Power Sharing Quest of Sri Lankan Tamils After Independence

The premier political configuration representing the Tamils of Sri Lanka in the Northern and Eastern provinces is the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

Responsibility, Autonomy and the Geneva Resolution (2015)

The resolution co-sponsored by our government at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a mutual agreement entered into by Sri Lanka, as a Sovereign Member State of the UN, which.....

Homagama Incident and the law being equal to all

On the 25th and 26th of January a group of monks came in to conflict with the law when  Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero, General Secretary of the infamous Bodu Bala Sena stormed into.....

Law and Homagama incident - EDITORIAL

The  actions of Ven. Galagodaththe Gnanasara Thera at the Homagama Courts were not  approved by many and have drawn condemnation as no one is above the  law.  Also the Homagama incident and......

International players in corrupt politics

Politics is a head-deep mud hole. Those who walk into it, even if they wear the world’s best...

EDITORIAL : Action on corruption

One of the former regime’s biggest alleged acts of corruption has been widely known...

The fall out of the Ashraff betrayal

After almost five months after the Parliamentary elections the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress...

Police spokesman missed ‘if in doubt-leave it out’ principle

The infamous Embilipitiya incident turned yet another page of the story of the Sri Lanka...

Let’s say ‘no’ to Sinha-Le and to Sinhale-bashers

Even a simple matter of identity assertion (again, for whatever reason, including response...

Bickering over SLFP split keeps everybody on their toes

The allegation about attempts to compromise the country’s national interests persists. But, President Maitripala Sirisena asserted in the past few days that he would not jeopardise national security come.....

In politics, authenticity matters is Maithri a personification of authenticity?

Leadership in politics has been a subject many psychologists and social scientists have attempted to analyze, dissect and write about over and over again. These analysts and writers have ascribed strong.....

Embilipitiya attack: Police probe your self - EDITORIAL

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has joined several other independent civic action movements in expressing it’s grave concern over what it calls the unacceptable conduct of the Police as seen......

Donald Wijayaratna - the great don of photography

I first met the great don of photography, as he has often been referred to; many decades ago, during my school days. His niece Indrani Ratnam was a school friend and Donald and his pretty wife Sushila were always the cynosure of all eyes on the dance floor at her parties.

Basil speaks of a new political party

After a long spell of silence, former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, in an interview with Daily Mirror says the country is in need of a new political party. He expresses that there were both positives and negatives during the past year. Excerpts of the interview;

A new party is not a threat to us

 The Minister of Public Enterprise Development Kabir Hashim, in an interview with the , says [ the govt] is facing difficulties triggered by the global economic situation. But, he remains optimistic that new opportunities would emerge amidst them. 

Simple food and plenty of exercise - EDITORIAL

?A National Physical Health and Sports Week was launched on Monday by President Maithripala Sirisena to emphasize the need for good physical health so that the time-tested principle of a healthy mind in a healthy body will produce citizens who are physically fit and mentally creative or imaginative.

The Constitutional Imbroglio

The Government has promised a new Constitution in the New Year. It was only last year that the current Constitution was updated. Although the project was announced with much fanfare in the wake of victory,

LGBTIQ rights : Taboo forever?

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Questioning (LGBTIQ) or the Queer community has been a laughing stock of society for decades. Although equality is a term that has been interpreted in more or 

Final rites on Galle Face Green draw scepticism

An iconic constituent of the country’s wildlife, elephants have been living in this island for thousands of years and have been revered ever since. Yet over the years, the dominance of mankind has taken over the world and not many species

Sinha-Ley, Muslims and fascism

I am not a Sinha-Ley Muslim. Won’t ever be. I had no problem with the concept of being a Sinhala-Muslim during my childhood. In-fact I often used to think Ven. Mahinda Thera included us -- the minorities, in his poems and Anagarika Dharmapala in his, what I assumed were, anti colonialist speeches.

Civil society, politicians must be vigilant to protect Good Governance

Fighting for national list slots in the Parliament has been reported from two political parties, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) led by Minister Rauff Hakeem and All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) led by Minister Rishad Bathiutheen,

Making of a thriller... is not so thrilling

The Dutch fortress of Galle was a bulwark of colonialism, keeping ‘backward’ locals out with the might of its guns. Today, it has a poly-cultural air with a distinctly British expatriate top layer. As such, it’s a fitting venue for the

Apartheid in Mirissa: Are foreign tourists more than equal

Last week, this newspaper reported that some hotels in the Mirissa Bay area were refusing to serve Sri Lankans on the purported ‘uncivilized’ behaviour of local visitors. 

A salute for the slain tuskers

During the former regime, Sri Lanka earned worldwide notoriety for the multi-million dollar plunder and pillage of public wealth and resources by leading politicians, officials and their stooges.

Government to publicly destroy blood ivory tomorrow

A much-talked-about forfeited blood ivory in 2012 will be destroyed at the Galle Face Green under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe tomorrow (26). 

Monsignor Rayappu Joseph: “Controversial” Catholic Bishop Emeritus of the Mannar Diocese

A news report from the Vatican Information Service(VIS)  datelined January 14th 2016 stated that  His Holiness Pope Francis has  accepted the resignation presented by Bishop Rayappu Joseph upon reaching the age limit...

Hope for peace in Afghanistan?

?Yesterday in Kabul the so-called Quadrilateral Coordination Group -- comprising representatives from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US -- met to hold discussions on a roadmap to peace in Afghanistan.

‘The Reflection’ a unique expression of Cuba-Sri Lanka friendship

?Echoes of Picasso, a throwback to Dali, a bizarre touch of Magritte, the imprint of Warhol… these are among the impressions that come across at an unusual art exhibition that was declared open on Thursday (21) at the J.D.A. Perera Gallery, Horton Place, Colombo.

2015 hottest year on record and its getting hotter - EDITORIAL

If any more evidence was needed for burning climate change issues to be given priority in the socio-economic development policies of all countries, it came from world weather experts this week. 

Forthcoming LG elections give birth to a ‘party- splitting season’

With the on-going preparations of political parties for the forthcoming local government...