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Asian Tribune is published by World Institute For Asian Studies|Powered by WIAS Vol. 11 No. 295               

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Nepal democracy aborted

Sun, 2009-05-03 00:28 — admin

By Tukoji Pandit - Syndicate Features

The Nepalese journal Kantipur has made a sensational disclosure that the former Himalayan kingdom was on the verge of witnessing a ‘soft coup’ if the Maoist leader and prime minister, Pushp Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda had sacked the Nepalese Army chief, Gen Rookmungad Katawal, just after the latter refused to meet the deadline for his resignation. The journal has reported that as many as 25 top generals of the Nepalese Army had met to discuss the ‘coup’ plan because they think the Maoists are bent upon destroying the professional Nepal Army and hand it over to their trigger-happy cadre of former guerrillas. The Nepal Army trop brass also feels that the Maoists are equally determined to throw out democracy from the country, once and for all.

UK government tries to work with GOSL to achieve peace as well as win the war, says British Foreign Secretary

Sun, 2009-05-03 04:08 — admin

By Janaka Alahapperuma from London

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said "the fact that the LTTE is preventing civilians from leaving the combat zone says everything that we need to know about where its interests lie, but it is vital that the Government of Sri Lanka rise above that—they need to find a way that builds a peace as well as wins the war, and we are trying to work with them to achieve that". He made this statement in the British House of Commons on 30th (Thursday) April 2009 with reference to the previous day debate (29th) on Sri Lanka tabled by Liberal Democratic Mps and the All Party Parliamentry Group For Tamil. Mr Miliband returned to UK from Sri Lanka few hours before making his statement.

Issue of Pakistani Sikhs non of Indian business, says Pak FO

Sun, 2009-05-03 03:46 — admin

By Farzana Shah-Asian Tribune Correspondent in Pakistan

Pakistan on Saturday dismissed as 'totally baseless' a report, claiming that the country has shared its nuclear secrets with some countries. Foreign Office Spokesman responding to a report “Pakistan Shares Nuclear Secrets" published in "Financial Times" said "No such briefing ever took place." "Pakistan's strategic assets were absolutely safe, given our robust multilayered Command and Control systems. Concerns, if any, over the safety of our strategic assets are, therefore, unfounded," the spokesman said. Foreign Office spokesman also said that government dismissed the unhappiness expressed by India about the Taliban imposing tax on Sikhs and demolishing their homes in the restive tribal belt, saying the issue was of ‘no concern’ to New Delhi.

Blinded by Hubris

Sun, 2009-05-03 03:38 — admin

By Tisaranee Gunasekara

In an increasingly globalising world there can be no political, economic or cultural islands. In an interconnected and interdependent world there are realistic limits to the exercise of sovereignty by any country. These limits are more stringent for small underdeveloped countries with a pronounced tendency to mismanage their affairs. That is the Lankan condition today. Still the objective impediments to the exercising of Lankan sovereignty may not have reached critical levels, had not our economy been so rundown, our finances so perilous or the global economic crisis so dire. But in a context characterised by an ailing economy, a debt cum foreign exchange crisis and global economic devastation, Sri Lanka may not be able to avoid an Argentinean outcome (bankruptcy and civil instability) without Western assistance.

Opposition leader accuses government of plotting to call foreign troops under the cover of anti-militancy fight

Sun, 2009-05-03 03:30 — admin

By M.A. Kader- Our Correspondent in Bangladesh

One day after the maiden speech of the prime minister Sheikh Hasina ,Bangladesh main opposition BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Saturday alleged the government is plotting to bring foreign troops in the country under the cover of its anti-militancy fight. Referring to the capture and execution of masterminds of militants the BNP chief said, "We have captured and controlled all of them (militants), who were later executed during the regime of past emergency government." The government is deliberately spreading the scar of militancy everywhere in the country, even in the armed forces also, as they want to call foreign troops in Bangladesh destroying the armed forces, the former Prime Minister Khaleda said.

The Pseudoscience in Propaganda – a plain non-surgical analysis

Sun, 2009-05-03 03:22 — admin

Hemantha Abeywardena writes from London…..

Josef Goebbels of the Third Reich elevated the subject of propaganda to a frightening philosophical height during his tenure as the minister for propaganda under his beloved Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler. At the heart of his theory lies a very strange concept, defined by, one-and-only Goebbels; he called it the Big Lie. According to the club-footed monster, the learning of the concept of the Big Lie is not rocket science; you just have to repeat a lie frequently enough in a manner it sounds impudent enough, for a certain period of time; guess the predicted outcome - masses accept it as a fact or even truth.

Amnesty launches a year-long campaign for justice for conflict victims in Nepal

Sun, 2009-05-03 03:19 — admin

Kosh Raj Koirala – Asian Tribune Correspondent in Nepal

Global human rights watchdog, the Amnesty International, (AI) has launched a year-long national campaign for justice, truth and reparations in Nepal. The campaign is launched keeping in view of the fact that none of those responsible for horrific crimes, whether committed by the state or by members of the former rebel party Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) during the conflict period, have so far been brought to justice, the UK-based right body said in a statement posted on its website on Friday.

Protest by Tamil Terrorist (LTTE). What does it mean to Canada?

Sun, 2009-05-03 03:06 — admin

By Lenin Benedict from Toronto Asian Tribune

The financial meltdown has unleashed a latent and emergent social crisis across the Canada. This economic crisis is in large part the result to the detriment of entire population, leading to a renewed wave of corporate bankruptcies, mass unemployment and poverty. When people across Canada, whose lives have been shattered, destroyed, struggling hard to run their day to day life and future in jeopardy, Some Canadian Tamil treat it as a hobby; others are a lot more passionate to have protest throughout Canadian cities in spite of struggling economy and recession. The month long Protests by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam better known as Tamil Tigers is seems to be like style of that which was seen during the Civil Wars.

Security forces retake key road in northwestern Pakistan

Sun, 2009-05-03 01:04 — admin

By Farzana Shah-Asian Tribune Correspondent in Pakistan

Pakistani security forces Saturday took control of a vital link road between Ambella and Daggar, in northwestern Buner district, said the Inter Services Public Relations. According to the ISPR, security forces launched a successful operation to secure the link road and now forces are busy clearing the landmines planted by militants. "Security forces conducted a successful operation on the Ambela-Daggar axis and were able to establish link with troops in Daggar town," a military statement said. 'They are now removing improvised explosive devices' and the road will be soon open for public, it said. Daggar is Buner's main town which the military said was secured on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka chairs NAM Ministerial Meeting in Havana

Sun, 2009-05-03 00:48 — admin

Sri Lanka was bestowed the honor of presiding over the NAM Ministerial Meeting that concluded last Thursday(30th April) in Havana. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hussein A. Bhaila, who led the Sri Lankan delegation to the meeting, was invited by the host, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba to chair a session on the final day of the meeting. Earlier, Sri Lanka had been endorsed as a Vice-Chair of the NAM Ministerial Meeting by the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement in New York in March 2009.

Thai Government will host ASEAN meeting on influenza A (H1N1) despite threat of protest

Sun, 2009-05-03 00:42 — admin

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said he is unworried about the protest planned by anti-government demonstrators before next week's regional health ministers meeting on influenza A (H1N1) which will be held in Thailand. Thai prime minister said that his Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban would direct security measures for the ASEAN public health ministers meeting in Bangkok scheduled for Thursday and Friday May 7-8. The protest which scuttled the ASEAN summit in Pattaya on April 11 will be a lesson to lay out security measures to prevent recurrence of such a problem, he said.

An Eye Opener for the British Government

Sun, 2009-05-03 13:36 — admin

By Venerable Walpola Piyananda, Chief Sangha Nakaye of America

I wish to refresh the memory of the British. Since we got our independence in 1948, Sri Lanka has maintained a cordial relationship with them and we still work together, as a part of the commonwealth. When the former Prime Minister Mrs. Margaret Thatcher sent the military to reclaim the Falkland Islands off the coast of Argentina, the U.N. condemned the British, but Sri Lanka stood steadfastly with the U. K. The Sri Lankan government did not criticize the British government’s involvement in the Iraqi war even though they believed it was wrong. These past few years, unfortunately, I find that the British authorities seem to have forgotten the past and lack loyalty. It is an undisputed fact that the British government has swallowed the propaganda pills of the LTTE diaspora.



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