Internecine War
By R. Wijewardene
The biggest of the year’s big matches is less than a month away and the campaigns are already in full swing.
With a string of defeats to their… er credit its clear the opposition is on the defensive. Divided and lacking the resources to launch a large scale campaign islandwide the UNP have, [...]
By Nirmala Kannangara
Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has declared that he has not recruited anyone to the Urban Development Authority (UDA) since the dissolution of parliament, amidst mounting allegations that the Minister and his officials were openly flouting election regulations.
“New recruitments have been made before the dissolution of parliament. Neither the [...]
Cash Strapped UNP Counts Every Cent
By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema
Election time in Sri Lanka is a time of wonder. Every new day brings forth extraordinary announcements, proclamations and promises. The latest piece of astonishing news concerns the value of a vote cast.
Can you really put a price on democracy? On the invaluable ballot that is the [...]
By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema
Over 1.5 million voters in the Colombo District now face the daunting task of deciding whom to vote for. The April 8 general election will see hundreds of governing party and opposition heavyweights battle it out to gain the top slots in the preferential list in the District. The most interesting battle [...]
By Raisa Wickrematunge
A large portion of dinner party conversation in Sri Lanka usually consists of the dissection of the problems that plague our country today — from the national question to poverty. Everyone has a differing view, but though the average Sri Lankan often posits that the country would be much better run if he/she [...]
By Gamini Weerakoon
A vast section of Sri Lankans are in a state of confusion only compounded by recent political events. The defeat of the LTTE and the presidential election have left the Tamils and Muslims in a state of bewilderment, while politics of the south has caused deep splits within the Sinhalese. Sparks are [...]
Text and Images by Asanka-Brendon Ratnayake
A ‘believable change’ or a ‘brighter future’? That was the question posed to a new Sri Lanka coming out of the shadows of 30 years of bloodshed. A new voting populous in the north and east entered the fray, two former friends and team mates who brought down terrorism [...]
By Raisa Wickrematunge
The race is over and the results are in. By early morning on January 27, it was clear who was in the lead. Many Sri Lankans decided to treat the presidential election like just another race. Some cast bets on which of the two major candidates, incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa or common [...]
By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema and Cassandra Mascarenhas in the South
Photos by Asanka Brendon Ratnayake
The end of the war seemed to be the most important factor for the southerners. As we traversed the southern coastal belt, this underlying fact was predominant in almost all of the areas we visited. Across the board sentiments were expressed pledging [...]
By Raisa Wickrematunge in Kurunegala – Dambulla – Anuradhapura
It is a scene worthy of the TV show, CSI. Yellow crime scene tape, metal toolboxes and neon-jacketed SOCOs (Scene of Crime Officers) — who are intently examining what looks like the top of a rusty soap dispenser. Except that this isn’t Las Vegas, and the soap dispenser [...]
