Remembering D.S. on his 65th death anniversary: A revered statesman with a nationalistic vision

D.S. Senanayake, the first Prime Minister of independent Sri  Lanka, in his inaugural address to the nation said, “The independence we....

Be aware: War over fresh water imminent - EDITORIAL

Tomorrow March 22 is World Water Day and the main aim is to focus attention on the importance of freshwater and advocate the....

The new UNHRC resolution and Hybrid Court

This week under a fresh UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution, Sri Lanka is likely to receive a two-year-extension to fully...

TAKING SIDES: THE REAL CHOICES BEFORE SRI LANKA

Hafeel Farisz confuses what I have said about Gotabaya and Gunaratnam, both of whom are the most interesting figures I find in....

Ballot vs Bullet - Speech made by the Opposition Leader, R. Sampanthan at the Counter Terrorism Conf

The choice should not be difficult, looked at superficially. But our experience shows that the Choice is not that easy. It is quite....

On Dayan’s “Project Gotabaya”, Gunaratnam and moral hypocrisy

“This is a debate about the future of Sri Lanka; our future; our fate. Which side are you on? Pick one”, Dr. Jayatilleka’s Facebook page....

Asian Fault Lines

Sri Lanka’s local political narrative last week revolved around the plight of the Sri Lanka crew on board the oil tanker Aries 13 and....

Dispossession and Landlessness in post-war North

Land struggles that were little fires during the repressive years after the war, have now lit up the political landscape of the....

APARTHEID and the tragedy of the UN - EDITORIAL

On Wednesday a UN agency – the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) published a report accusing....

UNHRC Resolution and Post War Accountability issues

At the current 34th sessions of the UNHRC the draft resolution on ‘Reconciliation, accountability and human rights’, to be placed before the Council shortly, requests Sri Lanka to fully implement the measures identified in HRC Resolution 30/1 that are outstanding, while extending the time limit. In this context we have to once again look to the setting up of judicial mechanisms for accountability in respect of violations of human righ

Stop ethnic profiling and hate speech

On Tuesday, March 21 the world marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination,

Crown Prince of Sri Lankan Politics But never crowned King

That “Politics is a blood sport” was a famous saying by former Sri Lankan President Junius Richard Jayewardene. In the cut-throat competitive world of Sri Lankan politics there have been many casualties,

US threatens to withdraw from UNHRC

The Donald Trump administration has read the Riot Act on the United Nations Human Rights Council. It has threatened to withdraw itself from the UNHRC, unless the council agrees to toe its line.

Instead of GNP, let’s measure Gross National Happiness

Although basically selfish, the world economic system teaches us that happiness means personal gain accumulating more and more with power, prestige and popularity. All major religions teach something totally different.

Political Conflict in South Asia by G. H. Peiris

Professor G. H. Peiris has grappled with several difficult themes and in working the essence of these, he has produced an outstanding monograph, making an important contribution to an understanding of the political upheavals witnessed in South Asia since the termination of European colonial dominance over the region.

Dayan’s Project Gotabaya

Ali Shariati was the ideologue of the Iranian Revolution. It was Shariati’s liberation theology- a rationalization of Marxism through the lenses of Islam that propelled Ayathollah Ruholla Khomeni’s take-over of power in 1979 overthrowing the Pahlavi dynasty.

Self in place of people

Are the loyalists of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who call themselves the Joint Opposition (JO) playing into the hands of the Government by fighting for the demand made by Wimal Weerawansa’s National Freedom Front (NFF) to recognise it as a separate party in the Parliament?  Wittingly or unwittingly, they have totally diverted the focus of the masses from skyrocketing cost of living and many other burning problems by t

Healing wounds and forging North-South dialogue

“The war will come back if you don’t heal the wounds of memories” was a warning given by the South African Anglican priest Michael Lapsley, in his interview with Susitha R. Fernando on 10 March.  He was visiting Sri Lanka recently.

BASL’s new president elected following keenly fought election

The election of Attorney-at-Law U. R. De Silva as the new president of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka was accepted by Solicitor General Suhada Gamlath yesterday, after what appears to have been a stormy campaign. De Silva won by a narrow margin, saying he would have won  far more votes if not for the keen contest.

Student fatigue Children should not be forced to make amends for parent’s failures

This boy (let’s call him Heshan) is a brilliant student. He’s almost 18 now and will sit for Advanced Level exams next year. His parents want him to be a doctor. He plays the cello, goes for tennis classes, and spends his waking hours studying hard so that he can qualify for medical college from Colombo, always a tough proposition. 

Staying in power and staying power

It has become a tradition for Ranil Wickremesinghe to visit various signature tents at the Royal-Thomian and respond to questions put to him. It’s all light-hearted. The questions are often tongue-in-cheek stuff and the responses are calculated to generate some laughter, one feels.   

Hour of the moderates

Countless examples can be drawn from world history to support the thesis that one of the necessary pre-conditions for the rise of extremism is the silence or indeed the silencing of moderates. There are also instances where moderates flirt with extremists in tirades against a particular enemy, usually an identity-based community, knowingly or unknowingly feeding the worst elements of their own community. Then, when the moderates fail to deliver

PC Polls: JO wants early elections, SLFP wants all to be on same day

The government gave mind initially to conduct the elections to all the Provincial Councils (PC) on the same day. The elections were due first for the North Central, Sabaragamuwa and Eastern PCs this year as their terms are scheduled to conclude in the latter half of the year. Rather than having elections to them first, the government’s thought of conducting elections to all PCs on the same day either this year or next year. If they are to

‘Canned Fish’

Canned fish is the ready-to-eat, convenient choice of food for anyone who loves to indulge in the tempting fish cutlet, for those planning to whip up a quick meal or simply for anyone who loves fish. Canned fish such as Tuna, Mackerel and Sardines are believed to be enriched with the high nutritious value of Omega 3 fatty acids that are quintessential to cut down on cardiovascular diseases, fight back depression and improve brain health and there

Don’t treat consumers as commodities

Today is world Consumer Rights Day and the Consumers International Movement says the theme for this year will be “consumer rights in the digital age”, considering its contemporary significance for developing and developed countries

Musician finds solace in late marriage

Included in the repertoire of Victor Rathnayake’s cherished songs is “Daivayogayakin Novedo Hamuwune Api Hamuwune, Daivaye saradam labannata Kima Mese Apa Hamuwune”, a song which narrates one’s own fate. 

THE CRISIS OF LEGITIMACY OF THE POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT

emocracy must not be confused with liberalism. This government may be liberal but it is not exactly democratic. Liberalism is laudably concerned with individual freedoms. 

Alleged shooting of Indian fishermen: Minor irritants with geopolitical consequences

Many of our recent problems stemmed from our inability to accept our geographic reality- that is our immutable placement a few dozen....

If we don’t care, our freedom is fake - EDITORIAL

In many countries, people today celebrate, ‘Your Freedom Day’ focusing on what freedom means to us with the thrust being to draw....

Hacked World Order

The Stratsight column was initiated to trace the depth and breadth of unprecedented global transformations causing significant....