COLUMNIST: JEHAN PERERA
Pursuit of Peace
Dr. Jehan Perera is executive director of the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka, an independent advocacy organization. He is also a columnist for the Daily Mirror and the Lanka Monthly Digest in Colombo. He holds a Doctor of Law degree from Harvard Law School and a BA in economics from Harvard College. In April 2007 he received the Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti National Award for Peace, Tolerance and Harmony from the Interfaith Harmony Foundation of India.
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February 17, 2010Colombo, Sri Lanka — The aftermath of Sri Lanka's presidential election was expected to usher in a period of political stability. But the arrest of the opposition candidate, former army commander General Sarath Fonseka, suggests otherwise. The government is now seeking to prove that Fonseka was part of a vast conspiracy.
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February 10, 2010Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s Election Commission has reaffirmed the authenticity of the recent presidential election, although the opposition continues to dispute it. It is noteworthy that both presidential candidates received Tamil votes, which indicates a willingness of Tamil voters to be part of the political mainstream.
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February 03, 2010Colombo, Sri Lanka — The win by incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka’s election last week has the potential to further divide the country along political and ethnic lines, unless Rajapaksa addresses the alienation of the ethnic minorities and provides a solution to their problems by way of devolution of power.
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January 27, 2010Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankans went to the polls on Tuesday to decide between incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa and retired army commander General Sarath Fonseka. The people want a government that is accountable, transparent and abides by the rule of law, the absence of which was sorely felt during the election campaign.
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January 20, 2010Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa says he called for early presidential elections to obtain a fresh mandate for the post-war reconstruction of the country, and obtain it from the Tamil people of the north and east as well. This attitude will help counter ethnic fragmentation and ensure national unity.
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January 13, 2010Colombo, Sri Lanka — The decision of the Tamil National Alliance to endorse one of the two leading candidates in Sri Lanka’s forthcoming presidential election, with a real chance of winning, has a significance that goes beyond the elections. It marks the return of the Tamils to the mainstream political process.
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January 06, 2010Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s forthcoming election has generated a coalition of political forces that few would have believed possible even a few weeks ago. Today an increasingly beleaguered President Mahinda Rajapaksa gives the impression of being a man who knows he has the fight of his life on his hands.
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December 30, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The issue of war crimes has come to the fore once again in Sri Lanka, due to an assertion by former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka regarding the killing of LTTE leaders. Fonseka admitted hearing accounts of LTTE leaders carrying white flags who were not allowed to surrender.
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December 23, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Will the Tamil people in Sri Lanka vote for former army commander General Sarath Fonseka or the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the presidential election next month? About 25 percent of the electorate are ethnic minorities and their vote can be decisive if the majority Sinhalese votes are split.
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December 16, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka is free from large-scale armed rebellion for the first time since the mid-1970s. The presidential election next year will determine whether the country can decentralize government power and meet the needs of all the country’s people to ensure there will be no return to violence.
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December 09, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The advent of former army commander General Sarath Fonseka as a presidential candidate has set off a vigorous debate about the dangers of a militarized leadership. At the same time, his entry to the political contest has rejuvenated the opposition and revived public interest in the elections.
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December 02, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — With Sri Lanka's presidential elections to be held on Jan. 26, 2010, the government has been moving swiftly to appeal to the Tamil minority, undoing the structures of war with amazing speed. But the efforts may be rejected by Tamil voters as a political ploy to obtain their electoral support.
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November 25, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s upcoming elections are likely to be closely contested, with former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka the expected opposition candidate. As the general will appeal to the same electorate as President Mahinda Rajapaksa, this will compel the government to look to ethnic minority support as well.
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November 18, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa did not announce the dates for upcoming general and presidential elections on Nov. 15 as expected. The president may want to delay an election in light of the emergence of former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka as a potential challenger for the presidency.
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November 11, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government has announced it has resettled close to half the 280,000 persons who were displaced during the civil war. Many have been relocated to areas devoid of basic infrastructure and given only US$218 per family. The government must lift restrictions on NGOs that want to help these people.
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November 04, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — With decisive elections around the corner in Sri Lanka, the merits and demerits of the executive presidency have taken center stage. The opposition has proposed its abolition as the best solution to the country’s many ills. But the Tamils’ top concern remains the devolution of power to the provinces.
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October 28, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The disruption in fuel supplies that suddenly hit Sri Lanka last week due to labor union action suggests a precarious economic situation despite government claims to the contrary. Externally too, the country is under economic siege as the EU decides whether to extend its tariff concession to the country.
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October 21, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The end of the war has improved life for the Sri Lankan people, but the rhetoric and actions of the government suggest that the country remains on a war footing. If the government continues on the course of Sinhalese nationalism, it could again arouse nationalism in the ethnic minority communities.
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October 14, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government won the Southern Provincial Council elections, last Saturday, with 67 percent votes. The opposition banked on many themes like corruption and breakdown of law and order, and media repression to erode public support for the government. But most issues did not directly impact voters.
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October 07, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's naming of Sri Lanka among countries alleged to have used rape as a tactic of war has caused fury and distress in the country. The Sri Lankan government must explain and justify what really happened during and after the war if it wants to improve the country’s image.
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September 23, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s civil war ended more than four months ago; the decimation of the LTTE leadership led to expectations that a new era of freedom of movement and respect for human rights would dawn. But the reality is otherwise, amid fears that remaining LTTE cadres may launch terror attacks.
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September 16, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The issue of war crimes has been in the air since the final showdown between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE commenced in 2006. Now there is a focus on what happened in the last days of war, partly sparked by video footage of what appears to be the killing of prisoners by the Sri Lankan military.
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September 09, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — In one’s home country, a regular traveler does not expect to be confronted and detained at the airport without a valid reason. This is what happened to the head of the Center for Policy Alternatives, Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, upon returning from a seminar on Sri Lankan reconciliation in the United States.
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September 02, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — International support for Sri Lanka can be seen as stemming from a desire to see its ethnic conflict resolved in a just manner. But some see it as having an ulterior motivation to strengthen Tamil separatism and weaken Sri Lanka's sovereignty. Those who wish to give aid must be mindful of these concerns.
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August 26, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The humanitarian crisis in northern Sri Lanka has worsened as heavy rains flood the camps where over a quarter of a million people are residing. In addition to its short-term security concerns, the government must consider the longer-term risks posed by allowing anger and frustration to build among these people.
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August 19, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government has proposed a new law that would ban political parties with ethnic or religious labels in their names. If ever a time comes to ban ethnic and religious parties it should be only when Sri Lanka ensures that all sections of the population are treated equally.
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August 12, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The just-completed local elections in Jaffna and Vavuniya were the first in a long while in those northern Sri Lankan towns. The elections defied expectations by being virtually incident-free. But the results suggest that Tamil identity politics remains a potent force after the military defeat of the LTTE.
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August 05, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Elections to the Jaffna and Vavuniya town councils in Sri Lanka will be held on Saturday, which will enable the government to follow up its military victory with a political solution. The question is whether people will vote for stability or the Tamil opposition to the government.
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July 29, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government’s war effort from 2007 onward led to the deterioration in relations with countries of the European Union, some of which had supported Sri Lanka's economic and human development for decades. But now they appear to be withdrawing aid and support from Sri Lanka.
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July 22, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka's determined leadership intends to take the country from a situation of war and division to a situation of peace and unified government. However, leadership and decisiveness need to be supplemented by a more participatory mode of decision making that is appropriate for peace time.
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July 15, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has stated his government's commitment to the devolution of powers to the provinces promised in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. Now the government is emphasizing an unspecified and vague “homegrown” solution. But devolution must not be abandoned.
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July 08, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The end of the war in Sri Lanka has not brought Tamil alienation to an end. This is not surprising; the ground for the war was laid by the failure of successive governments to address their grievances. The government must demonstrate its concern for the Tamil people’s welfare as citizens of a united country.
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July 01, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka is a plural society with diverse communities. At present, national debate on the future of society is dictated by nationalist groups who fear the devolution of power to the regions. But if everyone sees this process as empowering their own provincial councils, there is no need to oppose it.
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June 24, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The fruits of the Sri Lankan government's victory over the LTTE, with regard to improving the lives of the people, are already becoming evident. The removal of restrictions on fishing in the northern seas and the opening of the highway to the Jaffna Peninsula are welcome news to the people in the north.
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June 17, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government has called for local elections in the two northern cities of Jaffna and Vavuniya. Opposition political parties have protested this, saying the situation is far from normal and people are in no mood for elections. Still, they will be a first step toward political stability.
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June 10, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaka’s recent victory speech expressed appreciation for the sacrifices of the security forces and their families in the just-concluded civil war. But, unlike U.S. President Barack Obama in his Cairo speech, he failed to mention the sacrifices and suffering of the other side.
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June 03, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The human rights heartland of Geneva was the scene of the Sri Lankan government’s latest victory. The government staved off an investigation into human rights violations with the support of non-Western countries. But now it is time to reconcile both with the Tamil people and with the Western countries.
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May 27, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Reconstructing Sri Lanka's war-ravaged North will require tough government decisions on deescalating its military options, as it seeks to prevent a future Tamil uprising. What Sri Lankans are witnessing now is a military solution that has a military logic, which requires more time and resources.
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May 20, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The war between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE has virtually ended. Reportedly, the government will declare a national holiday, but if it is to be celebrated by all Sri Lankans, including Tamils, change is needed. The war is over, but the ethnic conflict that spanned five decades is not.
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May 13, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The final phase of the Sri Lankan war is nearing its end as the Sri Lankan army surrounds the last few square kilometers within which the LTTE is boxed. The question is what will happen after the government troops capture this last remaining area and eliminate the LTTE’s central command?
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May 06, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The best efforts of the international community to bring the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka to an end have come to naught. The Sri Lankan government will not back down, apparently for fear that past experience will be repeated, when the LTTE fought its way back after a partial defeat.
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April 29, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The victory of Sri Lanka’s ruling party in the Western Provincial Council election, announced last Sunday, adds to the government’s confidence that it is on a popular path with regard to the war in the north. Still, the government should consider international proposals to quickly end the war.
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April 22, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The continuing humanitarian crisis in northern Sri Lanka is a blot on the conscience of the country. The government-designated safety zone in the north was meant to be a sanctuary for people who fled the war, but the LTTE is using the people as human shields while government troops continue to fight.
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April 15, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa announced a no-fire period on the eve of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, celebrated April 14, halting fighting in the last remaining pocket of LTTE-controlled territory. It is a welcome step; a negotiated end to the war would be even more welcome.
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April 08, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Tamil people in Sri Lanka are today disempowered and silenced as never before. A war is being fought, but not for their hearts and minds. For peace in Sri Lanka, the government needs to win over the majority of Tamil people to the belief that it is truly concerned about their welfare.
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April 01, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka has again been discussed in the U.N. Security Council, where a “humanitarian pause” was proposed, to send supplies into the last LTTE-held territory and evacuate civilians. The government should take this seriously; the alternative could be a fight to the very end with huge casualties.
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March 25, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — A second bid to get Sri Lanka on the U.N. Security Council agenda has failed due to the objections of some member states. Scores of civilians have been fleeing the north by foot and by sea, or are being killed and injured by fighting in the area where they are trapped. A solution is desperately needed.
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March 18, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan military is finding the last few kilometers of LTTE-controlled territory hardest to take. The large number of civilians packed into this area is causing a protracted humanitarian crisis, and the government is risking accusations of war crimes for firing into civilian inhabited areas.
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March 11, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Most people seem to take it for granted that the war in Sri Lanka will soon come to an end. But it is reported that LTTE cadre have left the LTTE-held territory and infiltrated into government-controlled territory. The issue of Tamil self-determination pre-dates the LTTE and will not just disappear.
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March 04, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The latest development in Sri Lanka is that the LTTE has appealed to the international community to support a ceasefire that will safeguard lives and allow negotiations with the government. But the government has rejected the appeal for a ceasefire unless it is accompanied by unconditional surrender.
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February 25, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The air attack on Colombo by the LTTE on Friday was unexpected, showing its ability to be a deadly and tenacious foe even in the face of defeat. Eliminating the LTTE and the ideology of separation by military means may be impossible when it is coupled with raging Tamil resentment against the government.
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February 18, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — International pressure and concern for the humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka is growing as the government is engaged in a ruthless battle to weed out LTTE cadres. The government should reconsider its policy of eliminating the last tiger by military means as the humanitarian cost of its strategy mounts.
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February 11, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — Norway, Japan, the United States and the European Union have called on the LTTE to lay down their arms and negotiate with the Sri Lankan government. Their focus is on making the transition from war to peace less costly in terms of human life and paving the way for long-term peace and development.
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January 28, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The fate of hundreds of thousands of people hangs in the balance in Sri Lanka’s Mullaitivu district, where they are trapped in the last areas under LTTE control. The government needs to call a humanitarian truce to allow these people to leave the battle zone in safety.
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January 21, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government's military success in the war against the LTTE is getting worldwide attention. Sri Lanka has been thrust on the international scene as an ideological support to those who believe in military solutions to terrorism. But the military victory has been costly.
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January 14, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — It is ironic that at the very moment the Sri Lankan armed forces achieved their greatest feat in battle and opened the long-closed highway to Jaffna, armed assassins struck in Colombo and closed the doors to media freedom with the murder of the Sunday Leader editor, Lasantha Wickrematunge.
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January 07, 2009Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government has been celebrating its capture of Kilinochchi, the stronghold of the LTTE, as a decisive victory that heralds the dawn of peace. With the LTTE concentrated in a small area, future battles could be even more costly unless the cycle of violence is broken by statesmanship.
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December 31, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has proclaimed 2009 as the Year of Triumph and also signed a pact with the National Freedom Front, which opposes devolution of power as a solution to the ethnic conflict. However, war cannot neutralize LTTE's identity-based rebellion, whose grip on society is tenacious.
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December 24, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The sharp reduction in the world price of oil would be a cause for relief to people in most countries. But in Sri Lanka this serendipitous outcome of the global economic downturn has not been passed on to consumers, despite a judicial order to do so.
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December 17, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — More than a year and a half after the Sri Lankan government retook all inhabited territory in the east, periodic reports of violence and killings continue. There is an informal advisory against foreigners travelling to the east, and government members do not travel there without special security.
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December 10, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s current government is focusing on a single agenda, which is to defeat the LTTE and eliminate its threat to Sri Lanka’s territorial unity. The state media depicts President Mahinda Rajapaksa as a figure of heroic proportions leading the battle to preserve the unity of the country.
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December 03, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The annual Heroes Day speech by Velupillai Pirapaharan, leader of the LTTE, was overshadowed by the Mumbai attacks in neighboring India last Thursday, but did receive attention in Sri Lanka and the diaspora. Despite moral undertones, the message was one of continued commitment to armed struggle.
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November 26, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government, in its war against the LTTE, has initiated a humanitarian operation to release trapped Tamil civilians in the north. But the response to the government's invitation for people to leave the LTTE-controlled areas has been poor, probably because the LTTE will not let them leave.
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November 19, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — When India’s prime minister expressed concern over war-affected Tamil people in Sri Lanka last week, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the government was doing everything to take care of the Tamils. Yet they continue to be displaced in the ongoing battles, which show no sign of subsiding.
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November 12, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The election of Barack Obama is a great achievement for the United States. It means that people can transcend race and prejudice in their choice of leader. It also means that in a free society with free media, people can see through the disinformation and failed policies of governments and vote them out.
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November 05, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, despite the unpredictable war and global financial crisis threatening the economy, remains popular among the Sinhalese majority, while Tamils remain alienated. The country needs leadership that nurtures people as a whole and not just the ethnic majority.
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October 29, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan army’s battle for the last few kilometers to Kilinochchi, the LTTE’s center, has been going on for nearly a month. As the war prolongs and international pressure for a political solution mounts, the government has claimed there is no ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. This denial is unwise.
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October 22, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — A political volcano is set to erupt in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu as the Sri Lankan army approaches the LTTE stronghold of Kilinochchi. The humanitarian crisis across the border is sparking political and emotional agitation in Tamil Nadu, which may even threaten India’s central government.
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October 15, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — President Mahinda Rajapaksa has stated the need for a political solution to the current ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. This is generally understood to indicate a willingness to negotiate. However, the government seems to think it can come up with such a solution without negotiating with the LTTE.
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October 08, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — A lasting political solution to Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict needs the willing consent of its ethnic minorities and the position that the country belongs to all its citizens. A solution based on military victory and Sinhalese supremacy can only lead to neverending war.
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October 01, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government has asked international NGOs to vacate LTTE-controlled areas for fear they are supporting the rebels. NGOs will be allowed to travel with relief convoys and hand supplies over to government agents, but not to oversee food distribution. This opens the process to abuse.
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September 24, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The present humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka's troubled north coincides with the decision of several European countries who supported human development for decades, to withdraw from Sri Lanka. They must reconsider their decision and give importance to the principle of solidarity at this critical time.
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September 17, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — A humanitarian crisis is looming in Sri Lanka in the northern Vanni region under the control of the LTTE. The prospects of escalated warfare and the government's order to all international humanitarian organizations in the area to withdraw immediately signals a war without limits and without witnesses.
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September 10, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The term “last battle” popularized by the LTTE suggests a fight to the finish. As neither the Sri Lankan government nor the LTTE appear to believe in a political solution to end their conflict, there is little the international humanitarian community or local civil society can do to thwart them.
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September 03, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan diaspora, broadly defined, consists of all those who have left the shores of Sri Lanka. But the most influential, and most controversial, has been that of the largest group, the Tamil diaspora. Members of the Tamil diaspora have been very effective advocates for the notion of Tamil Eelam.
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August 27, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka's Tamil population is apprehensive in the face of the government's military approach to conflict resolution. The government needs to do more to convince the Tamil people by means of a credible political package that it also has their interests at heart.
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August 20, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government keeps setting new deadlines for the defeat of the LTTE in the north. Even in the east where the LTTE has been driven out, armed groups continue to act with impunity. The government must honor its social contract with its Tamil citizens as it does the Sinhalese.
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August 13, 2008Colomo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government’s ultimatum to all deserters from the armed forces to return to duty is one indication of the stresses the war is causing in the north of the country. As the army advances deeper into LTTE-controlled territory larger numbers of troops are needed to secure the newly captured areas.
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August 06, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The recently concluded SAARC Summit was a personal success for Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa. It would be a pity if it becomes just another meeting on which a lot of money was spent, but makes no difference to the lives of the 1 billion plus people living in the region.
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July 30, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Five days before the start of SAARC Summit meetings on July 27 in Colombo, the LTTE said it would declare a unilateral ceasefire from July 26 to Aug. 4. The offer was rejected by the government as a ploy to gain a respite from military operations and make a play for international attention.
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July 23, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The month of July has become synonymous in Sri Lanka with the memory of the anti-Tamil pogrom of July 1983, known as “Black July.” Today few would condone a pogrom against their fellow Tamil citizens. But the state still has the power to act ruthlessly to suppress opposition.
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July 16, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The past two years have seen Sri Lanka’s working class facing severe economic difficulties due to high inflation. Opposition parties and labor unions called a strike last week to demand higher wages, in a rare and significant act of anti-government unity.
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July 09, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government’s military strategy is generally perceived as successful, yet the top army commander has said it may take another year to regain LTTE-controlled territory. He also said the guerilla force could continue for two decades, and armed conflict might even last forever.
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July 02, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The visit of a high-level Indian delegation to Sri Lanka has given rise to much speculation regarding its purpose. Reports suggest India was contemplating either supporting or stalling military offensives into LTTE territory. The Indian visit reveals the vulnerability of Sri Lanka to external pressures.
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June 25, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Implementing reforms in a time of war, when the preoccupation is with issues of both physical and political survival, is a difficult task. It is not surprising that the fate of two major reforms of the Sri Lankan government, which could impact the long-term prospects of the country, hang in the balance.
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June 18, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The World Bank’s decision to provide Sri Lanka with US$900 million from 2008 to 2011 will boost the morale of the government, following the loss of its seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council. It seems the international community is reluctant to penalize the country over its human rights situation.
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June 11, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Recently, the region around Colombo has been subject to a series of terror attacks by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Despite all the security systems set up in Colombo and elsewhere, and the deployment of security force, it is become virtually impossible to safeguard the civilian population against LTTE attacks.
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June 04, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — “We look to the time when the power of love will replace the love of power. Then we will have the time of peace," said William Gladstone, the former British prime minister who championed “home rule" as the solution to the Irish question. His wisdom could be relevant to the Sri Lankan question as well.
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May 28, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka's recent unsuccessful bid to maintain its seat on the U.N. Human Rights Council has highlighted the deteriorating condition of human rights in the country. While the government cannot be happy with this, it can be seen constructively as a wakeup call to improve the situation on the ground.
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May 21, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has chosen Pillayan, leader of the TMVP militant group, as chief minister of the Eastern Province. This shows that an armed Tamil group can be accommodated within the government so long as they do not fight for separation
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May 14, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The election in Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province on May 10 provided an opportunity for the people to oppose the government’s military policy. There seemed to be a strong possibility of the majority Tamil and Muslim vote going to the opposition. However, the results have shown otherwise.
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May 07, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Upcoming elections in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province could be threatened by Tamil-Muslim rivalry, especially as the government-allied Tamil faction has been allowed to retain its weapons while contesting the elections. Reports show the TMVP is subjecting its opponents to a high degree of intimidation.
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April 30, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Reports of fighting at Muhamalai in northern Sri Lanka are contradictory, with both the government and the LTTE claiming to have killed hundreds on the other side. As neither side seems inclined to change its confrontational approach, civil society must stand up to oppose militarism if there is to be peace.
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April 24, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — A frustrating sense of stagnation in terms of problem solving troubles the Sri Lankan government and propels it to seek even short-term results. It has put its faith in the ability of the Sri Lankan military to capture the revered Catholic shrine of Madhu and provide it with a much-needed morale booster.
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April 16, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The breakup of the People's Liberation Front in Sri Lanka last week came as a big surprise. The departure of Sinhalese nationalist Wimal Weerawansa may allow the party to find space for the rights of minorities and commit to a political solution to the ethnic conflict.
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April 10, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The decision of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauf Hakeem to contest the Eastern Provincial Council election has upped the stakes in the upcoming May 10 elections. He is taking a great personal and political risk in contesting these elections in opposition to the government.
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April 02, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government has declared that elections for the provincial council in the east will be held on May 10. This is a bold call. Its success in conducting local elections peaceably in the Batticaloa district has emboldened the government, but the next round could be different.
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March 26, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Indian government has been making repetitive pronouncements to the effect that there is no military solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. On the other hand, India has been providing Sri Lanka with weapons and training its military personnel. The United States is sending a similar double message.
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March 19, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The difficulties encountered by the Sri Lankan government in the battlefields of the north have recently induced its spokespersons, including President Mahinda Rajapaksa to extend the time frame for the successful conclusion of the war.
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March 12, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government has been engaged in a battle against the human rights lobbies in the international community, and not only in battling the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, in recent months. Wide publicity has been given to the prospect of unfair aid and trade sanctions by Western countries.
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March 05, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Pressure is mounting on the Sri Lankan government to add a viable political package to its arsenal in the conflict with the LTTE. At present, only Indian pressure is keeping the devolution debate alive. Objections to this Indian intervention are based on a misreading of international politics.
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February 27, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka has been back in international headlines, mainly on account of the Sri Lankan government's eloquent denunciation of Kosovo's declaration of independence. The Sri Lankan statement comes from bitter experience of prolonged warfare and international intervention, not mere theoretical possibilities.
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February 20, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Two years and three months into the six-year term of the Rajapaksa government, the denunciation of those who continue to urge a negotiated political solution to Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict, is at a peak.
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February 13, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has extended the August deadline for eliminating the LTTE to over a year and a half. Violence, arrests, abductions and killings have led to mistrust, anger and suspicion -- an unhealthy environment that plays into the hands of nationalists.
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February 06, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — With local elections in Sri Lanka's eastern district of Batticaloa scheduled for March 10, a team of monitors went to ascertain the ground situation. In areas that only came under government control last year, police seemed confident that armed groups would not interfere with the elections.
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January 30, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The prospect of escalated war in Sri Lanka looms larger than ever on the horizon. The expectations of a breakthrough by the All Party Representatives Committee, appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to find a consensual political solution to the ethnic conflict, have all but ended.
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January 23, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — Events of the past three weeks are an indication of the potential for savagery in the Sri Lankan government's war with the LTTE. The recent massacre of civilians in the remote rural countryside of the south evoked memories of earlier war times, and it is likely that more such attacks will occur.
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January 16, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — After deciding to abrogate the Ceasefire Agreement with the LTTE, the Sri Lankan government is showing interest in a political solution to the ethnic conflict. This will be an uphill task as the government has already cranked up war preparations with its nationalist allies in Parliament.
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January 09, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government's Jan. 2 decision to abrogate the Ceasefire Agreement on account of the ground reality, where conditions of war and terror prevail, was not unexpected. Domestically the decision has not been contested, but the international community has voiced strong concern.
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January 02, 2008Colombo, Sri Lanka — As the new year begins, Sri Lanka can find examples of the directions open to the country right in its own neighborhood. In Nepal, the government and Maoist rebels have negotiated an agreement on establishing a federal state. But in Pakistan, the assassination of Benazir Bhutto shows how violence can suddenly create chaos.
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December 26, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — In ethnically divided democracies, obtaining the support of the ethnic majority, by hook or by crook, has been a long-proven recipe for electoral success. Morality and principles of good governance, although spoken from the lectern for public consumption, are of little consequence in the pursuit of power.
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December 19, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — The attention of Sri Lankans in the past week was riveted upon a crucial budget vote in Parliament. A defeat of the budget, which substantially raised military spending, could have led to the downfall of the government; its passage will add impetus to escalated warfare.
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December 12, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has ordered the dismantling of permanent security checkpoints to facilitate the movement of traffic on public roads, suddenly changing the landscape of Colombo. The abandoned checkpoints at various entry points to the city have a desolate look.
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December 05, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — Last Saturday two significant events took place, revealing the contradictions and tensions within Sri Lankan society. The first was an award ceremony in the Presidential Secretariat.
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November 28, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — It is becoming increasingly clear that the government's efforts to impose a military solution on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the north and east are having economic and political implications in the rest of Sri Lanka. The economic costs of th
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November 21, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — Two years ago, when I last made the journey to Jaffna in Sri Lanka's Northern Province by air, the passengers on board the aircraft were cheerful and prosperous-looking expatriate Tamils, returning to Jaffna to renew family ties. Most of the passengers th
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November 14, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — Reports from the north and east of Sri Lanka, where major military confrontations between the government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been taking place over the past two years, highlight the sufferings and terror of the people. Vir
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November 07, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — The shock-and-awe type of airstrike by sophisticated bomber aircraft of the Sri Lankan air force deep into territory controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelaam, and the precise targeting that killed the LTTE's political wing leader S. P.
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October 31, 2007COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's ground and air attack on the Anuradhapura Air Force base destroyed and damaged around eight aircrafts as per government sources. However, a much larger number alleged by independent analysts, together with the loss o
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October 24, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's synchronized ground and air attack on the Anuradhapura Air Force Base that destroyed several aircraft came two days after the Sri Lankan government played host to a galaxy of international experts on terrorism and co
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October 17, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka's international image with regard to human rights took another beating with the visit of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour. In her final media briefing, she made it clear that the absence of the rule of law and the
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October 10, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — The visit to Sri Lanka of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, provides the best chance for the discipline of human rights to be imposed on the conflicting parties.
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October 03, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government came out with a forceful campaign in favor of the global war against terrorism and against those whom it claimed sought to use human rights as a tool against states, in New York at a recent meeting of the U.N. General Assembly an
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September 26, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka's Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has declared that his government is determined to militarily defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in a comprehensive manner. According to him, only then will a political solution be possible.
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September 19, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka's new National Congress opposition alliance has organized several mass rallies in a show of strength in the few months since its formation. These rallies have educated the people on matters of public interest.
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September 12, 2007COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government's plan to raise US$500 million through the issue of a sovereign bond on the international market has ignited a controversy within the country. The foreign exchange that comes in through this transaction is intended to give the go
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September 05, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — The government has justified its military operations in the Silavathurai area of northern Sri Lanka as a humanitarian operation. This is similar to the language used by the government a year ago when it sent in the army to open the irrigation sluice gates
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August 31, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka's all-party process, aimed at coming up with a political solution to the ethnic conflict, seems to have come to a halt for the foreseeable future. Only a fortnight ago there were promising signs that this labor-intensive effort would bring posit
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August 22, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — The difference that has overtaken Sri Lanka in the space of five years is stark, especially with regard to relations with the international community. In 2002, with the signing of the ceasefire agreement between the government and the Liberation Tigers of
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August 15, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka appears to be having a respite from war, as there are no reports of major military confrontations such as those reported from the east in preceding months. Instead of large-scale military operations by the regular armed forces, the emphasis now
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August 08, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — The high cost of the war recently fought by the government in eastern Sri Lanka -- and the purpose of the war -- become agonizing considerations when one is face-to-face with the reality on the ground in the "liberated" part of the country. In the abstr
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August 01, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — The present time of political flux and violence in Sri Lanka is an opportune one for reflecting on the past. The month of July in particular held two anniversaries of momentous significance.
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July 25, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's address to the nation to celebrate the government's victory in the battle of Thoppigala is being hailed as establishing him as one of the most powerful orators the country has seen. Even though the battle for Thopp
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July 18, 2007COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan government has made plans to celebrate the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elaam, and the liberation of the eastern region of Thoppigala by the security forces, on a grand scale later this week. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to be
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July 11, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — In the past year, the international image of Sri Lanka and its government has plunged to dangerously low levels that could impact the country's sovereignty, due to human rights abuses associated with political assassinations, abductions, disappearances an
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July 04, 2007COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — There are reports that the Sri Lankan government is contemplating new initiatives to revive the peace process. Taking a respite from war is likely to be politically popular with the electorate today.
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June 27, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa warned his party members that he will dissolve the 225-seat Parliament if there are any more defections to the opposition, after leading party members rebelled against him. His warning reflects both the strength and
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June 20, 2007COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — In the face of a quizzical if not downright hostile international human rights community, President Mahinda Rajapaksa represented the beleaguered Sri Lankan government in the human rights stronghold of Geneva, last week. The President received a unique in
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June 13, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — The power of the judiciary, as the third great branch of government, was demonstrated to great effect last week in Sri Lanka when the Supreme Court put a halt to the forcible eviction of Tamil people from Colombo. Until the Supreme Court gave its verdict,
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June 06, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — The remote-controlled bomb blast in the Colombo suburb of Ratmalana on May 28 came only a few days after a similar attack in the vicinity of the Colombo port. Though both bombs had apparently targeted vehicles of the security forces, they killed and injur
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May 30, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — Most critics of the Sri Lankan government, whether they are political analysts or members of the international community, agree on two points. One is that Sri Lanka's governance, human rights record and economic wellbeing are deteriorating in the context
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May 23, 2007COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — The Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP) of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has finally come up with a political proposal to solve its ethnic conflict, almost 18 months since it was promised by the President in his election campaign, November 2005, which he won b
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May 17, 2007Colombo, Sri Lanka — At the same time that the Sri Lankan cricket team was battling their Australian counterparts at the cricket World Cup finals in Jamaica on April 28, the night sky in Colombo was set alight. This was not a display of fireworks to celebrate the underdog tea
