Category Archives: power sharing

August 24, 2024 · 5:20 pm

The Siege of Jaffna Fort by the LTTE in 1990

Gamini Goonetilleke, … with a few photographs awaiting insertion later

I had volunteered my services to the Sri Lanka Army and it was my turn of duty at the Palali Base Hospital when the Jaffna Fort came under Tiger attack. Thus I was a witness to a major battle for supremacy in the North. For the State the Jaffna Fort was of symbolic importance to demonstrate its sovereignty over the Jaffna population and as such the Sri Lanka Army was occupying the Jaffna Fort. For the Tigers, dislodging the troops from the Fort was of importance to pave the way for ‘liberation’. Therefore it became an important battle for both sides.

Image 1 – A view of the Jaffna Fort

Jaffna Fort – main entrance

The siege of Jaffna Fort

The Tigers had surrounded not only the Fort but also the Palali Air Base to prevent the mobility of the troops and also to cut off supplies. They positioned anti-aircraft guns in the Fort area. This threatened the helicopter borne supplies to the stranded troops and the battle for the Fort turned out to be ﬁerce and intense.

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August 9, 2024 · 9:09 pm

A Play That Explores Sinhala-Tamil Relations in 20th Century Ceylon

Jayantha Somasundaram in The Island 9 August 2024, …….. presenting a review COUNTING & CRACKING written for the stage by Sivanathan Shakthidharan and Directed by Eamon Flack …. and has this title “COUNTING & CRACKING: THE SUNTHARALINGAM SAGA”

Already staged in cities in the United Kingdom and Australia, Shakthidharan’s poignant drama directed by Eamon Flack, is a fictionalised version of a Sri Lanka family’s story; but not just any family. It is the Suntharalingam saga. It movingly recounts a biography that spans four generations; and in doing so it captures and critiques not just Sri Lanka’s social and cultural history, but its political tragedy as well.

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August 3, 2024 · 7:39 pm

Mearsheimer on Israel’s International Crimes

Theodore K

20230125 UC Political Science Website Photo. Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at Cobb, Cummings, Harper, Pick, Rosenwald, Saieh, and SSRB . (Photo by Joe Sterbenc)

John Mearsheimer has provided the world with an insightful analysis on Israel, Netanyahu, and the US Rules Based Order.

SEE …. LISTEN … to Prof. John J. Mearsheimer: “Netanyahu’s Grave Mistakes” … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4opzJiXAz0

Thus inspired …. THEODORE K’s THOUGHTS: “Netanyahu has no interest in peace. His goal is genocide of the Palestinians, to make Gaza uninhabitable, to expand Israel into Gaza and the West Bank, as the US cheer him on to the tune of the Rules Based Order – the “Rules Based International Order” Australia supports and keeps ranting on about.

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June 20, 2024 · 4:36 pm

ITIHAS Launched …. and Spreads Its Wings

Go to …. https://itihas.lk/contact/ … Note that the presentation here is a re-cast selection by The Editor of Thuppahi who has also imposed his colourings on the text

Mission: What we hope to achieve

Itihas aims to equip Sri Lankan youth with the ability to think critically about their past, present, and future. It specifically aims to debunk mythological understandings of history that afford to particular ethno-religious groups a sense of superiority or authenticity over others. Rather than acting as a gatekeeper of knowledge, Itihas seeks to empower future generations of students, scholars, practitioners, and policymakers to learn about, research, and make informed decisions on divisive issues such as conflict, discrimination and violence in a manner that advances a more inclusive Sri Lanka.

Photo by Tashiya De Mel

Itihas – Advancing history education reform in Sri Lanka

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May 16, 2024 · 7:20 pm

Be Tamil Bibliography…….For Sri Lanka 2003/04

Michael Roberts

About the time that I retired from my teaching duties at the Anthropology Department at Adelaide University in 2003/04, the topic of “suicide terrorism” was attracting a lot of attention in academic circles through books and articles. As I dwelt on this topic within the alternative title of “Sacrificial Devotion,” I also had, perforce, to dwell on the grievances espoused by the Sri Lanka Tamils.

Through happenchance, today, I came across an old Word File entitled “Be Tamil Bibliography.” Its entries suggest that it was drafted circa 2003/04 – so the temporal sweep is restricted. It lists academic books and articles on the ethnic contretemps in Sri Lanka as well as the Tamil world of Sri Lanka and India. Thus, the authors marked include such personnel as Zvelebil, Schalk, Kenneth David and Hellmann-Rajanayagam as well as the local Tamils Chelliah Manogaran, Valentine Daniel, Sivathamby, Somasundaram and Sivaram …. to name a few.

Tamil demonstrators invade the pitch during a Cricket World Cup, Group B, match between Australia and Sri Lanka at the Oval, London, 11th June 1975. Australian opening batsman Alan Turner (foreground) turns his back on the protest while his teammate Rick McCosker looks on. Australia won the match by 52 runs..…Photo by Dennis Oulds/Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

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April 12, 2024 · 1:41 pm

Gross Misrepresentation in Bolt’s Analysis of Penny Wong’s Position on Palestine

Adrian Bishop

Let me deconstruct Bolt’s disinformation about Penny Wong, Hamas and Israel in his item in the Herald Sun 11/4/2024. …. A little analysis of Bolt’s disinformation about Penny Wong, Hamas and Israel. It was published in the Herald Sun 11/4/2024. [THE ITEM had this headline: “Wong’s Palestine plan a win for Hamas” …]

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December 25, 2023 · 7:38 pm

Political Dogfight Looming in 2024 General Elections in Sri Lanka

Uditha Devapriya, in The Diplomat, December 2023, where the title runs thus “Political and Electoral Uncertainty in Sri Lanka Ahead of the 2024 Elections”

Wickremesinghe wants to keep his job; the SLPP wants to mount a comeback. Sri Lanka voters seem to want radical change.

In Sri Lanka, political parties are getting ready for presidential elections scheduled for some time next year. Many of them have named their candidates; others are preparing to do so. The country is constitutionally mandated to hold presidential polls in 2024, and the president himself has hinted that he will go ahead with them.

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October 21, 2023 · 6:27 pm

How Israel came into THIS Our World

An You Tube Historical Tale ….. ………… https://www.tiktok.com/@syhu961/video/7288422306097925408?_r=1&_t=8gedCQvCO0o

…. sent to me by a Sri Lankan in Brisbane …. who had this to say

“The Europeans did not treat Jews as humans, put them in concentration camps.

So now it is the Jews turn to inflict the same pain on the Palestinians.

God gave the Jews the land 6000 years ago. The Jews lived in Europe for 5900 years under so much suffering and discrimination.

Then a 100 years ago the British gave Jews Palestine and since then the people who lived in Palestine peacefully have to undergo the same suffering the Jews were subjected to in Europe.

It’s only a matter of time before the Jews erect the gas chambers too for the final solution.”

VISIT THIS SITE for photos of the AUSCHWITZ concenetration camp horrors = https://discovercracow.com/auschwitz-photos/

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October 20, 2023 · 8:28 pm

On the Brink of World War III?

Fair Dinkum …. with highlights imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi

As this war escalates, it’s only a matter of time before these US warships are sunk. They are sitting ducks in the Red Sea. The US is not in a position to deter anyone except perhaps for the occasional dolphin.

What has not been reported is that not only is Yemen launching drones and air strikes, but that a major escalation of Hezbollah attacks occured last night on the Lebanon-Israel border and that Hezbollah successfully hit a number of US interests in the region.

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