Why anti-tax protests by professional classes are Reeking rent-seeking opportunism

Sri Lanka’s professional classes are paragons of virtues at normal times. But, their bruised sense of entitlement at the new personal income tax revisions is nothing but a callous display of rent-seeking....

God won’t change your destiny until you change yourself

The leaders of the two ruling parties, the United National Party (UNP) and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) for obvious reasons are arguing that the local government elections which are scheduled to be held on March 9 would n

SL concerns over proposed Sethusamudram ship canal project

On January 12, the Tamil Nadu State Assembly unanimously adopted a government resolution urging New Delhi to immediately implement the long-pending “Sethusamudram project” which envisages a canal cut through the Gulf of Mannar a

Spotlight on Lahugala-Sengamuwa Reserves: Land grab in Pottuvil and improper behaviour of Govt. officials

The massive deforestation and arbitrary acquisition of reserve lands in Pottuvil area in Ampara are continuing. Day by day, lands belonging to the Wildlife, Forest and Archaeology Departments are being....

Hypocrisy and the garb of defending rights - EDITORIAL

Two days ago, the US announced it was designating Russia’s Wagner group, which operates in Ukraine alongside Russian troops in Ukraine - a transnational criminal organization. The Wagner Group....

People’s Basic Needs Vs Politicians’ Relentless Urge for Power

All state revenue fronts have been restrained, and handling public finances proves to be a serious concern. The Treasury Secretary in an affidavit to Supreme courts stated they face a deficit of around....

Supreme Court expresses ‘shock and dismay’ at deplorable conduct of affairs

In its concluding remarks, the Supreme Court in what has already been widely welcomed as a historical judgement has said “…we must express our shock and dismay at the deplorable want of oversight....

TNA was Born in 2001 Due to Elections Shock of 2000

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) with 10 seats in Parliament is currently facing an internal crisis.

Panama – renewed land struggles

Panama is a remote Sri Lankan village at the southern end of the eastern province in the Ampara district. The slogan often used in land struggles “Land is Life” is true for most people in Panama,

Elections and the regulation of election expenditure

Today the country is held in thraw of an impending local government election. Our president has said he will not be involved in electioneering. This is perhaps a good precedent for future heads of state to follow -remaining above partisan party politics.

As Brazil shows, Trump and his men remain a big threat to democracy

The storming of Brazil’s presidential palace and supreme court by former president Jair Bolsonaro’s far-right supporters has been described as a coup attempt. Protesters camping outside Brazil’s military....

Why so many hurdles on the way to LG elections?

It is very clear even to a child that the two parties in the government, the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) are hell-bent on postponing the local....

When granting real freedom is feared! - EDITORIAL

As Sri Lanka gets ready to celebrate its 75th Independence Ceremony on February 4 there is much debate and talk about how some of the basic human rights of the people who have come under....

Beware Lanka: Divide-and-rule imperialistic policies still operate

As Sri Lanka prepares to celebrate its 75th anniversary of independence in two weeks, a question that needs to be asked again and again is why a multitude of locals could not successfully resist...

Underpinnings of Canadian Tamils’ power

The recent Canadian sanctions against two former Sri Lankan Presidents Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mahinda Rajapaksa and two security forces personnel for “gross and systematic human rights violations” show the great clout Tamils of Sri Lankan origin have in Canada.

Wetlands are treasures; kidneys of the earth

While the Government still struggling hard to get Sri Lanka out of its worst socio-economic crisis since independence,

How do you preserve the memory of the murdered?

When the inspirational and the fearless are taken from you, suddenly and brutally, it gnaws at you. As the years pass, the memories become distant, the pain inconsistent. It becomes a scar.....

Leaders must be practical - EDITORIAL

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has come up with a more practical solution to what is generally called the ethnic problem than what he suggested during the recent budget debate in Parliament. During....

Importance of India and balancing differences

On April 12, 2022, our then government announced Lanka was bankrupt. It suspended repayment of external debts admitting the country would be unable to honour its international commitments - nearly US$ 6 billion in debt servicing that year and US$ 25 billion till 2026. Government l

SLC, Born Again, and squandering of national pride

The National Cricket team took a world record trouncing in India during the weekend in their third and final ODI, losin

Egoistic ‘Dignity’ 75 to cost 200mn!

Elections in Sri Lanka are nothing but standardized tests designed to assess voter intellect. It is a fact that at the last two Presidential elections....

Whines and woes of a pampered princeling - EDITORIAL

Britain’s Prince Harry (the second son of King Charles) and his wife Meghan - the duke and duchess of Sussex - have been hogging the limelight...

Finance Capital and Working People: International Scholars in Solidarity

Over the last year, Sri Lanka was suffocating under a debt crisis and a so-called IMF solution, with little bargaining power to negotiate....

Canada’s targeted sanctioning of Gota and Mahinda

History was made last week when two former executive presidents of Sri Lanka were sanctioned by the Government of Canada.

Cheers to Canada, now let’s target all war criminals

Not many years ago -in 2010 to be exact- a particular past president of our country said his aim was to turn Lanka into ‘The Wonder of Asia’.Today in many ways, we have become a ‘Wonder of Asia’. Unfortunately NOT in the way or manner that president had imagined.

Sepal, freedom of expression and ethics

The You Tube video released by Social media activist Sepal Amarasinghe making derogatory remarks on the sacred tooth relic and Dalada Maligawa in Kandy has opened a can of worms as expected.

Fighting to Free Wasantha Mudalige

Among the reprisals faced by prominent leaders of the people’s uprising last year were arrests, detentions, travel bans and continuing court cases. Many leaders have multiple court cases pending against them despite....

Elections and playing the card of sentiment - EDITORIAL

Sri Lanka’s politicians surprisingly aren’t desperate as yet. The educated and those wearing their thinking caps all the time are still a minority so they cannot be ready yet to offer an alternative to the people....

Hold local council elections as part of the solution to the economic crisis

As the government and the ruling parties appear to be resorting to every trick in the book to postpone the long-overdue local council elections, the crucial question is whether elections are the most important....

Using public holidays for people’s welfare

With Sri Lanka still struggling to come out of its worst ever socio-economic crisis since independence, some non-party political experts have suggested some practical solutions which the government of President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramua (SLPP) need to consider and implement.