The Sunday Times Sri Lanka

Columns

Political Column

Amidst Fonseka furore MR faces vital issues

The fallout from the military defeat of Tiger guerrillas two and a half years ago reverberated many ways in this week's events. Main among them was Friday's majority High Court judgment where former General Sarath Fonseka was convicted and sentenced to three more years in jail and fined Rs 5,000. He was to serve a further six months if the fine was not paid.

5th Column

Light at the end of the prison tunnel

My Dear Sarath,

I thought I must write to you when I heard that yet another court had sentenced you to one more term of imprisonment. Although this is nothing new for you now, I am sure you must still be disappointed with the events of this week.

The Economic Analysis

Will Budget 2012 achieve economic growth with equity?

Addressing the recent South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) heads of state summit in the Maldives, President Mahinda Rajapaksa made a perceptive remark that the "benefits arising from economic development do not automatically percolate down to the grassroots level".

Lobby

Not issued with this week

Focus on Rights

Sugar coating bitter realities with laughable theatrics

It was to be expected that the performance of the Sri Lankan government before the members of the Committee Against Torture (CAT) in Geneva on the 8th and 9th of November 2011 would be evasive and problematic. However, the reality was far worse than the uneasy expectation. In actual fact, the State Party submission and its responses to the penetrating questions posed by Committee members was an exercise in outright deception if not chicanery.

Talk at the Cafe Spectator

SAARC summit: Headlines from sidelines

The summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) in the Maldives was a nightmare for most participants including heads of delegations. Unlike the previous summits in the capital Male, the venue this time was the southern Addu atoll.

From the Sidelines

The Indian Ocean, maritime security and regional undercurrents

The past week saw a number of discussions, in different forums, that turned the spotlight on the Indian Ocean and its strategic importance for countries in the region as well as outside. Coincidentally, it appears. Here in Sri Lanka there was the 'Galle Dialogue,' a two-day international conference on maritime security organised by the Ministry of Defence and the Sri Lanka Navy.