Demand to Ban “Madras Cafe” Displays an Intolerant Streak of Tamil Nationalist Groups.

Tamil nationalist groups are again displaying an intolerant streak. They want Madras Café, a film loosely based on the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, to be banned because it shows the Tamil Eelam struggle in Sri Lanka in a poor light. Though the Madras High Court has rightly declined to stay the release of the film, some groups seeking to ban the film are readying themselves to create a law and order problem as a form of 

protest.

That apprehension of law and order disruptions cannot be grounds for banning a film is settled law and has been upheld repeatedly by the Supreme Court of India. In its judgment in S. Rangarajan v Jagjivan Ram involving the film Ore Oru Gramathile, in 1989, the court was unequivocal that “freedom of expression cannot be suppressed on account of [the] threat of demonstration and processions or threats of violence.”

The right to freedom of speech and expression is enshrined in the Constitution, and chauvinist elements, no matter of what hue, should not be allowed to infringe on this right citing some imagined slight to a group or community. The onus is on the State government and its policing arm to act against those attempting to disrupt law and order. Whether the film is good or bad, whether it is fact or fiction, all these have nothing to do with the right to freedom of expression of the film-makers and artistes.

Of late, film-makers and distributors have been organising special screenings for representatives of groups or communities who apprehend that the film could be offensive to their sensibilities. In Tamil Nadu, the government appears to have encouraged such groups by banning the film Dam 999 and seeming sympathetic to those wanting a ban on Vishwaroopam.

The Central Board of Film Certification is the only competent body to censor a film, and once cleared by the board, no film should again have to be subjected to “clearance” from groups claiming to have been offended by it. Chauvinist elements are emboldened when a government adds to the pressure on the film-makers, instead of getting tough on those threatening to disturb law and order. Too often, the producers are forced to compromise and agree to cuts rather than risk prolonging the release of the film.

When the government does not stand up for freedom of speech and expression, film-makers, distributors and exhibitors think it is safer to buy peace with the chauvinist groups. It would reflect very poorly on the administrative capabilities of the Tamil Nadu government if the film is withheld from exhibition for fear of violence. As for those who wish to protect their fragile sensibilities from being hurt in any manner, how’s this for a really simple remedy? Don’t see themovie.

COURTESY:THE HINDU

Censors Clear Tamil Version of “Madras Cafe” but Theatres in Tamil Nadu Refuse to Screen Film Due to Fear of Pro-LTTE Tamil Extremists

The Tamil version of the John Abraham-starrer Madras Café was cleared by the censors with no cuts on Thursday, but the film’s distributors found no takers among the exhibitors for a release in Tamil Nadu on Friday.


A representative of Viacom18, which co-produced the thriller along with Mr. Abraham, said the Tamil version got an ‘U/A’ certificate. However, none of the theatres in the State was willing to release the film in the wake of threats of protests from some Tamil nationalist groups.

Almost all major exhibitors had scheduled other films for the week ahead and opened advance booking for them, keeping ‘Madras Café’ out of the list. A cinema hall operator, on condition of anonymity, said the risk of screening the film was “simply not worth taking”.

Directed by Shoojith Sircar, the film is said to be set in the 1980s in the backdrop of the Tamil civil war in Sri Lanka and it features model-turned actor John Abraham in the role of a RAW agent. It also has scenes depicting the assassination of a former Indian Prime Minister and with several references to the leader of a prominent Tamil separatist group.

Tamil nationalist groups in the State have been objecting to the film saying that the references to LTTE and its slain leader V.Prabhakaran are hard to miss, and that the film denigrates the struggle of Tamils in Sri Lanka.

COURTESY:THE HINDU

Challenged by the Indian fishermen: The sorry plight of the ill - equipped Sri Lankans going to sea

The Indian Ocean like other seas is bountiful and its resources benefit many. But for the Sri Lankan and Indian fishermen, fishing in the deep blue waters of the Palk Strait, from time to time, it also amounts to fishing in troubled waters.

While both countries handle the issue of fishermen and their livelihood” through diplomatic channels, for the fisher folk, it is far more direct and person to person.

“We have cleaned and are carefully keeping 17 new fishing nets belonging to Indian fishermen. We will hand them over to them when they request. We don’t want to take revenge or get into any ugly confrontation with any one of them. They too are fishermen, like us. The issue should be solved amicably, through the understanding fishermen have with fishermen, not through complicated channels. We are a community that respects humanity” says Kanthasamy Rajachandran, President of Ambaal Fishermen’s Co-operative Society in Kaarainagar in Jaffna.

17 new fishing nets belonging to Indian fishermen, which got entangled to Sri Lankan fishermen's boats are cleaned and carefully kept under lock and key in a store in Kaarainagar

Read More : http://warcrimesrilanka.blogspot.ro/p/challenged-by-indian-fishermen-sorry.html

Subramanian Swamy reveals about true post war conditions in Sri Lanka - English Subtitles

Subramanian Swamy talks after visiting Sri Lanka - Subramanian Swamy talks after visiting Sri Lanka, after returning from Sri Lanka. In an exclusive interview Subramanian Swamy warns Eelam supporters, that they will be arrested. He also accuses Karunanidhi, Sonia Gandhi and LTTE Movement.

Subramanian Swamy reveals  about true post war conditions in Sri  Lanka Part 1

Subramanian Swamy reveals  about true post war conditions in Sri  Lanka Part 2

Courtesy - RED PIX

Mine clearing in North almost completed

Ninety-five percent of the Confirmed Hazardous area has been cleared of mines, according to the National Mine Action Center which was established in the Economic Development Ministry after the war. The remaining confirmed hazard area (CHA) is only 96 square kilometers as at the end of March 2013. Most of this area is covered with shrubs and jungle.

The massive pace of demining has helped the Government to resettle all IDPs.

The Mine Action Centre's programme still continues with the support of UNDP, UNICEF, donor community, the Sri Lanka Army's Engineering Brigade and national and international de-mining organizations to clear the hazardous area of land mines, anti-personnel mines, booby traps and unexploded ordinance (UXOs) the LTTE had laid during the course of the war

Since the gravity of the problem has gradually been reduced, some of the demining organizations such as Sarvatra, Horizan and MMIPE have already moved out since their jobs have been completed. The remaining organizations are still continuing the tasks assigned to them. After they complete their operations the Army Engineering Brigade, which has the biggest resources pool comprising manual, mechanical mine detection techniques and mine Detecting Dogs (MDD), will take over the responsibility in case the need for more mine clearing arises.

In June 2009, a month after the defeat of LTTE terrorism the Government with the support of donor communities such as, Australia, Japan, China, India, EU, USA, etc, UNDP, UNICEF, national and international mine action operators implemented a comprehensive and rapid de-mining programme to clear the affected areas estimated to be 2064 square kilometers.

Courtesy: http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=Mine_learing_in_North_almost_completed_20130429_07

No proof of Bala’s murder: Indian MP

Cuddalore MP K S Azhagiri raised doubts over Prabhakaran’s son Balachandran’s death and claimed that there was no video evidence on the killing by the Sri Lankan armed forces.

The Congress MP made the statement while addressing a public meeting arranged by the youth Congress at Cuddalore Old Town on Sunday night.

“Some parties were playing politics by taking up the issue of 12-year-old Balachandran’s death. However, there was no video evidence available on how Balachandran was killed. It was a practice among the terrorists that in order to avoid being caught by the enemy they either consume cyanide or shoot each other. It was an unlawful act to kill a child,” he said.

On the ongoing Sri Lankan issue, he said that the Sri Lankan Tamils and the LTTE objectives were completely different.

He said, “Independent Tamil Eelam is the demand of the LTTE alone, but that not of the Sri Lankan Tamils. Elected Tamil leaders in Sri Lanka are not asking for an independent Eelam.

Only the LTTE and its supporters in Tamil Nadu are repeatedly raising this demand.”

Explaining the Congress’ move to pass a resolution in Parliament on the Sri Lankan issue, he said, “When an all-party meeting was held in New Delhi to discuss the draft resolution, no other national or regional parties except the AIADMK, the DMK and the Congress supported the resolution.”

“The CPI in Tamil Nadu had been demanding that an anti-Lanka resolution be passed in Parliament, but the party’s MP Gurudas Dasgupta categorically opposed the move during the all-party meeting. This shows the gravity of matter at the all-India level,” he added.

“Political parties in Tamil Nadu had failed to garner the support of those at the national level on the Lankan issue. Instead, they were blaming Congress party in this matter,” the Congress MP added. (Source: The New Indian Express)

Courtesy :- http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/27580-no-proof-of-balas-murder-indian-mp.html

India committed to SL security: Singh

The Indian government and the military were fully committed to Sri Lanka’s security and to further strengthening co-operation between the two countries, visiting Indian Chief of Army Staff General Bikram Singh said yesterday.

General Singh made this comment when he met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday morning, a statement from the President’s Office said.Noting that the Sri Lankan security forces have acquired vast strategic knowledge and experience, Gen. Singh praised Sri Lankan soldiers for their discipline, competencies and outstanding skills and said it would be useful for both countries to learn from each other.

President Rajapaksa thanked India for its support extended to Sri Lanka during the war and said the task would have been much more difficult if not for India’s help.

During the discussion, President Rajapaksa also brought up the issue of Indian fishermen fishing in Sri Lankan waters to which Gen. Singh responded by affirming that a strong message has been conveyed to officials of the State of Tamil Nadu to take the necessary measures to control the situation.

While thanking the Sri Lankan government for constructing the monument commemorating the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), Gen. Singh promised to assist Sri Lanka in meeting the training requirements of the security forces.

Maj. Gen. Rajeev Tewari and the Defense Attaché of the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka Capt. Sumith Kapoor joined Gen. Singh for the discussion while Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Sri Lanka’s Army Commander Jagath Jayasuriya were also present.

India remains preferred destination for training of SL military

While stating that India remains the preferred destination for training of Sri Lankan officers, an Indian TV channel NDTV said that 870 Sri Lankan military officers are undergoing training in India in the current year (2012-13).

“In 2011-12 for instance, 820 Sri Lankans undertook training in Indian Military Establishments. In the current year (2012-13), 870 officers are undergoing training in India. This includes two senior officers doing the prestigious National Defence College (NDSC) course in New Delhi,” it said.

Following is the full article

As Indian Army Chief General Bikram Singh lands in Colombo later today, he is certain to hear from his hosts about many unfulfilled aspects of Indo-Sri Lanka Defence Cooperation.

One of the unfinished agendas between India and Sri Lanka is a formal Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA), in discussion between the two countries since 2003.

Top Defence sources in both the capitals say most aspects of a formal pact have been agreed upon but domestic compulsions on either side have prevented the final signing of the DCA.
The lack of a formal defence cooperation pact has however not prevented the two countries from furthering their defence ties, opposition in Tamil Nadu to the presence of Sri Lankan military personnel in various Indian training institutions notwithstanding.

Read Full Article : http://warcrimesrilanka.blogspot.com/p/india-remains-preferred-destination-for.html

Keith Vaz's half-a-million pounds under scrutiny

Is Keith Vaz, a British MP of Goan origin, being investigated for making illegal earnings of half-a-million pounds? While Britain's leading mainline newspaper, The Daily Telegraph, said as much, sources in the Scotland Yard told Times of India(TOI) that £500,000 of "suspicious nature" were paid into various bank accounts held by Vaz over the last six years, the Times of India reported.

Keith Vaz has been constantly accusing Sri Lanka , vociferously repeating LTTE slogans in the parliament and recently brought pressure on the British government to appoint an independent investigator into the human rights record of Sri Lanka which the Sri Lanka government has angrily rejected. He is a close associate of the LTTE front, the British Tamil Forum and heads the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Tamils , which is carrying on a virulent campaign against Sri Lanka .

When contacted by the Times of India, Vaz strenuously denied wrongdoing. Pressed for an official comment, Scotland Yard's spokesman told TOI, "It would not be appropriate for the Metropolitan Police Service to comment on any individual's historic financial investigations that may or may not have been conducted."

"These weren't suspicious in any way," Vaz said. "They relate to the sale of a family home in London, the purchase of a new family home and a drawdown of equity from my bank."

The pro-Conservative party Daily Telegraph claimed the source of the funds was not declared publicly and the evidence gathered by the police may contradict assurances given by Vaz during the earlier investigation into his finances between 2000 and 2001.

"These matters relate to two parliamentary inquiries which began in 1999 and concluded in 2003," he said. "My finances were discussed by every newspaper in the country for a period of three years and were the subject of extensive examination."

Vaz added, "All ministers (and he was a minister then) have to report all their financial interests to their permanent secretary, which I did. I had no discussions with the then cabinet secretary or the then prime minister about any of these issues. I know of no investigation."

Vaz resigned as minister for Europe in 2001 in Tony Blair's government and was never re-appointed. The immediate cause of his stepping down was an allegation that he had received money from the billionaire Hinduja family relating to an application for a British passport by one of the brothers.

The MP, who has a high profile role as chairman of the House of Commons' select committee on home affairs, was investigated by the parliamentary commissioner for standards between 2000 and 2001. He was cleared of receiving illicit funds. As chairman of the select committee, Vaz has been putting the current Conservative-Liberal Democrat government through tough scrutiny. His wife, Maria Fernandes, has also been dragged into the controversy.
Andrew Bridgen, a Conservative MP told media Vaz had "questions to answer". He continued,: "I feel that he cannot continue to hold his role with the home affairs select committee during an investigation and call on him to stand down."


Courtesy - http://www.dailymirror.lk/news/22376-keith-vazs-half-a-million-pounds-under-scrutiny.html

Dr. Subramanian Swamy at Sri lanka Defence Seminar 2012

Dr. Subramanian Swamy at Sri lanka Defence Seminar 2012

Army saves life of LTTEr's daughter

By Vijayani EDIRISINGHE

        The Sri Lanka Army has intervened to save the life of a 20 year old girl in Jaffna who was in the throes of death due to an acute heart ailment recently.

Kajindanee, of Achchuveli, Jaffna had fallen ill several times and doctors had diagnosed a heart ailment for which she had obtained treatment without much success. Her father who joined the LTTE as an armed cadre had died during a confrontation with the Security Forces and her mother who had to fend for her family had made ends meet by working as a labourer.

When a mobile health camp was held in Jaffna on March 15 for the benefit of people in Jaffna on the instructions of Jaffna Commander Maj Gen Mahinda Hathurusinghe, Kajindanee too had attended the camp accompanied by her mother. Consultant heart surgeon Dr. Vivek Gupta, an Indian doctor attached to the Colombo Asiri Hospital Cardiology Unit who was among the specialists conducting the camp had diagnosed an acute heart ailment and found that Kajindanee's life would not last for more than 15 days unless she was immediately attended to. Kajindanee's mother who heard about the serious condition of her daughter had pleaded with Col Wijendra and doctors to somehow save her life.

Col Wijendra had immediately gone into action to find a donor to sponsor Kajindanee's heart operation. An engineer named Thirubanandan who was a friend of the Security Forces in Jaffna had volunteered to provide Rs 400,000 needed for the surgery and the purchase of two valves (stents).

Dr. Anil Perera, Dr. Manjula Karunaratne and Dr. Vivek Gupta of the Asiri Hospital had agreed to perform Kajindanee's operation free.

Maj. Gen. Mahinda Hathurusinghe arranged to send Kajindanee and her mother to the Asiri hospital in Colombo by a special fight. A successful operation was performed on Kajindanee on March 30 thus saving a young life which otherwise would have faded away in a matter of 15 days or so.

All arrangements have been made by the Army to provide board and lodging in Colombo for Kajindanee and her mother and post surgical medical treatment until she is fit to return to Jaffna.

The 3rd Vijayabahu Artillery Regiment of Jaffna will be responsible for the safety of Kajindanee and her mother until they return home. Kajindanee's mother was full of praise for the Sri Lanka Armed Forces for coming to the assistance of their family. The Tamil community of Jaffna is also thankful to them for this humane deed.

url - http://www.dailynews.lk/2012/04/05/news24.asp