Strengthening the Provincial Council Process

Remarks by Deputy Chief of Mission Jim Moore - US Embassy, Colombo - to the National Conference on Strengthening the Provincial Council Process, May 28, 2008 BMICH, Colombo [FI]

Contradictory Positions on Media Freedon Encourage Impunity

Statement by National Peace Council of Sri Lanka:

The silencing of journalists by killing and intimidating them has become a major problem in Sri Lanka. The National Peace Council condemns the killing of Paranirupasingam Devakumar who is the ninth journalist to be killed in the past two years. We are appalled at the brutal manner of his death by waylaying him as he was traveling and hacking him to death. This killing comes soon after the brutal assault and torture of senior journalist Keith Noyahr in Colombo. [TC]

TV reporter hacked to death in Jaffna

Statement by Reporters Without Borders:

Reporters Without Borders is outraged by the murder of Paranirupasingam Devakumar, a television reporter of Tamil origin, who was hacked to death yesterday evening as he was returning to his home a few kilometres outside the northern city of Jaffna. A friend who was with him was also killed in the attack [TC]

An analysis of military operations

by Col R Hariharan (retd.)

There should be no illusion that despite the flare of success in repelling a division strong security forces offensive at Muhamalai in April 2008, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is fighting a war of survival. The continuing ground and air operations of the security forces after Muhamalai debacle, and the progress they have made during this month in Mannar sector capturing Adampan and other outlying LTTE defences have further constricted the territory under active LTTE control in the Northern Province. [TC]

Enhance Democratic Norms in the post election period in the East

Statement by National Peace Council of Sri Lanka:

The violent clashes that have taken place in the Muslim-inhabited parts of the east have led to the killing of several persons and to a climate of rapidly escalating tension. These clashes have come shortly after the Eastern Provincial Council elections which the TMVP contested while remaining an armed group whose presence has become more openly obvious following the elections. [FI]

Amnesty International: Asia Pacific Regional Update

In Sri Lanka the spiralling conflict fuelled concerns over the administration of justice and the misuse of emergency laws, with the authorities failing to effectively investigate patterns of enforced disappearances and unlawful killings, including of media workers [TC]

Death of Balraj and the dearth of experience

by Col R Hariharan (Retd.)

Balraj’s cameo of guerrilla career eloquently presented by the TamilNet and better informed columnists like DBS Jeyaraj give a glimpse of the making of a modern guerrilla commander from an ordinary civilian. [TC]

Keep up the pressure

by Farah Mihlar

The world is finally waking up to the human rights situation in Sri Lanka - and holding its government responsible

After nearly two years of exhaustive campaigning to expose to the world the seriousness of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, a small step has finally been taken by international governments. [The Guardian]

Brigadier Balraj: Brave LTTE Commander who led from the front

by D.B.S.Jeyaraj

Kandiah Balasegaran alias “Brigadier Balraj” the Deputy military chief of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) died of a heart attack at Puthukkudiyiruppu in the Mullaitheevu district on May 20th. .

In a condolence message issued by him , LTTE supremo Velupillai Prabakharan says “The man who was at the center of many of our Himalayan victories, the heroic military leader, who trained,guided and fought with our fighting formations and conventional brigades is with us no more.” [TC]

Power sharing concept can respond to the aspirations, says Ambassador Blake

US ambassador Robert Blake in an interview with Colombo newspaper The Sunday Observer said that the US believes the answer to the Sri Lanka conflict lies with a power sharing concept which can respond to the aspirations of Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims. [FI]

Sri Lanka’s exit from UNHRC: A well-deserved slap

By Frederica Jansz

The international community should be applauded for having given Sri Lanka the resounding slap it deserves for its continuing disregard of human rights.

The abduction and assault of a senior and respected journalist in the country, Defence Columnist and Associate Editor of The Nation, Keith Noyahr, appears to have been the Sri Lankan response to being voted out of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). [TC]

Mahinda sticks to the Tiger he can handle

by Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne

Mahinda started by launching a venomous attack on Tamil speaking people, both Tamils and Muslims. Bombing civilians and disappearances were mixed with the misery of the displaced people. The Sinhala youth was sacrificed for a bogus patriotic war. We were told that the end of the Tamil uprising is close by. [FI]

What is Thamil Isai?

by K.S. Sivakumaran

The Thamil word for Music is "Isai". It is also known as "Sangeetham". Carnatic music is associated with the music of the Dravidians (Thamilians, Telugus, Kannadigas, Malayalees and the others of the southern regions of India).Some researchers say that Carnatic music evolved from Thamil Isai (meaning music of the Thamilians). [TW]

All Lands Home 

Cornell Capa, Photojournalist and Museum Founder, Dies at 90

Cornell Capa, who founded the International Center of Photography in New York after a long and distinguished career as a photojournalist, first on the staff of Life magazine and then as a member of Magnum Photos, died on Friday at his home in Manhattan. He was 90. [NYTimes]