Posts Categorized: Sabaratnam

Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 16: JR’s Second Track

by T. Sabaratnam, September 17, 2004 (Volume 2) sangam.org/articles/view2/553.html Endless Talking Curiously, Indira Gandhi’s Track One fitted perfectly into Jayewardene’s Track Two.  Indira Gandhi utilized her Second Track of arming Tamil militants to achieve the objectives of her First Track: to obtain for the Tamils a self-governing unit within a united Sri Lanka and to… Read more »

Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 15: JR Visits China and the US

by T. Sabaratnam, September 10, 2004 (Volume 2) The Chunnakam Massacre Trade and Shipping Minister Lalith Athulathmudali was appointed Minister of National Security and Deputy Defence Minister on 23 March 1984. An Oxford educated lawyer-politician with an unbridled ambition to succeed Jayewardene as the president of Sri Lanka, Athulathmudali took the appointment as the gateway… Read more »

Sri Lanka Scene: Global Pressure on the LTTE

Sri Lanka Scene Weekly Review By T. Sabaratnam, 8 September 2004 US Accusation International pressure is currently on the LTTE.  It was patent from the remarks made by a top US official on counterterrorism who was in Colombo the last two days. US Ambassador-at-large J. Cofer Black told senior journalists in Colombo today (Wednesday) that the… Read more »

Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 14: JR’s Three Track Policy

by T. Sabaratnam, September 3, 2004 (Volume 2) Building a Military Machine President Jayewardene, his fans and critics readily admit, was a grandmaster in political chess. He schemed three moves ahead when his opponent planned only two. He played the same game with Indira Gandhi. He countered her double track policy with three. Jayewardene’s three tracks… Read more »

Sri Lanka Scene: JVP’s Assault on Tamil Nationalism

Weekly Review by T. Sabaratnam, 1 September 2004 This morning the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) launched its campaign to split the east from the north and thus deny the Tamils their homeland. They have named their campaign in Tamil Kilakkin Uthayam, meaning, “Awakening East.” The inaugural seminar of the new movement was held at Kalmunai Town… Read more »

Pathirana Group helps Tamil Students in 1983 Pogrom

Dear Editor, I am reading The Pirapaharan Biography very keenly. Please convey the attached message to Sabaratnam. Thanks Bala M. ———————————————————————————————————— Dear Mr. Sabaratnam, Thank you for writing Tamils’ History.  As you have mentioned in your introduction I feel you are writing this biography without any bias.  I also think you are the right person to write… Read more »

Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 13: The Love Story

By: T. Sabaratnam,  (Volume 2) Adele’s Influence The third and fourth matters on which Pirapaharan’s attention was focused during the closing months of 1983 were interestingly intertwined.  They involved the theoretical issue of the role of women in the freedom struggle and Pirapaharan’s personal life. The general issue of women’s emancipation and the freedom struggle was… Read more »

Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 12: Conflicting Objectives

Pirapaharan, Chapter 12 By: T. Sabaratnam (Volume 2) 12. Conflicting Objectives The Training In September, 1983 Chennai was full of Sri Lankan Tamil boys.  They were taken to Delhi in batches in luxury buses by RAW officers. “It was a tiring, long journey,” Nirupan (not his real name), a youth from my village, Ariyalai in Jaffna,… Read more »

Sri Lanka Scene: Southern Conflicts Hinder Talks

Weekly Review Sri Lanka Scene 18 August 2004 Southern conflicts hinder talks by: T. Sabaratnam The latest: JVP says there is no government proposal for the establishment of an interim body for the northeast!  It says as far as it is concerned alternate proposals do not exist. The JVP’s propaganda secretary Wimal Weerawansa told a seminar… Read more »

Sri Lanka Scene: Talking Again about Talks

Weekly Review Sri Lanka Scene 13 August 2004 Talking Again about Talks by T. Sabaratnam Tension has begun to ease in Sri Lanka. The fear of another round of war is receding. A Norwegian diplomat confidently told international investors on Thursday that Sri Lanka would not face another full-fledged war. Norwegian embassy first secretary Christian… Read more »

Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 11: Indira Gandhi’s Covert Track

By T. Sabaratnam, August 13, 2004 (Volume 2) Training Militants  Indira Gandhi always called President Jayewardene ‘the old fox.’  Her assessment of him was that he could not be trusted.  Her opinion of Jayewardene was based on the information given to her by her friend Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the lady who suffered most at Jayawardene’s hands, and… Read more »

Sri Lanka Scene: Norwegian Effort to Revive Peace Talks Fails

Weekly Review Sri Lanka Scene Norwegian Effort to Revive Peace Talks Fails By  T. Sabaratnam, July 29, 2004 Norway’s latest attempt to revive the government- LTTE peace talks failed but the current uneasy truce is likely to continue as both sides have pledged to uphold the ceasefire and had reiterated their commitment to the peace… Read more »

Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 10: Indira’s Double Track Policy

By T. Sabaratnam, July 19, 2004 (Volume 2) The Overt Track The second fortnight of August 1983 is as important to the Tamil freedom struggle and the history of Sri Lanka as the last ten days of July and the first 17 days of August.  Indira Gandhi put into action during these two weeks her… Read more »

Sri Lanka Scene: War Fear Returns to Sri Lanka

By: T. Sabaratnam, July 14, 2004 Weekly Review Around noon on Tuesday traffic braked to a sudden halt along busy Dickman’s Road in Bambalapitiya when someone said that there was a parcel bomb on the pavement. Crowd gathered at both ends of the road and prevented even pedestrians walking along it. Police was called as… Read more »

Sri Lanka Scene: The Kollupitiya Blast and its Message

by T. Sabaratnam, July 11, 2004 Weekly Review Wednesday noon suicide bomb blast in the heart of Colombo has sent shock waves among Sri Lanka’s business men and has made the common man worry about the country’s fragile peace process. “We hope that it is only an isolated incident,” was the common prayer of the… Read more »

Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 9: The Indira Doctrine

By: T. Sabaratnam, July  6, 2004 (Volume 2) India’s Solution The Sixth Amendment produced two immediate results. Firstly, Indira Gandhi made her second telephone call within 12 hours of its passage. Secondly, the TULF decided the next day, 6 August, to quit parliament and take refuge in India. These results had a profound effect on… Read more »

Sri Lanka Scene: Sinhala Chauvinism Raises its Head

By: T. Sabaratnam, July 3, 2004 Norwegian special envoy Erik Solheim returned to Colombo this (Wednesday) afternoon with the difficult task of saving the 2-year-old ceasefire agreement which the new government had put under severe strain. Tiger political chief S. P. Thamilchelvan told Solheim and Colombo-based Norwegian envoy Hans Brattskar who met him at Kilinochchi… Read more »

Pirapaharan 2, Chapter 8: The Cover Up

By: T. Sabaratnam, June 25, 2004 (Volume 2) Finding Scapegoats  Jayewardene was disturbed by the criticism of the attacks on Tamils by many Western countries and international human rights watchers. Indira Gandhi’s telephone call on Thursday, 28 July evening upset him more. As mentioned earlier he, asked Ranil Wickremesinghe to summon his confidants, Gamini, Lalith,… Read more »

Sri Lanka Scene: Truce will Hold but Prospect of Peace Talks Recedes

By: T. Sabaratnam, June 23, 2004 The situation in Sri Lanka today is that the 2-year-old truce will continue to hold despite the incidents in the east, but the prospect of the resumption of peace talks will recede. Analysts rule out another war unless an unexpected explosive situation occurs. Colombo’s respected defence analyst Iqbal Athas… Read more »