" It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it.
And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it. " -
Eleanor Roosevelt [1884 - 1962]
A Principal for a principal
as shadow war moves to Jaffna
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Twenty years after former St. Johns College Principal Charles
Anandarajan was killed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam,
school principals have become targets of gun toting assassins again.
Tuesday Oct 11th saw Kopay Christian College principal Nadarajah
Sivakadatcham (54) being gunned down at his residence. In what
seemed a tit for tat killing Jaffna Central College Principal
Kanakapathy Rajadurai (53) was shot dead outside the Veerasingham
Hall the following day (Oct 12th). It was almost as if open season had
been declared on eminent educationists in Jaffna.
Sri Lanka 'in a
subversive war'
[BBC]
A Norwegian peace
envoy has said the Sri
Lankan government
and Tamil Tiger rebels
are locked in a
"subversive war" that
threatens the
three-year truce.
|
Elections and the North and East
by Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
As the presidential campaigns officially get going, the issue of a free and fair
election surfaces. Elections being the basic mechanism for choice and change
in a functioning democracy, the integrity of the electoral process is therefore
vital. This is reinforced by the critical nature of this election – the choice of a
president for six years and probably twelve who will have the power and the
authority to chart the destiny of the country at this crucial juncture in its history.
Presidential election campaign; some false options
By Kethesh Loganathan
The Presidential Election campaign appears to have peaked even before the
filing of nominations by the candidates, which is scheduled for this week.
Barring a switch at the last moment, the issues that are being placed before
the electorate by the key contenders Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and
Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe have been projected in the
media and knowingly or unwittingly fueled by the candidates themselves as a
contest between three sets of options. They are:
Ranil's campaign to Checkmate Mahinda
by Dushy Ranetunge
Ranil Wickremasinghe has called upon Chandrika Kumaratunge for talks to
forge a common platform on Federalism/devolution and negotiations for
peace. It is significant that he has directed his call for negotiations to the
outgoing president whose term in office is expected to end in about two
months. If Mr Wickremasinghe is sincere in his motives, then one would expect
him to direct his call for negotiations to Mr Rajapakse, the SLFP presidential
candidate.
Reply: "Time for JVP, JHU to reach to minorities"
Learning from the Past
By K. Arvind
Apropos article "Time for JVP, JHU to reach to minorities" (Island 8/10/2005)
by K. Godage (Nanda) is one that goes to advance peace in our particular
context. At a time such as this, when this once united multi-ethnic nation - now
hurtling towards disintegration - a few more Godages will help heal deep
wounds on both sides of the ethnic spectrum.
Sri Lanka: drift to fascism?
by Prof. Charles Sarvan
From this distance in time and space, it seems to me that Sri Lanka is in
danger of drifting into some form of fascist dictatorship, and so I feel obliged to
write, even though I am not a political scientist, a historian, nor a sociologist: to
remain silent is also to be indifferent and irresponsible.
The devices
aforesaid signify
the emblems of
the four Tamil
races – namely
Chera (Bow and
Arrow) Jaffna
(Yal) Pandian
(Fish) and Chola
(Tiger’s head).
The chain round
the four quarters
signifies the
union.
tamilunioncricket.com
|
Tamil Union's Oval: victim of ethnic prejudice?
by A. Kandappah
The name of the Colombo "Oval" homeground of the 106-year old Tamil
Union Club has been synonymous with local cricket and its growth a for long
time. Prior to Sri Lank's coming of age and international cricket recognition
and Test status, the Oval was the only place "where the action is" in matters
cricket. The dreams of thousands of cricketers and fans were fondly woven
around this ground named after the historic cricket ground in England. As for
me, I am by no means a cricket heavy weight or particular cricket buff either.
Yet, like many, the game contains some interest for me. In the same breath, I
cannot disassociate myself as one totally "uninterested" in cricket (who indeed
in the subcontinent can?).
Sri Lanka Tsunami Relief [PBS]
BOB ABERNETHY, anchor: In this year of natural disasters it's become clear
that recovery from what earthquakes or tsunamis do can be seriously set back
by human nature. Our correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro recently returned
to Sri Lanka, devastated by last December's tidal wave. He saw the results of
generous worldwide emergency aid. He also found rebuilding hampered by
bureaucracy, jealousy, and rivalry between religious groups.
FRED DE SAM LAZARO: Seerithambi Rajendran remembers the tsunami like
it happened yesterday.
"I rushed home when the waters came," he says. But there was no sign of his
family and barely a trace of the home he shared with his wife and three
children. Two days later, he found his wife's body in a hospital morgue. He
never found his children. They were among countless victims whose bodies
were never recovered or who were buried without identification to prevent the
spread of disease. In all, about 31,000 Sri Lankans are thought to have died
during the tsunami. Survivors like Rajendran have struggled.
100 metre Tsunami "buffer zone" revised [BBC]
The government of Sri Lanka had decided to revise the implementation of the
construction ban within 100/200 metre buffer zone. The restriction was
introduced after the tsunami.
The revision of this controversial ban comes just weeks before the presidential
elections. Many fisherman families protested against the ban saying the
restriction was destroying their livelihood.
Under the new rules, in the Southern Districts, the buffer zone had been
reduced to 25 - 55 metres.
"I was displaced from my own place Palaly on 15th of June
1990. I lost my family members and properties. Since then I
havebeen living in Viyaparimoolai. My fishing boat and fishing
net were destroyed by the Tsunmai, in December 2004. I have
four children to look after. I can't stay at home. I come her to
help the fellow fishermen and earn some money. They pay me
depending on the catch. The average income for a day is Sri
Lankan Rupees 150/=, which in not enough to buy anythig"
says forty six years old fisherman Vinayagamoorthy
Velummayilum of Erinthamman Koyilady in Point Pedro-Jaffna.
[Click for more pictures]
Poetry:
"The way it used to be"
by Captain Elmo Jayawardena
Try telling all that to mothers who buried their sons or children who pray for
their missing fathers. Voice it to a legless ‘Boy’ from Velvatathurai or a
sightless soldier from Devundara. Or maybe to a lover who lights a candle for
some forgotten fighter buried under swollen earth, too poor even for a
memorial.
Arts - Culture - Heritage
Literature I've enjoyed
by K. S. Sivakumaran
Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) was both a theoretician and playwright. He wrote
in the German language, but most of his work had been translated into
English. He called his theatre "epic theatre". He rejected the Aristotelian
concept of "purging of emotion" (catharsis). On the contrary, his aims were
didactic. In a way, he was propagandist and a promoter of agitation (agit
prop). In watching a play or a movie, invariably, we suspend disbelief and take
the events or scenes portrayed for granted, don't we?
But Brecht did not subscribe to the theory of "suspension of disbelief". His
aims were blatantly didactic.
Ontario salutes outstanding youth volunteers
Myuri Manogaran, U of T student awarded medal of merit for
years of volunteer service
U of T student Myuri Manogaran credits the losses in her life for getting her
the Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers, awarded her by the provincial
government last week in recognition of years of volunteer service dating back
to her childhood.
Though 20-year-old Manogaran, currently in her third year at U of T at
Scarborough, has had to scale back some of her volunteer commitments to a
still-hefty 12 hours a week in order to study, she continues to be active at
Mount Sinai Hospital. She was given the award with 19 others by Lieutenant
Governor James Bartleman at Queen's Park on October 6.
Commentary:
Why Okra Has a Reputation as a Bad Seed [NPR Audio]
Commentator Siddhartha Mitter reflects on why many Americans consider
okra to be a vegetable of ill repute. He believes the vegetable's African origin
may have something to do with it. Mitter is an independent writer on politics
and culture from Boston.
Amartya Sen, 'The Argumentative Indian' [NPR]
In a new book, Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen maintains that
democracy is about much more than elections, and that India's democracy
flourishes amid a long tradition of dispute, discussion and debate.
While the West takes much of the credit for the installation of democracy in a
country that many westerners view as a backward rural society driven by
mysticism and a rigid class based system, he provides historical and cultural
arguments as to why India already had many of the ingredients to make
democracy succeed. This emphasis on debate and skepticism is reflected in
the book's title The Argumentative Indian.
To have and to hold
It is amazing that what Jayakanthan wrote 40 years ago
holds good even in the new millennium.
Till Death Do Us Part and Other Stories, Jayakanthan. translated from Tamil
by Andy Sundaresan, Kurinji Publications, El Cerrito, California, U.S., p.194,
price not stated.
IT may be safely said that a universally accepted topic of interest, be it in
literature or life, is marriage. Andy Sundaresan, who resides in California, has
translated into English yet another set of short stories of Jayakanthan, this
time on marriage. Five years ago, he had published Trial by Fire. For Till
Death Do Us Part and Other Stories, he has chosen six short stories and one
novella, all focussing on the man-woman relationship in marriage.
Actress of substance [Hindu]
Meera Jasmine has made it big as a star and actress by dint
of her talent and hard work.
She came out of the cold. No family ties or friends to connect her to tinsel town
and had not seen life beyond Tiruvalla. But slowly and steadily she has
emerged as one of the most successful actresses in Malayalam, Tamil and
Telugu cinema.
Today, her name is synonymous with good cinema, after she bagged the
State award for the best actress for `Kastoorimaan' and the National Award for
`Padom Onnu Oru Vilapam.' She was able to strike a chord with her audience
in films like `Swapnakoodu,' `Perumazhakalam' and `Achuvinte Amma,' which
were critically acclaimed commercial hits.
Meera, who is in her twenties, is not your regular Malayali actress who is
making hay doing run-of-the mill potboilers in Malayalam and Tamil, especially
after she won the National Award, beating Aiswarya Rai and Sushmita Sen, for
her performance as Shahina in T.V. Chandran's `Padom Onnu Oru Vilapam.'
First Look: Cheran's new film [Rediff]
Director Cheran created history with his last film, the almost autobiographical
Autograph. But interestingly, no hero was willing to act in it after his
disasterous Solla Marantha Katha. This is why Cheran himself starred.
The story depicts the three stages in a man's life (it has shades of Raj
Kapoor's Mera Naam Joker), and the three women who influence him. Of the
three heroines, it was not the established Sneha who became a rage, but an
unknown girl from Kerala called Gopika. After Autograph, she has become
one of the top actresses in Tamil cinema.
Khushboo...A soft target [Hindubusineline]
Commenting on the issue, Cho Ramaswamy, Editor of
Tughlak, and a Tamil cinema veteran, said, "While I do not agree
with what she has said, she is entitled to her views. Now those who are
agitating against her have accused her of having defamed or maligned Tamil
women. In her article she has not said a single word about Tamil Nadu or the
women of Tamil Nadu. Her opinions were generally about women. What the
agitators accuse of her saying is totally wrong. India Today has been
publishing surveys again and again which claim to record the opinion of
women of Tamil Nadu. And in these surveys they claim about 20-25 per cent
of these women say they are for free sex or pre-marital sex. Now I don't know
whether this is truly their opinion or that of the person doing the survey."
Tamil Movie Review:
Comic caper supposedly! Kundakka Mandakka
What ever has got into Parthiban? The actor who carved a niche for himself
with his very first film, `Pudhiya Padhai,' and impressed many with a dignified
performance in films such as `Azhagi,' churns out a totally exasperating show
in Super Star Art Movies' `Kundakka Mandakka' presented by SG Creations.
Niagara Falls: Spectacular, as ever
"Thunder of the waters," is what the native Americans call it. And as usual,
the original inhabitants of this land have got it evocatively right. The
description fits these magnificent falls perfectly. They rush down with an
inexorable force, their spray rising to the skies and mingling with the cottony
clouds. A visit to the Niagara Falls-spectacular by night and day — is a once-
in-a-lifetime experience.
As you drive to the Niagara from Toronto, you travel through the best wine
growing regions in the New World. The province of Ontario is famous for its
wineries and guided tours are a part of the tourist itinerary. "Ice wine" is a
speciality of these parts, our host tells us and we find it as sweet as he had
promised. On the route to the falls is the historic, strategic town of Niagara-on-
the-Lake that saw plenty of action in the early 19th-Century when the
Americans fought numerous battles with the Canadians in trying to wrest
Ontario from them.
Short Story: Murder of water
The pure, life-giving water was dying, crushed under the
weight of more and more rubble falling in...
I saw for the first time the story of the clever crow quenching its thirst in a
"look at the picture and tell the story" book. And after that many more times as
well. There never was any change in the way the crow was picturised; only the
water container got drawn in many different forms — different kinds of clay
pots, strangely transparent, letting us see what was inside.
Was it not only glass that could be transparent? Then, how could that pot be
of clay? How could a clay pot ever reveal what was inside it? Hence, in the
picture that I drew to illustrate the story, the crow was small.
2007 Diversity Visa Program (DV-2007)
State Department Web site for the 2007 Diversity Visa Program (DV-2007) is
now open. The application submission period for DV-2007 is from 12:00PM
EST (GMT -5) on October 5, 2005 to 12:00PM EST (GMT -5) on December 4,
2005. The application form will only be available for submission during this
period and this period only. Applications will not be accepted through the U.S.
Postal Service.
The 2007 Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery where 50,000 individuals worldwide
will be selected has been formally declared open in Washington, the US
embassy in Colombo said yesterday.
Millions 'will flee degradation' [BBC]
There will be as many as 50 million environmental refugees in the world in five
years' time.
That is the conclusion of experts at the United Nations University, who say that
a new definition of "environmental refugee" is urgently needed.
They believe that already environmental degradation forces as many people
away from their homes as political and social unrest.
Kashmir quake - do Indians care?
Two major aid agencies in India have told the BBC they have seen a
significantly smaller initial response so far from the Indian public to the recent
devastating earthquake in Kashmir.
The initial response to the recent earthquake has been small
They say the public response to the quake has been much smaller than to
other recent disasters such as the tsunami last year and the Gujarat
earthquake in 2001.
Standard
Disclaimers
Applicable
"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]
