Yet another son of a politico of murderous Rajapakses causes injury to 8 yr. old child by shooting

(Lanka-e-News-17.July.2013, 9.00PM) An 8 year old child who was shot at by a son of a politico of the murderous Rajapakse regime , is now admitted to hospital with injuries sustained following the shooting.

This tragedy is a result of the shooting carried out by Leslie Kannangara the drunkard demonic son of Laggala local body chairman Dharmasiri Kannangara . The victim is 8 year old student of Kivulavadiya division ,who was admitted to the Pallegama hospital. As the condition is serious following the injury caused to the feet , the child had been transferred to the Matale hospital.

It is well and widely known that this drunkard demonic son of the local body chairman is almost always drinking in the bar at Laggala town belonging to his father Dharmasiri Kannangara ,and thereafter boisterously driving his vehicle at reckless speed within the town .

On this occasion too , in a highly inebriated state he had been driving at high speed in an Alto car No. C P K A 0091 with two others. When a Trishaw was coming out to the road , Leslie Kannagara’s car had nearly collided with it , and a n accident was averted by a hair’s breadth. Following an altercation with the trishaw driver , this drunkard demon had suddenly pulled out a revolver from within the car and shot at the trishaw driver aiming at his chest. When the driver jumped away from the line of the shooting , the bullet had hit a post and ricocheted to hit the 8 year old child ‘s foot .

The victim Dhanuka Pradeep Rajapakse had been in the house nearby with her mother when tragedy struck. She had just escaped because the bullet had struck her foot. The bullet had hit the pots about three and half feet above the ground , but if it had hit the chest of the driver which was the aim of the drunkard demon , the trishaw driver would have died on the spot.

After it was insisted that the drunkard son should be arrested , the suspect who came with the father had surrendered to the police along with another .
The revolver used for the shooting is that issued to his father as the chairman of the local body. By the chairman allowing his son to use this weapon , he has committed a serious offence , and he ought to be the first suspect in this crime. In order to suppress this , in the police it is recorded that the weapon used is a firearm , and no mention is made about the revolver. The father’s revolver used by the suspect has by now gone missing.

Priyantha Gunasekera the OIC of Laggala police was appointed to that post based on the local body chairman’s letter. Hence the OIC will never go beyond the instructions of the chairman. However , Gunasekera, these days is undergoing training , and it is SI Panagoda , the acting OIC who is deputizing. Right now the investigations into attempted murder by chairman’s son are being tampered with to extricate him from the crime.

Political solution comes only when military-geostrategy approach overpowered

[TamilNet, Thursday, 18 July 2013, 02:51 GMT]
The recent joint US-Sri Lankan military exercise in Trincomalee, coming after Colombo announcing the ‘arrest’ of a few police personnel for the massacre of five Tamil students in Trincomalee, signals that the USA is again sending a message to China that it still considers the island in the Indian Ocean Region as a US-Indian territory, says a geopolitical analyst in Trincomalee. The development also signals to Tamils that powers locked in the geopolitical game are only seeking eyewash and token responses from the Sri Lankan State. Political solution will never come unless masses overpower the rotten military-geostrategy approach of the powers, forcing them to seek alternatives, the analyst said. 

Political Solution Comes Only When Military-geostrategy Approach Overpowered by nelvely

European Parliamentary Delegation to Sri Lanka to visit North  Wed, Jul 17, 2013, 08:22 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka. July 17, Colombo: An European Parliamentary Delegation is currently in Sri Lanka to observe the progress of the European Union funded development projects in the North. The European Parliament Delegation for Relations with South Asia chaired by Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Ms. Jean Lambert arrived in Sri Lanka on 15th July 2013 on a five day visit. The EU delegation's visit comes ahead of the elections for the Northern, Central and North Western Provinces scheduled for late September. The parliamentary delegation will travel to the Northern and Central Provinces to observe the progress of the European Union funded development projects. During their visit, the delegation will also hold meetings with Senior Government Officials, Opposition Parties, Civil Society, UN Agencies, International Community and other stakeholders, an EU press release said. The delegation is scheduled to address the media on, Friday, 19th July 2013 at 11:30 a.m. at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo. Army awaits cabinet nod for profit making ventures THURSDAY, 18 JULY 2013  Outgoing Army Commander Jagath Jayasuriya said yesterday the Army was awaiting cabinet approval for the Army to form an entity that could venture out into profit-making business. “We are involved in development projects right now and are supporting them. This is a service we provide. Manpower and equipment will be available once these projects are completed, that is why we are planning to form such an entity,” he said. General Jayasuriya told the Daily Mirror that the Army would be able to undertake projects on a profit- making basis by bidding for government tenders. “Once such an entity is formed we will be able to undertake key projects even government projects, by registering our bid, because if we are to take part in a government project it will be a service,” he added. General Jayasuriya pointed out that the Army has all the resources available with technical expertise. “We can do on a competitive basis because we are effective and efficient, so we can provide a good service,” he added. General Jayasuriya said the Army was involved in almost all the services and professions that one could offer. He said in countries such as Russia, China and Iran the military had key interests in strategic sectors as it had created a large number of organisations under its control to increase strength and to meet national security interests.

Man who took $ 4 m  for two govt. bigwigs  threatened – UNP

Krrish Towers deal: UNP calls for high level probe

July 17, 2013, 12:00 pm 


By Zacki Jabbar

The UNP yesterday called for a high level investigation into a complaint by an official that his life was under threat for accepting USD 4 million on behalf two powerful persons in the government, as an inducement to grant a further extension of time to Krrish Towers to fully pay up on the Fort land lease agreement.

Senior UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake, addressing a news conference in Colombo, said that the official concerned was trembling in fear and had complained to the authorities and the President that his life was under threat, after revealing the circumstances which had led to the money being accepted.

Krrish Towers was given a fourth extension on Monday to fully pay up on the Fort land lease agreement, MP Karunanayake said, adding that such concessions were not given to local investors.

The government had claimed that the USD 850 million John Keels Holdings Mixed Development Project was a Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), when it was an entirely local operation, Karunanayake said.

Huge publicity had been given to new US$ 1.6 billion in FDIs, but that figure also included the JKH contribution, MP Karunanayake said, observing that the JKH and Australian Casino King James Packer’s USD 350 million investments added up to USD 1.2 billion.

Sinhala Video: Protest Against Intimidating Social And Cultural Activists

July 18, 2013 

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Sangha IRC monks attack and set fire to a lorry having permit to transport beef

(Lanka-e-News-17.July.2013, 9.00PM) A lorry belonging to a prominent Muslim that arrived with a government duly approved license to collect beef from a government beef sales shed was attacked by armed Sangha hooligans and civilians ,and set on fire by pouring petrol , according to reports reaching Lanka e news inside information division.

This attack has been launched yesterday (16) at dawn at around 3.40 .It is the lorry No.W P L E 2266 belonging to a prominent businessman , Seeni Mohomed, who resides at 126 C Bangala junction , Pitakotte .

It is Seeni Mohomed’s lorry that transports beef to the stalls at , Kotte , Madiwela, Nugegoda , Mirihana, Battarmulla , and Thalawathugoda . Towards this , he has duly obtained licenses 
from the Kotte and Kaduwela local bodies

As usual this morning he had gone to the Baseline shed to purchase the beef. When the lorry was parked near the Baseline road , Dematagoda garden , the group that came in a Van and in a Pajero that is similar to that used by the local body had at once begun scolding the driver and helper of the vehicle in bitter filth and threatened them with death. The lorry driver and helper have then left the lorry and fled some distance away .

Among the assailants there had been 7 monks in robes and 5 civilians. The group had taken a petrol can from the local body jeep which came following the Van , poured it on the lorry and set fire to it. Though a number of persons in the garden had seen this incident , they have been threatened not to come out by the Sangha hooligans. Persons who were on their way to work also had seen this violence committed with impunity. Even this attack continued for about an hour , not a single cop had arrived at the scene. 

After waiting until the lorry had been burnt thoroughly , the clergy members and civilians who launched the attack got into the vehicles they came in , and left .

Until Seeni Mohomed went to the police station at about 6.00 a.m. and lodged a complaint with the police , no police officer had visited the scene of arson and violence. 

Investigations are being conducted by the OIC crimes of the Dematagoda police , R S G Mendis S.I. Based on information reaching Lanka e news inside information division , senior DIG Anura Senanayake is trying his best to cover up this crime by proffering the necessary advice to the police .

As is always the case , so far no one has been arrested.

May we recall that last Wesak day , a Sangha IRC monk Bowatte Indhare committed suicide by self immolation in Kandy over the sale of beef.

Oxford Debate: Is Islam A Religion of Peace?

Added by admin on July 14, 2013.

In France, the UK and across Europe  ”immigration” —  a code word for massive inflows from mainly Third World and Muslim countries — has become a dangerously divisive and politically explosive issue exacerbated by the current six-year long recession.

“Immigration” along with a range of other euphemisms are used in the “politically correct” world of the 21st century to smooth, for those on the Left, or smother, for those on the Right, discussion about the impact on the West of the political-religious ideology of Islamism (see here, here and here).

Flag of the Nation of Islam. The letters stand for Justice, Freedom, Equality, Islam. (Credit: Wikipedia)

Mehdi Hasan, a Muslim journalist speaking for the motion

Daniel Johnson, a Catholic journalist speaking against the motion

Recently at Britain’s Oxford University, the Oxford Union — founded in 1823 and said to be “the world’s most prestigious debating society” — held a debate on the motion: THIS HOUSE BELIEVES ISLAM IS A RELIGION OF PEACE. The motion was carried with a Yes vote of 286 against a No vote of 168.

The debate took place a few days after the barbarous butchering, in the name of Islam, of a British soldier outside his barracks in south London on May 23rd. The debate proceedings were published to YouTube by the Oxford Debating Union on July 3rd 2013.

Watch and listen to each of the six debaters here. The Oxford Union Website is here. Below are the video contributions of one debater from each side:

Daniel Johnston gives his argument against Islam being a peaceful religion.

Daniel Johnston, journalist and editor of what he calls the “not very right-wing” magazine Standpoint, called Islam “the most direct threat to Western civilization in the world today”

Published on Jul 3, 2013
FOLLOW Daniel Johnson on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/DanBJohnson

Mehdi Hasan gives his argument for Islam being a peaceful religion.

Muslim journalist Mehdi Hasan is political editor of the UK edition of the Huffington Post. He asked whether 1.6 billion believers in Islam around the world  really are all “followers, promoters and believers in a religion of violence”. Hasan urged his audience not to “fuel the arguments of the phobes and bigots and legitimise hate”, but to “trust the Muslims that you know and that you hear.”

Published on Jul 3, 2013
FOLLOW Mehdi Hasan on Twitter @ https://twitter.com/mehdirhasan

Read more: http://www.french-news-online.com/wordpress/?p=27777#ixzz2ZPiCg6Aq
Follow us: @frenchnewsonlin on Twitter

Coatition to send back all Tamil asylum seeker

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Created On Thursday, 18 July 2013 14:15

The Coalition has re-iterated its 2012 declaration that it would send all Sri Lankan asylum seekers back home without processing their claims.

The Coalition spokesman on Immigration, Scott Morrison, told ABC Radio today that “our policy is to send them all back.”

The Tamil Refugee Council joins with many other groups in condemning this Coalition policy which would see thousands of people sent back to the persecution from which they have fled and from which they have a legal right to seek asylum.

Coatition to Send Back All Tamil Asylum Seeker by nelvely

Thailand riveted by jet-setting monk scandal

BANGKOK (AP) — He’s known as Thailand’s jet-setting fugitive monk, and his story has riveted the country with daily headlines of lavish excess, promiscuity and alleged crimes ranging from statutory rape to manslaughter.

Until a month ago, 33-year old Wirapol Sukphol was relatively unknown in Thailand. Now he is at the center of the biggest religious scandal the predominantly Buddhist country has seen in years.

A photo of fugitive ex-monk Wirapol Sukphol, left, is shown by Songkran Artchariyasarp, a lawyer and Buddhist activist in Bangkok, Thailand. Pic: AP.

Thailand Riveted by Jet-setting Monk Scandal by nelvely

Mandela Day-July 18: In honour of the beacon of inspiration to the world



UKTamilNews.com

By Harrish Thirukumaran
-17 July 2013,

Nelson Mandela International Day is globally realized through its registered approval by the United Nations. It is to be celebrated every year on July 18, which is Mandela’s birthday.

Junior and I (Harrish) in Namibia-(pic by Dan)

The primary focus of the occasion is to commemorate Mandela’s commitment to the promotion of democracy, peace, and freedom. In addition, it calls for widespread volunteerism for the good of humanity in honour of his person.

Since the former president of South Africa has reached a critical stage in his lifetime it should be acknowledged why this day should be treated with strong international recognition.

Mandela is first seen as a human rights lawyer who legally fought extensively for social justices and equalities. His mission had been widely remembered through his struggle against the cruel Apartheid regime in his native South Africa. A system that literally meant ‘apartness’ had legalized racial segregation of black and white South Africans also simultaneously indicating social discrimination and racism. In addition, it had created an unequal colour barrier that had strongly favored white Afrikaners over various black ethnic groups. The system economically had indeed created large disparities between the groups through things like education and healthcare. The South African homeland was a place that promoted white supremacy.

Overall, the system had denied blacks basic legal, social, political and economical rights. This political classification had undermined the essential values of a democracy and equality. It had even gained considerable influence regionally, spreading its power northwest into neighboring Namibia. Due to this, Mandela condemned this system as an injustice and soon became a crucial figure advocating against the oppressive government because of its deprivation amongst differing racial groups.

Through his battles, Mandela had to endure grueling challenges and develop his political notions to reform a corrupt system. All efforts striven towards equalized rights throughout South Africa and its controlled constituents. His anti-apartheid beliefs and destabilization abilities had and should be progressively recognized as a global political force and moral achievement among many citizens worldwide.

His contributions into restoring democratic principles to an authoritarian nation have been praised onto an ideological level that eventually lead to installment of a free electoral system. He is also credited for introducing a multi-racial competitive structure that had guaranteed Nelson Mandela’s tenure as South Africa’s first black president. A truly historic moment that was much needed after living under a racial supremacist system.

Once granted office, Mandela would be able to express his own social and economical ideals on a larger international scale for those who suffer different inequalities. On a domestic front, his policies of democratic equality were able to bring the divided racial groups together economically. Internationally, his policy of diplomatic mediation has also been significant in resolving disputes.

His administration was pragmatically determined to eliminate poverty, mobilize healthcare, and disassociate discrimination.

Mandela’s presidency indeed influentially directed a stable South African political model for many sovereign nations to follow in the distant future.

Today, though Mandela has retired from politics, his iconic legacy lives on and prospers throughout many political affairs via the work of his NGOs and foundations. His actions and beliefs have been integral in a fundamental journey to successfully ensure a comprehensive society where all people benefit regardless of colour, gender or sexual orientation. He is inevitably an idealized beacon of equality, freedom, and inspiration that must be followed to resolve the world’s recurring social issues.

With Dino and Christy at the BNC-pic by Maegan

The world should and can be responsible enough to critically understand the man’s qualities along with advancing his egalitarian doctrine.

Nelson Mandela International Day can influence all nationalities, as a stable society is determined through the level of opportunity for the average person.

Mandela today is fondly referred to as “Madiba”, the honuorific title granted by the humanitarian world, derived from his proud Xhosa heritage.

Lastly, Nelson Mandela’s charismatic leadership has been encouragement for myself to travel and experience Africa. Through one of the international programs at my University I traveled late this Spring to Namibia, a neighbouring country of South Africa.

Alongside several of my Brock mates I volunteered at a local school organization called the Bernard Nordkamp Centre, in Katutura, Windhoek the capital of Namibia. It is a true life-changing experience assisting the youth after school program there and I hope to write about it in the near future.

“Thank you Madiba”.

(Harrish Thirukumaran (Email ~ rish1610@gmail.com) is entering his second year at Brock University, Ontario

Waiting for my own Mandela…

Waiting for my own Mandela…

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Nalaka Gunawardene-18 Jul, 2013Editors note: Through Nelson Mandela International Day, the UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/64/13 of 2009 recognizes Nelson Mandela’s values and his dedication to the service of humanity, in the fields of conflict resolution, race relations, the promotion and protection of human rights, reconciliation, gender equality and the rights of children and other vulnerable groups, as well as the upliftment of poor and underdeveloped communities. It acknowledges his contribution to the struggle for democracy internationally and the promotion of a culture of peace throughout the world.

Mandela is 95 years old today.

###

I never met Nelson Mandela in person, but once listened to him live.

I watched him speak — in his characteristically thoughtful and cheerful manner – for a few minutes, and was mesmerized.

That was in October 1995 at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Over 150 heads of state and government had come to the world’s most cosmopolitan city to speak at a special session of the General Assembly to celebrate the UN’s Golden Jubilee.

Among them were Cuban President Fidel Castro, Palestine Liberation Organisation leader Yasser Arafat, and playwright turned Czech President, Vaclav Havel. Three woman leaders from South Asia added to the diversity.

But I was especially interested in the first black President of South Africa. Nelson Mandela, whose African National Congress (ANC) had won his country’s first multi-racial election only the year before, came dressed in a colourful batik shirt (known as ‘Madiba shirt’, named after Mandela’s Xhosa clan name).

Every leader was given five minutes at the famous podium. Mandela used his 300 seconds better than most others. I still remember how he rose above a single country, or single cause, to call for a better deal for the poor and downtrodden worldwide.

Continue reading »

Vatican offers 'time off purgatory' to followers of Pope Francis tweets

Papal court handling pardons for sins says contrite Catholics may win 'indulgences' by following World Youth Day on Twitter

Tom Kington in Rome-Tuesday 16 July 2013

A court of the Catholic church, led by Pope Francis, above, warns that the faithful cannot obtain lesser punishment just by 'chatting online'. Photograph: Franco Origlia/Getty Images

In its latest attempt to keep up with the times the Vatican has married one of its oldest traditions to the world of social media by offering "indulgences" to followers of Pope Francis' tweets.

The church's granted indulgences reduce the time Catholics believe they will have to spend in purgatory after they have confessed and been absolved of their sins.

The remissions got a bad name in the Middle Ages because unscrupulous churchmen sold them for large sums of money. But now indulgences are being applied to the 21st century.

But a senior Vatican official warned web-surfing Catholics that indulgences still required a dose of old-fashioned faith, and that paradise was not just a few mouse clicks away.

"You can't obtain indulgences like getting a coffee from a vending machine," Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, head of the pontifical council for social communication, told the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.

Indulgences these days are granted to those who carry out certain tasks – such as climbing the Sacred Steps, in Rome (reportedly brought from Pontius Pilate's house after Jesus scaled them before his crucifixion), a feat that earns believers seven years off purgatory.

But attendance at events such as the Catholic World Youth Day, in Rio de Janeiro, a week-long event starting on 22 July, can also win an indulgence.

Mindful of the faithful who cannot afford to fly to Brazil, the Vatican's sacred apostolic penitentiary, a court which handles the forgiveness of sins, has also extended the privilege to those following the "rites and pious exercises" of the event on television, radio and through social media.

"That includes following Twitter," said a source at the penitentiary, referring to Pope Francis' Twitter account, which has gathered seven million followers. "But you must be following the events live. It is not as if you can get an indulgence by chatting on the internet."

In its decree, the penitentiary said that getting an indulgence would hinge on the beneficiary having previously confessed and being "truly penitent and contrite".

Praying while following events in Rio online would need to be carried out with "requisite devotion", it suggested.

Apart from the papal Twitter account, the Vatican has launched an online news portal supported by an app, a Facebook page, and it plans to use the online social networking site Pinterest.

"What really counts is that the tweets the Pope sends from Brazil or the photos of the Catholic World Youth Day that go up on Pinterest produce authentic spiritual fruit in the hearts of everyone," said Celli.

The Wigneswaran Factor: Sampanthan’s Master-Stroke

The Wigneswaran Factor: Sampanthan’s Master-Stroke

Photo courtesy Lanka Standard

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Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka-16 Jul, 2013In this country, it is a rarity to witness really smart politics on strategic issues. We have just done so and got two breakthrough moves on the same issue. The first was by President Rajapaksa who chose to go ahead with the election to the Northern Provincial Council and have a meeting with Mr Sampanthan, the TNA leader. The second was by Mr Sampanthan who worked hard to persuade his coalition to field Justice Wigneswaran as the Chief Ministerial candidate.

Justice Wigneswaran is a candidate that every Tamil can be proud of to have as his and her representative, and may make a Chief Minister that most Sri Lankans of whichever ethnicity or religion can be proud of. In fact he will have the salutary effect of raising the bar of performance for every chief minister and Sri Lankan politician throughout the island.

The Wigneswaran Factor Sampanthan’s Master-Stroke by nelvely

Patch up differences with CM, Governor, President tells EP councillors

By Franklin R. Satyapalan-July 16, 2013, 10:16 pm 

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has disappointed the majority of members of the UPFA administered Eastern Provincial Council (EPC), including the Board of Ministers, by asking them to sort out their differences with the Chief Minister and the Governor without troubling the government.

EPC sources said yesterday that the President had held a meeting with the members of the EPC last weekend in Kandy, where he asked them to sort out their own problems.

The President summoned all members of the EPC to the President’s House in Kandy last Saturday, promising to look into their grievances that had led a boycott of the sessions of the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC), over the past two months, in protest against the CM and the Governor who they claimed were an impediment to development.

The former Chief Minister of the EPC and the Leader of the TMVP Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan was the first member called upon to speak on their grievances by the President, followed by member Arif Samsudeen, Ministers M. S. Mansoor, Nazeer Ahamed, Wimalaweera Dissanayake and former Provincial Minister of Health and present Deputy Chairman M. S. Subair.

Sources, however, said that Governor, retired Rear Admiral Mohan Wijewickreme, had been keeping a check on wasteful expenditure in the East.

Deputy Chairman M. S. Subair raised three matters on the conduct of the CM, which , he said, were of grave concern to the members. He said that the CM did not heed the problems of the people of the Eastern Province. When the floods devastated the province the CM had left the country without anyone to act for him.

At that juncture President Rajapaksa asked who the senior most councillor was and the members replied that it was Provincial Minister M. S. Uthuma Lebbe. The President said Uthuma Lebbe should be allowed to act for the CM whenever the latter was absent.

Subair said that since the CM had assumed office almost a year before but he had not held a single group meeting of the members of the council and or summoned a meeting of all officials of all ministries so that they could plan their development activities.

The Provincial Minister of Education Wimalaweera Dissanayake raised the non-payment of fuel allowances amounting to Rs. 40,000 to Monitoring Provincial Ministers and the non-issuance of car permits, when the President called upon him to articulate his grievances.

The President said that the Treasury could not afford to provide such allowances to the members. The members asked how the members of some other provincial councils had been given those benefits.

The EP councillors arrived in Kandy by 5.00 p.m. but they were told that the President would be late for the meeting due to other official functions in the hill capital. However all facilities including a prayer room were provided to the Muslim members to break fast.

SLFP General Secretary, Minister Maithripala Sirisena and UPFA General Secretary, Minister Susil Premajayanth were present. Leader of the SLMC Minister Rauff Hakeem, ACMC Leader Minister Riahard Bathuideen and MNC Leader Minister A. L. M. Athaullah, who were present from the commencement until conclusion of the meeting at 9.00 p.m did not express views.

The Importance of Working With

The Importance of Working With

Image courtesy Colombo Telegraph

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Mahesan Niranjan-17 Jul, 2013

“Machan, I hope a couple of UPFA guys get elected, too!” said my drinking partner, the Sri Lankan Tamil fellow Sivapuranam Thevaram. It is a warm and beautifully sunny day in Bridgetown, UK, and from our favourite water hole we were discussing the decision by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to name former Supreme Court Judge, Mr Wigneswaran, as their lead candidate in the forthcoming election to the Northern Provincial Council. Should the election take place (low probability), the TNA will win (high probability) and Wigneswaran will be sworn in as Chief Minister of the said Council.

I was as shocked as you are as to why a Tamil man would think it desirable for UPFA candidates to get elected. After all, the UPFA is the current ruling coalition and, since the war ended, has gone out of the way to make the Tamil people of our country feel that they don’t belong here. The callousness shown during times of war and the barbed wire fences of Menik Farm top the list for some, but Thevaram and I have at least agreed on three issues as symptomatic: (a) the idea the national anthem may be sung only in Sinhala; (b) the abrupt stopping of the dual nationality scheme as an ingenious way of crowd control at Nallur temple; and (c) the Eighteenth Amendment. (If I may let you in on a little secret, Thevaram has reacted to the first of the above by teaching himself to whistle our anthem in Sinhala! Please try, it is beautiful!)                                    Continue reading »