by R. Cholan; originally published December 19, 2003 Good Cop… Bad Cop… The drama being played in Sri Lanka reminds me of a tactic employed by Police Departments all over the world, during interrogation of crime suspects. Usually, at these interrogations, there are two Policemen present. One acts ‘kindly’ towards the suspect and the other acts… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Politics
Asian Balance & the Subcontinent
by C. Raja Mohan; The Hindu, December 18, 2003 Note from the person who kindly brought this article to our attention: Singapore journalist/academic Cherian George (born and bred Singaporean keralite)wrote an article a few years back titled “Replacing British Empire [in India] with an East Asian Empire.” In my view it can happen with the help… Read more »
Bloody Past – The ‘Disappeared’ Remain a Fundamental Issue
by Tamil Guardian editorial; originally published December 18, 2003 Bloody Past -The ‘disappeared’ remain a fundamental issue Though guns in Sri Lanka’s protracted ethnic conflict have been silent for over two years, the legacy of many bloody years remains. Last Wednesday the issue of ‘disappearances’ was highlighted yet again when a human rights organisation held a… Read more »
The Sri Lankan Scene: Peace Talks on Hold
by T. Sabaratnam; originally published December 15, 2003 Weekly Review The Sri Lankan Scene Peace Talks on Hold Hit Wicket I will begin this column, as I did last week, with cricket, not with Muttiah Muraleetharan capturing eight wickets in the second test with England, but with the phenomenal ‘hit wicket’ performance of Sri Lanka Cricket… Read more »
Status of Healthcare in the Vanni
by a Sangam member; originally published December 14, 2003 Many of my friends and colleagues have traveled to NorthEast of the island of Sri Lanka since the ceasefire agreement was signed between the LTTE and the government of Sri Lanka. There have been extensive reports of the destruction of 20 years of war, but none to… Read more »
A Reply to ‘TE Proposals and Beyond’
by Wakeley Paul, Esq.; originally published December 10, 2003 A REPLY TO ‘TE PROPOSALS AND BEYOND’ ANOTHER CHANCE TO JETTISON TALKS AND RESUME WAR?Mr. Mahanama Prematilaka’s article entitled “TE proposals and beyond” published December 8, reminds us of that famous saying ‘We had to destroy the Town to save it.’ Prematilaka’s suggestions for dealing with the… Read more »
Examining the ISGA Proposal
by A. Sri-Jayantha; originally published December 10, 2003 The proposal for an Interim Self-Governing Authority (ISGA) for the NorthEast of Sri Lanka was made public by the LTTE on Nov.1, 2003. The constitutional crisis in the South precipitated by Pres. Kumaratunge on Nov. 4 has allowed us to mull on this proposal and to react to… Read more »
What is a Refugee?
originally published December 10, 2003 IRC Brown Bag: How can we educate others about refugees? Tuesday, December 16th “A refugee? Someone who lives in a slum, maybe?” -Answer given by an American to the question “What is a refugee?” in Will They Ever Go Back?, an IRC-sponsored documentary How can we educate others about refugees?… Read more »
The Commonwealth Secretariat – On Thin Ice
by Neville Chinivasagam; published December 9, 2003 Today the Commonwealth Secretariat’s historic and glorious prestige has been put on thin ice by Sri Lanka. Hopefully it will quickly melt with British acumen and foresight. The embarrassment facing the people of the Commonwealth is Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar’s application, sponsored by Ms. Kumaratunge President of Sri Lanka, for… Read more »
Worldwide Comments on the ISGA
by M. Nadarajan; originally published December 8, 2003 Worldwide Comments on the ISGA of the LTTEComments have been made from around the world on the proposals for an Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) submitted by the LTTE. Only a few have been written dispassionately without taking sides. Most have been written either with pre-conceived ideas, or… Read more »
The Sri Lankan Scene Will There Be Consensus?
by T. Sabaratnam; published December 8, 2003 Weekly Review The Sri Lankan Scene Will there be Consensus? Lots of interesting and amusing events happened in Sri Lanka last week. Let me start with the most unusual, an event that has not happened anywhere in the world. Cricket lovers would know that the MCC team is now… Read more »
Reaction to Kataragama’s Commonwealth Bid
by Raveen Satkurunathan; published December 7, 2003 Reactions to Luxman Kataragama’s last minute nomination Regarding the last minute nomination of Luxman to the post of Commonwealth Secretary General (SG) has created different emotions amongst many. Primarily amongst the leaders of the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia it has created a sense of outrage that the… Read more »
Buddhism and Violence
by Bernard Faure, Professor of Religious Studies at Stanford University; An International Review of Culture & Society, Issue No. 9, Spring 2002 Is Buddhism pacifist? One would think so, to hear the Declarations of the Dalai Lama and those who claim there has never been “Buddhist war.” So has Zen Buddhism’s “drift” to militarism been only… Read more »
USIP Classroom Simulation re Sri Lanka
published December 6, 2003 Note especially the links at bottom of page! *********************************************************************** US Institute of Peace Sri Lanka: Setting the Agenda for Peace See these simple teacher tips on running a simulation in your classroom. Scenario The setting for this simulation is a September 2001 meeting in Geneva at which the Government of Sri… Read more »
Does the ISGA Violate the Oslo Agreement?
by Wakeley Paul, Esq.; published December 5, 2003 DO THE LTTE PROPOSALS VIOLATE THE OSLO ACCORDS?OR ARE THEY IN PERFECT CONFORMITY WITH ITS TERMS? According to Dayan Jayatilleka, “Richard Armitage and Chris Patten have both gone on record noting critically that the ISGA far exceeds the Oslo Accords and does not resemble any kind of Federalism”… Read more »
Center for Consititutional Rights Press Release
published December 4, 2003 . CONTACT: David Lerner, Riptide Communications at (212) 260-5000; David Cole 202-362-6473 or 202-365-6779; Nancy Chang (212) 614-6420 NINTH CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEALS HOLDS CENTRAL PROVISIONS OF ANTI-TERRORISM STATUTE UNCONSTITUTIONAL Wed, Dec. 3, 2003: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit today declared unconstitutional significant parts of a criminal… Read more »
Neutral Position
Tamil Guardian editorial; London, published December 4, 2003 Neutral Position – The LTTE remains neutral on Sinhala rivalry When Mr. Vellupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, prepared to deliver his annual Heroes’ Day address last week, he must have been struck by the stark contrast with prevailing sentiments last year. Of… Read more »
Part of 1996 Anti-Terror Law Overturned
By The Associated Press, December 4, 2003 Filed at 8:26 a.m. ET SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — In a potential blow to the Bush administration’s legal strategy in the war on terror, a federal appeals court overturned part of a sweeping law the government has increasingly used to arrest or prosecute suspected terrorists. The decision Wednesday… Read more »
To all Commonwealth Heads of State
by Suresh Rajasingham; published December 4, 2003 To all Commonwealth heads of state, There is lots of talk and news attention being paid to Mr. Kadirgamar’s challenge to Mr. Don McKinnon’s post of the Commonwealth secretary general. This is mostly due to Mr. McKinnon’s and the so-called white countries’ opposition to human rights abuses by… Read more »
The Sri Lankan Scene: The Bazaar Drama Goes On
by T. Sabaratnam; originally published December 1, 2003 Weekly Review The Sri Lankan Scene The Bazaar Drama Goes On Past Episodes I think I am the only person alive who has watched from the front seat almost the entirety of the bazaar drama Sinhalese leaders have enacted since 1956. I missed the first scene of this… Read more »