Law, Diplomacy and the Politics of Human Rights

Sri Lanka will shortly be facing renewed scrutiny at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, where elements of the international community have been calling for action over unsubstantiated war crimes allegations.

The plight of our forsaken migrant workers

Stories about Sri Lankan migrant workers, especially women left on roadsides in Kuwait after being stranded went viral, first on social media and then carried in the mainstream media this week.

Wimal: The snake around Lord Shiva’s neck

The rift between Industries Minister Wimal Weerawansa and the main constituent party in the ruling coalition, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna......

Myanmar diary: Dealing with impermanence and a ruthless junta

Myanmar, formerly Burma, a Buddhist nation, is in tears because the military has taken over the administration of the country once again.

Let’s felicitate our teachers! - EDITORIAL

These are days when much of school education is happening online via zoom technology. Teachers are seen from a distance.

Vital need to depoliticize UNHRC

In theory, human rights are universal and apolitical. This is what international human rights law insists, for the law is no respecter of nations or politics.

Easter Sunday attack, the CB bond scam and vaccines

The final report, of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) on the April 21, 2019 Easter Sunday Suicide Attacks, was handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by PCoI Chairman, Supreme Court Judge Janak de Silva at the Presidential Secretariat on February 1 in the presence of the other members of the Commission --

Draft UNHRC resolution on the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is set to present a resolution at the 46th Sessions of the UNHRC on (read, ‘against’) Sri Lanka. Ideally the United States of America, which co-sponsored a resolution ON (read, again, ‘against’) Sri Lanka in 2015, should be leading the charge. That country has since rubbished the UNHRC as ‘a cesspool of bias,’ before leaving in a huff.

India’s concerns over ECT understandable - Ajith Nivard Cabraal

State Minister of Money, Capital Markets and Public Enterprise Reforms Ajith Nivard Cabraal, in an interview with the Dailymirror, speaks about the present status of economy and steps for macroeconomic developments. Excerpts:

Independence Day - EDITORIAL

This year on February 4, as has happened over the past 73 years, leaders of the governing political elite ‘celebrated’ this country’s Independence Day....

The revolution is digital

When what is now known as the Saffron Revolution began in Myanmar in early 2007, the big difference between a decade back....

Let us see more world rulers with hands that rock the cradle

In journalism, we are told that we should avoid the use of clichés because they are often quoted and thereby prostituted. But in this case we use the cliché ‘the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world’ because it is approp

Election of the Bar Association

The election of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is around the corner and there are two contenders for the post of President. BASL is a professional body of lawyers tasked with the responsibility of regulating the legal profession. It is an org

Ginigathhena town disturbed by construction racket

Folks in Ginigathhena are concerned because a junior politician of the Ambagamuwa Pradesha Sabha is causing harm to the environment through one of his questionable activities. It is reported that lumps of earth have been removed from a construction site ignoring recommendations by environment authorities; thus causing concerns about possible landslides in the ar

War Crimes, Genocide and Hypocrisy - EDITORIAL

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is gearing up to launch its 46th session virtually on February 22.

Myanmar’s generals just can’t let go

The not unexpected military coup which ended Myanmar’s nerve-wracking experiment with civilian rule overshadows this week’s Covid-19 dominated world news.

Stripping Civic Rights Under Draconian Act?

The President has appointed a Special 3-member Presidential Commission to implement recommendations of PCoI on political victimization....

Sri Lanka needs a complete revamp of politics - Harin Fernando

Former Sports Minister Harin Fernando is among the outspoken members of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) in Parliament. However, Fernando....

Protest Launched From Pottuvil in East to Poligandy in North

There has been a lot of political excitement in the Tamil speaking areas of the Eastern Province for the past two days (February 3 and 4) due to the launching of a protest demonstration named “Pottuvil to Poligandy” or “P2P”. This was to be a long march on foot and in vehicles from the Eastern town of Pottuvil in the Ampara District to the Northern town of Poligandy in Jaffna district.

Surge in Covid-19 infections and entry of vaccines

Sri Lanka has seen a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths since October last year. The number of deaths which stood at just 13 in October 2020 has now passed the 330 mark. The number of people contracting the disease which stood at 3,382 on 1 October, 2020 rose to 24,532 by 1 December, 2020 and to 66,409 by 3 February, 2021.

Politics behind ECT

The controversy over the East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port seems to be far from over, despite the agitation by port-worker-trade unions having subsided.

Looking beyond independence - EDITORIAL

Most Sri Lankans raised their nationals flags yesterday (February 4) not only because it was Independence Day, but as a measure or move to boost.....

Myanmar coup: The dangers of politicizing the military

To a world that is grappling with the coronavirus crisis, Myanmar’s February 1 military coup was hard to absorb, although it came as no shock to Myanmar watchers.

Celebrating independence in a harsh regime

One of the biggest problems faced by Sri Lankans in general is that they are forced to worry too much about how to survive the 30 days of the month. This blunts thinking and puts a stop to coming up with creative ideas to escape from the financial mess they are in. The present financial mess the Government is in has a general reflection on the financial situation of the people of this country.

Will India abandon Sri Lanka at UNHRC?

The lack of consistency in foreign policy affairs between the two main political forces have led to irritations in Sri Lanka’s relations with the rest of the world at times. In the latest example India looked embarrassed and miffed by the government’s decision to renege from the previous regime’s commitment to develop the East Container Terminal of Colombo Port in partnership with it.

US threw the strategic baby and kept HR bathwater

The US Committee on Foreign Relations presented an analysis on Sri Lanka to the Senate on December 7, 2009, i.e. almost seven months after the war on terrorism ended with the world’s most ruthless terrorist outfit, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) being comprehensively defeated by the Sri Lankan security forces.

Vaccines: A new phase in battle against COVID-19

In the wake of the rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka, currently recording a daily average of nearly 800 during the past few days and the COVID-related death toll rising to 330 as of Wednesday afternoon,

“I am not sidelined, but decided to function low-key” - Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa -

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in an interview with the Daily Mirror speaks about future economic plans of the government amidst the pandemic situation....

Harshest ever warning by UNHRC - EDITORIAL

The United Nations Human Rights Council has issued harshest ever warnings to Sri Lankan leaders over the implementation of its previous resolutions.

Lacuna in Law Causing Grave Injustice: John Kotelawala ‘Homicide’ Perpetrators Got away with Impunity

AG’s word on Role of Judges…, and last Friday’s news item on two women aged 24 and 27 being killed by their husbands in separate incidents....