Decoding political messages from the citizens

The political messages coming from the Gogotagama (‘Go Gota Village’) at Colombo’s seafront Galle Face grounds and other protest sites are simple, yet sharp. They are unorthodox and uncompromising too. The slogans....

HARTAL ’53 & Indefinite Hartal ’22?: EXPAND ‘GotagoGama’

The tremendous power of the masses in action was displayed for the first time in post-independent Sri Lanka on August 12, 1953 when the enraged people rose in active dissent. A new factor re-entered....

Vanquish fear, realize the dream

The point is if our system puts indignity upon its people, and carries within its structure the possibility of violence, then the only way out of that is to acknowledge that to solve our economic crisis....

State Minister Geetha sparkled on screen as an actress

Actress turned politician Geetha Kumarasinghe grabbed media attention a few weeks ago when she spoke out strongly in support of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Southern protests and Northern Tamils

The political impasse in the country continues with various groups except for very few suggesting various solutions keeping their individual interests in mind.

India, US and other friendly countries must encourage rulers to step down - M. A. Sumanthiran

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for the Jaffna district M.A. Sumanthiran, in an interview with Daily Mirror, airs his views on the present status of the economy and the political....

Executive presidency a curse for economy; cause of sovereign default

Apparently, no country has laws to punish government leaders responsible for economic mismanagement. In Sri Lanka, government leaders’ economic incompetence has precipitated a gargantuan....

Hidden goods mafia spells doom in distorted economy

At present Sri Lanka is expecting a severe food shortage. The authorities are yet to find solutions to the upcoming food shortage and cite the dollar crisis as the reason behind not being able to find a solution to the issue.

‘GotaGoGama’ A land that demands justice

The Galle Face Green has evolved from a mere protest site to a land that demands justice. This is evident with the various tents and their titles that dominate the space at ‘GotaGoGama’.

Health of the Nation during a worsening economic crisis

The Sri Lankan negotiating team led by the Minister of Finance was in Washington, discussing with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials regarding the role IMF could play in stabilising and restructuring the Sri Lankan economy.

Church leaders condemn arrest of peaceful protesters

The heads of the Church of Ceylon have strongly condemned police’s recent arrest of peaceful demonstrators and claimed that the conduct of the law enforcement authority is a severe violation of fundamental rights of the people.

Australian documentary contends corrupt transactions in Hambantota hospital project

Australia Broadcasting Corporation’s leading investigative journalism and current affairs programme, Four Corners recently released....

Are Sri Lanka’s working people in the line of fire yet again?

On Sri Lanka’s streets, fuel queues and gas shortages are the conspicuous markers of the nation’s economic duress, but in the homes....

Life after the Rajapaksas

Soon after the military victory against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a nihilistic terrorist group of its right, Mahinda Rajapaksa, the t

Printing money was perhaps our ‘Home-grown solution’ :Prof. Watawala

Sri Lanka is currently bearing the fruits of financial mismanagement, lack of planning and shortsighted decision-making ever since the incumbent government was elected to power. Delays in seeking support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), heavy borrowings on sovereign bonds, opting for credit lines from allies has c

“Govt’s IMF programme a day late and a dollar short” - Dr. Harsha de Silva

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Dr. Harsha de Silva who is vocal about economic issues takes questions in an interview with the Daily Mirror on the present....

Sri Lanka’s debt default: What accelerated it and what lies ahead?

On April 12, 2022, Sri Lanka declared that it would suspend all external debt payments with immediate effect. Incidentally, Sri Lanka joined the dubious club of global defaulters.

Unrest in Rambukkana: State level contradictions galore as victims await justice

April 19, 2022 was a day of unrest in Sri Lanka. People in major towns and cities took to the streets staging protests on the newly announced fuel price hikes during the wee hours of April 18. Subsequent....

Is the “House of Rajapaksa” Falling Down?

When Basil Rohana Rajapaksa was sworn in as Finance Minister by his brother President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in July 2021, the appointment captured the attention of the world’s influential media.

#Gogotagama and family rule: The price of our servile silence

Although #GoHomeGota and #GoHomeRajapaksas are trending Twitter hashtags today, the mood in the country was totally opposite around this time of the year in 2009 ,with days to go for the Sri Lankan....

Has Rajapaksa regime failed to ensure National security?

It is evident with facts that those who are holding higher appointments in the Ministry of Defence providing guidelines and advises to President lack basic knowledge in the discipline of National....

Justice remains a dream even after three years

The souls of over 250 civilians who sacrificed their lives to the deadly Easter Sunday bombings back in April 2019 still await justice to Rest In Peace.

The sham new Cabinet is illegitimate, provocative and insulting!

The new Cabinet is yet another sign that the Rajapaksas are not letting the country go out of their grip. It is meant to be a rubber stamp of this familial hold of unhinged power in the absence of public approval

Removing The President; Is The Opposition Unaware Of Article 42?

With every passing day, the demand for the resignation of the President is gathering momentum, becoming more strident, and more widespread, and echoing even beyond the borders of this country. The President’s response has been to secure the resignatio

SL would be condemned by world as never before if Police, military eject protestors by Force: Experts

The spate of public protests in Sri Lanka continues unabated as the government had failed to deliver what it promised.....

From ‘Les Misérables’ to ‘18 Sanniya’: The role of art in a people’s revolution

Symbolizing the heart of people’s protests and popular movements, the lyrics of ‘Do You Hear the People Sing?’ from the celebrated....

If Gota doesn’t go home, the Executive Presidency may go out

“Go Home Gota” and/or “Gota Go Home” is the resounding clarion call that is currently motivating and mobilizing a number of protest demonstrations throughout Sri Lanka.

Galle Face Protests Chai, brotherhood lift feeling of Srilankanness at ‘Gotagogama’

‘GotaGoGama’ – that is what the protesters call the ‘Agitation Site’ at the Galle Face Green which has now transformed into a colony of people from diverse backgrounds and walks of life. What commenced....

Shortage of drugs and devices leads to acute crisis

A health emergency has been declared by several health unions and stakeholders in the health sector due to the shortage of a list of over 200 essential drugs and devices which are either out of stock or are close to being out of stock. However the Health Ministry as well as the State Ministry of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals has bee

The Revolutionary Right to Overthrow!

“This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending....