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 »
Posts Categorized: Diaspora
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 »
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 »
Are We Getting Anywhere?
by Rajkumar Sivapatham; published April 20, 2004 Are we getting anywhere with this peace process? After this unwanted election, things in Sri Lanka are getting more unpredictable and funnier. The much-celebrated alliance, the UFPA, is becoming a laughing stock even before the first sitting in the parliament. The SLFP, the almost 50% partner in the UFPA,… Read more »
In Search of Peace
by V. Gunaratnam; published April 18, 2004 An air of theatre hangs over Sri Lanka as the country is caught up in a chaotic transition process after the general elections. There is a sense of dark plots being hatched, and cloak and dagger things going on behind the scenes, while the UPFA struggles to cobble together… Read more »
Where to, Sri Lanka?
by Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam, Ph.D.; California, published April 15, 2004 PoliticalPartyPosition_4_04 The Voters have elected members of Parliament (MP) and parties who differ on the path and the form of the solution to resolve the Tamil National Question (TNQ). In this essay I will lay out what I think are possible pathways for moving forward toward resolving… Read more »
Tamil Studies, NZ, Press Release
TAMIL STUDIES AND HUMAN RIGHTS TRUST, NZ (INC.)2153A Great North Road, Avondale,Auckland 1007 New Zealand Tel: 64 – 9 – 8202113 R.Selva /A_T/ xtra.co /D_O_T/ nzPRESS RELEASE 09th April 2004 The General Elections held on 2 April 2004 have conveyed through the voting pattern three stark truths. 1. By returning a vitriolic racist alliance –… Read more »
Straw Man
Tamil Guardian editorial; London, April 15, 2004 Straw Man: Karuna’s revolt was overstated and its defeat welcome When the LTTE’s then Special Commander for the Batticaloa-Ampara district declared in early March that he was splitting from the movement and establishing a separate administration in the eastern region, the development was described as the movement’s most… Read more »
SWOT Analysis
by R Shanmugananthan; published April 14, 2004 It was a swift operation commencing Friday. By Monday it was all over. It took only three days to retake the entire liberated lands in Maddu-Amparai. In these three days an area comprising many thousand kilometres have changed hands with minimal disruption to civilian life. Once again the LTTE… Read more »
Vanni Trip, Section V, Part I
by K. Mylvaganam; Tamil Circle, published April 13, 2004 We are back in the wilderness of concrete blocks and polluted air from the heavenly atmosphere of Vanni. We had a wonderful time with our people there. The place we put up our house is surrounded with hundreds of our boys and girls from the LTTE. They… Read more »
‘Another Fine Job, Well Done’
by Rajkumar Sivapatham; published April 13, 2004 As the new year is born, the situation in the eastern Sri Lanka has changed upside down. The so-called Karuna crisis is effectively over now, as predicted by the people who know the inside out of the Tamil struggle in Sri Lanka. However, for the past 5 weeks or… Read more »
Easter Message
by Father S.J. Emmanuel; Germany, April 11, 2004 Easter is the Feast of LiberationEaster is the greatest feast in the Christian calendar. It is the feast in which Christians rejoice over the Liberation which Jesus won for humanity. Jesus Christ, Christians believe, is the Son of God who became man, and through his suffering, death and… Read more »
Sinister Stratagems, Part 2
by Wakeley Paul; published April 9, 2004 SINISTER STRATAGEMS AND ODD ENTANGLEMENTS PART II In view of what passed for legal in 1972, everyone seems to assume that this idea of a Constituent Assembly is some magic mantra which enables parliament to do what it cannot legally do otherwise This is a myth and a fallacy… Read more »
Sinister Stratagems, Part 1
by Wakeley Paul; published April 9, 2004 SINISTER STRATAGEMS AND ODD ENTANGLEMENTS The situation in Sri Lanka seems so tenuous, that it is very likely that a vote of no confidence on a single major issue raised can lead to a toppling of the present government in the not too distant future. The present struggle is… Read more »
What’s Next
by Wakeley Paul; published April 6, 2004 Nostradamus, in a brilliant two part article in The Island in February, has exhibited outstanding insight into the long term future of Sri Lanka. His knowledge, analysis and perspicacity are almost impossible to emulate. In this article, I, by contrast consider what¹s in store for us in the immediate aftermath of… Read more »
Meaning of the Election Results
by Rajkumar Sivapatham; published April 6, 2004 What do the Election Results Mean to Tamils? It is strange that people inside and outside of Sri Lanka worry so much about the election results in Sri Lanka. The fact is the Sinhalese people have given their verdict and that is that. The Tamils on the other hand… Read more »
Our Political Clown
by Neville Chinivasagam; published April 6, 2004 Sachi Sri Kantha’s “Bob Dylan Stares at Sri Lanka” (Tamil Sangam, Feb. 25 2004) most admirably and humorously stares at presidential politics enthused by Lakshman Kadirgamar. It is well known Kadirgamar is indescribably Ms. Kumaratunge’s mouthpiece, voicing her presidential imaginings to earn him the epitaph summed up by Sachi:… Read more »
Vox Populi, Vox Dei
by R. Cholan; published April 4, 2004 ‘The Voice of the People is the Voice of God.’ This is democracy. Many are unhappy with the ‘voice’ spoken by Sri Lankans on April 2nd. Headlines and editorials lament the expected instability of a hung parliament. They are wrong. The results of this election will not bring any… Read more »
Tamils’ Health: The Diaspora’s Role
Centre for Health Care – Sri Lanka In Conjunction With Tamils Health Organization – UKare sponsoring a conference on Tamils’ Health The Diaspora’s Role At The Arnhem Conference Centre Fairfield Halls Park Lane, Croydon, Surrey, CR9 1DG, UK 020 8681 0821 On Sunday, 9th May 2004. http://www.tamilshealth.com Email:info /A_T/ tamilshealth /D_O_T/ com Tel:020 8296 8480… Read more »