Election of the Bar Association

The election of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is around the corner and there are two contenders for the post of President. BASL is a professional body of lawyers tasked with the responsibility of regulating the legal profession. It is an org

Ginigathhena town disturbed by construction racket

Folks in Ginigathhena are concerned because a junior politician of the Ambagamuwa Pradesha Sabha is causing harm to the environment through one of his questionable activities. It is reported that lumps of earth have been removed from a construction site ignoring recommendations by environment authorities; thus causing concerns about possible landslides in the ar

War Crimes, Genocide and Hypocrisy - EDITORIAL

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is gearing up to launch its 46th session virtually on February 22.

Myanmar’s generals just can’t let go

The not unexpected military coup which ended Myanmar’s nerve-wracking experiment with civilian rule overshadows this week’s Covid-19 dominated world news.

Stripping Civic Rights Under Draconian Act?

The President has appointed a Special 3-member Presidential Commission to implement recommendations of PCoI on political victimization....

Sri Lanka needs a complete revamp of politics - Harin Fernando

Former Sports Minister Harin Fernando is among the outspoken members of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) in Parliament. However, Fernando....

Protest Launched From Pottuvil in East to Poligandy in North

There has been a lot of political excitement in the Tamil speaking areas of the Eastern Province for the past two days (February 3 and 4) due to the launching of a protest demonstration named “Pottuvil to Poligandy” or “P2P”. This was to be a long march on foot and in vehicles from the Eastern town of Pottuvil in the Ampara District to the Northern town of Poligandy in Jaffna district.

Surge in Covid-19 infections and entry of vaccines

Sri Lanka has seen a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases and deaths since October last year. The number of deaths which stood at just 13 in October 2020 has now passed the 330 mark. The number of people contracting the disease which stood at 3,382 on 1 October, 2020 rose to 24,532 by 1 December, 2020 and to 66,409 by 3 February, 2021.

Politics behind ECT

The controversy over the East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port seems to be far from over, despite the agitation by port-worker-trade unions having subsided.

Looking beyond independence - EDITORIAL

Most Sri Lankans raised their nationals flags yesterday (February 4) not only because it was Independence Day, but as a measure or move to boost.....

Myanmar coup: The dangers of politicizing the military

To a world that is grappling with the coronavirus crisis, Myanmar’s February 1 military coup was hard to absorb, although it came as no shock to Myanmar watchers.

Celebrating independence in a harsh regime

One of the biggest problems faced by Sri Lankans in general is that they are forced to worry too much about how to survive the 30 days of the month. This blunts thinking and puts a stop to coming up with creative ideas to escape from the financial mess they are in. The present financial mess the Government is in has a general reflection on the financial situation of the people of this country.

Will India abandon Sri Lanka at UNHRC?

The lack of consistency in foreign policy affairs between the two main political forces have led to irritations in Sri Lanka’s relations with the rest of the world at times. In the latest example India looked embarrassed and miffed by the government’s decision to renege from the previous regime’s commitment to develop the East Container Terminal of Colombo Port in partnership with it.

US threw the strategic baby and kept HR bathwater

The US Committee on Foreign Relations presented an analysis on Sri Lanka to the Senate on December 7, 2009, i.e. almost seven months after the war on terrorism ended with the world’s most ruthless terrorist outfit, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) being comprehensively defeated by the Sri Lankan security forces.

Vaccines: A new phase in battle against COVID-19

In the wake of the rapidly increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Sri Lanka, currently recording a daily average of nearly 800 during the past few days and the COVID-related death toll rising to 330 as of Wednesday afternoon,

“I am not sidelined, but decided to function low-key” - Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa -

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in an interview with the Daily Mirror speaks about future economic plans of the government amidst the pandemic situation....

Harshest ever warning by UNHRC - EDITORIAL

The United Nations Human Rights Council has issued harshest ever warnings to Sri Lankan leaders over the implementation of its previous resolutions.

Lacuna in Law Causing Grave Injustice: John Kotelawala ‘Homicide’ Perpetrators Got away with Impunity

AG’s word on Role of Judges…, and last Friday’s news item on two women aged 24 and 27 being killed by their husbands in separate incidents....

Disruptive activities of a Coal Power Plant; ‘Norochcholai’ too hot for marine life

Whilst the world’s coral reef sanctuaries are facing the threat of being destroyed due to rising sea temperatures, local environmental groups.....

PCoI on Easter Sunday attacks: THE END OR ANOTHER BEGINNING ?

For more than a year, the Daily Mirror reported on the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) appointed to inquire into the 2019 Easter Sunday Attacks.

Are we activists for justice or religious hypocrites?

As we celebrate our Independence Day on February 4 -- though there are many questions as to how independent we are or will be after the 20th Amendment -- the United Nations also marks the International Day of Human Fraternity.

Government’s self-inflicted misfortune at the UNHRC

Ms. Bachelet’s report is unusually blunt. It’s a cut and paste job of Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch, etc, probably with some input from types of transnational govt. of Tamil Eelam and likeminded groups

Consequences of the military coup in Myanmar

Myanmar is seeing its fourth military coup since independence from the British in 1948. On February 1, the Myanmar military called the “Tatmadaw” was in the process of taking over the country from State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint.

Ven. Prof. Bellanvila Wimalarathana: A Valiant Priest of our Times

I have been wanting to write about Ven. Prof. Bellanvila Wimalarathana for a long time. But having worked with him closely it was difficult to bring myself to write about him as the grief was so great. I still wonder whether I have fully come to terms with this loss. His untimely demise was a great loss to the entire nation. Personally, I valued

Criticism against Govt. an urban phenomenon - G.L. Peiris

Education Minister Professor G.L. Peiris, in an interview with the Daily Mirror, responds to queries about plans for revival of the education sector amidst the pandemic. Also, he shares his views on some criticism of the government in the realization of public expectations. The Excerpts:

Virtual education, CoVID-19 and dumping of our children - EDITORIAL

In 1945, the system of free education was introduced into our country. Since then. every child over the age of five, and not more than sixteen has been entitled to free education.

When Informality Kills

What happens to most working people’s income when they fall sick or become too old to work? What does an economic depression....

Dharmasena Pathiraja: “Enfant Terrible” of Sinhala Cinema

January 28, 2021 was the third death anniversary of famous filmmaker Dharmasena Pathiraja. The renowned academic cum film director, referred to as “Pathi” by almost everybody he interacted with, breathed his last on the morning of January 28, 2018 at the Lakeside Hospital in Kandy.

UNHRC: Govt. between the devil and deep blue sea

The Government on January 22 announced one of its countermeasures against the possible resolution that would be adopted in the UNHRC sessions in Geneva.

Growing dissatisfaction in Lanka

The Covid-19 pandemic has shaken the economies in countries the world over. Sri Lanka too has been shaken as the pandemic worsens and the numbers of those contracting the disease and the death rate rising rapidly.