The ‘ada davase mahanakama’

‘Upasakamma ipaduna heena kule…’ (Translatable as ‘[of] the devout mother who was born into a lower caste…’) is one of the songs in Nanda Malini’s ‘radical’ album ‘Pawana (The wind).

Corrupt politicos and personal agendas

The past couple of weeks have been significant judicially and politically when considering the number of related events that took place during that period.

Loving families create a just and fair society - EDITORIAL

Philosophers and theologians have described the family as a domestic temple, church, mosque or other sacred place because.....

Why are we hated so much?

In the month since May 9, journalists, especially those reporting the protests up close have had to take a reality check. Till then, many....

Mirihana land reclamation project leaves farmers fuming

At present reclamation activities are underway at an 80-acre paddy land close to Galwala Road in Mirihana and Pita Kotte Rajamaha Viharaya. As a result.....

An Aragalaya needed for public sector reform

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed to conduct a formal study on the public service with the aim of providing quality pub

Lessons from the fiasco over the detention of ‘Aeroflot’

As if Sri Lanka did not have enough problems, the government last week let another one crop up and then when a full-blown foreign policy crisis was in the making, staggered to extricate itself. The detentio

Stop the repression of democracy-Artistes

More than a month has passed since government-sponsored armed mobs, wielding wooden poles and steel rods, brutally assaulted .....

A Failed Govt Destroying our Children

In May 2022, over half a million 16-year-old Sri Lankan children sat their Ordinary Level (OL) examination. Passing this exam.....

Alliance Française de Colombo returns to its historical premises at Barnes Place

In Colombo, the Alliance Française is now experiencing a new start after the entire renovation of its historical premises: new cultural.....

Common Minimum Programme for Economic Recovery

We are in the throes of an unprecedented crisis. No useful comparisons may be drawn from the 2001- 02 period of negative economic.....

Relevance of Dhamma in Today’s Politics

2258 years ago, the 32 year-old Arhant Mahinda Thera undertook the enormous task of introducing Buddhism to Sri Lanka. He delayed....

From ‘Gota Go Home’ to realities on the ground - EDITORIAL

It is over 50 days since the ‘GotaGoHome’ campaign kicked off. The campaign which started off as non violent protests.....

Re-visiting the “Sniper” killing of Robert 19 years ago

The armed struggle launched by Tamil militant groups to achieve the objective of a separate Tamil state caused massive loss of life and bloodshed.

Their name is ‘tomorrow’

Tomorrow the United Nations marks the World Day against Child Labour with this year’s theme being “Universal Child Protection to End Child Labour”. In a statement the UN calls for increased investment in social protection systems and schemes to establish solid social protection floors and protect children from child labour.

Food crisis and home gardening

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has been alarming the people, especially the low-income communities of a famine-like situation in the upcoming months due to the current foreign exchange crisis.

Food Security: 4.9 mn currently in need of food assistance - UN Official

UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, in an interview with Daily Mirror, speaks about the looming food crisis and the initiatives by her office to assist the country. She also shares....

Sri Lankans must heed the calls to grow at home - EDITORIAL

There are calls from the government and experts in food and agriculture to start growing food in home gardens. Many years ago such a call would have been seen as an added burden by a person.....

Foreign policy-making: Lessons for Lanka from India’s diplomatic crisis with Islamic states

There are foreign policy lessons Sri Lanka could learn in the diplomatic crisis between India and Islamic nations, including the super-rich Gulf countries. At the core.....

#aragalayaleft?

‘Left’ in internet parlance refers, apparently, to an individual who has withdrawn from a group, for example one on WhatsApp created for like-minded people or those who share some common attribute (for example being a member of a particular sports team or a political collective).

Surviving on two meals, when even one meal is uncertain

“To be ignorant of one’s ignorance is the malady of the ignorant” – Alcott Bronson Lest we forget to remember, we begin today’s column by once again highlighting the fact that those most affected by Sri Lanka’s unprecedented economic and political crises are those in no way responsible for causing it. In that case who is?

The need for foolproof mechanisms of governance

Whatever happens from here onwards, Sri Lanka as a country is going to go through a few years, at least, of hardship, shortages, scarcity.....

Grounding of flight and SL-Russia relations - EDITORIAL

On June 2, 2022, Russian Aeroflot flight A330-343 was detained in Colombo by aviation authorities, at the request of Irish Aircraft .....

Nobody is to take the blame

Sri Lankan Finance Ministers have been presenting annual budgets with an ever-expanding deficit for the past several decades. Past or present governments neither took it seriously nor were serious measures taken to reverse the situation.

PROS AND CONS OF LIFTING BAN ON OIL PALM CULTIVATION Experts differ over environmental issues

On June 2, the Palm Oil Industry Association of Sri Lanka (POIASL) appealed to the government to allow the cultivation of oil palm to boost the economy, save forex and increase employment. But the Sri Lankan scientific community may oppose it as it did in a report in 2018. The POIASL told the gov

Govt. used Sinhala-Buddhist shield to its maximum benefit Ven. Galkande Dhammananda Thera

Ven. Galkande Dhammananda Thera who currently heads the Walpola Rahula Institute for Buddhist Studies has been addressing issues related to social justice and harmony while promoting an inclusive and plural society. Having gathered a wealth of experience during the height of war for instance and having encountered various incidents d

Presidential pardons and Courts of Justice - EDITORIAL

‘Presidential pardons’ are once again in the news. Earlier this month the Supreme Court of the country overturned the presidential pardon on a particular former Member of Parliament. The verdict....

Ranil W. and Rajapaksas

On that fateful April day this whirlwind of peaceful protests began, I sensed a profound change in people. When the Galle Face green became the epicentre of protests with its highly creative.....

Left with Tweedledum and Tweedledee

Sri Lanka is being ripped apart by an economic crisis shaking our very existential foundations. Incomes for the large majority of our people making the informal sector are collapsing. And people.....

Will 21A pave way for a 22A?

A debate on another controversial issue over adding one more patch to the arbitrarily tinkered Constitution. G.G. Ponnambalam, Queen’s Counsel, the senior defence lawyer at Trial-at-Bar....