Tharmapuram shooting

Two pistol shots rang out in the afternoon of Thursday March 13, 2014 at No. 5 of the Indian Housing Scheme at Musalampitty in the Puliyampokkanai area of Tharmapuram region in the Kilinochchi......

TNA’s Call For An International Probe Into abuses by “Both Sides”

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) regarded as the premier political configuration of the Sri Lankan Tamils issued a public statement last week after “careful consideration of the draft resolution........

Vettivelu Yogeswaran Darling of Tamil Youth who became Jaffna MP

Last week this column saw paying tribute to the memory of Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) MP Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam on account of his 70th birth anniversary. This column focuses this week on......

Neelan Tiruchelvam

January 31is the birthday of eminent constitutional lawyer, academic and politician Dr. Neelakandan Tiruchelvam. Neelan as he was popularly known would have completed the biblical lifespan of three score years......

Harsh winds gather momentum in the North

The Tamil National Alliance(TNA) is now directing its anger towards Northern Province Council(NPC) Chief Secretary Ms.Wijiyaludchumi Ramesh instead of Northern Governor GA Chandrasiri as it did earlier.

Anandhi Sasitharan Voice of victims or perpetrators?

At the commencement of her campaign Anandhi faced an obstacle of sorts in the form of TNA Jaffna district MP E. Saravanabavan, the proprietor of the Jaffna-based “Uthayan” and Colombo based “Sudar Oli” Tamil newspapers.

the Vibrant Wife of Senior Tiger Leader Ezhilan

Controversial Northern Provincial Councillor Anandhi Sasitharan is once again in the news. Sections of the media reported that the Defence Ministry was pondering on the possibility of making   the 42-year-old......

Wigneswaran Must Adopt PRAGMATIC APPROACH

The New Year started off on a positive note for Canagasabapathy Viswalingam Wigneswaran! The Northern Province Chief Minister was invited by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa....

‘Uncrowned King of Batticaloa’

Joseph Pararajasingham who served as Batticaloa District MP for fifteen years was killed eight years ago on Christmas day. Had the Batticaloa parliamentarian been among the living, he would turn eighty in November 2014.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, the UNP Leadership and the TINA Factor

Ranil Wickremesinghe, the “Eksath Jathika Pakshaya Nayakathuma”  is portrayed as the single cause for the  perceived decline  suffered by the United National party(UNP).

Governor,Chief Minister and the northern imbroglio

Sri Lanka’s Northern Provincial Council is presently entangled in an intricate imbroglio. The newly elected chief minister CV Wigneswaran of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is at loggerheads with G. A. Chandrasiri the Governor appointed for the Province by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Political hypocrisy of “maaveerar naal” mourning

“Maaveerar Naal”or “Great Heroes Day” was observed annually on November 27th in a grand manner by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)for many years in the past.

TNA’S TUSSLE OVER PROVINCIAL MINISTRY POSTS IN NORTH

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which demonstrated that it was the premier political configuration of the Sri Lankan Tamils by winning 30 out of 38 seats in the Northern Provincial Council is currently undergoing a new experience.

Gamini Fonseka : the uncrowned monarch of Sinhala Cinema

The electoral triumph of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) at the election to the Northern Provincial Council is being viewed by many as a significant breakthrough in the long struggle waged by Sri Lankan Tamils to achieve equality and justice in the Island.

WIGNESWARAN PRAISES PRABHAKARAN AT VALVETTITHURAI

The nomination of Retired Supreme Court Judge Canagasabapathy Viswalingam Wigneswaran as  Chief Ministerial candidate  for the Northern Provincial Council Polls by the Tamil National Alliance(TNA) was widely hailed  when announced in July.

SAUMIAMOORTHY THONDAMAN THE PATRIARCH OF PLANTATION TAMILS

The birth centenary of Saumiamoorthy (spelled sometimes as Saumyamoorthy or Saumiyamoorthy)Thondaman was on August 30th.Thondaman was the undisputed “Thalaiver”(leader ) of Sri Lanka’s predominantly Indian Tamil plantation proletariat  for several decades.

Navaneetham Pillay The most famous South African Tamil of our times

Navi Pillay is a name which has become very familiar to most Sri Lankans in recent times. The past week has seen the Sri Lankan media flooded by references to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

RAUFF VS BASHEER : INTERNAL STRIFE IN THE SLMC

This column shifts its focus away from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) this week and turns the spotlight on the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) instead. The premier political party representing the Muslims of Sri Lanka is once again in the grip of an intra-party crisis with the split cum defection time-bomb ticking away.

Push & pull and give and take in TNA politics

History was in the making as nominations closed on August 1 for the first ever elections to Sri Lanka’s Northern Provincial Council scheduled for September 21. The predominantly Tamil Northern Province comprising five administrative districts will have a Provincial Council of 38 members.

WIGNESWARAN,SENATHIRAJAH AND THE FACADE OF TNA UNITY

Canagasabapathy Viswalingam Wigneswaran was named by the Tamil National Alliance(TNA) on the Ides of July  as its chief ministerial candidate for the forthcoming Northern Provincial Council election.

NORTHERN Province CHIEF MINISTERial CANDIDATE STAKES IN THE TNA

Somasuntharam Senathirajah alias “Mavai” Senathirajah of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has set his sights on the Northern Province Chief Minister post. The six foot septuagenarian currently representing Jaffna district in Parliament has......

Subramaniam Sivakamy alias Thamilini becomes a free bird 

“Suthanthirapparavaigal” (Birds of Freedom) was the popular name by which the Women’s political division of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was known in the past. Last week , saw a former woman political commissar of the LTTE tasting freedom after  three years of detention and one year of rehabilitation.

ANANDASANGAREE DEMOCRATIC TAMIL LEADER WHO DEFIED THE TIGERS

Veteran Tamil Politician Veerasingham Anandasangaree reaches the age of eighty today (June 15th). Sangaree as he is generally known was born on June 15th. 1933 in Point Pedro.

FUTURE OF RAJIV GANDHI’S political legacy in Sri Lanka

Last week saw the 22nd death anniversary of former Indian Prime minister Rajiv Gandhi being commemorated. He was killed on May 21st 1991. The date of Rajiv Gandhi’s death has poignant significance for me personally. May 21st is the date of my birth.

Tamil National Alliance Faces Acute Political Crisis

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) regarded as the premier political formation of the Tamils of Sri Lanka has been very much in the news lately due to what could be termed as an internal crisis.

Boston marathon bombing evokes memories of Jeyaraj Fernandopulle 

Explosions at the iconic Boston Marathon Event in the US have sent shock waves causing the Western media to focus intensively on the global phenomenon described as terrorism.

Nidhanaya: A cinematic ‘Treasure’ from Lester James Peries

Moviemaker Maestro Lester James Peries celebrated his birthday yesterday. Sri Lanka’s pioneering director of authentic Sinhala cinema was born in Dehiwela on April 5, 1919.The nonagenarian auteur in a cinematic career spanning more than five decades has stamped his indelible imprint on Sinhala films......

ATTACKS on two Sri Lankan Buddhist Monks in Tamil Nadu

The attacks on the two Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka within three days in Tamil Nadu has angered many. The deplorable attacks have been condemned - and rightly so – severely by responsible representatives of all communities in Sri Lanka.

DIASPORA LTTE ACTIVISTS POSING AS HUMAN RIGHTS CHAMPIONS

The spotlight is primarily on the Sri Lankan government headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa being held accountable over its alleged acts of commission and omission. At the forefront of this widespread campaign are members of the Global Tamil Diaspora and their organisations.

TAMIL NADU CHIEF MINISTER JAYALALITHAA ON THE WARPATH AGAINST

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa Jayaram who will be celebrating her 65th Birthday tomorrow February 24th is once again on the warpath against Sri Lanka.