Photo courtesy of AP There has been growing public concern over the recent weeks about happenings in Arugam Bay. This analysis adds to the discourse. Democratic states are obliged to protect all people within its borders whether citizens or non-citizens. Non-citizens include tourists on short stays subject to the law of the land they visit. Informed sources report that Jewish ...
Photo courtesy of Denver Post After the results of the US election were announced and Donald Trump was elected as the 47th President, I am seeing many women’s “survival guides” popping up on my TikTok advising them to stock up on birth control and to renew or get an IUD. This applies even to younger girls because they need all ...
Photo courtesy of UNHCR Hundreds of thousands of terrified Rohingya refugees flooded onto the beaches and paddy fields of southern Bangladesh in August 2017. When the refugees – almost 60 per cent of whom were children – poured across the border from Myanmar into Bangladesh, they related accounts of the unspeakable violence and brutality that had forced them to flee. ...
Photo courtesy of Global Giving Today is Universal Children’s Day Universal Children’s Day is celebrated on November 20 every year globally and honours the youngest members of society by recognising children’s unique rights and needs. While the purpose has evolved since its inception, its core mission remains the same: to create a world where every child is cherished, protected and ...
Photo courtesy of Hindustan Times Reflecting on the recent elections in both Sri Lanka and the US is an interesting exercise particularly because, as the two countries now have synchronized election cycles, comparisons and contrasts are readily evident. The US has presented itself for decades as a beacon of democracy: progressive and inclusive and an upholder of human rights within ...
Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera The presidential and parliamentary elections of 2024 have clearly sent strong signals of a clear change in the political landscape in Sri Lanka. On September 21, the country elected Anura Kumara Dissanayake as its 9th executive president. President Dissanayake is a seasoned politician but has always represented the political left and successfully distanced himself from ...
Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera “Wishes come true Not free.” (Stephen Sondheim, In to the Woods) The Grimm version is known wider but the Turkish one cuts deeper. In both tales, the boy goes in search of fear and finds a crown. In the Grimm version, fear comes when a pail of cold water full of tiny fishes is thrown ...
Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera Sri Lanka stands on the brink of a transformative era. The National People’s Power (NPP), under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has secured a historic two thirds majority in parliament. This unprecedented victory transcends a mere political win; it signifies a collective yearning for hope, unity and a fresh start for the nation. ...
Photo courtesy of The Globe and Mail The parliamentary election on November 14 is going to be like no other in Sri Lanka’s post independence history. Like the presidential election held on September 21, it will be another ground breaking expression of people’s will to change the government at a peaceful election. In particular, it will empower the disempowered and ...
November 13, 1993 will be 31 years since bombs were dropped by the Air Force over St. James Catholic Church in Gurunagar, Jaffna. Nine civilians were killed, several others injured and church and buildings nearby suffered severe damage. There is very little news and discussion about this in mainstream national media or even in the Catholic church. This article is ...
Photo courtesy of CPPP The 2024 presidential election marked the first major electoral event following the aragalaya and the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The election highlighted the country’s shifting political landscape, moving away from traditional party politics toward a potentially more open and dynamic political culture. In this evolving context, the flow of information to voters has become a ...
Photo courtesy of NBC News Listen to the doctor, the pediatrician, the head of the children’s hospital in North Gaza. Listen to him mourn his son. Listen to his cries, his wailing. his son killed with a bomb flung on the Jabaliya camp. Listen to the journalist. Listen to her report about oxygen concentrators and tanks that kept babies alive ...
Photo courtesy of Himalmag “Now here you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere you must run at least twice as fast as that.” Advice by the Red Queen to Alice in Alice in Wonderland Leading political parties, mostly in the Sinhala speaking south, are ...
Photo courtesy of cnbctv18 In the latest polling by the Institute for Health Policy (IHP) Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) conducted from August to November, 74% of Sri Lankans named the economy as their top concern. Inflation (44%) and jobs/unemployment (40%) followed closely. The SLOTS poll asks respondents to name the top two problems facing the country, with responses ...
Photo courtesy of SLCP As Sri Lanka approaches the general election, the Institute for Health Policy’s (IHP) Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) polling reveals strong voter support for prioritising increased government spending on health and education. In the latest polling since August 2024, 82% want spending on health to increase and 65% want education to be increased. There is ...
Photo courtesy of DW As I have previously pointed out, although IMF programmes appear to solely focus on development, they do not cater to or deal with matters that affect socio-economic justice and a fair go. Their only formula is one of liberalising markets for generating more profits for investors with drastic cuts to social welfare benefits and expanding the ...
Photo courtesy of The Island November 10 will be the 37th anniversary of the killing of Fr. Michael Rodrigo, OMI, popularly known as Fr. Mike. He was killed while I was a student at St. Peter’s and he has been a role model and an inspiration since my school days. In this article I will focus on his work and ...
Photo courtesy of Amnesty International Cabinet Spokesman Minister Vijitha Herath’s position on the Online Safety Act (OSA) at the press briefing held on November 6 essentially re-affirms what was noted in Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s manifesto in relation to the Act. I was sorely disappointed to read the NPP’s position on the OSA when the manifesto was first released and wrote ...
Photo courtesy of The Washington Post No more refugees. No more border- crossers. No more morning after pills. No more right to decide who will decide if I will bear the greatest child in the greatest nation. No more elite with pince-nez going to the Met. No more god- damned people blocking the road to the Israeli embassy. No more ...
Photo courtesy of Aviation Voice The election of Anura Kumara Dissanayake as Sri Lanka’s executive president has introduced a transformative environment into the country’s political landscape. His approach is marked by an emphasis on empathy, transparency and a coalition driven progressive agenda. It represents a significant departure from that of the political elite that dominated Sri Lanka since its independence ...
