(Excerpts from the book “Nobody’s People-The Forgotten plight of Sri Lanka’s Muslims” by Latheef Farook) During the World War 11 the British government asked its colonies to support them assuring that they would be given independence once the war ended. Like rest of the British colonies, Sri Lanka too supported the British. In the aftermath of the [...] [...more]
Election fever is running wild, with the presidential election scheduled for January 26th. After that, the parliamentary election will be held, these elections will run more wild than the present presidential election underscoring that democracy is very much alive in our island. One community which has unstintingly contributed to the development and welfare of this [...] [...more]
Early this year it was reported that Kifaya Ifthikar, a social worker, who met Rizana in prison, said the maid looked sick and that the doctors had advised her to undergo surgery for hernia. Prolonging the anxiety and worry of an innocent, poor house-maid is abominable. It was indeed heatening a couple of [...] [...more]
Three perspectives on Sri Lankan identity [Slightly revised version of the 12th Bakeer Markar Memorial lecture on ‘Challenges to Strengthening Sri Lankan Identity’, delivered on Nov 17, 2009 by Dr Dayan Jayatilleka, former Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations at Geneva]. (December 02, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) When Imthiaz extended this invitation to me, [...] [...more]
One after the other political leaders from the west, especially Britain and France, rushed to the island to show their humanitarian concern for the displaced Tamils who were used as human shield by the now defeated Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam, LTTE, which claimed to fight for the interest of this very same people. However, these [...] [...more]
How to foster lasting peace in this country after three turbulent decades is the topmost discussion point today wherever Sri Lankans meet. There is a strong feeling the silver lining of hope that glimmered on the 18th May 2009, when the source of terrorism received the last bullet, is fading away under the increasing turbulence [...] [...more]
The Law and Society Trust (LST) together with the Community Trust Fund (CTF), the People’s Secretariat (PS) and the Rural Development Foundation (RDF) has set up a Citizens’ Commission to investigate the expulsion of Muslims from the Northern Province by the LTTE in October 1990. The LTTE expulsion of Muslims from five Northern districts in October [...] [...more]
Ashroff King Senerath, who in 1626 settled nearly 4,000 Muslims in the East of Sri Lanka following their expulsion from the island’s Western coastal belt by the Portuguese led by Captain de Saa, must be the most delighted to hear, if the dead king could, that the descendants of those whom he settled in the [...] [...more]
The concept of Responsibility to Protect has triggered resistance in many countries of the Global South precisely because of its potential misapplication to situations such as the Sri Lankan one. Lakshman Kadirgamar, the former Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, was one of the most incisive legal minds of his generation. A former president of the Oxford Union, [...] [...more]
It would seem that disagreeing with Izeth Hussain is an offence punishable by deportation. As he pointed out in his charming letter of June 22nd entitled ‘Go home, Kath’, I devoted one paragraph of my last article to his comments on the Human Rights Council vote. My suggestion that he might offer to hold David Miliband’s [...] [...more]
