Mandela and Obama

What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead– Nelson Mandela

Tribes and tribalism, pots and kettles...

Minister of Finance and Mass Media Mangala Samaraweera has stated that he is against the death penalty. In his opinion, the death penalty, even if implemented, will not stop drug barons. He has said, however, that despite his personal opinion on the matter he stands by the collective decision of the cabinet to implement the death penalty. Noble of him, and honourable too when it comes to the notion of collective responsibility.  

Damsel in distress…Lanka in agony

Her clothes were ripped off; body battered; mind confused and heart burnt; she was raped and dishonoured and violated beyond recognition. All the traditions and values that were associated with a young woman in a rural hamlet were stolen from her, so to speak. For one offender to another successive criminal, her body and soul became a playground;

Rise of the dollar and fight against the fall of a Nation

The dollar has reached its highest in the history of Sri Lanka against the rupee. It is alarming and assume to reach even higher within the next couple of months. Inflation is the rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services are rising and, consequently, the purchasing power of currency is falling.   

Will Capital punishment go down the drain?

The government’s decision to implement Death Penalty on drug related offenders has opened a can of worms, with human rights campaigners here and abroad demanding the withdrawal of the decision. The European Union (EU) had on Monday officially communicated its opposition to the move. The main reason for the opposition is the inability of reversing the punishment if it is found later that it had been implemented on a wrong person. &nbs

IT JUST NEVER ENDS!!!

The reason the crime rate never decreases in this country is that there are no punishments fitting the crimes. Every man or woman who commits a crime in this country can be assured of ‘REMAND’!!! FREE BOARD AND LODGING AT THE EXPENSE OF ‘YAHALPALANA’!!! When the Government has to spend so much money feeding all these criminals, is it any wonder they don’t have money left for the more progressive things that need to

Cases of Guiltless Executed!

“. ... any man’s death diminishes me because I am involved in Mankinde, And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee..” —John Donne, Meditation: XVII. The list of 18 inmates for execution including pending appeal cases have been submitted to the President. Wele Suda and Susei, accused of continuing

END OF CIVILITY, BARRACKS : MODEL OF POLITICS AND MILLENNIUM’S CHILDREN

The recent ‘Friday Forum’ statement signed by distinguished scholars and retired civil servants, condemns “…a personal attack by retired Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara on Dr. Deepika Udagama, Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL)…Weerasekara denounced Dr. Udagama as an LTTE supporter and a traitor to this country, with the battle cry ‘death to traitors’.

Ten-year-old girl suffering from a rare and incurable disease

A pathetic story is reported from the distant village of Paragaswewa in Dehiattakandiya where a ten-year-old girl lives, by consuming only beef as her staple diet for five and a half years, due to a rare disease.  

Forests are vital for you and me

Forestry being a vital part in the battle against climate change or global warming, President Maithripala Sirisena in Rome yesterday made the keynote speech at the 24th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO) and the 6th World Forest We

Rajapaksa probably loves what he sees

Nine years after the demise of rebel leader Velupillai Prabakaran he is still in the news. This time the slain tiger leader’s name was brought under the spotlight by former State Minister for Children’s Affairs Vijeyakala Maheswaran. One thing that the people of this country must fathom is that though it was possible to wipe out the LTTE erasing the name of Prabakaran is something impo

Executions!? Again ?

There have been mixed reactions to the news that Sri Lanka would again carry out executions of those sentenced to death, in particular situations/circumstances. Are we serious when we say this

The Jothipala Magic

From Eddie Jayamanne to Lal Weerasinghe, there is a space of about 30 years. H. R. Jothipala, who sang for every leading actor that came between them, traversed those 30 years and enflamed an entire nation. To assess the worth of the man on the basis of all if not most of those 5000 odd songs he performed is beyond my abilities, so suffice it to say that Jothipala embodied certain qualities and people took to those qualities the moment he appeare

Key factors in upcoming parliamentary elections in Pakistan

Elections to Pakistan’s National Assembly (NA) are to be held on July 25. The elections are of great significance to Pakistan and the Indian sub-continent given the background in which they will be held.  

Panama Papers exposed leaders, criminals, celebrities... - EDITORIAL

Former Pakistani Premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz were arrested by National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials upon their arrival in Lahore on Friday night....

A Glass of Fresh Milk

Sri Lanka is considered a lower middle income country by its donors, but many of its children remain hungry. In some schools that I visited in the North....

A case for International Relations education in Sri Lanka

This article attempts to use the case of American geo political leadership and its current role in both as the disrupt and creator of global conditions, the focus is....

Post-war SL needs to re-establish Commission against illicit arms

Sri Lanka has been fighting against the global trafficking arms, drugs and wildlife for some time. During the 30 year war Sri Lanka was unable to fully cope with it.

Election meddling and New York Times’ selective focus on China

While much ink has already been spilled over The New York Times’ recent piece on Chinese bribes allegedly given to the Rajapaksa camp ahead of the 2015 presidential election, some interesting questions remain to be addressed. 

Shocking, shameful; about 1,000 abortions daily in Sri Lanka

Last Wednesday July 11, was World Population Day and the United Nation’s Fund for Population Activities in a statement says, the international community should focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues. This year’s theme is “Family Planning is a Human Right.”  

ACCEPTED HISTORY

As a former teacher and on-going student of History, Uditha Devapriya’s ‘Reflections on History Lessons’ interested me very much. It has always irked me that so few beliefs of Sri Lankan History are not supported by factual research and acceptable proof in the realm of knowledge.  

CPC, a National Asset in Ruin

 Shell, [British] Caltex and Esso [American] were the three powerful American oil giants which dominated the import, storage, transportation, marketing and distribution of Ceylon’s petroleum business up to 1964.

In the name of capital punishment

Sri Lanka seems to be a very unsafe country at present given that killings are taking place rampantly. Just a few days ago Independent Group Colombo Municipal Councillor Krishnapillai Thirubanandan was shot by unidentified gunmen in Pettah.

New traffic offences are debatable

Laws need to be reasonable, or people will come to despise them and those who carry them out. The idea is to respect the law, not to fear or despise.   

A symposium on law and business

The common Latin term in law ‘Ignorantia juris non excusat’ says, ignorance of the law excuses no one. When it comes to forming a business and running it, there are a set of laws that any business must adhere to. Even though there are thousands of legal professionals to consult when a legal matter crops up, it is better to be fully aware of the laws and regulations that can affect one’s business.   

Novichok saga, civilian deaths, and Naseby revelations

British High Commissioner James Dauris (HC), in his rebuttal dated July 10, 2018 of the Daily Mirror Editorial of July 09, 2018 has claimed, “readers expect better of your newspaper than to publish as its own views Russian State disinformation about the use of deadly nerve agents on the streets of United Kingdom.”   

Defusing pro-LTTE mindset Take a cue from Rathnapriya Bandu

The visit by Law and Order Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara, his Deputy, Nalin Bandara Jayamaha and Inspector General of Police Pujith Jayasundare to the North to defuse the “Pro-LTTE mindset” in the region, as reported by the Daily Mirror on Wednesday is an admission of a resurgence of such a mindset there by the Government.

A question never asked

For over a year now, the urban middle-class has been collecting many new words for daily use from Central Bank and Bond scam to Arjuna Mahendran, Arjun Aloysius, Perpetual Treasuries Limited (PTL), Mendis & Company, Hambantota Port, Port City, Chinese Loans, Rajapaksas, Hitler, LTTE and over a week ago even Vijayakala.

War agenda behind Trump’s demands to NATO

United States President Donald Trump is a liability to the transatlantic defence cooperation that started with the US entry into World War 1 and evolved into a formal treaty after World War II. The US entry was the decisive factor in the victory of the allies. 

Shall we make swimming a mandatory skill in SL?

The nail biting episode of Thai caves got the whole world glued to the television sets for a week. While the rescue operation was midway, a school principal and three others here in Sri Lanka died due to drowning in Ek Gal Oya in Ampara after their boat capsized.