THOSE who stew and fume in this world as fervent feminist victims –or victims tout court — are asked to look at themselves …. as incisively as the good cartoonist does.
A Legal Minefield: The 20th Amendment
Neville Ladduwahetty, in the Island, 14 September 2018,
The JVP has presented to Parliament the 20th Amendment to the Constitution under provisions of a Private Member’s Bill. The primary objective of the 20th Amendment is to abolish the Office of an Executive President being elected by the People as stated in Article 4(b) of the 1978 Constitution. It is reported that several petitions have already being filed in the Supreme Court.
Fervent Feminism and Victimology in Indefensible Rage …. and A Cartoonist ‘set on fire’
The strident reactions of a number of women, as well as men, including Billie Jean King and JK Rawling, in defense of Serena Williams and in criticism of Umpire Carlos Ramos (whose history has been exemplary), displays a form of extremism which is indefensible ,,, and yet another sign of the currents of “secular fundamentalism” in the Western world. It indicates that “victimology” can service extremism. Its absurdity is displayed in the rabid criticism of the cartoonist Mark Knight for pursuing his satirical craft in the pattern of satire … See some of the news reportage, Michael Roberts
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Anagārika Dharmapāla: In Search of a Rounded Evaluation
Michael Roberts, courtesy of The Sunday Island 16 September 2018
Recently an anonymous hand writing as “A Dharmapala Devotee” presented a sarcastic opinion piece in the Island of the 5th September targeting myself, Gananath Obeyesekere and HL Seneviratne. My immediate response was short and rushed. This essay is a more considered set of comments.
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No Way Out of Lanka: Refugees stymied … Contrasting Tales
ONE = “Deported Lankan asylum seekers arrested,” Item in Daily News, 12 September 2018
The CID had arrested nine Sri Lankan men yesterday when they arrived in the country having been deported from Australia. They were produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The Police Media Spokesman’s office told the Daily News that the nine men who had gone to Australia at various stages and had claimed refugee status had been deported by the Australian Government on a special charted flight yesterday. Upon their arrival, the CID had taken the men into custody. They are in the age group of 27, 29, 36 and 48 years and are residents of Munalama, Kochchikade, Udappuwa, Chillaw, Vavuniya, Batticaloa and Trincomalee, the police said.
Modi Government in Balancing Act with Mahinda Rajapaksa
Padma Rao Sundarji, in AsianAge, 12 September 2018, where the title is “At Last Delhi asks Mr Rajapaksa for a Dance”
A 10-member parliamentary delegation from Sri Lanka has begun an official visit to India, but another group under the man it fears the most has quietly checked into a five-star hotel in central Delhi at the same time. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, current leader of the Joint Opposition (JO), and the near-certain winner of Sri Lanka’s next election in January 2020, is in the Indian capital on a three-day visit.
Mr Rajapaksa is the man widely credited with ending the country’s 30-year-long civil war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). His newly-formed Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna has won provincial elections and is on a roll. Mr Rajapaksa is slated to return as PM, an office now endowed with greater powers than the presidency and with a President of his own choice. Continue reading
Is the Release of Rajiv Gandhi’s Killers Imminent? Modi Government’s Dilemma
P.K.Balachandran, in News-in-Asia, September 2018,
Following the Indian Supreme Court’s stand that it is up to the Governor of the State of Tamil Nadu to decide whether the seven life convicts in the 1991 Rajiv Gandhi assassination case should be released or not, the Tamil Nadu cabinet on Sunday recommended to the State Governor that the convicts be released forthwith.
Tamil-Nadu-Governor-Banwarilal-Purohit-and-Prime-Minister-Narendra-Modi-will-have-to-take-the-decision-on-the-release.-Photo.Livemint
Given the grave issues involved, Governor Banwarilal Purohit is expected to go by the advice of the Central Government whose representative he is. But the political powers-that-be at New Delhi will be on the horns of a dilemma because the conflict is between Indian nationalism and Tamil Nadu sub-nationalism or Tamil nationalism for short.
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Australia Advances: An Appropriate National Anthem
Australians all, let us rejoice
For we indeed are free,
To vote for leaders of our choice
In this democracy;
And now to greater heights we soar,
For we’re Australians fair,
We’ve built this great revolving door
The leadership to share.
We care, we share with all out there,
Advance Australia fair!
We Aussies lead the world today
In this great sport of “Swap!”
The three-year term we’ll peel away,
That rot has got to stop.
A year or so must see them go,
To give the rest a chance,
Our talent pool we can’t ignore,
They’re desperate to advance.
No worries, be they friend or foe,
They’re desperate to advance!
If you would be the Head of State,
From battle do not shrink;
Remember mate, your use-by-date
Is closer than you think.
We sons of Brutus gather round
With daggers in the air,
No Caesar shall our plans confound
To save Australia fair.
How sweet the sound of change profound,
Let’s dance, Australia fair!
…. an original composition from Nirmala Labrooy of Adelaide
With A Few Choice Words: Appreciating FC de Saram’s Cricket Career
Eardley Lieversz, a reprint from the Royal Cricket Souvenir, 2005, where the title runs “With a few choice words, Royal cricket under F. C. de Saram’s Tutelage”
Many distinguished old boys have coached Royal at cricket. Names such as “Chippy” Gunasekera, Dr. C.H. Gunasekera, Barney Gunasekera, Mahes Rodrigo, Gamini Salgadu, H.T. Gunasekera and Channa Gunasekera immediately spring to mind. To that illustrious list may be added relatively recent old boys such as Nihal Kodituwakku, Vijay Malalasekera, Dilip Somaratne (who coached Royal to successive victories in the early nineties) and Nirmal Hettiaratchy. All of them were good at their job. However, none of them had the mystique of Colonel Derrick de Saram (aka FC, Derrick, and Colonel) whose last coaching stint with Royal was from 1968 to 1974.
young FC de Saram on song
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