Who rules?
Image courtesy Yamu The media of the 13th Friday had two very different statements on the fate of the ‘Port City “ project. The Daily Mirror reports The Government of Sri Lanka…
Year: 2015
How Free is Free Education? Private Household Spending on Education in Sri Lanka: 1985-2010
Photo courtesy Rose Sri Lanka Sri Lanka’s Free Education Scheme aims to provide each child an equal opportunity at educational success, but there is debate over to what extent it succeeds in…
Expectations and the Disappointments of the New Government
Photo courtesy Asia One The new coalition government formed on January 9, 2015 has just completed its first month, and this leaves only a little more than two months before the parliament…
FM Samaraweera Calls for Patience on Human Rights Front and Improved Sri Lanka-USA Relations
Photo courtesy MFA Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera in his first visit to Washington, D.C. after assuming office addressed a full-house gathering at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) on…
Online Freedom of Expression in Sri Lanka
The tension between the burgeoning technological capacities for both online is a global phenomenon, compounded by the absence of a dedicated international legal framework that sets out obligations for states with regard…
THE POLITICS OF HATE, THE POLITICS OF HURT, AND THE POLITICS OF THE HAUGHTY: THREE THREATS TO CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM IN SRI LANKA
Photo courtesy Maithripala Sirisena website “” – Edmund Burke (1790) With just over a month after the installation of the new government and its commencement of the 100-day reform process, the situation…
Storming to Performing in 100 Days
Photo courtesy The Business Times Taking over the country’s governance, especially under the current circumstances in Sri Lanka must take an emotional and physical toll on the politicians. At this level of…
Pattani Razeek: No justice 5 years after abduction and killing
Photo courtesy AFAD On 11th February 2015, it will be five years since the abduction of Pattani Razeek, a well-known human rights defender in Sri Lanka. His body was exhumed on 28th…
Exploring International and Domestic Modalities for Truth and Justice in Sri Lanka
AFP PHOTO/LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHILAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI/AFP/Getty Images via FT blog The ‘Declaration of Peace’ by the Government of Sri Lanka at the 67th Independence Day Celebrations held on 4th February 2015 is a notable…
Sri Lanka’s geopolitical importance to the United States
Image courtesy California Bangla During late January and early February 2015, Sri Lanka witnessed the visits of many foreign officials to the country. Prominently featured among them were the visits of the…
Economics of the Colombo Port City Project
Image courtesy Yamu The government recently took a cabinet decision to go ahead with the $15 billion Colombo Port City Project (CPCP). Cabinet spokesperson Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, trying to justify the decision…
Colombo Port City: Consequences of reneging a promise
I am sure that I speak for many of us who took the promise of the Prime Minister that the Port City’ project was to be scrapped. Now, it seems that it…
Sri Lanka’s Newfound (Cautious) Optimism
Photo courtesy Colombo Gazette Amra Ghouse, Kumaran Nadesan, Suthamie Poologasingham, Nima Ranawana and Viranjith Tilakaratne When Sri Lanka celebrated its 67th Independence Day on February 4, it did so filled with hope…
Signs of Blemishes in Good Governance
Photo courtesy Bloomberg Sam Samarasinghe and Chandrasiri Seneviratne In the first three weeks of its tenure the Sirisena/Wickramasinghe administration has generally adhered to the principles of good governance in their effort to…
How Free is Free Education?: Educational Stratification in Sri Lanka: 1985-2010
Image courtesy Rose Sri Lanka Sri Lanka’s Free Education Scheme aims to provide each child an equal opportunity at educational success, but there is debate over to what extent it succeeds in…