‘Declining Sri Lanka’ launched

A book by Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha:

COLOMBO: Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) launched Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha’s new book ‘Declining Sri Lanka - Terrorism and Ethnic Conflict, the legacy of J. R. Jayewardene: 1906 - 2006’ on July 24 at 5.30 p.m at the BCIS auditorium.

The book launch was attended by many dignitaries of the foreign missions in Sri Lanka, Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the President, Jayantha Dhanapala, former Secretary General to the SCOPP and former Ambassador to the UN, M. D. D. Peiris, former Protem chairman of the BCIS and Ambassador Nihal Rodrigo, Advisor to the President, to mention a few of the assembled dignitaries. Ambassador Nihal Rodrigo delivered the keynote address the occasion.

Lalith Weeratunga, chaired the session. Ambassador Nihal Rodrigo called the book, ‘a concisely written account of the domestic political background to the current situation’. Even though he may not have agreed with Prof. Wijesinha’s use of title and his judgement on events and personalities, he recommended the book highly for its thought provoking and stimulating nature.

Ambassador Rodrigo went on to speak about the timely launch of the book which collided with the death anniversary of the first group of soldiers killed by the LTTE rebels in 1983 and the recent victory in Thoppigala by the government forces against the LTTE.

The book was called an excellent political review by the author who uses a novel mix of Freud Shakespeare and Wijesinha in it.

Ambassador Rodrigo further talked about the current political situation and the developments in the peace process in Sri Lanka and concluded his comments on the book ‘Declining Sri Lanka’ with four broad dimensions essential to lasting peace in Sri Lanka.

He identified Defence against terrorism, Development of the freed areas, Devolution of a reasonable extent of power and International dissemination in a coordinated fashion as the areas essential to a lasting peace in Sri Lanka.