Guest Column

By: Jeevan Thiyagaraja Sri Lanka's public service, a legacy of British colonial administration, faces persistent challenges in maintaining independence and integrity amidst evolving political landscapes. . While designed to operate on principles of meritocracy and impartiality, it has been profoundly shaped by the political dynamics of post-independence history. By 2015, growing public dissatisfaction fuelled calls for more independent and corruption-free public services. A decade later, n

By M.R. Narayan Swamy When Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillaiyaan was first told that his former aide Azad Maulana was planning to stir up some trouble from Europe, the former’s instant reaction was: “Really? What could it be about?” Pillaiyaan, a former chief minister of Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, could only recall the mountain of difficulties Mohammed Hanzeer Mohammed Mihilar, alias Maulana, had been in due to his own family problems. The Amparai-born Maulana had apparently

By M.R. Narayan Swamy When EPRLF leader K. Pathmanabha was gunned down with 12 party colleagues (and two Indians) in Chennai in 1990, it was a clear signal that the LTTE was set to take individual terrorism to a new level even as it waged an armed struggle in Sri Lanka. Most unfortunately, the red flag was mostly ignored by the Indian state, Tamil Nadu politicians, and the larger Sri Lankan Tamil society. Most people in the Indian establishment and among Tamil Nadu leaders viewed the cold-bloo

A 14-year-old girl named Mali was admitted to my ward at the Sri Jayawardanapura General Hospital in Nugegoda, Sri Lanka, after months of suffering. She came from a remote district in Sri Lanka, where access to specialist medical care was limited. For nearly three months, she had struggled with persistent upper abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, poor appetite, and gradual weight loss. Her family had sought help from several doctors in her hometown, hoping the symptoms would settle with treatment

By M.R. Narayan Swamy A long time ago, numerous homes in Sri Lanka’s Tamil region proudly displayed framed photographs of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. August 15, India’s Independence Day, was also celebrated. To Tamils at large, India was as much their motherland as it was to Indians. As Tamil militancy transformed into a full-blown insurgency in the 1980s, most Tamils fleeing Sri Lanka were relieved to take refuge first in India, thanks to geographical proximity, even if their final d

By Abbi Kanthasamy There are wars that end in victory. There are wars that end in defeat. And then there are wars that begin with a press conference, a wall of flags, and the quiet arrogance of people who believe history works for them. This one was supposed to be Israel’s grand vindication. Iran was meant to be cornered, isolated, sanctioned, lectured, inspected, and gift-wrapped for a triumphant Washington photo-op. Netanyahu was meant to stride across the stage like a regional Churchill.