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Peacekeeping operations: Sri Lanka continues to demand justice from UN

Peacekeeping operations: Sri Lanka continues to demand justice from UN

The United Nations, whose sprawling bureaucracy is largely known to move at the pace of a paralytic snail, came under fire last week when Sri Lanka accused the Secretariat of being lethargically unresponsive to some of the key issues — over the forced scaling down of its peacekeeping troops — outlined in a letter sent [...]

Lanka’s blessed judiciary: The sole deity of people’s rights and liberties

Lanka’s blessed judiciary: The sole deity of people’s rights and liberties

Ever since the grant of Independence 71 years ago, a blindfolded little old lady has taken residence atop Hulftsdorp Hill on a 24/7 basis. No one has seen her in the flesh but all who do the trek up this Mount of Justice know that she is there with her right arm holding a sword, [...]

Sajith, Gota campaigns get going, but internal issues persist

Sajith, Gota campaigns get going, but internal issues persist

Neutral Sirisena works out retirement package; questions over legality of some provisions CBK charges SLFP has been handed over to conspirators; Moves to revive party and subtle hint to support Sajith Five major Tamil parties put forward 13 tough demands; but dilemma over support for a candidate   President Maithripala Sirisena, who vowed to remain [...]

Go out on your own and get the votes

Go out on your own and get the votes

My dear Gota, I thought I must write to you, even though you must be quite busy these days, having to criss-cross the country on the campaign trail with Mahinda maama following you closely — so much so that it seems as if, like in the old nursery rhyme, ‘everywhere that Mahinda maama went, you [...]

Political uncertainty of presidential poll retards economic growth

Political uncertainty of presidential poll retards economic growth

The uncertainties, confusion, and distractions of the presidential polls will retard economic growth. The adverse impacts could go beyond the presidential election timeframe to a post-election period of political confusion and even a constitutional crisis. Furthermore, once the presidential polls are over, the runup to the parliamentary elections would be another period of uncertainty for [...]

Manna from heaven to Rajapaksa complaints of ‘victimisation’

Manna from heaven to Rajapaksa complaints of ‘victimisation’

There is a perilous consequence to the Court of Appeal’s decision issued this Tuesday, explaining why it refused to issue notice in the legal challenge filed by civil society activists impugning the dual citizenship certificate of the Rajapaksa-led Podujana Party’s presidential candidate, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. Interesting contradictions and future dangers In essence, the Court was asked [...]

Heroes and others in battle for ballots

Heroes and others in battle for ballots

One of the more interesting features of the coming battle for the presidency is how national security has become a central issue. It might be said that security — and who can best provide and sustain it — seems to have pushed aside other key concerns of the people. They said that good generals would [...]

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