Editorial
Home » EditorialTea losing its flavour
‘Ceylon Tea’ — that world famous trademark — had all but lost its brand name and goodwill, to later arrivals; now, the tea industry itself is in the doldrums. Not for the first time, the Plantation Industries Ministry has had to go, hat in hand to the Government, seeking a handout to keep the smallholders and [...]
Justice can be done in SL
The tabling of two reports from domestic inquiries — the Presidential Commission of Inquiry Into Complaints of Abductions and Disappearances (commonly referred to as the Paranagama Commission) and the Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Alleged Serious Violations of Human Rights (Udalagama Commission) on the by-products of the protracted 30-plus year northern [...]
Alleged war crimes and legal aid
Soldiers brought before the proposed ‘war crimes tribunal’ will be defended by the State and pardoned before a council of religious leaders, the Sunday Times reported on its front page last week. The story created a buzz about how the Government will handle the ‘hot potato’ of accountability for the military campaign that liquidated the [...]
Professional diplomacy for new foreign policy
The Prime Minister’s visit to Japan this week hot on the heels of the President’s to the United Nations very clearly marked a significant shift in Sri Lanka’s foreign policy, away from what was seemingly an over-reliance on the Chinese sphere of influence. Not insignificantly, the Sri Lankan President was accommodated at the high table [...]
Battle against corruption is itself corrupt
It is ten months since the January 8 presidential election; ten months of waiting for the perpetrators of corruption from the previous administration to be brought to book. The election campaign had been rip-roaring. The battle cry of those political parties backing Maithripala Sirisena’s candidacy was eliminating corruption. They vowed to punish the perpetrators of [...]