NATION-BUILDING: WHICH PROJECT FOR THE NORTH & EAST?
When faced with challenging human rights and humanitarian law issues who should we seek out for advice but a celebrated former Vice President of the International Court of Justice? Faced with the…
Trincomalee
The untold story of a child
This war has taken the lives of tens of thousands of men, women and children. Hundreds of thousands more are displaced, and the abnormality of the war and post war situation is…
We Regret To Inform You That Your Condolences Cannot Be Accepted At This Time
We regret to inform you that your condolences cannot be accepted at this time. At present, both our pain and our hope defy that word, which has been offered and denied us,…
The end of war: Framed reflections by Deshan Tennekoon
[Editors note: Deshan Tennekoon is one of Sri Lanka’s best, young photographers. We are ardent fans, and requested Deshan to send photos that amongst the hundreds taken by him, resonated most with…
After the Elections: Demilitarize Development for Sustainable Peace
“Counter-terrorism is terrorism’s best ally.” –Joseba Zulaika in “Terrorism: The Self-Fulfilling Prophesy” (2009) On April 12, 2010 the majority of citizens of the island’s two main linguistic communities celebrated the “Sinhala and…
Parliamentary Elections, April 2010: An opportunity for voters in the North and East
I remember visiting Jaffna in 1997. Local government elections were due. Several leading political figures had been assassinated in the preceding years, some by the LTTE, others by anti-LTTE groups. In the…
Rebuilding Sri Lanka
A perceptive and sensitive Sri Lankan has noted; “It is reported that the people of the North, especially in the Jaffna district, have developed a feeling of dissatisfaction, disaffection and contempt towards…
The loud and clear message from the voter turnout and the voters in the North and East
I wrote on the 30th of December in a post to ) that the assertion that the Tamil people would be deciders in the Presidential election would be a myth. There was…
Needed: An Agenda for Reform on Groundviews
Whilst it is not clear as to whether we would be voting in both the presidential and general elections on the same day, it is clear that we will be voting in…
Some Reflections on North-East Development in Sri Lanka
(The author is formerly of the Ceylon Civil Service and Retired Senior Professional of the Asian Development Bank.) Recent developments, including the statements made by President Rajapakse and his brother Basil Rajapakse,…
The cataract of errors
It is a much analysed fact that the Tamils of Sri Lanka under the guidance of its leadership have missed many historically defined opportunities, in laying the foundation towards creating a decent…
End of the LTTE and future of the Tamil Struggle
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which claimed to be the sole representatives of Tamil people, one of the most feared and considered as one of the most ruthless terrorist organizations…
Interview with a leading Buddhist priest on whether the LTTE is really finished and the war over in Sri Lanka
Vikalpa Video asked Ven. Prof. Bellanvila Vimalarathana Thero for his opinion on whether the LTTE was really finished and the war over in Sri Lanka. Ven. Prof. Bellanvila Vimalarathana Thero is the…
Memories of War, Dreams of Peace
The long and bloody Sri Lankan war is over, and not a moment too soon. I really want to believe it. The alternative is too depressing to consider. Of course, there is…
Prabhakaran is dead – join debates on what next for Sri Lanka
From the Ministry of Defence website: LTTE defeated; Sri Lanka liberated from terror Sri Lankan armed force have militarily defeated the LTTE and freed the nation from three decades of terror, Army…