Category Archives: Sinhala-Tamil Relations

Facing A Corpse: Asia vs The West …. A Fundamental Difference & Its Political Implications

  Michael Roberts    

The sharp warring conflict in Syria today amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine and that in Gaza underlines stories and ‘pictures’ of battlefield dead (both civilians and soldiers). These in their turn highlight the fundamental differences in the manner in which some Asian countries conduct funerals and face the issue of death embodied in a corpse (in some cases that of a loved one or kinsperson).

This fundamental difference has equally fundamental political consequences. For this reason, I take my Thuppahi-readers (no offence meant) to a segment in one of my past presentations when I presented thoughts relating to the official display of Velupillai Pirapaharan as a corpse in May 2009.

THIS from https://thuppahis.com/2011/06/29/death-and-eternal-life-contrasting-sensibilities-in-the-face-of-corpses/ Continue reading

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Politics of Identity in Lanka: Mithran Tiruchelvam’s Introduction in 1997 to his Book

Introduction by Mithran Tiruchelvam …. a son of Neelan Tiruchelvam of the ICES [who was tragically assassinated by the LTTE in front of the ICES offices one year later]

The present collection of essays arose out of a symposium held at the International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES), Colombo from 13-15 March 1997, where researchers and scholars presented some of their recent research interests. This volume seeks to gather the threads of a hybrid collection of essays and weave them together in their shared historical moment. An anthology of this nature seeks organizational cohesion based on the papers’ common origins at the symposium, thereby sacrificing some degree of thematic or disciplinary unity. It is intended that such a collection make available to the general reader and to the scholar alike, a sense of the variety of social science pursuits being undertaken in Sri Lanka today. As such its purpose is to flavour as much as to nourish the reader’s palate, providing a sampling of the eclectic diversity of topics, methodologies and critical perspectives. engaging the social scientist today.

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Tamil Tiger Maaveerar Rallies Crop Up Again in Australia

A Circular Memo that reached the Thuppahiyaa, 25 November 2024

Big Tiger Event this week in every major city in Australia – share with Sri Lankans Aussies. ………….Please see the attached document and once you have read the contents, consider these actions:

  1. Download the pdf attachment. Starting a new email (instead of forwarding this), send the pdf version via email to your local federal MP and Senators of your state. Their email addresses can be found here (some have not given their emails so you will have to use the online form or call the office and get an email address): https://www.aph.gov.au/Senators_and_Members Maaveer celebration ….

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The NPP’s Revolutionary Voting Success in the North & East of Island Lanka

Michael Roberts: this item was sent to me by a Canadian pal, Edward Upali and bears the following title in its original site: “Anura “Alai”(Wave) Engulfs the Tamil Nationalist Stronghold of Jaffna. JVP/NPP Comes First in Jaffna with Three of Six Seats,” 

THAT, therefore. was DBS’s preferred heading. I have opted to impose an alternative title and also taken the liberty of imposing highlights  in order to emphasize DBS’s weightier points or facts.

 DBS Jeyaraj in his website in Canada.

The National People’s Power (NPP) known in Sinhala as Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB) and Theseeya Makkal Sakthi (TMS) in Tamil has recorded a historic victory in the Parliamentary elections held on 14 November 2024. The NPP is a coalition of 21 political entities and trade unions of which the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is the chief constituent. The NPP polled 6,863,86 (61.6%) votes to win 159 seats in the 225 member Parliament. Of these 141 are directly elected MPs on a district basis while 18 will be appointed as MPs from the national list.

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Gerald Peiris: A Lifetime of Wide-Ranging Research & Service

These are but some of his publications over a career spanning the 1950s to 2020s — with eyesight deterioration blighting his last platform of life. No more table tennis, but much to remember. So, here. let me doff my cap to thee, Gerry Machang, …. Mike

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Joachim’s Letter to AKD in Sri Lanka: An Earnest Appeal

Your chance to re-write history Mr. President! A second letter to AKD……. – by Aubrey Joachim**

Dear Mr. President,

Your victories have been stunning to say the least. Winning the top job was good enough. Your virtual clean sweep of the legislative chamber is more than impressive. However, unprecedented is your victory in the North where for the first time in modern political history a Sinhalese Buddhist has been given a mandate by the Tamil Hindu populace. Let this be the last time that Sri Lanka and Sri Lankans have to be referred to by race or religion. You have ensured that our great country is but one nation of people who can achieve greatness.

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Rajiv Gandhi’s Reasoning behind the IPKF Operation

Madhur Sharma, in Outlook.com, 28 November 2022, where the title runs thus “Why Rajiv Gandhi Sent IPKF To Sri Lanka And How LTTE Played Both Sides” .… with highlighting imposed by The Editor, Thuppahi

Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi signed the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord with Sri Lankan President Junius Richard Jayawardene in 1987. Under the pact, the Indian military was deployed as the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to Sri Lanka. Soon after the deployment, the circumstances changed and IPKF was engaged in combat by the Tamil armed group LTTE.

Rajiv Gandhi with Anton Balasingham, Pirapaharan & AN Other in India ….. and Pirapahrana & MGR chat in South India

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Brig. Halangode’s Random Thoughts on the Eelam Wars

AN INTRODUCTORY NOTE by Michael Roberts, 11 November 2024

Brig Retd Hiran Halangode sent me the Memorandum presented below as a RESPONSE to one of my reprinted articles on ‘’Religious Strands in the SL Tamil Rebellions of the 1970s to 2009.’’[1] As indicated by him, the memo presents a series of desultory thoughts and do not amount to a thorough-going academic essay. However, they serve as an incentive towards reflection. I have taken the liberty of inserting highlights to spotlight especially significant or controversial thoughts.

SL Army troops in defensive positions in the Vanni circa 2008

 

BRIG. HIRAN HALANGODE (retd) in Response to MR On Fri, Nov 8, 2024 …… presenting …… https://thuppahis.com/2022/10/02/religion-within-tamil-militancy-and-the-ltte/

Hi Michael,

An excellent effort. I have a few points which may be of interest to you. Random thoughts in fact.

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Remembering Professor Margaret Trawick,  American Anthropologist in Tamil Lanka

N. Malathy =  Obituary,  7 January 2022Margaret Trawick Wanted to Retire in the LTTE’s Vanni”

I first heard about Margaret Trawick through the “Tamil Circle” email group during the late 1990’s. This was before internet-based news sites had become common. ‘Tamil Circle” was a way to share news about the homeland. From a university library, I borrowed Margaret’s book cum her PhD thesis, “Notes on Love in a Tamil Family”, which was based on her anthropological work in Tamil Nadu. That was the beginning of my journey to understand my own society. Margaret’s book taught me a lot about the anthropological perspective of societies, a perspective that the science-focused Tamil elite of my generation lacks. It remains a weakness of my society.

Version 1.0.0

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Dr Narendran Rajasingham: A Grounded Sri Lankan Tamil Patriot

Michael Roberts

Naren Rajasingham was a trifle junior to me at Peradeniya University when he pursued a Vet/Science Degree before proceeding to postgraduate qualifications in the same field. It was only when I was fully enmeshed in researching the Eelam Wars and visiting Colombo with some frequency that I got to know him. My memory is imprecise in its notation of time; and I cannot fix precise dates to our exchanges.

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