Notes for a Manifesto: National Interest should frame Foreign Policy

The previous regime is supposed to have had a disastrous foreign policy which made for terrible foreign relations. That was what the detractors of that regime told us. Today they are in power and their detractors say the same thing: ‘This government’s foreign policy, like most things, is an unmitigated disaster and this is evidenced by the abysmal state of foreign relations.   

War ‘heroes’ and failed administrators

The economy and minority Tamils are the key issues that the islanders have to address if they need to prosper and make this country a ‘real’ paradise. Of the two, the latter being resolved could happen sooner if genuine efforts are made by the Government to understand the psyche of this minority community and grant some of their 

While we waste food 800 million people go hungry

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) on Tuesday marked World Food Day and in a statement the world body revealed the intolerable wrong of hunger where one person in nine does not have enough to eat.   

Racism vs Liberalism: The European battle between Matteo Salvini and Emmanuel Macron - EDITORIAL

The mercurial rise of the Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini at a time French President Emmanuel Macron’s domestic approval ratings hit an all-time low, has become a concern not only in Europe but the rest of the world as well. After all the two young leaders represent the two sides of the European immigrant story.   

TODAY’S REALITIES

GRIM!!! Lots of Humans, Less Humanity, More Degrees, Less Common Sense, Lots of Facebook Friends, No Best Friends, Big Houses, Small Families, High Income, Less Peace of Mind, Designer Watches, No Time, High IQs, No Emotions, Advanced Medicine, Poor Health, Gone to the Moon, Neighbours Unknown, 

Canonization of Blessed Oscar Romero : A modern day Martyr

“Brothers, you are all killing your fellow countrymen. No soldier has to obey an order to kill. It is time to regain your conscience. In the name of God and in the name of the suffering people I implore you, I beg you, I order you, stop the repression.”

Stop the madness We’re not your morning spit!

“The most dangerous man to any Government is the man who is able to think things out... without regard to the prevailing superstitions and taboos. Almost inevitably he comes to the conclusion that the Government he lives under is dishonest, insane, intolerable.” ~H. L. Mencken

Political Parties must have unwavering policies

The Supreme Court has ruled that certain Articles of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution Bill presented in the Parliament in May by Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) as a private member’s Bill were inconsistent with the Constitution. It has also ruled that if the Bill was to be passed without changing the said Articles it should be passed with two thirds majority in the Parlia

Hambantota as forward Chinese military base: Distraction from real problem

America’s Vice-President Mike Pence has warned that Hambantota ‘may soon become a forward military base’ for the PLA Navy. In a speech at Hudson institute, Pence launched a broadside against China’s ‘predatory’ trade, ‘debt diplomacy’, ‘coercion’ and military ‘aggression’; he referenced to the Chinese-funded Hambantota port, of which the majority sta

Pakistan between IMF and China

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s remark that an IMF bailout package to Pakistan should not be used by the latter to pay off its debt to China, is partly meant to put a strain on Islamabad’s relations with Beijing.

Plot to harm CBK in 1997 Seeing as to why the landmark FR Judgment on Sirisena Cooray’s plea was sti

The Supreme Court verdict on Sirisena Cooray’s FR plea became an international sensation two decades ago when People’s Alliance Government of Chandrika Bandaranaike acted ultra vires.   

Freedom, Democracy, Human Rights and the US - EDITORIAL

Liberal-minded Sri Lankans have for long looked on the US as a bastion of democracy, a defender of freedom, democratic values and a promoter of human rights the world over. 

What’s SL’s role in Security Co-operation in the Indian Ocean?

Delivering the keynote address at yet another Indian Ocean conference, titled ‘The Indian Ocean – Defining our Future’ at Temple Trees last week, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe asked....

Demons in Paradise and Dissent

The Jaffna International Cinema Festival, held earlier this month, lost considerable credibility, both as a film festival and as an event of international standing, following the controversial removal....

Lines of Fire within Mark Field’s Paternalist Message

Mark Field’s visit to Sri Lanka is very, very significant. His pronouncements are threaded by the paternalistic air of an Etonian schoolmaster pontificating to students.

The two sides of President Trump

What do we have to truly fear about President Donald Trump? Last week, he pulled off the successful re-negotiation of the North America Free Trade area. Pundits thought, with Canadarefusing to bend, it couldn’t happen. Maybe the deal now leans more in America’s direction but Trump has also given something away: the right of Mexicoand Canadato sell their trucks and cars more easily in the US. He said he’s a great “deal-make

Let us invest in “Daddy’s Little Girl”

In 1950, the Mills Brothers and in 1967, the famous American singer Al Martino sang a beautiful and heart-warming song about “Daddy’s Little Girl.” It goes like this: “You’re the end of the rainbow, my pot of gold, You’re daddy’s little girl to have and hold, A precious gem is what you are, You’re mommy’s bright and shining star, You’re the spirit of Christmas, my star on the tree, You&r

Will the road end for Sirisena ? - EDITORIAL

President Maithripala Sirisena who was loved, voted for and ushered in with much hope for the country’s future now sees the road ahead of him in politics strewn with obstacles. 

Caretaker government Who is fooling whom?

Political parties in the country are obsessed these days with speculation about a caretaker Government that is to be jointly formed by the joint opposition headed by former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) headed by President Maithripala Sirisena.   

Coming out of this “Fools Paradise”

The dwindling Rupee has jerked the “Yahapalana” (Good Governance) government wide awake to face “the reality” they preferred to ignore.

How the US invents enemies to maintain its dominance

Enemies are really friends. This oxymoron serves as a secret motto of some countries, particularly the United States.  

UN gives 12 years to curb global-warming catastrophe

With Sri Lanka again being devastated by floods and landslides with about 60,000 people left homeless and at least nine dead and with hurricane ‘Michael’ hitting Florida and the adjoining areas -- the worst in their history -- the United Nations has warned that the world has only 12 years to limit the climate change catastrophe.   

Right of Reply ‘female genital mutilation’

This is with reference to the article titled ‘Female Genital Mutilation’ by Professor A.H. Sheriffdeen and Dr Ruvaiz Haniffa published in the Daily Mirror of September 28, 2018. With due respect to the learned writers of this article, it must be pointed out in the public interest that there are many fundamental and factual errors in their article.  

MS-MR meeting creates rumblings within UNP

All hell broke loose in the Government after the news spread that President Maithripala Sirisena met with his predecessor Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Colombo residence of MP S. B. Dissanayake ostensibly to discuss the formation of a new Government.   

The shrewdest ‘shall’ survive

The United National Party (UNP) led by Ranil Wickremesinge is hellbent on finding stability at present. It’s the UNP that calls the shots in the Government and also takes the blame for much of the mess that the regime is in now. 

Notes for a Manifesto: Sports

Those who encourage children to take up a sport often speak about the virtues. Sports build character. Sports teach many things, we have all heard: courage, teamwork, determination and the ability to be gracious in defeat and humble in victory, fairness, integrity, responsibility and respect. Not all of these can be taught or learned in a classroom, obviously. 

LET THERE BE NO MORE VICTIMS LIKE ME

I am a victim of Female Genital Cutting –some might want to call it circumcision, I call it Mutilation. Not in the way that the proponents want to depict it as what happens in Africa with horrific scars, but in the way it happened to me in Sri Lanka where there are still scars, tiny, almost unnoticeable, but in all the ways that matter, it has damaged me no less than those horrific scars one talks about in Africa.  

Grade 5 Scholarship; to scrap or not - EDITORIAL

While the debate whether the government should go ahead with the Grade 5 scholarship exam continues another set of young candidates, mostly from “not so prestigious” schools, has emerged top rankers at this year’s exam as well.  

The Pidurangala fiasco and the inner dynamics of social media

A lot of us wondered why these kids, some of whom had just sat for the A/L’s, did not realize what they were doing was insanely stupid. Hailing from the predominantly Buddhist Kurunegala District, they should have known better than to do what they did in a Buddhist sacred site.   

Is the coalition in crisis or is it fake-news?

Those who are greedily awaiting the comeback of the Rajapaksas are intensely engaged in this campaign- one of gossip and rumour-mongering.