YIPI Protege Returns to Policing

A total of 1,175 city high school students have graduated from the Service’s Youth In Policing Initiative (YIPI) summer and after-school programs. Among them is Thushanth Selvakumar, who was in the inaugural 2006 summer class.

He has made history by becoming the first  YIPI graduate to be hired as a police officer by the Service.

YIPI Protege Returns to Policing by nelvely

Lok Sabha Election Spelling A Difference In 2014

By S. Sivathasan -April 24, 2014 

S. Sivathasan

Phase of Predictability 

Narendra Modi has been making a proud assertion that even as elections were announced, results too were announced on the same day. This phenomenon obtained from 1951 to 1971 at 5 elections. In all five, vote share ranged from 40.8% to 47.8%, for the same winning party – Conngress – led by Nehru and later by Indira Gandhi. At 4 of the 5, seat strength reached 371 from 352. Congress rule stretched from 1947 to 1977. So for a quarter century which party will win, how much will popular support be and who the Prime Minister will be were accurately predictable. For all 30 years Nehru and Indira had their commanding presence. Congress credentials had their alluring appeal. Fortunes which changed to an unbelievable low in 1977 were restored to an incredible high in 1984 and it remained so till 1989.

Since then for 25 years, no party obtained an absolute majority at no less than 7 consecutive elections. Seat strength for a single national party, the Congress varied from 114 to 244. Popular vote for the Congress in the writer’s estimate is estimated to decline from 50% in 1984 to 20% in 2014. Seats for the BJP at 2 in 1984 are escalating to a predicted 280 in 2014.

This phenomenal contrast in a mere 30 years conveys the agility with which the Indian electorate can change its stance. The voting millions of varied ethnicities, religious persuasions and political hues, taken as a composite whole have displayed a remarkable unity in their consciousness and reaction. In the first quarter century after independence when the Congress was the very epitome of dedication and commitment to making India great, to who else could they have voted? Was there anyone to match Nehru and Indira to be Prime Minister and to lead the nation?

What is most striking is Indians thinking alike and supporting effusively the same persona till 1971. Iceberg like movement en masse was the feature of electoral behavior in 1977 and 1984. From 1989 when successive governments failed them and belied their expectations there were long spells of disillusionment. What followed were unstable governments made weaker still by sectarian alliance partners.

To the writer, the 2014 election in very simple terms is a choice between Indecisiveness andResoluteness. As of now today, 64% of the voters shall have delivered their decision.            Read More                             

Clashes spread across eastern Ukraine; up to 5 pro-Russian activists reported killed

Video: Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the Ukrainian government's use of force in light of clashes between Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists near the city of Slovyansk on Thursday.

By William Booth and Michael Birnbaum, Updated: Thursday, April 24, 12:26 PM

Clashes spread across eastern Ukraine-Gallery

SLOVYANSK, Ukraine — Ukrainian security forces killed “up to five” pro-Russian activists Thursday in the restive eastern part of the country, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said, as Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned any use of the Ukrainian military against its own citizens.

Clashes Spread Across Eastern Ukraine; Up to 5 Pro-Russian Activists Reported Killed by nelvely

Afghanistan, February 2011

FEB 28, 2011

Earlier this month, the U.S. military began a withdrawal from the Pech Valley in eastern Afghanistan, a narrow canyon where U.S. forces have been battling insurgents for the past 8 years. American officials say the reason for the withdrawal is to be able to refocus its efforts on providing security to the Afghan capital, Kabul. More than 100 American soldiers have died in the Pech Valley since 2003. Across Afghanistan, 34 NATO personnel were killed this month, bringing the total to 60 deaths so far this year. Civilian casualties have been much higher than usual recently, as both insurgent attacks and NATO raids have reportedly killed scores of Afghan citizens across the country. As NATO forces prepare for warmer weather and anticipate more fighting, President Hamid Karzai now claims to be in talks with the United States about the possible establishment of permanent U.S. military bases in his country. Collected here are images of Afghanistan and the continued conflict there during the month of February. [38 photos]

                                                                           More 

1.6 million Americans don’t have indoor plumbing. Here’s where they live

                                                            As it turns out, a lot of people. According to the latest American Community Survey, nearly 630,000 occupied households lack complete plumbing facilities, which means that they are without one or more of the following: a toilet, a tub or shower, or running water. The Census Bureau says that the average household contains 2.6 individuals, which means that today, in 2014, in the wealthiest nation on Earth, upwards of 1.6 million people are living without full indoor plumbing.

An outhouse near McCall, Idaho. Photo by Flickr user Charles Knowles, used under a Creative Commons License.

• BY CHRISTOPHER INGRAHAM-April 23

The Pew Research Center's excellent FactTank blog reported Tuesday that the Census Bureau is considering dropping a number of questions from its American Community Survey. The ACS has been a perennial target of Republican lawmakers, who say that its questions on everything from household income to commute times constitute an invasion of privacy.

1.6 Million Americans Don’t Have Indoor Plumbing. Here’s Where They Live by nelvely

Ukraine: government troops move against pro-Russian separatists - live updates

LIVE

• Ukrainian troops move into Slavyansk and Donetsk
• Obama warns of new sanctions
• Russia says Geneva deal 'to be implemented in steps'
• Read a summary of key events so far

Ukrainian special forces take position in eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk on Thursday. Photograph: Kirill 

• Thursday 24 April 2014-
• • Mark Tran

The Russian mobilization: Many photographs and video (here andhere, via The Interpreter live blog) are emerging of moving tanks, armoured personnel carriers and other materiel in what is said to be the area of Novoshakhtinsk, just on the Russia side of the eastern Ukraine border. The Guardian has not independently confirmed the veracity of the images, which come from multiple sources and were uploaded at around the same time. The Russian military buildup on the border has been going on for weeks. Here's an example from today via BBC Russian correspondent Olga Ivshina:                      Full Story>>> 

Has Assad infiltrated rebel forces inside Syria?

THURSDAY 24 APRIL 2014

Hundreds of foreigners could unknowingly be fighting for President Assad following reports of a deal struck between the regime and extremist group Isis

Has Assad Infiltrated Rebel Forces Inside Syria by nelvely

I boycotted Primark after the tragedy of Rana Plaza for a more ethical wardrobe

It's never been easier to dress ethically, whether it's buying vintage or checking retailers' policy online

Cheap T-shirts in Primark's flagship Oxford Street store in London. Photograph: Graeme Robertson

Alannah Francis

Thursday 24 April 2014 

A year ago, I was just like any other fashion-conscious female on a budget. A large section of my wardrobe came from popular retailer Primark, which allowed me to satisfy my desire to covet the latest season must-haves without breaking the bank. But then the Rana Plaza factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh, collapsed and, with it, 1,129 people lost their lives and almost 3,000 people were injured.

In the days following the disaster, I read article after article highlighting the poor working conditions of those making clothes for a number of household names including Primark, Mango and many more. As a former Primark employee I took an active interest in the story, and the closing sentence of an article by Susanna Rustin particularly struck me: "Some of us are wearing clothes sewn by those killed this week in Dhaka."

As I considered the reality that people had died making clothes like the ones I purchased – bought not for necessity but to fuel my fast fashion addiction – I felt that I needed to make a drastic change. Up until this point I hadn't cared much about the people who made my clothes – how could I if I'd knowingly been complicit in furthering the demand for cheap, disposable fashion? And so I decided that I would be as picky about where my clothes came from as I was about the origins of my food. For me, this meant no more Primark, developing a curiosity about the origins of clothes – and dusting off my sewing machine.

A month before the factory collapse I had signed up to be an Oxfam Fashion DIY blogger. I became part of an online community that blogs about ethical fashion and give tips to readers on how to upcycle those items that they'd usually donate to a charity shop or even throw away. It was the perfect environment for me to move towards a more ethical wardrobe. Learning how to give denim shorts I'd grown tired of a new lease of life, swapping clothes with friends and buying vintage reinforced how careless I'd been when it came to clothes. I still buy some new items, but I research retailers' ethics first.

My decision to boycott Primark – which this week announced US expansion plans – isn't one that I'm suggesting everyone should make. It was a personal choice that I made in response to a tragic event. I do think that as consumers, we need to face up to the realities of where our clothes come from, how they are made, and combat what I would argue is an unhealthy obsession with fast fashion.

Today it's even easier to say no to unethical fashion, while still saying yes to style. Vintage shopping is one trend that seems to be here to stay, and the rise of clothes swap events such as the The Stylist's Rail make shopping with a clear conscience a no-brainer for the fashion-conscious. To find out how ethical your favourite retailers are, you can start by checking their policies online.

To mark the first year since the Rana Plaza factory collapse, ethical organisations have united for Fashion Revolution Day. The movement is working to improve the conditions for those who make our clothes and increase awareness among consumers about the true cost of cheap clothes. My solitary boycott of Primark won't make retailers take note, but it's possible that global initiatives like Fashion Revolution Day will.

Why Sri Lanka is Severing TiesBetween Tamils at Home and Abroad

• BY J. S. TISSAINAYAGAM-APRIL 21, 2014

Days after the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted a resolution calling for an international inquiry into war crimes in Sri Lanka, the Colombo government began moving to cut links between the country's Tamil minority and its powerful diaspora. The Tamil diaspora, many of whom were driven out of Sri Lanka due to atrocities committed by government troops and rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters, is expected to play a prominent role in presenting evidence at the inquiry, expected to begin later this year.

Why Sri Lanka is Severing TiesBetween Tamils at Home and Abroa by nelvely

People Have Lost Faith In The Judiciary Sans Its Credibility

By Savika Manawadu -April 23, 2014 

Ministers G L Peiris and Mahinda Samarasinghe state that the government of Sri Lanka has no faith in the inquiry into human rights abuses undertaken by the UNHRC. They claim that Sri Lanka has an independent, robust justice system to inquire into any such allegations and any international inquiry into human rights abuses in Sri Lanka lacks credibility.

Given the total control of the Judiciary under the grip of the Executive President, it is quite natural that the same question arises in the minds of the right thinking people of Sri Lanka, particularly those who respect their social obligations.

People know that the Chief Justice, DrShirani Bandaranayakelost the ‘pleasure of the Executive President’ for refusing to approve certain bills presented by the government (theDivineguma bill, giving the control of Public Finance to MinisterBasil Rajapaksa and the amendment to the Criminal Procedure Code, that permitted unfettered power to the police to keep a suspect taken into custody for 48 hours).Read More

5 years today - Indiscriminate shelling continues, India says 'killings must stop', calls for political solution

23 April 2014

23 April 2009 – Further shelling of churches and ICRC regions 

The church in Valaignarmadam was shelled for the second consecutive day, injuring and killing several social welfare personnel, reported Tamilnet.

Further instances of shelling of coastlines where injured Tamil civilians were looking to be evacuated by the ICRC ship were reported from the ground.

23 April 2009 – India calls for political solution and an end to killings of Tamil civilians 

The ongoing carnage came as the Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, calling for the killings to stop, warned that only a political solution would ensure true lasting peace.

Speaking to media after an hour long meeting on the situation in Sri Lanka he said, 

“We are very unhappy at the continued killing of innocent Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka. These killings must stop. The only lasting solution will come from political efforts to address the real concerns of the Tamil people, giving them a life of dignity within the Sri Lankan mainstream.”

5 Years Today - Indiscriminate Shelling Continues, India Says 'Killings Must Stop', Calls for Political Sol... by nelvely

Tamil village in Trinco survived pogroms and war, now faces structural genocide

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 22 April 2014, 23:52 GMT]
A group of Sinhalese led by a Buddhist monk have been blocking Eezham Tamils of Kangkuveali village in Moothoor division of the Trincomalee district to access their ancient temple of Akaththiyar Thaapanam. The temple, which is mentioned in a local mythological literature called Karaisaip-puraa’nam, was destroyed by an external group of Sinhalese on Tamil Heroes Day in November 2009. Since then, more than 120 Tamil families have been robbed of their livelihood as the Sinhala intruders backed by the genocidal SL military have appropriated 293 acres of lands surrounding the temple at Oddu and Padu-kaadu areas. The attack on the temple and the sustained threat against its reconstruction aim at the annihilation of their existence as Tamils of Kanguveali, complain the villagers, who have owned the lands for centuries and possess land deeds from 1970 and 1985 to document their legal ownership. 

Four years after the genocidal destruction of the temple in 2009, the management board resumed reconstruction work of the ancient temple a month ago was threatened by a Buddhist monk and his men, who claim in their usual fashion that the ancient temple of Tamils is situated in a ‘Buddhist archaeological site’.

Velupillai Thavarasa, the director of the management board of the ancient Hindu temple categorically denied the SL military backed ‘archaeology claim’ of the Sinhala Buddhist extremists, who are committing demographic genocide against Eezham Tamils in the district of Trincomalee. 

In fact, the nearby Sinhala villagers of Neelap-pola were protecting the Tamils during the times of anti-Tamil pogroms and the war when the Tamils were displaced. 

But, after 2009, the occupying SL military camped at Neelap-pola has been encouraging extremist elements from the South to occupy the temple and its surroundings, Tamil villagers say. 

Four Tamil farmers who went to resume cultivation in their lands have been attacked since 2009.

The reconstruction of the temple was commenced this year after the SL military government agent of Trincomalee, Major General T.T. Ranjit de Silva, visited the place following repeated appeals from the Tamil villagers and gave his ‘assurance’ to do the needful to protect the work of the management board of the temple in resuming the construction work. 

However, on 16 March 2014, a group of around 15 Sinhalese men, led by a Buddhist monk, entered the temple chasing away the reconstruction workers and threatening the Saiva devotees not to enter the temple premises. 

There has been no action against the prevailing threat from the extremist group and the encroachers, Tamil villagers say. 

Now, the temple management has sent an appeal to SL president Mahinda Rajapaksa with a copy to the SL government agent and the divisional secretary of Moothoor. 

Local Tamils traditionally gather at this place to perform the annual Hindu ritual of Aadi Amaavaasai (the new moon of the Tamil month July-August) for ancestors. But, the SL military has blocked this ritual since 2009. 
Aadi Amaavasai ritual at the 'Akaththiyar Thaapanam' temple site before 2009 [TamilNet Library photos]

TNA May Day rally at Chavakacheri 

By Mirudhula Thambiah - April 23, 2014
 
 
TNA Jaffna District MP, Mavai Senathirajah, yesterday said the Alliance would be celebrating May Day this year under the theme 'The right to self-determination of Tamils and other current issues like Cost of Living (CoL), unemployment, resettlement and land grabbing.'
 
 
"We shall especially highlight these issues, as the CoL is high and people's purchasing power in the North and East has reduced. Northern Province's unemployment rate too is very high," he said.
The TNA will hold their May Day celebrations at the Chavakacheri Urban Council grounds.
 
 
At the same time, there have been issues relating to the education sector in the Northern Province due to lack of facilities. Teacher vacancies in the Province have increased and the May Day meeting will highlight these issues as well, Senathirajah said.
 
 
"We shall urge the military to release all lands of the people as most of the farmers are unable to carry out their livelihood because their lands are under military custody," he said. Parties aligned with the TNA will participate in the May Day celebrations, which will be chaired by Senathirajah. Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, provincial ministers and councillors and members of other local bodies will also attend the meeting.
 

CPA complaint against the Independent Television Network of Sri Lanka (ITN) to be taken up on 24th April 2014

by CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES on Apr 23, 2014

23rd April 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Complaint filed by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and its Executive Director (Complaint No: HRC/3083/13) before the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) against the Independent Television Network of Sri Lanka (ITN) and its Chairmen will be taken up for hearing tomorrow (Thursday, 24th April 2014) at 10.30 at the premises of the HRCSL at No. 165 Kynsey Road, Borella, Colombo 8.

We appreciate your presence and coverage of this hearing.

The complaint which filed on 12 August 2013 was on the basis that a news item appearing on the 7:00pm Sinhala language news broadcast of ITN on Sunday 14th July 2013 violates several fundamental rights of both CPA and its Executive Director which are guaranteed under the Constitution to all citizens of Sri Lanka.

The Complaint was inquired into for the first time on the 11 February 2014 by the HRCSL. During this inquiry ITN (the Chairman being present in person) took up the position that they were unaware of the news broadcast in question. Consequently, at the request of Attorney-at-law appearing on behalf of CPA and its Executive Director, it was directed that a DVD recording containing the ITN news item be handed over to the Chairman of ITN at the inquiry.

A copy of the Complaint made by CPA to the HRCSL is available here. 

CPA Complaint HRCSL _ITN_ August 2013-Taken Up on 24th April 2014 by nelvely