Beggars come under threat of Invisible Predator ?

There was a time when they frequented the streets, happy to receive a few coins or a packet of food. Conveniently addressed as beggars, they too are a part of society.

Reflecting on post-election violence

The above saying by the German poet reminds us that violence can spread rapidly and ultimately cost human lives. Similarly, the recently concluded presidential election recorded instances of violence.

Presidential poll: A digital wake-up call

Ahead of the US presidential election, internet giants such as Facebook and Alphabet Inc. owned Google are facing growing pressure to suspend political advertisements carrying misleading and false information. Across the world, democracies are grappling with social media platforms which have become increasingly popular as a conduit for electoral manipulation

How will Sri Lanka face Climate Change?

Landslides, floods, out of season monsoons and droughts have affected Sri Lanka in the recent past. If one was curious about the reason, there’s no doubt that these are effects of climate change. Sri Lanka was placed second in the Global Climate Risk Index, which means Sri Lanka is in a precarious position. In this backdrop, to increase awareness on climate change, the

Lighting a candle for Yvonne

A night out on July 1, 2005 ended tragically when 19-year old Yvonne Jonsson of Sri Lankan-Swedish origin was brutally murdered at the Royal Park apartment complex. The infamous ‘Royal Park murder’ made headlines as the family of the accused tried incessantly to shield the murderer from justice. The perpetrator, Jude Shramantha Anthony Jayamaha, was found guilty of ‘culpabl

Geopolitics, India and the People

We live in an age of strongman leaders whether it is in India, China or the US. And Sri Lanka has also elected such a leader as President.

“New” Rajapaksa regime under President Gotabaya

The election of Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the seventh Executive President has effectively demonstrated that the “Ruhunu Rajapaksas” have come to stay as a dynastic political force in the country. As stated last week in the first of this two-part article, the patriarch of “Medamulana Dynasty” was Don Alvin Rajapaksa (D.A. Rajapaksa), the father of Chamal, Mahinda, Gotabaya, Basil and five other children.

Women indebted to microfinance companies receive ‘Lifeline’

The stated aim of microfinance companies is to uplift the lives of rural communities by providing them with financial assistance. In Sri Lanka, the provision of financial services to rural households was largely recognised with the 1986 ‘Janasaviya’ programme.

Suggested priorities in key sectors for new regime

The election of a caretaker Government brings with it a sense of responsibility in resurrecting lost hopes. This could be in people as well as in the socio-economic perspective. Several key sectors including health, finance, law, environment, administration and media have been addressed by successive Governments, but today, all these areas need to be revisited.

‘We’re like the emperor without clothes, blind to our nudity’ - Prof.Hoole

S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole, one of the three members of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, which played a vital role in the recently concluded elections, agreed to discuss some of the questionable areas relating to the commission’s role . An engineer and academic by profession, Hoole serves as a professor of electrical engineering at Michigan State University. A brave

Post elections Social media hate speech spikes up!

Any Sri Lankan social media user would have noted the rise in post election hate speech since the results of the Presidential Election was announced. The post election hate speech mainly revolved on two groups of voters; the voters of the Negombo electorate and the voters in the electorates of the North and the East. In these electorates, the majority voted in favour of the New Democratic Front (NDF) candidate, Sajith Premadasa.

Why Sajith, Gota lost H’tota and Colombo Respectively?

B…’s comments are more than mere observations, he follows it up with insightful thoughts opening up an astute debate on behaviour patterns of Sri Lankan politician and voter during different types of elections: Presidential, Parliamentary PC and LG.

Why did people vote in the way they did?

Many people of all walks of life have already expressed their opinions on the outcome of the Presidential election concluded on last Saturday. It is important for political leaders to know why people voted....

President Gotabaya spearheads return of Ruhunu Rajapaksas

The 2019 presidential election is over and Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been elected as the seventh Executive President with a thumping majority. The result seems to have upset the calculations and predictions of many a commentator and analyst writing in English both in Sri Lanka and abroad. It has indeed been amusing to see some of them “blaming” the voters for going against the grain of their assessments. What they fail to realise is that

Katuwapitiya 7 months since Easter attacks

Sri Lanka entered the 21st century amid a devastating civil war which took thirty years to end. But just a decade later, Sri Lankans were exposed to another terror attack on April 21 which shattered the country’s emerging peace. Post-war, Sri Lanka showed resilience and harmony. But how would Sri Lanka cope after the Easter attacks? To find out, Daily Mirror visited

Key areas under scrutiny of election observer groups

Sri Lanka’s eighth presidential election, with a record number of 35 candidates vying for the highest office of the state, concluded on Sunday. While polling was underway on Saturday, a number of independent parties and non-governmental organizations (NGO) conducted their election observations, in accordance with international election standards. Local and foreign

Unremitting rains raise dengue threat

Dengue fever plagues Sri Lanka annually, increasing after a rainfall when conditions are optimal for mosquito breeding. Climate fluctuations also accelerate the epidemic’s spread and people must be mindful that dengue is again on the rise due to incessant rains during the last three months.

Menstruation matters, here’s why

Over the past weeks, women’s rights were heavily debated as front-runners of the presidential campaigns pursued the female vote like never before. The promises from both leading campaigns included free child care and free sanitary pads for women. Elections have come and gone, but one important issue needs to be discussed.

Election Diary: When a nation believed on promises!

Sri Lanka said good morning to Monday with a sense of belief that the future would be better for them under the new presidency of Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Forgotten victims of war: A border village study Let those in borders speak

Year 2019 is of great significance as it marks ten years since the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by the Sri Lankan military forces. People looked forward to enjoying peace after years of conflict and there seemed to be more freedom, economic development and material prosperity in many parts of the country.

Ex-combatants under rehabilitation call for peace

The bloodied past of the thirty-year long conflict keeps reflecting in their memories. Having lived the greater part of their lives on battlefields, engaging in what were termed as ‘humanitarian operations’ against deafening noises emanating from blasting mortars, claymore bombs and the frequent gunshots, the physical and psychological trauma were part and parcel of their lives.While many of them succumbed to injuries, another section of this gen

Future President must prioritise MMDA reforms: MPLRAG

Sri Lanka is home to 1,967,523 Muslims. Muslims of Sri Lanka are of various ethnic groups: Sri Lankan Moors, Coastal Indian Moors, Malays, Memons and Bohras. The Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act....

one- time superman of the Indian Elections Commission is gone

The iconic former Indian Chief Election Commissioner Tirunellai Narayana Iyer Seshan popularly known as T.N. Seshan, who was feared by almost all politicians, including Prime Ministers in India, passed away last Sunday at the age of 86, at his Chennai residence.

Making sense of Memes

From trolling the recently killed ISIS leader, Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi, to coping with successive defeats of the Sri Lankan cricket team, memes are a popular form of interaction and exchange for many netizens of the island. Current events in Sri Lanka, often confusing and entertaining, seem to supply endless fodder for the most hilarious memes as well.

Voters’ rights and responsibilities

Exercising one’s right to vote is the fundamental right of any citizen. With Sri Lanka’s eighth Presidential Elections just weeks away on 16 November....

Election Diary Message from Northerners nudges lawmakers

The Tamil community in Sri Lanka has played a crucial role in the country’s politics despite Sinhala hardliners not willing to give members of this community much hope and opportunities.

Youth’s vote is Youth’s voice

Out of 15, 992, 096 eligible and registered voters, 30.8% are youth voters and 1.55% are first time voters. This year’s Presidential Election is coming months after the gruesome Easter Sunday attacks and a year after the constitutional coup, the first ever in Sri Lankan history. Due to these issues, political activism in youth and youth apathy are both prevalent regarding the

Will Sri Lanka elect A president by default?

Whatever the reason given, in 2005 the vast majority of the Tamils from the North and East and even in Colombo did not go to the polling booths to exercise their franchise. The result, as they say, is history. Yet it is imperative for that history to now be reflected upon seriously. The President who got elected partly due to the decision taken by Tamils not to exercise their franchise ruled over the entire country for the next 10 years, with gra

Artistes on the political ramp

The political stage is getting heated by the day as many faces continue to pledge their support for existing parties and new alliances. Recently several artistes, both veteran and amateur too pledged their support to various candidates and even went to express their views on the political stage. Hence, a few of them shared their views with the on why they decided to support a particular candidate.

MCC Deal Truth, false and opinions

Ever since the approval of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) USD 480 million grant for Sri Lanka, the country has been embroiled in a debate over it, with the government portraying it as something beneficial whilst the opposition is raising security concerns. This has left the common Sri Lankan citizen utterly confused. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), a