The Case of Tissainayagam: Who is on Trial?
J.S. Tissainayagam, who had been under detention since March 7- 2009, was convicted on all three charges under the Prevention of Terrorism Act  (PTA) on August 31- 2009 by the High Court…
Year: 2009
The Liquidation of the Liberation Tigers of Thamil Eelam (LTTE): Lessons Paid In Blood!
Introduction: The killing of the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Velupillai Pirapaharan, has brought an end to a stage in the development of the Tamil National Liberation Struggle….
Lessons in Leadership
[Authors note: Edited text of a speech at the Jaffna Hindu College Old Boys Association (UK) Social Event: (31 October 2009)] Thank you very much for inviting me as Chief Guest. This…
Interrogating a public intellectual: Noted bloggers and youth activists engage Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
[Editors note: Beyond Borders, as part of a discussion series aimed at connecting youth activists with key opinion  and decision makers, organised a discussion with Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka on 8 October 2009. Around…
We, The Spectator State
A young boy was drowned in broad daylight this week. Though not a single newspaper carried it, I’m told B. Sivakumaran was his name. He was “believed” to be mentally retarded and…
Theory and Practice of Democracy in Sri Lanka
This is one of the subjects that has in recent years put me in constant confusion. To situate my confused status in its context, let me begin with a personal note. In…
In Defense of Buddhism
I feel that there is a pressing need to rise to the defense of Buddhism. This is because Buddhism is being degraded and exploited as a reactionary political ideology by a grade…
Dayan Jayatilleka on post-war politics and enduring obstacles to peace in Sri Lanka
I spoke with Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka recently on his take on post-war politics, his interpretation of the Southern Provincial Council elections, the issue of war crimes and the extension of GSP+, the…
The Australian and a sardonic cartoon
Picture courtesy of The Australian, 29th October 2009 The above picture was published in the satirical Nicholson cartoon gallery which features in The Australian. The issue of refugees has been covered extensively in both…
Sri Lanka: the waning of Liberalism?
It seems to be the case that over the past few years the State and the public have become much less tolerant of liberal values. In 2006, a bill set out a…
The Present Political Conjuncture: Fatal Delusions, Momentous Challenges and Historic Opportunities
Politics of Supremacy: This article is addressed to the broad revolutionary-democratic platform that shared a minimum, common, transitional principle and policy towards the Tamil national liberation struggle, in an effort to orient…
Presidential hopefuls and escape-routes for the ‘hopeless’
The buzz in political circles these days is the possibility of there being a ‘common candidate’ (CC) to challenge President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s bid for a second term in the event that a…
A Presidential Election in 2010? The 3rd Amendment and the Continuing Constitutional Crisis
Media reports suggest that President Mahinda Rajapaksa might decide to hold an early Presidential Election in 2010. It is therefore interesting to look into some of the issues relating to the matter….
An African connection: Kaffir culture in Sri Lanka
Historians say that the Kaffirs of Sri Lanka started arriving from the eastern shores of Africa in the 1500s with the Portuguese, and later in more waves with the different colonizers of…
“Don’t be stupid! The climate deed is done, so let’s move on to solutions!” – President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives
The Indian Ocean archipelago of the Maldives is the smallest country in Asia – it packs 325,000 people into a land area just under 300 square kilometres. With an average ground level…
