Category Archives: self-reflexivity

Addressing Shenali Waduge and the One-Eyed UNHRC Hunters, One

Michael Roberts

Shenali Waduge has a long history as a defender of Sinhala interests within and beyond the island of Sri Lanka. In quite a few minds she would be classified as a Sinhala chauvinist. One must, however, not throw the baby out with the dirty bathwater.[1] Her essays should not be dismissed out of hand. Indeed, there were several striking claims in an essay she presented recently in two outlets[2] for me to include it within Thuppahi under this imposed heading: “To Your Face: UN and UNHRC challenged by Shenali Waduge.”

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An Essential Coupling: For A Bilingual National Anthem on 4th February

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.”

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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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Cyril Ernst greets His Generation of Buddies in Ceylon and the World

Anthony Cyril Ernst

Dear All, ….. Congratulate yourselves as you also belong to this amazing generation that experienced all these amazing things, simply by being born at ‘Just the right time!’. Please note that I checked your ‘Birth Certificates’ before adding your name to the list of recipients.

Best Era Ever…!! 💃🏻
🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Born in   …40’s 🍼

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Sri Lanka as a Potential Argentinian Case?

Arvind Subramanian, in Project Syndicate  on 19 November 2019 [check?] at https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/sri-lanka-economic-instability-argentina-by-arvind-subramanian-2019-11where the title is Is Sri Lanka the Next Argentina?”

As Sri Lanka makes another crucial political transition, it faces a major risk of macroeconomic instability. Minimizing that risk will depend, above all, on whether the country’s newly elected president, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, can defy his reputation and embrace inclusive politics.

Lady Justice reading a book

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Naseby and Sheikh bat for Sri Lanka in the House of Lords

House of Lords, 7th January 2020

Lord Naseby spoke about Sri Lanka in the Queen’s Speech debate in the House of Lords: “We’ve now got two new leaders, one here in the UK with the drive, determination and commitment and you have an almost identical philosophy in the newly elected Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a man of proven leadership an ability with an agenda to keep the peace to keep an inclusive policy for minorities etc. I see huge opportunities for trade – my noble friend Lord Sheikh raised some of them, I concur with those. There is a huge opportunity but only… … ONLY if the UNHRC project is wound up. I say to the house and my noble friend on the front bench – this year is the year for UK to have faith in Sri Lanka and its newly elected executive president.”

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Switzerland Surrenders …. While the Machinations of a Cabal appear in the Deep Seas

Political Editor of the Sunday Times, 5 January 2019, where the title runs  “UNP leadership: Parliamentary group to decide next week”

Switzerland has publicly expressed regrets for challenging Sri Lankan “authorities’ commitment to due process” and for calling that “into question” over the saga involving an embattled staffer at the embassy in Colombo. Their about turn, embarrassingly coming down a few notches, was spelt out in an official Third Person Note (TPN) Bern sent on December 30, 2019 to the Ministry of Foreign Relations. This was after diplomatic consultations got under way with a special envoy to ease tensions between the two countries. The note was released both in Colombo and Bern simultaneously.

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Garnier aka Xavier enveloped in Swiss Arms & Alms

Garnier Banister Francis, nee Xavier, has her Face blown …. and is juxtaposed here beside her saviour, The Swiss Embassy.
Apey Ath yatathay …

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Bar Association canes Swiss Embassy for Its Garnier Act

News Item in Island, 4 January 2019,where the title reads thus …. “BASL takes umbrage over Swiss Govt. statement”

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka yesterday took umbrage over the high handed statement issued by the Swiss government on December 30 relating to proceedings pending in the magistrates Court of Colombo over the purported abduction of one of its Colombo embassy’s local employees.

Hanspeter Mock

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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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