Shelton Ranaraja : Principled Politician and Conscience-Keeper of the Nation

Let me begin this article with a few paragraphs excerpted from William Mcgowan’s book about Sri Lanka “Only man is Vile”   

The mother of all marches

The marathon protest march “Jana Satana Pada Yathra” launched by loyalists of former President and current Kurunegala district MP Mahinda Rajapaksa is currently underway in Sri Lanka. The march organized by pro – Mahinda political stalwarts known as the -Joint Opposition-began in Kandy on July 28th 2016. The five day march is scheduled to conclude in Colombo on August 1st 2016.

Jaffna Varsity Violence: What Really Happened and Why!

Violence reared its ugly head again in the Northern city of Jaffna on Saturday July 16th, 2016 when student groups fought each other within the Jaffna varsity precincts in Thirunelvaeli known generally  as Thinnaivaeli.

“Lion of Uduppiddy” was a Towering Political Leader of the Sri Lankan Tamils

The finest phase in the history of peaceful political protest by Sri Lankan Tamils was in 1961. A non-violent “Satyagraha” campaign conducted by the Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi (ITAK) virtually paralyzed the administration in the predominantly Tamil districts of the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka at that time.

Inside story about Indrajit Coomaraswamy becoming Central bank Governor

“All changed, changed utterly” – The memorable lines from Irish poet Yeats came true on the morning of July 2, 2016 for Dr. Indrajit Coomaraswamy after he received a telephone call at 6. 30 am. The early caller was none other than Malik Samarawickrama, the Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade. The former was functioning as a senior adviser to the ministry. However it was not a ministry-related matter that t

SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem Faces Political Challenges in East

The Central Bank Governor crisis has been dominating the political landscape at a national level for the past few weeks. However other issues too have surfaced at sub-national level. For instance the question of Muslim political leadership has been causing much controversy at a regional level in the Eastern Province. The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is the acknowledged premier political party of the Eastern Muslims. Rauff Hakeem - Minister of

Sri Lanka’s “Textile Revolution” Ushered in by Ukku Banda Wijekoon

“Kollanta Pavement, Kellanta Garment” was a humorous saying frequently repeated during the days of former President Ranasinghe Premadasa. It was an allusion made in lighter vein about the proliferation of garment factories employing girls in most parts of the country during President Premadasas’s rule. The inference was that while young women were being gainfully employed at the garment factories ,the young men left unemployed w

“Armed Forces Will Enthusiastically Support President

(Former National List MP and Prominent Academic – Author  Rajiva Wijesinha has a reputation for speaking out forthrightly on issues affecting the nation at large. In this exclusive interview with the “Daily Mirror”  Prof.Wijesinha  responds to questions on a number of  matters  including  the  track record in governance of the present Govt, ethnic reconciliation, internal politics of the SLFP,

AIADMK Leader “Amma” Jayalalithaa Has Tamil Nadu At Her Feet Again

Jayalithaa “Amma” has done it again! The supreme leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham (AIADMK)has triumphed at  polls  held for the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

“One-eyed Sivarasan” the mastermind behind the Rajiv Gandhi assassination

Rajiv Ratna Gandhi – India’s Prime Minister from 31st October 1984 to December 2nd 1989  was assassinated  at Sriperumbudur in the Indian state of  Tamil Nadu exactly twenty – five years ago on May 21st 1991.  Rajiv Gandhi was in  Sriperumbudur to address a  propaganda meeting in support of the Congress Party candidate Ms. Maragatham Chandrasekhar. The 47 year old Indian ex – premier was then

Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the ‘Piththala Handiya’ explosive attack

Former Sri Lankan Army Commander  Sarath Fonseka came out with a bombshell statement some days ago in Parliament. The ex-army chief now a Cabinet minister in the Sirisena – Wickremesinghe Government accused his erstwhile comrade -at - arms and former Secretary of Defence  Gotabhaya Rajapaksa of having “stage managed” an assassination attempt on himself nearly ten years ago in order to win sympathy for his family; the R

Security crack down

A widespread security crackdown has been underway in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. Over  20 former members of the Liberation Tigers of  Tamil Eelam (LTTE) organisation have been reportedly  taken into custody  over the past weeks in a staggered security operation spearheaded by the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID)of the Police.Almost  all of the ex-LTTE cadres are being detained under provisions

The abortive Banda-Chelva pact of 1957

The  “Good Governance” Government of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe  has embarked upon a historic exercise to enact a new Constitution for Sri Lanka. 

“Stateswoman” Sirimavo made history as the world’s first woman prime minister

A 44-year old  Kandyan Sinhalese  widow of aristocratic “Radala”  lineage  gained global fame for her country in 1960  when she became the world’s first woman prime minister. She was none other than Sirimavo  Bandaranaike who was sworn in as prime minister of Sri Lanka known then as Ceylon on July 21st 1960. It is said that the British press had to coin a new description...

“Maestro” Lester James Peries Doyen Among Sinhala Film Directors

“Maestro”  Lester James Peries  will celebrate his 97th  birthday next  Tuesday. The  master movie maker  of Sinhala cinema was born on April 5th 1919. Lester James Peries is the man whom I regard as the greatest Sri Lankan film maker of them all! This article is a birthday tribute to the nonagenarian  Lester now basking in the serene,golden twilight of his illustrious life. I have already written ma

THE TAMIL WOMAN POLITICIAN WHOM MOST SINHALESE LOVED TO HATE

Mangaiyarkkarasi Amirthalingam known widely among Tamils at one time as “Mangai Akka”(elder sister Mangai) passed away at the age of 82 in Britain where she had been residing for the past 27 years.

The Samaraweera-Gallage “verbal exchange” and its implications

Our sister paper “Sunday Times”revealed details  last week about an incident of friction between a senior cabinet minister and a senior military official that  had occurred in Jaffna  a few weeks earlier. 

DB Wijetunga: From“Deaf and Blind” Premier to “Dearly Beloved” President

The Birth Centenary of Sri Lanka’s third executive President Dingiri Banda (DB) Wijetunga was celebrated  last week. DB  Wijetunga was born  during British rule on February 15, 1916. He passed away on September 21, 2008 at the age of 92. DBW as he was popularly known served as President from May 1, 1993 to November 12, 1994. Earlier he held the post of Prime Minister from March 6, 1989 to May 1, 1993. DB Wijetunga was also le

The night the Ambalangoda Lion roared defiance

Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka, Sri Lanka’s one and only Field Marshall is very much in the news these days. The former army chief who was once described as the “world’s best military commander” by former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa....

Tamils Hail Mother Lanka as “Sri Lanka Thaayae” in Their Mother Tongue

“Sri Lanka Thaayae, Nam Sri Lanka,Namo, Namo, Namo,Namo Thaayae..” (Sri Lanka Mother, our Sri Lanka,we salute,salute,salute,salute thee)

Power Sharing Quest of Sri Lankan Tamils After Independence

The premier political configuration representing the Tamils of Sri Lanka in the Northern and Eastern provinces is the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

Monsignor Rayappu Joseph: “Controversial” Catholic Bishop Emeritus of the Mannar Diocese

A news report from the Vatican Information Service(VIS)  datelined January 14th 2016 stated that  His Holiness Pope Francis has  accepted the resignation presented by Bishop Rayappu Joseph upon reaching the age limit...

North –East Muslim Majority Council Based On India’s Pondicherry Model

For  more than two decades the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC)  has remained the foremost  political party of the Sri Lankan Muslims. The SLMC co-founded  and...

Tamil leaders opposed when Sinhalese leaders proposed federalism

Political developments in Sri Lanka during  the post–independence years have devalued the concept of power sharing through the federal idea. Each major ethnicity has viewed the question suspiciously through its particular prism. 

Political Settlement Based on the “Federal Idea” in a New Sri Lanka

The new year has dawned on a note  of hope and  optimism for Sri Lanka. On January 9, 2016 President Maithripala Sirisena is scheduled to present a resolution in Parliament proposing that Parliament be converted into a Constitutional Assembly. 

Murder in the Cathedral

Blessings of Christmas are once again  upon us all! Even as we immerse ourselves in this universal season of peace and great joy,   my thoughts hark back to a terrible incident which marred the spirit of Christmas and sanctity of a Church a decade ago.

How will TNA solve the problem of Northern Chief Minister Wigneswaran?

Veteran Indian Journalist P.K.Balachandran who has been resident in Sri Lanka for many years has over the years  acquired  a remarkable insight into the politics and politicians of  the Island known once as the pearl of the Indian ocean .

TNA Leader Sampanthan ready to step down if party and people want Wigneswaran

Political tensions  prevailing  within the Tamil National Alliance(TNA) underwent a dramatic transformation last week. In an unexpected twist’, Leader of the Opposition and TNA leader , Rajavarothayam Sampanthan...

How Mahendra Percy Rajapaksa Began his Political Journey

The age of seventy or three score and ten  regarded as the span of life  has a special aura about it. The Bible (psalm 90 verse 10) says “The days of our years are threescore years and ten...

Twenty-fifth anniversary of Muslim mass expulsion from North by LTTE

The Investigation launched by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has in accordance with its terms of reference   probed the period of time from the 2002 February  ceasefire until the end of the war in  May 2009 to ascertain whether   war crimes...