It appears that there are pressures in motion[1] to return to the old Rajapaksa programme of rendering the National Anthem on Independence Day in Sinhala Only. As Eranda Ginige has contended, this would be a retrograde step. Towards our comprehension of the issues, I present a preliminary and incomplete bibliography of pertinent items — including the work of Kushil Gunasekera and his Foundation of Goodness in fostering the Murali Cup; the endeavours of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene; and Sasanka Perera’s slashing criticism of the parochial responses to Kishani Jaysinghe’s operatic rendering of “Danno Budunge.”
Category Archives: performance
Becoming and Being Sri Lankan: The National Anthem in Our Mother Tongues
Eranda Ginige, on in Lanka News Web, 6 January 2020, where the title is “The Language of the National Anthem”
The Dominion of Ceylon was formed on 4 February 1948 with the singing of Britain’s national anthem “God Save the King” and it continued to be the anthem for another four years
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Garnier aka Xavier enveloped in Swiss Arms & Alms
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“White Christmas” was fashioned by Irving Berlin, A Jewish Immigrant in USA
Rich Tenorio, an essay penned on 24 December 2019 and entitled “How Jewish-American immigrant Irving Berlin started a Christmas revolution”
The best version of White Christmas was done by Elvis. Berlin was highly critical of him for “desecrating” his song. How ironic: A god-fearing Protestant criticised by a Jew for the way he sang a Christmas song. But like a lot of the older brigade, Sinatra included, Berlin felt left behind by rock n’ roll. Yet Jews like Dylan and Paul Simon, dug Elvis.
Irving Berlin, at the piano, and friends celebrate the 25th year since he wrote ‘Alexander’s Rag Time Band’ at a banquet in his honor in Hollywood, California, January 20, 1936. Standing behind Berlin, at right, is Joseph Schenck, film producer. In front row singing together are two of the Marx Brothers, Chico and Harpo. (AP Photo) Continue reading
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In Prague: The Cricketing “Beast” from Galle, one Sudesh Wickramasekara
Sreshth Shah**
When Sudesh Wickramasekara walked in at No. 5, the score was 107 for 3. For long, the 37-year-old, named Batsman of the Year in the domestic 40-over league three times, has been considered the Czech team’s most destructive batsman. Hopes of a high total rested on him and he didn’t disappoint. Against a young Turkey attack, Wickramasekara struck ten sixes and eight fours in the final nine overs of the innings to make 106 in 36 balls. He equalled the T20I record for the fastest hundred and helped Czech Republic make the joint-highest T20I total.
The Amazing Treasures of Leyn Baan Street in the Fort of Galle
Juliet Coombe, in Ceylon Digest, 19 December 2019,where the title is “Galle Fort’s hidden treasure Leyn Baan”
The Fort from the air showing the magnificence of the old city
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Boris Johnson and Ceylon Tea: One Force in His Victory
Michael Roberts
Several discerning reports have been presented to indicate HOW and WHY Boris Johnson and the Conservative Party secured such an overwhelming victory at the recent General Election. It appears that the campaign director, a Jewish Australian named Isaac Levido, was a central figure behind the Tory campaign.
The Ceylon Society marks 2019 with A Resounding Hai-Hoyi
Sunil De Silva, reporting on The Ceylon Society of Australia’s AGM and Social 2019
30 November 2019 saw an exceptional event – the Social following the Annual General Meeting of the Ceylon Society of Australia. The venue was the meeting hall at the Pennant Hills Community Centre, a hall converted beyond recognition, the handiwork of Pauline Gunewardene, the President of the CSA, with the assistance of several members of the Committee.
The LTTE and Its “Treasury” in Switzerland in Its Halcyon Days
DBS Jeyaraj, in his website column 15 December 2019, with this title “The Switzerland Connection in LTTE Fund Raising Activity”
Recent events have focused the media spotlight on the Federal Republic of Switzerland known officially as the Swiss Confederation. The landlocked European nation is respected highly on a global scale due to its policy of armed neutrality. Despite the impeccable credentials of Switzerland, the country is being viewed negatively by influential sections of the Sri Lankan people. There is suspicion that an orchestrated campaign is being pursued by certain elements to depict the country as an “enemy” of Sri Lanka. Three recent happenings concerning Switzerland–Sri Lanka relations have contributed to this unfortunate state of affairs.
Tamil rally in Geneva, summer 2003
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Swiss Power Plays: A Violation of Sovereignty
Tamara Kunanayakam, Island, 12 December 2019, where the title runs “The Swiss Affair – ‘exfiltration’ of a top Intelligence Chief and a tale of ‘abduction’,”
Kunanayakam is a former Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the U.N. at Geneva and is guided by this dictum in confrontations: “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” Sun Tzu, The Art War, 5th Century BC
The recent dramatic events involving the Swiss Embassy came as a surprise to most Sri Lankans. Just as the large majority was looking ahead to a new era with a President they had just elected, a non politician with a simple lifestyle, yet a determined,man who who they believed would be capable of returning a sense of security, peace, economic development to their lives, the shot came from a quarter they least expected. From a small country in the Alps known for its neutrality, chocolate, cheese and snow capped mountains.
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