Repealing PTA

I often reflect on the tumultuous years of the late 1970s and the paths not taken that may have determined a different future for our country. Emergency rule and then the enactment.....

N. Q. Dias Anticipated an Armed Tamil struggle with Indian support

This weekly column returns with the second part of the article titled “Sinhala Buddhist Strategist N. Q. Dias was Feared as the “Tsar” that was published in the “Daily Mirror” of February 19, 2022.

As happened in Sri Lanka: Ethnic wars polarize people

The issues such as the human rights situation in Sri Lanka might take a backseat this time at the ongoing 49th Regular Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) as the situation....

Spotlight on Bibile Bittersweet responses for sugar producing project

Two hundred years have passed since the Uva - Wellassa uprising to free the country from the British colonials. The British left the country, but to this day the struggle to save the land from foreigners remains the same, locals of Uva-Wellassa say.

Bread Basket Attacked! ‘Three Monkeys’ and Lessons for SL?

“See no evil-- hear no evil-- Speak no evil”: UN, the US, and the West [UK/EU] the champions of human rights, who make a huge noise at ‘the drop of a hat’ in a small country, are Blind, Deaf and....

H. R. Jothipala: Sinhala Cinema’s Most Popular Playback Singer

I begin this column this week with an apology to readers. I had written a two part article titled “Sinhala Buddhist Strategist N. Q. Dias was feared as the “Tsar” in the “Daily Mirror” last week (Feb 19). Unfortunately I am unable to write the second part this week as planned because I am yet in the process of gathering some vital information necessary for writing.

Why Sri Lanka’s wetlands need to be protected

Here, the poet subtly describes the beauty of the Diyavanna Lake that enriches the Diyavanna Oya wetland ecosystem-which is one of many wetlands in Colombo today.

Sinhala Buddhist Strategist N.Q. Dias was Feared as the “Tsar”

In the article titled “1962 Coup:Takeover of Govt. Through Operation Holdfast” that was published in the “Daily Mirror”of January 29th 2022,

The foreign policy of self-isolation from the West comes to bite

Two years back when Gotabaya Rajapaksa was elected president, he had the best of both worlds. At home, a good part of the Sinhala Buddhist constituency was beholden to him.

Sri Lanka is a country that violated its Constitution since Independence: - Victor Ivan

The attack on journalist Chamuditha Samarawickrama’s residence and the arrest of Shehan Malaka Gamage, a social media activist who raised concerns regarding the Easter Sunday attack, within a span....

Is PTA worth losing GSP concessions?

Daily Mirror yesterday reported that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had directed the police not to use the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) as a shortcut but only if there are clear links to terrorism. Foreign Minister....

10-year-old falls prey to faith healing practices: The dark side of choosing faith over science

The death of a 10-year-old Maleesha Dulakshana sent waves of shock, anger and sympathy among most Sri Lankans but reality is such that many segments of society have largely been blinded by false....

Gazette banning entry of unvaccinated persons to public places : Fear of booster freezes Sri Lankan minds

While countries such as Denmark have decided to lift all COVID-19 restrictions, countries such as Canada have staged large scale protests against vaccine mandates. People protested against the French Government when it made vaccination virtually unavoidable. Similar protests took place in South Korea and Hamburg as well. In Sri Lanka, the situ

The Killing of LTTE Eastern Political Commissar Kausalyan

This column has for the past three weeks been focusing on the abortive Coup d’état conspiracy of 1962. There has been much reader interest in the articles. I have been pleasantly surprised to receive a lot of responses ranging from persons related or connected to some of the coup suspects to people from different walks of life evincing much interest in an important event in Sri Lanka’s history.

Development work on Ratmalana Airport Road Chief engineer assures of no flooding

Area residents have raised concerns on the possibility of flooding as they claim that the drains have been taken out and replaced with concrete

LKI-EU host conference on EU-Indo-Pacific Strategy

The Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKI) in partnership with the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives hosted a half-day conference on the theme, The EU Indo-Pacific Strategy through Sri Lanka’s Lens: Opportunities for Cooperation and Partnership on Thursday, January 27 2022.

Proposed New Kelani Bridge – Athurugiriya elevated expressway CA rules out preliminary objections from state authorities

The construction of a four lane elevated expressway from Rajagiriya to Athurugiriya was frowned upon by area residents and environmental activists; reason being that the proposed route overlapped the Thalangama Environment Protection Area (EPA). Initially gazetted in 2007 the Thalangama EPA is home to an abundance of greenery and biodiversity apart

Proposed PTA Amendments fall short

Sri Lanka was advised to more narrowly define terrorism to safeguard freedoms of expression, association, opinion, religion or belief

1962 Coup:Takeover of Govt. Through “Operation Holdfast”

The 1962 Coup d’etat conspiracy had three noteworthy aspects.Firstly the architects of the conspiracy wanted a bloodless coup.

Sri Lanka’s elephants and their struggle for coexistence

A video of a Tusker being harassed at Yala National Park recently went viral on social media. Wildlife groups and activists were quick to react to the incident as it is a known fact that Sando is an aggressive elephant roaming this area at this time of the year.

Is Sri Lanka bracing for a total blackout?

The prevailing electricity crisis has put Sri Lankans in a dilemma. A few weeks back the Sri Lankan public had second thoughts about purchasing gas cylinders and now the citizenry is getting ready to face a series of power outages with the prevailing fuel and forex crisis. Why the authorities didn’t get ready for this crisis amidst many warnings

1962 Coup: Disgruntlement Within Army and Police Top Brass

In order to understand the 1962 Coup d’état conspiracy phenomenon, it is essential to delve deep into some events that happened between Independence in February 1948 and the envisaged D-day for executing the coup on January 27-28th 1962.

Athweltota mini hydro project Sensitive ecosystems threatened as renewable energy projects emerge

Sri Lanka aims to be an energy self-sufficient nation by 2030. Right now, the primary sources of generating electricity include thermal, including coal and fossil fuels, hydropower and other non-conventional renewable energy sources such as solar and wind. However, the renewable energy sector has transformed itself into a money-spinning i

Background to the Coup d’état conspiracy of 1962

This January is the 60th anniversary of what has come to be known as the 1962 Coup or Coup d’état of Sri Lanka known formerly as Ceylon.

Taliban’s Afghanistan-South Asian perspective

The Taliban have been urging Washington to unfreeze roughly $9.4 billion in Afghanistan’s central bank assets

Seven Tamil Parties Seek Modi’s Help for Implementing 13-A in Full

In a significant political move, seven political parties mainly representing the Sri Lankan Tamils of the Northern and Eastern provinces have written a joint letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi,

On grievance, anxiety and belonging

In the matter of voicing, assessing and addressing grievances and apprehensions, it is my contention that there’s grievous neglect of acknowledging (say) ‘error.’

An Ex-Maj. General’s search in land of wisdom ends

Former soldiers becoming Buddhist monks is not unheard of in the history of Sri Lanka. We have examples from the time of King Dutthagamani whose army fought successfully against invading foreign forces and some of them finally ending as Buddhist monks.

Double trouble in city of burial

Gazette 2216/38 on February 25 revoked the forced cremations policy for COVID-19 deceased and allowed burials. It was in early March 2021 that the COVID-19 deceased were buried in Majma Nagar, Oddamavadi.

Indo-Lanka Accord, 13th Amendment and the Tamil March of Folly

Much concern is now being shown by political parties representing the minority (numerical) ethnicities of Sri Lanka over the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.