Newly sworn in Chief Minister of the Northern Province CV Wigneswaran and other TNA members who have been appointed to the Northern Provincial Council took their oaths in Jaffna, at the Veerasingham Hall earlier today. (Picture courtesy of Tamil Mirror)
"It is a betrayal of the people who voted for TNA" - TNA candidate Ananthi Sasitharan
In a show of defiance against weeks of mounting intimidation and harassment, the North cast a vote of outright rejection of the Sri Lankan state, with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) sweeping 75% of the overall vote. The ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) fell miles behind, securing only 17% of votes but still faring better than the opposition United National Party (UNP) which failed to secure even 1% of the vote. The TNA won 30 out of the 38 seats on the Northern Provincial Council . The UPFA secured 7 seats with the remaining seat going to the Sri Lankan Muslim Congress (SLMC). Statistics from therepublicsquare.com "The TNA firmly believes that sovereignty lies with the People and not with the State. It is not the government in Colombo that holds the right to govern the Tamil People, but the People themselves. In this regard the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka is flawed in that power is concentrated at the Centre and its Agent, the Governor. Our political philosophy is rooted in a fundamental democratic challenge to the authoritarian state. Our political programme is therefore rooted in the needs and aspirations of the Tamil Speaking People for justice and equality. " - From TNA's 'Manifesto Statement'
The highly controversial Northern-Provincial Elections took place today, after a week that saw the attack of an electoral candidate’s residence, the death of a TNA campaigner and several other draconian measures . Sources suggest that over 60% of eligible voters took part in all districts of the Northern Province. The district of Jaffna had the lowest turn-out of 60%. The past week saw citizens of the North subject to heightening intimidation and misinformation. Less than two days before the Northern Provincial Council election, one of the most vocal and outspoken candidates of the Tamil National Alliance’s electoral campaign Ananthi Sasitharan narrowly escaped an attack at her home. Consequently, an election monitor, who rushed to the scene after receiving a call from Ananthi, was brutally attacked. Full Coverage: SL army attack Ananthy Sasitharan's home (20 September 2013) Fake prints of the Uthayan newspaper were distributed around the Northern Province, exhibited fictitious calls from the TNA that urged voters to boycott the elections. The forged paper went as far as alleging that TNA candidate, Ananthi Sasitharan, had pledged a new alliance to the ruling party, the UPFA. Copy of fake Uthayan Newspaper- Courtesy www.Seithy.com
Less than two days before the Northern Provincial Council election, the Sri Lankan army and paramilitary group, EPDP, surrounded the house of Ananthi Sasitharan. Whilst she and her three daughters managed to escape, many of her supporters, and one election monitor were injured after being beaten by the soldiers. The election monitor said, "they [soldiers] kept beating us repeatedly with wooden poles saying "You all speak Tamil Nationalism? You all want the Northern Provincial Council. Take this"
Discussing 'Buddhism & Violence' in a recent episode of the BBC Radio 4 program 'Beyond Belief', academics and human rights activists discussed the nature of Buddhist violence, including the texts used the justify war in the defence of Buddhism, in Sri Lanka and Burma. See here (first broadcast on 19th August 2013). Guests included Michael Jerryson, an Assistant Professor of Religious Studies in Youngstown State University in Ohio and co-author of the book 'Buddhist warfare', and Rupert Gethin, professor of Buddhist Studies in the University of Bristol and author of the 'Foundation of Buddhism'. Outlining the two main streams of Buddhism, Rupert Gethin explained: "Theravada Buddhism is a form of Buddhism that takes as its authority of set of texts written in Paali, which go back many many centuries to two millennia. This is the kind of Buddhism that is followed by Buddhists in Sri Lanka, South East, Thailand, Cambodia and Lao. Mahayana Buddhism which is the other main stream of Buddhism, to simplify things, is the kind of Buddhism followed in Tibet and China. They have scriptures that correspond in some way to the Pali cannon but they also have additional texts that they take as authoritative." Discussing the use of Buddhist scriptures to justify violence, which on the surface appears diametrically opposed to Buddhist teachings of non-violence, Michael Jerryson said, "There are texts that have been used in recent years to justify violence." "For example there are texts, the Buddha once spoke with a mercenary. The mercenary asked the Buddha for example, 'Look I'm not an aahat [enlightened being], I'm not enlightened, what I'm doing though is my job, will I have repurcussions for it?' And the Buddha said 'yes, you'll have repurcussions for it. Not for the act of killing, but for holding debase thoughts and bad intentions whilst doing the killing'. This text has been used sometimes, by for example by Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka right now, by Buddhist monks in Thailand, to give sermons to soldiers to cool their minds, in order for them to clear thoughts whilst doing the killing."
Addressing press in Colombo at the end of her seven day visit to Sri Lanka and the North-East, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay said, "I am deeply concerned that Sri Lanka, despite the opportunity provided by the end of the war to construct a new vibrant, all-embracing state, is showing signs of heading in an increasingly authoritarian direction ," In an far reaching statement, which will be followed by an oral report at the UN Human Rights Council during the September session, Pillay began by saying: " It is important everyone realizes that, although the fighting is over, the suffering is not ." In what she described as a " disturbing aspect of the visit ", Pillay described " the harassment and intimidation of a number of human rights defenders, at least two priests, journalists, and many ordinary citizens " who had planned to meet, or met with her. She said that she had "received reports that people in villages and settlements in the Mullaitivu area were visited by police or military officers both before and after I arrived there" whilst in Trincomalee "several people I met were subsequently questioned about the content of our conversation. " Condemning this as " utterly unacceptable at any time ", Pillay commented, " it is particularly extraordinary for such treatment to be meted out during a visit by a UN High Commissioner for Human Rights ," and stated that " th is type of surveillance and harassment appears to be getting worse in Sri Lanka ." Expressing concern over the " degree to which the military appears to be putting down roots and becoming involved in what should be civilian activities, for instance education, agriculture and even tourism ", Pillay highlighted the reports of land grab in order to build military camps and installations. Calling on the government to "speed up its efforts to demilitarize" the Northern and Eastern provinces, Pillay said " the continued large-scale presence of the military and other security forces is seen by many as oppressive and intrusive, with the continuing high level of surveillance of former combatants and returnees at times verging on harassment ." She also drew attention to the " vulnerability of women and girls, especially in female-headed households, to sexual harassment and abuse ", on-going detention of Tamils under the Prevention of Terrorism Act suggesting a repeal of the PTA , and the "urgent need" to resolve the issue of disappearances .
As Eelam Tamils around the world mark thirty years from the horrors of the anti-Tamil pogrom of 1983, we remember the events of that infamous month of 'Black July' via a collection of excerpts from international newspapers published at the time... As well as news stories from the last two years...
Editorial and feature marking 30th anniversary of the anti-Tamil pogrom of Black July.
Tamil Guardian's correspondent based in Toronto, Canada, caught up with the director of the documentaries 'Sri Lanka's Killing Fields' and ' No Fire Zone - the killing fields of Sri Lanka ', Callum Macrae, at the sidelines of FETNA 2013 , to find out how he viewed Sri Lanka's reaction to the documentaries, himself and others who are speaking out against the massacre of tens of thousands of Tamils. TAMIL GUARDIAN : On Wednesday July 3rd a screening of ‘No Fire Zone’ at the Kuala Lumpur Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall organised by the Malaysian human rights organisation, Pusat Komas, was raided...