“Truth plus justice plus reparations equals reconciliation”

The Apartheid could be described as one of the most gruesome blows to human existence. Non-whites not only had to work as slaves, but were isolated from society, separated by law and were denied basic human rights. With the involvement of iconic figures such as Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Apartheid system was put to a halt during the early 1990s. Thereafter, the struggle was continued to ensure that justice was served to survi

Dawn of Ceylon independence and birth of Tamil Federal Party

December 18, 1949 was a red letter day in the political history of Sri Lankan Tamils known as “Ilangaith Thamizhar” in their mother tongue. On that day, a group of sixty Tamils including two parliamentarians and two senators launched a new political party with the avowed goal of establishing an autonomous State for Tamil-speaking people of Ceylon (as Sri Lanka was known then) within a united island. The new party was named in Tamil as “Illankai T

Focusing on God through the Rubble

Christmas is around the doorstep, but the festive spirit will not be the same again for those families that lost their loved ones on Easter Sunday; another special day in the Catholic and Christian calendars. Out of the eight locations that were bombed, Zion Church in Batticaloa received much attention as many of the victims were children.

New street art trend Drawing the line between purpose, standard and creativity

Days before the new regime secured power Sri Lanka witnessed many changes, one of them being the much-spoken-about street art trend. Today, every nook and corner of the island is being transformed into a work of art under different themes. But art is not only about colours and figures. Quality, structure and attention to detail also come into play. As such, the new wave

When health risks say hi to mobile phone users!

New innovations in technology have sped up human activities and made them simpler. Among these innovations the mobile phones play a significant role in one’s life. Benefiting humanity to a greater extent, phones have facilitated human activities that we found to be difficult earlier. Phones have made it easy to make connections with people belonging to different ethnic and geographical areas

Switzerland connection in LTTE fundraising activity

Recent events have focused the media spotlight on the Federal Republic of Switzerland known officially as the Swiss Confederation. The landlocked European nation is respected highly on a global scale due to its policy of armed neutrality. Despite the impeccable credentials of Switzerland, the country is being viewed negatively by influential sections of the Sri Lankan people. There is suspicion that an orchestrated campaign is being pursued by ce

13 A Just a cudgel in India’s hand

It was India that first sent its External Affairs Minister to Sri Lanka within 24 hours after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s President on November 18.

The Dark Side of Transport Apps

The introduction of transport Apps have made life easier for all of us. Apart from being convenient and budget-friendly, privacy and safety are top concerns for any user. Today, there are many of these services available for users including local and foreign Apps. Uber is one of the Apps that gained much popularity with time. People pay for a service to get maximum out of it or the

Exposing the Foreign Job Mafia

Sri Lanka’s foreign recruitment industry plays an essential role in the country’s migrant labour sector with the industry expecting to secure jobs for Sri Lankans within conditions of safety, security and dignity. Despite these conditions, however, a complaint has been lodged to the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) to investigate cases of corruption during the 2015-2018 period.

Education reforms an education beyond campaign promises

When Dr. C. W. W Kannangara introduced the Free Education Bill in 1943, two of its main components were to introduce free education to every child from kindergarten to university and a curriculum for the child’s ‘head, heart and hands.’ But, 76 years later education is neither free nor a holistic experience for children. Clogged by exam stress, children don’t have an opportunity to enjoy schooldays, but are constantly satisfying the needs of thei

Beggars come under threat of Invisible Predator ?

There was a time when they frequented the streets, happy to receive a few coins or a packet of food. Conveniently addressed as beggars, they too are a part of society.

Reflecting on post-election violence

The above saying by the German poet reminds us that violence can spread rapidly and ultimately cost human lives. Similarly, the recently concluded presidential election recorded instances of violence.

Presidential poll: A digital wake-up call

Ahead of the US presidential election, internet giants such as Facebook and Alphabet Inc. owned Google are facing growing pressure to suspend political advertisements carrying misleading and false information. Across the world, democracies are grappling with social media platforms which have become increasingly popular as a conduit for electoral manipulation

How will Sri Lanka face Climate Change?

Landslides, floods, out of season monsoons and droughts have affected Sri Lanka in the recent past. If one was curious about the reason, there’s no doubt that these are effects of climate change. Sri Lanka was placed second in the Global Climate Risk Index, which means Sri Lanka is in a precarious position. In this backdrop, to increase awareness on climate change, the

Lighting a candle for Yvonne

A night out on July 1, 2005 ended tragically when 19-year old Yvonne Jonsson of Sri Lankan-Swedish origin was brutally murdered at the Royal Park apartment complex. The infamous ‘Royal Park murder’ made headlines as the family of the accused tried incessantly to shield the murderer from justice. The perpetrator, Jude Shramantha Anthony Jayamaha, was found guilty of ‘culpabl

Geopolitics, India and the People

We live in an age of strongman leaders whether it is in India, China or the US. And Sri Lanka has also elected such a leader as President.

“New” Rajapaksa regime under President Gotabaya

The election of Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the seventh Executive President has effectively demonstrated that the “Ruhunu Rajapaksas” have come to stay as a dynastic political force in the country. As stated last week in the first of this two-part article, the patriarch of “Medamulana Dynasty” was Don Alvin Rajapaksa (D.A. Rajapaksa), the father of Chamal, Mahinda, Gotabaya, Basil and five other children.

Women indebted to microfinance companies receive ‘Lifeline’

The stated aim of microfinance companies is to uplift the lives of rural communities by providing them with financial assistance. In Sri Lanka, the provision of financial services to rural households was largely recognised with the 1986 ‘Janasaviya’ programme.

Suggested priorities in key sectors for new regime

The election of a caretaker Government brings with it a sense of responsibility in resurrecting lost hopes. This could be in people as well as in the socio-economic perspective. Several key sectors including health, finance, law, environment, administration and media have been addressed by successive Governments, but today, all these areas need to be revisited.

‘We’re like the emperor without clothes, blind to our nudity’ - Prof.Hoole

S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole, one of the three members of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, which played a vital role in the recently concluded elections, agreed to discuss some of the questionable areas relating to the commission’s role . An engineer and academic by profession, Hoole serves as a professor of electrical engineering at Michigan State University. A brave

Post elections Social media hate speech spikes up!

Any Sri Lankan social media user would have noted the rise in post election hate speech since the results of the Presidential Election was announced. The post election hate speech mainly revolved on two groups of voters; the voters of the Negombo electorate and the voters in the electorates of the North and the East. In these electorates, the majority voted in favour of the New Democratic Front (NDF) candidate, Sajith Premadasa.

Why Sajith, Gota lost H’tota and Colombo Respectively?

B…’s comments are more than mere observations, he follows it up with insightful thoughts opening up an astute debate on behaviour patterns of Sri Lankan politician and voter during different types of elections: Presidential, Parliamentary PC and LG.

Why did people vote in the way they did?

Many people of all walks of life have already expressed their opinions on the outcome of the Presidential election concluded on last Saturday. It is important for political leaders to know why people voted....

President Gotabaya spearheads return of Ruhunu Rajapaksas

The 2019 presidential election is over and Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been elected as the seventh Executive President with a thumping majority. The result seems to have upset the calculations and predictions of many a commentator and analyst writing in English both in Sri Lanka and abroad. It has indeed been amusing to see some of them “blaming” the voters for going against the grain of their assessments. What they fail to realise is that

Katuwapitiya 7 months since Easter attacks

Sri Lanka entered the 21st century amid a devastating civil war which took thirty years to end. But just a decade later, Sri Lankans were exposed to another terror attack on April 21 which shattered the country’s emerging peace. Post-war, Sri Lanka showed resilience and harmony. But how would Sri Lanka cope after the Easter attacks? To find out, Daily Mirror visited

Key areas under scrutiny of election observer groups

Sri Lanka’s eighth presidential election, with a record number of 35 candidates vying for the highest office of the state, concluded on Sunday. While polling was underway on Saturday, a number of independent parties and non-governmental organizations (NGO) conducted their election observations, in accordance with international election standards. Local and foreign

Unremitting rains raise dengue threat

Dengue fever plagues Sri Lanka annually, increasing after a rainfall when conditions are optimal for mosquito breeding. Climate fluctuations also accelerate the epidemic’s spread and people must be mindful that dengue is again on the rise due to incessant rains during the last three months.

Menstruation matters, here’s why

Over the past weeks, women’s rights were heavily debated as front-runners of the presidential campaigns pursued the female vote like never before. The promises from both leading campaigns included free child care and free sanitary pads for women. Elections have come and gone, but one important issue needs to be discussed.

Election Diary: When a nation believed on promises!

Sri Lanka said good morning to Monday with a sense of belief that the future would be better for them under the new presidency of Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Forgotten victims of war: A border village study Let those in borders speak

Year 2019 is of great significance as it marks ten years since the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by the Sri Lankan military forces. People looked forward to enjoying peace after years of conflict and there seemed to be more freedom, economic development and material prosperity in many parts of the country.