Marking 75 years of Indian Independence: DEMOCRACY THAT IS INDIA: INTRIGUING, EVOLVING AND INSPIRING

Preserving democratic values, ensuring the maintenance of democratic standards and strengthening the process of democratization, are formidable measures for any country. When a country....

Saying No to Authoritarian Governance

A group comprising academics, professionals, individuals from the corporate sector, activists, civil society organisations and clergy issuing a statement, has raised concerns over the country’s authoritarian governance. The full statement is as follows:

Diaspora investments not to come soon

The government’s move to remove some of the overseas Sri Lankan Tamil organizations and individuals from its previous list of organizations and individuals supporting terrorist activities is somewhat perplexing.

Best way to find yourself: Lose yourself in the service of others

You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you, says John Bunyan English writer,

In search of a system that eliminates doubt - EDITORIAL

There is still much doubt in the minds of Sri Lankans about their future here in the island despite there being a regime change and....

Rushdie in the news again: Free speech rights linked to responsibilities

What is common between Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie and early biographers of Islam’s Prophet? Fiction. At the core....

People who were in the Aragalaya without any political agenda were not harmed - Manusha Nanayakkara

Manusha Nanayakkara, the minister of labour and foreign employment, made a welcoming decision to amend the labour laws....

Political geographies; imagined and real

Literally, yes, where one ends the other starts and apart from that common boundary there can be no overlap. On the other hand,

Structural change, modernisation and IMF bailout

Speaking at the ‘Reform Now’ conference organized by the Advocata Institute, President Ranil Wickremesinghe revealed that the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding the grant for a restructuring facility which could enable the country to come out of its near bankrupt situation had been postponed to September.

The despicable attack on Salman Rushdie - EDITORIAL

Four days ago, British-born author Salman Rushdie was stabbed by a knife-wielding attacker at a literary event in New York. Rushdie....

Aragalaya is far from over

Many are busy conducting post mortem reports for the Aragalaya. Some call it a success and others regard it with scorn stating that it only....

Have an objective policy on Tamil diaspora

The top officials of the Defence Ministry have been pushed to the level of politicians who voted for the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th Amendments to the Constitution, in respect of handling the overseas Sri Lankan Tamil organizations. These

Colombo’s deferral of the port of call by Chinese ship Is an act of irrational appeasement?

Small countries cannot insulate themselves from the systemic forces of a great power rivalry unfolding in their neighbourhood. But, with a little bit of common sense, they can make sure that they would not become willing captives of that competitive power dynamic. Howeve

How India came out of the 1991 economic crisis Liberalization greatly helped, but consistency is required for full benefits

In 1991, the Indian economy was in dire straits, in some ways like what Sri Lanka has been going through in the past year. Unlike Sri Lanka, India did not default on external loans but was on the verge of it. It pledged its gold hol

JVP Support Surges with the Collapse of the Economy and the Gotabaya Presidency

The street protests and the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on July 14 was accompanied by a collapse in support for the ruling parties. The nation faces critical economic and political choices, but this did not lead to public consensus about whom to support. That is now changing, with the NPP/JVP emerging as the most popular cho

Principles abandoned; Israel plays with fire - EDITORIAL

Between August 5 to 7, Israel attacked residential areas in Palestine’s Gaza Strip. According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza.....

Universal Social Welfare vs. Targeted Social Protection

Every crisis leads to reflections about our past and debates about the way forward. The devastating crisis now is similarly a time....

Wickremesinghe, Alahapperuma and the 2022 Presidential Election

Leon Trotsky famously observed, “Politics is more like algebra than like elementary arithmetic, and still more like higher rather than elementary mathematics”. The recent election of President Ranil Wickremesinghe by Sri Lankan members of Parliament appears to be an illustrative example of Trotsky’s statement about Politics being more like Algebra than Arithmetic.

Violence in Aragalaya and crackdown

The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and some of the political parties which were closely connected to it until recently such as the National Freedom Front (NFF) are hell-bent in vilifying and demonizing the people’s uprising, commonly known as the “Aragalaya” that overthrew the Gotabaya Rajapaksa Presidency and proved how unpopular the government dominated by the SLPP is.

Only one earth: Let us heal, not harm it

While Sri Lanka is still embroiled in its worst ever socio-economic and political crisis, we face a more important battle against climate change.

We must learn to survive - Hiran Cooray

The tourism industry was one of the biggest foreign exchange earners in Sri Lanka. However, since the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019....

Let’s hail the idea to allow children to work - EDITORIAL

The youth of this country are set to get a golden opportunity to try their hand at being employed; even if they are students. According....

Like Pharaoh, Israel also kills children

Once again the West has failed to stand by what is right and protect the oppressed. The zeal with which it condemned ....

China and India: Friendship and ‘friendship’ 

“The government carefully monitors any development having a bearing on India’s security and economic interests and takes all necessary measures to safeguard them,” he said last month.

Lanka on the horns of dilemma

It was the winds and waves of misguided economic planning, mega corruption, and foreign indebtedness which put Lanka into an economic crisis.

Subsidies, inflation, and need for A safety net - EDITORIAL

Our country, is in a state of near bankruptcy. We are unable to make payment for even interest payments on debts to international.....

What now for the media?

The iconic GotaGoGama is winding down. The crowds have thinned out. The WhatsApp messages that used to flood the inbox have.....

First formulate common policy, not sharing portfolios

Has the political crisis that had engulfed the country some two weeks ago been resolved? Despite some groups questionin

RANIL WICKREMESINGHE - AS I KNOW HIM

My father instilled in me in childhood, to always have the courage to stand up for what I believe in, irrespective of public opinion, or whoever disagrees with me. This inspired me to never lose hope in Ranil Wickremesinghe, stand

Ranil Detached Genuine ‘Aragalists’ from Mobs and Arsonists

Searching for the meaning of the word “legitimate,” I referred dictionaries. Piled up a cross-section of the meaning in Collins, Webster’s, Cambridge and Britannica, as given below: They define....