Jan 3 - 9:
Focus on the multifaceted Rights issue By Dr. S. Narapalasingam In his Kanchana Abhayapala Memorial lecture, JC Weliamuna emphasized the fact, “human rights regime does not operate in a vacuum and one cannot draw an assumption that human rights will find its legitimate space in a society, because it is influenced by various other external factors such as corruption”. [TC |
Lasantha: The Courageous Editor who Fearlessly spoke Truth to Power
Remembering “Lassieboy” on the first anniversary of his death
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj
It was on January 8th last year that Lasantha Wickrematunga the Editor of “The Sunday Leader” in Colombo was killed by “unknown” assassins. He was my colleague, editor, friend and above all a kindred soul. [dbsj]
Unbowed and unafraid to the very end
By Marianne David
One year ago on this day, Editor-in-Chief of The Sunday Leader Lasantha Wickrematunge was gunned down in broad daylight, in a high security zone to boot.
By Dilrukshi Handunnetti
These are politically-charged weeks, with a presidential election just three weeks away. These politically intense days would have excited Lasantha to no end. [TC]
"Tamil Solidarity"wants Tamils to vote for Siritunge Jayasuriya in Presidential polls
The Tamil Solidarity (TS) steering committee met on Friday 18 December 2009 to discuss future plans. One of the most important items on the agenda was the question of what the TS position on the upcoming presidential election should be. [TC]
Media Organizations in Lanka Present Agenda to Presidential Candidates
The undersigned media organisations hereby present the following agenda of reform to the presidential candidates (2010) for their unequivocal commitment to implement the same; [TC]
Sri Lanka execution video 'authentic' - UN Envoy
Video apparently showing extra-judicial killings by Sri Lankan troops is most probably genuine, a UN envoy has said. [TC]
Media Organizations in Lanka Present Agenda to Presidential Candidates
The undersigned media organisations hereby present the following agenda of reform to the presidential candidates (2010) for their unequivocal commitment to implement the same; [TC]
Thiruvengadam Velupillai, LTTE leader Prabhakaran's father passes away
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj
LTTE leader Prabhakaran's father Thiruvengadam Velupillai has passed away. He and his wife were being held under "special" military custody [TC]
Presidential Election 2010 - Shakespearan Drama with a Sri Lankan Flavour
By Jolly Somasundram
In the aftermath of the Mullaitivu triumph, the rewind button set to Shakespeare could draw attention to a collage of the Bard's relevant insights. [TC]
These candidates are largely to blame for destroying our people
by Suren Surendran
As far as we Tamils are concerned, this is not the right time for any sort of election, regardless of who the candidates are.
By Andrew Buncombe
Seven months after Sri Lanka's long and bitter civil war was brought to an end by a withering government assault, the political coalition that supported the Tamil Tigers has thrown its support behind the former army chief who crushed them. [TC]
'Sri Lanka may not be big enough for both President Rajapaksa and Gen. Sarath Fonseka'
by Catherine Philp
A few weeks ago Sri Lanka’s upcoming general election looked like a walk in the park for the incumbent, President Rajapaksa, who was riding high on the kudos of ending the country's long-running civil war. [TC]
Tamil National Alliance announces support for Sarath Fonseka
The Tamil National Alliance that has 22 members of Parliament officially stated that it would extend support to common opposition candidate Gen.Sarath Fonseka at the forthcoming Presidential elections. [TC]
Killing Rajiv Gandhi: Dhanu's sacrificial metamorphosis in death?
by Michael Roberts
Journals use Abstracts in order to provide readers with a distillation of the argument in an article. Where theoretical concepts are deployed, this presupposes that readers have some familiarity with the literature. [TC]
HRW urges Australia and Asian counties for compassion towards refugees
At the dawn of a new decade, Asian governments should commit themselves not only to the nonrefoulement principle, but also to the idea that granting asylum is a humanitarian act that should be entirely divorced from political relations between states, writes Bill Frelick, Refugee Policy director at Human Rights Watch, in an OPED article appearing in the New York Times of Jan 2, 2010: [TC]
Anniversary of terror attack on MTV-MBC Radio/TV Station
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Today January 6th is the first anniversary of a “terror” attack on the MTV-MBC Radio/TV station in suburban Colombo. None of the culprits responsible for the attack have been apprehended let alone prosecuted despite a whole year passing by. [dbsj]
Whenever Tamils boycott polls they end up worse than before
by Dr A.C.Visvalingam
Our Constitution makes it clear that the People are sovereign and that their sovereignty is inalienable. [TC]
Mahinda compelled to seek Tamil votes after Sarath entered fray
By Upul Joseph Fernando
Since the Sri Lanka (SL) war began in 1983 , SL’s political agendas have been dictated not according to the wishes of the politicians or the astrological calculations, but by the requirements of Velupillai Prabhakaran in the Wanni jungles. Not only the SL’s politics but even the election of a President of SL was determined by Prabhakaran. [TC]
Tamil - speaking people are 56% in Colombo but administration is Sinhala alone
by M.I. M. Mohideen
Soon after defeating LTTE terrorism in May 2009, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that there are no minority or majority communities in Sri Lanka today.[TC]
Entry of Gen.Fonseka will lead to militarization of politics and politicisation of Military
by Dew Gunasekara
It is with a sense of relief, emotion and pleasure that I am addressing the comrades and friends today after a lapse of almost 27 years since 1982 Presidential Election when I visited the North in support of Hector Kobbekaduwa, S.L.F.P. Presidential candidate. [TC]
Oppressive Govt is worse than a tiger said Confucius
by M.S.Shah Jahan
Liu Shihui, a human right activist and a lawyer with a law firm in China was suddenly grabbed by the neck from behind while he was hiking with friends on Baiyun Mountain last October.[TC]
Corruption charges raised against Fonseka in parliament
By Wijitha Nakkawita and Irangika Range
The JVP has now become the defender of corruption. The sacrosanct gentlemen of that party were carrying on their shoulders a Presidential Candidate who had used his position to award tenders for the purchase of equipment from a company owned by his son-in-law, JNP leader Wimal Weerawansa said in Parliament yesterday. [TC]
Negative Attributes of Mahinda Rajapaksa: Candid assessment of Presidential Candidates – 1
By Rajpal Abeynayake
Yes, we have to talk about the Fonseka candidacy, but before that we have to get to grips with the Rajapaksa incumbency [TC]
Programme of Immediate Relief Measures for war affected persons & Areas for Peace
Full Text of "Programme of Immediate Relief Measures for War Affected Persons & Areas for Peace", handed over to Hon. R. Sampanthan, Leader of the TNA by General Sarath Fonseka common Presidential Candidate at his campaign headquarters on Jan 4, 2010: [TC]
Video: Sex Un-Sells: "No blood for Panties" video urges boycott of products made in Sri Lanka
Boycott Sri Lanka released a shockingly innovative No Blood For Panties video series today. No Blood For Panties is part of a campaign to boycott products made in Sri Lanka in an effort to end the suffering of Sri Lanka's Tamils. [TC]
Attention: Presidential Candidates! The Case for a 'Media Commission'
By Amrit Muttukumaru
In the final analysis, it is the media that can give true meaning to democratic values and ensure 'good governance' not withstanding the existence of even an enlightened constitution and a 'Right to Information' law (which we do not have!). [TC]
by Kusal Perera
"Once normal civil administration is established, committees will be set up in each district. These committees will comprise representatives, including a nominee of the President, Divisional Secretaries, other officials, MPs and/or their representatives, representatives of local authorities, judicial officers, commanders of security forces, and police and civic representatives. [TC]
CMEV deeply concerned by escalation of violence and the violation of election laws
Since the gazette notification for the Presidential Election issued on 23rd November 2009 up to 01st January 2010, CMEV has recorded a confirmed cumulative total of 103 incidents of election related violence. [TC]
Sunday Leader’s editor defends controversial Fonseka interview
by B. Muralidhar Reddy
Editor of Sri Lanka’s English weekly, Sunday Leader, who carried the controversial December 13 interview with the commander turned politician Sarath Fonseka, added a new dimension today with her insistence that she had quoted the retired General `perfectly accurately’. [TC]
Why Mahinda Rajapakse and Sarath Silva Became Enemies An interview with the Former Chief Justice
By Namini Wijedasa
There is no serious flaw in the amendment as such. It was an amendment that everybody agreed with [TC]
Sri Lanka needs political solution and civil society reconciliation
by Chaminda Weerawardhana
These two are like rails of a rail-track - and the SL train cannot move forward unless the track is in order (its absence explains the 62-year stagnation, and especially the post May 2009 stagnation). [TC]
Feedback: Citizens speaking up on the polls from all over Sri Lanka
by Dushy Ranetunge
A Traffic Police officer near the Benthara River ; “The law must be applied to all equally. We stopped a container and found it full of Billboards in support of the President. [TC]
Gwynne Dyer holds up a mirror on Sri Lanka's future
by Dayan Jayatilleka
It usually takes an objective, empathetic outsider to hold up a mirror before us, reflecting our achievements and our failures. [TC]
Politics of election has exposed a giant black hole at the centre of Tamil politics
by Kumar David
The animation of election politics has exposed a giant black hole at the centre of Tamil politics. Understandably the destruction of the LTTE created a vacuum that will take time to repair.[TC]
Sri Lanka in 2010: An Assessment of trends in politics, international affairs and human rights
By Col R Hariharan
How is the year 2010 going to be for Sri Lanka? What are the likely trends? [TC]
JR Jayewardene and the caste factor in Sinhala politics
by Nalin Fernando
On Royal-Thomian cricket match morning in March 1996 I got a telephone call from someone very close to President J.R. Jayewardene saying that the Old Man, who was suffering from a bad head cold, was insisting on going to the Big Match that day against medical advice. [TC]
Promises Galore by Gen. Fonseka wooing Tamil voters in Jaffna
In an ironic twist of fate Sarath Fonseka the man who refused to dismantle high security zones in Jaffna during the Oslo -brokered ceasefire in 2002 performed a neat somersault in 2010 by promising to remove high - security zones in North if elected President [TC]
Sarath Fonseka makes assurances to voters in Jaffna
Presidential contender Sarath Fonseka has said Ariyalai, Muhamalai, Jaffna and Tanangkillappu High Security Zones (HSZs) will be taken off immediately and emergency rule abolished when elected, while speaking to the public in Jaffna today. [TC]
Student Victims of Embilipitiya and Trincomalee:How the State Obstructs Justice
by Dr.Rajan Hoole
Are we living under a State so crisis-prone that reordering it to represent all sections and provide justice for all, has become an insuperable task?[TC]
The Second Philippic: Presidential Election and Political Possibilities
by Rajan Philips
In a witty word play Dayan Jayatilleka has called my article last week, a philippic. So I offer a second Sri Lankan philippic – on the presidential election and political possibilities. [TC]
Pacha Gaha-The charge of the Rumour Brigade
By Lucien Rajakarunanayake
The Pacha Gaha providing abundant shelter at the Galle town was a landmark known for the mastery of the lie [TC]
Dayan’s Powerful Argument on Contemporary Relevance of Castro or Fidelismo [TC]