and why has it sparked outcry from Modi’s followers? by Alisha Rahaman Sarkar, The Independent, London, May 2, 2025 The Indian government will collect caste details in its next population census in a policy U-turn that could have sweeping socioeconomic and political ramifications. Information minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Wednesday that the census would count the populations… Read more »
Monthly Archives: May 2025
May 31-June 4 1981: Five Days Of State Terror In Jaffna
by Santasilan Kadirgamar , Colombo Telegraph, February 3, 2013 Santasilan Kadirgamar Two years after the end of the war in Lanka*, without a political solution in sight, it may be appropriate to look back at events that occurred 30 years ago. 31 May to 4 June 2011 marks the 30th anniversary of days of violence… Read more »
15 Years of Politically Informed Subnational Governance Reform in Sri Lanka (2005-2020)
Ride the Wind but Know the Tide by Gopa Thampi and Nicola Nixon, TWP Community of Practice, University of Birmingham & Asia Foundation, April 2025 TWP-CoP-TAF-Story-of-change.pdf 1. Introduction This case study provides an example of Thinking and Working Politically (TWP) in practice, by unpacking The Asia Foundation’s efforts to support reform of Sri Lanka’s subnational… Read more »
Why Are Journalists’ Murder Investigations Being Avoided?
Media Freedom In Sri Lanka by Amirthanayagam Nixon, Colombo Telegraph, May3, 2024 It is an obvious fact that investigations into the killing of journalists and threats to the media are not being conducted against the backdrop of non-resolution of political rights issues of Tamils and cover-up of corruption and abuse of power by political leaders…. Read more »
MGR Remembered – Part 81
A Major Stumble in the Jan 1980 Lok Sabha Election by Sachi Sri Kantha, May 1, 2025 Regarding the contents in Part 80, I received the thoughts R. Kannan on March 4th. These were as follows: “As usual, this a brilliant compendium of events from primary and secondary sources, showing your vast grasp of reading… Read more »
What’s Legally Allowed in War
How U.S. military lawyers see Israel’s invasion of Gaza—and the public’s reaction to it—as a dress rehearsal for a potential conflict with a foreign power like China. by Colin Jones, The New Yorker, April 25, 2025 This past July, Geoffrey Corn, a law professor at Texas Tech and a former judge advocate general in the… Read more »
Nixon’s Cold-War Call On Colombo
by Vinod Moonesinghe, Roar Media, October 22, 2021 On 27 November 1953, after a month touring 15 Asian countries, US Vice President Richard M Nixon, accompanied by his wife Pat, arrived at Ratmalana Airport on a three-day visit to Sri Lanka, then known officially as “Ceylon”. It was the first visit by a US holder of… Read more »
Open Letter to Sri Lankan President Anura K. Dissanayake
Since 1948 SL Heads of State have ‘relayed’ on the Ethnic conflict! by S. V. Kirubaharan, General Secretary, TCHR – Tamil Centre for Human Rights, France, May 7, 2025 William Shakespeare: “Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends”. Dear Mr President: First of all, our congratulations to you and the NPP – National People’s Power… Read more »
PM Harini: Govt Committed to Ensuring Justice for Enforced Disappearances
by Adaderana, Colombo, April 10, 2025 Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the government is committed to ensuring justice for the victims affected by the injustices related to enforced disappearances. The Prime Minister made these remarks on Wednesday (09) in Parliament while responding to a question raised by Member of Parliament Shanakiyan Rasamanickam, the… Read more »