View from the LEFT

At the same time, it says it is important to draw the distinction between the LTTE and the beleaguered Tamil population in these two provinces who are the victims of such hostilities. 8220;The Sri Lankan president himself concedes that the All Party Representative Committee which was constituted by him to evolve a consensus on the resolution of the ethnic conflict is progressing very slowly in coming up with its final proposals.8221; nbsp;8220;Further, as the Indian government continues to maintain the implementation of the 13th amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution granting greater devolution of powers to the provinces is yet to proceed in right earnest,8221; it says.

It asks the Sri Lankans to proceed with implementation of the 13th amendment and speed up the process of the All Party Representative Committee coming out with its proposals to evolve a consensual solution.nbsp;8220;From the humanitarian point of view, it is absolutely essential that the hostilities must cease at the earliest and proper relief, urgently needed, must be ensured to the hapless people caught in the crossfire of hostilities. Towards this end of finding a lasting political solution to the continuous conflict that has plagued Sri Lanka for many decades, the Indian government and the people must extend support and assistance,8221; it says.

The more things change

Another article titled 8216;What 8220;Change8221; In America Really Means8217; by John Pilger questions the notion of nbsp;President-elect Barack Obama as an anti-war proponent and said the first two crucial appointments represent a denial of the wishes of his supporters on the principal issues on which they voted.

8220;The vice-president-elect, Joe Biden, is a proud war-maker and Zionist. Rahm Emanuel, who is to be the all-important White House chief of staff, is a fervent 8220;neo-liberal8221; devoted to the doctrine that led to the present economic collapse and impoverishment of millions. 8220;He is also an 8220;Israel-first8221; Zionist who served in the Israeli army and opposes meaningful justice for the Palestinians 8212; an injustice that is at the root of Muslim people8217;s loathing of the United States and the spawning of jihadism,8221; he argues.

Elaborating further, he says the 8220;anti-war8221; Obama never said the illegal invasion of Iraq was wrong, merely that it was a 8220;mistake8221;. nbsp;8220;Thereafter, he voted in to give Bush what he wanted. Yes, Obama8217;s election is historic, a symbol of great change to many. But it is equally true that the American elite has grown adept at using the black middle and management class,8221; he says. 8220;No serious scrutiny of this is permitted within the histrionics of Obamamania, just as no serious scrutiny of the betrayal of the majority of black South Africans was permitted within the 8220;Mandela moment8221;. This is especially marked in Britain, where America8217;s divine right to 8220;lead8221; is important to elite British interests.

Countering the revolution

An article that looks into the upcoming regional elections in Venezuela says the recent weeks have seen both external and internal pressure intensifying dramatically to ensure the defeat of revolutionary forces led by Hugo Chavez. 8220;US imperialism and the US-backed Venezuelan opposition want to win in these elections at any cost and push forward their plans to destabilise the government. The thinking of the opposition parties was clouded by the victory in the constitutional reform referendum. They wrongly assume that the close result in the referendum was a consequence of a weakening of the Bolivarian Revolution,8221; it says.

8220;To ensure the defeat of the revolutionary forces, some of these parties are even ready with Plan B, whose central strategy is stepping up of economic sabotage by capitalists reminiscent of the sabotage against the Allende government in Chile in 1973, unleashing terror, ranging from what they would describe as the softest street disorders, civil disobedience etc. to assassination plots and a coup d8217;eacute;tat,8221; it says.

Compiled by Manoj C.G