Captain Pandithar and a Collection of 1985 Editorials in International Newspapers by Sachi Sri Kantha, September 29, 2025 Prelude Proper chronological dating of events is important to history. When did the so-called Sri Lankan civil war start? Majority of journalists (indigenous and international varieties) historians, politicians as well as those dimwit Wikipedia entry twisters opt… Read more »
Sri Lanka’s President Surprises with Pro-Market Pivot
by Uditha Jayasinghe and Krishna N. Das, Reuters, London, September 23, 2025 Summary President Dissanayake’s government plans fresh steps to boost investment after 2022 economic collapse Power tariffs raised, state-run electricity board being broken up despite union protests $100 mln in cannabis-based medical oil projects expected for export to US and Europe Analysts say strong… Read more »
US State Dept.: 2024 Sri Lanka Human Rights Report
by US Department of State, Washington, DC, August 12, 2025 Sri Lanka Human Rights Report US State Dept 2024 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY After the widely contested September 21 presidential elections and November 14 snap parliamentary elections, civil society groups called on the first voter-elected presidential administration since 2022 to build on the demands for good governance… Read more »
From Thileepan to Today
Tamil Guardian editorial, London, September 29, 2025 Remembering Thileepan’s sacrifice 38 years on | Tamil Guardian An unprecedented number of events took place across the North-East last week. Hunger strikes were staged. Flames were lit and garlands laid. The elderly and children gathered together. A kavadi even procession took place, with hooks piercing the flesh… Read more »
Two Steps Backwards
Tamil Guardian editorial, , London, September 15, 2025 To call the latest draft resolution from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva disappointing would be far too kind. It is not simply a missed opportunity, but a disastrous step backwards in the long and painful struggle for justice for the Tamil people. Sixteen years… Read more »
‘The Anarchy’ by William Dalrymple
by Anwar Halari, The Conversation, Boston, USA, July 29, 2024 We live in a world dominated by colossal corporations. The likes of Microsoft and Apple are bigger than most economies. Not long ago, however, a British company dwarfed these giants, yet few people know its history or the valuable lessons it can teach us today…. Read more »
How did Nepal Become a ‘Hindu Rashtra’?
[B]oth Nepal and Sri Lanka offer sobering reminders that in the Indian subcontinent, the forced imposition of a religion, whether ‘dharmic’ or not, inevitably creates more problems than it solves. by Anirudh Kanisetti, ThePrint.in, September 25, 2025 Nepal called itself ‘world’s only Hindu kingdom’ for much of the previous century. However, for most of history,… Read more »
A Critique on Rajani Thiranagama’s Assassin-Suspect ‘Bosco’
by Sachi Sri Kantha, September 15, 2025 Introduction Sept 21st marks the 36th death anniversary of human rights activist Dr. Rajani Thiranagama (1954-1989). At the time of her death, she was affiliated to the University of Jaffna. Last July 26th, Prof. Michael Roberts re-posted chapter 3 of Dr. Rajan Hoole’s 2015 book ‘Palmyra Fallen, from… Read more »
Born in India, but Not Indian
‘Stateless’ man fights for citizenship by Saradha V, BBC, London, September 24, 2025 Bahison Ravindran says he always believed he was Indian. Born to Sri Lankan refugee parents in the southern Indian Tamil Nadu state, the 34-year-old web developer had studied and worked there, and held several government-issued identity documents, including an Indian passport. But… Read more »
ICG: Sri Lanka’s National People’s Power Faces the Legacy of Civil War
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his National People’s Power government are struggling to build a more stable, inclusive political culture in Sri Lanka. A mix of bold action and political skill will be needed. Support from the UN Human Rights Council can help. by Alan Keenan, International Crisis Group, Brussels, September 5, 2025 The election… Read more »
UN Human Rights Council 60th Session
Geneva, September/October 2025 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCHR) oral report based on his written report, September 8, 2025 https://youtu.be/u_hebwD0fRE?si=BMN-_48S-QVsKH1Q Full interactive dialogue on Sri Lanka, September 8 HCHR, plus statements of country groups, starting at 2hrs, 57min, 54sec – 1st Meeting – 60th Session of Human Rights Council | UN Web TV Country statement,… Read more »
ITJP: Killing of Journalist Nimalarajan Mylvaganam
Killing Sri Lankan Journalists by International Truth & Justice Project, South Africa, September 7, 2025 Full report in English (Tamil & Sinhala also available) KILLING-SRI-LANKAN-JOURNALISTS_THE-CASE-OF-NIMALARAJAN-MYLVAGANAM_Final_ENGLISH_Web_compressed Press Release: Sri Lanka Has Shielded Killers of Journalists, Finds New Report Examining Investigation Failures in BBC Reporter’s Murder. Johannesburg – Sri Lanka has systematically shielded the killers of journalists… Read more »
MGR Remembered – Part 83
Besting the Karunanidhi-Indira Alliance by Sachi Sri Kantha, September 10, 2025 Exchanged comments with R. Kannan Comments received from Kannan, for Part 82, by mail of June 25th were as follows’ “You have skillfully employed the Kalki cartoons and write-ups from Kalki, Economic and Political Weekly, and India Today. Muhammad Ali’s visit and the AIADMK deserters… Read more »
Chemmani: Seven New Sets of Human Remains Exhumed
by Sulochana Ramiah Mohan and T. Pratheepan – Jaffna, Ceylon Today, September 4, 2025 Seven new sets of human remains were fully exhumed from the Chemmani mass grave yesterday (3), while additional nine sets were identified. This marks the continuation of the third section of the second phase of excavations at the site, which began… Read more »
Fact Finding Report of HRCSL on Chemmani
by Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, Colombo, September 2025 Fact-Finding-Report-of-HRCSL-on-Chemmani-Mass-Grave-Site This report details the main findings, observations, and recommendations of the HRCSL emerging from its visit and subsequent developments surrounding the exhumations and excavations at the mass grave site in Chemmani. The findings and observations are organised under specific themes: (1) the functions and… Read more »
Memories of Mass Murder
Unearthed bones in Chemmani reopen the wounds of Sri Lanka’s war years and the silence that followed. by Saikiran Kannan, Frontline, The Hindu, Chennai, September 1, 2025 The excavators kept digging in the midday heat, when something soft-blue rose above the dusty earth: a child’s school bag, its nylon straps still looped around a tiny… Read more »
Tamil Stories Go Global
This anthology of 22 short stories translated from Tamil prompts critical reflection on identity, belonging, and the boundaries of the medium. by Kiran Kesavamurthy, Frontline, The Hindu, Chennai, July 22, 2025 This collection is a long-overdue contribution to Indian literature. What distinguishes this volume of 22 Tamil short stories, in the relatively recent history of English… Read more »
Onomastics of Tamil Personal Names – Part 4
by Sachi Sri Kantha, August 27, 2025 LTTE leader Prabhakaran’s father Velupillai departed this world 15 years ago on Jan. 6, 2010, at the age of 86. To honor his memory, after 8 years, I pick up the thread on my Onomastics of Tamil Personal Names. In this Part 4, I focus on a specific… Read more »
Sri Lanka Faces Renewed Global Scrutiny Ahead of UNHRC Session
by Sulochana Ramiah Mohan, Ceylon Today, Colombo, August 16, 2025 Sri Lanka is once again under the global human rights spotlight as the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) approaches. With mounting momentum for the adoption of a resolution targeting the country’s human rights record, questions remain over how the newly… Read more »
ISGA Index
Originally posted as events unfolded at http://www.sangam.org/articles/indexes/isga/ (ordered from earliest to latest) – Interim Self-Governing Authority Proposal – The LTTE’s Proposals for an Interim Self-Governing Authority – …And It Is Time for Action in Colombo – SLFP Response to LTTE ISGA Proposal – A Nudge for Sri Lanka Peace – AFTA Media Release – Kumaratunge’s Coup and the Peace Process – LTTE’s… Read more »