July 2025 - Jaffna Monitor

Two Centuries, Zero Extremists: How Bohras Became Sri Lanka's Model Muslims

The usually bustling streets of Colombo took on a distinctly vibrant hue late last month, as over 10,000 members of the Dawoodi Bohra community from around the world descended on the city for a week-long spiritual convention. Held from June 27 to July 5, the gathering coincided with the global Ashara Mubaraka sermons led by the community’s spiritual leader, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, in Chennai, India. The Colombo leg of the event, held primarily at the Sri Lanka Exhibition and Convention Centr

Cover Story Editorial

Kaniyan Pungundran

Jul 14, 2025 — 13 min read

Trump's Tariff Cut: From 44% to 30% – Will This Crisis Break Us—or Remake Us?

Sri Lankans awoke this week to a curious cocktail of relief and dread. On July 9, 2025, in a characteristically dramatic turn, U.S. President Donald Trump declared that the steep 44% tariff slapped on Sri Lankan exports would be trimmed to 30%. Set to take effect on August 1, the reduction is part of Trump’s aggressive “reciprocal tariff” doctrine—his claim to level the playing field by matching the import taxes that other nations impose on American goods. While 30% is still a heavy blow, it’s

Cover Story July 2025

Economics Desk

Jul 14, 2025 — 11 min read

Archbishop, Archbishop, why hast thou forsaken us in our hour of sorrow and slaughter?

"Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." - Isaiah 58:1 His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo and chief shepherd of the Catholic flock in all of Sri Lanka, has recently marked fifty years in the sacred priesthood. As the highest-ranking prelate whose dominion spans the entire island, he now stands as a mighty voice crying for justice, calling upon the nations of the earth for interv

Editorial July 2025

Kaniyan Pungundran

Jul 14, 2025 — 12 min read

Why Extremism Never Found a Home: The Bohra Approach to Faith and Scripture

"Tell me something," said a dear friend of mine—an expert in security studies—as we spoke about the Dawoodi Bohras over coffee one evening. "Have you ever heard of a Bohra being involved in a bomb blast? A shooting? Any terrorist group claiming to defend Islam through violence that had Bohra links?" He paused. "No, right?" "That's not a coincidence," he continued. "It's actually one of the most remarkable things about the Bohras—whether in Sri Lanka, South Asia or anywhere in the diaspora. Whil

Cover Story July 2025

Kaniyan Pungundran

Jul 14, 2025 — 4 min read

MP = Minimum Payer: How Sri Lanka’s Lawmakers Made Tax Evasion Legal

A political grenade was lobbed into the tax debate when Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Jagath Withana casually dropped his salary slips on Facebook—only to reveal that Sri Lankan MPs are paying as little as 1% in income tax. While average citizens cough up tax rates three times higher, our honourable lawmakers seem to enjoy a VIP pass through the tax maze. The revelation raised not just eyebrows but also blood pressure across both the public and private sectors. Irritated and clearly not amused, the

Monitor Memo July 2025

Jaffna Monitor

Jul 14, 2025 — 2 min read

Chettiar’s Head Bears All Sins

From a Facebook post by Siva Ramasamy | Translated by JM Amid the ongoing controversy over whether Sara, also known as Pulastini, is alive or dead, MP Mujibur Rahman stated in Parliament that a SIM card was recently obtained in her name. Upon hearing this, it wouldn’t be surprising if Ishara Sewwandi—allegedly the mastermind behind the courtroom assassination of underworld figure Ganemulla Sanjeewa—also ends up with a SIM card in her name. Though I sometimes consider avoiding political commen

JM Pulse July 2025

Jaffna Monitor

Jul 14, 2025 — 2 min read

Fifty Years Later: Remembering the Night India’s Democracy Was Switched Off

The month of June marked the 50th anniversary of the imposition of Emergency and media censorship by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi — the most serious blow to the world’s largest democracy. The Emergency rule from 1975 to 1977 was a direct assault on India’s democratic ethos, with media censorship at its core. Although India eventually emerged from that dark chapter with its democratic spirit intact, the episode remains a stark reminder that the freedoms of a free press must never be taken for gra

Special Article July 2025

Sugeeswara Senadhira

Jul 14, 2025 — 4 min read

Emotions

Translated from the original Tamil short story uṇarccikaḷ (உணர்ச்சிகள்) from the 1976 collection of short stories titled kōṭukaḷum kōlaṅkalum (கோடுகளும் கோலங்களும்) by Kuppilan Ai. Shanmugan. The original collection is available at noolaham.org. If you have any questions, please contact ez.iniyavan@gmail.com. She was sitting next to him. He peered at her intently with curiosity. Her proximity made him fidget. He breathed in the scent of the perfume that wafted from her and delighted in the gent

Story July 2025

Eḻuttukkiṉiyavaṉ

Jul 14, 2025 — 7 min read