PTA: Repeal or Amend?
The former Secretary General of the UN, Kofi Annan, emphasized that terrorism strikes at the very heart of everything the UN stood for and it was a global threat to democracy, the…
Author: Austin Fernando
Making Provincial Administration Work in the North
These days media often speak of conflicts between the center and provincial administration, especially between the Northern Provincial Council’s (NPC’s) Chief Minister (CM) / Members and the Governor of the Province. The…
Sri Lanka and Indian / American Agendas
Having read a post by HE Jaliya Wickramasuriya, our Ambassador in the USA, titled “A Role for Sri Lanka in US Pivot to Asia”, I thought it may be ideal to understand…
Responding to Geneva by Exemplary Restitution
Robert O. Blake has once said, “International mechanisms can become appropriate in cases where states are either unable or unwilling to meet their obligations.” After Geneva March 2013, US officials have reiterated…
Messing in the maze: A response to Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
As my friend Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka is probably aware, I rarely miss his articles. Sometimes I have been mildly shaken by his radical writing, but never quaked as I did having read…
Is Power Sharing in Land Administration Practical in Sri Lanka?
Editors note: The author informs us that this Long Reads article is the result of many months of research, and aimed at promoting reconciliation. It is a dispassionate take on a vexed…
Developing the ‘Under served settlements’ in Colombo: An Open Letter
Photo courtesy Prevention Web October 8th 2011 Dear Mr. Milinda Moragoda and Mr. AJM Muzammil, I wrote this open letter before the elections, to be read after, to avoid political misapprehensions that would…
India “Punishing Sri Lanka”: Myth or Reality?
Prof. Rohan Gunaratne- international terrorism expert- addressing the business community last week convincingly and openly cautioned that “India might ‘punish’ Sri Lanka”, if Sri Lanka leans elsewhere to India’s detriment. This is…
LLRC: Evidence given by Mr. Austin Fernando, Former Secretary of Defense on 18th August 2010
September 30th 2010 Editor, Dear Sir, Evidence given before LLRC on August 18th 2010 I gave evidence before the LLRC which became very problematic. My evidence was inaccurately or partially reported, which…
COLOMBO MUNICIPAL CORPORATISATION PROPOSAL
I support power sharing. Therefore, my attention is drawn to this proposal, irrespective of  the unacceptability or denial by any government authority of this purported proposal. In the last few weeks, the…
FROM VICTORY TO NORMALISATION IN SRI LANKA
No war is fought sans atrocity. It destroys everything. Even when a war is fought with the best adherence to internationally accepted laws of warfare; it still breeds hatred, enmity and many…
Did the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) hand over the North to LTTE?
To one Mr. N. Ethirveerasingam, on a comment he made on an article I wrote ( will agree to publish it.” This article is the fulfilling of my promise to him. Since…
The Commissioner of Elections: A close friend’s critique
One evening we boisterously debated on the conduct of the last Presidential Elections. Some blamed the President and supporters, some Ranil Wickremesinghe / Sarath Fonseka and supporters, R. Samapanthan and Somawansa Ameresinghe…
Opportunity to make terrorism history
Jehan Perera- Daily Mirror 10-3-2009 The sober and humanist approach is orchestrated in Sri Lanka according to the spokesperson’s preference. This is why we hear most politicians, bureaucrats, donors etc state that…