Accord and its Ramifications by K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 33 India began to a show keen interest in evolving an acceptable political package to bring an end to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. There were many compulsions behind the desire, none the least of which was the need… Read more »
Posts Categorized: History
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 33
India Shows its Hand by K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 32 The second round of peace talks, in August 1985, between Tamil groups and the Sri Lankan Government, in Thimpu, the capital of Bhutan, ended suddenly in failure when the Tamil militants and TULF leaders walked out. The militant leaders… Read more »
Remembering Black July, 36 Years On
by People for Equality and Relief in Lanka, August 12, 2019 This year marked 36 years since the 1983 riots or Black July pogroms. Armed with voter registration lists, government-sponsored anti-Tamil pogroms killed at least 3,000 Tamil civilians, destroyed 5,000 shops, 8,000 homes, and displaced 150,000 Tamils. It also prompted the first large exodus of… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 32
Limbo between war and peace by K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 31 The year 1985 was to be an excruciating one. The ethnic crisis worsened as the Tamil militants and the government security forces laid stress on military options, with terror, violence and destruction becoming the order of the day…. Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 31
Indira Gandhi – a casualty of terror By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 30 In January 1984, the leadership of the Tamil United Liberation Front called for a unity conference in Madras, Tamil Nadu, in India. The invitations were signed by A Amirthalingham, the Secretary General of TULF, and sent… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 30
Whirlpool of violence By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 29 The July 1983 holocaust opened the floodgates for Tamil youths looking to join various Tamil militant organizations. Until 1983, the Tamil militants had not received any proper training. The LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) managed to have a couple… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 29
Prisoners massacred By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 28 The ethnic holocaust of 1983 was the last of the anti-Tamil program ingeniously devised, applied and implemented by the Sinhalese political leaders in the government for a “Final Solution” before embarking on full scale state-sponsored terrorism through military-adventurism. President Jayewardene said… Read more »
July 1983: Turning Point for Eelam Tamils
by M.K. Eelaventhan, July 27, 2019 Riots against the Tamil population in Sri Lanka have been a recurring event since 1956, commencing from our protests against the Sinhala Only Act. The year 1958 was on a larger scale covering the entire island. The keynote event was the burning of the chief priest of the Panandura… Read more »
Black July Pogroms
by People for Equality and Relief Lanka, July 26, 2019
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 28
Prelude to eruption By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 27 The British Governor, Sir Herbert Stanley (1927-1931), opened the parliament building fronting the ocean at Galle Face, Colombo, on January 29, 1930. It was designed for meetings of the Legislative Council, and subsequently the State Council (1931-1947). Initially, it seated… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 27
Horsewhip Amirthalingham By KT Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 26 Sri Lankan President JR Jayewardene, outlined his plans to appoint district ministers for all the 24 districts. It is believed that earlier in August 1978, in the course of a conversation with Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) leader S Thondaman, Jayewardene outlined his… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 26
When conflict turns to terror By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 25 The most important order of business for the new government headed by J R Jayewardene was the drawing up of a new Constitution. During the opening of Parliament in August 1977, Jayewardene repeated his earlier promise, “an All-Party… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 25
War or peace? by K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Time,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 24 The general election for the eighth parliament of Sri Lanka was a turning point in the post-independence history of the country. It brought about marked ethnic polarization. Up to this point, it was distinctly a domestic issue, but after 1977… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 24
Tamil militancy – a manifestation by K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Tribune,’ Singapore, January 26, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 23 The United Front government faced grave economic difficulties in 1973. It needed economic growth for its rampant nationalization programs. The government took over several business and industrial organizations from the private sector, employing over 100 people,… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 23
Srimavo’s constitutional promiscuity by K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Tribune,’ Singapore, accessed October 17, 2017 Chapter 1 Chapter 22 “The Tamil-speaking people of Ceylon believe that only a federal type constitution would enable them to look after their own affairs alone and would safeguard them from total extinction. Only under such a constitution, the Tamil-speaking people… Read more »
Sergei De Silva-Ranasinghe’s Review Of Eelam War IV
Reflections by Michael Roberts, Colombo Telegraph, Sept. 17, 2016 DeSilva-Ranasinghe’s article – how-sri-lanka-won-the-unwinnable-war Asia Pacific Defence Reporter Sept 2009 This article – https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/sergei-de-silva-ranasinghes-review-of-eelam-war-iv-reflections/ ADDENDUM, 14 September 2009 In analyzing historical issues over the years, I came to the conclusion that a multiplicity of factors generates the events that are understood to be major transformations – so… Read more »
Nine Decisions that Helped Lanka Beat LTTE
by V K Shashikumar, Indian Defence Review, October 2009 Not available in 2019 on Indian Defence Review website, but copied at http://www.sify.com/news/nine-decisions-that-helped-lanka-beat-ltte-imagegallery-0-international-kexv2Lbdede.html , accessed June 19, 2019 What we don’t see Will a good number of soldiers, tanks and artillery ensure victory in a war? These are outward aspects of a war which alone are… Read more »
Lessons from the War in Sri Lanka
by VK Sashikumar, Indian Defence Review – July – Sept 2009 – Vol 24(3) Lessons from Sri Lanka’s War – Indian Defence Review 2014 version, PDF http://www.indiandefencereview.com/spotlights/lessons-from-the-war-in-sri-lanka/0/ “The news about the killing of Prabhakaran sparked mass celebrations around the country, and people poured into the streets of Colombo, dancing and singing. Looking back at the… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 22
‘Only God Can Save the Tamils’ By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore Chapter 1 Chapter 21 “Aandavan than aeni Tamilarai Kappatra Mudyum” – Only god can save the Tamils – were the prophetic words of S J V Chelvanayakam, the leader of the Thamil Arasu Kadchi. Chelvanayakam sensed the gathering storms in the context of… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 21
A further lack of perspicuity By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore Chapter 1 Chapter 20 Dudley Senanyake was sworn in as the prime minister for the fourth time on March 25, 1965. A few weeks after resuming office, he was again afflicted with his peculiar stomach ailment. The pain affected him to the point… Read more »