lester james

Lester James Peiris- a cultural icon beyond compare

It is indeed a great privilege to pen some thoughts and emotions that ran through my mind on one of the momentous occasions which Lester James Peiris and his wife Sumithra commemorate yearly. Although... 
Bodu Bala Sena rally

The gap between the Sinhalese and Tamils seems unbridgeable, and sadly so…

“Collective”- Bauddha Jathika Balavegaya (BJB) reborn! “I know that my unity with all people cannot be destroyed by national boundaries and government orders.” – Leo Tolstoy Ghosts from fifty... 
President Mahinda Rajapaksa (L) and his brother Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa: Contemplating their next big move?

Sri Lanka: Will the people have the balls to resist the insidious media ethics law

“That is a slave’s lot – not to be able to speak one’s mind” — Euripides (Ion) In Turkey, an attempt to uproot a public park and build a shopping mall ignited a tidal-wave of protests which... 
President Obama

ACLU sues over NSA surveillance program

The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging the constitutionality of the U.S. government surveillance program that collects the telephone records of millions of Americans from... 
Ron Paul Speaks At National Press Club In Washington

Ron Paul: Fear Snowden could be target of drone assassination by Obama administration

Former GOP presidential hopeful Ron Paul insisted on Tuesday that NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden is not a traitor, but he fears the U.S. Former Republican Presidential Candidate, Ron Paul government... 
Ranil Wickramasinghe

Those in the Opposition:stop dreaming and go back to the drawing board…

“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” - Martin Luther King, Jr. The pillar of success? With the total flop of the one-day Island-wide strike of May 21,... 
President Rajapakse

Media ethics and reality control in Sri Lanka: “All of us always approve what the Führer does”

“Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government” (US Supreme Court on Pentagon Papers) If the Rajapaksas succeed in turning their ‘media ethics proposal’ into... 
Nonis Dr. Chris with HRH Prine Charles Ambassador-UK1

Please recognise Sri Lanka is a Sovereign state

The people’s government, made for the people, made by the people and answerable to the people -Daniel Webster –Speech Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the UK Dr. Chris Nonis with Prince Charles On the... 
Prime Minister Singh with President Obama (File photo)

Sinhala nationalists are betting against the White House and the Rashtrapathi Bhavan

As the Sinhalese and Tamils, or more precisely the Sinhala and Tamil nationalists, will eventually learn, there were rather good reasons that the Temple at Delphi bore the inscription ‘Nothing in Excess’,... 
Blake and Rajapaksa

Disemboweling the 13th Amendment will be the new ‘Sinhala Only’:It will transform Pirapaharan into a misunderstood prophet

“Nemesis, the goddess of measure and not of revenge, keeps watch. All those who overstep the limits are pitilessly punished by her”. Albert Camus (Helen’s Exile) One of the most incisive analyses... 
ObamaBush3

Stung by the Scandal will Obama survive?

  “Scandal is an importunate wasp, against which we must make no movement unless we are quite sure that we can kill it; otherwise it will return to the attack more furious than ever.” ~Nicolas... 
Hundreds of thousands of Tamils ended up trapped in a tiny strip of land

Election of Northern Provincial Council can benefit all provinces

There are many unresolved grievances that face the war-affected people of all communities after the end of the war, and which the centralized Hundreds of thousands of Tamils ended up trapped in a tiny... 
Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and President Rajapakse (R)

UNP Constitutional Reforms: The message is right, is the messenger credible?

“No matter what message you are about to deliver somewhere, whether it is holding out a hand of friendship, or making clear that you disapprove of something, is the fact that the person sitting across... 
cbk forbes.com

Sri Lanka and UNP, TNA and a possible CBK comeback

New Constitution The proposals for a new Constitution presented by the main Opposition party could have been much better, but as they stand they constitute a welcome and useful intervention in the political... 
rajiv gandhi and JR

Chances of the Thirteenth Amendment survival down to slim and none

“We win justice quickest by rendering justice to the other party.” ~Mahatma Gandhi Champaka Ranawaka The Thirteenth Amendment which saw passage in Parliament in August 1987 amidst civil chaos and political... 
MLK13Community (web version)

A shared dream: Sonali gives keynote speech on MLK Day on the ‘Fierce Urgency of Now’

  21st January 2013 I am deeply honored to be apart of these celebrations in remembering one of the greatest spiritual leaders of all time – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Thank you Don Austin... 

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Issues

UN High Commissioner for Human rights can now visit Sri Lanka with authority

“The significance of the US draft is the establishment of an international mechanism to monitor an internal process.” – Tamara Kunanayakam, Sri Lanka’s representative at the UN ...

Statements

Ashraf Nagar: The courageous struggle of peasants against the forcible land acquisition in Ampara District

A Statement by Women’s Action Network Ashraf Nagar’s inhabitants can trace back their history to 1952 when it consisted of the following small villages -Aalim Nagar, ...

Issues

Supreme Court complex overrun by defence personnel and surrounded by riot squads, CJ refused free speech

Status Report of the Lawyers Collective ISSUED ON 15th January 2013: 9.00 p.m. On 14th January, around 7.00 pm the Secretary to the President and DIG Anura Senanyaka  required ...

Issues

Government commences hate campaign against lawyers who opposed impeachment

Status Report of Lawyers Collective 14th January 2013 (9.00 p.m) The letter of removal of the Chief Justice was received by her on 13th January 2013. The President ...

Issues

Rajapaksa sends letter removing CJ as lawyers dig in their heels

“We salute the Chief Justice for her courage & She remains the Chief Justice” H.E President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s purported letter of removal has been received by ...

Appreciation

Obituary – Death of twin brother and sister

Death of twin brother and sister J. U’stice and T. Ruth, beloved twin children born to parents Lanka Raj and Lanka Rani, beloved nephew and niece ...

News

Judges require protection: Public urges government to respect court decisions

9th January 2013, 1.00 p.m: 1. On 8th January 2013 the leaders of the Opposition Political Parties wrote to the Speaker and protested against the decision ...

News

UNDP withdraws sponsorship of Judges Conference due to ministerial interference

The UNDP has withdrawn its sponsorship of the annual judges conference due to politically motivated decision by the Social Integration Ministry. Lawyers said the Ministry had ...

Thelma

THELMA logo

Betting on the wrong horse

Darling Ma-hinder I had always thought that your top man at the United Nations in the Big Apple, your big Kahuna on First Avenue was a ...

Issues

More students activists in Jaffna to be quizzed by police over undisclosed charges

UPDATE: On the morning of 6th December, 2012, the Kopai Police have handed over a list of a further 10 students to the University authorities ...