Editorial - Win-Win solutions to conflicts in Sri Lanka

The attack on a mosque in Grandpass on Saturday- the day after the Muslim community celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr-- and the night-long police curfew declared to defuse the high tension, once again underlines the need for the leaders of all religions to act urgently and effectively to bring about an inter-religious dialogue at the highest level.

Push & pull and give and take in TNA politics

History was in the making as nominations closed on August 1 for the first ever elections to Sri Lanka’s Northern Provincial Council scheduled for September 21. The predominantly Tamil Northern Province comprising five administrative districts will have a Provincial Council of 38 members.

From the viewpoint of the national economy Accessibility

  For businesses to grow and achieve maximum potential, their customer base also needs to grow. No business organisation, large or small, can afford to leave out anybody who is a potential customer.

Editorial - A human face for the export of humans

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) and the Association of Licensed Foreign Employment Agencies (ALFEA) are embroiled in a battle of words over the safety and security

SriLankan:National interest, pride and ground realities - Editorial

According to SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive, Kapila Chandrasena, one of the key issues impeding the airline coming out of the red and making a profit is the national interest. He told a recent media conference that as the national carrier, their decisions are not purely commercial.

Syria Leave bad enough alone

“An unpleasant truth often overlooked is that although war is a great evil, it does have a great virtue: it can resolve political conflicts and lead to peace”, wrote Edward Luttwak in the June, 1999, issue of Foreign Affairs. But he also made the point that the tragedy of war or violence is not that sometimes it does not have positive outcomes, it is that these same goals could have been met without war if the protagonists had been m

The Importance of a Balanced and Principled Foreign Policy On behalf of Friday Forum, the Group of C

The unflattering publicity Sri Lanka has received internationally in the lead up to and after the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva in March 2013, and the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) meeting in London in April, is indicative of a significant failure of the Sri Lanka Government to exploit the opportunities of peace and reconciliation opened up by the end of the conflict.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RAMAZAN FESTIVAL

Eid Ul Fitr is one of the important occasions for Muslims who mark the completion of the holy Ramzan month through which Muslims observe fasting. This festival is rejoiced by all Muslims as it is full of blessings of Allah and comes after observing fasting for a whole month. Fasting is one of the five fundamental Principles of Islam besides Kalima expression of faith that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammed (blessing and peace be upon him fr

Is it milk of human unkindness?

The 16-billion-dollar dairy giant Fonterra is under the global spotlight following the alleged contamination of its milk powder products with Dicyandiamide (DCD), and also the Botulinum toxin which causes Botulism,....

politicS MOVE ON while masses lose track

A sudden message was delivered to the office of the Leader of the House of Parliament last Tuesday, calling for arrangements to conduct a party leaders’ meeting immediately at 5.00pm on the same day.

Are we producing Mugabes or Mandelas? - Editorial

When white minority ruled Rhodesia was liberated some three decades ago and emerged as the free Zimbabwe, the revolutionary leader Robert Mugabe was widely hailed as a hero like Nelson Mandela of South Africa.

Kidney disease spreads affecting both genders all ages

The chronic kidney disease which  initially emerged in Anuradhapura district in the North Central province about ten years back, is now surfacing in other parts of the country as well, affecting people of all ages irrespective of gender.

A mission for underprivileged women

For most people who make a difference in the world through volunteerism, the mission to which they became devoted emerge from their own experiences. The decisive factor that led Pearl Stephen to open the first shelter for women in Sri Lanka in 1984 was the sad story of her own mother.

'dollars more precious than ignorant natives'

The Gampaha shooting exposed the government. Clearly the government has allowed the Multi-National Companies to exploit our land and people with disregard to environmental hazards and the existence of human beings.

Editorial - We eat and drink poison daily

The current crisis over the import of allegedly contaminated powdered milk and other dairy products especially from New Zealand is only a small but an important part like a seed of a massive food issue, involving the import of processed rubbish and items where even traces of embalming preservatives are used.

Features of democracy shrinking

One of Sri Lanka’s most widely respected and best known judicial personalities, retired High Court Judge W. T. M. P. B. Warawewa was outspoken not only during his judicial career but still speaks out strongly on social justice, judicial independence and democracy. Continuing his role in creating a just and fair society

Ethnic riddle in Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has announced that his government would accept the recommendations of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) regarding steps to be taken to bring about ethnic reconciliation through devolution of powers to the provinces.

Public policy failures cause of country’s present predicament

Liberal economic reforms that swept across the world over the last several decades have had a significant transformational effect on many countries. Many state-led economies gave way to ones dominated by private capital, both local and foreign.

Editorial - How fair are our elections?

All Elections Commissioners, the incumbent and all his predecessors have assured the country on the eve of every election, local or national, that candidates would not be allowed to misuse state resources and official powers during the particular election.

IT’S NOW OR NEVER

National Security Advisor of the Indian Government, Mr. Shivashankar Menon returned to India with disappointment.  After holding talks with the Rajapaksa trio in Sri Lanka, he reported to his government that he failed to convince Sri Lanka not to repeal any power in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (13A).  Whatever told by Sri Lankan leaders to Menon, Sri Lanka however decided to postpone the Constitutional amendment after his vis

Preaching taboos will go nowhere

Sri Lanka is a country which is known to have ‘flourishing’ within it, four of the great religions of the world, namely Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity.  If shows of piety were something to go by, Sri Lanka would doubtless be a genuine ‘Dharmadweepa’.  However, Sri Lanka is a country where criminal activity is at its height and is now hitting records that are wholly unprecedented.  Instances of ev

Beauty overtakes the beast in a retooled society

Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid may take seats as honourable Members of Parliament. Even an aged Pamela Anderson or Cameron Diaz could walk away with parliamentary pensions. Mervyn Silva and Duminda Silva entered the precincts of Parliament legitimately as easy riders.  Elected - overwhelmingly by the choice of the people. Those electors were not from the backward Wanni or from the backwoods of Monaragala: indeed from the two most literate a

Rocking the cradle, milking the Third World dry  - Editorial

Unlike the well-loved proverb about and love and influence of a mother, this is a case of the hand that rocked the cradle, milking the Third World dry. For several months the media have spotlighted the danger of agro-chemical contamination in some brands of imported milk powder. But the Rajapaksa regime is as usual mixing up the milk and honey with one ministry blaming the other for the inaction if not something worse that could cause serious har

Power, Lies Corruption

Under the new electricity tariff system, every light bulb is a burden to the public, especially to the common man. The attempts at halting the hike in the electricity tariff have been in vain. With an array of rationalisations, promise and reassurances by the government new electricity tariff has now been in effect from a few months. However, even after the supposed relief to those who has the lowest electricity consumption, for most of the avera

WELIWERIYA WAILS - PLEA FOR CLEAN WATER TAKES A NASTY TURN

The little town of Weliweriya and the villagers who had been pleading with t he authorities for an effective solution to.....

CHOGM BEARING DOWN ON RAJAPAKSA ADMINISTRATION

The Rajapaksa Administration is gearing up to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) in November.

Glimpses of JR

Not being Mark Anthony nor having anything like Shakespeare’s capability to articulate, it still seems opportune to remember if not a Julius, a Junius, from the images I gained of him.

Loss of people’s sovereignty a threat to territorial integrity

Significantly, the Magna Carter signed in 1217 heralding the British people’s sovereignty overturned the ruthlessness of King John - this then is common knowledge. Yet, its overpowering need is felt even today in many countries where the people’s sovereignty is undermined while at the....

Economic neo-colonialists plundering Sri Lanka - Editorial

Millions of people in Sri Lanka and elsewhere are not well-informed or do not want to be fully informed about the realities behind the reports of what is happening, especially in high political circles and....

Pakistan is fighting for its very existence

There is an “in” political word - “blowback”. Pakistan certainly has it. We can also call it “the chickens...