by Sebsan; Melbourne’s 3CR Tamil Voice, December 22, 2003. The Tamil version is published in www.tamilnaatham.com Sri Lanka is going through political turmoil caused by a constitutional crisis, whilst the Indian political arena is also tensed at the moment. The ruling BJP has achieved unexpected victories in the recently held state elections. At the same… Read more »
Monthly Archives: January 2004
Fait Accompli!?
by M. Nadarajah; originally published January 16, 2004 The several Governments that have been in power in Ceylon, renamed Sri Lanka, of whichever colour or hue, and whether capitalist-oriented or socialist-oriented, have had one common objective and that has been to make it a Sinhala Buddhist country, irrespective of the fact that nearly 26% of the… Read more »
Pirapaharan, Chapter 26: The First Attack on the Army
by T. Sabaratnam; published January 16, 2004 Chapter 26: The First Attack on the Army Seelan’s Saga When the news of the attack on the army by a group of LTTE cadres led by Seelan reached the Jaffna University Campus its vice chancellor Prof. K. Kailasapathy remarked: “They have crossed the border.” Before that, Tamil militant… Read more »
Indo-Lanka Defence Cooperation
by Taraki; Daily Mirror, January 13, 2004 Indo-Lanka Defence Cooperation Agreement: A matter of routine The proposed India-Sri Lanka Defence Co-operation Agreement is being considered with some concern by the Tamil press and politicians. The Tigers remain silent. Instead, we heard their advisor Balasingham urging the Indian government to take on a ‘more positive role’ in… Read more »
Terms & Conditions
Tamil Guardian editorial, London, January 14, 2004 If the consequences for Sri Lanka’s peoples didn’t threaten to be so tragic, the dynamics of the constitutional crisis gripping Colombo would be farcical. President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s dramatic announcement Tuesday that she intends to remain in office till 2006 – a full year longer than expected – would… Read more »
Sri Lanka Scene: Political Chess Goes On
by T. Sabaratnam; originally published January 12, 2004 Weekly Review Sri Lanka Scene Political Chess Goes On This year’s first cabinet meeting was held on Wednesday in the cabinet room. President Chandrika Kumaratunga did not attend it. Under the constitution, she is the head of the cabinet. She presides over its meetings. She has not attended… Read more »
Professor Nagl’s War
by Peter Maass; The New York Times, January 11, 2004 Maj. John Nagl approaches war pragmatically and philosophically, as a soldier and a scholar. He graduated close to the top of his West Point class in 1988 and was selected as a Rhodes scholar. He studied international relations at Oxford for two years, then returned to… Read more »
Review of ‘Tamils in Independent Ceylon’
by R .Shanmugananthan ; Circle Digest, Sunday, January 11 2004, Volume 2001 : Number 3321 TAMILS IN INDEPENDENT CEYLON BY: SUPPIRAMANIAM MAKENTHIRAN Makenthiran.PDF (sangam.org) Mr. Suppiramaniam Makenthiran has addressed the long felt need for an account of the recent history of Eelam Tamils in English, by publishing his book Tamils of Independent Ceylon. It covers the political… Read more »
Global Myths and Realities
by Wakeley Paul; originally published January 11, 2004 GLOBAL MYTHS AND REALITIES AMERICA¹S APPROACHPresident Bush, on his recent visit to London made a rather presumptuous statement at the Royal Banqueting Hall of Whitehall Palace when he said. “Your nation and mine in the past have been willing to tolerate oppression for the sake of stability……Now we… Read more »
George Washington & Prabhakaran
by Sachi Sri Kantha; published January 8, 2004 This year, in November, Velupillai Prabhakaran – the leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) reaches 50 years. Come November, there will be cautious appraisals, left-handed compliments, snide editorials and even vapid curses from his political adversaries and critics who prostrate at the feet of these adversaries…. Read more »
Review of ‘Elusive Mind’
by Shan Ranjit; from Circle Digest, Tuesday, December 30 2003, Volume 2001 : Number 3311 INSIDE AN ELUSIVE MIND ; BOOK REVIEW OLD WINE IN A NEW BOTTLE The latest book by Narayan Swamy (henceforth referred to as NS) on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and its chief, Vellupillai Pirabakaran is a disappointment. I would… Read more »
Pirapaharan, Chapter 25: Parliament Discusses Ways to Kill Amir
by T. Sabaratnam; published January 7, 2004 25: Parliament Discusses Ways to Kill Amir The Unnoticed Messages Tamils, through the DDC election, gave two clear messages to the Sinhala leaders, Sinhala people and the world. The Tamils told them unambiguously, that the Tamils were for a separate state which would restore their racial rights, dignity,… Read more »
Fiscal Federalism
by Taraki; Daily Mirror, Colombo, January 7, 2004 Lankan leaders providing political building blocks for the LTTE? Money and resources are at the bottom of almost all problems and conflicts of humanity. The conflict in Sri Lanka too can be explained from this perspective. The LTTE negotiators did not understand the nature of this fundamental problem… Read more »
Film on US Detention of Asylum Seekers
In New York Jan. 15 Invitation to Sneak Preview and Discussion New Film Shines a Light on U.S. Detention of Asylum Seekers You’re invited to a sneak preview of Chasing Freedom, a new Court TV movie inspired by a Lawyers Committee for Human Rights asylum case. Chasing Freedom stars Juliette Lewis as a corporate lawyer who takes on… Read more »
Kumar’s Calling to Tamil Intellectuals
by Father S.J. Emmanuel; originally published January 5, 2004 Kumar’s calling to Tamil Intellectuals and Professionals On the 4th anniversary of the death of our beloved Kumar Ponnambalam, when the Tamils in and out of Sri Lanka, salute him as a Great Man – Maamanithar –, as a courageous Prophet, who stood up and spoke out in defence… Read more »
The Sri Lanka Scene
by T. Sabaratnam; originally published January 5, 2004 Weekly Review 4 -1-2004 Sri Lanka Scene Last week I highlighted the return of Buddhist extremism to the centre of the Southern Sri Lankan political stage and indicated the ensuing danger. As I said, the government bent backwards to please the Buddhist monks. Buddha Sasana Minister W. J…. Read more »
Re-evaluating Concepts of Sovereignty
by Ana Pararajasingam; South Asia Analysis Group paper No. 879, January 1, 2004 India’s former Prime Minister, Nehru and Sri Lanka’s former Prime Minister Bandaranaike shared a common Westernised background and an education at Oxford and Cambridge respectively- England’s oldest and prestigious universities. But, the similarities ended right there. By heeding the sentiments that led to… Read more »
US Presidential election 2004
Received from a Sangam member: I encourage Sangam members to get involved in the US 2004 presidential elections. I think now is a good time throw our support behind a candidate and engage our community to get involved locally around US. The relationships we build now with local supporters and party officials can help us… Read more »
Indonesia’s Secret War
by New York Times editorial; January 3, 2004 Do the tactics of Indonesia in Aceh sound quite familiar to Sri Lankan Tamils? In fact, where did the Indonesians learn from? We wonder why the Times is concerned about these tactics in Aceh, but had no concern for the NorthEast. Must have something to do with oil…!… Read more »
Aiding the Devil
by Saravanan Suresh Kumar, Bangalore; published January 3, 2004 By providing military aid to Sri Lanka, India is weakening further the current troubled peace process. We still seem to have not realized that the Sri Lankan problem is not one that can be solved militarily. We are creating new problems and not solving the existing one…. Read more »