Spoil Sports, or an Oppportunity for a Dignified Exit
This morning, I woke up to the news that the LTTE had declared an unilateral ceasefire during the SAARC conference. Of course, war is not a sport – but their declaration must…
Author: sam
Going home…
This video was filmed approximately two and half hours after the bomb exploded on a crowded bus at a bus-stop in Piliyandala, near Colombo, in Sri Lanka. There was a mobile phone…
Sloppy Journalism?
Reuters reports that Mr Fernandopulle was “the second minister to be killed since January”, citing Minister for nation building, D.M. Dassanayake, as the first. I seem to recall the killing of the…
From Akkaraipattu
This video clip contains a brief interview with A.L Thavam – Chairperson of Akkaraipattu Pradeshiya Saba (local government). It is presented here as is, without analysis or comment. Summary of the interview.…
Groundviews Person of the Year ?
A day or two ago, Time Magazine announced its Person of the Year: Vladimir Putin. I wonder, if this audience was to make a selection, who the Groundviews Person of the Year…
Western baloney on “human rights”
The following article, which is a commentary on HLD Mahindapala’s speech given recently at the BMICH, arrived in my inbox earlier today. It was sent to be by someone who had received…
Too tired to say ‘human rights’
I got a glimpse of Louise Arbour last Thursday, late in the afternoon. She had just completed her meeting with Mano Ganeshan and some family members of the disappeared. Arbour peered out…
A night in war time …
Earlier today, a friend sent me an email saying he was reading Dr Rajan Hoole’s “Sri Lanka: The Arrogance of Power“. Michael gives a brief summary of the book, which I won’t…
BELOW AVERAGE : Reflections after the presentation on Globalisation and Cultural Change
Recently, the group – a networking initiative of the British Council for young people in Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, UK and Sri Lanka – organised a presentation by Professor Christopher Lingle in Colombo,…
Missing in Action – the sound girl …
Exhausted after reading too many verbose analysisez of Sri Lanka’s conflict? Ashamed of having to recite “Namo tassa, bhagavato arahato, samma sambuddhasa” over and over again? Bored with the mediocrity of your…
Pledges
PLEDGE (plĕj) A solemn binding promise to do, give, or refrain from doing something… UN official says Sri Lanka pledges to improve security, access for aid workers President pledges full commitment to…
Emergency…
Here is an extract from “Emergency ’58 – The Story of the Ceylon Race Riots”, a book Tarzie Vittachi wrote in 1958. Between eight and ten o’clock that morning the situation all…
Wars and Waves: Sri Lanka’s internally displaced
The 28 minute documentary “Wars and Waves: Sri Lanka’s internally displaced” that was produced by COHRE, and directed and written by me, is available online. There was a small private launch a…
Diaspora ‘Wisdom’ – An interview with Lionel Bopage
Groundviews | VOR Radio podcast Perhaps the word ‘wisdom’ is too strong when describing what the Sri Lankan diaspora can contribute to solving the problems on this small island, but there is…
Rizana’s future: what WE CAN DO.
The beheading of Rizana, a Sri Lankan migrant worker in Saudi Arabia feels unstoppable. I first heard about this issue late last week ago, but only found out yesterday that her execution…