Why are we a nation that never develops?

For years Sri Lanka’s geographic location has been spoken about and even envied by many nations. Infact foreigners have always praised our natural resources, our lush greenery, our ideal location in the Indian Ocean and our warmth and friendship.

Why are Women still barred from voting in the Diyawadana Nilame election

A sizable chunk of voters will not cast their vote this year in the election of the Diyawadana Nilame, as the “Vihara and Devalagam Act” under which the election is conducted has no provisions allowing women to use their vote.

Enhancement of Efficiency in Human Resources through Training

Training is a vital component of Human Resource Development (HRD). In the context of HRD, Human Resources means a collective of personnel in organisations, either in the public or private sector.

Sri Lankan Tamil leaders left high and dry:The UNHRC, a toothless tiger?

The National People’s Power (NPP) government’s approach towards the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolutions on Sri Lanka is somewhat different from that of the previous governments.

People have such short memories

It has become fashionable to blame the government for failing to curb the crime wave. The murder of a provincial counsellor sparked more outrage and critics are lambasting the government.

Mao’s Long March: The foundation stone of today’s China

China’s rise to prosperity and the place it holds today as a world power is spectacular. But the road was long and hard. When Chinese President Xi Jinping talks of a ‘century of humiliation,’ he is referring to the chaos that Mao and his followers inherited after four decades of civil war.

Are Zohran Mamdani’s proposals the answer to inequality in the US?

The divide between the rich and the poor has always been there in the United States, but it has become pronounced in recent months, say Ben Casselman and Colby Smith in a recent piece in The New York Times.

A chilling indictment on law and order

The daylight murder of the Welgama Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman sent shockwaves across the country, not merely because a local politician was slain, but because it revealed — once again — the frightening extent to which the rule of law has eroded in Sri Lanka. It was not just a criminal act; it was a public execution that symbolised the growing collapse of order in our society.

Third-state complicity in Gaza genocide: Whither international law and ICJ rulings?

A foundational question tackled in the study of international law is, ‘Is international law really law?’ Nothing provides a more robust response to this question than the actions of Israel and the imperial West that sucks up to Zionism, Israel’s state ideology

Be vigilant at the Banks

“Everything needs money” this concept again came to my mind because of an experience that happened to me at a reputed bank here a few weeks ago. I went to the bank in which I have been a customer for more than two decades to withdraw some money from my account and deposit it in another company’s account.

New medicine price formula, a step in the right direction?

The passage of the new pricing formula for imported pharmaceutical drugs in Parliament could be considered a key strategy to address shortages of medicine and to ensure transparency in the provision of medicines to the public. Unregulated costs of medicines have become a burden to the average citizen, who finds it a challenge to allocate a considerable amount of their expenses to purchase medicines. In most instances, patients are inconvenienced

Decoding ‘76 years of curse’

Recent rave social media reviews by Indian visitors about Sri Lanka, especially about our roads and civic sense, might make a Sri Lankan blush. One should agree that such assessments are a subjective experience. But there is also a genuine appreciation, though South Asians in general are good at trash-talking their own countries.

Still Waiting: Families of Murdered Journalists Demand Action

Decades have passed since some of Sri Lanka’s most controversial killings of Lasantha, Ekneligoda, Raviraj, Shri Ram, Wasim and hundreds of others, whose deaths have not seen a decent inquiry or prosecution. Instead of delivering justice to these killings, since 2010, at each election trial, this has become a political game where the families and loved ones of these victims continue to be spectators waiting in anguish and frustration, watching ev

How a Buddhist monk braved torture to pursue political dream

Following the accusation levelled against the former Member of Parliament, Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera, over the alleged abduction and intimidation of General Secretary of the Ape Janabala Pakshaya, questions have been raised why the long arm of law has so far failed to make an arrest.

Tea stains from the tea trail

When you earn a daily wage you simply plan your life around the concept ‘one day at a time’. Thinking long-term for them would mean getting through the 30 days of the month.

A political whirlpool in Palk Strait

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to raise the concerns of Indian fishermen with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya during her three-day visit to India. Stalin highlighted repeated incidents of alleged harassment of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy, according to Indian media.

“Who Will Rid Us of This Pestilent Industry?” Tobacco: Mother of Narcotics & suavely packaged death

Nicotine is one of the most powerfully addictive substances known to science. Long before modern neuroscience explained how drugs hijack the brain’s reward systems, tobacco users directly experienced addiction’s compulsive nature, the difficulty quitting despite wanting to, physical withdrawal symptoms, and psychological cravings. This made tobacco humanity’s first systematic encounter with understanding chemical addiction.

Leading a Fulfilling Life After Service for Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces Veterans

Sri Lankan armed forces veterans participated in a lengthy and intense conflict known as the Eelam War, culminating in a significant victory in 2009. Despite this achievement, many veterans emerged from the conflict with lasting physical injuries that continue to affect their lives long after their military service has ended. Additionally, numerous veterans were confronted with the harsh realities of war, leading to mental health challenges such

The end of Socialism in Sri Lanka

Anura Kumara Dissanayake became the pallbearer at the funeral of Socialism in Sri Lanka. In the coffin lay the Communist Party, LSSP, NLSSP, MEP — and the JVP itself.

Rationale for Government’s choice of cooperation over confrontation

In contrast to intolerance in governance and towards others who are deemed to be outsiders that is increasingly being manifested in the world, Sri Lanka is taking a different path. It is adopting an inclusive approach to all communities that is in the national interest and is winning international support. The country’s recent conduct at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is a case in point. Rather than forcing a vote that would have been divisi

Extensive damage to the ecosystem Wanathawilluwa mangroves illegally cleared by racketeers

Wanton destruction of the mangrove forest along the Redd Barna lagoon periphery in Wanathawilluwa division has been going on unabated, despite concerns raised by residents and environmentalists. According to environmentalists, vast tracts of century-old mangrove forest have been cleared, causing extensive damage to the ecosystem. The destruction has been done cleverly, leaving those mangroves facing the lagoon intact, so that anyone looking from

The Stories That Bind Us

From ancient myth to modern cinema, the same universal story continues to unfold. What Joseph Campbell called “the hero’s journey” is not only found in books and films, but also in the lives we live and the stories we tell in Sri Lanka and beyond.

AI’s chilling effect on democracy: Research scientist Michał Klincewicz

Michał Klincewicz, a research scientist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence (AI) at Tilburg University in the Netherlands, shares his views with Daily Miror on the impact of AI generated content on human life in a democratic society.

Hitting the poor and sparing the wealthy IMF Engineered Dispossession as Social Stability

The 2020s has become a decade of distress in the Global South. Half the developing countries are now in debt trouble, with the situation having deteriorated considerably since 2010.

Government’s “Big Kuchchan” and people’s “Bing Chun”

Members of the opposition political parties, both minority and majority, have been making fun out a mispronunciation of two English words by a prominent Cabinet Member of a NPP government.

Bank staff clueless about Blue Bonds

A leading local development bank recently announced the launch of its much-publicised Blue Bond, proudly claiming to be the first Sri Lankan bank to issue one.

Mass Expulsion of Northern Muslims in 1990: Why did the LTTE do it?

October 1990 was the month in which the Tamil-speaking Muslims of the Northern province were forcibly expelled en masse by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), 35 years ago.

Pros and cons of social media Is criminal defamation to come again in disguise?

Unlike leaders of other political parties in the country, the National People’s Power (NPP) leaders have been lodging complaints with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on defamation against them, especially in social media, for over a year.

Port Access Elevated Highway -- snail’s speed development

Recent revelation that the construction of the Port Access Elevated Highway (PAEH) -- much needed 5.3 km road connection built on posts expected to connect the Harbour to New Kelani Bridge, entrance and thence to the country’s expressway -- might get delayed for another two years is a clear reflection on Sri Lanka’s snail-speed development.

Think Pink — A Simple, Cost-Effective Way to Show You Care

Every year, October is observed globally as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Sri Lanka too, has joined this noble cause.