An Urgent need: the health of the differently-abled

Although there is some legislation for the protection of mentally retarded children below 18 years of age, there is no legislation or Safety Homes / Rehabilitation /Development Centres, provided by the State, for this category of persons after they reach 18 years of age.

The death of diplomacy

DIPLOMATS HAVE a gamut of tactics up their sleeves to get their job done. They flash charming smiles and chitchat amiably to cajole leaders into accepting their country’s demands

Editorial - The balancing act

United National Parliamentarian Lakshaman Kiriella recently challenged the ruling party to point out a single factory that was built by the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. If you keep aside the political rhetoric of this statement by MP Kiriella, it gives an insight to the Rajapakasa government’s economic policy.

South Africa’s Role?

If we were to count on the repeated denials issued by the Ministry of External Affairs during recent weeks, there would be no South African mediation effort in Sri Lanka to bring about a political settlement to the ethnic conflict. The official statements however suggest that the Sri Lankan government.........

When patience is not a virtue…

There is a saying that patience is a virtue. However, this saying cannot be applied to all situations.The Rajapaksa regime told the masses to be patient. It was during the war when the government increased prices of essential commodities and burdened the masses with more and more taxes.

The growing refugee crisis

THE STALEMATE in Syria can only mean the brewing refugee crisis could result in a regional humanitarian disaster. Over 1.2 million have been displaced so far with no signs of the wave of refugees flooding into Turkey, Jordan and other neighbouring countries ebbing any time soon.

Editorial - Inter-religious dialogue for unity in diversity

The continuing controversy over the animal sacrifices at the Munneswaran Temple has created religious tension though the temple priests at the request of the President have decided to put off the animal sacrifices because the hallowed Kapilavasthu Relics are in Sri Lanka.

Police powers policing the powers

The post-war ethnic discourse in Sri Lanka has often been interspersed with election campaigns of one kind or the other. It was so during much of the era of ‘Eelam War-IV’, but the battle bugles had suppressed the electoral loud-hailer. Today, poll campaigns have taken the place of those bugles

Story of killings of bin Laden and Prabhaharan: Contradictions and double standards

A firsthand account of the Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden contradicts previous official accounts and raises questions as to whether the terror mastermind presented a clear threat when SEALs first fired upon him.

A fair verdict

NEARLY FOUR years after terrorists went on a killing spree in Mumbai, the lone surviving gunman behind the attack has finally been awarded the death penalty by India’s Supreme Court.

Editorial - Going jumbo with a tiny purse

Compared to the rest of the countries in the world, the geographical entity of Sri Lanka may be called tiny. Yet, when it comes to rearing a bandwagon of spendthrifts in its higher echelons, there is nothing ‘tiny’ about the extravagance and wastage of public money the people are compelled to witness every day. 

Destruction under the guise of development

The Negombo lagoon’s mangroves which mitigated the great tsunami waves back in 2004 are now at the mercy of a development project. The mangroves in the Thaladuwa grama niladhari division in Negombo stretch for 36 acres. Eight of theses acres have been allocated to a development project

Sri Lanka’s Education Mafia

Undeniably something is wrong somewhere and that somewhere is our education. The stock exchange is supposed to be ruled by the mafia, perhaps even the sports arena, so too are present day politicos and it is no exaggeration to say that there is a mafia controlling the education of Sri Lanka.

Shot in the head when he peeked out the door

Either he is cornered by the cops and shot dead as he tries to run for his life or he meets his terrible end directly battling with the forces of good. But when the quintessential terrorist of real life, Osama bin Laden, was killed, it was a completely anti-climactic show. One day out of the blue,

Editorial - Students in blackboard jungle, Ministers must go

Police used water cannon and tear gas to prevent students from marching towards a high-security zone to protest over the latest blunders and bluff in last month’s GCE A/L examination amid serious concern over when and how the answer scripts will be marked.

Guatemala’s murderous past and belated justice

Guatemala’s claim to fame, apart from the ruins of the highly sophisticated Mayan civilization which present generations had nothing to do with, is that...

Editorial - Blunder and plunder: Deal with VIPs also

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who visited several districts where provincial elections are to be held, hit out strongly at local council politicians and...

NAM neither dead nor alive; is it a sham?

Iran has touted the Non-Aligned Movement summit which began yesterday in Teheran as a major diplomatic victory, especially for its leaders Ayatollah...

IDPs in the competitive job market currents

Unemployed graduates often complain about the government’s inability to harness the precious human resource of graduates while employers often grouse about incapabilities of graduates who cannot meet job requirements.

Mockery of justice

Israeli intransigence has no bounds. And that was squarely evident as an Israeli court refused to fault the Jewish state for the death of Rachel Corrie in Gaza at the hands of transgressing soldiers.

IS EMPOWERMENT A QUICK FIX OR A MAGIC BULLET?

The frequent questions that many people in the development arena have not adequately addressed, confronted or even evaded when approaching women’s rights and justice issues were, - Empowerment for who? What kind of empowerment?  Who takes decisions and actions for whom?   When can women reclaim empowerment in their own right?

Nimble hand of justice Justice delayed is justice denied. - Editorial

Well maintenance of law and order in a country the poper depends on the speed at which justice is meted out to the public. Be they the citizenry of the South who passed a period of terror due to the three-decade war, or their counterparts in the North who were daily witness to it, the course of justice should be evenhanded and prompt.

Justice and Equity as Pathways to National Security

The notions of justice and equity are paramount in any endeavour to establish and sustain national security. The sentiment was consistently resonant in the submissions and interventions made by a range of speakers from diverse backgrounds at the fifth annual International Symposium of the Sir John Kotelawala Defence University held last week. Accordingly, the following were among the key messages tabled at the deliberations.

Braille ballot papers in Australia ensure ‘access for all’ at elections

News from Australia confirms that not everyone will cast votes the traditional way on September 8. Those who are blind or with low vision can now register for Braille ballot papers for local government elections.

Avoiding the inevitable?

THE PAKISTANI public is not likely to get respite from the ludicrous game of hide and seek that the judiciary and the parliament are playing. On Monday, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf finally appeared before the Supreme Court for the hearing of the notorious NRO case.

Editorial - People losing confidence in the police

The Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera, the leader of the Jathika Hela Urumaya a close ally of the government, has raised some bombshell questions on the widely-publicised robbery of priceless artefacts from the Colombo Museum and the recent arrest of some suspects.

Far-sightedness essential for a stable Sri Lanka

What are your views on the Action Plan to implement the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC)? Do you feel that it adequately demonstrates the government’s commitment towards peace, justice, and reconciliation?

The reluctant hero

He took a giant leap for mankind when he set foot on the moon’s surface. Forty three years after Neil Armstrong awed the world by walking on the moon, the famous astronaut has passed away.

Crimes against women and children on the rise

As a senior citizen of this country I am alarmed at the statistics revealed by the Police Department that claim 900 rape cases within six months of this year, out of which 700 are of  children.

Serious issues on efficacy of drugs - Editorial

While the controversy over the fraudulent import of sub-standard fuel continues with no one being held accountable for the abuse or waste of public funds, serious issues need to be addressed about the quality of medicinal drugs being imported and the procedure for the testing or checking of the drugs and good manufacturing practices.