Towards a Political Vision with Social Justice and Pluralism
Statfor The post war Sri Lankan state’s inability to fulfil the demands of global finance capital has devastated the lives of millions of Sri Lankans. This is a country where we see…
Constitutional Reform
The Aragalaya Awakens People’s Sleeping Sovereignty
July 9, 2022 should resonate as a historic moment in Sri Lanka’s political history – its Bastille Day. After months of public protests demanding that the president and prime minister resign amidst…
Proposed All Party Government: Some Critical Reflections
President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposal for an All Party Government (APG) seems to be in some trouble. Not unexpectedly, President Wickremesinghe’s bland, and sometimes combative, appeals have failed to inspire any particular enthusiasm…
From the Aragalaya to a New Nation
The current economic downfall did not happen due to a natural disaster or by accident; it was caused by a combination of bad policies, wrong economic direction, mismanagement, corruption, inability to deliver…
Taking Aragalaya Ideas Seriously
The emergence of Frontline Social Party (FSP) in July as a major voice of the aragalaya (‘People’s uprising/struggle’) movement has led to many negative reactions. Searching questions are being raised and debated…
A New Era of Politics Begins
A peaceful mass uprising on July 9 has brought about the end of a political era that started with the promulgation of the 1978 constitution of Sri Lanka, a constitution that completely…
Good Governance, Bad Governance and No Governance
Good governance means a system of governance that ensures economic efficiency guaranteeing economic stability throughout a nation. This economic efficiency can only be brought about by the observance of transparency, accountability and…
Elections Are the Only Way Forward
Verité Research The young Sri Lankan cricket team has done the impossible and beaten the powerful Australian cricket team several times in the shorter formats of the game, giving Sri Lankans some…
Need for Parallel Political and Economic Reforms
There is a fallacy being promoted by the reconstituted Rajapaksa regime that political reforms such as the proposed 21st Amendment are not really necessary or at least have already occurred through the change…
Parliamentary Democracy: Re-living a Myth
Parliamentary democracy is a system of governance through which people share resources, provide for their own needs, enhance their own interests and deal with unexpected contingencies, as far as possible on their…
For a Change-Making 21st Amendment
The key objective of the 21st Amendment is to undo the undemocratic powers of the executive president and to expand the space for better governance. This would imply that no attempt will…
Sri Lanka in the Chalk Circle
“Without gas, without kerosene oil, we can’t do anything. Last option what? Without food we are going to die. That will happen hundred percent.” Mohammad Shazly a part-time chauffer, Colombo (Reuters –…
People’s Uprising for System Change
April and May 2022 will be remembered as the most important months in the post-independence era. During this short period the much hoped for people’s awakening expressed itself powerfully. People who wielded…
The Need to Restore Judicial Review
Many discussions are taking place concerning the issue of restoring democracy by way of undoing the executive presidential system. As a way of achieving this, the suggestion is for the abolition of…
Why Minorities Must Support the Struggle
The current political and economic crisis in Sri Lanka calls for a new strategy in the political course of the Tamils and other minorities. People have been provoked to revolt against the…
