Reconciliation

Recent activities shows that, Sri Lanka is moving to dictatorship. There is a dangerous situation developing. The first is, wherever the people try to live, the military camps there. It is there on each street corner and it is very difficult to their development and people cant do anything with out military intervention. Further than […]

“Honest friends” : by Mr Alistair Burt, Foreign Office Minister for South Asia28 June 2011The events of the past weeks have brought uncomfortable focus onto the last days of the conflict in Sri Lanka. Allegations made in the media have recalled memories of a distressing time in Sri Lanka’s history. – Foreign Office Minister Alistair […]

The Muslim community today is not represented by any party or group as the Muslim political leadership has virtually collapsed. The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, a byproduct of communal politics, came with the slogan of unity. However, almost a quarter century later today the SLMC, divided into numerous splinter groups and absorbed individually and collectively […]

“In conclusion, however, there’s one point worth mentioning. If even amidst constant reiteration politicians are unable to see the dangers which are staring at them, and if in the face of such danger their only response is absolute denial, it would be beneficial for some to be simply vigilant, ever mindful, and observe the madness […]

by Amarnath AmarasingamDoctoral candidate, Wilfrid Laurier University   While the government response was predictable, another line of argument has recently gained some fanfare. This peculiar position, as most recently articulated by Amjad Mohamed-Saleem in Groundviews, argues: 06/20/11,As my doctoral dissertation deals with Sri Lankan Tamil activism in Canada, I was asked by a few people why […]

Political reforms should be urgently introduced with further possible delineation of powers to the Provinces by transferring some of the itemsfrom the Concurrent List to the Provincial List as per the aspirations of thepeople, especially the Sri Lankan Tamil Community. Relavent section of the Memorandum submitted by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Selvi J. Jayalalithaa to […]

The most pressing need is perhaps not to punish the offenders but to relieve the problems of the survivors and minimise the risk of further violence. Sooner or later, if the government’s response to disagreement is repression, discontent will boil over in one part or another of the island. Bloodshed is likely to follow, unless […]

14 June 2011/ By Col R HariharanRecently there had been a series of seemingly disconnected events in India, UK and the UN that have a common thread: Sri Lankas conduct in the post war period.Though these events were not unexpected sequels, surprisingly Sri Lankas response had been reactive than proactive. Peevishness, rather than calculated strategy, […]

Ananth KrishnanChina on Tuesday said it supported the Sri Lankan government’s efforts towards reconciliation, and indicated it would back the country against any international pressure following a recent United Nations report accusing the government of war crimes.Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told visiting Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris in talks on Tuesday that […]

The government should try to establish a mainstream Tamil political leadership in the North and East. Norway has played a sincere and genuine role in bringing about peace during the CFA period Sri Lanka should invite the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Ms. Jayalalithaa to Sri Lanka and explain the reality. By Arthur WamananSri Lanka should […]

Sunday Times     Minister agrees to develop on 13th Amendment with Tamil parties, will include police and land powers     New Delhi non-committal on international probe on alleged war crimes; sellout on fishing crisis While these celebrations were in full swing in all Buddhist countries, Sri Lanka’s External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris was in New Delhi […]

In Omanthe near Jaffna, along Palali Road, the army runs 60 restaurants and motels. Local Tamils wonder why soldiers should manage businesses, which they could do as well. Of course, the military has deeper pockets and can outcompete civilians. by Melani Manel PereraTwo years since the end of the civil war, the South is now […]

In other words, they were discussing the shuffling of Central, provincial and concurrent lists in a way that devolution of powers to the provinces was maximised. This message was conveyed “very categorically” by each of Mr. Peiris’ interlocutors — Dr. Singh, Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna, National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon and Foreign Secretary […]

TamilNet, 9 May 2011,A few Sinhala students recently admitted to Jaffna University chose the Mu’l’livaaykkaal Day to erect a decorated pandal at Thirunelveali Junction to ‘celebrate’ the birth of Buddha and to distribute eatables to passers by, while the Eezham Tamils subjugated to the extent of not being able to even openly observe the remembrance […]

Charles Haviland / Colombo  Two years after the end of the war, most Sri Lankans feel a sense of relief that there is no more fighting, and that the Tamil Tiger bomb attacks which used to rock towns and cities including the capital no longer take place. Some families are still waiting for the missing […]

On 17th January 2011, at around 2 pm, two students of St. Xavier’s College, Mannar were abducted by a group of unidentified persons in a white van as they were returning from school.  (AJR aged 19 and AR aged 18) Both boys were in school uniform when they were abducted. There were no witnesses to […]

By Mel Gunasekera COLOMBO — Sri Lanka’s appearance in Saturday’s cricket World Cup final offers a rare if fleeting moment of unity for a nation that remains deeply fractured despite the end of its decades-old ethnic conflict. President Mahinda Rajapakse, who will attend the final against India in Mumbai, has promoted the game as a […]

Alan Keenan   1. The need for an international investigation The International Crisis Group, like others concerned with a sustainable and just peace in Sri Lanka, has been calling for the establishment of an independent and international commission to look into the many credible and well-documented allegations of war crimes in the final months of Sri Lanka’s […]