A two-State solution or a Greater Israel - EDITORIAL

On January 28, 2020, standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, at a White House press conference, US President Trump unveiled his peace plan to settle the Israeli-Palestine conflict.

Coronavirus epidemic reveals China’s dark side

The Coronavirus (CoV) outbreak will eventually be brought under control, and hopefully sooner than expected, but it has brought attention to a darker side of China’s carefully manipulated State-sponsored image of the world’s fastest-growing mega State....

SL’s Chinese connection and Pompeo’s designation of Shavendra Silva

“May you live in interesting times” is a saying that is believed to be an ancient Chinese curse. Many writers and speakers often use this expression or phrase and attribute Chinese origins to it. In spite of the widely-held belief about Chinese links, recent studies by etymologist scholars and linguistic researchers have revealed that there is no evidence of this saying having a Chinese origin.

All is not Wells Part II – MCC and US military objectives in SL

On January 14 this year, the same day that US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Alice Wells met President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo,

Languages and linguistic diversity vital for the world

Yesterday was the United Nation’s International Mother Language Day and the world body in a statement stresses the importance of safeguarding linguistic diversity. It says languages, with their complex implications for identity, communication, social integration, education and development, are of strategic importance for people and the planet.

Maha Sivarathri: The longest night in the Year when devotees pray to attain Moksha

For Hindus world over Maha Sivarathri is purely a religious ceremony of day time fast and vigilance throughout the night. They observe these special rites on the fourteenth night of Phalgma (February/March) which is the longest night in the year, according to the Hindu calendar.

All is not Wells

In November last year shortly after Sri Lanka’s presidential election US Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Alice Wells in a speech at a Washington think tank mentioned that the US would be soon launching the controversial Millennium Challenge Compact (MCC) in Sri Lanka.

Modern-day Slavery ! - EDITORIAL

The plight of domestic workers employed in the Middle East is worse than the frustrated farmers who curse their crop being devastated by fungi. Both the domestic worker and the farmer...

Sainthamaruthu: Agitations, hopes and change of fortunes

What would have been the response of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) had a new local council been established for the Muslim dominated Sainthamaruthu area during the last regime?

SL heading for diplomatic face-off in Geneva

Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardane will fly to Geneva next week to indicate the Government’s interest in doing away with the resolution 30/1 adopted by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). This is a resolution adopted on October 1, 2015 with co-sponsorship of Sri Lanka under the then regime headed by former President Maithripala Sirisena and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe; committing to probe allegations of

Did we forget the habit of saving rice?

Sri Lankans have a fondness for rice and any politician failing to understand this would be in for a rude shock. At present the regime is involved in sorting out a scarcity for rice. We’ve read enough about the government purchasing paddy from farmers and for that purpose it has roped in the Sri Lanka Army (Army service Corp). There was a period some months ago when our favourite variety of rice was noticeably missing in supermarket shelves. Spe

A ‘two-thirds’ we can all agree upon!

Mangala Samaraweera is reported to have opined that the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) will secure a two-thirds majority at the parliamentary elections which are expected to be held in a few months’ time. Interesting.

Udayanga remanded; No U.S. visa for Shavendra

Three months into the tenure of the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government, Sri Lanka’s former ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga, who was in the wanted list of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Financial Crimes Investigation Department (FCID) and having evaded arrest for more than a couple of years, returned to the country on February 14 on board a SriLankan airlines flight from Dubai escorted by two CID officers.

IS IT WORTH IT?

In life, there are certain absolute necessities that we must have like food, water, shelter for starters and nobody will ask if it were worth it. It is just something we need to have to stay alive. The difference is what, why and how.

Communication with a judge: Contempt of court

This is a reference to the matter of Ratnayake Mudiyanselagedara Abeyaratne Ratnayake of Kahalla in Katugastota under Section 51 of the Courts Ordinance 1889 in the Supreme Court (SC). The person charged was none other

Of oxygen, oxymoron and downright Morons: a tribute to Devani

The conversation that took place between the Gampaha District Assistant Conservator of Forests Devani Jayatillake and State Minister of Fisheries and Inland Fishery’s Industry Sanath Nishantha received much publicity on print,

Save the World from Climate Change

Though the United States President Donald Trump still insists that climate change is mainly a Chinese hoax while continuing with his despicable and dangerous measures that have upset the balance of power in the US, one of the

Education Needs Paradigm Shift - EDITORIAL

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who always asserts the application of scientific knowledge, especially the information technology in every aspect of the life of a person as well as every aspect of governance, had on February 11 discussed another similar important issue with those responsible for higher education. During a discussion with the University Vi

US travel ban on Gen. Shavendra Silva Let it pass

America’s Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last week imposed a travel ban on Lt. General Shavendra Silva, the acting Chief of Defence Staff and the Commander of Army, and the Sri Lankan government no

Rudra Residencies Helpless residents allegedly deceived by developer

Residents of Rudra Residencies, Wellawatte claim that they have been deprived of the common facilities that were promised in their sales agreements by the developer. They also claim that the illegal and unconstitutional decisions taken by the Management Committee (MC) has affected the standard apartment owners financially.

Hypocrisy and the blame game - EDITORIAL

On 14 February, two days ago, US Secretary of State Pompeo officiously announced that the United States had designated Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, current Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and Acting Chief of Defence Staff....

Breaking the Silence on Caste

Caste is all present in Jaffna, but a silence prevails about caste oppression. Such silence and invisibility were not always the case, where vibrant struggles against caste oppression shook Jaffna some five decades ago.

US pressure on Sri Lanka and the emerging Westlessness

Munich Security Conference, the world’s largest security conference just concluded with a series of grim notes about directions and chaos in global security. The main theme of the conference for 2020 was, “Westlessness”.

Strangled and pulverised: Dandu Monara on the Brink of Death

Dandu Monara, an ‘aircraft’ that resembled a peacock was used by Ravana, the mythical multi-headed demon-King of Lanka in Valmiki’s Ramayana. In this Sanskrit epic poem of India written in the 5th century BCE, Ravana kidnaps Seetha....

Charismatic actor-politician may have changed the nation’s destiny

The political landscape of Sri Lanka seems gloomy and desolate. Most of the actors who strut about the political stage posing as visionaries and leaders are in actuality empty vessels devoid of substance. Proverbial wisdom tells us empty vessels make most sound.

The noble vision of a just and fair society

Social justice is so vital that Pope Francis has for the past few years taken bold initiatives for all Christian denominations and indeed all world religions to come together in dismantling the structures that prevent poverty alleviation and a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources,

Who cares about industrial security in this country?

Industrial security, commonly known as PRIVATE SECURITY which originated in Srilanka in 1957 with the setting up of MIS security by two respected gentlemen namely Messers Newton Dassanayaka and Uduman,who attempted to join the CEYLON POLICE as Probationary Sub-Inspectors when they were eliminated by the Director Training at the Time, Late Mr. Sydney Soysa due to not sending their applications by post, but opted to personally hand them over with a

Split in UNP: an Inevitable Upshot

Ultimately, after several rounds of rebellion against its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe spanning almost two decades, the United National Party (UNP) split, but not with a bang, as happened in 1951 and 1991.

Of Parents, Children and Sex Education - EDITORIAL

Parents using smart phones and occasionally granting their siblings the use of such communication tools would be more concerned in the future with the news circulating that a 21-year-old man had deceived several schoolboys using social media.

MMDA Repeal Empowering Muslim Women or Endangering them?

The Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act (MMDA) has been in the news for the past few years regarding reforms to the act. Some of the reforms presented include raising the minimum age of marriage upto 18 with no exceptions, allowing female quazis...