Remembering Raviraj
Nadarajah Raviraj would have celebrated his 46th birthday this year. In the spirit of citizens’ journalism, unionblackcolombo remembers his friend, killed in November 2006 in a video exclusive to Groundviews.
When meritocracy dies and nepotism reigns supreme
The country got a new Inspector General of Police (IGP) on July 1 with Jayantha Wickremaratna’s appointment to the highest position in the Police Department. His predecessor Victor Perera was not left much time to be twiddling his fingers because he was almost immediately appointed the Governor of the Northern Province. Mr.Perera’s predecessor Chandra Fernando too did not get much time to enjoy his retirement. He was appointed as the Advisor to the President on Eastern Infrastructure Development.
Now if one comes to the conclusion after reading my opening paragraph that the two latter men while they were in office were pandering more to the whims and fancies of the government in power than looking into the best interest of the …
Going for the Kill in More Ways than One
What does the failed abduction attempt against Namal Perera of the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI), which turned into a brutal assault on him and his friend Mahinda Ratnaweera , Political Officer at the British High Commission, tell us about the Rule of Law, human rights protection, the culture of impunity and law and order in Sri Lanka today ? It took place in close proximity to a major security checkpoint, an army installation and ironically enough, the media ministry and not in the early hours of the morning or at dead of night, but in the evening on a busy road with considerable traffic.
The sheer chutzpah and audacity of the attackers is a further reminder of the culture …
Mehmet Bal: A Turkish-Sri Lankan story
Content of this submission deleted on the request of the author who fears for Mehmat Bal’s life.
The attack against Namal and the culture of impunity
We reproduce in full a statement by the Free Media Movement on the attacks against journalists in Sri Lanka. Namal Perera, the most recent victim of an abduction attempt, was a former colleague who significantly facilitated a number of progressive media initiatives in Sri Lanka including the creation and adoption of the Media Charter.
This is the second time I have run with a story of an abduction of a former colleague. The first was a little over a year ago. Although Vijayan was lucky, those who abducted him have not been identified to date.
Ironically, as I was on the way to see Namal at Apollo hospital on the night of his assault, I was stopped and checked …
GSP PLUS AND THE NEED FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM: WHAT WE DID AND DID NOT SAY
Rohan Edrisinha and Asanga Welikala
The Political Watch Column of the Sunday Island of 22 June titled Opposition at Sea included a critique of an article co-authored by us which was published on Groundviews (and in the Sunday Leader) sometime ago, in which we argued that if Sri Lanka was serious about ensuring that its laws were compatible with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, a constitutional amendment to its bill of rights was desirable.
We are disappointed that the columnist has either completely misunderstood several of the arguments put forward or distorted what we stated.
We recognized in our article that one of the EU requirements for the extension of the GSP Plus privileges was BOTH ratification and …
The Dead-End Formula of Neo-Liberal Economics
Although I teach economics at the University of Peradeniya for my bread and butter, I have been quite distant from the discipline for sometime and my readings on the subject has been quite limited to the two courses I teach at the university. My principal research work is on conflicts. Hence, it was not strange for people to call me oftentimes as a teacher attached to the Department of Politics. However, in the last three four months, I had to re-enter this interesting area of work as I was invited to make comments on two books, one in Sinhala (Sri Lanka Arthikaya edited by O G Dayarathna Banda et al) and one in English (Development and Conflict by Kumar Rupesinghe). …
The voice of an IDP single mother in Puttlam
Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai
“We lack road, water, and housing facilities. Our children are unable to attend school regularly as there is no proper transport service. We don’t have any facility and leading the same life even now as same as 18 years ago”.
This is a cry of an Internally Displaced single mother from Jaffna, A. Shahula who chewed betel and shared her agony. She is living with her two kids in Saltern 2 welfare camp in Puttlam.
Most of them are still leading their lives in welfare camps, and lack the normal living standard of a person. A large number of internally displaced persons from Jaffna are living in Thillaiyady, which is called “Little Jaffna”. These Internally Displaced Persons feel that, there is …
The Sri Lankan Voter
Most of our politicians are sanctimonious, bigoted, corrupt thugs; they are parasites sucking the blood out of our society.
And yet I don’t blame them. I don’t like them, but I don’t blame them. I blame our voters, most of whom if given the chance to become politicians, would turn into sanctimonious, bigoted, bribe taking, scum sucking thugs themselves. George Carlin (may he rest in peace) said it best: “garbage in, garbage out: if you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you’re gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders.”
Our politicians like to hang out with Buddhist priests (who like to hang out with politicians). The moral nobility that is represented in the saffron robe is a good place for a politician to hide their sins. …
When servants of the people become oppressors in Sri Lanka
In the Republic of Sri Lanka, sovereignty is in the people and is inalienable. We elect a President, Members of Parliament, and Provincial Councilors etc using the powers vested with the people to exercise and enjoy that sovereignty through them. But what is happening today is the reverse. We elect a bunch of people into office and instead of being the servants of the people, which is what they rightfully should be; they have all become our masters, a law unto themselves, from the top to the lowest Pradeshiya Sabha member.
Take the issue of VIP movement on our already depleted, over burdened roads that have become a menace to thousands of people, particularly those having to commute to the city …
