British nurse sues Sri Lanka over Buddha tattoo ordeal
May 22, 2014
A British tourist thrown out of Sri Lanka for sporting a Buddha tattoo is suing local authorities for $78,000 over her ordeal, which allegedly included sexual harassment, her lawyer said Thursday.
 
Naomi Coleman filed the action in the Supreme Court in Colombo on Wednesday seeking 10 million rupees ($78,000) in compensation from Sri Lanka's police, immigration and prison authorities.
 
"We have filed the papers on the basis that her rights were violated as a result of her arrest, detention and deportation," lawyer Vishwa de Livera Tennekoon told AFP. A hearing date has not yet been set.
 
Coleman, a 37-year-old mental health nurse, was arrested shortly after arriving at Sri Lanka's main international airport in April over the tattoo on her upper right arm, which authorities found offensive.
 
Sri Lanka, a majority Buddhist nation, is highly sensitive to perceived insults to the religion.
 
A local magistrate ordered Coleman's jailing and deportation three days later over the tattoo, which shows Buddha seated on a pink lotus flower.
 
Coleman has told AFP that she feared being raped during her one-night stay in Negombo prison near the airport, after a male prison guard made lewd gestures indicating he wanted to have sex with her.
 
A female guard at Negombo also demanded a bribe to avoid undergoing a "thorough" body search, she said. Coleman was later transferred to a detention centre in Colombo before her deportation on April 24.
 
Sri Lanka's Tourism Promotion Bureau paid for her return ticket and has expressed regret for the entire incident.
 
Coleman has insisted that she is a devout Buddhist and that the tattoo is a mark of respect.
 
Sri Lanka barred another British tourist from entering the island in March last year for showing "disrespect" to Buddhism by having a Buddha tattooed on his arm.
 
In August 2012 three French tourists were sentenced to six months in jail, which was suspended for five years, for kissing a Buddha statue in what authorities considered a sign of disrespect.
 
Sri Lanka prevented US rap star Akon from visiting in 2010 over a music video that featured scantily clad women dancing in front of a Buddha statue. (AFP)

Separatists attack Ukrainian checkpoint; 11 reported killed

By Michael Birnbaum, Fredrick Kunkle and Abigail Hauslohner, Updated: Thursday, May 22,

KIEV, Ukraine — Renewed clashes between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian security forces Thursday left at least 11 soldiers dead as violence escalated across beleaguered eastern Ukraine three days before crucial elections.

Separatists Attack Ukrainian Checkpoint 11 Reported Killed by Thavam Ratna

Pentagon report finds Snowden leaks had 'staggering' intelligence impact

• Classified assessment describes damage as 'grave'
• Report does not include specific detail to support conclusion
• 12 of 39 heavily redacted pages released after Foia request

• Read the full Defense Intelligence Agency report

The DIA report has been cited numerous times by politicians who claimed Snowden’s leaks have put US personnel at risk. Photograph: Sunshine Press/Getty

Jason Leopold- Thursday 22 May 2014

A top-secret Pentagon report to assess the damage to national security from the leak of classified National Security Agency documents by Edward Snowden concluded that “the scope of the compromised knowledge related to US intelligence capabilities is staggering”.

Pentagon Report Finds Snowden Leaks Had 'Staggering' Intelligence Impact by Thavam Ratna

Russia plans to build up to eight new nuclear reactors in Iran

A general view of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, some 1,200 km (746 miles) south of Tehran October 26, 2010.

MOSCOW Thu May 22, 2014

(Reuters) - Russia plans to sign a contract with Iran this year to build two more nuclear reactors at its Bushehr power plant as part of a broader deal for up to eight reactors in the Islamic state, a source close to the negotiations told Reuters on Thursday.

It was not immediately clear how this might affect six global powers' talks with Iran addressing disputed aspects of its nuclear programme. Iran has resisted demands for cuts in its uranium enrichment capacity, pointing to plans for a future network of nuclear power stations.

Western powers want any lasting agreement with Iran to put to rest suspicions that it could develop nuclear weapons-making ability through enrichment. Iran denies any such intent.

The talks ended last week with little progress; they are to resume in Vienna in June.

Russia, one of the six powers, built Iran's only operating nuclear power reactor, at Bushehr.

"Russia and Iran may sign an intergovernmental agreement this year on building from four to eight nuclear reactors, and, under the deal, the contract for the construction of the first two reactors as additions to Bushehr," the source said.

Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom said earlier it was in talks with Iran on the potential construction of more reactors there but revealed no details. Rosatom officials could not immediately be reached for comment on Thursday.

Longstanding Western fears that the Bushehr project could yield spent fuel of use in nuclear weapons - something it denies it is seeking to do - receded after Iran promised to send the material back to Russia.

Moscow voted for four rounds of U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran over its contested nuclear activity but has sharply criticised additional measures imposed by the United States and European Union, calling them a hindrance to diplomacy in search of a permanent settlement with Tehran.

(Reporting by Svetlana Burmistrova; Writign by Alissa de Carbonnel; Editing by Steve Gutterman)

Terror attacks kill dozens in China's tense Xinjiang region

By Jethro Mullen, CNN-Thu May 22, 2014

Hong Kong (CNN) — A series of explosions tore through an open-air market in the capital of the volatile western Chinese region of Xinjiang on Thursday, killing dozens of people and wounding many more, state media reported.

China Xinhua News        ✔ @XHNews

Follow

UPDATE: Photo from Weibo user who claims to be at scene of explosion in China's Urumuqi, capital of #Xinjiang

9:28 PM - 21 May 2014

Terror Attacks Kill Dozens in China's Tense Xinjiang Region by Thavam Ratna

Jailed in China for organizing gatherings to discuss social issues

Please send a message of solidarity to Xu Zhiyong and supporters of the "Same-city Eat-Drink gatherings" 

Legal scholar and human rights activist Xu Zhiyong (left) was sentenced to four years in jail.

Dozens of people linked to the Chinese New Citizens Movement have been criminally detained or subjected to enforced disappearance over the past year for organizing “Same-city Eat-drink gatherings”.

These activists have been prosecuted simply for exercising their rights to assembly and free speech. 

The New Citizens Movement (NCM) uses social media platforms to promote gatherings where participants meet over dinner on the last Saturday of each month to discuss social issues. The dinner table "selfies" have spread widely across social media platforms in China such as Sina, Weibo or Twitter.Forming an organization is prohibited in China, but there is no reason to prohibit citizens living in the same city from going to a restaurant to eat and drink together. 

It is expected that the Chinese authorities will hold a series of trials of members of the NCM throughout the first half of 2014. 

Activists facing trials and NCM members have gone silent to avoid arrest.Please send a solidarity message to let them know the world hasn't forgotten them. 

More about Xu Zhiyong and the New Citizens' Movement 

In May 2012, Chinese legal scholar Xu Zhiyong wrote an article “China Needs a New Citizens’ Movement” calling for the rule of law and greater freedoms and democracy.  He suggested activities for “new citizens” interested in pushing forward the “New Citizens’ Movement” 

The activities include:

• rejecting corruption by doing good for society
• participating in civic life by holding meetings to discuss the political situation
• helping the weak and 
• uniting to share and coordinate work 

This article is credited with spurring a loose network of activists who aim to promote government transparency and expose corruption. 

As a result of his activities Xu Zhiyong was arrested and sentenced on January 22, 2014 to four years in prison for “gathering a crowd to disturb order in a public place.”

More you can do

After sending your message of solidarity to Xu Zhiyong and members of the New Citizens' Movement, please consider these follow-up actions:

1. Take a "selfie", a picture of you in a gathering of friends and send it to us at members@amnesty.ca. Amnesty International plans to create a webpage with "selfie" images from supporters around the world. 
2. Organize an AmnesTEA event to raise money for Amnesty International and promote this Same-City Eat-Drink action
3. Share your support on Twitter, tweeting: I stand in solidarity with the Same City Eat-Drink Gatherings #NEWCITIZENSMOVEMENT  

யாழ் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் முள்ளிவாய்க்கால் அஞ்சலி நிகழ்வு

யாழ் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் முள்ளிவாய்க்கால் அஞ்சலி நிகழ்வு

கடைசியாக பிரசுரிக்கப்பட்டது: 21 மே, 2014 -

இலங்கையின் வடக்கே இறுதி யுத்தத்தின்போது, முள்ளிவாய்க்காலில் கொல்லப்பட்டவர்களுக்கு மே மாதம் 18 ஆம் திகதி யாழ் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் மாணவர்கள் ஆசிரியர்கள் நினைவஞ்சலி செய்வதைத் தடுக்கும் வகையில் கடந்த வெள்ளிக்கிழமை முதல் மூடப்பட்டிருந்த பல்கலைக்கழகம் புதன்கிழமையன்று திறக்கப்பட்டபோது, குறிப்பிட்ட அஞ்சலி நிகழ்வு அங்கு நடத்தப்பட்டதாக அங்கிருந்துவரும் செய்திகள் கூறுகின்றன.

அதேவேளை, செவ்வாயன்று யாழ் பல்கலைக்கழக ஆசிரியர்கள் சங்கத் தலைவர் இராசகுமாரன் பலாலி இராணுவ தலைமையகத்திற்கு அழைக்கப்பட்டு, பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் மீண்டும் பயங்கரவாதத்தை ஏற்படுத்தும் நடவடிக்கைகள் முன்னெடுக்கப்படக் கூடாது என்று அறிவுறுத்தப்பட்டதாகத் தெரிகின்றது.

முள்ளிவாய்க்காலில் உயிரிழந்தவர்களை நினைவுகூர்வதென்பது பயங்கரவாதிகளை நினைகூவர்வதே ஆகும் என்று அவருக்கு எடுத்துக் கூறப்பட்டதாகவும், அதற்கு அங்கு கொல்லப்பட்ட பொதுமக்களை நினைவுகூர்வதற்கு தங்களுக்கு உரிமையிருப்பதாக அவர் பதிலளித்ததாகவும் தகவல்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன.

இதனிடையில் செவ்வாய்க்கிழமை மாலை யாழ் பல்கலைக்கழக பேராசிரியர் ஒருவரின் பெயரையும் யாழ்ப்பாணத்தில் இருந்து வெளிவருகின்ற பத்திரிகைகளின் செய்தியாளர்கள் உட்பட சில செய்தியாளர்களின் பெயர்களையும் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டு, அவர்களுக்கு உயிரச்சுறுத்தல் விடுக்கும் துண்டுப் பிரசுரங்கள் யாழ் பல்கலைக்கழக வளாகத்திற்குள் வீசப்பட்டிருந்ததாக யாழ்ப்பாணத் தகவல்கள் தெரிவிக்கின்றன.

அதேநேரம் யாழ் பல்கலைக்கழக ஆசிரியர் சங்கத் தலைவர் இராசகுமாரனை கொழும்பில் உள்ள பயங்கரவாதப் புலனாய்வு பிரிவுக்கு புதனன்று காலை விசாரணைக்கு வருமாறு அழைப்பு அனுப்பப்பட்டிருந்ததாகவும் தெரிவிக்கப்படுகின்றது.

இந்தப் பின்னணியில் புதன்கிழமை காலை யாழ் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் ஒன்று கூடிய மாணவர்களும், பல்கலைக்கழக ஆசிரியர்களும் முள்ளிவாய்க்காலில் கொல்லப்பட்டவர்களுக்கு மெழுகுதிரி தீபம் ஏற்றி அஞ்சலி செலுத்தியுள்ளனர்.

அதேநேரம் யாழ் பல்கலைக்கழக பேராசிரியர்கள் மாணவர்கள் அச்சுறுத்தப்பட்டதைக் கண்டித்து, வியாழன் முதல் இரண்டு தினங்கள் அடையாள வகுப்பு பகிஸ்கரிப்பில் ஈடுபடப்போவதாக மாணவர்கள் அறிவித்திருப்பதாகவும் தகவல்கள் வந்துள்ளன.

Tamil nation remembers Mullivaikal massacre 5 years on, amidst military ban

Students at University of Jaffna commemorate Mullivaikkal massacre 5 years on, amidst death threats and military ban. Photograph @Uthayarasashali

18 May 2014
In commemorative events across the North-East and the world, the Tamil nation marked 5 years since the massacre of tens of thousands at the end of the armed conflict on May 18th 2009.

Remembrance events took place in the North-East in amidst a military ban and overwhelming military presence across the Tamil areas.

Tamil media and political parties were targeted on the morning of May 18, as heavily armed troops surrounded the offices of Uthayan, Thinakkural newspapers, the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

Attempts by mourners to say prayers for the dead within temples were also stopped, as armed troops surrounded Nallur and Keerimalai temples, blocking off access to Tamils.

Earlier in the week the military banned all temple events and public gatherings to commemorate the dead, stating that no bells should toll on May 17 and 18.

The University of Jaffna was ordered shut earlier this month, prompting widespread condemnation from students and staff. Attempts by students to donate blood as an act of remembrance were also stopped, as troops blocked access to the blood donation centre at Jaffna Teaching Hospital. 
Defying the military however, Tamils in the North-East mourned their loss in private events of mourning, alongside thousands in the diaspora set to attend events in capital cities worldwide.

SRI LANKA: A great travesty of justice - an appeal to the civil society to intervene in the murder of the 17-year-old, Sadun Mallinga

May 21, 2014

A 17-year-old boy named, P.H. Sadun Mallinga, from Atturukudua, Megahakiula, was arrested with his brother and brutally assaulted by a group of policemen from the Kandaketiya police without any reason. He died at the remand prison due to the severe injuries he suffered by the assault. He died in his brother's arms. Now the brother who is still in remand prison is suffering from mental stress and is in need of immediate treatment. However, he is unable to get such treatment as the police, after severely beating them, made false allegations and filed a case before the Magistrate's Court of Badulla where they were remanded.

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is urging civil society organisations and individuals to intervene urgently to stop this travesty of justice. The police who have committed a murder are enjoying their freedom while the brother of the victim is being held in prison on false charges made by the murderers.

A short summary of the case is as follows:

On May 7, 2014, Sadun Mallinga with his brother, P.H. Kashun Nirage Maduwa and a cousin went to see a three-wheeler which was to be sold. On the way they were caught by a group of ten policemen which included Sub Inspector (SI) R.M.P. Somaratne. They were assaulted upon arrest and thereafter taken to the police station where the assault continued. While Sadun Mallinga was complaining about the severe pain he was suffering and requesting medical treatment the police kept them in a cell. The next day at around 2:30 pm when the parents arrived at the police station they found Sadun Mallinga crying out loudly in pain. The boy told the parents that SI Somaratne and several other officers had assaulted him and that he had severe chest pains. His mother immediately made a request to the police officers to take her son to a hospital. However, the police officers told her that no senior officer was present at that time and that they should come back the next day.

The parents returned the following day and found their son lying on the floor and complaining about chest pains. The parents again pleaded with the police to send their child to a hospital. However, the police refused using foul language and told the parents that their sons would be produced in the Magistrate's Court of Badulla. The parents went to the court but the boys were not produced. On telephoning the police station they found that the boys had been taken to the court at Passara.

The parents then went to the Passara Police Station and sought the help of two lawyers and requested them also to inform the court that Sadun Mallinga had been severely assaulted by the police. The boy and the other accused were produced in court only at around 3 pm and as the official work of the court was finished the case was taken up at the Magistrate's Chambers. The police wanted the Magistrate to remand the accused until May 21. The lawyers who appeared for the suspects informed the Magistrate that Sadun Mallinga had been severely assaulted and needed medical treatment. Besides this, Sadun Mallinga himself told the Magistrate that he had been assaulted by the police. However, the lady magistrate did not make any order regarding medical treatment and ordered the suspects remanded until May 21.

Accordingly the suspects were then taken into remand and the parents informed some of the prison officers that their son had been assaulted and needed medical treatment. However, the prison authorities did not take any steps to refer him even to the prison hospital.

On morning of May 9, Sadun Mallinga died as his brother was holding him in his arms. The following day the boy's body was subjected to a post mortem where the Judicial Medical Officer concluded that the reason for his death was internal bleeding caused by the assault.

The AHRC draws the attention of the civil society in Sri Lanka that the police officers, the lady magistrate and the prison officers are all responsible for the death of Sadun Mallinga. We wish especially to emphasise the responsibility of the lady magistrate who failed to take action even after lawyers and the suspect himself made requests for medical treatment. She should be held responsible together with the police and the prison officers for his death.

The scandalous situation is that while all these culprits to a murder remain scot free the family of the deceased child is further tormented due to the orders of the Magistrate to keep the other family members in remand. The family is aware that Sadun Mallinga's brother in whose arms he died is in severe mental distress and the family is afraid that he may suffer a complete breakdown but they are unable to do anything as he is being kept in remand on court orders.

The AHRC wishes to draw the attention of the civil society of Sri Lanka that this is a case that deserves their immediate attention in order to avoid the continuing consequences of a grave travesty of justice.

Why are soldiers commemorated and not Tamil civilians? - TNA

Wednesday, 21 May 2014 

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has posed a question in parliament as to why only soldiers killed during the war are commemorated on Victory Day and not the Tamil civilians who were also killed during the period.

TNA General Secretary Mavai Senathirajah speaking in parliament on the no-confidence motion against the government has reportedly said that there will be no meaning to the word reconciliation in Sri Lanka if even parliament cannot commemorate Tamil victims of the war.

Senathirajah has slammed the government for using the military to block families of those killed in the north from going to the Temple to pray for their relatives.

The TNA MP has noted that even the Jaffna university was closed by the government last week to prevent the students from holding remembrance events for the civilians killed during the war.

He has charged that by blocking even Hindu religious events from taking place the government, which has been accused of being involved in the drugs trade, is also involved in targeting religious minorities.

The failure of reconstruction

REBUILDING: Some positive changes have taken place after the war but much remains to be done to support the local economy such as investing in appropriate rural infrastructure, controlling market price fluctuations, and supporting measures to strengthen co-operatives. Photo: AP

AHILAN KADIRGAMAR-May 21, 2014

As five years after the war is marked by militarised victory celebrations, who speaks for the continuing suffering of the survivors in the North and East?

What happens to a society and an economy after three decades of war? 

The Failure of Reconstruction by Thavam Ratna

Chandrika Inclusive, Whom Have We Tamils Spared?

By S. Sivathasan -May 21, 2014

S. Sivathasan

Jiddu Krishnamurthy said in arresting words “Everyone is good at making morals for others”. Yes we Tamils are best at it. That’s our forte. Do we ask for a moment are we so impeccable as to cast the first stone? So innocent as to ward off the guillotine if it comes to our neck? Is it not time to realize that we have unlocked horns for now and earned a respite to search for fresh pastures? Instead we engage in levity. With no thought we use the same brush on everyone.

Imperatives of Power 

Handling the state apparatus is serious business. Plekhanov said some 90 years ago, we talk of revolution but our hands shiver at the thought of touching power. He said this complimenting Lenin for his success. A revolution was not a tea party for Mao. It was so for the peaceful revolution in Ceylon and Tamils faced ’56 and ’58. With Sihanouk’s tolerance a third of Cambodia perished. Taking a lesson, Premadasa and Ranjan Wijeratne saved  SL polity from a Pol Pot in 1989.

Kumaratunga photographed after the LTTE suide attack

Patel, Deputy PM and in charge of Home Ministry stumbled across Manekshaw in Calcutta in 1947. After a brief discussion he asked M how many should he shoot to bring the situation under control.  Answer was 1000. Order was shoot 2000 and bring the situation under control. Result was 6 were injured. Rajaji would have said, ”conquer with love” as he said for Goa in 1948 or so. Lee Quan Yew with communist unrest internally in the mid-sixties and threat of infiltration from Malaysia and Indonesia insulated Singapore with an iron hand. Not everybody had that wisdom.

The above is the stuff of which governance is made. A strange amalgam of resolve and sagacity. It is difficult to think of Deng’s reforms and today’s China without the showdown at Tien An Men Square. An accused at Nuremberg said in defense that he did what he did “To prevent worse things happening”. Being wise in retrospect is the most facile recourse. Chandrika never had the option of inaction and wise crack or subsequent gloat or remorse.

TGTE and Chandrika

Read More

The failure of reconstruction

20 May 2014

The Labour party would seek to pass a resolution at the European Union in view of facilitating discussions on sanctions against Sri Lanka, party MEPs, MPs and running candidates, said at a press conference on Friday. 
Claude Moraes, a Labour party MEP, said that the party stood ready to ask questions that looked to move further than the international war crimes investigation into Sri Lanka by raising resolutions in order to ensure justice for victims through different methods such as sanctions. 
Lucy Anderson, a Labour Party candidate for London for the EU parliament, who previously worked as a solicitor in the field of human rights, further added that the EU could be used at crucial times to raise discussion on the right political solution for Tamils in Sri Lanka.

The Labour Shadow Minister for Europe and MP for Harrow West, Gareth Thomas, said that the EU would play a role in continuing to shine the spotlight on Sri Lanka, adding that there ‘are still huge concerns about the ongoing abuses in Sri Lanka, and that there was ‘no real attempt to move forward in human rights.’
The party also pledged to work towards finding a political settlement to the island's long running ethnic conflict, that respected the rights of all communities, including the Tamils in the North-East. 
“A political solution in Sri Lanka that is accepted by the Tamils in the North-East should be considered,” Mr. Thomas said, agreeing with a member of the audience that some form of political settlement was needed to ensure true justice and reconciliation. 

New evidence on ‘White Flag’ incident - Yasmin Sooka

(Lanka-e-News- 20.May.2014, 11.30PM) New evidence has emerged on the contentious ‘white flag’ incident that cropped up during the final stage of the conflict, said Yasmin Sooka a human rights lawyer and former expert adviser on Sri Lanka to UN Secretary General.

She said the facts that had surfaced necessitated an independent international investigation.

“An analysis of the available evidence points to an organised government plan at the highest level not to accept the surrender of the top civilian, administrative and political leadership of the LTTE - but rather to execute them, in violation of 
international humanitarian law,” says Ms Sooka.

The report by the International Truth & Justice Project, can be viewed online at www.white-flags.org. 

The report collates existing evidence on the “white flag incident” with several new elements, namely: 

1. Testimony of four eyewitnesses to the surrender of two top LTTE political leaders; all witnesses have provided sworn statements. One eyewitness saw 
Major General Shavendra Silva (58 Division Commander) at the point of surrender, greeting the surrendering leaders. The same witness saw the corpses of the LTTE leaders an hour later. 

2. Four mobile SMS messages sent by the then Foreign Secretary of Sri Lanka, Palitha Kohona, through a European intermediary to the LTTE, briefing them on how to surrender. Mr Kohona holds dual Australian-Sri Lankan citizenship and currently serves as Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations where he enjoys diplomatic immunity. His deputy at the UN mission is Major General Shavendra Silva. 

3. A list of more than one hundred people seen by eyewitnesses or reported missing by families or friends after their alleged surrender to the Sri Lankan forces on or around 18 May 2009. This list is colour-coded to indicate the different sources of the information; in at least 38 cases there are sworn statements by eyewitnesses who saw these individuals in the custody of the Sri Lankan forces on or around 18 May 2009. 

4. An account of several telephone communications between the LTTE and top members of the Sri Lankan government, primarily Basil Rajapaksa, negotiating 
the surrender. 

5. Additional new photographs showing Isaipriya, a television presenter, alive in custody; she was subsequently killed. New photographs showing a number of naked and semi-naked LTTE men and one woman on the side of the lagoon in army custody.

“The alleged execution of LTTE leaders who laid down their arms and surrendered constitutes a war crime committed by the Sri Lankan security forces and must be investigated by an independent international inquiry,” says Ms Sooka.go to thewww.white-flags.org and see new evidence photographs as follows

A Stitch In Time Saves Nine

Our President should take a hard look at the developing danger and act with diligence and foresight.

By Somapala Gunadheera -May 21, 2014

Somapala Gunadheera

The recent news that the LTTE was trying to raise its head again, should receive the closest attention of every Sri Lankan, irrespective of race and creed. Opponents of the ruling Party are content with laughing off the Government’s warning as a hoax to subdue the growing disenchantment caused by rising costs, corruption and misrule. Even at this late hour, those in power do not appear to seek a solution to the problem behind this alleged threat, short of bravado and demagogy.

It is a remarkable achievement to have maintained the country free of a single terrorist act for nearly five years after the fall of Prabhakaran. The credit for this should go to the security arm of the Government in power. But no security force however powerful and effective it may be, can keep a real conflict under the hat indefinitely, unless the underlying cause for it is removed. In our case, that cause is the clash of interests among the respective communities that has been hanging fire since Independence. The failure of those who came to power from time to time to find a mutually satisfactory solution, ended in an armed conflict for thirty years that resulted in untold suffering to antagonists on both sides.

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