Monthly archive

Hemantha Abeywardena from London….

It may be cliché, but factually and statistically true; leaders are born, not made. By definition, someone who rule or guide others is a leader. The definition can be broadened in the right direction to elevate the leader to the next higher level, a supreme one, if he inspires his subjects to follow him towards a noble goal. On the other hand, a leader can downgrade his status to a disgustingly low level by asking his followers to gear themselves towards illusive goals along the path less travelled, which tantamount to collective suicide in the end.

By Gopal Ethiraj from Chennai

With the DMK-led UPA alliance in Tamilnadu-Puducherry establishing a resounding victory, there was a festive mood at party headquarters in Chennai and throughout the state. The DMK-Congress combine romped home 28 seats (DMK 18 and Congress 9 that includes Puducherry’s one and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Party 1). The AIADMK led alliance won on 12 places (AIADMK 9, CPIM one, CPI one and MDMK one). The DMK and Congress cadres burst crackers, distributed sweets. The DMK party workers, both men and women, danced to music and expressed their happiness near Chief Minister Karunanidhi’s house at Gopalapuram and at Anna Arivalayam. The office of AIDMK wore a deserted look.

By Atul Cowshish & M Rama Rao

In the end the pundits were proved wrong—as usual. The Congress-led UPA did better than the media projections. And the vote is for stability and inclusive policies. The all-knowing media pundits may be counted among the 'losers' of the 2009 Lok Sabha poll, but they have a perfectly viable and acceptable alibi: it is their business to act as astrologers now and then even when knowing that it is not a science. The return of the UPA might satisfy those who think that 'continuity' of policies is important for a country’s progress. The 'continuity' factor will depend a great deal on how the alteration in the character of the UPA plays out.

Hilary Rajakarunanayake, Editor – Sri Lanka, Asian Tribune

David MilbandDavid Milband has been snubbed for his interference in the Sri Lanka’s IMF loan issue. Also his knowledge of Sri Lanka has been questioned. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has expressed its s deep distressed over the recent media reports, where David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom have "raised doubts about whether Colombo could be trusted to use a US$ 1.9 billion loan from the IMF appropriately," points out a communiqué issued by the Economic Research Department of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

Hilary Rajakarunanayake, Editor – Sri Lanka, Asian Tribune

The International Environment Organization states that by the end of this century the valuable coral reefs in Asia will be gone forever. The world has already lost over 40 per cent of the famous coral reefs around the Komodo islands of Indonesia. More than 75 per cent of all the coral reefs in the world exist around Indonesia. The main reason for the dwindling and extinction of coral reefs is due to climatic changes and due to man’s destructive actions. Coral reefs are the most diverse and beautiful of all marine habitats. Large wave resistant structures have accumulated from the slow growth of corals. The development of these structures is aided by algae that are symbiotic with reef-building corals, known as zooxanthellae. Coralline algae, sponges, and other organisms, combined with a number of cementation processes also contribute to reef growth.

Hilary Rajakarunanayake, Editor – Sri Lanka, Asian Tribune

"A total of 18000 civilians have crossed over from LTTE to the Government controlled sector within the last three days from the New Safety Zone," said on Saturday, Brigadier Nanayakkara spokesman of the Sri Lanka Army. "The 57th and 58th regiments of the Sri Lanka Army have surrounded the LTTE leaders, and they are now trapped in a small plot of land. They are being protected by a circle of suicide bombers and innocent civilians. Every attempt is being made to take over the civilians to the Government side, but they are deterred by the ruthless shooting by the remaining few LTTE cadres guarding the LTTE leaders".

Hilary Rajakarunanayake, Editor – Sri Lanka, Asian Tribune

Swarnam and Shashi Master, two senior leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels were killed in the battle with the Sri Lanka Army, defence sources said Saturday evening. Their deaths were confirmed by Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, the military spokesman. The two leaders were killed at Kariyalamullavaikkal west in the northeastern Mullaithivu district. The other rebel leaders who are facing certain defeat are currently trapped in a patch of land of around 2 sq kms.