Category Archives: democratic measures

US Republican Senators Threaten the ICC … [and we are not talking cricket!]

Hot Press: Senators Tom Cotton, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz are among a dozen Republicans that signed a letter that threatened the International Criminal Court (ICC) if they arrest Israeli leaders for war crimes.

Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian discuss on The Young Turks. Your Support is Crucial to the Show: https://tyt.com/team Get the Progressive battle plan: https://go.tyt.com/book-description Watch TYT LIVE on weekdays 6-8 pm ET. http://youtube.com/theyoungturks/live Read more HERE: https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4… “A dozen GOP senators threatened the International Criminal Court (ICC) with sanctions if the body moves forward with an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or other Israeli leaders. The ICC has reportedly considered a warrant for Netanyahu’s arrest for weeks as accusations rise of war crimes in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. “

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SSC: The Studies in Society & Culture Project, 1992 et seq

SSC PAMPHLET PROJECT

Some of you may remember this project in Sri Lanka in the 1990s directed towards making selected academic articles on the history & politics of Sri Lanka available to the English-reading public at affordable rates. My unreliable memory indicates that the personnel behind this enterprise were myself, Ananda Chittampalam, Willa Wickramasinghe and our engine, so to speak, was the press operated by Haris Hulugalla.

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Hot Press from Columbia University Today

Thalif Deen … in Email to Roberts, 1 April 2024**

At a press conference last night, New York City Mayor and his Police Commissioner tried to justify the police intervention against pro-Palestinian demonstrators at Columbia University claiming the protests have been corrupted by “outside agitators.”

I think this is a steaming pile of horse-shit.

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Gaza! Gaza! A Protest Encampment at Adelaide University

CIRCULAR to Staff from JENNIE SHAW, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, 1 May 2024 .A Circular which I, as an Uni-Adelaide Staff retiree, received today: now presented with highlighting [in red] imposed and photographs added; and other news items as essential contextualization.

 Dear Colleagues

You may be aware that a protest encampment has been set up today on the North Terrace campus.

The group said it did not know how many people would take part in the Adelaide protest but it would stay as long as needed.

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Jewish Nazis of Today in Powerful Places

JW

Shai Davidai, a Jewish researcher, is demonizing the students protesting at universities across the US against the genocide taking place in Gaza. He calls them “Terrorists”.

Students protest at an encampment supporting Palestinians on the Columbia University campus in New York City, April 25 [Caitlin Ochs/Reuters]

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Ranasinghe Premadasa: As Pragmatic as Visionary in Political Method

Dr. Mahim Mendis, in Daily FT, 26 April 2024 …. where the title runs thus: “Revivial of Premadasism the Way Forward for Sri Lanka,”

…in DailyFT, 26 April Truly cultured men and women have the capacity to be thankful for the progressive measures taken by Ranasinghe Premadasa. He was a true embodiment of Social Democracy, governing the entire social, political, cultural, and moral order. He was not a mere propagator of a Social Market Economy, when he took over leadership from a right wing, J.R. Jayewardene led UNP that tried to dislodge Deputy Leader Premadasa from his well-earned Presidential candidature in 1989. The same right-wing forces in the UNP, tried to impeach him together with Feudalist sympathisers, who lost all their social status due to Premadasaism

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Imagine there’s no countries, nothing to kill or die for

Rohini Hensman …. An article composed at the end of the year 2003 for a conference in January 2004; and eventually published in 2012 (see below: fn 1) …. with the title being borrowed from ‘Imagine,’ by John Lennon …. and the highlighting emphasis imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi

I would like to look at the issue of community and nationalism and its continued relevance at the present, and in particular to analyse its association with authoritarianism, militarisation, nuclearisation, terrorism, and questions of war and peace in South Asia. Within this region, there is a very close parallel between the current situation in Sri Lanka [2003-04] and developments which have taken place much earlier in India, Pakistan, and later Bangladesh. In both cases, we see the development of strong authoritarian tendencies, linked up to either religion or ethnicity.

 

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Campaign to Promote “Malaiyaha Thamilar” Identity

Diana Joseph in Groundviews, 25 March 2024 ….where the title runs thus :  “Identity Crisis of the Malaiyaha Thamilar Communityreproduced here with highlighting imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi

People of Tamil descent raised on plantations have endured a long history of discrimination, exploitation and violence tracing back to the era of colonization. The younger generation, both men and women, expresses a preference for employment opportunities in urban areas or Middle Eastern countries as labourers rather than on plantations. Unfortunately, this pursuit often results in their exploitation and entrapment in modern day slavery, a cyclical pattern that has persisted for over two centuries.

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An Essential Service …. By Women …. For Women

Editorial in DAILY NEWS,  26 March 2024, where the title reads  “A Commendable Step”

No one can go against Mother Nature. Women have been created with a womb in order to perpetuate the human race. Women can prevent child birth if they wish but they cannot prevent menstruation. Menstruation can only be delayed for a short time for medical reasons and some other essential reasons with Consultants’ guidance and prescribed medications.

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Rukrakaganno’s Ecological Reforestation Project in Singharaja Rainforest

Ruk Rakaganno — A Note about this NGO’s Enterprising Programme in Protecting a Vital Element in the Singharaja Rain Forest ……….. Hanne Lund Madsen, Sustainability Director, Forward Advice, Denmark

Sri Lanka was recently awarded international recognition at the United Nations Environmental Assembly, Nairobi, for its flagship initiative to restore mangroves in Puttalam in northwest region of Sri Lanka. The ecological reforestation project by Ruk Rakaganno in the borderlands of the Singharaja Rainforest Reserve, a world heritage site, is also deserving recognition and support.

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