Monthly Archives: August 2004

Singapore Must Not Alienate its Brightest

by Ngiam Tong Dow, Straits Times, Singapore, August 15, 2004 Comments from M. Thiru: As a Tamil I could draw parallels when the concerns of this article come to the population sisze and why our own talents are important. We SL Tamils & the diaspora are a small-sized population and our problems are numerous. So… Read more »

A Way Out?

A talk that could be taking place By V Gunaratnam, August 15, 2004 “Good evening Excellency.” “Ayubowan, it was nice of you to have come Mr Salmon…eh…pardon me, Ambassador…?” “It’s quite all right Madam, we do eat a lot of salmon, but they have Omega-3, good for the health and brain.” “Eh? Very interesting, I… Read more »

Kelsen’s ‘Theory of Necessity’

To amend the constitution with a simple majority By Wakeley Paul, Esq., August 14, 2004 If, in a democratic setting, the element of ‘necessity’ warrants the change of a constitution with a simple Parliamentary majority, then constitutions with the usual requirement of a 2/3 majority to amend or replace them become meaningless. Any party with… Read more »

A Jarring Summer

by Anjali Siva, August 14, 2004 This past summer I went to Sri Lanka, for the first time in ten years. But what affected me was going to Thamil Eelam, for the first time ever. I spent three weeks in this war-torn and impoverished area, marveling at the spirit of the Thamil people. During my… Read more »

Sri Lanka Scene: Talking Again about Talks

Weekly Review Sri Lanka Scene 13 August 2004 Talking Again about Talks by T. Sabaratnam Tension has begun to ease in Sri Lanka. The fear of another round of war is receding. A Norwegian diplomat confidently told international investors on Thursday that Sri Lanka would not face another full-fledged war. Norwegian embassy first secretary Christian… Read more »

Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 11: Indira Gandhi’s Covert Track

By T. Sabaratnam, August 13, 2004 (Volume 2) Training Militants  Indira Gandhi always called President Jayewardene ‘the old fox.’  Her assessment of him was that he could not be trusted.  Her opinion of Jayewardene was based on the information given to her by her friend Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the lady who suffered most at Jayawardene’s hands, and… Read more »

Mapuche Indians in Chile Struggle to Take Back Forests

by Larry Rohter, The New York Times, August 11, 2004 Before the conquistadors arrived, and even for centuries afterward, the lush, verdant forests of southern Chile belonged to the Mapuche people. Today, though, tree farms stretch in all directions here, property of timber companies that supply lumber to the United States, Japan and Europe. But… Read more »

Creating the Right Environment to Take the Peace Forward

The Norway facilitators creating  the right environment to take the peace efforts forward by Kaddurai, Thinnakural, August 9, 2004 (translation from the original Tamil by Thiru) All of us know how the Sinhalese ruling class has given assurances to Tamils since Sir Ponnampalam Ramanathan’s era and how the Sinhalese ruling class has gone back on such… Read more »

It is a Matter of Trust

By M. Nadarajan, August 11, 2004 So much of mistrust exists between the Sinhalese and Tamil nations that the LTTE had to ask for the government’s position in writing. It is said, “Once bitten twice shy.” If you are bitten many times, you have to watch every step of the way. Trust is something that has to… Read more »

Conversations & Comparisons

RECOLLECTIONS: Conversations & Comparisons – reading between the lines by Revd. BJA, UK “Now tell me” queried a senior Church official, “if the peace process were to be derailed who gets to be blamed, the Sinlease or the Tameel Tigers?” You actually mean, I emphasised, who is not to be blamed. The response to that I continued, is summed up in… Read more »

Shameless Somersault on the POTA Issue by The Hindu

Exposing the shameless somersault on the POTA issue by The Hindu editorialist by Sachi Sri Kantha, August 10, 2004 Why does the Hindu newspaper establishment of Chennai spew venom on Eelam Tamil nationalism since 1983?  How about the following answers? (1) By tradition, The Hindu is conservative, and places India’s interests in its head; [which means, they think supporting separatism in a… Read more »

Sangam Press Release

Date: August 9, 2004 Title: Statements attributed to the Sangam on the John Kerry Presidential Campaign are not factual. Press Release Sangam ITS August 2004

Chavakachcheri Computer Training Center

Chavakachcheri gets a Free Computer Training Center as TITA and SKTATT of London once again join hands A third joint Free Computer Training Center by TITA and SKTATT (London Sri Kanaga Thurkai Amman Temple Trust), will be opened on, Sunday, the 08th of Aug 2004, in Chavakachcheri in the Jaffna district, following their joint center… Read more »

Vanni Tech Convocation

Vanni Institute of Technology Convocation Fifty two students, who have completed a one-year course at the Vanni Institute of Technology since its inauguration in 2003, had their convocation today, 8th of August 2004, in a well-attended ceremony presided over by Siva Gobal, President of the Vanni Institute of Technology. Mr.S.P. Tamilselvan, Head of the LTTE… Read more »

Politics of Dissension and Divergence

National Day Message 2004 from Singapore’s PM Politics of Dissension and Divergence -Flying Singapore Higher- Straits Times, Singapore, August 8, 2004 [During the 1960’s, Singapore wanted to emulate the success of Sri Lanka.  Forty years have passed, and one can see the role reversal caused by contrasting leadership skills.] Excerpts: In other countries, the politicians… Read more »

Some Thoughts on Ethnic Reconciliation in Sri Lanka

by M. Thiru, September 8, 2004 In the 1930’s though there were political differences between the Sinhalese and Tamil leaders, but there was no state terrorism on Tamils. There were no atrocities by the armed forces, no riots, no looting or arsons, no rape, no shelling or bombing of Tamil areas, Tamils were not displaced… Read more »

The Americanization of Chennai

The Best Job in Town – The Americanization of Chennai by Katherine Boo, The New Yorker, July 5, 2004 Front Note by Sachi Sri Kantha ..the British practised overt colonialism. The Americans are now into covert colonialism. Doing anything in covert fashion is the American style. Overt racism is out; but covert racism is thriving…. Read more »

Sri Lanka: Election Observers Have Their Own Agenda

By Prem Sivasamy, August 2, 2004 Introduction The concept of free and fair elections had long ago become an illusion in Sri Lanka, particularly to Tamils. However, Tamils wanted to participate in the last general election only to express their legitimate political aspirations to the International Community (IC) through a democratic process once again, as… Read more »

“56-Years” of Journey To End

By Rich Markandu, August 2, 2004 Pogrom/Extermination/Genocide are synonymous to Bandaranaikes and Jayawardenes. The meaning of ‘Pogrom’ ‘Extermination’ ‘Genocide’ implies the same expression when it comes to analyse the political-historical aspects of the two belligerent group of ethnic communities, Sinhalese and Tamils of Ceylon (now, Sri Lanka). For the last four to five decades the… Read more »