The Vagaries Of SLC And Danushka’s Misdemeanours - EDITORIAL

We, Lankans, it is often claimed, have very short memories. Just over a year-and-a-half ago almost every Lankan took to the streets....

The Tragic Plight of Lionair 602 Flight - 25 Years Ago

The focus of this two-part article is the tragic plight of Lionair 602 flight twenty-five years ago. The first part of this article published last week related how the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) shot down an Antonov 24 carrying 48 passengers and 7 crew on 29 September 1998.

Lifelines And Life Sentences

Prisons are spoken of during the time of a festive season like Christmas and also on a religious occasion like Vesak. These are times when prisoners receive amnesty for wrongs committed in society. This Christmas as many as 1,004 inmates from Sri Lankan prisons were released through a government initiative. There is a trend these days to include scenes inside prisons when teledramas are telecast in Sri Lanka. Otherwise the prison is a subject

Gaza genocide and a world order robbed of humanity greet 2024

Three months of relentless attacks on civilians in the Gaza Strip confirm that there is little place for compassion and values in world politics. The world is being robbed of its humanity. The biggest culprit is the Joe Biden administration. It is responsible for aggravating two major wars: the Russia-Ukraine war and Israel’s inhumane war against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. The US could have prevented the Ukraine war if only it had

Divestiture of State Owned Enterprises and the TUs

Today, 28th December, all major trade unions – some affiliated to political parties – are scheduled to meet at the postal auditorium to discuss strategies to oppose government plans to divestiture State Owned Enterprises (SOEs). The trade unions are totally opposed to what they see as the government’s attempts to privatise public enterprises and state assets under ‘various guises’. Among the SOEs lined up for divestiture are those in the sectors

Looking At Collective Responsibility Through The Eyes Of ‘Manuwarna’

The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is hell-bent on eradicating the drug menace and the underworld in a hurry. It’s pertinent to see why the regime has suddenly woken up and is racing towards achieving a goal which previous regimes pursued, but left unfinished. The Sirisena government gave a good start to eradicating drugs, but in the end it was more of a big show and amounted to being a media stunt. That programme lost steam early at the start it

Are We Ready To Face The Problem Of Climate Change? - EDITORIAL

Lanka is the second most vulnerable nation to confront climatic change. Roughly, 50 percent of our population lives in low-lying....

Beyond The Media Circus Of ‘Yukthiya’, The Anti-Crime Bust

No wonder the new acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon thought a fresh crime-busting initiative was the way to promote himself for permanency....

THE IMF -A LOAN SHARK; NOT HUMANITARIAN, SYMPATHETIC OR HELPFUL

‘Colonialism has not ended. It has taken only another form: financial’ Part 1 of the financial loan of 2.7 billion the IMF has pledged for the 17th time to Sri Lanka was released last March. The delay in releasing the second tranche of the loan was due to the failure of the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to satisfy the agreed policy requirements. However, the IMF released the second tranche a week ago but demanded that the SL government strengthe

Let’s ponder on the proposed Online Safety Bill

The government is going to pass next month the Online Safety Bill which provoked controversy and a wide debate few months ago due to its apparent crude repressive nature. In fact it was a Bill originally drafted apparently with questionable faith professing to be good faith. So many sections of the original Bill seemed to be threatening the freedom of expression. The Bill, in its perambulatory clause said that it is an Act to establish the Onli

The many twists and turns in Sri Lanka-Israel relations

Sri Lanka’s relationship with Israel has been unique. In the past 75 years as an independent nation, Sri Lanka has recognised, derecognized and again recognised Israel, guided by ever changing ideological, geopolitical and domestic factors. But in contrast to Sri Lanka, Israel has been consistent: It has always wanted good relations with Sri Lanka and has helped Sri Lanka whenever its help was sought, irrespective of the official status of the

For Unto Us A Child Is Born - EDITORIAL

Everywhere in the world today children have become unbelievably vulnerable. How could we become more sensitive and committed to their plight? What does the birth of Christ, who was a child once...

Christmas in Bethlehem Subdued by Conflict

“Invite the poor to share a meal with you on Christmas Day,” - His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith. “Colombo Sparkles and Shines …” Streets of Colombo were lit up for the festive season....

When the Tigers Shot Down the Lionair Flight 602 in the Mannar Sea

Twenty-five years ago an Antonov 24 aircraft carrying fifty-five civilians from Jaffna to Colombo was shot down over the Gulf of Mannar by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on 29 September 1998.

The Dilemma of the UNP and the SLPP

The solitary member of the United National Party (UNP) in Parliament, Vajira Abeywardena seems to be clever in grabbing and holding media attention but sometimes in wrong ways – in most occasions damaging his own image.

Is The ‘Lion of Ruhuna’ Losing His Mane - EDITORIAL

In Lanka today, the winds of change are blowing. Unfortunately, it is an ill-wind which blows across our country.

The Destroying Of A Vibrant Helpful Culture - EDITORIAL

The citizens of this sun-kissed island are getting ready for a doubtful 2024, but before that they have to celebrate Christmas and the dawn of the New Year. This celebrating habit has continued....

Gaza ceasefire: US is on the wrong side of history

From Tuesday, for three days in a row, the United States, out of its unwavering devotion to its ‘chosen’ ally, Israel, deliberately delayed a highly diluted United Nations Security Council’s....

In A Well-Governed Country, We Should Be Ashamed Of Poverty

Spiritual revelation says that when we bear each other’s burdens, we will fulfill the law of the Truth. We need to deeply ponder on this insight as we consider how and in what way we could assist in the vital area of poverty alleviation. According to the United Nations, this issue should be based on the theme “Decent Work and Social Protection: Putting Dignity in Practice for All”. The world body says, the International Day for the Eradication o

For Sri Lanka, A Governance-Linked Bond Might Just Be The Ticket

It is a truth universally acknowledged that if Sri Lanka under-performs on its governance corrections, it will underperform on its economic recovery as well (with apologies to Jane Austen); the first provides the foundation for the second. Sri Lanka secured IMF board approval for the second tranche of the current IMF programme exactly 102 days after the scheduled date for the first review. It is not normal for a second tranche to be so delayed, a

Election Year: Would it wreck the economic recovery?

Sri Lankan economy expanded by 1.6 per cent in the third quarter of this year, slowly emerging from one and half years of contraction. With the service sector picking up and manufacturing....

Need To Lift Ban On Oil Palm Cultivations

Former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake is reported to have assured hard-pressed oil palm cultivators in Matugama that he would persuade the government to lift the ban on oil palm cultivations...

‘War On Drugs’ - Eradicate The Cause Not The Victims - EDITORIAL

Our country faces a major drugs-related problem. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) estimates that there are currently about 45,000 regular users of heroin and about 600,000...

Where Is The Promised Safety Net For The Poor?

The country is totally relying on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) led programme for recovery from the unprecedented economic crisis that was created by the leaders who for the past several decades promised to the people a paradise on earth. Despite the successful recovery being still in the balance, the economic reforms that are being implemented under the IMF programme have already started to bite especially the poor and the vulnerable. Th

Simplifying A ‘Himalayan Task’ : GTF & Bikkhu Group’s Commendable Approach

The Global Tamil Forum, a twice-banned diaspora organization, has reportedly received a warm reception during their recent visit to Sri Lanka. They’ve arrived with a delegation of Buddhist monks to present the Himalaya Declaration. While their meetings with the President, religious figures, and civil leaders have caused concerns in certain sectors, there haven’t been direct attacks or confrontations reported. These receptions might suggest a pote

Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts - EDITORIAL

Last week, U.S. Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice, Desirée Cormier Smith was in Lanka. During her time here, Ms. Smith met Malaiyaha Tamils - up country Tamils - civil society....

Authoritarian Austerity in Global Context

Economies are shaped by politics, and development is intrinsically linked to democracy. With over fifty countries in the Global South facing severe debt problems, what does the future of democracy....

Indo-Sri Lanka Grid Connectivity – Its Pros and Cons

The Electricity Bill is officially published in the Gazette and is yet to be presented to the Parliament. This article restricts to Indo-Sri Lanka Grid....

Suma, Shri And Yohes In Triangular Contest For ITAK/FP Leadership

The Ilankai Thamil Arasuk Katchi (ITAK) known in English as the Federal Party (FP) is the premier political party of the Northern and Eastern Sri Lankan Tamils. The ITAK/FP was formed on 18 December 1949.

Truth About Truth Seeking

Last week saw two important events in respect of reconciliation among various communities in Sri Lanka. In one of them, several members of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF), a group from the Tamil diaspora and a group of leading Buddhist monks, met President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Mahanayake Theras of the Malwatta and Asgiriya Chapters on December 8, and handed over a document called “Himalaya Declaration.”