After Taliban, Al Qaeda and ISIS, what’s next ?

After the end of WW II, in October 1945, 50 countries (Poland signed later making it 51) including the US, Britain, France, China (it was actually Taiwan) and Soviet Russia formed the United Nations and declared, “WE THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS...

Rev. Fr. Travis Jude Gabriel A man of God

On the 04th of April 2019, the Josephian family bade farewell to the 13th Rector of St. Joseph’s College, Colombo 10,Rev. Fr. Travis Jude Gabriel. He served St. Joseph’s College as the Rector for five long years. Moreover, he retired on the very particular day ending three decades of dedicated and committed service in the field of education. He rendered a yeoman service to

Social Media as a vector for Jihadists Can Sri Lankan law combat terror in internet?

“Twitter and Facebook “should not be playing footage of murder” (Australian Parliament) Both New Zealand and Australia passed the sweeping sharing Abhorrent Material Bill that threatens huge fines for social media companies and jail time for their executives if they don’t promptly remove “abhorrent violent material” from their platforms (Liza Vaas, 2019). Against this back

ISIS-Need to think global and Act local

Sri Lanka as a small Island Nation had experienced crisis after crisis within the last 5 decades. In 1971 it was somewhat adventurist and amateur type insurgency engaging the poor rural Sinhala youth. This was repeated in the late 80’s on a dangerously higher scale to topple the Government by armed rebellion by the JVP (Sri Lanka survived this ordeal).

Rishad Bathiudeen a hot potato for the Government UNP ruffled over motion against Rishad

The no-confidence motion against Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen is meant to be a victory for its movers, be it voted in or voted out in Parliament. This is what United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MP Udaya Gammanpila uttered after handing over the motion to Speaker Karu Jaysuriya last week.

And here comes the Equivalency Circus

M.S. Fouzul Ameen should have been alive today. The furniture shop owner from Kottaramulla, Nattandiya was killed by a mob on May 13, 2019. Many shops owned by Muslims should still be standing. They are not. No one should have or should show any apprehension of any Muslim, regardless of attire or appearance. Non-Muslims are wary and Muslims are apprehensive of

We can’t afford to let history repeat itself

The catastrophe and the devastation, which were unleashed by rampaging mobs of Sinhala extremists nearly two weeks ago in several parts of the North-Western Province -- Negombo, Chilaw, Kurunegala, Kuliyapitiya, Hettipola, Dummalasuriya, Rasnayakapura, Kobeigane, Bingiriya and Minuwangoda -- where Muslims were attacked, their homes pelted with stones, their

UNP’s gaping leadership vacuum Is there anyone ready to fill it?

They say crises are challenges clothed in hard choices. The current crisis in the country, the lack of clear, decisive and unfaltering leadership, more generally in the country and specifically in the United National Party (UNP), is one such challenge clothed in hard choices. That challenge is more to the younger and up and coming second-tier leaders than to the one who is at

CHANGE IS VITAL

In the present context, CHANGE IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL, NOT JUST NECESSARY BUT ABSOLUTELY VITAL! ‘COUNTRY FIRST’ SHOULD BE EVERYBODY’S PREROGATIVE, VERY SPECIALLY THE POLITICIANS. When it is time to put the country first, it is time for all you hypocrites we call politicians to go home. Taking into account what has been amassed, all of you

Inherent dangers of ‘Passed on as Received’

This one line and variations of it – passed on as received – written innocuously at the end of a message, can send shivers down the recipient’s spine these days.

NCM: Handle with care

The fear about Muslims after the April 21 massacre of Christians by a Muslim group at three churches and three luxury hotels that had engulfed the country seems to be fast fading away or no longer exists after the anti-Muslim riots in Puttalam, Kurunegala and the Gamapaha Districts on May 12 and 13.

SILENCE AND SOLIDARITY

Whatever people may tell you, whatever clichés are spouted in novels and TV broadcasts, silence isn’t deafening. It is, in fact, painfully empty, your ears searching for even the slightest morsel of sound to register. In its vacuum comes a roar like a 747 on takeoff, before you look up to see a fruit bat shoot off from a nearby branch. A door slamming in that house down the

EASTER SUNDAY BOMBINGS AND their IMPACT

A series of bombings struck churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday killing more than 250 people including 40 foreigners and wounding more than 500 others following the Easter Sunday suicide attacks that also devastated the livelihood of the entire nation.

From WMDs to ‘increased Iranian threats’

Once again the US seems to be on the brink of war, creating the conditions to commence another invasion of the Middle East. The world’s leading super power is in the middle of building tensions between itself and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Anti-Muslim riots and the absence of a government

If Zaharan blew up temples, many pundits would have rationalized the massacre. Anti-Muslim riots gave them an opening and diverted the attention from the real problem.

Bridging gap between cultures is vital for peace, stability

During this week of Vesak - when the focus this year was largely on religious ceremonies at temples and many prelates stressed the vital need to promote inter-religious unity in diversity - the United Nations tomorrow marks the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

Historic Shifts of 2009 and 2019

The end of the war in May 2009, signalled a historic moment for Sri Lanka. The tragedy of war with tremendous devastation and suffering required considerable reflection about our past. Furthermore, the aftermath of war required collective thinking and action about our future. However, we as a people did little critical reflection about the past and even less thinking about our

Ethno-nationalism, Religion and Political Populism: SL’s Dominant Political Narrative and its tragic Implications

Human societies scattered across the world have evolved over time under diverse circumstances, both material/ecological and ideational. Though archaeologists, historians and philosophers have gone far back in time in tracing the above process, modern social and human scientists have observed human societies in more recent times and uncovered certain patterns in the way

As we remember, let us not forget

May 18 was Vesak – the most sacred of Buddhist festivals, where we remember the birth, enlightenment and attainment of Nirvana of the Gauthama Buddha. Two weeks ago, (May 5), began the Holy month of Ramadan – which marks the revelation of the Quran to Prophet Mohammad. Two weeks before that, (April 21), was Easter - the most important holy festival for Christians,

A WAY TO LIVE AND A WAY TO DIE

What is Buddhism? Is it a religion or a philosophy?A true Buddhist would accept the basic Buddhist analysis of life as one that accommodates the teachings of the Buddha. It involves no dogmatism, no form of worship. One could say it is a code of morality, a way of life as it were.

Vesak: A turning point for inter-religious unity - EDITORIAL

Amid the tight security in the aftermath of the Easter Sunday suicide bomb massacres and the backlash three weeks later, Sri Lanka celebrates Vesak today. This thrice-blessed day marks the birth,

Terrorism can’t be managed, has to be eliminated

A simple question needs to be addressed on the Easter Bomb Attacks in Sri Lanka. Could the Government of Sri Lanka have pursued an intelligence-based anti-terrorist drive to combat the ISIS-linked terrorist groups without the bomb blasts happening? The answer is clearly NO.

‘The Silverline’ Let’s mark Vesak in a Dhamma way sans extravagant comedy

“Everybody today seems to be in such a terrible rush, anxious for great development, greater riches and so on that children have very little time for their parents and parents have very little time for each other, and in the home begins the disruption of peace of the world” - Saint Teresa of Calcutta.

Is it safe, because they say so? - EDITORIAL

Given the present ‘tense’ situation in the country the upcoming Vesak Festival might have to be celebrated at home. If we don’t send our children to school due to safety concerns then we do have serious issues regarding security.....

Wahhabism, Salafism: The good, the bad and the evil

As investigations continue into the gruesome terror attack on April 21 Easter Sunday, with the people asking questions as to what drove the terrorists to commit this heinous crime on the innocent people, Wahhabism is often cited as the basis for the terror ideology.

Ethnic riots: A mix-up of friend and foe

The terrorists of the National Thawheed Jama’ath cold-bloodedly killed around 300 Christians just because they were Christians. That was clear by the statement made eight days after the terrorist attack......

Terror strikes create new security dynamics in China, Sri Lanka relations

Many an eyebrow has been raised as to why President Maithripala Sirisena undertook an overseas visit at a time when the country is gripped by violence warranting his presence, both as the Head of State and the Defence Minister.

WATCH THE HAPPENINGS AT ELECTIONS

Fortune smiles on Sri Lanka again. While corruption abounds the political class - luck holds for the people, maybe for their goodness, overcomes the impurities associated with the lust of politicians? How long will good fortune rain on this thrice blessed land: Will it last long amidst the foulness felled by politicians.

An island now ‘hoping for the best’

Going by the recent spate of violence in certain areas in Wayamba and western Provinces one is left to think whether Sri Lankans truly value peace. There is an old saying which comes to my mind at this juncture, ‘you need two people to start a fight’.

May a selfless desire for good engulf our minds - EDITORIAL

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become,” Buddha