Category Archives: world events & processes

September 28, 2016 · 4:22 pm

Moving to War: Critical Events that hardened Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Resolve in 2006

 Michael Roberts, courtesy of Colombo Telegraph, 27 September 2016, where the title is “From Hesitant Compromise to Resolve: Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2006”

 fig-2-keb-bus The carnage caused by the LTTE’s claymore mine attack on a civilian bus at Kebithigollewa was a major factor in hardening Prsident Rajapaksa’s resolve …keb-22-archives-dailynews-lk

Delineating the fault lines and events that generated the ethnic conflict between Tamils and Sinhalese Sri Lanka since 1948 will demand careful historical work that builds upon the many studies by a battery of scholars thus far — referring here to a whole line of intellectual work extending from Howard Wriggins through Robert Kearney, KM de Silva, SJ Tambiah and AJ Wilson to Nira Wickremasinghe. Historical causation is usually multi-factorial not singular. It is also marked by critical episodes and temporal moments. Each episode and/or phase is likely as not to be generated by several causes involving a multiplicity of factors. Continue reading →

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September 28, 2016 · 1:02 pm

Placing Sri Lanka’s Woes in the International Context: Critical Comments on the Marga Readings

Jean Pierre-Page, an original essay in a friendly critique of the Marga Think Tank’s Review of the UNPoE and International Order’s Interventions over Sri Lanka — specifically the booklet entitled Issues of Truth and Accountability. The Last Stages of the War in Sri Lanka (2014) …. with the title of this presentation and the highlighting in blue being liberties imposed by the Editor, Thuppahi.

jean-pierre-page    aamarga

I would like to share with you a few ideas in relation to the 3rd narrative of the last stage of the war in Sri Lanka. I will try to make myself as clear as possible! I don’t believe in this notion that it is the influence of the Tamil Diaspora that determines Washington’s foreign policy and that of its Western allies! And I think it is very wrong and dangerous to put all the Tamil Diaspora in one basket. Most Tamils I know outside this country do not support a separate State. They are not separatists, and they are not Terrorists.[i] If Sri Lanka is to formulate an offensive strategy rather than a defensive one, it should take my reflections here  into consideration!

Of course, the Tamil separatist forces outside do have relations with Washington and its allies, but these relations are determined by the national and geostrategic objectives of the US and its allies, as we have seen in Afghanistan, or now in Iraq, Syria and the Ukraine. For the West, when it suits their objectives, they are good Tamil Tigers and when it doesn’t, they are bad Tamil Tigers, like the good jihadists and bad jihadists. It all depends on the circumstances. Today, the LTTE has been defeated, but tomorrow it can become useful again![ii] Continue reading →

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September 27, 2016 · 11:35 am

Sri Lanka’s Success in the Eelam War IV: Some Insights

1 .jpg  Colonel Hariharan … This article was written on 28th February 2009 before the war ended and was published  in  Agni–Studies in International Strategic Studies, XII, No. 1, Jan-March 2009. It has been sent to me by the author for inclusion in Thuppahi. Emphasis via highlighting in BLUE is my imposition.

 

Sri Lanka appears to be the only success story in the dismal scene everywhere in the war against terror. It has been extremely successful in the Eelam War IV, going on since 2006 against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) insurgents. Collectively known as the Eelam Wars, these wars have been going on from 1983. Sri Lanka security forces (SLSF) were not able to achieve decisive results in their three earlier outings. The Tamil insurgent group fighting for an independent Tamil Eelam state to be created for minority Tamils has been rated by According to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), “the Tamil Tigers are among the most dangerous and deadly extremists in the world.” The FBI said the LTTE’s “ruthless tactics have inspired terrorist networks worldwide, including Al Qaeda in Iraq.”

49a-balraj-and-troops Colonel Balraj  and Tiger  troops advancing during Eelam War III

The LTTE has also the dubious credit of refining the use of suicide terrorism as a force multiplier in its terrorist operations. The LTTE is perhaps the only insurgent and terrorist group in the world with proven capability to wage both conventional as well as non conventional war on land, in air, and on sea. It has used suicide terrorism to change the course of events irreversibly both in India and Sri Lanka. Continue reading →

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September 27, 2016 · 9:47 am

The Original James Bond: Richard Malaby in Mussolini-land

Nick Squires, in The Telegraph, 23 September 2016, where the ttile is  ‘Real life James Bond’ who parachuted behind WWII enemy lines to be honoured by Italy’

A British secret agent who parachuted behind enemy lines during the Second World War and played a key part in securing Italy’s unconditional surrender is to be honoured on Friday at a ceremony in Tuscany. Richard Mallaby, known to his friends as Dick, was a debonair agent with Special Operations Executive who was described by his peers as having ice-cold courage and the ability to talk his way out of the most dangerous situations. He is credited with helping to negotiate the armistice with Italy after the dismissal of Benito Mussolini in 1943, and two years later, during the final months of the war, played a part in securing the surrender of 800,000 German troops in Italy.

malaby-1 British secret agent Mallaby parachuted into occupied Italy in WWII malaby-2British secret agent Mallaby parachuted into occupied Italy in WWII Mallaby was codenamed “Olaf” for his blonde hair and blue eyes

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September 27, 2016 · 3:36 am

Smart Power International Machinations from the Hilary Clinton Camp

Diana Johnstone, for the Ron Paul Institute for Peace & Prosperity, 26 September 2016, where the title reads “The Hillary Clinton Presidency Has Already Begun As Lame Ducks Promote Her War“

If the British Empire was built on the playing fields of Eton, United States world hegemony gets its training in Hollywood studios and advertising agencies. Selling your product, or yourself, by looking sincere is a cultivated American art. Current top US leaders are expert practitioners.  In the space of a few days, Samantha Power, John Kerry, and Barack Obama all turned in war-winning performances. 

aapower-plusSamantha Power on extreme left  with Obama and .Susan Rice Continue reading →

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September 27, 2016 · 2:49 am

Techno-Suits to boost Aussie Soldier Capacities

Rebecca Puddy in Adelaide, for The Australian, 27 September 2016, where the title is “‘Iron Man’ ­exoskeletons to give Diggers superhuman strength

Australian troops are set to gain superhero strength, with trials of the latest powered titanium ­exoskeletons likely to take place next year. Australian Defence Apparel chief executive Matthew Graham said the technology, which is being developed with the US Army’s elite special operations command, could then be rolled out to the general army in 2018. The custom-made titanium suit clips around the body, with its spine taking the weight of a soldier’s pack.

aa-exoskeleton Victoria Cross recipient Dan Keighran with Australian Defence Apparel CEO Matt Graham in Melbourne. Picture: Aaron Francis

“Version one is not powered but we are currently working on a powered version for the US,” he said. “In the US, it’s called the Iron Man Project.” The powered suits sense ­muscle reflexes and activate to take the weight of the soldier’s movement. While the company featured its exoskeleton at a major gathering of military and defence industries in Adelaide this month, it could not be photographed, Mr Graham said. Australian war hero and winner of the Victoria Cross Dan ­Keighran said soldiers bore long-term physical damage from carrying packs that sometimes weighed more than their body weight. “Your knees and joints do suffer,” he said. “This technology doesn’t take away from any danger and as a soldier you’re still vulnerable. But where this will help is getting casualties out of hot zones, letting us do our job faster and being used for rehabilitation.”

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September 24, 2016 · 2:01 pm

Bedfellows: Kerry, Vikramabahu and Mangala pleased with the Situation in Sri Lanka Today

ONE. Saman Indrajith in New York: “Kerry showers praise on national unity govt,” http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=152566

US Secretary of State John Kerry told President Maithripala Sirisena that they highly appreciated and admired the direction of the new government of Sri Lanka and would extend every possible assistance thereto. He said so when he called on President Sirisena on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly sessions, being held in UN Headquarters in New York  on Sep. 21.

President Sirisena said that the current government of Sri Lanka continued on the path towards economic progress and reconciliation. He told the US Secretary of State that the government was facing a lot of challenges from the destabilising forces in the North as well as the South, who wanted to deter the reconciliation process. “For example, a small minority of the people in the North refused to go back to their lands due to pressure from extremist groups”, he said.

ms-33ms-and-ban

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September 24, 2016 · 11:37 am

The Rajasingams and Their Profound Legacies

Rajan Hoole, being the text of speech delivered at Trimmer Hall, Jaffna, 22 September 2016… and reproduced in the Daily News with the title “The Rajasingam Legacy: A Quest for Quality”

  rajasinghamsin1990parentsofdrrajani aaa-rajasingambavinck-rajasingham

After nightfall on 21st September 1989, Rajasingam Master called on his bicycle at my mother’s home quite unexpectedly and delivered his pithy message, “Rajini has been shot.” His voice showed no evident emotion. After a brief exchange of words, he turned back. He was stoic, incorruptible, who lived by his strong sense of duty. Master, his wife MahilaAcca, and their daughters, Nirmala, Rajini, Sumathy and Vasuki were familiar to us from childhood days in the St. James’ Church choir. Had Master been more ambitious during his university days, he would have left his mark as an outstanding mathematician in our university. What he did as a school master at Hartley and Jaffna College was no less important. His zeal for catching hold of students who seemed to be in need of inspiration and getting them to work Mathematics problems remained a passion with him to the end of his life.  rajani-t Rajani Thiranagama nee Rajasingam

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September 22, 2016 · 6:35 am

Discontent and Confrontational Violence in Sri Lanka, 1948-2009

Gerald Peiris, being Chapter 7 from his book Political Conflict in South Asia (2013, University of Peradeniya)  — a chapter based on his previous writings  [1]

 The survival of the principle of representative government based upon universal adult franchise since its introduction to the constitution more than eighty years ago while ‘Ceylon’ was still a colony of the British Empire is a feature often accorded prominence in scholarly discourses on the political history of Sri Lanka. Over the first three decades after independence (1948) the regularity of peaceful transfers of power from one regime to another, based upon the will of the people as expressed at national elections, was also widely acclaimed as a feature that made Sri Lanka unique among the emergent nation-states of the post-colonial era. The radiance of that achievement has, of course, dimmed considerably in the more recent past, due mainly to the violation of democratic norms in affairs of governance, and the intense rivalry that features the sub-national disputes which often find expression in confrontational violence.

1958-riots-22  Scenes in Colombo from 1958 riots after OEG led crackdown1958-getty

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September 19, 2016 · 2:06 am

Expressions of Tamil Hate in the Diasporic Circuits

Izeth Hussain, in The Island, 19 September 2016, where the title is “Attack on Ambassador Ansar and Tamil Islamophobic Racism”…. with highlighting emphases added by The Editor, Thuppahi

There are some very odd features about the recent attack on Ambassador Ansar at the Kuala Lumpur airport. It took place in a secured area of the airport, probably the result of a bona fide lapse on the part of the Malaysian authorities to which no particular significance should be attached. What is odd is that the attack took place at all. We can safely assume that for twenty five years and more our Embassy officials have been countering LTTE propaganda in all capitals where there is a heavy Tamil presence. There have been demonstrations galore against successive Sri Lankan Governments but – as far as I am aware – no Sri Lankan Ambassador or his officers have been beaten up by the LTTE or other Tamils. It appears therefore that the attack on Ambassador Ansar was odd, uniquely odd.

ansar-attacked-col-tel ansar Continue reading →

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