e-Con e-News
Posted byee ink.March 28, 2026Posted inUncategorizedTags:history, India, Iran, news, politics blog: https://eesrilanka.wordpress.com ‘Before you study the economics, study the economists!' e-Con e-News 22-28 March 2026 * ‘The [USA] wanted to bring 2 warplanes armed with 8 antiship missiles from a base in Djibouti… We turned down the request to maintain Sri Lanka's neutrality', he added to applause… Dissanayake said he had received another request that same day, on Feb 26, from Iran to seek permission for 3 naval vessels to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/03/26)
Dr Sarath Obeysekera
Sri Lanka should initiate following project in Trinco in parallel with the proposed development of Oil Tanks in Trincomalee A. Deep Water Oil Jetty (POP Model)• Public–Private Partnership with “Plug-in Operator Participation (POP)”• Capable of handling VLCC / ULCC tankers• Linked via subsea or onshore pipelinesInvestor appeal:• Long-term throughput guarantees• Strategic location near East-West shipping laneB. Slop & Residue Processing HubThis is actually a high-margin niche often ignored.• Reception of:• Sludge• Tank bottom residues• Oily water mixtures• Processing into:• Recovered fuel oil• Waste treatment productsWhy it works:• Environmental regulations (IMO) force ships to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/03/26)
AI Overview
The "slave mindset" within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is a phrase frequently used by critics, fans, and former players to describe a perceived culture of subservience, systemic incompetence, and lack of professional dignity within the administrative structure, rather than the players themselves. According to various commentaries and reports, this mentality is characterized by the following: Administrative Subservience and Politicization Dependency on Foreign Power Dynamics: Critics have argued that SLC sometimes behaves as a "slave to the BCCI" (Board of Control for Cricket in India), bowing to the influence of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/03/26)
Dr. Ruwan M Jayatunge, M.D. PhD
The prolonged 30-year armed conflict in Sri Lanka has left many military veterans and former members of the LTTE grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many individuals suffering from PTSD remain undiagnosed and without treatment. The individuals affected by the conflict carry deep psychological wounds and haunting memories of war-related violence. There is a tendency for these PTSD victims to engage in violent acts. Police reports suggest that former soldiers and some ex-members of the LTTE are involved in criminal activities and exhibit social aggression. The involvement of former military... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/03/26)
Ministry of Defence - Media Centre
A discussion on expanding foreign employment opportunities for retiring Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) personnel in the shipping and marine sector was held today (30 Mar), co-chaired by the Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) and Deputy Minister of Ports & Civil Aviation, Hon. Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku at the office of the Deputy Minister of Defence in Colombo. The discussion focused on the lack of internationally recognized professional qualification certificates required for employment in the global maritime industry and the need to establish a mechanism to help retiring... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/03/26)
Courtesy: AI Overview
The claim that Senaka Weeraratna , a Sri Lankan lawyer, is the original architect of the Decision Review System (DRS) centers on his 1997 proposal for a "Player-Referral" system. While this concept is now a cornerstone of international cricket, both the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) have faced significant criticism from Weeraratna and his supporters for failing to formally acknowledge his role. The Basis of the Claim Original Proposal (1997): Weeraratna first published his idea in a letter to The Australian on March 25, 1997. He proposed... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/03/26)
Courtesy: Al Hakam, London.
The US-Israel war against Iran is already being felt far beyond the region. In both the West and the East, the effects are showing up in everyday life – most immediately in our wallets, as rising oil and gas prices push up fuel and energy bills. For more than two decades, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his Helper) ), the current Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, warned of the growing risk of a global war – often dismissed as pessimistic. Today, however, talk of “World War Three” is no longer fringe;... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/03/26)
Sarath Wijesinghe
13th FEBRUARY, 2024You may find below a rendition of the speech was delivered at a seminar hosted by the Immigration Practitioners Association, focusing on the complex nature of immigration law and practice, with a special emphasis on Sri Lanka's context. The speaker highlighted the significant emigration trends from Sri Lanka, mainly driven by employment opportunities abroad, particularly in the Middle East, and the diverse reasons people leave, including education and family reunification, mainly towards Western countries. The speech detailed the intricacies of visa processes and the challenges faced by Sri Lankans, such as dealing with the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/03/26)
Dr Sarath Obeysekera
1. The Agreement Context
Under the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord, there were implicit and explicit understandings about Trincomalee: It should not be used in a way that threatens India’s security Strategic assets (like the oil tank farm) would involve Indian consultation or participation In simple terms: India secured a “strategic veto influence,” not an automatic development obligation. 2. Why Didn’t JR Push India Immediately?
A. India Was Seen More as a Security Pressure Than a Partner At that... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 31/03/26)
By Nikita Sharma*
Mar 27, 2026 An allied diplomat at the United Nations resigned from his positions on Friday and levelled allegations against the international body, claiming that it was preparing for a scenario of “possible nuclear weapon use”. Mohamad Safa alleged that he received criticism when he expressed his concerns and different perspective after October 2023. Featured Image: Mohamad Safa announced his resignation through a post on X accompanied by a letter detailing his reasoning behind the decision. (X/
mhdksafa) Mohamad Safa was the main representative of Patriotic Vision or... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/03/26)
Security
Amid worsening shortages, rationing has intensified, protests have erupted in cities like Khomam, and the overall social climate has grown increasingly volatile i24NEWS Thunderstorms ALAIN JOCARD (AFP/Archives) An Iranian water resources specialist has accused the United States and Israel of manipulating regional weather patterns to intensify Iran’s severe drought. According to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), Mohsen Arbabian claimed in a July 30 interview on the Iranian YouTube channel Khateh Energy that both nations have been "deliberately diverting clouds" away from Iran for over... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/03/26)
Sports
The reply of the South African lawyer David Becker ( Head of Legal, ICC) to Senaka Weeraratna in May 2010 on the question of the intellectual property rights over his brainchild 'Player Referral' which was rebranded by the ICC as the UDRS (Umpire Decision Review System), was dismissive, disrespectful and patently wrong in the interpretation of law. The legal doctrine of Constructive Notice was overlooked in Becker's response. Constructive Notice acts as a legal presumption that a person has received notice, even if they actually have not, provided the information is public or easily accessible. Furthermore Becker's... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/03/26)
Concept and Query: Senaka Weeraratna
Query from Senaka Weeraratna (concept) Answer Primary source The Place of Animals in Buddhism Francis Story (later known as Angarika Sugatananda) https://www.bps.lk/olib/bl/bl023_Story_The-Place-of-Animals-in-Buddhism.pdf https://share.google/aimode/UdTXYKfBukOIegpTO Answer supplied by Chat GPT The discourse on human rights in Buddhist-majority countries (such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Myanmar) often grapples with a distinct, foundational tension: the conflict between modern, anthropocentric human rights frameworks and the traditional Buddhist, ecocentric focus on all sentient beings. While modern human rights focus on the rights of the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/03/26)
Mee Massoo TV
https://youtu.be/hFamdfI72Gk... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/03/26)
Udaya Gammanpila
https://youtu.be/TskcKM0E_O0... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/03/26)
By Rohana R. Wasala
Continued from March 18, 2026 Soon after its controversial establishment in 1948, the State of Israel was surrounded by enemies, its Arab neighbours Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, and Iraq. In response, founding prime minister David Ben Gurion conceived and developed a brilliant foreign policy strategy known as the Periphery Doctrine (Torat Haperipheria) to deal with the Arab World’s enmity towards the Jewish State and its resultant isolation. The ingenious Ben Gurion looked beyond the hostile Arab nations, and identified a natural ally in the East, the non-Arab Persia (an ancient empire... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/03/26)
Sasanka De Silva (Makumbura)
To: The Commissioner General of Motor Traffic Subject: Addressing the Chronic Delay in Official Number Plate Issuance To the Department of Motor Traffic, The current state of our roads reveals a glaring administrative failure: a significant percentage of newly registered vehicles are forced to operate using temporary or non-standard plates. While vehicle owners fulfill their legal and financial obligations immediately upon purchase, the state continues to fail in its reciprocal duty to provide the necessary identification plates in a reasonable timeframe. In an era of rapid... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/03/26)
Sasanka De Silva Makumbura
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Ceylon Shipping Corporation (CSC) was a symbol of national pride and economic independence. At its peak, the corporation operated a diverse fleet of 17 vessels, including eight conventional liners, eight container ships, and one oil tanker. Today, after decades of decline and the total disposal of that original fleet, the corporation operates just two modern bulk carriers. What led to the dismantling of a fleet that once commanded the sea lanes from Europe to Australia? The answer lies in a combination of "Beyond Economical... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/03/26)
Dr. Alon Ben-Meir
Trump’s Iran war has left the Gulf shattered: US bases turned into targets, economies battered, and the “oasis” myth destroyed. Gulf rulers now confront a harsh reckoning over their reliance on Washington and the uncertain search for a new, fragile security order An Ominous Reckoning For The Gulf States As Trump assembled major US naval and air assets in the eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and others quietly urged Washington to avoid a full-scale assault on Iran, fearing a direct blowback on their territory and... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/03/26)
by Neville Ladduwahetty
The long standing Foreign Policy of Sri Lanka was Non-Alignment. However,in the context of emerging geopolitical rivalries, there was a need to question theadequacy of Non-Alignment as a policy to meet developing challenges.Neutrality as being a more effective Policy was first presented in an article titled“Independence: its meaning and a direction for the future” (The Island, February14, 2019). The switch over from Non-Alignment to Neutrality was first adoptedby former President Gotabaya and followed through by successive Governments.However, it was the current Government that did not miss an opportunity toannounce that its Foreign Policy was Neutral.The... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/03/26)
Professor Nishan C Wijesinha
The Mahapabbata ritual: Historically and correctly documented by Professor Nishan C Wijesinha of German School of Medicine. What is visualised here are the Holistic relics of the Mahapabbata ritual which was used ritually for chanting for empowerment on the warrior elephant Mahapabbata of King Elara. This ritual was preserved to the Vallipuram Hindu Temple in Vadamarachchi. Later this ritualistic chanting of empowerment was copied by the Kataragama Deities. Although their copycat methodology enabled King Dutugemunu to gain victory over King Elara; one must not forget that... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/03/26)
by A. Abdul Aziz. Source: Ahmadiyyat nazm
Promised Messiah Day on March 23. This faith-inspiring Urdu poem in praise of Allah the Almighty, composed by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (1835 – 1908) , the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, peace be on him, and the English translation goes: Logo Suno Key Zinda Khuda……… Listen, O people! The Living God is not such a God Who Does not always have the habit of displaying His Might. What pleasure is in life if He is not found! ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/03/26)
Courtesy The Daily Mirror
Colombo, March 28 (Daily Mirror) - A new report by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy has sounded a sharp alarm for Sri Lanka, ranking it as one of the most vulnerable nations globally to a shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz. Following the recent military escalations in the Persian Gulf and the subsequent de facto closure of the waterway on February 28, 2026, researchers warn that the island nation faces a "seismic shock" that could derail its delicate post-2022 economic recovery. The study highlights that while the world often focuses... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/03/26)
Courtesy The Daily Mirror
Colombo, March 28 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka has been ranked the second in the world’s most unaffordable housing markets as per a report published by 'The Economist'. According to the report, Cities in developing countries such as India, Indonesia and the Philippines are gaining hundreds of millions of people. "This urbanisation is only getting started. In South Asia, for example, barely 35% of the population is urban, compared with 80% in North America," the report said. "Yet problems in Asia’s great metropolises are mounting.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/03/26)
Courtesy The Indian Express
“…A shipment of 38,000 MT (metric tonnes) of petroleum, of which 20,000 MT is diesel and 18,000 MT petrol, has arrived in Colombo today 28th March, 2026,” the Indian High Commission in Colombo said in a statement. In a significant outreach, India has sent a shipment of fuel to Sri Lanka, days after the phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Fuel shortage and panic buying have led to queues in the island nation, which depends on imports for its energy demand. ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/03/26)
Shenali D. Waduge
Section 127 of Sri Lanka’s Code of Criminal Procedure allows a Magistrate to record statements or confessions in criminal cases — not just from the accused, but also from anyone claiming to have information about a crime. The law aims to capture voluntary statements in a judicial setting. The Magistrate’s role is only to ensure that the statement is given freely, without threats or inducements. This means the Magistrate only sees the final statement — not the discussions, questioning, or pressure that may have shaped the statement. A statement may appear voluntary,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 28/03/26)
Dilrook Kannangara
Oil and gas prices have risen and supply shortages are felt in many parts of the world. While supply quantity shortages are worse in 2026, price increase has been small compared to 1990/91 war when prices jumped 250% initially and stayed elevated for a few months before collapsing. The base price was very small in comparison to today ($17 per barrel verses $70 a barrel) but the impact was higher as the Sri Lankan economy was a fraction of what it is today. However, despite the shock to both supply and prices and the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 28/03/26)
COURTESY: AI Overview
The International Cricket Council (ICC) responded to Senaka Weeraratna's claims regarding the Decision Review System (DRS) by asserting that their relevant committees reached the concept independently and were unaware of his prior publications. Weeraratna and his supporters argue that this defense fails to account for the legal Doctrine of Constructive Notice, which suggests that because his "Player Referral" concept was widely published in mainstream international media starting in 1997—nine years before the ICC's formal adoption in 2006—the ICC is legally presumed to have been aware of it. The Core Dispute Weeraratna’s... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 28/03/26)
Shenali D Waduge
On 21 April 2019, eight suicide bombers unleashed coordinated attacks that killed nearly 300 people and shattered a nation that had experienced a decade of peace since the defeat of LTTE in May 2009. The scale of the tragedy was compounded by a disturbing reality: multiple intelligence warnings had been received weeks in advance. Sri Lanka’s own intelligence units had forwarded information on Zahran Hashim to the Attorney General’s Department as early as 2017, while an arrest warrant had also been issued that same year. The testimonies before numerous inquiries and commissions exposed... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/03/26)
Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake
The Ides of March are here: The same Playbook to spread disinformation and turn science on its head during the Covid-19 panicdemic that kicked off in March 2020 is playing again. QR-coded digital control of populations and fuel rationing with real and staged shortages and outright disinformation amid propaganda wars are back purportedly due to the crisis in the Middle East. It feels like we are back to the bad old days of Covid-19 economic meltdown. As fuel prices soar through the roof, QR-queues, limited travel, four-day work weeks that debilitate state institutions and... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/03/26)
Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake
PART 2 Beyond the Psy-Op: Saving the ‘Exorbitantly Privileged’ Petrodollar and Disaster Capitalism
Back in 2020, the Covid-19 “Emergency” was staged primarily to lockdown and meltdown the Global South’s emerging economies in the Asian 21st Century’ and to make Euro-America great again. The BRICS emerging economies were set to beat the G7 traditional Euro-America plus economies that year – 2020. Fear, anxiety and panic were a psychological operation to keep the public distracted and ignorant about the Geopolitical Economic Big Picture. Disinformation, panic, confusion, fear and anxiety about “worse... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/03/26)
Sasanka De Silva Makumbura.
The fuel QR code and weekly quota system are currently in operation. Some users find it difficult to manage the week within their allocation, while others find the quota exceeds their requirements. Unfortunately, any remaining balance cannot be carried forward to the following week or collected in containers, a restriction largely based on safety and security concerns. I believe the application should include a feature allowing users to transfer their weekly allocation to another registered member. This could be done either as a bona fide gesture or through a... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/03/26)
සංගදාස අකුරුගොඩ
ශ්රී ලංකාවේ උතුරු පළාතේ ප්රධාන සංඝනායක පදවිය දරන්නාවු සපුමල්ගස්කඩ ආරණ්ය සේනාසනාධිපති අති පූජ්ය ගල්ගමුවේ ශාන්තබෝධි නාහිමියන් ලබ්න අප්රේල් මස මෙල්බර්න්හි බෙරික් ශාක්යමුනි සම්බුද්ධ විහාරයේ සති 3ක පමණ කාලයක් වැඩසිටීමට නියමිතය. ශ්රී ලංකාවේ උතුරු පළාතේ පුරාණ බෞද්ධ පුරාවිද්යාත්මක ස්ථාන, විශේෂයෙන්ම මුලතිව්හි කුරුන්දි විහාරය, ප්රතිසංස්කරණය කර සංරක්ෂණය කිරීමට දරන උත්සාහයන් නිසා පුළුල් ලෙස පිළිගැනීමට ලක්ව ඇති ශාන්තබෝධි නාහිමියන්, වවුනියාව දිස්ත්රික්කයේ පිහිටා ඇති ක්රි.ව. පළමුවැනි සියවසට අයත් පුරාණ පබ්බතාරාම පරිශ්රයක්වූ සපුමල්ගස්කඩ රජමහ විහාරයට අමතරව බෝගස්වැව ශ්රී සාලවනොරාමයේත්, මුලතිව්හි පිහිටි වැලිඔය හංසවිල ස්වර්ණහංස විහාරයේත් විහාරාධිපති වසයෙන් කටයුතු කරයි. ඒ අතර තුර, උන්වහන්සේ වද්දමන පබ්බත විහාරය, විශුද්ධාරාම රජ මහා... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/03/26)
AI Overview
There is significant documentation and argument supporting the claim that Senaka Weeraratna, a Sri Lankan lawyer, first proposed the concept of a "Player Referral System" (now known as DRS) in 1997, long before its implementation. However, the Decision Review System (DRS) as it was implemented by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2008–2009 has often been associated with other individuals in the media, specifically David Richardson. Here is a breakdown of the evidence surrounding this issue: 1. Senaka Weeraratna's Pioneer Proposal (1997) Original Proposal: Weeraratna... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/03/26)
HistorywithShabnam
Lessons for Sri Lanka https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ftskJBeCIo0?feature=share... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/03/26)
Gamini Goonetilleke
Cricket in Sri Lanka has never been merely a sport. It has long served as a unifying force, transcending divisions of ethnicity, religion, and class, particularly during periods of national adversity. At its height, it gave the country not only victories, but belief. Yet today, that sense of purpose appears diminished. Sri Lankan cricket is no longer setting standards; it is struggling to keep pace with a rapidly evolving game. The contrast with the past is striking. The triumph at the 1996 World Cup was not an isolated success but the culmination of vision,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/03/26)
Sports Today
You are talking of racism in Cricket in India, what about the rest of the world? What about the ICC? Look at the way ICC treats Cricket Innovations by non - white people. The Player - Referral concept which is the foundational basis of DRS (Decision Review System) was conceived and published by Senaka Weeraratna as a letter to the Editor of the Australian (March 25, 1997). The four critical elements that are core to the DRS are there in the letter: Player Empowerment: Allowing players (not just umpires) to challenge a decision. Hierarchical Review:... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/03/26)
Hiru News
he Russian Deputy Minister of Energy, Roman Marshavin, agreed to supply refined fuel to Sri Lanka, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Managing Director Mayura Neththikumarage stated. The agreement followed the arrival of Deputy Minister Marshavin and a Russian delegation in the island today (26). The visit aimed to conduct diplomatic discussions regarding the supply of petroleum and coal to the country.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 27/03/26)
Sasanka De Silva Makumbura.
For three decades, I worked overseas, sending hard-earned foreign exchange home during some of this country’s darkest hours. Those remittances weren't just personal savings; they were a lifeline for a nation embroiled in a civil war, a war we eventually won decisively. Now in retirement, I haven't sat back. We’ve taken steps to reduce our carbon footprint and ensure our own energy security. We bought a hybrid car and invested in solar panels for our roof. Today, we don’t owe the electricity board a... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/03/26)
Dr. Asoka Bandarage Courtesy: Inter Press Service
Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter prohibits member states from using threats or force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. Violating international law, the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, 2026. The ostensible reason for this unprovoked aggression was to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. The United States is the first and only country to have used nuclear weapons in war, against Japan in August 1945. Some officials in Israel have threatened to use a “doomsday weapon” against Gaza.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/03/26)
