Author Archive for Dharshan Weerasekera

International Law Implications of Canadian Parliament’s Motion on ‘Tamil Genocide’

Saturday, November 26th, 2022

By Dharshan Weerasekera Courtesy The Island On 18 May 2022, the Canadian House of Commons adopted without opposition a motion introduced by Rep. Gary Anandasangaree recognising 18 May of each year as Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day” (www.parliament.ca). This follows a Bill adopted by the Ontario legislature in May 2021 calling for the week following May […]

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RECENT PROTESTS

Saturday, September 3rd, 2022

By Dharshan Weerasekera Attorney-at-Law The protests that started in mid-March and culminated in the storming of the President’s House and Presidential Secretariat on July 9 leading to the subsequent resignation of the president, have been praised by many commentators as a triumph of democracy and a resounding affirmation of the rights of the people. However, […]

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A Proposal for a new Paradigm in Foreign Policy for Sri Lanka

Sunday, October 25th, 2020

by Dharshan Weerasekera, Attorney-at-Law Legend has it that when King Vijayabahu was in hiding and regrouping to fight the Cholas an old woman advised him that just as it is easy to break a single stick of firewood but much harder to break a bunch of sticks when held together he should first find the […]

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Need for a new direction in foreign policy

Thursday, June 6th, 2019

Dharshan Weerasekera It is time for Sri Lanka to form a strategic alliance with China What is at stake for SL is nothing less than complete subjugation to the Americans and the resulting loss of the sovereignty For nearly 70 years since independence, the principles of ‘neutralism’ and ‘non-alignment’ have guided Sri Lankan foreign policy. […]

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SIRISENA MUST RESIGN!

Tuesday, April 30th, 2019

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA President Maithripala Sirisena must resign immediately and make way for new Presidential elections.  It is the decent thing to do, and more importantly is in the interests of the country.  Sri Lankans must have a chance to choose a leader capable of conducting a vigorous and sustained campaign against Islamist terrorism, the new […]

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WHO CARRIED OUT THE EASTER BOMBINGS, AND WHY?

Thursday, April 25th, 2019

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA , 22nd April 2019 A State Minister of Defence has said on the floor on Parliament that the ‘Easter Bombings’ of 21st April 2019 were in response to the Christchurch attacks against Muslims in New Zealand.  Meanwhile, almost simultaneously, it is reported in the internet that ISIS has claimed responsibility for the bombings.  […]

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THE CASES ALLEGEDLY FILED IN THE U.S. AGAINST GOTABHAYA RAJAPAKSA AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR SRI LANKAN VOTERS

Friday, April 12th, 2019

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA 10th April 2019 There can be no better endorsement of Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa (‘GR’) for the Presidency of Sri Lanka than the fact that his enemies have already begun a campaign to scuttle his chances of running for that office, even before his candidacy has been officially announced.  I refer to the reports […]

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THE DANGER INHERENT IN CO-SPONSORING YET ANOTHER UNHRC RESOLUTION

Wednesday, March 20th, 2019

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA, 19TH March 2017  [Author’s note:  The present paper is part of a much longer paper being reviewed for publication in an international journal.  I am posting it here because of the urgency of the hour, given that the Government is planning on co-sponsoring yet another resolution at the UNHRC, a resolution that will […]

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A Critique of the Supreme Court’s Judgment on the Dissolution of Parliament

Wednesday, January 30th, 2019

By: Dharshan Weerasekera, 29th January 2019 Author’s note: I am publishing the present paper exercising my fundamental rights to freedom of thought and conscience under Article 10 of the Constitution and also the right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 14(1) (a) of the Constitution, and in the public interest, cognizant also of […]

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THE REASON THAT THE CHALLENGES TO THE DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT WILL FAIL

Tuesday, November 13th, 2018

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA, ATTORNEY-AT-LAW The newspapers report that six Political Parties will challenge President Sirisena’s dissolution of Parliament before the Supreme Court.  Meanwhile, there is a great deal of commentary by public intellectuals, academics and other pundits as to whether or not the dissolution is justified. Many of the persons who are arguing back and forth […]

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THE PRIORITIES FOR THE MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA ADMINISTRATION

Monday, October 29th, 2018

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA, 29th October 2018 The change of government on 26th October 2018 has put an end to the prospect of a new Constitution being brought or changes made to the existing one so as to lay the foundation for a future secession of the Northern and Eastern Provinces by way of a referendum endorsed […]

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THE JVP HAS TABLED THE 20A:  THE ‘FINAL BATTLE’ FOR THE FUTURE OF SRI LANKA HAS BEGUN

Friday, September 7th, 2018

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA It has happened as was to have been foreseen.  A morally, intellectually and financially bankrupt Government has played its last hand to try and stay in power beyond 2020.  I have argued in previous articles that, the JVP with 4 members in Parliament will not even dream of bringing a constitutional amendment if […]

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THE LETTER BY 50 ACADEMICS PROTESTING AGAINST ALLEGED INTIMIDATION BY EX-MILITARY OFFICERS

Sunday, July 15th, 2018

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA, Attorney-at-Law I read with amusement an article in The Island of 12th July 2018 titled, ‘Dons condemn incendiary statements against HRCSL.’ It’s about a letter written by 50 academics condemning the conduct of a number of ex-military officers who had said that academics (or anyone else) found to have supported attempts by certain […]

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THE ONLY ‘DEAL’ LEFT FOR SIRISENA

Tuesday, June 5th, 2018

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA Maithripala Sirisena’s extraordinary speech at a commemoration for the monk Sobitha on 30th May 2018 proves beyond any doubt that he (Sirisena) is a completely unscrupulous, unethical and unprincipled politician:  a pure opportunist.[1]  He will say or do anything as long as it serves his personal and political ends at any given time. […]

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THE ONLY ‘DEAL’ LEFT FOR SIRISENA

Sunday, June 3rd, 2018

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA Maithripala Sirisena’s extraordinary speech at a commemoration for the monk Sobitha on 30th May 2018 proves beyond any doubt that he (Sirisena) is a completely unscrupulous, unethical and unprincipled politician:  a pure opportunist.[1]  He will say or do anything as long as it serves his personal and political ends at any given time. […]

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AN OPEN LETTER TO MR. MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA, FORMER PRESIDENT OF SRI LANKA RE THE JVP’S 20A AND ALSO CONTINUING ATTEMPTS BY THE GOVERNMENT TO BRING A NEW CONSTITUTION

Tuesday, May 29th, 2018

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA, Attorney-at-Law Dear Mr. President:  The newspapers report that the JVP has filed the 20A with the Speaker.  Independently of this, there are reports that the Constitutional Steering Committee has requested its ‘experts’ to prepare a Final Report and Constitutional Proposal.[1]  The Steering Committee filed its Interim Report in September 2017, and at least […]

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THE DISGUSTING BEHAVIOUR OF C. V. VIGNESWARAN AND OTHERS WHO COMMMORATED THE LTTE DEAD, AND THE EVEN MORE DISGUSTING CONDUCT OF THE PRESIDENT IN NOT PUNISHING THEM

Thursday, May 24th, 2018

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA, Attorney-at-law As a Sri Lankan citizen and a lawyer, I am thoroughly disgusted with C. V. Vigneswaran the Chief Minister of the Northern Province and the rest of the crowd of Eelamists who according to the newspapers commemorated the LTTE dead at a ceremony held in Vellamullevikkal on or about 18th May 2018.[1] […]

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The Interim Report of the Constitutional Steering Committee of Sri Lanka:  A Brief Analysis, Part 3

Monday, May 21st, 2018

Dharshan Weereasekera, Attorney-at-Law  In this third and final installment, I turn to what I think is the most diabolical and dangerous aspect of the plan of the writers of the Interim Report (‘IR’) to replace the term ‘Unitary State’ in Article 2 of the Constitution with the term ‘aekiya rajyaya/orumiththa nadu.’  In Part 1, I […]

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UNHRC RESOLUTION 30/1 AND THE TWO SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT ON WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT

Tuesday, May 8th, 2018

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA I have been involved in some of the actions that a number of Sinhala organizations have been taking in Geneva to counter resolution 30/1, so I hope I have some credibility to speak on the related issues.  To the best of my knowledge, there are at present two schools of thought on how […]

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The Interim Report of the Constitutional Steering Committee of Sri Lanka:  A Brief Analysis, Part 2

Monday, April 9th, 2018

Dharshan Weerasekera, Attorney-at-Law In this installment, I turn to the recommendation by the Interim Report (‘IR’) that the ‘Principle of Subsidiarity’ should guide centre-periphery relations in Sri Lanka.  Chapter Two of the IR is titled, ‘Principles of Devolution,’ and Section One of that chapter is titled, ‘Principle of Subsidiarity to Apply.’  This is the section […]

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The Interim Report of the Constitutional Steering Committee of Sri Lanka:  A Brief Analysis, Part 1

Monday, April 2nd, 2018

Dharshan Weerasekera, Attorney-at-Law [Author’s note:  A portion of the present paper was presented at a side-event during the recently concluded 37th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva] On 9th March 2016, the Parliament of Sri Lanka converted itself by resolution[1] into a Constitutional Assembly in order to draft a new Constitution […]

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POHOTTUVA VOTERS ARE BEING TAKEN FOR A RIDE

Monday, February 19th, 2018

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA As a Pohottuwa voter I am appalled by what is happening, to wit:  the attempt by certain Pohottuva bigwigs to set up or back an SLFP Government under Sirisena.  I can’t speak for others, but as far as I am concerned I didn’t vote for the Pohottuva in order to get Ranil ousted […]

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SIRISENA IS FINISHED!  LONG LIVE SIRISENA!

Tuesday, February 13th, 2018

DHARSHAN WEERASEKERA ‘[For it is written] Vengeance is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord’ – (Romans, 12:19) In September 2015, Maithripala Sirisena pulled a fast one on the UPFA voters who had voted in the August-2015 elections.  He got 45 SLFP MP’s elected under the UPFA banner to join the UNP and carry on […]

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The Pros and Cons of Over-reliance on Lord Naseby’s Revelations

Wednesday, December 6th, 2017

Dharshan Weerasekera, Attorney-at-Law One can hardly open a newspaper these days without seeing something on Lord Naseby’s revelations about the number of civilians that may have been killed during the last phase of the war, and their significance to countering UNHRC Resolution 30/1 of October 2015.[1]  I am informed on good authority that a group […]

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