Opinion

Looking back at the history of nations, it can be attributed that diplomacy at the very beginning originated in the system of conducting relations between the states of classical Greece.

Southwest Asia is once again sliding into a state of anarchy. The Taliban and the like are on a rampage, and recent incidents in Afghanistan and Pakistan suggest that law enforcement authorities have taken a backseat.

The Rajapaksa regime - finding itself or plunging itself into crisis after crisis, conflict after conflict and conflicts within conflicts - has sparked off the latest national and international row over the arrest and detention of the Tamil Muslim Alliance leader, Azath Sally.

UNP MP Ravi Karunanayaka spoke to the Daily Mirror on the electricity concession given at the May Day rallies, the no-confidence motion against the Minister of Energy, and the release of MP Duminda Silva .

Many Sri Lankans have become positive thinkers in the Rajapaksa era. Before people start congratulating themselves on this development, however, there is need to give the matter a little thought.

Solitude within a new system of international relations is fraught with big risks. Although just like the United States, Russia has access to both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans, Moscow takes no part in the integration processes in the West or the East.

The voice for the masses that we have been trying desperately to be, seems to have been of little avail. The repeated clarion calls to rectify the innumerable acts of mismanagement, corruption, nepotism and don’t care attitude of the powers that be, leave a sad blemish on the history of our nation and a sense of frustration in us.

This week saw the commemoration of another political giant Ranasinghe Premadasa, who was assassinated by a suicide bomber while at a May Day procession at Armour Street in Colombo, eight weeks after his main political rival at the time, Lalith Athulathmudali was gunned down.

A frequently heard view expressed of late is about the inefficiency of the police force. Yet, it is no one’s concern to delve deep into the reasons that led to the losing of face that once could be looked at directly in the eyes of the public.

There are many things around us, besides alcohol and drugs, which are addictive. Two of these are wealth and power. Those who have tasted power and enjoyed wealth would like to have more of both, unless society takes effective measures to restrain them.