Raheem: A product of current sociopolitical culture - EDITORIAL

The arrest of Parliament Member Ali Sabri Raheem on his way from Dubai by the customs officials at the Katunayake International Airport on May 23 with gold and mobile phones worth around Rs. 80 million...

Mihintale Back to its Sylvan Glory after Seven Decades of Artificial Décor

King Devanampiya Tissa was on a hunting expedition on Mihintale, the mountainous area. Chasing wild animals on Poson full moon day; his famous form of delight, and seeing a deer cruising, he was....

It’s time to end the conflict in Ukraine - EDITORIAL

It’s over fifteen months since the war in Ukraine started. On February 24, 2022 Russia commenced what it referred to as a special operation in Ukraine. That ‘surgical strike/special operation’ is still continuing....

Debate on genocide without a credible death toll

These numbers are not determined by authentic evidence or facts but by political outlooks and agendas. And all those who refer to these numbers seem to have forgotten that they are talking about human lives

Protest by Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Sri Lanka

Many Sri Lankans engage in protests on variety of grievances, but protests by refugees and asylum seekers, one of the most marginalized communities in Sri Lanka, are rare. From my memory, the protest held on 23rd May 2023 outside the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Colombo is the second protest by refugees and asylum seekers since I started working with them about ten years ago. I have heard that those involved in

Do Sri Lankans know to value their work?

There is focus on Sri Lanka for many reasons these days. Still despite the doom and the gloom the island stakes a claim to be one of the major tourist attractions among tourist destinations. When tourists are pouring into this nation in their numbers we get to hear economist Steve Hanke rating Sri Lanka among the 15 most miserable nations.

Sri Lanka-Japan relations: A historic bond reignited - EDITORIAL

The official visit of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to Japan amidst Sri Lanka’s ongoing economic crisis holds profound significance. It not only rekindles close ties between the two nations but also...

G7: A mixed message from Hiroshima, city of peace

Hiroshima is known as the city of world peace. The people of the city are proud of their peace culture which has its roots in the aftermath of the atomic bomb attack that reduced the city....

Children: The revelation of a society’s soul

Child labour does not appear to be a serious problem in Sri Lanka. But social volunteers in their research have found that many wealthy families force children to work for them. Most of these children are from remote villages or estate areas

Why tracking the IMF programme implementation is of public interest

As Sri Lanka enters its 17th International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, a critical question remains. Will the country break from the past patterns of inconsistency and failure in following the plan it lays out with the IMF, or will those patterns be repeated? In this instance, what is required is not to lay the groundwork for another IMF programme in the future, but to develop the ability to sustainably recover from the present debt-driven econ

NATO/G7 quest to quell Russia and China - EDITORIAL

On Sunday - May 21, 2023 - the G7 countries comprising the US, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Canada (All member states of NATO) plus Japan concluded their annual summit in Hiroshima....

My friend, the super star

It was the week after Avurudhu in 2009. The war was entering its last three weeks. The international media attention on Sri Lanka was unprecedented. I was working as a freelancer for TIME and working....

Commemorations and reconciliation - EDITORIAL

Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry had summoned Canadian High Commissioner Eric Walsh to his ministry on Friday to convey Sri Lankan Government’s strong rejection of a recent remark by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on what is called “Tamil Genocide Week” that had been declared by a section of the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora in Canada.

G-7 and Sri Lanka: Maithri’s moment of glory and how he let down the nation

Last time, when the world’s richest industrial nations, G-7, met in Japan, the only Asian country in the group, in 2016, then president Maithripala Sirisena was invited for the outreach meeting, alongside regional heavyweights from Indonesia, Bangladesh and Vietnam.

Pastor Jerome, Jesus, Buddha, and Sangha Discipline

Gautama Buddha or his Dhamma cannot be subverted by anybody; but by the members of the Sangha community themselves; and today, a few among the Sangha community is quite enthusiastically engaged....

Genocide remembrance, Justin Trudeau and protests - EDITORIAL

On May 18, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau condemned what he referred to as loss of life during the final days of the war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the armed forces....

The Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi by the LTTE

Former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on 21 May 1991. He was killed at a place called Sriperumbhudur in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Death came in the form of Dhanu a young Tamil woman from Sri Lanka. Dressed in a churidar she came up to the smiling Rajiv and garlanded him. The girl bent low to touch his feet as a mark of respect. Then came the deadly explosion. Rajiv Ga

Celebration and Catastrophe in the Month of May - EDITORIAL

Israel and Palestine are once again in the news, for all the wrong reasons. Seventy-five years ago, the UN without the consent of the Palestinian people decided to divide Palestine into two States Palestine and Israel.

Governors: A political tool in the hands of the executive

It is interesting and sometimes amusing to note some politicians and legal luminaries theorizing anything to suit their political agendas or personal grudges against others. This was once again evident in some of the interpretations of the recent change of provincial Governors by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The philosopher-physician

The news of the passing away of Dr. Sabaratnam Sivakumaran – one of our senior-most and most respected medical specialists – left me shocked because I was not aware that he was suffering from any recent illness or infirmity. Indeed, he had continued to carry out all his tasks in spite of his long-standing ailments, even starting work in the hospital at 6.30 in the morning.

Remembering Shamalka Sachendra Lodewyke on His 30th Birth Anniversary (16th May)

As we gather near on this day, Our hearts hold you close, though you’re far away. In sorrow, you departed too soon, But today we celebrate, borrowing this precious boon. A gentle soul with a shining light, Your memory guides us, day and night.

Misinterpreting religious discourses : Who are we to judge?

Attempts to create religious disharmony have caused more harm than good to the fragile social fabric in Sri Lanka. Hate speech, misinformation and disinformation can also create a similar situation. Sri Lanka....

Distorting religion doesn’t generate new knowledge - EDITORIAL

In Sri Lanka religion most often causes turmoil rather than usher in peace and calm. Just a few days ago a Pastor by the name of Jerome Fernando caused a stir by stating at a religious sermon that Buddhists...

Global concern over babies born too soon

The World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and UN Population Fund have together called for urgent global attention to preterm births or births before 37 months of pregnancy. Preterm babies....

Good parents bring happiness, love and understanding

The family is the foundation of society. That means a good family will help build a good society that is largely free of dishonesty, deceit, and bribery or corruption on a big scale or small. A fair and balanced analysis of Sri Lankan society

The ‘republican’ credentials of Patali Champika Ranawaka

Most of these parties and organizations are now defunct, in decline or have embraced ideologies that are far removed from what was espoused originally. Patali Champika Ranawaka is still around. The misfortunes of these organizations haven’t stopped his star from rising in the political firmament

Janasaviya, Samurdhi and now ‘Aswesuma’ - EDITORIAL

According to the government’s own assessments around 55% or more casual workers lost their employment to the COVID pandemic. The economic...

Govt beef up security over social media post? Why kneejerk high-handed measures only contribute to build-up public anger

Security has been beefed up in Colombo after ‘unspecified intelligence’ that the Inter-University (IUSF) Students Federation was massing....

False alarms might lead people to drop their guard - EDITORIAL

Various versions have been floated by variously interested groups over the sudden heavy presence of police and army in Colombo since Friday covering the whole weekend. The failure on the part of various parties responsible for the security of the country to speak in one voice in this matter has raised suspicion about the motive of the government for this sudden move.

X-PRESS PEARL INCIDENT : CONTROVERSIAL DECISION TO FILE FOR DAMAGES IN SRI LANKA OR SINGAPORE?

The X-Press Pearl incident has caused significant environmental damage and economic losses in Sri Lanka, with an estimated $6.4 billion in damages. As Sri Lanka considers its options for filing a compensation claim, the question arises as to which jurisdiction is the most suitable to file an action. Let’s explore the implications of filing the claims in Singapore and Sri Lanka.