Tensions have once again flared in the disputed region where the ancient Hindu Preah Vihear temple is located. Thai and Cambodian leaders say they are keen on maintaining peace. But as Marga Ortigas reports, villagers who live near the temple are wary.
EDITORIAL
One interesting factor about the elections is that the government has good support among the people of minority groups and how people voted in Mawanella is a good indication. If the government forces had already taken over Kilinochchi, the polling would have been even more heavily against the UNP, JVP and other opposition groups.”
“Two Gordian knots are thus negating the possibility of a political solution to the ethnic problem. One is the Tigers; the other is Sinhala supremacism. But long before the Tigers came into being (and when Pirapaharan was only a toddler) the B-C Pact had to be abrogated due to pressure from Sinhala extremists. SWRD Bandaranaike was not daunted by the UNP’s infamous Kandy march."
"The JVP, like the LTTE, did not want to share power with anyone; it wanted to rule alone. It would have tolerated the existence of other political parties and organisations only on condition of uncritical obedience. Even the SLFP was attacked, and attacked mercilessly, when it proved itself unwilling to abide by all the JVP’s rules."
"The Rajapakse administration was willing to work closely with the Tamil opponents of the LTTE. If they cooperated they would be granted the security they needed to escape from the Tiger killers, a paramount consideration for any dissenting Tamil; they would also be assisted in their work against the LTTE, with money and weapons."
Our Columnists
Bahukutumbi Raman, Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, and Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute for Topical Studies, Chennai. He is also associated with the Chennai Centre for China Studies.
Victor Karunairajan, a journalist with extensive East-West experience has had an exciting career having worked with Anglican, CSI and Catholic institutions, a Buddhist organization and a socialist government in as many as seven countries.
Karyn Strickler is the Founder and Chair of HOTTPAC.org, and is developing this new organization working to elect candidates to reverse global warming. She has a background directing environmental and women’s organizations and pivotal electoral campaigns. She has 20 years of leadership experience directing state and national advocacy organizations, legislative and political campaigns and has done training work on the national, and international levels.
Col. R. Hariharan, a retired MI specialist on South Asia, is an intelligence analyst.
H.L.D.Mahindapala: Editor, Sunday and Daily Observer (1990 -1994). President, Sri Lanka Working Journalists' Association (1991 -1993). Secretary-General, South Asia Media Association (1993 -1994).
Brenda Norrell has been a news reporter in Indian country for 26 years. She served as a staff reporter at Navajo Times and as a stringer for The Associated Press and USA Today during the 18 years she lived on the Navajo Nation. After serving on staff for Indian Country Today, she was censored and terminated. Currently she is publisher of the Censored News blog online and serves as human rights editor for the U.N. OBSERVER & International Report at the Hague.
Udara Soysa is a journalist, editor and an author from Colombo, Sri Lanka. He had traveled extensively in South and Central Asia, Russia, Europe and North America. Currently he study International Relations in Atlanta, Georgia. He can be reached at usoysa@oglethorpe.edu