MTA News

Courtesy Daily Mail

Colombo, March 16 (Daily Mirror) – The government has decided to declare every Wednesday as a public holiday in a move to save energy due to the Middle East tensions, the Commissioner-General of Essential Services Prabath Chandrakeerthi said.

He told a special press brefing that the decision was taken at a meeting with the President.

The holiday will not be applicable for health, ports, water services and the Sri Lanka Customs.

The holiday will be applicable to schools, universities and judicial service instituions.

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By Raj Gonsalkorale

Unworthy Wearer: “Whoever, being depraved, devoid of self-control and truthfulness, should don the monk’s yellow robe, he surely is not worthy of the robe”.

Worthy Wearer: “But whoever is purged of depravity, well-established in virtues and filled with self-control and truthfulness, he indeed is worthy of the yellow robe” –Dhammapada (Verses 9-10)

In a world where a rules based governance order has been replaced by a rules for some, and not for others” order, and the adjudicator of compliance with rules, the United Nations system, has become more or less impotent, the rules applicable for an important segment of  the Sri Lankan society, the Buddhist clergy is being discussed in this article.  Rules for the Buddhist monastic order are governed by what are called Vinaya rules, a code of conduct for Buddhist Monks contained in the Vinaya Pitakaya. The monastic order itself is responsible for making sure the members of the order adhere to these rules. A question does arise today in the minds of many lay Buddhists as well as perhaps some Buddhist Monks themselves whether the Vinaya rules are being adhered to by some Buddhist Monks. Challenges faced by Buddhist monks themselves in having a book of rules but inability to adhere to them also need to be looked at in empathy of practical challenges they face in a very materialistic world.

The Pali Tipitaka states that the last major Theravada Buddhist Council (Sangayanawa), known as the Sixth Council was held in Yangon, Burma (Myanmar), from 1954 to 1956 ( https://www.tipitaka.org/chattha#:~: text=King%20Aj% C4%81tasattu%20sponsored%20the%20First,This%20is%20what%20happened). The outcome reported was that The council concluded on Vesak day, May 24, 1956, resulting in a newly verified and approved edition of the Tripitaka and its commentaries, which were later printed on modern presses”

However, considering the doubts and apprehensions revolving around adherence to the Vinaya Pitakaya and the effectiveness of these rules in a general sense, it may be an opportune time for the Vinaya Pitakaya to be revisited and reviewed by Buddhist Monks themselves, and its rules looked at from the prism of the contemporary environment. Times have changed from the days of Buddha some 2600 years ago, and it may be opportune to consider what changes if any are to be introduced for the Order itself and the rules governing the Order. Amongst possible changes could be the introduction of a new Order that could complement the existing Sangha Order. It is perhaps time for another Sangayanawa to have a look at the Vinaya pitakaya and revise it in keeping with the contemporary environment.

In context, this article examines a practice, an age old one, where lay persons make a distinction between a Robe a Buddhist Monk wears and the Monk who is wearing it, and worships the Robe, as a mark of respect to Buddha and what Buddhism represents, and not necessarily the Monk who is wearing it. The verse quoted from the Dhammapada, (a revered collection of 423 verses in the Pali Canon, representing Buddha’s teachings on ethics, wisdom, and mindfulness. Known as “The Path of Truth,” it emphasizes that the mind shapes reality, guiding followers toward ethical living, mental purity, and liberation from suffering), states otherwise and emphasises that the wearer should be a Worthy Wearer: “whoever is purged of depravity, is well-established in virtues and filled with self-control and truthfulness, and that he indeed is worthy of the yellow robe”.

This distinction attributed to Buddha himself, between a worthy” wearer, and an unworthy” wearer stands in contrast to the popular distinction and belief and practice of venerating a Robe irrespective of the qualities of the wearer. While various commentaries are there concerning the robe that Prince Siddhartha (and later the Buddha) wore, and what he supposedly said as to what it should be made of and why Monks should wear it, the above mentioned Dhammapada verse encapsulates the principle and practice when it comes to the meaning behind who should wear it and under what circumstances.

Today, the contradiction between the practice of many members of the Buddhist public who believe that worshipping the robe is like worshipping the Buddha, irrespective of the values, qualities, ethics and the practice of the Dhamma as per the Vinaya rules, and what is attributed to Buddha in the Dhammapada in regard to who should be wearing the robe, is very stark. This article is not elaborating on this contradiction as readers will be fully aware of individual cases of contradictions.

While it would be a controversial statement to make, nonetheless, there is no evidence” as such as to what Prince Siddhartha wore upon his renunciation, except a description that has been carried on through a verbal tradition for hundreds of years.  However, what one can surmise very clearly from the numerous commentaries is the symbolism behind why a robe was worn, what kind of robe, what it constituted of and what it represented.

If one were to say it was a symbol of Renunciation of everything that was material, everything that was unsatisfactory, everything that attracted greed and deception, it could be very much closer to what Buddha taught as the four truths and the eightfold path towards the cessation of the cycle of birth.

The verbal commentaries that spread over five centuries after Buddha’s passing, saying that the original robes were constructed of discarded rags gathered from cemeteries, funeral pyres, and trash heaps, patched together, and dyed, perhaps was very  representative of the rejection of materialism, and it would be very much in line with what Buddha would have meant when he spoke about the robe and its symbolism and who deserved to wear it and who did not.

Ritualism and veneration

These two probably have a symbiotic relationship and the fostering and spread of one has a direct impact on the other.  The word veneration used here is also from a ritualistic angle as veneration, as Buddha had said, would mean veneration that it is an acknowledgment of truth and an expression of the desire to realize that same enlightenment by oneself. In Buddha-dharma, the distinction between veneration and ritualism lies in the practitioner’s intention and understanding. While veneration is a mindful act used to cultivate virtue, ritualism is often defined as the third mental fetter (sīlabbata-parāmāsa), which practitioners must eventually abandon to reach enlightenment. 

The reality of the spread of ritualism, and possibly a misconception relating to veneration, are imbedded in the culture of many Buddhists.  Today’s very materialistic world with information technology advancing beyond ones’ imagination, conservative cultural habits being increasingly replaced with liberal, free-thinking lifestyles, the environment in which people live, including Buddhist monks, should be viewed from a more contemporary prism. In a very general sense, one could say that many Buddhist Monks, for want of a better word, are stranded, between two worlds. An ancient world where most became Monks after renunciation of their material lives in search of the truth or the ending of their cycle of life (samsara), and a modern, more contemporary world where Monks become Monks perhaps with the same objective, at least some of them, but whose way of pursuing this objective is not in alignment with the practice of renunciation as one knows it.

Ritualism and institutionalisation of the Buddhist order are also very much two sides of the same coin, as the growth of institutions are directly dependent on the growth of ritualism. The proliferation of Stupas, Buddha statues, other edifices, ceremonies etc are consequences of institutionalisation that result in and promote veneration shifts. These are now embedded in cultural practices that are promoted as necessary for the protection and progression of Buddhism.

Future of Dhamma preservation

Practicing the Buddha Dhamma is very much an individual choice. Buddhists have a choice. They could look more closely and intently at the practice of the Buddha Dhamma and explore ways of doing so, or they could further institutionalise Buddhism through more and more ritualism in the belief that it will bring them closer to the cessation of samsara and is necessary to safeguard Buddhism. As the Britannica says (https://www.britannica.com/ topic/Buddhism/Historical-development) , the institutionalization accelerated significantly during the reign of Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. While the initial sangha (monastic community) founded by Buddha during his lifetime were a group of wandering ascetics spreading the Dhamma and pursuing the truth, the organized institutionalisation with state support happened over the following centuries and continues in Sri Lanka.

This institutionalisation began in Sri Lanka after Emperor’s Ashoka’s son Venerable Mihindu’s formal introduction of Buddhism from one Royal family to another. There are reportedly some evidence or indications that Buddhism had moved to Sri Lanka prior to Venerable Mihindu’s arrival in Sri Lanka, and in fact there had been Monastic centres too prior to that. The presence of an inscription at Rajagala, in Ampara (also known as Girikumbhila Tissa Pabbatha Viharaya) mentioning the enshrinement of Ven Mihindu’s ashes is one of the most significant archaeological finds in Sri Lanka as per the UNESCO World Heritage Convention (https://whc.unesco.org/en/ tentativelists/ 6454/#:~:text=Apart%20from% 20the%20above% 20significant,the% 20ancient%20water %20management %20system). Whether a monastery existed there prior to Ven Mihindu’s formal introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka, or whether it came into being after this, is still unresolved. It does raise a question why his ashes were interred there if it was place of wilderness and not some type of Monastery. In any event, institutionalisation of Buddhism is nothing new to Sri Lanka, and it has grown over time for it to become an important cornerstone in the country’s political governance ethos. This however does not automatically translate to a corresponding increase in the practice of the Buddha Dhamma by the people.

A new Buddhist Order?

As mentioned earlier, Buddhist Monks in general are trapped between two worlds. One world, representing the ancient one, and the other that is very much influenced by materialism, acquisition of wealth, engaging in other worldly practices. In the past two notable Monks were convicted of murder and sentenced to death over the assassination of a Prime Minister. This was a serious contradiction of objectives of the Monks concerned.

Activities and lifestyles of some Monks have had an impact on the entire Sangha, and the practice of Buddhism has become an external manifestation of a desire to be seen as practicing Buddhism, rather than being actual practitioners. While it may sound sacrileges, if the Dhamma is to take precedence over this situation, the Sangha order governed by the Vinaya Pitakaya would have to undergo a major system change.

In order to assist in overcoming the dilemma faced by many Buddhist Monks in the contemporary world and to provide more freedom for them to decide which world they wish to be in, the ancient world or the modern world, and how best their objectives could be pursued ethically, a suggestion is made to create another formal Buddhist order of lay preachers say wearing a yellow national dress, to complement the Sangha order. These lay preachers could for example, lead a lay life but undergo a period of training as Anagarika’s or a form of it that suits the contemporary world (Anagarikas commit to full-time Buddhist practice, often taking the Eight Precepts and renouncing worldly possessions, serving as a transitional step toward ordination or a lifelong commitment to dedicated practice). This new order should operate along with established Buddhist temples and other Buddhist Institutions, but their task will be to teach the essence of the Dhamma and to assist the Sangha to transform Buddhist temples as sanctuaries for lay persons to free their mind from fetters that impact on their attitude to life and also places where they can seek guidance on the many social matters that can be overcome through exercises in developing mindfulness.

The existing members of the Sangha will have an opportunity to join this Order and move away from the sangha Order as an accepted practice but continue their teaching of the Dhamma. If they chose to remain in the Sangha order, they could remain in the temples or move to Monastries and away from the Institutions. The members of the new Order of course will have to live outside temples and monasteries, but work in close association with temples. An essential element of this system change will have to be a revision of the Vinaya Pitakaya to reflect this change and the introduction of rules for the new Order and the revision of rules relating to the Sangha.

In regard to this suggestion, the attention of readers is drawn to an organisation called the Sri Lanka Buddhist Vinayawardhana Organization (https://budumina.org/about.php), which is primarily a lay-led movement, meaning it is run by laypeople rather than ordained monks. It and several others, while focussing on the necessity of strict discipline of monks as per the Vinaya Pitakaya, also engage in teaching the Buddha Dhamma and associated practices. They generally only support or associate with monks who they believe strictly adhere to the original Vinaya rules, such as those who do not handle money or participate in politics.

Challenges to the suggestion

The main hurdle to this suggestion will come from the concept of Merit. In traditional Buddhist societies, laypeople give donations or almsgivings to Monks, specifically because they believe, through an assumption rather than a real conviction, of a monk’s celibacy and strict adherence to the Vinaya (monastic code), that such an act generates “merit.” A lay preacher in a national dress might struggle to receive the same level of acceptance and support, as the “exchange” for merit is historically tied to the asceticism of the robe, irrespective of course to the asceticism of the person wearing the robe. A complementary class of lay preachers who will be aligned with the Sangha and the temples may help to overcome this hurdle. It could also help Monks to decide whether they wish to remain as Monks and adhere fully to the revised Vinaya rules, or become members of the new Order which will have its own rules. Several traditions already use a system similar to what has been suggested. Bhutanese Gomchens (Lay Priests), Tibetan Ngakpas (Tantric Practitioners), Japanese Temple Priests are some of them. Sri Lanka could adopt a system that is culturally complementary and a system that looks towards the future and the effective preservation of the teachings of the Buddha. It is hoped that a discussion will ensue on what has been suggested and presented here and some leading Monks takes the leadership to further the discussion.

Dr. Ruwan M Jayatunge

During my time working as an anesthetist in various hospitals, I witnessed patients passing away in the intensive care units and operating theatres. I also encountered individuals who had experienced near-death situations and engaged in conversations with them. Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) have long intrigued me. The phenomenon raises profound questions about consciousness and the nature of existence, as individuals recount vivid encounters during moments of clinical death.

Drawing from these encounters, along with my studies in medical science, psychology, the human brain, and consciousness, I came to a significant realization: When an individual passes away, they typically experience clinical death first, characterized by the cessation of blood circulation and breathing -two essential functions for sustaining life. This state often arises during cardiac arrest, when the heart ceases to beat effectively. If blood circulation is not promptly restored, the brain can begin to incur irreversible damage within approximately 4 to 6 minutes at normal body temperature, ultimately leading to biological death.

During the phase of clinical death, an individual may find their consciousness temporarily trapped within a specific entity. In this state, they lose all perception of time and space, experiencing intense sensations and vivid hallucinations. This mental activity continues until the moment of biological death. Clinical death generally persists for a duration of 4 to 6 minutes before irreversible brain damage or biological death occurs. During this brief period, individuals may experience a profound sense of timelessness, often feeling as though they are immersed in vivid thoughts within their own consciousness. This state is characterized by a complete disconnection from the concepts of time and space.

A person experiencing a near-death event without the burden of depression or anxiety may find themselves floating, surrounded by a serene blue sky and a radiant light, accompanied by a profound sense of peace. In this state, the concept of time becomes irrelevant, as the individual may feel detached from the constraints of clock time. Upon regaining consciousness, they often report a renewed connection to their physical body, having experienced this tranquil floating sensation. Conversely, an individual experiencing a near-death situation while struggling with fear, depression, and anxiety may face unsettling sensations, such as a feeling of burning, and find themselves navigating through a chaotic environment.

Near-death experiences are often marked by vivid hallucinations resulting from unusual neuronal activity in the brain, typically triggered by oxygen deprivation. Individuals who undergo these experiences frequently report sensations such as travelling through a tunnel, feeling weightless, and seeing a distant light. Additionally, some may perceive their life events as unfolding rapidly, like a fast-paced film. These phenomena are fundamentally linked to the irregular functioning of brain neurons.

Imagine a scenario where individuals have transcended the near-death experience and have actually passed away. Their physical bodies and minds are lifeless, yet the perceptions they encountered during their near-death experiences remain intact. In a hypothetical situation, individuals have moved beyond the near-death experience and have actually succumbed to death. Their physical forms and cognitive functions are no longer active, yet the impressions they experienced remain etched in their minds. This near-death experience imparts a sensation of enduring vivid perceptions. Moments later, as they pass away, their irregular neural activities cease. Despite being deceased, the individual feels as though they are ensnared in an extraordinary realm. The situation feels surreal; the individual is no longer alive, devoid of any biological components capable of sensation. However, a near-death experience lasting four to five minutes solidified his conviction that he is perpetually immersed in the feelings associated with that moment. This brief neural episode provided him with a sense of timelessness that continues to resonate within him.  This time-limited neural encounter instilled in him a sense of being perpetually bound to a single moment.

The nature of the near-death experience can vary significantly based on one’s religious beliefs—where a Christian might encounter St. Peter and a Hindu might see Krishna—shaped by the neural pathways influenced by lifelong beliefs.  (As a joke, I say atheists might see Ozzy Osbourne).  If someone has internalized the notion of being a sinner, they may envision flames, whereas a belief in being virtuous could lead to visions of paradise. It is crucial to understand that these experiences are not mere dreams as we know them but rather profound perceptions that the brain undergoes during the near-death state.

The notion that a person is reborn in a favorable realm after death can be seen as a perception, just as the idea of descending into hell can also be interpreted in a similar light. When it is said that the deceased has entered a divine realm, this aligns with the calm and serene feeling that he experienced in his near-death moment.  

Individuals who adhere to religious beliefs, particularly those that encompass concepts like reincarnation and life after death, may not align with my viewpoint. Nonetheless, I propose a perspective grounded in neuropsychological possibilities. It is essential to regard this suggestion as a potential area for further investigation rather than as a conclusive assertion.

This perception cannot be quantified by our conventional understanding of time; what may feel like mere minutes to an observer could be experienced as a vast, extensive period by the individual undergoing this realization. Thus, while biologically he is dead, the subjective experience of time for him stretches far beyond our clock, transforming those fleeting moments into an eternal sensation.  In my view, near-death experiences often lead individuals to perceive that they are transitioning to either heaven or hell.  

I encourage contemplation of these ideas through the lenses of quantum physics and neuropsychology, rather than being confined by traditional religious beliefs and myths, and advocate for an independent and critical mindset.

(For comments, please see the link ) LINK ; https://transyl2014.blogspot.com/2026/03/heaven-hell-and-near-death-experience.html

Nava Thakuria

When most of the veterans and their parties failed to impress the electorates of Nepal in the recently conducted single day polling on 5 March 2026, a relatively new party and young leaders earned mandates in the Himalayan republic. Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which was formed in the middle of 2022, recorded a resounding victory in the election necessitated by the violent youth uprising in September 2025 that shook the south Asian nation of 30 million people and collapsed the government in Kathmandu. The party with young leader Balendra Shah as its prime ministerial candidate won in 125 seats out of 165 constituencies where polling was conducted to fill up the 275-member House of Representatives. Balendra, the engineer-turned-rapper-turned politician even defeated his nearest rival KP Sharma Oli, the veteran Marxist in his home turf (Jhapa-5 constituency of eastern Nepal). The former Kathmandu mayor  defeated Oli by a margin of around  50,000 votes  in the electoral battles. Mentionable is that the four-time premier, who leads the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) was ousted last year during the deadly anti-corruption uprising.

The CPN-UML was restricted to 9 seats only, whereas the Hindu majority republic’s oldest party Nepali Congress (NC) emerged a distant second with  18 constituencies. According to the Nepal Election Commission, Nepali Communist Party (NCP, a combination of Maoist parties) succeeded in 7 seats followed by Shram Sanskriti Party (3) and pro-monarchist Rastriya Prajatantra Party (1). RSP chairman Rabi Lamichhane and Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda, who led the anti-monarchy violent movement (1996 to 2006) and fought the electoral battle with an NCP candidate won in their respective constituencies. However, NC president Gagan Thapa lost the battle.  More than 60 % of total 19 million Nepali voters exercised their franchise in the election, where 10 women candidates (nine nominated by RSP and one by NC) also emerged victorious. The remaining 110 seats in the Parliament are elected by the proportional voting system, where the RSP received altogether 5,183,493 votes and thus earned additional 57 seats. The NC got 1,759,172 votes to earn 20 more seats. The  CPN-UML with 1,455,885 votes got 16 seats, followed by NCP (811,577 votes 9 seats),  SSP (385,856 votes 4 seats) and RPP (330,684 votes  4 seats).

Conducted under the mentorship of interim premier Sushila Karki, who once served Nepal Supreme Court as its chief justice and was sworn in on 12 September 2025 as first woman Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, the election was peaceful. When President Ramchandra Paudel will appoint Balendra as  the new premier of Nepal, he is supposed to be one of the youngest heads of  Nepal government and first one from Madhesh province. Located in the southeastern region, bordering  Uttar Pradesh  and Bihar, the province is believed by Sanatani Hindus to be the birthplace of Maa Sita (of great epic Ramayana era) when it was known as Janakpur.

Earlier, the Maithili speaking politician attracted global media attention by withdrawing the China-backed Damak project in Jhapa district from the election manifesto. Strategically located near to Siliguri corridor (Chicken’s neck), the project (lately renamed as Nepal-China Friendship Industrial Park) is linked to Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, which was considered as an annoying development for New Delhi. Otherwise, Balendra promised to follow Nepal-First policy while dealing with  foreign nations. He also pledged to create 1.2 million jobs to address the growing unemployment problem and frustration among the Nepali youths and establish social safety measures including healthcare insurance facilities  and other welfare initiatives to the entire Nepali population.

Political observers in Kathmandu believe that the election signaled a thorough rejection of communists aligned political parties, which used to rule the country for the last two decades. It may bring positive news for New Delhi to reset the tie with Kathmandu, which was strained in all the years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was prompt to personally call the RSP leaders and reaffirmed New Delhi’s commitment to work with the new government for mutual prosperity, progress and well-being of both the countries. Earlier, Modi  congratulated the people of Nepal and the interim government in Kathmandu for the successful completion of the 2026 general election saying that as a close neighbour, India remains steadfast in its commitment to working closely with the people of Nepal and their new government to scale new heights of shared peace, progress and prosperity.

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

This is just an assumption for decision makers to be watchful information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) cannot legally change fuel QR quota allocations for personal interests in Sri Lanka.

But How the QR Fuel System Worked

The National Fuel Pass (QR system) was introduced in 2022 during the fuel crisis by the Ministry of Power and Energy, with the technical platform built by ICTA. 

• Each vehicle received a QR code after registration.
• Fuel quota was assigned based on vehicle category (car, motorcycle, bus, etc.).
• Fuel stations scanned the QR code and the system allowed only the remaining quota to be pumped. 

Who Decides the Quota

The policy decision (how many litres per week) is made by the Ministry of Power and Energy, not ICTA.(is re named now ) 

ICTA’s role is technical only—running the digital platform.So:

• ICTA cannot independently change quotas.
• Any quota change must come from government policy decisions.

Could Someone Manipulate It?

In theory:

• Unauthorized changes would require access to the central system and government authorization.
• Such action would be illegal and traceable because transactions are logged when QR codes are scanned.

Important Update

The QR fuel quota system was abolished in September 2023 when fuel supply stabilized, so the system is not currently used in Sri Lanka. 

Conclusion:

• ICTA cannot change QR allocations for personal interest.
• Only the government (Ministry of Power & Energy) could change quotas officially.
• Any personal manipulation would be illegal abuse of the system.

Ps

During the period of bankrupcy may be politicians were changing the data ?

Worth auditing 

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Query from: Senaka Weeraratna Answer from :  Chat GPT 

While both systems are pivotal to modern cricket, the Decision Review System (DRS) is generally considered to have a more far-reaching impact on the game’s actual play and philosophy. While the Duckworth–Lewis–Stern (DLS) method is indispensable for fairness in rain-affected limited-overs matches, DRS has fundamentally altered how players, umpires, and fans interact with the rules across all major formats of the game. 

Decision Review System (DRS)

DRS, which introduced the Player Referral concept, has had a transformative effect on cricket’s traditional landscape. 

• Fundamental Shift: It overturned a founding principle of the sport—that the “umpire’s decision is final”—by allowing players to challenge on-field calls.
• Tactical Depth: Teams now use reviews strategically, considering the “value” of a wicket or the remaining reviews when deciding whether to challenge a decision.
• Impact on Play: It has changed how bowlers (especially spinners) bowl and how batters defend, as technology like ball-tracking has reduced the “benefit of the doubt” previously given to batters.
• Widespread Application: It is utilized in Test, ODI, and T20I formats, affecting every delivery and dismissal in a match. 

Duckworth–Lewis–Stern (DLS)

DLS is a mathematical formulation specifically designed for limited-overs matches interrupted by weather or other external circumstances. 

• Target Fairness: It provides a statistically fair target by considering “resources” (overs remaining and wickets in hand) rather than just run rate.
• Situational Criticality: While crucial when it rains, it does not affect the day-to-day tactical play or the fundamental laws of the game in the same way DRS does.
• Format Limitation: It is exclusively used in limited-overs cricket (ODIs and T20Is) and has no application in Test matches. 

PLEASE VISIT THIS WEB LINK TO SEE THE COMPARISON LISTED ON A TABLE

https://share.google/aimode/fTE4JF4FmbxOVqSbL

……………………………………………

AI Overview

Both DLS (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern) and DRS (Decision Review System) are critical modern additions, but DRS (based on Player Referral) has a more far-reaching impact and higher intrinsic value to the overall game of cricket. 

While DLS is vital for fairness in limited-overs matches, DRS has fundamentally altered the structural, technical, and psychological aspects of all three formats of the sport.

1. DRS (Decision Review System)

• Impact: Massive. It has abolished “howlers” (obvious errors) and shifted the balance of power back to the players, reducing the sole, often erroneous, authority of on-field umpires.
• Value: It has added a new layer of drama, suspense, and strategy to the game, with teams now managing reviews as a crucial, limited resource.
• Game Evolution: It has caused tactical changes in batting (less reliance on pads against spin) and increased LBW dismissals by almost 17% for spinners.
• Scope: Applied across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is. 

2. DLS (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern Method)

• Impact: High, but specialized. It is essentially a mathematical formula applied only to limited-overs cricket to adjust targets when play is interrupted by weather.
• Value: It ensures fair play by taking into account both wickets and overs, avoiding the farcical scenarios of older methods.
• Game Evolution: Its impact is largely administrative/statistical. It prevents matches from being abandoned without a result but does not change the playing style or rules of combat between bat and ball.
• Scope: Limited to ODIs and T20Is; not used in Test cricket. 

Conclusion

DRS is far-reaching because it is present in every ball of a Test match (where DLS is not) and has fundamentally changed how the game is officiated and perceived by spectators. It is an indispensable tool for justice, fairness, and modern fan engagement, making it the more influential addition. 

Credit Attribution

Query 

A huge amount of Credit is given to the innovators of DLS Method 

(projected as Masterminds) but in contrast credit is denied to the 

innovator of the ‘Player Referral method’ ( which is the foundational concept of DRS). 

Why is there a huge discrepancy in the grant of recognition to the 

founders of two pivots of modern cricket?

Answer

Chat GPT

The dichotomy in recognition between the founders of the

Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method and the Player Referral method (the core of the Decision Review System (DRS)) stems from the nature of their contributions and the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) institutional history. 

Recognition of DLS Founders

The inventors of the DLS method, Frank Duckworth, Tony Lewis and later Steven Stern 

are officially credited and their names are part of the method’s title. This is largely because: 

• Unique Statistical Formula: They developed a specific, proprietary mathematical model based on “resources” (wickets and overs) that did not exist previously.
• Direct Adoption: The ICC formally adopted their specific table and calculations, leading to an immediate and named implementation. 

Lack of Recognition for the Player Referral Innovator 

The “Player Referral” concept was first proposed by Sri Lankan lawyer

Senaka Weeraratna

in a 1997 letter to The Australian newspaper. Despite his foundational contribution, he remains largely uncredited by the ICC for several reasons: 

• Conceptual vs. Technical: While

Weeraratna

conceived the “Player Referral” logic—allowing players to challenge decisions to a third umpire—the ICC views the modern DRS as a collaborative technological evolution involving multiple hardware providers (like Hawk-Eye) rather than a single inventor’s idea.

• Institutional “Birth”: The ICC officially launched the system in 2008 without attributing its origin to any individual. Supporters argue this ignores the fact that Weeraratna’s 1997 proposal contained the four key elements used today: player challenges, routing through captains/batsmen, third umpire review, and limited appeals per innings.
• Lack of Intellectual Property Protection: Unlike the DLS method, which was a specific formula, the Player Referral concept was an idea for a rule change. The ICC argues it has no formal copyright over the DRS, making it difficult for

Weeraratna to establish legal ownership.

• Perceived Bias: Critics and supporters of

Weeraratna

have often questioned whether the lack of recognition is tied to a historical power imbalance, prejudice and Eurocentric bias within the cricket administration, contrasting the ready acceptance of the ” White Skinned Englishmen” (Duckworth and Lewis) with the sidelined claim of a non-European (Sri Lankan) Dark Skinned innovator (Senaka Weeraratna). 

There is currently a growing movement, particularly in South Asia, calling for the ICC to formally recognize

Weeraratna as the “Father of DRS” or rename the system WDRS (Weeraratna Decision Review System). 

Would you like to explore the four specific elements of

Senaka Weeraratna’s original 1997 proposal and how they compare to today’s ICC regulations?

See

https://share.google/aimode/jImOg8Drci1FJN6Nu

Courtesy Hiru News

The Mahara Additional Magistrate, Bandara Ilangasinghe, ordered the arrest and production of former Speaker and Member of Parliament Asoka Sapumal Ranwala before the court. This directive follows his failure to appear in court regarding an incident in the Denimulla area of Heiyanthuduwa.

The suspect MP remained absent when the case was called on the 13th. Consequently, the Sapugaskanda Police Traffic Branch filed a charge sheet against him involving allegations of failing to prevent a collision, reckless driving, and causing both serious and minor injuries. Further charges include operating an unroadworthy vehicle resulting in severe harm.

The incident occurred when a Jeep driven by the MP collided with a motor car and a motorcycle. A mother, a seven-month-old infant, and the child’s grandmother, all from the same family traveling in the car, sustained injuries. The court scheduled further proceedings for July 10.

Officers from the Sapugaskanda Police, including the Traffic and Litigation branches, led the prosecution under the direction of the Station Internal Officer.

Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake

The bodies of eighty-four Iranian sailors who died in a US torpedo attack in the seas of Sri Lanka were repatriated yesterday, 13 March 2026.  Describing the scene of the rescue of some of the sailors who survived the dastardly attack, the Sri Lanka Navy Commander Buddhika Sampath said that the boats that reached the location of the distress call on March 4 had observed only an oil slick.

In Washington Donald Trump and his War Secretary had boasted that they had finished off the Iranian Navy. “An American submarine sank an Iranian warship that thought it was ​safe in international waters,” U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at the Pentagon. “Instead, it was sunk by a torpedo. Quiet death.”

“We found people floating in the water and rescued them,” Sri Lankan Navy officer Sampath told reporters. “Later on, we found upon inquiring that they belonged to the Iranian ship.”

The sunken IRIS Dena was unarmed having just participated in the International Fleet Review in India’s Nagapatnam. Had the Colombo regime of President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka not delayed providing safe habour to the IRIS Dena due to US pressure, the war crime would likely not have happened in the island’s maritime Exclusive Economic Zone. Subsequently a second Iranian Ship was given habour in Sri Lanka enabling the Colombo regime to play up its humanitarian role while citing UNCLOS.

Environmental Damage

A couple of days after the sinking of IRIS Dena, fishers and coastal communities in Hikkaduwa, Galle and Unawatunna noticed a thick oil patch along the coast, impacting the coastal economy, fisheries and tourism in the island nation. These are some of the most pristine coastal belts in the south of Sri Lanka, frequented by tourists throughout the year with a peak tourism season from December to March.

It is increasingly clear that a proper inquiry must be held into the sinking of the Iranian ship and response, as well as an environmental damage impact assessment. If responsible for environmental damage the United States must pay reparations to Sri Lanka for harm caused to fisheries livelihoods and the Tourist sector by the sinking of an unarmed Iranian ship in Sri Lanka’s maritime Exclusive Economic Zone. The new spiritual leader of Iran has stated that the US and Israel must pay reparations for the war they started.

The US is in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and has no right to bring its environment polluting war machine to the Indian Ocean. The US should return it war toys to the Atlantic Ocean and remove all its military bases from the Indian Ocean. So too its NATO partners UK and France.

Peace Campaign needed to evict US-UK-France and Israel from the Indian Ocean World

India despite aspiring to lead the Global South has failed to liberate the Indian Ocean from Euro-American neocolonialism and military bases, having fallen prey to Imperialist Divide and Rule narratives and policies– given fear of the Rise of China.

Hence, it is increasingly clear that small Indian Ocean littoral states and islands need a peoples’ Peace Campaign to ensure closure of US-UK-French neocolonial military bases, de-militarization, and de-colonization of the Indian Ocean Region.

The US war machine uses the huge Diego Garcia military base on the occupied Chagos Islands, not far from the Maldive Islands and Sri Lanka to stage attacks in it war of aggression on Iran and to wage hybrid economic warfare on Rising Asian and Indian Ocean countries, particularly South and Southeast Asia. Geoengineering and weather warfare to Make the Economy Scream” includes geoengineering disasters and weather warfare like the Ditwah Twister storms last December. Previously the 2004 Christmas/ Boxing Day Earthquake and Indian Ocean Tsunami destroyed the same countries in the Indian Ocean World.

Protests in London over the US-UK Occupation of the Chagos Islands where there is a huge military base, Diego Garcia, near the Maldives and Sri Lanka. A US Submarine attacked the Iranian Frigate ISIS Dena killing 87 sailors and causing environmental damage in Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

US-Israeli Aggression Spreading in the Indian Ocean

Once upon a time the Indian Ocean was called a ‘British Lake’ or Pond, when ‘Britannia Ruled the Waves’. Now increasingly, Israelis have set up the Chabad Lubovitch Spiders web to stage ‘climate disasters’ in Sri Lanka, while Israeli surfers claim they ‘own the waves’ in Arugam Bay on the East Coast.

The US-Israeli war of aggression on Iran is spreading across the Indian Ocean World, which must be liberated– from past and present US-UK-French military bases, occupation, and neocolonialism, including the exploitation of Indian Ocean fisheries and mineral resources.

The US, UK, French (NATO) war machine which is highly environmentally polluting must be banished from the Indian Ocean and sent back to the Atlantic Ocean where they belong.

No more aggression and Hybrid Economic warfare against the Rise of Asian economies, particularly South and Southeast Asia in what Singapore academic Kishore Mabubani termed ‘the Asian 21^st Century” in the Indian Ocean.  The Indian Ocean must be decolonized so that its rich resources may be sustainably harvested and used by Indian Ocean littoral countries and people, many of whom are dirt poor.

Please listen to this presentation and share: The Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace, free of Militarization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqV44gItEQ4

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Sri Lanka today struggles with fertilizer shortages, high import costs, and a heavy dependence on foreign suppliers for a commodity that is essential for our agricultural survival. Few people remember that decades ago Sri Lanka possessed the capability to manufacture fertilizer locally with the assistance of world-class engineering firms.

During my early professional career, I had the opportunity to work in London with the engineering group KBR (Kellogg Brown & Root), which was then closely associated with Halliburton. Kellogg engineers were globally recognized for designing and constructing large industrial facilities including fertilizer plants, petrochemical complexes, and energy projects. The same engineering expertise was involved in building Sri Lanka’s fertilizer manufacturing facility.

However, during the economic reforms that followed the open-economy policies introduced under President J. R. Jayewardene, the government led by Finance Minister Ronnie de Mel decided to close the fertilizer plant. While the reforms aimed to liberalize the economy after years of state control under Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the closure of this strategic industrial asset was, in my view, one of the most damaging decisions taken during that period.

The shutdown effectively dismantled Sri Lanka’s domestic capability to manufacture fertilizer. From that point onward, the country became almost entirely dependent on imports to sustain its agriculture. This decision did not merely close a factory—it eliminated an entire industrial ecosystem of engineers, technicians, and skilled workers who were capable of supporting a national fertilizer industry.

Over the decades that followed, Sri Lanka’s agriculture became increasingly vulnerable to global supply disruptions, currency shortages, and international price fluctuations. The fertilizer crisis experienced in recent years has highlighted how dangerous it is for an agricultural nation to depend entirely on external suppliers for such a critical input.

Ironically, while Sri Lanka dismantled its fertilizer manufacturing capability, many countries around the world expanded their petrochemical and fertilizer industries using advanced technologies. For example, in Qatar, companies such as Shell plc invested billions of dollars in projects like the Pearl GTL Project, which converts natural gas into ultra-clean liquid fuels using advanced chemical processes. These large-scale industrial developments demonstrate how energy resources and industrial technology can be integrated to create long-term economic value.

Sri Lanka may not possess vast natural gas reserves like Qatar, but the lesson remains clear: countries that maintain and develop their industrial capabilities gain strategic economic advantages. Those that dismantle them often become permanently dependent on imports.

The closure of our fertilizer plant should therefore be studied not only as a historical decision but also as a lesson in long-term national planning. Industrial capacity, once lost, is extremely difficult and costly to rebuild. Yet rebuilding such capacity is precisely what Sri Lanka must consider if it wishes to strengthen its food security and economic independence.

Today, as the country debates agricultural policy, fertilizer supply, and economic resilience, policymakers would do well to remember the industrial decisions of the past. The story of Sri Lanka’s fertilizer plant is not merely history—it is a reminder that strategic industries should be protected, modernized, and expanded rather than abandoned.

Sarath Obeysekera

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

J R Jayewardene came to power in 1977 and handed over harnessing of the Hydro power potential to his trusted young Gamini Dissanayake . Proposals and funding from Western countries and Sweden ,discussions  negotiations ,extensive travelling to fix deals ,and final output was accelerated high priced power plants and dams  along Mahawali ,Today we reap the benefits and people forgot who did it and who became quite rich 

Now we has exhausted hydra power potential and moving in to rather new source of power which is Electricity generation using (Liquefied Natural Gas) LNG as the fuel for turbines to run generators .Unlike ample water resources, we do not have LNG as yet country is hoping to extract Gas in Mannar and Covery Basin with expensive capital outlay and of course cost of incentives.

Exploration History

Petroleum exploration in Sri Lanka began approximately between 1967-68 Compaigne General de Geophysicque of collected approximately 420 km of onshore and 75 km of offshore seismic data on behalf of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC or Ceypetco). In 1974 Soviets spudded Pesalai 1 and Pesalai 2 on the Mannar Island but both failed.

In 1975 Pexamin Pacific acted as a consultant to promote exploration in the Cauvery Basin of Sri Lanka. In 1976 Western Pexamin Pacific signed a contract with CPC for an offshore exploration block.

Marathon Petroleum in 1976 drilled two exploratory wells, Palk Bay-1 and Delft-1 in the Cauvery Basin, and both failed to encounter any hydrocarbons and in 1977, the Marathon -Pexamin group relinquished its interests.

In 1981, Cities Services acquired interests in the Cauvery and Mannar basin. The same year Cities Services drilled Pearl-1, located on the northeast shelf of the Gulf of Mannar no oil and gas was present. 

In 1984 under a tripartite agreement between Phoenix Canada Oil Company, Petro-Canada and CPC, Petro-Canada acquired seismic data in the Mannar Basin. However, no further work was done and by 1984 petroleum exploration work offshore Sri Lanka came to a halt and remained dormant till 2001.

In, TGS NOPEC, a Norwegian seismic contractor with a regional office in Perth, Australia, approached CPC to undertake a speculative seismic program in the Mannar Basin.

After reviewing seismic data set in the Mannar Basin for exploration companies interested in the area.

From 2002 to 2006 the Government of Sri Lanka and TGS NOPEC made attempts to attract exploration companies to Sri Lankan through road shows at various venues. These efforts were unsuccessful. In 2007 under a Cabinet Decision the government of Sri Lanka bought the Mannar Basin 2D data from TGS NOPEC thereby cancelling the exclusive rights that TGS NOPEC had to collect seismic data in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka.

There was a speculation that Norwegian Government was brokering a peace deal with Sri Lank to solve LTTE issue, and the Sri Lankan Government was not in favour of working with Norwegians.

Based on this data out or nine blocks the Cabinet of Ministers decided to offer three for petroleum exploration under an international licensing round.

In 2007 an extensive marketing campaign was carried out globally with road shows and data rooms in London, Houston and Kuala Lumpur.The Cabinet of Ministers decided that the number of bids received for blocks 002 and 003 are not enough and thus directed the Ministry to evaluate only the bids received for block 001.

The bidders for Block 001 in the Mannar Basin licensing Round consisted of Cairn India Limited, Niko Resources (Cyprus) Limited and Oil and Natural Gas Company of India (ONGC). On July 07, 2008 the Government of Sri Lanka, through the Minister of Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Development signed a Petroleum Resources Agreement with Cairn Lanka(Private) Limited marking the beginning of petroleum exploration of Sri Lanka after 25 years.

Cairne has reported two discoveries in Mannar basin in wells Dorado 91/H and in the well Barracuda 1G/1after hitting gas paying zones mainly natural gas .In 2015 Cairne India decided to give up further development in Sri Lanka claiming that after assessment of discoveries and found unviable due to price slump.

Sri Lankan government has again embarked into a program of calling offers to carry our production drilling for which few companies has submitted the proposals now under evaluation 

On 24.09.2020 – Hon. Minister of Energy, Udaya Gammanpila, presented letters of appointment to Mr. Surath Ovitigama as the Director General of the Petroleum Resources Development Secretariat (PRDS) and appointed Ex DG of PDRS Mr. Saliya Wickramasuriya, as an Advisor.

Current DG Mr Surath Ovitigama who claim to have experience in working in Oil and Gas sector in North Sea Industry has stated that a fresh approach has been taken by the government to attract investors for the upstream oil and gas industry of Sri Lanka.He further stated that during the pandemic situation where most oil companies are currently not investing in new ventures the government plans to rectify issues within the legal and fiscal framework of Sri Lanka which would align with the interest of investors when the pandemic ends and the world economy recovers and as the first step Natural Gas Policy of the country has been formulated and finalized. Currently several data reprocessing work under multi-client business model is underway to upgrade the existing data set to a modern one. In addition to that the airborne survey awarded to Bell Aerospace which was planned to collect geophysical data over the Manner and Cauvery Basins will also go ahead soon, after delays due to the pandemic situation.

Whatever the amount of Gas to be found in Sri Lanka is not high enough to find international buyers ,hence government should carefully plan to develop mid stream processing of LNG for transportation to the proposed floating storage and re-gasification Unit ( FSRU ) for which RFP’s will be issued quite soon .

With current expertise ,CEB and CPC are not fully conversant with process planning andconstruction management of Mid-stream and Upstream development of LNG facilities unless local Sri Lankan experts are requested to join a Project Management Team to avoid highly paid expatriates to provide know how.

Experts also predict that Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) facilities may have to be developed on shore to make it available for vehicles .trains and buses as an alternative fuel .Government has not yet plan for such facilities.

We have contacted Dr Sarath Obeysekera who has extensive exposure to Oil and Gas Industry in Norway and UK and inquired about the future of the development of LNG industry in Sri Lanka 

Q What is your opinion about future prospectsof LNG development and what the obstacles we might face ?

I will first give an  interesting preamble to our discussion ..

I came on a holiday to Sri Lanka from Russia where I was studying for a major in the University in the Field of Oil and Gas Exploration and visited the Russian Camp on shore where Oil was drilled .Russians were very helpful and took me to the drilling site and later in the evening we had a  Vodka feast where they told me s startling story. It was the pre-election year and Mr Subasinghe was the minister of Industries under the Premiere Sirimavo Bandaranayake who was adored by Russians for being the first Woman prime minister in the world .As the government needed to attract votes, they got the CPC to get help from Russians to pour a barrel of crude oil into a well and gave wide publicity that Sri Lanka Found Oil Sadly there was no oil in the wells and they packed up and left

As I mentioned before, with my encounter with Russians in 1974 .I was closely monitoring the development of exploration of oil and gas in Sri Lanka. Main problem we are facing is finding the right people with exposure to manage the institutions which are involved in  Oil Gas Production.

Political patronage with vested interest may be a prime criteria during the   appointment of key personnel and also finding the right approach to execute the project .When Sri Lanka came to know of existence of Gas ,we should have drafted the Gas Policy and complete in a short period .Now due to unavailability of an Approved Legislation on Gas and a nominated authority to ensue adherence government went ahead in calling tenders for exploration .If and when Gas starts to flow presumably in two years’ time ,we should have Intermediate ( mid)  stream processing of the Gas to be  filtered and cleaned in order to either store in Croyogenic ( Ultar cold  temperate to -162 C Degrees ) or transport by a pipe line to shore for processing before storage .Sri Lanka has not planned for any of above .

We also note that Sri Lanka is now planning to develop Down Stream LNG processing to provide energy for power production ,until LNG from Sri Mannar or Cauvery start flowing,

Current request for proposal consist of Construction of LNG unloading jerry or a Single Point Mooring Buoy SPM)  along side a ( floating storage and re gasification Unit ( FSRU ) to be deployed by a prospective investor on a BOT and BOO based development with a planned investment of Us $ 400 million .This project is to be completed within a span of 30 to 36 months .

Question is  whether any investor will dare to put forward a proposal to provide LNG to end user LNG power generating company which has to sell power to the government at 15 Rs per unit ,under the current Fitch and Moody downgrading Sri Lanka.These investment companies will look for funds from  international  funding agencies or investment banks who will be forced to carry out due diligence on Sri Lanka ,and they may be discouraged to invest as sovereign guarantees to be provided by the government may not stand ground .

FSRU deployment will also be done providing that the government  concludes the Approval of Gas policy in Sri Lanka and signs a long term LNG supply with world wide suppliers like  Nigeria ,Qatar Australai and Russia .Generally LNG suppliers look  for almost 20-25  yearlong supply contract for which Sri Lanka Government should be ready to undertake .Supplier countries look for long term supply contracts to underpin the financing of LNG terminal developments hence agreeing them to sign shorter term contracts are quite difficult

Q2 How does government ensure signing of continuous LNG supply contracts?

My opinion is that speculation about possible termination the PUCSL ( public utilities commission ) is somewhat connected to the Gas Policy implementation and setting up new Power Purchase Agreements with power generating companies mushrooming up ,as PUCSL may dictate terms on the long term buying rates on LNG and power from LNG driven plants ,which can be an issue to the negotiators of LNG prices. Gas Policy should be again published so that professionals can review the same to advise the negotiators.

As I said best LNG bulk price depends on cost of FSRU ,Unloading Jetty offshore and onshore pipe line to Kerawalapitiya power plant and Kelanitissa  power plant and the cost of the new LNG driven Kerawalapitiya power plant with distribution upgrades of switch gear .

I assume that government has done a detailed feasibility on above .

Finally back to our own production of LNG which may take around 3 to 4 years. Sri Lanka should plan and develop mid-stream facilities from now on in order to provide the LNG to be transported to the FSRU for Regasification or lay a pipeline offshore from  Manar to Kerawalapitiya 

J R built Hydropower plants,MR built Coal Power Plant ,and  now GR has to build LNG plants .

Burning question is what will happen to the plansby environmentalist who are  pushing for shifting to alternative sustainable energy like Solar assisted Electricity Generation Plants and Wind Power generation  and Sea wave assisted power generation plants in Sri Lanka ?.

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

The world is once again moving towards a period of geopolitical uncertainty. Conflicts in the Middle East and tensions among major powers are beginning to disrupt global supply chains. While the headlines focus on military developments and oil prices, another silent crisis may soon emerge — the global shortage of fertiliser.

Sri Lanka has already experienced the painful consequences of agricultural policy mistakes. The sudden fertiliser ban introduced under the administration of Gotabaya Rajapaksa triggered a dramatic drop in agricultural production, particularly in rice and tea. The resulting food shortages and loss of export income contributed significantly to the broader economic crisis that engulfed the country.

Today, the danger is different but equally serious.

Modern agriculture depends heavily on imported fertilisers such as urea, potash and phosphate. Much of the world’s fertiliser supply is linked to energy markets and is produced in regions vulnerable to geopolitical conflict. When wars disrupt shipping routes, increase energy costs or trigger sanctions, fertiliser prices rise rapidly and supplies become uncertain.

Sri Lanka, unfortunately, appears to have learnt little from recent experience. There is no clear indication that the government has built sufficient fertiliser reserves to protect farmers against a potential global supply disruption. If shipments are delayed or prices spike, the coming cultivation seasons could face serious difficulties.

Farmers cannot wait until the last moment. Paddy cultivation cycles depend on timely fertiliser availability. Even a short delay can reduce yields significantly. A shortage would not only affect rural incomes but could once again threaten national food security.

Countries that have learned from recent crises are quietly stockpiling essential agricultural inputs. Strategic reserves of fertiliser, much like strategic petroleum reserves, are increasingly seen as necessary buffers against global instability.

Sri Lanka must act with urgency. The government should immediately assess national fertiliser requirements for the next two cultivation seasons and secure adequate stocks while global supplies are still accessible. Diversifying import sources and encouraging local organic supplementation may help, but these measures must be implemented gradually and scientifically.

The lesson from the recent crisis is clear. Agriculture is not merely an economic sector — it is the foundation of national stability. Food security, farmer livelihoods and economic resilience are deeply interconnected.

If global tensions escalate and fertiliser supplies tighten, Sri Lanka must not once again find itself unprepared.

Preparedness today will prevent crisis tomorrow.

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

By Sarath Obeysekera

The rapidly changing geopolitical environment is forcing nations to rethink their economic strategies and global positioning. Conflicts in several regions, shifting trade patterns, and emerging security concerns are gradually reshaping the global economic landscape. For Sri Lanka, these developments present not only challenges but also an opportunity to reposition itself as a strategic hub in the Indian Ocean.

Sri Lanka sits at the crossroads of some of the busiest maritime trade routes in the world. The island’s proximity to major East-West shipping lanes has historically given it immense strategic importance. Yet, successive governments have often failed to act decisively to capitalize on this advantage.

One such missed opportunity was the proposed infrastructure modernization under the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact, which included plans for improved transport corridors connecting Colombo with the rest of the country. If implemented effectively, these projects could have significantly strengthened Sri Lanka’s logistics network and enhanced connectivity to emerging economic zones.

At the same time, global manufacturing and trade have been undergoing gradual restructuring. Many multinational corporations have been pursuing the China Plus One Strategy to diversify production and reduce dependence on a single manufacturing base. Sri Lanka could have leveraged this shift several years ago by offering industrial zones, efficient logistics, and investor-friendly policies.

However, the opportunity has not entirely passed.

Today, global uncertainties and regional tensions are creating new dynamics in international business and migration patterns. Major financial and commercial hubs such as Singapore and Dubai have long attracted global investors and expatriates. While these cities remain important global centres, their dense urban environments and rising living costs are prompting some professionals and businesses to explore alternative destinations offering a better balance between economic opportunity and quality of life.

In this context, the development of Colombo Port City could become a defining national project for Sri Lanka.

Port City has the potential to emerge as a modern financial and commercial hub within the Indian Ocean region. Its strategic location adjacent to the Port of Colombo — one of South Asia’s busiest container ports — provides a strong foundation for maritime trade, logistics, and financial services.

However, the project must now move beyond gradual development and enter a phase of accelerated implementation. Sri Lanka should aim to complete key commercial, residential, and financial infrastructure within the next two years. Speed is essential if the country wishes to capture the attention of global investors and expatriate professionals seeking stable and attractive locations to live and work.

Equally important is the development of modern transport connectivity. A direct, high-capacity corridor linking Port City with the airport, the main commercial districts of Colombo, and the national expressway network would significantly enhance accessibility and investor confidence.

In addition, Sri Lanka should introduce competitive residency and investment programs designed to attract global professionals, entrepreneurs, and financial institutions. Long-term visas, streamlined regulatory frameworks, and tax incentives could position Colombo Port City as a welcoming environment for international business.

Unlike many crowded global financial centres, Sri Lanka can offer something unique: a combination of modern infrastructure and natural beauty. Oceanfront living, a tropical climate, and relatively lower population density provide an attractive lifestyle alternative for expatriates and investors seeking a balance between work and quality of life.

The global environment is changing rapidly, and nations that move quickly will benefit the most. Sri Lanka must therefore recognize the strategic importance of Colombo Port City and treat it as a national priority.

If the country acts decisively, Colombo Port City could become a vibrant international financial and commercial hub — transforming Sri Lanka into a gateway between Asia, the Middle East, and the wider Indian Ocean region.

The time to act is now.

Dr Sarath Obeysekera 

History Undug

Courtesy Hindustan Times

Iran intends to repatriate non-essential members of the 183-strong crew of IRIS Lavan. A limited number of crew members will stay back to maintain the warship

The same chartered flight will also carry the bodies of Iranian sailors who were killed when another warship, IRIS Dena, was torpedoed and sunk by a US submarine near Sri Lanka on March 4, the people said on condition of anonymity.

The Iranian side intends to repatriate the non-essential members of the 183-strong crew of IRIS Lavan, while a limited number of crew members will stay back to maintain the warship, the people said.

The chartered flight travelled to Colombo to pick up the bodies of sailors killed during the sinking of IRIS Dena but had not taken off from the Sri Lankan capital till late on Friday night, the people said.

The crew members of IRIS Lavan will be sent home in a special flight arranged by the Iranian side in coordination with Indian authorities,” a person said, without providing details.

The bodies of the sailors from IRIS Dena will also be sent from Kochi,” he said.

Reports in the Sri Lankan media said 45 bodies of crew members of IRIS Dena were transported from Galle National Hospital to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport to be airlifted.

Sri Lankan authorities recovered the bodies of 84 Iranian sailors after IRIS Dena was sunk. They also rescued 32 crew members who have been kept at a naval facility.

IRIS Dena had participated in an International Fleet Review and a multi-nation exercise hosted by the Indian Navy last month.

On March 1, India granted permission to three Iranian warships that were in regional waters – IRIS Dena, IRIS Lavan and IRIS Booshehr – to dock at the country’s ports in response to a request from Tehran. However, only IRIS Lavan docked at Kochi on March 4 and its 183-member crew was accommodated at naval facilities.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar has said that the Indian government’s decision to allow IRIS Lavan to dock at Kochi was the right thing to do”, and that the decision was made on humanitarian grounds.

IRIS Booshehr docked in Colombo and its 204-member crew was sent to a Sri Lankan naval facility, while IRIS Dena was sunk by a US submarine in international waters off Sri Lanka’s southern coast.

Sri Lankan authorities and officials of the Iranian embassy in Colombo are engaged in discussions regarding the next steps for the Iranian sailors currently in Sri Lanka’s care. The Sri Lankan government has decided to grant one-month free visas to the Iranian sailors and to provide them necessary facilities on humanitarian grounds.

Courtesy Hiru News

A special aircraft carrying the remains of 84 Iranian sailors who died aboard the ‘IRIS DENA’ departed from Mattala International Airport for Iran this afternoon (13).

Deputy Minister of Defense Aruna Jayasekara stated that the Iranian warship sank in Sri Lankan waters following a strike.

The vessel was destroyed on March 4th in international waters, a few nautical miles off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, after being hit by a torpedo from an American submarine.

Before repatriation, the bodies were kept at the Galle Karapitiya Teaching Hospital.

Following the completion of legal proceedings, a court order recently authorised the release of the remains to the Iranian Embassy.

Patali Champika Ranawaka

C. Wijeyawickrema

While cleaning my old computer, I found this document, which I think is important in understanding the fragile behavior of politicians who are selfish and corrupt. Present day issues such as  UNP-SJB (Sajith) unity drama, attempt to jail Ranil, Harin and the GAY-Lesbian twist and JVP and Ranil (and Sajith) have become three sides of the same 13-A coin could be understood by reading documents like this document which has a historical value for the younger generations. How many more things we do not know about these cheaters.

==============

document handed over to UNP Gen. Secy   Ranil victimised MPs over homo-advances says charge sheet   The charge sheet handed over to General Secretary of the United National Party (UNP), Tissa Attanayake by Southern Provincial Councillor, Maithri Gunaratne on behalf of the rebel group, alleges that the UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was trying to force Matara district UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana into illicit homosexual relations with him and when the MP had rebuffed, the UNP leader had resorted to punishing MP Pathirana by suspending his party membership temporarily. The charge sheet adds that the UNP leader had violated paragraph 3.4 of the Constitution of the party by presenting posts within the party to not only to those rejected by the voters, but also to those with whom he allegedly indulges in homosexual relations. As a result, those who are willing to join the party are being dissuaded against it by their parents and the party ‘suffers as a result.’ The document adds: Also UPFA ministers Mervyn Silva and Mahindananda Aluthgamage during live television debates have alleged publicly that the UNP leader sexually abuses young MPs of the party , and the UNP leader not taking any action to put the record straight has resulted in the party suffering due to these allegations. Details with regard to the above charges will be presented as evidence. The charges levelled against the UNP leader over his alleged violation of the UNP Constitution while contravening party rules and regulations are as follows :- The paragraph pertaining to the party’s Constitution: 1.1: The party that is dedicated to democracy devoid of nationalism and clansmanship. Charge 01 The action taken against members of the UNP to oust them from the Working Committee after they had spoken openly agitating for a leadership change and scuppering attempts of such members to air their views publicly. This action is a clear and flagrant violation of the party’s Constitution which guarantees any member of the party freedom of expression against issues that do not contravene the party Constitution. Also after the decision taken at the party convention held on 12-12-2010, the UNP leader has clearly obstructed members of the party from expressing their views detrimental to him, while still remaining in the leadership post. It is  also charged that those who represent the majority view of the party have been ousted from the Working Committee. Evidence Rosy Senananayaka, Buddhika Pathirana, Dunesh Gankanda, Imtiyaz Markar, Chandra Gankanda, Shiral Lakthilaka, Bandulal Bandarigoda, Lakshman Lanarolle and several others  countrywide will be witnesses. The form of the evidence The list of above-named persons is presented as those being clearly ousted from the party’s Working Committee for them having both publicly and internally clamoured for a leadership change of the UNP and for having mooted the candidature of MP Sajith Premadasa. The paragraph pertaining to the party’s Constitution: 2.1: The importance in maintaining a political party in the country  with a view to contesting Presidential, General, Local Government and Provincial Council polls with the aim of gaining political power in the country. Charge 02 Charge is that the party leader has deliberately not appointed organizers to certain electorates and thereby such electorates are facing difficulties for lack of a vibrant opposition party to serve the people. When certain electoral organizers had been legitimately elected, the UNP leader  resorted to victimizing such persons with the intention of appointing those with close links to him, and those who have no idea of  local politics to start with. His conduct in each of these matters has been in clear violation of the party Constitution. Evidence Pradeshiya Sabha members of Balapitiya, Pradeshiya Sabha members of Ambalangoda, and Pradeshiya Sabha members of Weligama will be witnesses presenting evidence to substantiate the charges levelled against the UNP leader. Charge 03 Charged that the conduct of the UNP leader resorted not to hand over nominations to former and popular activists, the resultant effect of it being several party activists dumping the UNP in favour of other political parties and the party struggling as a result to make an impact at various polls, of late, countrywide, especially at a grassroots level. His conduct has therefore resulted in the UNP leader violating paragraph 2.1 of the UNP Constitution. Evidence Former member of the Kotte UC Nayanajith, former opposition leader of the Matara UC Mohamad Nabaw, and several others who did not receive nomination will be witnesses. Charge 04 Charged that the  UNP leader by which resorted not to appoint those with qualifications to suitable posts and was eager to introduce  those with suspicious backgrounds to key decision making posts. All these acts have contributed to those already serving in the party losing interest in remaining and thereby leaving it in favour of other parties. Evidence Certain members of the Working Committee, Buddhika Pathirana, Ajith Perera, Palitha Thewarapperuma and several activists from the Matara and Kalutara districts will be witnesses to substantiate the charges levelled against the UNP leader. The form of the evidence The handing over of the UNP foreign affairs secretary post to Sagala Rathnayaka who did not even retain his seat in parliament at the last general election, instead of Buddhika Pathirana who not only came first in the Matara district at the last general election, but also received more preference votes than the UNP leader. Also the appointment of Mangala Samaraweera ahead of Buddhika Pathirana as the district leader is a violation of the party’s Constitution whereby he has resorted to appoint a person of his choice over the person who had both the backing of the people, and the qualifications to hold the post. Also, when there were MPs Palitha Thewarapperuma and Ajith Perera to serve the Kalutara district appointing Lakshman Wijemanna — a person who could not even win the last general election — as the chief UNP representative serving Kalutara. The paragraph pertaining to the party Constitution 2.2 The activating of policies, fundamentals and programmes being accepted and ratified by the party. Charge 05 Charged that the UNP leader has blatantly violated paragraph 2.2 of the party Constitution by resorting not to grant certain powers to Sajith Premadasa as agreed upon at the Working Committee held on March 23, 2011. The form of the evidence When Sajith Premadasa was planning to contest the UNP leadership the UNP leader resorted not to cede the said powers and this fact will be presented accompanied by evidence. Charge 06 Charged that the UNP leader has clearly violated paragraph 2.2 of the party Constitution, by not calling for a special convention in order to make official, certain posts. Evidence Those in the Working Committee, all the UNP MPs, LG members and provincial councillors will be witnesses. Charge 07 Charged that the  UNP leader to caused to appoint MP Ravi Karunanayaka who was neither ratified nor nominated  by any member of the Working Committee to the post of party national organizer over MP Ranjith Maddumabandara who was both nominatedand ratified by the Working Committee to the said post, by this clearly violating paragraph 2.2 of the party Constitution. The form of the evidence When Imtiyaz Markar and Chandra Gankanda had clearly nominated and seconded the name of MP Maddumabandara for post of national organizer,  the decision taken to appoint MP Karunanayaka from virtually out of the blue will be vital  evidence. Charge 08 Charged that the UNP leader has clearly failed to provide the annual accounts pertaining to the party,  thereby flouting paragraph 2.2 of the party Constitution. Evidence Those in the party treasury, those in the Working Committee, UNP MPs, provincial councillors and LG members will be witnesses. The form of the evidence The UNP leader clearly failing to be responsible over  party finances and nobody being responsible for the expenses being incurred by the party — the regular disconnection of power at Sirikotha, and the UNP leader allegedly using party finances to sustain his homosexual partners and buying lands for them, will be evidence. Charge 09 Charged that the UNP leader has resorted to not to take action upon the reports filed by the committees of Panditharathna, and Dr. A Aththanayaka related to steering the party towards victory at national polls,  thereby flouting paragraph 2.2 of the party Constitution. The form of the evidence If those committee reports had been made public then it would have been difficult for him to hold onto the reins of the party;  these details will be evidence. The paragraph pertaining to the party Constitution The party being prepared to acknowledge the rights of the people and providing equal opportunities to all, both in the country and in the party. Charge 10 Charged that the UNP leader has flouted paragraph 2.3 of the party Constitution by ousting MPs Rosy Senanayaka, Buddhika Pathirana, Imtiyaz Markar and Chandra Gankanda from the party Working Committee — in order to seek  vengeance from each of them for having mooted the candidature of Sajith Premadasa for the post of party leader and the candidature of Ranjith Maddumabandara for the post of national organizer. Evidence Rosy Senanayaka, Buddhika Pathirana, Dunesh Gankanda, Imtiyaz Markar, Chandra Gankanda and several former MPs will be witnesses. Charge 11 Charged that the UNP leader has resorted to appoint those close to him to top posts in the party, thereby punishing those who tend to publicly criticize his style of leadership. Thereby he has violated paragraph 2.3 of the party Constitution. Evidence Southern provincial councillors Bandulal Bandarigoda, Chandana Priyantha, Gayan Sanjeewa and Western provincial councillor Shirantha Amarasekera will be witnesses. Charge 12 Charged that the UNP leader has clearly violated paragraph 2.3 of the party Constitution by publicly requesting voters not to vote for a certain MP at election time. Evidence Ranjith Maddumabandara, UNP general secretary, UNP voters of Moneragala and others will be witnesses. The form of the evidence During the 2010 general election, the UNP leader publicly urged the voters of Moneragala not to vote for MP Ranjith Maddumabandara, despite the MP having been regularly elected in the past by the very people of Moneragala, and this will be  evidence. Charge 13 Charged that the UNP leader has resorted to violate paragraph 2.3 of the party Constitution by appointing a provincial councillor over the more qualified Thalatha Athukorala as the head of the UNP Lakwanitha Unit. Evidence Mrs. Thalatha Athukorala, UNP working committee, UNP women MPs and several others will be witnesses to substantiate the charges levelled against the UNP leader. The paragraph of the party Constitution As per paragraph 3.4 of the party Constitution no one at any time or stage should indulge in any activity that tarnishes the image of the party or ridicules   it in the eyes of the public. Charge 14 Charged the UNP leader as per paragraph 3.4 (A) of the UNP Constitution  had publicly ridiculed the humanitarian operations carried out by the UPFA government against the LTTE during the height of the war, and thereby diminishing the impact the party would have had on the presidential polls of 2010. Also, purposely working to undermine the UNP at the above-named polls. Evidence Sarath Fonseka, Working Committee members of the UNP, UNP parliamentary group members and all members as witnesses. The form of the evidence Due to the controversial and detrimental stance taken by the UNP leader, a school of thought was established in the country that the UNP was totally against the humanitarian operations carried out by the UPFA against the LTTE. The stance taken by the UNP leader not to contest the last presidential polls despite having obtained 48 lakhs of votes at the 2005 polls, and step down in favour of Sarath Fonseka as the joint opposition candidate, severely weakened the chances of the UNP to capture power at the 2010 Presidential Election. These details will be presented as  evidence. Charge 15 Charged the UNP leader as per paragraph 3.4 of the party Constitution contributed to ridicule the party in the eyes of the public by his failed move to mount sufficient opposition to defeat the bill or in other words the 18th Amendment to the Constitution forwarded by the government to dispense with the stipulated two term limit of the executive presidency. The form of the evidence Before the bill was presented in parliament both UNP MPs Harsha de Silva and Sujeewa Senasingha publicly maintained that the bill will spell doom for democracy and immediately afterwards led the party to a boycott of parliament sessions. This action was even severely criticized by those media personalities with close links to the UNP, and these details will be fevidence. Charge 16 Charged that the UNP leader has resorted to violate paragraph 3.4 of the Constitution of the party by giving posts within the party to not only to those rejected by the voters but also to those with whom he allegedly indulges in homosexual relations. As a result those who are willing to join the party are being dissuaded against it by their parents and the party is suffering as a result. Evidence MP Buddhika Pathirana will be the chief witness and during any cross examination several other witnesses will come forward. The form of the evidence There has been an alleged instance of the UNP leader trying to force Matara district UNP MP Buddhika Pathirana into illicit homosexual relations with him and when the MP had rebuffed, the UNP leader resorted to punishing MP Pathirana by suspending his party membership temporarily. Also, UPFA ministers Mervyn Silva and Mahindananda Aluthgamage publicly allege that the UNP leader sexually abuses young MPs of the party during live television debates, and the UNP leader not taking any action to put the record straight led to the party suffering as a result of these  allegations. Details regards the above charges will be  evidence. Paragraph of the party Constitution As per paragraph 3.4 of the UNP Constitution no person serving in the UNP Working Committee should be holding any post within any party or coalition. Charge 17 Charged that as per the above-named paragraph due to the actions of the UNP leader several members of the UNP have left the party in the recent past. There are still UNP MPs such as Upeksha Swarnamali, Manusha Nanayakkara and Nilwala Wijesingha who continue to support the UPFA though not obtaining any posts. Hereby charged the UNP leader  is subtly helping the government by his refusal to charge sheet any of the above-named MPs so far. Evidence The UNP Working Committee, the UNP parliamentary group and contestants from each of the districts who ran under the party ticket at the last general election will be witnesses. The form of the evidence Each of the above-named MPs continuing to insist that they are still UNP MPs though supporting the government,; the failure of the UNP leader to initiate disciplinary action against any of them and depriving the opportunity to the next in line in the party list to contest the polls in favour of the three UNP MPs. These details will be presented as evidence. Paragraph of the party Constitution As per paragraph 3.4 of the party Constitution no person in the party should force a decision taken by another official to be changed at any given time. Charge 18 Charged that the UNP leader has gone on a personal witch hunt against MPs Rosy Senanayaka, Buddhika Pathirana, Dunesh Gankanda, Imtiyaz Markar and Chandra Gankanda by evicting them from the Working Committee due to the backing they had provided for both MPs Sajith Premadasa and Ranjith Maddumabandara to obtain certain posts within the party, thereby per violating clause 3.4 of the party Constitution. Evidence Buddhika Pathirana, Rosy Senanayaka, Dunesh Gankanda, Imtiyaz Markar, Chandra Gankanda and several others will be witnesses. Charge 19 Charged that the UNP leader has changed the composition of the National Bhikkhu Front due to certain monks in it having publicly called for a change of the party leadership. Due to the acts of the UNP leader a  rift has been caused among monks with links to the party and thereby the UNP leader has committed one of the most serious of sins in Buddhism. Evidence Venerable Meetiyagoda  Gunerathna Thera, monks of the Jathika Bhikkhu Peramuna and members of the UNP Working Committee will be witnesses. As per clauses 6.1 and 5.2 of the party Constitution, the party’s national executive committee has authority to ratify any decision connected to activities, policies and programmes of the party. Charge 20 Charged that the UNP leader has violated clause 6.1 of the party Constitution by not taking any measures to convene the party’s national executive committee  thereby making the party dysfunctional. Though there are more charges that could be levelled against the UNP leader, as an initial step  these 20 charges have been made against the UNP leader and  the UNP leadership is urged to initiate an inquiry forthwith to look into the allegations and charges levelled against the UNP leader if the party is to initiate a forward march at least from now onwards. It is sincerely hoped that measures will be taken to look into without any undue delay, all matters regards the charges levelled against the UNP leader. Maithri Guneratna Attorney at Law Southern Provincial Councillor On behalf of the rebel group.

Comments  

12

0 #18 නිසාන් 2011-11-21 03:04

නඩුවක් දාල නැත්නම් අපිට කියන්න එපා මේවගේ කතා. අප මෝඩ නත.

මහින්ද, සරත් සහ සියලු බටයන් අපේ රට බේරල දුන්නට මම ඉස්තූතිමත්.

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0 #17 SidathFDO 2011-11-21 02:18

There used to be terrible whispers in corridors of power about Ranil getting off on Batalanda torture by watching young men being tortured. I hope those were false stories. Being Gay is totally ok. abusing power or granting favours to gay lovers is not ok; even granting favours to straight lovers is not ok. A President once shamelessly created a post of media advisor for her lover Sanath Gunatilleke.

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0 #16 SidathFDO 2011-11-20 21:20

This should not be seen as an attack on Gay people. Mangala Samaraweera is gay. but if there is abuse and rape and molesting of boys like Malik Samarawickreme is alleged to be doing or Ranil put pressure on young fair skinned boys to have sex with him that is abuse of power. Let us not engage in Gay bashing or attacking lesbians who all lead their private lives privately.

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0 #15 SHM 2011-11-20 19:40

If he could use his power as a party leader to abuse young MPs, what would he do by any chance if he becomes the president of our country? I guess he will not spare any young one on sight. God save Sri Lanka from Ranil!

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+1 #14 Thilak 2011-11-20 16:13

මෛත්‍රී මහතාණෙනි , නුඹලාගේ බලු පොරයෙන් , බෙදීමෙන් දුක් විඳින්නේ මහජනතාව , රනිල්-සජිත් හෝ සෝමවංස,ටිල්වින් -කුමාර , කවුරු හැප්පුනත් වාසිය ආණ්ඩුවට එක හින්ද ඔබ කරන්නෙත් ආණ්ඩුවට කත් ඇදීමක් ,ආණ්ඩුවේ කොන්ත්‍රාත් එකක්, හරිවෙලාවට ජනතාව තේරුම් ගනීවි , ජනතාව අන්දන්න බෑ , ජනතාව අද අසරණවෙලා ජීවත් වෙන්න ක්‍රමයක් නැතිව
අවනීතිය රජවෙලා නමුත් ඔබල බලු පොරයේ , මතක තියාගන්න ඔය නායකයන්ගේ බලු පොර හැමදාම බලබලා ජනතාව ඉන්නේ නැතිබව

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-1 #13 A nizam 2011-11-20 16:10

WELL DONE.. maithri.. Finally a REAL UNPer with a back bone. All these have been out in the public for a long time. However, no did anything about this becasue Ranil is backed to the hilt by the Rajapakshas. Ranil has destroyed the party enough. 17 years of abuse of power by ranil and his cronies is enough. KICK THIS JOKER OUT NOW!!!!

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-1 #12 SidathFDO 2011-11-20 14:37

He likes fair attractive boys with pink lips. Akila Viraj was made a “advisor” to the PM when Ranil was PM and was big shot who got all sorts of Computers and expensive things to work at the Central Bank under Ranil’s friend the secretary to the treasury. He is very close emotionally to well known openly gay Malik S. He is emotionally very close to sexual identity confused people such as Sagala. There is totally nothing wrong with being gay. A lot of big powerful Sri Lankan men pretend they are straight by being married off to women with whom they have no sex. This is the social cover. it is better to accept and be open like the PM of Iceland or like Mangala Samaraweera in this aspect. Ranil is hiding behind cover of his powerful aristocratic family and a bogus marriage. Why was Akila Viraj given a top position? why was Sagala and he sleeping in the same room on trips to Citadel?

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0 #11 dudley 2011-11-20 14:15

Sajith has no class and Karu is an oppertunitist.He changed his party and came back just to get the leadership of the party.Sajith has no personality and his communication skills are poor.After all his dad was the one who established thug culture in this country together with JR Jayawardena.Let Ranil will steer the party to victory one day

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0 #10 siri 2011-11-20 14:14

Did he do that?…
Anyway, for what else these MPs suitable other than …..

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+1 #9 Raju 2011-11-20 13:43

If they are so in happy they should leave the party and form their own association without distroying the party. The 17 includes Karu Jayasuriya the whestle who had to be wooed back to the party by RW by offering duputy leadership. He accepted this position without an election and now talk about democracy and some even proposing he should take over the party. RW before talking about democracy in other houses should revamp his party to reflect true democratic traditon.

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Andrew McGuire   Courtesy geneticliteracyproject.org 

A farmer drastically reduces fertilizer applications, trusting soil biology to provide the needed nutrients. A crop consultant recommends a 10-species cover crop to replace fallow in a wheat rotation. An ag influencer promotes the idea that insect pests will not attack a healthy plant. All of these reflect what I call pop ecology,” a romanticized view of nature that promises trade-off-free farming but misleads agricultural decision making.

We’re all prone to idealizing nature. We see what appears to be stability and harmony, and then distill it into reassuring slogans: nature knows best,” everything’s connected,” and the balance of nature.” In agriculture, this pop ecology is found in mimic nature,” work with nature, not against it,” and a general bias against synthetic inputs. Nature knows best” is the foundation of organic farming and an underlying assumption in much of agroecology.

Pop ecology misleads crop production in three key ways: first, it trades scientific nuance for oversimplified certainty. Second, it treats unmanaged nature as the ideal standard and human intervention as suspect by default. Finally, it elevates the discredited concept of balance of nature.” Let’s take a look at how this plays out in nutrient management, biodiversity, and pest control.

Agricultural decisions are often influenced by romantic notions of nature—pop ecology—which is often at odds with field realities. Photo: Adobe Stock

The problem with natural nutrients

Pop ecology assumes that what works in unmanaged ecosystems applies directly to crop production. The critical difference? Export of biomass. In natural systems, nutrients cycle through plants, animals, and microbes, staying largely in place. In crop production, we export grain, forage, or vegetables every season, removing large amounts of nutrients with each harvest.

There’s often a bit of truth in pop ecology ideas. Soils do contain large amounts of nutrients in their mineral fraction. But mineral weathering and natural processes rarely deliver nutrients fast enough for modern crop yields. In addition to the rate problem, high-yielding production requires nutrient replacement—through manure, legumes (nitrogen only), or synthetic fertilizers. As ecologist Charles Krebs (2016) notes: The law of recycling is simple: input must equal output or the system decays.”

  In natural ecosystems, nutrients largely cycle in place. In cropping systems, harvest exports nutrients requiring replacement. Photo: Adobe Stock

The cost of believing otherwise is real. Growers who stop replacing exported nutrients will eventually see soil test levels decline, followed inevitably by yield losses. With phosphorus, this can take a long time because of previous fertilizer applications, giving the appearance of success (Menezes-Blackburn et al., 2018). However, when reserves are depleted, recovery requires not just resuming fertilization, but often higher rates to rebuild reserves.

Overselling biodiversity

Pop ecology takes conservation ecology’s more biodiversity is always better” message (Cardou and Vellend 2023) and applies it to farming, often promising benefits that don’t materialize in real fields. This oversimplification shows up everywhere: in recommendations for complex cover crop mixtures, soil inoculant products marketed to increase soil biodiversity,” and claims that crop diversity automatically leads to better pest control. At its base, it’s a variation of the appeal to nature fallacy: if something is natural, it must be good.

Reality is more nuanced. Recent ecological research challenges the biodiversity-equals-function assumption that has been gospel for decades. One analysis found no causal relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, just correlations (Schoolmaster Jr. et al., 2020). Another recent study, looking at natural assemblies of species rather than the random mixes used in many studies, found that increased species biodiversity in grasslands decreased productivity (Dee et al., 2023). Whatever the case may be in nature, when biodiversity does provide benefits in agriculture, it’s not the diversity itself that’s responsible, it’s specific interactions between specific species.

Which is better, a mixture or monoculture, depends more on the specific species and less on diversity levels. Photos: Andrew McGuire.

Consider cover crop mixtures. Research shows that the best mixture often performs no better than the best single species (Florence & McGuire, 2020), and the best monoculture is far easier to identify and manage. With intercropping of cash crops, only 44% of trials show consistent yield benefits (Jones et al., 2023). When we look at the actual mechanisms at work, we find that successful strategies aren’t about maximizing diversity, they’re about finding benefits from specific combinations like legumes paired with non-legumes in low-nitrogen soils. It’s not diversity that wins; it’s the right species doing the right things (MacLaren et al., 2023).

Even soil biodiversity defies pop ecology’s assumptions. Contrary to the agriculture degrades nature” narrative, recent surveys of European soils found cropland has higher microbial diversity than forests or unmanaged grasslands (Labouyrie et al., 2023). This wasn’t just bacteria, it held true for fungi, protists, nematodes, and arthropods. But lest we fall into pop ecology’s trap, this does not mean that cropland soils are functioning better. Just as with intercropping, what matters for soil function isn’t the number of species present, but which species and what they’re doing.

The balance of nature” problem in pest management

Pop ecology has had its deepest and longest influence in pest management. The balance of nature” concept, that natural systems are self-regulating and tending toward harmony, powerfully shapes pest control thinking (Worster 1994). It is often an unstated assumption in agroecology and in organic and regenerative agriculture (Ergazaki & Ampatzidis 2012) and found in ag publications, both educational and academic:

In unmanaged or natural ecosystems there is usually balance among organisms…”  Farming methods that focus on creating biologically balanced soil food webs… can reduce the need for synthetic fertilizer and pesticide inputs.” Michigan Field Crop Pest Ecology and Management (Cavigelli et al., 2000)

Proponents of sustainable agriculture frequently find solace in a vision of the natural world as inherently harmonious and balanced.” Vandermeer et al. (2010)

The balance of nature” is a comforting vision of how we think nature should be. Darwin, Rachel Carson, and Al Gore all appealed to it (Allchin 2014). Agroecologist John Vandermeer (2010) observes that the idea is frequently felt in the heart more than known in the head.” Even with inconsistent results, belief in balance-of-nature-type control persists (Tittonell 2014). Research has found that students, even college students, will continue to believe in the balance of nature even after receiving instruction to the contrary (Zimmerman and Cuddington 2007). We believe it because we want to believe it (Cuddington 2001). And yet, we must let it go.

Despite its popularity, most ecologists abandoned balance of nature” decades ago (Botkin 1990; Worster 1994; Cooper 2001; Kricher 2009; Simberloff 2014; McGill 2013). Rather than stable equilibrium, modern ecology emphasizes chance and change, what ecologists call contingency and disturbance (Drury 1998; White 2013). Natural systems reflect past events, unpredictable shocks, and continual shifts across time and space (Botkin 1990).

by A. Abdul Aziz.

((Given below is an excerpt of the Friday Sermon delivered by Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Supreme Head of the world-wide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam, on 06 March 2026, at ‘Masjid Mubarak’, Islamabad, Tilford, U.K. gave a discourse on The Catastrophic Effects of the War in the Middle East)

After reciting first part of Arabic sermon followed by   Surah al-Fatihah, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his Helper) said that the purpose of the message brought by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was to direct people towards belief in One God, His worship, the establishment of His unity and striving in that regard, and to fulfil the rights owed to fellow humankind in order to live together harmoniously.

The Role of Muslim Countries in the Current Turmoil

Ahmadiyya Supreme Head said that the reality today is that, despite Muslims professing the Islamic creed, there is discord among Muslims and a lack of unity. The actions of Muslims do not conform to the teachings which they profess. If we look at the current state of the Muslim world, then there is great cause for concern. Although the Muslim world has means and wealth, the Muslim countries have neither a good standing on the world stage, nor do they have God standing in terms of the faith. They do not strive to act upon the teachings of Islam. The result is that non-Muslims take advantage. Therefore, the leaders of the Muslim world must realise that they need to unite as one and they must strive in this regard. It is only in doing so that they can save themselves from the onslaughts of the world, establish their dignity, and prevent anti-Islamic forces from striking discord among Muslims.

His Holiness said that in this regard, we must ponder over the divinely established provision by following which the Muslim world can become united as one. That provision is the manifestation of the Promised Messiah, peace be on him, in this era, who was sent by God to unite the Muslim world. Thus, it is the responsibility of Ahmadi Muslims to strive towards the end of uniting the Muslim world.

Ahmadiyya Khalifa said that he has been giving warnings for quite some time regarding the current state of the world. Previously, it was thought that the Western or European nations would become the cause of such precarious circumstances, and while they are indeed, it is also true that Muslim nations have also contributed to the current state of affairs in the world. It was the Western nations which stirred discord in the Muslim nations, which then spread from one country to the next. It is clear that these Western nations seek to obtain the means found in these Muslim lands and bring them under their control.

His Holinesssaid that the warnings he has been giving for quite some time are now manifesting exactly as he had said they would. One thing is clearly evident – the powers of the Antichrist will never let us live in peace. They thrive on there constantly being discord in the world. Such nations will establish peace treaties under the guise of peace, but their motives are to obtain oil or other such motives.

The Threat Posed by Establishing Military Bases in Muslim Countries His Holinesssaid that the current war in the Middle East clearly shows the United States has established military bases at various places. But why is this so? Is it to protect those countries? After all, what threat was posed to the Middle Eastern countries? The reality is that they themselves created the threat, and then said that in order to save themselves from the threat, they needed to establish military bases. Or, the Muslim countries were convinced to provide them with military bases with promises of helping them in trade and business. All the while, their actual purpose was not to actually help, but to bolster their own strength. Even if there was a threat to the Arab nations, they were the threats created by the US itself. And so, ultimately, their purpose was to establish their superiority over these nations.

His Holinesssaid that as for Iran, it has always instigated these nations, and indeed, even certain Muslim nations have been opposed to Iran due to theological differences. This discord was taken advantage of by Western nations. Seeing as Iran had a stricter policy against Israel, the US thought to rally the Arab world and establish military bases there to ensure the protection of Israel and impose their presence upon Iran. It is now evident that because of these bases, there were threats to the Arab world, and indeed these threats materialised in the form of attacks which have gravely impacted their livelihoods. There have been negative impacts on areas where the economy depends on oil money or tourism. This has only benefited the Western powers and will continue to benefit them, because when there is war, opposing powers also wage attacks. Since Iran was at war with the US, it too waged attacks targeting bases and embassies in Arab countries, which have caused harm.

The Seeding of Discord Among Muslim Countries

Ahmadiyya Khalifa  said that an Arab journalist wrote that Arabs must remain vigilant, because. In contrast, it is said that Iran is the one waging these attacks; it is also possible for these attacks to be waged by the US and Israel. Whereas Iran may have waged attacks as well, it is very possible that the US and Israel may take advantage and themselves be the ones to wage further attacks. The journalist goes on to write that it is possible that ultimately the US and Israel may exit this war while the Muslim world continues fighting among itself.

His Holiness said that we must thus pray that God saves the world from discord and unrest. The Muslim world must adopt peace and live together harmoniously. This is exactly what Islam teaches them. It does not teach them to be at each other’s throats. As Ahmadis, it has always been our mission to warn them against perpetrating injustices. Given the manner in which these cruelties are increasing by the day, it seems that there is going to be a wide-scale world war. In fact, some Western commentators believe that the world war has already started. His Holiness has also said that the world war has begun. However, if, even now, the Muslim world comes together and unites as one, then they can protect themselves against the onslaughts of the Antichrist.

The Need for Justice and Upholding the Rights of Others

His Holinesssaid that the current threat to the world is great. Everyone is concerned more with their own personal interests and gains. When one becomes selfish, they can think of no one other than themselves. In today’s world, it is not only a matter of seeking one’s own rights; rather, people must honour the rights of others. Thus, the Muslim world must be told to act with justice, for it is only then that peace can be established in the world.

His Holinesssaid that he has been warning the world of this end for a very long time. The same people who mocked or said that His Holiness olds a very pessimistic view of the world are now accepting that what they considered impossible only a few years ago has become a very real possibility, as wars have broken out. American and European commentators have said that the world war has begun and will only intensify. Until these nations continue to seek only their own interests, these wars will only increase.

War Based on Hypothesis

His Holiness said that the US and its allies also say that they attacked Iran because Iran may have created a nuclear bomb or to preemptively stem any attack that they may have launched. In other words, this war was started on the basis of conceptual ideas of what might have been. Western commentators have said that going to war with Iran is not as easy as the US had initially thought and that this war may extend for a long time and it will certainly negatively impact the Muslim world. Most grievous of all is that  Muslims themselves are killing other Muslims. Scores of innocents and children have been killed. American columnists have written that if a few children were killed in Western countries, there would be columns written about it for days on end. However, when a school was bombed in the Middle East, nothing was said. Such was the case in Palestine, and now it is the case in Iran. It goes to show that in their view, a Muslim life holds no value.

Muslim Ummah (Community) Should Unite

Ahmadiyya supreme Head prayed that may Allah grant sense to the Muslim world and enable them to come together to solve these issues. If they claim to believe in One God, then in order to establish God’s Unity on earth it is necessary for them to become united. There is no need to start disputes, even on the basis of differences in beliefs, as sometimes that is what gives rise to conflict. The Holy Prophet⁽ Muhammad (PBUH) was so careful and kind that when his companions told him that a certain person was a hypocrite, the Holy ProphetMuhammad (PBUH) responded saying that he would not take any action so long as the person proclaimed the Islamic creed. Thus, to start disputes on the most trivial of matters will only bring harm unto themselves.

Ahmadiyya Khalifa Harat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (may Allah be his Helper) prayed that may Allah grant wisdom to the Muslim world; even now, may they come to realise that they must not become opposed to Iran solely on the basis of differences in belief. Islam came to establish the Unity of God, and so everyone must strive to this end. They must not make the great powers of this world their gods, because the only true and lasting power belongs to Allah. There is still time to wake up and turn to God. Worldly people have destroyed the peace of the world and will continue to do so. God states in the Holy Qur’an:

‘And if two parties of believers fight against each other, make peace between them; then if after that one of them transgresses against the other, fight the party that transgresses until it returns to the command of Allah. Then if it returns, make peace between them with equity, and act justly. Verily, Allah loves the just.’ (The Holy Qur’an, 49:10)

His Holinesssaid that the dictates of justice must be met and the Muslim governments must play their role. It should be clear that when trying to establish peace, vested interest must not be at the fore, rather the actual issue at hand must be resolved. The issue at hand is clearly the Antichrist which seeks to stir discord. Thus far, the UN has not played its role in establishing this kind of peace. It is only when we rise above vested interests that we can establish peace. God further states:

‘Surely all believers are brothers. So make peace between brothers, and fear Allah that mercy may be shown to you.’ (The Holy Qur’an, 49:11)

His Holiness^(aba) said that even if there is discord or a dispute between two Muslim countries, then they must remember that they are, at their core, brothers; and petty disputes must not undo this brotherhood. The Muslim world must pay special heed to this, otherwise anti-Islam forces will take advantage. If only the Muslim world understood this. May Allah grant them the sense to do so. In any case, it is the duty of every Ahmadi Muslim to pray for the Muslim world, especially for those who are innocent. During Ramadan, one should not focus solely on prayers for themselves but should also pray for the Muslim world; for the establishment of peace and harmony. Through their actions, Muslims are drawing the displeasure of God and incurring  detriment not only in this world but the next as well. May Allah enable the Muslim world to realise this. May Allah enable us to offer prayers in the truest sense.

Full Sermon visit: www.alislam.org

National Development Bank PLC

National Development Bank PLC (NDB/ the Bank) recently announced that it successfully raised LKR 16.0 billion through the issuance of Basel III-compliant Tier II Rated Unsecured Subordinated Redeemable GSS+ Bonds (the GSS+ Bonds), to be listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE). This issuance marks a major milestone in thematic fundraising within Sri Lanka’s capital markets landscape, signaling the country’s growing progress in the increasingly important segment of sustainable finance.

The GSS+ Bonds issue opened on 10 March 2026 and was oversubscribed within the same day, demonstrating strong demand from both retail and institutional investors. This response reaffirms the confidence investors place in NDB and its overall financial strength and stability. The issuance of the GSS+ Bonds reflects the Bank’s strong environmental and social considerations embedded in its lending practices. For many years, NDB has maintained a robust Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) ensuring that funds are directed toward environmentally and socially responsible projects and causes.

NDB’s GSS+ Bonds will be deployed to finance eligible Green (including Blue), Social, Sustainability, and Sustainability-Linked projects, supporting environmentally responsible, socially impactful, and sustainable economic development.

Commending the landmark issuance, the Bank’s Director/ Chief Executive Officer Mr. Kelum Edirisinghe stated that: NDB’s sustainability journey goes back to its founding years when it was originally set up as a development finance institution that channeled funding from development finance institutions. From the outset, environmental and social considerations have been an integral part of NDB’s DNA.

This issuance marks a significant step forward in the Bank’s sustainable finance journey and strengthens its commitment to advancing its ESG agenda, while supporting Sri Lanka’s national climate and social development objectives. The Bank has been a key contributor to the renewable energy generation sector of the country, and since 2004 has funded close to 20% of the country’s renewable energy generation capacity. The initiative also contributes toward several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), he further stated.

In addition to providing financing, the Bank intends to play a proactive role in promoting these funding avenues amongst its clients, by advising and supporting businesses in transitioning toward more environmentally and socially responsible practices.

I take the opportunity to thank our investors in the said issuance for their trust and confidence placed in us, and to our regulators in facilitating issuances of this nature for the overall betterment of the industry and the country at large and to all our service providers in the said issuance for their support and co-operation extended to make this feat possible”, he concluded.

The GSS+ Bond issuance was completed with the approval of relevant regulators, including the CSE. The issuance is based on the Bank’s GSS+ Bond Framework, developed in line with the relevant principles of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) and the Sri Lanka Green Finance Taxonomy issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

The framework has been independently verified by Deloitte Partners, which acts as the Independent External Reviewer for the GSS+ Bond issuance. Deloitte Partners will continue in this role by verifying the deployment of funds raised through the GSS+ Bond into eligible sectors as outlined in the framework.

The Sole Manager and Financial Advisor to the GSS+ Bond issuance was NDB Investment Bank Limited, a 99.9%-owned subsidiary of NDB. The Trustee to the issue is People’s Bank, while the Registrar is SSP Corporate Services Pvt Ltd. Internally, NDB’s Transaction Banking Unit, Legal Department, and Company Secretariat functioned as the Bankers, Lawyers, and Secretaries whilst Messrs Ernst & Young acted as the Auditors and Reporting Accountants to the GSS+ Bond issuance.

Ministry of Defence  – Media Centre

The Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) Committee convened yesterday (Mar 11) as part of the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Presidential Task Force’s broader efforts. The meeting focused on coordinating the national response to the extensive devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, aiming to structure a comprehensive recovery plan for the affected regions. The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) at his office in Colombo.

The session reviewed the preliminary findings of the PDNA conducted following the severe weather event that struck Sri Lanka in late November 2025, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds and widespread flooding across many districts.

Officials from the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and other relevant stakeholders presented key observations from the assessment. The PDNA process, carried out under a government led framework with the support of international development partners, evaluates damages, economic losses and recovery needs across multiple sectors.

According to the preliminary analysis, the cyclone caused significant impacts across social, productive and infrastructure sectors including housing, agriculture, health, education, transport, water supply and commerce. Several districts such as Kandy, Badulla, Nuwara Eliya and Puttalam were identified among the most affected areas.

During the discussion, the committee reviewed sectorial findings and examined priority areas for recovery and reconstruction. The Deputy Minister emphasized the importance of accurate validation of the assessment findings to ensure that recovery planning is evidence-based and aligned with national disaster resilience strategies.

The PDNA process is expected to provide a comprehensive framework to guide medium and long term recovery efforts while strengthening Sri Lanka’s capacity for disaster resilient development.

The final PDNA report on the impacts of Cyclone Ditwah is scheduled to be finalized later this month following the completion of the validation process.

By Sarath Obeysekera

The possibility of wider geopolitical conflict in several regions of the world is a matter of global concern. Wars bring immense human suffering and economic disruption. However, history shows that nations which think strategically during turbulent times can position themselves to protect their economies and strengthen national resilience.

Sri Lanka, located at the center of the Indian Ocean shipping lanes, has unique opportunities to convert global uncertainty into national development while maintaining its humanitarian values.

1. Returning Skilled Workforce

Large numbers of Sri Lankan skilled and unskilled workers are currently employed in the Middle East and in countries such as Israel. If regional conflicts escalate, many welders, fabricators, construction workers and technicians may return home.

Rather than seeing this as a challenge, Sri Lanka could view it as an opportunity. These workers possess valuable industrial skills that could support the development of local manufacturing, ship repair, offshore engineering and infrastructure projects.

2. Retaining Our Workforce and Strengthening the Domestic Economy

For decades Sri Lanka has depended on migrant labour, especially women working as domestic workers in the Middle East, to earn foreign exchange. While their contribution is enormous, the social cost is also significant as many mothers leave their families behind.

If global instability reduces overseas employment, Sri Lanka should create productive local industries so that women can remain with their families while contributing to the economy through agriculture, food processing, textile production and small industries.

3. Expansion of Industrial Manufacturing

Global conflicts usually disrupt supply chains. Sri Lanka could expand manufacturing sectors such as:

• military and protective clothing production
• industrial fabrication and welding services
• marine engineering support industries
• repair and maintenance services for vessels

These sectors can absorb both skilled and semi-skilled workers returning from overseas.

4. Developing Sri Lanka as a Maritime and Offshore Hub

The strategic location of Trincomalee Harbour provides a major opportunity. With proper policy direction, Sri Lanka could attract foreign direct investment to establish shipbuilding, offshore fabrication and marine engineering yards.

An offshore construction and ship repair hub in Trincomalee could serve energy projects, commercial shipping and naval logistics across the Indian Ocean.

Sri Lanka’s maritime services sector could also be expanded with the Sri Lanka Navy providing support services, maritime safety assistance and logistics for vessels transiting the region.

5. Peacekeeping Opportunities

Sri Lanka has a long history of contributing disciplined troops and professionals to United Nations Peacekeepingmissions. In times of global conflict, demand for trained peacekeeping personnel often increases.

This can provide international recognition, professional experience and valuable foreign exchange earnings.

6. National Unity in a Time of Global Crisis

Periods of global uncertainty often remind nations of the importance of unity. Sri Lanka’s diverse communities—Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim and others—have the opportunity to work together toward national economic resilience and development.

Reducing divisions and focusing on shared national goals would strengthen the country during uncertain times.

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Internet Media Action (IMA)

Internet Media Action (IMA) expresses its profound concern regarding the arrest of veteran journalist and editor of the Lanka E News website, Sandaruwan Senadheera, at Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake, yesterday (11th), following nearly 16 years of political asylum in the United Kingdom.

Mr. Senadheera was compelled to flee Sri Lanka during the Rajapaksa government, having faced death threats, the enforced disappearance of journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, and the arson attack on the Lanka E News media organisation in the early hours of 30 January 2011. Since then, he continued to champion democracy in Sri Lanka through the Lanka E News website and extended strong ideological support to the National People’s Power (NPP) in its rise to power.

It is reported that Mr. Senadheera has been arrested as a suspect in connection with a legal case filed under a previous administration. Nevertheless, this action has reignited justifiable concern within the Sri Lankan media community as to whether the political witch-hunts and media suppression that characterised past eras are once again resurfacing. It is the responsibility of the current administration to dispel such concerns.

We therefore strongly urge the police and government authorities to uphold the following:

Guarantee of Personal Safety: The government must bear full responsibility for the safety and security of Mr. Senadheera.

Fairness Under the Law: Any legal proceedings against him must be free from political vendetta, conducted transparently, and uphold his right to a fair legal process.

Protection of Professional Freedom: The government must practically honour its pledges to ensure the professional safety of journalists and safeguard freedom of expression.

Actions of this nature, which evoke the dark era of journalist persecution, constitute a threat to democracy. We therefore call upon the authorities and the government to intervene immediately and ensure that justice is served in this matter.

Sampath Samarakoon

Internet Media Action (IMA) +94 777 248304 | @IMAlanka