A Bleak Future for Sri Lanka
Since being granted independence in 1948, Sri Lanka has been run by three family dynasties whose unaccountable, corrupt and incompetent regimes have led the country into various crises: economic, political and social…
Politics and Governance
Did Independence Result in Freedom for the Many?
As we mark another independence day celebrating the transfer of power from the British colonial government to Ceylonese rulers, it is important to reflect on the situation that existed before, the impact…
The Anti-Terrorism Law: A Draconian Legacy
The Minister of Justice recently presented to parliament the Anti-Terrorism Bill, and its first reading took place on January 10, 2024. While this Bill is fraught with problems, two main issues with…
Breaking the Glass Ceiling for Women in Politics
Women in Sri Lanka face serious barriers to political representation and the country ranks among the lowest in the world for the percentage of women in national legislatures. After the parliamentary elections…
Further Rights Violations Draw International Scrutiny
People suspected of using illegal drugs are among the latest Sri Lankans to find their rights under attack from the regime. So are those sharing news and views online that might suddenly…
Anti-War Protests: A Missing Dimension
“Hey, hey LBJ, how many kids you killed today?” was a line from a popular song written by Bill Fredericks and sung by a group of school children in US, soon after…
News Without Terror
The reporter gives us news and despite the agony in details: shrapnel killing kids, hospitals, schools and mosques bombed with two thousand pound projectiles, almost two million people displaced, hounded, on…
The Online Safety Bill: A Trojan Horse
On September 18, 2023, the Government of Sri Lanka published a Bill titled “Online Safety” and this was subsequently tabled in parliament on October 3. The Bill aims to establish an Online…
TRC – A Sophisticated Get Out of Jail Free Card?
Sri Lanka has published a bill to establish a Commission for Truth, Unity and Reconciliation. Although the bill superficially appears to tick several boxes for the international community, a close examination reveals…
A Note to (and on) the West
As the International Court of Justice prepares to deliver its verdict on South Africa’s case against Israel, now is an opportune moment to reflect on what it means for the West, the…
South Africa Challenges Israel’s Final Solution for Palestine
“Israel, like South Africa, is an apartheid state after taking Palestine from the Arabs who had lived there for a thousand years.” (Hendrik Verwoerd) “The people of South Africa will never forget…
The Commission For Truth, Unity and Reconciliation: A Damp Squib for Human Rights Archives and Records
Archbishop Desmond Tutu, October 21, 2003 The Bill on the Commission for Truth, Unity and Reconciliation (CTUR) in Sri Lanka was finally issued in the Gazette on January 1, 2024 after months…
Protecting the Rights of the Adivasi Community
It has been 16 years since the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) in September 2007. However, Sri Lanka has not formulated a legal or…
State Formation, the Politics of Capitalist Transition and Conflicts
Given the wars and conflicts that engulfed the world at the end of 2023, peace and conflict studies have become even more important as we welcome 2024. This article is based on…
Fighting the Extinction of Sri Lanka’s Elephants
December’s deaths caused by illegal electric fences of three tuskers, beloved characters in their territories, marked the 449th elephant death of 2023, bringing the estimated death toll to the highest ever recorded…
