If you want to see the shape of the new constitution, look at the last two elections. To quote George Orwell’s 1984, “if you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever.” In the last General Election the government requested a two thirds majority in parliament. They [...]
The Supreme Court heard the government’s arguments and the arguments of six intervening petitioners on Tuesday, September 1. These changes have not been discussed in the public domain and they are sought to be made in secret. It is important to note that even at the Supreme Court hearing the intervening petitioners were only given [...]
Where’s The Lassi? So one of our rag-writers was craving cheese naan and off they went for Indian food. All was well until who should walk in but the Second Son. However, our scribe undeterred (or perhaps forgetful) continued the topic at the table – which was Wee-Flower’s fast unto drip. Next topic was the [...]
The most immediate threat to Sri Lankan democracy is not the rapid monolithic build up of administrative and political power by the Rajapaksa clan, but the visible crumbling of the opposition. The response to the build up of a power bloc evincing anti-democratic tendencies in a country with a history of democratic traditions is the [...]
There are times when one simply cannot believe the attitude of the government. It acts with an impunity never quite before seen and unlikely to be seen elsewhere either. They send out signals to the international community with no apparent care in the world for what our overseas trading partners think. The case of stripping [...]
A One Way Street It’s all one way traffic these days. With the Mussalmans and some Green types thinking of doing a high jump. No, not to give the Boys in Blue the two third to change the rules of the game, but because the grass is so much greener on the blue side. One [...]
If Mahinda’s shawl could speak it would say – “There’s no justice, it’s just us.” The legendary descendants of DA Rajapaksa are the custodians of the nation and, though the enemies may shift, whatever their enemy is at the time is the enemy of the nation. Once it was KP, battled by General Fonseka. Then [...]
To The Rescue! Sin no for Merv the Perv. Now not only has he lost his Deputy Minister post, but having to leave the session early! No more jumping about and interrupting proceedings. But all is not lost. For the Buddhist clergy types in Gum-Pa-Ha are coming to the rescue! Holding meetings in Colombo, apparently, [...]
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has a habit of surprising even his most ardent critics. The latest episode is the sacking of Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva. Not stopping at that, he suspended him from the Sri Lanka Freedom Party as well. In a country where political leaders protect their loyalists at any cost, it is refreshing that [...]
By Faraz Shauketaly Rather like tethered goats, democrats in Sri Lanka stand watch over a complete breakdown of popular concern for the plight that has befallen the pearl of the Indian Ocean. The people clearly are immature or as a colleague put it last week, mere by-standers. They elect – time after time – at [...]
Recent Comments