‘Sri Lanka has found a new friend in Tony Abbott’

Amidst the strong international criticism that came Sri Lanka’s way during the recently concluded Commonwealth summit, there emerged one leader of a developed country that supported Sri Lanka to the hilt: Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

Waking to reality after CHOGM - Editorial

In the afterglow or aftermath of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM)—whatever way in which different analysts may chose to look at it—the Rajapaksa regime’s eighth budget will be presented in Parliament today.

Cameron bungling his foreign policy

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting  (CHOGM) which ended on Sunday without a hitch was a remarkable feat for Sri Lanka considering the massive forces of the Tamil diaspora and International NGOs doing their damnedest to sabotage the event, nationally and internationally.

No business for countries to intervene in others’ affairs: PM Lee

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong says countries cannot force reconciliation on Sri Lanka, nor is it their business to intervene in another country’s affairs. Mr Lee was speaking to Singapore media at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo.

Those who supported the war now demand war crimes inquiry

The British Prime Minister, speaking at the summit of Commonwealth nations over the weekend, repeated demands for an independent war crimes inquiry and set the deadline for March, before pressing for an international probe under UN auspices.

Taming Macrae - Editorial

Despite President Mahinda Rajapaksa being a PR maestro, a fact that was vividly displayed to the entire world when he invited a journalist of the Channel 4 of Britain for a cup of tea as the....

PC System the best political mechanism to solve national question Were the northern people's sentim

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda remains disillusioned about the electoral defeat at the Northern Provincial Council Poll on September 21.

Divide and Rule: Season Two - Editorial

There are a lot of things that David Cameron has not done.  He is dragging his feet on the Chilcot Report.  He has not thanked President Mahinda Rajapaksa for making it possible to visit Jaffna by ridding the peninsula and indeed the entire country of the terrorist threat.

India’s Intelligence ‘JAGALBATH’

In the previous article, reference was made to several instances in which the US directly intervened militarily in many third world countries after laying the ground-work for legitimising such interventions, often using false and fictitious intelligence reports and allegations.

Sri Lanka has moved on, so should India

There are some extraordinary implications of the two resolutions passed unanimously by the Tamil Nadu Assembly on India’s participation in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting being held in Colombo this week.

Winners and losers of the CHOGM fiesta

The CHOGM carnival is over. It commenced with a bang but ended in a murmur. What is left is to hold the postmortem. According to the series of events that occurred all we have to say is “It’s no use crying over spilt summits.”

“Growth with Equity: Inclusive Development” —President Rajapaksa

Address by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2013. Excerpts of the speech:

CW approach: democracy development, and respect for diversity Excerpts of the speech delivered by C

It is very good to see CHOGM back in Asia, home to three-quarters of the people of the Commonwealth. The first-ever CHOGM took place in Singapore in 1971, but it is almost a quarter of a century since a CHOGM was last held in the Asia region: that was in Kuala Lumpur in 1989.

Does Saudi Arabia want a nuclear bomb?

The negotiations between Iran and the West have not yet produced a deal. At the same time the BBC’s Mark Urban, a defence correspondent, has unearthed a worrying connection between Iran moving towards the nuclear bomb threshold and a Saudi Arabian decision to produce a nuclear bomb with Pakistani help.

Doctor, you cannot serve money and patients - Editorial

We are in a tragic era where most of the private hospitals have become big businesses and trans-national pharmaceutical corporations are being allowed to run or manipulate the health sector in collaboration with some health officials and medical consultants.

Commonwealth: Make it an economic bloc

If politics is the art of the possible, then international politics is the art of deception. At least in democracies that have checks and balances, politicians who betray the trust which the people have vested in them are thrown out of office at elections.

Iran nuclear talks: Unfinished, but alive

The inconclusive negotiations over the weekend on Iran’s nuclear program were disappointing, but two critical points have mostly been ignored. First, diplomacy takes work, and agreements rarely flow seamlessly from beginning to end. Second, if all those inveighing against any deal.......

The company you keep may affect your wellbeing

The Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) and the Ministry of Health, in a collaborative effort to improve the quality of the healthcare services in the country, conducted a programme for around 800 newly passed-out doctors awaiting internship appointments in hospitals.

David Cameron can and must secure moral high ground - Editorial

British Prime Minister David Cameron has stated that he intends to talk tough when he meets President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo.  Mr. Cameron appears to have set the stage for serious engagement with Sri Lanka on the thorny issue of human rights violations; alleged, let’s add. 

Old enmities, pig farming and Harin’s ‘one young man’ show

A proposal made to the Cabinet on Monday by Transport Minister Kumara Welgama to set up a National Railway Museum, brought to the surface the silent enmity between Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake and Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

Typhoon Haiyan carries ‘dangerous’ message of climate change

On Monday the United Nations opened its 19th Framework Convention on Climate Change in Warsaw, Poland. Given the unimaginable devastation wrought on his country three days earlier by Typhoon Haiyan, the remarks of the delegate from the Philippines had a special resonance.

a versatile son of the nation

The untimely death of former Attorney General and Chairman of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) C. R. de Silva last week robbed the country of a distinguished legal luminary at a time when the legal profession is at a crossroad.

Climate change; stop this madness now - Editorial

In the aftermath of the apocalyptic super typhoon in the Philippines—described as one of the worst in the country’s history with at least 2,500 people killed and more than 600,000 displaced - the people and Government of Sri Lanka need to reflect deeply on the root causes of such catastrophes.

Common “Wealth” to get a meaning

After the collapse of the British Empire, the Commonwealth of Nations was established to foster harmony, cooperation, and mutual economic benefit among the Empire’s former colonies.

Inconvenience is inevitable during development

Development of the Colombo City was a result of team work by the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development and the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) with the assistance of the World Bank, Colombo Mayor A. J. M. Muzammil, said in response to.......

‘Commonwealth Carnival’ may overshadow Charter

Today, imperialism, which was depicted as the structural form of monopoly capitalism by Lenin, has become global capitalism, which is virtually managed by the Trans-lateral agencies IMF, WB and WTO.

Politicians will be politicians! - Editorial

Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh’s decision to skip the 23rd Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting to be held from Friday to Sunday in Sri Lanka - if made as a result of Tamil Nadu pressure.......

‘Not only opportunity vulnerability too has been globalised’

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen Ayubowan, Vanakum, Assalamalaikum, Peace, Good Morning! On this most auspicious day of remembrance, it is an honour and privilege to be invited as keynote speaker of the 2013 Commonwealth People’s Forum.

Has boom in overseas education served purpose?

Higher education is widely considered as another area of business in many countries today. Universities are supposed to attract fee-paying students, both local and foreign, so that they can be at least partly independent of government support.

Civil society must unpack itself now - Editorial

Delivering the keynote address of the Commonwealth People’s Forum yesterday, medical professional and founder of MERCY Malaysia, Dr Jemilah Mahmood offered a comprehensive overview of the.....