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Author Archives: thuppahi
An Aussie Foundation that is an US Handmaiden
Echo Hui, ABC Investigations, and Hagar Cohen
The Federal Government’s foundation that was meant to “turbocharge” relations with China is beset by dysfunction, a lack of purpose and possible conflicts of interest, say senior insiders.
Key points:
- A new National Foundation for Australia-China Relations was announced by the Federal Government in 2019
- Former consul-general to Hong Kong says two recent appointees may have conflicts of interest
- One of the directors runs a newspaper that has links to Falun Gong, an anti-communist party religious movement
Filed under accountability, american imperialism, australian media, authoritarian regimes, centre-periphery relations, China and Chinese influences, citizen journalism, disparagement, economic processes, education policy, foreign policy, governance, historical interpretation, politIcal discourse, power politics, self-reflexivity, taking the piss, transport and communications, truth as casualty of war, world events & processes
Erudite Voices seeking Limits on Election Landslide
I = Rajan Philips: “On your marks, get set – for the weakest parliament to face the gravest crises” 2 August 2020, https://island.lk/on-your-marks-get-set-for-the-weakest-parliament-to-face-the-gravest-crises/
II = Lucien Rajakarunanayake: “save Democracy froma Two-Thirds Majority,” 3 August 2020, https://island.lk/save-democracy-from-a-two-thirds-disaster/
III = Sumedra S Amarasekera: “Reality of two-thirds power in parliament,” 3 August 2020, https://island.lk/reality-of-two-thirds-p: ower-in-parliament/
Filed under accountability, democratic measures, governance, heritage, historical interpretation, human rights, Left politics, legal issues, life stories, modernity & modernization, parliamentary elections, politIcal discourse, power politics, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, unusual people, world events & processes
Moninna and Ranjit Goonewardena of 15 Parawa Street, Fort, Galle inscribed in Word Pictures by Coombe and Perry
The text is Chapter 7 in Juliet Coombe and Daisy Perry’s absorbing Around the Galle Fort in 80 Lives alas presented here without Coombe’s imposing camera work … so that readers have to make do with one family snap and my amateur ‘flourishes’
Behind the unassuming door of Number 15, Parawa Street lies a unique collection of family antiques that have been passed down through five generation of the Goonewardena family. The door opens and the visitor feels an immediate allure as their eyes are met by dozens of quirky, individual treasures. The most striking feature is the collection of animal horns that are mounted on the walls around the entrance room – the antlers of a stag, the giant, thick, curving horns of wild buffalo and the small tusks of wild buffalo and the small tusks of a wild boar. Both the Sri Lankan jungle and the country’s colonial past seem to be emblemized in these trophies that Mr, Goonewardena’s gran father was given as a gift when he was working in a public works department in Batticaloa. In the 1950s Queen Elizabeth awarded him a medal for his public service but unfortunately he died before he could receive it.
Moninna, Dilum, Piyum and Ranjit at their very best
A Military Man seeks Election in a Vanni Electorate
Kamanthi Wickramasinghe, in Daily Mirror, 1 August 2020, where the title is;“Communal harmony will commence from Vanni District -Rathnapriya Bandu”
Colonel Rathnapriya Bandu who served as the Commander of the Civil Defence Force in Vishwamadu made headlines when he was transferred to the Sinha Regiment in Ambepussa. He received a warm farewell from the Tamil community, including rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres proving that he was embraced by all communities alike. Upon his retirement, Col. Bandu made his entry to politics and will be contesting under the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) ticket from the Vanni District. Although it was once a hotbed of communal violence, he assures that communal harmony will soon commence from the Vanni District and spread to all parts of the country.
Filed under accountability, centre-periphery relations, charitable outreach, communal relations, economic processes, electoral structures, governance, historical interpretation, island economy, land policies, landscape wondrous, life stories, parliamentary elections, performance, politIcal discourse, propaganda, Rajapaksa regime, security, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, sri lankan society, the imaginary and the real, unusual people, world events & processes
Verite Research Findings: Lanka’s Cabinet and MPs …. Historical Blunders and Issues
Kalani Kumarasinghe, in Daily Mirror, 9 July 2020, where the title is “Change? Let’s start from the Cabinet”
Filed under accountability, authoritarian regimes, constitutional amendments, coronavirus, democratic measures, electoral structures, governance, historical interpretation, island economy, landscape wondrous, legal issues, life stories, politIcal discourse, power politics, power sharing, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, the imaginary and the real, welfare & philanthophy, world events & processes
Seneca De Chickera: A Lovable Father and A Trinitian True
Wijith Seneca De Chickera, in Daily Mirror, 1 August 2020, where the title is “From Here to Eternity”
Born in an era when family traditions, values and noble deeds were the hallmark of family life and societal norms, my father grew up in a milieu of cousins, friends and playmates who spent their time in the vast outdoors; playing cricket, bathing in rivers and the sea, plucking fruits off trees, that they’d climb on and catching fish.
My father was a gentleman, gentleman-cricketer, gentle and kind, and a genius in his own way.
Canadian Tamil Agitation against Sri Lanka and Canadian Sinhalese
Chandre Dharmawardene, in Island, 26 July 2020, with this title “Ontario’s Bill on Alleged Genocide of Sri Lankan Tamils”
It was interesting to read Lynn Ockersz’ posting in The Island titled “UN Genocide Convention and Social Peace”. What should rise to the top of the minds of most Sri Lankan readers when the word “genocide” is mentioned, is the allegation against the Sri Lankan state. The columnist states that “As is known, some sections have been flinging the allegation of genocide against the Sri Lankan state in matters arising from its 30-year war against the LTTE, but it is clear that, going by the UN definition, the Lankan state has not committed genocide“.
C.V. Wigneswaran, Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council in Sri Lanka, addresses members of the Tamil community in Markham, Ontario, Canada, on January 15, 2017. During his trip to formalize a friendship agreement between the City of Markham and district of Mullaitivu, Northern Province in Sri Lanka Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran spoke about the importance of issues of transitional justice and post-war development to diaspora Tamils in Canada……..Photo by Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images
Filed under accountability, British imperialism, centre-periphery relations, conspiracies, devolution, disparagement, doctoring evidence, ethnicity, foreign policy, governance, historical interpretation, life stories, LTTE, nationalism, news fabrication, political demonstrations, politIcal discourse, power politics, prabhakaran, propaganda, racist thinking, riots and pogroms, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, slanted reportage, social justice, sri lankan society, Tamil migration, tamil refugees, Tamil Tiger fighters, trauma, truth as casualty of war, UN reports, world events & processes
Lord Naseby castigates the LTTE past … and the TGTE present … Today
Yesterday (29/07/20) in the House of Lords, Lord Naseby spoke in the debate on Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020: “My Lords, I have no problem at all with the financial aspects of this SI. I think there is a big challenge with individuals and human rights; I remember Gaddafi, Saddam Hussein and Assad, all of whose communities we interfered in at huge human cost to those communities. I want to focus, though, sadly, on the Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers—LTTE—which we proscribed in 2001. It was succeeded by the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam—TGTE—itself proscribed in Sri Lanka. It is staffed and organised by former LTTE people and yesterday it started a legal action in the courts here in the UK to lift the proscription on the Tamil Tigers.
Filed under accountability, anton balasingham, atrocities, authoritarian regimes, centre-periphery relations, communal relations, disparagement, education, ethnicity, female empowerment, governance, historical interpretation, insurrections, landscape wondrous, legal issues, life stories, politIcal discourse, power politics, prabhakaran, religiosity, Saivism, security, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, slanted reportage, sri lankan society, suicide bombing, Tamil civilians, Tamil migration, tamil refugees, Tamil Tiger fighters, terrorism, the imaginary and the real, trauma, unusual people, war crimes, women in ethnic conflcits, world events & processes
