උපුටා ගැන්ම  ලංකා ලීඩර්

එක්සත් ජනපද ජනාධිපති ඩොනල්ඩ් ට්‍රම්ප් පසුගිය 9 වනදා රාත්‍රියේ රුසියානු ජනාධිපති ව්ලැඩිමීර් පුටින්ට කළ දුරකථන ඇමතුම පැහැදිලිවම එක්සත් ජනපදය සහ ඊශ්‍රායලය ඉරානයට එරෙහිව දියත් කර ඇති යුද්ධයේදී දැනටමත් මතුවීමට පටන් ගෙන ඇති උපායමාර්ගික අවුල් සහගත තත්ත්වයෙන් මිදීමට මාර්ගයක් සෙවීමේ උත්සාහයකි.

වොෂින්ටනය වහසි බස් දෙඩීම නොනවත්වාම කරගෙන යමින් සිටී. ට්‍රම්ප් ඉරානයේ දේශපාලන අනාගතය නියම කිරීමට තමාට ඇති අයිතිය අවධාරණය කරන අතර ඉරානයේ අධ්‍යාත්මික නායකයා පත් කිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් පවා අනුමානයන් ඉදිරිපත් කරයි. ඒ සමඟම, ඔහු ඛනිජ තෙල් ප්‍රවාහන නෞකා කපිතාන්වරුන්ගෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටින්නේ ධෛර්යය ප්‍රදර්ශනය කර ඉස්ලාමීය විප්ලවවාදී ආරක්ෂක බලකාය විසින් කරනු ලබන හෝමූස් සමුද්‍ර සන්ධිය අවහිර කිරීම නොසලකා කටයුතු කරන ලෙසයි.

එහෙත් වොෂින්ටනය සහ ටෙල් අවිව් විසින් ආරම්භ කරන ලද යුද්ධයේ පසු කම්පන දැනටමත් ගොඩනැගෙමින් පවතී. ගැටුම වටා ඇති දේශපාලන පරිසරය එක්සත් ජනපදයට වඩ වඩාත් අපහසුතාවයට පත් කරන ආකාරයෙන් වෙනස් වෙමින් පවතී.

වොෂින්ටනයේ සමීපතම හවුල්කරුවන් කිහිප දෙනෙකු පවා ට්‍රම්ප්ව ඈත් කරමින් සිටිති. ජෝර්දානයෙන් පසු ගල්ෆ් කලාපයේ වඩාත්ම පක්ෂපාතී ඇමරිකානු සගයා වන කුවේටය, තම භූමිය ඉරානයට ප්‍රහාර එල්ල කිරීමට ඉඩ සලසා තිබෙන බවට සාක්ෂි තිබියදීත්, ඉරානයට පහර දීම සඳහා තම භූමිය ලබා නොදුන් බව ප්‍රකාශ කර ඇත. මේ අතර, සිරියානු කුර්දි කණ්ඩායම් ඉරාක ජාතිකයින්ගෙන් සහ ඉරාන ජාතිකයින්ගෙන් ඉල්ලා සිටින්නේ එක්සත් ජනපදය විශ්වාස නොකරන ලෙසයි.

ඒ සමඟම, රියාද් සහ ටෙහෙරාන් අතර සහ අනෙකුත් අරාබි රටවල පරිපාලනයන් සහ ඉරානය අතර තිරය පිටුපස සම්බන්ධතා පිළිබඳ වාර්තා දිනපතාම පාහේ දක්නට ලැබේ.ඒ අනුව සාපේක්ෂ වශයෙන් රාජ්‍ය තාන්ත්‍රික හුදකලා වීමේ අපේක්ෂාව වොෂින්ටනයට මතුවීමට පටන් ගෙන තිබේ.

ඇත්ත වශයෙන්ම, ඊශ්‍රායලය සමඟ ට්‍රම්ප්ගේ සම්බන්ධතාවය උපායමාර්ගික සන්ධානයක් ලෙස ශක්තිමත්ව පවතී. නමුත් ඔහු ඉරානයට පහර දීමට අවසර දුන් විට ඔහුගේ මනසෙහි ඇඳි තිබුනු චිත්‍රය ගැටුමේ වත්මන් ගමන් පථය තුළ විද්‍යාමාන නොවේ. මේ අවස්ථාවේදී,ට්‍රම්ප්ගේ තර්කය ඉතා නිරවුල්ය. එනම් මොස්කව් ඇමතීමට සුදුසුම කාලය පැමිණ තිබේ.

ට්‍රම්ප් මොස්කව් ඇමතීමෙන් බලාපොරොත්තු වූයේ “ඉරාන ගැටය” ලෙස වර නංවා ඇති තත්වය බලහත්කාරයෙන් කපා දැමීමටයි. තීරණාත්මක මිලිටරි ක්‍රියාමාර්ගයක් මගින් ඉරානය සමඟ වසර හතළිහක් තිස්සේ පැවැති ඓතිහාසික ගැටුමක් අවසන් කළ හැකි බවට වූ ආඛ්‍යානයට වොෂින්ටනය දේශපාලනික වශයෙන් ආකර්ශනීය විය. ඒ වෙනුවට සිදුව ඇත්තේ ගැටය තවත් තද වීමයි.

රුසියාවේ සහභාගීත්වයෙන් තොරව “ඉරාන ගැටයේ” ප්‍රධානතම කෙඳි කිහිපය ලිහා ගත නොහැක. ට්‍රම්ප් සහ ඔහුගේ කණ්ඩායමට එය බොහෝ දුරට න්‍යායාත්මක දැනුමක් වුවද, ඉරාන ගැටුම ආරම්භයේ සිටම පැහැදිලිව දකින්නට ලැබුණු සත්‍යකි. දැන් ඔවුන් ප්‍රායෝගික අත්දැකීම් ලබා ගනිමින් සිටී.

පළමු සාධකය වන්නේ මැදපෙරදිග, විශේෂයෙන් පර්සියානු ගල්ෆ් කලාපයේ සිදුවෙමින් පවතින ඇමරිකානු බල අධිකාරියේ පරිහානියයි.

කලාපයේ එක්සත් ජනපද හමුදා යටිතල පහසුකම් බරපතල හානිවලට ලක්ව ඇතිවා පමණක් නොව, එහි පූර්ව අනතුරු ඇඟවීමේ පද්ධතියේ කොටස් ඇතුළුව ඊශ්‍රායලයේ ආරක්ෂක උපාය මාර්ගයට පාදක වන පුළුල් ආරක්ෂක ගෘහ නිර්මාණ ශිල්පයේ අංග ද දුර්වල වී ඇත.

වඩා වැදගත් දෙය නම්, ගැටුම අමෙරිකානු ගැති කලාපීය රාජ්‍යයන්ට තහවුරු කර ඇත්තේ ඇමරිකානු හමුදා සහ දේශපාලන සහතික කලින් උපකල්පනය කළ ප්‍රමාණයට වඩා බෙහෙවින් අඩු විශ්වාසදායක මට්ටමක පවතින බවයි. එවැනි සැකයන් මුල් බැස ගත් පසු, ඒවා පහසුවෙන් ආපසු හැරවිය නොහැක. ගල්ෆ් රාජාණ්ඩුවලට වොෂින්ටනයේ ආරක්ෂක සහතික සුනු විසිනුව ගොස් ඇති බැවින් එය සරලව ආපසු හැරවිය නොහැක. එහෙත්, ට්‍රම්ප් තත්වය සම්පූර්ණයෙන්ම තේරුම් ගෙන තිබෙනවාද? යන පැනයට සෘජු සහතිකයක් දීමට අපහසුය.

තුර්කි ජනාධිපති රිසෙප් ටයීප් එර්ඩෝගන් සම්බන්ධ කර ගැනීමට ඔහු දැරූ උත්සාහයෙන් ඇඟවෙන්නේ උපායමාර්ගික සීරු මාරුවේ පරිමාණය ඔහු තවමත් වටහාගෙන නොමැති බවයි. එහෙත් ඔහු මොස්කව් ඇමතූ කාරණයෙන්ම පෙන්නුම් කරන්නේ අරාබි රාජ්‍යයන් සමඟ සබඳතා වොෂින්ටනයට පමණක් ස්ථාවර කළ නොහැකි බව ඔහු වටහාගෙන ඇති බවයි.

එක්සත් ජනපදයට හවුල්කරුවන් අවශ්‍යය. එහෙත්, බටහිර යුරෝපය පැහැදිලිවම එම හවුල් කරුවන් අතර නොවේ. ට්‍රම්ප් කලාපය ස්ථාවර කිරීම සඳහා සාමූහික දේශපාලන ක්‍රියාමාර්ග ගැනීමට සූදානම් හෝ බරපතල සම්මුතීන් ඇති කර ගැනීමට ඔහු කැමතිද යන්න තවමත් විවෘත ප්‍රශ්නයක් ලෙස පවතී.

දෙවන සාධකය වන්නේ ගෝලීය හයිඩ්‍රොකාබන් වෙළඳපොළ ගැන සැලකිලිමත් වීමය.

ට්‍රම්ප් මුලදී බලශක්ති වෙළඳපොළවල තාවකාලික “ගැස්මක්” ලෙස විස්තර කළ අතර, එක්සත් ජනපදයට පක්ෂව සැපයුම් නැවත බෙදා හැරීම වේගවත් කළ හැකි යැයි සිතුවද මේ වන විට ගෝලීය සැපයුම් දාමයන් දිගු කලක් තිස්සේ කඩාකප්පල් කිරීමක් දක්වා වර්ධනය වීමේ අවදානමක් පැන නැගී ඇත.

එවැනි තත්වයක් උද්ගත වීම වොෂින්ටනයට කිසිසේත්ම ප්‍රයෝජනවත් වන්නේ නැත.

අර්බුදය ගැඹුරු වුවහොත්, සමස්ථ ගෝලීය ජනයා සහ ඇමරිකානු ඡන්දදායකයින් යන දෙකොට්ඨාශයම වගකීම දරන්නේ කවුරුන්ද යන්න හරියටම අවබෝධ කර ගනු ඇත. වොෂින්ටනය තම උපායමාර්ගික ස්ථානය ශක්තිමත් කිරීමට බලාපොරොත්තු වූ ප්‍රදේශයක් වන සමුද්‍රීය බලශක්ති ප්‍රවාහනයේ ඇති අවදානම අර්බූදයේ ගැඹුර මගින් ඉස්මතු කරනු ඇත.

ඇත්ත වශයෙන්ම, රුසියාව නොමැතිව සහ රුසියාවට එරෙහිව රුසියාවේ වියදමින් ගෝලීය හයිඩ්‍රොකාබන් වෙළඳපොළ ප්‍රතිව්‍යුහගත කිරීමේ තවත් උත්සාහයක් අසාර්ථක වී ඇත.

ඇත්ත වශයෙන්ම,යමෙකු අමෙරිකාව කරනු ලබන එවැනි අවසාන උත්සාහය මෙය වනු ඇතැයි උපකල්පනය කිරීම එම තැනැත්තාගේ බොළඳකම ප්‍රදර්ශනය කිරීමක් වනු ඇත. නමුත් වොෂින්ටනය සහ තවත් ප්‍රධාන තරඟකරුවන් කිහිප දෙනෙකු මෙන් නොව, මොස්කව් මෙවැනි වෙළඳපල කැළඹීමක් වෙනුවෙන් සූදානම් වෙමින් වසර ගණනාවක් ගත කර ඇත.

මෙම සන්දර්භය තුළ, ප්‍රධාන වශයෙන් නල මාර්ග හරහා හයිඩ්‍රොකාබන් සැපයුම් නැවත ආරම්භ කිරීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් පුටින් යුරෝපීය සංගමයට කළ යෝජනාව අවධානයට ලක්විය යුතුව තිබේ.

බැලූ බැල්මට, මෙම මුලපිරීම පර්සියානු ගල්ෆ් යුද්ධයට සම්බන්ධ නැති බවක් පෙනෙන්නට පුළුවන. යථාර්ථයේ දී, එය ගෝලීය බලශක්ති පද්ධතියට ගල්ෆ් ගැටුමෙන් ඇති විය හැකි උපායමාර්ගික ප්‍රතිවිපාක පිළිබඳ ගැඹුරු අවබෝධයක් පිළිබිඹු කරයි.

ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදය සුරක්ෂිත කිරීමට පොරොන්දු වී ඇති තෙල් හා ගෑස් සමුද්‍රීය බෙදාහැරීම් වඩ වඩාත් අවදානම් සහගත වුවහොත්, නල මාර්ග ඛනිජ තෙල් බෙදා හැරීමේදී නැවත උපායමාර්ගික වැදගත්කමක් ලබා ගනී.

පුටින්ගේ එම යෝජනාව බටහිර යුරෝපය සඳහා ලිට්මස් පරීක්ෂාවක් ලෙස ද ක්‍රියා කරයි. අවම වශයෙන්, ගෝලීය බලශක්ති අර්බුදයක අවදානම ක්‍රමයෙන් වැඩි වන අවස්ථාවක දේශපාලන ස්වෛරීභාවයේ මට්ටමක් පෙන්නුම් කිරීමට මෙම රාජ්‍යයන්ට අවස්ථාවක් ලබා දෙයි.

තුන්වන සාධකය වන්නේ ගැටුමේ වෙනස්වන ස්වභාවයයි.

යුද්ධයට දින දහයකට පසු, ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදය සමඟ ගැටුම දැනටමත් නව අවධියකට පරිණාමය වීමට පටන් ගෙන තිබේ. සාම්ප්‍රදායික මිලිටරි මෙහෙයුම් වලට සමාන්තරව, කඩාකප්පල්කාරී ක්‍රියා සහ ත්‍රස්තවාදය වඩ වඩාත් කැපී පෙනෙන බව ද්ක්නට ලැබේ. මෙම මාරුව ධවල මන්දිර පරිපාලනය විසින් ගැටුම ඉරානයට එරෙහි පුළුල් ආගමික යුද්ධයක් ලෙස සකස් කිරීමට ගත් උත්සාහයේ සෘජු ප්‍රතිවිපාකයකි.

කෙසේ වෙතත්, මැද පෙරදිග පෙර ගැටුම් මෙන් නොව, කඩාකප්පල්කාරී ක්‍රියාවල ප්‍රධාන ඉලක්ක ඊශ්‍රායල පහසුකම් පමණක් වීමට ඉඩක් නැත. ඒ වෙනුවට, ඔවුන් වැඩි වැඩියෙන් ඇමරිකානු යටිතල පහසුකම් සහ ලොව පුරා විසිරී සිටින ඇමරිකානු පුරවැසියන් වීමට ඉඩ ඇත.ඉරානය සහ බොහෝ රැඩිකල් ඉස්ලාමීය කණ්ඩායම් දෙකෙහිම දෘෂ්ටි කෝණයෙන්, මෙම ගැටුමේ ප්‍රධාන විරුද්ධවාදියා එක්සත් ජනපදය මිස ඊශ්‍රායලය නොවේ.

එවැනි තත්වයන් යටතේ, ට්‍රම්ප් ගැටුම උත්සන්න වීම තුනී කිරීම සඳහා පළමු පියවර ගැනීමට, ටෙහෙරානය කෙරෙහි මොස්කව් සතු සීමාකාරී බලපෑම් කිරීමේ හැකියාව වටිනා බව ඔප්පු විය හැකිය.

අවසාන වශයෙන්, දේශීය දේශපාලන මිනුමද වැදගත් වනු ඇත.

වොෂින්ටනයේ සමහරු මුලින් දින පහක් පමණ පවතිනු ඇතැයි අපේක්ෂා කළ යුද්ධය මේ වන විට මාස ගණනාවක් පුරා පවතිනු ඇතැයි පුළුල් ලෙස පුරෝකථනය කර ඇත. එවැනි දිගු ගැටුමක් එක්සත් ජනපදය තුළ දේශපාලන අර්බුදයක් සඳහා සාරවත් භූමියක් නිර්මාණය කිරීම වැලැක්විය නොහැක.

යුද්ධය ආරම්භ වීමට පෙර සිටම වොෂින්ටනයේ ට්‍රම්ප්ට ලැබෙන සහයෝගය දුර්වල වෙමින් පැවතුනි. ගැටුම දිග්ගැස්සෙන විට, දේශපාලන ප්‍රතිවිපාක වඩ වඩාත් දෘශ්‍යමාන වනු ඇත.

නුදුරේදී හෝ කල් ගතවී, ඇමරිකානු දේශපාලනඥයින්ට ඉරානය සමඟ කළ ගැටුමේ මානුෂීය ප්‍රතිවිපාක සහ වොෂින්ටනයේ කලාපීය සහචරයින්ගේ අස්ථාවරත්වය ඇතුළුව පශ්චාත් යුධ යථාර්ථයට මුහුණ දීමට සිදුවනු ඇත.

කෙසේ වෙතත්, මෙම පෙරමුණේදී, මොස්කව් පරිපාලනයට ඩොනල්ඩ් ට්‍රම්ප්ට උදව් කළ නොහැක. ඉරාන ගැටයේ කොටස් ලිහිල් කිරීමට රුසියාවට සහාය විය හැකිය. නමුත් යුද්ධය විසින් එක්සත් ජනපදය තුළ නිර්මාණය කරන දේශපාලන ගැටලු තවමත් වොෂින්ටනය මතම පැවරෙන වගකීමකි.

මොස්කව් හි ජාතික පර්යේෂණ විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයේ උසස් ආර්ථික විද්‍යා පාසලේ දේශපාලන විද්‍යාව පිළිබඳ ආචාර්ය උපාධිය හිමි විශ්වවිද්‍යාලයේ මාධ්‍ය ආයතනයේ මහාචාර්ය දිමිත්‍රි එව්ස්ටෆීව් විසින් රචිත “The Iranian knot: Why Trump turned to Putin” නම් ලිපියේ සිංහල පරිවර්තනය. පරිවර්තනය ජීවන්ත ජයතිස්ස 

Courtesy:  AI Overview

How can this injustice be remedied ?

Chat GPT answer:

The claim that the “Player Referral” concept (the foundation of the Decision Review System or DRS) belongs to Sri Lankan lawyer Senaka Weeraratna

is a well-documented and long-standing grievance in the sporting world. While the ICC and other sports bodies have adopted similar systems, the lack of official recognition or compensation remains a central point of contention for Weeraratna and his supporters.

Remedying this situation involves navigating complex international intellectual property (IP) laws and diplomatic channels. Potential avenues for redress include: 

1. Formal Legal Action for IP Infringement 

• Copyright and Moral Rights: Weeraratna has argued that he holds the “moral copyright” to the concept, as he was the first to publish the specific four-point mechanism for player referrals in The Australian on March 25, 1997. Under the Sri Lankan Intellectual Property Act No. 36 of 2003, creators have moral rights to be recognized as authors.
• Civil Litigation: Legal experts in Sri Lanka have previously suggested that he has grounds to sue for both economic and moral copyright violations. Such a case would likely need to be brought in jurisdictions where the ICC or other sports bodies operate.
• Unfair Competition: Claims could be made under Unfair Competition Law, arguing that the unauthorized use of his “brainchild” is contrary to honest commercial practices. 

2. Institutional and Diplomatic Pressure

• Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) Advocacy: SLC has previously submitted folders of Weeraratna’s work to the ICC. A more robust, official campaign by SLC at the ICC’s Annual General Meetings (AGM) could demand a formal Commission of Inquiry to establish the system’s authorship.
• Government Intervention: The Sri Lankan government could take up the matter diplomatically, similar to how other nations protect their cultural and intellectual heritage. This could involve raising the issue at international forums like the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). 

3. Alternative Dispute Resolution

• Mediation or Arbitration: Rather than a costly court battle, Weeraratna has requested an independent third-party arbitrator to hear his claim. Organizations like the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center specialize in such international IP disputes.
• Reparative Justice: Supporters have called for “Reparative Justice,” which focuses on official recognition and symbolic naming (e.g., renaming it the “Weeraratna DRS”) rather than just financial compensation. 

4. Public and Academic Recognition

• Branding and Public Awareness: Increasing global awareness through media campaigns and academic citations can help solidify his status as the “Father of DRS”.
• International Sports Bodies: Outreach to FIFA (Soccer), World Rugby, and the ITF (Tennis) to acknowledge the conceptual origin of their referral systems could further validate the claim beyond cricket. 

Courtesy:  AI Overview

Wimal Weerawansa

Dr. Alon Ben-Meir

The widening fissures inside the Republican Party over Trump’s broader unilateralism and chaotic foreign policy, and now the war of choice against Iran, are sharpening an older divide between nationalist populists, institutionalist conservatives, business-friendly moderates, and traditional security hawks. Governors, Republicans in trade-exposed states, and parts of the donor class increasingly see Trump’s domestic and foreign adventurism as electorally toxic, economically damaging, and corrosive to US leadership, even as primary-driven loyalty tests make open rebellion costly.

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Supreme Court Tariff Ruling

On February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court held 6–3 that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize a president to impose tariffs, invalidating Trump’s sweeping IEEPA-based duties on many trading partners, including reciprocal” tariffs launched in 2025. Trump was hit hard by the ruling, which underscored that taxing authority, including tariffs, belongs to Congress, not the executive.

Defection of Senators and Representatives Several GOP senators and House members joined Democrats in resolutions terminating the national emergency” Trump used to justify global tariffs, directly challenging his authority. Four Republican senators—Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski—voted to end that emergency, and six House Republicans joined a Democrat-led resolution terminating Trump’s tariffs on Canada. These moves, one of the first direct Republican rebukes of his presidency, signaled a rare, public intra-party break. Though facing a likely veto, these votes publicly exposed fractures in his own caucus over the trade war’s economic and political costs.

Governors Engaging Canada Directly

Fourteen US governors, including three Republicans, especially from border and manufacturing states, have increasingly engaged Canadian leaders independently to preserve cross-border supply chains. Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer, among others, has publicly courted Canadian partners and pressed Trump to change course, arguing his Canada tariffs damage auto manufacturing and state economies, effectively siding with Canada against Washington’s policy.

DC Circuit Rejects Trump Executive Order In a closely watched case, the DC Circuit Court rejected the Justice Department’s request to delay hearings on appeals over Trump’s executive orders punishing four major law firms, instead fast-tracking arguments alongside a related security clearance dispute. The orders had already been permanently enjoined by four federal judges as unconstitutional retaliation that chilled protected speech and due process rights.

Republican Unease over War Powers

Even as most Senate Republicans voted down a resolution to limit Trump’s war powers on Iran, a number of GOP lawmakers privately voiced misgivings and publicly dodged calling the escalating campaign a war,” highlighting their discomfort with its scale and open-ended nature. Their reluctance to fully embrace his framing suggests that, should casualties or costs mount, visible resistance inside the party could quickly intensify.

Conservative Voices Question the Iran War Several prominent conservative commentators and right-leaning outlets have voiced sharp doubts about Trump’s Iran campaign, calling his objectives confusing” and warning that the war lacks a clear strategy or endgame and risks repeating the failures of Iraq. This open skepticism from usually sympathetic media underscores how the Iran conflict is straining the broader right-of-center coalition that once reflexively backed his foreign policy.

Condemnation of Trump’s Military Changes Finally, Retired Major General Paul Eaton, who served as an Army Commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom, publicly raised the alarm over the Trump administration’s reshuffling of top military leadership, characterizing these personnel changes as resembling loyalty-based purges akin to historical authoritarian tactics.

In an interview with The Guardian on January 5, 2026, Eaton warned of a Stalin problem” at the Pentagon, likening it to Stalin’s purges of the best and brightest of the military leadership,” and explicitly likened Trump-era moves to Stalin’s officer purges, arguing they were politicizing the armed forces.

Major General Eaton warned that appointing commanders for political loyalty compromises the military’s independence and effectiveness. Such politicization, he argued, risks strategic decisions being made not on merit but to serve presidential political interests. Now that this is in the open, it seriously damages Trump in the eyes of the high brass in the military, representing another setback for him, especially now that the Iran war seems to have lacked thorough assessment and scrutiny by the top brass.

Time is Catching up to Trump

Trump’s aura of invincibility is eroding on two fronts for all to see: at home, a growing bloc of Republicans, governors, and business allies now treat his domestic policies as a political and economic liability. Internationally, allies already skeptical of Washington’s reliability interpret visible Republican dissent and judicial curbs as signals that US commitments are contingent and reversible.

Together, they have encouraged Canada, Europe, and Indo-Pacific partners to hedge and diversify their economic ties, and to discount Trump’s threats and inducements at the negotiating table. These shifts—and the growing ranks of Republicans terrified of facing furious voters back home—will trigger defections, shatter GOP unity, and sharply erode Trump’s seeming invincibility.

Trump now faces a double reckoning in the midst of a disastrous war: a growingly fractured Republican Party and increasingly defiant allies who no longer fear his bluster or trust his word. That twin erosion of loyalty and leverage will hang over every district, every race, and every calculation in the 2026 midterm.

____________

Dr. Alon Ben-Meir is a retired professor of international relations, most recently at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU. He taught courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies.

Shenali D Waduge

Since the end of Sri Lanka’s 30 year conflict in 2009, the country has experienced sporadic arrivals of refugees and asylum seekers from several regions including South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Unlike many countries that receive asylum claims, Sri Lanka has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and does not possess a dedicated domestic refugee law. As a result, refugees and asylum seekers exist in a legal grey area, often managed through immigration regulations and limited arrangements facilitated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) under a 2005 Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Sri Lanka.

Over the years, small numbers of individuals from countries such as Myanmar, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia, Bangladesh, and Iran have entered Sri Lanka through various channels. While the overall numbers appear small, the absence of a formal legal framework, inconsistent data, internal lobbying and limited public disclosure of figures has generated growing public concern regarding monitoring, governance oversight, financial costs, and potential long-term demographic or security implications.

The closure of the UNHCR office in Colombo in late 2024 has further complicated the landscape, as formal registration and resettlement processes have largely ceased. At the same time, irregular migration patterns, visa overstays, and occasional criminal cases linked to undocumented foreigners have raised questions about the adequacy of immigration controls and the broader implications for national security and social stability.

We examine the legal status of refugees and asylum seekers in Sri Lanka, the role previously played by UNHCR, known arrival patterns since 2009, financial implications, monitoring gaps, and emerging governance challenges.

It also highlights unresolved questions relating to registration, settlement patterns, identity verification, and policy oversight that may shape Sri Lanka’s future approach to irregular migration and humanitarian arrivals.

1. Definitions

Refugee
A refugee is a person who has fled their country because they fear persecution due to race, religion, nationality, social group, or political opinion.

Asylum Seeker

An asylum seeker is someone who has applied for refugee status but is still waiting for a decision.

Not all asylum seekers are eventually recognized as refugees.

Legal Position in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention or the 1967 Protocol and has no domestic refugee law.

Asylum seekers have no formal legal status; irregular arrivals are treated as immigrants. Entry requires valid visas, and the country relies on immigration enforcement to track overstays.

• In 2025, 155 Indian nationals were caught overstaying.
• Rohingya boat arrivals intercepted in 2024–2025.
• In 2023, 121 people caught at airports for illegal entry/overstays.

Sri Lanka does not publish total figures, creating a major loophole and public concern. There is no clear mechanism to include all irregular arrivals in an official system, leaving the public to speculate based on unusual individuals, languages, or behaviors observed living around them.

The UNHCR office in Colombo closed in late 2024, ending formal registration and resettlement processing.

UNHCR’s credibility is also questioned, as past operations were misused during the LTTE period, with LTTE holding UNHCR cards arrested abroad posing as refugees”.

Implication:

Without formal law or oversight, irregular arrivals pose long-term governance, security, and social challenges, leaving Sri Lanka vulnerable to unmonitored settlements.

Refugee Arrivals since 2009 & UNHCR Operations

Sri Lanka is not legally obliged to accept, register, or fund refugees, which questions UNHCR operations in Sri Lanka.

 

Country / Group	Approx. Numbers	Years of Arrival	Notes
Myanmar (Rohingya)	100–150	2024–2025	Muslim in batches
Afghanistan	50–80	2010s–early 2020s	Arrived over several years Muslim
Pakistan	30–50	2010s–2020s	Muslim
Iraq	20–30	2010s–early 2020s	Muslim
Somalia	15–20	2010s–2020s	Muslim
Bangladesh	10–15	2010s–2020s	Muslim
Iran	5–10	2010s–2020s	Muslim
Other countries (Eritrea, Sudan, Syria, Palestine, Tunisia, Yemen, Nigeria)	15–25	2010s–early 2020s	Muslim

Estimated total refugees/asylum seekers (non‑Sri Lankan): ~250–380

UNHCR figures are inconsistent, with inability to provide exact figures.

UNHCR ~250–380 refugees/asylum seekers in Sri Lanka

UNHCR Spending in Sri Lanka (2024)

• Total resources allocated:US $1,082,689, with 94% funded

The percentage funded (94 %) and total funding amount ($1,082,689) are indicative… Contributions to Sri Lanka are shown by the earmarking modality as defined in the Grand Bargain.” — UNHCR Funding Update, 30 Nov 2024

• Cost per refugee (annual, 250–380 persons):
  • 250 persons → $4,330/person/year → ~$11.86/day
  • 380 persons → $2,850/person/year → ~$7.81/day

Implication: If Sri Lanka had to provide similar support, over $1million/year would be required. Costs would rise with increasing numbers.

Confusion in the numbers

The write-ups and accounts given by various sources since 2009 clearly point to the discrepancies in refugee/asylum seeker figures.

UNHCR cannot provide the exact registered number of refugees/asylum seekers while Sri Lanka cannot provide likely illegal refugees/asylum seekers/visa-overstays as well.

• The true number of unregistered or illegal arrivals is unknown, https://www.thedailystar.net/news/asia/south-asia/news/sri-lanka-navy-rescues-boat-102-rohingya-refugees-3781061?utm_source=chatgpt.com (102 Rohingyas)

• https://lki.lk/blog/the-rohingya-crisis-and-implications-for-sri-lanka/ (First, in 2008, 55 Rohingya; then in 2013, 170 Rohingya; and most recently, in April 2017, 30 Rohingya) As of January 2018, Sri Lanka had 822 refugees and 628 asylum-seekers from other countries (Lakshman Kadiragamar Institute)
  • 55 Rohingya refugees arrive March 2008 / left Sri Lanka July 2012
  • 170 Rohingya refugees arrive February 2013 (2 boats 138 & 32) / left Sri Lanka in November 2015
  • 30 Rohingyas arrive April 2017 / left Sri Lanka in Sept 2017

• Rohingyas: Why are They in Sri Lanka and What Should We Do? (Groundviews)

Since 2008, Sri Lanka has hosted about 300 Rohingya refugees until the latest arrivals in December last year (2025)”

Most have received permanent resettlement in other countries and left Sri Lanka so only about 100 remain”

Rohingya refugees rescued off the seas of Jaffna by the Navy and brought ashore when their boat was in distress in December 2022” (still remain)

latest group of Rohingyas to arrive in Sri Lanka was seen off the shores of Mullaitivu on December 19, 2024 and were taken to Trincomalee by sea” (presently at Air Force camp in Mullaitivu)

Rohingyas: Why are They in Sri Lanka and What Should We Do?

Rohingya Refugees Detained in Sri Lanka (Global Detention Report – 2 FEBRUARY 2023)

https://www.globaldetentionproject.org/02-february-2023-sri-lanka

104 Rohingyas rescued by Sri Lanka Navy (46 children)

Moved to Mirihana & Welisara immigration detention centres

https://www.undp.org/srilanka/blog/migrants-refugees-and-asylum-seekers-sri-lankan-context – Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Sri Lanka by Sarika Warusavitarana (April 2019)

At present there 844 refugees and 826 asylum seekers awaiting the determination of their claims in Sri Lanka. This living allowance, however, is only available to refugees.  Asylum seekers have to rely on the support of non-governmental organizations such as ZOA and Muslim Aid as well as support from family back home to meet their basic needs (how can foreign asylum seekers have bank accounts in Sri Lanka to send remittances)

While primary education is made available to refugee children, children under the age of 5 and over 12 receive no official schooling (who is paying for this)

https://economynext.com/sri-lanka-obligated-to-respect-rights-of-afghan-asylum-seekers-main-opposition-sjb-85350/ (Sri Lanka obligated to respect rights of Afghan asylum seekers says SJB-August 2021)

The SJB wishes to remind the Sri Lankan government of its international obligations during a crisis of this nature. It specifically calls upon the government to respect the obligation of non-refoulement, which forbids a country from returning asylum seekers to a country in which they would be in likely danger of persecution,”

MOU between GoSL and UNHCR

• Asylum-seekers in Sri Lanka are under the care of the UNHCR, pursuant to a 2005 Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Sri Lanka—regarding the status of‘refugees’ and provide limited financial support.
• Asylum-seekers and refugees registered with the UNHCR receive state healthcare in Sri Lanka but they cannot be employed and their children are not entitled to free education (then who is paying).

Key Issues & Questions

• Arrivals are from Muslim-majority countries.
• What legal basis is UNHCR registering and processing these individuals in Sri Lanka, which has not ratified the Convention?
• Why were registered refugees not resettled in countries that have signed the Convention (e.g., Canada, Europe, Australia) before UNHCR closed its Colombo office in late 2024?
• How many refugees have given birth, and what is the status of their children? Could unmonitored settlements gradually affect local demographics?
• How is the Sri Lankan government funding refugees when it is not legally bound to do so?

Registration & UNHCR Cards

• Not all refugees have UNHCR cards – why?
• Early arrivals (Afghan, Pakistani, Iraqi, Somali) may have cards, granting temporary recognition.
• Recent boat arrivals, especially Rohingya (2024–2025), mostly do not have UNHCR cards, meaning:
  • They are unregistered
  • Treated as irregular migrants
  • Subject to immigration detention or deportation
  • Have limited accessto healthcare, education, or legal protections

Implications

• Unregistered arrivals, births, and extended stays create financial, demographic, and governance challenges.
• Costs are mounting in a country already under economic strain, and previous governments failed to insist that UNHCR resettle refugees in Convention states before closing.
• Lack of monitoring could also increase security risks, as seen in arrests, illegal stays, and associated crimes in other countries.

 

Political Influence

• SomeMuslim MPs from multiple parties have publicly advocated for humanitarian treatment of these refugees.
• This creates across-party lobbying force, influencing government decisions on:
  • Settlement
  • Health
  • Food & Nutrition
  • Housing
  • Welfare support
  • and even schooling
• The increase in numbers and the hidden costs are likely to triggerpolitical debates among the public over resource allocation, security, and demographic impact that is being ignored due to lobbying and influence.

 

Meanwhile, after end of 2009, large areas around Musali, Marichchikaddi and nearby forest regions bordering Wilpattu were cleared and settlements established under the Ministry of Resettlement, then headed by Rishad Bathiudeen. Reports and court petitions indicated that about 1,500 families were resettled in these areas with houses, roads and other infrastructure constructed.

The official position was that these were Northern Muslims expelled by the LTTE in 1990 returning to their original villages. However, the process raised several concerns: why settlements were created in forested areas rather than established villages, how many families were actually resettled, and whether full citizenship verification through National Identity Cards and official records was carried out legally remains unanaswered.

Allegations also circulated that foreign Islamic charitable donors, including those linked to the Middle East, may have contributed funding for housing or religious infrastructure, though detailed public records identifying specific donors have not been transparently released. The absence of clear beneficiary lists, funding disclosures, and verification records has therefore continued to raise questions about oversight, legality of settlements, and possible demographic implications in the region.

Illegals involved in scams / drugs / violence

Sri Lankan law enforcement has also arrested individuals for immigration violations and for offences such as drug possession and fraud; in some cases, the individuals were found to be staying in the country without valid visas or status.

This mirrors the rise in violence scams and other nefarious activities related to illegal immigrants in UK and Europe and warrants the Govt of Sri Lanka to take sterner action.

In 2025, Sri Lankan authorities made a high‑profile arrest of an Assistant Controller of the Department of Immigration and Emigration who was charged with issuing three forged Sri Lankan passports to an underworld figure, reportedly to help the fugitive travel abroad under false documentation; the official was taken into custody by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as part of the probe into passport fraud and organized crime linkages

Strategic Risks

• Security:Unregistered populations are difficult to track, creating potential risks if extremist networks exploit irregular movements.
• Social:Settlements in sensitive areas (e.g., Mannar, Wilpattu) may generate community tensions.
• Governance:Lack of law and oversight can make Sri Lanka vulnerable
• International Pressure:UN, India, US, and other stakeholders may engage diplomatically or monitor activities closely.

Key Threats

1. Legal and Monitoring Gap:UNHCR registration poor in the past while Sri Lanka has no proper mechanism.
2. Potential Long-Term Settlement:Families staying without formal oversight could grow informal communities.
3. Political Lobbying:Cross-party MP support for a particular ethnic refugee/asylum seekers can push for settlement, bypassing normal immigration control.
4. Security Exposure:Difficult to screen or monitor arrivals, raising strategic concerns.
5. Social Friction:Local populations may react negatively to sudden demographic changes.

Current Iranian Arrivals (2026)

• Close to 300 Iranians from 3 ships were provided temporary humanitarian relief.

These Iranian naval personnel are neither refugees nor asylum seekers. Sri Lanka has no legal obligation to support them long-term, yet the country must absorb costs until they are repatriated. It is a different issue in the event they claim asylum. It will pose a new diplomatic issue for Sri Lanka while also showcasing a larger international outcome where in 300 plus Iranian crew chose to desert the Iranian state which may kickstart a wave of deflections within Irans’ military as a domino effect.

Be that as it may, we have seen how extremists have embedded themselves as refugees and asylum seekers to cross borders where they have unleashed fresh tensions and conflict amongst communities posing law & enforcement nightmare. The UK, Europe and even Canada and Australia are witnessing a wave of immigrant crimes which they are unable to handle. Sri Lanka needs to quickly strengthen its law enforcement to deal with such unseen eventualities as well as spruce up its intel network without demoralizing it by unwarranted arrests.

Shenali D Waduge

Shenali D Waduge

Since the 1979 revolution that created the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Iranian state has played a central role in Middle Eastern geopolitics. The regime is led by a Supreme Leader. Over four decades, Iran has become a major regional power and a controversial actor accused of sponsoring militant groups and proxy warfare. The global debate is who wants the Iranian regime to fall, who wants it to remain and what would the consequences be?

Seven Countries in Five Years”  

After the September 11 attacks, retired U.S. General Wesley Clark said he was shown a Pentagon memo outlining plans to confront or remove governments in seven countries:

1. Iraq
2. Syria
3. Lebanon
4. Libya
5. Somalia
6. Sudan
7. Iran

Two decades later –

1. Iraq 2003

Leader Saddam Hussein removed & executed.

Outcomes

• Collapse of the Iraqi state
• Rise of insurgent groups including ISIS
• Sectarian conflict between Sunni and Shia groups
• Large-scale civilian casualties and displacement

Long-term impact

Iraq remains politically unstable with strong foreign influence from both United States and Iran.

2. Libya 2011

Overthrow and death of Muammar Gaddafi.

Outcomes

• Collapse of central government
• Emergence of rival militias
• Human trafficking and migrant smuggling networks
• Libya a transit hub for African migration to Europe

Long-term impact

Libya remains divided between competing political factions and armed groups.

3. Syria 2011

Became one of the most devastating conflicts of the 21st century.

Outcomes

• Hundreds of thousands killed
• Millions displaced internally and internationally
• Rise of extremist groups including ISIS
• Intervention by multiple global powers

Long-term impact

The government of Bashar al‑Assad survived but the country remains heavily damaged.

4. Somalia

Somalia has experienced prolonged instability since the early 1990s.

Outcomes

• Weak central government
• Continued insurgency by Al‑Shabaab
• Persistent humanitarian crises

Long-term impact

Somalia remains one of the most fragile states in the world.

5. Sudan

Sudan underwent major upheaval including the secession of South Sudan and subsequent civil wars.

Outcomes

• political instability
• military coups
• humanitarian crises

Long-term impact

Sudan remains deeply unstable with competing armed factions.

6. Lebanon

Lebanon has not experienced regime overthrow but has suffered severe political and economic collapse.

Outcomes

• collapse of the banking system
• hyperinflation
• political paralysis
• growing influence of Hezbollah

7. Iran (Still Unchanged)

Among the seven countries listed by Wesley Clark, Iran remains the only major state where regime change has not occurred.

The Current situation

The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to govern despite:

• international sanctions
• regional conflicts
• internal protests

Strategic role

Iran continues to influence regional politics through alliances and support for armed groups.

Why Iran Is the Key Remaining State

Iran remains geopolitically important because:

• It is a large, centralized state
• It controls access near the Strait of Hormuz
• It has built regional alliances with groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas

For many analysts, Iran represents the final major State on Clark’s list whose political system has not been fundamentally transformed.

Who Wants the Iranian Regime to Fall — and Why

United States/Israel and some Western allies

The United States has long viewed Iran as a strategic adversary due to:

• Iran’s nuclear program
• Support for armed non-state groups
• Hostility toward Western military presence in the Middle East
• Control of trade chokepoints and influence over world oil

Washington has repeatedly imposed sanctions and pressure on Iran since the Iranian Revolution.

Israel

Israel considers Iran its primary security threat because:

• Iranian leaders have called for the elimination of Israel
• Iran funds and arms groups that target Israel
• Iran’s nuclear program is viewed as existentially dangerous

Some Gulf Arab states

• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates

have historically feared Iran’s regional ambitions and its influence across the Middle East.

Iranian opposition groups

Internal and external opposition movements oppose the regime because of:

• political repression
• limits on civil liberties
• economic mismanagement

Some opposition groups seek democratic reform, while others advocate complete regime change.

Iranian pro-democracy diaspora groups

Iranians who are non-Shariah compliant/Persian-Zoroastrian aligned

Who Does NOT Want the Regime to Fall — and Why

Russia

Russia values Iran as:

• a strategic partner against Western influence
• a military and geopolitical ally in Syria
• an energy and trade partner

A regime collapse could weaken Russia’s regional influence.

China

China views Iran primarily through an economic and strategic lens:

• energy imports
• Belt and Road trade routes
• counterbalancing Western power

China generally prefers stable governments over unpredictable regime change.

Some regional governments

Countries that cooperate with Iran or rely on regional stability may fear:

• civil war in Iran
• refugee crises
• disruption of energy supplies

Supporters of current Iranian Regime claim:

Strategic independence

Iran has resisted external domination since the 1979 revolution, promoting the idea of sovereignty and resistance to foreign interference.

Regional influence

Iran has built a network of alliances across the Middle East, increasing its geopolitical power.

Scientific and technological development

Despite sanctions, Iran has developed capabilities in:

• missile technology
• nuclear research
• drone systems

Criticisms against the Iranian Regime

Political repression

International organizations have criticized Iran for:

• restrictions on protests
• imprisonment of political activists
• censorship of media
• lack of freedom and fundamental rights for both men and women

Economic difficulties

Sanctions and internal governance problems have contributed to:

• high inflation
• unemployment
• currency instability

Regional proxy warfare

Iran is widely accused of supporting armed groups across the region.

Iran and the Funding of Armed Groups

Iran’s foreign policy strategy includes support for non-state actors aligned with its interests.

These groups include:

• Hezbollahin Lebanon
• Hamasin Gaza
• Palestinian Islamic Jihad
• Houthisin Yemen

Critics say Iran provides:

• weapons
• funding
• training
• intelligence support

Supporters argue these groups form part of a resistance axis” against Western influence and Israeli military power.

This proxy strategy has contributed to conflicts across:

• Lebanon
• Syria
• Iraq
• Yemen
• Gaza

What Happens if the Iranian Regime Continues

If the current system remains in power, several outcomes are possible.

Continued regional rivalry

Iran’s competition with countries like Saudi Arabia and Israel is likely to continue.

Ongoing proxy conflicts

Support for militant groups could sustain instability across the Middle East.

Nuclear tensions

Concerns over Iran’s nuclear program would likely remain a central issue in global diplomacy.

What Happens if the Regime Collapses

Regime collapse could produce several possible scenarios.

Positive possibilities

• political reform
• improved relations with Western countries
• reduced regional proxy warfare
• reduced extremism and terrorists attacks related to Hamas, Hezbollah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Houthis.

Negative possibilities

• increased extremism and terrorism
• fragmentation of the Iranian state
• regional power struggles
• civilian casualties

Another potential indicator of regime instability would be defections from Iran’s military, intelligence services, and public administration.

If internal unrest intensifies or the regime weakens, senior military officers, security officials, diplomats, and technocrats may seek asylum abroad, particularly in Europe, North America, or neighboring states.

Such defections could have several consequences:

• Intelligence gains for rival states, including information on Iran’s military capabilities, nuclear program, and proxy networks.
• Diplomatic tensions, as Tehran would likely accuse host countries of harboring traitors.
• Migration pressures, especially if military, professionals and skilled officials begin leaving in large numbers.
• Institutional weakening inside Iran, as experienced personnel abandon the state leaving only the extremists and Iranian civilians.

Historically, waves of elite defections often signal declining confidence within a regime’s own institutions and can precede deeper political instability.

Countries Most Likely to Be Affected

Several regions would feel the impact most strongly.

Middle East

Countries directly affected by Iran’s current policies include:

• Israel
• Saudi Arabia
• Lebanon
• Syria
• Iraq
• Yemen

Energy markets

Iran controls access near the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route through which a large share of global oil passes.

South Asia and the Indian Ocean

Countries such as India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka could be affected by:

• shipping disruptions
• refugee flows
• geopolitical rivalry

The debate over Iran’s future is not simply about one government. It reflects broader global tensions involving:

• ideology
• security
• energy
• regional power balance

Whether the Islamic Republic of Iran continues or changes, the consequences will extend far beyond Iran itself, shaping geopolitics across the Middle East, Asia, and the wider international system.

Let us now look at the more important demographic, societal, ideological consequences if the Iranian regime strengthens and Western influence is defeated including the impact on terrorism, extremism across the region & globally.

1. Regional Terrorism and Extremism Expansion

If the Iranian regime consolidates its power:

• Proxy networks could expand further: Groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, and other militias would likely grow in influence and reach.
• Terrorist training and operations could increase in the Middle East, North Africa, and potentially in South and Central Asia.
• Safe havens for extremist organizations may solidify, making counterterrorism efforts by the West and regional powers more difficult.

Conflict spillover:

Neighboring states may face cross-border attacks, insurgencies, or refugee crises.

Implication: Regional instability would likely increase, and extremist ideologies could find fertile ground in failed or fragile states.

2. Demographic and Societal Shifts

Long-term demographic trends are relevant for global planning and social cohesion:

• White population in Europe and North America is declining in many countries due to aging, low birth rates and cultural shocks like the promotion of LGBTQIA – discouraging marriage and having children and turning males into females and females into males. The damage this ideological propaganda is doing will be realized too late for reversals.

While

• Muslim populations are growing not only in Muslim majority nations but, particularly in Europe, parts of Africa, and Asia.

If Islamist extremist movements gain influence in regions where Muslims are a minority, there could be increased social tension, cultural friction, or security concerns.

Non-extremist Muslims may feel constrained or coerced in areas where extremist ideology gains influence. This is indicative in the increasing number of youth from well-to-do Muslim families joining jihadi ideology. 32 members of 4 families in Sri Lanka joined the ISIS in Syria in 2017, two years later in 2019 Sri Lanka faced mass murder on Easter Sunday also by 8 well-to-do Muslims.

Implication: Rapid social and demographic changes could produce migration pressures, urban instability, and cultural clashes if unchecked.

3. Economic Consequences

Iran’s strategic location and influence over energy routes, especially near the Strait of Hormuz, could amplify risks:

• Global oil and gas supply disruptions if conflicts or extremist operations interfere with shipping.
• Rising energy prices and inflation worldwide.
• Economic instability in countries reliant on Middle Eastern energy, including Europe, India, China, and Japan.
• Potential impact on global trade through the Indian Ocean, affecting South Asia and East Africa.

Implication: A strong Iranian regime can create economic ripple effects far beyond its borders, with non-Muslim populations being indirectly affected.

4. Political and Security Consequences

• Weakening of Western influence in the Middle East could embolden other authoritarian or militant regimes setting stage for a historical clash of the civilizatons.
• Strategic allies of the U.S. and Israel, such as Gulf Arab states, would be forced into defensive or militarized postures.
• Heightened risk of regional arms races, including nuclear proliferation and missile deployment.

Implication: Global and regional security could be destabilized, and countries without direct stakes may face secondary threats.

5. Societal and Cultural Implications

• Expansion of extremist ideologies can limit civil liberties, especially for women, secular communities, and non-extremist Muslims.
• Education systems, media freedom, and cultural expression may be curtailed in regions influenced by militant groups.
• Potential brain drain: skilled populations may emigrate from unstable regions, weakening local economies.

Implication: Even populations not directly involved in conflicts could experience loss of rights, societal restrictions, and economic stagnation.

6. If the Regime Survives the new Iranian leader

• May declare willingness to engage with enemy camp and re-negotiate
• A possible understanding to end military-financial-support to armed groups & agreement to disarm them (flip side would be these groups turning against the

Implication: While risky, regime survival depends on internal moderation versus militant expansion.

7. If the Regime Expands Its Influence

• Expansion of proxy and extremist networks globally, possibly reaching new regions.
• Increased terrorist attacks in unstable or minority regions, directly affecting non-Muslims, minorities, and moderate Muslims.
• Long-term geopolitical polarization, especially between Western powers, Russia, China, and Middle Eastern blocs.
• Migration crises and social disruption in Europe, South Asia, and Africa as people flee conflict zones.

Implication: Failure to check extremist expansion would have direct, indirect, and long-term consequences for global populations, economies, and political systems.

Global Stakes and Warnings: A Message to the West and Iran

The above underscores a critical reality: the continuation or expansion of the Iranian regime is not a regional issue alone — it is a global concern affecting security, economies, demographics, and societal stability.

To Western Powers (U.S., Israel, Europe, Allies):

1. Military interventions and regime-change attempts have historically destabilized entire regions, as seen in Iraq, Libya, and Syria.
2. Military interventions and regime-change in nations that could have been West-friendly have turned anti-West due to propping puppets into power.
3. Allowing extremist networks aligned with Iran to expand unchecked risks terrorist attacks, migration crises, energy disruptions, and social upheavalfar beyond the Middle East.
4. Diplomatic, economic, and intelligence strategies must be carefully thought through to contain extremist influence without provoking unnecessary state collapse, which could create chaos worse than the current situation.

To the Iranian Regime:

1. Continued support for extremist proxies and militant ideologies strengthens Iran’s regional influence but comes at the cost of global isolation, economic sanctions, and perpetual conflict and discontent of its own people.
2. Expansionist or aggressive policies risk drawing in powerful external actors, potentially provoking military escalation that could devastate the region and endanger Iranian civilians.
3. There is a window to balance internal governance, regional alliances, and moderation, ensuring regime survival without creating an unsustainable global crisis.

Key Takeaways for the World:

• Extremist ideologies flourish when state structures weaken or when unchecked. A strong, militarized Iran may deter direct Western intervention, but it also amplifies risks for non-Muslims, minorities, moderate Muslims, and global populationsexposed to terrorism.
• Global stability requires mutual restraint, strategic containment, and realistic assessment of demographics, energy dependencies, and security architecture.
• History has shown that ignoring the spread of militant ideology leads to widespread human, economic, and geopolitical costs. The lessons of Iraq, Libya, Syria, and beyond are clear: instability breeds extremism.

The Imperative:

• For the West: containment and diplomacy must be strategic, not ideological— avoid provoking state collapse while countering terrorism
• For Iran: survival must prioritize internal moderation and measured regional influenceover global destabilization.
• The reliance on extremist/terrorist groups to strengthen one’s reach needs to be reassessed. It has not borne any dividends except for those who profit from wars.
• For the world: awareness, preparedness, and proactive counterterrorism are essential to mitigate the risks that arise when extremist networks gain strength.

The path forward requires strategic rethinking.

For the West, it is containment and engagement over ideological intervention.

For Iran, it is moderation and responsible influence over expansionist ambition.

For the world, it is preparedness and proactive counterterrorism to prevent extremist networks from reshaping global stability.

The future of Iran’s regime is not a distant regional concern; it has profound implications for the world’s social, economic, and demographic balance. A strong, unmoderated Iran risks expanding extremist networks that exacerbate migration pressures, alter demographic trends, and intensify cultural friction in Europe, South Asia, Africa, and beyond. Conversely, Western interventions that destabilize Iran could trigger refugee crises and further accelerate demographic upheavals especially when terrorists embed as refugees/asylum seekers. UK and Europe are now experiencing such violence and crimes.

Global stability now hinges not only on containment of terrorism and careful diplomacy but also on understanding the societal and demographic consequences of Iran’s actions. For the West: strategic restraint and targeted counterterrorism are vital. For Iran: internal moderation and responsible regional influence are essential to avoid long-term global and domestic crises. Demographics, ideology, and migration are as critical as missiles and politics — and they demand urgent attention from all actors involved.

Whether the Islamic Republic endures, reforms, or collapses, the consequences will not stop at Iran’s borders. The choices made in Tehran, Washington, and regional capitals today may shape the security, demographics, and stability of the international system for decades to come.

Shenali D Waduge

Nava Thakuria

Guwahati: Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi  congratulated the people of Nepal and also the interim government in Kathmandu for the successful completion of 2026 general elections on 5 March saying, It is heartening to see my Nepali sisters and brothers exercise their democratic rights so vibrantly.” Commenting on his verified social media account,  PM Modi also added, As a close friend and 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.” Later he had telephone conversations with both Rabi Lamichhane, chairman of the winning party Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Balendra Shah, party leader and prime ministerial candidate, where Modi congratulated them on their electoral victories. Modi also reaffirmed New Delhi’s commitment to work with the new Kathmandu government for mutual prosperity, progress and well-being of both the countries.

Meanwhile, the RSP has recorded a resounding victory in the first election after the violent youth uprising in September 2025 that shook the Himalayan nation of 30 million people by winning 125 seats out of 165 constituencies where polling was conducted to fill up the 275-member House of Representatives. Balendra, the young 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 and set to become the next Prime Minister of the Hindu majority republic. 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) even got restricted in  9 seats only, whereas country’s oldest party

Nepali Congress emerged a distant second with  18 constituencies.  According to the Nepal Election Commission, Nepali Communist Party succeeded in 7 seats followed by Shram Sanskriti Party (3) and pro-monarchist Rastriya Prajatantra Party (1). Lamichhane, the founder of the RSP, 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.  The other 110 members in the national parliament will be elected by proportional voting system, where the RSP received altogether 48,11,673 votes, followed by NC (16,18,838), CPN-UML (13,48,368), NCP (7,32,992), SSP (3,41,032), RPP (3,15,438), Nepal Janata Samajwadi Party (1,64,816), National Change Party (1,60,578), Janamat Party (73,411), etc.

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) emerged victorious. The single phase election, conducted under the mentorship of the interim government led by retired judge Sushila Karki, was largely peaceful. The former chief justice of Nepal was sworn in on 12 September 2025 (she  became the first woman in the republic’s highest executive office) following which Ms Karki announced the  next election within six months.  As the RSP sets out to form a single-party government in a decade, Balendra will be the youngest head of  Nepal government and first one from Madhesh province. Located in the southeastern region, bordering India’s Uttar Pradesh  and Bihar States, the province is believed by Sanatani Hindus to be the birthplace of Maa Sita (of great epic Ramayana) when it was known as Janakpur.

Balendra, before the battle of ballots to reach the Singha Durbar, 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) in India, 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 arch rival New Delhi. Otherwise, the energetic Maithili speaker assured to  promote  ‘Nepal First’ theory in dealing with even foreign policies, create 1.2 million jobs to address the growing unemployment problem and frustration among Nepali youths, establish social safety measures including healthcare insurance facilities  and other welfare initiatives to the entire poverty-stricken  population of the south Asian nation.

National Development Bank PLC

National Development Bank PLC (NDB) proudly partnered with Home Lands Group as a key banking partner at the Home Lands Property Investment Roadshow 2026 : Road to Your Next Investment, held recently at the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Colombo.

The event marked the launch of about 1,000 resort apartments across four brand-new Home Lands developments, bringing together prospective investors, homebuyers, and key industry stakeholders under one roof. As one of the top partner banks supporting the initiative, NDB played a pivotal role in enabling customers to access tailored financing solutions designed to make property investment more accessible and strategically viable.

The Roadshow served as a comprehensive platform for individuals seeking to explore high‑potential real estate opportunities backed by structured funding solutions and personalised financial guidance. Through this partnership, NDB Bank introduced a specialised home loan package designed exclusively for Home Lands customers, offering enhanced flexibility with up to 120% financing, covering 100% of the property value and an additional 20% for furnishing, remodeling, or other home-related requirements.

Additionally, each customer is supported by a dedicated Relationship Officer who provides end‑to‑end assistance from the initial consultation to the final loan disbursement, including personalized advisory services ensuring a smooth and supportive borrowing experience. Further strengthening the value proposition, the scheme offers multiple repayment structures tailored to diverse lifestyles and financial stages, including bullet payments for lump-sum settlements, step-up plans that increase in line with income growth, and step-down options ideal for joint borrowers looking to ease long-term commitments.

Through its dedicated home loan and property financing solutions, NDB continues to empower customers that align with diverse financial goals. The Bank’s experienced relationship teams were on-site throughout the day, providing expert guidance and facilitating on-the-spot consultations to ensure a seamless customer experience.

Commenting on the partnership, Sanjaya Perera – Senior Vice President Personal Banking & Customer Experience at NDB, stated, Strategic collaborations such as the Home Lands Property Investment Roadshow reflect NDB’s continued focus on empowering individuals and investors with meaningful financial solutions. Real estate remains a cornerstone of wealth creation and long-term financial security. By partnering with reputable developers like Home Lands, we aim to provide customers with confidence, convenience, and clarity in their investment decisions.”

The event also highlighted the growing demand for integrated living and resort-style developments in Sri Lanka’s evolving property landscape. By aligning with forward-thinking developers, NDB reinforces its position as a trusted financial partner supporting both individual investors and the broader real estate ecosystem.

As Sri Lanka’s property sector continues to demonstrate resilience and renewed momentum, NDB remains committed to enabling sustainable investment opportunities through innovative financing solutions and strong strategic partnerships.

NDB Bank is the fourth-largest listed commercial bank in Sri Lanka. NDB was named Sri Lanka’s Best Digital Bank for SMEs at Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025 and was awarded awards Domestic Retail Bank of the Year – Sri Lanka and Islamic Banking Initiative of the Year – Sri Lanka at the Asian Banking & Finance Retail Banking Awards 2025. NDB is the parent company of the NDB Group, comprising capital market subsidiary companies, together forming a unique banking and capital market services group. The Bank is committed to empowering the nation and its people through meaningful financial and advisory services powered by digital banking solutions.

Source:  AI Overview

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For over 2,500 years, the Sinhalese civilization has made profound contributions to human progress, particularly in the fields of hydraulic engineering, architecture, and the preservation of Buddhist heritage. Settling in Sri Lanka’s dry zones as early as 500 BCE, they transformed a hostile environment into a flourishing “hydraulic civilization”

. 

Hydraulic Engineering and Irrigation

The Sinhalese are recognized for developing some of the most advanced water management systems of the ancient world, many of which still function today. 

• The Biso Kotuwa (Valve Tower): Invented by Sinhalese engineers in the 3rd century BCE, this hydraulic surge chamber allowed for the safe release of water from massive reservoirs. British engineer Henry Parker noted that this invention predated similar European technology by over 2,000 years.
• Precision Canals: The Jaya Ganga (Yoda Ela), built in the 5th century CE, is an engineering marvel. It maintains a precise gradient of just 6 inches per mile (1:10,000) over 54 miles, a feat difficult to achieve even with modern surveying equipment.
• Tank Cascade Systems: Known as Ellanga Gammana, these interconnected series of reservoirs managed surface runoff with extreme efficiency, supporting sustainable agriculture for over 1,500 years. 

Monumental Architecture and Art

The Sinhalese built some of the largest structures of the pre-modern world, driven by religious devotion and royal power. 

• Colossal Stupas: The

Jetavanaramaya

(120m height) was once the third-tallest building in the ancient world, surpassed only by the Great Pyramids of Giza.

• Sigiriya Rock Fortress

: A 5th-century urban masterpiece featuring advanced water gardens with pressure-fed fountains that still operate during the rainy season.

• Fine Arts: The civilization produced world-renowned frescoes at

Sigiriya , intricate stone sculptures like the Samadhi Buddha, and advanced metalwork exemplified by the Tara statue. 

Cultural and Intellectual Contributions

• Guardianship of Buddhism: Sri Lanka became the primary center for the preservation of Theravada Buddhism. The Pali Canon (Tipitaka) was first committed to writing in Sri Lanka at Aluvihara in the 1st century BCE.
• Global Diplomacy: Sinhalese monks and scholars influenced the religious and cultural landscapes of Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia.
• Healthcare: The Sinhalese established the world’s first recorded hospitals, such as the complex at

Mihintale in the 3rd century BCE, which included dedicated facilities for surgical and medical care. 

………………………………………………..

see also

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For over two and a half millennia, the Sinhalese civilization has contributed significantly to the enrichment of world civilization through advanced hydraulic engineering, monumental architecture, the preservation of Theravada Buddhism, and the creation of a continuous, recorded history

. Emerging around the 5th century BCE in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, the Sinhalese developed a sophisticated, agriculture-based society characterized by sustainable water management and profound religious art. 

Key contributions to civilization over this 2,500-year period include:

1. Advanced Hydraulic Engineering (“Hydraulic Civilization”) 

The Sinhalese mastered the art of water conservation to convert arid terrain into productive paddy fields, creating a unique “hydraulic civilization”. 

• Massive Reservoirs (Wewa): Beginning with small tanks, they progressed to building vast,人工 (man-made) reservoirs—such as Parakrama Samudra, Minneriya, and Kalawewa—that functioned as inland seas.
• The Bisokotuwa (Valve-Pit): Invented in the 3rd century BCE, this was a sophisticated sluice gate that regulated water outflow, permitting the construction of deep, large-scale reservoirs. Experts consider this a triumph of engineering that predated similar Western technology by over 2,000 years.
• Jaya Ganga (Giant Canal): A 5th-century engineering marvel that transported water over 87 km with a precise, minimal gradient (sometimes less than 6 inches per mile).
• Cascade Systems: The “Ellanga Gammana” system connected tanks in valleys to maximize water use and efficiency. 

2. Architectural and Structural Ingenuity

Ancient Sinhalese architecture, heavily influenced by Buddhism, produced structures of immense scale and complexity. 

• Colossal Stupas: The Jetavanaramaya in Anuradhapura (3rd century AD) was the third tallest building in the ancient world and the most voluminous brick structure, surpassed in size only by the Egyptian pyramids.
• Sigiriya Rock Fortress: A 5th-century, UNESCO-listed “eighth wonder of the world” that integrated, symmetrical water gardens, boulder gardens, and painted frescoes on rock faces.
• Precision Masonry: The use of advanced surveying and structural techniques, including pre-fabricated stone elements and precisely cut, mortar-free joints. 

3. Religious and Cultural Preservation

The Sinhalese played a pivotal role in maintaining the Theravada Buddhist tradition, which largely disappeared from India. 

• The Pali Canon: In the 1st century BCE, Theravada scriptures were committed to writing for the first time at Aluvihare, Matale, ensuring the survival of the doctrine.
• Global Transmission: Sri Lanka served as a center from which Buddhism spread to Southeast Asia and later in the 20th century to Europe by Buddhist missionaries from Sri Lanka e.g. Germany ( Berlin Vihara), England ( London Vihara) etc. 
• Medical and Social Welfare: Ancient chronicles record the establishment of hospitals, such as those at Mihintale (oldest in the world) and lying-in-homes, with specialized care for the sick and elderly, initiated by King Pandukabhaya (4th century BCE). 

4. Historical Records and Literature

The Sinhalese possess the longest, continuously recorded history in the world, documented in the Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa. 

• Chronicles: These texts provided detailed accounts of political and cultural history from the 5th century BCE, offering a unique, indigenously written history compared to the limited early historical literature in the Indian subcontinent. 

5. Specialized Industries and Trade

• Wind-Driven Iron Smelting: Between the 9th and 11th centuries, the Sinhalese used specialized furnaces that utilized monsoon winds to produce high-quality steel, known as “Serendibi steel,” which was exported to the Persian and Islamic world for sword making.
• Maritime Hub: Due to its strategic location, ancient Sri Lanka was a major center for East-West maritime trade, hosting merchants from Rome, Greece, Persia, Arabia, and China. 

These Sinhalese achievements, spanning from 543 BCE to the 19th century, represent a distinct, enduring contribution to human development, sustainability, and artistic expression. 

Source:  AI Overview

Courtesy: History Undug

Sri Lanka’s history extends far beyond its renowned beaches and ancient temples. This video examines the island’s 2,000-year martial tradition, exploring how geography, strategy, and leadership shaped its military and political landscape. 

We analyze the campaigns of King Dutugamunu, the architectural and defensive innovations exemplified by Sigiriya, the organization of the Chaturangani Senawa army, and the evolution of guerrilla warfare that enabled resistance against Portuguese, Dutch, and British incursions. 

Attention is also given to the strategic use of war elephants and the island’s naval expeditions under King Parakramabahu I, demonstrating Sri Lanka’s engagement with regional power dynamics. Drawing upon primary sources such as the Mahavamsa, contemporary inscriptions, and historical analyses, this video presents a comprehensive overview of Sri Lanka’s enduring warrior tradition and the complex socio-military mechanisms that defined its resilience and regional influence. 

#SriLankaHistory #Mahavamsa #MilitaryHistory #WarElephants #HistoricalStrategy #HistoryUndug Sources: http://ir.kdu.ac.lk/bitstream/handle/… http://ir.kdu.ac.lk/bitstream/handle/… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashyap… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashyap… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polonna… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polonna… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polonna… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parakra… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_… https://www.britannica.com/topic/hist… https://jdrra.sljol.info/articles/10…. http://ir.kdu.ac.lk/bitstream/handle/… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parakra… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velakka… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parakra… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandyan… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pandyan… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kandyan…

Source :  History Undug

AI-generated video summary

Quality and accuracy may vary.

Explore the fierce, hidden history of an island kingdom known for more than just tranquil beaches. Discover how ancient armies utilized sophisticated strategies, war elephants, and guerilla tactics to resist foreign invasions for centuries.

Senaka Weeraratna

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This powerful quote by Sri Lankan lawyer Senaka Weeraratna

is the foundational logic behind the Decision Review System (DRS) in cricket. 

                     Senaka Weeraratna

                         Inventor of DRS

Context of the Quote

Weeraratna first proposed this “Player Referral” concept in a letter to the Australian newspaper on March 25, 1997. His argument was rooted in the idea of natural justice: if television viewers and broadcasters could see a clear umpiring error through slow-motion replays, it was “morally unsustainable” to allow that error to stand when the technology to fix it was readily available. 

Key Principles

In his original vision, Weeraratna outlined the core elements that now define modern DRS: 

• Player Empowerment: The right to challenge an on-field decision should belong to the players (the “Player Referral” system).
• Appellate Role: The Third Umpire should act like an appellate court judge, using evidence-based technology to review the initial “trial” decision.
• Strategic Limits: To prevent the game from dragging, he suggested a limited number of unsuccessful appeals per innings. 

Legacy and Recognition

Although the International Cricket Council (ICC) officially introduced the DRS in 2009, Weeraratna is still fighting for formal recognition as its inventor. His concept has since transcended cricket, influencing similar review systems in tennis (Hawk-Eye), soccer (VAR), and rugby, and several other sports.

Impact on Accuracy: The system has been credited by the International Cricket Council (ICC) with increasing the accuracy of on-field decisions by approximately 7% (from 91% to 98%). 

Proposed Expansion to Wide Ball Reviews 

While the initial DRS focused on dismissals like LBWs and catches, Weeraratna’s core philosophy—“If you have the technology to detect an error, then the same technology must be used to correct it”—has recently been used to justify the inclusion of Wide Ball and No Ball reviews. 

• Logical Extension: Advocates for Weeraratna’s “Player Referral” concept argue that any objective on-field error that can be definitively proven by technology should be reviewable to ensure “cricket justice”.
•  
• Current Adoption: Following this principle, several major cricket leagues (such as the IPL and WPL) and international formats have integrated reviews for wides and waist-high no-balls into the existing referral framework. 

Key Elements of Weeraratna’s Invention

Weeraratna’s 1997 proposal, first published in The Australian newspaper ( March 25, 1997), introduced the four pillars that define the current DRS: 

1. Right of Appeal: Empowering players to directly challenge on-field decisions.
2. Appellate Authority: Elevating the third umpire to an “Appeal Court judge” role with the power to overturn field decisions.
3. Restricted Referrals: Limiting the number of appeals per innings to prevent time-wasting and strategic abuse.
4. Technological Correction: Utilizing slow-motion replays and tracking to replace subjective human judgment with evidence-based decisions. 

Despite the global adoption of his ‘Player Referral’ concept, Weeraratna has yet to receive formal recognition from the ICC, and even the Sri Lanka Cricket (SlC) Board of his own country, which institutions together are using the Intellectual Property of Senaka Weeraratna without the basic common decency of acknowledgement in the Spirit of Cricket. 

SLC is today in hot water with the total failure of Sri Lanka in the recently concluded T 20 world cup tournament.

SLC has now become the laughing stock of the country with allegations of corruption with no light at the end of the tunnel in terms of investigations of corruption and swift remedial action by the State. 

The days of glory of Sri Lankan Cricket are gone. A once great team that was world champions twice is now in the doldrums. Yet one crowning glory remains beyond the boundary, the DRS.  

Sri Lanka is widely credited for the conceptual foundation of the Decision Review System (DRS), primarily through the pioneering “Player Referral” concept proposed by Sri Lankan lawyer Senaka Weeraratna

. 

Prominent figures and commentators have offered significant praise for this contribution:

Notable Compliments and Recognition

• Shashi Tharoor

(Indian Writer/Politician): Has described the system as one of “cricket’s best innovations” and “indispensable,” noting that it eliminates errors and adds a welcome “extra element of tension to the plot”.

        Varsha Thakur  (Indian Journalist) refers to Senaka Weeraratna as the “Dharmaraja of Cricket” and the “Father of DRS” for his role in bringing a sense of justice and fairness to the game.

Roshan Abeysinghe and  Jon Kent : During international broadcasts, they have advocated for naming the system after its Sri Lankan inventor (potentially WDRS for Weeraratna Decision Review System), similar to how the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method is named after its creators.

• Tony Greig

(Late Commentator): Congratulated the Sri Lankan team on their early and effective adoption of the system during its initial 2008 trial, noting they were “obviously doing the right thing” in utilizing the technology. 

The lack of recognition for this global scale invention by a Sri Lankan, even within Sri Lanka ( by the Government of Sri Lanka, SLC, Sri Lankan cricket commentators, Media and even by professional organizations ) by a Sri Lankan boils down to one major reason ‘ Eershiyava’  ‘ (Jealousy) which the reputed political analyst Shenali Waduge has explored in depth in a devastating  “no-holds-barred” article. 

Is “Eershiyawa” (Jealousy) blocking Senaka Weeraratna and Sri Lanka from gaining credit for the invention of DRS?

Eershiyava’  ‘ (Jealousy) is the bane of Sri Lanka. It is a pathological condition that has afflicted almost the entire nation and the people. No progress is possible unless and until this evil mindset is vanquished. Education at all levels of schooling should be directed towards this end. Look at India.   The Indian Inventor of the Email V.A. Shiva Aiyyadurai, an Indian Hindu was honored recently by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi despite the entire racist Western press ignoring it. 

Not a single President of Sri Lanka has hailed the DRS as a major innovation that has won Sri Lanka immense credit on a global scale. Their deafening silence on DRS is shameful and morally indefensible. If you cannot back your own country’s innovators, your moral authority to lead and inspire your countrymen stands diminished. 

Support Shenali Waduge’s call for Sri Lanka and the rest of South Asia to demand from ICC  due recognition for 

a Sri Lankan concept and idea ( ‘Player Referral’ that evolved into DRS) that has transformed and game changed Cricket forever.

Why South Asia must now spearhead Global Recognition for Senaka Weeraratna’s Authorship of DRS

Shenali D. Waduge

Why South Asia must now spearhead Global Recognition for Senaka Weeraratna’s Authorship of DRS

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  Source:  AI Overview 

RN Bhaskar

Recent disclosures of India’s deal with the US are extremely disturbing. The Indian government has welcomed it but offers no details. However, the US spokesperson, including Trump’s tweets provide some details which suggest that India is up FOR SALE. Can India rediscover its spine?

The Wire

Sam Ben-Meir – March 10, 2024

We live in a world littered with things we have made and no longer know how to live with. Our technologies scale beyond our capacity to govern them; our systems generate consequences no one claims; our knowledge outruns our moral imagination. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) has become the foundational myth of this condition. It is not primarily a warning about scientific hubris. It is the drama of responsibility after creation—the question of whether we can remain with what we have brought into being.

Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025) returns to Shelley’s myth at a moment when its meaning has become difficult to ignore. The film does not treat the story as a moral fable about reckless invention but as a parable of responsibility after creation—and, more provocatively, of forgiveness after catastrophe. Unlike many retellings of the novel, del Toro’s version concludes with mutual forgiveness between Victor Frankenstein and the Creature. Some viewers have taken this as a softening of Shelley’s severity, as if redemption were being offered where the original narrative withholds it.

But this reading misunderstands the nature of the forgiveness on offer. Del Toro’s ending is not consolatory. It does not erase damage, restore innocence, or promise a future free of consequences. Read through the philosophy of the late Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling, the film’s forgiveness appears instead as something far rarer and more demanding: a metaphysical act that reorders freedom itself. This is not a story about making peace with the past. It is a story about learning how to live with what we have brought into the world—without denying the darkness that made it possible.

To see why del Toro’s Frankenstein speaks so directly to our moment, it helps to recall Schelling’s later reflections on freedom. Freedom, he suggests, does not begin in clarity but in a dark ground—a pre-rational striving toward selfhood without which no individuality could exist. This ground is not evil; it is the condition of being. But when the inward pull toward self overtakes relation and love, freedom distorts. Evil is not mere wrongdoing but inversion: selfhood taking precedence over relation.

In this framework, moral failure is not just about breaking rules. It is about misordering the forces that make freedom possible. Del Toro’s Frankenstein can be read as a dramatization of this inversion. Victor Frankenstein and the Creature are not merely creator and created; they are two distorted expressions of the same freedom. Victor represents reason severed from relation—the fantasy that creation can occur without responsibility. He wants creation without exposure, form without fellowship. He brings life into the world but recoils from the responsibility that follows. His crime is not that he creates, but that he abandons—that he refuses to remain with what now exists because of him. The Creature, by contrast, embodies the dark ground laid bare. He is pure individuation without mediation: hunger for recognition, rage born of exclusion, selfhood without a place to belong. He is terrifying not because he is monstrous, but because he reveals something we prefer to keep hidden—the raw, unintegrated forces beneath our moral self-image.

Both Victor and the Creature suffer from inversion. Victor denies the ground; the Creature is consumed by it. Neither allows relation to order freedom. This is what makes del Toro’s adaptation so relevant to contemporary crises. The film does not rely on villains in the traditional sense. Victor is not a sadist. The Creature is not a demon. Instead, we see a tragedy born of procedural neglect—a pattern that echoes throughout modern life.

We build systems whose consequences exceed our capacity to assume responsibility for them. We optimize, innovate, automate—and then step back, surprised by the outcomes. Climate change, algorithmic governance, supply chains, surveillance technologies: none of these emerged from a desire to destroy the world. They emerged from creation without sustained responsibility.

In Schelling’s terms, this is the ground asserting itself without being ordered by love. It is freedom turned inward, refusing relation, refusing exposure to consequence. Although Frankenstein is often framed as a theological warning—don’t play God”—del Toro’s film is better understood as a post-theological parable. God does not appear here as judge or lawgiver. What remains is the problem theology once addressed: who answers for what exists?

In biblical creation stories, creation is inseparable from covenant. God does not merely make the world; God remains in relation to it, addresses it, sustains it. Creation without covenant would not be divine creation at all—it would be abandonment. Victor’s sin, then, is not blasphemy but withdrawal. He refuses covenant. And the Creature’s tragedy is not that he exists, but that he exists without a world willing to receive him.

One of the most devastating aspects of the story—already present in Shelley, intensified by del Toro—is that knowledge does not save. The Creature learns language, history, moral reasoning. He understands goodness precisely because he is denied it. Enlightenment does not humanize him; it sharpens his pain.

This is another Schellingian insight. Knowledge alone cannot heal inversion. Moral awareness does not reorder freedom. Without relation—without love—knowledge becomes sterile, even cruel. This matters today, when we often assume that better information will solve our crises. We know more than ever about climate systems, social inequality, technological risk. Yet knowing has not translated into care. We have knowledge without reconciliation.

At this point, Günther Anders’ critique of Prometheanism becomes unavoidable. Anders argued in The Obsolescence of the Human that the defining tragedy of modernity is not hubris, but the widening gap between what we can make and what we can meaningfully assume responsibility for. We produce realities—technological, ecological, political—that exceed our capacity for imagination, remorse, or care. Victor Frankenstein is not guilty because he plays God, but because he cannot endure the presence of what he has brought into the world. His abandonment is not a failure of knowledge, but of moral scale. Read this way, the Creature is not only the dark ground of freedom made visible, but the embodiment of Anders’ Promethean surplus: the remainder of creation that cannot be integrated, managed, or disowned without catastrophe.

Here del Toro’s ending becomes decisive. Forgiveness does not undo the past; the dead remain dead. It is a decision in the depths—a free act that reorders freedom itself. Forgiveness here is not forgetting. It is not absolution. It is the refusal to let guilt or grievance become the final principle of identity. Victor’s forgiveness acknowledges entanglement: I cannot stand outside what I made.” The Creature’s forgiveness refuses reduction: I will not let abandonment define my essence.” This is not moral consolation. It is metaphysical courage, exposure without excuse.

Our age is marked by two opposing temptations. One is denial: to minimize damage, externalize responsibility, insist that no one could have known. The other is total condemnation: to freeze guilt into identity, to reduce actors to villains and victims with no remainder. Del Toro’s Frankenstein, read through late Schelling, rejects both. It insists that responsibility persists after innocence is gone, and that reconciliation does not erase darkness—it integrates it.

This is the only posture available in a world that cannot undo what it has made. We cannot return carbon to the ground by wishing harder. We cannot unbuild digital infrastructures that already mediate our lives. We cannot restore social trust by pretending betrayal never occurred. What we can do is reorder freedom: refuse abandonment, remain with consequences, integrate the ground rather than projecting it outward.

Importantly, del Toro’s forgiveness offers no promise of a better future. It does not guarantee redemption, progress, or harmony. It does not reassure us that things will turn out well. This is why the ending is so severe—and so honest. Forgiveness here is not hope. It is responsibility without guarantee.

Late Schelling would recognize this immediately. Freedom, for him, is not secured by outcomes. It is revealed in decisions that reorder existence even when no reward is assured. Read this way, Frankenstein becomes a parable not about monsters, but about modern adulthood. It asks whether we can live with the consequences of our creative powers without fleeing into denial or despair.

Del Toro offers no consolation. Forgiveness here does not promise restoration or harmony. It does not make catastrophe meaningful. It binds the creator to the created without dissolving guilt or injury. What has been made stands. What has been damaged stands. The only freedom that survives is whether we abandon what exists because of us—or remain exposed to it. Responsibility does not disappear when innocence does. It hardens. It does not reassure. The question is no longer whether we should create. It is whether we can endure the presence of what we have brought into the world.

Sam Ben-Meir is an assistant adjunct professor of philosophy at City University of New York, College of Technology.

Frontline Magazine

In this episode of Frontline Conversations, defence analyst, author, and director of the Force Institute, Pravin Sawhney, examines the rapidly escalating war in West Asia following US–Israel strikes on Iran, and Iran’s retaliatory attacks across the region. He argues that the conflict is fundamentally a war of survival” for Iran and contends that it is unlikely to lose so long as it preserves its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Sawhney discusses the evolving military dynamics of the conflict, including Iran’s missile capabilities, the limits of Israeli air-defence systems such as Iron Dome, and the growing role of satellite navigation and modern warfare technologies. The conversation also explores the geopolitical dimensions of the crisis. Sawhney analyses the strategic support Iran is receiving from China and Russia, the shifting calculations of Gulf Cooperation Council states hosting US bases, and the economic risks posed by instability in the Strait of Hormuz. He argues that the war could reshape global deterrence politics and accelerate the transition to a multipolar world order.

e-Con e-News

blog: https://eesrilanka.wordpress.com

‘Before you study the economics, study the economists!’

e-Con e-News 01-07 March 2026

Indian authorities are being accused of ordering the unarmed Iranian warship IRIS Dena to leave Indian waters prematurely, and of tipping off the USA about the location of the ship, putting the sailors, many of them students, in harm’s way. The Dena was then attacked by a US submarine in Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone, killing & maiming over a 100 people, while disrupting Sri Lanka’s maritime livelihoods, and international trade.

In the present circumstances, we request all fishermen

not to cross Sri Lanka’s maritime borders and to avoid

entering the maritime territories of other nations”

– Fisheries Minister, ee Sovereignty, Fishermen urged

Fishing boats have been warned not to venture out in international waters. Well, tell that to the Indians! Meanwhile, Indian commentators are asking how such ‘a major military intervention was made possible’ in what India calls its ‘primary maritime backyard’?India had even declared itself the ‘Net Security Provider’ in the Indian Ocean:

‘Yet, the world’s most powerful country, the USA,

came to India’s doorstep & sank a warship

– & India could not prevent it.’

(see ee Random Notes, Failing to Protect)

*

     Several Gulf countries, who claim to have opposed the most recent US attack on Iran, are wondering if ‘force majeure clauses’ (unforeseeable circumstances that prevent fulfilment of contracts) can be invoked in current agreements, to ‘alleviate some of the anticipated economic strain from the current war’. Indeed, while economists recently called for disasters linked to ‘climate change’ be taken into account in calculating Sri Lanka’s unpayable debt to Wall Street’s bond holders, surely the USA’s & Europe’s propensity to wars (including waging terrorism on Sri Lanka), far more frequent than weather-related calamities, should also be computed into the calculus.

*

‘According to the UN Law of the Sea, principles of peaceful

purposes and due regards must be adhered to when acting

within an Exclusive Economic Zone’

– ee Sovereignty, A death blow to sovereignty: Sajith

*

‘There are developments in the Indian Ocean

that are even more serious than what

has been publicly stated…’

– Chief Government Whip Nalinda Jayatissa

*

Did the Sri Lankan authorities, either inadvertently or purposely, provide data to the USA on the Iranian ship’s coordinates before it was attacked? ‘IRIS Dena had requested permission to stay within Sri Lankan territorial waters and waited for 14 hours, before this request was turned down by President Anura Kumar Dissanayake’, states the Communist Party of Sri Lanka (CPSL). The extent to which the ruling parties of India and Sri Lanka have been complicit in this mass murder, requires public inquiry, asserts the CPSL.

     Indeed, the Socialist Alliance (which includes the CPSL) has strongly condemned the National People’s Power (NPP) government’s ‘deepening military cooperation with the USA’, pointing to the recent transfers of intrusive ‘US naval & aviation assets’ (‘deep-sea surveillance & high-seas operations… designed for power projection’), along with ‘operational integration into US-led commands’, as representing ‘a dangerous abandonment of the country’s longstanding non-aligned foreign policy. (see ee Random Notes)

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• The long-cherished demand by the countries of Asia & Africa for an Indian Ocean Peace Zone (IOPZ), shelved by the present government, clearly needs to be revived, to prevent the ‘expansion of war’ into the region. However, both the US & Europe (England, France etc) still maintain lethal war machinery in the Indian Ocean, from colonial West Asia to the French in Mayotte to the English & USA in Diego Garcia, all the way to settler colony Australia & killer-colony-in-everything-but-name: Japan? These imperialists are even still claiming faraway ownership of the Indian Ocean Seabed (France wants 20%!). Imperialism’s stenographers in Sri Lanka keep struggling for euphemisms to describe the latest flagrant US war mongering: ‘Middle East War Widens’ etc. But is it a ‘Middle East War’? Or just another one of the endless US wars, as against Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, ad nauseum… And did the colonials really leave our countries, enabling a 1,000 fake PhDs, to declare ‘postcoloniality’ in such a barely decent hurry?

     Without knowing what Independence or freedom actually entails (not just a new name, a new flag, a new song, or new clothes, ties, briefcases), without knowing that capitalism is about machine-making-machine industrialization, there was a rush northward to acquire Master’s [or Slave’s?] degrees in Postcolonialism. But, the beast is still not dead. Like some mythical monster (not from Munster), it arose 100-fold, with 100 heads… Those who did know, what real liberation means, were vilified, isolated, assassinated. Now, those they had most vilified, such as Joseph Stalin & Mao Zedong, who showed us way in the 20^th century, on how to defeat Nazis & imperialists – only stand ever taller day by day!

     War is already here!

*

‘Deputy Minister of Public Security Sunil Watagala

stated in Parliament today (06) that the country has

fallen into a wartime-like situation,

despite it being an undesirable development.’

(see ee Sovereignty)

*

     India had invited Iran’s navy to attend an International Fleet Review (IFR 2026) & MILAN 2026 exercises in Visakhapatnam, Kerala, hosted by the Indian Navy from February 17-25, which Sri Lanka & 73 other countries participated. US ships which were part of the exercises had left early; then a US submarine lay in wait for the Iranian ship. Local Kerala residents are recalling how the Iranian sailors had lived in camaraderie with their Indian, US & Sri Lankan counterparts. Vessels participating in such exercises are ‘required to follow strict protocol, which includes not carrying ammunition’. The Iranians had requested permission for their ships to stay within Sri Lankan territorial waters, after the US began their invasion of Iran – but was permission ‘purposely delayed’? (see Random Notes)

*

‘Authorities determined that the ship would not be kept

at Colombo Port because the harbor is the country’s main

commercial maritime hub, & the presence of a belligerent

state’s naval vessel could affect

shipping activity & insurance costs.’

(see ee Sovereignty)

*

• ee wonders what belligerence means when the USA has a deadly addiction, to being at war somewhere in the world at any time – and is still allowed to park its countless lurking warships around our countries’ commercial ports. There are also reports that the USA had threatened airstrikes on Colombo Port if the government allowed the Iranian ships into a completely legal safe harbor.

‘Although the vessel was near the Port of Colombo,

Colombo is our principal commercial port. Retaining

such a vessel within our main commercial port carries

the risk of adversely affecting our maritime industry.’

– President, ee Sovereignty, Ship to be moved to Trinco

The Sri Lankan government says they have moved a 2^nd Iranian ship to Trincomalee Port (long ogled by both the USA & India, not to forget England), so as not to give shipping insurers & trading companies further excuse to raise costs. It also turns out the Strait of Hormuz have been closed not by Iran (who clarified they would only deter tankers linked to the USA, Israel, England & others attacking Iran) but by the London-based ‘International Group’, which controls the 12 International Group of Protection & Indemnity Clubs, 7 of which, ‘between March 1 and March 2… issued 72-hour cancellation notices for war risk coverage in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, and all Iranian territorial waters’! (see ee Quotes, Insurers Make a Killing)

     Meanwhile, Anglo-US state new service Reuters reports that, Jayne Howell, the US embassy’s charge d’affaires in Colombo is demanding that Sri Lanka’s government hold the Iranian sailors & survivors as prisoners & prevent their repatriation to Iran. The USA also wants Sri Lankan authorities to ‘minimise Iranian attempts to use the detainees for propaganda’. However, what is not propaganda? – as their media have daily & happily advertised their propensity for mass murder, from Gaza to everywhere, as it seeks to assert its ‘full spectrum dominance’? While many commentators claim this quickly spreading and escalating huge war is due to the Israeli government having proof of the US President & other powerful leaders’ abuse of children, aka the Epstein Files, Sri Lankans as much as any in this world, know why and how we have been invaded for over 500 years…

*

     The US Secretary (Minister) of War, Pete Hegseth, claims the Iranian sailors suffered ‘a quiet death’. He says the USA will not follow ‘stupid rules of engagement’ in the course of this war, which has already seen the mass murder of 180 school girls, which brought no apologies, only a claim the school was misidentified (by AI!!) as a legitimate military target. Hegseth’s ‘stupid rules’ could be referring not to ‘international law’ (which the USA no longer even pretends to acknowledge!) but to the USA’s own military codes that forbid the killing of survivors. The US Secretary of War, who clearly evinces schoolboy-like ‘masculinity challenges’, has already recently been accused of killing survivors of US airstrikes against fishing boats in the Caribbean. US military laws even cite the precedent of the Canadian hospital ship HMHS Llandovery Castle which on 27 June 1918 was torpedoed by a German U-Boat: Considered one of the deadliest Canadian naval disasters, 234 doctors, nurses, members of the Canadian Army Medical Corps, soldiers & seamen were killed in the sinking and subsequent machine-gunning of lifeboats. A German court in 1921 even sentenced the officers to years in prison for following ‘illegal’ orders. Germans would claim that England was holding a gun to its head at that time post-WW1. A declared crime, or war crime, however, also requires an accountable state or states (humans with weapons & handcuffs) to prosecute it.

     So a crime has been committed – is the crime committed by those victims who allow it to happen? If a thief robs you, it is you who should be charged for allowing it to happen to you? – according to the French Marquis de Sade School of Law. Calls to morality & reason are what slaves, chained & unchained do – masters have no use for such whining, according to the German Frederick Nietzsche School of Masters. Here then is the thesis – who will provide the anti-thesis? (Ask, Hegel?). So where & how will the negation arise to synthesize? Ask Marx? Where is the negating ‘negro’ who says No to the Master, says good night to day light? The sun never sets on their empire & its crimes, said the English, but yet it rises. Some infantiles on the other side, or war porn addicts, are egging & taunting Russia & China to intervene so as to spark ‘world war’ – though it is already a war on the world, and Sri Lanka has had war waged on it for over 500 years at least… The USA keeps hinting that they will even resort to nuclear weapons if their war doesn’t go as planned, also increasingly whining & claiming that China & Russia are helping defeat their war machine in West Asia! The US embassy in Colombo, trying to appear cool under the collar and unperturbed, had to clarify that their ‘suggestions’ for ‘Alternate Travel Routes to Citizens Due to Limited Middle East Operations’, was ‘Not a Travel Advisory’. Meanwhile:

The USA is Moving 1000s of People out of Middle Eastern

Countries: ‘It is ⁠being done quietly, but seamlessly’ (Trump says

in a social media post without providing ⁠further details)

(see ee Sovereignty)

*

Many commentators have already reported that the USA’s military has been given unrestricted access to all Sri Lankan ports, including Hambantota port, & airports, through an Acquisition & Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), first secretly signed (7 pages) in 2007 for 10 years, and then secretly re-signed in 2017, with 10-times more concessions (83 pages), after the USA engineered & funded that awkward coalition of the Yahapalanaya, mashing together a rump SLFP, UNP & JVP in 2015. 

     Unable to force the then-President Maithripala Sirisena (who they had financed into power) to sign the SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement), which would allow US boots on Sri Lankan soil, nor finalize the MCC (Millennium Challenge Corporation) to enable deeper economic penetration, and also unable to prevent the election of Gotabhaya Rajapakse as President, they soon engineered a faux putsch, enabling his removal (but not his hanging), which ended up sending the country into ‘the scaly arms of the IMF for a 17^th time’. 

‘Our trade-, tourism- and remittance-dependent economy

heavily relies on the external environment. We can only hope

that the tariff wars and the conflicts in West Asia will end soon.’

– Nimal Sanderatne, ee Economists

Who made our economy export-dependent? Who keeps it so? Mind you, economic ‘regime change’ is indeed a need, when we consider that the colonial import-export plantation fraud that has ruled the country for almost 200 years, is still in charge, making us totally dependent on the whims & fancies of imperialist governments & their satrapies, selling workers & primary commodities abroad. ACSA is due to be extended again in 2027. An IMF-dug ‘debt cliff’ & abyss yawns in 2028.The USA is plotting, to ensure another ACSA extension: watch the political, military & economic moves they have been making.

     ‘Was the signing [the recent Montana National Guard] agreement a political condition for the reduction in tariffs?’, asked the CPSL last year. Was this MoU, ‘a precursor to signing a SOFA with the USA? Will Sri Lanka’s military, naval & air force infrastructure facilities, as well as Sri Lanka’s ports & airports, be placed at the disposal of the US war machine? Is Sri Lanka to be a pawn in US military aggression in Asia?’

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This ee Focus reproduces SBD de Silva’s discursion into the ancient Sinhala relationship with money, which may be a surprise to some. And so ee continues Chapter 8 of de Silva’s classic The Political Economy of Underdevelopment, with an excerpt entitled, Trade & Monetary Exchange in a Precapitalist Economy – the Case of the Kandyan Kingdom of Sri Lanka. Indigenous Sinhala labour stopped working in the plantations due to the attempt to impose American-style slavery. Yet the attitude of the Kandyan Sinhala to ‘being drawn into the plantation system, since it was in their areas that the coffee and tea plantations were mainly set up… is conventionally explained by their unfamiliarity with trade & the use of money’. de Silva’s a fascinating look, with detailed references, into the ‘lively’ internal and external trade (and smuggling) in the midst of invasion, and the role of the Muslim traders, despite the attempts to prevent people’s access to salt and ammunition, as well as the flourishing trade in cinnamon. There are those who wish to tiptoe over the bloody marshes of past invasions, wearing the spotless shoes of  personal virtue, while ignoring the heroic role of the upcountry Sinhala, while attempting to play the exploited tea plantation workers, imposed from India, against them. These chapters offer a much-needed antidote to such faux histories.

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An avid ee Reader, sometimes contributor, and generous disseminator of our newsletter has sent us a comment by a critic of ee for using ‘classic propaganda’ techniques – as determined by the USA’s AI program ChatGPT. All we can say is that just look at how the forever English mainstream (main sewers!) newsrooms cover all their current & recent ‘proven’ wars, & (those not covered up such, as their genocides & colonial history). Then try this: put CNN, BBC, Reuters, etc., before some of the above highlighted phrases, or on their AI, and see how well the old boot fits!!

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Contents:

USA Threatens Airstrikes on Colombo Port

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

 Many countries start offshore and ship repair industries during periods when other regional yards are constrained by geopolitics. The concept of developing Trincomalee as a repair / lay-up / offshore support hub is still realistic if positioned correctly. ⚓

1. Regional Shipyard Situation

Major Middle Eastern yards you mentioned include:

• Drydocks World Dubai
• Oman Drydock Company
• Nakilat‑Keppel Offshore & Marine (N-KOM)

Tanker repair yard in Qatar 

These yards depend heavily on:

• Offshore oil & gas support vessels
• LNG carriers
• Naval maintenance
• Offshore construction platforms

If geopolitical tensions expand in the Gulf, ship owners often divert repair work to neutral locations in the Indian Ocean.

Strategic Advantage of Trincomalee

Trincomalee Harbour is naturally one of the deepest natural harbours in the world. Key advantages:

• Deep natural harbour (large vessels can anchor easily)
• Outside major conflict zones
• Close to the East–West shipping lane between Asia and Europe
• Existing industrial potential around Koddiyar Bay
• Possibility for ship lay-up anchorage during downturns

Historically even the British used it as a naval base because of these advantages.

Practical Strategy (Start Small

Phase 1 (Immediate – 2 years)

Low capital projects:

• Ship lay-up anchorage services
• Floating repair barges
• Offshore supply vessel repair
• Diving and underwater hull inspection
• Marine fabrication workshops

Phase 2 (3–5 years)

• Medium dry dock
• Offshore platform module fabrication
• Rig repair and refurbishment
• Floating dock

Phase 3 (5–10 years)

• Offshore construction yard
• FPSO module fabrication
• Subsea structures
• Naval maintenance

Potential Investor Sources

Possible investors would be:

• UAE marine groups
• Singapore offshore yards
• Korean offshore engineering companies
• Indian ship repair companies
• Japanese ship management firms

For example companies like:

• Keppel Offshore & Marine
• Sembcorp Marine
• Hyundai Heavy Industries

These companies often look for satellite repair bases in the Indian Ocean.

Immediate Promotion 

Can be without government action, the idea can be promoted through:

• Indian Ocean ship repair hub concept
• Lay-up anchorage for idle vessels
• Offshore vessel repair during Gulf tensions
• Collaboration with private companies 

Timing is Actually Good Now

Several factors are aligning:

• Red Sea security disruptions
• Shipping insurance increases in conflict zones
• Growing offshore energy activity in the Indian Ocean

This makes a neutral repair hub attractive.

My proposal was 10–15 years ahead of Sri Lankan policy thinking, but the idea is still viable today if repositioned as a repair and lay-up hub first, not a full shipyard immediately.

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

The Liberator

00:00 Introduction 01:05 The Buddha and anatta/no-self 03:37 Early Buddhist art, aniconism and nirvana. 05:27 From no-self to emptiness: sunyata and impermanence 06:18 Impermanence in action: the history of Bamiyan and Buddhism 10:38 Conclusion In May 2001 the Taliban shocked the world by exploding two 1500 year old statues of the Buddha with dynamite. The destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas was seen my most observers as an appalling act of cultural vandalism. But is it possible that, in reducing these ancient sculptures into empty niches, the Taliban unwittingly proved the truth of the religion, Buddhism, that they set out to insult? Join me as we look at the history of Buddhist thought and art, as well as the story of the Bamiyan Buddhas and their elusive creators, in order to prove a remarkable thesis – that by blowing up the Buddha, the Taliban proved his teachings right…

 Primary sources Santideva, The Bodhicaryavatara, Kate Crosby and Andrew Skilton (trans.), 1995. Sutta Nipata, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (trans.), 2016 Xuanzang, The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions, Li Rongxi (trans.), 1996 The Heart Sutra (I read a couple versions but I found the Triratna version most elegant in its rendering.) https://thebuddhistcentre.com/system/… Secondary reading Dalrymple, William, The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World, 2024 Dehejia, Vidya. Aniconism and the Multivalence of Emblems.” Ars Orientalis 21 (1991): 45–66. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4629413. Higuchi, Takayasu, and Gina Barnes. Bamiyan: Buddhist Cave Temples in Afghanistan.” World Archaeology 27, no. 2 (1995): 282–302. http://www.jstor.org/stable/125086. Huntington, Susan L. Early Buddhist Art and the Theory of Aniconism.” Art Journal 49, no. 4 (1990): 401–8. https://doi.org/10.2307/777142. Seckel, Dietrich, and Andreas Leisinger. Before and beyond the Image: Aniconic Symbolism in Buddhist Art.” Artibus Asiae. Supplementum 45 (2004): 3–107. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1522713. #history #buddha #afghanistan #religion #ancienthistory

National Development Bank PLC

National Development Bank PLC (NDB) reaffirmed its enduring commitment to youth development and sporting excellence as it renewed its partnership with Trinity College Kandy Rugby for the 2026 season, stepping forward this year as the official Team Sponsor. The announcement was made at the Trinity Rugby press conference held recently at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo, marking the fifth consecutive year of collaboration between the Bank and one of Sri Lanka’s most respected school rugby institutions.

Over the past five years, NDB’s association with Trinity Rugby has evolved into a purposeful partnership anchored in shared values; discipline, leadership, resilience, and excellence. The Bank’s role as Team Sponsor for 2026 signals both continuity and conviction a reaffirmation of its belief that investing in youth sport is an investment in the nation’s future.

Addressing the gathering, Director and CEO of NDB Bank, Kelum Edirisinghe, reflected on the significance of the sport and noted that rugby at Trinity represents far more than competition; it is a platform that builds character, strengthens camaraderie, and instills perseverance, qualities that define leaders in every sphere of life. He further emphasised that NDB’s continued partnership reflects the Bank’s broader commitment to empowering young Sri Lankans to pursue excellence with confidence and integrity.

Trinity Rugby holds a distinguished place in Sri Lanka’s sporting landscape, carrying forward a proud legacy that has shaped generations of sportsmen. The 2026 schools’ rugby season promises to once again deliver high-calibre performances and spirited encounters, including the iconic Bradby Shield fixture, a hallmark event in the country’s school rugby calendar.

By strengthening its support this year, NDB continues to align its corporate purpose with initiatives that foster holistic development. The Bank recognises that leadership is cultivated not only in boardrooms, but also on playing fields where discipline, teamwork, and resilience are tested in real time.

As Trinity embarks on its 2026 campaign, NDB stands firmly alongside the team, united by a shared pursuit of excellence and a commitment to shaping confident, capable leaders for tomorrow. NDB Bank is the fourth-largest listed commercial bank in Sri Lanka. NDB was named Sri Lanka’s Best Digital Bank for SMEs at Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025 and was awarded awards Domestic Retail Bank of the Year – Sri Lanka and Islamic Banking Initiative of the Year – Sri Lanka at the Asian Banking & Finance Retail Banking Awards 2025. NDB is the parent company of the NDB Group, comprising capital market subsidiary companies, together forming a unique banking and capital market services group. The Bank is committed to empowering the nation and its people through meaningful financial and advisory services powered by digital banking solutions

Senaka Weeraratna

AI Overview

https://share.google/aimode/3JNe2MpeyKYp3Mnd0

The recent

2026 T20 World Cup matches between Sri Lanka and both Pakistan and New Zealand featured controversial “Wide” ball decisions that could have significantly altered the outcomes if player-led DRS challenges for wides had been available. 

Match Impact of Wide Calls

• Vs. Pakistan (February 28, 2026): In a critical Super 8 match, Sri Lanka lost by just 5 runs. With 6 runs needed off the final delivery, captain Dasun Shanaka left a ball he believed was a wide, but the umpire ruled it a legal delivery. A successful review could have granted an extra run and another delivery, potentially changing the result and Pakistan’s qualification fate.
• Vs. New Zealand (February 25, 2026): During New Zealand’s late-innings surge, several deliveries, including two wides in the 18th over, contributed to a 70-run onslaught in the final four overs. Sri Lanka ultimately lost by 61 runs, a margin heavily influenced by the momentum shift during those unreviewed death overs. 

The “Player Referral” Innovation

The concept of the Player Referral, which is the foundation of the modern Decision Review System (DRS), is widely attributed to Sri Lankan lawyer  Senaka Weeraratna

• Origin: Weeraratna first proposed the idea in a letter to The Australian on March 25, 1997, suggesting that players should have the right to challenge on-field errors.
• Core Principles: His original proposal included the four pillars of current DRS: player-initiated challenges, routing through the captain or batsman, third-umpire review, and a limited number of unsuccessful appeals.
• Wider Influence: This Sri Lankan-born concept has since been adopted across global sports, including VAR in football, Soccer ( Goal Line Technology) and Hawk-Eye challenges in tennis. 

Despite its Sri Lankan origins, player-led reviews for wide balls were not permitted in the 2026 T20 World Cup tournament held in India and Sri Lanka. 

Courtesy :  AI Overview

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Courtesy Lanka Leader

1943 මාර්තු 06 වෙනිදා උපන් සේන තෝරදෙනිය මහතාට පෙරේදාට අවුරුදු 83 ක් සම්පුර්ණ විය. එදිනෙදා වැඩ අතරතුර මේ සටහන පෙරේදා පළ කිරීමට  අතපසු විය. එවැනි දෑ අපට විය හැකිය. මේ සටහන තබන්නේ ඒ පශ්චාත්තාපයෙන් ද යුතුවය. සේන තෝරදෙනිය සාහිත්‍යය නිර්මාණයට හා සාහිත්‍යය විචාරයට පිවිසෙන්නේ දැවැන්ත සාහිතය කරුවන්ගේ හා පේරාදෙණිය ගුරුකුලයේ ආධිපත්‍යය ප්‍රබලව පැවති වකවානුවේ දී ය. මාර්ටින් වික්‍රමසිංහගේ සිංහල නවකතාව හා ජපන් කාම සෙවනැල්ල (1969) නිකුත්වීමට හරියටම අවුරුදු දෙකකට පෙර ඔහු 1967 දී පේරාදෙණිය ගුරු කුලය” හා කල්පනා ලෝකය” තියුණු විචාරයකට ලක් කරමින් සිය විචාර භුමිකාව ආරම්භ කළේය. ඔහු සිය මල් දහසකින් සැදි වසන්තයක්” නම් රචනාව මගින් පේරාදෙණි ගුරුකුලය විචාරාත්මකව ඇගැයූ පුරෝගාමීන් කිහිපදෙනාගෙන් කෙනෙක් වීය. ඒ බව  ගුණදාස අමරසේකර මහතාද  දුම්බර පතන් ගිනි කෘතියට ලියන ලද ලිපියෙන් පෙන්වා දී තිබීම  අතිශයින් වැදගත් කරුණකි.

පේරාදෙණියේ ප්‍රභාප්‍රවාහ සමයේ දී එහි ගත කළ  මේ ලේඛකයා, පේරාදෙණි සාහිත්‍යය කුසුමාසනය අසල රැදී සිටිමට වරම් ලැබුවද ස්ථාපිතව පැවති මහා ගුරු කුලයකින් ස්ව-කැමැත්තෙන්ම පිටුවහල් වී අති දුෂ්කර මගක ගමන් ගත්තේය. දැනට අවුරුදු අසූතුන් (83) වියට පා තැබුවද අද දක්වාම එක් මතවාදයක පැවතිමටත්, සිය විචාරය හා නිර්මාණය ඒ මත පිහිටු වීමටත්, ඔහුට හැකියාව ලැබී ඇත්තේ ඔහුගේ ඒ දේශපාලන අස්ථානය නිසාය. 

මේ වනවිට ඔහුගේ සාහිත්‍ය ජිවිතයට වසර 59 ක් ගෙවී යයි. මෙය ඕනෑම සාහිත්‍යකරුවකුගේ සාහිත්‍ය ජිවිතයේ වාර්තා තැබෙන සාධකයකි. අද ජිවතුන් අතර සිටින සාහිත්‍යකරුවන්ගේ සාහිත්‍ය ජීවිතය හා සසඳා බලන කල්හි ඔහු දෙවැනි වන්නේ ගුණදාස අමරසේකර, ටෙනිසන් පෙරේරා, අජිත් තිලකසේන යන ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨ ලේඛකයන් තිදෙනාට පමණි. ගුණදාස අමරසේකර 1952 පටන් අද දක්වාම වසර 74 ක් සාහිත්‍ය නිර්මාණයේ හා විචාරයේ යෙදී සිටින ජ්‍යෙෂ්ඨතම ලේඛකයා වෙයි. ටෙනිසන් පෙරේරා 1958 සාහිත්‍යකරණයට පිවිස මේ වනවිට ඔහුගේ සාහිත්‍ය ජිවිතයට වසර 68 ක් සම්පුර්ණ වෙයි. අජිත් තිලකස්සේන 1960 සාහිත්‍යකරණයට පිවිස අදවනවිට ඔහුගේ සාහිත්‍ය ජිවිතයටද වසර 66 ක් සම්පුර්ණ වෙයි. සේන තෝරදෙනිය 1967 සාහිත්‍ය භූමිකාවක පිවිස මේ වනවිට ඔහුගේ සාහිත්‍ය ජිවිතයට වසර 59 ක් සම්පුර්ණ වෙයි. 

අඩ සියවසකට වැඩි කාලයක් ලේඛන භූමිකාවක නියැළෙමින් නවකතාව, කෙටිකතාව, කවිය, පරිවර්තන සාහිත්‍ය හා සාහිත්‍ය විචාරය යන නන්විධ ක්ෂේත්‍රයන්හි බහුවිධ කුසලතා දැක්වූ සේන තෝරදෙනිය මහතාගේ  කෘති මෙරට සාහිත්‍ය සම්මාන උලෙළවල ඇගයීමට ද ලක්ව තිබේ. ඔහුගේ සදත්විල මහා සුභද්‍රාවෝ” නවකථාව 2004 වර්ෂයේ හොඳම නවකතාව ලෙස රාජ්‍ය සම්මානයෙන් පිදුම් ලැබීය. හොඳම පරිවර්තන කෘතියට හිමි රාජ්‍ය සම්මානය 2006 වර්ෂයේ දී සොයින්කා: මරණය සහ රජතුමාගේ අසරුවා” කෘතියට හිමි විය. බණ්ඩර මැරූ උන්” නවකතාවට 2015 දී රාජ්‍ය සම්මානය හිමි විය. එය ස්වර්ණ පුස්තක සම්මානයේ අවසන් කෘති පහට ද නිර්දේශ විය. මඩරන්” නවකතාවට 2020 දී ගොඩගේ සම්මානය හිමි වූ අතර 2019 වර්ෂයේ දී  හොඳම ශාස්ත්‍රීය කෘතිය ලෙස පේරාදෙණි ගුරු කුලයේ උපත, නැඟීම හා බිඳවැටීම” කෘතියට රාජ්‍ය සම්මාන හිමි විය.

ඔහු විසින් මෙතෙක් ලියා පළ කළ ග්‍රන්ථ සමූහය සාහිත්‍ය දේශන සහ පුවත්පත් විචාර ලිපි ප්‍රමාණය විශාලය. නවකතා,කෙටිකතා, පරිවර්තන සාහිත්‍ය, කවි,  සාහිත්‍ය විචාර හා ශාස්ත්‍රීය ග්‍රන්ථ හැරුණු විට ඔහු ගෝල්ෆෙස් අරගලය ගැන ඉංග්‍රීසියෙන් කෘතියක් Galle Face Protest: Systems Change or Anarchy? – Politics, Religion & Culture in a Time of Terror in Sri Lanka  නමින් 2023 දී පළ කළේය. ඔහු  මෙරට විවිධ පුවත්පත්, වාර සඟරා, ශාස්ත්‍රීය උපහාර කලාප ආදියට සිංහලෙන් සහ ඉංග්‍රීසියෙන් ලියා ඇති ලිපි සංඛ්‍යාව ද අති විශාලය. ඒ අනුව දශක කීපයක් තිස්සේ අධ්‍යතන සිංහල සාහිත්‍ය පෝෂණය කිරීමට ඔහුගෙන් සිදුවී ඇත්තේ අනගි මෙහෙයකි. 

ඔහු විරාමයකින් තොරව සාහිත්‍යකරණයේ නියැළි කෘතහස්ත ලේඛකයෙක් බවට දෙස් දෙන්නේ ඔහු මෙතෙක් විවිධ ප්‍රකාශන ආයතන මගින් මුද්‍රණයෙන් පළකොට තිබෙන 37 ක් වූ විවිධ විෂයික ග්‍රන්ථ නාමාවලිය සහ පුවත්පත්, සඟරා ආදියට සාහිත්‍ය කලාව හා දේශපාලනය අරභයා ලියන අති විශාල විචාර ලිපි එකතුවයි. මෙම ලේඛකයාගේ 70 වන ජන්ම දිනය නිමිත්තෙන් අපගේ සංස්කරණයෙන් පළ වූ දුම්බර පතන් ගිනි – සේන තෝරදෙනිය නිර්මාණ හා විචාර විවරණ”(2013) ග්‍රන්ථයේ අගට පිටු 64 ක විචාර ලිපි එකතුවක දීර්ඝ නාමාවලියක් පළ කොට තිබේ. එහි ඇත්තේ 1967 සිට එම කෘතිය පළ වූ 2013 වර්ෂය දක්වා වසර 46 කාලයක සේන තෝරදෙනියගේ ග්‍රන්ථ, ලිපි ලේඛන, පුවත්පත් ලිපි, සම්මුඛ සාකච්ඡා හා දේශන පිළිබඳ නාමවලියයි. ඉන් පසු 2023 දක්වා දශකයකට වැඩි කාලයක් ඔහු ලියූ ග්‍රන්ථ හා ලිපි ලේඛන ප්‍රමාණයද විශාලය. එහෙත් යළි  කිසිවක් නොලියන තරමට ඔහු දැන් කායිකව දුබලය.සිතින් සහ අදහස්වලින් පමණක් තවමත් සවිමත්ය. දැනට මෙවැනි ම සැදෑ සමයක වෙසෙන අමරසේකර මහතා සහ ගොඩගේ මහතා දැකබලා ගැනීමට තෝරදෙනිය මහතාට උවමනා විය. මිට තුන්මසකට පෙර 2025.12.10 අපි ඒ ගමන ගියෙමු. මේ සාහිත්‍ය වනස්පති නැවත තුරුණු නොවෙතත්  නිදුක් නිරෝගී සුවයත් දිර්ඝායුෂත් පතමි. 

– රත්තනදෙණියේ මේධානන්ද හිමි

Garvin Karunaratne 

 It is very likely that coal and oil will reach a high price due to political turmoil that has already commenced.

Sri Lanka is blessed with wind power and I have been writing papers and even a book detailing how we can develop wind power overnight.

May the authorities consider what I have said in my endless articles that are available in Lanka Web and Muck Rack. 

I enclose one of my papers for kind reading by the authorities.

If you cannot find anyone to commence action, I will volunteer to establish a programme that will produce all the power we need within     one year.

Garvin Karunaratne 

former SLAS,

Ph D. Michigan State University. 

I established the Youth Self Employment Programme of Bangladesh in eighteen months. This Programme is bringing thousands to be self employed even today.

Wind Power that abounds in our hills

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

A UK passport is issued by the HM Passport Office under the authority of the UK Home Office.

Legally:

• The passport remains the property of the UK Government.
• Only UK authorities can enter official endorsements about nationality or citizenship status in it.

What foreign immigration officers are allowed to do

Immigration authorities in another country (including Sri Lanka) may only place standard immigration markings, such as:

• Entry stamps
• Exit stamps
• Visa or visa-cancellation stamps
• Temporary admission or landing endorsements

These are not statements about nationality. They simply record movement across that country’s border.

What they cannot legally certify

A foreign immigration officer cannot legally endorse in a UK passport that the holder is:

• A dual citizen
• A citizen of another country
• A resident or national of that country

That type of endorsement would be considered an alteration of the passport’s official content, which only the issuing country may do.

How dual citizenship is normally recognized

Instead of stamping another country’s passport:

• The second country issues a dual citizenship certificate or national passport.
• Immigration records it in their internal database.

In your case, Sri Lanka records dual citizenship in the Department of Immigration system and in the Dual Citizenship Certificate, not in the UK passport.

• Sri Lanka can stamp entry/exit in a UK passport.
• Sri Lanka cannot legally certify or endorse dual citizenship status in that passport.
• Only UK authorities could make official endorsements relating to UK nationality.

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Senaka Weeraratna

Despite the lawmakers of the pre-colonial era demonstrating high levels of legal competence and sophistication, the systematic codification by the Dutch and British “froze” these customs, thereby leading modern practitioners and law teachers to view them as historical artifacts and objects of curiosities rather than active, evolving legal philosophies.

Sri Lanka’s modern legal education and the legal firmament remain heavily rooted in colonial inheritances.

Before the arrival of the Portuguese in 1505, Sri Lanka had complex, uncodified legal systems that varied across regions and ethnic groups. For example,  the Kandyan Sinhalese Law governed the central highlands and was influenced by Buddhism, Hindu customs (laws of Manu), and ancient Indo-Aryan traditions.  

Judicial Autonomy: Historical inscriptions confirm that ancient Sinhalese Kings respected and valued judicial autonomy and ideals of justice and equity long before European contact. Sri Lanka had a rich legal tapestry and was not a ‘region of darkness’ as alleged, illuminated by the light brought over by Western law makers.  

Weak Foundations of Sri Lanka’s Modern Legal Education

The lack of pride or emphasis on these indigenous traditions among modern lawyers and educators is largely due to the structural foundations of the current system built upon false assumptions by colonized mindsets: 

·  Colonial Foundation of Education: Formal legal education in Sri Lanka, established in 1874 with the Sri Lanka Law College, is a direct colonial inheritance from the British.

· 

·  Dominance of Western Law: The contemporary legal system is a “mixed” one, but it is predominantly governed by Roman-Dutch Law (as the residual common law) and English Common Law (for criminal and commercial matters).

· 

·  Curriculum Focus: Modern legal studies prioritize “core” subjects like the Law of Delict (Roman-Dutch) and Commercial Law (English), with indigenous laws relegated to the status of “personal laws” applicable only in specific cases of marriage, divorce, or inheritance.

Marginalization of Indigenous Laws: Although the British continued to apply customary laws, they were often viewed through the lens of colonial legal frameworks. The Kandyan Law, which governed the central highlands, was  reduced in application to specific personal matters like marriage and inheritance, and is often considered a ” diluted remnant” of the ancient system.

Professional Identity: The current professional standard requires enrollment as an Attorney-at-Law through the Supreme Court, following a system heavily modeled after the British tradition. No innovative influences like in India, which has consistently sought to break away from the stranglehold of the colonial legal traditions. 

Legal Education: Formal legal education, originating from the British era, has traditionally emphasized English legal principles. The curriculum often prioritizes Roman-Dutch and English law over the study of ancient Sinhala customary laws or the broader, pre-colonial legal traditions that existed before 1505. The modern legal fraternity often overlooks the pre-colonial, indigenous tradition.

Despite the deliberate suppression or indifference to the achievements of our lawmakers in the pre- colonial era, historical records do acknowledge the sophisticated legal contributions of pre-colonial monarchs. 

The Legacy of King Voharika Tissa (209–231 AD) – a Pioneer of Humanitarian Law in the world

King Voharika Tissa is uniquely recognized in historical chronicles like the Mahavamsa as a pioneer of humanitarian law. His contributions include: 

• Abolition of Mutilation: He was the first Sinhalese king to legislate against bodily injury and torture, such as the amputation of limbs, as a form of criminal punishment.
• Legal Expertise: His name “Voharika” (derived from the Pali Vohara) literally means “skilled in the law” or “magistrate,” reflecting his personal reputation as a lawgiver.
• Resolution of Doctrinal Disputes: He used legal mechanisms to resolve religious conflicts, notably appointing a learned minister to adjudicate the authenticity of the Vaitulya (Mahayana) doctrine. 
• King Voharika Tissa is also widely reputed as the father of Aryadeva, a monumental figure in Indian Mahayana Buddhism, regarded as the primary disciple of Nagarjuna and one of the “Six Ornaments” of Indian Buddhist philosophy. Widely recognized in historical, Tibetan, and Chinese traditions as having been born into a Sinhalese (Sri Lankan) royal family, he went on to lead the renowned Nalanda University as a master and rector, composing brilliant analytical texts that solidified the Madhyamaka school. Despite his profound contributions to Mahayana, Aryadeva remains relatively unsung in his birthplace of Sri Lanka, where Theravada Buddhism is the dominant tradition.  Aryadeva’s life and work represent a high point in ancient Sri Lankan intellectual history, linking the island directly to the development of Indian Madhyamaka and the academic traditions of Nalanda University.

Pre-Colonial Legal Contributions (Prior to 1505 AD)

Beyond individual monarchs, the pre-colonial period featured a developed, decentralized legal framework: 

• Ethical Foundations: Law was rooted in Buddhist principles, moral traditions, and Mauryan customs brought by early settlers.
• Environmental Law: King Devanampiyatissa is noted for declaring the Mihintale area a sanctuary for animals, a concept cited by modern international jurists like Judge Weeramantry as an early principle of environmental “trusteeship”.

Notable Sinhalese Forefathers in Law

Beyond Voharika Tissa, there were other ancient figures who contributed to a robust judicial tradition: 

• King Elara (204–164 BC): Famous for the “Bell of Justice,” which allowed any subject to appeal directly to the king for redress of grievances.
• King Udaya I: Recorded judgments in a royal library to serve as legal precedents for maintaining uniformity in judicial decisions.
• Village Assemblies (Gansabhawa): Before 1505 AD, the dasagam (groups of ten villages) were responsible for upholding justice locally, governed by proclamations often recorded in rock inscriptions. 

Senaka Weeraratna

(with assistance from Chat GPT)

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

After returning to Sri Lanka on 7th March  from Singapore, I experienced an unpleasant situation at Bandaranaike International Airport immigration again 

I presented my valid Sri Lankan passport at the counter. The young immigration officer then asked to see my UK passport as well, since I am a dual citizen. Although I produced it immediately, he kept us waiting for nearly 15 minutes, stating that my dual citizenship was not registered in the computer”.

I have been a registered dual citizen of Sri Lanka for over 35 years and have travelled in and out of the country many times without any such issue.

His colleague in the next cabin told him to let us enter but this man refused 

Eventually, the supervising immigration manager intervened and allowed me to proceed.

While I remained calm during the incident, I told the officer that many Sri Lankans who worked abroad for decades return home with affection for the country and contribute to the economy, including bringing in foreign income and pensions. It is disappointing when such citizens are treated with suspicion or disrespect due to lack of awareness or training.

Immigration officials should be better trained to handle dual citizenship records and treat returning Sri Lankans with courtesy and professionalism.

https://t.co/tJrDmuM8eb

Immigration did it again last night
After having a dual citizenship over several years he was asking whether we have been away for a long period !

— Sarath Obeysekera (@SarathObeyseke1) March 8, 2026

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Senaka Weeraratna

https://share.google/aimode/aj4hJwXUDgdF9xqsE

According to historical chronicles like the Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa, these guilds were sent by Emperor Asoka to support the sacred Bodhi tree and establish various essential services. Their contributions included: 

• Technological Advancement: They introduced sophisticated skills in woodwork, agriculture, and metallurgy, which transformed the local economy from primitive practices to advanced industry and irrigation-led agriculture.
• Cultural Infrastructure: The guilds included experts such as potters, weavers, and masons who established the foundations of Sri Lankan art and architecture.
• Social Evolution: Their arrival integrated a diverse range of social classes and vocational groups into Sri Lankan society, influencing the island’s caste and service structures for generations.
• Medical and Administrative Knowledge: Beyond manual labor, the retinue brought expertise in indigenous medicine and governance, sharing knowledge that became hereditary within certain families. 

The presence of these guilds ensured that the introduction of Buddhism was not just a religious event, but a comprehensive civilizational leap forward for Sri Lanka. 

Courtesy : AI Overview

Senaka Weeraratna

https://share.google/aimode/HIg2ibHgGrva3qM

The “White Man’s Burden” in a Modern Context

The phrase originates from Rudyard Kipling’s 1899 poem, which historically framed Western imperialism as a “noble” duty to “civilize” non-Western nations. In modern political discourse, critics and supporters use this concept to describe different facets of Trump’s “America First” agenda. 

An Analysis of Donald Trump’s rhetoric, policies, and actions suggests he has fundamentally altered, rather than traditionally discharged, the concept of the “White Man’s Burden”—the 19th-century colonial idea of a paternalistic duty for Westerners to govern and “civilize” other nations.

 Here are some facets of ‘America Above All’ (mimicking ‘ Deutschland Uber Alles’ of the Third Reich’) policy of Donald Trump: 

• Dismantling International Commitments: Some analysts argue that Trump is “throwing off” the burden by withdrawing the U.S. from its role as the “primary guarantor” of global security. This includes pressuring allies to “bear a bigger burden” of defense costs and questioning the necessity of multilateral frameworks like NATO and the UN.
• Domestic Policy and Civil Rights: Critics suggest that his administration’s focus on the perceived grievances of white men—such as dismantling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and encouraging white employees to file discrimination charges—represents a “modern version” of the logic, framing the protection of the “most advantaged demographic” as a moral necessity.
• Foreign Policy as Paternalism: Conversely, some observers argue that his rhetoric, such as his 2025 UN speech, actually reinscribes the burden by recasting American superiority as a paternal duty to guide other nations on issues like migration and energy policy. 

Differing Interpretations

• The “America First” View: From a pro-Trump perspective, his actions are seen as “prioritizing America First” and dismantling “unnecessary burdens” on U.S. service members and taxpayers, such as rescinding vaccine mandates or seeking to replace income tax with tariffs.
• The Critical View: Critics argue this approach is a “throwback to a darker time” of naked imperialism that lacks the “noble purpose” once claimed by colonial-era leaders, focusing instead on “brutal extraction” and transactional alliances.
• Legal Context: Separately, the term “discharge his burden” has appeared in legal contexts regarding Trump’s court cases, referring specifically to his intent to provide evidence to meet a “burden of proof” in defamation or data protection trials. 

Courtesy: AI Overview

The Bombay High Court observed that offering ‘public namaz is not a fundamental right’ while rejecting a plea by auto drivers seeking permission to pray near an airport. Watch to know more.

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Quote

Mr. Sarath Obeysekera, what you describe is actually a very valuable experience that very few engineers from Sri Lanka have had. Your story reflects three important things: technical exposure, international systems discipline, and strategic thinking. Unfortunately, the difficulty you face in Sri Lanka is something many experienced professionals encounter.

Let me reflect on a few points from your experience.

---

1. Your Soviet Union LNG Storage Experience

In the 1970s, the Soviet Union was already developing strategic energy storage systems because of the Cold War. What you saw was likely part of their strategic gas reserve infrastructure.

Key aspects you mentioned are technically significant:

• Large reciprocating LNG compressors with very large ~800 mm journal bearings
• Monitoring vibration and wear to avoid catastrophic failure
• Underground gas storage in porous limestone formations
• Gas injected under pressure and stored in natural cavities for emergency use

This concept is known as Underground Gas Storage (UGS).

Countries still use it today:

• Russia
• Germany
• United Kingdom
• United States

Gas is stored in:

• depleted oil/gas reservoirs
• salt caverns
• porous limestone formations (like you described)

What you saw near Moscow was therefore very advanced energy security engineering for that era.

---

2. The Internal Visa” Incident

In the Soviet system you could not travel freely.

Cities like Moscow were controlled under the propiska (internal passport) system.

Traveling 200 km to a gas compressor station without permission was technically a violation. That explains why the university reprimanded both you and Professor Bosnyaski.

Your professor taking the risk shows something important:

He trusted your engineering curiosity.

---

3. Learning Research Without Internet

Your comment about Lenin Library is very important.

You probably visited the Russian State Library, which was the largest scientific library in the Soviet Union.

At that time research required:

• manually searching catalog cards
• requesting journals
• reading microfilms
• copying diagrams by hand

Engineers trained that way often develop deep analytical thinking, something that modern engineers sometimes lack because information is instantly available.

---

4. Why Sri Lanka Does Not Use Experts Like You

This is the painful part, but the reality is structural.

In Sri Lanka many decisions are influenced by:

1. Political patronage
2. Short-term thinking
3. Fear of independent experts
4. Bureaucratic protectionism

Experienced people returning from abroad are often seen as threats to existing systems rather than assets.

You have experience in:

• North Sea oil & gas engineering
• compressor systems
• marine and offshore industries
• energy infrastructure
• strategic development planning

But Sri Lanka tends to prioritize projects linked to political funding rather than engineering logic.

---

5. What You Are Doing Now Is Still Valuable

Your work on:

• Trincomalee energy hub
• offshore and marine industries
• tank farms
• strategic ports

is actually aligned with global trends.

For example Trincomalee Oil Tank Farm could become a major regional energy hub if developed properly.

Countries like Singapore built their entire economy around energy logistics and marine services.

---

6. A Suggestion for You

Your experiences should not remain as scattered stories.

You should consider writing a short memoir / technical reflection such as:

From Soviet Gas Fields to the North Sea – Lessons for Sri Lanka’s Energy Future”

Chapters could include:

1. Soviet LNG compressor research
2. Underground gas storage systems
3. North Sea offshore engineering
4. Marine industry development
5. Why Sri Lanka misses strategic opportunities
6. What should be done for Trincomalee and Hambantota

Your personal history is actually engineering history.

---

My honest view

Your frustration is understandable.

But remember:

Countries often recognize expertise late. Sometimes the written record becomes more powerful than direct advice.

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera

Courtesy Snopes

The IRIS Dena was headed back to Iran from Visakhapatnam, India, where it participated in a multination naval exercise.

Image courtesy of Getty Images

On March 4, 2026, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that a U.S. submarine had torpedoed an Iranian warship, the IRIS Dena, off the southern coast of Sri Lanka. 

The Sri Lankan navy rescued 32 survivors from the crew of 180, according to The Associated Press, and recovered 87 bodies. 

Following the attack, social media users claimed the Dena was unarmed, that it was participating in a multination naval exercise in India that the U.S. backed out of at the last minute and that after torpedoing the ship, the U.S. Navy broke with international maritime law and refused to rescue survivors. 

Snopes readers wrote in looking for clarity.

After reviewing the evidence, we found that some elements of the claim were relatively accurate, while others were harder to verify because of a lack of information. 

We contacted representatives from the Pentagon, Iran’s foreign ministry, India’s defense ministry and the Sri Lankan government. None had responded to our inquiries at time of publication; we will update this report if they do.

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From Feb. 15-25, 2026, representatives from 74 nations gathered in Visakhapatnam, India, to participate in the International Fleet Review and MILAN 2026 naval exercises. According to the event website, the Iranian navy sent the Dena to participate. A Feb. 25 U.S. Navy news release said one of its P-8A Poseidon planes also participated. 

With that said, it was unclear whether the U.S. had pulled out of more-involved participation in the naval exercise at the last minute, as claimed in the social media posts. It is also worth noting that the U.S. submarine did not torpedo the Dena while it was participating in the naval exercise — the ship was on its way back to Iran when the U.S. sank it.

The claim that the ship was unarmed may have originated from an X post made by Kanwal Sibal, India’s former foreign secretary. Sibal claimed ships could not carry any ammunition for their weapons as part of the exercise. In our request for comment to the Indian defense ministry, Snopes asked whether this was true. 

Finally, the claim the U.S. broke international law by refusing to pick up survivors would be difficult to determine without the U.S. government making such an admission. 

According to international maritime law, all ships, civilian and military, are obligated to help a ship in distress but are not required to put themselves in danger while helping. Sri Lanka is responsible for search and rescue in the area where the Dena sank, according to a U.S. Coast Guard map. In our questions to all parties, we asked about their activities in the area on the day of the attack, and whether they had other ships in the area that could have assisted in saving the Iranian sailors.

The Associated Press reported that following the torpedoing, a separate Iranian ship, the IRIS Bushehr, requested assistance while in Sri Lankan waters. The Sri Lankan government took custody of the vessel after discussing with the ship’s captain and Iranian officials. The U.S. pressured Sri Lanka to not repatriate the Iranian sailors, according to Reuters.