China still sees Rajapaksa as Colombo’s power broker

by Viruben
Oct 15, 2022

On Friday, China’s ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong visited disgraced former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

During their meeting, the Chinese envoy and former Sri Lankan premier exchanged pleasantry
Rajapaksa handed the ambassador a letter addressed to Chinese premier Xi Jinping, congratulating the Chinese leader and describing the 20th National Congress as a new milestone. The Chinese envoy and former Sri Lankan president reportedly discussed strengthening relations between the two countries; supporting the travel of students and businessmen between the two countries; and, securing economic support for Sri Lanka.

Despite being forced out of office in May, Mahinda Rajapaksa is still viewed as a power broker within Colombo. Following the election of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Rajapaksa claimed to have put him forwards. In a rally in the city of Kalutara, in the Western Sinhala province, Rajapaksa told the crowd:

“We scolded Ranil back then. But Ranil is with us now, so we sing his praises. I believe he has chosen the correct path now”.

Behind the scenes, the Rajapaksas are reportedly planning a return to the political limelight with Gotabaya Rajapaksa, launching a secretive PR campaign to clear his image, and is testing opinion polls in villages. The Chinese officials meeting with Mahinda Rajapaksa is a recognition of their continued political salience.

Rajapaksa cultivated close ties to the Chinese administration during his first administration as he secured arms and relied on China to block UN condemnation of Sri Lanka’s genocidal warfare. In his 2015 campaign, at least $7.6 million went directly from a majority state-owned Chinese corporation to Rajapaksa’s campaign expenditures. The Chinese ambassador at the time reportedly openly lobbied for voters to back Rajapaksa.

Relations between China and the Rajapaksa clan soured under the presidency of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s brother, Gotabaya Rajapaksa. His disastrous ban on chemical fertilisers and the instability of the administration eviscerated the confidence of Chinese officials.

Despite this, China has continued to strengthen its ties with Colombo. In August, Sri Lanka permitted the docking on the controversial Yuan Wang 5, which the protest of Indian officials, who alleged that the vessel was a spy ship. During the 51st UN Human Rights Council session, China also went to bat for Sri Lanka, slamming the UN resolution as a violation of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and accusing member states of using human rights as a means of interfering in the country’s domestic politics.

Even out of office, Mahinda Rajapaksa is still seen to be pulling the strings in Colombo.

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Tamil asylum seekers in Australia mark 100 days of continuous protests for permanent visas

Over 200 refugees and supporters marked a significant milestone by marching 10 kilometers from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s office to the Immigration Minister’s office this week, commemorating 100 days of continuous protest.

This demonstration, which culminated in a rally and speeches in Punchbowl, highlighted the plight of refugees denied permanent visas for over 12 years. Speakers at the event shed light on the profound impact of the current system, including barriers to higher education, employment, and access to essential services.

The protest has now entered its 100th day, with Tamil asylum seekers and their supporters continuing their relentless demand for permanent protection. For 38 days, they camped outside Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke’s office in Sydney, calling on the government to end the visa limbo that has left many without basic rights and stability. Tamil asylum seekers have been in Australia for over a decade, living on short-term visas that must be renewed regularly. Without permanent residency, they are excluded from Medicare—Australia’s universal health insurance scheme—and are denied the right to work, study, travel, or access essential services. Many are also required to report to visa offices weekly.

The crisis is compounded by the controversial 'Fast Track' system introduced in 2014 by the Abbott government. According to the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, this system has resulted in the rejection of around 8,500 asylum seekers' cases. It specifically targets individuals who sought asylum by sea and arrived in Australia between August 13, 2012, and December 31, 2013. Tamil asylum seekers, stuck in visa limbo for years, have launched protests nationwide, with 24-hour encampments in Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane.

Amaran - Problematic propaganda

amaran

The genre of war epic makes its grand re-entry to Tamil cinema with director Rajkumar Periasamy’s sophomore feature film, ‘Amaran.’ As is often the case with this genre, one cannot help but feel the events of the ‘true story’ onscreen have been heavily modified for easy consumption.

 

 

 

The patriotic military films of Tamil cinema had taken a back seat for a while. The subject matter is now seldom a prominent theme of a film, instead lurking in the shadows peeking through such as via the heroes in the works of Nelson Dilipkumar. The genre of war epic makes its grand re-entry to Tamil cinema with director Rajkumar Periasamy’s sophomore feature film, ‘Amaran.’ As is often the case with this genre, one cannot help but feel the events of the ‘true story’ onscreen have been heavily modified for easy consumption.

The film follows the tale of Major Mukund Varadarajan (Sivakarthikeyan) and his partner Indhu Rebecca Varghese (Sai Pallavi), who meet at college and soon become lovers. Indhu grapples with her lover’s life ambition of becoming a soldier for the Indian army, admiring his courage and more than willing to become his doting wife at home. We then watch as Mukund is stationed in Kashmir and follow along with his various missions in the volatile area. The film’s depiction of the Indian army is one solely made up of heroes rescuing civilians and looking out for the public’s interests. It is not necessary to delve too much into why this is an oversimplified and problematic portrayal.

The central performances by Sivakarthikeyan and Sai Pallavi carry the almost three hour film adequately. Despite moments where Sivakarthikeyan lacks the intensity to land highly emotional scenes, the pair deftly share the screen between them, with Pallavi picking up any slack. Another notable performance comes from Geetha Kailasam, a character actor who has featured in many films recently in the role of ‘the mother.’ ‘Amaran’ gives her another opportunity to showcase her own humorous brand of motherhood.

Technically, the film runs smoothly. The film is decently shot and edited. Other than a few overly melodramatic moments, the screenplay is solid, albeit a little superficial. GV Prakash Kumar continues his trend of matching the quality of the film with the quality of his music. The track ‘Hey Minnale’ is an earworm, but the rest of the score and soundtrack does not shine through.

Overall, ‘Amaran’ is a straightforward piece of propaganda. A shot in ‘Amaran’ depicts a soldier of the Indian army blocking a closing door with his rifle. On the other side of the door is a Kashmiri child. To appease the child, the soldier sneaks a chocolate bar through the gap in the doorway. The reverse of this tactic is what director Rajkumar Periasamy employs to hook his audience in: the sweetness of the Penelope-Odysseus relationship between Mukund and Indhu hides the intrusion of the weapon of jingoist ideology. 

Krishna's rating: 2.5 stars

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Official trailer for film below.

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