The Shamima Begum Dilemma: A Muslim Brit and Other Voices

ONE = Dr SLM Rifai: “The Dillemma a of British Muslims,” 21 February 2019

The primary objective of this short article is to examine and evaluate the social impacts and legal consequences of Shamima Begum’s case. It has been reported that Home Office has already sent a letter to the family of Shamima saying that it has decided to revoke British citizenship of Shamima. According to INDEPENDENT newspaper “The Government has deprived Shamima Begum of her British citizenship, allegedly making her stateless and violating international law” (19/2/19). Yet, her new born baby has been given every right to settle in the UK. However, the secretary for justice has said that Shamima Begum has right to return to UK, but she should face the court of law in this country. This contrasting view has created some legal debates in the UK about this issue.

The British Way: An Appraisal of Donald Trump

Nate White responding to the Question:“Why do some British people not like Donald Trump?”

“A few things spring to mind. Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem. For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace – all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed. So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump’s limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief.

The Chinese Way: Two Web Site Observations

COMMENT ONE:

I am an American who has lived in China for three years. (And very much like living here.) My opinion is not as factual, and surely not as broadly informed, as many of the others so well-expressed here. But something I notice, from the inside, is that China usually plays “the long game.” They are bellicose when they see it serving their immediate interests. But they see little advantage in American- or Russian-style braggadocio. They are more likely to exert their influence quietly and economically.

Transformations in Sri Lankan Cricket Squad

Michael Roberts, courtesy of Colombo Telegraph, 10 February 2019, where the title is a mite different

As I have not been keeping an eye on the domestic cricket within Sri Lanka, my ability to comment meaningfully on the Selectors’ choices for recent tours is limited, Fortunately, a call from Nirgunan Tiruchelvam provided thoughts from an expert student’s perspective. Nirgunan indicated that in recent years the principal wicket takers within Sri Lanka’s domestic cricket scene have been conventional spin-bowlers. Their bowling averages are way, way superior better to that of the fast-bowlers.

Gross Failures in Man-Management in Sri Lanka’s Cricket Politics

 Rohan Wijeyaratna, in Island, 8 February 2019, where the title is “Don’t Rock the Boat”

Manuka Oval as a Test venue was blessed with a fairy tale beginning. Sri Lanka down by the head (in maritime parlance) before the Test, went into the match on a hiding to nothing. All three pace bowlers who bowled their hearts out at the Gabba were reported ‘crook’ at various stages to the lead up, while the best of them all, couldn’t even get up from his bed, let alone play. Forced into a corner with their backs to the wall, Sri Lanka began the Test match with a relative rookie pace attack of three men sharing five Tests between them for experience. After 8.4 overs of unbelievable cricket where the ball swung and darted about, bats were beaten and edges were taken. Australia – now in a spot of bother, were left ruminating at 28 for three. If at this stage the most rabid of Sri Lankan followers were cocking a snoot at the soothsayers, by the end of the day the boot was firmly on the other foot. Watchful for a start, the Aussies eventually launched and gorged themselves on a run feast to end on 380 for four — a considerable advance from where they once were. The bowling by then had subsided to its rightful place as second rate; catches were duly dropped when offered, and a very ordinary Australian side were made to look like champions – a title they readily accepted. In other words, normalcy had returned!

The Split within the JVP in 1983 and the Programme of State Repression in the 1980s

Lionel Bopage, in Sri Lanka Guardian, 29 March 2019,where the title is ‘The Frozen Fire’ — Art and Political Reality

There are diverse views about the politics of the JVP and the inherent limitations contained in their political discourse. In particular, many of the views that exist regarding the politics of comrade Rohana Wijeweera and his assassination have contrasting narratives. In such an environment, even coming forward to produce a cinema work like ‘The Frozen Fire’ is a matter that needs commendation and appreciation.

Sovereignty, Space and Civil War in Sri Lanka: Porous Nation

Anoma Pieris has produced yet another book, this time with the prestigious Taylor & Francis imprint. In hardback it runs to 236 pages and has line drawings, tables and 35 illustrations — so it is expensive: Aus $ 216.88

 

Analyses of the Sri Lankan civil war (1983-2009) overwhelmingly represent it as an ethnonationalist contest, prolonging postcolonial arguments on the creation and dissolution of the incipient nation-state since independence in 1948. While colonial divide-and-rule policies, the rise of ethnonationalist lobbies, structural discrimination and majoritarian democracy have been established as grounds for inter-ethnic hostility, there are other significant transformative forces that remain largely unacknowledged in postcolonial analyses.