Easter Sunday carnage : Interest groups question why crucial information on extremists was ignored by authorities

Six years have elapsed since the deadly Easter Sunday carnage left a permanent scar on the country’s political and national security domain.

Bishop Rayappu Joseph was the Voice of the Voiceless Who Spoke Truth to Power

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”. These words written by St. Paul in his epistle to Timothy (2.Timothy 4.7) are a fitting epitaph to the life and service of former Catholic Bishop of Mannar, the Most Rev. Rayappu Joseph whose 85th birth anniversary was on April 16 this year.

“We’re all human beings together in this common home” - Rev. Marc Billimoria

Celebrating 175 years in Sri Lankan education, S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia has gifted some of the most important citizens to the country’s history, heritage and development. As ‘the school by the sea’ celebrates dodransbicentennial (refers to the 175th anniversary),

Amidst Govt. restrictions….. Uncertainty looms over Kimbulapitiya’s creative fireworks industry

Government’s restrictions on the issuance of chemical components to licensed firecracker manufacturers have kept small and medium scale manufacturers in the dark over the past few years. For Priyantha Henry Peters (53), a medium scale fireworks manufacturer from Kimbulapitiya, these restrictions have taken a toll on his business.

Noise pollution menace - despite lawsuits, lawbreakers continue with impunity

Carnivals and musical shows are a major attraction during the upcoming festive period, often accompanied with deafening music. But noise pollution caused by these events which sometimes run late into the night would be a burden to residents living in close proximity. Despite having a Supreme Court judgement on noise pollution with clear directions on specified time limits for nocturnal events, and duties vested on the police when it comes to in

Modi comes, Modi goes

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded a three-day visit to Sri Lanka last week, his fourth visit to the country and the first since the election of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the JVP-led NPP government.

Should Sri Lanka not Arrest Tamil Nadu Fishermen Poaching in Northern Waters?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s week-end visit to Sri Lanka proved to be quite a success according to print and electronic media reports. The highlights of the two-day trip from Friday 4 April to Sunday 6 April were the signing of a Memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation that recognised the inter-linked nature of national security of both countries and the conferment of the ‘Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana’ award upon the Indian P

Indo-Lanka Relations: Actioning the tryst with opportunity

Lakshman Kadirgamar once described India–Sri Lanka relations as one of “irreversible excellence.” Unfortunately, under some governments, they have been neither irreversible nor excellent.

Pro-Palestinianism is not terrorism

Where free speech is denied or curtailed, democracy is either flawed or does not exist. This universally embraced description of democracy declares that free elections alone do not make a democracy, but free speech, among other democratic principles, also matters.

Climate change and farmers’ struggles in Mannar

Mannar is a region where most people depend on farming for their livelihood in one of Sri Lanka’s ‘dry zones.’ But in recent times, climate change has made farming here very difficult. Weather patterns have become unpredictable, temperatures are rising, and extreme weather conditions are happening more often. These changes are making it hard for farmers to grow crops, causing economic problems and food shortages. Microsoft founder Bill Gates an

Mirihana marshlands being filled by organised groups

Under the former Gotabaya Rajapaksa Government, 37 acres, 1 rood (Rood is an English unit of area equal to one quarter of an acre or 10,890 square feet, exactly 1,011.7141056 m2), and 20.44 perches of land from Mirihana North, Mirihana South, Udahamulla East, and Pragathipura zones in the Maharagama urban area were designated for the development of a bird park.

“At least I have done a film to start a discourse about Richard and Manorani”

Asoka Handagama, who is well-acclaimed for his controversial handling of the audio-visual medium (specially cinema in a revolutionary way), has entered the limelight with his newest film ‘Rani’ based on Manorani Saravanamutttu, the brave mother of assassinated journalist, writer, poet and actor Richard de Zoysa. Handagama is known for his skills to discuss serious issues like war, women’s liberty and even taboo subjects like

Feminist Political Economy and the Failures of the Economic Discipline

The 2020s is turning out to be a decade of great unravelling of the global order much like the 1930s. The Great Depression of the 1930s and the aggravation of the debt crisis in countries like Germany, paved the way for the rise of fascism and tremendous destruction with World War II. Only time will tell the depth of the contemporary unravelling and its fallout.

‘‘Corona’’Karuna: The Chequered History of an Eastern Warlord

Former Eastern regional commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is very much in the news again. Muralitharan, whose nom de guerre in the LTTE was “Karuna”, is among four Sri Lankans sanctioned last week by the United Kingdom (UK) for alleged human rights violations and abuses committed during the civil war.

A Truth And Reconciliation Commission For Sri Lanka: Issues And Challenges

The establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a matter of lively interest across our society at this time. Developments a few days ago at the international level make this issue immediately relevant to the national interest of Sri Lanka.

Beyond Survival: Forging Sri Lanka’s Future Through Workforce Reinvention

In an era of rapid technological advancements and global economic shifts, Sri Lanka must urgently develop a smart workforce to navigate the challenges ahead. With increasing automation, digital transformation, and shifting global labor demands, the country’s ability to remain competitive and sustain economic growth hinges on equipping its workforce with the necessary skills and knowledge.

Conspiracy to force Indian copper company to leave Sri Lanka?

In an article published in the Daily Mirror on February 27, 2025, we revealed that heavy metals from a copper and brass extracting company were being discharged into the Kelani River, the primary water source for Labugama and Kalatuwa. Following the article titled ‘Pethiyagoda Copper, Brass Factory a Threat to the Kelani River’, the factory confirmed that they are operating in an environmentally friendly manner.

March 1965 Elections, Dudley-Chelva Pact and the “Hath Haula” National Govt.

The Parliamentary election held on March 22, 1965 was an important turning point in the post-independence history of Sri Lanka known as Ceylon then.

D.S. Senanayake’s 73rd Death Anniversary: The Father of The Nation

On the 21st of March, 1952, mournful shockwaves shook the entire nation with the sudden announcement that the First Prime Minister and the beloved “Father of the Nation”, passed away following an accident that took place on the morning of that day.

Spotlight on Sinharaja forest State officials supporting illegal mechanised gem mining at Botiyathenna

An illegal mechanised gem mining operation is taking place on a private land, located on the border of Sannan Dola, near the entrance to the main forest and the elephant corridor in Botiyathenna area of Sinharaja in Dolekanda Grama Niladhari Division. This area comes under the control of the Kalawana Divisional Secretariat in Ratnapura District.

THE PRESIDENTIAL YOUTH COMMISSION AND CURRENT SOCIAL CHALLENGES

My tenure of office as Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo coincided with the most turbulent period in the history of the university system in our country.

The bane of over tourism and Israel occupation in Sri Lanka

Over tourism in the form of backpackers and tourists who patronise establishments run by their own communities are becoming a threat to Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and culture. This had been evident with recent incidents being reported from down South. The Daily Mirror has received credible information of at least two incidents where Israeli tourists had gone to the extent of warning locals to discontinue their parties while parties done by these tou

Spotlight on Wandama Demaliya Reserve Plan to allocate forest land to farmers causes concerns

According to the Soba Padanama Foundation, the government plans to distribute 102 hectares of forest land from the proposed Wandama Demaliya Reserve—an area where wild elephants roam in large numbers and where their routes are located—to farmers

Will The Jvp-Led Npp Do Well In The Jaffna Local Authority Elections?

“The national people’s power will win all 17 local authorities in the Jaffna district and form administrations” was the confident assertion of Ramalingam Chandrasekar in Jaffna on Thursday (Mar 13).

Can Sri Lanka Achieve End Poverty Target by 2030?

Over the decades, Sri Lanka has witnessed substantial improvements in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, contributing to a reduction in poverty rates.

Renovation of MR’s official residence No proof to show Govt. procurement guidelines were followed during purchases through Lanka Building Materials Corporation Limited

Credible information as to how public funds have been misappropriated from the entire Mahinda Rajapaksa official residence renovation project has now reached this newspaper, following the Right to Information Commission’s stern order to the contractor- Lanka Building Materials Corporation Limited- to release the requested details to the Daily Mirror newspaper.

Solar Dreams vs Bureaucratic Nightmares: Sri Lanka’s Sustainable Energyat a Crossroads

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) conducted a valuable workshop on the way forward for Sri Lanka towards an enhanced renewable energy (RE) penetration in its energy mix recently, on January 30, 2025.

Gamini Fonseka was an artistically acclaimed, commercially valued actor

Gamini Fonseka has been my favourite Sinhala film actor since childhood. Gamini entered my life when I was about eight years old.

Security and freedom: Counter terrorism legislation in Sri Lanka

Civilisations since the dawn of history have engaged in search for the right balance between security and liberty-both elemental needs of society through dramatically changing conditions and priorities.

How climate change impacts Sri Lanka’s dengue disease burden

Three-year-old Nethmi Sehansa* from Dematagoda, a suburb of Colombo, succumbed to dengue in May 2023. Her parents and elder siblings remain devastated by her untimely demise.