen and foresight. The embarrassment facing the people of the Commonwealth is Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar’s application, sponsored by Ms. Kumaratunge President of Sri Lanka, for… Read more »
Celebrate Human Rights Day Dec. 10
originally published December 8, 2003 Events organized by Amnesty International around the US. Events at and around the UN in New York American Society for the Advancement of Science celebration in D.C. Rally in Palo Alto, CA for Human Rights Day *************************************************************** . Every individual has dignity. The principles of human rights were drawn up… Read more »
Worldwide Comments on the ISGA
by M. Nadarajan; originally published December 8, 2003 Worldwide Comments on the ISGA of the LTTEComments have been made from around the world on the proposals for an Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) submitted by the LTTE. Only a few have been written dispassionately without taking sides. Most have been written either with pre-conceived ideas, or… Read more »
The Sri Lankan Scene Will There Be Consensus?
by T. Sabaratnam; published December 8, 2003 Weekly Review The Sri Lankan Scene Will there be Consensus? Lots of interesting and amusing events happened in Sri Lanka last week. Let me start with the most unusual, an event that has not happened anywhere in the world. Cricket lovers would know that the MCC team is now… Read more »
Reaction to Kataragama’s Commonwealth Bid
by Raveen Satkurunathan; published December 7, 2003 Reactions to Luxman Kataragama’s last minute nomination Regarding the last minute nomination of Luxman to the post of Commonwealth Secretary General (SG) has created different emotions amongst many. Primarily amongst the leaders of the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia it has created a sense of outrage that the… Read more »