Rebirth
Photos courtesy Batticaloa Facebook Page ### When the skies rumbled, angry and blistered with grey clouds, we were happy. Rain has mostly been our friend – a welcome drink for thirsty fields;…
Fiction / Creative Writing
Responding to a facile appeal: Galle Literary Festival and the freedom of expression
Michelle de Kretser signing. Photo by Sharni Jayawardena, courtesy Galle Literary Festival The Editors of , “We believe this is not the right time for prominent international writers like you to give…
Sri Lankan Minister continues farce
The leader of the National Fiefdom Front (NFF) Mrs Wimala Weerahansa continued her farce unto death in front of the Unverified Notions (UN) office near Bulls Road in Colombo yesterday – only…
The Taxi Driver’s Story: In the Name of a Father
My name is Polgahawela Aarachchige Junius Soloman Hickmana Thanthiriya Bandarawela, and I am a taxi driver in Colombo — you can call me Hick, for short. I am about to tell you…
The Wedding: An imagined portrait of an unusual day
He was a filmstar, they said. But she had never much cared for films. She had heard of schoolgirls hoarding dog-eared posters; giggling over provocative poses; singing the songs the stars sang;…
We Regret To Inform You That Your Condolences Cannot Be Accepted At This Time
We regret to inform you that your condolences cannot be accepted at this time. At present, both our pain and our hope defy that word, which has been offered and denied us,…
Interview with Ameena Hussein
Ameena Hussein is one of Sri Lanka’s best known English authors. She is also one half of the Perera Hussein Publishing House, that since 2003 has published some of the best new…
…for The Missing
A solitary lamp perched on a desk top lights a room. A man scribbles feverishly on paper, hunched over the light as if he’s jealously guarding what little he has. His desk…
Open letter to the President of Sri Lanka
January 28, 2010 Dear Mr. President, Congratulations on your land slide victory which, like most Colombo elites, I was stunned by. Your spokesperson Dr R Wijesinghe quite rightly described us as shallow…
Banyan News astrologer analyses planetary event on 26 January 2010
The occult of warrior Mars and royal Jupiter on 26th January will dominate the planetary motions in our heads, guts, backsides and wallets for the next six years. The official Banyan News…
The Fonseka Effect?
Cartoon by Dharshana Karunathilake, published in, 3 Jan 2010. Translation: General Fonseka (on left): “I promise to give you….” President Rajapaksa, interrupting: “Whatever he promises, I promise to give you all those!”…
Urgent National Security Overhaul in Sri Lanka
– The government in an emergency press briefing today, announced that it will take steps to overhaul the national security strategy of the island. The government defence spokesman, Minister Kokila Bathalahitawanna admitted…
Visualising Sarath Fonseka’s key campaign issues and manifesto
was republished in traditional print media and circulated widely over email because we seem to have hit a chord with many voters looking for an easy way to get to the core…
Guidance on Star Gazing: Government to set up Advisory Council for Astrologers?
- A special Advisory Council for Astrologers is to be established in the lead up to presidential elections to ensure “consistency” in astrological forecasts, claims a source from the Ministry of Indigenous Sciences…
Rajapakse: Now the most popular surname in Sri Lanka?
-Â Banyan News Reporters (BNR) learns from the Registrar of Names that a record number of people in Sri Lanka are requesting a change in their surnames. Over the last few months, the…