Posts Categorized: Politics

Mission Impossible?

by MCM Iqbal, ‘Groundviews,’ Colombo, December 11, 2016 During the past few years much has been spoken and written about the need for reconciliation between the different communities in Sri Lanka.  The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) was appointed by President Mahinda Rajapakse to hear what was needed to be done to bring about… Read more »

Clinton & the IMF

Clinton pressured IMF to not give loans to Sri Lanka: Min. Amunugama by LankaBusinessOnline, Colombo, December 7, 2016 Dec 07, 2016 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Special Assignments Minister Sarath Amunugama today revealed that Hillary Clinton forced IMF not to approve a loan facility to Sri Lanka when she was working as the US secretary of… Read more »

How to Achieve a Ceasefire

by Daniel Spector, ‘Simon-Evertt.com,’ July 22, 2016 For nearly two years, Simon Everett has been designing and coordinating area studies courses at the Department of State for diplomats who are heading to their next assignments overseas. We’re fortunate to have an exceptional cadre of regional experts leading those courses. They have lived and traveled all… Read more »

Sri Lanka’s War Cost US$ 200 Billion

by News.in Asia, Colombo, December 12, 2016 Colombo, December 13 (The New Indian Express): Sri Lanka’s internal war which ended in May 2009, had cost the country around US$ 200 billion according to India’s former National Security Adviser and Foreign Secretary, Shivshankar Menon. In his book Choices: Inside the Making of India’s Foreign Policy ,… Read more »

UNHRC Sessions March 2017 & Sri Lanka

by Thambu Kanagasabai, Toronto, December 10, 2016 Sri Lanka became a member of the United Nations in 1955, bound with obligations to observe the provisions of the United Nations and other United Nations Conventions. Some of the most important Conventions ratified by Sri Lanka are as follows:- International Convention on the Elimination of all forms… Read more »

Revolutionary Heroes

by Blake Smith, ‘Aeon,’ London, December 7, 2016 If the sultan of Mysore had had a bit more luck, George Washington might be known as the Haider Ali of North America. As the ruler of Mysore, a kingdom in what is now southwestern India, Haider fought a series of wars with Great Britain in the… Read more »

Remembering and Rebuilding

by Tamil Guardian, London, November 27, 2016 Today, Tamils across the globe will collectively light candles, lay flowers and bow heads in memory of those who gave their lives resisting state oppression. Marking the legacy of these heroes has become an integral moment of solidarity for the entire nation. In the Tamil homeland, commemorations have… Read more »

Jayalalitha Tribute

by M.K. Eelaventhan, Toronto, December 7, 2016 Jayalalitha, the voice of the voiceless Eelam Tamils, have been prematurely muted.  We feel politically orphaned, but her name is etched deeply in the hearts of Eelam Tamils. The untimely  demise of Jayalalitha, the Chief Minister of Tamilnadu at age 68 is an irrepairable loss not only to… Read more »

Torture Is ‘Common Practice’ in Sri Lanka

by Nick Cummings-Bruce, ‘The New York Times,’ December 7, 2016 GENEVA — President Maithripala Sirisena swept to a surprising election victory about two years ago promising political changes and human rights protections in Sri Lanka. On Wednesday, a United Nations committee questioned the government’s commitment to fulfilling those promises, pointing to the continued use of… Read more »

UN Committee Against Torture Concluding Observations on Sri Lanka

int_cat_coc_lka_25983_e Key Points:  – The UN Committee Against Torture is calling for an independent mechanism to investigate allegations of torture and sexual violence in the “rehabilitation” programme for 12,000+ suspected former cadres. (paragraph 26). – The Committee says allegations of unlawful detention, torture and sexual violence by security forces in Sri Lanka should be investigated… Read more »

ACPR: Subcommittee on Centre-Periphery Relations

by Adayaalam, Jaffna, December 2, 2016 The Sub-Committee on Centre-Periphery Relations and the Unitary State acpr-2016_november_issue_brief_no-_1 ACPR is cautiously optimistic about the report of the CPR Sub-Committee which contains recommendations that have the potential to positively contribute to a genuine restructuring of the State that accommodates the concerns of the numerically smaller communities vis a… Read more »

US Navy at Galle Dialogue 2016

US Policy and Objectives in Building Strategic partnership with Navies in the Indo-Asia-Pacific by US Admiral Harry B. Harris, Galle, November 28, 2016 USN, Commander US Pacific Command adm-harris-galle-dialogue-2016 All speeches at http://galledialogue.lk/index.php?id=53 Thanks, Admiral Wijegunaratne for that kind introduction. In addition to being an expert in asymmetric naval warfare and special boat operations, the… Read more »

USS Somerset Supports Exchange with Sri Lanka Marines

By 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Pacific Command, Hawaii, November 28, 2016 TRINCOMALEE, Sri Lanka – U.S. Marines and Sailors of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked aboard amphibious transport dock USS Somerset (LPD 25) recently arrived in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, for a theater security cooperation (TSC) exchange with the Sri Lankan Navy’s marine forces, Nov. 23-25…. Read more »

TNA: Conciliatory Approach Not Weakness

TNA warns Colombo not to take its conciliatory approach as weakness – YouTube TNA report on full speech: Hon. M A Sumanthiran’s Speech in Parliament on Sri Lanka’s new Constitution and the reconciliation Process (30th November 2016) – TNA Full speech on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBwzLRgLtB0 ————– Interview with TNA MP M A Sumanthiran: the Constitution, Transitional Justice and… Read more »

In Colombia, Turning a Peace Deal Into Reality

by the Editorial Board, ‘The New York Times, December 2, 2016 Among the dozens of people who addressed Colombia’s Congress this week before lawmakers ratified a peace deal with the country’s largest guerrilla group, Richard Moreno stood out. Men like him don’t often get to confront the ruling elite. So when he got his turn at… Read more »

Five Takeaways from the UN Torture Review

by Sri Lanka Campaign for Peace & Justice, London, November 18, 2016 Five takeaways from the UN Committee Against Torture review of Sri Lanka This week saw the conclusion of the UN Committee Against Torture’s review of Sri Lanka, a regular process of expert-based scrutiny designed to monitor implementation of the Convention Against Torture. The… Read more »

Committee Against Torture Considers Report of Sri Lanka

by UN Committee Against Torture via UN Information Service, Geneva, November 16, 2016 The review may also be viewed at http://webtv.un.org/meetings- events/human-rights-treaty- bodies/committee-against- torture/59th-session/ Committee against Torture                                                                             CAT/16/27                                                                                                                      16 November 2016       COMMITTEE AGAINST TORTURE CONSIDERS REPORT OF SRI LANKA  … Read more »

Business Is As Usual

by Thambu Kanagasabai LLM [Lond.], November 14, 2016 Former Lecturer in Law University of Colombo With the support of 6.2 millions, the present Sri Lankan Government swept into victories at the both Presidential and general elections on the slogan of ‘Good Governance’ to remove the ‘Bad Governance’ of former President Mahinda Rajapaksha who was hailed… Read more »

200th Anniversary of the Establishment of the American Ceylon Mission

by US Mission to Sri Lanka & Maldives, Colombo, October 31, 2016 [As prepared] Rev. Dr. James Moos, Executive Minister, Co-Executive Global Ministries Rev. Dr. Deenabandhu Manchala,  Area Executive for Southern Asia, Global Ministries Rev Devasagayam Devanesan, Chairperson Rt. Rev Bishop Duleep De Chickera, Former Anglican Bishop of Colombo Rev Asiri P. Perera, President of the Methodist Conference in Sri… Read more »