Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Anushiya Sundaralingam’s Root @ Belfast

August 20, 2013

Anushiya Sundaralingam’s new body of work, ‘Root’, consists of print and mixed media work.

Originally from Sri Lanka, Anushiya relocated to the UK in 1989, where she studied at Brooks University, Oxford before moving to Belfast where she completed a BA (Hons) in Fine & Applied Arts at the University of Ulster.

This exhibition features a mixed media installation that includes print and textile, alongside a series of prints. A common theme and characteristic of Anushiya’s work is the recurring application of layers. Whatever the medium, she applies and reapplies multiple layers until the desired effect of colour, texture and form has been achieved.

Telephone:+44 (0)28 9023 1323

Fax:+44 (0)28 9023 0323

Email: gallery@belfastprintworkshop.org.uk

Website: www.belfastprintworkshop.org.uk

Invitation: ‘Was It A Just War? How Can We Get To A Just Peace?’

Invitation: ‘Was It A Just War? How Can We Get To A Just Peace?’-August 20, 2013

Govt. puts on best face ahead of CHOGM, Pillay visit

by Ranga Jayasuriya-Tuesday, 20 Aug 2013

With two crucial events in its political calendar, the government is trying to put on its best face to the world. It has vouched to retrain itself as it braces for more troubles.

The two events are the forthcoming visit by the UN Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillay, later this month and the Commonwealth Heads of the Government Meeting (CHOGM) scheduled for November this year.

Govt. Puts on Best Face Ahead of CHOGM, Pillay Visit by nelvely

Muslim Congress to quit Government

by LAKSHMI JAYAKODI-Tuesday, 20 Aug 2013

There is a strong possibility of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leaving the government before the Provincial Council elections are held, political sources revealed.

This situation has risen due to the growing disenchantment of Muslim voters with the SLMC, which they charge is drifting away from the people and becoming a sycophant partner of the government.

National Organizer of the SLMC, Shafeek Rajabdeen, confirmed that discussions in this regard are underway, within the party.

He also charged that a conspiracy to elbow out their Party from the government is taking place at present, and therefore working together with the government is not an easy task any longer. He stressed the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), who are affiliated to the government, are trying to edge them out of the government. Moreover, the government is also attempting to create a rift within the Party, using the SLMC Chairman, Minister Segu Dawood, for their sinister purposes. "We will defeat such moves," he said.

He was highly critical of the government's inaction with regard to the removal of 14 mosques by antagonistic parties, as well as the government's failure to condemn the Grandpass incident. He said the government had failed to discuss the situation with the SLMC.

Rajabdeen also said the government was unhappy about their decision to contest the election alone. There is speculation that after the election, Rauff Hakeem's portfolio could change. However, sources said Hakeem had remarked he will continue to hold on to his ministry until the President removes him from the post.

Powerless Justice Minister seeking Justice from the President

by Rajasingham Jayadevan-Sunday, August 18, 2013

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President and Rauf Hakeem

( August 18, 2013, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The jumbo cabinet that suits the political needs of Mahinda Rajapakse’s family rule is proving to be a fiasco and the Justice Minister Rahuf Hakeem is a typical highlight of the powerless ministerial portfolios held by the gutless ministers for strange reasons

Desperate Muslim Ministers including Minister of Justice Rahuf Hakeem made a frantic plea few days ago appealing to the ‘President to advise the legal authorities to enforce the law against those have acted against the national unity’ over the anti-Muslim violence in the Grandpass.

Here comes the question of what is the delegated responsibility of a Justice Minister? Isn’t it managing the judiciary to perform according to the law through the judicial departments of the state?

The very disparaging act of serving the carte blanch to the Chief Justice Shiranee Bandaranayake took place under Rauf Hakeem as Justice Minister whom to this date has not condemned or condoned the actions of the President, except for going with the winds to safeguard some meager benefits deriving from holding his ministerial position.

The lukewarm approach of the Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem staying in the government and speaking for the justice of the Muslims when injustices are done so blatantly is condemnable and is a façade and makes the whole Muslim community vulnerable to the highhanded state oppression. This besides his responsibility to be the guardian of justice for other vulnerable communities in Sri Lanka.

The contradictory Minister is more on the run to Arabic states to seek justice for his people than discharging his duties efficiently for the deliverance of justice, foremost at the moment is to his own Muslim community. Ducking and diving without firing the shots at the right time only certifies the poodle politics of Rauf Hakeem.

Rauf Hakeem remains disgraced by the very state machinery he represents as the Justice Minister. But his proverbial mindset will know to dance to the puppet songs without the true leadership that is wanted at this time of need.

The very Rauf Hakeem was the witness to the imperious conduct of the state when brute force was used against Rt.Gen Sarath Fonseka to arrest him soon after the last Presidential election. The gutless Justice Minister did not put his name forward as a witness to the dastardly act and continued with his ingenious politics to suit his own needs.

What is very clear with Rauf is, he is a minister who is indisposed of powers needed for the Minister and is struggling to untie his twisted knots for some unknown reasons.

The questions comes whether President is holding the triumph card to give a hammer blow to Rauf Hakeem if he ever attempt to show his fingers to the government. Or it could be that, the President must be supported by an able psychiatric consultant who advised the President of the mindset of Rauf Hakeem and all the others associated in the Presidents governance to give the twist with right doses when issues arise.

Mere procrastination by being with the government will only make the resolve of the extremist regime of Mahinda Rajapakse to continue with the authoritarian family rule for some time to come whist the right wing extremism grows to a monstrous scale due to failures of leaders like Rauf Hakeem.

Sick child dies while doctor watches TV

A four-year-old child died due to medical negligence after admission to a hospital in the Rattota area of Matale District, sources said.

The child is Pamudha Hirushan of Pallegama, Pitakanda in Rattota. The child had fallen sick on Vesak Poya Day after he returned home from a pilgrimage to the Aluvihare Temple in Matale.

The child’s mother, Damayanthi Kumari said, “When we took the child to hospital, the doctor was watching TV. I pleaded with the doctor to help. He told me that the child had had a fit. A little later, he informed me that the child was OK, and went back to watch TV. Had he been more a little more attentive, my child would have been saved.”

The child’s father was too distressed to speak. (Ruwan Dananjaya-Rattota)

Naked body of woman with several injuries recovered in Chavakatchcheri

[ Tuesday, 20 August 2013, 12:51.07 PM GMT +05:30 ]

Naked body of woman with several injuries recovered from house at Chavakatchcheri last morning, police sources said.

According to the police victim identified as Chidhambarampillay Nandhaayini (57) and severed in private organization. Victim lived alone in the residence.
Postmortem examinations would be carrying out at the Jaffna Teaching hospital and police conduct further inquiries on this alleged murder.

“HOLDING ELECTIONS IS A DUTY OF THE CIVIL ADMINISTRATION - POLICE ADEQUATE TO PROVIDE SECURITY FOR ELECTIONS “ - CAFFE NATIONAL ORGANIZER AHMED MANAS IN KILINOCHCHI

2013-08-20

CaFFE Kilinochchi District office open
Holding elections is a duty of the civil administration and the police force has been responsible of providing security during the electoral process since the inception of modern elections, said Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) National Organizer, Ahmed Manas. Kilinochchi police is capable of providing security for the elections manas added.
"Elections are a part of civilan affairs. State officials, politicians and voters participate in elections in a relaxed manner.That is why elections are a civilian affair," Manas said.
The CaFFE office was declared open by Kilinochchi Community Police division ML Arifdeen. "An election without violence is a free and fair election. Police is committed to assure a violence free election and election monitors play a vital role in ensuring a free and fair election," Arifdeen said.
CaFFE Organizer for the Northern Province Thilak Samantha and a large number of persons attended the event.

CaFFE Media Unit

POLITICAL LEADERSHIP MUST PREVENT CANDIDATES FROM ATTENDING EVENTS ORGANIZED BY THE SECURITY FORCES

2013-08-20 logo

Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) expresses its surprise at United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) candidate for Northern Province, M Remedius attending an event organized by the army in Nawanthurei, Jaffna yesterday (August 19.) Mr. Remedius is a lawyer by profession and has an excellent understanding of election laws, however he has attempted to gain undue political mileage by attending an event organized by the army. CaFFE believes that all political party leaders and general secretaries must take action to prevent similar incidents from reoccuring.

Army officers, who are esponsible for assuring safety and security, should not involve themselves in elections, which is an intrincic part of civil administration. This was reiterated during a discussion between the Commissioner of Elections and leaders of political parties where it was agreed that security forces should not invove in election related activities. Department of Elections also agreed not to involve army personnel in any part of the electoral process. In such a context candidates should not attend events organized by security forces.

When Elections Department personnel arrived at the meeting to investigate a complaint they received, there was a conflict in opinion between elections officials and army personnel. This is a serious issue as CaFFE is of the opinion that elections officials and the security forces should have a similar opinion about election related matters to ensure a free and fair election. CaFFE believes that the Commisioner of Elections who is currently visiting the North will give the matter the attention it deserves and ease the tension.

Fear of losing election prompts CWC attack: NUW

TUESDAY, 20 AUGUST 2013

Nuwara Eliya District MP and National Workers Union (NWU) Deputy Leader S. P. Rajathurai told a news conference today that the attack orchestrated by the supporters of Minister Arumugam Thondaman was a reaction to his crossing over from the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) to the NWU.

Mr. Rajathurai said the CWC supporters feared that the Government would use him as a ‘trump card’ to defeat the CWC whose supporters had even alleged that he took large sums of money as an inducement to cross over.

He said this animosity was what prompted the attack. Mr. Rajathurai denied allegations against him and said the reason for his crossing over was because he sidelined by the CWC. He said within weeks of joining the NWU he was made the party’s deputy leader.
NWU Leader P. Digambaran said the attack was solely motivated by fear of defeat in the upcoming elections. He said the NWU could have retaliated but refrained from doing so because it did not believe in stooping to such levels to win an election. (Jehan Gunasekara)

Another victim of intraparty violence -NWU Kotagala organizer stabbed in Hatton

Details: Created On Tuesday, 20 August 2013 06:41; Category: General

After UPFA’s Digambaran and Thondaman clash in Kotagala

Kotagala organizer of the National Workers Union (NWU,) Kumar has been stabbed in Hatton Town after a clash between supporters of Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and NWU, both constituent parties of United Peoples Freedom Alliance at Commercial Junction, Kotagala today (August 19.) 14 vehicles have been damaged and several individuals have been injured.

MPs P Digambaram and P Rajadurei (NWU) were traveling to Hatton from Nuwara Eliya in a convoy of vehicles when supporters Minister Arumugam Thondaman attacked them. Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) observes that this is the most serious election related instance of violence in Nuwara Eliya. Rajadurei, who recently resigned from the CWC, joined the NWU yesterday. With this, instances of election related violence rises to nine.

National Organzier of NWA Sridharan said their Kotagala organizer, Kumar was stabbed in Hatton Town while he was leaving home after lodging a complaint with the police. He has been admitted to Glendon hospital, Hatton

This is the latest in a series of violent incidents in Kotagala. CaFFE observes that due to the influence of Minister Thondaman, law is not properly implemented in the area. This is a scenario which we had noted in recent previous elections.

India closely monitoring polls in North

TUESDAY, 20 AUGUST 2013

The Indian Consul General in Jaffna said that India was closely monitoring the Northern Provincial Council elections.

Addressing a media conference on Monday, Consul General V. Mahalingam said they hoped the elections, held after the lapse of many years would be conducted in a free and fair manner.

“If there is any violence, the Elections Commission should take necessary action. We will observe the situation. We are also closely monitoring the elections,” he said.

“Sri Lanka’s External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris was in India to extend India’s invitation for the forthcoming CHOGM. During his visit, he also discussed the 13th Amendment with Indian Prime Minister,” he said.(S. K. Prasath)

SINGH REFUSES TO COMMENT ON PARTICIPATION IN CHOGM

August 20, 2013

Singh refuses to comment on participation in CHOGM

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday refrained from committing his participation in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meet (CHOGM) in Colombo, as political parties from Tamil Nadu (TN) in Parliament demanded his boycott.

The prime minister has received a formal invitation from Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to attend the CHOGM 2013, to be held in the capital Colombo between November 15-17.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister G L Peiris called on Singh in New Delhi on Monday to invite him on behalf of the Sri Lankan government.

Singh did not make any commitment about the level of New Delhi’s participation in the next biennial summit of the 54-member Commonwealth of Nations. Official sources, however, said that he thanked Peiris and the Sri Lankan government for the gesture.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its rival the All India Anna DMK (AIADMK) raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, urging the government to boycott the meet in protest against the alleged human rights violations by the Sri Lankan Army during the final crackdown on the LTTE in 2009.

AIADMK MP V Maithreyan told the Rajya Sabha that any high-level participation from India would be tantamount to endorsing the alleged violation of human rights of the minority Tamils in Sri Lanka.

- Deccan Herald

“Para Dhemalā”

By Charles Sarvan -August 20, 2013

Prof. Charles Sarvan

“…an alien Tamil speaking group with little or no history in the island” (Sunday Island, Colombo. 25 January, 2004, p. 7), quoted in my essay, ‘Reign of Anomy’.

I don’t remember hearing Sinhala spoken in the Jaffna of my childhood, but I’m over 75 and no longer trust my memory: perhaps, Sinhala was spoken here and there. Be that as it may, it’s not relevant to what follows.

We shifted to Colombo when I was 14, and I was almost immediately sent to St Thomas’, Gurutalawa (see “Recollections of Gurutalawa,” Sunday Island, 5 July 2009). The context in which the word para was used, both at boarding-school, in Colombo and elsewhere; the accompanying tone of voice and facial expression, all indicated contempt, dismissal and rejection. Para was linked to Parayā (low caste) and that sufficed to convey meaning to me.

It was reading Michael Roberts several years ago that brought me to another, and far more significant, meaning of para, namely, “foreign”. I think even those who have recently expressed disappointment with him will admit that not many can match the reading and knowledge Michael has on Sri Lankan history and anthropology. (I feel free to use the familiar “Michael”. I met him even before we both entered the University of Peradeniya in 1957.)

In his Sinhala-ness and Sinhala Nationalism, Michael writes that the term para Read More

On Rudrakumaran’s Opportunistic Hypocrisy Of Reconciliation

By Amjad Saleem -August 21, 2013

Amjad Saleem

A recent post in the Colombo Telegraph by the ‘PM of the TGTE’ expressed solidarity with the Muslim community whilst “extending our fullest support to the Muslim people, we also extend our solidarity to the Muslim community, as a community whose mother tongue is also Tamil, asking them to join the Tamils in their struggle to build a secure future for all in the Tamil state”. The article was written on the back of rising incidents of attack against the Muslim community by extreme Buddhist groups.

I not only found this article laughable but highly delusional in the assumptions that the Muslim community would entertain any notion of an alliance with the TGTE, whose singular premise has been to extend the LTTE mantra and campaign on a separate Tamil state. Making this statement, the TGTE was not necessarily ‘concerned’ about the Muslim community per se, but it was aimed at showing the ‘intolerance’ of Sinhala Buddhist chauvinism. At quite a crucial time for Sri Lanka, during the anniversaries of the Black July pogroms 30 years ago, the article aims to draw parallels with then and now and to show that nothing has changed. Yet interestingly it seems to have taken the TGTE 4 years since the end of the conflict (and the occasions of these incidents) to publicly reach out to the Muslim community

At one level, it is rather presumptuous and hypocritical of the PM of the TGTE to call for solidarity with Muslims and to suggest that there is a secure future for them in a Tamil state. The experience of the Muslims with the Tamils has far from been the case. Without acknowledging let alone at least apologising for what took place in Jaffna and the north in 1990, with the ethnic cleansing of the Muslim community by the LTTE, the TGTE’s sincerity will be questioned and the notion of the safe presence of Muslims in a Tamil state is merely academic.

Sri Lankan foreign minister G L Peiris’s visit to India presents New Delhi an opportunity to communicate its serious concerns over recent developments in the island nation, such as the move to dilute provisions of the 13th Amendment ahead of crucial provincial polls, the ongoing crackdown of its security forces on dissent and continuing repression of the minorities. Peiris is scheduled to meet prime minister Manmohan Singh on Monday, when he will hand over a formal invitation for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo in November. He will also call on external affairs minister Salman Khurshid.

A three-day visit by Sri Lanka’s main Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe also starts from Monday. The visits come ahead of Sri Lanka’s much-awaited provincial council election in Tamil-dominated northern areas to be held on September 21 after a gap of 25 years. President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government has threatened to dilute its provisions. India must take a firm stand and press Colombo to honour its repeated promises to go for a 13th amendment plus formula.

Sri Lankan authorities have continued to dither on past promises at the Human Rights Council or pay heed to the serious concerns raised by the international community. With CHOGM around the corner, the world’s eyes remain on the government’s human rights record. As it signalled at the UN Human Rights Council in March, India must press Colombo for an “independent and credible investigation” into thousands of cases of disappearances and extrajudicial killings during and after the 2009 war. These violations also figure in the report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission. A permanent solution to the conflict between Indian and Sri Lankan fisherfolk is another issue that New Delhi must take up with Colombo. Efforts to work out a new joint-fishing agreement between the two countries should be stepped up to create an amicable atmosphere for sharing the marine wealth.

'NO FIRE ZONE - THE KILLING FIELDS OF SRI LANKA

No external solutions to Lanka's internal issues: Rajapaksa

PTI | Aug 19, 2013

COLOMBO: President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday told his political rivals not to internationalise Sri Lanka's problems and instead look to settle them internally.

"Some go to India and utter different things while others go to US and do same," Rajapaksa told a public gathering on Monday in the hill country resort of Nuwara Eliya.

He was referring to the current visit to India by the main opposition leader Ranil Wickremesingheand a delegation of the main Tamil party, TNA who is on a tour of the US.

"I don't want to talk about the Western nations who preach to us about the values," Rajapaksa said.

He said that Sri Lankans must talk to their government to find solutions to issues than confronting them, in an obvious reference to the August 1 incident at Weliweriya.

At least three people were killed while 30 others were injured as the army was called in to quell public protests by villagers clamouring for clean drinking water.

The government came in for local and international criticism for the armed crackdown on the unarmed villagers.

"People must engage with the government in order to look for solutions and not clash with it," the President said.

Meanwhile the main opposition UNP on Monday reiterated its demand for an international investigation into the Weliweriya incident.

"We call upon the government to allow for an international investigation rather than attempting to cover it up," Tissa Attanayake, UNP general secretary said.

How the West wages wars and offers peace solutions

by Pearl Thevanayagam-

(August 19, 2013, London , Sri Lanka Guardian) Conflict resolution became a byword in the ‘90s among peaceniks following wars fought within and outside nations liberally endorsed mainly by the West,

namely US, USSR, UK among others who generously provided weapons both to the governments and their opponents at a price. This is also a modern US invention while it provokes and promotes wars as it skips along its merry way selling arms to both the governments and its enemies; whoever pays the bigger price.

How the West Wages Wars and Offers Peace Solutions by nelvely

Survival And Living

By Arjuna Seneviratne -August 20, 2013

Arjuna Seneviratne

There is a joke that goes like this: If someone says “let me clarify that point”, it only means that the audience has understood that point a bit too well. My previous too posts on environment and development both come under that category. So, both as an apology and a giggly synthesis (not clarification), here is a sort of tying of threads.

The world is in a pretty serious mess. Have I said that already? Haven’t we all said that already? Like about a trillion billion times? A day? heh. Quit trying to regenerate and sustain the planet, just surviving today is a tough enough challenge right? wrong!

When the word “survival” has become the dominant daily thought in the minds of the majority of earth’s human inhabitants and the word “living” gets relegated to fashion magazines and lifestyle pullouts in the trendier newspapers, Houston, we got a problem!