Enforced Disappearances Bill should be enacted forthwith as a step for reconciliation

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for the Jaffna District M.A. Sumanthiran, in an interview with the Daily Mirror stressed the point that the bill to give effect to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance should be enacted. 

Has the Govt. anti-corruption drive stalled again? - EDITORIAL

President Maithripala Sirisena has reportedly made an interesting statement at last week’s Cabinet meeting on his government’s anti-corruption....

Dangerous gamble: Shielding Rajapaksas from investigations

During much of his political life, ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa was a shrewd street fighter. Recently he has also proved....

Bangladesh to showcase progress in agriculture during Sirisena visit

Bangladesh will showcase the remarkable progress it has made in the agriculture sector when Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena....

SL cruises into world of disarmament with NBT ratification

Realising the potential destruction by nuclear weaponry, the world has finally fathomed the need to ban nuclear affairs. As such, July 7, 2017.....

Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne PC says: “WE CAN’T PREPARE A LEGAL DRAFT CONSTITUTION WITHOUT AN INTERI

Preparing the new constitution has taken center stage during the past few days with contradictory statements being made as to the.....

G20: Globalism and Nationalism on Collision Course

Putin Trump handshake became the key photo moment a t the G20 summit held in Hamburg, Germany. A new cease fire in....

Seymour Hersh’s investigation buried, as US girds for war with Syria

The US, two weeks ago, came out with allegations of ‘potential preparations for another chemical weapons attack’ by the Syrian regime....

Unity vital for a new Sri Lanka - EDITORIAL

Two and-a-half years after the spectacular election victory of January 8, 2015, President Maithripala Sirisena appears to be facing one....

LGBTIQ visibility through Colombo PRIDE

For 13 years, Colombo PRIDE has been an exercise in increasing the visibility of the LGBTIQ community and thereby bringing....

On Gorbachev, ReAgan, Putin and Trump

Here I am in Moscow - three days ago - standing in front of a statue of Presidents Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev to celebrate the unveiling of a statue crafted by the master sculptor, Alexander Bourganov.  

Rising populations and decreasing resources

Tuesday, July 11 is the United Nations World Population Day which seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues. The day was officially proclaimed by the then-Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989, an outgrowth of the interest when the world population reached five billion, on July 11, 1987.  

Beast in human form

It’s shocking and unfathomable. It’s difficult and psychologically challenging. When one runs one’s eyes over some news and reports, both in printed and digital media in Sri Lanka, what we see is unbelievable. Changing the face of humanity is horrendous. Multifarious stories and various reports of cruelty and brutality are inundated.  

Reflecting on Buddha’s rules for good governance

Mahanayake Theros Threatened to Boycott DS’ Independence Ceremony over ‘Foremost Place…’   Buddhist Perspective on Good Governance— Foremost Place and equality?

Showing truth as truth would have ironed out concerns - Lt. Gen. Mahesh Senanayake

Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, who assumed duties as the 22nd Army Commander on Wednesday, believes that the....

Garbage: Together, let’s turn the crisis into a blessing - EDITORIAL

The garbage disaster, which exploded at Meethotamulla on the National New Year’s Day, is still contaminated with much controversy...

US policy blunders triggered North Korea’s ICBM

What an Independence Day gift to Donald Trump from Kim Jung-un.  Alaska is now within North Korea’s reach. It is only a matter of....

War Within: Ceasefire breached

The tussle between the two factions within the TNA/ITAK is nothing but a crude power struggle. It has got nothing to do with the....

People pay for protests

The most apt portfolio of all is that of Lakshman Kiriella, said the three-wheeler driver, while we were caught in the traffic for.....

Govt. has no mandate to enact new constitution

Constitutional Lawyer Kalyana Thiranagama spoke to the Daily Mirror on the implications of the 19th Amendment to the.....

“I can’t satisfy everybody when taking decisions” Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne

Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne denied President Maithripala Sirisena having had an official.....

Could nationalizing SAITM be the way forward?

Is SAITM a problem? Though there are several alternative solutions already in place, the authorities have shown little competence....

Compromise needed, not confrontation

The SAITM issue is still at a stalemate. Public protests, student and trade union demonstrations are gathering.....

GMOA crippled health services in Dudley Senanayake Govt.

How the Ministers of Dudley Senanayake’s National Government handled the gentlemen Medical Officers in 1967 - exactly 50 years ago. There was no strike, only ‘Work-to Rule’ campaign that paralysed the entire health services islandwide causing untold misery for two weeks from June 23 to July 8, 1967. However, the bitter lessons that the health authorities learnt was a blessing in disguise.

SAITM President wants all ministers to unite

The government faced intense heat from those protesting private medical education in the country. The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), backed by university students and their parents, in main, mounted its campaign leaving the ruling side in bewilderment. Street protests, students being teargassed and baton charged and condemnation of the alleged excessive use of force by the police became the order of day, and made headlin

Battery cage system :Exposes ‘cracks’ in conventional egg production!

The poultry industry in Sri Lanka has shown a phenomenal growth over the recent past thereby making poultry products essential food items in local menus. The demand for chicken and eggs has therefore been met by local producers. This is a story about the local egg production. Sri Lanka has a daily consumption of approximately 65,000 eggs and this consumption will definitely increase in the coming years. While most local farmers follow the conve

Uma Oya Project should be terminated forthwith-Samantha Vidyaratne

JVP Uva Provincial Council Member Samantha Vidyaratne, who also spearheads the people’s movement against the controversial Uma Oya Project, spoke about the current status of the issue and the political future of his party. The excerpts of the interview:   

No government in the country No country in the government?

The Mahanayaka Theras of the three Nikayas and other Sangha Sabhas, expressing their opinion on constitutional reform, have made it clear that they are opposed to moves that could generate crises. While calling for immediate electoral reform, this Sangha Council headed by the Mahanayaka Theras, that met in Kandy recently,

Uma Oya Debacle

The Government has started the blame game again, this time on the ill-conceived Uma Oya project which has turned into a catastrophe for the people in the Bandarawela area. Earlier it was the issues over the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine (SAITM), the collapse of the Meethotamulla garbage dump and the hate speech against minorities, especially against the Muslims, over which the government was blaming the previous regime.  

The jury still out Rajapaksas Inc. vs. Maithri-Ranil Combo: Corruption vs. Yahapalanaya…

To have his path made clear for him is the aspiration of every human being in our beclouded and tempestuous existence-