The Fight for Abortion Rights in Sri Lanka
In a country where abortion remains criminalised under colonial-era laws dating back to 1883, Sri Lanka has long denied women the fundamental right to make decisions about their own bodies. The recent…
Politics and Governance
A Daunting List of Human Rights Problems to Address
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and his NPP government have inherited a daunting list of human rights problems to address. In his election manifesto, President Dissanayake pledged to repeal the Prevention of Terrorism…
Reforming Welfare from Dependency to Reciprocal Dignity
Sri Lanka stands at a pivotal moment in its social development. After weathering a profound economic crisis and decades of welfare policies that have created complex patterns of dependency, the nation must…
Breaking the Silence on Batalanda: A Call to Action
For more than two decades, the Batalanda Commission report has languished in the archives of our nation’s history, ignored and forgotten by those who should have cared most [1]. But recent events,…
Dealing with Sri Lanka’s Two Systems
James Edition Since colonisation of Ceylon by the British, we had two systems: the native social system with strong cultural and religious orientation and the colonial system with British cultural (including educational),…
Trump Tariffs Expose Sri Lanka’s Uncompetitive Trade Policy
The recent imposition of tariffs on trade by the US on Sri Lankan exports is a wake up call. While concerns about the bilateral US-Sri Lanka trade imbalance have been noted, a…
Tackling the Scourge of Corruption
Sri Lanka was ranked as the 121st least corrupt nation out of 180 countries according to the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index reported by Transparency International. Sri Lanka scored a 32 on a…
The Thaiyatty Land Issue
Although the civil war ended 16 years ago, Sri Lanka’s land conflicts continue with state agencies appropriating land used and owned by Tamil and Muslim communities in the north and east in…
Need for a Trans-boundary Blue-Green Biosphere Reserve in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay
Blue-green land and waterscapes act as ecological corridors across land and water in creating an ecological continuity in order to protect and restore the habitats of native and naturalized species. In addition,…
Witnessing Two Genocides Happening Now
As part of the Kolamba Kamatha Festival, Stages Theatre Group presented , two powerful plays of remembering, witnessing and refusing to look away. In , playwright Ruwanthi De Chickera distills the complexity…
Protecting and Preserving the Environment Against All Odds
Sri Lanka’s future is interwoven with the fate of its natural habitats. The country must act now to preserve its rich biodiversity. The fate of its forests, wildlife and, by extension, its…
Sri Lanka’s Response to the UK Sanctions
Last year, I studied in some depth perceptions of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD) and the National People’s Power (NPP) after the consequential presidential election and again after the even more significant…
Israeli Tourists Spark Tensions in Arugam Bay
Arugam Bay, once an idyllic and peaceful coastal town in the southeast, is facing growing tensions as the number of Israeli tourists, particularly those with military connections, continues to rise. The influx…
Sanctions: A Step in the Right Direction to Combat Impunity
The UK government has announced sanctions on three top former war time military commanders and a former LTTE commander accused of serious human rights violations and abuses such as extra judicial killings,…
UK Sanctions Former Military Commanders and Karuna
The UK government has imposed sanctions, which include UK travel bans and asset freezes, on three former military commanders and a Tamil paramilitary leader accused of serious human rights violations and abuses…