Alumni weekend

Just a quick note to say that Alumni Weekend in Oxford was fantastic, if entirely random! Lots of old boys in proper college suits and ties, and then lots of internationals and hot young things all over campus. I didn't get to take part in any of the actual events because I was working, but there was a nice buzz around the place, and hopefully everyone who came had a good time.

The Wolfson dinner was brilliant - I realise I love chatting to old wise people who teach me things! Food was awesome, very intimate venue too (only small numbers turned out, which was fine with me!) and we got free Isaiah Berlin t-shirts too, albeit in super-large sizes! Every now and then the evening felt completely surreal, with me wondering how I had somehow ended up in this room in Oxford with poets and dames and all sorts of people I would never encounter in my regular life. I guess that's the joy of Oxford. I only wish more people could experience what I get to take part in. X looked super pretty :) We had a good time together, it's nice to have someone to go to these things with, who you can show off and be impressed by :) It was also nice not to be drinking - meant I could communicate coherently and not be hungover the next day, bonus! I did miss the port though.

Another week of telethon-ing to go. So far so good. Still loving being at Exeter and enjoying the lack of academic work. A bit nervous about starting next week but hopefully it'll be ok. Looking forward to being back in Waggytown for a wee bit to get my stuff. Also looking forward to doing some exercise soon - been eating far too much junk on the telethon!

Roy vs Bandula

From the Toronto paper, The Globe and Mail

Bandula wrote:Sri Lanka — From Thursday's Globe and Mail .
The Globe and Mail, which I held in high esteem until now, disrespected and distorted Sri Lanka's flag in the illustration accompanying the article Let's Help Sri Lanka Win The Peace (Sept. 17). This is not the kind of journalism one would expect from a respectable newspaper. The Globe should not forget that many Canadians are of Sri Lankan origin.Â

Bandula Jayasekara
Consul GeneralÂ

Roy's response.

Dear editor,Â

Sri Lanka is a country run by pesky racist zealots. Despite Sri Lankan Consul General's lament that The Globe disrespected his country's flag, I on the other hand, along with many other Canadians of Tamil decent (not Sri Lankan) wouldn't wrap fish with Sri Lanka's flag, out of respect for fish.Â

Some links on Sri Lanka and diaspora activities

Article about a rich Tamil dude giving money to rehabilitate former Tiger cadres. Not sure if I'd be giving money to the GoSL just yet, but I guess he thinks he is helping.

http://transcurrents.com/tc/2009/09/raj_rajaratnam_sets_example_fo.html

Article on the history of Tamil secessionism in India and also good information on the caste system and ideas of Dravidians.

http://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/1076

An article on Sri Lanka

Today I am in the Old Bod. It's beautiful in the sunlight and also pretty empty, which is how I like my libraries. Unfortunately the computers are achingly slow. But hey, you can't have everything you want in life.

Work was good last night, I was much more on top of things and made sure I ate this time! I'm getting on well with the student callers and also my fellow ambassadors and my bosses too. It's a really hectic job but I like it. I particularly like the jokey atmosphere we share there.

So I thought I'd post up an article I wrote on Sri Lanka for a writing competition. Now, I don't consider myself a writer as such, and certainly when you read this you will realise I have no natural flair for writing or anything like that. But I thought I'd enter this competition just to raise awareness of the situation in Sri Lanka, especially for the Tamil IDPs (internally displaced persons) in the camps over there. Don't judge the piece on its style or literary standards - rather just take in the information and the ideas presented. Ok, caveats over.

Benjamin Franklin House Literary Prize – Young Writers’ Award Entry

"They, who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety".

I read this quote and I thought immediately of Sri Lanka. I know that Benjamin Franklin intended these words for the Pennsylvania Assembly but it seems to me that they should be spoken to the Government of my mother country. While they hold my people hostage, seemingly endlessly with no ransom note and no explanation, I sit here, safe in British luxury, and wonder if I too have played a part in the loss of their liberty? And, by extension, my liberty?

Known as the pearl of the Indian Ocean, the island named as Ceylon by its British colonisers has had a beautiful and violent history. Paddy fields and tea plantations, crystal clear lagoons and travel brochure beaches, ancient temples and bustling street markets – all have acted as landscapes to warfare. Ceylon became Sri Lanka on the 4^th February 1948, but the country’s new found liberty did not lead to safety for its citizens. The British had kept a lid on disagreements and divisions between the two main ethnic groups but in their absence these quickly escalated into a battle for power between the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The resulting decades of conflict claimed thousands of victims - Tamils, Sinhalese, and others.

The war reached a bitter and bloody climax earlier this year. Although the hostilities have been declared over by the Sri Lankan administration, thousands of internally displaced Tamil civilians remain in militarised “welfare camps” in the formerly controlled LTTE areas in the North of the country. The Government declares that it is necessary to keep these people under its control so that any remaining Tiger supporters can be weeded out. Further, the Government argues that it needs to make the LTTE areas “safe”. As such, the Government can justify withholding the freedom of the Tamil civilians, forbidding them from leaving the camps, claiming it might be dangerous for them to return to their villages, and arguing they might be dangerous to others, to the citizens of Sri Lanka that count. Conveniently forgetting that the Tamil people are citizens too.

For the Government of Sri Lanka, the establishment of safety, no matter how temporary or limited in its scope, is worth the sacrifice of the liberty of the Tamil people. But this utilitarian perspective is not a long-term solution to the problems between the people of this island. The removal of the freedom of the Tamil people is not conducive to the promotion of future safety and security for all people. Rather, the captivity and the oppression of the Tamil people will only fuel their desire for liberty and for justice.

The problem in Sri Lanka, as in many other countries, is that there are multiple groups competing for power and control. These groups each see their own goals as independent and exclusive to the goals of the others. As such each group believes that in order for them to achieve safety and liberty, it must be at the other group’s expense. This is what causes the tit-for-tat style behaviour by opposing groups, because they think of safety and liberty as resources, which are scarce and finite. Further, the treatment of safety and liberty as “either/or” options results in a blind-eye being turned to the possibility of maximising both. But for safety and liberty to prosper they must not be considered as goals independent of each other and exclusive to each group. Rather they must be considered as dual aims for everyone. A balance must be achieved – freedom and security go hand in hand so you cannot have one without the other. And you cannot give one to one with giving the same one to the other. Freedom and safety are not resources – they are basic human rights that are infinitely available if those in power choose it to be so.

In Sri Lanka the Government continues to treat Tamils and Sinhalese differently – giving freedom and security to one but not to the other. In Sri Lanka liberty and security come from the hands of those in charge, to distribute as they wish. By denying the Tamils their essential liberty, it is easy to see why the LTTE came into existence. No doubt the LTTE would agree with Benjamin Franklin – by giving up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, the Government of Sri Lanka has made a terrible compromise and thus deserves neither freedom nor safety.

Beyond Sri Lanka too, the treatment of the Tamil people has raised awareness and concern among the Tamil diaspora, who share this mindset. However whilst Franklin would most likely not support the strategies endorsed by the LTTE, the Government of Sri Lanka must surely be wary of the popular mentality of many young diaspora Tamils, who have become politically conscious and active as a result of the recent atrocities, and who agree with the notion that those who are willing to trade freedom for temporary safety are not worthy of either. The young Tamil diaspora have never had to fight for liberty or safety in the many different countries of their births, but by taking freedom and security for granted, they forget the suffering of their people. New generations of freedom-fighters will be born when this suffering through the suppression of liberty is realised. When the freedom of the Sri Lankan Tamils is considered our freedom too, we will fight.

The uncertainty and instability prevalent in Sri Lanka provide evidence of the difficulties in maintaining the temporary safety gleaned at the expense of liberty. But it is the loss of the independence of the Tamil people in the first place that has caused this island-wide insecurity, which in turn drives the Government’s desire for safety, no matter what the cost. Why this liberty was taken away is unclear but certainly its reinstatement is an essential step on the path towards peace. Further, the root causes of the issues between the groups need to be addressed rather than just the symptoms – only then can liberty and safety be fully achieved.

Franklin’s words allow a straightforward interpretation – that liberty takes priority and should not be sacrificed, even for safety. But if one looks deeper, one can also interpret this quote as an argument for the duality and interdependence of safety and liberty. The people of Sri Lanka deserve the peace that can be achieved by the provision of liberty and safety for all. But if we do not use the safety and liberty we have been granted to secure these same rights for others, we are in danger of losing what we have. And if we do not use the safety and liberty we have been granted to secure these same rights for others, then we do not deserve them either.

Libraries and Exeter College

I just wanted to take a moment to note how much I love libraries, particularly when they are mostly empty. I am in the Rad Cam right now, just minutes walk from Exeter, and it's beautiful in this light. I think I am especially liking it because I don't have pressing academic work to do in here so I can just enjoy it!

Also some things I like about Exeter:

1. It's a real old college, the fourth oldest in fact, so it is small and traditional-looking!
2. Breakfast - awesome, I love cooked breakfast and strong coffee.
3. JCR has sky, oh yeah.
4. Beautiful fellows' garden with a small terrace with lovely views over the Rad Cam quad. I've never seen a view like that before.
5. My room, which is actually really big and well furnished for 1st year room. Not even minding sharing the showers or the loos (something I have pretty much never really done before, except for that summer at Dartmouth!)

So today I am going to do some drawing and some reading and some tea drinking and some relaxing, before another hectic telethon session. Life is pretty peachy, am just missing X is all. Oh and I shall try and blag my way into Exeter library as clearly it will be wonderful.

Birthday highlights and being in Oxford

Helllloooo! I am in Wolfson library! So yes, I am back in Oxford now. I don't think I have ever posted from here before. Exciting times! It's cool to be back in college and catch up with people here...I can't believe there are new students here already and that a year has passed since I started here myself.

So firstly, the highlights from my birthday, which I don't think I've done yet:

1. All the love and attention given to me by X. Such a special birthday :) Probably my best and most exciting since I was maybe 11!

2. A cool shiny and stylish brilliant DAB radio. I have named him Oscar.

3. My lovely little cyclomen plant (Hermione). She will certainly brighten up my room here.

4. The rest of "birthday corner" featuring helium balloons, a badge, cards, a banner, and GOLD STARS! (and a big wrapped up present box with piggy wrapping paper! This contained Oscar.)

5. Birthday tiggerific cupcakes. YUM!

6. An amazing birthday dinner at The Bay View, such good food and drink and fun!

7. Walking along the beach. I've never done that on my birthday before.

8. Birthday sunshine.

I had such a great day, really I can't convey it properly here, but I remember waking up on the Friday (a bit hungover!) wishing that it was my birthday again because it was so great, so it must've been a good day. So thank you X, you are very special and make me feel very special too.

Other exciting things since my birthday:

1. Winning £10 on deal or no deal in the KA. Finally, a big win! And we almost won £20, it was like a dream!

2. Working on another telethon. Hard work but I realise I like helping other people and chatting to strangers and stuff like that. Plus the money is good and so are the rest of the team, even if some of the students ARE a little immature.

3. Living in Exeter college as a conference guest - it's nice to stay in other colleges and see what they are like.

4. Having a nice shiny red bike that works. Hope it stays that way!

5. Having the time to write on this blog and do my campaigning for the Tamil people and read books and walk around and enjoy life. I like being in Oxford without having to do academic work yet. I do miss being in Waggytown though. I can't wait for the weekends, but hopefully they will come quickly and we will do ok.

That's all for now. Nap time!

PS I did well in my exams too, which makes me happy!

Read and sign

It's my birthday today! I'm feeling pretty good - it's sunny and fun in Waggy. I'll post an update on stuff soon but just thought I'd share these with you, as even though I'm having fun over here, in Sri Lanka there is still suffering. Sign the petition and read the articles. Thank you.

Amnesty article and facebook petition (at the bottom of the article)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/15/sri-lanka-war-on-tamil-tigers

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/sep/16/sri-lanka

Boiler and the boiler room

Our boiler is on the blink. The gas people have temporarily done some banging to it to make it work, but we fear it needs a big and major operation to fix it. They will be back with some kind of replacement part (organ donation) to fix it up and help it last a bit longer. Being with hot water is gruesome (hot soft am I?) but it was sort of fun bathing out of a bucket with one third boiling kettle water, two thirds cool cool tap water. Reminded me of being in the village in Sri Lanka and also a bit of my time in Africa. Crucially though, those are hot places so the sting of the cold water isn't so noticeable compared to chilly Swantown. We hope it will be fixed up soon.

With regards to the boiler room, well, my brother has been working in what pretty much seems to be a boiler room (he got made redundant, which some of us are not as devastated about, given the terrible macho atmosphere there) and I have just been listening to a report about "fake boiler rooms" where con artists trick innocent people into spending hundreds and thousands of pounds on non-existent shares. I can't believe how convincing the people sound - it makes me realise that if you have the gift of the gab, you can sell pretty much anything. I only hope my brother wasn't working in a proper boiler room - and that he was actually selling real shares!

In other news it is sunny today, which obviously makes me chirpy. To make the day even better:

1. I have been shopping. This simple act of hunter-gathering (simple so long as you have some money) is wonderfully satisfying, particularly when BARGAINS are to be had. Today bargains included two pairs of TU trousers and also some new potatoes.

2. We have a Weds-date later, to the cinema, whoop! Time Traveller's Wife, no doubt will be terrible as most book-turned-films are, but it'll be fun.

3. England are playing Croatia tonight and we finally have ITV on our telly so we can watch it directly rather than through a dodgy internet connection. Probably the game will be dismal but I am excited for now.

4. Fish and chips with green peas and tartar sauce. Enough said there.

I am pleased for Speech Debelle, who won the Mercury Music Prize last night. I am also a bit gutted that it wasn't Jij who won the prize.. Don't get confused, she wasn't even in the running or anything, but they seem to have had really similar lives and Jij is so talented, I want her to win a prize and make her music too. I will listen to Speech's album later to see what it's like.

Finally, I'm enjoying the holiday having finished A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius - very good, if rambley, but true to life and impressive too - and so now have started Making History by Stephen Fry - the main character is annoying me already - and watching lots of good old telly and listening to Radio 4. Aaah holidays.

Thesis in and so I'm back

Hello. It's me again. I'm back. Almost 2 months since I last posted. I have been slack and busy with the dreaded THESIS. Actually, it wasn't so bad after all, in that it is done and handed in and I can forget about it, at least for another week until we get the results of our MSc course. So now I have no excuse.

I was reading my cousin's Ghana blog the other day and it was really good, he's a great writer. Thus I was inspired to try and make mine live again. We shall see how that goes.

I'm in Swantown now, my new half-a-week home with X. It's lovely, right near the coast and cheap as chips (comparatively). We even have a study and a pretty large living room and it's all walking distance to the centre and cycling distance to uni and the station for X and me respectively. Downside is that it's not been let out in ages so there are lots of niggling problems with it here and there, which are getting fixed, but still cause inconvenience. The most tedious one (so far, but hopefully it's the last one) is the boiler and it's not working. Not having hot water is a total bum, particularly when it comes to not being able to wash my mane, err, I mean hair. Hopefully they will fix that up.

Alongside my thesis I've been to two weddings this summer, both of which were exciting and fun and also a bit stressful. My cousin's was in America and had loads of family present. We went over for 9 days and have now had our fill of family over there. Washington is a pretty cool place though - I'd love to go back and just visit all the museums. The other wedding was X's best friend's (X was the "best man"!) and that took place in Bath and was just beautiful. It was really small and intimate and the venues were awesome - the Bath Assembly Rooms and then around the old Spa buildings. It was really cool.

I have another week or so off before I start working on a telethon for the university (this time helping manage it, woo!) and then my DPhil starts on the 30th September, exciting and scary! I already have my first team meeting booked in in October so I am rather scared but hopefully I won't be too out of my depth.

That's all for now, I have to get back to my busy life of watching Sky and reading books. Oh to be a student. It'd be nice with some money though!