October 14, 2021 · 1:14 pm

The Smuggling Networks & Wherewithal of VVT: A Key Factor in the Rise to Power of the LTTE

Jane Russell and Michael Roberts in Interaction

ONE

“Once, while waiting for a CTB bus at Kurumbacciddy Junction in 1974, I saw a blackboard advertising a lecture by the then proto-LTTE which showed speedboats pulling the Jaffna peninsula across the Palk Straits and joining it to Tamil Nadu.”[1]

DEAR JANE, WHEN precisely in 1974?

Yours is an intriguing piece of ethnography … The Tamil New Tigers were a tiny group then[2]…. and the ISSUE IS: who had the vision/imagination to formulate this prospect and/or this propaganda line? KP? Pirapaharan? …………………….. michael

Continue reading →

14 Comments

Filed under accountability, anton balasingham, authoritarian regimes, communal relations, cultural transmission, economic processes, female empowerment, heritage, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, insurrections, island economy, landscape wondrous, law of armed conflict, life stories, LTTE, military strategy, performance, photography, politIcal discourse, power politics, prabhakaran, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, sri lankan society, Tamil Tiger fighters, transport and communications, war reportage, women in ethnic conflcits, world events & processes

October 13, 2021 · 12:35 am

Tony Aboott on the Warpath in Taiwan in Pursuing Foolhardy Australian Policy

 Leng Shumei, in Global Times, 11 October 2021, where the title runs thus  “China lodges solemn representations to Australia over Abbott’s ‘immoral, ridiculous’ comments on Taiwan”

China lodged solemn representations to Australia over recent “immoral, irresponsible and ridiculous” speeches made by former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott on Taiwan-related affairs, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on Monday, stressing that the one-China principle is a universally recognized norm governing international relations and the consensus of the international community.  “Some Australian politicians’ actions and comments have seriously violated the principle and sent wrong signals,” Zhao said at Monday’s routine press conference.

during the 2015 Asian Cup match between the Australian Socceroos and Kuwait at AAMI Park on January 9, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia.

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, american imperialism, australian media, authoritarian regimes, China and Chinese influences, economic processes, historical interpretation, nationalism, political demonstrations, politIcal discourse, racist thinking, unusual people, vengeance, violence of language, world events & processes

October 12, 2021 · 1:10 pm

Upali Wijewardene and the Birth Pangs of THE ISLAND

– Vijitha Yapa – who was the Founder Editor of THE ISLAND

The person at the other end of the phone calling from Nallur was very angry. “Mr Editor, you have killed me in your paper today”. I did not ask him where he was speaking from, as he may treat it as an insult. I did not know what he was speaking about and asked what story he was referring to and after listening to him, told  him to call me back in half an hour. There were no ubiquitous  mobile phones at that time nor easy access to telephones in the eighties.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, citizen journalism, cultural transmission, education, historical interpretation, life stories, modernity & modernization, performance, politIcal discourse, self-reflexivity, sri lankan society, unusual people, world events & processes

October 12, 2021 · 12:53 pm

Resplendent University of Ceylon Cricket Squad – early 1960s

AN OLD NEWS ITEM

Former members of the University of Ceylon ‘62/63 will gather at the NCC on the morning of March 23 to celebrate their winning the Sara Trophy 50 years ago. Their feat has never been achieved by any other university team. In spite of the heavy burden of studies, they had to contend with, they were able to excel in their chosen sport to win the Sara Trophyin the 1962/63 season. The team consisted of a very talented group of youngsters who were not at all overawed by the might of the opposition, sporting All Ceylon players of that era. They, in their youthful exuberance, overcame all odds in capturing the title. Their conduct off the field was exemplary. They were gentlemen to the core in their behaviour.

Though presented to Thuppahi as the 1962/63 squad, Buddy Reid has sent this CORRECTION:  “Hello Michael, There is an error. The photo is of the previous year 1961/62 with Brendon Guneratne as captain…… Buddy.”

And Voila! Thuppahi found this snap: https://www.dailynews.lk/2019/11/22/tc/203493/only-captain-lead-uni-win-sara-trophy

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, communal relations, cricket for amity, economic processes, education, heritage, historical interpretation, island economy, life stories, performance, sri lankan society, unusual people

October 12, 2021 · 12:25 pm

Investigative Journalism? Scilla Alecci’s Outrageous Essay

Edward Upali, whose  preferred title is “Deceit in Reportage from ICIJ and Alecci”

Edward Upali is a Sri Lankan engineer who migrated to Alberta in Canada, where he resides now. His commentary on the partisanship and the muckraking pursued by the International Committee of Independent Journalists in their campaign against Sri Lanka is of considerable relevance. The highlighting in this Item is my imposition….. Editor, Thuppahi

ONE: Hi Michael, it is good that you are taking a more critical look at this piece by Scilla Alecci of ICIJ. In this “news report” Scilla is trading on the good name of the ICIJ to make a series of allegations by publishing some historically inaccurate “facts” as investigative journalism. I have given below the link to the Pandora Papers site’s listing of offshore account holders of Sri Lanka and other counties: viz. = Browse by country Sri Lanka | ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database

 Tamils and allies in New York stage a protest at City Hall Park, NYC,

Continue reading →

3 Comments

Filed under accountability, centre-periphery relations, conspiracies, disparagement, doctoring evidence, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, legal issues, life stories, news fabrication, politIcal discourse, power politics, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, slanted reportage, sri lankan society, tamil refugees, truth as casualty of war, unusual people, world events & processes

October 11, 2021 · 1:53 am

Child Soldiers in the LTTE, 2009 …. Eelam War IV

Matt Wade, in The Sydney Morning Herald, 5 May 2009, …. where the title runs thus “Kill or be killed: 11-year-olds forced to fight for Tamil Tigers”

IT IS hard to imagine Christine* in combat. But the diminutive 14-year-old with a cheeky smile and dancing eyes knows how to handle a Kalashnikov and detonate grenades. A Tamil speaker from northern Sri Lanka, Christine says she was abducted by Tamil Tiger cadres in March and forced to undergo military training. She performed drills using dummy weapons in preparation for battle and, as with many female recruits, her hair was cut short.

  No place for a child … (left) Young fighters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka, and (right) a 14-year old conscript at the Kegalle district centre.CREDIT:AP/GEMUNU AMARASINGHE/MATT WADE

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, atrocities, fundamentalism, gordon weiss, historical interpretation, life stories, LTTE, military strategy, performance, politIcal discourse, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, sri lankan society, Tamil civilians, Tamil Tiger fighters, the imaginary and the real, trauma, unusual people, women in ethnic conflcits, working class conditions, world events & processes

October 10, 2021 · 8:22 pm

In Appreciation of Susil Sirivardhana’s Journey with the Underprivileged

Merril Gunaratne, in The Island, 10 October 2021, where the title is as follows “Susil Sirivardana: A Journey with the Have-nots”

Many articles extolling the virtues, integrity, erudition, intellectual brilliance and simplicity of Susil have flooded the print media upon his demise. We have to laud those who wrote in such a vein, and yet express sorrow that this country and many political establishments had abjectly failed to fully tap the unique talents of such a man for the benefit of Sri Lanka.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, art & allure bewitching, charitable outreach, cultural transmission, democratic measures, education, heritage, historical interpretation, life stories, patriotism, performance, politIcal discourse, self-reflexivity, social justice, sri lankan society, tolerance, unusual people, welfare & philanthophy, world events & processes

October 10, 2021 · 7:36 pm

Revd Ernest Poruthota in Q and A on His Life’s Work

Avishka Mario Senewiratne in Q and A with Fr Poruthota (1931-2020) ………… Interview in  May 2018 and originally published in the Messenger, May, 27, 2018. 

Today the Messenger carries a very special and exclusive interview with one of the most senior and popular priests in the Archdiocese of Colombo, Rev. Fr. Ernest Poruthota. Since his ordination in 1957, Fr. Poruthota has served in ten parishes in different parts of the Archdiocese.  As Asst. Parish Priest in Kotahena (1957-59), Moratuwa (1959-60), Pamunugama (1960), Dehiwala (1960-62) and Parish Priest in Dehiyagatha (1962-66), Kelaniya (1967-74), Kalamulla (1974-82), Kotte (1982-87), Wattala (1991-1997), Dehiwala (1997-2004), Kirimatiyagara (2004-2011). Apart from Parishes he has served as the Chaplain of lay Apostolate (1966-67), Director PMS (1971-74), Chaplain YCW, CWM (1983-87), Dean of Colombo (1987-91).

Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under accountability, art & allure bewitching, charitable outreach, communal relations, cultural transmission, education, education policy, heritage, historical interpretation, Indian religions, life stories, literary achievements, meditations, patriotism, performance, politIcal discourse, self-reflexivity, social justice, sri lankan society, the imaginary and the real, tolerance, unusual people, welfare & philanthophy, world events & processes

October 10, 2021 · 6:51 pm

Scilla Alecci’s Scurrilous Failure

Gerald Peiris

What causes more surprise than all else in the recently published ‘Pandora exposures’, supposedly produced through intensive investigations conducted worldwide by a Washington-based outfit named the ‘International Consortium of Investigative Journalism/ICIJ)’ on shady transactions by those at political and business elite levels is that, among many thousands of such exposures, there is only one from Sri Lanka, attributed to a relatively minor political leader having kinship ties with the two Rajapakshas – Mahinda and his brother Gotabhaya, presently at the apex of the government of Sri Lanka – and her husband, a person who, despite being wealthy, has somehow maintained relatively low profile in Sri Lankan affairs.

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, communal relations, disparagement, doctoring evidence, economic processes, ethnicity, historical interpretation, island economy, landscape wondrous, life stories, news fabrication, paintings, politIcal discourse, power politics, propaganda, Rajapaksa regime, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, slanted reportage, sri lankan society, the imaginary and the real, travelogue, truth as casualty of war, unusual people, war reportage, world events & processes

October 10, 2021 · 1:40 pm

When Tamilnadu’s LTTE Stalwarts attacked Thiru Nadesan at Rameswaram Temple in 2012 –DBS Jeyaraj

 D.B.S.Jeyaraj, in his website on 9th October 2021 with the following title “Revisiting the Attack on Thirukumar Nadesan in India”

Though Thirukumar Nadesan is a well-known businessman, it was the Rajapaksa connection of his spouse Nirupama that captured headlines in national and international media

Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under accountability, art & allure bewitching, chauvinism, citizen journalism, communal relations, cultural transmission, discrimination, disparagement, Eelam, ethnicity, heritage, historical interpretation, Indian Ocean politics, Indian traditions, insurrections, landscape wondrous, legal issues, life stories, LTTE, pilgrimages, political demonstrations, politIcal discourse, power politics, Rajapaksa regime, religiosity, Saivism, self-reflexivity, Sinhala-Tamil Relations, slanted reportage, Sri Lankan scoiety, taking the piss, Tamil migration, terrorism, trauma, travelogue, unusual people, vengeance, war reportage, wikileaks, world events & processes