After Today’s BMICH Explosion
I was with some Tamil students, as a training course was winding down for the day, when news of the explosion at the BMICH reached us. The details of the incident were…
Batticaloa
Popular Activist in Oddamavadi Targeted
A family man, and popular activist in Oddamavadi Aboobacker Ilyas (25) was targeted and fired upon by an unidentified gunman on Boundry Road, Oddamavadi. This incident happened around 5.15 am on 4th…
Liberation and Relief
I haven’t heard Crowded House play on the radio here before, but the other day, while driving, the sounds and words of “Don’t Dream It’s Over†filled my car. It’s one of…
Brotherhood Bloodshed Again?
The TMVP has given a request to the government to conduct eastern provincial council elections and before that to setup an interim council. Because most of the eastern province is now under…
Blast Outside Eastern University Batticaloa
Regarding the blast right outside the Eastern University in Batticaloa Vantharumoolai at around 11.30am yesterday, about 15 km north of Batticaloa town, the information I have heard is that there were around…
Double standards?
A post here points to a powerful new report on the dangers on humanitarian aid work in Sri Lanka and elsewhere. Reports in Groundviews, both from Citizen Journalists as well as news…
Abandoned War Displaced People From Border Villages
The people who are displaced from border villages in the east face many problems. However other communities get assistances through some NGO’s or CBO’s (community base organization) than the Singhalese communities. Specially…
Seeing mobile phones as a basic human right
News that mobile phone users in the North & East of Sri Lanka are once again cut off is a disturbing trend in the erosion of fundamental rights, including Article 19 of…
The Costs and Consequences of ‘Clearing’ the East
Last week this column ended with the statement that there was a lot to be learnt and unlearnt in 2007. The new year is now with us and with it the unfolding…
Please leave us alone; a voice from Muslim community
Two Muslim traders in Katthankudy were injured by an unidentified group when they returned home from Arayampathi at around 6.30pm today. This is causing tension as Muslim people in the area believe…
Daily Security Report from UN – The plight of the North & East
Got this in my email today – paints a bleak picture of the North and East of Sri Lanka. Don’t know to whom this situation update goes to, but I’m sure there…
Discrimination in Law college entrance?
9 students who sat for Law College entrance examination in academic year 2006/2007-appeal case at Srilankan appeal court today with demanding of to reduce cut off marks from 173 to 160. One…
TMVP in same dustbin as LTTE in the past?
After recent Vaharai events there is tension between Tamil and Muslim communities at Karbala in Kattankudy regarding land issues. I got further details from the Kattankudi Mosque Federation secretary. He said “…
Maps of shame
Every time I look at an OCHA map of Sri Lanka, the magnitude of the humanitarian crisis is made really clear. For here, we have entire regions, districts of Sri Lanka suffering…
Human Shields In The Battle Of Sri Lanka
The SLMM in a statement on Dec 12 said they are concerned over the alarming situation in Vakarai. They pointed to the LTTE failing to protect civilians by restricting their movement, and…