Monthly Archives: December 2011

TNA’s strident rejection of LLRC counterproductive to a durable peace

Whatever one may think of the LLRC and NORAD reports, it is incontrovertible that two of the three major
players in the last stage of the Sri Lankan conflict have undertaken and undergone a preliminary audit of sorts—the Sri Lankan state and the Norwegians– while the third (and the second in importance) has not, and not […]

By Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka | Published on December 28, 2011 at 9:30 pm

TNA says LLRC offends the dignity of victims, calls for accountability mechanism

Calling upon the international community to establish a “mechanism for accountability” to bring to book the
perpetrators of war crimes during the last stages of the Eelam War that ended in May 2009, the Tamil National Alliance said the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission report “categorically fails to effectively and meaningfully deal with issues of accountability”.
Recalling […]

By R.K. Radhakrishnan | Published on December 28, 2011 at 9:18 pm

Apprehension of Treasure Hunters and Preservation of Archaeological Sites in Sri Lanka

My object all sublime, I shall achieve in time, to let the punishment fit the crime-The punishment fit the crime – Sir William Schwenck Gilbert-The Mikado.
This column dedicated to the notion of making Sri Lanka the Wonder of Asia, turns its spotlight today on the prevention of the desecration of archaeological heritage sites in our land as […]

By Lakshman Indranath Keerthisinghe | Published on December 27, 2011 at 12:49 pm

How to trap a lion Sri Lankan style

Methods to kill a Lion
Newton Method:
For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Let, the lion catch you. This implies that you caught the lion.
Einstein Method:
Run in the direction opposite to that of the lion. Due to higher relative velocity, the lion will also run faster and will get tired soon. Now you can trap […]

By | Published on December 27, 2011 at 1:05 am

SRI LANKA: Full accounting will come only when govt headed by those who had no part in the war

“Practically the possibility of a full accounting of what happened in the whole course of our thirty year war would only come when the government is headed by those who had nothing to do with the war. This is the experience internationally as well where internal processes for accountability and truth seeking are concerned. If […]

By Dr. Jehan Perera | Published on December 27, 2011 at 12:52 am

Governmental follow up to LLRC report vital

The final report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa has drawn a mixed reaction. The 388 page report has been criticized by the main Tamil political party, the Tamil National Alliance, and by international human rights organizations. They have referred to the report as being in the nature of […]

By National Press Council | Published on December 23, 2011 at 9:14 pm

LLRC report does not provide the roadmap we’d hoped for – US

Excerpts from US State Dept. Daily Press Briefing, Washington, DC, December 19, 2011

QUESTION: Sri Lanka?
MS. NULAND: Yeah.
QUESTION: Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission has cleared the country’s army of deliberately
targeting civilians during the final days of its war against LTTE. Do you have any comments? And where are they heading?
MS. NULAND: Well, we appreciate […]

By Staff Correspondent | Published on December 22, 2011 at 12:04 am

LLRC Report’s most vital contribution is its potential to re-balance policy

Though not without flaws and lacuna, the long awaited LLRC report does not disappoint, and reaches high standards,
ranking with the best reports emanating over the decades from official and semi-official/autonomous Sri Lankan commissions, reviews and probes. It is a serious, thoughtful, carefully written and constructed text, striking in its fair-mindedness and balance. It deserves constructive […]

By Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka | Published on December 21, 2011 at 11:12 pm

Loss of judicial independence can be traced to the 1972 Constitution – Justice Wigneswaran

Justice C. V. Wigneswaran, former Judge of the Supreme court of Sri Lanka talks to ‘Daily Mirror’ on the current state of
judiciary, countering human rights allegations leveled against Sri Lanka and the reconciliation process after the end of the war.
Q: There is a widely held perception that the judiciary of this country is politicised and […]

By Daily Mirror | Published on December 21, 2011 at 10:55 pm

LLRC Report reflects enlightened Sri Lankan thinking

“The Commission also states that “Leaders of all sides should reach out to each other in humility and make a joint declaration, extending an apology to innocent citizens who fell victim to this conflict, as a result of the collective failure of the political leadership on all sides to prevent such a conflict from emerging.” […]

By Dr. Jehan Perera | Published on December 20, 2011 at 11:42 am