HRW …. 31 August 2022 …………. https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/08/31/sri-lanka-end-use-terrorism-law-against-protesters
Category Archives: Indian Ocean politics
Power Balancing Moves in Asia: Displacing USA
Scott Ritter in Energy Intelligence, 9 September 2022, with this title “India And China Eye Asian Century”
As the world lurches through the growing pains of massive geopolitical change, the US’ relationship with India will increasingly take center stage. Washington likes to see itself as providing a geopolitical center of gravity that is inherently attractive to nations like India, especially against regional competitors such as China. As the US is about to discover, however, India and China have a shared ambition about who should dominate the Pacific in the coming century, and it doesn’t include the US.
Filed under accountability, american imperialism, authoritarian regimes, centre-periphery relations, China and Chinese influences, economic processes, ethnicity, foreign policy, governance, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, landscape wondrous, military strategy, modernity & modernization, Pacific Ocean issues, politIcal discourse, power politics, propaganda, self-reflexivity, transport and communications, world events & processes
Denmark’s Imperialism in the Past: Its Colonies
Thuppahi Editorial Note:
“Amidst the prominent history of imperial expansion by Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Britain and France, the imperial intrusions (and outrages) by such European nations as Italy and Denmark during the early modern period can be passed over. Senaka Weeraratne in Colombo reminded me of this dimension of the past by sending me the tales of Denmark’s ‘work’ in this arena…. a world arena…. captured in Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danish_overseas_colonies
………… and especially the Maps of Danish colonies/or settlements acroos the world.
Filed under accountability, atrocities, authoritarian regimes, centre-periphery relations, cultural transmission, demography, economic processes, ethnicity, governance, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, landscape wondrous, law of armed conflict, life stories, modernity & modernization, politIcal discourse, power politics, self-reflexivity, transport and communications, travelogue, world events & processes
Queen Elizabeth in Ceylon in 1954 in Pictures
The Queen and Prince Philip visited the island of Ceylon in 1954 and participated in striking ceremonies in Colombo, Kandy and Peradeniya University. The Senate Building at Peradeniya University was formally ‘consecrated’; and the Queen also visited the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. The Queen also visited the famous Trinity College with the Mayor of Kandy (EL Senanayake) as Aide of Honour. Here she honoured and was honoured by the Trinity cadet corps …. a set of actions that reminds us of the “Empire loyalism” that had prompted a number of Westernised Sri Lankans to enlist in the British armed forces during World War I as well as World War II (a topic recently documented** in the new illustrated book edited by Kumar Kirinde et al — entitled Volunteers from Ceylon ………………………………………….. (https://thuppahis.com/2022/09/02/fighting-dying-for-britain-during-the-two-world-wars/) and also referred to earlier in a book where I was the chief hand, namely, People Inbetween (Ratmalana, Sarvodaya Publishers, 1989, pp. 114-119 & 121ff ) …………. MICHAEL ROBERTS
The Mayor of Kandy, Mr. E.L. Senanayake escorting the Queen through the College premises (College car park at present)
Filed under art & allure bewitching, British colonialism, centre-periphery relations, cultural transmission, education, Empire loyalism, governance, heritage, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, landscape wondrous, life stories, patriotism, performance, photography, politIcal discourse, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, travelogue, unusual people, world events & processes
China and Africa: A Lesson for Ranjan
“One Mr X”, 23 August 2022, responding to a Challenge extended within A Comment By Brig. Ranjan de Silva in X’s NOTE in the essay by Benjamin Norton …………………………. https://thuppahis.com/2022/08/22/china-jettisons-23-loans-to-african-states-wunderbar/#more-65196
I am glad Brigadier (Rtd) Ranjan de Silva has found time to ask for the names of the 17 countries as it enables me to expand on the context relating to this announcement which is important to understand.
The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Li made the announcement for debt forgiveness to African countries on 18 August (just six days ago) in remarks he made at the Coordinators’ Meeting on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of The Eighth Ministerial Conference of The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
Filed under accountability, american imperialism, authoritarian regimes, centre-periphery relations, China and Chinese influences, economic processes, foreign policy, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, legal issues, politIcal discourse, power politics, security, transport and communications, truth as casualty of war, unusual people, world events & processes
Standing Firm: Authoritarian Forms of Governance challenged by Sri Lankan Professionals
Item in Colombo Telegraph, 19 August 2022, where the title is as follows … “Saying no to Authoritarian Governance”
We the undersigned individuals from academia, the professions, the corporate sector, the clergy, and civil society organisations, join all those citizens and groups in condemning the abduction, arrest, detention without due process, and other acts of abusive Presidential and State authority committed against persons who participated in the Aragalaya Peoples’ Movement. We condemn the acts of violence that occurred during this time. However, we reject the narrative that the Aragalaya was responsible for the violence and that it has been transformed into a “fascist,” “anarchist,” “terrorist,” group, that has destroyed State and private property, and is determined to destabilise our country.
Ranil Wickremesinghe
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China Jettisons 23 Loans to African States!!! Wunderbar!!!
Benjamin Norton, in Multipolarista, 21 August 2022, where the headline reads thus “China forgives 23 loans for 17 African countries, expands ‘win-win’ trade and infrastructure projects”
The Chinese government has announced that it is forgiving 23 interest-free loans for 17 African nations, while pledging to deepen its collaboration with the continent.
This is in addition to China’s cancellation of more than $3.4 billion in debt and restructuring of around $15 billion of debt in Africa between 2000 and 2019.
Filed under accountability, american imperialism, authoritarian regimes, centre-periphery relations, China and Chinese influences, debt restructuring, economic processes, foreign policy, governance, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, landscape wondrous, politIcal discourse, power politics, self-reflexivity, slanted reportage, transport and communications, travelogue, world events & processes
Western Misrepresentations of China’s Actions in Sri Lanka Continue
Fair Dinkum, … an original set of thoughts … with highlighting imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi
It’s good to see Australia providing aid to SL though its peanuts compared to the aid provided by India and China. This article is a good example of an Anglo-Saxon reading of an Asian situation.
Some flawed claims by the Anglo-Saxons at The Age in this article are,
– The claim China was “flexing its muscles” by “insisting on docking a giant scientific research ship despite concerns raised by India”. There is no mention that India had earlier flexed its muscles by insisting Sri Lanka deny entry to the vessel. And no analysis as to whether India had genuine security concerns or were simply politically posturing. There was also no mention of India’s interference into Sri Lanka’s sovereignty.
Filed under accountability, american imperialism, australian media, centre-periphery relations, China and Chinese influences, disparagement, economic processes, foreign policy, governance, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, island economy, landscape wondrous, legal issues, life stories, modernity & modernization, nationalism, Pacific Ocean politics, political demonstrations, politIcal discourse, power politics, propaganda, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, transport and communications, truth as casualty of war, world events & processes
China lands on the Moon in Hambantota
Fair Dinkum, with the highlighting being her/his emphasis not The Editor’s
Captain Zhang Hogwang of China’s research and survey vessel, the Yuan Wang 5, waves after disembarking from the ship upon arrival at Hambantota port on August 16, 2022. Photo: VCG
The docking of the Chinese research vessel Yuan Wang 5 at Hambantota port was a momentous occasion in the history of Sri Lanka, having gained global attention like it was the first moon landing. All of this attention is due to the unnecessary meddling into Sri Lanka’s internal affairs by India and the United States.
Filed under accountability, centre-periphery relations, China and Chinese influences, cultural transmission, democratic measures, economic processes, export issues, foreign policy, governance, Indian Ocean politics, island economy, landscape wondrous, life stories, performance, politIcal discourse, power politics, propaganda, security, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, the imaginary and the real, transport and communications, world events & processes
