Lankan-ness Vs the Tamilness: thoughts of A.J. Canagaratne

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 2009, 16:48 GMT]
Is it possible in today's context to be both a Tamil and a Sri Lankan? I think it is, provided our leaders are statesmen enough to treat all communities as equal and guarantee this equality both in practice and constitutionally. Only time will tell whether the Sinhala political leadership can stop playing games of one-upmanship and indulging in political manoeuvring. It's high time they stop being fixated on a unitary state and think along the lines of a fully federal set-up to preserve the unity of this country, wrote AJ in 2005, a year before his demise, reviewing a publication ‘ Being a Tamil and Sri Lankan by Professor K. Sivathamby.
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2 Tamil civilians shot dead in Batticaloa district

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 2009, 11:43 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen shot and killed two Tamil civilians Wednesday night in two separate shootings. A family man was gunned down around 8:30 p.m in Vellaave’li police division while a farmer was shot and killed in Vavu’natheevu police division Wednesday night, in Batticaloa district, according to police sources.
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Sampanthan on CID grilling: Unwarranted interference in freedom of thought

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 2009, 06:48 GMT]
Senior Politician and the Parliamentary Group Leader of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) R. Sampanthan on Wednesday described the so-called 'investigation' by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as "unwarranted interference in my freedom of thought," in a letter addressed to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Mr. Sampanthan further said that there is "clearly a malicious effort" to create an environment hostile to him, the objective of which is to "suppress the truth." He was questioned by the CID on a statement at a media conference at the Sri Lankan Parliamentary complex on 17th February 2009 pertaining to the position of Tamil civilians in the war zone in the Mullaiththeevu District, and the Tamil civilians who had crossed into Sri Lanka Army controlled territory.
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Sri Lanka war crimes under U.S. spotlight

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 2009, 06:12 GMT]
The uncontradicted testimony of Dr. Anna Neistat, Human Rights Watch, in Tuesday's U.S. Foreign Relations Subcommittee Hearings of Sri Lanka concluded that the "Sri Lankan Armed Forces are guilty of war crimes, including the indiscriminate shelling of areas packed with displaced Tamil civilians and of hospitals; the use of imprecise multi-barrel rocket launchers; acute or complete restrictions on humanitarian aid; the operation of militarily controlled “concentration camps” for Tamil civilians without freedom of movement or communications or adequate medical or other assistance," said Bruce Fein, in a letter sent to the Subcommittee following the Hearings.
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Prominent Tamil Editor abducted in Colombo, later claimed 'arrested'

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 2009, 05:08 GMT]
Armed persons and men in police uniform who arrived in three white vans Thursday morning abducted Nadesapillai Vithyatharan, 51, the prominent editor of Jaffna-based Uthayan daily and Colombo-based Chudaroli, eyewitnesses told TamilNet. The abduction comes six days after Mr. Vithyatharan was grilled by the Sri Lankan Terrorist Investigation Department (TID). The TID had questioned him Sunday for six hours on news and views that appeared in his papers on Sri Lanka Army (SLA) attacks on civilians in Vanni and about his interactions with the officials of the Tigers in the past. Police spokesman Gunasekara, who first said that the editor was abducted by unidentified men, hours later claimed that he had been arrested.
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Revise policies on Tamil struggle: Karen Parker tells U.S. Senate

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 February 2009, 00:55 GMT]
The twenty-six year old armed conflict between the armed forces of the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has reached a phase that can only be called genocide-like and catastrophic for the Tamil people in the north and east of the island, said human rights expert Karen Parker, Wednesday to the subcommittee of the US Senate, hearing on the situation in the island of Sri Lanka. Describing the war waged by Colombo as illegal military operations, using illegal weapons or legal weapons in an illegal manner without any international monitoring, she urged the US government to call for an immediate ceasefire and address it most forcefully to the Rajapaksa administration.
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Acts of genocide possible – British Foreign Secretary

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 February 2009, 13:53 GMT]
Britain’s Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, agreed Tuesday with parliamentarians who said that the Sri Lankan government is “quite prepared to go ahead with acts of genocide.” Responding to Mr. Elfyn Llwyd, MP, Mr. Miliband said “the resolution of [a] terrorist problem cannot be achieved at the expense of the rights of minority communities in Sri Lanka, and that is what we are trying to work on.” Britain was encouraging Sri Lanka’s government to work with London’s newly appointed Special Envoy to Sri Lanka, former defence minister and Secretary of State for Scotland, Des Browne, the Foreign Secretary said.
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CID grills Sampanthan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 February 2009, 06:57 GMT]
Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers subjected R. Samapanthan, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Trincomalee district parliamentarian and leader of TNA parliamentary group to intensive interrogation Tuesday for three hours from 10:00 a.m, in the notorious Colombo ‘Fourth Floor’ interrogation centre regarding Sampanthan's statement that Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are the sole representatives of the Tamils in a press meet held in the Colombo Parliamentary complex Friday. Sri Lanka Government is accusing him of expressing a view dangerous to the sovereignty of Sri Lanka, sources in Colombo said.
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Karuna to contest Batticaloa as UPFA candidate

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 February 2009, 01:24 GMT]
Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna who met the government high officials, principals and the public in Batticaloa district this week had told them they should help electing him and six of his associates in Batticaloa district contesting under United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) ticket, Batticaloa residents said. The persons holding high offices in the government departments in Batticaloa are being replaced by Karuna's supporters, the residents alleged.
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Heavy fighting in PTK, civilians trapped in SLA barrage

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 February 2009, 21:15 GMT]
Heavy fighting has been reported west of Puthukkudiyiruppu (PTK) where Sri Lanka Army (SLA) divisions 58 and 53 have suffered heavy casualties throughout the last 3 days, according to the sources close to the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE). The SLA fired hundreds of artillery shells into Ira'naipaalai and the adjoining areas between the safety zone and PTK junction, the reports further said. Three Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) fighter jets also bombed Ira'naippaalai thrice on Tuesday, killing seven civilians. At least four of the victims belonged to a single family, according to the initial reports. Civilian casualty figures due to artillery shelling is not yet known.
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Norwegian Tamils demonstrate in front of Norway parliament

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 February 2009, 17:57 GMT]
Hundreds of Norwegian Tamils including many youngsters gathered in front of Norwegian parliament Monday around 1:00 p.m where they urged Norway government to help bring about a ceasefire immediately to stop the genocide of Tamils in Vanni. Tamil Youth Organization (TYO) which organized the above demonstration in which members of Norway political parties addressed the gathering submitted a memorandum to Norwegian parliament.
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US Subcommittee to hear genocide charges against Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 February 2009, 11:47 GMT]
In an invited written testimony to the hearing on "Recent Developments in Sri Lanka" before the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Middle East and Asia, at the Dirksen Senate Building Tuesday, Bruce Fein, former U.S. associate deputy attorney general, details the recent violence by the Sri Lanka Government against Tamils civilians under "impenetrable media blackout and eviction of all outside observers...has crossed the line into genocide, which justified a criminal investigation under United States laws."
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Children vulnerable to SLA shelling in new 'safe zone'

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 February 2009, 06:14 GMT]
Every shell being fired by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) into the 'safe zone' inflicts civilian casualties as the entire area is tightly populated, reported TamilNet correspondent on Tuesday. A single artillery shell fired around 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday claimed the lives of 6 civilians, including two teenage boys. The attack has taken place near the makeshift hospital at Puthumaaththa'lan. Many of the wounded were children among the 98 injured civilians admitted Sunday and Monday, according to medical authorities.
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'Koayil' controversy

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 2009, 23:28 GMT]
The officiating Tamil priesthood of tradition has to be helped to transcend contemporary sociopolitical norms of caste identity or hierarchy. It needs to see the real roots of its culture vested with the Tamil people and should stand on the side of the masses, upholding the cause of the oppressed. In fact, it has to take a step ahead of the government in progressiveness, writes opinion columnist Ampalam on the recent events concerning Chithamparam temple, triggered off by the controversy of reciting Tamil hymns in the Golden Hall of the temple.
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Hoodlums attack Tamil settlement in Western province, 1 killed

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 2009, 19:45 GMT]
Sinhala hoodlums attacked a Tamil settlement in Paadukka estate in Kalutara district in the western province Saturday night killing a Tamil worker and set fire to three houses of Tamil residents. The victim was identified as Selvarajah. Other Tamil workers had fled from the area with their families and sought refuge elsewhere to ensure their safety.
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Police arrest 4 Tamils in Kandy

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 2009, 19:42 GMT]
Kandy Police Saturday arrested four Tamil youths in a cordon and search operation conducted in the Kandy town. Police said they are being detained in the police station and are being interrogated. Police said they were residents of Uduwela, Dehideniya, Rakwana, Pelmadulla and Kandy.
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23 Tamils arrested in Kuchchave'li

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 2009, 18:20 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police and Sri Lanka Air Force in a combined search operation conducted in Kuchchave'li area in Trincomalee district Saturday from dawn to dusk arrested twenty three Tamils. The arrested are being detained in the Kuchchave'li police station as they failed to prove their identity and justify their presence in the location, Police media spokesman Ranjit Gunasekara told media.
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Tamil youth shot dead in Vavuniyaa

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 2009, 18:18 GMT]
Unidentified armed persons shot dead a Tamil youth Saturday night around 7:30 p.m while he was returning home which is located in Sivapuram in Vavuniyaa police division. The victim had been identified as Kantharooban Pirapaharan, 19.
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Ceasefire, solution first; laying down arms irrelevant: LTTE appeals to Co-chairs, UN

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 2009, 03:58 GMT]
Urging International Community to effect a ceasefire and initiate a political solution as a priority than insisting LTTE to lay down arms, the Political Head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), B. Nadesan, made an appeal Sunday to the heads of the Co-chairs countries saying that "when a permanent political solution is reached for the Tamil people, with the support and the guarantee of the international community, the situation will arise where there will be no need for the arms of the LTTE."
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DMK supporter self-immolates during Chennai human-chain protest

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 February 2009, 02:17 GMT]
A 60-year old Dravida Munetra Kazhalagam (DMK) member who worked as a driver with the metropolitan transport corporation self-immolated demanding immediate stop to the killings of Tamils in the NorthEast by the Sri Lanka Government. S Sivaprakasam was a participant at the human-chain protest organized by the DMK Youth Wing when he set himself ablaze. He suffered fourth-degree burns, and later died at Kilpauk Government Medical College.
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