Yellow Peril spectre of Trump and impact on Asia, Sri Lanka

When Donald Trump was taking oaths in Wahington DC on January 20, 2017 as the 45th President of the USA, in London, an award....

134 years of criminalization is enough

Ceylon’s colonization by the British rule had a sizeable impact on what we now deem as cultural and social norms in Sri Lanka....

What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander - EDITORIAL

Uma Maheswaran, the late leader of the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) once described the armed.....

M12M: Speak out and act for clean politics

The March 12 Movement was set up two years ago for clean politics, good governance, more checks and balances to consolidate democracy and to eventually move towards a just society.

“DIVERSIFICATION OF TERTIARY EDUCATION

An excerpt from the memorial oration in memory of Emeritus Prof. J. N. Oleap Fernando’s second death anniversary delivered by Vidya Jyothi Emeritus Prof. Dayantha Wijeyesekera  I am sure we are all concerned about the current crises in the country on tertiary education. I would say that this is mainly due to some decision-makers lacking the clear understanding and moreover not abiding by laid down procedures. 

SABOTAGE OF GOVT POLICIES AND PLANS

In terms of article (2) (h) of Chapter VI under the title “Directive Principles of State Policy and Fundamental Duties” of the Constitution of Sri Lanka, State is pledged to establish in Sri Lanka a Democratic Socialist Society the objective of which includes the complete eradication of illiteracy and the assurance to all persons of the right to universal and equal access to education at all levels. The educational policy of Yahapalan

Resisting Russian authoritarianism

The state of being vigorously anti-Russian President, Vladimir Putin, is becoming out of control. It is in danger of becoming pathological and self-destructive. What does the West gain in the long run if it sees nothing ahead but being anti-Russia? The West is in danger of having embarked on a journey to nowhere. Russia is not going to change significantly in the near future. The very close Putin/ Dimitri Medvedev team are going to remain in the

“The war will come back if you don’t heal the wounds of memories”

South African anti-apartheid activist who worked with President Nelson Mandela and renowned social rights activist Desmond.....

Oh dear! These FUTA Academics

On Monday March 6, (2017) the Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA) announced a two-day strike action on the eighth and ninth of March, at a media briefing in Colombo

Accountabilty: Government caughtin the trap

Going by the recent statements made by the leaders of Sri Lanka and the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which is stressing the need for reconciliation among various communities in Sri Lanka, it is puzzling as to how long the reconciliation between them would last.  

North Korea: Smarts bombs could stop nuclear warfare

A world without nuclear weapons is a possibility and that day is not far from us. Thanks to North Korea and its provocative behaviour, such optimism is not the wild imagination of a fiction writer. The United States is developing a smart bomb to deactivate all electronic devices, including missile and nuclear systems in the enemy territory.  It is only a matter of time before other technologically advanced nations will also produce such smar

A role model in RTI Commission

It is encouraging to see that Sri Lanka’s Right to Information (RTI) Commission has released its 2017 budget estimate, including the salary scales of the Commission members and staff along with its recruitment procedures and cadre provision.

Before the wheels come off…

Just after Chandrika Kumaratunga came to power there was a spate of strikes. The phenomenon was celebrated at first by the then Government as an indication of increased space for the expression of democratic freedoms. Not too long afterwards the very same regime decried strikes as an abuse of freedom. The line changed to, “The strikers are irresponsible and are demonstrating nothing but the freedom of the wild ass.”   

The politics of script-flipping

Not too long ago, there was a call for an international inquiry into allegations of war crimes. The call came from both within the country and without. From within it was the usual suspects, the rights-fixated NGOs and outside it was their international counterparts, backed of course by the West, primarily the USA and Britain. The UNHRC was where these voices gathered into a chorus. The chorus was actually an echo of pro-LTTE groups, again with

Eavesdropping in Colombo Colonial slang rules the local tongue...

There is a pounding on the sand, a sound of thudding footsteps. A young woman in yellow shorts flashes past. Behind her puff several older women in tracksuits, behind them a woman strides out in a black chador.   Colombo was once a shabby third world capital like any other, its buildings and its people hiding behind high walls and piles of sandbags. Since the end of the Eelam War the walls have been knocked down and the city has become a p

SLFP contemplates quitting Govt.

Nearly one-and-a-half years has rolled by after the formation of the National Unity Government between the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is underway in this regard. The timeline, stipulated for governing together, will lapse in September making way for the two parties to take stock of things and decide on the next course of action. 

Cricket Board and I didn’t see eye to eye

Sri Lanka Cricket recently appointed Asanka Gurusinha, a member of the 1996 World-Cup- winning team as the Cricket Manager in a bid to help the transition of the national team. In an exclusive interview with Daily Mirror, Asanka domiciled in Australia for about two decades since leaving Sri Lanka soon after the World Cup triumph speaks of the challenges faced by him as manager, the national team and also what forced his premature retiremen

We haven’t asked a cent from any farmer to contribute to this project: Duminda

At a time when the country is hanging from loose strings as a result of the major debt crisis ‘gifted’ by the former regime, spending lavishly on government projects wouldn’t sound like a bright idea...... 

Govt’s Geneva Dilemma Why Sincerity Matters

As Sri Lanka gets placed, once again, on the Human Rights Council agenda this month, it is difficult to ignore the significant shifts -- internal and external -- that have taken place since Sri Lanka was last on the Council’s agenda in September 2015. Then, flush with victory and the confidence to champion reform, the Sri Lankan Government negotiated a finely-crafted resolution amid global plaudits. Back at home, the President was cred

Be bold for change and let us make it work

Today is International Women’s Day. The theme of this year’s Women’s Day is, “Be bold for change” a motto many might accept as appropriate. However, it is not clear whether the meaning of the motto is universally and uniformly understood at least by women’s organisations......

There are many challenges in getting RTI laws properly implemented – US expert

Will Ferroggiaro, an expert from the United States of America, who is here at the invitation of a Civil Society Organisation, speaks on the importance of the Right to Information Act, Good Governance and democratic norms..... 

Prisoner’s dilemma in local politics Why President Sirisena and MR won’t cooperate

In game theory, there is this hypothetical strategy game that is used to explain why two rational individuals may not cooperate....

CJ condemns denial of justice to the poor - EDITORIAL

The restoration of the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary were among the important promises made by the rainbow....

Whither Global Order?

The Munich security conference concluded few weeks ago. It was one of the largest and most represented security conferences....

Competing ideologies in education

One of the most polarising issues being debated in relation to education currently is that of the virtues of State vs Non-State....

Global turmoil

A decade ago, Kethesh Loganathan, one of my mentors and comrades, wrote a column in this newspaper, until he was....

Sri Lanka in a catch-22 situation - EDITORIAL

Officially Sri Lanka today is in a situation best described by the Sinhala idiom ‘Girayata ahuwechcha puwak gediya wage’ –a Catch-22....

Divided Security apparatus weakens effort to combat overseas LTTE

Case No. B 85/17 concerning the assassination attempt targeting Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Jaffna district MP M. A. Sumanthiran was taken up at the Kilinochchi courts before Kilinochchi 

Celebrating 50 years of graduation as Medical Doctors

On June 4, 1962, a total of 158 young men and women who had secured admission to the University  of Ceylon entered the portals of the Colombo Medicine Faculty. We had gained entry purely on merit and were from all parts of the island including Chilaw, Batticaloa, Point Pedro, Chunnakam, Tellipalai, Galle, Pannipitiya and Matale. 

For SAITM, don’t make poor patients suffer

Despite the continuing crises such as the debt-ridden economy, the lack of direct foreign investments and the soaring cost of living, the national government to a large extent is restoring democratic rights.