Predicament of Tamil moderates

In politics or war, one should not give ammunition to the enemies. But Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran who is also the Spokesman of the Tamil coalition has given not just a little ammunition, but an ammunition dump, to his opponents in the North, which the latter seem to be using against him these days, liberally.

Namal and the Sinhala Crown Prince Syndrome

Janabalaya Kolombata mass protest that immediately had many post-mortems conducted on it, was concluded as one engineered to project young Namal Rajapaksa as the Crown Prince of the Rajapaksas.

Threat to world court: Trump provokes emergence of dangerous world order

Months after United States troops invaded Afghanistan in October 2001, Mazar-i-Sharif earned the notoriety as the city of torture and extrajudicial killings, quite at variance with its worldwide fame as the city of Islamic and Hellenic architectural glory.  

listen, you could save a life

With suicide among students being a crisis in Sri Lanka also, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday marked the World Suicide Prevention Day and various events were organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). According to Sri Lankan newspaper reports, many Sri Lankan female students 

Notes for a Manifesto: State, Religion and Rationalization

Nagananda Kodituwakku, a public interest litigator, has drafted a constitution for Sri Lanka. It would be the Third Republican Constitution since Independence if it moves from the draft, through discussion, and amendment (if necessary) to ultimate replacement of the Second Republican Constitution and its amendments.

Do we need an all powerful president

Nine years after the ‘bloody’ war and three years into the Yahapalana Government, Sri Lankans are still scratching their heads and looking for ways of putting this nation on a strong footing. 

MS squashes rumours, MR stirs elections debate

President Maithripala Sirisena’s recent speech in Nivithigala gave people a glimpse of his political strategy which contains plans for 2019; theperiod ahead of the presidential polls.   

Seventeen years after 9/11, civilization is a triumph - EDITORIAL

Perhaps hopelessness is the very soil that nourishes human hope; perhaps one could never find sense in life without first experiencing its absurdity - Vaclav Havel When the LTTE choppers started hovering over the Colombo night skies on April 26, 2007 when the nation was busy watching the Cricket World Cup finals, the Sri Lankans got 

Janabalaya Kolombata and social media disconnect

Janabalaya Kolombata, the tag line for the protests, masterminded by Namal Rajapaksa was on an impressive marketing campaign at least on social media. Weeks ahead of the day, social media had been mobilized, while grassroots level meetings were taking place in every nook and corner, or so it seemed.   

IT’S HOBSON’S CHOICE FOR THE UNP

How and what Ranil Wickremesinghe is strategizing is anyone’s guess. But given the man’s shrewd yet hereunto unsuccessful attempts at being seen as a winner, if Ranil Wickremesinghe is the candidate from the United National Party (UNP), only by being triumphant at elections can he be established as a successful politician.

Friend or foe in politics?

British left our shores in 1948 bequeathing two loved institutions - parliamentary democracy and the game of cricket. Parliamentary democracy and cricket though ruined by over zealous politicised locals, yet added value to a decadent colonial structure.   

‘Thiyunu Asipathaka Sevana Yata’ Memories of lessons learned in a conflict

Nine years after the ‘bloody’ war against the Tiger rebels we still hear of violence taking place in some form in the north. Despite the rebels being completely wiped out and guns and bombs falling silent there is news from the north of sporadic attacks taking place using swords. At a time when hard earned peace is not valued it 

IT’S NOW OR NEVER!!!

Open a newspaper today and the many headlines scream at you but our Prime Minister says the ‘crime rate has dropped’!!! He goes on to defend the new couple who married at Temple Trees. Perhaps the cost of the hall, which we are now told adjoins Temple Trees was paid, but why then did the invitation -and you’ve just got to 

Building national harmony: A cardinal duty of the Govt.

A Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on Building National Harmony has been appointed on Friday following a motion to that effect which was passed in Parliament last Wednesday.   

Gay rights: Time to follow India!

Last week, India’s Supreme Court decriminalized homosexuality, finally burying for good an archaic colonial era law that imposed a maximum penalty of life imprisonment for consensual gay sex. The Judges described the Section 377 of the Penal Code, that was first introduced in 1861 as“irrational, indefensible and manifestly arbitrary.” Ra

Success of Emirates and failure of Sri Lankan

Around early 1985, when I was working with Dubai based English Language Daily Khaleej Times, speculation was rife that the Dubai Government was planning to start an international airline.   

POLITICAL CIRCUS HITS TOWN Leaders in suites, drunken supporters fallen on streets

It was a circus all right, acrobats, jugglers and jumpers galore, while mothers were afraid to send their children to school, workers stayed away from their workplaces, some offices closed ear

Pak’s tactical nuclear weapon programme worries the US Trump Administration’s apprehension includes

Colombo, September 10: Pakistan’s galloping nuclear weapons programme is worrying not just India, which is its target as the regional rival and adversary, but also its traditional ally and Super Power

The Earth is dying - can we save her? - EDITORIAL

Today we are witnessing an ever-increasing number of natural disasters in the form of earthquakes, landslides, earth slips, flooding, droughts, wildfires and tsunamis occurring worldwide.

Vocational Education and Training: A feasible alternative for Sri Lanka

Due to the technological change in concrete terms have led to rapid introduction of modern technology in every sphere of economic activity.

JOINT UNHRC RESOLUTION 30/1: A RECURRENT THREAT TO SL’s SOVEREIGNTY

The allegations on Human Rights violations, war crimes, missing persons dereliction of rule of Law, accountability, devolution of power etc.

Sri Lanka’s polity: A decade after the global Financial Crisis

The iPhone was the catalyst of the smart device revolution, first introduced in the June of 2007 by the Apple’s iconic CEO, lateSteve Jobs.

Knowledge is power, information liberates

Today is the United Nation’s International Literacy Day and the world body says it gives an opportunity for governments, civil society and stakeholders to highlight improvements in world literacy rates, and reflect on the world’s remaining literacy challenges.   The issue of literacy i

Sunday’s election in Sweden and the immigration debate

The arrival in Sweden of 163,000 refugees, mainly Syrians, in 2015 -- making for a higher proportion of Sweden’s population than almost any other European country -- has been used by the far right to drum up broader fears about immigration. A recent spate of shootings, grenade attacks and burnt-out cars has made many Swedes feel afraid of what is going on. Th

DISCOURAGING UNCONSCIONABLE STRIKES

The citizens of this country are utterly disappointed by the government’s pusillanimous responses to the profusion of unconscionable strikes that are called by various groups that cause immense inconvenience and hardship, loss of time and money, and even deprivation of life and limb of fellow citizens. The timing and nature of most of the strikes that have taken place over the past 3-4 years indicate that the motivation behind them is less

World Physical Therapy Day Staying mentally fit in a busy world

The World Physical Therapy Day, observed annually on September 8, gives the opportunity for physical therapists to raise awareness on their contribution to keep people well, mobile and independent. This year’s theme “PHYSICAL THERAPY AND MENTAL HEALTH” demonstrates the role played by physical therapy and physical activity in mental health.

Janabalaya Colombata and a forgotten past - EDITORIAL

Janabalaya Colombata organised by the Joint Opposition sent thoughts of the Government, which were to silence voices of dissent, into oblivion when the opposition and their supporters poured into Colombo....

The Pohottuwa: Where it is and where it should be

Back in 2015 when Syriza won more than 70 seats in the Greek Parliament and with it the mandate to govern (with its leader Alexis Tsipras as the president), socialists the world over celebrated the coming of the Global Left.

Back to usual: Tamil nationalism say no to ‘development’

Last week, protesters in Mullaitivu demanded the termination of a Mahaweli project, that was officially intended to facilitate the economic development in the war ravaged region.

Big waste talking reconciliation

It was an interesting experience to sit in the audience at the Western Province National Institute for Drama & Art, watching two playlets on Reconciliation performed by school children on Friday 24 August (2018) afternoon.