March 18, 2019 · 11:27 pm

The Haka in Mourning …. So Powerful …. So Moving

One day by pure chance I witnessed TV coverage of a New Zealand Maori Regiment receiving the coffins of comrades who died in service in Afghanistan. These uniformed men went into a HAKA ceremonial war dance reserved for such occasions. Wham! Bang! It was as powerful and meaningful a recognition of loss and expression of sorrow as one could get! ….. as powerful, albeit in a different manner, as THE LAST POST.

M-Berena: “Funeral Haka – A Powerful Dance from the Soul,” https://mysendoff.com/2014/04/funeral-haka-a-powerful-dance-from-the-soul/

The Maori, the indigenous people of New Zealand, have been using Haka for hundreds of years. Perhaps the most well known to most people not familiar with their history is the Haka used by the New Zealand All Blacks Rugby team that’s been performed before games since 1888. Continue reading →

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March 18, 2019 · 2:08 pm

Sri Lanka’s Architectural Heritage within Modernisation attracts Diverse Experts

Item in DAILY FT, 18  March 2019, entitled “Bridging the gap between urban development and architectural heritage”

The Delegation of the European Union in collaboration with the Embassies of Netherlands, Germany, and Italy, as well as the British Council will host the 2019 edition of Living Heritage with a one-day conference on ‘Valuing Cultural Heritage: A Cross-Cultural Perspective’ on 25 March at the Jubilee Room, Galle Face Hotel from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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March 18, 2019 · 7:09 am

Pictorial and Word ‘Recipes’ for Reflection

Rohan de Soysa’s Thoughts and Snaps

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March 18, 2019 · 6:49 am

A Grand Felicitation in Print for KD Paranavitana

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March 18, 2019 · 6:04 am

Double Standards displayed as UK launches War Crimes Vendetta in Geneva

Daya Gamage, in Asian Tribune, 15 March 2019, where the title runs “Torture blood in hand, U.K. promotes Sri Lanka’s human rights in Geneva”

The US-Sri Lanka joint resolution – 30/1 – of October 2015 which directed Sri Lanka to investigate alleged war crimes during Sri Lanka government’s military battle to defeat the separatist Tamil Tigers allowing foreign jurists enter the Sri Lankan judicial process is being reiterated in the latest resolution now before the UNHRC in the February-March 2019 40th session.

The head quarters of the British Secret Intelligence Service, in London. This was involved in abuse of detained 9/11 suspects in aiding the CIA.

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March 18, 2019 · 5:47 am

Australia in Defence Exercise with Sri Lankan Armed Services

Zacki Jabbar, in Island, 15 March 2019, where the title runs “Australia’s largest ever defence engagement with Sri Lanka to commence next week”

Australia’s largest ever defence engagement with Sri Lanka would commence next Saturday, Australia’s Acting High Commissioner Jon Philp said in Colombo yesterday. Addressing a press conference at his residence in Colombo 7, High Commissioner Philp said that from March 23 to 29, a Joint Task Group comprising Australian naval, army and air force assets and personnel would visit Sri Lanka as part of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2019 (IPE-19) multinational programme.

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March 17, 2019 · 2:22 pm

FR Senanayake remembered in a New Biography

Leelananda De Silva, Sunday Island, 17 March 2019, reviewing  F.R. Senanayake – Illustrious Son of Lanka … published by the Senanayake Foundation – October 2018. 109 pages. Rs. 800/-.

Left to Right Standing: Fredrick Tissa, Mrs. F. R. Senanayake, Richard Gotabhya (R.G). Seated: Phyllis Nedra (Girlie), Swarna Neela, Chandra Upali, Rupa and Mr. F. R. Senanayake

This slim volume of 100 pages introduces to a new and younger generation of Sri Lankans, one of the heroes of Sri Lankan independence – F.R. Senanayake. These heroes who fought for our independence are now in the course of being forgotten. It is essential that we do not forget them and annual commemoration events attempt to keep memories alive. The early chapters in the volume describe his early years and marriage, and some turbulence in family circles. There is very little about his time in Cambridge and England. The other chapters deal with his political and social activities – the temperance movement, Sinhala-Muslim riots including his incarceration and the early political struggles for independence. Most of the information contained in these chapters have been known to a wider audience, but yet it is worthwhile describing them afresh to a new generation. F.R. Senanayake’s grandson, Rukman Senanayake is the man behind this publication. Continue reading →

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March 17, 2019 · 2:06 pm

Fooling Around in Preparation for Geneva

ONE = Rajeewa Jayaweera, in Island,  17 March 2019, where the title is “Will Marapana play Ace or Joker @ UNHRC”

President Maithripala Sirisena, known for changing his mind on crucial issues has done it again. His delegation comprising of former Ministers and UPFA Parliamentarians Sarath Amunugama and Mahinda Samarasinghe together with Dr. Suren Raghavan, Governor of Northern Province to attend the 40th session of the UN Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) in Geneva announced last week has now been scrapped. Their purported mission was to seek the possibility of withdrawing from the Geneva Resolution.

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March 15, 2019 · 2:29 pm

Sam and Man …. Sam’s man

Samantha Power & Mangala Samaraweera as buddy-buddies on the Colombo and world stage …. with the picture drawn from Hassina Leelarathna’s scathing article “ “Mangala’s 30th Anniversary Bash  & the Price of Power” AT https://srilankaexpress.org/

BUT their play is not a patch on that of Sam The Man ….

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March 15, 2019 · 1:51 pm

Bangladesh Team’s Ball-by-Ball Terror at Christchurch, 15 March 2019

Mohamed Isam in ESPNcricinfo, 15 March 2009, where the title is  “There’s shooting here, please save us’,”

My day began looking for injury updates on Kane Willliamson, BJ Watling, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim. There was a Test due to start tomorrow and my mind was focused on who was going to play and who’d be missing out. Eight hours later, I would be at a friend’s house in Christchurch, trying to make sense of the worst terrorist attack in New Zealand’s history. Cricket is farthest from my mind; my thoughts were of home and family, of the players who were metres away from the carnage, and above all of the people who lost their lives while in a house of prayer.

Security officers continued to maintain a cordon around the site of one of the attacks Getty Images

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