The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), though out of Government but still a strong ally, dropped a bombshell this week. It pulled out of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC), one of three bodies set up by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, to evolve proposals to politically resolve the ethnic conflict. The other two bodies are the All Party Conference and the All Party Experts Committee.

My Dear Clown Prince,

As Sri Lankans brace themselves to face a New Year in just two weeks, prospects for peace seem to have virtually disappeared amidst fears of a heightened war in the coming months.

Tea plantations workers have been on strike since December 4. Earlier, on November 24, they began a go-slow that hampered tea production in the mid-and up-country estates. Consequently estate production of tea has been seriously affected. In turn, it would have an adverse effect on our already severely strained trade balance and balance of payments.