Palestinian People Look for their Own Land: Glorious History and Legitimate Position in the World

The last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan marks the International Quds Day. The late founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Imam Khomeini in 1979 called the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan....

WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY- MAY 31, 2019: Irrational tobacco taxation incurs a Rs. 100 Bn loss

The multinational tobacco corporation and tobacco monopoly British American Tobacco (BAT) owns 84.13% shares of Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC). Which places CTC in the holds of the foreign company BAT.

DON’T LET TOBACCO TAKE YOUR BREATH!

On May 31, the WHO and global partners celebrated World No Tobacco Day and this year’s campaign focuses its attention to raise awareness on the harmful and deadly effects of tobacco use and second-hand smoke exposure, and to discourage the use of tobacco in any form.

Anti-Muslim attacks: Process of compensation causes trickle of unease

Violence inflamed by racism and extremism make the individual and the society as a whole incur heavy costs. Despite Sri Lanka, having learned through unpleasant experiences relating to inter-community violence since at least the late 19th century, the country is still witnessing increasing ethno-religious tensions.

Easter Sunday’s Buddhist-Catholic clash near Kochchikade Church 136 years ago

Daily Mirror reported six months before the Easter Sunday carnage [on 28th Sep 2018], Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith’s remarks at a daham pasal function, “Anti religious ideologies are being filtered into the society today.

Young Artists Offer Hope to Children with Cancer

An exhibition titled “Heal the World” will take place at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery, Colombo 7, on May 31 and June 1. At this exhibition, fifteen students of Mrs. Saumya Jayasekera will exhibit a total of 125 paintings.

One month remembrance of the bomb attack on Easter Sunday: In memory of the victims

Forty days of lent and then came Palm Sunday, The Hosannas in Churches they sang with Palms waving in their hands....

Martin Wickramasinghe and his works of art

Martin Wickramasinghe was born on May 29, 1892. According to the era he lived in, it was surprising that he criticised witchcraft. He believed witchcraft was misleading people. He said people shunned medical consultations for their dreadful diseases. What was appealing to them was the work of witch doctors because science was not popular in every nook and corner of

‘The Buddhist Robe’ Path pointing to natural dyes and possible establishment of a natural dyeing industry

Chemical and Process Engineering Department of the Moratuwa University; Project Director, Coordinating Secretariat for Science Technology and Innovation (COSTI); Science, Technology and Research Ministry Authoresses

Statement by the Jaffna People’s Forum for Co-existence: Residents are resolute in welcoming refugees, asylum seekers

As residents in Jaffna and people belonging to different faiths, we are deeply saddened and ashamed that a refugee family was forced to leave Jaffna due to concerns raised over possible threats to their safety by the police. The incident happened in the midst of reprisals against refugees from Muslim-majority countries after the Easter bombings on churches and hotels. Since

Celebrating ISLP’s 25th anniversary Photography that shows maturity

To mark their 25th anniversary, the Institute of Sri Lankan Photographers (ISLP) held an islandwide photography competition, and the works of award winners were exhibited at the Lionel Wendt from May 4-5. The ISLP was founded in 1994 by a group of professionals – Felix J. Perera, Priam Kasthuriratna, M. De s. Jayasinghe, L. E. Samararatna, Marius Perera, Panduka de Silva, N. R. Abeysinghe, D. G. Somapala and Vajira Wickramage.

Implementing SC Orders is An acid test for the State

The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, after hearing submissions and arguments on a nationally and internationally important Public Interest Fundamental Rights Application No. SCFR 273 / 2018, gave a LANDMARK Order on April 18, 2019.

The Kandyan kingdom Out of the periphery

The rise of Kandy as a political subunit in the country can be attributed to three factors; the shift from Kurunegala to Gampola as the capital city, the onslaughts made on the Udarata by the Aryachakravartis from the north, and the rise to power of nobles and chief ministers at the time of the Gampola and Kotte kings. Literary evidence tells us that the shift to a new capital occurred because of internal strife. The emergence

What a pedestrian yearns for

As one of the senior citizens of the country, I feel that in the contemporary political climate we are all suffering because of losing sight of the basic requirements of fundamental rights and values in a democratic society.

National crisis and the need of the hour

We, as a whole nation, are witnessing horror and terror again at present after a lapse of a decade. The calmness and serenity, which were enjoyed by the people irrespective of ethnicity, caste or religion, have been destroyed by the cruel minded and uncivilized barbarians.

WE WILL NOT BE MOVED

One month after the deadly carnage of Easter Sunday, I am proud to carry in full what Sri Lankans are exhorting their fellow Sri Lankans to do; to stand tall and not bow or give in to the imbecilic thinking of the radicals!!!

‘becoming’ by michelle obama (CROWN, NEW YORK, 2017)

After having read about this marvellous book in The Economist, I managed to get this memoir down through a person very close to me. It recounts the life of the former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama. Within the pages, she recounts:

IFI to mark World Interiors Day today

The International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI) will celebrate the World Interiors Day today with a series of gala events.

‘English Grammar and Usage’ by R.S. Karunaratne Future lies in linguistic proficiency

A history of civilisation conflict: Part I - The West vs the Rest

Just when you thought tensions between the US and China couldn’t get any worse, Donald Trump did the unthinkable. It’s a mistake, however, to view or rationalise the ban on Huawei, the world’s second most popular smartphone.....

The sad Vesak

Our temple was empty! Except for a few elderly devotees loitering about aimlessly or seated perplexed than in silent meditation…..a few young priests busying about in an attempt to decorate and inject some festivity to an otherwise subdued surroundings...

Understanding myth of race and religion Peace and Harmony through Dhamma

Two of the Buddha’s teachings on racism are applicable today. The first is, there’s nothing about birth or social position that makes a person good or bad. Men are good or bad exclusively in terms of their actions, and that’s how they should be judged—not by the tint of their skin.

Can they Escape Trauma in concentration camp

Abbas Ahmadi (33), wife Hakkima (30), and four children aged 12 to 6, came as refugees to Sri Lanka from Afghanistan 5 years ago. Their cases were processed by UNHCR hence they have papers to live here until the UNHCR finds them a country to settle in. All this was with the consent of the Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry. Their stay in Sri Lanka is legal.

Reflecting on the refugee crisis in Sri Lanka Refugees plead to expedite their cases and resettle them in third countries

Following the Easter Sunday massacre more than 1000 refugees and asylum seekers were evicted from their rented houses in Negombo and they had to seek refuge in two mosques and the police station in Negombo. With barely minimal possessions and minimum facilities, the once persecuted group of people live in much uncertainty and fear. They plead for their cases

A war victory that brings tears!

Sri Lanka marked 10 years after defeating the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) on May 19, making the island nation reflect on what a deterrent an armed conflict can be to a country’s progress.

Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Rahul vs Modi: Who will play it best?

With over 900 million eligible voters, India, the world’s largest democracy, is awaiting its 2019 poll results on May 23. With the main two parties, Prime Minister Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rahul Gandhi’s Congress Party in the forefront, the alliances, allegiances crossovers and debates have made it a significant episode in the modern political history of India. On the

Place of internet in Islamic radicalization

An American study of the role of the internet in Islamic radicalization finds that while the internet most certainly plays an important role, other factors do play an equal or even a greater role. The study conducted by Ines

The pragmatic idealism of Frederick North

Between 1796 and 1803, the colonial administration in Ceylon experimented with various forms of administrative changes in the interests of greater efficiency. The Portuguese and the Dutch had left the administrative machine more or less as it was; that served their interests as well as the interests of the local rulers. The relationship between the colonial power and local authority had been clearly defined, and though th

The Sakyans and Kapilavatthu

Paralleling the Himalayan foothills that define the modern India-Nepal border is a strip of terrain called the Terai. The whole region is flat and the soil is rich fertile alluvium. The numerous rivers and streams that flow down from the hills in the north sink into the gravel and then percolate to the surface in the Terai creating pools, bogs and swamps. For centuries most of the Terai

Architect I.M. Pei dies at 102 I.M. Pei dies leaving void in his place

I.M. Pei, the brilliant and controversial American architect of Chinese origin who based his design for the new Louvre Museum on his fascination with pyramids, has passed away at the age of 102.