Category Archives: Sinhala-Tamil Relations

An Epitaph For Lasantha Wickrematunge

Sabanayagam Varagunam in Daily Mirror, 8 January 2024, where the title reads “Lasantha Wickrematunge: A National Hero’s Enduring Legacy” … with highlighting here being the imprint of The Editor, Thuppahi

Wickrematunge’s courage was not merely a product of his profession; it was an intrinsic part of his being

January 8 marked a dark and somber day in Sri Lanka’s history, as our thoughts went back to Lasantha Wickrematunge, the fearless journalist and an indefatigable champion of human rights, who fell victim to a brutal assassination. Sixteen years have passed since his untimely demise, but Wickrematunge’s adherence to justice and human rights cemented his status as a national hero that continues to inspire generations.

Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, atrocities, authoritarian regimes, centre-periphery relations, citizen journalism, communal relations, cultural transmission, democratic measures, Eelam, electoral structures, ethnicity, governance, life stories, LTTE, martyrdom, patriotism, politIcal discourse, power politics, press freedom & censorship, security, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, sri lankan society, truth as casualty of war, unusual people, war crimes, war reportage, world events & processes

When Extremists Feed Off Each Other …. Pertinent Reflections from 2012

Michael Roberts

Just today I came across an old political essay of mine, one entitled “Prejudice and Hate in Pluralist Settings: The Kingdom of Kandy.” While the essay is of continued relevance today for Sri Lankan as well as world politics, let me bring readers face-to-face with several insights reposing within two of the COMMENTS which the article attracted, one from Dr Jane Russell and the other from Professor Chandre Dharmawardena.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, anti-racism, centre-periphery relations, chauvinism, communal relations, cultural transmission, economic processes, education, Eelam, ethnicity, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, language policies, life stories, LTTE, nationalism, politIcal discourse, power sharing, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, sri lankan society, Tamil civilians, tamil refugees, Tamil Tiger fighters, truth as casualty of war, world events & processes

Remembering Karen Roberts Who Chose Writing …..

Renuka Sadanandan, whose original title runs thus: “Karen Roberts Writing. Her Way of Staying Close” **

Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara

It was probably the single most frightening thing that happened to her. Having to walk alone from the advertising agency in Kollupitiya where she worked part-time to her home in Dehiwela, through the streets aflame. Those terrible scenes stayed imprinted in her mind though it was many years before she would think of putting them down.

“On twenty-third of July 1983, the day the world went mad, was how Karen Roberts would later write about the ethnic violence in her book ‘July’. Her world changed that day, she says sombrely. “Until then my life was great…..my only concern was what to wear on Saturday night!” Her father was abroad, her mother had to fetch her younger sister home from school and her brother was stuck somewhere and the 17-year-old Karen had to fend for herself amidst the mayhem and madness that saw the familiar Colombo landscape turn into killing streets.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, anti-racism, atrocities, centre-periphery relations, Colombo and Its Spaces, cultural transmission, disparagement, ethnicity, historical interpretation, life stories, political demonstrations, politIcal discourse, power politics, racism, riots and pogroms, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, social justice, sri lankan society, Tamil civilians, terrorism, trauma, travelogue, unusual people, vengeance, violence of language, world events & processes, zealotry

A Poignant Tale … “I Am Not Lighting A Candle Today”

Buddhika Dassanayake, …. reflections presented on 26th December 2006

Its been two years since a friend called one morning, as we were studying for exams, to ask why lamp-posts were shaking. Two years since another friend called from Galle Hospital; tired, depressed, fiercely determined to see things through, utterly helpless. Two years since we heard that Tharini was missing; that the place we stayed at the last time we visited Unawatuna had disappeared along with the occupants.

 

Murali , Mahela & Kumar at a refugee camp on the east coast …having taken emergency supplies

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, centre-periphery relations, charitable outreach, citizen journalism, communal relations, cultural transmission, ethnicity, heritage, historical interpretation, landscape wondrous, life stories, patriotism, performance, politIcal discourse, refugees, rehabilitation, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, sri lankan society, tolerance, trauma

Chandra Schaffter in Q-and-A with Rex Clementine

Rex Clementine ... article on 23rd October 2018 entitled ”Sri Lanka’s oldest living cricketer – Chandra Schaffter”  … with highlighting emphasis added by The Editor, Thuppahi

Q: Who, in your opinion, is the Greatest Sri Lankan Batsman?

“I tend to agree with statements made by Frank Worrell and Gary Sobers. In their assessment Mahadevan Sathasivam was the best batsman that they had ever seen. Particularly in the case of Worrell, he played against Sathasivam when he scored 96 on a very bad wicket against top bowlers, who did extremely well on poor conditions.

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, art & allure bewitching, Colombo and Its Spaces, communal relations, cricket for amity, cricket selections, cultural transmission, ethnicity, heritage, life stories, patriotism, performance, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, social justice, Sri Lankan cricket, sri lankan society, world events & processes

Chandra Schaffter Features in the TPS Website

https://thuppahis.com/2023/03/30/a-cricketing-saga-extraordinary/

March 30, 2023

A Cricketing Saga Extraordinary

Chandra Schaffter … responding to an earnest request from Michael Roberts**

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, art & allure bewitching, centre-periphery relations, Colombo and Its Spaces, communal relations, cricket for amity, cultural transmission, economic processes, education, ethnicity, heritage, historical interpretation, life stories, modernity & modernization, patriotism, performance, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, Sri Lankan cricket, sri lankan society, Tamil civilians, teaching profession, unusual people

UN Agencies That Deployed False Death Figures re Eelam War

Palitha Senanayake, in The Island, 20 December 2024 …… ‘UN fudged Lankan casualty figures’ – Lord Naseby

The United Nations Human Rights Council at its 57th session adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Project on Sri Lanka Accountability by one year. Babu Ram Pant, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International, has commented extensively on this resolution.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (L) arrives at a hotel for a joint press conference with Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama in Kandy on May 23, 2009, after Ban visited Menik Farm camp, home to thousands of civilians who fled the war zone. UN chief Ban Ki-moon came face-to-face with the despair of Sri Lanka’s war-hit civilians as he toured the main refugee camp and flew over the devastated war zone. AFP PHOTO/ROSLAN RAHMAN (Photo credit should read ROSLAN RAHMAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Continue reading

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, american imperialism, authoritarian regimes, centre-periphery relations, communal relations, demography, doctoring evidence, ethnicity, historical interpretation, legal issues, life stories, military strategy, politIcal discourse, propaganda, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, slanted reportage, social justice, sri lankan society, Tamil civilians, Tamil Tiger fighters, trauma, truth as casualty of war, unusual people, vengeance, war crimes, war reportage, world events & processes

Beyond Imagination – Chandra Schaffter’s Life of Service

Ravi RUDRA has composed an extensive web-item describing Chandra Schaffter’s services to Sri Lanka,  S. Thomas College, cricket, hockey, the Tamil Union CC’, insurance services in the island and humakind in general. The account includes photographs and is so extensive that it is best presented in segments. THIS is the first instalment. As this segment includes heaps of photographs, it will take me time to insert all of them…. so the present version is incomplete .…. Editor, TPS 

Compilation by Ravi RUDRA …. with this title The Phenomenal Journey of Mr. CHANDRA SCHAFFTER 94* Story of Vision, Resilience, Disappointments and Success” …. 1 December 2024 

Mr. Chandra Thomas Adolphus Schaffter (born 3 April 1930) ‘The Father of Sri Lanka Insurance & Much, Much More’

“If you cannot do something for those who work for you, but you seek to get the best out of them and not worry about them, then, I don’t think life is worth living. What I am today, I owe it first to God and then to my School”– Chandra Schaffter

 Legendary Thomian (Jan 1937–March 1950)

“I was very fortunate to attend S. Thomas’ College because I had a good education and a good foundation. I lost my mother when I was only 3 and my father when I was 11, so I never had real parental guidance in that sense.But my school masters, especially in my early years, and some of my relatives were very helpful in making me find my way around.

S. Thomas’ was a great place to be in, as you learnt a lot of good values which you don’t see in the outside world. This up-bringing has stood me and many Thomians in good stead.”– Chandra Schaffter

Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, art & allure bewitching, centre-periphery relations, charitable outreach, Colombo and Its Spaces, commoditification, communal relations, cricket for amity, cricket selections, cultural transmission, economic processes, education, ethnicity, heritage, historical interpretation, island economy, life stories, modernity & modernization, patriotism, performance, politIcal discourse, power politics, religiosity, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, social justice, Sri Lankan cricket, sri lankan society, Tamil civilians, teaching profession, tolerance, travelogue, unusual people, welfare & philanthophy, world events & processes

Three Promising Young Tamils in Present Sri Lankan U19 Squad

Information from Prakash Schaffter of Janashakthi Insurance in response to my Request, December 2020 ….. Editor, Thuppahi

Sharujan Shanmuganathan, born on April 25, 2006, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, is a promising left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman representing the Sri Lanka Under-19 cricket team. He gained early recognition for his elegant stroke play, drawing comparisons to former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara. At just five years old, during a 2011 Test match between Sri Lanka and Australia, Shanmuganathan was spotted playing a graceful cover drive, earning him the nickname “Little Sanga” from commentator Tony Greig.

Shanmuganathan honed his cricket skills at St. Benedict’s College, Kotahena, and further developed his talent under the guidance of coach Nelson Mendis at the CCC School of Cricket. He showcased his potential by scoring 1,000 runs in the U19 Division One Interschools Two-Day Cricket Tournament for the 2022/23 season.

Continue reading

2 Comments

Filed under accountability, centre-periphery relations, communal relations, cricket for amity, cricket selections, democratic measures, ethnicity, landscape wondrous, life stories, patriotism, performance, politIcal discourse, reconciliation, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, slanted reportage, Sri Lankan cricket, sri lankan society, Tamil civilians, tolerance, unusual people

Seeking Ethnic Reconciliation Through Commemoration of the Dead-in-War

Capt Prasanna Rajaratne, SLN … in DAILY FT, 6 December 2024, ….. where the title reads “National security only through national harmony
They may still feel trapped in the same plight, and unless that perception is acknowledged, addressed, and their aspirations realised, the resurgence of dissent is not merely possible but inevitable

Continue reading

2 Comments

Filed under centre-periphery relations, charitable outreach, communal relations, cricket for amity, cricket selections, cultural transmission, democratic measures, education, ethnicity, heritage, historical interpretation, life stories, martyrdom, patriotism, politIcal discourse, prabhakaran, reconciliation, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, Sri Lankan cricket, sri lankan society, Tamil civilians, Tamil Tiger fighters, trauma, truth as casualty of war, Uncategorized, unusual people, vengeance, world events & processes