SLMC peeved at being excluded from PSC 2013-06-24 The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is infuriated over the government's failure to appoint one of its nominees to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), despite the Party being one of the constituent partners of the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance ( UPFA), with a Cabinet Minister, a Deputy and eight MPs. The PSC appointed by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa is led by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and includes ruling party members Ministers Prof. G. L. Peiris, Maithripala Sirisena, W. D. J. Seneviratne, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Dinesh Gunawardena, Susil Premajayantha, Douglas Devananda, A. L. M. Athaullah, D. E. W. Gunasekara, Rishad Bathiudeen,......Patali Champika Ranawaka, Wimal Weerawansa, Basil Rajapaksa, Lakshman Seneviratne, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, and Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, Deputy Minister Muthu Sivalingam, and MP Sudarshani Fernandopulle. SLMC Leader and Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem, addressing a meeting at the Main Street in Kalmunai during the weekend said, it was important to have a nominee of the SLMC on the PSC, especially in light of the 13th Amendment, which was all about the rights of the minorities. He said his Party was a majority representative of the Muslim community. Hakeem said it was a 'grave injustice' meted out to his Party that the government had not nominated a member from his Party to the PSC. It is also paramount that the Muslim community is represented in such a Committee, which also dealt with minority issues, he said, adding that the international community would doubt the government's sincerity in a proposed solution. He alleged that the government was amending the 13th Amendment to satisfy some forces within the government. He said the 13th Amendment was guided by forces within the government. Lanka, Canada in diplomatic dispute over ambassadors By Anthony David- Sunday, June 23, 2013 Sri Lanka and Canada, which is calling upon member nations to boycott the Commonwealth summit in Colombo, are locked in a diplomatic wrangle over posting of envoys to their respective capitals. The Canadian External Affairs Ministry, diplomatic sources said yesterday, had placed on hold the agreemo to post Esala Weerakoon as Sri Lanka’s new High Commissioner in Canada. He is now Deputy Ambassador to the United States. This move, the sources said, was until such time Sri Lanka accepted the credentials of Shely Whiting who has been designated as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.  Canadian External Affairs Ministry officials have complained that she has not been afforded an opportunity so far to present her credentials. She arrived in Sri Lanka three months ago. At present Ms. Whiting is in Canada attending a heads of diplomatic mission conference in her country. An agreemo is a memorandum from one nation to another agreeing to the appointment of an ambassador or envoy. It is only after such acceptance that a formal announcement is made of an appointment. Thereafter, the ambassador or high commissioner in question is required to present his or her credentials to the host government. Mr. Weerakoon’s agreemo had been sent to the External Affairs Ministry in Ottawa more than three months ago, according to official sources in Colombo. He was to replace Chitrangani Wagiswara who is concluding her term there. External Affairs Ministry Secretary Karunatillake Amunugama said presentation of credentials by envoys was done in groups and the next batch was due in early July. The Canadian High Commissioner and the new Indian High Commissioner-designate Y.K. Sinha would be in that batch, he said. “As for Ambassador Weerakoon,” Mr. Amunugama said that “some countries take a long time to confirm agreemos.”Relations between Sri Lanka and Canada have been strained since Ottawa’s diplomatic moves to shift the CHOGM venue from Colombo. Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper has already declared he would not attend the Colombo summit until the Government “improves its human rights record.”

Delayed 19th Amendment Highlighted Root Course Of Ethnic Minority Problem

By Jehan Perera -June 24, 2013 |

Jehan Perera

There has been an unexplained delay in the government’s plan to present a 19th Amendment to the constitution as an urgent bill to Parliament. As a result there is speculation that the government might have postponed its presentation, at least for the time being.  There had been opposition from both ethnic minority political parties and the government’s own left wing parties to the passage of the 19th Amendment which seeks to weaken the 13th Amendment.  It is possible that internal dissension is the cause of the delay.  However, President Mahinda Rajapaksa also declared he knew how to obtain a two-thirds majority in Parliament. He repeated this assertion at the Government Parliamentary Group last Monday at the Presidential Secretariat. He also added that if needed he would also be able to get some votes from the main opposition United National Party (UNP) parliamentarians.

Delayed 19th Amendment Highlighted Root Course of Ethnic Minority Problem by nelvely

NPC polls: A clash of hypocrites

June 23, 2013, 8:27 pm 

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has called upon the government to replace Governor of the Northern Province Maj. Gen. (Rtd) G. A. Chandrasiri with a civilian ahead of the provincial council polls scheduled for September. Jaffna District TNA MP S. Shritharan has told The Sunday Island that he doesn’t see any difference between the present governor and a serving army officer as the North has been under ‘military rule’ since the conclusion of the war in 2009.

Confident of bagging the Northern PC, the TNA seems to fear that the Chief Minister (CM) to be elected will have to play second fiddle to the ‘military’ Governor as in the Eastern Province. However, the fact remains that even a ‘civilian governor’ will enjoy the full backing of the military and be at loggerheads with the northern CM. The TNA’s voice needs to be heeded, but it ought to explain why it had no quarrel with the LTTE’s ‘military rule’ and no qualms about accepting that outfit as the sole representative of the Tamil people though Prabhakaran did not have representation even in a local government institution and was responsible for heinous crimes against civilians including violent suppression of political dissent.

The TNA, it may be recalled, owed its presence in Parliament from 2004 to 20010 to the LTTE, which terrorised the North and the East to ensure the election of its proxies. The final report of the EU Monitoring Mission on the 2004 General Election—popularly known as the Cushanan Report—reveals how the LTTE did so. The EU monitors have called the situation that prevailed in the North and the East during that election the very ‘antithesis’ of democracy. Their report gives specific instances where the LTTE used children as young as 10 years of age to ‘vote’ for the TNA while blocking other political parties from even electioneering in those parts of the country. Here is an excerpt from that document: "The LTTE intended that no other rival Tamil party (or Tamil candidate from the mainstream political alliances) to the TNA would be able to claim to represent Tamil interests. A chilling message to this effect was sent early in the campaign when a UNP candidate and an EPDP activist were murdered. Incidents such as this seriously restricted the right of parties other than the TNA to campaign freely in the North and East." But, strangely, the results of that election were deemed valid and 22 TNA members entered Parliament!

Interestingly, the TNA, which has made an issue of a retired major general being the Governor of the North, went full steam ahead in a bid to help elect a retired general President. TNA Leader R. Sampanthan announcing his party’s unanimous decision to support former Army Commander Gen. Sarath Fonseka’s presidential bid, at a press conference in Colombo on Jan. 6, 2010 noted that Gen. Fonseka was not in the army anymore and, therefore, the TNA was not supporting a military officer in the presidential race. The UNP did likewise; it decided against fielding its leader as the presidential candidate and threw in its lot with Gen. Fonseka. Today, both parties have ganged up against the Governor of the North because he is an ex-soldier!

In the run-up to the 2010 Presidential Election, the UPFA government painted a black picture of Gen. Fonseka in the fray and insisted that he should not be trusted with powers to run civilian affairs because of his military background, but today it is defending the appointment of retired military personnel to high posts to handle civil administration.

The Opposition’s argument that a lot more remains to done for a free and fair PC election to be held in the North is tenable, but as for the question of ex-military personnel handling civilian tasks, its hypocrisy or Pharisaicalness stinks to high heaven; so does the government’s.

A bit of arm twisting by India may be good for Colombo

2013-06-24 

Two weeks back, during a Cabinet meeting, as some of his Cabinet Ministers exchanged verbal barbs over the proposed changes to the 13th Amendment, President Rajapaksa, who had been quietly listening to the heated exchange of words, broke the silence to remind them that he knows how to obtain the required two-thirds majority, in order to pass the proposed amendments, if he wishes to do so.

A Bit of Arm Twisting by India May Be Good for Colombo by nelvely

Is It A Twosome game? Ranil Playing Statesman Role, Mahinda Planning Snap Election

By Rajan Philips -June 24, 2013 

Rajan Philips

In last week’s Sunday Island, Hon. Ranil Wickremasinghe, Leader of the Opposition, took centre page to make the case for what he has called the UNPs’ “constitutional formulation”.  The paper generously gave him double exposure by carrying as its lead story, in addition to the centre page article, Mr. Wickremasinghe’s speech before a ‘People’s Assembly’ gathering at the JR Jayewardene Centre.  He told the Assembly to “forget about toppling the government” and work on the more important task of reintroducing the 17^thAmendment to the constitution.  Good governance is more important than a new government is what the Hon. Leader of the Opposition is trying to tell the people.  But how is Mr. Wickremasinghe planning to re-introduce the 17^thAmendment and “re-establish” all the good independent commissions for public service, police, judiciary, and bribery? “Once that is achieved the rest will fall in place”, he has assured.  But how is it to be achieved?  By writing a letter to Mahinda Rajapaksa? By moving a new 22^ndAmendment, as a Private Member’s Bill, to re-introduce 17A, and standing in queue behind the JHU’s Private Member motion for 21A?

Is It a Twosome Game Ranil Playing Statesman Role, Mahinda Planning Snap Election by nelvely

Video: Mangala says no ‘Jilmart’ in 2010

MONDAY, 24 JUNE 2013 

Former Minister and current UNP strongman Mangala Samaraweera in an interview with the Daily Mirror said today that there was no computer jilmart’  during the 2010 Presidential Election and President Mahinda Rajapaksa won the elections with no fiddling of numbers.

“No I don’t think so. Frankly, if they could have won an election of that magnitude with computer jilmart they would have loved to have won the last municipal council elections in Jaffna. The entire cabinet was campaigning there, offering various things and flouting elections laws” he said.

Samaraweera ealier, was one of the main proponents of the idea that the presidential election was rigged through the manipulation of computer systems.

When further questioned as to the reason he made such a statement which in turn mislead the public Samaraweera said that he believed that the manipulation was done after the Presidents victory was assured.

"Well of course this will have to be proven when we are in power one day, sooner hopefully than later- that there was a manipulation of computers after it was obvious that he was winning- that was not won with the kind of majority that was seen.-Which is why I think the results were delayed by nearly one and a half days- we feel that it was after they were assured of victory that they fiddled with the numbers. But granted it was a victory" he said.

Speaking further he said that it was an ‘impressive’ mandate that the President received, but the current government had faltered on that mandate.

“Mahinda Rajapaksa got a window of opportunity that no other leader has got in this country since independence.

I mean, in 2010 with the majority he got immediately after the elections and the defeat of the LTTE -after 26 years- he could have taken this country on a totally new direction, but instead it is now considered a pariah state” he said.( Hafeel Farisz)

Video by Indika Sri Aravinda-

Video: Summons issued on SF MONDAY, 24 JUNE 2013 Colombo High Court today issued summons for the second time on former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka to appear in the High Court on September 23 to give evidence for the prosecution in the case where three LTTE cadres are accused of having attempted to kill him. Judge Kumudini Wickramasinghe issued notice after she observed that he was not present in court when the case with regard to the suicide attack on Mr. Fonseka was taken up for hearing. At the outset State Counsel Tusitha Mudalige said the court’s fiscal had served the summons on the Mr. Fonseka at his office.(TFT)

Is India party to Sri Lanka’s refusal of power to the Tamils?

by G Pramod Kumar Jun 24, 2013

Rajapaksa enjoys great popularity in the Sinhala dominated South: Reuters

The bitter voices against the provincial council election in the North of Sri Lanka, which is home to majority of the country’s Tamils, betray yet another treacherous design of the Mahinda Rajapaksa government to further marginalise Tamils and homogenise the country into a Sinhala Buddhist nation.
These voices, most of which appear to be state-sponsored, are also a ploy to renege on the Rajapaksa government’s promise to the world that it would devolve power to Tamils as part of the 13th amendment that it had agreed with India under the 1987 Accord.

Is India party to Sri Lanka’s refusal of power to the Tamils by nelvely

Closed Door Meeting: Rajapaksa To Dissolve Eastern Provincial Council Before It Passes A Resolution

June 24, 2013 

At a meeting held today at Temple Trees, President Rajapaksa wanted his close political advisors to consider dissolving the Eastern Provincial Council, the Colombo Telegraph learns.

At a closed door meeting, the President has expressed his displeasure over a possible resolution of the Eastern Provincial Council opposing the Government’s move to dilute the 13th Amendment. It was pointed out that the Government in that event could get only 13 votes (i.e. Athaulla group-3, Badurdeen group-3 and SLFP-3), while those who support the 13th Amendment could get  24 votes (TNA-11, Muslim Congress-7, UNP 4 and Pilliyan-2).

Last week, at a meeting held at Main Street, Kalmunai, MinisterHakeem expressed disappointment over the Government’s move and stated that “the Government has appointed a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) without the SLMC, which is the strongest and most represented Muslim party and as such, any decision taken by such a PSC will be thrown to the dustbin”.

The President has indicated that criticism is mounting in the East against the move to amend the 13th Amendment and before the Eastern Provincial Council passes a resolution, the Council should be dissolved and the Government must take over the administration of the Province.

TNA not ready for PSC

by Ravi Ladduwahetty-2013-06-24 

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), said yesterday it is not prepared, at present, for the just-appointed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

This follows Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa announcing the appointment of 19 government members to the PSC that would comprise a total of 31 members, led by Leader of the House and Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management, Nimal Siripala de Silva.

Meanwhile, the UNP said it will nominate its members after certain issues relating to the PSC are clarified with the government.

Speaking to Ceylon Today, Deputy Leader of the TNA and Jaffna District MP, Mavai Senathirajah, said: "We are not prepared at this point in time to be part of the Parliamentary Select Committee on the 13th Amendment but we have made our position very clear, right throughout."He also said that TNA Leader, R. Sampanthan, and he had arrived from New Delhi after talks with the Indian leaders only yesterday morning, and the TNA Committee would meet this week to finalize their stand on the PSC, as well as other issues.

Senathirajah also said Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa had not written to the TNA about nominating members to the PSC.
He refused to be drawn when questioned about his Alliance's stand in this regard, vis-à-vis, the news reports that the Sri Lankan Government had told the Indian Government that police powers will not be given to the Provinces, as stipulated in the 13th Amendment, as it stands.

No curtailing of 13A- we have the silent majority MONDAY, 24 JUNE 2013  In what could be termed as a dramatic news conference in recent times, a host of senior government Ministers representing the SLFP and the left said that the government has a silent majority to defeat any attempt to curtail the 13th amendment. Pix by Nisal Baduge Pix by Nisal Baduge

Are we a bunch of hypocrites?

2013-06-24 

Intriguing word, integrity. Encarta describes it as 'the quality of possessing and steadfastly adhering to high moral principles or professional standards.' Sometime ago, one of our columnists grappled with the word, trying to define its applicability in the context of day to day living, where entrusted power is abused for personal gain and glory, where transparency, accountability, responsibility and other related principles that define good governance are relegated as non-essentials and where bribery, corruption, nepotism and hypocrisy hold sway.

His predicament is understandable. How does an individual measure his sense of integrity in an environment where things are only almost but never quite? Moot point, but it brings up an interesting question; what's the status of our integrity as a nation? Breaking news and headline stories that make us question the moral values of those mandated to represent us in Parliament and in local bodies, and those tasked with serving and protecting us, do not portend positively.

Elsewhere in these pages, a colleague lists out the reprehensible incidents of recent times that indicate how far and fast ethical standards, moral values and sheer decency have plummeted.

A Provincial Councillor, deeming himself and his family beyond reproach by virtue of his affiliation with the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), verbally abuses, threatens and humiliates a teacher for daring to discipline his daughter. A Deputy Inspector General of Police, once in charge of the Colombo Crimes Division and deemed very powerful due to his connections with the ruling hierarchy, is arrested, along with several policemen working under him, in connection with the abduction and murder of a Colombo based businessman. Rumour abounds about his complicity in a multitude of criminal acts that also includes extortion, intimidation and a series of murders. A District Judge is arrested for allegedly taking a bribe. A parliamentarian lies outright using the Parliamentary Privilege as his protective gear.

These are but a few instances of how those mandated to represent us, hoping to receive the mandate to serve us and those tasked with ensuring our safety and security, abuse their position and the trust placed in them for personal pride and monetary gain. This disregard for issues like honesty, transparency, accountability, ethical conduct, morality and basic decency, gets magnified into national issues when the government soft peddles serious issues, allows rogues and crooks to go scot free, covers up criminal action, and looks the other way when rules are bent and laws are broken. It then tops these transgressions by promoting family and friends to higher places, covering up bad economic decisions with high taxes, and forcing the public to pay for its mistakes with the ever-increasing cost of living.

These acts of omissions and commissions by the State actors are reflected in the overall degeneration of society's moral values. We see undergrads responding to rejection with bloody knife attacks, students responding to legitimate questioning with physical assault, and beggars having millions in their bank accounts.

As much as integrity is about issues like honesty (a refusal to lie, steal, or deceive in any way), honour (which suggests an active or anxious regard for the standards of one's profession, calling, or position), Probity (tried and proven honesty or truthfulness) and incorruptibility (trustworthiness and truthfulness to a degree that one is incapable of being false to a trust, responsibility or pledge and incapable of being bribed or morally corrupted), it is also about good governance, which in turn reflects how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources in order to guarantee the realization of human rights.

So what is the status of our integrity as a nation? Where does Sri Lanka stand with regard to the principles of integrity; where do our political parties stand; where do our public sector and private sector stand and significantly where do we as individuals stand? As we ponder this, it's worth reflecting on the antonym of integrity, which is hypocrisy and ask ourselves the question, are we turning into hypocrites?

US embassy officer met TNA parliament​arians

[ Monday, 24 June 2013, 01:11.29 PM GMT +05:30 ]

US embassy officer of political affairs Michel Irvin met Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian C.Yogeswaran and P.Ariyanendiran on Sunday evening.

During the time of discussion officer questioned parliamentarians on stance of eastern people, activities of Tamil National Alliance, present political situation, problems between Tamil- Muslim communities and also problems faced by TNA on 13th constitutional amendment. Responding to these questions TNA parliamentarians said they were not permitted to serve independently and also face continues threats from members of army intelligence unit. People maintain relationship with TNA members were warned by intelligence unit members. TNA mp’s also brief about land acquisition, constructing temples, resettling Sinhala people in Tamils area, Indian housing project and also specially on attacks on religious sites in the northern and eastern provinces.

The government’s wasteful spending

Monday, 24 June 2013 

The government has purchased vehicles to the cost of Rs. 371,110,000 in the month of May.

Also, the Telecommunications and Information Technology Ministry has spent an additional sum of Rs. 125,000,000 for the 2013 Deyata Kirula exhibition.

Interestingly, the additional monies have been spent by the Ministry since the funds allocated from the budget was not sufficient.

The government continues to engage in wasteful spending in this manner even when the state debt and interest payments are on a steady increase.

Govt. decision against liquor, casino licences most welcome

June 23, 2013, 8:35 pm 

I thank the president for his assurance that there will be no new licences issued for casinos in Sri Lanka at a meeting of news paper editors in temple trees recently. Casino was brought to Sri Lanka by the UNP Government in the 1980s and I remember Joe Sim was the Casino kingpin at that time. He has also told the media heads at a meeting that no liquor licences will be issued during his tenure.

Casinos may help rake in revenue for the government and even promote tourism but it is harmful to the culture of Sri Lanka which is a Buddhist country and therefore no licences should be granted for them. It is also imperative to close down all the liquor shops/bars in our country since 60% Sri Lankans consume liquor. I very often see people pushing and shoving at liquor outlets before Poya Days in a mad scramble to replenish their stocks as the sale of liquor is prohibited during days of religious significance.

I urge the Buddhists clergy or the Bodu Bala Sena to commence a campaign to discourage the people from consuming liquor and consuming meat without engaging in activities of causing communal disharmony and arousing racial feelings among the peace loving people of Sri Lanka.

Confining the existing casinos confined to a special zone to be created for that purpose may be considered a way out.

Z. A .M. Shukoor

UK DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED ABOUT LACK OF LEGAL ACTION ON TANGALLE MURDER

 

June 24, 2013 

The UK expressed its deep disappointment at the fact that trial proceedings have not yet commenced on the murder of British citizen Khuram Shaikh and the assault on his partner Victoria in Tangalle even 18 months after the incident.

The statement released by the British High Commission in Colombo read that the High Commission continues to call for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

Khuram Shaikh, who was a worker for the Red Cross, was holidaying in Tangalle when he was involved in a brawl following which he was shot dead and his partner brutally assaulted.

Full statement from the British High Commission:

It is now 18 months since the murder of British citizen Khuram Shaikh, and assault on his partner Victoria, while they were on holiday in Tangalle. The British High Commission is deeply disappointed that trial proceedings have not yet commenced and continues to call for the perpetrators of this terrible crime to be brought to justice. As well as being important for Mr Shaikh’s family, justice being done will bring some assurance and peace of mind for other British tourists who visit Sri Lanka each year.

Fishermen alarmed by Chinese vessels under Lankan flag

K. A. MARTIN-
KOCHI, June 23, 2013

Fishermen’s organisations and boat owners in Kerala are wringing their hands over Sri Lankan government’s recent decision to let more than a dozen Chinese fishing vessels to operate under the island country’s flag under an arrangement called ‘distant water fishing’.

The arrangement lets a country’s fishing fleet to scoop up marine wealth from another country’s exclusive economic zone for money.

On Saturday, a statement by Matsya Thozhilali Aikya Vedi said the move to let Chinese vessels operate close to common fishing ground between India and Sri Lanka would affect the livelihood of thousands of fishermen.

The Chinese vessels, reported to be more than 150 feet long, would sweep clean India’s best deep-sea fishing resource in the Wadge Bank, south of Cape Comorin and extending up to Sri Lanka over an area of about 4,000 sq. miles, which was a common fishing ground for the two neighbouring countries, claimed Charles George, convenor of the Aikya Vedi.

He said one of the resources that would be hauled away in mammoth scale by the industry-scale boats operating in the sea off India would be oceanic tuna which the country has just begun to exploit.

A scientist studying tuna catch and business said fallout of high level of tuna fishing in the common fishing ground had begun to show with the tuna catch by Indian fishermen plummeting since 2008.

Lakshwadeep fishermen specialised in skipjack tuna had reported serious catch reduction. The total catch fell from 8,000 tonnes to 1,500 tonnes in 2011. But last year saw some improvement with tuna catch going up to 2,500 tonnes, said E. M. Abdussamad, senior scientist at Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute.

He said tuna were a migratory species and fishing in the Chagos Lakkadeve Ridge area, which runs close to India and through which large schools of tuna migrate, had a big impact on the stock of tuna.

Nine species of tuna are there in Indian waters. India has a potential to net 1.7 lakh tonnes of the commercially important oceanic tuna a year. However, the country has been catching only around 25,000 tonnes a year so far. The Chinese vessels will likely snatch away a share of this meagre catch too.

However, coastal tuna, swimming closer to the shores, were well-exploited with landings amounting to around 80,000 tonnes out of an estimated potential for more than one lakh tonnes, said Dr. Abdussamad.

Mr. George said overexploitation of tuna resources had landed fishermen in the Maldives in trouble. And in India, fishermen in Koclachel, Kanyakumari district faced a similar fate. Mechanised Boat Owners’ Association said issues like this one had been brought to the notice of the Union government six months ago in a memorandum.

Joseph Xavier Kalappurakkal of the association said more than 70 Letters of Permission had been issued to foreign vessels to operate in the seas off the Indian coasts. He said there was no way to check how many vessels exploit resources in Indian Exclusive Economic Zone, and warned that Indian deep sea resources were being exploited without any check.

Mr. George alleged that at least a hundred vessels were trawling in waters close to Indian economic zone and sometimes within the territory, indiscriminately harvesting resources like oceanic squid.

Don’t Regret Failing To Adopt ‘No-Regret Policies’

By W.A Wijewardena -June 24, 2013 

Dr. W.A. Wijewardena

Don’t regret failing to adopt ‘No-regret policies’ to tackle impending ‘climate change catastrophe’

‘Win-win policies’ by King Parakramabahu the Great

According to Sri Lanka’s Chronicle Chulavansa, King Parakramabahu, the Great, who ruled the country during 1153 to 1186 CE had built a dam across Deduru Oya to create a reservoir to store water on his becoming the lord of a sub-kingdom called Dakhshina Desha prior to the ascendency to the throne.

Don’t Regret Failing To Adopt ‘No-Regret Policies’ by nelvely

What’s going on at Kudankulam?

M. RAMESH-une 23, 2013

It’s going to take some more time for Kudankulam to get started.

The Site Director at the Kudankulam nuclear power project, R.S. Sundar, is a man apparently wizened by experience.

When Business Line asked him if the project would really start producing power in July (the latest revised deadline), his response was as honest as it was terse: “We hope.”

What’s going on at Kudankulam by nelvely

Ibsen’s Doll’s House translated into Eezham Tamil in Norway

Photograph of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) [Photo courtesy: National Library, Oslo]

[TamilNet, Monday, 24 June 2013, 00:02 GMT]
Modernism’s world famous playwright Henrik Ibsen’s Et Dukkehjem (A Doll’s House) has found earlier translations in Tamil. But what is special about the present translation by Kasinather Sivapalan is that it is in spoken Eezham Tamil, making the reading and staging of the play homely to Eezham Tamils in their country and in the diaspora across the world. A Doll’s House, written in 1879 and said to be the world’s most performed play by the early 20th century, is not new to Eezham Tamils. Even 50 years ago it was staged in Jaffna, scripted in Tamil and directed by veteran writer, the late Mr E. Mahadeva (Thevan-Yaazhppaa’nam), who was Mr Sivapalan’s teacher at Jaffna Hindu College. The current translation by Mr Sivapalan, produced in Norway where he is in exile now, comes as a publication of Mithra Arts and Creations in Chennai. 
K Sivapalan

Ibsen’s Doll’s House translated into Eezham Tamil in Norway by nelvely