Monthly Archives: January 2012

Violence and its moral dilemmas: Fidel according to Dayan

Dr Dayan Jayatilleka’s book, Fidel’s Ethics of Violence: The Moral Dimension of the Political Thought of Fidel Castro, is a significant contribution towards understanding one of the enduring intellectual dilemmas in the theory and practice of politics: the ethics of the use of violence. Dayan’s ambitious project in this book
is to offer a comprehensively worked […]

By Asanga Welikala | Published on January 22, 2012 at 11:59 pm

Above the law

It’s December 2010, and two young law students are sitting for their exam.
The one is in a hall full of students, who are being monitored closely by the examiner to make sure they’re following the rules: no phones, no electronic devices, no
cheating.
The other, meanwhile is taken to a private air conditioned room with a computer […]

By Dheera Sujan | Published on January 22, 2012 at 11:22 pm

Political dialogue must be accompanied by concrete changes on the ground

During his recent visit to Sri Lanka, Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna gave support to the Sri Lankan government’s intention to have a Parliamentary Select Committee work out the modalities of a political solution to the ethnic conflict. The Indian government has consistently expressed its interest in a political
solution and that the Sri […]

By National Press Council | Published on January 22, 2012 at 11:05 pm

Obama considering Larry Summers for World Bank Chief

Bloomberg:President Barack Obama is considering nominating Lawrence Summers, his former National Economic Council director, to lead the World Bank when Robert Zoellick’s term expires later this year, according to two people familiar with the matter.
Summers has expressed interest in the job to White House officials and has backers inside the administration, including Treasury Secretary Timothy […]

By Staff Correspondent | Published on January 19, 2012 at 11:31 pm

Controversial Aussie diplomat snares key foreign policy job

A TOP Australian diplomat heavily criticised for her role in ”rehabilitation” ceremonies for alleged Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka has been rewarded with a job in Prime
Minister Julia Gillard’s department.
Kathy Klugman will become head of the international division in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, a key foreign policy job.
Ms Klugman, who was high […]

By Daniel Flitton | Published on January 19, 2012 at 10:35 am

Judge grants time for Plaintiffs to respond to suggestion of immunity in US war crimes case

BREAKING NEWS: 18 January 2012: The US District Court has granted Plaintiffs’ time till February 3 to respond to the suggestion of immunity document filed by the US Department of Justice, in the War Crimes case against President Mahinda Rajapakse.
Plaintiffs in this case Kasippillai Manoharan et al; have sought judgment under the Torture Victim Protection […]

By Sonali Samarasinghe Wickrematunge | Published on January 19, 2012 at 4:47 am

Accountability Sovereignty and Universal Values

I look at the issue of accountability primarily as a political scientist and from a comparative politics point of view. And I am struck by the fact that what I consider to be an exemplary progressive democracy, Brazil, headed by Dilma Rousseff, who was herself an guerrilla and a political prisoner, tortured by the military […]

By Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka | Published on January 18, 2012 at 8:09 am

Krishna’s visit to Sri Lanka and the importance of keeping commitments

The visit of the Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna to Sri Lanka this week comes at an important
time. Several noteworthy events are billed to take place during his visit. In June 2010, the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promised that India would donate 50,000 houses to meet the needs of the war affected […]

By Dr. Jehan Perera | Published on January 16, 2012 at 1:28 pm

‘Rapes this and that not taking any place’ in Paradise

My darling Ma-hinder
Thellie as you know dear, is a toothsome young filly, who when the conditions are right, can be the life and soul of the party. Not for her the priggish decorum of centuries past. Tell her a good joke and she may be tickled pink. She may even throw back her head and […]

By Thelma | Published on January 16, 2012 at 6:00 am

Lasantha Wickrematunge and the role of journalism in a rotten political culture

“Lasantha could not be straight-jacketed, could not be chained. Lasantha, in paying my personal tribute to you, let me say that at the Holy Grail of Journalism, none will fail to weep over your blood, to pay unreserved homage. And should your medal of glory cast some soft hued shadow, it will be the shadow […]

By Bonaparte | Published on January 16, 2012 at 12:39 am