As published in The Samosa Sri Lanka’s opposition talked of giving concessions to the country’s defeated Tamil minority. The Sinhalese majority said no. Melanie Gouby analyses Sri Lanka’s presidential election. For all the talk of a close election, in the end President Mahinda Rajapaksa was re-elected comfortably when results were announced on Wednesday. General Sarath Fonseka, the former… [Read more…]
It is not surprising news, but a very disappointing one. Rajapaksa has been re-elected as the president of Sri Lanka. His main opponent, General Sarath Fonseka, was relying on the minorities’ votes to win the elections, but reaching out to the Tamils may be the reason why he lost. The majority of the Sinhalese population is not ready… [Read more…]
As published on the Institute for War and Peace Reporting website By Melanie Gouby Despite the International Criminal Court, ICC, indictment of Thomas Lubanga for the use of children in his militia, the recruitment of child soldiers continues in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC. Evidence that recruitment is going on comes especially… [Read more…]
By Melanie Gouby As published in The Samosa He may seem the most unlikely candidate of all, but former army chief General Sarath Fonseka has shaken off the Sri Lankan establishment and engaged in a fierce campaign to beat his former ally to the presidential throne.General Fonseka, the very man who led the army to victory, and… [Read more…]
As published on the Insitute for War and Peace Reporting website By Melanie Gouby Human rights activists are calling on the International Criminal Court, ICC, to charge the Lord’s Resistance Army, LRA, leaders with a series of brutal crimes they are accused of perpetrating in the Democratic Republic of Congo, DRC. LRA leader Joseph Kony and two… [Read more…]
By Melanie Gouby, as published in The Samosa Burdened by years of conflict, the people of Sri Lanka’s east coast thought massive international fundraising for the region following the 2004 tsunami would redevelop the economy and improve the quality of life. Instead, the benefits were frittered away through ignorance, incompetence and corruption. Melanie Gouby reports Fish… [Read more…]
My article on Sri Lanka’s government in The Samosa Sri Lanka’s winner takes it all By Melanie Gouby Following his decisive victory over Tamil separatists, Sri Lanka’s victorious president Mahinda Rajapaksa is accumulating unprecedented power in what his critics fear is a new war – only this time, on democracy. Talking about his job with the… [Read more…]
January 29, 2010
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