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Home » ColumnsFreedom, where are the joys that free men have sung in thy name?
This Wednesday morning as President Maithripala Sirisena hoists the Lion flag of Lanka to mark the 67th year of independence from the British Raj, no doubt his eyes will rest on the yellow and green strips of colour that symbolise the presence of the two minority communities – the Tamils and the Muslims — who [...]
Govt. having its say tripped while having its way
It was reality-check time for the minority Government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in Parliament on Friday, when it faced some stiff opposition over disagreements on a date to debate the Mohan Peiris removal/Shirani Bandaranayake reinstatement issue. One thing was clear from the outcome of the day’s proceedings which brought Parliament sessions to an abrupt [...]
The scandal of the Cheap Justice
The sordid saga of an imposter, as the National Unity Government officially described him in polite language, is over but the stink left behind by that episode is spreading. That is because Mohan Peiris, once styled as Chief Justice 44, never held that office and will not have his name in any official records other than [...]
More disclosures on previous Govt’s private army
PM directs Minister of State for Defence to conduct full probe, CID detectives question retired senior military officers More details of heavily armed private security companies conducting election work for Rajapaksa National Executive Council finalises Constitutional changes; Maithripala to retain some executive powers; Ranil to head government Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday directed the Minister [...]
Doing justice to a Chief Justice
My dear Shirani, I thought of writing to you this week to wish you well as you begin your retirement after all the drama of the last two years. I hope you are happy with what happened in the past few days — unlike some others who are also beginning their retirement in distant Medamulana! [...]
Challenging opportunity for sustainable economic development
On the eve of the 67th anniversary of independence there is an air of hope and much expectation of economic development within a democratic polity. The country has regained its democratic freedoms and the first steps have been taken by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe towards good governance. Good governance is a [...]
Shifting alignments in domestic and regional politics; the fallout
As the parliamentary election to be held at the end of the ’100-days programme’ draws nearer, the question in many people’s minds is ‘who will represent the Opposition’ — seeing that loyalties are now divided between those who support President Maithripala Sirisena and those whose support does not extend beyond the 100-day programme. Those in [...]
No white knights riding to battle
To affirm that the independence of the judiciary is secured by individuals is just plain ludicrous. The integrity of an institution depends on processes and procedures that are hallowed by convention as well as by law. They are held sacred to the extent that an individual, even at the highest level of that institution, should [...]