Peace for the World

Peace for the World
First democratic leader of Justice the Godfather of the Sri Lankan Tamil Struggle: Honourable Samuel James Veluppillai Chelvanayakam

Thursday, March 7, 2013


The Gratiaen Trust Announces Shortlist Event And Panel Of Judges For The 2012 Gratiaen Prize

Colombo TelegraphMarch 6, 2013 
This year the Gratiaen Prize, in affiliation with the Standard Chartered Bank, celebrates 20 years. Reflecting this landmark in the prize’s career the shortlist announcement is scheduled as the inaugural event for Standard Chartered Colomboscope 2013 on 22 March at the Chequerboard, Park Street Mews at 6.15 pm. The event is open to the public and all are welcome. Founded in 1993 by the Booker-Prize-Winner Michael Ondaatje, the Prize is awarded to the best work in English by a resident Sri Lankan writer and both manuscript and published submissions are eligible. As in previous years, the British Council will be hosting the shortlist announcement. The award of the prize will take place on 4th May 2013.
Standard Chartered Bank’s Chief Executive Officer Anirvan Ghosh-Dastidar speaking about the Bank’s support for the award said, “The Gratiaen Prize is awarded each year to the best work of English literature by a Sri Lankan author, and Standard Chartered has been involved for most of its history. We are delighted to be associated with the Gratiaen Prize and the opportunities it affords to Sri Lankan writers to showcase their talent.” The judges for the 2012 Gratiaen Prize are: Jayantha Dhanapala (Chair), a distinguished former career diplomat and currently President of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs—who has maintained a sustained interest in Sri Lankan and world literature throughout his multifaceted international career; Lynn Ockersz, a senior journalist, a published poet and a lecturer in journalism; and Sumathy Sivamohan, a writer, dramatist, filmmaker and academic who is currently head of the Department of English at the University of Peradeniya. For further information on the judges and past winners with extracts of their work, see www.gratiaen.com.
The Gratiaen Prize as the only literary prize devoted to Sri Lankan writing in English has contributed to fostering and promoting Sri Lankan literary talent. This includes writers such as Carl Muller, who was joint winner of the inaugural prize for The Jam Fruit Tree, Tissa Abeysekera for Bringing Tony Home, Vivimarie Vanderpoorten for Nothing Prepares You who subsequently won the State Literary Award and the SAARC Poetry Award and Ruwanthie de Chickera for Middle of Silence. Shehan Karunatilaka’s Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew, a compelling saga about a maverick cricketing legend, won the prize as a manuscript. This helped Shehan publish the book to rave critical and popular acclaim and it was subsequently re-published by Random House India and Jonathan Cape, UK and went on to win the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature and the Commonwealth Book Prize. With the growing global imprint of Sri Lankan writing in English, the Gratiaen Prize’s unique position as a prize awarded to resident Sri Lankans has helped Sri Lankan English language authors based in Sri Lanka gain regional and international recognition.
The Gratiaen Trust which administers the prize has expanded its scope by introducing the H A I Goonetilake prize for translations from 2003 (awarded every other year) and established the Three Wheeler Press to help authors publish their work. Despite an unfavourable financial climate the Trust hopes to expand its activities further. A series of “Gratiaen Evenings” featuring prominent writers and artists is planned and the first of these was held successfully last year featuring Sri Lankan dramatist Ernest McIntyre. In future, Gratiaen Evenings are planned for venues such as Jaffna and Kandy broadening the outreach of Gratiaen activities and the Trust also hopes to hold a series of creative writing workshops for young adults.
SL trying to intimidate India- Jayalalitha
    2013-03-07
    Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday alleged that Sri Lanka is attempting to "intimidate" India into not raising its voice against the atrocities on Tamils in that country by arresting Indian fishermen.



    In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, she said: "The incidents of arrests of fishermen and the recent firing should be viewed as an indirect attempt to intimidate the government of India and browbeat it into not raising its voice against Sri Lankan atrocities on innocent Sri Lankan Tamilians in the international fora."

    The text of the letter was released to the media here. Jayalalithaa was referring to the firing by the Lankan navy at Indian fishermen on Wednesday and said it was "highly unacceptable".

    Urging that the Indian government not remain a silent spectator, Jayalalithaa said: "The Sri Lankan government should be advised to desist from using force against our innocent Indian fishermen who have been fishing in their traditional fishing areas for centuries."

    According to her, 14 Indian fishermen — 10 from Puducherry and four from Tamil Nadu — were shot at by the Lankan navy Wednesday night, injuring a fisherman. 


    "You are already aware that 16 fishermen of Thoothukudi (Tuticorin) who were fishing in the Gulf of Mannar area were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy and are presently in judicial custody in Sri Lanka," the chief minister said in the letter. 


    "Over and above that, this latest incident of firing by the Sri Lankan navy clearly indicates that the Sri Lankan navy wants to create an atmosphere of panic, fear and tension amidst the fishermen of Tamil Nadu," Jayalaltihaa said. (Times of India)
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