Core-group working on SL seeks consensual resolution at UNHRC - Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will have its 46th session between February 22 and March 19. Sri Lanka is on the agenda this time.....

Acquittal of TMVP Leader “Pillayan” From Murder Charges

On January 12, 2021, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court imposed a sentence of four years rigorous imprisonment on Sadda Vidda Rajapakse Palanga Pathira Ambakumarage Ranjan Leo Sylvester Alphonsu alias Ranjan Ramanayake finding him guilty of the offence of Contempt of court.

Given America’s Past and Present, Biden’s call for unity was timely

America is known as the world’s first democracy and as a country where different ethnicities coalesce to constitute the quintessential “American”. But closer scrutiny would reveal that, from the beginning to the present day, its history has been pockmarked by disunity, violence, racial discrimination, economic inequality, and even secessionist tendencies.

Military training for over 18s: Is it practical?

Public Security Minister (Rtd) Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara has said he would table a proposal in Parliament to make way for military training to citizens above 18 years of age. He said the proposal aims at creating a disciplined and law-abiding nation and added that other countries that employed similar strategies have reaped benefits from such programmes.

The Govt. is trapped in a huge mess and muddle: Harsha

The Daily Mirror sat with former Economic Affairs State Minister and SJB MP, Dr. Harsha De Silva to discuss the Economy, Politics, Current Affairs and.....

‘The Broken Promise’ and a broken cinema - EDITORIAL

When one walks along the road of Sinhala cinema that spanned 74 years on January 21 (yesterday) it brings both tears and joy.

Tamil Nadu politics behind India’s new hardline on Lanka

Early this month, when India intervened in what was Sri Lanka’s internal security matter to end a protest campaign outside the Jaffna University main gate.....

Hope the vaccine rollout, will reel-in the deadly virus

Amid the relentless spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, a tiny glimmer of hope for us in Sri Lanka in combatting this deadly virus is the news that vaccines are likely to arrive in the country towards the end of February with inoculations to begin soon thereafter.

Let’s go for 13 Plus

The number 13 is thought by some to be unlucky. Some even believe it is associated with evil. The number 13 is associated with Sri Lankan politics and some may say ‘entrenched’ in it or even use the word ‘inextricable.’ We’ve had the 13th Amendment and seven more thereafter but ‘stuck with it’ still applies. Nothing lasts forever and one day we will move on. Not yet, obviously. Not in the foreseeable future? Well, who can tell?

Biden-Harris administration, US-China relations and need for co-operation - EDITORIAL

The US democracy which the Biden-Harris administration is taking over is a severely wounded one.

Who should get COVID-19 Vaccine first?

Sri Lanka is faced with two COVID-19 related medical issues. The first is, which vaccine should we give our population, i.e., US, UK, Russian, Chinese or Indian?

New Era of racial equality and social justice

Tomorrow will be a historic day and hopefully the beginning of a new era in the United States and the democratic world. Amid the

Conflicting demands from Sri Lanka pose a serious challenge to UNHRC

While the Tamils have upped the ante considerably, Colombo has resolved to stick to its stand against foreign interference

Have Tamils benefitted from UNHRC resolutions?

Last week eleven Tamil political parties and civil society groups wrote to 47 member states of the UN Human Rights Council urging them to refer Sri Lanka to the UN Security Council and set up an international outfit similar to the International I

Right to a dignified burial for COVID-19 victims

If Ukrainian tourists can be allowed into the country knowing the risks, why cannot burials with no such risks be permitted?

Al-Qaeda’s new home and death throes of a fallen regime - EDITORIAL

An old English proverb quoted by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow goes... ‘though the mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceeding small; though with patience.....

It isn’t all bad news from around the world…

We have been cornered and savaged by the pandemic since March 2020, and face the New Year with great uncertainties.

Why Do We Need a Separate University for Teacher Education?

Teachers have been criticized for not being up to date with the times however, their grievances about the absence of a proper system to further their education has been repeatedly overlooked. The best way, in my view is to establish a separate university for teacher education.

Education: A liberating and democratising force

In Sri Lanka and the world over the vital sector of education was one of the worst-affected by the ongoing second wave or new strain of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Getting back to Pre-COVID-19 Chaos

Sri Lanka is often spoken of as one of the worst affected countries economically from the COVID-19 pandemic. Fitch Ratings last November made it look worse. COVID-19 did affect the economy no doubt with lockdowns and isolations over almost nine months last year and still continuing. But we were no better even before the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-pandemic Sri Lanka is one major fact that is not brought into discussion when getting “back to normalcy”

What’s in a name?

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet,” said Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet. True as this may be in many cases, there are situations in which the name means a lot. It may have a desirable or an undesirable connotation and a change of name may make a world of difference.

The north needs a new monument - EDITORIAL

The civil war ended 11 years ago, but people in this island find reasons to cause racial tension. The most recent incident is the issue that took place...

Free speech allows dishonest politicians to be named and shamed

In the absence of free speech, the people suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic will never know how it all began, though they have the right to know it.

Jaffna monument: Rebuilding what they demolished

The previous fortnight saw three incidents involving commemoration of those killed in the struggle for their rights. First, a tense situation erupted last Friday.....

Covid-19 diplomacy now underway

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, in his last Sunday’s encounter with people in Uhana, Ampara, said he wrote to both Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President ....

Political economy of accusation, guilt and punishment

Whenever predictions are made about repercussions from the international community for things said or left unsaid or else things done or left undone, I am reminded of Libya.

US Congress paves way for Jan.20 inauguration

Despite his pompous arrogance and vitriolic rhetoric since losing the November 3 election, US President Donald J. Trump, has had to finally accede to the sovereign will of the people -- a vital cog in a vibrant democratic system of governance.

Sri Lanka’s opposition must ensure rain, not thunder!

Sri Lanka as a nation has many challenges this new year and among them is to build a vibrant opposition. We’ve seen many moves by Saith Premadasa and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, but the Government seems to be moving steadily on the path to strengthen its resolve in a forceful manner.

“Pohottuwa is becoming unpopular” -Welgama

As a senior politician in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Kalutara District Parliamentarian Kumara Welgama had been a loyal supporter for decades.

Fall of the despots - EDITORIAL

As this opinion piece is being written, we are witnessing the fall of a wanna-be despot -soon to be ex-President of the United States -Donald Trump.