Twelve Commandments
of the Crimson Comrades
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
The compelling need to garner as many sources of voter support as
possible has made Mahendra Percy Rajapakse alias Mahinda Rajapakse
commit what may very well be a major political blunder.
Presidential
stakes and the
minority votes
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj
Sri Lankas fifth
presidential election is
looming large on the
political horizon. Political
excitement is in the air.
Cynics have observed
that the difference
between a democracy
and a dictatorship is that
in the former the people
think that they are
indeed electing their
rulers freely.
|
Election Campaign: Prevent Polarisation
By Jayadeva Uyangoda
Sri Lanka’s new presidential election campaign is slowly shaping up. It will
heat up only after the nominations are officially submitted which is likely to
happen during the next few weeks.
Unless there are separate Tamil or Muslim candidates backed respectively
by main Tamil and Muslim political formations, the real contest will gravitate
around the two principal candidates, the Prime Minister and the Leader of
the Opposition.
Presidential candidates pursue electoral alliances
[TamilGuardian]
As the two main candidates for Sri Lanka’s forthcoming elections launched
their campaigns in earnest, the customary horsetrading with other political
parties also got into full swing.
As the two main candidates for Sri Lanka’s forthcoming elections launched
their campaigns in earnest, the customary horsetrading with other political
parties also got into full swing.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajakapakse, the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s
(SLFP) candidate is facing the leader of the opposition United National
Party (UNP), Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Post-assassination politics cause genuine concern for
peace
By Professor Karthigesu Sivathamby
The assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar has
impacted harshly on the tenuous political structures in Sri Lanka and
thrown up in magnified proportions the lacunae in the system. More than
that, it brings out facets of the Sri Lankan psyche – exploiting anything,
even the killing of a man who mattered, to stir up the cauldron of ethnic
hatred.
Kadirgamar and Wijewardene: killings on both
sides should be condemned
Editorial - Northeastern Monthly - September 1, 2005
The assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar on 12
August has to be condemned. It has to be condemned despite Kadirgamar’
s persistent and tireless efforts to undermine the Tamil struggle for self-
determination. His plan was to ensure a weak Tamil leadership, which
would settle for any crumb at the negotiating table.
Tactical imperatives drive LTTE's responses -
Balakumaran [TamilNet]
"Liberation Tigers' recent responses to emerging political issues are
tactical, reflecting the organization's political maturity and the need to
further expose to the international community, Government of Sri Lanka's
inability to effectively address the Tamil National question," said Mr. K. V.
Balakumaran, a senior LTTE member and former EROS leader, when
TamilNet asked for his comment on the recent characterization by the
Colombo press of LTTE "climbing down" on previously stated positions on
issues.
"The Liberation Tigers, for example, do not see the agreement on principle
to hold talks aimed at strengthening the implementation of the MoU as a
blemish on its self-respect or dignity. The LTTE leadership will continue to
take tactical decisions that will help advance the political gains the
movement has made in recent years," he added.
Sudaroli journalists assaulted again [BBC]
Two journalists working for a Tamil language newspaper have been
assaulted in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo.
Parliamentary reporters of Sudaroli Tamil newspaper were assaulted when
they were waiting for a bus after covering a parliamentary session.
Puththirasigamani was seriously injured while Arumugam Varatharajah
received minor injuries, a member of the Sudaroli editorial told
bbcsinhala.com website.
Asia tsunami survivors sympathise with Katrina
victims [Reuters]
In Sri Lanka, tsunami survivors were also touched by the plight of the
victims, especially those in hurricane-hit New Orleans.
"I feel really sorry about them, especially those who are depending on
tourism like the area where I am from," said Lalith Nagasinghe, who has
just finished rebuilding his "Lucky Tuna" restaurant in the popular southern
beach resort of Unawatuna.
"We have a lot of Americans working and helping in projects around the
country. I've met many nice guys from the States."
But many in Sri Lanka are still living in rudimentary shelters and were
unaware of the tragedy on the other side of the world. The tsunami killed
around 40,000 people in Sri Lanka.
"Some people don't know because they don't have a television anymore,"
said Rev. Eraj De Mel of the Assembly of God, who is helping tsunami-hit
families near the historic southern port of Galle.
Press awe at Katrina aftermath [BBC]
The scale of the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina leaves many
press commentators outside the US shaking their heads in disbelief.
While some focus on the environmental implications, others look at the
growing political storm, and its potential impact on President Bush.
Questions grow over rescue chaos [BBC]
"What the American people need to understand is that the full force of
the federal government is bringing all of those supplies in, in an
unprecedented effort that has not been seen even in the tsunami region,"
he said.
"I was in the tsunami region, and this response is incredibly more efficient,
more effective and under the most difficult circumstances."
Charity & Non-Profit Organizations
Thirukkural Bharatam
Thirukkural Bharatham, combining South Indian Classical Dance with the
wisdom of Tamil classical literature, will be held on the 11th of September,
2005, 5 PM, at Lestor B. Pearson Theatre, 150 Central Park Drive,
Brampton.
Dance is choreographed by world renowned dancing couple V.P and
Shantha Dhananjayan and performed by the Pathmarajah sisters, in aid of
The Tamil Children's' Endowment Fund.
Tamil Children’s Endowment Fund
(In partnership with the Center for Women’s
Development and Rehabilitation, Sri Lanka)
#1203 - 100 Echo Point, Scarborough, ON. M1W 2V2
416-451-3125 | www.tcefund.org | info@tcefund.org
"What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have
done for others and the world remains and is immortal." - Albert Pike
Arts - Culture - Heritage
Karthigesu Sivathamby:
Lankan scholar with International recognition
by K.S.Sivakumaran
Who is Karthigesu Sivathamby (1932)? Lankan intellectuals writing in
Sinhala, Thamil and Enlish know him very well and respect him as an
authority with multifaceted disciplines and a scholar applying the multi-
disciplinary approach as originally proffered by the late K.Kailasapathy,
another towering figure in the local academic and literary scene. It’s not an
exaggeration that both together shaped to a great extent the contemporary
literary scene even at the expense of accommodating non-Marxist writing,
even though belatedly.
Tilake feted in Canada
Eminent Sri Lankan painter and sculptor Chevalier Tilake Abeysinghe
made a big impact in Canada recently, when an exhibition of some of his
paintings was held at Labrador Art and Culture Center, Labrador City,
Newfoundland and Labrador from August 8 to 12.
On holiday in Canada to visit his daughter, who is a physician practising in
Labrador City, the 77-year-old painter says he was quite unprepared for
the reception awarded to him by the Canadian press and Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) which gave him all Canada coverage, in a
live interview.
Function of Literature in South Asia Today
This paper was presented at the 13th SAARC Writers’ Conference,
University of Peradeniya recently
by Zillur Rahman Siddiqui, MA (Dhaka) MA (Oxon)
The first half of 20th Century, saw virtually the entire South Asia under
foreign domination. The second half witnessed these countries engaged in
the task of realising their political identity, their national destiny. The task
has been far from easy.
Film:
Kichchaan lays bare hypocrisy of INGO child rights
activists
By Jathindra
Kichchaan is a short film, which takes as its subject matter the pressing
problems that occur in our midst. A. Wimalaraj of the Eastern University is
its director. Before proceeding further, I would like to record my
appreciation for Wimalaraj’s work.
Review: A simple mind, using simplistic
definitions to analyse a complex subject
By S. Jeyasankar
Sri Lankan English Literature and the Sri Lankan People 1917-2003 by
Professor D. C. R. A. Goonetilleke; pub Vijitha Yapa Publications; pp.
318; January 2005
“It is to the credit of Sri Lankan writers in English that they have
confronted the so-called ‘ethnic’ crisis, the most difficult problem facing the
country since independence, from its inception to date.
Tamil Moview Review: Love tale not wholly gripping
[Hindu]
The opening line of the lilting number from his `Kannukkul Nilavu,' forms
the title of Fazil's latest release that has Srikanth and Sonia Agarwal in the
lead. Lakshmi Movie Makers India Ltd.'s `Oru Naal Oru Kanavu' (U) with
story, screenplay and direction by Fazil bears the maker's stamp in the
decent denouement of love, but is it as absorbing as his earlier films is the
question.
An island's spirit [Hindu]
Sri Lanka is a friendly, but feisty nation, where cricket
is the unifying force.
The sun drifted back into the horizon, the evening hue cast its blanket. As
the day veered towards its pre-destined conclusion, the blue waters of the
Indian Ocean glistened briefly, much like the last flicker of a guttering
candle.
Amid the tinge of gold that the fading minutes of the day often bring, those
brilliantly-coloured ferries returned from their last trips, and playful birds
embarked on short flights before settling back on land. There was a sense
of stillness in the air, as if the moment was meant to be frozen in time.
Short Story: Travelling great distances
"THERE'S nothing wrong with your heart... your kidney... or your liver.
You are only 27, too young to have serious problems. It's all in your mind,"
the doctor had said after examining all the reports.
"Mind? What do you mean?" Giri had asked.
"You have an affliction — temporary, I think — of agoraphobia and anxiety.
Agoraphobia is a fear of open spaces, crowded public spaces. The funny
feelings in your head, the palpitations, giddiness, a sense of doom are all a
result of that."
"Why did this happen?" Giri was not entirely convinced by the doctor's
explanation, but was relieved that there was nothing seriously wrong with
him.
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]
