Mangala, a reflection of COVID-19 “National Crisis”

In a society where “politics” is nothing but personal or a family enterprise in gaining entry to parliament and be part of “power politics”, parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera surprised all by announcing his departure from parliamentary politics.

Parliamentary Elections 2020: Sri Lanka: A Nation at Crossroads

Sri Lanka will hold its 16th parliamentary election on August 5 this year, the first being held in Aug-Sept 1947, a poll that lasted 19 days. It will also be the ninth since the country became a Democratic Socialist Republic.

Lanka fails to make it to Britain’s quarantine-exempt countries - EDITORIAL

The coronavirus pandemic which broke out in China in December last year, has left in its wake over ten million affected people, and over 500,000 fatalities. It has forced countries the world....

Recognition of Unsung Heroes

Persons who deserve honour for their patriotic deeds and distinguished services to the country are rightly recognised as National Heroes, National War Heroes and Recipients of Sri Lankan National Honours.

Two movies and a lesson

Z (1969) and The Confession (1971) are two of my favourite political thrillers. Both were directed by the great Costa-Gavras. Both are about power and the excess of power. And both are about the victims of those who indulge in the excess of power. Z is about a left-wing antiwar activist in Greece who, after speaking at a rally one night, gets hit on the head by right-wing brigands and dies hours later.

Renewing America’s Commitment to the Indo-Pacific

As China brashly tries to impose its own system of rules and order in the Pacific, the United States and our allies in the Indo-Pacific confront a time for choosing.

Revive co-operatives as a step towards curbing poverty

Today, though it is better known as the American Independence Day with the Unites States facing its worst health and economic crisis in its history, is also the United Nations International Day of Co-operatives with the world body this year inviting the people to cooperate to fight for climate action.

Another election to repeat the same blunder

A popular claim in the recent past among the people had been that all the 225 members of Parliament were rogues. Some people went on to curse them in public.

Neutrality is not silence: Lanka must speak out for Palestine

Palestinians are sending out SOS messages, calling for international intervention to stop what they, together with the world’s peace-loving people, have roundly denounced as the biggest land....

HR concerns regarding Sri Lanka again! - EDITORIAL

Sri Lanka came in for much praise for controlling the spread of COVID-19, but some of the latest developments in the international scene, regarding human rights issues, might erase much of the good name health workers helped this nation earn.

I’m contesting as a Sri Lankan - M. S. H. Mohamed

M. S. H. Mohamed, who initiated the Fight Cancer Team, will be contesting under the United National Party ticket from Colombo District at the upcoming Parliamentary Elections. The Team raised funds to donate a PET/CT scanner to the Maharagama....

expansion of Pallekandal Church within Wilpattu

Wilpattu National Park (WNP) was declared as a national park in 1938. It is the oldest and the largest national park in Sri Lanka. WNP consists of a unique and sensitive ecosystem forming one of the ‘Villu’ ecosystems present in the North Western region. A total of 284 faunal species belonging to 101 families have been recorded within the WNP, with 21 endemic and 30 nationally threatened species among them.

MCC: a matter for the new parliament to decide

As United States’ Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo (Mike Pompeo) contacted Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardane over the phone at the appointed time of 6.30pm on Monday (local time), the two highest diplomats discussed a broad range of matters covering bilateral relations.

The MCC Compact: US Embassy should stop being cagey

The committee appointed to review the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact has raised serious concerns about the draft agreement. Noting that the document as it stands is detrimental to the national interest and essentially subverts sovereignty while surrendering judicial oversight, the committee clearly recommends that the Government should not sign the document unless such sections are amended. The US Government has not indicated any

Oh! What games some politicians play

The controversy surrounding the public boast by Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman alias ‘Colonel’ Karuna, at a political rally held in Navadinveli in Ampara, of having killed up to 3,000 soldiers in a single night at Elephant Pass and several more at Kilinochchi, seems to have cast a shadow over the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).

MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA: THE POWER BEHIND THE PEOPLE

As we commemorate 50 years in Politics of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa (here forth referred to as Mahinda), I thought it befitting to pen an article....

Serving on the Election Commission: Public service?

Our main job on the Election Commission is to uphold election laws and conduct free and fair elections. Of necessity, this involves interdicting election law violations....

General Elections and the social media landscape

Facebook included its ad library tool to cover Sri Lanka from the last week of May. What this means is that now we can find out....

Israel, the annexation of the West Bank and apartheid - EDITORIAL

In May this year, Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that on -July 01- it would, in line with US President Trump’s one-sided Middle East.....

How can voters know their candidate?

The country is not in a mood for an election, despite the Election Commission (EC) having announced the General Election to elect 225 members to Parliament, to be held in another 35 days. The country is

UNP at crossroads and the coming wrecking of multi-party democracy

The Grand Old Party, the UNP is in deep trouble. The multi-party democracy in Sri Lanka is too. People are right to scorn the UNP for its self-inflicted calamity. But it is foolhardy to brush off the looming prospect of something of a near r

Benefits of global fuel price reduction will be given to people in mid 2021 -Mahinda Amaraweera-

The discussed politics, Power, Energy and Transport sector changes in the country with the subject Minister Mahinda Amaraweera. The Excerpts:

Tribute to CBK on her 75th birthday We must not forget her sacrifice, dedication as a mother and President

I remember my first encounter with Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga (CBK) so vividly. Seven years ago, around mid-morning in late August, I returned a missed call on my phone. I made the usual greeting and asked who it was that I had miss

MCC compact: One size will not fit all

With the American Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact (MCC), getting into hot water in Sri Lanka, Nepal and some countries in Africa, what is apparent is that one size will not fit all. Each cou

Mangala, Harin in sacrilege or speaking the Truth?

Both politics and religion have one common objective: that is to obtain power and use it to realize their aims.

COVID-19 and the need for a vaccine - EDITORIAL

As at Sunday, June 28, more than 501,000 people worldwide had died from the coronavirus since it emerged in China late last year.

As of now we are a safe nation” – Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva–

Commander of the Sri Lanka Army Lt. General Shavendra Silva said Sri Lanka’s battle against COVID-19 was a success story.....

“Col” Karuna’s Eastern Tiger Revolt Against LTTE Chief Prabhakaran.

inayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias “Karuna Amman” a.k.a. “Col” Karuna has got himself into hot water by shooting his mouth off at an election meeting in the East. Currently Karuna Ammaan is the chief candidate on the Amparai District list of the ‘AhilaIlankai Thamizh Maha Sabha’ (All Ceylon Greater Tamil Council). With an intense election campaign being conducted, political party speakers and propagandists are engaged in banter and riposte with ea

The SLPP and the SJB: Which way forward?

The government and what remains of the opposition will be going out to the polls in a month’s time. Freed from lockdowns and curfews, candidates are already organising small scale rallies, challenging opponents, and racking up one controversy after another.

Drug menace: Better knowledge for better care

The United Nations yesterday marked the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.