by Indian Ocean Strategic Studies, New York, January 2022 Indian Ocean Strategic Studies newsletter January 2022 Mission of the IOSS Indian Ocean is at the heart of international geo-politics. Some 80% of the world’s maritime oil trade flows through three narrow passages of water, known as choke points, in the Indian Ocean. This includes the… Read more »
Posts Categorized: International
India Stays in the Game Facing a Pushy China
by Indrani Bagchi, Times of India, January 21, 2022 China will never “bully” its neighbours in the South China Sea, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi promised the Philippines this week. Instead, he preached: “Stressing only one side’s claims and imposing one’s own will on the other is not a proper way for neighbours to treat… Read more »
China’s Bare-chested Turn to Sri-Lankan Tamils is India’s New Headache
by Shrey Khanna, The Print, New Delhi, January 17, 2022 Anti-China sentiment among the Sinhalese allows China to influence the Tamil north. This time, through the fishermen crisis. The arrest of more than 60 Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy last month created a political stir in Tamil Nadu. The state’s fishermen are continuing their indefinite strike from 19 December,… Read more »
China Sits on the Sidelines of Peace Efforts
Despite High Stakes in Ethiopia by Joseph Sany, Ph.D. & Thomas P. Sheehy, US Institute for Peace, Washington, DC, January 19, 2022 Since November of 2020, Ethiopia has been suffering from a deadly internal conflict that has claimed an estimated 50,000 lives and displaced over two million. The United States, the African Union and others… Read more »
Friend or Foe? China Ventures into the Tamil Homeland
Tamil Guardian editorial, London, December 24, 2021 Last week China’s ambassador to Sri Lanka made his first visit to the North-East, in an interesting venture to the Tamil homeland. Qi Zhenhong went to great lengths to ingratiate himself with the Tamil people. The ambassador’s efforts ranged from visiting the historic Jaffna Library where he donated laptops and… Read more »
Seven Tamil Parties Seek Modi’s Help for Implementing 13-A in Full
by DBS Jeyaraj, Daily Mirror, Colombo, January 8, 2022 In a significant political move, seven political parties mainly representing the Sri Lankan Tamils of the Northern and Eastern provinces have written a joint letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his help to fully implement the provisions of the 13th amendment to the Constitution…. Read more »
Sumanthiran Charts Way Forward
by Marianne David, The Morning, Colombo, January 8, 2022 No need to reinvent the wheel in constitution making No response on building consensus on previous processes US will take leading role on Sri Lanka at UNHRC once again ‘One Country, One Law’ opposite to promises give to world TNA still awaiting meeting with Prez on… Read more »
Myanmar Coup: Military Regime Seeks to Weaponize Religion
In a propaganda blitz, the military portrays itself as the guardian of Buddhism and stokes fear of a Muslim takeover. by Billy Ford, Zarchi Oo, US Institute of Peace, Washington, DC, December 16, 2021 Ten months have passed since Myanmar’s military overthrew the country’s elected government, and by now it’s apparent that arrests, executions, torture… Read more »
TG: Getting Serious on Sri Lanka
Tamil Guardian editorial, London, December 15, 2021 Last week, the United States announced long-overdue travel restrictions on two more accused Sri Lankan war criminals. The move is a step in the right direction and will be welcomed across the globe by those who seek justice on the island. It serves as a reminder to the Sri Lankan… Read more »
Challenging the LTTE’s FTO Listing
by Steve Schneebaum, TGTE’s virtual Parliament sitting, December 4, 2021 Other videos from the sitting at தேசமாய் சிந்திப்போம் நாட்டை உருவாக்குவோம் ! சிறப்புடன் கூடிய நாடுகடந்த தமிழீழ அரசாங்கம் !! – Homeland (tgte-homeland.org)
TLHR Hearing: Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka
by Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, US House of Representatives, Washington, DC, December 8, 2021 Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka | Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (house.gov) Announcement Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission for a hearing on accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic multi-religious state that… Read more »
Meeks, McCaul Urge State Department to Prioritize Political Solution
in Engagement with Sri Lanka by US House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair & Ranking Member, December 3, 2021 https://foreignaffairs.house.gov/2021/12/meeks-mccaul-urge-state-department-to-prioritize-political-solution-in-engagement-with-sri-lanka Washington, DC – Today, Representatives Gregory W. Meeks and Michael McCaul, Chair and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging the Administration to prioritize in… Read more »
North-Eastern Diplomacy of the Rajapaksas
by Jathindra, Uthayam News, Jaffna November 10, 2021 [Translation from the original Tamil by Google Translate] Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently opened a new international airport in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. Kushinagar is believed to be the final resting place of Gautama Buddha. Namal Rajapaksa, the son of Mahinda Rajapaksa, was present at the event along… Read more »
Management of the Tamil Diaspora 2006
LTTE’s Primary Function Abroad by Vipula Wanigasekera, Institute for Defense Analyses, Alexandria Virginia, March 2006 Building a CATR Research Agenda, Proceedings of the Third Bi-Annual International Symposium of the Center for Asian Terrorism Research (CATR) March 1-3, 2006, Colombo, Sri Lanka Proceedings_of_Center_for_Asian_Terrorism Research 2006 Management of the Tamil Diaspora–LTTE’s Primary Function Abroad … III-52 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………… Read more »
The Quad was Born in Crisis
An exclusive interview with U.S Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B.Teplitz by A. Jathindra, Centre for Strategic Studies, Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, September 25, 2021 Ambassador Alaina B.Teplitz has served as the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives since 2018. Prior to this, she was the U.S. Ambassador to Nepal. A career member of… Read more »
UNHCHR: Oral Update on Sri Lanka
by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, Geneva, September 13, 2021 48th session of the Human Rights Council Geneva, 13 September 2021 Distinguished President, Excellencies, I am pleased to update the Human Rights Council on Sri Lanka and the trends and issues identified in my last report. I acknowledge the inputs sent by… Read more »
Core Group Statement on Sri Lanka
UN Human Rights Council 48 by Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office & Simon Manley CMG, UK Government, September 14, 2021 (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered) Thank you Madam President This statement is by the Core Group on Sri Lanka comprising Canada, Germany, North Macedonia, Malawi, Montenegro and the UK. We thank… Read more »
UN Special Rapporteur on Transitional Justice
by UN Special Rapporteur on Transitional Justice, September 2021 Human Rights Council Forty-eighth session 13 September–1 October 2021 Agenda item 3 — Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Interactive Dialogue at UNHRC Sept. 16, 2021 – ID: SR on Truth & Justice… Read more »
Genocide Designations Aren’t Enough to Stop Mass Atrocities
by Kate Ferguson, World Policy Review, New York, September 7, 2021 There is extensive evidence that the Chinese government is violating the human rights of ethnic Uyghurs, and that these violations include crimes against humanity and genocide. Satellite imagery, testimonials, demographic data and photographs substantiate the extensive allegations against China, which include the use of mass surveillance… Read more »
SR TJ: Follow-up on 2017 visit to Sri Lanka
by UN Special Rapporteur on Transitional Justice, Geneva, September 2021 Follow-up on the visits to Burundi, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Sri Lanka Report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Fabián Salvioli Summary The Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth,… Read more »