A year after troops overpowered the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) in Sri Lanka's eastern province and took control of the area, normality has yet to return.

Patrick Lawrence an experienced US journalist adresses the question that by 2006 whether Sri Lanka could be called 'a failed state,' writes Patrick Lawrence in his recent book ‘Conversations in a Failing State’, brought out by Hong Kong based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) in March 2008.

Popular South Indian magazine ‘Kumudam’ in its editorial urged the Central government in India to act cautiously in decisions relating to Sri Lanka and not to unwittingly assist the enemy.

Tamil Diaspora quarters lament the inability or unwillingness of the International Community to read the Diaspora public opinion.

Diaspora Eelam Tamils around the world, continue Pongu Tamil rallies in support of the Tamils' right to Self-Determination.

‘Peace is founded not only on respect for human rights but also on respect for the rights of peoples, in particular the right to independence’ - Vatican’s Social Doctrine

I had a rare opportunity to come to know closely of the details of a Black Tiger Thurairathinam Kalairaj (Ilam Puli), who became a Martyr, when the Anuradhapura Air Base was attacked by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Ilama Puli was born on 13.10.1981 in a fishing village called Myliddy. His father was a prosperous fisherman, who owned a big motor boat. Ten people were employed by him and led a very comfortable life having his own stone built house, a motor cycle and all the other paraphernalia that go with prosperity. He had three children with Ilam Puli sandwiched between two sisters.

Based on field trip between 10 and 14 December 2007, the author continues to query the much heralded liberation of the East in this the second of a three part series.

Constant reports of widespread thieving are circulating in Sri Lanka, particularly around suburban town centers. This has gone so far as to affect even the dressing habits of women travelling in buses or three-wheeled vehicles.

It has been customary for women to wear gold chains or other valuables, but this habit is changing due to the widespread snatching of such items from commuters. Now women are wearing artificial bangles, and thousands have tales to tell of their unfortunate experiences with thieves.

Yet police inquiries are rare, and not even a handful of such cases have been resolved out of many complaints.

A thematic history of the causes of the ethnic conflict in Sri Lankan was set out in the Appendix to the 2003  report on Sri Lanka by the World Bank. This is reproduced below.


Background