Day: 2 October 2016

The North of Sri Lanka, or at least Jaffna, last week reverberated to the cries of demonstrating political activists and their followers articulating, firstly, the frustration over the slow progress of post-war recovery and, secondly, the yearning for the presumed dignity of self-rule – of greater autonomy, if not independence. Within days, the South heard angry voices protesting the perceived reawakening of secessionism in the North. The anger was clear in their harsh expressions of hostility to minority ethnicity and minority ethnic politics. The protest in Jaffna was led by…

It is over seven years since the horrendous terrorist conflict that went on for a near three decades ended and the Tamil community that faced the ravages of the war – death of those near and dear, destruction of their property including the roofs over their heads and all their possessions – have been remarkably quiescent in their suffering in the post conflict period. Last week they came out en masse under the slogan ‘Eluga Thamil’ in a rally organized by the Tamil Peoples’ Council (TPC), headed by the Chief Minister of…

“Reconciliation” and Government’s “Sinhala Silence” Clearly, the ITAK leadership cannot publicly oppose those demands put forward by the TPC. They are very much rooted in Northern Tamil life. Yet ITAK leadership cannot back them openly too. They don’t want to be seen in public campaigns the government is uncomfortable with. They feel such would threaten their day to day engagement with the government. For the Northern Tamil people seven years after the war, the wait had been too long and too agonising to waste more time. The “Ezhuga Tamil” protest…