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"There are two things born from mountains, shining so brilliantly that the great bow down, driving darkness from earth circled by
roaring waters. One is the flaming sun, single wheel bright as lightning, the other is Tamil that has no like." — from the
taNTiyalankârum [Berkeley Tamil]
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Jul 29 - Aug 4, 2007
Ramakrishna Mission appeal
re: Sri Lanka IDPs
Due to recent eruption of violence in the eastern part of Sri Lanka , 72,000 people have
been displaced from Vaharai, Sampoor and Muthur. Among the displaced 17700 are
children of whom 10500 are school going. 41,500 (1160 families) people are in 61
refugee camps.
UNHCR AHC calls on government to double its efforts to assist IDPs
UNHCR's Assistant High Commissioner for Operations, Judy Cheng-Hopkins just ended a
visit to Sri Lanka, with a call on the government to double its efforts to allocate land to the
displaced, allowing them to move out of the welfare centres they have been living in for
more than two decades.
Visiting a project site, the Assistant High Commissioner was touched to see whole families
pitching in to construct new homes, efforts that are supplemented by construction
contractors.
Indian Presidency Reflects Diversity and
Symbolises Pluralism
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Contrast this with Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka all Prime
Ministers and Presidents with a solitary exception
have been from the “majority” Sinhala race, Buddhist
Religion and Goigama caste. The only exception was
Ranasinghe Premadasa who was a Sinhala Buddhist
but not from the dominant Govi caste.
Festivals Begin at Udappu
Thiraupathathevi Temple
By Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai
Udappu is a traditional Tamil fishing hamlet, situated
150kms North of Colombo. The fishing folk of this
pristine coastal village have a different custom
compared to the other fisherfolk living in rest of the
country. Devotees flock here during this time of the
year, to attend the festivals of Thiraupathathevi
Devasthanam.
The Human Face of the IPKF
By Dr K Chandradeva
The twentieth anniversary of the arrival of the Indian
Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in the North-East of Sri
Lanka falls on the 30th July 2007. On this occasion I
gratefully admire and remember those fine Indian
soldiers who helped me in saving the life of a young
Tamil mother who was gravely ill and fighting for her
life in the outskirts of Trincomalee.
A salute to a great man:
Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam
The 8th death anniversary of Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam
falls on Sunday:
By Prof. Bertram Bastiampillai
Neelan Tiruchelvam was removed in a dreadful tragic
manner - when he was far too young and many fruitful
years before him.
Colombo Anglican Bishop Says War Can
Never Be Right
The Anglican Bishop of Colombo Rt.Rev Duleep de
Chickera has in a recent statement observed ” that
war can never be right” and pointed out that “the
responsibility of democratic leadership then, is to work
earnestly and urgently to end war and achieve a just
and stable socio-economic order through non-violent,
negotiated means”.
Mahavamsa Myths About Leonine Ancestry
Of Sinhala People
By Dr.Lankamithra Fernando
Over the years, Sinhala Buddhist nationalistic
politicians and closely linked Buddhist clergy have
been successful in implanting the belief that the
Sinhala Buddhists are the ‘chosen people’ and the
real custodians of Sri Lanka and of Theravada
Buddhism. This, many Sinhala Buddhists believe, is
their ‘birth right’ by virtue of the origin of their ethnicity
as depicted by the Mahavamsa. According to many
Sinhala speaking Buddhists, their birthright to the
‘custodianship’ of the island and Buddhism is sacred
and unquestionably legitimised for eternity by the
Mahavamsa.
New security measures slow deliveries to the
Vanni [IRIN]
Heightened security measures and renewed
skirmishes between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) and government forces are causing
severe delays in delivering supplies and price
increases in goods and fuel in four northern districts of
Sri Lanka, collectively known as Vanni, officials said.
New government regulations were introduced in
mid-June after government security forces discovered
explosives hidden in lorries travelling between conflict
areas.
A vital lifeline for families torn apart [IRIN]
Shanthi Rajah (not her real name) left her home in the
rebel-held town of Kilinochchi recently to get medical
treatment for her six-month-old baby, risking their lives
while crossing battle zones to reach a hospital.
After several weeks of no communication, [contd.]
Lest we forget:
Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam
By Sydney Knight
As the month of July draws
to a close those of us who
knew and loved Neelan
prepare to remember him in
our own very unique way.
So it is with the International
Centre for Ethnic Studies
(ICES) one of Neelan’s
many creations.
The ICES has announced its
intention of having the
Annual Memorial Lecture
Taste of Thai [MonsoonJournal.com]
By Nate V
Thai Cuisine known for its balance of five
fundamental Flavors each dish or the overall meal -
hot (spicy), sour, sweet, salty and bitter (optional).
Although popularly considered as a single cuisine,
Thai food is really better described as four regional
cuisines corresponding to the four main regions of
the country: Northern, Northeastern, Central and
Southern, Southern curries, for example, tend to
contain coconut milk and fresh turmeric, while
northeastern dishes often include lime juice.
Chola, Pandya ‘nagarams’ similar to
European towns
By T. Ramakrishnan
Changes in the characteristics of ‘nagarams’ (towns)
and commerce in Tamil country during the late
Chola and Pandya period were somewhat similar to
what was witnessed in Europe and Japan, according
to Noboru Karashima, professor emeritus in the
University of Tokyo and professor of Indian studies
in Taisho University, Japan.
Professor Karashima, who was here on Wednesday
at the end of his three-week-long trip to south India,
told The Hindu that between 850 and 1200 A.D.,
there was no difference between villages and towns.
In both, people were broadl y land owners. They
took part in community work and were under the
control of the state. But after the 12th century,
‘nagaram’ became a promoter of commerce by
associating itself with ‘ainnurruvar’ (merchant guild
of 500 people), an institution that had been
conducting itinerant trade from the 10th century.
‘Jati’ formation also accelerated the development.
Towns became important, powerful and independent.
Behind that humorous veneer
Actor Nagesh in one of those rare moods when
he decides to share his thoughts.
It turns out to be a very different kind of experience.
Innumerable interviews and interactions
notwithstanding, the tête-À-tête with the veteran is
something I hadn’t bargained for. “My name is
actually Gundappa,” Na gesh introduces himself as I
smile at the irony. The erstwhile lean and lanky
comedian nonpareil is now a septuagenarian, and
though not exactly in the pink of health his sense of
humour is intact.
Whose crown is it, anyway? -- Kireedam
As the Sujatha Cine Arts’ logo is beamed on the
screen and the ebullient (though grey haired)
producer-actor K. Balaji swivels around with a genial
smile, you cannot but get nostalgic. Presented by
Adlabs, ‘Kireedam’ (U) showcases T amil cinema’s
alluring screen pair, Ajith and Trisha. It’s a casting
coup for first time writer-director Vijay.
Looking well-toned and incredibly youthful, Ajith
makes a mark both with his appearance and
expressions. And matching him equally in the two
departments is an awesome Trisha.
Remembering Faces
by K.S.Sivakumaran
This is somewhat a semi-autobiographical note on
some of the personalities in Lanka with whom I had
the pleasure of associating with. The purpose of this
exercise is to let the younger readers and journalists
know that the personalities concerned had been in
the limelight as pace-setters. Let me take at random
only three personages who now remain in the
background. These notes are by no means profiles
of them but only a record of a few traits of their
personality that attracted me.
Interrupting a History of Tolerance [YaleGlobal]
by Fahad Nazer
The daily atrocities that are committed in the name of Islam in Iraq and
elsewhere and the increase in violence in Afghanistan, where a resurgent
Taliban attempts to re-impose its draconian rule on the country, are a constant
reminder to Muslims worldwide that the Muslim community might face an
existential threat from within
