by Matthew Bey, Stratfor, Austin, TX, USA, May 10, 2018 https://worldview.stratfor.com/article/us-and-china-economic-fight-century-begins?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=article
Monthly Archives: May 2018
Saint Anthony’s Church and Cemetery
The ruins of this old church are slowing sinking into the sand. by Max Cortesi, Atlas Obscura, no date, accessed May 12, 2018 On the far northeastern beaches of Sri Lanka there is a tiny village called Manalkadu. It doesn’t see many tourists—and with only one battered unnamed road to get there, that’s not surprising. What… Read more »
MGR Remembered – Part 44
Father’s Lineage and Work in Ceylon by Sachi Sri Kantha, May 11, 2018 I wish to express my thanks for the correction note that I received from fellow MGR biographer and friend Mr. R. Kannan, related to previous Part 43 item on M. Karunanidhi’s alleged role in expelling prominent rankers from the DMK party. Kannan… Read more »
Reckoning and Reform Loom for Sri Lanka
Pressure mounts to account for past actions in nation where even truth and reconciliation commission is lacking by Kingsley Karunaratne, ‘UCA News,’ May 10, 2018 Though the political turmoil in Sri Lanka has subsided the government has been weakened by a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, raised by a faction from his own… Read more »
Sri Lanka: Abduction Island
by Al Jazeera, May 10, 2018 Once a weapon of war, abductions are still happening in Sri Lanka. Is there justice for the nation’s disappeared? Video at https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/101east/2018/05/sri-lanka-abduction-island-180510041107399.html Sri Lanka has used abductions as a way to instill fear since the days of civil war. In the last three decades, 60,000 people have gone missing. Many… Read more »
1991: The Mothers Who Won’t Disappear
by Steve Coll, ‘The Washington Post,’ March 3, 1991 COLOMBO, SRI LANKA — The letter arrived by regular post in the afternoon. A mailman carried it up the walkway of a posh bungalow lined with palms and splashed with tropical light. The letter was handwritten in English, addressed to Manorani Saravanamuttu, a medical doctor and a child… Read more »
Is China a Colonial Power?
by James A. Millward, ‘The New York Times,’ May 4, 2018 Mr. Millward is a China scholar and historian of the Silk Road In a lesser-known novel, “Claudius Bombarnac,” Jules Verne describes the adventures of the titular foreign correspondent as he rides the “Grand Transasiatic Railway” from the “European frontier” to “the capital of the Celestial… Read more »
The Island Story: A Short History Of Sri Lanka
by Charles Sarvan, ‘The Island,’ Colombo, May 5, 2018 Book Review: K. M de Silva, The Island Story: A Short History of Sri Lanka, International Centre for Ethnic Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka, 2017. EPIGRAPH: Sri Lanka in the first few centuries after the early settlement was a multi-racial, multi-ethnic society: a conception which emphasises harmony and a… Read more »
Half Gods
by Akil Kumarasamy, to be released June 5, 2018 A startlingly beautiful debut, Half Gods brings together the exiled, the disappeared, the seekers. Following the fractured origins and destines of two brothers named after demigods from the ancient epic the Mahabharata, we meet a family struggling with the reverberations of the past in their lives. These ten… Read more »
Can the Application of Universal Jurisdiction Foster Accountability in Sri Lanka?
A closer look at an important question by Ana Pararajasingham, ‘The Diplomat,’ May 3, 2018 At the 37th session of the Human Rights Council, which met in Geneva in February and March 2018, the High Commissioner for United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) Zeid Ra’ad Al-Hussein urged member states to explore other avenues to foster… Read more »
Elusive Unity of Tamil Parties
And eroded aspirations of Tamils by Thambu Kanagasabai, LLM [Lond.} Former Lecturer in Law, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Tamil nationalism was borne on August 1923, the architect being Sir Pon Arunachalam, who was betrayed by the then Sinhalese leaders James Peiris and E. J. Samarawickrema who broke the promise of reserving one Legislator seat… Read more »
Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap.5 Tamil Youths Turn Assertive
by T. Sabaratnam, August 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 4 Original index of series Original Volume 1, Chapter 5 Chapter 5: Tamil Youths Turn Assertive Tamils – a subject race Amirthalingam’s Kankesanthurai speech was a reflection of the growing feeling of frustration among Tamil youth. The youth were telling the leaders to follow the path of… Read more »
Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap.4 Tamil Mood Toughens
by T. Sabaratnam, May 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 3 Original index of series Original Volume 1, Chapter 4 Chapter 4: Tamil Mood Toughens The Federal Party Working Committee met on 11 July, 1970 at Vavuniya to consider Dr. de Silva’s message. Thanthai Chelva told the meeting the government had indicated many positive features in the… Read more »
Pirapaharan: Vol.1, Chap. 3 The Unexpected Explosion
by T. Sabaratanam, May 1, 2003 Volume 1, Chapter 2 Original Index of Series Original Volume 1, Chapter 3 Karikalan Thangathurai, known as mama, uncle, was in charge of the secret group. There were about 25 youths, most of them from Valvettithurai and relatives. In early 1970, Thangathurai bought two revolvers, of .22 and .38 calibre…. Read more »
TGTE 2018 Awards
by Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam The TGTE National, International & Global Awards 2018 https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/444203807/a-sinhalese-a-veteran-tamil-political-leader-received-prestigious-awards-from-transnational-government-of-tamil-eelam The recipients of the Awards The Awards were presented on April 15, 2018, at the Metropolitan Centre, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. There were some 400 people at the event, despite freezing rain and snow. Karikalan S Navaratnam Karikaran Navaratnam began his… Read more »
Hindutva Takes on Tamil Nationalism
by Ana Pararajasingham, ‘Asia Times,’ February 16, 2018 he south Indian state of Tamil Nadu has become a battleground for the proponents of Hindutva and the champions of Tamil nationalism. Hindutva is the rallying cry of the Bharathiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS),a militant Hindu nationalist group that has for decades provided the… Read more »
ITJP: The Special Task Force
by International Truth & Justice Project Sri Lanka, South Africa, April 23, 2018 GATHERING EVIDENCE THE SPECIAL TASK FORCE This report on the Special Task Force (STF) is based primarily on the testimony of Sinhalese insiders who worked for the unit in the past and former Tamil paramilitaries. “This work in the white vanning unit… Read more »