Page 1

"I do not agree With a Wor of Wati VIII say, it "I
deed to the death you
Elito'."
- Wile
Peace Process on the Werge of Collapse
On the Doorstep of a
- Claims Army
Role of Media in a Multi-Ethnic Society
Les MWT e CDU: Anii (ETT
D Apex Assembly' Moofed
Politics of Unholy Alliances
“Thondaman Bashing?
did 'Sinhalal Mathematics
Poesi Against Aicks
CI : Eco (cf VV0Ship
D Columnist Faces Rs.100 Million Claim from Former President

Page 2
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15 JULY 1992
CONTENTS
On doorstep of Jaffna - army claims. . . .4
Apex Assembly for N. & E. mooted.....5
ISSN 0266 Peace Process on verge of collapse. ...6 ANNUAL SUBS
Jaffna Bishop felicitated . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 UK/India/Sri Lanka... Australia. . . . . . . . . . .A. Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . C The role of the media in a All other countries. . . multi-ethnic society. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Published The ilusion of Premadasa's Eelam. . . .14 TAM TIME
P.O. BOX Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily SUTTON, SURRE those of the editor or the publishers. UNITED KINC *† Phone: 081-64
TRAGEDY OF ATR
At the start of the third year of the latest “Eelam War g II, the daily death toll among the combatants and S the civilian population has reached new heights. t Since the war broke out in June 1990, on the L government side, it is learnt that at least 1500 S service personnel have been killed and over 6900 A maimed or injured. One of the Tiger leaders, 门 Yogaratnam Yogi, recently revealed that since 1982 s a total of 4328 LTTE cadres have been killed of 7 whom 2501 killed Since June 1990. The death toll e since June 1990 among the civilian non-combatant in population of the north-east runs into several n thousands. The scale of destruction and devasta- h tion brought about by the latest war has to be seen to be believed. Hundreds of thousands of people f have been displaced and forced to live in makeshift v refugee camps. [ገ By any standards, the ongoing military offensive u undertaken by the Sri Lankan security forces in the c north of the country is unprecedented in its scope, o scale and its consequences. Tens of thousands of ir troops have been engaged in a sustained campaign in of continuing military operations accompanied by h incessant and indiscriminate aerial bombardment and firing of rockets and shells from land based b army camps and from naval gunboats. Hundreds of le civilians have been killed in these indiscriminate h attacks. Even places of worship and refugee camps a have not been spared. The bombing on 31 May of til the Sri Durga Devi Devasthanam at Tellipalai which ic housed a Children's Horne and where over 2500 displaced civilians had gathered for safety is a d typical example of the sheer senselessness and C brutality of these attacks. Ο While President Premadasa is continually indulg- n ing in the rhetoric of a peaceful settlement through e. consultation, compromise and consensus, the car- si nage and destruction continues unabated. Recenty ci the acting Minister for Defence, Mr. John Amaratun- o
 

TAMIL TIMES 3.
CONTENTS
Resurgence of Thonda-Bashing and
Sinhala-Mathematics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4488 The politics of unholy alliances. . . . . . . 16 CRIPTION - 19
* The Sub-Continental Scene. . . . . . . . . 10/US$30 40 R Letter from Jaffna. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 15/USS30
Book Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 oу
S LTD Readers Forum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 21
SM13TD The publishers assume no responsibility for return of DOM unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and artwork. 40972
ra, stated, "The government has worked out its olution to the vexed North-East problem. It has to e worked out in two stages. The government would se maximum force for the annihilation of the Tiger trength and that would constitute the first phase. fter completely wiping out the menace in that nanner, the government would try to seek a political olution to the problem. The total annihilation of the iger power is an essential prerequisite for this xercise. What in fact appears to be taking place is ot only a war to wipe out the so-called Tiger enace, but also a war to wipe out the lives and omes of the entire civilian population.
There was a time when, in addition to the resident oreign reporters in Colombo, correspondents from arious capitals would fly into the island whenever ajor incidents occurred or military operations were ndertaken. Except for the occasional report broadast over the World Service of the BBC, that too nly when major massacres occur, the ongoing war ' the Tamil areas of Sri Lanka and the sustained assive military offensive by the security forces ave received little or no international attention.
There was a time when any sustained onslaught / the Sri Lankan security forces in the Tamil areas ading to considerable civilian casualties would ave sparked off widespread protests in Tamil Nadu ld expressions of concern by New Delhi. But this ne round, there is hardly any protests or expressns of Concern from there either.
With the warring parties deriving a kind of morbid alight reflected in their extravagant claims and unter-claims of having killed so many from the her Side, the tragedy of a people trapped in a ver-ending war of attrition is continuing to be acted with absolutely no sign of any meaningful ap being mooted to stop the war and end the filian suffering either from inside the country or tside.

Page 4
4 TAMIL TIMES
NOrthern OffenSVe
"On the Doorstep of Ja
Army Claims
fron Rita Sebastian in Colombo
The battle between the Tigers and government forces has, in the last two years, since fresh hostilities broke out between the two sides, fallen into a kind of regular pattern.
Operations in the northeast of the island have been characterised by intermittent lulls giving rise to speculation that the lull may have been at the insistence of the political leadership which continues to harbour hopes of a dialogue with the Tigers to resolve the conflict.
When Operation Balawegaya II, was launched on June 28, there was no reason to anticipate any radical departure from this basic political strategy.
However, there is on ference this time rou military has decided to tory captured. Until I destroy and withdraw combined with the suc ary has achieved so area captured from t gives the battle scen perspective.
The military top losing life and limb thing to show for it h army morale. Besides. official put it by holdin you minimise the cas sides.
Tigers Wipe Out Army Ca
46 Soldiers Killed
Tamil Tigers cadres wiped out an army camp in the Anuradhapura District killing at least 46 soldiers and wounding 11 others, on 13 July.
Army sources said the attackers over-ran Katupotha army detachment about several miles away from the Thantirimale Viharaya after two hours of fierce fighting during the early hours on 13 July.
After wiping out the whole army unit, Tigers set fire to the camp, two Unicorn armoured cars, a bulldozer and other items before withdrawing back to the Wilpattu jungles with a massive haul of weapons and ammunition.
One Tiger body was recovered by the army reinforcements which moved into the area to conduct a hunt for the attackers, sources said. The General Officer Commanding troops in the North, Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa was among senior officers who visited the site to inspect the damage and take precautions against further attacks.
Victims' bodies some charred beyond recognition, were removed later in the afternoon to Anuradhapura to be sent to their families. The dead included lieutenant
Pethiyagoda and two o commissioned officers.
Reliable sources said soldiers who were in ment had escaped by h jungles. Sources put th Tigers who took part i potha attack close to attack must have been commandos.
The death and de Katupotha could be the the losses suffered whe destroyed the Kokkav kulam detachments an a sea-borne army com at Kattaparichan, Mu
initial stages of the Eel
Joint Operations (JOC) spokesman Col Moonesinghe put the dead at 46 killed in Katupotha detachment about 12 miles north w tirimale and south we kulam on the Vavun road.
The attacked detac manned by the volul Regiment.
In the last ten day army and air force pe been killed in the No. gion according to milita
 

ffna',
significant dif. nd, in that the hold onto terriow it was seek, . It is this fact cesses the militar, in terms of he Tigers, that ario a diferent
brass feel that and having noas been bad for
as a top army g onto territory ualties on both
amp
rthree non
some of the the detachiding in the e number of n the Katu200 and the led by Tiger
truction at worst since in the Tigers l and Manid ambushed mando unit ttur in the lm war two.
Command nel Sarath number of the attack. was located est of Thant of Chettiya-Mannar
ment was teer Sinha
, upto 100 sonnel had th-East re
ry sources.
15 JULY 1992
Regaining the area between the beachhead at northern Vettilaikerni and the Elephant Pass Camp, from where the forces withdrew after breaking the siege on the Elephant Pass Camp last July has led to heavy casualties on both sides.
The main objective of Balawegaya II, according to military officials was to effectively seal off the land route to, and from the peninsula that the Tigers were using. And that they have done in a fortnight of fierce fighting. Troops now, according to military sources, encircle a quarter of the peninsula from Kayts to Manaditivu, to Pooneryn, to Elephant Pass and Wettilaikerni. As the military top brass would like to describe it they are poised on the very doorstep of Jaffna.
The capture of Iyakatchi from the Tigers was the final phase of sealing off the land border to the peninsula. Up to now if one were to go by the casualty figures given by the military, over 300 Tigers and around 60 soldiers have been killed in operation Balawegaya II. The reasoning behind the unbelievably high casualty figure among the Tigers is that most of them were killed when artillery and airstrikes destroyed commando vehicles and trucks ferrying Tiger reinforcements to the battle site.
Among the around 50 Tiger bodies recovered up to now, some of them were said to be headless. The military explanation is that the heads had been severed to prevent identification.
For the Tigers the war took a dramatic turn when they claimed that they shot down the Chinese built 4-engined Y8 aircraft carrying besides 6 officers and 13 other ranks, explosives ammunition, and weapons to the northern airbase at Pallaly.
The Joint Operations Command was quick to deny the aircraft had been shot down pointing to the fact that the aircraft was flying at 6,000 feet, at which height the Tigers did not have the capability of shooting it down. The JOC also denied the aircraft was rolling out barrel bombs and was a victim of a barrel bomb which was said to have exploded in mid-air.
But the recovery of 10 bodies from the vicinity of the crash with the forces having captured Iyakatchi, changes the picture completely. An explosion on board or the aircraft being shot down would have resulted in the bodies having been burnt beyond recognition according to military sources. Despite the severe constraints of both men and military hardware, the military now seems determined to go all out to capture Jaffna.
Continued on page 15

Page 5
15 JULY 1992
An “Apex Assembly” foi and East Mooted
A paper circulated among members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on ethnic affairs suggests, as an alternative to the merger of the northern and easten provinces, two separate Provincial Councils for the two provinces and an "Apex Assembly elected by members of the two Provincial Councils.
The paper, described as a possible starting point towards a settlement, is presumably authored by the Chairman of the Select Committee, Mr. Mangala Moonesinghe, and is said to have the backing of President Premadasa. The following are some excerpts from the document:
Two Councils
The focus of the deliberations should consistently also be on the overarching prerequisite of attaining peace in the region and simultaneously integrating the nation with the objective of developing it as a harmonious multi ethnic and multi religious model. Bearing in mind the above perspective, considerations may be given on electing two separate Councils, one for the Northern Province and another for the Eastern Province. The demog
raphic composition vinces are:-
Northern Provinci cent Tamils and in vince, almost 43 pe percent Muslims, 21 and others 2 percent
Apex As The two councils tion of members Councils, have a joi elected members in Apex Assembly from plan common polici cils, and co-ordinate levant to the two administration of al ing to the Northern l attended by the l while the administra pertaining to the should be performe Council. Each Cour own provincial eth levant work within : administration. The visages more meanir power and the rectif vances projected by
The Hindu Temple, Sri Durga Devi Devasthanam at Tellipalai in the Jaffna peninsula, where over a hundred refugee families had sought shelter, was the object of aerial bombardment of the Sri Lankan Air Force on 31 May.
The head of the temple, Thangammah Appakuddi has in a letter to the London-based Standing Committee of the Tamil Speaking People (SCOT), a charitable organisation which has been providing relief assistance, informed that six persons were killed, 25 more were seriously injured and 100 more received minor injuries, and the temple was badly damaged in four successive bomb attacks.
In her report, Thangammah Appakuddi states that the attacks on the temple consisted of a grenade thrown from the helicopter on a parked Hospital Ambulance donated by the UNHCR, for bombings by bomber aircraft, and one barrel bomb from an Avro aircraft.
The temple runs a Childrens Home consisting of 67 children,
Hindu Temple With Refugees E
cares for six elderly p home has a reside persons. The temple viding shelter for an displaced families sil In addition to these day of the attack as 2500 persons had go ple premises for safe these persons were their homes as a res operations.
On the instructio and SLRC, the ter flying on the top tower and at three o' places the flag inter cified to be flown on buildings.
The people wei taken unawares by three died on the s more died on admiss pital; 25 were seri over a hundred rece juries. Many parts building were de attack had been un intentionally destru

TAM TIMES 5
r North
of the two pro
e almost 98 perthe Eastern Prorcent Tamils, 33 percent Sinhalese
sembly
would after eleca the respective nt meeting of the
order to elect an amongst them, to es for both Coun2 programmes reCouncils etc. The l matters pertainProvince should be Northern Council tion of all matters Eastern Province d by the Eastern ncil will apply its nic ratio for reits own provincial
proposal also enngful devolution of ication of all griethe communities.
Bombed
ersons and the nt staff of six has been proadditional 116 nce June 1990. persons, on the many as about ine to the temty, and most of displaced from ult of bombing
ins of the ICRC nple had been of the temple ther prominent nationally spetop of religious
'e completely the bombing - pot and three ion to the hosiously injured; lived minor inof the temple stroyed. The nprovoked and ctive.
Four Point Formulo
For Ethnic Peace
Seven Tamil parties (TULF, EPRLF, EROS, PLOTE, TELO, ENDLF, Tamil Congress) and the Ceylon Workers Congress led by Cabinet Minister S. Thondaman have submitted the following four point formula to the Parliamentary Select Committee as a basis for a negotiated settlement of the ethnic issue:
1. Permanent merger of the North and Eastern Provinces;
2. Meaningful devolution that signifies autonomy;
3. Institutional arrangements to safeguard the rights of the Muslims in the North and East; and
4. Necessary arrangements to ensure that the Sinhala minority in the North and East enjoy the same rights as the minorities in Sinhala majority provinces.
implementing Institutions
A separate institution should be established to supervise the immediate implementation, smooth functioning and monitoring of all devolved powers. The composition of the institution could be discussed by the Select Committee.
National Chamber
A National Chamber should be established, consisting of the Chief Ministers to meet monthly with the President, Cabinet Ministers, and representatives of opposition parties in Parliament. The main functions of the Chamber would be to establish harmony and co-ordination between the Centre and the Peripheral Units with a view to integrating the Nation more firmly.
Task of Select Committee The Select Committee may discuss the proposed model framework and improve, modify, or recommend structural alterations. In the alternative the Committee could propose other political models for deliberations.
The Select Committee may, thereaf. ter, if it deems necessary, appoint a Sub Committee to study the various proposals placed before the Select Committee by the Members. The Sub Committee could examine them and recommend the adoption of any one proposal in its original or modified form, or a synthesized model or a completely new one.
Continued on page 6

Page 6
6 TAMILTIMES
Parliamentary Select Com
Peace PrOCeSS On the
of Collapse
from Rita Sebastian in Colombo
The Parliamentary Select Committee, mandated to find a consensus solution to the island's ethnic question seems to be tottering on the verge of collapse in view of the inflexible positions adopted by political parties on opposite sides of the ethnic divide.
In an unusually strongly worded submission, presented to the Select Committee, the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) led by Minister of Tourism and Rural Industrial Development, S. Thondaman, tore into the concept paper presented by Chairman of the Select Committee, Sri Lanka Freedom Party's Mangala Moonesinghe. It described the concept paper as "absolutely tragic'.
In the opening paragraph Mr. Thondaman declared that he was forced to state that the CWC rejects the formulations in the concept paper. "I have to bitterly complain that the issues concerning the Tamils and the proposals presented by the CWC and the Tamil parties to resolve them, had
made no impact on mittee.
Mr. Thondaman with undisguised bit fact that the concept to the ethnic strife a ties, and can have psychology of an people.
He also goes on t the spectre of dis haunts the political that a bi-furcation provinces is tanta furcation of the cour
The Select Com much hope was months, therefore st danger of collapsing bitterness and frust.
It remains to be LTTE will make of til relations between th munities in the cou.
Continued from page 5
Implementation
If the Parliamentary Select Committee arrives at a consensual decision on an acceptable political package, then the stage of implementing the decisions should be examined and worked out in detail.
Phase II could consist of appointing an Interim Administration for the North and the Eastern Provinces. The political parties both within and outside Parliament could appoint mem-, bers to execute the civil administration in the North and East, and to perform the task of reconstruction and rehabilitation. The appointed members of the Interim Administration could oversee the work in different
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areas of the region, them in close touch The political packag by step peace pro transform the cha and generate mu assistance from bo multilateral aid Appointed Members provided with the ne and equipment to p tions. Their presenc the areas is boundt security in the minc and may help to brin peace in the region.
The Interim Adm be replaced by dem bodies as soon as it i ble to do so.
The Parliamentar tee is playing an imp all parties in Parliam ing with a sense of commitment to sect peace in the country Interim Administrat the Committee may bility of structurin monitoring and med

15 JULY 1992
itee
Verge
the Select Com
goes on to speak iterness about the as bear no relation and political realino impact on the aggrieved Tamil
o speak darkly of integration that horizon, and says of the northeast mount to a bi
htry.
mittee on which pinned in recent ands in imminent , leaving a trail of rated hopes.
seen what use the nis new turn in the he two major comntry. The possible
which will bring with the people. e leading to a step cess may totally rged atmosphere ch development oth bilateral and
agencies. The s will have to be
2cessary resources erform their funce and mobility in o create a sense of ls of the villagers g about a gradual
inistration should ocratically elected s physically possi
y Select Commitortant role in that ment are deliberatresponsibility and ure a permanent y. Therefore if an ion is established, consider the possig itself to be a iating body.
collapse of the Select Committee came in the very week of the army's fresh offensive against the LTTE militants in the island's northeast provinces.
It is possible that the LTTE will utilise this unhappy conjunction of events, to reinforce the point that they have always made, that they cannot get justice without resorting to the gun.
Any collapse of the Select Committee cannot but have an adverse impact on the increasingly precarious relations between the two communities.
Observers tend to see Thondaman's statement as an expression of despair by a seasoned politician, who has in recent months tended to play the role of peacemaker between the north and the south, for which he has come in for considerable criticism from right-wing Sinhala groups. However he has persevered undaunted.
But the acriminious tone of his submissions to the Select Committee on June 28, would indicate that the peace-maker is despairing of his role.
The crunch issue continues to be the north-east merger. Neither side seems to be in a mood to show flexibility. With rumours of elections in the air the overriding electoral realities will make political accommodation less and less feasible.
Meanwhile the war in the north continues and there are chauvinists in the south who think a military solution must precede the political solution.
Thondaman has warned the Select Committee of what he thinks is an illusion. He says that the Select Committee must not harbour the illusion that a devolution package can be thrust on the Tamils in the wake of a military solution.
He quotes Major Depindersingh: "No insurgency has, or can be settled militarily. So a political solution has to be found'.
However, such words of warning are unlikely to be heeded in the present mood of political intransigence.
Some even express the view that this political stalemate, unless halted, could lead to fresh confrontation from which only chauvinists from both sides can in the end benefit.
Yet it would appear that the first major exercise in ethnic fencemending since the controversial IndoLanka Accord, has collapsed.
Internal mediation by Thondaman seems to go the same way as external mediation and it looks as if it is beyond the resources of this beleaguered island nation to devise mechanisms of racial reconciliation.

Page 7
15 JULY 1992
Jaffna Bishop Felicitated
"Bishop Deogupillai is being held in high esteem by the Bishops of Shri Lanka and by the Catholics of this country. The Roman Catholic Bishops’ Association turn to him for advice and for the interpretation of Canon laws. His theological and canonical explanations are taken as final and conclusive. This attribute has earned for him the epithet "Attorney General'.
The large gathering present here and the presence of all the Bishops in Shri Lanka on this platform to felicitate him on the occasion of his triple jubilee is a testimony to his popularity among his brothers. His prudent leadership and patient guidance had enabled the church to shoulder its responsibility smoothly and successfully', said Rt. Rev. Dr. Nicholas Marcus the Archbishop of Colombo.
He was speaking in Tamil as the chief guest at the triple jubilee celebration of the Jaffna Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. B. Deogupillai held in the Jaffna Cathedral grounds.
The colourful function was an epitome of the Jaffna Bishop's triple jubilee - the 25th year of his Episcopal consecration, the 50th year of his Sacerdotal ordination and the 75th year celebration of his birthday all coinciding in May 1992.
A special feature of the jubilee celebration was the presence of Hindu Swamy Sri La Sri Somasundara Pramachariyar, the Bishop of the Church of South India, Rt. Rev. Dr. D.J. Ambalavanar, the Bishops of Mannar, Batticaloa, Kurunegala, Kandy and Galle, the GA Jaffna, the Vice Chancellor of the Jaff na University and the Secretary General of the LTTE Mr. Yogaratnam Yogi on the same platform. Rev. Fr. S.A. Michael Swamy, Vicar General Jaffna presided.
Sri La Sri Somasundara Paramachariyar of Nallur
Atheenam in felicitating the retiring Bishop said that the presence of other religious heads on the same platform signified religious tolerance and unity in our land. The retiring bishop was one who combined religion with the Tamil language. He had published several liturgical tracts and prayer manuals, theological glossaries and other treatises on Christian education
: in Tamil. He stood firm and
straight when dangers approached us and he was a tower of strength to the Tamil nation.
Mr. K. Mannikavasagar, GA Jaffna said that Bishop Deogupillai was not only a chief pastor but also a. Tamil scholar and educationist. He endeavoured to mould the personality of the student community through the Catholic schools.
Rt. Rev. Dr. D.J. Ambalavanar, Bishop of the
... Church of South India said
that we must thank him for giving the opportunity to celebrate the three major events in his life in one function. The noteworthy feature of his life was that when the people were in danger he raised his voice to save them from peril. Through his devoted pastoral care and service he gave succour to the parched souls and made them bloom.
Mr. Yogaratnam Yogi, Secretary General of the LTTE said that the Tamil nation needed upright and courageous religious leaders like the retiring bishop. "His timely pronouncements on the predicament of the Tamils opened the eyes of other nations to see the reasonableness of our demands.'
Rev. Fr. G.A. Francis Joseph, Rector, St. Patrick's College, Jaffna while releasing a special issue in memory of the Jaffna Bishop said that Bishop Deogupillai was one in whom virtue governs with a sceptre of knowledge and wisdom. His greatness lay

TAMIL TIMES 7
not in being strong but in the right using of strength. Mgr. Deogupillai in replying said that it was Lord's wish that he should be a priest. His mother had a dream when he was in her womb. She had been told that she would be blessed with a son and the child should be bequeathed to the church. So he owed his priesthood and bishophood to his loving mother.
God was with him and
guided him all throughout
his career. His selection to study theology in Rome was an unexpected one. It was God who gave him erudition, scholarship and perspicacity to shoulder the heavy responsibility of the church. It was again God's wish as it were that he was sent from Batticaloa to Jaffna to shepherd the flock. He was satisfied that he had played his part well to the liking of his Master.
Columnist Faces Rs.100 Million Claim From Former President
Sri Lanka's former President, Junius Richard Jayewardene recently sent a letter of demand for Rs. 100 million to Mr. Dayan Jayatillaka who is alleged to have written two articles under the pen-name Anuruddha Thilakasiri headlined "The Fire This Time' and "Hand-Bagging Press Freedom' in The Sunday Observer of May 10, 1992 and June 14, 1992.
Earlier Mr. Jayewardene had sent a letter of demand to the Lake House newspaper group for Rs. 390 million for the publication of the above two articles and several others.
It is learnt that following the publication of an unqualified apology to the former President in The Sunday Observer on 5 July stating that the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd., The Sunday Observer and its editor "unreservedly withdraw the false and defamatory statements...' Mr. Jayewardene has decided to accept it and not to proceed with legal action against the newspaper group and its editor.
However, in the letter sent to Mr. Jayatillaka, the former President has demanded through his attorney John Wilson that Mr. Jayatillaka "immediately publish an unconditional withdrawal of the said statements and an unqualified apology'.
Following is the full text of the letter of demand: "I write on the instructions of
my client President J.R. Jayewardene of "Braemar' 66 Ward Place, Colombo 7. You have written the above articles and have published or caused to be published in the above articles statements that are totally false, malicious and utterly defamatory and derogatory of my client. The above articles were written by you using the pen-name or nom-de-plume Anuruddha Thilakasiri. The said statements include the following false allegations that my client during his tenure as Prime Minister and President of Sri Lanka:-
1. "rammed through his Constitution”;
2. 'smashed the July '80 strike';
3. "pulled off the Referendum;
4. "intimidated judges'; 5. "had the resignations of judges of the Supreme Court in his pocket';
6. "threatened to roll up the electoral map for 10 years';
7. "instituted the P.T.A.'; 8. "allowed his goons to burn the Jaffna Library’;
9. "permitted Cyril Mathew to go on the rampage in July ’83";
10. “perpetrated a fraudulent Referendum of '82" etc. Most of the statements relate to decisions of the Cabinet of the Government that functioned from 1977 to 1988. My client was the Head of that Government and the present President,
Continued on page 9

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Page 9
15 JULY 1992
Continued from page 7
His Excellency Ranasinghe Premadasa was the Prime Minister and the deputy Head during that period. The aforesaid false and malicious statements have caused irreparable damage to my client's reputation and high esteem and have been made with the objective of exposing my client to hatred, ridicule and contempt and are utterly inflammatory statements which also further violate the criminal Law.
I am instructed to demand that you immediately publish an unconditional
withdrawal of the said statements and an unqualified public apology. In the event of non-compliance with my client's aforesaid request, my client will be compelled to institute action against you for damages, amounting to Rs. 100 Million (Rupees One Hundred Million) which my client will donate to charity.
If no reply is received from you within ten days from date hereof, you will be deemed to have accepted that you have written the aforesaid articles and that you have accepted the contents of this letter totally.'
Govt. Submits to IMF and WB on "Tough Reforms'
A joint International Monetary Fund and World Bank team which left Colombo on 3 July after nearly a fortnight’s discussions with senior government officials is reported to have drawn up a further package of tough economic reforms for Sri Lanka.
A senior government official while refusing to give details, said that a new reform package had been agreed upon with the visiting team prior to their departure.
Inform e d fin an cial analysts said the visiting team had insisted on government curtailing this year's budget deficit to 8.8 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product. GDP is the value of goods and services produced in a country during a particular year.
The deficit however, is said to have already overshot that mark by about Rs. 6000 million.
With further supplementary estimates being needed to be passed to meet urgent expenses, they said, the government was facing a severe predicament as any additional estimates would certainly add to the deficit.
The IMF and World Bank have also insisted on the country's "Current Account' deficit be kept to 6.6 per
cent of the GPD and to check any further increase by devaluing the rupee as it would make the imports more costly, while helping exports.
In order to meet these targets, economic analysts said, there would be further increases in prices of goods and services.
Among other reforms agreed upon are to increase the rate of privatisation of state owned business ventures, commercialisation of state banks, introduction of Value Added Tax system by 1994, abolition of tax holidays and implementation of other Taxation Commission recommendations, tariffs to be brought down to three bands and a maximum of 35 percent from the current five bands and a maximum of 50 percent, removal of subsidy on wheat flour, conversion of railways into an authority to facilitate its eventual privatisation and probing the accounts of the Petroleum Corporation and end the government monopoly in the supply of fuel.
These sources said failure to implement many of these reforms could result in Sri Lanka not being given vital financial facilities of the two institutions, including the third tranche of the massive US $450 million

Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility approved by the IMF on September 13, 1991. The second tranche worth about US $75 million is due in about six months.
Earlier last month, IMF
TAMIriEs g
Board of Directors approved the second tranche worth about the same amount as the next after delaying it for two months over Sri Lanka's failure to adhere to earlier agreed economic targets.
New Secretary-General for International Alert
Kumar Rupesinghe of Sri Lanka has been appointed as Secretary General of International Alert. He succeeds the late Martin Ennals, the founding Secretary General, whose work for International Alert and whose outstanding achievements in the field of human rights are well known.
Dr. Rupe singhe has served as Deputy Director and as Programme Director of the Ethnic Conflict Programme at the International Peace Research Institute (PRIO) in Oslo. He is currently Chair of the Human Rights Information and Documentation System, International (HURIDIOCS); and Coordinator of the programme on Governance and Conflict Resolution of the United Nations University. During his ten years in Oslo, he has worked to establish conflict resolution as a crucial field for research and professional action, particularly within the non-Western world.
Dr. Rupes ing he has served as a member of the Board of International Alert from its inception in 1985 and has been actively
involved with most of its programmes including Uganda, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.
He is currently Chair of the Commission on Internal Conflicts and their Resolution (ICON) of the International Peace Research Association (IPRA); C o - ordinator of the United Nations University Programme on Governance and Conflict Resolution; and Chair of the Human Rights Information and Documentation System, International (HURDOCS).
International Alert is an independent, international
NGO, established in 1985. The organisation is a reg
istered charitable founda
tion in the UK and the Netherlands. It seeks to
contribute to the resolution of internal conflict by promoting peace and conciliation
through dialogue, and
furthering the observance and enhancement of international humanitarian and human rights standards. International Alert has Category II Consultative Status with the UN Economic and Social Council.
"World Bank Conditions Destroy Health of Third World's Poor'
Structural adjustments insisted upon by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as conditions for development assistance have destroyed the health of the world's poor and the underprivileged, according to an internationally known medical man specialising on the rationalisation of the use of pharmaceutical drugs.
In a paper submitted to
the recent Geneva meeting of the Health Action Information (HAI) Committee, Dr. K. Balasubramaniam, Pharmaceutical Adviser to International Organisation of Consumer Unions, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. (IOCU-ROAP) Malaysia, has said that the groups worst affected were infants and young children.
He says, "infants and
Continued on page 10

Page 10
10 TAMIL TIMES
Continued from page 9
young children continue to die in equal numbers in 1992 (Quarter of a million a week) as in 1982 (40,000 a day). Structural adjustments have denied these children the resources that should have gone into their welfare'.
Dr. Balasubramaniam says that availability of pharmaceutical drugs in Asia, as in other ThirdWorld countries is far from satisfactory and adds that one of the prerequisites to make drugs available to the whole population in a country is the formulation and the implementation of an integrated national drug policy. However, no country in Asia has such an integrated national drug policy, he points out.
He has also observed that the Government of Sri Lanka faced with a financial crisis in 1971 introduced a trade policy - which he says, is a trade policy implemented by a government committed to social justice and equity - to meet the crisis. This policy became a model for all Third World countries but the government which came into power in 1977 reversed some of the com
ponents of this policy, in
accordance with its promise of liberalisation of trade and many of the achieve
ments of the early seventies were lost.
Bangladesh in 1982 introduced its national drug policy, and Malaysia in 1988 made drug registra- . tion compulsory. In 1988 the Philippines introduced Generics Act, in 1984 Indonesia brought in a Generic drugs programme for public sector.
But India giving in to pressure by vested interests did not implement the recommendations of Hathi Committee which paved the way for a national drug policy, he says.
He says that the United States is pressurising South Korea and Thailand, to revise their national legislation to offer patent protections to pharmaceutical products.
These five countries had the region's wellestablished and growing drug industries, he adds.
Dr. Balasubramaniam who was in Colombo early this month to take part in the Asia-Pacific Workshop for health officials noted that the present trend in all Asian countries is towards privatisation of health and pharmaceutical services.
He warned against allowing market foces to determine the prices of drugs and called for pricing policies based on social justice and equity.
Legal Aid for Detainees
Nearly 300 prisoners who had been languishing in various detention camps for more than three years will be provided with legal aid to challenge the validity of their detention, Human Rights Task Force Chairman J.F.A. Soza said.
Mr. Soza a former judge said all other avenues suggested by the HRTF had not been considered by the authorities due to various reasons. Thus the HRTF had decided to provide legal aid for detainees to file fundamental rights applications before the Supreme Court.
There could be many de
tainees in camps, without substantial grounds. Within six months the task force would help some 300 of these detainees to draft and file fundamental rights applications.
"Under this circumstance the detaining authorities will be compelled to produce the basis on which the suspects have been detained. The Supreme Court will decide on the legality of these detentions, he said.
Mr Soza revealed that at least five lawyers had come forward voluntarily to appear for these detainees and the task force would advice them on how to pro

ceed with these applications.
Mr. Soza had earlier advised the defence authorities to consider the release of detainees who were not a real danger to society. He had also suggested that hard-core subversives (suspects) be separated from other detainees.
Mr. Soza revealed the recent clashes at Boosa which resulted in one death and
15 JULY 1992
more than eighty injured might have started in the kitchen as complaints had been received regarding discrimination over meals.
Meanwhile the camp authorities in Boosa have said that the factional clash was between two groups - JVP suspects and hard-core criminals who posed off as JVPers but did not want to fall in line with JWP strategy.
Protest Against Attacks on Places of Worship
The much publicized recent offensive of the Army, Navy and the Air Force in the North-East has caused damage to Hindu temples and the killing and injuring of many innocent civilians, a communique from the Hindu Council of Sri Lanka states.
It further said that the famous Durgai Amman Temple at Tellipalai and its orphanage and the wellknown Amman Temple at Vattapalai in the Mullaithivu District had suffered damage.
“When military operations start and curfew is enforced, the civilians are requested by the authority to take refuge in places of worship. One would expect the armed forces to show greater care in protecting the temple from the ravages of war', the Hindu council states pointing out that the temple at Tellipalai has a tall gopuram which is 'visible at long distance to the naked eye'.
“We are deeply concerned at this development and had brought this to the attention of the President of Sri Lanka, so that prompt steps could be taken to prevent incidents of this na
ture occurring in the future, the communique further states.
"Adequate compensation should be paid to the next of kin for the loss of lives, to the injured and to the temple trustees. According to a statement of Mr. John Amaratunga, acting Minister of Defence on June 10, "The Government would use maximum force for the total annihilation of Tiger strength'. Obviously large scale operations by the armed services will continue to increase in intensity and it is our fear that more temples and civilians will fall victim to this offensive, unless adequate preventive measures are taken by the security forces to spare the civilians and their places of worship, he said.
The national question - the Sinhala & Tamil problem - has to be resolved in a just manner. Political parties and militant groups may come and go, but the Sinhalese and the Tamils who have inhabited Sri Lanka for over 2000 years have to live in equality and harmony in their motherland. “Let us not allow unnecessary bloodshed and bitterness to mar this process, the communique adds.
Drug Ring in Rome Busted
A Shri Lankan drug trafficking syndicate which had successfully operated for six years from Rome was ousted last month in a joint affort by the Police and the Customs personnel of
several European and Asian countries.
The syndicate of Tamil men and Sinhala women along with a Libyan financier was rounded up by the Rome and Bari Police in

Page 11
15 JULY 1992
early May, following a chase of several thousands of miles across two continents.
According to reports, the group comprising four Sinhala women and three Tamil men had been engaged in the smuggling of narcotics from India to Europe since 1986. Specialising in the smuggling of heroin, the group was making a 2.75 kilo heroin delivery from Bombay to Bari in Rome via Frankfurt when arrested by the Police.
The Police Narcotics Bureau in Shri Lanka is now trying to get more details about this group of Lankans, who have been identified as N.A.D. Rohini Perera, C. Magaret Anne, Kusum wathie Laksha, Sepalika Anne Perera, A. Seelan, T.S.R. Krisinnan and N.S. Joseph.
Their Libyan financier resident in Rome has been identified as Fadlun Isacco.
In true story book fashion, the heroin concealed in two picture frames was smuggled by air from Bombay to Frankfurt and Frankfurt to Bari by a courier who got his instructions over the telephone.
Once in Bari, he was in
structed to leave the pictures in the luggage depot of a railway station and report to a Rome address with the luggage tag and collect his payment from there.
Once the tag was delivered in Rome three members from the gang had travelled to Bari to collect the pictures. Confident that they had made another successful run, the trio returned to an apartment shared by the gang in Rome only to be arrested by the Police, who walked in on their heels.
What neither the syndicate nor its Libyan financier knew, was that the Police and the Customs of India, Britain, Germany and Italy had been cooperating with each other for several years to trap them and that the courier and other members of the syndicate were shadowed almost every step of the way by the agents of one or another of these law enforcing organisations.
Subsequent investigations have revealed that none of the Shri Lankans arrested had any documents to identify them or any addresses in Rome.
Visa Problem for Diplomatic Families in Canada
Staff recruited to the Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa are facing difficulty getting their families over to Canada, owing to fears that they would refuse to return when their term was up. Since 1983 eight Sri Lankans on the homebased cadre of the Sri Lankan High Commission in Canada, have stayed behind to seek political asylum, after having completed their terms of office.
In the most recent case the wife and three children of an attache to the High Commission, who were believed to have left Canada in October 1991 havingemplaned in Ottawa, were later found to have stayed behind in Canada by dis
embarking when the plane stopped over in Toronto. The attache himself who had completed his term, had returned to Sri Lanka on the same flight and reported to work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo according to informed sources.
It was only after the wife and children of the officer in question were seen in Ottawa, the High Commission became aware that the family members had not left the country.
The attache carried a diplomatic passport and enjoyed diplomatic privileges in Canada. He himself has now confirmed that his wife and children stayed behind in Canada, the sources said.

TAMIL TIMES - 1 to
Visa-Free Entry Extended
The government has with immediate effect allowed nationals of at least 27 more countries to visit Sri Lanka without visas in a further move to boost tourist arrivals in the country.
Last year tourist arrivals topped 318,000, but the country has yet to reach the
peak of 407,230 arrivals
registered in 1982, which was shattered in the July of the following year in widespread race riots.
Some in the trade already predict a mini boom this year with the waning of recession in the west, which is the source of at least 60 percent of our tourist traffic.
According to informed sources, the new countries, which have been extended the non-visa entry facility are Cyprus, Turkey, Hun
gary, Greece, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and 15 countries of the Commonwealth of Independent Republics, of the former Soviet Union. Only exception here being Georgia, which has still not been recognised by Colombo.
Earlier, visa-free entry was granted to nationals of 39 countries mainly from among developed nations for visits of one month duration.
Though most of the former east bloc countries were introduced to free market economic policies just recently, they already appear to have affluent sections, officials pointed out. Many Hungarians are already visiting Sri Lanka . as tourists.
30,000 Jobs at Risk in Lebanon
Uncertainty shrouds the future employment prospects for an estimated 30,000 Sri Lankans currently working in Lebanon after a recent decree issued by that country's government that bans the recruitment of foreign workers.
The Chairman of the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB) David Soysa said on June 21 that the ban came into effect on June 15, after it was announced in late May by the Lebanese Minister for Labour and National Economy Abd alla - AlAmine.
Job recruiting agents in Lebanon were given 15 days to put up shutters, and also warned that the auhorities would not hesitate a seek the assistance of the security police to crack lown on those who violate he ban, Chairman Soysa aid.
He added that with the utlawing of the agencies it eaves no one responsible or foreigners employed in hat war-torn Middle East ountry, including an estimated 30,000 Sri Lankans,
many of who had slipped into Lebanon through illegitimate labour channels.
The ban prevents further extensions of work contracts, and it is most likely that many Lankans employed in that country would have to return or risk working illegally, Soysa explained: "The situation at the moment is rather confusing and we are waiting for more details in this regard,” he added.
The Sri Lanka Government earlier this year banned Lankans from travelling to Lebanon for employment owing to the unstable security situation in that country and also because of conflicting labour regulations, chairman Soysa said. He added since then illegal agencies operating in Colombo continued to smuggle out workers using various clandestine channels with the assistance from the counterparts in Beirut.
Recruiting agents in Lebanon have appealed to the Lebanese government against the ban, but so far there has been little or no response, Mr. Soysa said.

Page 12
12 TAMIL TIMES
Fourth Kanthasamy Memoria
The ROle Of the Me in a Multi-Ethnic SO
A.M. Macan-Markar
Mr. A.M. Macan-Markar is a researcher at the Marga in political studies and editorial services division. He has a M. degree in the Humanities and undergraduate degrees Science and Journalism from Hofstra University, New undergraduate, he was actively involved in a collegiate new Chronicle. In his Junior year, he became its editor, which time that a foreign student held the position since the p publishing in 1935. Prior to leaving for America, he was a rep Evening Observer and the Sunday Observer. The following delivered on 17 June 1992 at the Sri Lanka Japan Cultur Colombo in memory of K. Kanthasamy, lawyer and dedicat the fields of relief and rehabilitation and human right abducted from his residence in Jaffna. On 19 June 1988 and
dead.
Let me begin with a confession. During my short stay as a reporter for the Observer, I wrote five stories about events in the North. All of them dealt with violence, a situation that provided a neophyte journalist with an opportunity to obtain stories with minimal work. At that time, it was customary to depend on the Police, the Army, or a Government spokesman for information. Further, I acquired the habit of writing the report in Colombo, which was made easy because of the telephone. The distance between me and the scene of the events, in most cases Jaffna, did not appear as a problem. And as I recall, any acts of violence against the State sufficed as news.
Among my reports was a story on the autopsy of K. Navaratnarajah, who was found dead in his cell at the Gurunagar army camp. I began this account by identifying the dead man as a terrorist, and went on to add that there was no indication of violence on the body of the prisoner. This story had one source, a military man, who explained that if violence had occurred, 'a ruptured spleen, kidney, or broken rib would have been noticed while the autopsy was being conducted. By the way, the police investigated the cause of this death.
Last year, during a research assignment for the Marga Institute, I happened by more information about the same K. Navaratnarajah. It stated that on 10th April 1983, the victim, who was also a Trincomalee farmer, died with 25 internal injuries. Prior to his death in military custody, he was
forced to crawl on br hot chillie powder wa nostrils.
In retrospect, I rea was no desire to exam of my source when I v This was a natural represented the status the dead man was a could not relate to, al empathy in me fo] anguish or the conditi had motivated him it tion. This distance withdrawal, my deh victim of political viol that I was very comf idea that he had viola law breakers need t What is most certain question the nature o in that instance was t Terrorism Act of 1979
This illustration is failure to supply th sufficient information Mr. Navaratnarajah. pressure does not pro with the luxury of elic of facts. However, tha a conscientious report can develop the story reports, the follow-up. cited, that was not th violation of a funda. journalism: a news provide balanced and enable a citizen to a pendent conclusion, an educated decision. accomplish? To play ju attorney, and jury; t

15 JULY 1992
dia ciety
titute in its Aster of Arts in Political 'ork. As an spaper, The was the first aper began Orter for the lecture was al Centre in 2d Worker in s who was s presumed
ken glass, then s stuffed up his
lized that there line the veracity wrote that story. bias since he quo. Moreover, person whom I hd there was no his personal ons, if ever, that nto political acfed my mental manizing, of a ence. It is likely ortable with the ted the law, and o be punished. is that I did not f the law, which he Prevention of
to reveal my e readers with on the death of Often, deadline vide journalists iting a diversity , is no excuse for er, for he or she by subsequent In the example II e case; it was a mental tenet of eport needs to accurate facts to rive at an indeelping to make But what did I dge, prosecuting hereby influenc
The late K. Kanthasamy
ing the reader to my own prejudice, denying him or her the truth.
It is relevant to disclose that my editors never corrected me. Their silence encouraged me to blatantly pursue a breach of faith and trust the public has of the press. Our collective negligence contributed in a small way to the widening schism between the Sinhala and Tamil community.
The man we are honouring today, Mr. Kanthasamy, was conscious of this dichotomy by 1981. He responded by publishing the Saturday Review, which rolled off the press in January 1982. Although not a journalist, he realized that the media in the country were failing to uphold a primary responsibility to society. There is little doubt in my mind that he had the savvy and perspicacity to understand the process by which information is gathered by the media and disseminated to the public. This is evident in his own writings to justify the creation of the Saturday Review:
"There are no less than 13 daily newspapers published in Sri Lanka in all three languages, and with one solitary exception, they are all published in Colombo, in the South. (The exception is Eelanadu, a Tamil tabloid published in Jaffna, in the North.) This in effect means that news happenings in the North or East are sent to the South, where they are filtered, processed, edited, often doctored or distorted, published in the south and sent back to the Northern reader. . . . While a minority of perceptive readers in the North could at least be in a position to question their credibility, the bulk of the readership in the rest of the island, the majority of whom are Sinhalese, tend to accept the printed word. This process has been going on for the past 25 years. In some small way, through the

Page 13
15 JULY 1992
columns of our weekly, we hope to reverse the flow in information and thereby correct the present imbalance."
The topic of this year's commemoration lecture, "The Role of the Media in a Multi-Ethnic Society, gives life to an idea affirmed by the late K. Kanthasamy. Indeed, it is an honour for me to be associated with his ideas through this lecture. As we all know, there were abrupt ends to the lives of many Sri Lankans in the 1980s, and the abduction of Mr. Kanthasamy was typical of the human degradation that proliferated on this land, which some still call paradise. To continue to refer to this land as an Eden, I think, is to ignore the macabre environment that denied people like Mr. Kanthasamy a full life. And history offers us ample evidence of the fate of peoples who ignore the realities, the social forces, during their time. In Sri Lanka, the media, too, contributed to the prevailing attitudes and beliefs. Rather than serve the community as a force of enlightenment, the press, the radio, and the television have blinded people from the truth.
An example that comes to mind is the one-sided, bias reporting that preceded the killing of 13 soldiers in July, 1983. The public perception at that time, thanks to the media, was that the Sri Lankan forces, most of whom happened to be Sinhalese, were the victims of a brutal campaign by armed Tamil youth. Not much was written about life in the North under Emergency Laws, nor were the public informed of alleged attacks by the Police and Army on non-combatant civilians. The little that was written came out of debates in Parliament.
For this lecture, I shall identify the
responsibility of the media, as an institution, in a multi-ethnic society. In this regard, we need to ask: what is the role of the individual journalist in gathering information, processing it, and presenting it to the public? And an area that I shall highlight is political reporting, since it is relevant to the topic.
In my preamble, I referred to the rice and curry of the media: information. But those of us who watch television, listen to the radio, or read newspapers need the same commodity to be informed, educated, and entertained. In modern or modernizing societies, information has been recognized as a vital component to progress, and the body of knowledge selected for mass communication mirrors the attitudes of the media and the nature of the society it serves. s
As it appears, the role of the media
is a convention that our reality. This foi munication has evc
inherent feature (
Often, the institut described as the government. What sed in such a des serves as the "watch This flows from the expression, a conce wider currency wit peoples' rights.
In our country, th of the press fighti against the governr back to the last cent a rebellion broke ou the harsh taxes, thi ment under Lorc sponded with mart the victimized local an ally in Christoph the Observer at tha life was his rallying for an inquiry, whic the Governor. But t Britain vindicated t guided the editor.
That confrontatic unwritten social con press and the peo accountable to the pl Although much ha then, the idea that and the press remai virile medium.
To uphold such a tually making them representatives of t and women in this f mine that commur their particular : medium to commu serve as a forum for two-way transmissi and opinion. Conseq become active play the citizens' right to right is guaranteed i International Coven Political Rights.
It states:
1) Everyone shal hold opinions wit 2) Everyone shal freedom of expr shall include the receive, and im and ideas of all k frontiers, eithero in print, in the through any otl choice.
3) The exercise vided for in para article carries wit and responsibiliti

TAMIL TIMES 13
has become part of mat of social comved to become an f any democracy. on of the press is watchdog' of the needs to be stresription is that it dog' for the people. right of freedom of it that has gained n the evolution of
e earliest example ng for the people ment can be traced ury. In 1848, when , to protest against Colonial Governi Torrington reial law. However,
population found er Elliot, editor of t time. The loss of cry, and he called h was opposed by he latter's recall to
he principles that.
n highlights the tract between the ple: the media is ublic interest only. s happened since aligns the people ns a hallmark of a
An obligation, viredia the unelected he citizenry, men ield need to deterlication exists in medium. For a nicate, it should ideas, ensuring a on of information uently, journalists ers in protecting information. This n Article 19 of the ant on Civil and
have the right to hout interference. have the right to ession this right freedom to seek, part information ind, regardless of rally, in writing or form of art or er media of his
of the rights prograph two of the hit special duties es: (the need) for
the respect of the rights and reputations of others. Judging from these provisions, it is clear that the emphasis is unequivocally to protect the right of the citizen. On the one hand, the structures of government are expected to guarantee the social right for information. On the other hand, there is a bearing on the media as an institution, too, since nowhere in Article 19 is there a clause to protect the right of the media to exist as an institution. Rather, it is in the interpretation of the provisions that provide the basis for the media to clamour for the right of free expression.
In Sri Lanka, the media regularly violate the obligations of Article 19, by not providing the citizens with diverse information. Sometimes this violation borders on the ridiculous as happened in August 1981, when a leading Sinhala language newspaper justified the State imposed censorship by blaming Tamil newspapers for "false reporting. This same newspaper minimized its coverage or ignored altogether the acts of racial violence that month.
Since independence, the ethnic question has remained a central theme in the political agenda of the country. What is more, nationalism as political rallying point, as a means of political expression, and as a method of organizing has not been limited to one
group. Both Sinhala and Tamil politi- ***
cians found in their respective linguistic communities a powerful electorate. Given such a reality, the institutional responsibility of the media is heightened. It has the framework to link different groups together. That could
only be achieved if each medium toler
ates different views, beliefs, and ideas. Here again, the media has been far from liberal, a phenomenon that was even around when the press was independently owned. Such an attitude was typified during the coverage of the
1956 General Election, where the is
newspapers and the radio station reflected an embarrassing bias in sup
port of the ruling class. After his victory, the newly elected Prime
Minister, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike de
scribed the press as a dictatorship.
There is no doubt that a multiethnic society will have its share of political disagreements. It is an inevitable feature, since each group will identify with its culture. But the challenge for the media is to transcend the temptation of becoming partisan.
Before elaborating this function, I need to stress another element in
understanding the position of the
media. Economically, we are a DeContinued on page 14

Page 14
14 TAMIL TIMES
Continued from page 13
veloping country. The problems that journalists face in such societies are quite different from the conditions of their counterparts who work in Developed multi-ethnic societies. In the Handbook for Third World Journalists, Al Hester wrote: “The reporter deals every day with a world in flux. He or she cannot automatically assume, for example, that there will be consistency in the outlook of political leaders, that his or her pay cheque will buy about the same amount of food each week, or that power will always be on to run the presses in the newspapers or for transmission from the broadcasting station.'
In countries such as ours, poverty is not limited to economics; there is poverty of information. If we were to chart the distribution of and access to information in Sri Lanka, the pattern would reveal an uneven state, where a minority enjoy a wealth of knowledge and the majority depend on limited offerings. This disparity is due to the existing structure of the domestic media, which is limited because of the substantial investment and high operating costs needed to function. However, as we progress, the condition is bound to improve, resulting in a
growth of outlets of information. A
quantitative increase will provide a variety of media for the citizen to select from, and it would help people ascertain the accuracy of news and opinions that flow to them. Such a condition would invariably improve the quality of public debate on national policy.
Be that as it may, reporters in Developing countries cannot search for excuses when the quality and content of information is at fault. One cannot draw a parallel between the medium of dissemination and the subject matter. While the former may be constrained for reasons that I have explained, the latter thrives on the commitment by the individual journalist to serve the public good.
Those who report in countries like ours do impact significantly the perception made by the people of incidents and events in their environment. Further, knowledge that is transmitted through the media gives it legitimacy, authority, and authenticity. It is essential, therefore, to provide the citizen with the facts; diversity of news sources makes for a fuller and richer content of knowledge. To accomplish such an objective, a reporter needs to distinguish between quantifiable fact and opinion, to scrutinize the veracity of information, to guarantee the legitimacy and credibility of the
The III Prer
Thirunavukarasu is a telligent man. I remem earnestness with whi engage in conversat whenever I happened at the Jaffna Universit lecturing in History m Now I hear that Thiru known among friends fulltime member of th months ago he had bee Tiger high command to in the villages and tow. sula to convince the ev na Tamils that nothir out of the Select Com proposal of Thondam been submitted to it.
Thiruna may have h relief when news of the events taken by Tami the city last week reac ing said this much, it m in a situation where 'c undemocratic means ol not quite lost their lur the prudent reader top tion - what makes on Thirunavukarasu may lieved?
The strongest point o sa presidency, locally tionally has been its re. the Tamils; that relat showing clear signs ( popular perception Tamils was that Mr. Pri Sinhala leader who had er them "ellam (eve Eelam.
But when the Tamil ombo met him on 15 them that he would stal manifesto, which states that the party is agains the north and east. The alas, till then had ni attention to the UNP's I had pinned their ho Tamils had done, on h cized not Eelam, but Ell other gestures, real which were consider favourable to realising political aspirations oft
The groups had go President with the hop commitment on some issues.
The position of the largest representation liamentary Select Com

15 JULY 1992
usion of President nadasa's "Elam”
by Taraki
petite but inber him for the ch he used to ions with me (o run into him 7, where he was any years ago. na — as he was - has become a e LTTE. Some in asked by the hold seminars ns of the peniner hopeful Jaffng would come mittee and the an which had
eaved a sigh of curious turn of lian politics in hed him. Havay be judicious, lemocratic' and f coercion have e, to leave it to onder the quese say that Mr.
have felt re
f the Premada
and internalationship with onship is now of strain. The amongst the emadasa was a
come to delivrything), but
groups in ColJune, he told ld by the UNP unequivocally , the merger of Tamil parties, pt paid much hanifesto; they pes as many s much publiam stance and r imaginary, ld extremely he legitimate ne Tamils”.
e to see the of getting his fundamental
arty with the on the Parmittee is now
clear. In fact, it has always been clear, in the form of an official document, but for the hopes entertained by the Tamils in general. These hopes had fed on nothing but rhetoric. The headline of the 'Virakesari' said yesterday: "A peace-solution without the permanent merger of the North and East would not be accepted. - The Tamil parties reiterate their position'.
These parties have set themselves a time frame to work out a political package for the ethnic question. However, the indications are that practical considerations will overwhelm and conceal political discontent after the time frame expires at the end of July.
Although the government may not be too keen to hear that there is now a silent tendency within friendly groups to question the bona fides of the country's political leaders, it may find the timing of the government's assertion that it remains committed to its manifesto, counter-productive in terms of its national and geopolitical strategies. It was said that if a solution to the ethnic question, acceptable to the Tamils were to be worked out, it had to be worked out during President Premadasa's rule or it would never be, after him. The stand taken by the LTTE on three occasions would show the power of the interpretations to which his catchy statements on the ethnic question had been subjected to in the Tamil public sphere. When they were holding talks with the government the LTTE told the Tamils that the President genuinely wanted to give an honourable solution to the Tamils, but was unable to do so because of the Sinhala opposition's incorrigible chauvinism.
The view of the Tigers, during the Impeachment crisis was that Mr. Premadasa was less chauvinistic than Lalith and Gamini; and that the impeachers were Indian stooges. The LTTE also attempted to send its EROS MPs to strengthen his hand in Parliament.
And recently they have said that the President is a Sinhala chauvinist, but he is a nationalist who would not allow India to intervene in Sri Lankan Tamil affairs.
The other Tamil groups and opinionmakers also firmly believed that the President was the only Sinhala leader who was, after 40 years of failures,

Page 15
15 JULY 1992
genuinely interested in giving an honourable political package to the Tamils. It was asserted in some circles that the donor countries had to back Mr. Premadasa because only he could drag the country out of its ethnic conflagration into expedited capitalist development; and that he was their best bet for secularizing the Sri Lankan polity to make it suitable for their structural adjustment programmes.
It was also argued that Mr. Premadasa was politically secure because he had the full backing of the minorities. And this is what no doubt gave him the moral and diplomatic strength to systematically and persistently negate the leverage that India had had in Sri Lanka by virtue of its rela...hip with the Tamils of the north and east.
Yet there was a voice of scepticism, although little noticed, and emanating from Jaffna; a voice which seemed to reflect the thoughts of Prabhakaran and Mahathaya. The editorials of the LTTE's official organ averred regularly that the President was just another manifestation of the old Sinhala chauvinist project; nothing had really changed under him. On the Indian side, the 'democratic' Tamil groups were told once in a while that they were being taken for a ride by the President.
The UNP is the determinant factor in the Select Committee. The President has clearly stated his decision to stand by his party at a time when his army is smashing its way into Jaffna and at a time when provincial councils have been deprived of several powers.
The illusion of 'ellam' has been laid bare. The Select Committee may soon become another flimsy item thrown into the 40 years old junkyard of ethnic solutions.
Continued from page 4
“We want to see the Tigers on the run', says a military official 'and we want the people of the peninsula to feel that we have to join forces and rid the country, which belongs to all of us, of terrorism' he adds.
There is still a long way to go to physically take control of the whole of the peninsula. But then as everybody knows physical control does not mean the end of the battle. The hearts and minds of the people have to be won and for that the military, always seen as a brutal and repressive force, must give itself a new face.
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The Opposition's a proposed hotel comp is the "logical' culm velopments of the la First came the India LTTE. When Presi quite rightly, saw na suit, the opposition cused him of being's In fact some of the o gleefully talking of move - to seize Prabhakaran and to madasa at the same the totally unexpect ronged military offe Tigers. Mr. Premad manoeuvred and su nents - yet again. Th wind out of the Opp left them with noth But not for long. Rea "Tiger lover' may not ful tactic right nov looked around for which would allow th Buddhist chauvinis paign against Mr. current campaign a complex in Kandalan this search.
Let us say at the c not an attempt to list (specially as regards tal aspect) of the prc plex in Kandalama. T to the experts. What to do is to demonstrat tion is using the Ka, incite Sinhala Bud passions against the l nistration. To hearth crusaders talking, or doned for thinking t Buddhism in Shri La tirely on whether tl Kandalama or not. A ists have the whole w we Sinhala-Buddhist else to go, right? On pardoned for thinki
this, no hotel had be
'Weva’ (tank) and a
know that there are ancient cities in Shu Anuradhapura and
Sigiriya and Katara these have not led to Buddhism. In fact, fa being done to Buddh tices engaged in by c the Sangha - like pi ism and caste op Buddhism to incite

TAM TIMES 15
nce of“Thonda-Bashing” Sinhala Mathematics'
by Amuruddha Tilakasiri
gitation over the ex in Kandalama nation of the dest several weeks. n banning of the dent Premadasa, ) reason to follow sts promptly acoft' on the Tigers. ppositionists were a possible Indian LTTE supremo "punish' Mr. Pretime. Then came ed – the multipnsive against the asa thereby outrprised his oppoat move took the osition's sails and ing much to say. lizing that yelling be a very success, the opposition vet another issue em to use Sinhala m in their camPremadasa. The gainst the hotel na is the result of
outset that this is the pros and cons the environmenposed hotel comhat we will leave we are attempting e houy the Opposindalama issue to dhist chauvinist Premadasa admiis latest bunch of Le should be parhat the future of Inka depends enhere's a hotel in fter all, the tour"orld to go to, but is have nowhere le might also be ng that prior to in built close to a 'dagaba'. But we hotels in all the i Lanka - from Polonnaruwa to gama — and that he destruction of more damage is ism by the prac2rtain sections of opagating castepression, using passions against
ethnic and religious minorities and to justify bloody wars - all of which are clear violations of the teachings of the Lord Buddha. w
Anura Bandaranaike is an enlight-o i ened modernist who represents the moderate, democratic wing of the SLFP, right? With him in charge democracy and the Open Economy: would be safe, right? Wrong.
"Our party is against the building of this hotel complex because it will do a great deal of damage to the tank culture and to the Buddha Sasana'. (Divaina, June 15). The government was receptive to the protest against the hotel complex in Iranawila but is ignoring the protests against the hotel at Kandalama. Is it because Buddhist monks are leading this protest? If the government listened to the voices of the Catholic clergy and put a stop to Iranawila why can't they be recep- , tive to the protest of Buddha monks and stop building a hotel at Kandalama?" (Divaina and Lankadeepa - June 15). That’s Anura “Billy Ban-, da” Bandaranaike talking folks — not some wild eyed monolingual Sinhala Buddhist fanatic.
Over to Mahinda Rajapakse, another “centrist'-
"Though the whites destroyed the tanks and our self sufficiency, they couldn't destroy our national ethos. Now Thondaman is trying to do what the whites couldn't do then. By building hotels near every tank they are trying to destroy Sinhala villages.' (Lankadeepa, June 15).
Teaching Thonda a lesson
Now that the two leading SLFP "liberals' have laid the necessary ground work, we have Tilak Karunaratne dotting the i's and crossing the t's: "Today the only powerful man in this country is Thondaman. Plantation Tamils now have about 54,000 acres of land. But it is difficult to find even an inch of land for a cemetery for the Sinhalese.
“There’s a scheme to distribute fallow lands around the plantations under a village development plan to about two lakhs of Tamils who will lose their jobs. Thondaman's power has to be destroyed. Otherwise in a few years the Sinhalese and the Muslims will lose the right to live in this land.
Continued on page 16

Page 16
16 TAM TIMES
Thondaman is working to create a Tamil kingdom in the upcountry for the first time in Lankan history.
The Kandalama hotel can be described as another result of Mr. Thondaman's methodical invasion to take away the rights of the Sinhala people and because he regards the Sinhalese as wimps. Though he may be protected by people in very high places, we must teach Mr. Thondaman a lesson not to do things such as this.
Mr. Thondaman is trying to deceive the Sinhalese by telling lies about the benefits to the country from building hotels. His objective is to bring the acme of Buddhist culture, Dambulla, under a Tamil invasion. Hela Urumaya will give complete support to the people of Dambulla to defeat this scheme by the rulers to destroy Sinhala heritage and to take away the rights of the absolute majority of the Sinhala people.' (Divaina - June 15).
Slouching towards Bethlehem
Stirring stuff indeed. If the building of the hotel complex in Kandalama will damage the environment and livelihood of the people of the area then verifiable facts and figures should be presented to prove this point. That is how a rational, progressive and truly modern party would handle an issue like this. Instead the SLFP is resorting to Sinhala racism and Buddhist fundamentalism. Everything is being done to whip up antiTamil, anti-Catholic and antiupcountry Tamil/Thondaman hysteria. If these fanatics ever assume governmental power it would be pretty close to real fascism. Only a JVP regime could be worse.
We know the role played by the various anti-Tamil policies of the SLFP and its allies in the creation and the exacerbation of the ethnic problem - the Sinhala Only Act in 1956 gave rise to the Tamil national movement
and the various policies implemented
by the '70 - 77 government (the "72 Constitution, mediawise standardization etc.) gave rise to the armed Eelam struggle. Considering the gut-hatred the SLFP led oppositionists seem to be having against all ethnic and religious minorities, if they ever assume office, not only will the Eelam struggle get a new lease of life it would also encompass the hill country. Furthermore there may be religious clashes with Buddhists pitted against both Christians and Muslims, eventually leading to full blown religious wars - replete with external involvements and ramifications. The country will be torn apart and destroyed completely.
Many appear to react in the politics of TE basis of their attitu LTTE. The response Tamil nationalist pa ments and their supp or fall in the fortunes the AIADMK have ci vicarious experiences Tamil violence of 198, whose cordiality towa daranayake was un TULF and most othe ists, was suddenly status of not only Tamils in Sri Lank champion of the Tam ist cause by the TULl militant movements, lure to express expli any separatist strug exception of what le Bangladesh.
Indira’s record ofb of democratic righ emergency years pre toral defeat in 1977 ignored by her Sri devotees, to whom towards the separatis Assam, the liberatior mir and the rebels ( movement was irre needs. Her moves to government failing to down by New Delhi v of concern for most o Tamilleadershipas lo enjoyed the patronag The possibility that sł her own folly in Punja son and successor wa Lanka was never a any of the leading Ta They never even cons bility that the Indi under Indira could ! the Eelam struggle to al interests.
Indian inte
The apparent chan the Indian governm Tamil liberation stru day, interpreted by s the personalities of Gandhi. The only c tions to this rule al liberation movement some of the smallerg NLFT who did not, depend on Indian gov age. Indian intention
Continued on page 20

15 JULY 1992
The Politics Jnholy Alliances
- S. Sivasegaram
to recent events milnadu on the Lde towards the s of Sri Lankan rties and moveOrters to any rise of the DMK and eased to be mere after the anti3. Indira Gandhi, ards Sirima Banpalatable to the r Tamil nationalelevated to the the guardian of a but also the il Eelam separatand the leading despite her faicitly support for gle with the sole d to the birth of
rutal suppression hts during the ceding her elecwas conveniently Lankan Tamil her ruthlessness its of Punjab and forces of Kashof the Naxalbari levent to their dismiss any state ) toe the line laid was not a matter f the Sri Lankan ing as the leaders ge of New Delhi. he was a victim of b as much as her s one of his in Sri cknowledged by amil nationalists. sidered the possian ruling class be manipulating serve its region
ntions
ge in attitude of ent towards the ggle is, even tosome in terms of (ndira and Rajiv onsistent excepmong the Tamil s happen to be roups such as the in any event, ernment patrons became clearer
when unpublished details of the IndoSri Lankan Accord of 1987 came to light. But this did not trouble many of the liberation movements and the TULF who had become totally dependent on Indian patronage for their very existence. The behaviour of the Indian armed forces in the north and the east of Sri Lanka shocked many Tamil people who saw India as a friend of the Tamil cause. But the events in the north since 1989 have somehow made that a faded memory in some minds.
If one recollects the Indian government’s historical concern for the Tamil people of Sri Lanka, especially the Hill-Country Tamils in the years preceding 1977 when deals were struck about the plight of a people with no concern for their well-being, one would realize that there were other motives than concern for the safety of Tamils in the Indian attitude to the Sri Lankan Tamil question after 1983. The change in the Sri Lankan foreign policy in 1977 and the need for support from the AIADMK in Tamilnadu to a Congress government at the centre which was gradually losing its foothold in the northern states were infinitely more prominent in decision making in New Delhi than the fate of Tamils facing the wrath of the forces of Sinhala chauvinism.
The genuine concern of the people of Tamilnadu towards the plight of the Tamils of Sri Lanka stood in sharp contrast with the opportunism of the political parties of Tamilnadu. The position taken by nearly all major political parties of Tamilnadu vis-a-vis the demand for an independent Tamil Eelam was conditioned by the mood of the public. Even opponents of the just demands of the Tamils of Sri Lanka, including part of the right wing establishment in Tamilnadu, were at times, forced to take sympathetic positions in relation to the Tamil people's struggle against the forces of oppression. The attitude of The Hindu, for example, was indicative of the mood of the right-wing establishment backing the Congress government. There were still others, like the journalist Cho Ramasamy, who consistently resented the Tamil liberation struggle except when it served Indian interests in Sri Lanka.
DMK, AIADMK Opportunism The opportunism of the DMK and
the AIADMK was, from the very

Page 17
15 JULY 1992
outset, obvious to any independent observer, and I seriously doubt that the movements which sought alliances with them were unaware of the motives of the two major parties of Tamilnadu. The attempts to use the political parties of Tamilnadu resulted in the entrapment of the liberation movements in the tangled web of corruption and deceit that is characteristic of the politics of that state.
Whoever was in power in the state of Tamilnadu also enjoyed the, perhaps dubious, benefit of being the patron of the LTTE in that state. The dominance of the LTTE in the liberation struggle also meant that, except for a handful of people opposed to the Tamil liberation struggle, none of the political parties with electoral ambitions dared antagonise the LTTE, at least until 1987. The opening of hostilities between the LTTE and the IPKF inevitably forced the Congress(I) in Tamillnadu and most of the proestablishment media to oppose the LTTE. But considerable public sympathy remained with the LTTE, and increased after reports of IPKF misbehaviour reached Tamilnadu, and there was admiration for the LTTE even in some quarters which were usually associated with Indian regional interests. The fall of the AIADMK government in Tamilnadu and the Congress government at the centre led to new alliances. The DMK was the new patron of the LTTE and the AIADMK was still holding on to its claims of loyalty to the LTTE. The killings of the EPRLF leaders in Madras and the TULF leaders in Colombo were not taken seriously by either of the 'Dravidian' parties, at least until the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.
Overnight, nobody wanted to know the LTTE, except some of the staunchlly Tamil nationalistic organisations and individuals. The D.K. factions and the P.M.K., a party based on the interests of backward castes, are the most important of organisations which have continued to defend the LTTE even after the LTTE leader was formally accused of planning the murder of Rajiv Gandhi and the LTTE banned. The DMK failed to take a firm stand on that issue.
Jayaram Jayalalitha, an Ayyangaar Brahmin, who leads a party which is a successor to a strongly Tamil nationalist and anti-Brahminist movement was also the candidate of the most reactionary sections of Tamilnadu including the Sankaraachaarya Kaanchipuram. She was surrounded by advisors who were indifferent if not hostile to the Tamil liberation struggle. She lost no time in taking advantage of the anti-Sri Lankan Tamil
sentiments whic for some time misconduct of sor and the insens. Lankan Tamils t dle class life in T in the urban area in the wake of Rajiv Gandhi to Tamils of benefit AIADMK rule of and continued u also successfully the central govel Tamil refugees a had her way in st LTTE.
The ban on th demand to extrad V. Pirabakaran fo to murder have hearts of many LTTE. The pers LTTE supporters government in Ta much approved of seem to endorse Tamilnadu state t opponents.
The admirers o press took some ti ised that the lady absolute loyalty. conditional surre) Although there w, of these within we power, journals lik them as indication and congratulated mination to wipe Tamilnadu. The m blind eye to her DMK and other awoke only after tl duitselfbecame th Discoveries are on by them about he her aide Sasikala h Her conduct, as Today of 31.5.92, anything, a little n al and paranoid t dent of Sri Lanka being in the uns ment motion of 19
It looks as if som Tamil admirers take even longert lady stands for. T major Tamil libe and the TULF tow parties was base they could get out someone. There wa view of matters ar in what their al people of Tamilna alliances were the and rather fragile relationship was cl
w

TAM TIMES 17.
had been brewing is a result of the e Sri Lankan Tamils ivity of many Sri the realities of midamilnadu, especially , and reached a peak he assassination of deprive Sri Lankan granted under the M.G. Ramachandran der the DMK. She applied pressure on nment to repatriate nd appears to have curing a ban on the
LTTE and India's te the LTTE leader r trial for conspiracy brought joy to the
opponents of the ecution of alleged by the Jayalalitha milnadu is also very by these forces, who every action of the o harass its political
f Jayalalitha in the me before they realwanted more than
She demanded un
nder and servility. ere clear symptoms eks of her ascent to ke India Today saw s of firm leadership her for her deterout the LTTE in edia which turned a persecution of the political opponents Le press in Tamilnae target of her fury. ly now being made w Jayalalitha and ad amassed wealth. lescribed in India appears to be, if ore megalomaniacan that the Presiad been accused of uccessful impeach'1.
e of the Sri Lankan f Jayalalitha will discover what the he attitude of the ration movements rds Indian political entirely on what of an alliance with never a long-term even less interest es meant to the u and India. The efore opportunistic except where the arly established as
a master-slave relationship or some form of sell-out.
One cannot deny the importance of events in India to the struggles for democracy, human rights and self. determination in Sri Lanka. Those who struggle for justice cannot form unholy alliances with those who perpetrate crimes against others and be oblivious to every form of injustice they claim to oppose. The position one takes on the banning of the LTTE in India and on the demand to ban the LTTE in Sri Lanka cannot be justified on the basis of charges of undemocratic behaviour and violations of human rights by the LTTE, however well founded. If these are criteria to go by, the UNP and the AIADMK should have been banned by now. The ban on the LTTE is an expression of political weakness of the Indian government, and the stand one takes on the ban is a measure of one's commitment to democratic principles. One who endorses a ban on the LTTE forfeits the normal right to criticise the LTTE for its intolerance of opposition in the north.
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18 TAMIL TIMES
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Page 19
15 JUY 1992
dr The Financial Scandal - "A Systems failure' The manner in which Haishod Mehta, ran, to say, a coach and six into India's banking system, diverted millions of State Bank of India funds into his private portfolio without security and amassed the biggest individual fortune in the country's stock market history, has triggered off a searching scrutiny of India's banking and stock market regulations by the Government. In the eyes of some, Mehta is guilty of a fraud of epic proportions, and should be subject to severe punishment; others consider Mehta as one who epitomises the spirit of adventure, a highly intelligent man who played the stock market game under the rules and at worst exploited the weaknesses of banking regulations to his economic advantage. It is an interesting example of moral ambivalence given an apt description as "a systems failure' in the words of Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister. The biggest financial scandal in India led to the Communist Party of India calling the Reserve Bank of India the 'villains of the piece' as it was fully aware that bankers' receipts were being abused, a lapse which lay at the heart of these gigantic transactions running into millions of rupees. But S. Venkataraman, Reserve Bank of India's Governor, cryptically observed "frauds are possible in any system, in any country however modern and sophisticated and however computerised - it really reflect an erosion of values'. One is reminded of the recent fraudulent diversion of pension funds in the UK's tightly monitored financial system by the Maxwell family and the equally vast frauds like those of the Saloman Brothers in USA. One recalls the achievement of Emil Savundranayagam of Sri Lanka in running through the UK's insurance system not long ago! Whatever the explanation and whatever the rationalisation, the fact of the matter is that what has been recently discovered is the "tip of the iceberg'. In the meantime Mehta himself bravely denies with remarkable self assurance any act of misdemeanour on his part "neither I nor any of my companies have done anything in violation of any law. I have acted strictly according to law and prevailing practice'. He even goes one step further and states that the action of the Central Bureau of Investigation in freezing his assets would devalue the level of his assets portfolio, undermine the ability of the banks to sustain the value of his portfolio and retrieve a. seemingly lost situation; and cause
serious injury to ther
Where in all this co of charge and counter truth lie! What is clea the nationwide inves commercial adventur any country, ahead "Eternal vigilance is t cracy’ said Harold I lance is also the pri financial health headed by Deputy ( Reserve Bank of In indicted many of the India as having acted brokers either wit fraudulent motives
gence. '
Atal Bibar Vajpaye clared that the secul much more significant weapons scandal. Th STANDARD CHART mated its loss as ove times its total profit in and South Asia for 19 has adverse effects o foreign investment i financial markets whi ning to take an inte investments are havi
IYOYAV.
*r Liberalism Und
The raging controvers premier Muslim natio the “JAMIA MILLIA) on the heels of the ev controversy over the 1 ("rama-janabhoomi') current attitude in In form of liberalism in r What is now being c Muslim fundamentali
New Delhi is that the
Pro-Vice-Chancellor of institution be remov merely because he exp that banning Salman troversial book the ' was no solution! Mu who agree with Voltail with what you say but death for your right to branded as irreligious are raving that the Vi sacked! The fact that
fessor does not agre Rushdie is forgotten i gious fervour. Like i janabhoomi” issue ov temple, so is this agita of the growing tenden cians to exploit reli manipulate democracy and in their pursuit
the religious sensibilit
 
 
 

TAMIL TIMES 19
ational interest' nfusing verbiage charge, does the r at this stage of tigations is that es are always in
of the system! he price of demoaski; such vigice of a nation's he committee overnor of the dia has clearly leading banks of in collusion with h deliberately or sheer negli
e has openly deities scandal is than the Bofors e British bank ERED has estir 200 million, 5 all of West Asia 91. The scandal n the inflow of into India. US ich were beginrest in Indian ng reservations
er Challenge
y in New Delhi's halist institution H' coming close en more violent Ayodhya temple highlights the dia towards any eligious fields.
unvassed among st elements in highly respected this prestigious ed from office ressed the view Rushdie's conSatanic Verses' slim academics e "I do not agree I will fight unto say it' are being and the fanatics 'e Chancellor be he worthy Prowith Salman n this mad reliin the “Rama - r the Ayodhya ion an example y among politiious issues to in their favour f power, using es of the mas
ses. Muslim politicians see in this -, agitation an opportunity to fan religious flames and win votes as did Hindu fundamentalists when they exploited the Ayodhya temple issue - “babri Masjid versus Rama Bhoomi” — o as a rich harvest for Hindu vote. Communalists be they Muslim or Hindu became Members of Parliament over the dead bodies of many innocent citizens of India be they Hindu or Muslim. This represents one of the sad dilemmas of democracy in backward countries — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka - militant fundamentalism not only is harmful to the unity and integrity of the country but to the very foundations of democracy itself, militant majority communalism in any form in any country only undermines democracy and tears society to sheds. It also ignores one fundamental issue - the minorities in any country can only flourish in a secular liberal democracy.
What is most disturbing is the report from Kerala a state with the highest literacy rate in India with a history of total communal harmony - of the alarming and ominous rise of Muslim fundamentalism. The Islamic Seva Sangh (ISS) is a response to the Rastriya Swayamsewa Sangh (RSS). Two months ago rioting broke out in 8 districts following a rumour that the Babu-Masjid Mosque in Ayodhya had been destroyed Earlier, scores of cinema houses and liquor shops were burnt by Muslims of the ISS group who swear by the "Shariat' - Delhi has definite information that most of the fundamental organisations receive substantial funds from Iran and Saudi Arabia.
The two important conclusions to be drawn by these developments are (1) The external funding of fundamentalism could lend an enormous support for even a minority group to blow up communal/religious tensions to disproportionately large dimensions (2) Even in a state like Kerala where (a) the composition of society is such there is a closely societal relationship and where single-community dominance is virtually nil (b) the literacy rate is the highest in the whole of India, religiocommunal tensions could be fomented to be a major divisive force - be it by the Rastriya Swayamseva Sangh or the Islamic Seva Sangh. Didn't a well known academic say 'Hindu Fundamentalism is a contradiction in . terms'
yr The Hand of the KGB
Some interesting revelations have come to light recently in the Soviet press over the manner in which the KGB played a role in the internal
Continued on page 20

Page 20
20 TAMIL TIMES
Continued from page 19 affairs of India and Sri Lanka. Hitherto the speculation was over the extent of CIA interference in the internal political issues in the third world. The Communist Party of the former Soviet Union (CPSU) had 'secret funds' for 'special operations' in India for antiAmerican demonstrations. In 1989 the then KGB chief Yuri Andropov sought approval from the Soviet leadership to organise mass rallies in New Delhi against burning of a mosque in Jerusalem. Another exposure in the Soviet press relates to Gorbachev being informed of CPSU funding Srimavo Bandaranaike's SLFP in the general elections of 1989 in Sri Lanka. In the same issue of Moscow News' (of 10th June 1992) there was published a letter from the CPSU chief where he refers to 'a number of KGB confidants being paid their way to Parliament who belonged to both the SLFP and UNP. The KGB chief even quotes Mrs. Bandaranaike thanking Moscow for the 'support' and assured that her party would use increased strength in Parliament to block pro-western foreign policy and the anti-democratic domestic course of the ruling UNP'.
There is a growing speculation that
these unprecedented cent KGB document Press is part of a pl Yeltsin to discredit rival Michael Gorbac sult of these disclosu that it seriously und Secret Service oper countries.
Yr Buddha Centre of Col
Buddha Gaya, the
Buddhist shrine, has tre of a major contr Hindus and Buddhists The Mahabodhi ter attacked by 1000 Bud up the Hindu priests di broke up sacred jars a Telegraph. This ugly s place in the presence mats - the attack, it
took place on May 16, of Lord Buddha - Ve very site where Budd lightenment 2500 yeal dus say the five idol room are dedicated Pandavas' in the Ma. Buddhists claim that
Continued from page 16
Guess what? The world has a brand new saviour. And guess who? Read the editorial of the daily (English language) Island (June 16) and Ye shall see - it's none other than Jathika Chinthana Guru Nalin de Silva. the same guy who in a middle page interview with the Irida Divaina (May 21) stated Subjects such as Mathematics and logic can be divided into Western Mathematics and Sinhala Mathematics and Western Logic and Sinhala Logic. I tell my students this while I teach Western Mathematics. Significantly, this was not repeated in the otherwise identical interview he gave to the Daily Island a few days later We also wonder whether it's to study the intricacies of Sinhala Mathematics and Sinhala Logic - whatever they may be - that Nalin spent his sabbatical in the University of Sussex, England, not so long ago. We remember how the followers of Nalin 'Sinhala Maths' de Silva attempted to institute a reign of terror in the University of Colombo - attacking students and lecturers holding views contrary to Jathika Chinthanaya, banning Coca Cola and Fanta, imposing a fundamentalist dress code (no denims) etc. According to the Island editorialist, this guy is in the class of Plato, William Blake and Anagarika Dharmapala (a bit of a mixed bag, what?) He is a navigatorin the avantgarde of
thought who is warnin into which the earth is leaders. "Peoples of th is Coming. Are You R
Fatal atra
The lionising of the Silva in the “indepe Lake House) English l a clear indication th ready to come out of fanatics do not care v the world may thinko not be deterred by the world washing its hanc
Continued from page source, to ensure cor offer comparative opin port the news free ol these, ladies and gentle do in my report on th Navaratnarajah. Andr newspapers these days much has changed.
In a broad sense, story tellers. Howeve tions that shape this are different from th writer. For example, news story, the repor answer the following c first two paragraphs: what, where, when, course the order of the may vary according to the body of the text w this story made it in th

15 JULY 1992
lisclosures of res in the Soviet an by President is former archev. The net reres, however, is rmines Russian tions in other
gaya, trowersy
world’s holiest pecome the cenoversy between over its control. nple has been hists, who beat srobed idols and ccording to The cene had taken of foreign diplois sad to record on the birthday sak day at the ha attained ensago! The Hins in the shrine bo the "Pancha habharata. The
the five idols
depict the Buddha in five different
moods
In the land of its birth, Buddhists count for only 0.7% of India's 850 million population; the majority of these Buddhists live in Maharashtra where “underclass' Hindus in their thousands the 'so called untouchables' were converted to Buddhism, a movement led by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar himself an "Untouchable' one of India's greatest constitutional authorities. He co-authored India's Constitution.
y Tamil Faculty in US University
There is a move afoot in California to establish a chair for Tamil in the prestigious University of California at Berkeley. Professor George Hart who took his doctorate in Tamil from Madurai Kamaraj University stated at a meeting of Tamil Sangams of North America that the chair "would provide the Tamil language, one of the oldest languages in the world more visibility and prestige not only in the USA but throughout the world”. Professor Hart who teaches Tamil at the University of Pennsylvania is marries to Kaushalya a Tamil scholar fron Madurai.
gus of the perils ; being led by its e World - Nalin eady? ction
likes of Nalin de ndent' (i.e. non anguage press is at the beast is the cave. These what the rest of r say. They will possibility of the ls of Shri Lanka
and this country becoming an international pariah as a result. In fact they are likely to regard this as an unmixed blessing, because these people are xenophobes who confuse independence with autarky. Therefore the international community will not be able to influence these fanatics. If they succeed, our people will be at the mercy of these insane elements who will go all out to remake Shri Lanka in their own grotesquely misshapen image. The carnage and mayhem that will result will destroy the country and its people.
14
fidentiality, to lion, and to rebias. Most of emen, I failed to e death of Mr. eading through , I find that not
journalists are r, the convennarrative form at of a fiction when writing a ter attempts to (uestions in the who did or said and how? Of four Ws and H the news. And ill answer why le media.
To a large extent, the prevailing conventions that influence and guide journalists are shaped by the editor and the publisher of a newspaper. While each publication takes on a philosophy and character by the content of coverage, one can place a publication as having a broad, national focus or a limited, selective perspective. In Sri Lanka, the daily newspapers and Sunday editions that attempt to be national are published by the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited, Upali Newspapers, Wijeya Publications, and Express Newspapers. In addition, there is a flourishing minipress, which supplies special interest magazines, religious publications, partisan papers, and occasional pamphlets that are available in Sinhala, Tamil, and English.
(To be continued).

Page 21
15 JULY 1992
'Black Cats' On the Р
The Lawyers for Human Rights and Development has complained to the Police Chief that armed men dressed in black had visited the group's offices this week looking for its Secretary General Kalyananda Tiranagama and another lawyer.
The lawyers group is involved in campaigning for human rights in the country and during the last few months has filed a large number of fundamental rights and habeas corpus applications in cases of disappearances and detention at the request of the
people.
Mr. Tiranagama, in a complaint to
the IGP says:
"About 10.30pm on June 30, he had returned to their office at Cotta Road, Borella from Badulla High Court with Mohan Seneviratne, another lawyer working at the office. Their peon then told them of an incident that had taken place the previous night.
"About 12.30am having heard the ringing of the office bell, our peon had come near the front door of the office and peeped through the grill. On that occasion our peon has seen two men wearing black trousers, black T-shirts and also wearing sun glasses to partly cover their faces, standing at the door step with guns in their hands. There had been two others similarly clad on the stairs, a few feet below them.
The two persons who were at the door step had put their two guns from the two sides in such a way that he could not move away and asked him whether he knew D.M. Seneviratne or Tiranagama. He had replied that he did not know. Then they have pointed at the name board of the organization which appears on our wall and asked
Is this the office of that organization?'
and he had replied 'Yes'. They had flashed their torch at the door of the office and waited there for about five minutes. Then they have said they were going and gone off,' Mr. Tiranagama has told the I.G.P.
After hearing this story and having our dinner we went to sleep about 11.30pm. Around midnight we heard the ringing of our office bell, but we did not open the door and remained silent.
Then about one hour later we heard the ringing of the bell again. On that occasion our office peon had partly opened the door and crawled up to the parapet wall and peeped through an opening and seen that there was a Pajero jeep parked on Cotta Road, at the turn off to our office. Our lawyer and peon immediately brought it to my attention and I asked them to remain
silent and go to si ma has said.
The lawyers gn told the IGP that they have had ver with Defence Mir other authorities a nothing against an the security forces 'We do not know act of some Police harboured some ill. have nobody to sus mention one incide
on April 25.
"On that day,
Abdu Of “Se
V. Senthan (43 away from his hor by the Tamil Tig 14th of April 1992 nical engineer, an Tamil and English an lived simply wit children. Senthan raveddy and schoc lege, Point Pedro. Veeragathy is v doyen of Tamil sc in the field. As a gained wide expe. in Iran, France a ing with his ideal and invested his n workshop.
Though sympa ideals and deeply people, Senthan p. life rather than grouping. He own showed his brillial working under sev tions. His contribu lian life going in considerable. Am handled by him a ment for the sugan ing plants of Palm and Palmyra B ongoing projects W the Red Cross. Th to be used to fetc. ships anchored off force was so loyal times of divisive sions he held tog verse sympathies, less money than h

TAMIL TIMES 21
rOW
eep,' Mr. Tiranaga
oup secretary has generally all along y good relationship istry Officials and nd personally have y of the members of
whether this is an Officers who have will towards us. We pect. But we wish to nt which took place
oür legal officer,
Mohan Seneviratne visited the CDB to obtain the signature of a detainee held at the 6th floor for filing a fundamental rights application on his behalf. On that occasion the CDB officials have expressed doubts of the authenticity of the letter and refused to allow the lawyer to obtain the signature of the detainee. We brought this matter to the attention of General Cyril Ranatunge, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence and we learnt that he has ordered an inquiry on this matter. We do not know whether some people who had something to do with that incident are behind this matter.
"We request you to investigate into this matter and provide us with necessary security', the lawyer states in his letter.
CtiOn nthan
years), was taken me in Kachilaimadu ers (LTTE) on the . A brilliant mechail a poet in both the h languages, Senthh his wife and three
was born in Karoled at Hartley Col
His father, Pandit videly regarded a holars by academics n engineer Senthan rience, having been hd Canada. In keeps, he returned home
honey in equipping a
thetic to socialist oncerned about the ractised these in his
identify with any ed a workshop and hce as an innovator, ere technical limitation to keeping civi
wartime Jaffna is ongst the projects re fashioning equipand alcohol producProducts Industries oard. One of his as to build boats for ese when ready, are h food supplies from Pt. Pedro. His worka him, that through and murderous pasether men with diand often took home is workers. Senthan
was one among the handful of professional engineers now active in Jaffna,
At a time when intellectuals emigrated in large numbers (including nearly all Senthan's contemporaries from the University of Ceylon), Senthan remained because of his concern for the ordinary people and his loyalty to his workers.
One aspect of Senthan's abduction is the general crackdown on independently minded persons known to hold views running counter to the LTTE's aspirations of totalitarian legitimacy. The LTTE's detainees include university students, members of literary groups critical of the totalitarian, militarist direction of the Tamil struggle (e.g. Theepori & Peravai), and former Left Wing activists. From about March this year, the LTTE launched a series of arrests in the farming area of Paranthan. At least six persons are known to have been arrested and it is expected that several more would be taken in. Most of them had contacts with Left groups several years ago. Despite having through repression reduced all dissent in Jaffna to the passive, private and cognitive, the LTTE's actions betray the nervousness of those who distrust their own rhetorical claims.
The other aspect, according to indications, is that a sister of Senthan is the wife of Dr. K. Sritharan of the University of Jaffna, a leading activist in the University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) and a co-author of "The Broken Palmyra”. The book and reports of the UTHR (Jaffna) have documented human rights violations by the Sri Lankan and Indian states and also the Tamil militant groups. Events have made the LTTE feature prominently in violations by the last
Continued on page 25

Page 22
22 TAM TIMES
HARTLEY COLLEGE PAST
Inu
All Hartleyites, Well
to at
A DIN
To ho
MR AND MRS K. P
ΟΑΤΕ Sat
TIME : Rec Din
VENUE : Ho
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Bookings close on
Contact Persons: Mr
Special arrangements have been made with rate of £45.00 per twin-bed double room Overnight stay.
Group bookings consisting of 10 p.
 

15 JULY 1992
PUPILS ASSOCIATION (UK)
tes
Wishers and Friends
end
NER
WጌOUUr
OORANAMPILLA
urday, 15th August 1992
ception from 7.30pm to 8.30pm mer 8.30pm onwards
day Inn (Commonwealth Suite) tel Marriott) On Road
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the Hotel for accommodation at reduced for participants from long distance for
erSons can have their Own table.

Page 23
15 JULY 1992
BOOK REVIEW
Trouble in Paradise A review by Steve Coll"
ONLY MAN IS VILE. The Tragedy of Sri Lanka. By William McGouvan. Farrar Straus Girouac. 397 pp. 825.
One of Sri Lanka's lesser misfortunes is to be ignored. Despite having staged one of post-colonial history's most brutal and fascinating Third World horror shows - replete with death squads, ethnic fratricide, totalitarian insurgencies, and the usual cast of misguided, Westernized politicians - this teardrop-shaped island nation in the Indian Ocean, formerly the British colony of Ceylon, has managed to rip itself apart during the last several decades without attracting much attention.
Neighbouring India dropped in with 50,000 troops five years ago, hoping to sort out the island's mess, which it had a hand in creating. But its soldiers soon returned home, bloodied and sulking. As for the superpowers, present and former, they have generally left Sri Lanka to its own appalling devices. Japanese businessmen touch down on the island regularly, hawking cars and electronics, and members of the Western aid community stop by with satchels full of blueprints for hydroelectric dams and self-sufficient shrimp farms. But they have not stopped the bodies from piling up.
In the last decade, the total number of deaths from Sri Lanka's implosion seems especially tragic because the island is paradisaical. Its beaches are pristine and its palm forests brim with elephants and coconuts. Sri Lankans themselves often seem gentle and attractive, having achieved since independence - despite their recent habit of war - the highest literacy and lifespan rates of any comparably impoverished people in the world. And yet these same people have also produced a broad culture of violence and two guerrilla movements, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the People's Liberation Front, whose fanaical terror is reminiscent of Pol Pot's Dambodia.
William McGowan, an American teacher and journalist, arrived on the island in 1986, stayed about two years and has now written a book about his experiences, Only Man Is Vile. The
*Steve Coll is the South Asia correspondent for The Washington Post.
Tragedy of Sri Lan taken from Bishop hymn "From Greenl tains':
“What though the spi Blow soft o’er Ceylon Though every prospe And only man is vile” Swept up by Sri Lan repulsed by its brut travelled to the isla chronicle several of it rilla and army campa sense of the larger f the island's dissolutio
Fashioned as a poli his book contains s such as a vivid tale of battered eastern tow McGowan lunches in refectory' with Jesuit devoted themselves t region's ethnic Tami Sri Lankan and India Outside the refectory side, a priest from N 'Silent Night' on a before he talks politics "we are being bugged'
But while McGowan er, a careful reporter observer, he seems u what he thinks about unfortunate preface, assessment of the isl dicament of a servant guest house who swee into piles, only to ha away by the wind. Du stay there, I rarely felt but the most tenta grasp of the war an about,' McGowan writ
While this humility refreshing, McGowal argument or even a co
Rendering Gre
Ten years ago the revi made its first appeal since it has been rend vice not only to the
people living abroad bil peace-loving people liv try who otherwise don real facts about the ha North and East. While has failed to contribute ficant to find out a vi the Ethnic question ti together with the Lo been the voice of the land. We congratulate his collaborators for
ance in publishing thi
 

TAMIL TIMES 23
ka. (The title is Reginald Heber's
and’s Icy Moun
cybreezes 's isle; ct pleases,
ka's beauty and ality, McGowan nd's interiors to s bloodiest guerigns and to make orces at work in
tical travelogue, trong passages, Christmas in the tn of Batticaloa. a "bullet-scarred priests who have o defending the l minority from un death squads. , war rages. Inew Orleans puts cassette player in case, he says,
is a good listenand a sensitive nable to decide Sri Lanka. In an he compares his and to the preat his Colombo ps flower petals ve them blown ring most of my 't I had anything tive, uncertain d what it was
eS.
is occasionally h's lack of an nsistent point of
view about Sri Lanka makes it difficult for either the specialist or the newcomer to become engaged in his travels. McGowan examines closely the puzzle pieces of Sri Lanka’s divisiveness - the roles of ethnic nationalism, language, religion, economics, and historical identity. But each time, he leaves the pieces in a jumble. Sometimes McGowan embraces a wispy anthropological relativism to explain the island's conflicts, suggesting that because Sri Lanka's culture is different from his own, he has no right to analyze it. Other times he asserts himself, as when he argues with a nationalist professor from the island's Buddhist, ethnic Sinhalese majority who wishes Sri Lanka could become Burma without the mistakes'. McGowan recognizes the man's murderous chauvinism. But he seems afraid to take on the professor's argument directly or to deal with its chilling implications, for fear of being judged 'a Western supremacist.'
One fascinating prism through which to see Sri Lanka's fratricide is suggested by an assertion McGowan makes early in his book. "Sri Lanka', he writes, "failed to build a stable multi-ethnic, multicultural society because it embraced many of the very concepts and ideas that multiculturalists in the West have advocated.' But the author lets this provocative suggestion drop, as if it were a mere musing. In the end, McGowan returns to the United States engulfed in dread and foreboding about Sri Lanka's future. One wishes he would go back to the island, this time determined to untangle the contradictions and solve the mysteries that seem to have driven him away.
(Guardian Weekly, 5 July, 1992).
VERSARY MESSAGES
at Service
aw Tamil Times ance and ever ering great serTamil speaking ut also to all the ing in this count have access to ppenings in the our Media here anything signiable solution to e Tamil Times ndon BBC has oiceless in this the Editor and their persever; review for the
last ten years, always upholding the principle that "facts are sacred, comment is free”. May God bless you. Ad multos annos.
Thomas Savundaranayagam,
Bishop of Vannar, Bishop's House, Mannar, Sri Lanka.
Great Achievement
I am quite pleased indeed to send this message to mark the 10th anniversary of the Tamil Times. It is undoubtedly a great achievement to have published the Tamil Times as a monthly journal
Continued on page 24

Page 24
ང་ཚོ་བརྒྱ -
24 TAMILTIMES
ఖ్వాజాx -enkakeimerises
READERS
TULF's RESPONSE
I WAS distressed to read the vituperative and intemperate letter by Mr. Kumar Ponnambalam. He appears to be piqued that no reference was made to the Tamil Congress in an article devoted to the return of the TULF leaders, M. Sivasithamparam and R. Sampanthan. It saddens us that the Tamil Congress fails to emerge from the pettiness and the craving for publicity that has been the bane of its policies. I need to however correct several false and defamatory statements contained in this letter.
1. The Sansoni Commission Report did not hold that the TULF was a militant organisation. 2. The TULF was consistent in its commitment to non-violence and there was no link whatsoever between the party and TENA or any other militant organisation.
3. The TULF's manifesto in 1977 was explicit and unequivocal in its commitment to non-violence. All candidates strictly adhered to the party policy during the campaign. Mr. Ponnambalam made no complaints about this matter, in the aftermath of his electoral defeat. It is inexplicable as to why he should now do so after a lapse of 15 years.
We would like to respectfully request Mr. Ponnambalam to focus on
the larger issues community, rathe by the politics ofen media would then r his party, but also a actions.
Yours faithfully,
Central Committee TULF, Colombo.
EXTPAIDI LTTELE
IF ANY country bureaucrats, choose on an assassination tical whims and fan mally be of no conce) or other countries. F charges are being le or more fellow cou basis of such type every citizen must sl judices and view the tively.
One could conced impossible that on based Sri Lankans w received special milit India had been phys the performance of assassinate the late could also grant tha good reason to be ve late Prime Ministe Sinhalese too, when realized what the t the Indo Lanka Acco
Continued from page 23
over the last 10 years without interruption.
Tamil Times is of course very informative, and makes very useful reading. It has rightly continued to focus attention on the barbarous oppression, the senseless and endless destruction of lives, limbs and property of the Tamil-speaking people in Sri Lanka over the last 30 to 35 years, particularly since the UNP Government came into power in 1977. Also, it has always exposed the wretched repression, State terrorism and massacre of youths resorted to in Southern Sri Lanka by the present Government.
Thus, the commitment of the Tamil Times to an all-Island perspective and to stand up courageously against violation of human and democratic rights and being uncompromisingly opposed to the politics of terrorism is commendable indeed. At the same time Tamil Times could serve more and more as a platform to drive home
the perspective that beration of the Tami will be speeded up te their struggle islinke of the other sections the Government’s pol impoverishment and fight against the so-c that will inevitably unemployment and c labour represents which all sections f. respective demands unconditionally.
I wish to Tamil Ti cess in the coming pe
Vasudev Member of Parliam Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Formidably in
I missed the fact tha 10th Anniversary, latest issue. I have 1 tributions noting th
 

KarieKr -wire-->--Ivrea-a-nr s-M--myn- - - ----
hich confront the than be obsessed y and enmity. The t only take note of plaud his political
P. Sivapalan
ION OF ADER
politicians or o direct inquiries to suit their poliies it should norn of neighbouring owever if serious felled against one ntrymen on the of inquiry, then 1ed parochial preissue more objec
e that it is not or more India ho had previously ary training from ically involved in a CONTRACT to Rajiv Gandhi. One ut the LTTE had *ry hostile to the r, as did many
they eventually rue intentions of rd were.
- - - f5 JULY 1992
There is however a very considerable difference between that and a conclusion that any of the organisations that received Indian military training or even its leaders must necessarily have been involved in any CONSPIRACY to commit the murder. One must not forget that the late Prime Minister did also have many other enemies amongst international, regional, national and Tamil Nadu organisations that had some vested interest in other controversial issues which he took centre stage.
In the circumstances it is hoped that the Sri Lankan Government would not treat any likely extradition requests merely on the face value and would instead ensure that the Sri Lankan Attorney General is provided with adequate and irrefutable evidence to prove the alleged guilt of those whose extradition would be called for.
In this connection one should not overrule the possibility that the timing of the intended extradition request may not be merely coincidental. This should be viewed in the context of the fact that the prospects of a negotiated solution to stop the disastrous wars have been improving recently due to a number of external circumstances. Not the least important of these circumstances is the fact that direct Indian and other foreign involvement in the conflicts have been considerably reduced.
Bernard Wijedoru
Austin Avenue, Hong Kong.
the national li-speaking people
the extent that
d to the struggles of people against cies of calculated oppression. The illed peoplisation
ause large-scale -
inditions of slave concrete action ghting for their
should support
mes greater sucPriod. | Nanayakkara nt,
ernational
May was your ntil I saw the ad all the cons event - the
flourishes of personal emotion daubing some, as much as the sober, substantial assessments that marked others; almost all of them though, rather forgetting to note particularly that you have been, and continue to be, truly a monthly that is formidably International.
I have been a contributor to your columns - often unknown to me! - as much as a beneficiary from them. In both, we know that we have sought common cause and shared purposes. In the true spirit ofjournalistic venturing, what has marked you out is not that we agreed, or even disagreed, but that we spoke up for the ideas and concerns that made up our anguished years, down which you struggled, stood steadfast, and now, certainly, promise to prevail
Needless to say, you have my best wishes for your Futurel
Prof. C. Suriyakumaran
Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Page 25
15 JULY 1992
Rangapravesam
- Selvi Veshanthini Ravindran
On 16 May 1992, the Baratiya Vidya Bhavan Mountbatten Hall was full to capacity by 6.30pm with an invited audience of musiCians, dancers, dance teachers, students and art lovers with all the invitees received warmly and led to their seats. It was a unique evening in the saga of arangetrams held in London for many reasons. Selvi Veshanthini Ravindran's debut began with the invocation of divine blessing by Sri Naganatha Kurukkal of East Ham Murugan Temple.
The Chief Guest, Dr. Alessandra lyer, a research fellow of the University of London who is deeply immersed in the study of Indian sculptures and dance forms, was a most appropriate choice for this debut evening. The programme was ably compered by Dr. Indrakumar, the dancer's uncle, along with her sister, ten-year-old Vinothini who stole the hearts of those in the audience with her presentation of the items.
Vijayambigai Indrakumar, the guru, enstaged her nine-year-old niece, Veshanthini who on this occasion performed ten different items in Bharata Natyam and Kuchchipudi. The guru not only rendered the natuvangam
but also was the chc pieces for Veshant words of the Chief dancer was broug excellent choreogri chose the right piec the best order.
Among the highl the participation oft Madurai T. Sethur come from Madra Hailed as one of the Bharata Natyam cc well known dancers Henna Malini and C to name a few.
in Selvi Weshanth his most majestics music that inspired taneously interact te the Orchestra forme from Madras (mrida Gothandapani (vio nayagam (flute) bier lively back-up music The dancer herS appreciation of the lent display of kno ability, agility, abhir hailed as a prodigy her performance. Th Commented that the have such an able like many other chic home the point tha: opposed to the chro,
The Chief ifern Varnam, "Nee lnda portraying the story of lord Muruga lon incidents depicted nearly half an hour expressing by abhi ions the different e highly complex piec
The singers and to the task and the with tremendous ins items Sockanatha Jathi" were also per dour.
The young artiste when she did the toughest pieces in h the audience dancit plate, balancing on plates and on the h was a feat that wO. difficult for many an thini went through precision and expel
The delightful eve
Continued from page 21
category. Sritharan successfully evaded the LTTE's attempts to abduct him in September 1990 under the cover of the fresh outbreak of hostilities with the Sri Lankan forces. Most recent arrests, including Senthan's, have been done secretively, and even close circles are unaware of them.
The brutal and dehumanising conditions of the LTTE's prisoners who are
also denied ICR widely known. delicate and he ment for asthmat and arthritis.
The UTHR ( colleagues and matter as effecti
University Teach
Jafna, 20 June 1992.
 

TAMIL MES 25
reographer of most of the lini that evening. In the Guest, the best of the it out by the able and phy of the guru who ps and presented them in
ghts of the evening was le vocalist, Kalai Mamani man who had specially s for this performance. best singers in India for ncerts, he has sung for
like Kamala Lakshman, hitra Visweshwaran, just
ini's concert, he sang in yle providing the kind of the little dancer to sponhis singing. The rest of d by Sri R. Sureshkumar ngam), Thiruvarur Sri L. lin) and Sri K. Janaded beautifully to provide
lf won the plaudits and audience with her excelwledge of this art form, laya and laya. She was by many who witnessed ere were even some who guru must be fortunate to pupil. Young Veshanthini fartistes seemed to drive t the mind is ageless as nological age of the body. pf the evening was the Mayam in the Kaapi raga of a young devoted lover ging for him. The several in the piece that lasted was most exquisitely done naya and facial expressnotional contents of the
Θ.
he musicians were equal whole iten was executed piration. The Kuchchipudi Kavuthuvam" and 'Swara formed in rhythmic splen
showed her rare ability Tharangam, one of the Kuchchipudi. She amazed ng on the edge of a brass pither hands lighted brass bad a lighted brass pot. It uld have been extremely older dancer but Veshan
the number with great ise.
ning came to a close with
access have become Senthan's health is was undergoing treatl, high blood pressure
Jaffna) requests his friends to raise the vely as they can. ers for Human Rights, (Jafna)
an excellent commendation by the Chief Guest and also an appreciation by Mathoor Krishnamoorthi, the executive director of the Bhavan. Those of us who were invited for the evening felt very privileged to have been there for this lovely feast of music, dancing and the artistry that goes with these.
Dr. S. Navaratnam. m
Kalabhavanam Fine Arts Sabha
Carnatic music and Bharata Natyam performances may be common in the London scene, but a purposeful presentation by a discerning 3 group of rasikas under the name of KALABHAVANAM in the Croydon area on 28th June last at the South Norwood Centre was unique, as the chief guest, Mr. A.T.S. Rathasingham, Wimbledon Ganapathy Temple Chief Coordinator put it, 'the Tamil residents of Croydon should be admired for their awareness of high cultural values and perfection in their endeavours'.
it was their inaugural programme which consisted of a vocal recital by Smt. Manorama Krishna Prasad of Bangalore and Bharat Natyam by Malarvilli Karunanithy and Anusha Varathalingam, disciples of Smt. Padmini Gunaseelan. The brilliant recital by Manorama reflected her erudition, expert training and superb control of Sruti and layam. The choice of composers and the variety in ragas added a new dimension to the concert. The accompanists Tiruvarur Kothandapanion the violin Muthu Sivaraja on the mridangam, Angelo Kumaradasan on the Ghatam and Chidambaranathan on the Morsang gave equal Support.
Amusha and Malarvilli
The Bharata Natyam programme consisted of the usual Margam and the performers executed their parts with perfect movements and abhinayam. Padmini's nattuvangam exhibited her thorough grasp of jathis and expert handling of the cymbals. Ambika Thamotharam gave excellent vocal support.
Kalabhavanam promises, according to their brochure, to present not only such quality concerts but also illustrative fine arts progfammes like lecture demonstrations, Seminars, workshops and exhibitions in the future and establish a fine arts Centre for the purpose.
UPASAKA

Page 26
26 TAM TIMES
CLASSIFIED ADS
First 20 words £10. Each additional word so Charge for Box No. 3. (Wat 17/2% extra)
Prepayment essential The Advertisement Manager, Tami Times Ltd, PO Box 1.21,
Sutton, Surrey SM 3TD Phone: 08-644 0972
MATRIMONIAL Jaffna Hindu seeks partner for his pretty sister, 41, residing in London. Send horoscope, details. M 601 c/o Tamil Times. Jaffna Hindu mother seeks groom for pretty daughter, 27, resident Nonway. Send horoscope details. M602 c/o Tamil Times.
Jaffna Hindu seeks bride for her son, 39, UK permanently settled, well employed, can settle down USA. Send details, horoscope, preferably photo. M 603 c/o Tamil Times.
Christian Tamil parents seek groom of similar status for daughter, 36, 5'4", professional accountant working in London, Send details, photo please. M 604 c/o Tamil Times. Jaffna Hindu parents seek groom over 34 for daughter, attractive, British citizen, well educated, government professional employee. Contact with details. M 605 c/o Tamil Tinnes.
WEDDING BELLS We congratulate the following couple on their recent wedding. Balendran son of the late Balasingham and Mrs. P. Balasingham of 18/6B Hampden Lane, Colombo 6 and Anushia daughter of Mr. & Mrs. C. Balendra, 'Easwari Vasa', Uyarapulam, Anaicoddai, Jaffna on 28.6.92 at Sri Balaji Temple, 1600 Las Virgenes Canyon Road. Calabasas, California, USA.
BRTHDAY WISHES
Jannani Mahendran. Jannani, daughter of Mahendran and Sivanee celebrates her first birthday on 14th August 1992. All her relatives wish her a happy birthday - 29 Shalimar Gardens, Acton, London W3
OBTUAR Mr. Chinnathamby Jay Director of Works, Ministr) Lanka, beloved husband O. father of Brema wathy Jayaseelan and Renukava of Dr. Mahendran, Elizabe grandfather of Geethanjal Ram, Nagulini, Anandan, expired on 17th April 19, place at 18 Chetty Street, Shrewsbury Avenue, Kento 9l X, UK Tel: O81-2O4 O87C
Mr. Sivaguru Mahadevan Engineer, Hampshire Coun youngest son of the late Sivaguru and Mrs. Selvapa, Urumpirai, Sri Lanka; belc Jayanthi; loving father of Kal Haran; brother of Mrs. Jeye Pathnanaban (both of Sri Lé ladevi Sriskantha (U.K.) an (Hong Kong) passed away : work on 5th June 1992 and Southampton on 11th Jun himself to his friends and r left behind with justifiable pr plex highway projects as m expertise and competence. cerely thank all friends an helped in the funeral arrar, several other ways during bereavement. They regret thank them individually. - 3 dens, Bittern Park, Southan
Tel: O7O3554681.
WAVUNYA
August 1985
Independent British Researcher Seeks Witnesses, Survivors, Relatives. All information received in Strict Confidence.
Reply in First instance to: Box E55 C/o Tamil Times
Mrs. Ponnamma Kanda wife of the late Mr. Karda Pensioner, Maviddapuram,
mother of Thirupathy, Than Mahajana College, Tellipala, Sivapakiam and late Sivasu in-law of Nadarajah (Retired of irrigation), Balasubrama Regal Theatre, Colombo),
(U.K.), Nagaratnam (Superi loya) and Tharmarani; loving Mrs. Kunuthini Gnanakuma thini Na vendhra, Shanthir
 
 
 
 
 

15 JULY 1992
ES asingh, Retired of irrigation, Sri late Saraswathy; , Nithiyawathy, thy father-in-law fh and Baskaran; 7, Sri Ram, Siva Sanoj and Dhylan 92. Funeral took Nallur, Jaffna. - 3 n, Middlesex HA3
(45), Resident ty Council, U.K., Mr. Sinnacluddy kiam Sivaguru of ved husband of aiwani, Gajan and swary Narendra, nka), Mrs. Viimad Dr. Ganeshan suddenly while at was Crennated at e. He endeared elatives and has ide several cononlinents of his
His family sin'd relatives who gements and in I the period of
their inability to :
1 Tamarisk Garpton, SO2 4RA.
"anam, beloved vanam, Malayan Sri Lanka, loving pathy (Teacher, !, Pathma (U.K.), daram, motherTechnical Officer niam (Manager, Dr. Thangarajah tendent, Pundugrandmother of an, Mrs. Sugan(all of U.K.),
Amuthini, Jeyanthini; Thasintha (U.K.), Shantha, Jamuna; Anula, Nalina, Thayalini; Sivandevi, Sivakumar (Switzerland), Sivaselvan, Sivaselvi and Sivathasan passed away in Sri Lanka. On 23.6.92 and was Cremated on 25th June. Sadly missed and mourned by all her loved ones, friends and relatives. May her Soul rest in peace - 57B Days Lane, Biddenham, Beds., U.K. Tel: (0234) 346090.
Pandit P.S. Gnanapragasam (80), Retired Principal of Schools, Mirusuvil, Sri Lanka; beloved husband of Jeyaranee, father of Jeyapragasam (U.K), Selvarani (Canada), Tha vapragasam (lllavalai, Sri Lanka), Mathurarani (Australia), Thiyagarani (U.K.), Yogarani (Mirusuvil), Sister Pavalarani (Batticaloa), Kulapragasam (Canada), Punitharani (York), Justina (Australia), Vimalarani, Madona (both of U.K.); father-in-law of Kili (U.K.), Anandaraja (Canada), Mathuranayaki (lavalai), Xavier (Australia), Thevaratnam (U.K.), Alexander (Mirusuvil), Rita (Canada), Pararajasingham (York), Ronald (Australia), Mariyathas (Mirusuvil), and Gerard (Paris); grandfather and great grandfather of several children passed away in U.K. On 23.5.92 and the 31st day was observed on 22nd June at 126 Altmore Avenue, East Ham, London E6204 Browning Road, London E12. Tel: 08147281.32.
Mrs. Sivapackiam (Thangammah) Thambirajah, beloved wife of the late Annamalai Thambirajah of Kokuvil; mother of NadarajahNaysun (USA), former Lieutenant Commander, Sri Lankan Navy, Mangayatkarasi, teacher, Leelawathi (both of Sri Lanka), Kirupananthan, Yogarajah and Sarojini Thevy (all of U.K.); mother-in-law of Rajeswari, Manickavasagar, Ganeshamoorthy, Uma, Chandravathani and Perinpanathan passed away peacefully in Colombo on 16th July 1992 and was cremated on 19th July. Sadly missed by her loved ones and friends. - 214 Demesne Road, Wallington, Surrey SM6 8EN. Tel: O81-395.8013.

Page 27
15 JULY 1992
— - .X«ésallimvxewAYmeXrv.Y. • .ʻnvar~.
OBITUARY ANNOUNCEMENT it is with deep sadness that the death is announced of Mr. J. Thambipillai (former teacher at Union College Tellippalai and Port Harcourt, Nigeria) husband of Sornadevi (Kaanji) and father of Terry and Harry on 6 July 1992 at Colpetty, Sri Lanka.
A Memorial Service Will be held On Saturday, 8 August, 1992 at the Kings Hall Methodist Church, South Road, Southall, Middlesex at 6.30pm which will be followed by Dinner at the church hall. All friends, relations and old students of Union College Tellippalai are please requested to take note.-S. Thambipillai (Mrs.), 37 Wendover Court, Western Avenue, London W3 OTG Tel: 081-993 3772.
IN MEMORIAM
In loving memory of Mr. Sampanther Cumaraswamy on the first anniversary of his passing away on 7th July 1991.
Sadly missed and fondly remembered by his wife Rasaletchumy, his children Vamadeva, Rajeswary (Thevi), Mahadeva, Jayadeva, Karunasaladeva, Thevaky and Vasudeva, his sons-in-law Selvaratnam, Jogaraja, his daughters-in-law Malathy, Ranjini (Susie), Thevaky, Lojana and Sivasoruby, his grand children Sarita, Janan, Theepan, Kanthan, Kishan, Luckshmi, Poorani, Kokulan and Ahalya.- 22 Calder Gardens, Edgware, Middx. HA85PT.
in loving memory of Mrs. Mankay Sivasampu on the second anniversary of her passing away on 28.90.
Sadly missed and fondly remembered by her two sons. - 15 Wolsey Way, Chessington, Surrey KT9 1XQ.
ዘገ oving memory of garajah on the first an away to glory on 25.7
Sadly missed and his loving wife Man Vasanthi, Mohan and Devakumar, grandchil Selvaranee, Amirthara 31 Donald Street, E bourne, Victoria 3130,
An App
Navaratnam Sarava fessor of Forensic A Jaffna, died on 24 J place on Sunday 28 J
'N. Saravanapavar Forensic Medicine, J. souls as unbending a He can be trusted ne professional judgeme) of the University of Jaf the late Rajani Thiran "The Broken Palmyral Sri Lanka - An linsi Sara's extensive judi ment to teaching too times for Jaffna whe dignity and integrity.
After graduating frc 1961 his interest in aptitude for teaching to ty of Peradeniya as le Diploma in Medical M.R.C.P. in the U. Lecturer at Leeds, in 1978 he was first De JMO. He was elected College of Physicians
When the Universit hebecame Senior Lec cine and in 1982 was This appointment was be the peak of his car strength to a University its survival and he foreign institutions to l was felt so acutely by
 
 
 
 

lerbert Rasiah Kanaliversary of his passing 9t. ondly remembered by , children Dhayanthi,
Suhanthi; son-in-law i Rebecca and Sisters mee and Thevaranee - lackburn South, MeiAustralia.
"eciation
—
napavananthan, Proedicine, University of une. The funeral took une 1992.
anthan, Professor of affna, is one of those s his native palmyrah. ver to compromise his it wrote four teachers na -among whom was agama - in their book " - The Tamil Crisis in e Account. Professor tial work and commitc place in very trying n he functioned with
m Medical College in Orensic Medicine and ok him to the Universiturer. He obtained his urisprudence and his in 1968, and was colonbo from 1974 to buty and, later, Acting a Fellow of the Royal of Edinburgh.
of Jaffna was sef up urer in Forensic Mediappointed Professor. considered by him to er. He was a fower of that was struggling for esisted attempts by re him away. His loss he students that they
TAMIL TIMES 27
immeditely gathered together in a vigil of prayer.
Professor Sara has many publications to his credit and presented papers at several international conferences. In recognition of his contributions to Forensic Sciences worldwide he received an Award of Merit at the first World Meeting of Police Surgeons and Medical Officers in Wichita U.S.A in August 1987. He is the author of a text book entitled Medico — Legal Aspects of linjuries.
He was an enthusiast for social commitment and through the Lions Club worked for the good of the community. His family being steeped in Hindu tradition he was involved in the many activities of Hindu Temples in Jafna.
At his funeral, orations were made in tribute. Those who spoke of their respect and affection were Retired High Court Judge Cecil Gunawardena, Former Postal Minister, Mr. C. Kumarasuriyar, Professor Sivagnanasundarann, and Professor Sivathamby.
Professor Sara's death at 58 years is a very great loss to Srilanka and especially to the Tamil Community.
Sri Maharajapuram Santhanan An Appreciation
BORN 20.5.1928 DIED 24.6.1992
During the early hours of Wednesday, 24th June 1992, the devastating news of the death of Sri Maharajapuram Santhanam under tragic circumstances, reached us with a jarring shock.
Born on the 20th May 1928, Sri Maharajapuram Santhanam was hailed as the 6th direct shishyaparampara of Saint Thyagaraja; his illustrious father and guru, the late Sri Maharajapuram Viswanathaiyer, being the fiffh.
Having had his primary education at Kumbakonam, Sri Santhanan obtained a firm foundation of Carnatic music from Melathoor Shyama Dikshitar and later continued under his father Sri Maharajapuram Viswanathaiyer, in the traditional style.
Since his debut at the age of 20 years in Calcutta, Maharajapuram Santhanam engaged himself in developing his latent talents which were identified by the authorities of the Ramanathan Music Academy (Jaffna, Sri Lanka) and he was appointed as its Principal irገ 1960.
During his tenure of six years in this prestigious capacity he produced many talented musicians and earned many fans and friends, many of whom are in the U.K. appreciating his unique talents.
Continued on page 28

Page 28
28 TAM TIMES
Continued from page 27
Of the many eminent musicians in India, the one who climbed up to the top grade during the past decade was Sri Maharajapuram Santhanam. 'Maharajapuram tradition' is well worth naming his style of south Indian music. Apart from the highly acclaimed style of raga Mohana, Sri Santhanam created his unique style of thillanas in ragas Revathi, Sivaranjani, Charukesi and Brindavanasaranga. "The superstar of south Indian music' is no exaggeration of his achievements.
Endowed with a fine feeling for melody and gifted with a mellifluous voice which has range, manoeuvreability and depth, there was practically nothing that his voice could not reach. His imagination was free and varied. A master in the delineation of ragas he had many thrilling moments for the audience with his inimitable modulation of tone. His rich and resonant voice and intensity of devotional fervour had endeared Santhanam to lovers of Carnatic music,
He was the Centre of attraction in all the State functions in India, including the many at the office of the Presidents of India, in the recent past.
He earned more than ten prestigious titles of which 'Sangeethe Kalanidhi' was the one he most revered. Also, Asthana Vidwan' (Thirumala Thirupathi Dhevasthanam, Kanchi Kamakoti Peedam and Sri Venkateswara temple U.S.A.), 'Sangitha Sahara Samrajya Maharaj' (by the British Association of Young Musicians) 'Sangitha Boopathi' (by Meikandar Atheenam, London) are a few he liked most
Sri Santhanam was one who made an enormous contribution to Contemporary classical music in Tamil. His favourite compositions include those of Mahakavi Subramania Bharatiyar, Yazhpanam Veeramani lyer and Papanasam Sivan. In recognition of his contribution the Tamil Nadu Government conferred the title 'lsai Perarigner” on 21st December 1991.
Sri Maharajapuram Santhanam encouraged all young and upcoming musicians in whatever way possible, especially through the Maharajapuram Viswanatha lyer Trust by way of offering scholarships, special titles etc. The British Association of Young Musicians of which he was the Patron-in-chief was encouraged tremendously in Sustenance of Carnatic music and symbiotic development of this celestial art of Indian classical music among the British communities.
His stentorian voice...his sense of lilting tonal modulation, his Ornamental Swara technique...his emphasis on the lyrical aspect and many of such unique qualities shall remain in his innunerable audio Cassettes and C.D.s. Sri Maharajapuram Santhanam is survived by his daughter Brindha, his sons Srinivasan and Ramachandran, two grandsons and four granddaughters,
Dr. P. Ambikapathy.
Rehabilitation of Tamil Homelands
Professor A. Thurairajah, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jaffna visited Tromso in Norway in April and had discussions with the University of Tromso and reached an understanding regarding Research Co-operation, Exchange of Scholars and Material Support.
Fisheries was given Committee was form During Professor Tamil Association Academics and Stu Norway and Tamil D Norway had discuss litation and Developm and it was decided t tions would be helped Organisation wil! colle end of 1992 and Pro in finding a suitabl decided that the Tam Will Collect one millior the Tamils of Norway machine and presen Jafna.
Senior Tal Ontario
The Annual Genral Tamils Centre, Ontar the Oriole C.R.S. D following were elect Board members. Pre ham, Vice Presiden nathan. Secretary: A er M. Velauthapilai. Balasingham, C. Kat marajah, Siva Svar avasagar, Soloman wari Vivekanandarai Eeswara Nathan,
Siva Sivaramalinga above group photo w
The "Mennonite CC Jacob and Elmira was Excursion Cunn Picn 1992.
FORTHCON
Aug. 17.00pm Voca Bramananda at Lor ple, 78 Church Stree E12. Tel 081-47884 Aug. 2 10.30am Me Conducts a Knock-Ot of teams in Essex Hospital Grounds, R. For details Tel: 0702
Aug. 2 Chathurthi, Aug. 5. Suntharamr poojah, Aug. 7 Varalaxmy V Aug. 9 Ekaatihasi. Aug. 10 Pirathosa V Aug. 13 Full Moon. Aug. 152.00pm Cri Weslyites and Old" row Recreation GrC West Harrow, Mid (Ram) 6.30pm Cat Sangeetha Wildwan Yogarajah accomp
 

15 JULY 1992
p priority and an action
Thurairajah's visit, the of Tromso, Tamil ents Network in North velopment Network of ons regarding Rehabi2nt of Tamil Homelands at grassroots organisaand that Tronso Tanni f Rs. 50,000 before the Thurairajah will assist project, it was also Association of Tromso Sri Lanka rupees from buy an offset printing it to the University of
nils Centre,
Canada
Meeting of the Senior o, was held on 9.5.92 at on Mills, Ontario. The ed office bearers and
sident: Aloy Ratnasing
: Kanagambikai RaguF. Alexander. TreasurBoard Mernbers. Fred agalingam, Mani Pathamalingam, T. ManickRajanayagam, Mahesah. Hony Auditor V.
nn was absent when the as taken.
untry' in and around St. Selected for the Annual c fixed for 8th August
ING EVENTS
| Recital by Nageswari don Sri Murugan Temit, Manor Park, London 33. dical Institute of Tamils it Cricket Tournament and Kent at Runwell nwell, Wickford, Essex. 73809.
oorthy Nayanar Guru
ratharn.
ratharn.
ket Match between Old Thomans at West Harinds, Wilson Gardens, χ. Tal. Ο81-422 7.251 latic Vocal Recital by
Smit Priyadharshana nied by Dr. Lakshmi
Those interested are requested to send a
Jayan - Violin, Jason & Jonathan Pararajasingham - Mridangam, Bangalore Pragash - Gadam at Wembley High School Hall, East Lane, Wembley, Middx. Tel: 081205 8214. Aug. 24 Ekaathasi. Aug. 25 Pirathosa Viratham. Aug. 27 Amaavaasai. Aug. 28 7.30pm Carnatic Violin Recital by Arvind Jayan at London Sri Murugan Tem
ple, 78 Church Street, Manor Park, London E12. e O81-4788433/2O43162. Aug. 31 Vinayaka Chathurthi. August 31 10.00am Jaffna Schools Sports Association U.K. hold Cricket Festival, 7-a- side, limited overs, knock-out tournament of Old Boys' teams at John Billam Sports Ground, Woodcock Hill, Harrow, Middx. For details Tes: O81-952 7293.
At Bhavan Centre, 4A Castletown Road, London W14 9HOQ. Tel: 071 381 3086/4608. Aug. 1, 15, 295.30pm Mahabharata Lecture by Mathoor Krishnamurti. All welcome.
Aug. 14 7.30pm Indian Independence Day Celebrations. All welcome.
Aug. 15 6.30pm Summer School Finale of Music & Dance. All welcome.
Natha Vidyalaya Awards 1991
The following students of Natha Vidyalaya were awarded gold medals and certificates on the results of an examination held to test their attainments in Violin. Miss Thuwaraka Vetpiilal, Miss Withya indrakumar, Miss Bhayiravi Ganeswaran, Miss Gayathri Kathirgamanathan.
The examinations were held by a board consisting of two foreign examiners and a local musician of repute. The picture below shows Miss Thuvaraka Vetpillai receiving her certificate from Miss Eileen Bell of the Royal College of Music.
angeetha in Kalaivani Indrakumar is
the directress of the Natha Vidyalaya which
since 1986 has produced several musicians
and held many recitals.
Past Copies of Tamil Times
Past copies of Tamil Times are available
for sale in 10 volumes, the present series
being volume 11. The price of each volume is £20 by surface mail.
cheque/draft/M.O. in favour of Tamil Times Ltd., for £20 for each volume to: The Circulation Manager, Tamil Times Ltd., P.O. Box 121, Sutton, Surrey SM13TD, U.K. The price for each volume in other currencies is: U.S.$40,00/CanS47.00/Aus.$54.00,

Page 29
15 JULY 1992
Closing date for completed grid and соupon to be received is
31 August 1992.
Answers and the name of the winner - first all correct entry pulled out of a bag - will be announced in the September 1992
issue.
The winner will receive a prize of £1000 sterling. All entries should be sent fo: Tamil Times, P.O. Box 121,
Sutton, Surrey SM13 TD, UK.
Across.
1. Treacherous king in Greek legend punished by Zeus for boasting about winning the favours of his wife, Hera (5) 5, Greek poet whose "Works and Days' deals with moral values of honest life (6) 嵩 Chemical symbol for sodium
2) 11. A sign or an indication (11) 12. This deep means to be deeply involved (4) 14. "A name call myself-remember Sound of Music (2) 15. Tennis player's mighty serving weapon (3) 17. When prefixed to 'go', a West African state (2)
8. Edgar Allan the American short-story writer and poet (3) 20, Break suddenly with a cracking sound (4) 21. Uttered in surprise or even in pain (2) 22. Greek philosopher who called himself the "midwife of men's thoughts' (8) 24. A king in Greek legend whose touch turned any object into gold and at that followed him was sheer misery (5) 26. Depart (2) 27. His Excellency (2) 28. Greek mathematician popularly associated with a theorem and One who believed that the universe was earth-centred (10) 32. The hot wells near Trincomalee is such a place (3) 33. When prefixed to 'ga' a member of a race of Semi-divine Creatures, half-snake and half-human (2) 34. In Roman legend a lover who ined for her loved one until only
r voice remained (4) 36. in Greek legend a Thebian prince who killed his father and
married his mother. His name is associated with a Complex manifestation in respect of child-parent relationship (7) 38. A particular breed of owl (4) 39. Cleopatra's deadly ally in her suicide bid (3) 40. Female sheep (3) 41. Merriment and laughter (5) 44. A malignant or treacherous person likened to an under grass Creeping terror (5) 46. A rich collection of Indian legends mostly animal tales with a moral message (12)
Down:
Black liquid ejected by cuttlefish
2. Bad-tempered wife of a Greek philosopher who rendered her name proverbial for a conjugal scold (9) 3. A British royal honours title of recognition (3) 4. Directionwise Mullaitivu in Sri Lanka, briefly (3) 5. The author of the Greek epics Iliad and the Odyssey (5) 6. Support with difficulty (3) 7. Directionwise region below PotYil and above Yala in Sri Lanka 8. Senseless, empty and void (5) 9, intense, vivid and extreme (4) 13. Ex-officio, briefly (2) 16. Blessings for a bride can be expressed thus by close relatives and friends (4,7) 18. High-class and smart (4) 19. Officer Commanding, abb, (2) 20. Usually a term used for warehouses (6) 21. Mystic symbol that denotes the origin of movement in Hinduism (2) 22. Short Saturday (3) 23. In the past (3)
Maths Genius Ganesh
13-year-old Ganesh, son of Arjuna and Nela Sittampalam of Bromfield Road, Surbiton, Surrey became Britain's youngest graduate after scooping a first class honours in his B.Sc. degree of the Surrey University. This has been achieved with 60 days attendance at the university - one daya week for 2 years during which period he was released by his school, Kings College School, Wimbledon. Ganesh is as near a genius as anybody have ever met" says his Professor, Ron Shail.
Ganesh entered the record books when he passed the 11 plus at 8, secured A grade passes in 0-Level and A-level mathematics at 8 and 9 respectively and now the 1st class
maths degree at 13.
Power of Attorney last wills etc. OEmployment
Weddings & Di Tel: O81 6 - Mrs. Vimala
BALA
Solicitors and Admi OConveyancing (Sale and
Purchase-houses, flats
Commercial property OPartnership agreement
Legal aid als
Please B. Balaraman ot
Address: First floor, 4
Forest Gate,
Telephone: 0
SA CA
Traditional We Non-Vegetar
for
 

TAMILTIMES 29.
Z CROSSWORDS - No. 18. Compiled by: Richards
1
-- 4. 5
17
6 7
8
O
uiz Crosswords - 16: Solutions.
ross: 1. Om. 3. Annapurna, 11. Banda. 13. Bopeep. 14. Dreamers. 16. BP. Urim. 18. Quechua. 21. Rigs. 22. UP. 23. Roll. 24. Aehp. 25. At. 26. OA. 27. 28. Eft. 31. TUC. 32. Maroon. 33. Ash. 34. Locker. 36. Dux. 38. YTC. 39.
iriya. 41. Scalage. 42. School. 43. Nests.
Mn: 1. Obdurately. 2. Married, 3. Adams Peak. 4. NAM. 5. Abrupt. 6. Pose.7 8. Re. 9. Nebulous. 10. Appalachians. 12. Neigh. 15. Equatorial. 19. Cry. 20. 29. Fresco. 30. lndian. 31. Taxies. 32. MCC. 35. Otic. 37. Urge. 40. GL. 41.
rer: Mr. C. Ratnasabapathy, 65 Hawarden Hill, Dollis Hill Lane, don NW27BR.
... Duality - the Gemini complex is
e (4)
. Lovely name of an Indian lass
, Convulsive catching of the
ath (4)
Regard favourably (6)
Adult female pig (3)
Music an essential part of this matic performance (5)
37. A course of action (4) 41. Mother affectionately (2) 42. Not out (2) 43. Denotes Roman Catholic (2) 44. Pgy a US state in the neighbourh of Washington DC (2) 45. Expresses inclusion within a certain limit which could be time, space, circumstances and even surroundings (2)
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Financial & Management Consultancy
All aspects of Taxation
Business general advisory service - Liquidations & Receiverships
further information:- con) (Hon.), ACCA
ate, London NW21 EL. 3586 (24 hours)
HARTLEY COLLEGE Past Pupils Association (U.K.) Branch
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
1992
DATE : Saturday, 15th August 1992 TIME : 5.30 PM VENUE : Holiday Inn
(Marriott Hotel)
Ditton Road
Langley
Slough
BerkS.
SL38PT
Nominations for Office Bearers for the following Posts close on 8th August 1992:
1) President 2) Vice Presidents (2 Posts) 3) Secretary 4) Assistant Secretary 5) Treasurer 6) Social Secretary 7) Executive Committee Members (6 Posts)
Nominations should beforwarded to the under-mentioned:
The Secretary Hartley College PPA 85 Windsor Avenue Hillingdon, Middlesex, UB109AX

Page 32
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