Bandu de Silva Apropos the letter published by my former colleague, K.Godage, the short title used by him might convey the impression that he was on the way to discussing a general issue: the arbitrary recall of diplomats” — including his own recall by the former government which appointed him High Commissioner to Malaysia. However, […]

By Bandu de Silva Commentaries which have appeared in the Sri Lankan media so far on the future policies that India under Modi government might follow have to be considered more speculative than analytical. There is a good reason for this. One does not have analytical material placed under a prism to judge analytically which […]

By Bandu de Silva In my last article entitled “America’s Indian Ocean bases, US Geneva Resolution ,……..” published in your website I did not discuss the significant impact that US’s Strategic Rebalancing Plan toward Asia-Pacific (SRPAP) might have on the US bases in other parts of the Indian Ocean. I mean particularly, on the prospects […]

By Bandu de Silva           If getting a person out of sight is the new criteria in selecting candidates for higher diplomatic postings, as reportedly attributed to the President of the country in respect of a proposed higher appointment to the High Commission Australia, one need not be unduly disturbed to think that President Mahinda […]

By Bandu de Silva The article presented below was written last year just before I went to Australia for a few months and consequently, it remained unpublished. Mr.Hakeem’s forty-page Report given to UNHRC Human Rights Commissioner, Navi Pillai, which has now surfaced in the public domain, has created new interest in what Mr.Hakeem says. It […]

by Bandu de Silva With reference to Shenali Waduge’s article, I find that my article (two parts) published in 2007 s not accessible on the Internet though the title is present. Therefore, I am repeating it below. A look at an Insider’s Challenge to History   – Brown Sahibs and Cultural definitions Reading the last part […]

By Bandu de Silva  There has been no overall response in Sri Lanka to India’s stand this time over the voting on the US sponsored Draft Resolution (D/R) at UNHRC session in Geneva despite President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s spontaneous response to release the Indian fishermen in custody and a thank you letter since despatched to the […]

By Bandu de Silva            The above Caption summarises what Satya Moorthy wrote in Ceylon Today newspaper dated 13th March 2014. The article had been originally featured in the Observer Research Foundation, Chennai Chapter. Satya Moorthy’s article which was entitled “Why India should not vote against Sri Lanka at UNHCR ” would have warmed the […]

 By Bandu de Silva The administration of any country trying to throw stones at others should look at skeletons in its own cupboards before speaking out. The United States of America, perhaps, with its three century old record, is the last country that could open its mouths about human rights or humanitarian considerations. We are […]

Bandu de Silva US -India Cooperation against Sri Lanka             The post war period, last three years especially, Indo-Sri Lanka relations were seen going through a period of stress. The first manifestation of this came with India extending support to a Resolution that US along with European Union succeeded in passing at the UNHRC in […]

By Bandu de Silva Shift of Policy  India’s shift of policy towards Sri Lanka from a positive one to a negative one, can then be traced to the ascendancy of the opposition to power under Mr.Jayewardene, replacing Mrs.Bandaranaike. The Indian government watched his inclinations, his criticism of the predecessor’s policy of Non-Alignment as being pro-Soviet, […]

By Bandu de Silva No impact of Pre-independence Indian politics On Sri Lanka’s side, the great movements that took place in the sub-continent during the pre-independent phase had little impact on the emerging island nation. A few Leftists had come under the influence of India Socialists like Jayaprakash Narayan overseas. These links were maintained to […]

By Bandu de Silva The question raised in the title of this article may encapsulate the essence of Indo-Ceylon relations from the inception of independence of the two countries nearly 66 years ago until 1962 India’s border war with China and later Sri Lanka’s war against terrorism set India on a different course. The two […]

By Bandu de Silva  Whether Sri Lanka will have to finally face a Sierra Leone like situation depends on what the UNHRC decides on the draft Resolution which was finally submitted to the Council yesterday (March 7th ) in the original form with no major  modification of its Clause Three. The original Clause 3 led […]

By Bandu de Silva “When India sneezes we do not always catch a cold”- Dr N.M.Perera, quoted in Ceylon Daily News, 1st March 1971. Should developing a foreign policy to suit the aspirations of the stronger powers by the weaker powers in the neighbourhood or elsewhere, be an obligation of the latter? That idea came […]