Outside Politics

18th October 1998

Peace feelers

It seemed a funny coincidence. Elsewhere in London, Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Professor G.L. Peiris, was extolling the virtues of US and British assistance to combat terrorism.

At the same time, at Chatham House in St James's Square, under the auspices of the Royal Institute of International Affairs, pro LTTE activists were discussing Peace, Justice and Security in Sri Lanka. Interestingly the discussion focused a great deal on devolution.

The participants? Dr. Nagalingam Ediriweerasingham, former visiting lecturer, University of Jaffna. He is described as a current advisor to a Harvard initiative and is in touch with State Department officials in Washington on Sri Lanka issues. V. Rudrakumaran, LTTE's top man in New York an attorney by profession, he is a member of the legal team led by former US Attorney General, Ramsey Clark, making legal challenges in US Courts against the proscription of the LTTE.

G.G. Ponnambalam, Jr.. He is described as General Secretary of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress.

Also present was a Labour MP – Barry Gardiner.

Now that the Fox initiative is out, is this a precursor to a Fatchett initiative ? That's the question being asked in political circles in Colombo.

Third bride

Remember Vasantha Raja, Chairman of Sri Lanka Rupavahini in the not too distant past ?

Wedding bells have rung for him for the third time. The 55 year old one time BBC hand married 24 year old Nelum Mudalige, a one time employee of Sirasa FM in Colombo. As for his current job, from the position of being Editor of the Tamil Guardian, reports say, he has been side lined. He is playing a lesser role until "some things are sorted out," whispers someone in London who is in the know.

Paradise regained

This is a story about travel preferences. If President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga prefers the Emirates, her opposition counterpart, Ranil Wickre-mesinghe, it appears, has chosen another airline in West AsiaGulf Air. Both have one thing in common. They would liketo avoid the National Carrier.

So Mr.Wickeramesinghe flew to London and thereafter with connections on other airlines for his fund raising tour in the United States. The London stopover enroute back to Colombo turned out to be one big mess. Heavy traffic delayed the entourage of the Leader of the Opposition. They arrived 40 minutes after the Gulf Air counter closed at London Heathrow. The flight was closed.

VIP or no VIP, the Gulfair staff said a polite sorry. Rules required that baggage shold be checked in 40 minutes before boarding.

So Mr. Wickremesinghe and party had to eventually settle for a taste of paradise. They boarded the next available flight – AirLanka in whom he had no confidence recently.

Jungle Telegraph

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