December 21, 2019 · 1:56 pm

The Vicious Political Fervour promoted by Social Media Today

Michael Roberts

My past studies of ethnic pogroms in Sri Lanka and India alerted me to the power of oral communication and emotional voices in sparking retaliation against an ethnic other in neighbourhood or region.[1] In May-June 1915 oral tales of Muslim atrocity (mostly concocted one can assume) were carried along the railway tracks and thus converted a clash at Castle Street Kandy on the night of the 28th May night into a series of violent attacks on Muslims residing in such towns as Kegalle, Rambukkana, Colombo, Panadura on the 29th and 30th May and thence to Galle and Matara and their outlying road networks between the 1st and 4th June.

 

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December 21, 2019 · 9:48 am

Sri Lanka’s Non-Alignment Today in the Midst of China-US Tussles

Asoka Amaratunga, from The Island, 13 December 2019, where the title runs“Non-alignment relating to Chinese and US aid” ….. with emphasis being the work of The Editor, Thuppahi

asoka pic

Map & Scheme from Hariharan article cited below

First let us take a look at non-alignment, which third world countries like to invoke when confronted with world power rivalry. The Non-aligned Movement was based on the principles suggested at the Bandung conference in Indonesia in 1955, and then formally adopted by a Declaration in Bruin Islands in Yugoslavia in 1956 on the initiation by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and President Tito, where the member countries adopted a resolution in condemnation of hegemonic practices by the US and other countries, and criticism of the UN for being dominated by the US. The leadership for the movement was provided by Jawaharlal Nehru, President Tito, Sukarno and Nasser.

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December 19, 2019 · 2:17 pm

The Amazing Treasures of Leyn Baan Street in the Fort of Galle

Juliet Coombe, in Ceylon Digest,  19 December 2019,where the title is  “Galle Fort’s hidden treasure Leyn Baan”

  The Fort from the air showing the magnificence of the old city

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December 19, 2019 · 1:19 am

Dear Tamil Brethren ….

A LETTER from A Sinhala Collective, in Island, 14 December 2019, where the title runs thus “A Letter to Tamil Citizens from a Group of Sinhalese” …. with highlighting emphasis added by The Editor, Thuppahi

After the recent Presidential election, we were saddened to see, how the Tamil voting pattern reflected the division between us and that the Tamil Eelam map was drawn once again. We know, there was significant fear created by politicians who had a lot to gain from the Tamil voters, but unfortunately it was representative of the fact that the Tamils are not one with the rest of the country.

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December 17, 2019 · 2:32 pm

Boris Johnson and Ceylon Tea: One Force in His Victory

Michael Roberts

Several discerning reports have been presented to indicate HOW and WHY Boris Johnson and the Conservative Party secured such an overwhelming victory at the recent General Election. It appears that the campaign director, a Jewish Australian named Isaac Levido, was a central figure behind the Tory campaign.

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December 16, 2019 · 3:39 pm

An Incidental Cameraman …. Over the Years

Michael Roberts in Snap-Action

Casting a Net at Twilight at Waikkal, Sri Lanka, 1990s …. truly a shot snapped on a whim as our little boat dropped us on the shore from an inland canal – with my spot in the prow giving direct access

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December 16, 2019 · 1:29 pm

The Ceylon Society marks 2019 with A Resounding Hai-Hoyi

Sunil De Silva, reporting on The Ceylon Society of Australia’s AGM and Social 2019

30 November 2019 saw an exceptional event – the Social following the Annual General Meeting of the Ceylon Society of Australia. The venue was the meeting hall at the Pennant Hills Community Centre, a hall converted beyond recognition, the handiwork of Pauline Gunewardene, the President of the CSA, with the assistance of several members of the Committee.

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December 16, 2019 · 12:45 pm

Boris and Gota: Where the “Progressives” were Out-of-Mind

Malinda Seneviratne, in his Blog where the title runs thus: “The flooring of ideologies and ideologues”

Labour gaining ground. One in ten still undecided. Jeremy Corbyn is much closer to becoming Prime Minister than voters think, according to a Conservative party memo. Hung parliament will see Boris Johnson removed from No 10 Downing Street. Labour minority government likely. Opinion polls tightening — Corbyn might just become Prime Minister.

These were headlined claims in the run up to the British Parliamentary Elections.

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December 16, 2019 · 9:44 am

The LTTE and Its “Treasury” in Switzerland in Its Halcyon Days

DBS Jeyaraj, in his website column 15 December 2019, with this title “The Switzerland Connection in LTTE Fund Raising Activity”

Recent events have focused the media spotlight on the Federal Republic of Switzerland known officially as the Swiss Confederation. The landlocked European nation is respected highly on a global scale due to its policy of armed neutrality. Despite the impeccable credentials of Switzerland, the country is being viewed negatively by influential sections of the Sri Lankan people. There is suspicion that an orchestrated campaign is being pursued by certain elements to depict the country as an “enemy” of Sri  Lanka. Three recent happenings concerning Switzerland–Sri Lanka relations have contributed to this unfortunate state of affairs.

Tamil rally in Geneva, summer 2003

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December 15, 2019 · 2:29 am

Murali in Support of the UWA Bio-Tech Unit Today …. Cutting-Edge Research

News Item from UWA, 9 December 2019, entitled “Cricket legend visits UWA to test wearable technology”

Sri Lankan spin bowling legend Muttiah Muralitharan (Murali) has visited The University of Western Australia for an update on the technology that cleared his unorthodox bowling action in the late 1990s, resulting in him becoming the world record holder for the most wickets taken in both Test and one-day cricket.
“I’ve been tested here (at UWA) five or six times,” Murali said. “Every time there is a problem I come here and test, so the facility year by year is improving. They are still developing, for a new generation, how to overcome these problems.”

Today  Yesterday … with Jacqui Alderson directed by Bruce Elliot

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