Moving away from democracy in Sri Lanka
The present Sri Lankan government has proved that though Sri Lanka is a small country, it has been able to achieve many things that other countries, specially in the West have not…
Year: 2010
B is for balls (and bowls)
In the article “The bowl-or-ball dilemma of rubbishing English standards” (6/6/2010), Dilshan Boange adds his voice to the growing clamour of protest at the idea of speaking English “our way”. He recounts…
‘I can’: The power of simple random acts
It’s February 14th, Valentines day and I am browsing the net, going from one link to the other, without a particular destination, enjoying tidbits from the cyber world. I happen to come…
Constitutional Reforms in Sri Lanka: What was asked for, What was promised and What is going to be offered?
In Sri Lankan politics, things oftentimes turn topsy-turvy. When people asked for lower prices for basic food items, government lowers prices of luxury cars with absolutely feeble argument that the latter would…
Hand Washing
Murder cannot be hidden, bodies decompose but skeletons remain; certainly they can be washed from beach into sea and stripped clean by carnivorous fish yet the panel requires just a few examples,…
Why does humanitarianism often fail to achieve its goals?
Broadly speaking, humanitarianism refers to an ethic of kindness and sympathy extended universally and impartially to all of humanity. Those who profess these values can arguably be termed humanitarian. In the academic…
Human rights: Hackneyed or heightened in post-war Sri Lanka?
My conversation with Lakshan Dias, Programme Manager, Centre for Human Rights and Development, was pegged to the issue of human rights in post-war Sri Lanka. Lakshan was in the news recently when…
WHERE EVERY PROSPECT DOES NOT PLEASE
The eleventh anniversary of the death of Mervyn de Silva, the great Sri Lankan journalist and editor, falls on 22nd June. I once had an extraordinary encounter with Mervyn, although sadly as…
Hard Talk
Many readers may have seen if not read about Defence Secretary Gothabhaya Rajapaksa’s interview with Stephen Sackur of the BBC HardTalk programme in which he calls Sarath Fonseka a liar and threatens…
On Replacing the Sun-God
The Sun God disappeared from the scene in May, 2009 killed by advancing army units, not clear which brave soldier pulled the trigger, for some reason government has kept quiet about circumstances,…
Should we prosecute crimes against humanity?
It must be acknowledged that international law, both customary and humanitarian, is undergoing significant changes with regard to crimes committed during armed conflicts. Thus it is difficult to assert that international legal…
Mass Marriage, Vavuniya
What a large and dramatic idea occurred to the brigadier in charge of rehabilitation , to organize a mass wedding to spur former Tiger troops into formation under a different philosophy and…
Celebrating war victory and banning commemoration of dead civilians: this is “home grown & indigenous†reconciliation and freedom in Sri Lanka?
Today, 18th June 2010, has been declared a public holiday by the government. Many Sri Lankans, especially Sinhalese from the South are expected to respond enthusiastically to the government’s elaborate plans to…
Superstitions in the 21st century: Of black pottu, politicians and punools
In the black and white photographs of my childhood, my sisters and I look pretty smart, standing to attention under the spreading mango tree which Rajaratnam Uncle took every year to record…
Sacred Cows and Orbital Dreams in Sri Lanka
It happened 20 years ago, but I still remember the incident. In early 1990, as a young science journalist working for the magazine of Hong Kong, I was being shown around the…
