Time for Tamil parties across the Palk Strait to act

The fisheries dispute between Sri Lanka and India remains an irritant in bilateral relations, affecting not only diplomacy between the two neighbours but also the livelihoods and emotions of the Tamil people living in the Northern Province. At a time when Sri Lanka is attempting to deepen economic cooperation with India and benefit from regional integration, the unresolved fisheries issue remains a political and humanitarian flashpoint capable of

Nakba Day: Naming and shaming perpetrators

What could be a more shameful indictment of the so-called civilised world than the Nakba anniversary? Today is Nakba Day—the day on which the inhumanity and hypocrisy of the civilised world are exposed. It is a day to name and shame those responsible for one of history’s worst horrors—which sadly happened while the Nazis were being condemned for the Holocaust of Jews—and those who continue to perpetrate it today.

Palitha Place residents struggling with garbage crisis

Residents of Palitha Place — a key link road connecting Veluwana Road and Gnanawimala Road in Dematagoda, Colombo 9 — are increasingly concerned over the apparent breakdown of regular garbage collection services by the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC). Until recently, the CMC garbage lorry visited the area two to three times a week, stopping at two designated points and allowing ample time for residents to dispose of their waste responsibly. This

Fertiliser crisis and Sri Lanka’s long road to self-sufficiency

Sri Lanka’s farmers are facing a double whammy due to unseasonal weather patterns and rising global tensions due to the US-Iran conflict. Sri Lanka imports more than 90 percent of its fertiliser requirements, especially urea from Iran. Iran’s urea production is built on its abundant, low-cost natural gas feedstock, making it one of the most cost-effective producers globally. In 2024, up to 30% of global fertiliser trade passed through the Strait

Interference with the judiciary is a part of governance in Sri Lanka

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was questioned by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) on Tuesday in connection with an alleged US$2 million bribe linked to the purchase of Airbus aircraft during his second administration.

What SJB can learn from the British Labour Party revolt: Find a new leader

The recent Local Government Elections in Britain had thrown the Labour Party into disarray. The Labour Party was routed, losing 38 councils it previously held, and nearly 1,500 councillors. Nigel Farage’s ‘Reform UK’ broke through Labour’s red wall, winning 14 councils, a net gain, and over 1,450 councillors.

A call for improved bureaucratic efficiency

I refer to the headline news item in your issue of 8th May captioned “South Korean envoy seeks improved bureaucratic efficiency in trade facilitation”.

Sri Lanka’s Security Imperative: Why a strong National Security Council is urgent – Regional lessons

Sri Lanka in 2026 finds itself at a dangerous crossroads. Its commanding position in the Indian Ocean should be a strategic asset, yet it remains a vulnerability.

Would SL fall victim to the cybercrime industry?

The recent arrest of 37 Chinese nationals who were involved in cybercrime related activities and subsequently deported from the country, raises fresh concerns on whether foreign cybercrime syndicates have infiltrated into Sri Lanka.

It is premature to review the NPP Government

In reflection on the editorial titled, ‘The NPP Government’s half-time scorecard unimpressive,’ published on May 9, I believe that conducting a performance review of the NPP Government is premature.

Will Vijay too, shield behind Kachchativu in times of difficulty?

Capturing power at an election two years after forming a political party is no doubt an incredible achievement even by a highly popular film star. However, Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar popularly known as Thalapathy (Commander) Vijay, who was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday after securing support from several small parties, now enjoys an absolute majority in the State Assembly; but he seems to be heading towards a politica

Tennis champ VP gives a lesson in empathy

I was seated on a bus plying the 177 Kollupitiya-Kaduwela bus route in the night of May 6 2026 when two attractive ladies boarded the vehicle near the Sri Lanka Tennis Association. They were obviously after a training session and took their seats, but not in the same row. After the bus had travelled some distance, a man in his mid-thirties boarded the bus and sat on the seat in front of one of these ladies. When the bus conductor approached the

Radical change in the UK’s political landscape

This is an era of political surprises. New parties have stormed the political arena, demolishing entrenched players in country after country. It all began in Sri Lanka in 2024, when the freshly minted National People’s Power (NPP) swept the polls. In Nepal, the Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP), dismissed as a marginal player, stormed the citadel of power in Kathmandu in March this year. It was led by 39-year-old rapper Balen Shah. Two months la

Adaptive edge: Leadership evolution in the changing nature of air warfare in US-Israel-Iran conflict

From the thunder of cavalry charging across open fields, from mighty battleships ruling the seas to jet aircraft streaking across the skies, each era has transformed how nations project power.

The proposed India-Sri Lanka bridge : Gateway to prosperity or threat to national security?

The Palk Strait Bridge and Tunnel is a proposed 23-kilometre (14 mile) link across the Palk Strait between Dhanushkodi in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Talaimannar on Mannar Island off the northwestern coast of Sri Lanka.

The NPP Govt.’s half-time score card unimpressive

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National people’s Front (NPP) Government has been in power for the past two years and five months. In simple language the regime has only two more years in power before it has to face the people at the next round of elections. It is a good time as any to check how many of its pre-election pledges Government has achieved.

Healthy minds, safe workplaces: A shared responsibility for SL’s future of work

She wakes before the mist clears. By the time most of Colombo is having breakfast, she has already been working for two hours, plucking, carrying, meeting a daily quota that does not change regardless of her rest, discomfort or nourishment. She works on a tea plantation and is among many others whose contributions are vital to the economy, yet whose experiences are not always reflected in any occupational health statistic.

Trump can’t decide if Cuba needs regime change

Last week, we looked at the international political game of regime change, and how it has evolved over the centuries to its present shape, with the world’s only remaining superpower, the United States, assuming the dubious status of the world’s top ‘regime changer’ under President Donald Trump.

Long-term wellbeing vital for street cats and dogs

I read an article published in the Daily Mirror online dated April 23, under the title ‘If only every street dog in the world was treated like Aloka.’

Dusk of a new order: Absolute surveillance, absolute servility

You are reduced to an account in a system that scores you and controls you. You are allocated, by your gracious masters, who themselves are mastered, quotas of what used to be human freedom; soil and oxygen are taxable. You exceed your electricity quota, your supply ceases. Travel further than allocated or attempt travel where prohibited, and you will be halted. Exceed your milk quota? You will be constrained at the cashier, who accepts no cash.

President’s May Day remarks an assault on judicial independence

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s remarks at the May Day rally regarding a court judgment expected on May 25 have triggered a controversy that goes far beyond day-to-day politics. What may have appeared to supporters as a politically charged statement has instead opened a serious debate about judicial independence, separation of powers and the constitutional limits that should guide those who occupy the highest office in the country. Addressin

Iran war undercurrents: Trump as peacemaker, Trump as saboteur

Since the April 8 ceasefire agreement, US President Donald Trump has stirred hopes of an end to the Iran war, only to shatter them—often within hours—with warnings, deadlines, and military escalation. This pattern has led critics to wonder whether Trump’s announcements were part of insider dealings to help his Wall Street allies, as peace-promoting words drive stock prices up. Will his latest announcement of a peace deal—said to be a one-page doc

Disparities in rising cost of living

It is rather unfortunate that a government that assumed power on a promise of equality is unable to impose maximum retail prices on essential items such as keeri samba and even gas. Eateries using Laugfs gas have announced that they would increases prices of food due to the price variations between Laugfs and Litro gas. This is quite unfair from a consumer’s perspective. It is in such instances that the Consumer Affairs Authority for instance sho

Vijay’s rhetoric cannot undermine India’s realpolitik

There was a time when the State assembly election in Tamil Nadu drew much enthusiasm from the Sri Lankan people as politics of the State held a profound and consistent bearing on the of its southern neighbour while the latter was engaged in a bitter war with the separatist Tamil armed group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

$2.5 mn fraud, abetment of suicide law and public finance

In an era of rapid social and technological change, legal systems and governance structures are under increasing pressure to evolve. Traditional frameworks, once considered sufficient, are now often inadequate to address the complexities of modern society.

How seismic shift in Tamil Nadu politics matter Sri Lanka

India has just concluded a shock election season. With the counting drawing to a close, the biggest shocker of all, subject to interpretation, comes from Tamil Nadu, where a two-year-old party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) led by actor-turned-politician Joseph Vijay had shattered decades-old duopoly in state politics, and is set to govern the state for the next five years.

Gen Z Tsunami hits Tamil Nadu electoral arena

It was a Gen Z- led Tsunami which hit Tamil Nadu’s electoral arena on Monday the fourth of May. The stunning victory of matinee idol Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) in the State Assembly elections was as unexpected and as unsparing as a deluge.

Political meddling in the legal system should be a relic of the past

Addressing the National People’s Power’s May Day rally in Nuwara Eliya, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that a significant number of individuals accused of fraud and corruption would be imprisoned in 2026 and that the year 2026 will be remembered in Sri Lankan history as the year corrupt individuals, fraudsters, and thieves were sentenced to prison.

SL’s strategic inflection point: Learning, failing, and choosing the future

Sri Lanka stands today not merely as a nation recovering from crises, but as one being tested quietly yet profoundly on whether it has truly learned from them. The past two decades, culminating in the Easter Sunday attacks and the recent economic collapse, have exposed both the strengths and fragilities of the State’s defence architecture, intelligence systems, political leadership, and governance processes. What emerges is not a story of total f

Harness the sun: Don’t burn electricity on dryers

With the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) approving an increase in electricity tariffs, it is time for households to rethink everyday energy use.