By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The war of aggression waged by the US and Israel against Iran seems very likely to intensify in the coming days.Washington has threatened to escalate and expand the war further if Iran does not comply with US demands. The unreasonable demands are unacceptable to Iran. President Donald Trump’s modus operandi of pretending to …
By Tisaranee Gunasekara When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.” Swahili proverb The expected has happened. Electricity prices have gone up, with its inevitable effect on cost of production and cost of living. The spectre of stagflation, that dreaded combination of low growth and high inflation, is clearly visible over the economic horizon. …
டி.பி.எஸ். ஜெயராஜ் தென்னிந்திய மாநிலமான தமிழ்நாட்டில் சட்டசபைத் தேர்தலுக்கான அறிவிப்பை இந்திய தேர்தல் ஆணையம் செய்திருக்கிறது. சட்டசபையின் 234 தொகுதிகளிலும் வாக்களிப்பு 2026 ஏப்ரில் 23 ஆம் திகதியும் வாக்கு எண்ணாக்கை மே 4 ஆம் திகதியும் இடம் பெறவிருக்கின்றன. தமிழ்நாட்டு வாக்காளர்கள் எண்ணிக்கை 5.67 கோடி. அவர்களில் ஆண்கள் 2.77 கோடி, பெண்கள் 2.89 கோடி, மாற்றுப் பாலினத்தைச் சேர்ந்த 7,617 வாக்காளர்களும் இருக்கிறார்கள். இந்தியா எமது நெருங்கிய அயல்நாடு. இந்தியாவின் மாநிலங்களில் 7கோடி 20 …
By D.B.S. Jeyaraj (This article was first written in 1997 for a special volume commemorating the birth centenary of Tamil political leader SJV Chelvanayakam. It is being reposted with slight changes to denote his 128th birth anniversary on March 31) On September 6th 1977, Lalith Athulathmudali, then Minister of Trade said in Parliament “Samuel James …
By Kishali Pinto- Jayawardene Sri Lanka presented an embarrassment, not of ‘riches’ but of stinging pointers to the negation of the law and the Constitution during the past few weeks. The pesky problem of a Minister indicted for corruption The tone deaf nonchalance of the National Peoples’ Power (NPP) Government in shrugging off the indictment …
By Namini Wijedasa A third coal shipment from South Africa—bought via the Indian supplier Trident Chemphar—has failed quality testing by the independent accredited laboratory Cotecna, officials said this week. Trident has now been charged penalties totalling US$8.1mn for three shipments out of the 12 that have been unloaded at Norochcholai, officials from Lanka Coal Company …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Elections to the Legislature of the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu has been announced by the Election Commission of India. Tanil Nadu will go to the polls on 23 April 2026 to elect 234 members to it’s Legislative assembly, Counting of votes would commence on May 4th 2026, Tamil Nadu voters number …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj ( 103rd Birth anniversary on 24 March) As is well-known, an indispensable feature of Indian language films for long has been the song sequences. These songs are usually picturised on actors or actresses, who lip-synch them on screen. Sometimes, they are merely montage scenes with songs audible in the background. It is common …
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam pressed the Government in Parliament on missing persons, accountability and delays in investigations, while Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara responded with detailed data on ongoing efforts, including expansion of the Office on Missing Persons (OMP), funding allocations and progress on mass grave probes. Rasamanickam on Friday said concerns raised …
By Meera Srinivasan Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Tuesday had a telephone conversation to discuss the war in West Asia, the disruption in global supply chains, and the energy cooperation between India and Sri Lanka, the leaders said on social media platform ‘X’. “This evening [March 24, 2026], …
By Dr.Sanjana Hattotuwa On 17 March, during an address to the nation followed by a Q&A session, ITN journalist Sandari Ratnasuriya asked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake a question: Given that world powers are locked in a power struggle, how can Sri Lanka carry forward its non-aligned policy? The President, speaking in his signature Sinhala cadence, …
By Meera Srinivasan Re-developing the Second World War-era oil tank farms in Sri Lanka’s eastern Trincomalee district is the “permanent solution” to the energy crisis, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said, adding that the government was taking steps to expedite the project backed by India and the United Arab Emirates. “Temporary solutions are not sustainable, we …
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “Stupidity has come back as a king – no; as an emperor…” Aldous Huxley (Eyeless in Gaza) Most of the business of the UN are so routine they barely make the news. Like the UN Commission on the Status of Women’s annual vote on Agreed Conclusions For 30 years, the vote had …
(The following are excerpts of the speech made by Supreme Court Justice S. Thurairajah at his farewell ceremony held on 19th March 2026) Before I proceed, let me begin with one remarkable symmetry on this day. When I first took my oaths as an Attorney-at-Law before this Honourable Court, I did so before Hon. Chief …
By Suhasini Haidar With the sinking of the Iranian warship, IRIS Dena, in the Indian Ocean, by the United States on March 4, the war in West Asia came home to South Asia. With each passing day, the war that began on February 28 has reached South Asian homes in a number of ways — …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Tenth Death Anniversary of Mangaiyarkkarasi Amirthalingam (Mangai Akka)on March 9th. The name Mangaiyarkkarasi Amirthalingam is not likely to ring any bells among younger generations of Sri Lankans. The lady herself who lived in self-exile in London for several decades has faded away from public memory. Yet, there was a time when she dominated …
By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka is ready to receive and support all those forced to flee the country during the civil war and now living as refugees in Tamil Nadu, Cabinet Minister and Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake told The Hindu, urging the Governments of India and Tamil Nadu to refrain from using refugees …
By Siddharth Muralidharan On March 13 2026 , lyricist and poet-novelist Vairamuthu was named for the Jnanpith Award, becoming only the third Tamil literary figure to receive it and the first in 24 years. The previous Tamil recipients were novelists Akilan in 1975 and Jayakanthan in 2002. The announcement was met with two responses. It …
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday underscored that ensuring the uninterrupted functioning of the country remains the Government’s primary objective, calling for the collective support of the public and private sectors, media and citizens to navigate the current challenges. Addressing a special media briefing, he expressed confidence that a robust mechanism is already in place to …
Global shipping disruptions, rather than fuel availability or foreign exchange, have emerged as the primary risk to Sri Lanka’s energy security despite stocks being sufficient into May, Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody told Parliament yesterday, underscoring the constraints posed by the escalating Middle East conflict. Making a special statement in response to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, …
By Charumini de Silva In a decisive move to safeguard national energy security, the Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved an emergency coal procurement of 300,000 tons for the Lakvijaya Power Plant and authorised a temporary deviation from standard procurement procedures to secure fuel supplies over the next three months. The decisions come against the …
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday told Parliament that the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake-led NPP Government has no “scenario planning” to deal with the crisis influenced by the war in the Middle East. He said at a time when the country faces a series of grave challenges, the President or the Prime Minister should have made …
By Col.R.Hariharan Nobody among the 74 nations, who participated in the largest edition of the Indian Navy’s multilateral naval Exercise MILAN from February 15 to 25 in Vishakapatnam in India, would have imagined it would usher in the US-Iran war to the Indian Ocean region. That is exactly what happened when one of the three …
by Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka on Sunday (March 15, 2026) switched to a digital QR code-based system to ration fuel sales, a move authorities described as a “precautionary measure” amid persisting uncertainty in West Asia. Citing “prevailing geopolitical developments” in West Asia and their adverse impact on global supply chains, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Energy …
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday (March 15, 2026) announced the complete schedule for the 234 Assembly seats in Tamil Nadu. The polling is scheduled to be held on April 23, 2026, and the counting is on May 4, 2026. The total number of electors in Tamil Nadu, according to the electoral rolls, …
Tamil lyricist and author R. Vairamuthu has been selected for the Jnanpith Award, the nation’s highest literary honour. He is the third Tamil literary figure to receive the award, after a gap of 24 years. Earlier recipients include the late writers Akilan and Jayakanthan. Mr. Vairamuthu won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2003 for Kallikattu …
By B.Jeyamohan (B.Jeyamohan is a Tamil and Malayalam language writer and literary critic from Nagercoil). Tamil writer Vannanilavan has an anecdote about Vairamuthu. Twenty years ago, Vairamuthu visited him with a platter of fruit and gifts. “I came to know that you are on the Sahitya Akademi committee. I want your blessings,” he said. When …
(Excerpted from the “Sunday Times”Political Column of 15th March 2026) The arrest and detention of the former State Intelligence Service (SIS) chief, Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay, over his alleged links to the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks have continued to draw criticism, with critics calling it a witch-hunt. On Wednesday, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) …
by Tisaranee Gunasekara ““Societies are not made of sticks and stones, but of men whose individual characters by turning the scale one way or another determine the direction of the whole” Plato (The Republic) Gotabaya Rajapaksa inherited a lower-middle income country and bankrupted it in 2 years and 5 months. Donald Trump is likely to …
(Excerpted from the “Sunday Times”Political Column of 15th March 2026) As the war in West Asia widened into its second week, the shocks came thick and fast for many countries, with Sri Lanka no exception. The first blow for the public came at midnight on Monday (9), with a substantial increase in fuel prices across …
By Namini Wijedasa The price bids of four companies competing to sell 300,000MT of emergency coal for the Lakvijaya power plant were examined this week, but the tender went unawarded, official sources said. Meanwhile, problematic coal supplier Trident Chemphar—which won the ongoing 2025-26 term tender—has again submitted an updated schedule to Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) …
Internet Media Action (IMA) has expressed its profound concern regarding the arrest of veteran journalist and Lanka e News website Editor Sandaruwan Senadheera on Wednesday at Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, following nearly 16 years of political asylum in the UK. IMA said Senadheera was compelled to flee Sri Lanka during the Rajapaksa Government, having faced …
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Colombo High Court has issued notice to Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody ordering him to appear in court on March 27, when indictments in his corruption trial are to be served on him. The notice on Mr Jayakody has been issued on the order of High Court Judge Rashantha Godawela. Mr Jayakody …
By Ranjith Padmasiri The Colombo Fraud Bureau (CFB) has informed the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court that it has yet to receive advice from the Attorney General on whether to name Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe and two others as suspects in the case involving the alleged fraudulent leasing of a building belonging to the National Workers’ Congress …
By Wijith De Chickera (The writer is Editor-at-large of LMD, and has a Post-graduate Diploma in Politics and Governance) Crossroads such as The Silk Route have their own legends about countries, characters and caravans. But it is chessboards that may have some elements that are far more relevant to the state of play in the …
By Raj Retnanandan (The author is an energy sector regulatory consultant based in Calgary, Canada. He has been involved in economic development initiatives in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province and has a long-standing interest in regional development, infrastructure planning, and sustainable economic growth) The recent Financial Times column proposing a “Northern Gateway Initiative” presents an ambitious …
BY Wasantha Rupasinghe-wsws On March 4, a US submarine torpedoed and sank the Iranian frigate IRIS Dena near Sri Lankan waters, killing 108 sailors on board. The attack without warning occurred in international waters as the vessel was returning from multinational naval exercises hosted by India. This act of mass murder, thousands of kilometres from …
Former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Director Maj. Gen. (Retd) Suresh Salley is facing three main allegations in connection with investigations related to the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) told the Fort Magistrate’s Court. Presenting a further report to court, the CID said Salley had been detained under the Prevention of Terrorism …
By Dr.S.Wijeyamohan (Dr.Wijeyamohan is a senior lecturer in Zooology at the Vavuniya University) Deep within the Vanni, Sri Lanka’s “green lung” is being systematically drowned in the name of progress. The Kivul Oya project, a vast irrigation scheme cutting across the island’s northern reaches, promises agricultural prosperity but threatens an ecological suicide. As 2,600 hectares …
By Krishantha Prasad Cooray There can be no auspicious moment to celebrate life, foster humanity and work towards peace or prosperity. Sadly, we live in times where the energies of violence unleashed have sent tremors of anxiety and foreboding to all corners of the world even as they maim, kill and destroy. One can only …
Former SriLankan Airlines Chief Executive Officer Kapila Chandrasena has been arrested by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) over the alleged acceptance of a USD 2 million bribe linked to the Airbus aircraft procurement deal. Chandrasena arrived at the Bribery Commission this morning to provide a statement, and after recording a …
By Tharushi Weerasinghe The sinking of the IRIS Dena by a US submarine just 19 nautical miles from Sri Lanka’s shore in its Exclusive Economic Zone has forced Colombo to navigate one of the most complex diplomatic and legal crises in its recent history, with pressure mounting from Washington not to repatriate Iranian survivors and …
By Maj-Gen Dr. Boniface Perera The history of warfare is littered with the hubris of technologically superior powers who underestimated the resilience of a civilization state. On February 28, 2026, the world watched as a decapitation strike, intended to trigger a regime change in Tehran instead ignited a firestorm that threatens to consume the global …
டி.பி.எஸ். ஜெயராஜ் வாசகர்களுக்கு ஒரு மன்னிப்புக்கோரலுடனும் விளக்கத்துடனம் இந்த கட்டுரையை தொடங்குகிறேன். இந்த பத்தி கடந்தவாரம் நான் எழுதிய கட்டுரையின் ( ஜனாதிபதி திசநாயக்கவின் சிம்மாசனத்தின் பின்னால் இருக்கும் சக்தி ஜே.வி.பி.யின் பொதுச் செயலாளர் ரில்வின் சில்வா? ) இரண்டாவதும் இறதியானதுமான பாகமாக இருந்திருக்க வேண்டும். ஆனால், இந்த வாரம் பெரும் பரபரப்பை ஏற்படுத்தியிருக்கும் அரச புலனாய்வு பிரிவின். முன்னாள் தலைவர் மேஜர் ஜெனரல் சுரேஷ் சாலே கைது மற்றும் தடுப்புக்காவல் பற்றி எழுதவேண்டியதாயிற்று. ரில்வின் சில்வா …
By Namini Wijedasa Energy officials this week received a strong directive from an all-party Parliamentary committee to commission “without further delay” a third independent accredited lab to test coal samples from the Trident Chemphar shipments. On Tuesday, the Lakvijaya coal power plant (LVP) switched completely to South African coal imported via India’s Trident Chemphar. This …
By Namini Wijedasa Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd (LCC) has extended its bid closing date for the emergency procurement of 300,000MT of coal, as an emergency hasn’t yet arisen, authoritative sources told the Sunday Times. The tender was floated on February 25, 2026, with a closing date of March 6. This has now been extended …
By Prakash K.L. The ongoing marital dispute between Tamil actor and politician Vijay and his wife Sangeetha Sornalingam has taken a fresh turn, with his estranged wife filing a new petition in court seeking maintenance and residential rights amid their pending divorce case. The development comes two days after the TVK founder spotted with his …
The United States is pressing Sri Lanka’s government not to repatriate the survivors from the Iranian warship it sank this week, as well as the crew of a second Iranian ship that is in Sri Lankan custody, according to an internal State Department cable seen by Reuters on Friday (March 6, 2026). A U.S. submarine …
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption has filed indictments in the Colombo High Court against Power Minister Kumara Jayakody over an alleged act of corruption linked to his previous role at Lanka Fertilizer Company Limited. According to the indictments, the charges relate to a period in 2016 when Jayakody served as Deputy …
By Jeevan Thiagarajah The “Northern Gateway” Initiative transforms the Northern Province of Sri Lanka into a strategic economic powerhouse. The Government of India (GoI) should with the Government of Sri Lanka launch the “Palk Strait Corridor Excellence Program.” This initiative replicates the high-growth, industry-driven models of Southern Indian states to leverage India’s finance and markets, …
By Col R Hariharan Will the arrest of Sri Lanka’s former intelligence chief Major General Suresh Salley in the last week of the month, in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks that killed nearly 270 people, bring to a closure of cases pending for the last seven years? I am not too sure …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Let me begin this article with an apology and explanation to readers. This week’s column should have been the second and final part of last week’s article (Is JVP Gen-Sec Tilvin the power behind President Dissanayake’s throne?).However this week’s column would be about the sensational arrest and detention of former Intelligence chief Maj-Gen …
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday said Sri Lanka will adhere to a neutral foreign policy position in response to the ongoing regional conflict. Addressing developments involving the Iranian vessel IRIS Bushehr located near Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, the President said arrangements had been made to disembark the ship’s crew at the Port of Colombo.= He …
BY Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka is evacuating 208 crew members from an Iranian naval ship — IRINS Bushehr — stranded near its territorial waters, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said on Thursday (March 5, 2026), a day after a U.S. submarine torpedoed another Iranian warship off Sri Lanka’s southern coast, killing at least 84 sailors and …
By Meera Srinivasan Amid growing concern over regional implications of the war in West Asia, Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath arrived in New Delhi on Thursday (March 5, 2026) to attend ‘Raisina Dialogue’, the high-level annual global forum hosted by India on international and strategic affairs. While neither New Delhi nor Colombo has directly …
(Text of Editorial Appearing in “The Hindu”of March 2nd 2026 Under the heading “Imperial war: on the war against Iran”) Donald Trump came to the White House promising to end America’s endless wars. That promise now lies in ashes in West Asia. The far-right Republican, who, along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, launched an …
By Meera Srinivasan The U.S. has “perpetrated an atrocity” at sea, 2,000 miles away from Iran’s shores, and will “bitterly regret” the move, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi has said. The official reaction from Tehran comes a day after a U.S. submarine attacked the Iranian warship IRIS Dena, which sank in the Indian Ocean …
By Meera Srinivasan A U.S. submarine attacked an Iranian warship, which sank in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sri Lanka, on Wednesday, bringing the West Asian conflict closer to the Indian subcontinent. At least 87 people were killed in the torpedo attack. U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the strike at a press …
A second Iranian warship is heading towards Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, the same area where a US submarine destroyed an Iranian frigate yesterday. Sri Lanka’s media minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the warship, reported to be carrying more than 100 crew, is just outside Sri Lankan waters. The statement comes after Sri Lanka’s cabinet spokesperson said …
Iranian sailors who survived a U.S. submarine strike in the Indian Ocean were recovering at a hospital in the Sri Lankan port city of Galle, authorities said on Thursday (March 5, 2026), a day after at least 87 were killed in the attack. Authorities at the National Hospital in Galle and navy sources said 87 …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj “Loku Ayya” Tilvin Silva’s 70th Birthday on February 26th. “Power behind the throne” is a phrase that is generally used to refer to someone who does not hold an official leadership position but is actually one who effectively wields control. The phrase is generally used in the context of politics and/or governance to …
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday assured Parliament that Sri Lanka has sufficient fuel stocks at present, despite the escalating conflict in the Middle East, and outlined a schedule of incoming shipments to ensure uninterrupted supply. Addressing the House, the President said diesel stocks are adequate for 33 days under prevailing consumption levels, while petrol inventories …
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “An evil man will burn his own nation to the ground to rule over the ashes” – Attributed to Sun Tzu Little girls died first. Over a hundred of them. Felled by a missile on a warm sunny morning. On the first day of Israel-America’s illegal war against Iran. The Shajareh Tayyebeh …
By Callistus Davy Besieged coach Sanath Jayasuriya has found himself trapped or poised to backtrack after telling the media he will throw in the towel after the T20 World Cup match against Pakistan last Saturday and then deciding to stay on for talks with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) that has become the fiefdom of a …
BY Dr. Jehan Perera President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has been investing his political capital in going to the public to explain some of the most politically sensitive and controversial issues. At a time when easier political choices are available, the President is choosing the harder path of confronting ethnic suspicion and communal fears. There are …
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has directed its officials to prepare the indictment papers to be filed on allegations against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody on the misappropriation of funds while he was serving at the Fertiliser Corporation in 2015. Earlier the minister had requested permission for his counsel to call …
By Namini Wijedasa Operational data from Lakvijaya in Norochcholai continued to show this week that South African coal imported under the ongoing 2025-26 tender does not allow the plant to generate the required amount of energy. However, both load port and discharge port reports from two separate accredited foreign laboratories also still indicate that every …
By Kumudini Hettiarachchi As illegal development activity on Mandaitivu linked to the Jaffna International Cricket Stadium of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) was halted by the country’s environmental watchdog, a powerful call went out from conservationists to cancel the project forthwith, as it was the “worst” site, with a disastrous fallout economically, environmentally and on the …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Tamil Nadu state chief minister and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham leader MK Stalin celebrated his 73rd Birthday today(March 1st). Dtalin has been the Tamil Nadu chief minister from May 2021. Elections to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly will be held in a few months. The DMK led Alliance under Stalin is expected to win …
By Arun Janardhanan A divorce petition has been filed before the District Court at Chengalpattu seeking dissolution of marriage between Sangeetha Vijay and actor-politician Vijay (née C Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar) under Sections 27(1)(a), (b), (d) read with Sections 36 and 37 of the Special Marriage Act, 1954. In her petition, Sangeetha, 48, states that the …
With International Women’s Day falling on March 8, less than two weeks away, labour rights activists are warning that women in Sri Lanka continue to face gender-based violence; not only at home and in public spaces, but also in the workplace. Activists highlighted particularly in the garment sector, where systemic harassment, excessive production targets and …
By Meera Srinivasan Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department on Wednesday (February 25, 2026) arrested former intelligence chief Major General Suresh Sallay in connection with the deadly Easter Sunday bombings of 2019 that killed around 270 people and injured several hundred, the police said. Speaking to The Hindu, a senior official confirmed that the arrest was …
டி.பி.எஸ். ஜெயராஜ் உத்தியோகபூர்வமாக தலைமைத்துவப் பதவியை வகிக்காமல் ஆனால், அதேவேளை மெய்யாக முனைப்புடன் அதிகாரத்தைக் கொண்டிருப்போரை குறிப்பிடும்போது ” சிம்மாசனத்துக்கு பின்னால் இருக்கும் சக்தி ” என்ற சொற்தொடர் வழமையாக பயன்படுத்தப்படுகிறது. அரசியல் அல்லது ஆட்சிமுறையின் பின்புலத்தில் நடைமுறையில் உத்தியோகபூர்வமாக தலைவராக இருப்பவருக்கு நிகராக செல்வாக்குடன் தீர்மானங்களை மேற்கொள்வதில் பெருமளவு கட்டுப்பாட்டைக் கொண்டிருப்பவரை வர்ணிப்பதற்கு இந்த சொற்தொடர் பொதுவில் பயன்படுத்தப்படுகிறது. வெவ்வேறு நாடுகளில் வெவ்வேறு கால கட்டங்களில் வெவ்வேறு தலைவர்கள் அதிகார பீடங்களுக்கு பின்னால் வெவ்வேறு அதிகாரங்களுடன் …
By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya Former State Intelligence Services (SIS) Chief Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay has been arrested in connection with ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, Police Spokesman ASP F.U Wootler said. He said Sallay was taken into custody early this morning in Peliyagoda by a team of officers from the …
BY Ilangovan Rajasekaran The year was 1995. Four villagers had been brutally murdered in the erstwhile V.O. Chidambaranar district of Tamil nadu, now Thoothukudi, on a single day. One of the victims was Annasamy, aged 84, who was the father-in-law of R. Nallakannu, the then State secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI). Annasamy …
A statement issued commenting on Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe being summoned to appear before the Financial Crimes Investigations Division for an investigation of political nature, alerts the authorities to uphold due process with fairness and proportionality. The statement urges the authorities to ensure that these investigation actions avoid unwarranted harassment, intimidation or reputational harm to independent …
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Namal Rajapaksa has spoken out after both the Oxford Union and the Cambridge Union withdrew invitations for him to address their debating societies, following objections from Tamil student groups and activists. In a statement posted on social media, Rajapaksa said he regretted that the events could not proceed, attributing …
The Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) on Saturday, February 21, announced its list of candidates for all 234 constituencies in the state, with party chief Seeman declaring that he will contest from Karaikudi in Sivaganga district. The announcement was made at the Maatrathai Virumbum Makkalin Manadu (People for Change Conference) held in Alampattiputhur village in Tiruchy. …
By Munza Mushtaq COLOMBO — For its $15 billion Port City Colombo project, Sri Lanka has launched a new campaign aimed at global investors, offering major tax breaks and full foreign ownership as it tries to position the complex as a hub for finance and trade in the region. In recent months, Sri Lankan authorities …
A Sangha convention titled “Maha Sangha Convention” was held on February 20th at the headquarters of the Buddhist Maha Sammelanaya with the objective of informing the public about the pressures currently being exerted on Buddhism and the Maha Sangha. At the convention, a Sangha Declaration was jointly proclaimed by all monks and Buddhist leaders in …
By Swasthika Arulingam (English Text of the Sanmugathasan(Shan) Memorial Lecture Delivered by Trade Unionist.Lawyer and Activist Swasthika Arulingam at the Colombo Thamil Sangam,Wellawatte on 8th February 2026) Dear Comrades, I am going to refer to you all as Comrades today. I am going to imagine this hall is filled with people who are radical thinkers. …
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “Whoever here (in this dispensation) lives a holy life, transcending both merit and demerit, and walks with understanding in the world – he is truly called a monk… Just as a blade of (kusa) grass wrongly grasped cuts one’s hand, so does monkhood wrongly practiced drags one to hell.” The Buddha (Dhammapada …
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “Ordered disorder, planned caprice,And dehumanized humanity…” Brecht (The Exception and the Rule) A group of monks, led by veteran trade unionist Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero, is planning to hold a sangha convention on February 20. They feel insulted and ignored by the powers that be. And they want to save rata, jathiya, agama, …
By Methmalie Dissanayake “Language brings with it an identity and a culture, or at least the perception of it. A shared language says, ‘We’re the same.’ A language barrier says, ‘We’re different.’” South African comedian, writer, producer, and political commentator Trevor Noah makes this observation in his memoir ‘Born a Crime,’ reflecting on how language …
(Text of Editorial Appearing in the “Sunday Mrning”of 15th February 2026 under the heading “A nation on trial”) The verdict delivered on Wednesday (11) by the Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar in the murder of former Parliamentarian Amarakeerthi Athukorala marks one of the most consequential judicial moments in post-‘Aragalaya’ Sri Lanka. Twelve individuals have been sentenced …
By Vox Civis A democracy commits one of its gravest sins when it punishes integrity while rewarding deceit. When a public servant who has spent a lifetime upholding administrative discipline, ethical restraint and the rule of law is isolated, vilified, and incarcerated for a decision taken within an institutional grey zone created by political power …
By Meera Srinivasan Tissa Vitarana, leader of Sri Lanka’s leftist Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and a key figure in the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) formed in 2006 to develop a political solution to the island’s civil war, died in Colombo early Friday(Feb 13). He was 91. Drawn to politics in his student days, …
டி.பி.எஸ். ஜெயராஜ் பிரிட்டனிடமிருந்து பெற்ற சுதந்திரத்தின் 78 வது வருட நிறைவை இலங்கை 2026 பெப்ரவரி 4 ஆம் திகதி கொண்டாடியது. ஆனால், சில தமிழ்த் தேசியவாத கட்சிகளும் சிவில் சமூக அமைப்புக்களும் பெப்ரவரி 4 ஆம் திகதியை கரிநாளாக பிரகடனம் செய்து ஒரு நாள் துக்கதினத்தை அனுஷ்டித்தன. காலனித்துவ அடிமைத்தனத்தில் இருந்து விடுபட்டிருக்கும் எவருக்கும் சுதந்திர. தினம் மகிழ்ச்சிக்குரிய ஒரு தினமேயாகும். ஆனால் , பல வருடக்களாக பல இலங்கைத் தமிழர்களுக்கு அவ்வாறாக இருந்ததில்லை. பல …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (Article Reposted to Commemorate Upali Wijewardene’s’s 88th B’day(Feb 17)and Day of Disappearance(Feb 13)43 years ago) Sri Lanka known earlier as Ceylon has produced several businessmen and industrialists of great repute over the years. There were however only a few who captured the popular imagination of the people. One such person was the industrial …
Continue reading ‘Upali Wijewardene : Sri Lanka’s Immensely Popular Indigenous Tycoon.’ »
By Thiruni Kelegama and Mick Moore More than a year in, the NPP government remains popular. There are several reasons for that. One of them is that the government has been deft in its handling of the major hot button political issues. These issues are typically more cultural than material, more abstract than immediate, deeply …
By Meera Srinivasan A telephone call between Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday (February 9, 2026) night appears to have been the game-changer in convincing Pakistan to play India in the scheduled T20 World Cup match in Colombo. Deciding to play peacemaker, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Nagalingam Sanmugathasan known to many as ‘Shan” and/or “Comrade Shan” was a dynamic leader produced by the leftist movement in Sri Lanka. “Comrade” Shan was arguably the last great Maoist of Sri Lanka. His name was spelled in English as “Sanmugathasan” in his birth certificate. However in common usage his name was pronounced …
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj Favourite Film Songs -4 “Senthamizh Thaen Mozhiyaal”is perhaps the most popular song sung on screen by the magnificient singer and actor of Tamil cinema – Thenkarai Ramakrishnan Mahalingam generally known as T.R.Mahalingam. He sings this number in the film “Maalayitta Mangai”produced in 1958 by poet and film lyricist “Kavignar” Kannadasan who also penned …
Continue reading ‘“Senthamizh Thaen Mozhiyaal”-Magnificient Singing by T.R.Mahalingam ♫♥’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj. Dr. Rohan Edrisingha in his illuminating essay “Federalism:myths and realities” makes the following observation–“ It is significant to note that long before Tamil political leaders advocated federalism, the young SWRD Bandaranaike in the mid 1920’s and the Kandyan Sinhalese representatives before the Donoughmore Commission in the late 1920’s were advocates of a federal …
Continue reading ‘One Hundred Years After SWRD Bandaranaike’s Clarion Call For Federalism.’ »
(English Text of News Release Issued From the Office of Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader Mano Ganesan MPon 7th February 2026) Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader Mano Ganesan MP stated that the United Kingdom carries a historic and moral responsibility toward today’s Indian origin Malaiyaha Tamils and must exercise leadership among the international community and …
Sri Lanka is yet again confronted with renewed debates on the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and replacement legislation with the latest being the introduction of the proposed Protection of the State from Terrorism Act (PSTA). At the outset Justice for All questions the government’s failure to honour its campaign promise of repealing the PTA. …
டி.பி.எஸ். ஜெயராஜ் ” தமிழ் அரசியல் தலைவர்கள் சமஷ்டி ஆட்சிமுறைக்காக குரலெழுப்புவதற்கு நீண்ட காலத்துக்கு முன்னதாகவே 1920 களின் முற்பகுதியில் இளம் எஸ்.டபிள்யூ. ஆர்.டி. பண்டாரநாயக்கவும் 1920 களின் பிற்பகுதியில் டொனமூர் ஆணைக்குழுவின் முன்னிலையில் கண்டி சிங்களப் பிரதிநிதிகளும். இலங்கையில் சமஷ்டி ஆட்சிமுறைக்காக குரல்கொடுத்தனர். வடக்கு – கிழக்கு மாகாணம் ஒன்று உட்பட மூன்று மாகாணங்களுடன் சமஷ்டி இலங்கை யோசனையை கண்டிச் சிங்களவர்கள் முன்வைத்தனர். ” உண்மையில் கண்டிச் சிங்களவர்கள் தங்களை ஒரு தேசமாக (Nation ) …
Continue reading ‘100 வருடங்களுக்கு முன்னர் பண்டாரநாயக்க விடுத்த சமஷ்டி ஆட்சிமுறைக்கான அறைகூவல்’ »
| By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The resplendent Island of Sri Lanka celebrates her seventy- eighth anniversary of Independence from Britain today – February 4th 2026. However some Sri Lankan Tamil nationalist parties and civil society organizations have declared Feb 4th as a “Black Day” (Kari Naal) and a day of mourning. For anyone being free of colonial …
By Tisaranee Gunasekara “Time will say nothing but I told you so…”WH Auden (If I Could Tell You) Martin Wickramasinghe was 83, and revered as the doyen of Lankan belles lettres when he wrote Bava Taranaya. He had long wanted to write a biography of the Buddha shorn of myths and might have regarded the …
சமுத்திரன் கொழும்பில் இயங்கும் மார்க்சிய கற்கைகளுக்கான சண்முகதாசன நிலையத்தின் வெளியீடாக அண்மையில் எட்டுக் கட்டுரைகளின் தொகுதியாக வெளிவந்துள்ள ‘ தமிழ் தேசியவாத அரசியலின் எதிர்காலம் ‘ நூலில் இலங்கையின் வடக்குக் கிழக்கின் தமிழ்த் தேசியவாத அரசியலின் தற்போதைய நிலைமைகளை எதிர்கால நோக்கில் ஆராய்கிறார் வீரகத்தி தனபாலசிங்கம். நூலாசிரியர் நீண்டகால அனுபவமும் விமர்சனப் பார்வையும் கொண்ட பத்திரிகையாளர், எழுத்தாளர் மற்றும் பொதுவெளிப் பேச்சாளர். முன்னுரையில் ஈழத் தமிழ்த் தேசியவாத அரசியலின் இன்றைய நிலை பற்றி அவருடைய கணிப்பை அக்கறையுடன் …
Continue reading ‘தமிழ்த் தேசியவாத அரசியலின் எதிர்காலம்’ நூல் எழுப்பும் கேள்விகள்’ »
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj (This article is reposted to mark Dr.Neelan’s 82nd Birth Anniversary) Today (Jan 31) is the birthday of eminent constitutional lawyer, academic and politician Dr. Neelakandan Tiruchelvam. Neelan as he was popularly known would have completed eighty years , had he been among the living today. Born on January 31, 1944, Neelan Tiruchelvam was …
The Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) has appointed Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam as its new Parliamentary Group leader, replacing Jaffna District MP Sivagnanam Shritharan following an internal dispute over party positions and accountability. The decision was taken after Shritharan declined to step down from his position on the Constitutional Council, despite objections raised within …
Ending a ten-month deadlock the Constitutional Council yesterday finally and unanimously approved the appointment of Senior Deputy Auditor General Samudika Jayaratne as the new Auditor General. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Constitutional Council chaired by Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne and follows the retirement of former Auditor General Chulantha Wickramaratne in April …
A large protest was held in Vavuniya today opposing the government’s decision to resume the Kivul Oya Reservoir Development Project. A large number of residents gathered to voice their concerns, with MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam and other representatives meeting officials to warn the Divisional Secretary of Nedunkerny about the potential consequences of proceeding with the project.
(Text of Editorial Appearing in the “Sunday Morning”of February 1st 2026 under the heading “The supreme irony of a prosecution”) Few political figures in Sri Lanka’s post-independence history have remained as persistently visible or as polarising as Ranil Wickremesinghe. For nearly half a century, he has occupied centre stage – alternately vilified, vindicated, discarded, and …
By Kishali Pinto-Jayawardene Randomly picking up founding father of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew’s autobiography ‘From Third World to First’ in a recent whistle-top work visit to that country was an unspoken nod to a more temperate assessment of decades long questioning of his democratically sacrilegious – and heavily critiqued – opinion that ‘disciplined governance’ should …
. By Nirupama Subramanian South Asia watchers are mourning the passing of two veteran members of their tribe in the second week of January. Both were veteran journalists with storied careers, a vast network of sources and independent minds. The first name is that of N. Sathiya Moorthy, a prolific writer on Sri Lanka and …
By Chandani Kirinde (Veteran Journalist Sir Mark Tully Passed away on January 25th at the age of 90 in New Delhi. This article written by Chandani Kirinde for the “Sunday Times”in 2003 is posted here as tribute to the legendary BBC Correspondent known widely as the “Voice of India) Sir Mark Tully is a believer …
Continue reading ‘Sir Mark Tully: Legendary BBC Journalist was known as the “Voice of India”.’ »
By S.Rubatheesan For the past two months, Yogarasa Prakash, 28, and his close circle of friends had a ‘secret operation’ unfolding late into the nights on the beach of Valvettithurai. With the Northern coastal village in deep sleep mode and empty narrow lanes that lead to the coast of Palk Straits, they used to carry …
By Kishali Pinto – Jayawardene It is highly unusual—and worryingly so—that the primary gatekeeping associations of legal and judicial institutions in Sri Lanka have come together to tersely protest against what they see as an ‘unwarranted interference’ across social media in regard to the judicial and prosecutorial function in ongoing cases. Menacing assertions against critics …
By Aniruddh Kanisetty (Anirudh Kanisetti is an Indian writer and author, most recently of Lords of Earth And Sea : A History of The Chola Empire) It’s 1000 CE – the heart of the Middle Ages. Europe is in flux. The powerful nations we know today – like Norman-ruled England and the fragmented territories that …
Continue reading ‘Temples, treasures and trade: The astonishing legacy of India’s Chola dynasty’ »