Opinion

We meet today to honour the memory of Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam. To this audience, I need hardly dwell on his outstanding contribution to the development of our nation.

The Government claims that there exists Supremacy of Parliament, its legislation is sovereign and the procedure prescribed in the Standing Order 78A is democratic and valid in law.

A Tibetan man has died after setting himself on fire in protest at China’s rule of the Himalayan region, a rights group and overseas media said, the first self-immolation this year.

Rizana Nafeek commanded newspaper headlines and editorial comments on several occasions for tragic reasons. She was an innocent damsel from a rustic rural locale who became the victim of her own pitiful circumstances.

Despite the democratic principles dictated and safeguarded by the Constitution, Sri Lankan political culture seems to be one that is empowered by gun-power more than the power of people.

When news of the loss of a loved one is heard, it is the practice of many Muslims to console each other by repeating part of a verse from the Holy Quran “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un”meaning “Surely we belong to God and to Him shall we return”

The Friday Forum has previously drawn to your attention our concern that, from the inception, the impeachment proceedings against the Chief Justice did not conform to recognized norms of natural justice and due process.

Lawyers declared yesterday as a Black Friday but it was more like a Good Friday for Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake. We know what followed after Good Friday and those who still cherish democracy, freedom, good governance