Political Opposition in a Nihilistic Sinhala Society
[Editors note: The intense and interesting debate this article generated resulted in a longer response by the author. Read it here – .] Taking off from the present This new year loaded…
Author: Kusal Perera
Julian Assange’s turn for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011
Photo courtesy Wired A week or so ago, a veteran editor cum journalist in a conversation on conflict and peace said, his choice for the next peace prize is Julian Assange. Agreed.…
A tragi-comedy? The UN Advisory Panel and war crimes in Sri Lanka
Photo courtesy Inner City Press There is nothing to scratch heads for, to find the reason why Moon at the UN and Mahinda in Colombo agreed to have the UN Secretary General’s…
From WikiLeaks to WikiLanka: War Is Definitely Savage Though “Accusations†Differ
The latest WikiLeaks “dump” of around 400,000 US classified war reports on Iraq from 2003 to 2009, the biggest “war leaks” ever in US history, reveals how inhuman and savage the war…
Triple ‘S’ & failed TNA presence in Vanni rehabilitation
Nominating TNA National list MP Sumanthiran to the newly created Parliamentary Council under the 18th Amendment, by Opposition Leader and UNP MP Wickramasinghe, was rightly rejected immediately by Sumanthiran himself and by…
If My Story Could Be Yours Too
This story could be penned from many entry points. That would not make it any different, I guess. It would thus be good, or not bad, to start from the presidential elections…
Tamils done with – Sinhalese to be done with
“Then they came for me” an oft quoted poem by German pastor Niemoller, in stressing the need for timely political action in difficult political contexts does have sense today, in its abstract…
A clueless regime’s parade for glory with a bumpkin polity
While a victory parade with military highlights is on to commemorate the war victory, that provides occasion for this regime to revel on its own pride in defeating the LTTE, what is…
Has journalist J.S. Tissanaiyagam really received a Presidential pardon?
The External Affairs Minister, Prof. G.L. Peiris, who has absolutely nothing to do with the judiciary, claimed at his first press briefing yesterday – 3 May – that President has DECIDED to…
Aiding and abetting to kill plurality in ‘patriotic’ Sri Lanka
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,…
A choiceless election to elect a lumpenised parliament
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 media ‘Konvicted’
The Akon rumpus, with all its nutty and freaky sides, did have one thing good about it. It raised the question, “what is media freedom ?” Except for “”Sirasa”” and its group…
Do candidates need armed security to ask for people’s votes?
I have read and heard of W. Dahanayake travelling to Colombo from Galle in the morning “Ruhunu Kumari” train with all those other ordinary passengers, getting off at the Kollupitiya station to…
Parliamentary Elections 2010: Living through a kleptocracy and not wanting an alternative
Are we honestly serious in wanting democracy, our rights and human development, to live in Sri Lanka ? If we are, how are we seeing to it, that we do really enjoy…
Going beyond Sarath Fonseka in achieving democracy for people
A visibly shaken wife in tears, Anoma Fonseka told the media “this is the gift my husband got for finishing a 30 year war”. Gen Sarath Fonseka was arrested, or detained, or…