Take a breather, we all need it

My last column, where I wrote about my personal struggle of reporting on the Lasantha Wickrematunge murder generated quite a bit of reactions. Some were praising me, most were ambivalent ....

Ministers wailing before the masses

It is ludicrous that while people are suffering from severe shortage of essential goods such as domestic gas and milk powder and a threat of imminent long hours of power cuts is looming, ministers who are responsible for resolving these issues are pointing finger at each other in public and attempting to absolve themselves from their responsibilities.

Bath Dun Piya (father who feeds the nation): Xi Jing Piya

In the national mythology, certain personalities are accorded a special place for their rightful contribution or their omnipotent control of the system that enabled them to carve out a larger than life-size stature. So, D.S. Senanayake, the first prime ministe

Coup ’62: PM Sirimavo, Service Chiefs to a Dungeon Awaiting Execution?

The acting Navy Chief, Rajan Kadirgamar was another key officer to be arrested and held incommunicado for a certain period of time. On the morning of D-day, the 27th,CC Dissanayake, DIG [CC], met a few....

Messa: A neglected masterpiece?

Eric Illayaparachchi’s most recent literary creation, the novel Messa is a profound work that needs the attention of a larger audience than it has gained so far. Eric Illayaparachchi....

War drums, Russia’s red lines, NATO expansionism and Ukraine - EDITORIAL

Currently Europe is on edge. War drums are beating once again in the Balkans. Ukraine and Russia are as yet engaged in a war of words, with Ukraine claiming Russia is about....

Debt Restructuring and Structural Reforms: It’s Class, Stupid!

The Sri Lankan economy is sinking deeper and deeper into crisis. The economic establishment and their policies that reduced the country to this state of affairs are screaming for more....

1962 Coup: Disgruntlement Within Army and Police Top Brass

In order to understand the 1962 Coup d’état conspiracy phenomenon, it is essential to delve deep into some events that happened between Independence in February 1948 and the envisaged D-day for executing the coup on January 27-28th 1962.

Society’s heart is judged by the way it treats children

Sri Lanka is caught up in crisis after crisis, controversy after controversy and chaotic confusion as to who is doing what and who is not doing what. Unfortunately,

The urgency of a regime change

Many definitely have a serious interest in handing over the government to the JVP/NPP as it seems only, they can deliver the people from the hell that the Rajapakses, with the help of the UNP and the SLFP, have dumped them in. It is true that the people have run out of choices. So, they have concluded that perhaps the JVP/NPP must be given the chance to walk the talk.

Year Five Scholarship and big dreams! - EDITORIAL

The much awaited scholarship exam for grade 5 students will be held on Saturday (January 22). It’s still considered a dream come true for schoolboys and schoolgirls from lesser-known schools to do well....

Sri Lanka’s fresh equidistant policy vis-à-vis India and China

The dollar-starved Sri Lankan government is buoyed that it has been receiving financial assistance from India and China, which are vying for the dominance of the South Asian part of the Indo-Pacific...

Sri Lanka has to act more than India

The joint development of the Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm entails more strategic interests than commercial interests for India. Trincomalee is strategically positioned, and it is an indispensable location as far as security interests of the major countries such as India and the United States in the Bay of Bengal are concerned.

The SLFP and SLFPers

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) seems ready to quit the Government if we are to go by the noises made by senior members of that party.

Difficult times ahead for Sri Lanka

It is no secret that the country is facing a plethora of problems; the main among them being the economic meltdown worsened by rapidly dwindling foreign currency reserves with the resultant dollar crunch making it impossible to import essential commodities including milk powder,

Explosive devices and growing mistrust of the state - EDITORIAL

A few days ago, Christians were shocked to hear an arm of the security forces claim, they had discovered a bomb/grenade....

How many sticks are there in your matchbox?

The Politicians of Sri Lanka have uttered some historically memorable words in their tenure. For example, it was Minister Bandula.....

“We’re facing a challenging situation regarding fuel supply” - Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila

Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila takes questions from DailyMiror regarding Sri Lanka’s agreement with India to develop....

Objective media helps healthy democracy

Despite the relationship between politicians and the media being something interdependent, it is always not friendly. With media always going after politicians in search of stories while politicians too always seeking media publicity even for their ab

Wheeler-dealing with the economy

The Central Bank is expected to pay an international sovereign bond of USD 500 million at its maturity today, and would probably flaunt it with a celebratory tweet as if it were an epic feat. Celebrate! Indeed yes, if the primary function of th

There is no national security without child protection - Dr. Wickramanayaka

Child Protection is a National Crisis in Sri Lanka. 30 years after signing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1991, a child is sexually abused every 2 hours and Sri Lanka....

Mahawamsa and Buddha’s visits to Lanka - EDITORIAL

The Mahawamsa or the Great chronicle of Lanka does not start with the account of Vijaya, the first recorded king of the country. The Vijaya story only begins in the sixth chapter of the book under....

“Election Phobia” and Easter Sunday Massacre: Two Threaten to Disclose Facts

We wrote on these columns, under the heading “Election Phobia? Only one Cure; Face It… ”, on February 7, 2019, when the Yahapalana government kept postponing Provincial Council (PC) elections. Dictionary....

Background to the Coup d’état conspiracy of 1962

This January is the 60th anniversary of what has come to be known as the 1962 Coup or Coup d’état of Sri Lanka known formerly as Ceylon.

Non-violence is mightier than the mightiest weapon

During the nearly 30-year civil war and the two armed insurrections led by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) hundreds of thousands of Sri Lankan people were killed or injured while an equal number were left in deprivation and destitution, desolation and social degradation.

Britain says Sri Lanka needs good governance and equal rights for all

Kumar Sangakkara, a sportsperson both our countries greatly admire, spoke passionately about ‘different ethnicities and religions who celebrate their diversity by uniting for a common cause’. Naturally, he was talking about cricket,

IMF may be a Shylock, but Lanka should do what is right

As the global recession resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the International Monetary Fund is once again in a commanding position to reshape the world economy – also politics – and revisit those growing economies which had not so long ago snubbed it.

recent Child disappearances and naive parents

In the recent past there were reports of several children going missing and being found later. Children going missing is a sensitive topic. It’s heartbreaking when that happens. The most recent one was a 15-year-old girl who went missing in Maharagama. She later surfaced when the police released her photo to the media seeking help to trace her.

Did fear of defeat prompt government to postpone LG polls?

Public Services, Provincial Councils and Local Government Minister Janaka Bandara Thennakoon has not given, as he is not legally required to, any reason for the term extension of local government bodies, till March 19, next year.

Remembering Lasantha Wickramatunga - EDITORIAL

On January 8, 2022 was marked the 13th anniversary of Lasantha Wickramatunga’s assassination in broad daylight at Ratmalana....