The Toxic Ship – What Price for Environmental Devastation?
“” This is a politician’s perception of the vessel-source pollution caused by the X-Press Pearl that caught fire and sank off in the Sri Lankan waters. Not only the politicians but the…
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An Avoidable Environmental Catastrophe: Where Did It Go Wrong?
Sri Lanka is currently experiencing the greatest marine disaster in its history caused by the burning and sinking of the MV X-Press Pearl in the shallow waters less than 10 nautical miles…
The Extraordinary Life, Times and Talent of Laki Senanayake
Laki is seated on a black, high-backed, padded executive swivel chair. He is bare-bodied, in a bright red sarong, dappled sunlight catching his white beard. On the table in front of him…
Ecosystem Restoration is Not a Choice But an Imperative
Making of a blue-green planet Planet Earth was formed nearly 4.5 billion years ago. As far as we know it is the only planet that supports life. Life evolved and flourished in…
Office on Missing Persons and the Zero Policy on Justice
One of the issues that demonstrated the approach of the Sri Lankan authorities to the problem of enforced disappearances can be discovered in a study of the narrative of the Office on…
The X-Press Pearl Fire – A Disaster of Unimaginable Proportions
After 12 days, the ship MV X-Press Pearl finally sank about 9.5 nautical miles from the Colombo harbour. It has not sunk fully because it is touching a coral bed. The ship…
Qadri Ismail: In Memoriam
Prof. Ismail (Qadri) was one of the earliest champions of or some other platform, would be sent, and prior to publication, we exchanged some thoughts over. This is a polite way of…
Navigating Geopolitics: The Need for a Balanced and Nuanced Approach
The visit of Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe to Sri Lanka in late April 2021 – the second visit by a high ranking Chinese official since the pandemic – has raised…
Upeka: A Life in Dance
When did you first realise you wanted to be a dancer? I have absolutely no idea. I didn’t wake up one day and decide I want to be a dancer. I never…
Criminalising Disinformation: Neither the Time nor the Place
A public conversation on criminalising disinformation has re-emerged in Sri Lanka. The government recently announced that it was considering new proposals for a law to curb false and misleading statements. This conversation…
The Prevention of Terrorism Act: Whom Does It Keep Safe?
Does the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) keep us safe? How often is it misused? Does it cause unjust suffering to people? If it does cause suffering, how much suffering are we…
Right To Information Act at the Grassroots – Small Steps but Big Impact
That Right to Information (RTI) is a tool for increasing transparency, accountability and better governance practices is widely accepted. But what does research and data say in that regard? During a research…
COVID-19: Three Immediate Policy Priorities to Save Lives
Sri Lanka is facing an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases with the number of daily cases over 3,000, a weekly increase of over 50 percent from last week Friday, May 14. Government…
Patriot, Bared
The Rajapaksas are at war. Not with the pandemic but with those who inform the public about the pandemic. Sudharshini Fernandopulle, the only minister who seems to possess a brain, a vertebra…
Vaccine Inequality and the Cost to Garment Sector Workers
Sri Lanka’s admired initial coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic is now a distant memory. The second wave that multiplied from the Brandix factory in Minuwangoda should have sounded a warning to…
