From Absurdities to Atrocities, Again?
Voltaire (Letter to Fredrick the Great – 28.11.1770) Sri Lanka’s road to ruin was marked by miracles. The story, born in mystery, spread across the land at the speed of light. Luminous…
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Get Out My Vote
How can you expect my vote when you allow Haitians arrived at our border to be picked up and deported back to the island from which they fled, where rape, murder,…
A Mural for Women Journalists from the Fearless Collective
Although Sri Lanka has had its fair share of women editors and journalists for many decades, some who ventured into areas of conflict around the country, the image of a journalist is…
Gaza: The Cruelty and Pain of Numbers
If a modern military combat involves a lot of high explosive such as large bombs and shells, the physical devastation of the area is profound. And the bigger the shell or bomb…
Five Years On: Still Seeking Justice for Easter Sunday Bombings
The churches have been restored for congregations to worship and the luxury hotels have been repaired for the elite to dine in but the families of victims are still seeking justice for…
Dr A.T. Ariyaratne: A Visionary Community Leader
The government’s decision to conduct the funeral of Dr A T Ariyaratne with state honours is a recognition of the contribution that the founder of the Sarvodaya Movement made to the country…
On Consent – Romeo and Juliet and the Draft Bill
Newscutter What is consent? When it comes to sexual relations, the concept of consent is that it must be between two consenting adults. Currently, the age of consent for girls in Sri…
Muslims Returning to Jaffna Face Many Challenges to Exist
In October 1990 some 75,000 to 100,000 Muslims in the Northern Province, about five percent of the province’s total population, were forcibly expelled from their homeland by the LTTE. In some places,…
Hakka Patas: The Bane of Elephants in Sri Lanka
Hakka patas (a cynical Sinhala term which translates as jaw breaker) are small improvised explosive devices, also known as a Homemade Explosive Device (HED), which consist of gun powder, stones, lead and…
Protecting Protesters is the Duty of the State
During 30 protests between March 2022 and June 2023, Sri Lanka’s law enforcement personnel did not adhere to international law and standards, using excessive force against peaceful protesters in at least 17…
Is Sri Lanka Capitalizing on Economic Disaster?
Two years after the aragalaya, which ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2022, Sri Lankans are still bearing the brunt of an economic crisis. When President Rajapaksa came to power in November 2019, the…
Empowering Women in the Digital Economy
The digital economy can be identified as converting the traditional market into a virtual platform. American scientist D. Tapscott, who is the author of the book titled defines digital economy as a…
Hernia in Hell
The handbasket’s full. Really. There’s no room at the inn, my friend. Thirty five thousand souls blown off the Gaza Strip since October, 1500 from Port Au Prince since January.…
Women in the North Fight Against a Patriarchal Society for Survival
In all conflicts around the world, women are deeply affected. Sri Lanka’s 26 year civil war is no exception. Women in the war torn areas have faced violence, sexual abuse, displacement and…
A Milestone for Child Rights
In a progressive move, Sri Lanka has shed ambiguity in its child protection laws with an amendment transforming the Children and Young Persons’ Ordinance into the Children’s Ordinance. Crucially, the amendment raises…
