Hoping for a tomorrow that’s better than today

We definitely hope it will be so, but given the current crisis situation in Sri Lanka the chances of tomorrow being better or brighter than yesterday are quite remote indeed.

Chinese company intensifies fight against Sri Lanka

A Chinese company has intensified its fight against Sri Lanka over disputed fertilizer stocks and has even proposed tough sanctions to be imposed at a time the country is experiencing an economic crisis, the learns.

Problems, confusion and a difficult year ahead

As the year 2021 draws to a close, problems faced by Lankans are getting worse by the day. During this year wages have either remained static or have, in many instances been lowered. Costs of essential items on the other hand, have either risen steeply or are in extreme short supply.

When death hung over the coast like a vapour…

It was a quiet morning. The main road was eerily silent. Then the phone rang like a thunderclap and life changed irrevocably.

Let the experts speak...

Government’s desperation over the looming food scarcity owing to the prevailing fertilizer crisis was well manifested with the recent suggestion by Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena to the people of this country to plant a few seedlings of chilly or any oth

Militarizing the Marriage

A few other decisions can be as patently anti-democratic and laughably petty-minded as the latest government circular requiring Sri Lankan citizens marrying their foreign spouses to wait for a ‘security clearance report’ from the Ministry of Defence.

Climate Change poses a Serious Threat to Food Security in Ten Years

The vulnerability of the food-producing agricultural community to climate change will worsen over the next decade. Droughts are expected

Forced labour is universal but US sanctions are geopolitical

The problem of “forced labour” which comes under the general rubric of “human trafficking” came into focus again after US President Joe Biden signed into law the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention (UFLP) Bill on December 23. The UFLP Act is meant to

AVM E.R. Amerasekera DFC & Bar Reminiscence of an air warrior

Ekanayake Rohan Amerasekera was an officer in the Royal Air Force (RAF). After that, he was enlisted in the Royal Ceylon Air Force. He was eventually elevated as the third Commander of the Royal Ceylon Air Force....

Homelessness, refugees, political killings and Jesus Christ - EDITORIAL

The celebration of Christmas according to world population review.com occurs in 160 countries worldwide and celebrations vary by country. Some countries celebrate Christmas Day, on December 25....

Pumping fuel and boycott of gal bunnis in 1961

Six/seven decades ago when a car drops in for refuelling at a gasoline station run by Shell, Caltex or Mobil [Flying Red Horse], which happens usually at 10 or 15-minute intervals, the well-mannered....

Christmas: A season of sharing, goodwill and peace

Today the whole world celebrates Christmas. “Christmas comes but once a year”. This was a term often heard in days past when children were told not to expect gifts or rewards on a regular basis.

A child of destiny, a turning point in history

Two thousand years ago the world of that time beheld a child of destiny born on the first-ever Christmas night in ancient Palestine, a colony under the imperial rule of Caesar with a Roman governor at the helm of this Jewish colony. A rare star lit the midnight sky and an angelic chorus rang out over the hills singing “Glory of God in the highest and on earth peace to people of good-will”.

The losing battle for devolution

Twelve Tamil and Muslim political parties have on Tuesday finalized a common proposal on devolution of power that is to be presented to Sri Lankan and Indian governments and the international community. It was reported that they are going to demand through this proposal a devolution package that would go beyond the provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Chinese begin foray into North 

A foreign envoy’s visiting any part of the country is a routine affair as it is part of his/her duty. Heads of foreign missions resident in Colombo,

Survival of the breadman during a crisis

What would happen to bread or paan lovers in Sri Lanka with the 450 gram loaf now costing between 70 or 80 rupees? Can...

Assange being oppressed because he got the suppressed news

News is something which someone wants suppressed. Everything else is just advertising. This was how the 19th century American....

‘One Country, One Law’ in an aggrieved, anxious nation

The appointment of a presidential task force mandated to draft relevant legislation aimed at operationalizing the ‘One Country, One Law’ concept precipitated howls of protests.

Christmas embodies God’s immeasurable love for His people

Another Christmas is upon us and this year too it is being celebrated in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic with its never-ending mutations and variations ravaging countries across the world.

Spotlight on SMEs: Footwear industry buckles under dollar crisis

Entrepreneurs of the Small and Medium Scale Enterprise Sector blamed an officer of the Presidential Secretariat for attempting....

Is there an alternative to fuel price increase? - EDITORIAL

Death, the saying goes, comes like a thief at night. The sudden midnight price increase in fuel prices ranging from petrol, to diesel....

‘Doomsday’ looms; who is to blame?

By all counts, the end is near. If it is not physical dissolution of the nation state, symbolically it will be. The territorial integrity.....

Regulate gas composition immediately

We have been compelled to editorially write again and again about the domestic Liquid Petroleum Gas crisis faced by millions of families in the country as th

Sinking external finances: The myth of an Indian rescue

Sri Lanka is heading for a potential default, and the greater concern is whether it would be a disorganized default, which might happen when the government runs out of its temporary measures of liquidity infusion

‘One Country and One Law’ A Concept or Rhetoric?

Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization.”

State power over religion helps Saudi Arabia curb radicalism

In the last few years, Saudi Arabia has been slowly but steadily transforming itself from being a medieval anachronism to being a modern country under the tutelage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, popularly known as MBS.

Families of Prisoners are Human Beings

In December 2008, Human Rights Office Kandy (HROK) had started to present Human Rights awards during the celebration of International Human Rights Day. I was amongst....

Prerogative Prorogues and Tricky Tactic ‘Pro-Rogues’

“The prorogation of Parliament is a prerogative act of the Crown. Just as Parliament can commence its deliberations only at the time appointed by the Queen, so it cannot continue them any longer....

Christmas; the season of hope - EDITORIAL

Although ours is a Buddhist majority country, with around only 7% being Christian, Christmas is celebrated as a national holiday. The season starts on December 1 with the lighting of crackers....

Writing in Times of Crisis: One Hundred Red Notes

One of my earliest memories as a five year old was of sitting on my father’s shoulder and watching the motorcades of Third World leaders who had arrived in Colombo for the Non-Aligned Movement....