An encounter in Puttlam: Peace as seen by two youth who served in the Army
My article is based on an encounter with two Sinhalese youth in Puttlam recently. Both had served in the Army. Both had lost limbs, though we didn’t find this out till much…
Puttalam
The flipside of Islamic fundamentalism in Sri Lanka
Reproduced with the kind permission of the author, and first published in the Hindustan Times. The flipside of Islamic fundamentalism in Sri Lanka PK Balachandran Kattankudy (Eastern Sri Lanka), April 24, 2007…
Theeban’s murder: An epitaph in Sinhala
In my recent contribution in Sinhala to Mawbima, I explore the murder of Thillainayagam Theeban as first reported by Nalaka Gunawardene in this forum. An interesting footnote is that not a single…
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…
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…
Human displacement
Two posts on DBS Jeyraj’s blog highlight aspects of the humanitarian crisis in the North and the East already flagged here. Civilians in Vaakarai face death and starvation Displaced Tamils face difficulties…