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Statement by Committee to Protect Journalists 

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Colombo high court’s indictment of journalist J.S. Tissainayagam today on terrorism charges for articles he published in 2006.

Sri Lanka’s Terrorist Investigation Division arrested Tissainayagam, the editor of news Web site OutreachSL, and five of his colleagues within a few days in March 2008. Three of the group were released later that month, according to the Sri Lankan Free Media Movement. Tissainayagam and two others, OutreachSL manager N. Jasiharan and his wife, remain in custody without charge. It is not clear if Jasiharan and his wife have also been indicted.

[J.S. Tissainayagam, an ethnic Tamil senior journalist and columnist (L), walks handcuffed as prison officers escort him to the High Court in Colombo August 25, 2008-pic: Reuters Alertnet, Buddhika Weerasinghe]

Continue reading "CPJ: "Publishing a magazine should not constitute an offence"" »

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Report by United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - Integrated Regional Information Networks (IRIN):

The national authorities, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), and local authorities in Sri Lanka's northern districts are pooling resources to enable thousands of displaced students to continue their education despite disruption by the conflict.

[Many students were only able to take their exams at temporary centres. Teachers need to be redeployed to where they are most needed; damaged schools need to be repaired; and students need to be given books and stationerypic: Amantha Perera]

Continue reading "Education of thousands disrupted by fighting" »

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By Namini Wijedasa
 
(Month after month, Rohitha Bogollagama continues to astound the country with his free-wheeling attitude towards public finance and his blatant abuse of the foreign ministry portfolio for the good of his own.

Since the ministry of foreign affairs fell onto his lap on 28 January 2007, very much like manna from heaven, Bogollagama has been engaged in antics that have made Bozo the Clown look normal in diplomatic circles.

Here we document some of the humorous - and not so humorous escapades of the high-spending minister (not in chronological order). Some of them are from his ministry of enterprise development days. Apologies for the many omissions as we have only so much space.)

Continue reading "Foreign Minister Bogollagama’s antics and escapades" »

Posted by transCurrents at 09:01 PM | Permalink

by Rajan Philips

This is supposed to be the year of victory over the Tigers. Prime Minister Wickramanayake even predicted that the Sri Lankan troops will be in Kilinochchi before Sabragamua and North Central Provinces go to polls on Saturday. Regardless of when the troops will reach Kilinochchi, most observers seem to agree that the LTTE is not going to hold out much longer in its Vanni stronghold. The natural question is what is going to happen after that. In fact, there is more than one question and a military victory may not answer any of them.

[Sri Lanka Army, in Vanni, Aug 2008]

Continue reading "Impending military victory, pending political questions" »

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By D.B.S. Jeyaraj

"If he (enemy) is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them."

"Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected."
-Sun Tzu in “The Art of War”.

In what appears to be a co-incidence the military fortunes of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have been declining on the Northern battlefront ever since our Lady of the Rosary was relocated from her traditional abode at Maruthamadhu (Madhu).

[Madhu Church, file pic by Mahesh]

The sacred statue was taken amid controversial circumstances to St. Xaviers church at Thevayanpitty in April this year. A few days later on April 15th the armed forces took control of Madhu and its environs.

Continue reading "Northern Front: Retreating Tigers and Advancing Army" »

Posted by transCurrents at 08:25 PM | Permalink

Statement by International Federation of Journalists

[J.S. Tissainayagam, at Colombo Courts in June 2008]

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is alarmed that Sri Lankan authorities are taking the unprecedented step of applying the country's draconian anti-terrorism law to seek to condemn senior journalist J.S. Tissainayagam for pursuing his profession.

After being held for five months without charge, Tissainayagam has been formally indicted by the High Court of Sri Lanka under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) (1979), according to the Free Media Movement, an IFJ affiliate.

Continue reading "Indictment of Tissainayagam An Assault on Press Freedom in Sri Lanka" »

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Statement by Amnesty International

The Sri Lankan military and the opposing Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are putting tens of thousands of displaced civilians at risk as fighting continues in the Wanni area of northern Sri Lanka.

Displaced mother washing her baby in Sri Lanka

Continue reading "Tens of thousands at risk in Sri Lanka as fighting escalates" »

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By Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole

This is the full text of a speech delivered on Aug 17th 2008 at a seminar organized by the Canadians for peace in Toronto.It was chaired by Mr. Ratnam Ganesh:

Chairman Sir, Mr. John Argue of AI, Ladies and Gentlemen: Good evening.

Thank you, Canadians for Peace and sponsors for the kind invitation to speak this evening. When the invitation came from Chelian, I recalled the advice of one of my old batch mates who had been my room-mate when we were undergraduates. He said to me "Do you think we do not know all that you talk about publicly. The only thing you accomplish is bringing your family and yourself into trouble. It is better to look after your family and be safe." What he meant is that any reasonable peace loving Tamil who gives voice to his views is slandered, vilified and demonized by the Tamil right. Mr. V. Anandasangaree, Ketheesh Loganathan, and Neelan Tiruchelvam have suffered this fate. Likewise, on the Sinhalese side we see the same thing happening to Elmore Perera, Rohan Edirisinghe, Jayadeva Uyangoda and Jehan Perera. Their stories will tell us what happens to those who refuse to conform with the right.

Continue reading "What is the future of Sri Lanka?" »

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