Dr. Raja Johnpulle, a dyed-in-the-wool supporter of the United National Party (UNP) was watching the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) procession as it meandered past his house in the Anuradhapura town around 3.30 in the afternoon of Wednesday, the 19th. He's seen these over the years, often with a degree of bon-homie associated with the politics of a by-gone era.
Nearly 20 years ago my late brother Mervyn told me of a fascinating encounter he had with the then President Premadasa. If I remember correctly now, during this one –to- one meeting that lasted some 2 ½ hours Mervyn had the impression that President Premadasa actually enjoyed India’s criticism of him and the attacks against him by the Indian media. In fact President Premadasa seemed to invite criticism by sometimes actually baiting India.
The trend of declining industrial export growth is ominous. It is a mark of poor macro economic policies and a warning of impending deteriorating economic conditions. It will continue to affect the country’s economy not just its export incomes.
The violence-marred lead up to Saturday’s elections to the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council elections is yet another sad reflection of how leading political parties in the country have moved away from their commitment to holding free and fair elections.
Certainly it is now, (to borrow a dearly immortalized phrase), the best of times and the worst of times. It is the worst of times for never before have the assaults on basic freedoms of life, liberty and democratic space been so prolonged and so pervasive or accompanied by such comprehensive subversion of constitutional institutions.
At a weeklong international water conference in the Swedish capital last week, the warning signs were ominous: an increasingly overpopulated world is heading for a food, fuel and water crisis. But the spreading turmoil is also beset with plenty of paradoxes.
