bits and pieces

A suicide bomb attack in the suburbs of Colombo today. High-ranking military commander dead, along with 5 other passers-by. I wonder who they were. This coupled with the attempted assassination last month of the Army Commander, also in Colombo, is illustrative of the new LTTE tactics in the face of the EU ban, the Oslo Communique and the presence of other perhaps paramilitary-funded anti-LTTE forces. In any event, it is certain that this is a provocative attack designed to generate a military response from the government (perhaps even a declaration of war from the govt.) which in turn would result in a massive, totalistic response from the LTTE. The moment that the govt. responds, if and when, with decisive force, the LTTE can tell the international community that they had no choice but to also respond with a military option.

It was a long weekend, where a cousin-in-law got baptized at a 200 year old church in Kynsey Road, built by the British, with long arching ceilings and Christ hanging forlornly off his perpetual cross, where I had a full facial, a foot massage and pedicure, eyebrows threaded (PAIN!), a lesson in sari draping, some intensive waxing, all for the insanely low sum of USD 40! It would cost a good USD 150 elsewhere, all this, at least. Also a weekend where a best friend turned 26, where another good friend wedded at the Fullerton with white columns and cornices, and where my mother flew into town for the weekend. Also a weekend, where because my internet was down, and my phone was not working, I finished watching Season 2 of 24. That's a good 36 hours of 24 watching in a WEEK!

This is an interesting and accurate comment on NGOs in Sri Lanka (in response to the measures taken by the govt, perhaps prompted by a leftist party resenting NGOs, in order to promote greater transparency amongst NGOS here and also to TAX the income received in grants by NGOs).

"NGOs in Sri Lanka often mimic the very parochialism they seek to transform in government. Clamouring for donor aid, scarce human resources, a paucity of genuine innovation and ideas, inflated egos and personal vendettas, Sri Lanka’s NGO sector is rife with problems that none can deny and is not generally one big happy family.
.... NGOs need to mature into institutions that are better able to work together and share resources. This maturity is vital in light of the vital role NGOs play in the peace process in Sri Lanka – as hubs of information, research, advocacy and civic engagements in support of justice, reconciliation and peace. At the same time, and with equal emphasis, a peace process demands NGOs to respond to voices opposed to the peace process, claim a large degree of public support and state that NGOs, as entities not democratically elected into power, lack the legitimacy to represent the views of various peoples"