In a democracy, a thumping majority is expected to result in cool heads among the victors and cold feet among losers. Not in Sri Lanka. 64 years after seeing the back of British settlers, Sri Lanka moved on. But far from progressing towards true democracy and self-determination these 64 years have seen rivers of blood and [...]
“A season of brutal hypocrisy…” Anatole France (Monsieur Bergeret in Paris) By Tisaranee Gunasekara The draconian land-grabbing Bill is back. The resurrected Bill empowers the regime to acquire any piece of land, anywhere, by the simple expedient of declaring it of economic, social, historical or environmental import or as a sacred area. The first attempt [...]
Opposition skeptical on government’s approach towards the ethnic issue President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s statement on re-convening another All Party Conference to discuss a political solution to the national question has indicated the government’s indecisive approach towards the ethnic issue. Rajapaksa since first assuming office in 2005 has come forward with various proposals and actions claiming to [...]
By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema UNP Southern Provincial Councilor and Attorney-at-Law Maithri Gunaratne says the outcome of the election for UNP office bearers would have been different if a proper secret ballot had been held. Gunaratne has now challenged the appointment of party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe before court and the case is to be taken up [...]
By Captain Elmo Jayawardena Our island was called Lanka in pre King Vijaya times. Valmiki’s immortal Ramayanaya had King Ravana ruling the land from the city of Lankapura. That was almost four thousand years ago. The Arab traders termed it Jaziratul-Yaqut, island of rubies. Some called it Serandip, some Ceilan, from which the Portuguese picked [...]
By Raisa Wickrematunge Q: It was just announced that you won the DSC prize for South Asian Literature. How does that feel? Is it something you expected, or is it very surreal? A: It was not something I expected. I was at Jaipur to meet Oprah and hang out with Rushdie, neither of which I [...]
“A committee is not a structure but a plant. It takes root and grows, it flowers, it wilts and dies scattering the seed from which other committees will bloom in turn.” This is the demystification of that bureaucratic and political panacea for most of political and bureaucratic ills - a committee – by Northcoate Parkinson [...]
From time to time, someone trots out an invidious comparison/contrast between Sri Lanka and the South Asian City State created and managed by Lee Kwan Yew and his successors. Let me, this Sunday, make a similar effort. Sri Lanka emerged out of World War II, with its foreign exchange coffers brimming with hard currency reserves [...]
A time bomb is ticking away in the Persian Gulf while bellicose statements issued from Tehran and Washington are causing global concern of an immediate armed conflict in the Gulf. In Washington last week James Clapper US Director of National Intelligence told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that some Iranian officials probably including Supreme Leader [...]
The unauthorised construction and land encroachment in the Bambalapitiya Flats; carried out in breach of the law as a result of the patronage and support extended by certain officials and technical staff of the Common Amenities Board (CMA) appear to have come to stay. These happenings are certainly to the dismay of the vast majority [...]
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