Photo courtesy of Foreign Policy “Imperialism is the monopoly stage of capitalism.” (Lenin) “Israel is the largest American aircraft carrier in the world that cannot be sunk.” (General Alexander Haig, American Secretary of State) It is little over one year since Hamas fired those deadly rockets on Israel as mark of its violent struggle to liberate Gaza from Israel’s brutal ...
Photo courtesy of Ceylon Independent Seetha is an elderly woman who takes care of her three grandchildren, all below the age of 15. She lives in a section of her late daughter’s house, where the electricity has been disconnected for the past three months due to non-payment of arrears. She earns a living by selling manioc chips and earns about ...
Photo courtesy of ABC News Today is International Day for the Eradication of Poverty Poverty and malnutrition are interconnected issues that continue to affect millions worldwide and Sri Lanka is no exception. In recent years, global poverty levels have faced setbacks after decades of progress. The World Bank updated the global extreme poverty line to $2.15 per person per day ...
Photo courtesy of BBC Naming the names of the dead is an important act of memorialisation; for those they leave behind, it is their names that contain their essence. Palestinians in Gaza are writing the names of murdered family members on the ruins of their homes to mark their graves under the rubble because Israeli bombardment prevents the recovery of ...
Photo courtesy of Haribunda Sri Lanka has a storied history filled with a rich tapestry of socio-cultural narratives around how people experience themselves and the world around them. Stories carried through lineages, passed on by our ancestors, embedded in the cellular makeup of those of us currently inhabiting the world are those of resilience, spirituality, family and community. However, imprints ...
Photo courtesy of Ceylon Today At the cusp of a significant political transformation, Sri Lanka stands at a crucial juncture in its history with an opportunity to reclaim and redefine its place among the community of nations. In the first part of my analysis in this series, I explored the roots of the political transformation both in terms of the ...
Photo courtesy of Citrus County Chronicles For the first time in history, the Sri Lankan people have elected a leftist as their president. The left, with its long history, has sought power through both armed insurrections and the electoral path. For decades, particularly after the fall of the Soviet Union, the left was not even seen as a serious actor ...
Photo courtesy of Sandesh Bartlett In the Institute for Health Policy (IHP) SLOTS polling through 2024 prior to the presidential election, A.K. Dissanayake, Harini Amarasuriya and Ali Sabry were consistently the most popular politicians tracked. After A.K. Dissanayake, Harini Amarasuriya was the next most popular, suggesting she will be a popular choice for the prime minister post. Overall, Sri Lankans ...
Photo courtesy of Maatram Sri Lanka’s history is deeply scarred by ethnic tensions and addressing these divisions is crucial for the nation’s future. The National People’s Power (NPP) and its leader, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, have built their platform on the promise of system change and a break from the old order. To truly deliver on that vision, the NPP must ...
Photo courtesy of Polygeia Today is World Mental Health Day As technology continues to evolve, young people increasingly turn to digital devices to navigate everyday life. While these tools have transformed communication, education and entertainment, they also contribute to the mental health crisis faced by today’s youth. In such a situation, exploring the intersection of mental health, technology and social ...
Photo courtesy of The Times of Israel The government of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has pledged solidarity with Gaza and Palestine. In this the National People’s Power (NPP) party differs little from other political outfits in the country, which have all expressed their support for the rights of Palestinians and the idea of Palestinian statehood. Even the previous administration of ...
Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera The year 2024 marks a watershed moment in Sri Lanka’s political history. The National People’s Power (NPP) party, led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake (AKD), has ascended to power on a platform that promises not just the broadest reform agenda of any government in independent Sri Lanka, but a comprehensive national renaissance. In the previous analysis, ...
Photo courtesy of HRW Elections can be times of hope, offering the possibility of a fresh start, yet also bring deep divisions to the surface. Sri Lanka is one of several countries where in 2024 voters have made, or are about to make, important choices. Each part of the world has a unique history and set of conditions. Yet there ...
Photo courtesy of The Leader The tectonic plates shifted in Sri Lanka’s political fabric on September 21. The political rupture caused by Anura Kumara Dissanayake, once considered a rank outsider, becoming the president was that moment. It is a breach in a country where feudal overhang in politics is the norm. Two ruling families from the urban elite (Bandaranaikes and ...
Photo courtesy of Spencer Manuelpillai Today is World Habitat Day Emeritus Professor Sarath Kotagama needs no introduction to any in the conservation community of Sri Lanka. Not always seeking populism but preferring pragmatism, whether one agrees with him or not there is no question of his wealth of experience and understanding of the wilderness and its wildlife. Former Head of ...
Photo courtesy of CNN Global Israel is a name coined by the Israeli historian Ilan Pappe in his latest book Lobbying for Zionism on both sides of the Atlantic and it refers to “a coalition that includes most governments, mainstream media and some parts of academia in the Global North with the US and the UK at the forefront, and ...
Photo courtesy of Amnesty International Words cannot bring back the dead. But they can heal the wounded my teacher said. I went to the house; found its absence baffling and bitter like smoke disappearing from a dying fire. Words cannot bring back the dead. But how will you embrace me smoke, sift blocked bile, make it fly into air and memory? ...
Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera In the wake of the National People’s Power (NPP) party’s remarkable victory in the 2024 presidential election, some observers have been quick to attribute the result to a protest vote against traditional political parties and misinterpret its failure to secure a clear majority. The Indian media in particular – which has always had a deep and ...
Photo courtesy of Sky News Elections are often about creating divisions within the electorate and channeling power to the majority opinion. Sri Lanka’s ninth presidential election concluded with an unprecedented result, signaling a new chapter in the country’s political landscape. For the first time in history no candidate secured over 50% of the votes, triggering a second preference vote count ...
Photo courtesy of Lanka Truth I have a few comments to make about the rather inevitable and predictable recent attempts on social media to try and attack and diminish Dr. Harini Amarasuriya’s authority via comments about her marital status, as a highly educated woman who has chosen to remain single and child free. Some people commenting on social media seem ...
