05/04/2011
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Groundviews
NO NEED TO DOWNLOAD FONTS: The official version of the report published by the panel constituted by the UN Secretary General to look into issues of accountability in Sri Lanka was released on 26th April 2011. It is highly unlikely the UN itself will produce Sinhala and Tamil translations of the report. Given the near complete absence of reporting in Sinhala media over the issues flagged in the UN Panel’s report, readers have only got to read commentary based on sections of the report, which is almost always virulently in opposition with very little reasoned debate. Groundviews through Vikalpa commissioned a translation of the Executive Summary of the official version of the report. We received another translation done by a third party today. We also received today a translation of the report into Tamil. We give below links to the three documents – two in Sinhala and one in Tamil.
04/25/2011
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Asia Pacific Forum
EDITOR'S PICK: MP3 DOWNLOAD
UN sits on Panel of Experts' report on Sri Lanka
UPDATE: As of 5:30 pm on April 25 (the day of this show), the United Nations released the report to the public.
Last Fall, the United Nations assembled a panel of experts to look into accountability with regard to alleged violations of human rights and humanitarian law in the final stages of the decades-long civil war in Sri Lanka. Early last week, the panel submitted its report, some of which has been leaked to the press. However, the United Nations still has not released the full report. Joining us are journalist Matthew Lee, who covers the UN for Inner City Press, and Sanjana Hattotuwa, founder and managing editor of the citizen journalism website, Groundviews.
04/17/2011
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Sunday Observer
BY RAJIVA WIJESINHA I have now had an opportunity to read through what is supposed to be the Report of the Panel appointed by the UN Secretary General to advise him on what were termed accountability issued. The report has been leaked by the indefatigable Sanjana Hattotuwa, who does however note that he cannot confirm if this is the actual text. He adds that the UN has regretted the leak. (followed by http://groundviews.org/2011/04/17/government-mp-rajiva-wijesinha-clarifies-allegation-against-groundviews/)
04/16/2011
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Groundviews
Groundviews flags below some highlights of this damning report, and places it alongside some other news article for context. Follow our tweets on this breaking story here. Our Facebook fan page will also carry highlights, and features discussions amongst the 6,000+ people already on it.
03/31/2011
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AFP
Sri Lanka's appearance in Saturday's cricket World Cup final offers a rare if fleeting moment of unity for a nation that remains deeply fractured despite the end of its decades-old ethnic conflict.
03/08/2011
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Groundviews
The following article was published in the Uthayan newspaper on 5 March 2011. The translation to English is based on a Sinhala translation published in Vikalpa.
Not a single Sinhala newspaper to date has published a similar account, though many reported on the opening of the new Army Headquarters in Jaffna. Of the English media, only the Daily Mirror quotes a BBC report on the desecration of the graves. As well-known blogger Guruparan notes in a succinct tweet, “This is really sad. A local newspaper has to quote an international media to report on a local story.”
No other English media online or in print have covered this story. Readers on our Facebook page have expressed grave concern and outrage over this action by the Army. Sadly, this is not the first time the Army has desecrated LTTE graves. An interview with Prof. Michael Roberts conducted in December 2010 explores this issue in detail, and why it is so damning to reconciliation and a lasting peace in Sri Lanka. As Prof. Roberts notes in an essay dealing with this outrageous practice, “The absence of tuyilam illam, in other words, will serve as a focal point for enhanced embitterment towards the government.”