The Road to Reconciliation

Rehabilitation and Resettlement in the North and East, based on recent visits

  1. Investment and Education for Development (Expanded version of the speech of Prof Rajiva Wijesinha at the BizPact Investment Forum, Jaffna, January 2010
  2. Stability and Confidence for Revitalization – Entrepreneurship and Education Amongst the Resettled
  3. Civil Military Liaison – The Key to Social Progress
  4. Overcoming constrictions and tyranny – The oppression of the LTTE in Mullaitivu
  5. Promoting Contact – English programmes for all communities in the East
  7. Individual innovations and initiative – Earlier efforts at rebuilding the East
  8. Independence Day Celebrations at the Rehabilitation Centres
  9. Returns for the old and the recently displaced
  10. Promoting prosperity and reconciliation in Ampara
  11. Rehabilitation Programmes in Vavuniya – January 2011
  12. Romance and the Protection Racketeers
  13. Senator Tiruchelvam’s Legacy
  14. The Need to Solve Problems Systematically
  15. Moving Forward: An Assessment of Ongoing Initiatives, A Listing of Productive Possibilities
  16. Reconciliation, Sri Lanka and the World – Delhi, India – January 2012
  17. Trilingualism as a promoter of reconciliation - Beirut, Lebanon – February 2012
  18. Geneva – A Personal Analysis - March 2012
  19. Empowering people in rural communities
  20. Modalities of Reconciliation – the importance of Grama Niladhari Divisions
  21. The LLRC: From Recommendations to Actions
  22. Reconciliation and Development in the East
  23. Explaining the philosophy of Resettlement and Economic Development

Reconciliation: National and International Interventions - 2012

  1. Reconciliation 1 – Trusting and Monitoring
  2. Reconciliation 2 – The myopia of the Ministry of External Affairs
  3. Reconciliation 3 – The Provincial Council Polls
  4. Reconciliation 4 – Trade as a precursor of togetherness
  5. Reconciliation 5 – Being lulled into a sense of false security
  6. Reconciliation 6 – Making commitment explicit
  7. Reconciliation 7 – The Universal Periodic Review
  8. Reconciliation 8 – The Education Debate
  9. Reconciliation 9 – Affirming Commitment to Judicial Independence
  10. Reconciliation 10 – Land Issues
  11. Reconciliation 11 – Best practice and blunders with regard to aid
  12. Reconciliation 12 – A Minister for Policy and Training in External Affairs
  13. Reconciliation 13 – Attacks on senior members of the United Nations
  14. Reconciliation 14 – Bringing closure with regard to bereavement
  15. Reconciliation 15 – Links with Indian scholars
  16. Reconciliation 16 – Attacks on the UN system
  17. Reconciliation 17 – Recommendations of structural changes to promote Reconciliation
  18. Reconciliation 18 – Recommendations to promote Reconciliation with regard to Conflict Related Problems
  19. Reconciliation 19 – Further Recommendations with regard to Conflict Related Problems
  20. Reconciliation 20 - Recommendations as to Conceptual and Administrative Issues
  21. Reconciliation 21– The Empire Strikes Back
  22. Reconciliation 22– Chief Justices, War Crimes and International Interventions

 

Reconciliation: Looking Forward

  1. Four areas of concern
  2. The Significance of Sarath Amunugama
  3. The Impeachment: a Liberal Perspective on Justice
  4. The Impeachment: the history of Parliament acting judicially
  5. Preventing Conflicts of Interest
  6. Advice without Common Sense
  7. The Report of the Parliamentary Select Committee
  8. Rules to prevent judicial and other abuses
  9. Standing Orders
  10. Learning from the Past
  11. Pursuing universal values
  12. Constitutional Anomalies
  13. Constitutional Irresponsibility,The UNP And The Parliamentary Council
  14. Motivations at Geneva

Disaster, Dysfunction and Breakdown: Threats to National Sovereignty

An exposition of sustained efforts to challenge the authority of the elected government: the title is taken from the descriptions of two NGO activists at times of disappointment, first when the Human Rights Council defeated a European move to condemn Sri Lanka, second on the day of the Presidential election, which all other observers thought a peaceful and efficient process.

  1. Interlocking Networks of Superior Persons
  2. The Coffee Club and confusion as to Humanitarian Assistance
  3. Mutton dressed as lamb: the British control of European agencies
  4. A Pincer Movement in August 2007 – London, Geneva, New York and Colombo
  5. Gifts of those who like to play God
  6. Clawing at Racist Constructions
  7. Personal Agendas and the Abuse of Canadian Funding and Authority
  8. Fooling all the people all the time: The Country Report on Sri Lanka that was commissioned by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
  9. Promoting and Publicizing Racism – the games Radhika plays
  10. The Dancers and the Dance – Rama, Radhika and Bradman
  11. The ICRC blots its copybook
  12. Preliminary Response to the ICG Report
  13. Insidious Assistants to Eminent Persons
  14. Emotional and Other Excesses of UN Staff
  15. Bradman Weerakoon and His Various Webs
  16. Elite Advocates And Their Manipulation Of Funding For Peace
  17. Dysfunction and Breakdown at the Centre for Political Alternatives

20th Century Classics

Studies of some writers concerned with politics and social issues relevant to relations between people and countries

  1. Graham Greene, the West, and Human Factors
  2. The Great Game in South Asia: British Dogma versus American Democratic Ideals
  3. Imperialism and Sentiment: Paul Scott and the Mountbattens
  4. Forster – Race and Class and Moral Imperatives
  5. Kipling – Goodness and the Great Game
  6. Conrad – Political Perspectives and Moral Fervour
  7. Henry James – Beneath and Beyond Personal Relations
  8. The Heroic Vitalism of D H Lawrence
  9. James Joyce and the life of Dubliners
  10. Evelyn Waugh And The City Of Aquatint
  11. Virginia Woolf and Time’s Chariot
  12. Robert Graves’ Sense of History
  13. Christopher Isherwood and Berlin in Decline
  14. Aldous Huxley and the Dangers of a World Without Ideas
  15. Somerset Maugham and the strengths of simplicity
  16. Agatha Christie and the magic of murder
  17. The unchanging world of P G Wodehouse
  18. Galsworthy and social and sexual transition
  19. Frank Richards and the preposterous excesses of Billy Bunter
  20. John Buchan and a life beyond letters
  21. William and the charms of the unorthodox
  22. Edith Nesbit and the pleasures of childhood
  23. The Excessive Vitalism of Bernard Shaw
  24. The melancholia of Katherine Mansfield
  25. J M Barrie and the boy who never grew up
  26. The singular Mr Toad
  27. The Wicked Worlds of George Orwell
  28. Enid Blyton’s Evocations of Britain
  29. Tolkien and the Pursuit and Achievement of Power
  30. Transitions in the worlds of C S Lewis
  31. Lawrence Durrell and the Uses of Sexuality
  32. Anthony Powell and the Hollow Heart of the New England
  33. Angus Wilson and the Pursuit of Values
  34. William Golding and the Limits of Civilization
  35. The Ineffable Angst of Samuel Beckett
  36. Pinter and the Politics of Literature
  37. Ian Fleming’s Establishment and its Guardian
  38. Le Carre’s Hard-Pressed Concept of Honour
  39. Beyond Shadows – Naipaul’s Brilliant Bad Temper
  40. Muriel Spark and Remembrances of Mortality
  41. The Bizarre Worlds of J G Ballard
  42. Simon Raven’s Extravagant Decency
  43. Salman Rushdie’s Magic
  44. Vikram Seth’s Romanticism
  45. Ruth Prawer Jhabvala’s Pictures of Past and Present
  46. The Relentless Anguish of Kazuo Ishiguro
  47. Gerald Durrell’s Human Zoos
  48. T E Lawrence and the limits of commitment

Anatomy of an Election

Analysis of reasoning and reactions of politicians, voters and commentators during the Presidential Election January 2010, and subsequently in the General Election April 2010.

  1. The Ghosts of Christmas Past
  2. Reinforcing Prejudices
  3. The JVP – Militarism and Revolution
  4. The UNP – Making the best of a bad job
  5. The TNA – Electoral ambitions versus the interests of Tamils
  6. The West and its friends in Colombo
  7. Swansongs of some Secondhand Salesmen
  8. A Vote for Togetherness
  9. Following the Leader – the Myth of a Misplaced Mandate
  10. The UNP’s Volatile Urban Chauvinists

Rights, Responsibilities and Constitutional Reform

Discussion of issues of current interest with regards to Human Rights and Constitutional Principles and Practices

  1. Reform and Representation – A Principled Approach to Constitutional Changes
  2. Human Rights in Sri Lanka
  3. The Hypocrisy of the Human Rights Brigade
  4. Towards an Effective and Balanced Executive Presidency
  5. Reconstructing the 17th Amendment
  6. Elections and the Promotion of Confidence in Democracy
  7. The excesses of the current electoral system
  8. Reform and Representation – A Principled Approach to Constitutional Changes
  9. Parliament in the 1980s, and suggestions as to improvement
  10. Political Structures apart from Parliament: the Presidency, Devolution, the Judiciary

The Fonseka Papers

Comments on General Sarath Fonseka’s public pronouncements and the use made of him during the 2010 Presidential Campaign

  1. The origins of General Fonseka’s anguish
  2. The Fonseka Letters
  3. Different Stories
  4. Media reports and human rights queries
  5. Foreign friends and fantasies
  6. The continuing saga of the two Saraths

Interactions with the West

Essays dealing with Western reactions to the situation in Sri Lanka. Some of these were written during 2009, but may be worth re-examining in view of the recycling of ostensible concerns.

  1. Governments of Laws, Not of Men
  2. British Foreign Office feeds Times false figures in campaign to recover from defeat inflicted at Human Rights Council in Geneva
  3. Aid Agency Abuse of the Media and Vice Versa
  4. The Zurich Meeting and Continuing International Interventions
  5. Tissainayagam – a national and international tragedy
  6. Cross Purposes – The History of Manik Farm
  7. Western Masochism, Eastern Suffering
  8. Analysing the State Department Report
  9. Fighting for their fortunes
  10. A Loverly Bunch of Coconuts – Philip Alston on Centre Stage Again
  11. The Political Predilections of UN Special Rapporteurs and Their Informants
  12. Rapid Turnovers
  13. Reconciliation in Sri Lanka and British Priorities
  14. The Diffidence of European Guilt
  15. Reviving Relationships with the British
  16. Reflections on Wikileaks – 2011
  17. The Wikileaks Revelations about Attitudes to Sri Lanka
  18. The Usual Suspects Threaten the Galle Literary Festival
  19. The Usual Suspects Attack Sri Lanka Before Meetings in Geneva
  20. Professional Diplomats
  21. The changing face of Amnesty International
  22. The latest Amnesty Report and the Zarifi Press Release
  23. The unfortunate American approach to Human Rights
  24. A view to a kill
  25. Countering Terrorism, Countering Othering
  26. Heh, Heh, Hillary, the Horror, the Horror
  27. We came, We conquered, He died

Norway Attacks July 2011

  1. Norway under threat
  2. Life’s Awful Ironies – a Norwegian Island that suffered like Sri Lanka, and that looks like Sri Lanka, on a smaller scale

UK Riots August 2011

  1. British manipulation of principles – hypocrisy or (Hobbesian) human nature?
  2. The brutality of the British police
  3. The Western use of riots

Memory, Understanding and Education – Prerequisites for Progress

Essays and presentations about the causes of conflict and efforts to overcome these.

  1. An Outdated Perspective – the Latest UTHR Report
  2. Twenty Years After – Richard de Zoysa and the Prejudices of Establishments
  3. Chanaka Amaratunga, Dudley Senanayake and the Spirit of Liberalism
  4. Education for children affected by conflict – Text of a keynote address given at an Aide et Action Workshop, Jaipur, November 3rd 2009
  5. Rights and Regional Communities – Keynote address at the celebration of Human Rights Day, Vavuniya, December 10th 2009
  6. Promoting Rights Through Empowerment – Keynote address at the celebration of Human Rights Day in Jaffna, on December 11th 2009.
  7. Liberalism and Education for All – Historical and Philosophical Perspectives – Address at the Colombo Conference of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats on ‘Promoting Choice and Excellence in Education’
  8. ‘LEST WE FORGET: the tragedy of July 1983’
  9. In Memoriam: V. Navaratnam, TULF MP for Chavakachcheri
  10. ‘He Shall Not Grow Old’ – Richard de Zoysa After 21 Years
  11. Chanaka Amaratunga in Politics - 1 August 2011
  12. Denzil Kobbekaduwa and different perspectives in the army - 8 August 2011
  13. Language, Economic Development and Social Cohesion – 23 October 2011
  14. The Liberal Party of Sri Lanka: History, Philosophy, Presentation - Jan 2012
  15. Chanaka Amaratunga and the 13th Amendment
  16. The future of free education in Sri Lanka
  17. Essential Grammar: A reference book for teachers of English – Parvathi Nagasunderam - Dec 2012

Principles for a new Constitution

Discussions of basic Constitutional principles, in the context of previous practices in Sri Lanka and current national needs.

  1. The Role and Structure of the Legislature and the Executive
  2. Adjusting the Sri Lankan system to current requirements
  3. Chapter 1 – The State And The Different Branches Of Government
  4. Chapter 2 – The Functions of Government and the need for different Ministries
  5. Chapter 3 – Types of Law, Security and the Independence of the Judiciary
  6. Chapter 4 – Democracy, Representation and Devolution
  7. Chapter 5 Part I – Power Sharing and Representation
  8. Chapter 5 Part II – Representative Government and Universal Franchise
  9. Chapter 5 Part III – Independence and the Power of the Prime Minister
  10. Chapter 5 Part IV – Majoritarianism and Attempts at Devolution
  11. Chapter 5 Part V – Ensuring People’s Power

In Parliament

  14. Speech in the Votes of the Ministry of External Affairs At the Committee Stage of the Budget Debate – December 7th 2010
  15. Reflections on Opposition Approaches to the Ministry of Defence in the Budget Debate – December 11th 2010
  16. Speech in Parliament proposing the Adjournement Motion on the establishment of a National Theatre – 21 January 2011
  17. Speech in Parliament proposing the Adjournment Motion on Parliamentary Friendship Associations – 23 February 2011
  18. Speech in the Adjournment Motion on The Extension of Emergency Regulations – 24 February 2011
  19. Speech in Parliament – the debate on the extension of the State of Emergency, 9 August 2011
  20. Speech on the adjournment motion in Parliament – 7 September 2011
  21. Speech in the Condolence Debate in Parliament for the late Hon Lakshman Jayakody – 7 September 2011
  22. Speech on the Budget for 2012
  23. At the debate on the Report of the Committee On Public Enterprises – 8th May 2012
  24. Speech in Parliament During the Adjournment Motion on The Rule of Law – November 6th 2012
  25. Speech of Prof Rajiva Wijesinha On the 2013 Budget – 12 Nov 2012
  26. On the votes of the Ministry of External Affairs during the Committee Stage of the Budget Debate
  27. On the Votes of the Ministry of Resettlement at the Committee Stage of the Budget Debate – 29 Nov 2012
  28. Draft speech for the debate on Education at the Committee Stage of the Budget Debate, November 2012
  29. Parliamentary Debate on the Chief Justice – 11 January 2013

Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats

This section consists of material relating to the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats which the Liberal Party of Sri Lanka currently chairs.

  1. Preparing for Power and Forming Governments
  2. A Triumph for Asian and International Liberalism
  3. CALD Resolution on Thailand
  4. CALD Resolution on Sri Lanka
  5. Message of the Chairman of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats to the CALD Annual Report 2009.
  6. Introductory Note by the Chairman of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats to the Manila Conference on “Asian Liberal Parties in Power: Getting There, Remaining There”
  7. Speech at the Felicitation of Senator Jovi Salonga
  8. On a visit to Liverpool to attend the Conference of the Liberal Democratic Party of Britain
  9. Why Economic Development and Democracy need to move forward together – The Sri Lankan Experience
  10. Security, Development, Democracy – Rome 2010
  11. CALD Resolution No. 1 S. 2011
  12. CALD Resolution No. 2 S. 2011
  13. CALD Delegation Meets Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
  14. Deepest Condolences and Sympathy to the People of Japan
  15. 2011 Liberal International Prize for Freedom - Dr. Chee Soon Juan
  16. Pluralism and Development In Asia: Issues and Prospects - Nov 2011
  17. Incentives and Constraints to Building and Strengthening Pluralistic Societies
  18. Economic Development and Democracy have to grow together - Rome 2011
  19. Setting CALD’s Climate Change Agenda - Thailand Nov 2011
  20. CALD Second Workshop on Climate Change – Cagayan de Oro, Philippines - Feb 2012
  21. The Populist Challenge to Liberal Democracy – CALD 2012 Welcome Address
  22. The Rise of Populism: A Comparative Perspective from South Asia
  23. The Populist Challenge to Liberal Democracy – CALD 2012 Address at the Closing Session
  24. Forging Ethnic Harmony and a Democratic Union - 18 Nov 2012
  25. Synthesis – Managing Burma’s Political Transitions: The Challenges Ahead - Nov 2012

Interviews

  1. Channel 4′s Krishnan Guru-Murthy interviews Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha
  2. IRIN – Reconciliation in Sri Lanka
  3. Sunday Observer – 2 May 2010 : Electoral reforms must come first
  4. Al Jazeera – UN to probe Sri Lanka war ‘abuses’ – 23 June 2010
  5. Interview by Matt Abud of Radio Australia – 8 July 2010
  6. Sunday Observer – 18 July 2010: House with greater responsibilities
  7. IRIN – Analysis: Prospects for reconciliation in Sri Lanka – 21 July 2010
  8. BBC – Sri Lanka lacking reconciliation, say global leaders – 3 August 2010
  9. SRI LANKA: Amnesty says emergency rule must end
  10. Al Jazeera – EU ends Sri Lanka trade benefits August 15, 2010
  11. Transcript of Al Jazeera’s Interview with Prof Rajiva Wijesinha – 10th November 2010
  12. The BBC dodges questions about investigating David Miliband : BBC The Hub – 24 November 2010
  13. On the recent decision of the Ministry of Higher Education regarding English at Advanced Level – 11 February 2011
  14. Responses to Lakbima News on Funding for NGOs and the Need for Greater Accountability
  15. Interview with Lakbima News with regard to lessons from the recent disasters in Japan- 10 April 2011
  16. The Latest Concerns About NGO Activity
  17. Human Rights, Responsibilities and Challenges
  18. Lakbima News: Clarification – ‘SB Vows To Liberate Universities From Thugs’
  19. Clarification with regard to date of note about Sarath Fonseka provided by the British High Commission in Colombo
  20. Responses sent to IRIN, the news agency of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance - Darusman Panel Report
  21. Responses to BBC queries regarding the latest ICG effusion
  22. Full text of the interview given to Lakbima News – 24 July 2011
  23. Regime Change – Interview with Lakbima News – 28 August 2011
  24. Deccan Chronicle - Lankan Presidents Representative Sees Solution – 31 August 2011
  25. The Times of India – Most of displaced in SL rehabilitated - 31 August 2011
  26. NDTV – Sri Lanka to probe human rights violations by its army personnel - 1 September 2011
  27.  The Hindu - Most Allegations Against Sri Lankan Army Nonsense – 3 September 2011
  28. Daily Mirror - Opening wounds and rubbing salt into them is not correct - 29 October 2011
  29. Daily Mirror - On the statement by David Cameron, threatening to withhold aid from countries which have anti-gay legislation. - 5 Nov 2011
  30. Daily News - The following responses were sent to questions from the Daily News with regard to the work of the Reconciliation Office – 18 Nov 2011
  31. Response to Daily Mirror on the ICG report on women’s insecurity in the North and East - January 2012
  32. Questions from The Independent – 26 Feb 2012
  33. Daily Mirror – Extremes feed off each other – 1 March 2012
  34. Interview with the Sunday Observer on the resolution about the staff of OHCHR - 25 March 2012
  35. We need to be vigilant about abuse of this resolution - Daily Mirror 28 March 2012
  36. We All Need To Build Confidence - Sunday Leader 30 Sept 2012
  37. BBC Newshour Interview with Rajiva Wijesinha – 13 Nov 12
  38. Responses to questions from IRIN regarding the latest UN report
  39. On signing the impeachment resolution of the incumbent chief justice – Lakbima 16 Dec 2012
  40. I don’t see myself as a rebel in govt ranks - Interview by DBS Jeyaraj 22 Dec 2012 Part I
  41. I see no reason to resign -  Interview by DBS Jeyaraj 29 Dec 2012 Part II
  42. External Affairs Minister has failed in all responsibilities undertaken - Interview by DBS Jeyaraj 5 Jan 2013 Part III
  43. Salem News – Special Feature: A Spark of Unity for Sri Lanka? - 22 Jan 2013
  44. Ceylon Today – “No disciplinary action against me” – Rajiva - 27 Jan 2013
  45. Bistandsaktuelt – the report on Sri Lanka of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – March 2013
  46. Interview with Ceylon Today - May 2013

Lessons Learnt & Reconcilliation Commission

  1. Testimony before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission – PART 1
  2. Testimony before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission – PART 2
  3. Testimony before the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission – PART 3

Creative Writing and Criticism

  1. ACTS OF FAITH – Chapter 2: Action Stations
  2. Words Without Borders: Literature in a Time of Conflict
  3. In the Dark: The Last Time I Saw Richard
  4. Introduction to Readings from Bridging Connections at the DSC South Asian Literature Festival, 19th October 2010
  5. A Year in Blogging: March 2010-2011
  6. Mahinda Pathirana’s The Wikileaks Period : The end of New Liberal Domination and the Rise of Asia as the turning point of Post-Modernism

International Presentations

  1. Sri Lanka’s Post-Conflict Future
  2. Why Economic Development and Democracy need to move forward together – The Sri Lankan Experience
  3. Security, Development, Democracy – Rome 2010
  4. A Meeting of Sri Lankans in the House of Commons to Discuss Future Reconciliation Issues
  5. Promoting Contacts, Preserving Confidence – The International Context, Past and Present (Part 1)
  6. Promoting Contacts, Preserving Confidence – Relations in the Past (Part 2)
  7. Promoting Contacts, Preserving Confidence – Cooperation in the Current Context (Part 3)
  8. Promoting Contacts, Preserving Confidence – Reconciliation and the Restoration of Confidence (Part 4)
  9. Promoting Contacts, Preserving Confidence – Collaboration in Education and Training (Part 5)
  10. The Sri Lankan Model: Eliminating Terrorism, Cherishing Civilians (Part 1)
  11. The Sri Lankan Model: Eliminating Terrorism, Cherishing Civilians (Part 2)
  12. The Sri Lankan Model: Eliminating Terrorism, Cherishing Civilians (Part 3)
  13. Promoting National Integration, Ensuring Empowerment – I
  14. Promoting National Integration, Ensuring Empowerment – II
  15. Current Developments in Sri Lanka – I
  16. Current Developments in Sri Lanka – II
  17. Mother and Child
  18.  Reform and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka
  19. Economic Development and Democracy have to grow together - Rome 2011
  20. Speech at the Global Languages Meet – Vadodara, India - January 2012
  21. Peoplizing Language – Telgadh, India – Jan 2012
  22. Reconciliation, Sri Lanka and the World – Delhi, India – January 2012
  23. Trilingualism as a promoter of reconciliation - Beirut, Lebanon – February 2012
  24. Sri Lanka: Reconciliation and Justice – Frontline Club, London 16 May 2012
  25. The Global War on Terror: How Do the Liberals Respond? - Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia 24 May 2012
  26. Liberalism: It’s All About Freedom - Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia 24 May 2012
  27. Clauses for a Sustainable Political Relationship in Trade Agreements: Effective Against Possible Threats to Democracy? - Brussels, June 2012
  28. Challenges for Democracy – A Regional Perspective - Islamabad, 11th September 2012
  29. Enhancing South Asia’s principal asset – its People  - Islamabad, 11th September 2012
  30. Forging Ethnic Harmony and a Democratic Union - 18 Nov 2012
  31. Synthesis – Managing Burma’s Political Transitions: The Challenges Ahead - Nov 2012
  32. Enhancing Cooperation to promote Regional Security and Economic Connectivity - Chandigarh, India, March 2013

The Great War Crime Games

  1. The Great War Crime Games – Part 1
  2. The Great War Crime Games – Part 2
  3. The Great War Crime Games – Part 3
  4. The Great War Crime Games – Part 4
  5. The Great War Crime Games – Part 5
  6. The Great War Crime Games – Part 6

Political Commentary

  1. The Self-Destructive Scorpions of the United National Party
  2. A Response to Dr. Saravanamuttu
  3. Rajiva Wijesinghe gets Buddhika a scholarship in Germany
  4. Response to Dr Saravanamuttu’s Mercenary Assumptions
  5. Changing Perspectives At The Foreign Ministry
  6. Response to Dr Saravanamuttu – Daily Mirror 11 May 2011
  7. Suggestions for further study after the Seminar on Defeating Terrorism
  8. Avoiding Extremes – the lessons of last Saturday’s election - 23 July 2011
  9. Why maligning Karu Jayasuriya is bad for the country as well as the UNP
  10. Intrigues by the Ministry of External Affairs
  11. Letting down the President
  12. The failure of the Ministry of External Affairs to think or write or discuss
  13. The failures of the Ministry of External Affairs – encroachment or sheer incompetence?
  14. Double standards in double measure with regard to Human Rights
  15. Where responsibility lies for the President being let down
  16. Destroying Confidence
  17. Why asking D E W Gunasekara to act as Minister of External Affairs was a brilliant idea
  18. Destroying traditional SLFP Foreign Policy and the national consensus
  19. Roma Tearne, puddings and attributions of greed
  20. Frances Harrison, Daran of Channel 4 claims, and the othering of Arun Tambimuttu
  21. Conspiracy Theories
  22. Reconciliation: How the armed forces can do more, and why they should – August 2012
  23. The American Dilemma
  24. A farewell to arms? – The US ambassador’s last visit to Jaffna
  25. Emerging Challenges of Governance in South Asia – August 2012
  26. Social Integration
  27. The future of free education in Sri Lanka
  28. Wasting the money allocated to education
  29. Letter to The Editor – Colombo Telegraph - 3 Dec 2012
  30. Action Plans and Information as a Guard Against Inaction: Sri Lanka’s LLRC Revisited - 4 Jan 2013
  31. Destroying the President’s Defenders
  32. Wimal Weerawansa’s restrictive agenda and its influence
  33. Games in Geneva and a series of own goals by the Ministry of External Affairs
  34. Long War, Cold Peace - 23 March 2013
  35. The Structure of Government, Cooperation of Government Machinery and the Role of NGOs – 1
  36. The Structure of Government, Cooperation of Government Machinery and the Role of NGOs – 2
  37. The Structure of Government, Cooperation of Government Machinery and the Role of NGOs – 3
  38. The Structure of Government, Cooperation of Government Machinery and the Role of NGOs – 4
  39. The Structure of Government, Cooperation of Government Machinery and the Role of NGOs – 5
  40. The Structure of Government, Cooperation of Government Machinery and the Role of NGOs – 6
  41. Using the armed forces productively and sensitively
  42. The need to communicate coherently in Sri Lanka and abroad - Part 1

The Role of Parliament in Promoting Good Governance

  1. The Role of Parliament in Promoting Good Governance
  2. The Relationship between the Legislature and the Executive
  3. The function of private business in Parliament
  4. The Public Petitions Committee and the role of the Ombudsman
  5. Structural Reforms
  6. The public benefit of electoral and constitutional reforms
  7. Making better use of Committee Stage Procedures
  8. The need for clear and simple laws
  9. Standing Committees of Parliament – how India uses them effectively
  10. Ignoring practices in the rest of the world
  11. Doing nothing about the consensus regarding electoral reform
  12. Liberal Perspectives on Accountability and Parliamentary Governance

Post-Colonial Practices

  1. THE DARUSMAN PANEL : A review of the evidence in the context of past realities and future plans
  2. The Unfortunate American Approach to Human Rights
  3. Assessing the Secretary General’s Panel
  4. Shoddy and Suspicious Details in the UN Panel Report
  5. The UN Network of Informers
  6. The Brutal Misuse of Hospitals by the LTTE and the Darusman Panel
  7. Bad Faith
  8. Impunity for False Allegations – Rape, Hillary Clinton and Gethin Chamberlain
  9. Using food as a weapon – The Tigers and The Darusman Panel
  10. The Panel’s Two Showpieces
  11. Accusing the ICRC of naiveté
  12. Mr Sambandan’s Triumphalism
  13. Arbitrary American attacks on S B Dissanayake
  14. The Many Personalities of Kiki Darusman
  15. The Complicity of the International Community in Causing and Exaggerating Death
  16. Responses sent to IRIN, the news agency of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance – Darusman Panel Report
  17. American Ambassador Patricia Butenis may have deliberately omitted forces dedicated to reconciliation from the consultation she organized
  18. The involvement of UN officials in the programmes of either Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu or Patricia Butenis
  19. Promoting Treachery – a new dimension to political affairs
  20. Letter to Ban Ki-moon – UN Secretary-General 2 May 2011
  21. Darusman Panel misrepresents UN Secretary-General in throwing LTTE abuses he condemned on Sri Lankan government 5 May 2011
  22. The Panel’s Two Showpieces
  23. Letter to Ban Ki-moon UN Secretary-General 6 May 2011
  24. Ban Ki-moon and Enid Blyton

Inconsistancies and Deceit in the Darusman Panel - comparisons with Gordon Weiss and TamilNet

  1. How the Darusman Panel found excuses for the LTTE taking of hostages.
  2. Confusing Gender, Age, Legality and Decency: the Darusman Panel on Child Recruitment
  3. Inconsistencies and deceit in the Darusman Panel / Weiss account of Convoy 11
  4. Doublespeak and doublethink with regard to alleged attacks on hospitals – Darusman, Weiss and Tamilnet at play
  5. How Darusman and Weiss ignored LTTE killings in a church to enforce conscription
  6. Orientalism, falsehood and melodrama – the world of Kiki Darusman and Gordon Weiss
  7. What Darusman and Weiss fail to say: comparisons with the US State Department Report
  8. Gordon Weiss and his military mentor: Jonas Savimbi as predecessor to Mr Prabhakaran
  9. Gordon Weiss the Heroic Vitalist

Entrenching Prejudice – the Double Standards of Philip Alston and Christof Heyns

Masters of  Deceit

  1. Death Eaters and the Return of the Dark Lords of Terror
  2. The Twittering Establishment tries to drive wedges between Sri Lanka and the UN
  3. Refugee from Sun Sea ordered deported for role in Tamil Tiger propaganda video
  4. Reviewing the Channel 4 evidence in the light of acknowledged LTTE executions of wounded captives
  5. Hypocrisy or Delusions – the Wickedness of David Miliband and Bernard Kouchner
  6. The relentless posturing of Navi Pillay
  7. Louise Arbour – Wicked Witch of the West or a Munchkin?
  8. A time warp for the International Crisis Group
  9. The interlocking directorates of the new imperialism
  10. Promoting Confrontation
  11. Tearing Americans Apart – Groundviews and the Surrender of Terrorists

Assaults by NGOs and the media 

Addressing concerns

  1. Addressing concerns of the international community systematically – is it possible?
  2. Addressing more concerns of the international community systematically
  3. Addressing further concerns of the international community systematically
  4. Addressing further concerns about civilian casualties systematically
  5. Addressing concerns of the international community systematically about humanitarian assistance
  6. Addressing systematically recent concerns of the international community about humanitarian assistance
  7. Addressing concerns as to sexual abuse of the displaced
  8. Addressing concerns as to sexual and other abuse of captured or surrendered cadres
  9. Addressing concerns about conditions at the welfare centres
  10. Addressing concerns about treatment of surrendees

The Deliberate Targeting of Sri Lanka – March 2012

Networks of Informers 

  1. Networks of Informers 1 – The Channel 4 independent witnesses
  2. Networks of Informers 2 – Damilvany Gnanakumar
  3. Networks of Informers 3 – The omission of Sir John Holmes and the Old Order
  4. Networks of Informers 4 – The Tiger use of No Fire Zones
  5. Networks of Informers 5 – The mysterious Colonel Harun
  6. Networks of Informers 6 – Stories the Darusman Report would not hear
  7. Networks of Informers 7 – Does Barack Obama have a ‘Multiple Civilian Casualty Policy’ in dealing with terrorism?
  8. Networks of Informers 8 – Colonel Harun and the food convoys
  9. Networks of Informers 9 – Harun and the sea of stories
  10. Networks of Informers 10 – Confidentiality and the Weiss/Darusman perversions of how humanitarian assistance was limited

Post Conflict Challenges

  1. Solidar, UNOPS and their role in the UN Security Operations Information Centre
  2. Renewal of what the FORUT and Solidar leadership planned with the LTTE in 2008
  3. Falsehoods in the British House of Commons
  4. A terrorist network
  5. Response to the Editor, NZZ
  6. Siobhain McDonagh’s researching journalist
  7. Lies Not Agreed Upon – How the Tiger Rump expands on what Siobhain McDonagh’s Researcher claimed
  8. The irresistible attack on Liam Fox
  9. Further dimensions of the attack on Dr Fox
  10. LTTE manipulation of videos
  11. Further adventures of LTTE propagandists
  12. Edited transcript of questions addressed by Prof Rajiva Wijesinha at the screening of “Lies Agreed Upon” 12 October 2011, Attlee Suite, Portcullis House
  13. Prof Savitri Goonesekere’s whiff of grapeshot
  14. Notes on the attack on Sri Lanka made by Simon Hughes MP
  15. The BBC, the Voice of America and the manipulation of, by and for Sarath Fonseka
  16. Political Challenges in Post-War Sri Lanka: a Sri Lankan Perspective
  17. Is Patricia Butenis without scruples?
  18. Innocence or Subtlety? The American Ambassadress in action
  19. A response to Frances Harrison’s wickedness

Reflections on recent changes in the Middle East and North Africa - 2011

  1. The Morality of Incursions
  2. A Historical Perspective
  3. Alternative Authorities
  4. The Elephant in the Room
  5. Total Cynicism
  6. The Real New Labour
  7. Supping with devils
  8. Greed is the password for US foreign policy which is ‘hardly about freedom’

Sri Lanka Rights Watch – 2012

  1. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 1 - The Welfare of Prisoners
  2. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 2 – Ensuring sensible judicial activism: the problem about suspended sentences for rape
  3. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 3 – Developing Community Structures
  4. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 4 – Promoting the Rights and the Welfare of Children
  5. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 5 – Strengthening the Human Rights Commission
  6. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 6 – Strengthening the Human Rights Commission and cooperation with other state agencies
  7. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 7 – Developing psychosocial support systems
  8. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 8 – Police Training
  9. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 9 – The Laws’ and Other Delays
  10. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 10 – The importance of Training, Operational Directives and Reporting
  11. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 11 – The Girl Guide initiative about Violence against Women and Children
  12. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 12 – Labour and Migrant Workers
  13. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 13 – The Displaced and Land Issues
  14. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 14 – Acting on Recommendations accepted at the Universal Periodic Review
  15. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 15 – The question of torture
  16. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 16 – Preparing for the Universal Periodic Review
  17. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 17 – Better Prisons, Fewer Prisoners
  18. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 18 – The Rights of Labour
  19. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 19 – Educational Reform
  20. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 20 – The role of the Police in Coordination
  21. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 21 – Protecting Suspects
  22. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 22 – Involving Civil Society
  23. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 23 – The Right to Information
  24. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 24 – Dealing with Disappearances
  25. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 25 – Former Combatants
  26. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 26 – Land Issues
  27. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 27 – The Laws’ Delays
  28. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 28 – Awareness as to the Rights of Women
  29. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 29 – Problems of Women in the North
  30. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 30 – Preventing languishing in jail
  31. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 31 – The police as a positive social force
  32. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 32 – Trafficking
  33. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 33 – Preventing Domestic Violence
  34. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 34 – The care of children
  35. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 35 – The Right to Higher Education
  36. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 36 – Promoting women in politics
  37. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 37 – Affirming the Right to Education
  38. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 38 – Why officials face too much undue influence
  39. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 39 – Saving Women from Houses of Detention
  40. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 40 – Prison visit
  41. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 41 – Saving Children from Neglect
  42. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 42 – The LLRC and Human Rights Action Plans
  43. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 43 – The Bill of Rights
  44. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 44 – The LLRC and Human Rights Action Plans
  45. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 45 – Consultations to finalize legislation to protect children
  46. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 46 – The LLRC and the Detained
  47. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 47 – The Rights of Elders
  48. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 48 – The Right to a fair trial
  49. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 49 – Registering and Remembering the Disappeared
  50. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 50 – Clarifying statistics as to Rehabilitation
  51. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 51 – Detainees, Prisons and the ICRC
  52. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 52 – Overcrowding in Prisons: Causes, Remedies
  53. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 53 – Detainees under the PTA and Emergency Regulations
  54. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 54 – Systematizing Units for Women and Children at Divisional Secretariats
  55. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 55 – The Right to Development
  56. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 56 – Inclusivity and Participatory Budgeting
  57. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 57 – Guidelines and Independence for the Judiciary
  58. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 58 – Moving from patronage to equity in social services
  59. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 59 – Reducing overcrowding in prisons
  60. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 60 – Bringing government closer to the people
  61. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 61 – The need for precision
  62. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 63 – Transparency with regard to Law
  63. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 64 – Deploying Resources more effectively
  64. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 65 – Settling land problems swiftly
  65. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 66 – Streamlining administrative procedures
  66. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 67 – Restoring and Acquiring Land
  67. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 68 – Reforming the Judiciary in a civilized manner
  68. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 69 –The Universal Periodic Review and its aftermath
  69. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 70 –Strengthening the rights of people, not politicians
  70. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 71 - How the discourse on Human Rights is perverted
  71. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 72 – Functioning with precision in English
  72. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 73 – Legal clarity with regard to empowerment
  73. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 74 – Eastern Muslim problems
  74. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 75 – Guarding against Gender Based Violence
  75. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 76 – Principles for Educational Progress
  76. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 77 – Youth perspectives on bringing government closer to the people
  77. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 96 – Answering allegations intelligently
  78. Sri Lanka Rights Watch 102 – Civil Rights and sincerity

Constitutional Reform – January 2013

  1. Ideas for Constitutional Reform
  2. Ideas for Constitutional Reform 1 – Electoral Reform
  3. Ideas for Constitutional Reform 2 – Limitations on the power of Parliament
  4. Ideas for Constitutional Reform 3 – Establishment of Consultative Committees to formulate policy and monitor executive action
  5. Ideas for Constitutional Reform 4 – Local Government Councils
  6. Ideas for Constitutional Reform 5 – Provincial Assemblies
  7. Ideas for Constitutional Reform 6 – The Cabinet of Ministers
  8. Ideas for Constitutional Reform 7 – The Functions of the Cabinet of Ministers
  9. Ideas for Constitutional Reform 8 – Judicial Accountability
  10. Ideas for Constitutional Reform 9 - Promoting consultation in Parliament
  11. Ideas for Constitutional Reform 10 – Ensuring greater coherence about legislation

International Relations and Security – 2013

  1. Understanding Regional Realities
  2. Implications of the recent vote
  3. Indian Affinities