Day: 30 July 2016

Jaffna Varsity Violence: What Really Happened and Why!

Karu

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Violence reared its ugly head again in the Northern city of Jaffna on Saturday July 16th 2016 when student groups fought each other within the Jaffna varsity precincts in Thirunelvaeli known generally as Thinnaivaeli. It was basically a confrontation between two undergraduate factions of the University of Jaffna. There was also an ethnic dimension to the incident as one of the clashing factions was Sinhala and the other Tamil. The Government for very commendable reasons downplayed the ethnic factor and referred to the incident as factional strife while…

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Colombo to Kandy Protest March Launched By JR Jayewardene in 1957

Karu

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The marathon protest march “Jana satana Pada Yathra” launched by loyalists of former President and current Kurunegala district MP Mahinda Rajapaksa is currently underway in Sri Lanka. The march organized by pro – Mahinda polititical stalwarts known as the Joint Opposition began in Kandy on July 28th 2016. The five day march is scheduled to conclude in Colombo on August 1st 2016. The Kandy to Colombo march has revived memories of another Opposition march that was organized almost sixty years ago. Unlike the present Kandy – Colombo march…

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International Adjudicators – Why Not ?

Karu

By ANI Ekanayaka – Prof. A.N.I. Ekanayaka There seems to be much unnecessary anxiety, muddled thinking and something fundamentally irrational about the prevailing revulsion in various quarters to foreign participation in any independent inquiry into allegations of war crimes in Sri Lanka. We must remember that at the 32nd sessions of the UNHRC last month its Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussain seemed adamant about the need for such participation stating “I remain convinced that international participation in the accountability mechanisms, as stipulated in the Human Rights Council’s resolution, would be a…

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Concerns of another UNHRC resolution

Karu

By Manekshaw It was a few days after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released a statement expressing his country’s solidarity with the Tamils of Sri Lankan origin who were commemorating an event in Toronto, Canada to mark the 33rd anniversary of 1983 Black July, Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Dion arrived in the island on Thursday (28) and his Sri Lankan visit is considered as a first visit of a Canadian Foreign Minister to Sri Lanka since 2003. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his special statement expressing his solidarity with…

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Sri Lanka’s ex-greats humiliated after Aussie cricket debacle

Karu

ECONOMYNEXT, Australia’s latest spin bowling mentor, former Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan, was sulking Saturday after accusing local cricket authorities of trying to make him the fall guy in case the hosts lost. Muralitharan was wiping egg off his face after Australia, the world’s number one Test team, lost by 106 to underdog Sri Lanka after 17 years. During his 10-day stint coaching Australian spinners, Muralitharan also had a spat with Sri Lankan team manager Charith Senanayake over the use of the Pallekele pitch for training. Ironically, it was at…

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Jaffna Science Faculty remains closed due to lack of undergrads

Karu

By Dasun Edirisinghe The Jaffna University re-opened a few days but its Science Faculty remains closed due to lack of students. University sources said that more than 50% of the Jaffna Science Faculty comprised Sinhala students and they had not returned so far after a violent incident on July 16. The entire university was closed indefinitely following a clash in the Science Faculty during a welcoming ceremony. Meanwhile, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Highways and Higher Education P. G. Jayasinghe said the attendance of the Jaffna University was at…

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