“Renewed economic growth and dynamism coming soon to SL”

Today’s speech is about Japan- Sri Lanka relations post-election 2015 and I’m grateful for Mr. Kumar Nadesan for suggesting me to speak in front of this prestigious club on this topic.

Reconciliation cannot take place when truth is Suppressed

The wounds of the civil war still exist today. In addition to soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the motherland, there were large number of families living in the North and the East that became victims of Asia’s longest civil war.

War on poverty; Lanka to produce its own food

President Maithripala Sirisena, moving proactively in the afterglow of the international diplomatic successes in New York and Geneva, on Monday launched what he described as a war to alleviate or eradicate poverty.

Libraries: will they fade into oblivion?

In order to grow and prosper, information which nourishes the human intellect, is seen as vital as food, air and water to the human being.

Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar A great sacrifice in the name of Buddhism

Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar popularly known as Babasaheb was an Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer who inspired the modern Buddhist movement and campaigned against social discrimination against untouchables,...

We can face inquiry without any shame

In “our hands” mean laws and rules are local. We can interpret laws/rules judicially without harming the nation. National interest associated with the reconciliation process is.....

Animal Welfare, a timely need for Sri Lanka

The Animal Welfare Coalition of Sri Lanka on the occasion of the International Animals’ Day which was celebrated on Sunday (04) strongly emphasises the need to pass the Animal Welfare Bill......

Parliamentary Oversight and Self-interested politicians Can they do it?

In Sri Lanka, almost all the elected representatives invest millions and billions to get elected to Parliament at an election.  It is the common belief that “politics” is the most suitable career if you need.....

neighbour must not dictate terms - EDITORIAL

The Tamil Nadu leaders seem to be furious after the adoption of the US initiated resolution at the UNHRC sessions a week ago which called on the Sri Lankan Government to create a domestic......

Spreading the Buddha’s word in the US – Sujatha Thera

A world governed by religious philosophies and man-made boundaries, is often thought to be the cause why people do not have unity among them. 

‘Yahapalanaya’ and ‘cutout palanaya’: Overzealous sycophants reduce ‘Yahapalanaya’ to a mere slogan

In the Buddhist folklore, there was this monkey that a king reared as his trusted companion. The king had full faith in the ape, who accompanied the sovereign anywhere he went.  On one fine......

The ‘Letchumees’ of Sri Lanka

Reading the article  titled “Child labour in the tea plantations in Sri Lanka” in your issue  of September 30 by  President’s Counsel  Maureen Seneviratne,  my thoughts go back to.....

Liberate education from political control

Recently published reports on the average IQ test scores for countries across the world show that Sri Lanka’ s average score is very low in comparison to many other countries in.....

If we kill animals, do we have a right to live? - EDITORIAL

In an era, when world leaders are implementing eco-friendly policies to save the world from a catastrophe, the international community yesterday marked World Animal Day, which called for......

Pluses and minuses of Obama’s foreign policy.

So Putin on Monday met Obama. They were going to co-operate against the ISIS, the world’s worst problem. President Vladimir Putin says we should not be surprised to see Russian jets working co-operatively -- even coordinating -- with the US on missile attacks.

Elders not too old to take up challenges - EDITORIAL

The famous American cowboy entertainer  Gene Autry in 1931 sang a beautiful song about “That Silver-Haired Daddy Of Mine”. Later popular singers like Jim Reeves also sang this heartfelt if not heart breaking song with tens of millions of copies being sold.

For the first time UNHRC reported a plethora of LTTE Atrocities

What the former president and his loyalists have not explained was the outcome of such...

Why reconcilliation is must for SDGs

At the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit on 25 September 2015, world...

Policemen are not different human beings

I was flagged down by two traffic cops somewhere down South last week for speeding. I was pretty...

Syria: Russia’s master stroke a game changer

Russian President Vladimir Putin has well and truly checkmated the United States...

EDITORIAL - Children have virtue of trusting faith, don’t let them down

The well-known American anthropologist Margaret Mead has said children must be taught...

The importance of safety and security of our children

Minister of Women’s and Child Affairs - Chandrani Bandara  has stated that action has been initiated by her Ministry to ensure that incidents of rape and murder of children as the one that took place at Kotadeniyawa will not be repeated. 

Well done Sri Lanka

Over the weekend of September 25 - 27, the United Nations headquarters in New York hosted the Sustainable Development Summit 2015. It was a high-level segment of the 70th UN General Assembly that was attended by

Sharply declining

Dailymirror met Sri Lanka’s Communist Party General Secretary and ex-minister DEW Gunasekara to discuss the country’s political and economic situation

Making space for all

To make space for others is one of the noble principles in the vision of deep unity in diversity where we not only protect and promote diversity but also celebrate it. Thankfully this is also a part of the foundation of the new National Government, 

JVP didn’t treat our family well

Srimathi Chithrangani Wijeweera, wife of political revolutionary and founder of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Rohana Wijeweera,...

Co-sponsorship of the Geneva Resolution: some reflections

The events of the last week demonstrate, with poignant clarity, the folly of naïve expectation and the need for realistic thinking.

Child labour in the tea plantations in Sri Lanka

Children employed in the tea plantations in Sri Lanka fall into a special category of plantation labour due to certain factors, peculiar only to tea plantations. 

What was Daham doing in the UN?

The Mahinda Rajapaksa regime was subject to serious allegations, while slashing attacks were levelled by the media, the politicians, and the civil society organizations against the rule by a single family. 

Mistaken arrests and capital punishment - EDITORIAL

Two interesting discussions are going on in the media following the brutal killing of five-year-old Seya Sadewmini of Kotadeniyawa, ...