We don’t need a new Constitution, but a peaceful country: Survivor

So many heartbreaking stories about victims of gruesome terrorist attacks, that took place on Easter Day, are heard via the media these days. The more intimately affected – those families and friends currently dealing with....

Sri Lanka Stands United

In the aftermath of multiple bomb attacks on Easter Sunday for which the Islamic State claimed responsibility, Daily Mirror, spoke to several parties on strengthening the harmony among the different ethnic and religious groups.

Batticaloa seeks peace and healing amidst grief and suspicion

Tension and uncertainty prevailed in Batticaloa yesterday, three days after a deadly suicide blast in the Zion Church on Easter Sunday claimed the lives of 29 persons, including 14 children, prompting clergy and officials to call for peace and calm, as the eastern district experienced another day of mourning and shut-down.

Zion Church blast Batticaloa’s episode with a ‘dangerous seeker’

On April 22 (Monday) the final rites of 12-year-old Sharon Steven, his 10-year-old sister Shara Ebshiba, and their 13-year-old friend Jenakshika Thivenithan were held in Batticaloa, along with the funerals of 23 other victims of the Easter Sunday bomb attack that claimed the lives of 29 people in Zion Church. A total 14 children (7 girls and 7 boys) and 12 adults have so far

Negombo still groggy after worst nightmare

It was minutes after the Rev. Father delivered a speech about the importance of helping people during difficult times that the suicide bomber triggered the bomb at the St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, Negombo, killing scores and injuring many. Taking a cue from a recent incident in Trincomalee, where an injured youth was seen on CCTV desperately seeking help from bystanders who ignored him, Rev. Father at the Sebastian’s Church preached to

Easter Sunday Attacks: Stories from under the rubble

Multiple explosions on Easter Sunday (April 21) left an island nation devastated and the Government has declared today a national day of mourning. Explosions took place at three churches, namely St. Sebastian’s in Katuwapitiya, St Anthony’s Church in Kochchikade, Colombo and Zion Church in Batticaloa, in the Eastern Province; and three hotels namely Shangri-La, Kingsbury and Cinnamon Grand. There were other explosions too.

Guidelines by Army to be issued to all hotels

A security briefing to all the Colombo city hotels and some suburban hoteliers had been held yesterday, the Chairman of both Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), Kishu Gomes said.

Should trust and truth be mutually exclusive in Sri Lanka?

The value of truthfulness is universally accepted. It is so vital to society that it even exists in some form or other in all religious scriptures that instil the basic values and morals society lives by. Buddhists vow to refrain from being untruthful, Christians....

No “Hosannas” for inter-religious harmony as Methodist prayer centre faces Palm Sunday attack

While many Christians, non-Christians, politicians and government leaders in Sri Lanka were gripped by the fire that engulfed the historic Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris last Monday, little attention was given to a mob attack on.....

Arrest of writer Sathkumara sparks debate on freedom of expression

On April 1, award-winning author and poet Shakthika Sathkumara was arrested and remanded on contrived charges of inciting religious hatred, a move that has been decried by artists, academics and free-speech advocates as setting a dangerous precedent against the freedom of expression.

President’s anti-drug campaign: For real or a farce?

Is President Maithripala Sirisena’s anti-narcotic campaign an opportunistic farce to lure voters to his bid for a second term in the office- or a genuine mission guided by a political will unseen in his predecessors? Public opinion seems to be mixed, not unsu

Putting the private bus service in order

Public transportation in Sri Lanka is widespread that the majority of people prefer to make it their mode of travel. Apart from the people’s habit to travel in trains, they often choose the bus as a mode of transport. However, there has been criticism regarding buses in terms excessive speed, extra horns, competition among buses and sound systems that produce loud noise, etc. It is the commuters who feel inconvenien

No dream too big for Fight Cancer Movement

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on April 1, 2019, between the Ministry of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine and the Kadijah Foundation’s Fight Cancer Team with plans to purchase Tomotherapy and LINAC...

J’pura university creates a new app to find bananas with carbid: Undergrads impress at “Innovate Sri Lanka 2019”

Nowadays schoolchildren and university students pay more attention on innovations and are willing to develop novel things which can be used to solve current problems in our day-to-day lives. Our new education system also highly contributes....

Bitter homecoming for Muslims in Mannar

On March 15, Muslims, grouping in their dozens, protested in front of the Sri Lanka Navy Camp in Silavathurai- home to the highest number of Muslims in Northern Province-demanding the Navy to move out of their residential area. Their mission behind this long-standing protest is to reclaim the 36 acre land; the home for many generations of Muslims and occupied by the Sri Lanka Navy.

Conference of Parties (CoP) CITES confab from May 23 to June 3 at BMICH

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, commonly referred to as CITES, is an international agreement between governments whose primary aim is to ensure international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the relevant species’ survival.

Wilpattu, Islamophobia

The anti-Muslim campaign of the fringe Sinhala Buddhist ultra-nationalist bigotry is regenerative. It is adept at finding a new ruse every now and then. The list ranges from Halal, cow slaughter, Muslim clothing stores, wada pethi (sterilizing tablets) and the latest ‘Save Wilpattu.’ All the past campaigns culminated in a violent upheaval, after

The truth about the Geneva UNHRC Resolution

During the past few weeks, I have been watching the many headlines, debates, misinformation, misrepresentation of facts as well as self-congratulatory statements by some members of the delegation that went to Geneva to participate in the 40th session of the Human Rights Council where the High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet presented the Report on Sri Lanka as requested by the Human Rights Council.