Using or losing our heads in sports - Editorial

A best-selling American author Malcolm Gladwell in his latest sensational and explosive book has called for a ban on the popular American football–similar in nature to the rugby football we play but governed by different rules – because the regular bashing of young men’s heads at matches and practice sessions is known to be causing serious brain damage or a degenerative neurological disease similar to Alzheimer’s.

Conducting National Inquiries at international standards

Over the past 20 years, national human rights institutions in the Asia region have pioneered the use of national inquiries as a way to investigate and respond to a range of complex, systemic human rights issues. In Sri Lanka a national Inquiry has not conducted up to date but preparing for the first ever national Inquiry in the near future.

I”ll have a say in deciding northern chief minister

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda, the only Tamil Minister of the UPFA government representing the North has been in the focus of the media since the Northern Provincial Council election and the issues pertaining to the 13th Amendment became the hot topic of the country. Daily Mirror’s Kelum Bandara had an interview with Mr. Devananda as the Provincial Council election to the North now stands

Army to start profit making ventures : Outgoing Commander tells how wartime force is being turned in

Outgoing Army Commander General Jagath Jayasuriya who will be the next Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) spoke to Daily Mirror on a wide range of key untapped  developments already underway and responded to a number of allegations levelled against the Army.

A treaty of peace, friendship and cooperation

Let us enter into a treaty of Peace Friendship and Cooperation with India. India entered into such a Treaty with the Soviet Union in 1971 and that Treaty has stood the test of time. I do believe that we too should enter into such a Treaty with India and ensure that itinerant politicians are not able to interfere

Politics of sleepwalking

The virulent attack by a state-run television channel on reputed writer, translator and media activist Gamini Viyangoda on July 14 is another decisive (and derisive) step in the state’s top-priority project to create  obedient, soulless artists and journalists who will work like robots to promote a singular.....

Editorial - Legalising tuition means school educaton has failed

National Education Commission (NEC) Chairman Lakshman Jayatilaka said last week that the NEC would recommend to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to introduce a mechanism whereby school teachers would provide private tuition to students after school hours. Explaining the rationale behind the idea......

Taliban distorts Islam; But Malala ignores the greater evil

When little Malala Yousafzai spoke at the United Nations Youth Assembly last Frdiay, stressing the need to empower...

Is China becoming a democracy?

Last week, plans for constructing a nuclear processing plant in the Guangdong province in China were shelved...

Editorial : Forums and seminars must reach the grassroots

The newspapers are full of information about public forums, seminars and conferences organised by industrial bodies...

‘TNA should not boycott PSC with prejudice’ The national question must be solved and 13 A is a start

Velayutham Dayanithi more commonly known as Daya Master said the 13th Amendment could be an ideal starting point for the devolution of power.

 Forsaking solitude for the hustle and bustle of politics

Retired Supreme Court Judge C.V. Vigneswaran emerged from the shadow of a long and distinguished judicial career this week to be named as the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) chief ministerial candidate at the elections to the Northern Provincial Council (NPC).

Where are the statesmen, gone with the wind? - Editorial

T he criminalisation of politics has reached dangerously high proportions during the past few months with at least 10 local council members, many of them chairmen, being arrested on charges of murder, rape, bribery, corruption and other crimes.

A solution based on trust

When he decided to contest as the TNA’s Chief Ministerial candidate at the upcoming Northern provincial poll, it was not the first time that former Supreme Court Judge, C. V. Wigneswaran became a newsmaker.

WHAT IS THE GAME?

External Affairs Minister Kurshid wanted Sri Lanka to implement the 13th Amendment fully or even go beyond it, now Shankar Menon the powerful National Security Advisor, who was....

Lanka heading for crash landing - Editorial

The Daily Mirror in its Editorial on Monday focused on the dangerously rising wave of violent political crime and corruption – a trend that has given Sri Lanka the dubious distinction of being ranked as the ninth most dangerous country in the world.

We are onto modernisation of the military: CDS

While preparing to retire from active military service next month after a 36 year prestigious career, the country’s top military officer Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetileke spoke to Daily Mirror on the role of the CDS and the role played by the armed forces in the post war period........

Rehabilitation of Koggala lagoon now almost on the verge of going barren

The cerulean Koggala lagoon was once a haven to a rich ecological system. It was also a beauty which was described with much fondness by the famous author Martin Wickramasinghe in his masterpieces such as Madol Duwa. However, human intervention has changed the fate of the lagoon as it is on the verge of going barren.

Sri Lanka’s Tryst with Reconciliation : Where are we today?

The dominating narrative is dichotomous. The perceptions are equally remarkable. International interest is in no small measure. The impact on domestic stability remains uncontested. Whichever viewpoint is adopted, consensus is achieved on the limited.

13 A + and the Tamil struggle Will the TNA fail again?

Some Tamil intellectuals believe that, rather than beat about the bush, TNA should go straight for a federal solution; as the 13th Amendment plus is extremely vague and doesn’t give much power to the Tamils. This has to be done even if some may say that TNA is asking for the moon, because that is politics.

Editorial - Outcome of NPC elections : The responsibility of political parties and voters

The cries for the abolition of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and for the pruning of powers vested in the provincial councils before the election for the Northern Provincial Council have gone in vain. The said election is to be held without any tinkering in the 13th Amendment or in the Provincial Councils Act

DEVOLUTION FACT OR FICTION?

The concept of devolution is the passing down of governmental powers in respect of the periphery - from the Centre to various organs in the periphery.  The object theoretically sought to be achieved by this process is to enable the people of an area to look after their own affairs.

Debt-ridden society spawns social issues

Saman’s father John left him penníless - virtually on the road. I knew him as a little child, pint-sized barely two feet off the ground. Today he stands tall - a young man of 26 who may have gone unnoticed, íf not for an identity disclosure in the Kurunegala Bazaar. ‘’What are you doing these days?’’ I asked him.

Crisis in Education and Policy Responses

It is common knowledge that modern education is a major factor contributing to social and economic development, which in turn improves the life chances of a large proportion of the population in any country. Education also has wider impacts on society.........

Editorial - Criminal Politics: End this reign of terror

As the crime rate in Sri Lanka soars to dangerous levels with politicians being either directly involved or giving patronage and protection to criminal gangs as we saw in the recent horror stories in Deraniyagala, using data from the Geneva Declaration’s latest report, the London-based Action on Armed Violence...

NORTHERN Province CHIEF MINISTERial CANDIDATE STAKES IN THE TNA

Somasuntharam Senathirajah alias “Mavai” Senathirajah of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has set his sights on the Northern Province Chief Minister post. The six foot septuagenarian currently representing Jaffna district in Parliament has......

When it comes to a country being in trouble it must spend more Merkel read the history of Hitler’

My family is in a bit of a crisis. My earnings are cut by 25%. Writers never did earn a lot and now we have this economic catastrophe. We’ve cut our expenditures severely.

Dragging criminals out of politics - Editorial

We were both happy and sad to hear of Thursday’s landmark ruling by the Indian Supreme Court which independent democracy analysts see as a major step towards cleaning up Indian politics which is beset by corruption and crime.

Can national healthcare meet challenges of the future?

It is important to take note of these achievements as well as residual and new challenges. This is crucial...

Editorial : The circus of commissions and committees

Many headlines these days have been on the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) appointed to study the...