Janaka Perera Before 1939 the British were in no great hurry to grant self-rule to their colonies, despite all the heroic freedom struggles, notably in India, and the campaigns for constitutional reforms in countries like Sri Lanka. It fact British leaders like Winston Churchill wanted to keep forever the empire on which the sun would […]

By Janaka Perera Poppy Day November 11 this year will mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.   I recall over 50 years ago during our school days our teachers told us to observe two minutes silence at the 11th hour of the 11th Day of the 11th month to remember […]

Janaka Perera  Friday, September 26th marks the 55th year since post-independence Sri Lanka experienced its first political assassination – the killing of Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike on September 26, 1959, three years after he came to power. To date it has been the island’s only major political assassination where the culprits were arrested and duly […]

Janaka Perera Roopa Kavya (Photo Poetry) a collection of pictorial poems in Sinhala and English published in Lanka Viththi, the first Sinhala newspaper published in the United Kingdom, was launched at the Mahaweli Centre Auditorium, Colombo on Thursday September 4 amidst a large gathering including leading intellectuals, artists, authors, journalists  and cinema and TV personalities. […]

Janaka Perera  Seventy-five years ago, on September 4, 1939, the huge guns of the First Heavy Regiment of the Ceylon Garrison Artillery boomed from the Rock house Battery , Modera.  It was practice firing that heralded colonial Sri Lanka’s (then Ceylon) entry into the Second World War that began the previous day.  The first intimation […]

Janaka Perera  Learning from the experience of the furor over the allegedly controversial Jayalalitha-Modi article in the Sri Lanka Defence Ministry website Sri Lankans need to have broader perspective of the unenviable position in which successive Indian central governments have been placed vis-à-vis Tamil Nadu.  Today Delhi’s dependence on TN may be far less compared […]

Janaka Perera Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Vietnam Dr. Ivan Amarasinghe will be a special guest invited by the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Council at the ceremony on Saturday July 12 – National Martyrs Day – to commemorate the sacrifice of the Buddhist monk, Venerable Thich Quang Duc 51 years ago in protest against the American-backed dictator […]

Janaka Perera The world celebrated Milk Day on June 1 amidst newspaper articles extolling virtues of milk consumption.  Sri Lankans are being urged to consume liquid milk instead of powdered milk to which most people young and old have become addicted over the past six decades. Amidst this a controversy is continuing in the West […]

Janaka Perera  “The biggest threat to the Asian region is how the US is wooing the Indian government and its corporate sector, and promoting the idea – in a very subtle way –  that Indian and Chinese civilizations are different. Indians seem to be falling into this trap at the moment.”  Kalinga Seneviratne, Adjunct Lecturer […]

By Janaka Perera  April 3, 2014 marks the 85th death anniversary of Dr. Charles Alwis Hewawitharana who was the first Sinhala Buddhist to become a Doctor of Medicine (MD – Medicinae Doctor) in the British Colonial era after graduating from medical colleges in England and Scotland. He was also a brother of Buddhist revivalist Anagarika […]

By Janaka Perera  Soon after Tamil Nadu’s decision to free Rajiv Gandhi’s assassins, a Sri Lankan (Sinhala) newspaper had a cartoon showing the ghost of former Sri Lankan President J.R. Jayewardene telling the ghost of Rajiv Gandhi: “If I knew this was going to happen I would have never punished the sailor who almost hit […]

By Janaka Perera Distorting Sri Lanka’s history could lead to dissension, warned speakers at a meeting held recently at the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress Hall, Colombo.  The occasion was the launch of a book titled, The Story of Sigiri & Pre-Portuguese Christianity in Sri Lanka?   Professor Nimal de Silva, Professor Emeritus of the Moratuwa University, […]

By Janaka Perera ‚ The level of Indian participation in this year-â„¢s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) reflects the deterioration of Indo-Lanka relations within a span of less than 40 years. ‚ When the last major international conference, the Non-Aligned Movement Summit, was held in Sri Lanka in 1976 the ties between the two countries were […]

By Janaka Perera ‚ He was branded a religious fanatic because of what he stood for. ‚ ‚  ‚ Friday November 1st‚ marks the 46th‚ Death Anniversary Lokusathu Hewa Mettananda – better known as L.H. Mettananda -” the indefatigable fighter for the rights of Sinhala Buddhists.‚  In the words of veteran journalist the late D.B. Dhanapala -Anybody who dare talk […]

Janaka Perera ƒ”š‚ July 29-30 marks the 26th year of Sri Lanka’s virtual “ƒ”¹…”Finlandisation’ by India. ƒ”š‚ Lest some readers wonder what this term means it refers to Finland’s subservience to the Soviet Union during the Cold War.ƒ”š‚  (In other words a powerful country arrogating itself to the position of dictating policy to a smaller neighbour) ƒ”š‚ The […]

Janaka Perera Tuesday July 23 marks the 30th anniversary of the disaster that became a turning point in the history of post-independence Sri Lanka.ƒ”š‚  It brought shame on people who had nothing to do with the mob violence. They, especially Sinhala Buddhists as a whole, were made to look racists of the worst kind. Attempts […]

Janaka Perera ƒ”š‚ This is a postscript to Shenali Waduge’s June 9th article, titled “ƒ”¹…”Remembering the martyrdom of the Vietnamese Buddhist Thich Quang Duc on its 50th anniversary.’ ƒ”š‚ To Madam Ngo Din Nhu, wife of Vietnamese President Din Diem’s younger brother and Chief Adviser, the monk’s death was a cause for joy.ƒ”š‚  A Buddhist converted to […]

by Janaka Perera The Buddhist Channel, June 25, 2006 Colombo, Sri Lanka — The Law Commission of Sri Lanka has handed over to President Mahinda Rajapaksa a draft bill on establishing a National Animal Welfare Authority in Sri Lanka.ƒ”š‚  The bill “ƒ¢¢”š¬…” result of a six-year effort – proposes revolutionary legislation to replace the 99-year-old […]

Janaka Perera ƒ”š‚ This is a postscript to last week’s Lankaweb article titled, “British complicity in murder of Burma’s national hero Aung San raises issues for wider investigation of British crimes in colonial era.”ƒ”š‚ ƒ”š‚ Sri Lanka played an indirect role in the highlight of General Aung San’s political career.ƒ”š‚  Two years before his tragic death, on […]

ƒ”š‚ Janaka Pereraƒ”š‚  Every dark cloud has a silver lining, they say. ƒ”š‚ The tsunami of December 2004 brought untold suffering to many in Sri Lanka as elsewhere.ƒ”š‚  But for the villagers of Kosgoda 100 km South of Colombo and of Miyagala about 100 km from the east coast it was a blessing in disguise.ƒ”š‚  ƒ”š‚  ƒ”š‚ In […]

Janaka Perera Following the tensions between Jaffna university students and security personnel resulting in some students being assaulted several pundits have been condemning the incident as a denial of freedom of speech, obstruction to reconciliation and a violation of the rights of Tamils to commemorate their dead “ƒ¢¢”š¬…” meaning no doubt those who died in […]

ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒ”š‚  ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ “ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…” ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬…¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒ”š‚ ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚°ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬…¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚º ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¶ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚± ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¶ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚  30 ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬‚°ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚º 60 ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬…¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚º (1952- 2012) ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚ºƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’. ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚¦ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¹ 7 ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬…¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¶ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¾ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚° ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚± ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚©ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¶ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…”. ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ . ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚ºƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚  ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚·ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚  60 ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚§ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚ºƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚  ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚± ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬‚¦ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚» ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬…¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚ºƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬‚°ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…¾ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚º ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…¾ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¾‚¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚± ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚ºƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚©ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…”ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚ºƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚§ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚ºƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚» ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­. ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬…¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚ºƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”¹…” ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…¾ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…¾ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ “ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚®ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¯ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬…¡ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ¢¢”š¬‚¦ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ”š‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…‚¡ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…”ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚± (ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚´ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢-¡‚¬ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ¢¢”š¬…”ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚»ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ…-ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚½ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚°ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚¸ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ” -â„¢ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚±ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·ƒ…‚ ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚¶ƒ”š‚­ƒÆ’‚ ƒ”š‚·’ […]

Janaka Perera The German Dharmaduta Society, Sri Lanka will mark its 60th Anniversary (1952-2012) with an alms giving to 60 Buddhist monks at the B.H. William Hall, All Ceylon Buddhist Congress, Colombo on Sunday September 23. Among the highlights of the day’s proceedings will be the screening of a video documentary on the history of […]

Janaka Perera ƒ”š‚ Much has been written on Anagarika Dharmapala’s contributions to the Buddhist cause but little attention has been paid to his perception of international politics vis-ƒÆ’†’ƒ”š‚ -vis Sri Lanka “ƒ¢¢”š¬…” a view that is valid now as then although the global scene has undergone vast changes during the past 100 years.ƒ”š‚  ƒ”š‚ As we commemorate his […]

Janaka Perera The Buddha went from Devale to Devale to save the lives of innocent animals being sacrificed unnecessarily and preached Ahimsa ( non – violence) as a way of life. In Indian History (and World History) the pioneer saviour of the lives of animals is the Buddha together with the Jains who played an […]

Janaka Perera Today, August 30, marks exactly 97 years after the end of a 100-day rule by the monstrous Martial Law which the British Colonial Government enforced to quell the communal riots of 1915. It was like using a sledge hammer to kill an insect. The violent incidents were a glaring example of divide-and-rule colonial […]

by Janaka Perera Meethrigala Nissarana Wanaya, one-of-Sri Lanka’s most respected and largest Buddhist Forest Hermitages, celebrated its 40th year of existence, on December 23 (Unduvap Poya Day). The occasion was marked with the laying of foundation stones for a new building complex at the base camp of the Hermitage to provide better accommodation facilities for […]

Janaka Perera ƒ”š‚ It is now six decades since the name of the place where the Lion flag was hoisted on February 4, 1948 was changed from Torrington Square to Independence Square in Colombo.ƒ”š‚  A 100 years before, on July 29, 1848 British Governor Lord Torrington declared Martial Law to brutally crush the Matale uprising (July-August […]

ƒ”š‚ Janaka Perera This month marks 67 years since the occurrence of three events that marked a turning point in world history.ƒ”š‚  They were the atom bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Augustƒ”š‚ 6ƒ”š‚ andƒ”š‚ 9 and consequently Japan’s offer of unconditional surrender to the Western Allies and the Soviet Union on August 15. The people of the victorious […]

by Janaka Pereraƒ”š‚ Courtesy Daily News Galle Fort with Old Harbour in foreground “HOW long illustrious companions, shall we live as slaves to these vile Portuguese, whose harsh servitude you have borne for nearly 125 years without any other liberty than what they permit us?… If they put up with us, it is only to make […]