This is another story by Brigadier (Retd) LC Perera. Here, he is talking to wounded officers and soldiers and the resonance that reconciliation has with them. For more please check out the #heallanka tag.

This is the story of the writing in the wall on the Jaffna campus, during the raging war. It shows the natural hope and determination towards reconciliation among average Sri Lankans. That is ultimately where reconciliation has to come from, not from the government or UN. It has to be between people, by people, and then politics and reports will follow. I think it can happen, and that it is happening.

This US Resolution bulldust has stirred up a lot of a lot of anger and hatred. Here’s a list of people that are getting vilified that don’t deserve to be. Seriously guys, it’s unbecoming, on all sides. We can disagree about stuff, but at the end of the day we all live here, or at least I do. The point, the point of all this – be it war or negotiations or Eelam or whatever – is for everyone to live with dignity on this island. So let’s be dignified.

Today’s UN Human Rights thing vote is largely symbolic, and it means different things to different people. The government has framed it as a vote against Sri Lanka. Rump Eelamists also. Most Sri Lankans are like ‘eh’? So WTF is going on?

India is now the world’s top importer of arms. Not the top spender mind you, that’s still the US by far, but India is the top importer. Also, don’t get China’s drop in the importer rankings twisted. They’re just making their own weapons at home.

This is a video and transcript of Brigadier (Retd) L.C. Perera speaking on his experience of the 1983 riots. This was recorded at a Heal Lanka forum, and you can see other recordings by clicking that link. Brigadier was there for everything and he has a gift for story-telling. It is important to hear these stories in such a human way, devoid of politics. This is the story of a soldier maturing, and seeing the scale of the tragedy to come.

Yesterday I went to a presentation by Heal Lanka, led by Brigadier (Retd) L.C. Perera. He has served in vital positions during the 1983 riots, the ongoing Eelam Wars, the JVP insurrections and Eelam War IV and Menik Farm. He has a wealth of experience and feeling which he has been brave enough to now share, in dedication to reconciliation.

The US Resolution vaguely against Sri Lanka is the news around certain circles, but I’ve found that it actually doesn’t affect my life that much. Whatever the text of the resolution, it’s just become a political football. The government has framed it as a vote against Sri Lanka, and those that hate on SL have framed it as a vote against. If it passes, it won’t be the text that matters, it’ll be these stupid frames. I honestly think it hurts more than it helps.

This is a very interesting interview with Cho S. Ramaswamy, editor of the (Indian) Tamil weekly Thuglak. He says: “Suppose the US or some other country sponsors a similar resolution tomorrow on Kashmir. Are we going to honour it? We will say that the UN has no right to do this. The LTTE was the most powerful and ruthless terrorist group.” This is in regards to the ongoing brouhaha about America’s chiding UN resolution, even though they have their own issues with the UN.

This is a poor photo, but it’s basically it. You’ve got the construction, the money, the people on bicycles, the promise of a better future. And the military in the shadows. Nothing’s in focus and this was taken out of a moving car, but I think this basically gets it. This is Kilinochchi 2012, post-war, pre-something.