Remembering Chanaka
The idea of liberalism in Sri Lankan politics is intimately associated with the life and writings of the leader and founder of the Liberal Party, Dr Chanaka Amaratunga. He passionately believed in the…
The idea of liberalism in Sri Lankan politics is intimately associated with the life and writings of the leader and founder of the Liberal Party, Dr Chanaka Amaratunga. He passionately believed in the…
A few days ago a parent of a potential player of a big match for a Colombo school told me of calls they got asking them for one lakh of Rupees to…
Remember the “Bandaranaike Sri Lanka’s Northern Question (Gramsci spoke of Italy’s ‘Southern Question’) can be amicably resolved. President Mahinda Rajapakse has proved himself a superb politician and a successful wartime leader. Can…
So, the military has nothing to do with “nation building” and a great leader has to be seen as a Commander in Chief. This same logic of Bush would also explain that,…
The decision by the leader of the National Unity Alliance (NUA), Minister Ferial Ashraff’s to join the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in February 2010 raises serious questions for Muslim politics in…
This general election would bring about a parliament with a clear majority. Few if at all, would dispute that. While there is also talk of a two-thirds majority in parliament for President’s…
The government wants a two thirds majority in order to replace the Constitution, it says. The UNP opposition hopes to form a coalition with other Opposition parties. It would be unhealthy for…
. The version on , published on 3 April, attributed contentious comments, outrageously derogatory towards the Tamil community, to the President in a rally held in Jaffna on 1st April. Two audio…
Chandraguptha Thenuwara’s “Black Paintings & Other Works-an exhibition of paintings and installation” was inaugurated today (3 April 2010) at the Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo. The exhibition will continue till 5 April 2010.…
What is the definition of a traitor? A traitor is usually defined as someone who betrays his or her country. But this definition leaves out the question of , exactly, constitutes betrayal. Recently,…
I remember visiting Jaffna in 1997. Local government elections were due. Several leading political figures had been assassinated in the preceding years, some by the LTTE, others by anti-LTTE groups. In the…
Ravi Karunanayake is a well known figure in politics, and in 1994 was the youngest member to be appointed from the National List to Parliament. Among other offices, he is the Chairman…
– Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra, 4.14 The current Sri Lankan political discourse, thin gruel though it is, contains three morsels of content:Â democracy, the electoral system and national sovereignty. Some question whether…
“Politically speaking, tribal nationalism always insists that its own people is surrounded by a world of enemies, one against all, that a fundamental difference exists between this people and all others. It…
Several Commissions of Inquiry into Disappearances of Persons (COIs) had been appointed by successive governments since 1990. Of these, the writer had been the Secretary to what is known as the Central…