UNHCR urges fresh bid to help S.Lanka’s displaced COLOMBO, April 29 (Reuters) – The U.N. refugee agency urged the Sri Lankan government and rebels on Thursday to renew efforts to help hundreds of thousands of people displaced by decades of civil war. “There needs to be a renewed focus on resolving this long-standing humanitarian problem,”… Read more »
Are Tamils to be Fooled Again?
by Rajkumar Sivapatham; published April 29, 2004 Are Tamils going to be fooled again? The UFPA government and the president planned for the constitutional amendment by hook or crook. The loss suffered by the UFPA on the speaker’s election has put a dent in that plan. Then the president started her next plan. This is to… Read more »
Center for Women’s Development & Rehabilitation
Centre for Women’s Development and Rehabilitation (CWDR) and the Projects CWDR Has Implemented In February 1991, 11 socially conscious women, aware of the urgent need for an organized welfare system for women, volunteered to form the CWDR. The CWDR emerged as a grass-roots women’s organization working in the community. Its first objective was to help… Read more »
Sri Lanka Scene: Eelam Has Come to the House
by T. Sabaratnam; Colombo, April 27, 2004 Weekly Review A significant aspect of Thursday’s inaugural session of parliament was highlighted by Jathika Hela Urmaya (JHU) leader Ven. Methananda thera when he said: “Eelam has come to the House.” The presence in the chamber of 20 men in silk verti, national and salvai and a lady in… Read more »
Power, Terror, Peace, and War
Power, Terror, Peace, and War: America’s Grand Strategy in a World at RiskSpeaker: Walter Russell Mead, senior fellow in U.S. foreign policy, Council on Foreign Relations; author, Power, Terror, Peace, and War: America’s Grand Strategy in a World at RiskPresider: John Parker, Washington, D.C., bureau chief, The Economist Council on Foreign Relations Washington, D.C. Tuesday, April 20,… Read more »
Trip to Vanni, Section V Part II
by K. Mylvaganam; Tamil Circle, #3405, April 25, 2004 During my stay in Vanni I had the chance to visit several Institutions, each accommodating a different category of people. I shall describe a few of the “Illams” (houses) as they are called in my subsequent insertions. I have, in one of my earlier articles, made reference… Read more »
Tamils Rehabilitation Organization
by Tamil Rehabilitation Organization, annual report 2003 Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation and the Projects Implemented by it Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) was founded by Tamil refugees in India in 1985 and then was moved to the Tamil homeland (Northeast Sri Lanka) in 1987. It is run by a board of governors with offices in all 8… Read more »
Chelvanayakam’s 27th Death Anniversary
by C. V. Vivekananthan, Attorney-at-law ; published April 27, 2004 Samuel James Veluppillai Chelvanayakam departed this life on the 27th day of April 1977, two decades and seven years ago. He was born in Malaysia on 31st March 1898, one century and six years ago. He received his secondary education at the Union College, Tellippalai and later… Read more »
Third Story of Guru Parmarta
by Sachi Sri Kantha; published April 27, 2004 The Stories of Guru Paramarta: Third Story of the Journey made on hired Ox by Fr.Costanzo Beschi [aka, Veera MaMuni] Front Note by Sachi Sri Kantha The third story of Guru Paramarta is less sparkling in comparison to the first two stories. This is because, Guru’s five good-for-nothing… Read more »
‘The Indian Theatre’
by Sachi Sri Kantha; published April 26, 2004 Re-visiting R.K.Narayan’s sketch of ‘The Indian Theatre’ I’m an avid fan of R.K.Narayan. It is a pleasure to read the portrayals of the Indian society (both past and present) by him, which are filled with humor and subtle satire pricking the pompous Poo Bahs. In view of the… Read more »
What the IC Cannot Ignore
by Dr. Victor Rajakulendran; published April 26, 2004 What the International Community cannot ignore Re: The stalled Sri Lankan peace process Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumarathunga (CBK) has now invited the Norwegian facilitators to restart facilitation of the negotiations between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The Norwegians, who… Read more »
Restored Deadlock
Tamil Guardian editorial; London, published April 23, 2004 Restored Deadlock: The prospects for peace are at their lowest IF THE point of the April 2 general election was to end the political imbroglio that had deadlocked Sri Lanka’s government for months, the results had precisely the opposite effect. This week found all three major Sinhala parties… Read more »
Intervention on Ponnambalam at UN
by Tamil Centre for Human Rights; April 2004 International Association of Democratic Lawyers – IADL 60th Session of the UN Commission on Human Rights, Geneva, SwitzerlandItem 17 (b) Human Rights Defenders Intervention by Deirdre McConnell Mr. Chairperson, I speak on behalf of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers – IADL Former High Commissioner for Human Rights,… Read more »
What Does This ‘Peace’ Mean?
by Rajkumar Sivapatham; published April 23, 2004 For the past couple of years, the most commonly used word in the Sri Lankan affair is “peace.” Even before the MOU between the GOSL and the LTTE was signed, Chandrika and her military had been waging a war for “peace.” This war is even now justifiable to some… Read more »
Pirapaharan, Vol.2: Introduction
by T. Sabaratnam; published April 21, 2004 Introduction In the first volume, I chronicled the birth, childhood, growth and the political environment which conditioned the thinking of Pirapaharan. Pirapaharan 2001 He was born into a devout Hindu family, trustees of one of the famous Hindu temples in the Jaffna peninsula. He grew up in a highly… Read more »
Tamil Health Org.’s AGM May 1
THO-USA is a non–political, non-profit organization Our goal is to help rebuild the Healthcare infrastructure of the North-East of Sri Lanka We need your help and support Now, is the time! Event : Annual General Meeting of Tamils Health Organization (THO-USA) Date : Saturday, May 1, 2004 Time : 4:30 PM to 11:00 PM Venue : North Brunswick, New… Read more »
FeTNA Convention in Baltimore July 2-5
The 17th Annual National Convention of the Federation of Tamil Sangams of North America will take place in Baltimore, MD on July 2, 3, 4 & 5. Registration for accomodation, etc. is now going on. Hold your place NOW because the good rooms sell out fast!! More details at http://www.fetna.org/Conf2004/English/Conf2004Frame.html. Maestro Illayaraaja FeTNA 2004 venue Originally… Read more »
Sri Lanka Scene: Tamils United to Talk Peace
by T. Sabaratnam; Colombo, April 20, 2004 Weekly Review Tamils get united to talk peace; Fractured Sinhalese continue their wrangle Tamil Unity Eighteen days have passed since the April 2 parliamentary elections. In these crucial days Tamils have consolidated their unity and on Tuesday their leadership discussed at the highest level ways and means of taking… Read more »
The Constitution is Illegal
by Wakeley Paul; published April 20, 2004 To Ponna Wignaraja & Shiva Pasupati [former Attorney General], I am glad to note that Nihal Jayawickrema, part architect of the 1972 Constituent Assembly, of all people, recognizes what I have been trumpeting for some time, to wit, the illegality of the concept of the Constituent Assembly. His effort… Read more »
Buddhists Take Off Lotus Gloves
by The Action Group of Tamils (TAGOT); Kotte, Sri Lanka, April 20, 2004 THE ACTION GROUP OF TAMILS (TAGOT) Kotte, Sri LankaEmail: tagots /A_T/ hotmail /D_O_T/ com PRESS RELEASE 20 April 2004 2004 ELECTIONS: SINHALA BUDDHISTS TAKE OFF THEIR LOTUS GLOVES Two aspects of the 2004 parliamentary elections are important. First, within two years the Sinhala… Read more »