“Survival is a privilege which entails obligations. I am
forever asking myself what I can do for those who have
not survived."
- Simon Wiesenthal [1908-2005]
European Travel Ban:
A Wake up call for LTTE
by D.B.S. Jeyaraj
The European Union on September 26th issued a statement outlining its
revised position on the on going peace process in Sri Lanka of which it is
a co - chair. The statement released in London by the current EU head -
Britain - read as follows
" The European Union hereby declares its condemnation of the continuing
use of violence and terrorism by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE). The pursuit of political goals by such totally unacceptable
methods only serves to damage the LTTE's standing and credibility as a
negotiating partner and gravely endangers the Peace Process so much
desired by the people of Sri Lanka.
"Mahinda Gamana":
Futile Journey to Certain Disaster
BY D. B. S. Jeyaraj
Once upon a time when there was no Parliament or elections or politicians
mouthing patriotism a great "missionary" journeyed from his native land
India to the Island presently known as Sri Lanka. He was supposedly the
son of emperor Asoka but now a devout disciple of Indias greatest son the
Gautama Buddha. His mission was to enlighten the people of this Island
and spread the teachings of Lord Buddha. After wandering in the forests
he encountered the ruler of the land on a hunting expedition. This meeting
on the mountain of Mihintale was truly historical.
Ashraff's Ideals and Reality
of current Muslim Politics
By D. B. S. Jeyaraj
September 16th was the fifth death anniversary of Mohammad Hussein
Muhammad Ashraff the uncrowned sultan of the Amparai district Muslims
and pioneering leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress. The founder
president of the SLMC was not Ashraff but the now forgotten Ahammad
Lebbe of Kattankudi. It was however Ashraff who gave the Muslim
Congress a new vision and direction after he assumed formal leadership
of the party in 1986.
Simon Wiesenthal:
Relentless Crusader for justice
By D. B. S. Jeyaraj
The greatest twentieth - century crime against humanity was the
holocaust implemented by the German Nazi regime headed by Adolf Hitler.
Around six million of nearly twelve million people incarcerated in
European concentration camps were exterminated cold blood idly in a
precise systematic fashion as part of what is termed "clinically" as the
"final solution". The victims were overwhelmingly those of the Jewish faith
but non - Jewish nationals of more than twenty countries were also
executed.
The enormity of this horrible atrocity is unbelievably Appalling. It was
sheer genocide. There has been a concerted campaign by vested
interests to deny the holocaust. There are some who refuse to believe
this gruesome example of mans inhumanity to man and underplay it.
Others trivialise it by comparing lesser crimes to the holocaust. Surviving
victims of that tragedy however are incensed over such comparisons. No
crime against humanity can be equated with that of the holocaust they
say. There is much truth in that claim.
JVP conditions and peacemaking
By Austin Fernando
Sri Lankans have been debating over peace for more than two decades.
By the time President Kumaratunga took charge of the peace process in
2004, several general agreements had been reached. They were: (a)
Commitment to carry out a negotiating process. (b) Changing the "unitary"
concept of State to "united". (c) Acceptance of Federalism and (d)
Agreement for power sharing.
Sri Lankan political parties are either capitulationist or chauvinist. The
recent pact of Mahinda Rajapakse, Prime Minister and presidential
candidate, with the JVP that if voted to power he will defend the present
failed unitary constitution is a retrograde step. This shows the Tamils are
squeezed between the devil and the deep sea.
The LTTE shadow over India
Subramanian Swamy
The assassination of Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar
has exposed the fault lines in India's policy towards the internationally
proclaimed terrorist organisation, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. On
the one side, the Indian Government has banned the LTTE as a terrorist
organisation. On the other side, despite the continuing assassinations,
India does not oppose the "peace dialogue" of the Sri Lankan
Government with the LTTE, talks that could end up legitimising the
terrorist outfit and making the ban meaningless.
The drums of a liberal economy
can sound the end of war
By Shyamon Jayasinghe
There is something nice happening in Sri Lanka. I woke up today to see a
great bit of news about Sri Lanka. "Business is booming in Jaffna," cried
the headlines. Business has the ability and potential to take over from
bombs and petty divisions, which our pathetic and paranoid extremists
from both sides of the divide have been advocating. It is reported that the
overall economy itself is thriving despite a lawless government that has
been strangled by "givisum" and "varjana". For that much, President CBK
and her Finance Minister Amunugama must be commended.
Shooting Stars [LankaBusinessOnLine]
By Amal Jayasinghe
The city of Jaffna was the epicentre of some of the bloodiest battles in Sri
Lanka's drawn out ethnic conflict, but the bombs have given way to a new
explosion in trade after a truce.
The bullet-holed buildings and bombed out offices have disappeared and
have been replaced by air-conditioned shops that offer mobile phones
and broadband internet in an area that had no electricity a decade ago.
Sri Lanka economy gained strength in 2nd quarter
[International Herald Tribune]
By Anusha Ondaatjie
Sri Lanka's economy accelerated in the second quarter, helped by
increased growth in agriculture, as the island continued to recover from
the December tsunami disaster, the central bank said Monday.
Growth picked up to more than 5 percent in the second quarter from a
year earlier, the central bank said. First-quarter growth ran at 4.8 percent,
up from 4.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2004. The central bank, which
is scheduled to release detailed second-quarter figures on Sept. 30, also
said inflation could slow by the end of the year.
TNA urge the international community to endorse the
Tamil’s struggle [LTTEPS]
Tamil National Allaince (TNA), on behalf of the Tamil people, urge the
international community to explicitly endorse the Tamil people's struggle
for self-determination if the Sri Lankan State continues to be intransigent
regarding the resolution of the Tamil national question, through a press
statement issued from Colombe on 22nd of September 2005.
The full text of the statement as follows:
The known and the unknown of the
Sethusamudram project
By A. Muhuntha
In 1860, a British commander, A.D. Taylor from the Indian Marine,
planned a project called Sethusamudram Canal Project - SSCP.
Later in independent India, between 1952 and 1955, a great business
person, namely Ramasamy Mudalliar, submitted a proposal along with
major feasibility and desirability report of connecting the Gulf of Mannar
with Palk Bay and its impact on Tuticorin port.
Though every decade a committee or an expert recommendation was
received, none of these initiations did result into a real project.
Poetry: "only the sea keeps"
"I do not know if I
will see Jaffna/
Again, the North
Pole of my
cosmos/ where
my father was
born; this poem/
has become a
speech before
the mirror." [Hindu]
|
Arts - Culture - Heritage
Capsule comments on cultural events
by K.S.Sivakumaran
The purpose of this week’s Saturday column is to put on record some of
the events that have occurred during the pas few weeks as a piece of
general information to interested readers.
Film by Lankan Canadian
Lanka born Canadian Divviyarajan was in Sri Lanka early this month. He
was a popular broadcaster and TV performer in this country before he
emigrated to Canada. He is also a brilliant actor and singer. He has made
a film called "Saha". I missed seeing it being shown twice in Colombo. The
last screening was on September 02, 2005 at the Kolumbu Thamil
Sangam. I understand that this film deals with the relationship of people
uprooted from Sri Lanka. Well known former Lankan artistes now living in
Canada have contributed to this film as players. Poet Cheran’s lyric and
other songs are included in this film.
WOMAD Sri Lanka Festival of Drums kicked off this Wednesday 21
September with a theatre concert featuring three of the festival's leading
international percussion groups who will make up part of the line-up at this
weekend's free outdoor festival in Colombo. [HumanityAshore]
Drums of harmony [Hindu]
With Sri Lanka always hitting the world headlines for the wrong reasons,
it is with some relief and pride that the art community across the world
would view the Womad Sri Lanka Festival of Drums that took off this
Wednesday in Colombo and Kandy.
Actor with many hats to wear [Hindu]
Sarath Kumar juggles many roles not only on screen, off too. Time holds
the key, he says.
Starting with ``Kann Chimitttum Naeram" (1987), actor Sarath Kumar has
come a long way. Donning different roles in a chequered career, several
of his films such as "Suryan," "Naattamai," "Cheran Pandiyan,"
"Natpukkaga," "Surya Vamsam," "Samudhiram," "Maayi" and "Aiyya" have
showcased him as an actor with talent, the macho element always a
predominant factor.
Cinema: `A constant process of discovery' [Frontline]
Interview with Adoor Gopalakrishnan, winner of the Dadasaheb Phalke
Award:
He is a filmmaker's filmmaker, having so far crafted nine gems untainted
by compromise. Swayamvaram (1972) made a sound beginning. The title
suggests the importance of making choices. Adoor Gopalakrishnan made
his choice, opting for serious cinema in a nation that worships the
blockbuster.
The Chettinad splendour [Hindu]
Chettinad is fast becoming a hot tourist spot with its
temples, old palatial buildings, woodcraft and cuisine.
Chettinad is now a hot destination — both in terms of tourism, and
temperature wise.
The cooler seasons of the year, between October and March, are ideal to
visit this region, a perfect showcase of temples and old palatial buildings,
antique hunting, woodcraft and southern cuisine at its best.
Karaikudi is the biggest town in Chettinad, about 90 minutes hours' drive
from Madurai. Accommodation for upper class tourists, both from India and
abroad, is now a delight here with the advent of the Bangala, a heritage
boutique style hotel set up in a 75-year-old building.
The dream child of Mrs. Meyyappan, it has been restored to retain its old
world charm, and provides a timeless ambience and comfort to its guests.
It also offers high class Chettinad cuisine served with care in a traditional
manner, on fresh plantain leaves.
Anoushka Shankar's Turn to 'Rise' [NPR Audio]
Anoushka Shankar has an impeccable musical pedigree. Her father, Ravi
Shankar, is a sitar master. Her half-sister, Norah Jones, is a
Grammy-winning pop-jazz singer. Now, Anoushka Shankar carves out her
own sound on a new CD, Rise.
When Shankar was just 7 years old, her father had a special, small sitar
made for her. Soon, Ravi Shankar began teaching his child to play the
long-necked string instrument. At age 24, Anoushka Shankar has been
touring and performing classical Indian music with her father for a decade.
Turtles Taking Over as the Kings of the Sea
Forget swimming with dolphins. The next big thing might just be sea
turtles.
These mysterious dinosaur-era creatures - which can live 80 years, swim
thousands of miles from the beaches where they were born, and yet,
somehow, manage to return to the same spots to lay their own eggs - are
an increasing object of fascination for many Americans.
Standard
Disclaimers
Applicable
Honoring Loved Ones Lost to Katrina [NPRAudio]
We talk to an array of people who have lost loved ones to Katrina.
Among others, Warren Gunnels recalls memories of his 61-year-old
mother, Beverly, who died in floodwaters in Biloxi, Miss. She was a former
airline stewardess who later developed a fear of flying. And Al Gourrier
remembers his 96-year-old father Alfred. He was a chef in New Orleans
specializing in Creole cuisine.
"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]
