Peace for the World World ! Your War Our Lives
The Dalai Lama
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Back to 500BC.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
SRI LANKA: Brutalisation of Society
14-June-2011 By Col. R. Hariharan
Recently there had been a series of seemingly disconnected events in India, UK and the UN that have a common thread: Sri Lanka’s conduct in the post war period. Though these events were not unexpected sequels, surprisingly Sri Lanka’s response had been reactive than proactive. Peevishness, rather than calculated strategy, appears to be dominating its thought process. As a result Sri Lanka’s actions show lack of confidence, rather than determination, in handling the issues.
Sri Lanka appears to be looking for reprieve rather than resolution of three issues bugging it ever since the war ended: allegations of war crimes, inadequate rehabilitation of war affected population, and inadequate efforts to address political grievances of Tamil minority. These issues have gathered strength as the state chose to disregard accountability for its actions under the cloak of its war against terrorism. Sri Lanka’s credibility progressively going down, it has been reduced to finding reprieve than finding solution as each critical issue gathers mass. Full Story ------------------------------------------------------------------
Sri Lankan Tamils must live dignified lives: Jayalalithaa
14/06/2011 New Delhi, June 14 (IANS) Tamils in Sri Lanka should be allowed to lead dignified lives and enjoy the same status as the majority Sinhalese community, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa said Tuesday.
The AIADMK leader also told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that she was opposed to the Indian government's 1974 decision to cede to Sri Lanka the Katchatheevu island, located in the sea dividing the two countries.
In her first visit to the capital after the AIADMK stormed to power last month, she said she discussed at length the situation in Sri Lanka with Manmohan Singh and National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon.
'I have stressed that what the Sri Lankan Tamils want and what we Tamilians want is to see that the Sri Lankan Tamils who are still in camps are allowed to return where they lived earlier.
'And they are allowed to lead lives of dignity with equal rights on par with the Sinhalese.'
Jayalalithaa said she had gone to the Supreme Court challenging the Indian decision to cede Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka without the concurrence of the Indian parliament.
She said she told the prime minister that Tamil Nadu fishermen who sailed to the island were harassed and tortured by Sri Lankan security forces.
'The PM said he has impressed upon Sri Lanka that such ill treatment should stop. And all efforts will be allowed to see that our fishermen are allowed to fish around Katchatheevu.'
Under a 1974 pact, Indian fishermen have rights in the waters around Katchatheevu. But fishermen from Tamil Nadu say they are never allowed to do this by Sri Lankan security personnel, particularly the navy.
The chief minister said a delegation of Tamil Nadu legislators should be permitted to visit Sri Lanka to see for themselves the condition of Tamils still in refugee camps after the end of the war in 2009.
But the AIADMK leader said she could only play 'a very limited role' in issues that primarily concern the governments of India and Sri Lanka.
On June 8, the AIADMK-dominated Tamil Nadu assembly passed a resolution seeking economic sanctions against Colombo on issues concerning the Tamil community, including alleged war crimes.
©Indo-Asian News Service
The AIADMK leader also told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that she was opposed to the Indian government's 1974 decision to cede to Sri Lanka the Katchatheevu island, located in the sea dividing the two countries.
In her first visit to the capital after the AIADMK stormed to power last month, she said she discussed at length the situation in Sri Lanka with Manmohan Singh and National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon.
'I have stressed that what the Sri Lankan Tamils want and what we Tamilians want is to see that the Sri Lankan Tamils who are still in camps are allowed to return where they lived earlier.
'And they are allowed to lead lives of dignity with equal rights on par with the Sinhalese.'
Jayalalithaa said she had gone to the Supreme Court challenging the Indian decision to cede Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka without the concurrence of the Indian parliament.
She said she told the prime minister that Tamil Nadu fishermen who sailed to the island were harassed and tortured by Sri Lankan security forces.
'The PM said he has impressed upon Sri Lanka that such ill treatment should stop. And all efforts will be allowed to see that our fishermen are allowed to fish around Katchatheevu.'
Under a 1974 pact, Indian fishermen have rights in the waters around Katchatheevu. But fishermen from Tamil Nadu say they are never allowed to do this by Sri Lankan security personnel, particularly the navy.
The chief minister said a delegation of Tamil Nadu legislators should be permitted to visit Sri Lanka to see for themselves the condition of Tamils still in refugee camps after the end of the war in 2009.
But the AIADMK leader said she could only play 'a very limited role' in issues that primarily concern the governments of India and Sri Lanka.
On June 8, the AIADMK-dominated Tamil Nadu assembly passed a resolution seeking economic sanctions against Colombo on issues concerning the Tamil community, including alleged war crimes.
©Indo-Asian News Service
