Minor Matters

Tigers attempting to shut down Jaffna University

2006-01-28T22:16:00.000-05:00

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam organization often makes the vainglorious boast that it knows what is best for the Sri Lankan Tamil people. Many tiger actions were and are based on the assumption that they and only they have a monopoly of political wisdom in matters affecting the Tamil people. Tiger propagandists attempt to project an image of infallibility around their supremo claiming that

Operation Strangers Night and the Estrangement of Tamils

2006-01-13T23:05:00.000-05:00

Mahinda Rajapakse, the new President of Sri Lanka met representatives of the Co - Chair quartet of the Sri Lankan peace process on January 9. One of the issues raised at this meeting was about the cordon, search and arrest operations going on in Colombo and other areas. The President’s response according to an official communiqué was as follows." Responding to a query by the Co-Chairs on the

Tamils in Colombo harassed by ‘Strangers Night’ operation

2005-12-22T23:46:00.000-05:00

Tamils living in the electoral divisions of Colombo West and East were given a terrible shock on the night of Saturday, December 17 when a massive security operation was launched against them. Over 600 police and security force personnel were deployed in an operation code named ‘Operation Strangers Night’ in the areas of Wellawatte, Bambalapitiya, Havelock Town, Pamankade, Kirulapone and

Winter of discontent sets in for Up Country Tamil Leaders

2005-12-14T19:58:00.000-05:00

A raging winter of discontent has begun setting in for many leaders of political parties representing the Up - Country Tamils of Indian origin in the aftermath of the Presidential elections.What is ironic about this situation is that despite the plantation Tamil politicians being very successful in delivering the bulk of their vote banks to the candidate of their choice they are facing a

Sixteen soldiers killed as Shadow war escalates in Jaffna

2005-12-07T08:44:00.000-05:00

The fourth of December was a bloody Sunday for soldiers serving in Jaffna as nine of their comrades-at-arms were killed in three separate incidents in the northern peninsula. Eight soldiers were injured in the same three incidents. Around 20 other soldiers suffered injuries in a spate of attacks conducted for three days in Jaffna from December 2 to 4.The most serious attack was the landmine

The People get their Galle Face Green Back

2005-12-01T13:28:00.000-05:00

A scene on the Galle face green - Selling cane products. [Picture Courtesy of HumanityAshore.org] In what may very well turn out to be a landmark judgement the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka on Nov 28th reiterated firmly that Galle Face Green is for the people of this Country and for the people alone. The bench comprising Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva PC and Justices N.K. Udalagama and Nimal

Ranil must not bid farewell to politics at this time

2005-11-22T22:50:00.000-05:00

Ranil Wickremasinghe is an honourable politician. People with principled politics are a rare breed in Sri Lanka fast becoming extinct. Such politicians usually say what they mean and mean what they say. They do not for example put down certain things in black and white in their manifesto and then try to win support from interest groups saying "Dont worry about those". Such men do not cling to

Mahinda, Ranil and the Kandaswamy deity of Maaviddapuram

2005-11-09T21:36:00.000-05:00

"Yarlppanakudanadu " or Jaffna Peninsula became the cynosure of the on going presidential election campaign when both Ranil Wickremasinghe and Mahinda Rajapakse paid brief visits on successive days last week. The Leader of the Opposition was in Jaffna on Nov 3rd and the Prime Minister on the 4th. Wickremasinghe;s comparatively shorter northern stay was restricted

Charles Gnanakone and the Kadirgamar Killing

2005-11-09T21:27:00.000-05:00

The Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate and Additional District Judge Sarojini Kusala Weerawardena on Monday Oct 24th that they have detained Charles Selvakumar Gnanakone an Australian passport holder for questioning in connection with the assassination of Former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.Responding to a request made by the CCD Judge Weerawardena

SLMC Becoming dominant Muslim political force again

2005-10-16T21:04:00.000-04:00

It's renaissance time again for the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress! Plagued by internal dissensions and defections in recent times the party was in the doldrums. If the vicious criticism against the SLMC leader by his political rivals was a proper measure to go by then the leadership days of Rauff Hakeem seemed numbered. Much of the anti - Hakeem venom was mouthed not by long - standing enemies but

Emulating J. R. Jayewardene is best option for LTTE

2005-10-05T05:52:00.000-04:00

The temporary travel ban imposed on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam by the European Union has resulted in two broadly predictable responses on either side of the ethnic divide in Sri Lanka. From the hardliners of the "Sinhala" side there is unconcealed glee that the tigers have at last got what they deserved. The ban is perceived and portrayed as the end of the road for the LTTE.The

European Travel Ban: A Wake up call for LTTE

2005-10-05T05:51:00.000-04:00

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

Unitary State must go for Real Sri Lankan Unity

2005-10-05T05:50:00.000-04:00

The single biggest achievement of Norway facilitated six rounds of talks between the Sri Lankan Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was the Oslo declaration. For the first time in modern Sri Lankan history the Government and tigers agreed in principle to "explore" a federal solution at Oslo. This effectively meant that Colombo and Kilinochchi were prepared to move away from

Presidential Stakes and the Minority Votes

2005-10-05T05:49:00.000-04:00

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. The Presidential poll being an Island wide direct election provides all voters regardless of race, religion,

Presidential Stakes and the Minority Votes

2005-10-05T05:42:00.000-04:00

Balasingham proves his worth again as LTTE Trouble Shooter

2005-10-02T21:27:00.000-04:00

Anton Stanislaus Balasingham alias Bala Annai the "arasiyal mathiyuraingar" (Political adviser) of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has done it again! The man whose lot in practical terms has often been that of engaging in damage control and cleaning up the "militaristic" mess caused by the tigers has once again rendered what can only be termed quaintly as "yeoman service". In a deft

Condemning Assassination and Continuing Appeasement

2005-08-16T20:13:00.000-04:00

By D.B.S. Jeyaraj The assassination of Lakshman Kadirgamar has brought in its wake a series of statements by world leaders. They denounce it very correctly as a terrible act of terrorism. They also want the perpetrators to be caught and brought to justice. The average Sri Lankan who reads all these statements will no doubt feel that the end of the road is in sight for what is termed a peace

Mervyn: The Man who United Up Country Tamil Parties

2005-08-09T06:04:00.001-04:00

Helen of Troy succeeded in uniting the warring Greeks in common cause against Troy to regain her from Paris. Mervyn Silva the hero of Hambantota has succeeded in uniting Up Country Tamil political parties in common cause against him. It was fair Helen's beautiful "face" according to Marlowe "that launched a thousand ships". In Mervyn's case it was his caustic "loose" tongue that launched a

Mervyn: The Man who United Up Country Tamil Parties

2005-08-09T06:04:00.000-04:00

Tiger Supremo Weighing Pros and Cons of War

2005-08-02T09:14:00.000-04:00

Whatever his merits and faults may be indecisiveness is certainly not an attribute of Velupillai Pirapakaran. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam supremo is neither weak nor vacillating like the Shakespearean prince of Denmark. In recent times however the feline numero uno seems to be facing a dilemma like Hamlet. Should the tigers continue "to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune

Post - Tsunami: Muslims Require Pragmatic Approach

2005-07-29T22:58:00.000-04:00

It is widely acknowledged now that the Muslim community received a raw deal in the setting up of the Post - Tsunami Operational Management Structure (P- TOMS). In spite of being the single most affected community by the tsunami disaster the community was not represented adequately in the most important regional committee in the three - tiered P-TOMS. Adding insult to injury was the exclusion of

Between Rhetoric and Reality; Will Tigers go to war?

2005-07-19T10:17:00.000-04:00

Is war imminent? Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam political commissar Suppiah Paramu Thamilselvan is seemingly of the opinon that war is indeed imminent! On July 17th the LTTE political wing head addressed the press at Kilinochchi . Two relevant questions and answers are excerpted below. " Q. Can we assume that peace efforts have reached an end? A: We are rapidly moving to such an eventuality.

Tigers, P-Toms and the Eastern Littoral

2005-07-05T13:19:00.000-04:00

A significant gain made by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam through the Post - Tsunami Operations Management Structure was the legal extension of its writ in areas not coming under its direct control in the Eastern Province. Recent developments however suggest that the tigers are likely to encounter problems while trying to assert their authority via the P- TOMS in those areas of the Eastern