A call to resolve the TN fishermen issue

According to recent news reports, Indian PM Modi is expected to discuss the issue of Tamil Nadu fishermen “invading Sri Lankan territory” and plundering our marine resources. This has gone on for years and the constant request had been to continue to talk and years have rolled by and now, is it “till thy kingdom come.”

Satyagraha campaign disrupted GPOA condemns police assault on Allied Health Degree holders

The Government Physiotherapy Officers’ Association (GPOA) strongly condemns the inhumane attack and alleged illegal arrest of Allied health Sciences graduates.

Politics, cinema, and mystery of Richard

Asoka Handagama’s film ‘Rani’ has reignited controversy over Richard de Zoysa’s murder, elevating the debate to new heights. Even film critiques have shifted their focus from the movie’s artistic merits to its political undertones.

The more things change, the more they stay the same

In 1849 the French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr penned the phrase “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose”; translated into English it means “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” This makes us remember with nostalgia the Presidential elections on 21 September 2024 and the parliamentary elections of 14 November 2024.

‘‘Corona’’Karuna: The Chequered History of an Eastern Warlord

Former Eastern regional commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is very much in the news again. Muralitharan, whose nom de guerre in the LTTE was “Karuna”, is among four Sri Lankans sanctioned last week by the United Kingdom (UK) for alleged human rights violations and abuses committed during the civil war.

Politics of sanctions

The National People’s Power (NPP) government has cautiously responded to the British government’s sanctions against three retired commanders of the military, namely former Commanders of Army Shavendra Silva and Jagath Jayasuriya, and former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda announced on Monday (March 24) for serious human rights violations and abuses during the separatist war.

‘Great Britain’ facing a mid-life crisis

The British are facing a mid-life crisis. By the end of World War II Britain faced grave problems. The war had stripped Britain of virtually all its foreign financial resources, and the country had built up “sterling credits”—debts owed to other countries that had to be paid in foreign currencies—amounting to several billion pounds.

Increase fines imposed on criminals found guilty of crimes!

It is a known fact that fines imposed on criminals accused of crimes are so petty in nature that some are indeed laughable amounts.

How fascist media’s embedded journalism fuels Gaza genocide

Just as non-intervention is paradoxically a form of intervention in international relations, the Western media selectively choosing not to exercise their free speech is suppression of free speech. By downplaying the Gaza genocide and Israel’s cruelty towards the hapless Palestinians, especially children, they reveal their true colours.

Why is Ceylon Tea losing steam?

Ceylon Tea still has the potential to be in the global news. This time around what we hear of news from the tea world is a little negative. The latest news reaching us informs that Sri Lanka has been overtaken by India in terms of ‘tea exports’. According to the Tea Board of India, Bharat has exported 254 million kgs of tea in 2024, the feat threatening Sri Lanka’s position in tea in the world.

The Path towards Reconciliation and Transitional Justice

During a recent parliamentary debate, Minister of Religious Affairs and Buddha Sasana, Sunil Senavi, emphasised the need for Sri Lanka to establish a ‘Truth and Forgiving’ Commission. He further referenced the views of former South African President Nelson Mandela, highlighting the importance of achieving national unity.

Reconciling Truth and Justice: A United Path Forward for Sri Lanka

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), once considered one of the most ruthless terrorist organisations in the world, remains a proscribed entity in countries such as the United States,

Pilot error or cover-up? Minister’s premature verdict raises questions about K-8 crash

On March 21, 2025, a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) K-8 trainer aircraft crashed in Wariyapola during a routine training exercise. Both pilots ejected safely. As expected in military aviation incidents, an official investigation was initiated to determine the cause.

Looking beyond the fried rice and kottu

The sale of substandard, unhygienic food in unregulated food establishments is not a new phenomenon in Sri Lanka. But the fact that many such establishments continue to operate in broad daylight is quite concerning given the fact that it makes people vulnerable to various non-communicable diseases and food-borne illnesses. In Sri Lanka, the Food Act, No. 26 of 1980, is the primary legislation governing food control, aiming to ensure the availabil

An impatient populace and getting bored of soap operas

Sri Lankans are generally impatient by nature. We have paid the price for this; mostly at elections. And the individuals who have capitalised on this nature are the politicians.

A heartfelt letter to President AKD

As you are aware, the rising cost of living in our beloved country has become an increasingly urgent issue, placing an overwhelming strain on families and individuals.

Beyond Survival: Forging Sri Lanka’s Future Through Workforce Reinvention

In an era of rapid technological advancements and global economic shifts, Sri Lanka must urgently develop a smart workforce to navigate the challenges ahead. With increasing automation, digital transformation, and shifting global labor demands, the country’s ability to remain competitive and sustain economic growth hinges on equipping its workforce with the necessary skills and knowledge.

How are legislators expected to maintain their households?

I recall accounts by friends who participated in the 1971 insurrection on how they were instructed to engage in political organising.

As Plato said to Ion, ‘you aren’t skilled, but you are divine’

Resuming our discussion of writer and critic Eric Illayapaarchchi’s in depth analysis of music (from his book ‘Kalaawa Soya Yema’ or In Search of Art), we come to a provocative thesis – that the singer’s unassailable position within the noosphere of the song is the result of hard work through millennia, evolving from the hunting-centered group chanting of the stone age to the individualistic, itinerant singer of the Medieval Age and succeeding ce

Looming fiasco over Adani Wind Power project Why is there no Swiss Challenge?

Last month, Adani Green Energy announced that it would ‘respectfully withdraw’ from two proposed wind power projects in Mannar and Pooneryn after the government sought to lower the tariff in the power purchasing agreement.

UK sanctions alleged war criminals, ignores ongoing genocide

The UK, our former colonial master yesterday announced the imposition of sanctions on four Lankans. The foursome are accused of committing human rights abuse during the course of the brutal ethnic war which gripped the country during the near 30-year-long civil war.

The rise and fall of the Police Chief

The widely publicized series of recent events connected with the unethical and unseemly conduct of the de-facto IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon not only painted a sordid, shameful picture of the Sri Lanka Police but undermined very badly whatever little trust and confidence the citizens had on the law enforcement authorities, as well.

LG system needs a total overhaul

Although the Local Government (LG) elections have to be held once in four years, they have been scheduled this time for May 6, after a lapse of seven years. Last time the LG polls were held on February 10, 2018 at which the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) secured a landslide victory, bagging over 239 out of 340 councils.

Varying perspectives on Trump’s order to shut Federal Education Department

The American school education system is in the midst of a major crisis. On March 20, President Donald Trump ordered the closure of the Federal Department of Education saying that education is a devolved State subject and that there is no reason why Washington should spend so much on it and maintain an army of staff to administer it. He called the department “a big con job” and said he told Linda McMahon, a former wrestling executive he tapped to

Balancing Ethics and Practicality in Wildlife Control

With the completion of the animal census, we now await the results and subsequent proposals to address the damage caused to crops and the environment by certain wildlife species. Across the world, various methods such as culling, trapping, poisoning, and shooting are employed to control animal populations that negatively impact agriculture. Sri Lanka, as a predominantly Buddhist country, faces an ethical dilemma in adopting such measures. The fun

March 1965 Elections, Dudley-Chelva Pact and the “Hath Haula” National Govt.

The Parliamentary election held on March 22, 1965 was an important turning point in the post-independence history of Sri Lanka known as Ceylon then.

Challenges of tax crimes facing revenue authority and potential remedies

Any government in the world, whether developed or not needs sufficient Revenue for government activities.

Policing Woes: History of Defiance and Crisis

The history of policing in Sri Lanka dates back to the 17th century when the Dutch introduced paid guards in 1659, the first official policemen.

Trilingual sessions in Parliament a must!

The first step of policymaking is to raise matters of concern in Parliament. Rather than warming chairs as was seen in previous occasions, the incumbent government and its cabinet of ministers have a gamut of issues to discuss about within their own subject ministries.

Local government elections amid growing poverty

The small band of activists who kept calling for the holding of the local government (LG) election need be congratulated.