Jan 31 - Feb 6:
President Rajapakse’s second term: Advisory Opinion vs Judgment proper
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Some very interesting questions were raised by the reader Nalaka at comment #147 made in response to my article “The magic behind the Mahinda Rajapakse victory”. [DBSJ]
Sri Lanka government should "promote justice and political reconciliation for all its citizens, and hold dialogue with all parties, including Tamils inside and outside Sri Lanka, on new mechanisms for devolving power," writes The Voice of America, in an editorial published on Sri Lanka's Independence Day on Feb 4, 2010: [TC]
New Delhi must now deal with a vastly Strengthened Rajapakse at the Pinnacle of his Political Career
by K.Bhadrakumar
The Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s victory in the election held on Jan 26 becomes a defining moment for regional security. [TC]
War displaced start to pick up the pieces
About a year ago, civil war raged around Vasanthi Kumari's house in northern Sri Lanka. "There was a loud sound and `Appa' [father] went out," Kumari, 21, told IRIN [TC]
by Adele Barker
On a sandy street on the northern shore of the Jaffna Peninsula in Sri Lanka, an innocuous building surrounded by mango and palmyra trees houses a rehabilitation center run by a Catholic priest, who in January 2005 just days after the tsunami began to counsel survivors [TC]
India nervously watches post-election Sri Lanka
By Deepal Jayasekera
Since Mahinda Rajapakse won a second presidential term in Sri Lanka last week, India’s dilemma over how to pursue its interests in the island has only intensified. [TC]
Legal Limbo: The Uncertain Fate of Detained LTTE Suspects in Sri Lanka
Source: Human Rights Watch
The Sri Lankan government is currently detaining at least 11,000 people, including more than 550 children, in so-called "rehabilitation centers." These individuals, said to be associated with the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), were among the almost 300,000 displaced persons confined in detention camps in the final months of the armed conflict with the LTTE. [TC]
Sri Lankan SEP condemns EPDP thuggery on Kayts
The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) condemns the actions of Eelam People Democratic Party (EPDP) thugs on the northern island of Kayts last Thursday, following the January 26 presidential election. [TC]
Tamil American Peace Initiative Urges the New Government to Represent All Citizens of Sri Lanka
The Tamil American Peace Initiative (TAPI), a group of Tamil Americans dedicated to peaceful change in Sri Lanka, called on Sri Lanka's newly reelected President Mahinda Rajapaksa to a forge a new path and create the conditions to repair the deep divide between the people of the island. [TC]
Tamils and Sri Lanka: A wake-up call
By: Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
The results of the recent presidential elections are being analyzed and interpreted in clinical detail by many commentators from their respective vantage points, experiences and predilections.[TC]
Poll outcome @ Menik Farm: "We want an opportunity to rebuild our shattered lives"
by IRIN News
Full Text of Press Release - National Peace Council
Post Election Challenge for Country
President Mahinda Rajapaksa won a second term at the Presidential Election of Janumary 26 with an unexpectedly big majority although this election result has been called into question by the main opposition candidate, General Sarath Fonseka. [TC]
TNA parliamentarians must not mislead innocent Tamil speaking people
by Veerasingham Anandasangaree
I humbly appeal to the TNA Members of Parliament in general and to M/s. S.Senathirajah, R.M.Imam, Selvam Adaikalanathan, Vinotharalingam and Suresh Premachandran of the Federal Party, TELO and the EPRLF of the alliance, not to mislead the innocent Tamil speaking people who easily get swayed by sentiments [TC]
'President Rajapaksa has it in his power to reap a peace dividend'-Toronto Star [TC]
Back to Africa: A new Haitian homeland?
By Leo Hornak
If a proposal under consideration by the African Union this week were to bear fruit, Haitians made homeless by the earthquake could start afresh in a new homeland in Africa. [independent]
by Dushy Ranetunge
It's been hilarious reading the “pariah” thoughts of Sinhalese “intellectuals” over the past few weeks in a Sri Lankan newspaper, especially as the term was derogatorily used previously as “Para” demala. [TC]
A Scottish journalist's experience of voting in Scottish and Tamil referendums
Stuart Cosgrove, a Scottish journalist, broadcaster and television executive voted in a "Tamil referendum', held across the United Kingdom this weekend. [TC]
By Tisaranee Gunasekara
So begins the Rajapaksa era, heralded by a massive vote of confidence by the Sinhala majority, a resounding vote of no-confidence by the Tamil and Muslim minorities and armed soldiers surrounding the hotel in which the main contender was temporarily residing. [TC]
by Dushy Ranetunge
It was indeed a stunning victory, as it surprised everyone, including many of those who are in power who displayed great anxiety and frustration in their campaign, expecting a close result. [TC]
by Dayan Jayatilleke
The (geographic) periphery proved to be (politically) peripheral, while the road to power lay through the paddy fields and the provinces of the Sinhala heartland. Mahinda Rajapakse gave the lie to the notion that the minorities, especially the Tamil minority, held the key to the outcome of the election.[TC]
by Dr.Muttukrishna Sarvananthan Ph.D.
On the morning after the election result was announced I woke up to a stale old day. The winning margin of the election was too big to believe. [TC]
What Now for the TNA, the Tamil Diaspora and their Supporters?
By Gus Mathews
The Eleam war has turned full circle as the political machinations of the race for the Sri Lankan Presidency has demonstrated. General (Retired) Sarath Fonseka the ‘hammer of the Tamil tigers’ became the de-facto saviour of the aspirations that the Tamil Diaspora, the remnants of the Tamil tigers, and their proxy the TNA ever wanted in the Presidential election. [TC]
Protecting Democracy Post-Election: An end to political violence and revenge
by The Centre for Policy Alternatives
A series of recent events connected to the presidential election last week give rise to extremely serious concerns about the state of democracy in Sri Lanka today. [TC]
Election Results Procedure Change Leads to Suspicion
By R.M.B. Senanayake
I have had first-hand experience as a Presiding Officer, Counting Officer (Assistant Registering Officer) and as Returning Officer in past elections in Vavuniya, Nuwara Eliya, Matara, etc. The procedure then was for the counting centers to be set apart for each electorate. [TC]
World's first successful software/paper rigging of election done by govt charges Mangala Samaraweera
An Interview with Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema
by Nihal Jayawickrama
When does the President’s second term commence? Divergent views are now being expressed on this constitutional issue. It is reported that the consultative jurisdiction of the Supreme Court may be invoked on this matter. [TC]
Those who did not vote for President voted for Greater Liberal Democratic Agenda
By Ranga Jayasuriya
by Milinda Moragoda
The reelection of President Rajapaksa with a historic mandate accounting for nearly 58% of the total votes cast presents a unique moment for Sri Lanka to capture the many opportunities for economic development which we have missed since Independence. [TC]
Full Text: Verdict of the Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal on Sri Lanka
Hosted by The Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College Dublin, The School of Law and Government, Dublin City University National College of Art and Design, Dublin [TC]
The Magic behind the Mahinda Rajapakse Victory
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Presidential Stakes 2010 came to an official end when Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake announced the winner in Sri Lanka’s sixth Presidential election.
Incumbent Executive President Mahinda Rajapakse registered a stunning victory by polling 6,015,934 votes(57.88%).Former Army commander retired General Sarath Fonseka, his chief challenger got 4,173,185 or 40.15% of the votes. [dbsj]
What NYTimes.com did not include in '31 places to visit' [TC]
Will India gain with Rajapaksa's win?
by K Venkataramanan
No country's role is more discussed and less understood in Sri Lanka than India's. [TC]
Behind Sri Lanka’s political infighting: US-China rivalry
BY Peter Symonds
In the wake of Tuesday’s presidential election in Sri Lanka, Colombo has become a hotbed of rumour and intrigue as the two factions of the ruling elite backing the winner, Mahinda Rajapakse, and the loser, General Sarath Fonseka, manoeuvre and position themselves for open political warfare. [TC]
Thai Poosam and the Tamil Frontier Spirit
By Dharman Dharmaratnam
Thai Poosam is a significant day for ethnic Tamils living in Malaysia, Mauritius, Reunion and Singapore. This year, it falls on Saturday, January 30. The holiday denotes the full moon of the month of Thai and is dedicated to the God Murukan or Skanda, also known as Seyon in the Sangam-era of Tamil literature. [TW]
Sri Lankan Police Raid Defeated Opposition Candidate’s Office
by Rogene Fisher
Sri Lanka’s quarter-century-long civil war may have ended, but there is no peace between the two rivals in Tuesday’s presidential contest. Police raided opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka’s campaign headquarters on Friday, seizing computer equipment and arresting 15 members of his staff. [TC]
Disgraceful treatment of Fonseka and his security personnel after election
By Shanie
Mahinda Rajapakse has won re-election to the Presidency of Sri Lanka. The margin of 1.8 million votes over Rajapakse’s nearest rival was a decisive one. [TC]
Sri Lankan government cracks down on opposition
By Sarath Kumara
After winning Tuesday’s election, President Mahinda Rajapakse has begun his second term with a widening crackdown on his political opponents.[TC]
End Harassment, Attacks on Journalists-HRW
The Sri Lankan government should immediately end its post-election harassment of media outlets and ensure protection of journalists from attack, Human Rights Watch said today. [TC]