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:

‘What I do in my bedroom shouldn’t be State’s business’ -Rosanna Flamer-Caldera-

LGBTIQ rights have been and are still a very sensitive topic in Sri Lanka. The topic is sensitive mainly because of Sri Lanka’s strong cultural background, a culture which refuses to accept gay rights. Rosanna Flamer-Cald

Core-group working on SL seeks consensual resolution at UNHRC - Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will have its 46th session between February 22 and March 19. Sri Lanka is on the agenda this time.....

The Govt. is trapped in a huge mess and muddle: Harsha

The Daily Mirror sat with former Economic Affairs State Minister and SJB MP, Dr. Harsha De Silva to discuss the Economy, Politics, Current Affairs and.....

“Pohottuwa is becoming unpopular” -Welgama

As a senior politician in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Kalutara District Parliamentarian Kumara Welgama had been a loyal supporter for decades.

“I don’t think Sri Lankans can be realistically ruled by force” -Ahimsa Wickrematunge

Twelve years after the assassination of Lasantha Wickrematunge, the founding editor of The Sunday Leader, on January 8, 2009, his killers remain at large.But over the last few years his daughter Ahimsa Wickrematunge has become a household name through her activism and litigation to seek justice for the killing of her dad.

“I am the Godfather of Russian tourists” - Udayanga Weeratunga

Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Russia Udayanga Weeratunga is back in the scene in a controversial way once again. He is blamed for tarnishing the government’s pilot....

We need to convert elephants from economic liability to economic asset - Dr. Sumith Pilapitiya

Sri Lanka recently set a record for the highest annual number of elephant deaths and the second highest number of human deaths.....

‘‘We seek to bring about a thinking revolution”- Patali Champika Ranawaka

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Patali Champika Ranawaka quit the Jathika Hela Urumaya(JHU) recently to form a new movement.

‘‘It’s a shame that Sri Lanka imports even the national flag’’ State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara

The SLFP plays a huge role in taking the Government in the right direction as the major constituent partner of the SLPP led coalition Government.

HRCSL can no longer be considered legally independent - Ambika Satkunanathan

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) conducted the first national study on the treatment and conditions of prisoners from February 2018.....

World powers make non-aligned status almost unworkable – Pakistan High Commissioner

Speaking to, Pakistani High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Maj. Gen. (Retd) Muhammad Saad Khattak spelled out the status of bilateral relations from his country’s perspective and shed light on the potential areas for further growth in trade and cooperation.

“Human trafficking incidents will spike due to the pandemic”- Khadka

Human trafficking has become a global crisis that has questioned the worth of being human. Victims are exploited as commodities....

High level interaction and commitment - the way foward on path to recovery

Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay spoke to Daily Mirror in an exclusive interview outlining the direction of bilateral ties and the status of bilateral projects. He also touched upon contentious issues. Excerpts:

“There were no virologists in the committees set up” - Prof Vitharana

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National List MP Prof. Tissa Vitharana recently said that COVID-19 is now in the community and nobody has immunity against it since it’s a new virus.

Where is democracy if people’s privacy and personal data are not protected? - Sunil Abeyaratne

Contact tracing due to the COVID- 19 pandemic has led to privacy concerns. While this has become a global concern, unlike other countries, Sri Lanka has no law in place to protect privacy. The Data Protection Bill was presented to the p

People not taking things seriously - Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake

The second wave of the Covid 19 is taking its toll on Sri Lanka and Colombo is one of the most affected areas. With the death toll from Colombo....

Govt’s aim to make the public happy, not the politicians - Ramesh Pathirana

Plantation Industries Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana shared his views on the current political and economic situation in the country and on COVID-19 pandemic that has devastated the country.

Asymptomatic Covid-19 cases and those with mild illnesses would not be contagious after 7 days -Prof. Neelika Malavige-

As the Western Province, the economic hub of the country is opened after nearly two weeks of lockdown and people are eager to get back to their normal.....

Healthcare workers are stressed out

“Our workload is high and it’s extremely stressful,” – this is how Pushpa Ramyani de Soyza, Chief Nurse, National Coordinator (Training) and Triage Team Leader at Accident and Orthopedic Service at the Colombo National Hospital descr

Is Covid-19 a disaster?

In Sri Lanka, where the death toll has been relatively low, does Covid-19 qualify as a disaster? We ask the expert

“Taliban-produced drugs entering Sri Lanka through Pakistan” -Ashraf Haidari

Afghanistan has been a victim of years of terrorism which continues to destabilize an otherwise peaceful country with a yout

We need to realize ours is a multi-religious, multi-ethnic society - Malaysian envoy

Malaysian High Commissioner Tan Yang Thai speaks to the Daily Mirror about the bilateral relations and relevance of his country for Sri Lanka.....

“I was shunned and called a traitor” - Juwairiya Mohideen

Juwairiya Mohideen is a name familiar among displaced people in the North and East. Having been evicted from her hometown in 1990....

Most proactive strategies executed to fight pandemic- Army Commander

The tri-forces have been continuously engaged in a mission to combat COVID-19. At the onset of the pandemic, a Presidential Task Force for the Prevention of COVID-19.....

‘There’re four key accountability gaps in 20th A’ -Asoka Obeysekere

S.C. Asoka Obeyesekere, Executive Director at Transparency International Sri Lanka, airs out his views on the 20th Amendment in an email interview with Daily Mirror.

Live wires of Sri Lanka’s economy are now treated like criminals - Chamila Thushari

Although the apparel sector is said to be Sri Lanka’s largest export industry, its live wires – the garment factory workers are seldom recognized.

President should be independent, impartial, symbol of national unity : Dr. Nihal Jayawickrama

The 20th Amendment to the Constitution has drawn severe criticisms from various elements including some who have been batting for the pro-government league for a long time. A whopping 39 petitions were filed against its enactment, which w

US will feel the ramifications of the pandemic for years -Top US academic

Charles Zelden, a top academic of the United States speaks to Daily Mirror. about the political implications of COVID-19 in his country on the November 3 Presidential Elections.

20th Amendment to the Constitution: A DRACONIAN LAW IN THE MAKING?

With the 20A being tabled in Parliament, several groups have expressed their concerns over the newly substituted provisions.