Bi-lateral issues on the sidelines, more than regional issues within the conference hall, dominated the South Asian leaders' summit that ends today in Colombo.
Yet, the 15th South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) conference that began last Sunday was both a scintillating spectacle and a frightening fallacy.
“Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “what is all this fuss about a court decision?”
“Which court decision?” Bindu’s father Percy wanted to know, “these days there are so many court decisions that are important that it is difficult to keep track of them…”
Sri Lanka's most fortified event in the new millennium, the summit of South Asian leaders in Colombo, ends today. Not only 12,000 police officers and 7,000 troops crowded the City of Colombo and the immediate suburbs to ensure security. There were additional measures from participating countries too. Preventing possible attacks by Tiger guerrillas was the primary aim though other threat perceptions figured to a much lesser degree.
Those who have had aspirations of being Sri Lanka’s foreign minister- and there have been quite a few- please step aside. Rohitha Bogollagama has arrived.
Good news about the economy is rare. One should add good factual news about the economy is rarer, for often there are views and optimistic assessments that are no more than political rhetoric in the garb of authentic and professional expert views.
A reader of this column wrote to me a while back in a half humorous, half serious query regarding the apparent ease with which unarmed 'suspects' are shot by the police while 'trying to escape custody.'
NEW YORK - As the United Nations brings down its shutters in early 2009 and closes shop for the next five years, will all its institutional memories die when a revamped, ultra-modern building is re-opened in 2013? Hopefully, not.
Sri Lanka's most fortified event in the new millennium, the summit of South Asian leaders in Colombo, ends today. Not only 12,000 police officers and 7,000 troops crowded the City of Colombo and the immediate suburbs to ensure security. There were additional measures from participating countries too. Preventing possible attacks by Tiger guerrillas was the primary aim though other threat perceptions figured to a much lesser degree.
Good news about the economy is rare. One should add good factual news about the economy is rarer, for often there are views and optimistic assessments that are no more than political rhetoric in the garb of authentic and professional expert views.