"Medamulana Mahinda" and the Political Rise Of "Ruhunu Rajapaksas"

The rise and growth of ‘political families’ are a common occurrence in Sri  Lanka. Ever since the island known formerly as Ceylon gained limited forms of representative democracy through the Legislative and State Councils during British rule, the practice of members of the same family seeking posts through elections became widely-prevalent. The advent of Parliamentary elections coupled with freedom from colonial bondage saw the p

Cinematic politics Of Dravidian Patriarch “Kalaignar” Karunanidhi

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena reportedly sent two special representatives early this week to India with a letter to the ailing Dravidian Tamil political patriarch Muttuvel Karunanidhi wishing him a speedy recovery. Karunanidhi known widely as “Kalaignar”(artiste) has been leader of the Dravida Munnera Kazhagham (Dravidian Progressive Federation) since 1969 and served as chief minister of India’s Tamil Nadu state for

Black July: Thirty-fifth Anniversary of 1983 Anti-Tamil Violence

One of the darkest chapters in the sphere of Sri Lankan ethnic relations was the widespread anti-Tamil violence that occurred thirty-five years ago during the fourth week of July in 1983.  

Seizure of Tiger arsenal in North renews fears of an LTTE revival attempt

The 21km-long Puthukkudiyiruppu-Oddusuddan road progressing through the hinterland of North-Eastern Mullaitivu District, links Puthukkudiyiruppu on the A-35 Paranthan-Mullaitivu highway and Oddusuddan on the A-34 Mankulam-Mullaitivu highway. It was along this road that a trusted deputy of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran was killed by the deep penetration squad of the Sri Lankan armed forces on September&n

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa's US Citizenship and Presidential Ambition

The United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka Atul Keshap will conclude his three-year term in Colombo this August. He will be succeeded by Alaina B. Teplitz, the current US Ambassador to Nepal. Both Keshap and Teplitz were appointed envoys to Sri Lanka and Nepal respectively by former US President Barack Obama in March 2015. Both, however, are US Foreign Service career Officials and not political appointees of President Obama.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Economic Vision and Political Mission

“Viyathmaga” is an organization that claims to be dedicated to the goal of “an intellectually inspired Sri Lanka”. It is said to possess an elitist membership comprising top level professionals, academics and entrepreneurs of Sri Lanka. The Viyathmaga website describes the organization in the following manner -”The Professionals for a Better Future (VIYATHMAGA) is a network of Academics, 

Biopic of "Nadigaiyar Thilagam" Savitri: Rise and Fall of a Great Actress

Film stars often act the roles of real persons in what is known as Biopics or biographical movies. Biopics are usually about illustrious and interesting historical figures. Actors and actresses enacting such roles get praised if their performances are brilliant enough to project those historical figures in a realistic manner on screen.

TNA May Launch Non-Violent Protest Campaign Against Govt Soon

The Coalition Government of President Maithripala Sirisena and Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe may soon be facing a political challenge from an unexpected quarter, namely the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). The TNA regarded as the premier political configuration of the Sri Lankan Tamil people is 

Lester’s reel comes to an end

It is with great sorrow that I write about the death of Sri Lanka’s greatest film director Lester James Peries  !   

No-Confidence Motion against the Leader of the Opposition

Hell hath no fury as an Opposition thwarted in its bid to pass a No-Confidence Motion (NCM) against a Prime Minister! Sri Lanka’s self -styled Joint Opposition...

TNA’s key role in defeating no-confidence motion against Ranil

In the seven-decade long history of Independent Sri Lanka’s legislature, there have been two no-confidence motions and related debates that are unprecedented and unparalleled. The first was in 1981 when members of the then United National Party (UNP) government brought and passed a no-confidence motion against the 

TNA captures Jaffna Mayoralty through skilful political manoeuvre

Jaffna is the capital city of the predominantly Tamil speaking Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It was at the time of independence from Britain, the second largest city in the Island, next only to Colombo.

Anti-Muslim Violence in Amparai Town and Kandy District

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Minister of Law and Order on February 25th, 2018. It was a stop-gap measure.

Office of Missing Persons Provides ‘Audacity Of Hope’ to Sri Lanka

Let me begin on a very personal note. The first major emotional upheaval I underwent as a result of losing a very loved one, was when I lost my maternal grandfather in December 1968. I was 14 years old at that time. I was inordinately fond of him and he of me, his eldest grandchild.

How Mahinda Trapped Maithripala With The SLFP Party Leadership

Pallewatte Gamaralalage Maithripala Yapa Sirisena is currently in the throes of an acute political crisis after the Local Government poll results.

Seventy Years of Independence and Tamils of Sri Lanka

Three score and ten years have passed since Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon, gained Independence from Britain on February 4, 1948. The Island nation had been under colonial bondage for a very long period. The Portuguese rule came first in 1505, followed by Dutch rule in 1658. Finally came the British rule in 1796 that lasted until 1948.

Iconic Tamil Pop singer A.E.Manoharan helped bridge the ethnic divide

“Ithaya Oasai”(Sound of the Heart”) was a drama put on the boards by the students of St. John’s College,Jaffna in 1963/64. The play proved so popular that it was staged to members of the public in Jaffna, Kandy, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Colombo. The chief actor in the play was a handsome curly-haired student in the then Higher School Certificate (HSC)class. He was a hosteller as his family was living in the central high

Lasantha Wickrematunga Assassins Must Be Prosecuted Without Delay

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his misguided astrological and numerological wisdom held the seventh presidential elections on January 8th 2015. When the date was announced most people yearning for a regime change in Sri Lanka noted the symbolic significance of January 8th in a different context. It was on January 8th 2009 that Lasantha Manilal Wickrematunge , the well known editor of “The Sunday Leader” was brutally assassinate

Will Tamil film hero Rajinikanth become Tamil Nadu Chief Minister?

In the May 2014 Indian General elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Narendra Modi swept the poll in many states to form a government...

DMK abandons separatism; captures State power in TN

Thamizhan Illaathaa Naadumillai. Thamizhanukkendroru Naadumillai (There is no country without Tamils. There is no country for Tamils) is a saying in Tamil that vividly illustrates the angst felt by the more nationalist sections of Tamils about the lack of a country of their own - an independent sovereign self-governing Tamil state!

Split in dravidian movement And the decline of Tamil separatism

India gained freedom from Britain at midnight on August 15th 1947. At the time of Indian independence there was a separatist movement in South India...

Muslim Congress Founder’s Son Aman Ashraff Speaks Out Against SLMC

Aman Ahamed Ashraff is the only son of legendary Muslim Congress leader the late Mr. M.H.M. Ashraff and Ms. Ferial Ashraff who was Sri Lanka’s first Muslim woman cabinet minister. In spite of this family background 36- year- old Aman Ashraff who is the executive creative director of Ashraff Associates (pvt) Ltd has kept aloof from politics so far. However there has been in recent times 

Tamil secessionism and the Dravida State demand in India

Tamil secessionism in the island of Sri Lanka came to an effective end in May 2009, when the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Organization was militarily defeated by the Armed forces of the Government of Sri Lanka.

Will The Unseating Of Geetha Disqualify the UPFA List of Galle MPs?

Popular Sinhala movie actress Geetha Kumarasinghe, who was elected Member of Parliament from the Galle electoral District on the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) ticket in August 2015 has been unseated as an MP by rulings of the Sri Lankan Judiciary.

Alleged Killing Of 18 Navy and 8 Army Prisoners by LTTE In Jan 2009

President Maithripala Sirisena held successive discussions with two Tamil delegations in Colombo on Thursday (19) on the issue of Tamils detained in various prisons under the Prevention of Terrorism Act(PTA) in general and the hunger strike undertaken by three such detainees at the Anuradhapura Prison in particular. 

Abolishing J.R. Jayewardene’s Executive Presidency

Reputed American Writer and Humourist Samuel Clemens, known to the world as Mark Twain was in London in May 1897 on a lecture tour. A rumour began circulating in the USA that Mark Twain was gravely ill and on the verge of death. Subsequently another rumour began spreading in the US of Mark Twain passing  away in the UK.   

Govt. may lose referendum on new Constitution

The coalition government of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has - as one of its primary objectives - the political project of enacting and passing a new Constitution. This requires a two-thirds majority in Parliament and endorsement by the people in an islandwide referendum. 

Aekiya Raajya - Orumiththa Nadu: For an undivided indivisible Sri Lanka

The Constitutional Assembly Steering Committee chaired by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has laboured mightily and brought forth the Interim Report of proposals for an envisaged new Constitution. It would be premature to prognosticate on the report’s potential future or delve deeply into its contents at this point of time. 

Clash of the Commanders

The recent spat - if one may call it that - between two former commanders of the Sri Lankan Army has caused quite a furore. Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka and Lieutenant-General Jagath Jayasuriya have engaged in a heated exchange over issues of command and control responsibility, as well as alleged war crimes. Sarath Fonseka served as Army Commander from December 6, 2005 to July 15, 2009. 

Federalism is not Separatism Rules Supreme Court

The month of August saw a flurry of hectic political activity in Sri Lanka. The statement made by controversial Minister Ravi Karunanayake at the Presidential Commission of inquiry followed by his resignation, the move to postpone Provincial Council polls by way of the 20th Constitutional