Day: 8 October 2016

Heed The Voice From The North And Answer Allegations

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The protest march and mass rally organised by the Tamil People’s Council in Jaffna has been criticised by the government and generated misgivings in the rest of the polity.  The TNA, which is the main Tamil party in North has disavowed the protest.  It has said that launching a protest march like Eluga Thamil (Rise Up Tamils!) is not beneficial to the Tamil people at this time when discussions are being conducted for a new constitution. On the other hand, the protest has the support of Tamil parties and groups that are outside…

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Nationalist Mobilisations & Eluga Thamil: First As Tragedy, Then As Farce

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By Ahilan Kadirgamar – Ahilan Kadirgamar The Eluga Thamil rally on September 24 in Jaffna was nothing but the continuation of efforts to keep reactionary Tamil nationalism mobilised after the defeat of the LTTE in May 2009. The forces that organised this protest have been active with the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), the Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF) and more recently the Tamil Peoples Council (TPC). Their chauvinist Tamil nationalist rhetoric attempts to capture the political mainstream in Jaffna and carve out a space within the Tamil political sphere…

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Tamils In The North-East Protest At Last

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By Brian Senewiratne – Dr. Brian Senewiratne On the 24th September 2016, there was a massive protest in Jaffna, in the Tamil North, where some 15,000 Tamils took part in the biggest protest since the end of the armed conflict 7 years ago. The protest called ‘Ezhuka Thamizh’ (Let Tamils rise), saw thousands of Tamils from all eight provinces in the North and East come to Jaffna. It was a long overdue protest. To deal with this most important event, there must be an understanding of the ground situation in…

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Stage set for New Sinhala Racist party under Mahinda

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Former Minister and Parliamentarian, Basil Rajapaksa has decided to clear the air over the formation of a new political party and claims that it is the people who had called for a new force to combat the government. In an interview to Weekend Nation, Rajapaksa speaks about the process towards forming a new party and responds to allegations of striking a deal with the United National Party (UNP). He said the formation of a new political front with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the helm revealed that the name and symbol…

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Mano-CBK clash over reconciliation

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Minister of National Coexistence, Dialogue and Official Languages, Mano Ganesan confirmed that he has complained to President Maithripala Sirisena with regard to interference from former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in relation to ongoing efforts at reconciliation in the country. Kumaratunga, a backer of the incumbent Government, is currently the Chairperson of the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR). “I do not want to be made to look like some showcase Minister or a Minister for show while others do the work of reconciliation”, Ganesan said. He further added that…

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