UN human rights chief’s visit and NPP’s dilemma

Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath, during an interview, stated that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, is expected to visit Sri Lanka on June 26.

Right of Reply: JAAF responds to Our Thought on apparel sector workers

The following is a Right of Reply sent by the Joint Apparel Association Forum of Sri Lanka in response to Our Thought titled ‘Apparel sector workers are humans too’ published on May 22, 2025:

Is it time to reform or replace the United Nations?

The ongoing crisis in Gaza has raised grave questions about the effectiveness of international institutions. Despite widespread global condemnation, Israel continues its military campaign at a gargantuan scale—what many observers describe as a potential genocide.

Worker remittances endangered by war in the Middle East

Sri Lanka’s total gross external debt was 56.6 billion USD in September 2024. Deputy Minister of Economic Development Anil Jayantha, quoted in ‘Economynext’, revealed our debt service in 2025 is estimated at 2,454 million dollars, made up of 1,369 million dollars in capital repayments and 1,085 million dollars in interest.

Fr. Chandra Fernando: 37th anniversary of the killing of another “troublesome priest”

Today, June 06, will mark 37 years since the killing of human rights activist and Catholic priest Rev. Fr. Chandra Fernando at his church residence in Batticaloa. He was Chairman of the Batticaloa Citizens’ Committee at that time and Parish Priest of St. Mary’s Church (The Cathedral) in Batticaloa. The Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF) had been controlling Batticaloa during that period.

US veto kills humanitarianism amid food aid massacres

By using its veto power on Wednesday to defeat yet another United Nations Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, the United States has renewed the licence it has given to Israel to commit genocide in the famine-struck occupied Palestinian territory.

Sri Lanka can learn from India on scoring on environment

Many years ago, foreign news editors and environmentalists were shocked to see a photograph of a dead fish floating on a pond alongside a single-use plastic wrapper that was uploaded to the Agence France-Presse, better known as AFP. The year was 2022 and the date was September 28. The country where the photograph was produced was India, a nation that is guilty of producing 1/5 of the plastic garbage annually produced in the world.

Wipe Out Bribery, Build Public Trust: Practical Steps Toward a Corruption-Free Government

In addition to the measures proposed in my article “Establish In-House CIABOC Units to Clean the Augean Stables of Public Institutions” (Daily Mirror, May 29, 2025), here are further practical and symbolic steps that can reinforce a culture of integrity and accountability in government departments:

Dear parents, don’t value your child’s worth based on an exam

If there was one decision that successive governments failed to implement, it was the scrapping of the Grade 5 scholarship exam. Introduced in 1947 by C.W.W. Kannangara to provide opportunities for students from underprivileged backgrounds to enter prestigious schools with better facilities, this exam was later scrutinised for its psychological impact on children. The exam was also criticised for its failure to accurately assess all forms of tale

Mayoral candidates must know that life in Colombo revolves around dignity

The tempo is set for the election of a new Mayor for the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC). Vraie Cally Balthazaar (NPP),Dr. Ruvaiz Haniffa and Riza Zarook (both SJB) are some of the prominent names in the fray, but no party has a clear cut majority in Colombo with regard to the election of the new mayor. This is why the election for the Colombo Mayor’s position is a hot topic and a much looked forward to event in the Sri Lankan political calendar.

It’s paramount to safeguard our future generations

Parents teach children to expect danger from strangers despite mostly sexual abuse of children occurs between older male relatives and younger female children in families and often ensures that the relationship continues and remains a secret.

equipping today’s youth for tomorrow’s environmental and climate challenges

In an article titled How Education Systems Have Always Created Our Futures by Sal Gordon, Head of Teaching & Learning at Green School Bali, some of the questions raised by him prompted me to analyse them further, where he says, “Are you teaching only about the past—or learning for the future? Are learning programs reflective of the needs of today and tomorrow?”

The Unseen Threat:Drone Warfare’sImplications for Sri Lanka’s National Security

The recent audacious drone attacks by Ukraine, striking multiple Russian strategic aircraft at airbases deep within Russia, serve as a stark and undeniable testament to a profound shift in modern warfare.

Destroying education in JVP style

The government has abruptly terminated the admission of local students to undergraduate medical degree programmes at the Kotelawala Defence University.

What now for Lankan Tamil refugees in India?

On Thursday (29 May 2025) the plight of thousands of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees languishing in India was forcefully brought to our minds. A 75-year-old former Sri Lankan Tamil refugee returning from India was detained by immigration authorities. He was later remanded, despite the victim’s refugee status being certified by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The incoming former refugee was detained by immigration officials

Chikungunya and Dengue

Further to the exposure in connection with the above in your paper of May 27, 2025, I wish to bring to public notice another major health hazard being neglected by the authorities.

Hung local councils are more prone to corruption

The term of the 339 local government bodies for which elections were held on May 6 was scheduled to commence on June 2 (yesterday), according to a gazette extraordinary issued by the Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government on February 17.

CHINA TACKLES “relative poverty” after eradicating “extreme rural poverty”

Despite the negative impact of COVID-19, the government of China announced in 2020 that it had eradicated “extreme rural poverty” by lifting 800 million out of it.In 1981, 97% of China’s rural population lived in extreme poverty with an income below $1.90/day, as per 2011 Purchasing Power Parity. By 2020, this had dropped dramatically to being below 1%, with official claims of near-zero extreme poverty by 2021.

Political Point-Scoring at the Expense of Prison Conditions

It is disheartening to see some individuals rejoicing over the imprisonment of two former ministers, purely for political purposes. Their crime? Distributing carrom and draughts boards to their supporters using public funds—a questionable act, but hardly deserving of national mockery.

Improving livelihoods of coastal communities in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, an island nation graced by over 1,600 kilometres of coastline, is home to thousands of families whose lives are deeply intertwined with the sea.

Trump’s Tariff Rampage:Real Policy or Ulterior Motive

In ancient times, geographers named cyclones after women due to their perceived unpredictability.

The Path to 5G in Sri Lanka:Challenges and Opportunities

Sri Lanka is on the brink of a new technological era as the world races towards adopting fifth-generation (5G) mobile network technology.

‘70 Years After Bandung’ When Ceylon Said ‘No’ to “Big Bro”; Sir John at Bandung

The 1955 Bandung Conference was a key moment when newly free countries met to decide their path in a divided world.

Government’s about change following Wickremesinghe’s footsteps

After the fall of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime, the single United National Party (UNP) representative in parliament–Ranil Wickremesinghe- was elected by a majority of members in the House of Representatives as President of this country.

Deadly Winds Turn Trees and Billboards into Weapons of Destruction

The recent spate of inclement weather, marked by sudden windstorms and heavy rainfall, has turned trees, branches, and billboards into lethal hazards on Sri Lanka’s roads.

Malini Fonseka : Why the Movie Queen Became a National List MP

The first Sinhala language feature film “Kadawunu Poronduwa”(Broken Promise) premiered on 21 January 1947 at the Kingsley theatre in Colombo.

Selling our souls for a mess of pottage

During the past six months, our country has been through three major elections.

Govt.’s communication blunders Fodder for Opposition

At a time when the National People’s Power (NPP) government is being accused of inaction, it is pertinent for the leaders of the government to revisit the collapse of the past few governments.

Time to Ban Plastic for Food Storage

Despite frequent raids by health officers on food stalls and eateries, the focus continues to be primarily on hygiene and pricing

Gaza food aid sham: Crumbs from the master’s table

The right to food is a universal human right. Yet this fundamental right is denied to Palestinians in Gaza. It is not only Israel that is inhumanely starving 2.2 million Palestinians; with the exception of a few countries such as Ireland, Spain, and Norway, the entire Western world is complicit in Israel’s crime of genocide, having failed to take meaningful action to stop the Zionist state’s barbarism.