September 21, 2014 · 8:38 pm

Revisiting Eelam War IV

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAMichael Roberts

It is a cliché to say that the study of Eelam War IV is a complex topic. But such a truism has to be reiterated over and over again in the face of the propaganda war that has prevailed from the outset in 2006 to this day — given the plethora of half-truths, fabrications and slipshod assessments that have beset the topic.

The literature in print, internet and visual (videos, photographs) media is as enormous as complex. For a single person to master the data is well-nigh impossible. Though I have engaged in this work from early 2009, I find that “new data” enters my compass every week. By “new” I mean material that I was not aware of or have not had time to digest. Continue reading →

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September 19, 2014 · 2:30 pm

Gamini Samarasinghe’s Gentle Warning to the YES Voters in Scotland

alex-salmond-celebrates-the-scottish-election-results-with-nicola-sturgeon-image-2-400303675

An OPEN LETTER to the Scottish National Party from a Non-Political Scientist

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am an energy scientist having in some ways more information about coming developments which are not directly available in Europe, regarding the state of the world’s future energy supplies. Let me in all humility and responsibility tell you that predictions by your scientists and professors regarding the value of Scotland’s off shore oil supplies may not hold true, once these coming developments (which I cannot reveal due to patent restrictions) will be shown to the world very soon.

SCOTLAND FLAG

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September 19, 2014 · 11:12 am

TERROR AUSTRALIS !

Headline above in The Advertiser, 19 September 2014

‘TERROR RAIDS News Corp Australia Courtesy of News Corp

Headline Elsewhere: “Australian terror raids uncover plot to attack Parliament House”

TONY Abbott has confirmed a specific instruction came from a senior Australian ISIL operative in Syria, as security in Canberra is being beefed up after intelligence suggested an attack on Parliament House was imminent. Tony Abbott confirmed the “chatter” about a possible attack on Parliament House came directly from conversations between Australian ISIL supporters overseas and on home soil. “The chatter involving Parliament House was chatter between Australians in Syria and Iraq and their supporters here in Australia,” he told reporters in Sydney. I’m not aware that specific individuals have been named as part of this chatter, but certainly Government, Government people and parliament have been referred to as part of this chatter,” the Prime Minister said. Continue reading →

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September 18, 2014 · 10:38 pm

Media Tsunami in Australia over Islamic Terror WITHIN … and Beyond

Headlines rom THE AUSTRALIAN 19 September 2014

Islamic State horror hits home: plot to abduct and behead Australians

Paul Maley, National Security Correspondent, Sydney …. https://plus.google.com/114281934612203133760

THE threat of Islamic State has spread from the war-torn Middle East to the other side of the world, after police claimed to have smashed an imminent plot to abduct and behead an Australian civilian as part of the terror group’s global propaganda campaign. Police will allege a senior Australian working overseas with ­Islamic State, Mohammad Ali Baryalei, helped recruit and inspire a Sydney man to plan the ­attacks, in the most dramatic ­example of the organisation’s ­expanding global reach.

***** Continue reading →

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September 18, 2014 · 10:36 am

More MARCEL … Wild Life Lanka Here and There

ahuh! ahuh! uhuh! uhuh!

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September 18, 2014 · 10:25 am

Fabulous Bird Snaps from Marcel Bandaranaike in Lanka

Marcel bird 33 Changeable Hawk Eagle

 Marcel bird 155 

ALSO SEE http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=local/top-seven-wild-sri-lanka-flagship-species

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September 18, 2014 · 10:18 am

Wild Life Reserves of Sri Lanka

Marcel Bandaranaike, courtesy of The Aloysian, April and August issues, 2014

Mihintale, in the ancient kingdom of Anuradhapura located in the North Central province of Sri Lanka is said to be the world’s first recorded (247 BC) wild life & nature reserve established by King Devanampiyatissa, a convert to conservationism. Further evidence of this deep rooted concern to the conservation of wild life is found in an inscription engraved on a stone slab at Anuradhapura’s majestic Ruwanveli dagoba, attributed to the 12th century king Nissankamalla, forbidding capture, killing or commercial trafficking of any animals within a radius of 7 (gauvva) from the city.

At present, some of the better nature reserves in the Indian Sub-Continent & South East Asia for Leopard & Elephant are found in Sri Lanka. MARCEL 101

There are 21 national parks in Sri Lanka maintained by the Department of Wild Life Conservation.

  1. Angammedilla National Park           11. Lunugamvehera National Park
  2. Bundala National Park                12. Madura National Park
  3. Flood Plains National Park               13. Minneriya National Park
  4. Gal Oya National Park                        14. Pegion Island National Park
  5. Galway’s National Park                      15. Somawathiya Chaitiya National
  6. Hikkaduwa National Park                 16. Udawalawe National Park
  7. Horagolla National Park                    17. Ussangoda National Park
  8. Horton Plains National Park    18. Wasgomuwa National Park
  9. Kaudulla National Park                      19. Wllpattu National Park
  10. Lahugala National Park                       20. Kumana National Park (Yala East)

21. Yala National Park Continue reading →

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September 18, 2014 · 9:47 am

Goodness Gracious Me! … !!!!

monkeyiga round-polonnaruwa

A Tale of Biting Off More than One can Chew! … with a hip hip hurrah for Marcel Bandaranaike!

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September 18, 2014 · 9:21 am

Don Martino De Zilva Wickremasinghe (1865-1937) — Savant, Linguist and Epigraphist … with Notes about HCP Bell, Archaeologist (1851-1937)

Thiru Arumugam, courtesy of The Ceylankan, Journal 67, vol XVII:3, August 2014, pp. 18-22.

Thiru photoThiru Arumugam

Don Martino De Zilva Wickremasinghe was born in the Southern Province in 1865. He passed away in 1937. He was educated at Richmond College, Galle, which was originally called ‘The Galle School’. It was founded on 25 July 1814 by the Weslyan Methodist Missionaries and is the oldest English medium school in the country. Although he did not have a Bachelor’s degree, Wickremasinghe was appointed Lecturer in Tamil and Telugu by the University of Oxford. Subsequently he became Head of the Dravidian Department, University of London. He lectured at the School of Oriental Studies, University of London which was renamed in 1938 as the School of Oriental and African Studies. It has been described as the world’s leading Institution for the study of Asia, Africa and the Middle-East. The jewel in its crown is the Library with over a million volumes. Wickremasinghe was completely fluent in the following languages and lectured in most of them at University level: English, German, Sinhala, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit.

Wickremasinghe photo2 a grainy image of Wickramasinghe taken in London in 1899

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September 17, 2014 · 2:46 pm

Sam Wijesinha, A Man for All Seasons, appreciated in Death and Life

SAM WIJ photoI. Tissa Devendra: “Sam Wijesinha’s Official Career Has Been Characterised with Absolute Integrity and Tempered with Humanity,” 2 September 2014, courtesy of The Island and DBSJeyaraj.com **

Hon. Prime Minister, Mr. Sam Wijesinha, members of his extended family- stretching from Getamana in Ruhuna to Canada’s Great Lakes-, distinguished ladies and gentlemen,

It has been a great honour to be invited to speak at the launch of this fascinating book on Sam Wijesinha – celebrating his life of service to Sri Lanka, and Parliament in particular. It is also a wonderful tribute to the personal values he exemplifies in the civilized ambience of ‘Lakmahal’. Continue reading →

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