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NPC orders reinstatement of top officer; probe on his explosive allegations

NPC orders reinstatement of top officer; probe on his explosive allegations

The National Police Commission (NPC) has ordered the immediate re-instatement of an officer in charge of a specialized unit fighting crime and started investigations into explosive allegations he has made. The officer concerned had alleged that a senior, higher ranking officer, allegedly wanted him to kill a drug suspect arrested for a second time. When [...]

‘Don’t open an old sore: Let’s just forget the whole war crime probe’

‘Don’t open an old sore: Let’s just forget the whole war crime probe’

WHAT PRESIDENT SIRISENA PLANS TO TELL THE UNCHR THIS COMING WEEK: Foreign Ministry strikes back and assures the United Nations’ body  the Govt.’s determination to continue with the reconciliation process   This coming week, Lanka will make her biannual trek up the Calvary to the Swiss mountains carrying the cross on her back with a [...]

Political infighting and this mockery of diplomacy

Political infighting and this mockery of diplomacy

There is an old story — apocryphal or not, I don’t know — that Roman Emperor Caligula found his representatives serving in distant parts of his realm so inefficient that he wanted to send his favourite horse as a consul believing that it would serve him better than some of his two-legged representatives. If Caligula [...]

A debate that left JO members and UNP backbenchers red-faced

A debate that left JO members and UNP backbenchers red-faced

The actions of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe left sections of their own Parliamentary Groups humiliated during this week’s Budget debate. On Tuesday (12), Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa and other leaders of the “Joint Opposition” in the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) were left red-faced after a group of Sri Lanka Freedom [...]

President Sirisena’s new political challenges

President Sirisena’s new political challenges

Thaw in relations with the United National Front (UNF) Invites Foreign Minister Marapana to lead Sri Lanka delegation Premier Wickremesinghe’s political strike pays dividends Gotabaya’s candidature wins family blessings President Maithripala Sirisena left behind new political quagmires as he emplaned last Wednesday for the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. The visit there was for the high-level [...]

Picking fights, crying foul

Picking fights, crying foul

Aiyo Sirisena, I thought I must write to you when I heard that you want to run for the top job again and that you are still hopeful that the ‘pohottuwa’ chaps will support your campaign just like the Greens did four years ago. Honestly, I didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry, but [...]

Extensive public consultations a must on Sri Lanka’s counter-terror bill

Extensive public consultations a must on Sri Lanka’s counter-terror bill

In  contrast to Colombo’s largely polarized sound and fury on the Counter-Terror Bill, it is refreshing to look at the manner in which South Africa has dealt with uncannily similar dilemmas of balancing national security imperatives and constitutional rights in bringing its counter-terror law into effect more than a decade ago. Shared legacies of horrific [...]

Political and economic implications of 2019 budget

Political and economic implications of 2019 budget

The passing of the second reading of the budget by a comfortable majority is of political and economic significance. It ensures political stability for about a year till the next elections and is indicative of party positions. Economic impact The economic impact of the budget would depend much on the effective implementation of the announced [...]

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