Columns

Political Column

Basil to mend India ties as Bogols blunders

It seemed a case of the tail wagging the head. In Chennai, a smaller crowd of demonstrators burnt an effigy of Tiger guerrilla leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. They decried groups supporting him and called for stronger action against these killers of the late Indian Premier Rajiv Gandhi.

5th Column

You may be in clover—but our memories are still green!

My dear Karuna,

Situation Report

New enemy - the raging monsoon

Besides confronting Tiger guerrillas, troops in the battlefields of Wanni have come up against another formidable "enemy," the incessant rains, with the northeast monsoon in full swing. Almost every area is waterlogged and muddy.

Thoughts from London

India must act with circumspection not like a bully

Since the frenzied attempts this month by Tamil Nadu politicians to whip up anti-Sri Lankan sentiments in the southern Indian state and demand that New Delhi pressure Colombo for a ‘course correction’, much has been written about the state of Indo-Lanka relations.

The Economic Analysis

Tumbling commodity markets an unexpected bonus?

The sudden fall in commodity prices in international markets could be an unexpected windfall for the Sri Lankan economy. Prices for many commodities have fallen sharply in the last few months. Most significant for Sri Lanka is the fall in oil prices that are less than half the price it peaked to.

Lobby

The Indian factor sets House on fire

Heated arguments sparked off this week’s sittings in Parliament, following Upcountry People’s Front Leader and Minister P. Chandrasekaran’s controversial statement, which opposition members charged was totally contrary to the governments’ stance on India’s involvement on the Sri Lankan issue.

Focus on Rights

Not issued with this week

Inside the glass house

Media cold for climate

The mainstream news media, particularly in the Western world, have been accused of ignoring or down playing most development-oriented issues such as poverty, hunger, health care, population and gender empowerment -- primarily because they are stories that are not "sexy" or headline-grabbers.