justice hurried is justice buried

These days, media headlines are dominated by one individual: Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake. The Chief Justice is presently the subject of an impeachment motion that is being prosecuted by the government at lightning speed, raising grave concerns about its commitment to democratic norms.

The Asian pivot

It’s time for the United States and Europe to take a quick lesson in statistics. A forecast from the US intelligence community has found that the major powers are in a state of decline, and the continent of Asia is on the rise.

Tour de China and Tour de death - Editorial

While one would pay an ample amount of public money to tour around the world, the lack of allocation of which in necessary quarters can make one march straight to death.

THE POLITICS BEHIND HUMAN RIGHTS

The first part of this article published last week pointed out why caution needs to be taken against too great a focus on meeting specified targets since it has led to other aspects of a full human right to development being neglected;

Adherence to proper work ethics can eliminate blame game

Building trust among people through public administration is the key to promote harmony among the communities, said Associate Professor of Monash University Ramanie Samaratunga.

A shocking analogy between female CJ and vanni women

Chief Justice (CJ) Shirani Bandaranayake is not only fighting for the rule of law; she is also forced to fight for feminism. Ms. Bandaranayake is the first woman to have earned the post of CJ, which she achieved without exploiting the prestige of parents or any other high profile connection.

Editorial - Have we learnt the right lessons?

World leaders, statesmen and philosophers have made famous proclamations on the deep meaning and significance of human liberty and warned of the grave danger in taking it for granted. One statesman said eternal vigilance was the price of liberty, while another lamented “Oh Liberty, what crimes are committed in thy name”.

Interdependence of the Judiciary and the Legislature

In Sri Lanka, sovereignty is in the people’s hands. It is inalienable. Sovereignty includes the powers of government, fundamental rights and the franchise. The sovereign people promulgated the Constitution and thus the Constitution becomes supreme and the three Organs;

The rule of law and the separation of powers

The issue relating to military rule is  one of great concern to us. We don’t want military rule in any part of the country, be it LTTE rule or even Sri Lankan Army rule. We want civilian rule….

We are breathing poison and eating poison - Editorial

The United Nations climate change conference in Doha ended on Friday with the Kyoto protocol, on carbon emissions being extended. But some of the biggest polluters including the United States, China and India did not give any firm commitment though immediate and effective action needs to be taken to tackle the crisis of air pollution.

There is a new reality The State of Palestine

Dr. Anwar h. Al Agha Ambassador of Palestine in conversation with the Dailymirror.  On the November 29, 2012, after 65 long years the United Nations took a tentative step toward correcting a grave injustice committed against the people of Palestine when it recognised the State of Palestine .

Need to protect hand that rock the cradle

The Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka recently added that according to a United Nations (UN) report which was recently released 25% of women in the world are subjected to abuse while 65% of women were abused inside their own homes.

US-Russia spat

A piece of legislation, known as the Magnitsky Act, passed by large majorities in the US House and Senate, is apparently meant to target Russians allegedly guilty of offences under human rights violations.

Editorial - Red light realities Safeguarding the dignity of the profession

Like any other public institution that is misused and directed according to the whims and fancies of the incumbent regime, the police service in Sri Lanka too has become a tool in the hands of the powers-that-be.

THE GLOBAL HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM AND THE KNOWLEDGE HUB IN SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka is a unique developing country in South Asia.  The main characteristic of the demographic structure is that the child population shows a declining trend while the youth population will continue to form a sizable proportion of the population till 2020.

US encirclement of China

Not since the early Cold War days, when the US and NATO effectively encircled the Soviet Union, feeding Stalin’s paranoia, has America moved to be so profoundly counterproductive. It is now beginning to encircle China - at least that is how China is seeing it.

Turning sci-fi into sci-fact

Did you watch Minority Report — that Steven Spielberg thriller starring Tom Cruise? If you did, then you must surely remember the awe-inspiring technology that was featured in the movie — iris recognition, personalised advertisement, e-paper, 3-D video, multi-touch interface to name just a few.

Editorial - A time for austerity and a sharing spirit

Amid a multitude of national and international crises including the current constitutional calamity over the impeachment issue, the breaking point for Sri Lanka could be the economic debacle. Despite boasts and inflated claims by government leaders, Central Bank and Treasury officials

16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM: WHAT IT MEANS TO WOMEN

16 Days of Activism: an annual campaign that spans from the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25th November) to...

Editorial : Come to some consensus and compromise

With the Legislature and the Judiciary now clashing head on amidst  ugly scenes and outrageous attacks making a mockery of the...

The ghost of the Pharaoh haunts Egypt again

Is revolution a sham? The present crisis in Egypt makes one wonder whether the recent revolution that ousted dictator...

Justice hurried could be justice miscarried

Tuesday was yet another busy day in Parliament with the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) that probes charges against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake meeting again at 10.30 am

Building Shared and Inclusive Societies for Prosperity

Poverty and conflict are two issues that have caused many setbacks for developing Nations. Poverty is considered to be the greatest challenge facing all countries.  Governments have formulated and implemented thousands of programmes to alleviate or end poverty and deprivation.

just What we really need

Yours truly was awakened from the deepest slumbers by the delicious smell of frying bacon wafting across Diyawanna Oya. At first, good old Kumbhakarna thought it was a dream from the good old days (pre-2006) when he could afford bacon if he felt like it.

Dissent, displeasure and disillusionment - Editorial

Anything that is being called public by default is not public anymore. In the current Sri Lankan context, given the interference of politics and the magnitude of the powers the politicians wield, even a protest could no longer be called a public demonstration that reflects the sentiments of the public.

Attitudinal change key to “Lankan” consciousness

The reason why we don’t think consciously as Lankans is because we are too much concerned of our own individual needs. It is good to be rooted in one’s own culture and recognize each one’s individual identity, but it does not augur well if one is parochial and narrow-minded.

Innocence lost

 It’s no secret that the Chinese government’s human rights record falls short of international standards. Dissidents are imprisoned, and harsh policies are imposed on Tibet and Xinjiang.

Rallying for democracy

In Egypt, people of every political persuasion, demonstrated against the President’s dictatorial declaration barring the judicial authorities from overturning any decision made by him. Though he was placed in power by the mass movement, seeing this measure as an attempt to undermine the judiciary and place the president above the law, the country burst out in protest. The President claimed that he was targeting reactionary Mubarak-appointee

Power and political glory are transient

Much has been spoken these days about the separation of powers among the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. There could however, always be a strong underlying urge in our human nature to want absolute power. This could be due to our faulty psychic condition that breathes primordial selfishness that we have been living on from times past.

Regressive taxation,an unholy instrument of the Govt.–Sajith

Q: You have been quoted in the media as having called the 2013 budget a joke, what are your reasons for trivialising the budget put forward by the government?