What do our laws say about our values?

The system of rules that govern our country - our laws - are there to protect us all, as individuals, families and communities. The Supreme Law....

Recollections of the families of the disappeared in Kilinochchi: Where are they

It takes a lot of courage to live in despair. Emotional despair gets even worse, when a loved one is dead or not to be found. Speaking about....

Riskless Capitalism in the Billionaire Raj

The Sri Lankan establishment is full of stories about the economic success of India. There has also been a push....

“DO WE HAVE A FOREIGN POLICY?”

Foreign policy of a country is a set of rules that seems to outline the behaviour of a particular country and how it interacts/reacts with....

Aekiya Raajya - Orumiththa Nadu: For an undivided indivisible Sri Lanka

The Constitutional Assembly Steering Committee chaired by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has laboured mightily and brought forth the Interim Report of proposals for an envisaged new Constitution. It would be premature to prognosticate on the report’s potential future or delve deeply into its contents at this point of time. 

Trump as war criminal ?

Out of the blues, the war in Vietnam is in the news again. By the way it is not the fiftieth anniversary of America’s defeat in Vietnam when North Vietnam caused it to flee. It’s only the forty second.  

World Children’s Day needs to go beyond words

World religious leaders have told us that anyone who causes damage to a child’s life should be thrown into the deepest ocean with a millstone tied around the neck -- symbolically showing the seriousness of the crime committed and the severity of the punishment. 

President on the way to Nobel Peace Prize

Whatever the Joint Opposition or extremist critics may say President Maithripala Sirisena from January 8, 2015 has lead Sri Lanka to a new chapter in its history with the two major parties working together in a National Government mainly to bring about dialogue and reconciliation among the different communities in Sri Lanka.

Kurdistan referendum: Another flashpoint in West Asia

In what could be a trigger for another major conflict in West Asia, Kurds in Iraq on Monday voted overwhelmingly for separation. More than 92 percent of the people – Kurds and non-Kurds in the autonomous Kurdistan region in Iraq – voted yes, delivering a powerful message to Iraq and its neighbours that the Kurds’ dream of finally achieving a state of their own will soon be a reality.

Splitting hairs in an island

The description of the nature of the Sri Lankan State that had been proposed in the interim report of the Steering Committee set up under the Constitutional Assembly is interesting. 

whither education ?

The first Minister of Education in this country to announce curriculum reforms on facebook is Akila Viraj Kariyawasam of this Yahapalana Government. 

Governor rule in PCs not something new: Rohitha

Eastern Province Governor Rohitha Bogollagama, in an interview with the Dailymirror , speaks about his post under the current circumstances.The Provincial Council will come fully under his control from today onwards in terms of the new Act for an interim period. Excerpts:

The Govt. Doesn’t wish to pay off debts at once’

There is a tradition in the field of politics in Sri Lanka that the political leaders will become rulers. But, this is the first time that a businessman is going to contest the forthcoming Presidential Elections in 2020 thereby breaking that age-old tradition.He is none other than Rohan Pallewatta. Businessman Pallewatta spoke of his future ambitions in an interview with the Daily Mirror. Following are excerpts of the interview. 

Do not misunderstand the voice of SLFP coalition partner

With Reference to the column under the headline ‘Irony of SLFP Members Pulling out of government over corruption’ by Ranga Jayasuriya which appeared in Daily Mirror  on page 10 of September 12, 2017; Science, Technology and Research Minister Susil Premajayantha has sent the following response.

JO shocked by Govt. enacting law to withhold PC Polls

When the Supreme Court determined that approval of people by referendum is needed to enact the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, the Joint Opposition believed that the govt would have no excuse to postpone the elections to three Provincial Councils - Sabaragamuwa, Eastern and North Central. So, it remained complacent keeping their fingers crossed.   

Constitution making and ethnically sensitive issues

Interestingly the Constitutional Assembly Steering Committee’s interim report, presented to Parliament by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on September 21, was largely a document containing ethnically sensitive issues. In the light of the report, one would wonder whether constitution-making is nothing other than handling ethnically sensitive matters.   

The politics of courtesy, respect and submission

It is no secret that among the least respect people in Sri Lanka are politicians and police officers. Other state employees, barring perhaps the security forces, are not respected much either. 

SWRD’s Federal proposal and assassination saga In view of Bandaranaike’s 58th Death Anniversary

“...that morning, I went to Rosmead Place. The Prime Minister was talking to another monk. I occupied a seat at the end of the verandah, and then he came up to me and inquired why I had come ...I shot at the Prime Minister once. That shot struck him. He started running into the house. I followed behind him and fired three more bullets. Someone shot me as well and I lost consciousness. I do not remember what happened next”. -Thalduve

Is the UNHRC Resolution 30/1 on Sri Lanka legal?

Is the resolution 30/1 legal? Certainly not. Let me briefly explain as to why the resolution is illegal. On 26 th March 2014, the UNHRC by resolution A/HRC/25/1 requested the High Commissioner to undertake a comprehensive investigation into “ serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes” allegedly committed during the period 2002 February to 2011November in Sri Lanka.   

Caught between phony patriots and Colombo cockroaches

The separation occurred soon after the cessation of the war. In the immediate aftermath of the end of the war, the Rajapaksas had nothing short of praise and flattery for General Sarath Fonseka, the man who led his forces to a victorious end of the most destructive conflict between the Government forces and the LTTE militants.   

WHAT HAPPENED TO LALITH WEERATUNGA?

Among the merry pack at Temple Trees in the final days of the Rajapaksa regime, on whom would you place an honest gentleman’s tag! Say Lalith Weeratunga, a worthy recipient.   

ENGAGE SERIOUSLY WITH THE CONSTITUTIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE REPORT

Have you ever known a government that benefited from the postponement of elections; one that didn’t pay with heavy interest for such postponement? Why buy time when time isn’t working in your favor?   

Roger and Rafa: Lessons behind the greatest rivalry

If one is the swan the other is the dark horse. One is the graceful classical aggressor while the other is endowed with brute force with muscular aggression. One is feted the most stylish and sophisticated player in any sport ever while the other is known for his simple lifestyle.  

Lying before COPE can lead to prosecution in courts

MP and COPE Chairman Sunil Handunnetti responded to questions posed to him by our sister paper ‘Sunday Lankadeepa’ on the dragging on of the Central Bank Bond scam and the developments in the political scene. Following are excerpts of the interview.

Military-civilian cooperation in governance underlies Myanmar’s belligerence

If the Aung San Suu Kyi government in Myanmar is sticking to its defiant stand on the Rohingya issue despite worldwide condemnation of its atrocities against the Rohingyas, it is because her government is backed by the powerful Myanmar armed forces collectively called Tatmadaw.

Moving beyond science

“We tell ourselves stories in order to live, and probably the biggest story we have ever told ourselves is ‘The scientific story’ and we always think of science as this ultimate truth, but science is just a story”.  

Democracy’s checks and balances at work

The National Unity Government was consolidated last week when the two major parties -- the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) -- worked together in a thrillingly secret way to get a two-thirds majority to pass the Provincial Councils Elections (Amendment) Bill which the Speaker signing it into law last Friday

the debate on ICPAPED Bill Continues

The International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances (ICPAPED) is an international human rights instrument of the United Nations. This Convention aims to prevent forced disappearances defined in international law and crimes against humanity. 

Anti-Rohingya refugee protests:the latest pretext of Islamophobia

Given Sri Lanka’s recent history as one of the main sources of refugees during the three decades of ethnic conflict and the JVP’s 1988-1989 insurgency, the recent protests against the Rohingya refugees are downright hypocritical. However, they are incorrigible too, for despite all the bluster by ultra-nationalist monks, Sri Lanka currently hosts only 30 Rohingyas.  

US’s meagre budget allocation for SL comes with major conditionality Do we need it?

As the US government engages in the complicated process of approving its budget for Financial Year 2018, we are told that the Trump administration had requested US$ 3.4 million in foreign assistance for Sri Lanka.