A smile from Lanka

The best gift we can bring back from a so-called 'failed state' is a :-)

http://author.toiblogs.com/jugglebandhi/entry/a_smile_from_lanka

Jug Suraiya shares his experiences from his visit to Lanka, and the abundant receiving of smiles from the Lankan public, and a greeting of Ayubowan.

-The Times of India, March 16, 2012

Sri Lanka against itself

"Sri Lanka is engaged in an all-out effort to stave off a resolution against it at the ongoing session of the United Nations Human Rights Council at Geneva.

The Hindu : Opinion / Editorial : Sri Lanka against itself: The United States, the prime backer of the resolution, has circulated a draft among the Council's 47 members calling on Colombo to do nothing more than implement the recommendations of its own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, as well as to initiate credible investigations into violations of international human rights laws not addressed adequately by the LLRC. "

Sri Lanka must realise that its own interests require it urgently to address these twin bases of national reconciliation. Sadly, its response to the Geneva challenge has been to whip up anti-U.S., anti-West, Sinhala nationalist protests at home, creating an atmosphere of an island under siege.

The litmus test in Sri Lanka

"If President Rajapaksa is serious about a political solution to the Tamil question, he should outline his vision and a timetable for constitutional change."

The Hindu : Opinion / Lead : The litmus test in Sri Lanka:

'Cricket seemed a neat way to talk about Sri Lanka'

Q&A

Shehan Karunatilaka has written Chinaman, a story of cricket, life and death in Sri Lanka - which won the $50, 000 DSC prize at the 2012 Jaipur Literature Festival. Karunatilaka spoke with Srijana Mitra Das about balancing a day job with writing at dawn, hanging out with alcoholics as research - and cricket as an allegory for Sri Lanka itself:

Interview - Q&A

-The Times of India, February 6, 2012