IMPORTANT NOT TO DILUTE HARD-WON RTI VICTORIES

Some weeks ago, a group of Mannar based activists petitioned the Right to Information (RTI) Commission asking for details of the government’s transitional justice package of reforms following promises made to the Geneva based Human Rights Council when this government came into power. Following the hearing of the appeal, the Prime Minister’s Office released the proposed Reparations Bill to the RTI Commission. That was how the Bill came

LTTE bogey to scuttle Constitution making

It is interesting and in a way puzzling to note that the political parties and leaders who agitated to scrap the Executive Presidential system of Governance during the height of the separatist war, are now expressing fear to do so, on the grounds that the country would be divided.

Trump-Kim summit: Rollercoaster diplomacy vs. inclusive diplomacy

Till it happens, it is a tough call.  Given the unpredictability that has now come to characterise the policies of the United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the much-hyped summit is mired in uncertainty till the two leaders meet in Singapore on June 12.

From Anura’s to Mahinda’s 20 21 A

Posters adorned city walls last week, saying the 20th Amendment to the Constitution would, “Divide the Country”.  

Turn to Ayurveda to strengthen your immune system

With heavy rains, landslides and strong winds continuing in most parts of the country, another problem is the influenza epidemic largely in the South and it could become serious if urgent and effective measures are not taken.

Family’s role in building a caring society

June begins tomorrow and for whatever reason it is traditionally regarded as the month of brides. Indian philosopher Rabindranath Tagore has lamented that for the past few centuries in India, marriage has become a form of glorified prostitution. He points out that the parents themselves put their daughters on sale -- something like Rs.1 million for an accountant, two million for a lawyer and four for a medical doctor.

Bond fraud creates ruffles in politics

After it transpired that United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MP Dayasiri Jayaekara received one million rupees as campaign finance from Arjun Aloysius who is held responsible for the bond fraud, it stirred the hornet’s nest in politics.   

Truth and dare of presidents, presidencies and presidential

If anyone has carefully read the Second Republican Constitution 1978, also known as the JRJ Constitution, he or she would conclude that it’s all about the Executive Presidency. If powers described in the Constitution is likened to a tree, the Executive Presidency is the root, the trunk, the branches, leaves, flowers, fruit and bark. It was about centralizing power.

DEMOCRACY OR HYPOCRISY???

Since our forefathers, the founding fathers of democracy passed on, the country has been gradually reduced to a state of hypocrisy!!! The system of being a democracy favouring social equality has been systematically eroded!!! With the onset of the Eelam War, the system of democracy that we cherished 

Gota’s Viyathmaga and Government’s standstill

American economist and social theorist Thomas Sowell once said, “ The big divide in this country is not between Democrats and Republicans, or men and women, but between talkers and doers “   

From ‘Good’ to ‘Non’ Governance

Government of limited power need not be anaemic government. Assurance that rights are secure tends to diminish fear and jealousy of strong government, and by making us feel safe to live under it makes for its better support.

Has SL given up its battle against plastic?

While we Sri Lankans still continue to postpone the date of the plastic ban, the National Geographic magazine’s June cover continues to inspire millions across the globe to think more seriously of a permanent plastic ban in each and every country.

Professor Sarath Wijesuriya says ‘GMOA doesn’t have the backbone to question Gotabaya’

Prof. Sarath Wijesuriya of the National Movement for Social Justice spoke about the questionable activities of the GMOA as a trade union, President Maithripala Sirisena not honouring his promise to abolish the Executive Presidency and his movement’s intention not to support a common candidate at a future election in an interview with the Daily Mirror. 

PTL’s Rs.1 mn soils Dayasiri’s hands

Former sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekara has run into a storm of controversy after it was revealed in court last week that he accepted a cash cheque of Rs.1 million from a company linked to Perpetual Treasuries Ltd. (PTL), which is implicated in the Central Bank bond scam.   

C.V. Vigneswaran’s de-legitimization of remembrance

A decision by a local bank to suspend two of its employees for commemorating the war dead of the final phase of the Eelam war has now caused a fresh wave of controversy. The ‘disciplinary action’ was purportedly taken after Sinhala nationalist social media highlighted the incident. The Bank said in a media statement, “HNB takes very seriously any sentiment or act that is in violation of, or poses a threat to the morale of citize

Floods, Landslides, Disasters and Corruption - EDITORIAL

Pre-monsoonal rains by May 26 have resulted in 16 deaths and 138,292 persons from 35,129 families being displaced. The monsoon proper has not even commenced, but the number of deaths and displaced continue to rise....

Tobacco: Let us stop the carnage right now

“Let us kill our customers” can be the un-stated marketing objective of only one industry. It is not the arms industry, industries peddling lethal chemicals of many guises or unhealthy food for different manufactured “needs”.

Indictment on the Judiciary by Suganthika Fernando

The critical comments made by the Attorney-at-Law Suganthika Fernando on the conduct of a judicial officer and the happenings at Marawila Magistrate’s Court should prompt us to take a realistic and dispassionate look at the whole judicial process....

The ever expanding balloon of plastic

I recently toured Cairo and was horrified to witness the mountains of plastic garbage stacked on all corners of the streets. In a city that receives less than 4mm of annual rainfall, there is hardly any chance for even biodegradable plastics to fragment.

JVP’s 20th Amendment; a test for major parties

In significant move, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, in parliament yesterday handed over a private members bill or the 20th Amendment calling for the complete abolition of the 40 year executive presidential system. This system has been widely criticised by almost all parties but no one really got down to abolishing it due to many wide ranging reasons.

Viyath Maga Convention: Intellectualism vs Intellect A review of Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s Viyath Mag

The  of 16th May carried the Report of the Annual Convention of the Viyath Maga written by Lahiru Pothmulla, under the heading “Sri Lanka should seize the 

Bang, Bang to Trump

Can you smell the whiff of smoke? You surely can. But the gunfire? Not yet. But it must start soon if the battle has any chance of success.   President Donald Trump has to be faced 

Commemoration does not (necessarily) exclude celebration

“Why is today so special?” the driver of the van I was in asked me, and I was stumped. A second later I checked myself; Sri Lankans seem to forget so easily that forgetting the commemoration of the (military) end of the civil war....

RIGHT OF REPLY: From Dominion Status to Sovereign Sri Lanka

Mr. K.K.S. Perera’s article headlined “From Dominion Status to Sovereign Sri Lanka” published on May 22 appears to contain an inaccurate statement regarding the provision relating to Buddhism in the 1972 Constitution. I refer....

Politicking rain and thunder

Thus far, according to the Meteorology Department, 18 out of the 25 Districts of the country were badly affected by the rains.   The NBRO said nine Districts had extended warnings of landslides and....

Waxing eloquent will not help disaster victims

On Tuesday, around noon, on the bank of the Kelani River at Kohilawatte, about a hundred people had thronged to see the rising river.  The river had swollen up to the level of the Colombo Ambatale Road.

Floods, preserve wetlands, restore wewas - EDITORIAL

With about 120,000 people seriously affected by the ongoing floods and landslides, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and other State institutions say they are providing the relief measures needed by the victims while full-scale....

Trump creates nightmare of a thousand Hiroshimas

With the United States scuttling the Iran nuclear deal and casting doubts on a possible détente with North Korea, the time is ripe once again to turn the world’s attention on nuclear disarmament and give the necessary build-up....

25 years of Bio Diversity; Let’s preserve our silver

Bio- Diversity may be a strange or uncommon word for those concerned mainly about their selfish interests but it is a crisis of life or death for Planet Earth. May 22 was the International Day for Biological Diversity and the United Nations in a statement says while there is a growing recognition that biological diversity is a global asset of tremendous value to present and future generations, the number of species is being significantly reduce

Elections: the Yahapalanists’ true fear

Minister Mangala Samaraweera, speaking to the media at the Finance Ministry on Tuesday (May 22), stated that knowing well the crimes committed by Gotabaya Rajapaksa, he is in fact frightened of the former defence secretary. That’s political-speak, obviously. Mangala, after all, was never scared of the LTTE, was never scared of Chandrika Kumaratunga and certainly not of Ranil Wickremesinghe,