by Leslie H. Gelb, The New York Times, November 25, 2003 President Bush’s new strategy of transferring power quickly to Iraqis, and his critics’ alternatives, share a fundamental flaw: all commit the United States to a unified Iraq, artificially and fatefully made whole from three distinct ethnic and sectarian communities. That has been possible in the past only… Read more »
A Truce is Not Enough
by Ana Pararajasingham; The Sunday Leader, Colombo, November 23, 2003 originally published November 24, 2003 A truce is not enough Despite the occasional violations, the truce between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil rebels has held for almost two years. The long awaited proposal by the Tamil Tigers for an interim governing authority had revived… Read more »
It’s the Constitution, Stupid
by M. Nadarajan; originally published November 21, 2003 When the current US president’s father, the first President Bush, tried to get re-elected the catch phrase “It’s The Economy, Stupid” was used effectively to defeat him, blaming the state of the country’s economy on him. The current problems in Sri Lanka are being blamed on the Constitution…. Read more »
Workshop on Environmental Management
originally published November 20, 2003 Workshop on Environmental Management in North-East of Sri Lanka. December 1- 4, 2003. Venue: University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka http://www.esn.ac.lk/emnes2003
Tamil Student Volunteer Program
originally published November 20, 2003 Click here to find more information about The Student Volunteer Program (TSVP), an international development NGO coordinated by Canadian high school, college and university students: http://www.TSVP.ca. —————————————— The site had been updated with the Program’s latest experiences in the North and East of Sri Lanka, including: i) Progress reports from Fall… Read more »
Power Unchecked
Tamil Guardian editorial, London, November 19, 2003 Power Unchecked – Peace is jeopardised in the name of power The constitutional deadlock in Sri Lanka continued this week as President Chandrika Kumaratunga, now comfortably entrenched in her usurped positions at the head of the ministries of defence, interior and media, stood firm against Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe’s toothless… Read more »
Playboy Interview with Nehru
by Sachi Sri Kantha, November 18, 2003 Revisiting That Unusual Playboy magazine Interview of Nehru Introductory Note by Sachi Sri Kantha I was a bit amused to read recently a column by Gouri Chatterjee [The Telegraph, Calcutta; November 6, 2003] in which she had made passing reference to that unusual Playboy magazine interview by the then Indian prime minister Jawaharlal… Read more »
Promises to Keep
by Anne Henry; Daily Mirror, Colombo, November 18, 2003 A report released by UNICEF last week on catch-up education for children in the North and East makes for uncomfortable reading. While the Board of Investment trumpets Sri Lanka’s achievements in “lead[ing] the South Asian region… with its high literacy rate of 91% placing it way ahead… Read more »
The ISGA Compared to the B-C Pact
by Wakeley Paul, Esq.; originally published November 18, 2003 THE INTERIM SELF-GOVERNING AUTHORITY COMPARED TO THE BANDARANAIKE-CHELVANAYAGAM PACT A modest set of demands by Wakeley Paul The unimplemented B-C PACT was the closest we came to achieving a Federal Constitution. Under Section 29 of the Soulbury Constitution, Parliament was the sole legislative organ of the nation…. Read more »
A Reply to ‘A Case Against Federalism’
by Wakeley Paul, Esq.; originally published November 17, 2003 A REPLY TO “A CASE AGAINST FEDERALISM” [Published in The Island, Oct.29, 2003] http://www.island.lk/2003/10/29/featur01.htmlSinhala Supremacy for everyone’s good? OR Is it a monstrous injustice for a Tamil to be a Sri Lankan Citizen? Should we not refuse to remain a species Half Extinct? BY Wakeley Paul BARRISTER AT… Read more »
THO-USA Flyer
originally published November 17, 2003 THO USA flyer Nov 2003
Observations of the UN HRC re Sri Lanka
originally published November 17, 2003 This report comes to us thanks to the Tamil Centre for Human Rights http://www.tchr.net. Note in particular reference to impunity, disappearances, torture, and the PTA. HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE(CPR/CO/79/LKA/Future) 79th session CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 40 OF THE COVENANT Concluding observations of the Human Rights Committee SRI… Read more »
TVI USA
originally published November 17, 2003 The Sangam’s AGM program on November 1, 2003 was filmed and significant parts have been shown on TVI USA. Below is a description of this service. ************************************************* http://www.tviusa.net/ TVI USA is a Tamil language television provider owned and operated exclusively by Eelam Tamils. In addition to the standard fare of… Read more »
LTTE’s Counterproposals
LTTE’s counterproposals puts ball back in government’s court Northeastern Herald Editorial, Nov. 7-16, 2003 The counterproposals put forward by the LTTE to those submitted by the government for the establishment of an interim administration in the northeast appears a much more flexible and moderate document than what many people predicted it would be. Some foretold the… Read more »
A (un) Constitutional Coup d’Etat in Sri Lanka
by Raveen S. Nathan; November 15, 2003, originally published November 17, 2003 Sri Lanka throughout its postcolonial history has had the distinction of being a democracy that has maintained the rule of its (majority ethnic) people’s will albeit with two minor interruptions. But never in its modern history has it suffered any military or constitutional coup… Read more »
Tamil Place Names Outside the NE
by K. Kularatnam; originally published November 13, 2003 Tamil Place Names in Ceylon outside the Northern and Eastern Provincesby K. Kularatnam [source: Proceedings of the First International Conference Seminar of Tamil Studies, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 1966, vol.1, International Association of Tamil Research, 1968, pp.486-493] Introductory Note by Sachi Sri Kantha Kurankupanchan Camp in the Eelam territory… Read more »
President & Premier Play a Traditional Sinhala Game
Tamil Guardian editorial, London, November 12, 2003; originally published November 13, 2003 As Norwegian facilitators flew into Colombo this week in yet another effort to kickstart their stalled peace initiative, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was already throwing in the towel as far as his government’s participation in the process was concerned. Having had the crucial… Read more »
Open Letter to SL President
by Dr. Victor Rajakulendran; originally published November 12, 2003 An open letter to Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumarathunga Her Excellency, Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumarathunga President of Sri Lanka President’s House Colombo Sri Lanka Your Excellency, I have been watching closely you and your unusual, unacceptable actions during the last few days, living far away from you… Read more »
A Debate on the Ethnic Identity of Tamils
by Sachi Sri Kantha, September 17, 2003, originally published November 11, 2003 Introductory Note by Sachi Sri Kantha Thirteen years ago, I was a participant in a debate which filled the pages of the now defunct Lanka Guardian journal edited by Mervyn de Silva. My opponent was Mr. Izeth Hussain, a Sri Lankan diplomat. A paper with… Read more »
The Present Call to American Tamils
by Father S.J. Emmanuel; originally published November 10, 2003 Keynote speech at the Sangam’s Annual General Meeting by Prof. Dr. S. J. Emmanuel Our Struggle forges ahead around a New Turning Point 1. I congratulate the Tamil Sangam for the successful completion of a quarter century of pioneer service, in bringing and building together a Diaspora community… Read more »